03-18-2021, 07:44 PM
AFTER CONVERSION
CHAPTER 28
Closer Friendship with God
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, I have said that the Kingdom of God is within you. Turn to Me with your
whole heart. Do not think too much of this world, and your soul will find rest in Me. Do
not let this earthly life take all of your attention. Think often of Me and of My Will in your
life. Then you will become more conscious of My presence within your soul. I bring you
the gifts of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. These gifts are not given to those who pay too
much attention to this earthly life.
2. One who loves Me and lives My truth, is a supernatural person. By My grace he
becomes free from sinful and dangerous desires. He can freely turn to Me. He is able to rise
above the visible world around him and enjoy My friendship.
3. As iron, cast into the fire, loses its rust and becomes bright with the flame, so too a man
who turns his whole heart to Me, is purified of all sluggishness and changed into a new
man.
THINK:
If I take this step and concentrate more on God's place in my daily life, I shall find the
peace of Christ. Earthly worries and distractions become small in the presence of God. The
more I am impressed by Him, the less shall I be impressed by everything else.
PRAY:
My God, I want to be deeply impressed by You and Your holy Will in my daily life. Teach
me to live this life of mine in Your presence, sharing with You my thoughts, desires, and
every activity throughout the day. Let me recognize and follow Your Will as it comes to
me through people and events in my daily life. Amen.
AFTER CONVERSION
CHAPTER 29
Man's Interior Conflict
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, when I created the first man and woman, I gave them many gifts to make
their earthly life as easy and peaceful as possible. They were free from pain, labor,
sickness, and death. They immediately knew the answers to whatever problems came
along. They had complete command over the appetites and desires of body and soul. Over
and above these gifts, they were given grace to live a supernatural life. Dwelling within
their souls, I gave more than natural light to their minds, and more than natural strength to
their wills.
2. None of these gifts really belonged to human beings. I added them over and above the
gift of human life along with the natural human powers of body and soul. At any time I
could take away these extra gifts, and man would still have all that naturally belonged to
him. I left it up to Adam to decide whether he and his children were to keep these extra
gifts forever. As the representative of the human race, Adam was to make one intelligent
and free act, an act of obedience to My Will. By this act he would be acknowledging the
supreme truth of his existence-that he is a creature completely dependent on Me, his
Creator.
3. In disobeying My command in the Garden of Eden, Adam refused to acknowledge the
supreme truth. The external act of eating the fruit was a small act, but the interior rebellion
against My Will was a serious matter. Adam wanted to be equal to Me, as the rebel angels
did in Paradise. As a result of Adam's disobedience, I took away My extra gifts. Man was
left without the aid of My extra gifts, except that he might still obtain grace to earn Heaven.
4. Man now has to bear an inner conflict, a conflict quite natural to him. His animal
appetites now go after their wants without regard for his better judgment and free will.
Even when man wishes to follow his intelligence and strive after better things, he has to
fight for control of his unreasoning appetites and blind desires. He no longer has infused
knowledge, but must learn the answers to his daily problems by labor and experience.
5. So often this interior conflict brings confusion to the mind and indecision to the will. Yet
man's natural reason is still able to judge good and evil, still able to distinguish truth from
falsehood. To save you from all serious doubts, I have given you My Church to guide your
mind and strengthen your will.
6. As long as you have a human body on earth, you cannot be entirely free from venial sins,
nor can you live without some sorrow and weariness. Yet you must do your best with
patience and determination, regardless of failures. All too soon this present state of disorder
will pass away. Then will your earthly life melt away into the perfect life which I have
promised to those who keep My commandments. Adam passed on to his descendants the
human nature which he himself possessed-a nature that was weakened by his disobedience.
A large part of man's weakness ties in this, that after the Fall, man's animal nature retained
its normal strength and appetites, but was no longer under the perfect control of man's
higher power of reason and freewill. God, however, made up for this weakness by giving
us His grace. By the use of God's grace, man can avoid fully deliberate sins, and thus
become once more the master of his life.
PRAY:
My God, I am glad to have Your law guide me through life. With Your help, I want to
correct the evil in my life and avoid, as far as possible, those temptations which will face
me in the future. True, I often follow the law of sin, obeying my feelings instead of my
reason. I -ant what is good, but I do not always know how to achieve it. Time and again, I
make good resolution, but in my weakness I quickly fall back and give up after a feeble
resistance. At times, I know what I should be doing, but I simply fail to rise up and do it.
