This transcript of a talk by Fr. Gustavo back from 1987, was just given to me by a friend and it's certainly worth sharing.
Consecration to the Divine Will
Father Gustavo
Tape #37, 1987
Since now I would like to invite all of you to actually form a part of this community as members in the laity within your own particular state of life because of the fact that you all know that the object, the finality, of this community, of this work, is to live the Divine Will. There is no habit; there is no rule; so to speak; no vows. There is one vow, one habit, one rule of life - live the Divine Will. But there is a form in which one can do so personally and in another form that one would want to do so in community. And each is free to do it.
So, how does one really arrive to be a son or daughter of the Divine Will? As a member of this community? First and for most vocation, which means a calling, a gift. Which just goes to say that you have to be called by God to receive this gift. And then afterwards to feel within your soul a real ardent desire to live it. And in view of this, we could say that the vocation, this calling, you have it. And God place within your own hands this gift. It is up to you to answer for it.
You know, in the gospels, our Lord gives us several examples of the various calls and the various answers to these calls. Some are positive and others are negative. Some who immediately, like the twelve apostles, left everything and followed him. Others who asked our Lord, "Let me go and bury my father first." And Jesus didn't like that. And other said, "Well, let me go out and try out my oxen for my field." And Jesus didn't like that either. Others said, "Hey I'm married and I have got my obligations of my married life." And He didn't like that either. And He ended by saying this: "When I call you to the Kingdom, you have to be disposed to leave everything: father, mother, brother, sister, even your own life." And to respond immediately to God. Because the callings of God do not give you time to be able to say, "Well, let me think about it." Because when God calls, who is "He Who is" - the only being who exists of Himself -because you could say when He who is our Creator takes it upon Himself to so to speak, goes out of His way, to call us, His creatures, and the creature says to Him, "Well, let me think about it", that is the greatest offense the creature can give to God. Now, if on the other hand you are to say, "Well, let me think to see if this is "truly" the calling of God or not, that is something else. But once that you know, that you have heard God's call, you do not have time anymore to think about it. The only thing that you are left with is to respond to it.
And you should not be thinking about whether or not you like it or not. Because God's not calling to see whether or not you are going to be in agreement or whether or not you like that He's calling to you to. No. He is calling you because he wants to.
And this gift of the Divine Will, it is the same gift to which Jesus is referring everything to, especially in the Gospel when He says, "Be perfect, just as my heavenly Father is perfect." But there are different forms within this perfection and ways. And one of these ways, that which is more perfect of all of this, the Divine Will. And you, who are here present, you have heard this call. Some more; some less but all are following.
Now, what Jesus is doing, He is calling you in a particular form in which you can be bound to this calling in a very solemn way. Because it was not myself who went to each of your houses to drag you out to come here. No, on the contrary, if each one of you is here it is because God called you here. And each and every one of you has responded to Him. And now what Jesus is telling you is this: "I want you to consecrate yourself to Me fully so that you will help Me to accomplish the coming of My Kingdom in its plenitude. And to help is preparation for this Kingdom. I do not believe there can be a greater vocation, my brothers and sisters. If the calling itself for the apostles within the Church was as great as it was, now in preparing for this coming of the Kingdom, of the coming of Jesus upon the Earth, it's infinitely greater. Because it is the very culmination, the peak of His own idea. It is the very culmination of His own redemptive work in which you are giving Jesus to be able to say before the Father, "Father, I want to return and restitute to you all of that which was lost because of sin." And that which he must return back to the Father, that which must be restituted in that very Kingdom of the Divine Will which was originally given to mankind in paradise and then lost. But Jesus knows that when He presents to the Father, this Kingdom, that He is not talking about an exterior Kingdom. Because exteriorly speaking, God can come forth with Kingdoms how much more infinitely beautiful than the entire universe right now. No, that Kingdom which Jesus must present before His Father, is that Kingdom of souls, that Kingdom reigning within souls. Where the Father can actually see that plenitude of His own Divine Will in each and every soul. That is when the Father will smile and will say to the Son, "My Son, you have returned to Me all My glory in My Kingdom." Where sin will be dominated. Satan will be dominated and even death itself will be dominated. And this is that beautiful canticle which we read about in the apocalypse, the triumph of Christ - the new Jerusalem.
And it does not seem like a great thing to have been chosen by God to participate in His preparation for this Kingdom?
