Monthly Spiritual Retreat - May

Theme: Love of Souls

Resolution: I resolve to love souls for the sake of Jesus Christ, because for them, He shed His life-blood, suffered and prayed, and died to give them life.

To know souls: A knowledge of souls, enabling me to do them good and skillfully to probe their wounds, may be acquired by means of a profound knowledge of my own conscience, the habit of meditation, and prayer.

To go out to seek souls: I must begin by welcoming all who come to me, never rebuffing them, but leading them on gently by talking to them in a language that they can understand, although this language must never be false to the eternal truths. In a soul, I ought always to see the still living point, hidden under the apparent ruin of everything, the faint spark that the Holy Spirit is still able to revive. I must never be weary or discouraged; I must work for souls without trying to ascertain the results of my labor, leaving to God the work of conversion or sanctification, which He alone can accomplish, and looking upon myself as a humble instrument in His hands, as instrument used for purposes of which I myself am ignorant. When it seems to be God’s will, I must go in search of souls, and act with all discretion and humility.

To give myself to souls, by means of prayer, suffering, and charity; I must consecrate the best part of my life to this work.

Prayer: Lord, why didst Thou choose me and treat me with so much love and goodness, when there was nothing in me to justify such treatment? No one can fully know Thy eternal will, but I think, Lord, that while gratifying Thy love and the intense desire Thou feelest for the salvation of even the lowliest of creatures, Thou didst wish to make me Thy instrument. All that is good in me proceeds from Thee; Thou hast done everything in and for me. Continue, therefore, to employ one who before They powerful intervention was nothing but evil and weakness. Make me Thy apostle; this is the favor that I crave above all others, and that I implore of Thee, my God.

From “The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: the Woman Whose Goodness Changed Her Husband from Atheist to Priest,” Sophia Institute Press® Manchester, New Hampshire, © 2002