With Your help I shall begin to act I want to do all I can to live a life of loyalty to Your
holy Will. Amen.
AFTER CONVERSION
CHAPTER 30
Man's Lower Nature
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, unless You learn to control your feelings, You will always find it hard to obey
those who have authority over you. Your feelings do not reason. They simply turn away
from what is unpleasant, be it right or wrong. Feelings can be calmed in some degree by an
intelligent outlook. Still, you will never have a more troublesome and dangerous enemy
than your own unreasoning feelings and blind desires.
2. By Prayer and meditation you will acquire a grander outlook on life. You will see the
unreasonableness and mean selfishness of your feelings and moods. I will show you the
glorious goal which I have set for you. When you have grasped the higher purpose of your
earthly life, you will acquire a holy contempt for whatever opposes that purpose. This
heavenly knowledge and eternal goal will bring unity and order into your life. You will
then find it easier to guide your lower nature according to My Will.
3. At times you will have to use stubborn resistance and even violence against the
unreasoning tendencies within you. Sometimes you need to disregard your likes and
dislikes, and follow your better judgment. With My truth to guide you and My sacraments
to strengthen you, you cannot fail in this daily combat for Heaven.
THINK:
An obedient horse can help man in his daily tasks, but a stubborn mule can do more harm
than good. So is it with man's own nature. His reason and will, strengthened by grace, must
guide his unreasoning appetites and desires to right action. A good life is one which
follows God's law. Only God's Will can lead me to Heaven.
PRAY:
Lord Jesus, I hope to follow You each day of my life. With Your help, I hope to have
strength to be firm against my blind tendencies and desires. You are my King and Leader.
Make me a loyal follower. I desire and hope to live the kind of life which You desire of
me. Grant me Your grace. You have shown me how great it is and how necessary for
salvation. Grant it to me so that I may overcome this weak nature of mine, which draws me
on toward sin and eternal death. In my flesh, I feel the law of sin contradicting the law of
my mind, and in many things making me a slave of my feelings. I can not resist these
feelings unless You help me, by pouring into my heart the grace of ardent loyalty to You. I
am in continual need of grace to overcome this nature which, from its youth, always tends
to evil. I hope in Your help. Amen.
CHAPTER 28
Closer Friendship with God
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, I have said that the Kingdom of God is within you. Turn to Me with your
whole heart. Do not think too much of this world, and your soul will find rest in Me. Do
not let this earthly life take all of your attention. Think often of Me and of My Will in your
life. Then you will become more conscious of My presence within your soul. I bring you
the gifts of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. These gifts are not given to those who pay too
much attention to this earthly life.
2. One who loves Me and lives My truth, is a supernatural person. By My grace he
becomes free from sinful and dangerous desires. He can freely turn to Me. He is able to rise
above the visible world around him and enjoy My friendship.
3. As iron, cast into the fire, loses its rust and becomes bright with the flame, so too a man
who turns his whole heart to Me, is purified of all sluggishness and changed into a new
man.
THINK:
If I take this step and concentrate more on God's place in my daily life, I shall find the
peace of Christ. Earthly worries and distractions become small in the presence of God. The
more I am impressed by Him, the less shall I be impressed by everything else.
PRAY:
My God, I want to be deeply impressed by You and Your holy Will in my daily life. Teach
me to live this life of mine in Your presence, sharing with You my thoughts, desires, and
every activity throughout the day. Let me recognize and follow Your Will as it comes to
me through people and events in my daily life. Amen.
AFTER CONVERSION
CHAPTER 29
Man's Interior Conflict
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, when I created the first man and woman, I gave them many gifts to make
their earthly life as easy and peaceful as possible. They were free from pain, labor,
sickness, and death. They immediately knew the answers to whatever problems came
along. They had complete command over the appetites and desires of body and soul. Over
and above these gifts, they were given grace to live a supernatural life. Dwelling within
their souls, I gave more than natural light to their minds, and more than natural strength to
their wills.
2. None of these gifts really belonged to human beings. I added them over and above the
gift of human life along with the natural human powers of body and soul. At any time I
could take away these extra gifts, and man would still have all that naturally belonged to
him. I left it up to Adam to decide whether he and his children were to keep these extra
gifts forever. As the representative of the human race, Adam was to make one intelligent
and free act, an act of obedience to My Will. By this act he would be acknowledging the
supreme truth of his existence-that he is a creature completely dependent on Me, his
Creator.
