Beatitudes - a Carmelite Perspective: Blessed are They Who Hunger

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied."

When Jesus spoke these words nearly 2000 years ago, there was indeed a great hunger and thirst for justice. The Jews were under the Roman yoke and were looking for justice in the form of a savior that would overthrow the Romans and restore the kingdom of David. They could not understand this talk of a kingdom within" and were certainly not satisfied in "turning the other cheek." Today, the innocent are still full of hunger and thirst for justice. The world still seeks a savior to bring justice for their causes and satisfaction for the masses. Most of humanity still has no understanding of the "kingdom within" and still find no satisfaction in "turning the other cheek."

We must presume that there is a reason for all the injustice of this world, since God has allowed its presence from the beginning of mankind. In fact, it seems to be co-existent with the human species. Although justice is one of the attributes of god, so man being in His image, has been given both the ability to cause it and to distort it. When I see an injustice being done to someone, do I try to help them or turn away saying, "it's none of my business?" Wen I hear the poor and innocent victims of unjust political wars, do I try to help through donations or simple prayer for peace, or do I shake my head and just say "poor people?" god in His eternal patience waits to see what we will do.

As contemplatives, it is our ideal and goal to "feed the hungry" through our prayer, to "quench thirst" through our meditation, and to appease justice through penance and sacrifice. We must, for mankind's sake, make this journey into the "kingdom within" in search of union with God. We must be prepared to "turn the other cheek" with very little apparent justice or satisfaction along the way. But this is where our virtue for this beatitude comes in - and it is plenty of PATIENCE! PATIENCE! PATIENCE! Patience for the journey within as our souls are drawn by a secret hunger and thirst that is never satisfied. Patience for the journey without that often brings trials and misunderstandings as "slaps" to the cheeks. patience as the spirit suffers the dark nights of St. John of the Cross, and patience as the spirit soars through the ecstasies of St. Teresa of Avila.

Our first and primary model for this virtue is Jesus, Himself. The ultimate example of injustice was this loving and forgiving Savior being slapped and spat upon and nailed to the cross by the very people He came to save. Yet, the richest example of patience was His silent humility as He accepted the insults and physical blows to His most precious cheeks. If ever there had been a time for the vengeance and justice of God, it was then.

Knowing that God, the pure justice, could have destroyed us long ago, we should strive to emulate His patience in tolerating our own, and others imperfections. We know also that His justice is tempered with mercy and this aspect will be discussed in the next beatitude. Here I feel that the virtue of patience is the main intermediary between justice and mercy. Indeed, before mercy can take place, patience must have allowed time and circumstance to mitigate and soften the anger rightfully due by justice, thus permitting mercy to sneak in and the back door.

Justice can create opportunities for both good and evil. Good if it develops one's views of honesty and integrity. God if it promoted mercy and forgiveness when circumstances require it. But justice can be evil, too, if used for its own sake, as a cover for self-righteousness, or as a reason to ignore the needs of others. For instance, if we feel someone is not worthy of our assistance because of some differences in race, creed, or political beliefs. If justice is thought of in its good or proper aspect, it will lead us to the hunger and thirst spoken of in the beatitude. A hunger and thirst that desires to feed the starving, assist the downtrodden, bring freedom to the oppressed, peace where there is strife, unity and fellowship amongst all peoples. But we will not be able to be all things to all people, and our ways are not always God's ways, and not understanding or knowing His Divine plan in all this will require the virtue of patience. Patience that is born of Faith in God's ultimate victory, patience that is nurtured by Hope in His promise to be with us to the end, and finally a patience brought to maturity by a loving and merciful God.

I believe each beatitude is designed to assist us in the developing of a virtue. In this instance, because we cannot understand why so much injustice prevails, it is imperative that we learn of God's patience knowing that not a bird falls or hair of our head lost without His Divine purpose. Each seemingly injustice is, in reality, an opportunity for action on someone's part. If one nation is starving, then another should help feed it through their abundance. As contemplatives, our "action" is prayer. As contemplatives, our prayer is continuous night and day without ceasing. We, like the Little Flower, as missionaries of Justice by our example of honesty, integrity, morality, and spirituality in a world hungry for it.