So, in view of this, to actually become a member of this work, to form part of this community, first and foremost the vocation is necessary - the calling. Which is to say to have received this gift.
Well, how do I know, Father, that I’ve got this gift? From the moment in which you heard it spoken of, from the moment where you've heard it nominated. And you felt a movement within your soul, which just moves you, to really feel such a joy, in hearing about this gift. You have desired it, you have asked for it. Most clearly, you have this vocation. Because Our Lord says it to Luisa, "Not everyone will receive this gift. Only to those to whom I will make it manifest, to be known to." There is more than 200 million people in just here in the United States now and out of all these people, just think that now it is you, you few that God has chosen to initiate this, His work, His Kingdom. And you see how Our Lord has chosen one from here, one from there. One from each part. Just like in the gospel, what does it say? "Two will be lying in their bed, one will be chosen; the other one left." And why is it? My brothers and sisters we just can't answer that because what is it? It is out of pure love of God. Why has God chosen me with love of predilection? I don't know. But I know that He's called and this just makes me crazy with love. To know that God who is infinite has fixed Himself in me, in this miserable creature that I am. The only thing that I'm left to say is "Blessed Be God." But it is up to me to correspond to it because to he whom God manifests and gives more, the more will be asked of.
Once this vocation has been received, there must be a solemn consecration in answer to it, public, just as the Church calls us, which goes to say before a priest. This, say, will be the first step. Not that before you were consecrated you did not have this gift. But just as an exterior form in which already in confirmation of this, it's the way in which you can show before God that you are disposed to follow. And then in fulfilling the duties which are required of you with this, which this vocation asks of you. And first and for most that which this vocation asks of you is to be a "true" Christian.
Firstly, a profound knowledge of this Divine Will. And as well, that which this community asks of you as manifest within its constitution, according to each one's own state of life that you are in. But it is coming to ask of you that you live this gift in that particular state in which you are. Or it could be well, that God in a special way is calling you to consecrate your life in a special manner to be able to live this gift more intensely. Having taken these steps, as I said, there is what is necessary that we call the "duties" of this state of life or of the "community".
If you go to any other community or any other religious institute, they will show you the great books of their rules of their constitution, in terms of what you are asked of. And this community only has this one here, which is more of a cover than it is book material. And let us look over it a little bit, okay?
Fundamental points of Spiritual Life:
First:
Above and before all things, they will love God with all their soul and with all their strength. And for this reason, they will love their neighbor as themselves. This is the proper and characteristic spirit of this community, the living practice of charity, in all its forms and with all its strength.
So, you can see how this community has as its fundamental basic of everything to fulfill the first commandment of God. To love God with all your strength, with all your soul, with all your mind and above all things. And the second which is like unto it: to love your neighbor as yourself for the love of God.
Secondly, how to live this first commandment in accord with the Divine Will.
Secondly:
To live on Divine Charity means to live on Divine Will in the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat in the midst of creatures. Therefore every day they will come to know the Divine Will better and they will become enamored ever more of it to which they will consecrate themselves and in which they will live in order to return to the order, to the place and to the purpose for which they were created by God without other thoughts in order to give to the Most Holy Trinity in their own name and in the names of all creatures that perfect adoration, praise, reparation and thanksgiving which is due to Him.
And this is the living form, that which is there and actually to practice living this Divine Will. In the Divine Will, which goes to say that perfection, that compliment, of this which is asked of us by God. Because the creature was created by God for one single thing - one single purpose - to live in the Divine Will. Because to live the Divine Will means to live all of love. Because the will is like the dynamo which really to put itself in gear, in activity, is all love. That's why St. John when asked, so to speak, to define God, in looking up and just saying, "God is love." Because God is just this volcano of love. A creature who is a very good perfect model of what God is given us as manifest in creation is the sun. If I see the sun, what do I say? "The sun is all light." You'd say, that's a good definition but that's not the essential definition. Because when St. John says, "God is love", he is giving a most perfect definition of God but not in all of its essential. Because at that point in time, it was not yet manifest as necessary to know to it perfundity what this love consisted in. But now God asks, in saying, "Now I desire that this generation know in what this love consists of, which is my Divine Will.