3. In disobeying My command in the Garden of Eden, Adam refused to acknowledge the
supreme truth. The external act of eating the fruit was a small act, but the interior rebellion
against My Will was a serious matter. Adam wanted to be equal to Me, as the rebel angels
did in Paradise. As a result of Adam's disobedience, I took away My extra gifts. Man was
left without the aid of My extra gifts, except that he might still obtain grace to earn Heaven.
4. Man now has to bear an inner conflict, a conflict quite natural to him. His animal
appetites now go after their wants without regard for his better judgment and free will.
Even when man wishes to follow his intelligence and strive after better things, he has to
fight for control of his unreasoning appetites and blind desires. He no longer has infused
knowledge, but must learn the answers to his daily problems by labor and experience.
5. So often this interior conflict brings confusion to the mind and indecision to the will. Yet
man's natural reason is still able to judge good and evil, still able to distinguish truth from
falsehood. To save you from all serious doubts, I have given you My Church to guide your
mind and strengthen your will.
6. As long as you have a human body on earth, you cannot be entirely free from venial sins,
nor can you live without some sorrow and weariness. Yet you must do your best with
patience and determination, regardless of failures. All too soon this present state of disorder
will pass away. Then will your earthly life melt away into the perfect life which I have
promised to those who keep My commandments. Adam passed on to his descendants the
human nature which he himself possessed-a nature that was weakened by his disobedience.
A large part of man's weakness ties in this, that after the Fall, man's animal nature retained
its normal strength and appetites, but was no longer under the perfect control of man's
higher power of reason and freewill. God, however, made up for this weakness by giving
us His grace. By the use of God's grace, man can avoid fully deliberate sins, and thus
become once more the master of his life.
PRAY:
My God, I am glad to have Your law guide me through life. With Your help, I want to
correct the evil in my life and avoid, as far as possible, those temptations which will face
me in the future. True, I often follow the law of sin, obeying my feelings instead of my
reason. I -ant what is good, but I do not always know how to achieve it. Time and again, I
make good resolution, but in my weakness I quickly fall back and give up after a feeble
resistance. At times, I know what I should be doing, but I simply fail to rise up and do it.
With Your help I shall begin to act I want to do all I can to live a life of loyalty to Your
holy Will. Amen.
AFTER CONVERSION
CHAPTER 30
Man's Lower Nature
CHRIST:
MY CHILD, unless You learn to control your feelings, You will always find it hard to obey
those who have authority over you. Your feelings do not reason. They simply turn away
from what is unpleasant, be it right or wrong. Feelings can be calmed in some degree by an
intelligent outlook. Still, you will never have a more troublesome and dangerous enemy
than your own unreasoning feelings and blind desires.
2. By Prayer and meditation you will acquire a grander outlook on life. You will see the
unreasonableness and mean selfishness of your feelings and moods. I will show you the
glorious goal which I have set for you. When you have grasped the higher purpose of your
earthly life, you will acquire a holy contempt for whatever opposes that purpose. This
heavenly knowledge and eternal goal will bring unity and order into your life. You will
then find it easier to guide your lower nature according to My Will.
3. At times you will have to use stubborn resistance and even violence against the
unreasoning tendencies within you. Sometimes you need to disregard your likes and
dislikes, and follow your better judgment. With My truth to guide you and My sacraments
to strengthen you, you cannot fail in this daily combat for Heaven.
THINK:
An obedient horse can help man in his daily tasks, but a stubborn mule can do more harm
than good. So is it with man's own nature. His reason and will, strengthened by grace, must
guide his unreasoning appetites and desires to right action. A good life is one which
follows God's law. Only God's Will can lead me to Heaven.
PRAY:
Lord Jesus, I hope to follow You each day of my life. With Your help, I hope to have
strength to be firm against my blind tendencies and desires. You are my King and Leader.
Make me a loyal follower. I desire and hope to live the kind of life which You desire of
me. Grant me Your grace. You have shown me how great it is and how necessary for
salvation. Grant it to me so that I may overcome this weak nature of mine, which draws me
on toward sin and eternal death. In my flesh, I feel the law of sin contradicting the law of
my mind, and in many things making me a slave of my feelings. I can not resist these
feelings unless You help me, by pouring into my heart the grace of ardent loyalty to You. I
am in continual need of grace to overcome this nature which, from its youth, always tends
to evil. I hope in Your help. Amen.