Let us look at some of our Contemplative Saints for their views of justice. St. Therese in "The Little Way" says, "I know that the Lord is infinitely just; and this justice, so alarming to many, is the very reason for my joy and trust. Being just doesn't only mean being severe in punishing the guilty; it also means recognizing good intentions and the rewarding virtue." Here we can see that justice has two sides, not only the act committed, but the true intention for which something is done is considered so that it rewards as well as punishes. There are always emotional, physical, or environmental that we cannot or might not be aware of at the time. God sees all things and this is why He tells us not to judge others. God knows the total picture of this puzzling world, but for us who hunger and thirst, our lives are spent fitting our allotted pieces into that puzzle, each of us as a part of the whole. It is imperative then to be patient until Divine Justice reveals the ultimate Wisdom of His ways.

St. Therese was, and saw God as, a "bold lover." She was not afraid of Justice and presented herself simply and boldly at the feet of her Spouse trusting in His Mercy. She says, "That, my dear brother, is what I think about God's Justice; my way is all trust and love, and I do not understand souls who are afraid of such a loving Friend." She could trust and love, because she had developed patience and tolerance of her own imperfections and she practiced this virtue in many instances throughout her community life and illness. Her hunger and thirst were so intense that god privileged her among the few who's sacrifice as Victim of His Love brought her glory in her own time and presented a model in times to come.

Patience is not an easy thing to come by, even for Saints. St. Teresa of Avila, in the founding of her reformed convents, often had difficulty with this virtue, and usually because of injustices heaped on her due to the reformation of her Order. She even lost her patience a few times with God and was not afraid to speak of her frustrations to Him. But where she did excel in patience was in prayer, and this accomplishment allowed her to teach us about her prayer experiences with such knowledge that she became a Doctor of the church. For those who hunger and thirst through prayer and meditation, her wisdom and patience are beacons in the dark nights.

St. John of the Cross, on the other hand, was filled with patience. Through imprisonment and "dark nights," he never questioned the Justice of his God and to our benefit, created the most beautiful canticle to his Spouse, Jesus, which is about the patient search, the hunger and thirst, of the lover for its Beloved.

For our "contemporary contemplatives," I have chosen again Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the late Archbishop Martinez of Mexico.

What extreme example of injustice Mother Teresa faced every day, masses of people starving, dying and death in the streets, poverty and disease everywhere. How can the merciful God allow this? There is literal hunger and thirst for justice and very little satisfaction. Yet, Mother Teresa patiently began each day with prayer, prayer that the affluent world does not understand. Here was an opportunity for the world to provide justice in the form of giving, sharing, sacrificing, and yes, patiently praying, to a God who doe not want or desire suffering, but we humans do permit it and miss many graces that could be gained in answering God's call to be a savior to others.

And finally, from the late Archbishop Martinez, from his book, "The Sanctifier," he writes, "Thus the Holy Spirit bestows upon us a divine fruit, patience, in the midst of our ordinary struggles. But we not only have to endure afflictions, we have to suffer the defer expectation of good things needed and desired. This is the reason why the saints in the last stages of their spiritual journey, felt an unspeakable martyrdom; the martyrdom of desire."

And so, I close this beatitude with the hope that we will never stop having a hunger and thirst for God, our Divine Justice, and by our unceasing prayers, let us become the intermediary patience between His Justice and Mercy.

QUESTIONS:

* Will the real God please stand up? Who is your God? Why do you fear? Why do we continue to predict misfortune and illness?

* The worst sin is not asking for God's forgiveness: "Be doers of the law." The Sabbath is made for us, not man made for the Sabbath. Laws are made for our good. Can you think of some examples of how people twist laws to justify themselves?