So, we can say we have arrived at that profound knowledge of what God really is. That is why St. John himself says, "When it will be revealed, who are the sons of God, and now we really are but that which we will be, when this will be revealed, then we will know Him as He is and we will be similar to Him." So, it is necessary that God tell us, that is this ESSENSE of love if we are to be similar to Him. That is why He has told us the sanctity which has been given up to now "has not given Me all that glory which I desire." But His sanctity in the Divine Will, which goes to say, "in this very essence of My love will be that which gives Me that perfect glory because they will possess as their own My very same Will." Which goes to say, "that ESSENSE of My sanctity with which in possessing it as their own, they can love Me as I love Myself; as I praise Myself; as I glorify Myself. And in as much I have received a glory, a praise, a thanksgiving in an infinite manner which I deserve, as God. As the creature alone would never be able to do of himself, if not in possession of this gift."
So really in seeing these two fundamental points, the first two here in this little constitution, to see that the first and foremost thing that is asked of you is to fulfill and to live that first commandment of God. And the second which is its manifestation in the love for your neighbor. Now within this second point which has been given comes "the how" to accomplish this commandment as it is given "now", which is in the gift of the Divine Will.
Thirdly:
Through the true knowledge of Jesus, of His life and of the Holy Gospels, they will come to the conviction that "without" Him nothing is possible. That perfect obedience in all and under all aspects is indispensable and that innocence and chastity are fundamental in their lives.
So really this third one is going to say, practically speaking to you, what do you have to do in order to fulfill this first commandment in the Divine Will? Know Jesus; His Life; His Gospels. That is why I ask within the cenacles in which we went through throughout our trip, "Who's here who have read all the Bible?" Very few, hardly anyone. How many times have you read at least the New Testament? Some could say, oh yeah, I remember my beloved brother here who said very humbly speaking, "Well I've been through it a couple three times myself - the Bible." My brothers and sisters, we have to know the scripture. This is very fundamental. I would really like that you, with the light of the Divine Will, at least the New Testament, that you give it a re-reading, little by little. Don't Place yourself there, to where you give yourself indigestion at night by wanting to finish it. No, little by little, calmly. Read it; put your bookmark in it; the following day, continue. And you will see that which you go about discovering in the light of the Divine Will that all of it seems almost new to you, it is so beautiful. Because now in the light of the Divine Will, you can actually go in to deepen more profoundly these writings of Jesus. Because how can we know Jesus if not through His gospel? Through His life? And through witness and testimony which the apostles give to us? In order to arrive at that conviction which Jesus gives us within His own gospel that "without Me you can do nothing." So whenever you think that you are doing something and you are not doing it with Jesus, through Jesus, for Jesus, you are not doing anything. And you can say almost that which you are doing is disordered and sinful. Even if it seems like you are really doing a great thing. Because you all know that the seven capital sins, the vices, are given even within the spiritual life as well. Look, there is spiritual gluttony; there is spiritual lust; there is spiritual avarice or covetousness; there is spiritual envy. The seven capital sins are all there present within the spiritual life in the practice of virtue. Because you might believe you are really putting forth an example of mortifying yourself greatly and and all you are doing is in reality is filling your heart with pride before the others. Because you are just doing it for the satisfaction of saying before the others, "Oh, well I am very well mortified. And I am really more mortified than others are. Those poor things. They don't understand what mortification is all about. And look, right there in just what you are saying, there is a whole line of vices just in the practice of virtue. Because your virtue then is not rooted in Jesus, it’s in your own vanity. That is why you have got who really grab onto obedience to the truth. Look, once you know the truth, you cannot go on without living it.
Look, if you know in the light of the truth that a single thought which is dishonest is a sinful thought, then you cannot think that sinful thought anymore. Why? Because you know the truth and once you know what the truth is in a particular point, you have to obey that truth. Look, that's why holy obedience is so important. It was by disobedience that sin entered into the world. And because of holy obedience, the Redemption itself was worked. So, the first thing that a true son or daughter of the Divine will must seek out, get to know, live and love is holy obedience. That is why, if you get to know Jesus well, as given in His gospels and as St. Paul says, then you know Jesus as He who was obedient even until death, and death upon the cross.
Then, innocent. What does that mean? That means to be simple, like a little child. And afterwards to try and work towards chastity. Which just goes to say to try to arrive at that point of understanding that your body and those of others are living temples of the Holy Spirit. This third point is really interesting in as much as that it gives that practical aspect of how you are going to live this Divine Will. Because if I ask you, "Do you accomplish this first commandment of God, do you fulfill it? Well, yeah, Father, I believe that I love God above everything." But if you do not know Jesus, you don't know His gospels, you don't live His innocence and you don't practice His chastity, then you are a liar. And you are not obedient to the truth. So it is certainly not true that you love God. Because look, I will repeat it again, love of God is not a theory. It is something that is practical. It is not like the little child that runs up and tells his mother, "Oh, mom, I love you" and gives her a kiss and then runs off and disobeys her. Because you cannot say that you love God when practically speaking in your life, you are not showing it.
