Matins
One more thing: what has a particular value is suffering for the sake of the matter – it brings more benefit than all the efforts. (Fr Pr.).
Reading; Rosary; Compline; Reading
21 August
Lauds; Prime; Rosary; Reflection; Holy Mass; Meditation
It happened that today I celebrated Holy Mass to mark the reception of the habit and profession at the Daughters of Divine Charity. It allowed me to bring yesterday’s topic – the mystery of justification – closer to the mystery of the Church. The Church – the mystical body of Christ – is, so to speak, ‘esse ad Patrem’ [‘being towards the Father’]. The sisters, who through their vows choose Christ for their bridegroom, in a special way enter into this ‘esse ad Patrem’ not only personally, but they also impress the sign of this ‘esse’ [‘being’] on the life of our entire society. Hence they are much needed by the Church and in the Church. In a way, they constitute its vertical core. At the same time, it needs to be observed that their special vocation and involvement stems from the mystery of justification. It is simultaneously the fruit and the realisation of this justification.
The Way of the Cross
Meditation: Although yesterday it was said that man – a creature – cannot be stricto sensu [in the strict sense] ‘just’ before God, but needs to be justified by Him, this justification nevertheless aims to create the type of relationship between man and God that consists in justice; in any case, it builds its elements and conditions. God wants man to be ‘just’ intrinsically (intrinsece) and not only ‘justified’ (extrinsically – extrinsece). This is indicated by a contrast with the reality of sin, which is an ‘offence to God’. If the Creator had placed his rational creature, man, entirely beyond the relationship of justice, sin would be impossible: An offence is to some extent a violation of justice with regard to a person (and also charity). The Creator gave primary justice to man through grace, and after the sin, He did not deprive him of the possibility of such a relationship. This possibility gestures towards the supernatural order, the order of grace, but it is grounded in the natural order: in the fact that man is a person.
Christ the Lord justified man, that is, helped and has been helping man to be just before God. Man is ‘just’ before God through ‘esse ad Patrem’, which is grace. The Church as the mystical Christ helps man achieve the same, because its task is to be the continuation of Christ and His work. Doing this, Christ and the Church simultaneously contribute to the fulfilment of human personhood. Man is fully a person when he is ‘justified’, that is ‘just’ before God. Without this – one could say – his personhood remains incomplete, it is unfulfilled.
Man was justified, because he could be (can be) and was (is) unjust before God. Whereas God wants – and He wants it through Christ – man to be just before Him, so indirectly He also wants him to be ‘made equal’ with regard to God – of course through grace. It seems to be the most essentially revealed (genuinely revealed) part of the entire ethics, and simultaneously the most essentially ethical (genuinely ethical) part of the entire revelation (theology!).
Vespers
Adoration: Christ hidden in the womb of the Church, so that He can reveal Himself to humankind. The grace of maturation.
Rosary; Meditation: casus [the case of] W. (T., I.) separately
Reading: De statibus perf. [On the stages of perfection]; Holy Scripture; G. Vann
Matins; Matins (II) for the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Compline
Moreover: thoughts of death!
22 August: Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lauds; Prime; Meditation; Holy Mass; Thanksgiving; Rosary; Conversation with Sister Aug.
Reading: Holy Scripture; schema De clericis [Concerning the clergy]
Meditation:
1. The mystery of justification evokes the awareness of the human creature’s unjustness to God–Creator. This awareness grows bigger and brings out the need of restitution: to make amends to Christ – Him, who has atoned for us all and ‘justifies’ all.
2. Furthermore: justice has followed from justification, which points to the primacy of grace, as it puts us in the position of justice before God: it is this justice that the Lord God wants from us and that He wants in us.
3. The primacy of grace in being – and as a consequence the primacy of grace in action. In the past year it became very clear to me in a well-known context. It undoubtedly means reliance on God. Example: St Peter on the lake – if I look at the man, I am overwhelmed by pessimism; when I look at Christ, trust returns. However, this trust and reliance cannot be presumptuous. Even here some measure of justice should be considered.
4. Justice in relation to one’s position. A bishop bears a particular responsibility for the Church – and this responsibility should be contained in his justification and justice before the Highest and Only Shepherd of souls. One needs both generosity and humility, in fact, a supernatural courage, not only a ‘drive for importance’.
The Way of the Cross: Station XII: the courageous is the one who is ready for the cross!
Vespers
Adoration: Lord Jesus gathered His apostles in the Upper Room and instituted the Eucharist in front of them. He took with Him perfectly ordinary people.
Rosary
Meditation: Problem of ‘successio’ [‘succession’] – separately. The grace of humiliation. Other concerns: priests, family (W. and others), earlier ones.
Matins; Conversation with Br Michael – v. helpful; Compline
Holy Hour: Our justification follows in a way from our very injustice, because the Lord Jesus accomplished it through His death, which He suffered most unjustly. Justification was then decided solely through the Redeemer’s inner act, the act of love and atoning and justifying sacrifice.
23 August
The Way of the Cross; Lauds; Holy Mass with a homily; Thanksgiving (Rosary); Prime
Meditation: All the thoughts from the retreat somehow come together in this week’s prayer (11 Post Pent. [Eleventh (Sunday) after Pentecost]).
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
qui abundantia pietatis Tuae
et merita supplicum excedis et vota –
effunde super nos misericordiam Tuam,
ut dimittas quae conscientia metuit
et adiicias quod oratio non praesumit
Per Dominum …5
[Almighty ever-living God,
who in the abundance of Your kindness surpass the merits