* Few people ever reach the "nada" of which St. John of the Cross spoke. What does "detachment" mean to you?

- Excerpted in part from the writings of Sr. Patricia of Mary Magdalene

Monthly Spiritual Retreat - October

(NOTE: I'm posting a little early, as I will be in the hospital next week; lcr)

Theme: Prayer

Prayer seems to be, according to God’s will, the basis of my spiritual vocation.

Action is often impossible for me, but prayer is a field always open to apostolic zeal. It is the safest mode of action and does not endanger humility. It keeps the soul in close and constant union with God. It effects much good in others and ourselves. It never breaks the deep silence that ought to prevail in the soul. It passes unnoticed by all, and this is seldom possible in the case of action.

I must therefore pray – the wholly interior prayer of the soul, proceeding from its innermost depths; without words, offering God my most ardent desires and love, and giving myself to Him. Prayer for myself, for the souls dear to me, for all souls, for the Church. Such prayer is an inward movement of my heart toward Christ, and a consecration of myself to Him, my Master and Friend.

My vocal prayer must be very regular; I will never allow myself the least license in my exercises of piety, my morning and night prayers, daily meditation, liturgical prayers, frequent communions, Rosary (at least one decade), the gift of all the indulgences gained during the day to the souls in Purgatory, and the offering of the day’s works and sufferings for particular intentions, for the welfare of souls or of the Church. I must bring to bear upon my exercises of piety all the attention, recollection, and fervor that my spiritual weakness and bad health allow.

I must pray in the spirit of humility for myself, weak and sinful as I am, for I have many sins to expiate and stand in need of much help.

I must pray in the spirit of charity for my neighbors, for my neighbors, for the souls dear to me, for those whom I cherish with ardent affection through and for Jesus Christ, for the most sinful, most distant, and most abandoned souls, and also for the Church, whose loving and devoted daughter I am.

I must pray in the spirit of reparation, for myself, because I have much to make good, for those whom I love, for sinners, for those who forsake and betray our Lord and His Church, for those who know them not, and for those who have no regard for Him who is alone love and truth.


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

Beatitudes - a Carmelite Perspective: Blessed are the Meek

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth."

In Webster's Dictionary, the word "meek" is described as "mild of temper; patient under injuries; long-suffering; gentle and kind." This surely describes Jesus' live and how He wants us to imitate Him. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart."

Because meekness and humility are almost always tied together, the virtue of humility should be the one to be developed under this beatitude. "Humility" is given described in the dictionary as the synonym for "meekness" and is also used in the same sentence by Jesus together with "meek" in the Gospel. Let us take each of these meanings and see how they may be applied to our daily lives.

What is the meaning of "mild of temper?" We all have a temperament. Some of us are a bit more fiery and passionate than others. By this is meant that sometimes we are quick to jump to conclusions, or hasty to defend ourselves when wronged, quickly rising to anger over little things. We not only have to work towards having an "even temper," but a mile, softened, relaxed temperament.

When we study the word "humility," it helps us to understand that life is too short to always raise our blood pressure over minor annoyances which pass very quickly and are soon forgotten. Humbly, we accept our own limitations and the limitations of others. We constantly struggle through this beatitude, attempting to meekly and humbly temper our attitudes towards ourselves and others. However, one may ask, "Is there not righteous anger?" But this anger should be used only for the defense of others who are wrong, to set right injustices to others, and not for our own pride, glory and self-esteem; all of which run counter to humility.

The second phrase we encounter in the dictionary's description of the word "meek" is "patient under injuries." Injuries can be both physical and psychological. Being patient under either one of these takes great humility. Christ Himself is our example of great humility. He patiently and humbly accepted both physical and verbal abuses when, as God, He could easily have destroyed them with the blink of His eye.

