Preparing for Consecration

Knowledge of Jesus Christ

During this period we shall apply ourselves to the study of Jesus Christ. His exterior actions and also His interior life; namely, the virtues and acts of His Sacred Heart.

Reflection

Oh blessed Wisdom, it is You that we crave.  Would that this journey might be complete so that we could enter into that eternity, into the presence of the Most High!  It seems such a long journey, wandering on this earth, lost in sin, in selfish desire, in fear, with barely a glancing thought as to whether our actions are moving us closer to or further from the Kingdom of God.  Let us ask Jesus to guide our feet along the path, to move us by the grace of his Holy Spirit to live in true imitation of him.  Let us ask Jesus to remove from us every obstacle that would resist him and to infuse us with his Wisdom so that his virtues can become second nature to us.  Let us be open us to his authentic love, that we might respond to it and give it freely, that love which is eternal! – Bernadette Harmon

The Imitation of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 1, Thomas à Kempis

Imitating Christ And Despising All Vanities On Earth

"He who follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord (Jn 8:12). By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ. The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.

What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.

This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.

Often recall the proverb: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing." (Eccl 1:8) Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.