Divine Intimacy is a book of daily Carmelite reflections which I much enjoy, but the last couple of days were very good, and meshed with a lot of things going on in and around me, so I thought I’d save them here:
262: The New Commandment.
Jesus shortly before his death (said) “This is my new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). … not only as we love ourself, but as He loves us…. Our fraternal charity will not be perfect until it becomes the reflection, or better still, the continuation of the love of Jesus for each of His creatures. We need to love each of our companions --- even the least congenial, even those who do not love us --- as Jesus loves him…. He did it personally then, today He wishes to do it by means of us. In this way our love for our neighbor will truly become a renewal of the love of Jesus; we shall communicate to each person with whom we come in contact something of the infinite tenderness of the heart of Christ; but to do this, we must cleanse our heart from every trace of egoism, every feeling of personal like or dislike.
263: Judge Not
We do not think highly enough of others. We almost always base our opinion on their faults … which conflict with our own way of thinking and acting, while we give little or no consideration to their good points. … In spite of our desire to become saints, some remnant of that detestable spirit of criticism remains hidden in our heart.
264: Be Ye Merciful
When we feel irritated with someone, we ought to plunge with all our strength into the consideration of the infinite mercy of God, in order to stifle all hardness, resentment, and anger in ourselves. … Oh, if others could see in our attitude toward them a reflection of God’s infinite mercy!
We need God’s mercy, pity and forgiveness. Why then do we not do as much for others? Perhaps because they have offended us, have made us suffer? And have we never offended God?? Too often we are like the cruel servant in the parable who, having received pardon from his master for a big debt, was not willing to pardon a trifling debt which one of his companions owed to him. … Jesus has said: “For if you will forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offenses. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses.”
265: The Mantle of Charity
To mention needlessly the faults of others … fixes our own attention and that of others, on the imperfections of the neighbor, rather than on his good qualities. … We are so sensitive about things said against us, how can we think that it is a wholly indifferent thing to speak with so much liberty about our neighbor’s faults, under the pretext that what we say is true and already known? Are not our faults equally true, perhaps, and evident to all who approach us? St. John of the Cross says: “Never listen to the weaknesses of others, and, if anyone complains to thee of another, thou mayest tell him humbly to say naught of it to thee.” St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: “and when we see a fault in someone, we should be as sorry about it as if it were our own and try to conceal it from others.”
If we feel a natural aversion toward any person, or if a certain person has done us some wrong, … this is the time to be especially watchful, to fight against the malevolent thoughts that spontaneously come to our mind … praying particularly for that person. The mantle of charity must be wide enough to cover, not only the faults of our friends, but even those of our enemies, and those who annoy us. Charity makes no distinction of persons, but has equal good will for all, because it sees and loves only God in all.
Therefore, O my God, whenever anyone comes to tell me some fault of another, I will not listen, but will tell him to pray for that person, and for me.
The above words from Diving Intimacy strike hard, but I, and you, are called to grow in faith, hope, AND CHARITY, and become more as Jesus Christ commanded us to be.
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