Pentecost of The Heart

[BarbTherese]

 

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https://spiritualdirection.com/2021/05/23/the-pentecost-of-the-heart

Excerpt: "........."........... Once Jesus ascends, they are sensibly withdrawn from Him completely, and still without a full understanding of His kingdom (Acts 1:6) they are “correspondingly anxious, says St. Augustine”. Garrigou Lagrange summarizes saints teaching this as their Dark Night of the Spirit, leading to their more habitual union with God received at Pentecost.

One choice at a time, they disposed themselves to God’s transforming grace. By His grace, their souls were purified and healed. They didn’t just listen to Jesus for three years, deciding what ‘resonates’ and what they can ‘buy into’. They literally lived with Grace Himself, in Grace Himself, and allowed Him to transform them. This is precisely what He seeks of us........................

............."............. is in no way an intrusion nor is His motion and direction in an external and violent imposition. In reality these influences of the Spirit are intimate, vivifying, and autonomous, so that He who is the reason of our reason and the life of our soul is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. So it is that under His action we feel more free and active than ever.” (Servant of God Rev. John Arintero OP[ii])

 

The above depicts undoubtedly a very holy and saintly person - and it is to this we are called.  It would be impossible without The Holy Spirit, His Grace and guidance, strength or fortitude.  It is a bar or horizon set very high indeed and it could even trigger anxiety (not necessarily) to just read about about it.  One could experience the anxiety and confusion of the apostles before Pentecost and after the Passion and Death of Jesus, His Resurrection. 

But Jesus has told us :

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"Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." Mark Chapter 11 - Vatican Bible HERE

The quotation reminds me of St Therese of Lisieux after an ardent request to Jesus was answered as she hoped.  She was so taken aback to discover it had happened as she hoped, that she decided she should be careful in future  about that for which she prayed ardently. 

Edited May 24, 2021 by BarbaraTherese