Day 37: Beauty of His Devotion

By Marco Casanova DSM Assistant Director ‘The way to holiness is the path of My friendship. There are many who complicate the way of holiness and who make it seem forbidding and unattainable to others. It is enough to accept My gift of friendship… Let Me love you as a friend. That is enough.’ (In Sinu Jesu, 41)

I usually pray in my living room before an image of the Divine Mercy. Blood, Water, and Spirit flow from His merciful heart. Wordlessly. Early in the morning, coffee in hand, I am settled by the silence. Almighty Merciful God is present in the stillness.

Sometimes lust, shame, or anxiety troubles me; no worries: His unfailing flood carries them off. I freely give Him my dross. He loves me in return. Sweet deal.

I linger in His presence. He helps me by loving me. I do my best to love Him back. I ask Him to teach me to be a good friend. His healing flow restores me in ways I can’t express.

I surrender to Him. I worship Him. I wait for Him to speak.

These daily encounters with the Lord integrate me. Jesus reminds me of who I am as a son of the Father. He encourages me in the gift that I am and prepares me to give it away in love.

My living room has become a ‘chapel.’ I want my new house to be a ‘house church.’ That begins with my heart, the altar of my own body.

Sure, I’m vulnerable. Gerald May says, ‘Addicts can’t meditate.’ But guess what? I am not an addict anymore! Jesus broke the back of my lust and I reclaim my dignity by gazing at the One who made me, delivered me, and is still redeeming me.

In the past, my divided life confused my spirituality. The Lord encouraged me to come into the light. ‘Reveal your sin, shame and weakness, and I will free you for Me.’ Exposition unto communion.

I wanted to be known because I wanted His friendship above all others. He was offering me new life, and I wanted to take hold of it.

When I gave Him complete access into my life, He gave me unique access into His.

I pray and Jesus keeps my house clear, beginning with my heart and extending out to my new digs. Guests can discern who I am worshipping. I worship the One, not the many. My house is His. Jesus doesn’t live with demons, and I don’t either. My friends deserve the best. They get it; they get Him. Jesus is Master of this house.

‘Jesus, rouse the gift we are. Help us to attend to the treasure you summon from the trash. Free us from our constant faultfinding and free us for vestiges of paradise in our memories and in our lives today. We refuse the liar who tries to rewrite Eden out of our histories. Unite us to the home of our original dignity.’

‘Jesus, have mercy on us as Your Church. We have abused weaker members, including children, and protected ourselves. We have violated the most vulnerable. In Your mercy, free us to superabound with justice. Grant us Kingdom discernment and courage to reform ourselves. May our repentance grant us Kingdom authority to strengthen the weak, discipline violators, and restore the violated.’