Podcast Summary
Childlike faith: Seek spiritual maturity by growing more childlike, trusting and open to God's revelations, rather than relying on our own knowledge and understanding.
We should strive to be childlike in our faith, trusting and open to God's revelations, rather than relying on our own knowledge and understanding. Jesus emphasized this in the Gospel of Matthew when he praised the Father for revealing the most important things to the childlike, not to the wise and learned. This paradoxical concept of spiritual maturity involves growing more childlike, not childish. The Greek term used for childlike, "agape," means having no speech or word, implying a state of trust and dependence on God's words rather than our own. As we transition from a more intensive spiritual journey to our everyday Christian life, it's essential to remember this lesson and continue to trust and receive from God, rather than relying on our own understanding and knowledge.
Childlike dependence on God: Recognizing our inherent need for God and becoming more childlike in trust is crucial for spiritual growth, as criticized by Jesus towards certain towns and the prodigal son.
We should strive to have a childlike dependence on God, recognizing our inherent need for Him. Jesus criticized the towns of Syedah, Chorusae, and Capernaum because they had lost sight of their identity as children of God, treating Him as unnecessary or as a mere rescuer. This is the sin of the prodigal son, who treated his father as dead and didn't recognize his dependence on him. Recognizing our dependence on God is the first step towards ascending closer to Him. As we make the transition post-pilgrimage, it's crucial to become more childlike and trust in God's sustenance, knowing that He will continue to support us as He has during the past 60 days. The ultimate purpose of being God's disciples is not just to give outward testimony, but for God to testify inwardly about who we truly are as His children.
Trusting in God's companionship: Despite trials and hardships, trust in God's unwavering companionship and recognize our role as His instruments to learn valuable lessons and grow closer to Him.
We, as God's people, should trust in His unwavering companionship, even when it may seem as if we are abandoned or unheard. The story of Judah and Assyria in the first reading from Isaiah serves as a reminder that God permits trials and hardships to teach us valuable lessons. The Assyrians, who boasted of their power and wisdom, were merely instruments in God's plan. We, too, should recognize our role as God's instruments and respond with humility, rather than arrogance. The passage also highlights the importance of trusting in God and following His way, rather than seeking political alliances or relying on our own strength. By acknowledging our dependence on God, we can learn valuable lessons and grow closer to Him.
God's cooperation with us: God sees us as His cooperators and children, intimately connected to Him through prayer and sacraments, allowing for a deepening of our relationship and personal growth in His image and likeness.
God values our involvement in His work of salvation and sees us as His cooperators and children. We are not mere instruments or strangers, but intimately connected to Him as part of a communion of persons in love. To become more childlike and enter into this relationship, we need to trust in God like a child and open ourselves up to His revelation and accomplishments, particularly through the sacraments and prayer. Prayer is not just an exercise, but an exchange of personal self-gifts, where we allow God to abide in us and we abide in Him. This exchange deepens our connection to God and allows us to flourish as His children in the image and likeness of the Holy Trinity.
Communion with God: God invites us to enter into a loving relationship through Jesus, deepen it with childlike faith, and practice it through baptism, Eucharist, and church support. The 16 Carmelites' faith during the French Revolution illustrates this call.
God, as an eternal communion of three persons, invites us to enter into this loving relationship through Jesus taking on human nature and incorporating us into His body through baptism and the Holy Eucharist. The church is the locus of this communion, and we must respond with childlike faith to deepen our connection with God. The example of the 16 Carmelites, who remained devoted to their faith during the French Revolution, illustrates this call to childlike faith and trust in God. Despite persecution, they continued to practice their faith and ultimately gave their lives for it. This invitation to communion with God is a profound mystery, but one that we can embrace with the help of the Holy Spirit and the support of the church.
Childlike faith during execution: The 16 martyrs of Compian showed unwavering faith and love for God during public execution, inspiring us to remain faithful and trust in God's mercy and love.
The 16 martyrs of Compian, despite being subjected to public execution during the Reign of Terror, remained faithful to their Catholic beliefs and showed love for God through singing hymns as they approached the guillotine. Their childlike faith allowed them to face death unafraid, even when subjected to cruel treatment. The last martyr, an elderly woman who was pushed over by a guard, forgave her attacker and continued to sing, demonstrating her unwavering love for God. Their example reminds us that we, as children of God, should strive to remain faithful and childlike in our own lives, trusting in God's mercy and love. As St. John explains, we are called children of God now, but we will one day be like Him in heaven. The martyrs of Compian serve as a powerful reminder of the eternal inheritance promised to all who remain faithful to God.
Approaching the Eucharist: Approach the Eucharist with childlike love and reverence, becoming collaborators in God's saving work and instruments for the world's salvation.
That during the reception of the Eucharist, we are called to approach God with the same childlike love and reverence that we had during our first Holy Communion. We are not just recipients, but collaborators in His saving work. God's love for us is unwavering, and He will never abandon us. As we receive Him, we become His instruments for the salvation of the world. This spiritual childlikeness allows us to deepen our relationship with God and become more effective in carrying out His mission. So, let us strive to receive the Eucharist with open hearts, filled with love and gratitude, and allow ourselves to be transformed by His grace.