Fourth.
As their Divine Master, they will suffer all and from everyone without even considering how they are treated. Doing good with simplicity of heart.
And this is a very practical other form of loving God and showing it - by suffering. That's why Jesus tells us, "Take up your cross and follow Me." Love suffering. Discover the greatness of suffering. Take part of that suffering with Jesus. So really, the word "suffering" should not scare you. And as well, the thought about death surely should not be a suffering or anything frightful for you. The acceptation of your own death is really an act of obedience on your behalf. Jesus, who had no need of death, submitted Himself humbly before His own death in obedience. So, holy obedience is going to scare you? Death is going to scare you? It's one thing if human nature is going to quiver a little bit, I am not referring myself to that. But on the acceptance of death within your will, in as much that you say, "I want this because God wants it at this moment." And it doesn't matter if my body quivers a little bit. All I want is in my will to be fixed to want that which God wants. In such a way that when I come to know when I am near the point of death, for me, it won't be a big traumatic thing. Because death then will no longer be like some type of phantom, ghostly thing. On the contrary, I'd consider it as the door, that opens my way into my house.
And look, this chapter on suffering, you can go on and on there but it is just a little part of these constitutions which is fundamental.
Fifthly:
Mary Most Holy, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will wants her sons and daughters perfectly detached from everything – from themselves and from creatures.
And here is made mention of "Mary Most Holy" in order to give us the knowledge that She forms a very intricate and meaningful part of this community. Because it is thanks to Her that we have obtained this great gift. So we have to ask Her, what is it that She wants of Her sons and daughters of the Divine Will. And She tells us, "I want them perfectly detached from everything, of themselves and of other creatures." So really all of us should try to detach our hearts from everything and everyone. I no longer say, "My house, my car, my things" but only to live with these things which God has provided you with in a perfect simplicity without being attached to anything in as much that if He wants to have you have something one day and another day no, there is no problem. Then in essence, you can live in that perfect detachment from everything.
Now enters the third fundamental person of this community, Jesus, Mary, and Luisa.
Sixth:
So, for us, Luisa has to be that model of someone who has perfectly lived the Divine Will. And for having been the secretary who noted it for us. And it is through her that we have these volumes of the Divine Will. So it just goes to say that Luisa will be someone else who will be very much loved and wanted by those who enter in to form part of this community.
Now, here is a very, very fundamental point here, that is very important, which goes to say you coordinators, as superiors of your own group, will be the most humble and simple of all. Which goes to say, that if the community has given you a responsibility over your other brothers and sisters, that goes to say, that you are "servants". Just as Jesus says when He says, "I did not come to be served but to serve." And He says, "Whoever wants to be first, be he last." So, you have to be servants of your own brothers and sisters. Don't ever get bent out of shape that your cenacle is a rough bunch and their tough for you and all of this. No, no. Look, I know that to be able to take a cenacle down the road is something that asks a lot of you, even physically speaking, emotionally, whatever; but don't think that it is too much. What you are doing in fulfilling that is you are an apostle of the Kingdom of God. So, when you have finished your work and you feel tired, do just that which Jesus says of the faithful servant. Just realize that all you have done is fulfill that which is asked of you. But not ever to say, "Oh, look what I have done and now how much God will reward me." You have only done that which you have been told and you should be able to say before God, "Here I am as only your useless servant." And even in correcting the faults of others, in helping them and wanting to animate them and putting a lot of enthusiasm in wanting to listen to your brothers and sisters. Because there will be some in the cenacles who want to talk to you, so be patient with them. Listen to what they say. Remember, that you are a servant of God. And then remember, that all of these initiatives which are placed before you, they are there for the benefit of your brother. Follow them, all of these sacrifices.
So we will have another occasion to be able to finish up on this in a quick fashion but it's just that I wanted you to know what it is that you are now coming into in terms of responsibility for yourself before the others. So that with a very great generosity, when Sunday does come, you can present yourself before God with that same Divine Fiat, that is just there wanting to bubble out, in order to serve Him.
Our Father, who art in heaven...
End of talk.
No comments:
Post a Comment