Physically, when there is the pain of an illness or an operation, or even a recurring health problem, we must humbly pray asking for the grace to bear our cross, not running away from it or regarding it as an evil thing or something to be avoided at all cost. No, rather we humbly accept all of these things as Jesus did, offering it for the salvation of others as He did; even humbly forgiving those who took part in His pain. Here, however, it must be stressed that it is not suggested or implied that one should not accept any form of relief from pain either. Whether it is aspirin or prescription medication, please take what is available. It is "false" humility and masochism to enforce pain upon oneself. When we refer to being "accepting" of all pain or injuries, it is meant that we accept all pain and suffering during those times when it is unavoidable. Life holds so many opportunities for offering physical suffering for others without having to go and look for it. Just accept what must be.
Psychologically, we may have to endure verbal abuse, false accusations, embarrassment, emotional stress, disappointments, etc., in a patient, humble and forgiving manner. This is more often harder to accept than physical injuries, and we must pray that Jesus shows us the way through these trials or the "Dark Night." Our natural inclination is to strike back, to right the wrong, and to sometimes make a few accusations of our own. This is where humility must enter so that we may "bite the tongue" and look away, and smile inwardly at the knowledge that great graces are being drawn down upon us in this way. Even a kindness in return for evil will do more for the salvation of the other soul. Here again it must be stressed that if the emotional or psychological pain or injury is such that it really requires professional assistance, then false humility must not stand in the way. See the help that is needed, because to not do so could mean much harm instead and not be in the spirit of this beatitude.

What now is meant by "long-suffering?" This is going even further than the first two phrases, as it may require indefinite or extended or permanent suffering. This too can be physical or psychological. Physical, because the injury or illness may require suffering over a long period, maybe terminally to the end. Jesus had to suffering "unto death" and we, no doubt, will one day come unto death, too. This can be a miserable and lonely time, or it can be an opportunity to not only offer this trial for graces for others, but to give example to those around us of our faith in God and the belief in the rich reward awaiting us; for having left this earth, we shall then truly "possess the earth" as this beatitude states.

Psychological "long-suffering" may include the spiritual pain of seeing loved ones no longer practicing their faith, or emotionally supporting an alcoholic, maybe coping with the constant needed care of a retarded child or paraplegic family member. To be "long-suffering" requires a high degree of humility, because often the very things that qualify under "long-suffering" are problems we can do nothing about; and humbly accepting the challenge requires abundant graces from God.

Finally, we come to "gentle and kind." Gentle and kind are twin sisters, each much alike at first glance, but underneath they are individuals that compliment each other. Gentleness clothes herself in patience and tenderness, while Kindness adorns herself in humility and affection. Both are ready to be of service to all, and each supports and assists the other. If you have Gentleness and Kindness, you possess all because Jesus tells us we would possess the "earth," which is all that mankind is capable of possessing in this life.
Now, I would like to discuss how the Carmelite Saints and contemplative contemporaries commented on this beatitude and it's virtue. St. Therese of Lisieux epitomized Meekness and Humility. Her "Little Way" consists almost entirely of being meek and humble of heart. She realized and accepted her littleness and humbly accepted God's love in spite of any unworthiness. She was patient and kind under injuries, long-suffering both physically, because of tuberculosis, and psychologically due to the ridicule and insults often placed upon her by a certain superior and other sisters of her community. She is a contemporary example for us to follow in this beatitude, for now her "Little Way" is possessed by the earth. It is recommended that her works be read periodically.

The Little Flower had a great love for the writings of St. John of the Cross, and John of the Cross had a lot to say concerning Spiritual Meekness. In his "Dark Night," Book I, Chapter 5, he writes: "Because of the strong desire of beginners for spiritual gratification, they usually have many imperfections of anger. This frequently occurs after they have experienced in prayer some recollection pleasant to the senses. After the delight and satisfaction is gone, the sensory part of the soul is naturally left vapid and zestless. This imperfection must be purged through the dryness and distress of the Dark Night.

