Ħames Mezzi biex “Tibżgħux”

FUQ IL-MEMORJALI TA 'SAN. ĠWANNI PAWLU II

Tibżax! Iftaħ il-bibien kollha għal Kristu ”!
—ST. ĠWANNI PAWLU II, Omelija, Pjazza San Pietru
22 ta ’Ottubru, 1978, Nru 5

 

Ippubblikat għall-ewwel darba fit-18 ta 'Ġunju, 2019.

 

IVA, Naf li Ġwanni Pawlu II spiss qal, "Tibżax!" Imma kif naraw ir-riħ tal-Maltemp jiżdied madwarna u mewġ jibda jegħleb il-Barka ta ’Pietru... kif libertà tar-reliġjon u tal-kelma issir fraġli u l - possibbiltà ta 'antikrist jibqa 'fuq l-orizzont ... kif Profeziji Marjani qed jitwettqu fil-ħin reali u it-twissijiet tal-papiet mur bla kas ... hekk kif l-inkwiet personali, il-firdiet u n-niket personali tiegħek jinżlu madwarek ... kif jista 'wieħed possibilment mhux ibża?"

It - tweġiba hija li l - kuraġġ qaddis St. John Paul II calls us to is not an emotion, but a divina gift. It is the fruit of faith. If you are afraid, it may be precisely because you have not yet fully miftuħa the gift. So here are five ways for you to begin walking in holy courage in our times.

 

I. LET JESUS IN!

The key to the words of John Paul II to “not be afraid” lies in the second part of his invitation: “Open wide the doors to Christ!”

The Apostle John wrote:

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him… There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear… (1 John 4:18)

Alla is the love that drives out all fear. The more I open my heart to Him in childlike faith and “remain in love”, the more He enters, driving out the darkness of fear and giving me a holy confidence, boldness, and peace. ^[1]cf. Atti 4: 29-31

Paċi nitlaq magħkom; il-paċi tiegħi nagħtikom. Mhux kif tagħti d-dinja jien nagħtiha lilek. Tħallix lil qalbek tkun imnikkta jew beżgħana. (Ġwanni 14:27)

The confidence comes from not knowing dwar Him as one would from a textbook, but knowing of Him as from a relationship. The problem is that many of us have not tassew opened our hearts to God.

Kultant anke l-Kattoliċi tilfu jew qatt ma kellhom iċ-ċans li jesperjenzaw lil Kristu personalment: mhux Kristu bħala sempliċi 'paradigma' jew 'valur', imma bħala l-Mulej ħaj, 'it-triq, u l-verità, u l-ħajja'. —PAPA ĠWANNI PAWLU II, L'Osservatore Romano (Edizzjoni Ingliża tal-Gazzetta tal-Vatikan), 24 ta 'Marzu, 1993, p.3

Or we keep Him at arms length for many reasons—from fear that He rejects me, or will not provide for me, or especially, that He will demand too much of me. But Jesus says that unless we become trusting like little children, we cannot have the kingdom of God, ^[2]cf. Matt 19: 14 we cannot know that Love, which drives out fear…

…Because he is found by those who do not test him, and manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. (Wisdom of Solomon 1:2)

Therefore, the first and foundational key to not being afraid is to let Love in! And this Love is a person.

Let us not close our hearts, let us not lose confidence, let us never give up: there are no situations which God cannot change… —POPE FRANCIS, Easter Vigil Homily, n. 1, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va

 

II. PRAYER OPENS THE DOOR

Thus, to “open wide the doors to Christ” means to enter into a real and living relationship with Him. Coming to Mass on Sunday is not the end per se, as if it were some kind of ticket to Heaven, rather, it is the beginning. In order to draw Love into our hearts, we must sincerely draw near to Him in “spirit and truth.” ^[3]cf. Ġwanni 4:23

Ersaq lejn Alla, u hu jersaq lejk. (Ġakbu 4: 8)

This drawing near to God “in spirit” is foremost called it-talb. And prayer is a relazzjoni.

...prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit… Prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him.  -Katekiżmu tal-Knisja Kattolika, n.2565, 2560

Prayer, said St. Theresa of Avila, “is a close sharing between two friends. It means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who loves us.” It is precisely in prayer that we encounter Jesus, not as a distant deity, but as a living, loving Person.

Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome Him as a friend, with trust: He is life… —POPE FRANCIS, Easter Vigil Homily, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va

When we simply speak to God from the heart—Li is prayer. And prayer is what draws the sap of the Holy Spirit from Christ, who is the Vine, into our hearts. It draws in Love who casts out all fear.

It-talb jattendi għall-grazzja li għandna bżonn ... -CCC, n.2010

The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is—trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts. —Djarju ta 'Santa Marija Faustina Kowalska, Ħniena Divina f'Rwieħ Tiegħi, le. 1578

So you see, God jixtieq you to open wide your heart to Him. And this means a giving of yourself. Love is an exchange, an exchange of time, of words and trust. Love means becoming vulnerable—both you u, God becoming vulernable to one another (and what is more vulnerable than hanging naked upon a Cross for one who may never love you in return?) Just as drawing near to a fire banishes cold, so too drawing near to Him in “prayer of the heart” expels fear. As you carve out time for supper, you must carve out time for prayer, for that spiritual food which alone nourishes, heals, and liberates the soul from fear.

 

III. LEAVE IT BEHIND

There is good reason, though, why some people are afraid. It is because they deliberately sin against God. ^[4]cf. Dnub Deliberat They choose to rebel. That’s why St. John goes on to say:

…fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

But you might say, “Well then, I guess I am doomed to be afraid because I am constantly stumbling.”

What I am speaking of here is not those venial sins that arise from human weakness and frailty, from imperfections and the like. These do not cut you off from God:

Id-dnub venjali ma jiksirx il-patt ma ’Alla. Bil-grazzja ta 'Alla huwa umanament riparabbli. Id-dnub venjali ma jċaħħadx lill-midneb mill-grazzja li tqaddes, mill-ħbiberija ma ’Alla, mill-karità, u konsegwentement mill-hena eterna. —CCC, n1863

What I am speak of here is jafu that something is a serious sin, and yet deliberately committing it. Such a person naturally invites darkness into their hearts rather than Love. ^[5]cf. Ġwanni 3:19 Such a person is deliberately inviting fear into their hearts because “fear has to do with punishment.” Their conscience is disturbed, their passions are aroused, and they easily weary as they stumble in darkness. Therefore, in opening wide one’s heart to Jesus through prayer, one must ewwel begin that prayer in the “truth that sets us free.” And the first truth is that of who I am—and who I am not.

…humility is the foundation of prayer… Asking forgiveness is the prerequisite for both the Eucharistic Liturgy and personal prayer. -Katekiżmu tal-Knisja Kattolika, n. 2559, 2631

Yes, if you wish to live in the freedom of the sons and daughters of God, you must make a decision to turn away from all sin and unhealthy attachments:

Do not be so confident of forgiveness that you add sin upon sin. Do not say, His mercy is great; my many sins he will forgive. (Sirach 5:5-6)

Imma jekk int sinċerament approach Him “in truth”, God is stennija with all His heart to forgive you:

O ruħ mgħaddsa fid-dlam, taqtax qalbek. Kollox għadu mhux mitluf. Ejjew u kunfidu f’Alla tiegħek, li hu mħabba u ħniena ... Ħalli l-ebda ruħ ma tibża ’tersaq lejja, anke jekk id-dnubiet tagħha jkunu iskarlatini ... Ma nistax nikkastiga lanqas lill-akbar midneb jekk jagħmel appell għall-kompassjoni Tiegħi, għall-kuntrarju, niġġustifikah fil-ħniena insondabbli u skrutinabbli Tiegħi. —Jesus lil Santa Fawstina, Ħniena Divina fir-Ruħ Tiegħi, Djarju, n. 1486, 699, 1146

