PHILOTHEA: Part Fifth
English-speaking Group
Justin Narzary, Grea Duzon Mendoza, Sebhat Hadgu Kahsay
Chapter 1
“Our human nature falls away easily from good dispositions due to frailty and evil inclinations of our nature” (part 5, chapter 1).
We must renew every year our deliberate resolutions, says SFS. This is the exercise of dismantling our hearts by means of the sacraments of confession and Holy Eucharist and have for ourselves a time for solitude for such an exterior and interior preparation.
We are indeed weak and prone to fall but God provides each one with the necessary grace in order that we will not loose sight of his loving gaze where our soul finds solace in his mercy and forgiveness. Only, we have to be courageous and humble ourselves in such acceptance of our failures and limitations and have a hopeful determination and good will to move on with such a renewed spirit that in God’s grace we can overcome and live- out our desired aim.
Chapter 2:
Some considerations of our resolutions.
• Reflections on the salient points of our resolutions.
• To whom you’ ve made this resolutions.
• In whose presence it had been made.
• For what motivations it had been made.
• Remember the effect and consequence of this call.
From these considerations, it would make us truly be present in our consciousness that our resolutions are that serious like that of a covenant for it was made by a heart that truly desires in growing to live in loving God in the fullness of his life essence despite the truth that we are bound to fall in order to remind us that without God’s grace we cannot do nothing.
Chapter 3:
Examination of conscience
• Conduct towards God
• Concerns the self
• Concerns of neighbour
The conscience is our inner voice that would examine the goodness of intentions made for our resolutions, as it would help us to evaluate whether it would be leading us to such good movements of the will.
The rest of the chapter, SFS indicated such an essential points for reflection that we find really necessary and important in order to help us come to a point where our resolutions be deliberate and that conscious and willed in the advancement of our spiritual life.
PASTORAL APPLICATION:
• How we live our lives in rapport with God is reflected with our relationship with others and ourselves. And this is the constant challenge in each one of us in the realization that we are personally loved and forgiven by our loving Creator so as our brothers and sisters which is our neighbours.
• For us priests : To enhance our listening capabilities and considering hearts with the penitents that the importance of the sacrament of reconciliation lies in the grace that God bestowed in a humble and sincere heart, freeing them truly from the bondage of sin and calling them to live a renewed life and let Jesus be received in the Holy Eucharist with an abandoning will and spirit.
• To value the call of everyday, of the present moment whether it is not so good or as we recognize in the events our failures and goodness reading in them with the eyes of faith that they were destined for something great. Mistakes are corrected and good movements be lived in fidelity and such generosity and hope.
Our life as being “ Philotheas ” are once again challenged with the firmness of a renewed spirit that the words of our Spiritual father had inspired in this book of the Introduction to the devout Life. Indeed, rereading it, creates all the more this profound desire and longing to be inflamed by this living words that contains the flame of truth that had been lived by these souls animated by that Love that had proven and savoured the taste of the sweetness of a devout life. St. Francis words are more relevant in these our present context of reality where we are devoured of worldly influences of wrong values and empty living principles.
Indeed, having the consciousness of his teachings as consecrated religious and as priests, lies the great challenge to live Jesus, “all for love, nothing by force”.
Our gratitude to you, Don Joe for the presence and time that you generously shared with us in your untiring zeal and competence.
Text by Sr Grea Mendoza
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Sharing and Comparing with Philothea!
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