"Among these spiritual persons there are also those who fall into another kind of spiritual anger. Through a certain indiscreet zeal they become angry over the sins of others, setting themselves up as lords of virtue. All such conduct is contrary to spiritual meekness." This statement needs no explanation, because spiritual meekness does not cause self-righteousness nor does it gloat over the faults of others, but humbly recognizes our own faults to be purged.

St. John of the Cross also writes: "Others, in becoming aware of their own imperfections, grow angry with themselves in an un-humble impatience. So impatient are they about these imperfections that they would want to become saints in a day. They do not have the patience to wait until God gives them what they need when He so desires." This is also contrary to spiritual meekness, but the opposite of what he spoke of before. First, there was anger against others, then anger against ourselves. But if we must be patient and meek and humble towards others, then also should we be towards ourselves, remaining open to God's Will in all things.

Finally, to hear from one of our contemporary Saints, Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Although immersed in an active mission, she indeed is a contemplative. Time for prayer and meditation is an absolute requirement for her and her sisters before they take on the duties of caring for others. In a book called The Love of Christ," she is quoted as saying to her religious the following: "These are a few of the ways we can practice humility" (which is the essence of meekness):

- Speak as little as possible of oneself.
- Mind one's own business.
- Avoid curiosity.
- Do not want to manage other people's affairs.
- Accept contradiction and correction cheerfully.
- Pass over the mistakes of others.
- Accept blame when innocent.
- Yield to the will of others.
- Accept insults and injuries.
- Accept being slighted, forgotten, and disliked.
- Be kind and gentle even under provocation.
- Do not seek to be specially loved and admired.
- Never stand on one's dignity.
- Yield in discussion even though one if right.
- Choose always the hardest.

In consideration of the above maxims, it may be stated that these make an excellent "examination of conscience."

In sum, all that has been said herein reiterates what St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross professed, and reflects Christ's life in the Gospels. To be little and unnoticed; to do all for God's glory and not our own love and consideration. Let us strive then to acquire Meekness and her sister, Humility, so that in the acceptance of the little things of this life, all that God possesses will be given unto us.

Excerpted in part from the writings of Sr. Patricia of Mary Magdalene

Monthly Spiritual Retreat - September

Theme: Poverty of Spirit

Our divine Lord loved poverty; it was His companion from the manger to the Cross. He was Himself poor and lived among the poor, and ever since, many souls, chosen by Him, have followed His example and made poverty the foundation of their life, having adopted it permanently. This is not my vocation, but still I must not forget the very special graces given me by God, nor the consecration of my soul and my life to Him. He has, to some extent, set me apart, and my most earnest desire is that He will deign to make use of me for His own glory and the good of souls. How, then, can I, without disregarding the duties of my state in life, practice the poverty which my Savior has blessed?

By means of spiritual poverty.

Poverty of spirit means detachment from all that is purely human; making oneself small before God, our Creator and Master; practicing humility; seeking in nothing one’s own gratification, and waging war upon the least traces of pride or self-love.

Poverty of heart means cutting oneself off from every attachment that cannot last in eternity, ridding oneself of every human burden, and retaining only the love of God, and the deep and holy affections that He can bless, and that will develop more fully in Heaven. A heart devoid of all earthly desires and regrets attracts God’s notice, and is chosen as His dwelling place. I must not cling to money, position, the esteem of others, or the comforts of life, but be prepared to see all these things disappear and still be happy.

As far as is compatible with my duties in life, I will practice a little poverty. In matters affecting myself alone, I will avoid luxury and self-gratification in dress and occupations. Occasionally I will undertake lovely or somewhat humiliating tasks which I am not strictly bound to perform. I will aim at simplicity in my food, and choose in church and elsewhere a place among the poor, sometimes deliberately setting aside whatever might flatter my vanity. I will efface myself in favor of others, and lead them to forget the advantages of birth or fortune that Providence has bestowed upon me. Even when engaged in good works, I will not put myself forward, but strive everywhere and with all men to be in some small degree one of Christ’s poor.


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