Jekk nirrikonoxxu dnubietna, huwa fidil u ġust u jaħfrilna dnubietna u jnaddfu minn kull għemil ħażin. (1 Ġwanni 1: 9)

Confession is the place designated by Christ Himself for one to be liberated from the power of sin.^[6]cf. John 20:23; James 5:16 It is the place where one draws near to God “in truth.” An exorcist said to me that “One good confession is more powerful than one hundred exorcisms.” There is no more powerful way to be delivered from a spirit of fear than in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.^[7]cf. Making a Good Confession

...there is no sin which He cannot forgive if only we open ourselves to him... If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. —POPE FRANCIS, Easter Vigil Homily, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va

 

IV. ABANDONMENT

Many of us may do the above, and yet, we are still prone to having our peace disturbed, our interior security rattled. Why? Because we do not depend kompletament upon the Father. We do not trust that, no matter what happens, it is Tiegħu permissive will—and His will is “my food.” ^[8]cf. Ġwanni 3:34 We are happy and peaceful when everything is going well… but angry and disturbed when we encounter obstacles, contradictions, and disappointments. It is because we are not totally abandoned to Him, not yet dependent solely upon His designs, the way the birds of the air or the creatures of the forest are (Matt 6:26).

True, we can’t help but feel the sting of these “thorns”, ^[9]cf. Aċċetta l-Kuruna of these unexpected and unwanted sufferings—and that is human. But then we should imitate Jesus in His humanity when He abandoned Himself completely to Abba: ^[10]cf. Is-Salvatur

…take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done. (Luke 22:42)

Notice how after Jesus made this prayer in Gethsemane, an angel was sent to comfort Him. Then, as though human fear evaporated, Jesus stood up and delivered Himself to His persecutors who had come to arrest Him. The Father will send the same “angel” of strength and courage to those who abandon themselves totally to Him.

To accept the will of God, whether it is to our liking or not, is to be like a little child. Such a soul who walks in that kind of abandonment is no longer afraid, but he sees everything as being from God, and therefore good—even, or rather, speċjalment, when it is the Cross. David wrote:

Kelmtek hija lampa għal saqajja, dawl għal triq tiegħi. (Salm 119: 105)

Following the “light” of God’s will casts away the darkness of fear:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

Indeed, Jesus promised that we would find “rest” in Him…

Ejjew għandi, intom ilkoll li mħabbtin u mtaqqlin, u jiena nagħtikom il-mistrieħ.

…but how?

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. (Matt 11: 28)

When we take the yoke of His will upon us, that’s when we find rest from the anxiety and fear that seeks to overwhelm us.

So don’t be afraid if God seems distant in your suffering, like He has forgotten you. He will never forget you. That is His promise (see Isaiah 49:15-16 and Matt 28:20). Rather, He sometimes hides Himself and His intentions in the painful disguise of His permissive will so as to reveal to us whether or not we fil-fatt trust Him and will stenna for His timing and providence. When it came to feeding the five thousand, Jesus asks:

“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test [Philip], because he himself knew what he was going to do. (cf. John 6:1-15)

So, when everything seems to be collapsing around you, pray:

O Ġesu ’, jiena nċedi lilek innifsek, ħu ħsieb kollox! (from a powerful Novena tal-Abbandun)

…and surrender to your circumstances by returning to the duty of the moment. My spiritual director often says “Anger is sadness.” When we lose control, that’s when we feel sad, which manifests in anger, which then gives fear a place to dwell.

