OPEN MY EYES, CLEANSE MY HEART
Aperi, Domine, os meum
ad benedicendum nomen sanctum tuum;
munda cor meum
ab omnibus vanis, perversis et alienis cogitationibus;
intellectu illumina,
affectum inflamma ...
TIME FOR TESTING
"A time for testing
are the days that the Christian has to spend on this earth,
and through God's mercy,
a time set aside to refine our faith in fire
and to prepare our soul for eternal life."
(St Josemaria, Letter March 1973, 2)
HE'S NOT SATISFIED WITH SHARING
Living with God is a risky business,
for he will not share things:
he wants everything.
And if we approach Him,
it means we must be ready for a new conversion,
to take new bearings,
to listen more attentively to his inspirations
--those holy desires that he provokes in every soul--
and to put them into practice.
Since our first conscious decision
to really follow the teaching of Christ,
we have no doubt made good progress
along the way of faithfulness to his word.
And yet isn't it true, particularly,
that there is still so much pride in us?
We need, most probably,
to change again,
to be more loyal and humble,
so that we become less selfish
and let Christ grow in us,
for 'He must become more and more,
I must become less and less.' (Jn 3:30)"
(St Josemaria, Christ is Passing By 58)
"WE HAVE TOILED ALL NIGHT, BUT AT YOUR WORD..."
"Et respondens Simon dixit:
'Praeceptor, per totam noctem laborantes nihil cepimus;
in verbo autem tuo laxabo retia'
Et cum hoc fecissent, concluserunt piscium multitudinem copiosam;
rumpebantur autem retia eorum."
(Lk 5:5-6)
COME, HOLY SPIRIT! COME!
"Veni, Sancte Spiritus
et emitte caelitus
lucis tuae radium.
Veni, Pater pauperum;
veni, Dator munerum;
veni, Lumen cordium.
O Lux beatissima
reple cordis intima
tuorum fidelium.
Lava quod est sordidum,
riga quod est aridum,
sana quod est saucium.
Flecta quod est rigidum,
fove quod est frigidum,
rege quod est devium."
(Hymn Veni, Sancte Spiritus)
BEGINNING AND BEGINNING ANEW
"Renew each day the effective desire to annihilate yourself,
to deny yourself,
to forget yourself,
to walk in novitate sensus,
with a new life,
exchanging this misery of ours
for all the hidden and eternal grandeur of God."
(St Josemaria, The Forge 97)
BECAUSE YOU, LORD, ARE FULL OF MERCY
"Lord, may neither our past wretchedness which has been forgiven us,
nor the possibility of future wretchedness cause us any disquiet.
May we abandon ourselves into your merciful hands.
May we bring before you our desires for holiness and apostolate,
which are hidden like embers
under the ashes of an apparent coldness."
(St Josemaria, The Forge 426)
MAY THE LORD BE ON OUR WAY
Dominus sit
in cordibus vestris,
et in labiis vestris;
in mentibus vestris,
et in itineris vestris;
in orationibus vestris,
et in operationibus vestris.