Литагент HarperCollins - In God’s Hands - The Spiritual Diaries of Pope St John Paul II

(The Little Hours)

Now the example of St Peter, who both was v. imperfect and considered himself such, ‘for I am a sinful man’. 8Each of us is a sinful man too, but also bishops as a group (the times of Arianism, the French Revolution, d’Herbigny). 9To dispose of the ‘ acceptatio personae propriae ’ [‘acceptance of oneself’] and then to stand before Christ the Lord. Since we are called to greater love, sin becomes a greater burden for us, and it can, above all, ‘break’ the entire Church, particularly one’s own diocese. Therefore odium peccati [the hatred of sin] is necessary. This is also fire: and here one needs to call good what is good, and evil what is evil. When it comes to one’s own and others’ struggle against sin, it is not enough to reproach and destroy, but one has to always introduce positive ideals.

Question: How do we benefit from our own confession? The choice of the right confessor, not necessarily one, who is our forgiving Christ. In addition to that, to value those who reproach us. Away with flatterers. And not to break down in the face of persecution: because sin enters this way. To avoid occasions for sin. Not to undertake to solve ‘satanic’ problems (the temptation of the Lord Jesus: apage satanas [go away, Satan]). A discussion with Satan is possible only when we are very much united with Christ and ‘deep in the Mother of God’. Each victory over Satan should be a stimulus for even greater humility and alertness.

The attitude of the bishop to the sinner: an open heart, to accept humiliation even from the mouths of sinners, and when the time comes – fortiter agere [to act firmly]. And, finally, to believe in the victory of grace over sin ( ubi abundavit delictum, superabundavit gratia [where sin grew bigger, grace was even more abundant]). Our task is to bring down grace. Not to surrender before any sin ( delictum ). Misericordia = summa christianitas [Mercy = the highest form of Christianity].

The Way of the Cross [illegible]; Rosary (together); Vespers

Talk: We follow St Paul, ‘ douloi Jesu Christi ’: 10Christ’s slaves – not to weaken it! The retreat leader speaks about the rhythm of inner life: between the periods of dullness, when one needs to keep the lamp of faith and love always burning, and the periods of growth. It is about constant obedience to Jesus and Mary. It should move forward in uniform acceleration. Growth in wisdom and charity, which is related to the cross ( stultitia crucis [the foolishness of the cross]). 11Not to be discouraged by crosses. The cross is our dowry – above all, it was Mary’s dowry. The Lord Jesus underwent passion three times: in the sacramental, spiritual and bloody ways (the first holy hour of Christ’s Mother during the agony and in Gethsemane), and then Her presence under the cross. When we celebrate the Holy Mass, we are ‘ en Christo ’ [‘in Christ’] – and at the same time we receive the Mother from Christ – ‘this is your Mother’ … The influence of Mary’s motherhood through the Holy Mass. Celebrating the Holy Mass, we can be ‘ en Christo ’, enter into Him together with the Mother of God as His slaves. The happiness derived from celebrating the Holy Mass: here we are at the roots of the priestly vocation. Jesus never denies the sufficient number of priestly vocations to the Church. If this number falters, the cause must lie within us – not Christ. Our death is the completion of our sacrifice ‘ en Christo ’, a participation in the Lord Jesus’ resurrection along the entire path of our inner life. We have to change in the hands of the Mother of God in such a way as to raise the level of the Church in Poland for ages to come.

We follow Our Lady of the Rosary. Joyful Mysteries.

Sorrowful Mysteries.

Glorious Mysteries.

Adoration; Matins; Benediction [illegible]; Penitential psalms; Compline

3 September

Laudes (St Pius X); Rosary; The Way of the Cross; Prime; Holy Mass

Meditation: ‘ instaurare omnia in Christo ’ [‘to unite all things in Christ’]. 12‘ Terrena non metuit ’ [‘He feared no earthly powers’] (St Pius).

Talk: Faith. Jesus demands faith in Him, in His person ( in Me veritas [truth is in Me]). He demands strong faith (resilient and exultant), unconditional faith ( modicae fidei [of little faith]). Faith comes from the Father ( Pater revelavit [the Father revealed]), it is the divine light and divine truth instilled in our minds. An example of faith: the annunciation to Zechariah versus the annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (a very beautiful analysis). How much of the ‘flesh and blood’ 13is still in our theological virtue of faith? The example of the Mother of God. St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort says the Mother of God’s faith is preserved in the holy Church. Participation in Mary’s faith is the only way against perils and threats to faith.

Faith makes use and should make use of reason ‘to ponder and treasure God’s truth in one’s heart’. 14It is the function of the depth: ‘ ancilla ’ [‘servant’]. 15The greatness of Mary’s faith throughout Her entire life (thirty years, Calvary, Pentecost). The apostles were sustained by Mary’s faith. Let us be so too – in order to provide sustenance to others. To do so, we need to be ‘ douloi ’ [‘slaves’].

Does everything in me ‘live out of faith’? One needs to believe in an episcopal way. The example of the Holy Father Paul VI: the way he speaks about the Mother of God! Building the Church through universal faith, but at the same time with our own local contribution.

Talk (final): St Paul as the model of Christian hope, though he was a Roman citizen. It was different with ‘ Ancilla ’ ( Virgo Marya [Virgin Mary]), no human connections, no human support. And therefore Her hope is the greatest. At all stages of Her life. Under the cross, and especially later: She supported the early Church with this hope of Hers. And Her hope is kept within the holy Church. To what extent do we participate in Mary’s hope? The Church in Poland is in the position of ‘ ancilla ’, that is a servant. 16The Lord God allows for this in order to make our hope grow. Stabat Mater – stabat episcopus sub Cruce Christi [the Mother stood – the bishop stood under Christ’s cross]. 17Do we live with hope? Do we find support essentially and exclusively in God’s grace? In what mood do people go back after meeting us? If they stand, inspired by the bishop’s optimism, we have fulfilled our service to hope. ‘Grant me, Mother, Your hope, and fill my heart with Your hope’ ( nostra conversatio in coelis est [our citizenship is in heaven]). 18Nothing can threaten us, neither Satan, nor the world, nor sin – if there is Christ’s power in us in the same way it is in Mary.

And during this retreat God’s love has been poured into our hearts, as it was into Mary’s, by the Holy Spirit.

1–3 November [probably 1964]

Visiting the shrines: Montèvergine – S. Giovanni Rotondo – S. Michele in Gargano – Lanciano (!)

4 November: Memorial of St Charles Borromeo

At the Felician Sisters’ – quaedam reasumptio [a certain conclusion]

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