If following Him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust Him, be confident that He is close to you, He is with you and He will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as He would have you do. —POPE FRANCIS, Easter Vigil Homily, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va

 

V. LAUGH!

Lastly, fear is vanquished by joy! True joy is the fruit of the Spirit. When we live points I—IV above, then joy will be born naturally as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. You can’t fall in love with Jesus and not be joyful! ^[11]cf. Atti 4: 20

While “positive thinking” is not enough to drive out fear, it is the proper attitude for a child of God, which then creates good soil for the seeds of kuraġġ qaddis biex tnibbet.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

Thanksgiving “in all circumstances” ^[12]1 Thess 5: 18 enables us to open wider our hearts to God, to avoid the pitfalls of bitterness and embrace the will of the Father. And this has not only spiritual but bodily repercussions.

In fascinating new research on the human brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf explains how our brains are not “fixed” as once thought. Rather, our thoughts can and do change us fiżikament.

Kif taħseb, int tagħżel, u kif tagħżel, tikkawża li sseħħ espressjoni ġenetika f'moħħok. Dan ifisser li inti tagħmel proteini, u dawn il-proteini jiffurmaw il-ħsibijiet tiegħek. Il-ħsibijiet huma affarijiet fiżiċi reali li jokkupaw propjetà immobbli mentali. -Ixgħel Moħħok, Dr Caroline Leaf, BakerBooks, p 32

Hija tinnota riċerka, turi li 75 sa 95 fil-mija tal-mard mentali, fiżiku u ta ’mġieba ġej mill-ħajja maħsuba ta’ dak li jkun. Għalhekk, id-ditossifikazzjoni tal-ħsibijiet ta 'dak li jista' jkollha impatt drammatiku fuq saħħtek, saħansitra tnaqqas l-effetti tal-awtiżmu, id-dimensja, u mard ieħor.

Ma nistgħux nikkontrollaw l-avvenimenti u ċ-ċirkostanzi tal-ħajja, imma nistgħu nikkontrollaw ir-reazzjonijiet tagħna ... Int liberu li tagħmel għażliet dwar kif tiffoka l-attenzjoni tiegħek, u dan jaffettwa kif il-kimiċi u l-proteini u l-wajers ta 'moħħok jinbidlu u jiffunzjonaw.—Ċf. p. 33

Ex-satanist, Deboarah Lipsky in her book Messaġġ ta 'Tama ^[13]taupublishing.com explains how negative thinking is like a beacon that draws evil spirits toward us, like rotting meat draws flies. So, for those who are pre-disposed to being grumpy, negative, and pessimistic—watch out! You are attracting darkness, and darkness drives out the light of joy, replacing it with bitterness and gloom.

Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness… and that is where death is. That is not the place to look for the One who is alive! —POPE FRANCIS, Easter Vigil Homily, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va

Perhaps it will surprise some readers to know that my recent writings dealing with war, chastisement, and the Antichrist were written with Easter joy in my heart! To be joyful does not ignore reality, sorrow, and suffering; it does not play-act. In fact, it is the joy of Jesus that enables us to comfort the mourning, to liberate the prisoner, to pour balm on the wounds of the wounded, preċiżament because we carry to them authentic joy and hope, that of the Resurrection that lies beyond the crosses of our suffering.

Make conscious choices to be positive, to hold your tongue, to keep silent in suffering, and trust in Jesus. One of the best ways to do this is to cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving in all things—kollha affarijiet:

In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:18)

This too is what it means when Pope Francis says, “not to look among the dead for the Living One.” ^[14]Easter Vigil Homily, March 30th, 2013; www.vatican.va That is, for the Christian, we find hope in the Cross, life in the Valley of Death, and light in the tomb through a faith that believes all things work to the good for those who love Him. ^[15]8 Rom: 28

By living out these five means, which are fundamental to every authentic Christian spirituality, we can be assured that Love will conquer fear in our heart and the darkness descending upon our world. Moreover, you will be helping others by the light of your faith to begin looking for the Living One as well.Wss

You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon. Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come. You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see. Because you have the Lord for your refuge and have made the Most High your stronghold… (Psalm 91-5-9)

Print this out. Keep it bookmarked. Refer to it in those moments of darkness. Jesus’ name is Emmanuel — “God is with us”.^[16]Matthew 1: 23 Tibżax!