Day 33. Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. I am your host, Patti Brunner. This is day 33 of “Daily Meditations for Lent”. This Sunday we will share a few personal revelations given as we enter the 5th week of Lent for you to discern and some Sacred Scriptures as well as quotes from the Catechism to help you grow “in closeness to the Lord through truth, repentance, and the word of God moving into fullness within your heart.”
As written in the Gospel of John Chapter 14: 6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1989 teaches us, “The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus’ proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.”
Jesus tells us in John Chapter 15:4 “Abide in me, and I will abide in you.”
The Catechism states, #1430, “Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion.” And in #1431 “Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace.”
We are now in the last week and a half of Lent. The Lord told me: “The last few days of Lent are opportunities to fast and pray.” The Lord said, “The sacrament of Reconciliation will flourish, visits to the Blessed Sacrament for private devotion and adoration will be made available.”
“Nothing,” the Lord says, “nothing can prevent your private devotion to the Stations and to the 7 Sorrows of Mary.”
The Lord gave this advice, “In your home, give reverence to icons of the Crucifix and pictures of Divine Mercy, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and your favorite saint. Look for your favorite holy card and use these sacramentals to remind you that the Lord is present in your ‘Domestic Church’: your home!” He said, “Fear not! The things of this world will pass away but my Love is always and forever.”
The Catechism states, #1706, “By his reason, man recognizes the voice of God which urges him “to do what is good and avoid what is evil.” Everyone is obliged to follow this law, which makes itself heard in conscience and is fulfilled in the love of God and of neighbor. Living a moral life bears witness to the dignity of the person.”
The Lord said to me “My child, the worries consume your heart this hour. Fear Not. The grace of your savior is enough. The continuation of the faith demands there be those who are called and given the mind of Christ. You, too, are such as these. Imperfect seeing in part, knowing in part, yet given more abundantly the charism of love to shine before the people to lead them home—home into the Father’s arms. Fear not,” the Lord said, “I am with you always.”
Catechism #1730 states, “God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions. “God willed that man should be ‘left in the hand of his own counsel,’ so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him.” Man is rational and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master over his acts.”
Remember that when you feel like you are addicted to a personal sin, that you are “master” over your acts!
And in #1733 “The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes.”
Remember that as you try to battle those, those habitual sins, that the ‘more that one does that is good, the freer one becomes.’
[1733] “There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to “the slavery of sin.”[cf Rom 6:17]”
Jesus told us in Matthew 7:12 “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”
Paul wrote to us in Romans 12: “2 Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you,” Paul says, “not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned.”
You have been listening to Truth of the Spirit as we begin the 5th week of Lent. This Lent, the Lord has more to tell us about making good choices. Listen to Him! This is Day 33. Remember: “With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.[i]” Easter is coming! “Prepare for it, ready your heart.” The transcript of this episode is available at PatriarchMinistries.com /303. Come back tomorrow for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more. Amen.
[i] Ephesians 1:7; Psalm 130:7
