Live attentive
Christ Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like the yours!
Dear friend, we pretend to have the same feelings as Jesus, to make him a life in us. To be his reflection in the world. However, to be able to imitate him and follow him, we must live as he lived: Before being a man for men, first he was a man open to God the Father.
His roots and fundaments were in prayer, that is why he was able to reach so far away in love and commitment to men.
We begin this time of prayer with these verses from Psalm 16 (15)
that express the joy and inner freedom that comes from living leaning on our Father God. I invite you to pray these in the spirit of Jesus. What would Jesus feel when pronouncing these verses?
You are my Lord
There is no good without you
You are my Lord
There is no joy outside of you
The Lord is the portion of my heritage.
You are the One who holds my lot secure
My boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places
And I love my inheritance.
I bless the Lod who is my counselor, even at night He instructs me; I always keep Yahweh before my eyes, thus with Him there is no hesitation.
So, my heart rejoices,
In you it rests secure
You will reveal the path of life to me,
At your right hand, everlasting pleasures.
(Psalm 16 – E13)
Dear friend, the redemption of our negative impulses loosens when in a conflict or provocation, we are careless and live more superficially, it is realized in prayer. The more intimate and silent it is, the better we will be able to detect those negative areas and adverse things that live inside us; most of the time, in our subconscious and that pushes to come out.
It is in silent prayer, being very attentive and being aware of the presence of God, where conflicts, fears and anxieties spurs, trying to divert your attention and get you entangled in them, causing a feeling of failure in your prayer. Do not fear nor give up in your prayer:
Painfully observe those and let them go without getting entangled in them.
Place them in the hands of God the Father, as a painful offering however, loving as these are the conditions of redemption.
Continue in prayer; a serene and rhythmic breathing will help you, and a short phrase that centers you in the presence of God however; continue your prayer silent… You can say: “my God and my all” “Lord, have mercy on me” or any other phrase that you choose.
If despite everything you feel helpless and hopeless, do not succumb, humbly implores help: “Lord, I feel helpless and hopeless. But You are my Lord and my God. You can get me out of this anguish and restlessness. You can transform my interior, appease it and heal all my wounds. I place in your hands all this impotence. Appease my heart and give me your peace.”
Dear friend, the humble and abandoned recognition of all those negativities, without giving them room or justification; That is already a beginning of redemption and to have spiritual peace. Just as the understanding of own helplessness and the intimate conviction that the path can only consist of total trust in God.
In these moments I invite you to silence your entire being and appeal to the Holy Spirit as the force of God and Paraclete as the Spirit of Jesus Christ resurrected.
Say:
“My Lord Jesus Christ, alive and risen, enter in me. Take possession of my entire being. Become vividly present in my entire being and It assumes everything I feel, what I think, what I am, what I have. that in “This moment your feelings are my feelings.”
Lord Jesus, meek and humble.
From the dust I feel controlled by this unquenchable thirst to be admired, the urgent need to be loved by others. My heart is full of impossible dreams.
I crave for redemption. My God, have Mercy.
I simply cannot forgive.
Resentment consumes me
Criticism hurts me
Failure devastates me, rivalry frightens me.
My heart is conceited. Give me the grace of humility, my Lord, gentle and meek of heart
I do not know the origin of this insane appetite to impose my will, to eliminate any rival, to consent to vengeance. I do what I do not want to do. Have mercy, Lord, and give me the grace of humility.
Enormous chains encircle my heart; this heart subdues and takes over all that I am and all that I do, everything that surrounds me. And these appropriations generate so many fears in me. Poor me owner of myself! Who will break my chains? Your grace, my poor and humble Lord. Give me the grace of humility.
The Grace to forgive with my heart. The grace to accept criticism and contradiction, or at least the grace to doubt myself when I am corrected.
Give me the grace of self-examination
The grace to remain undisturbed by scorn, neglect, and indifference; truly feel happiness in being unknown; to discourage feelings, words, and actions of self-satisfaction.
Lord, open free spaces in me so that they may be filled by You and my brothers and sisters.
Then, my Lord Jesus Christ, give me the grace to slowly acquire an unattached and open heart like yours; meek, patient and kind heart. Christ Jesus, gentle and meek of heart, make my heart like yours. Amen.
The Grace of Humility (E-41)