HOW exactly does Jesus Christ want us to live our daily lives?
We are not short of answers to this, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides us with details. Or, if one wishes to pursue the rigid path of saints, one can abide by the prescriptions of Thomas a' Kempis in his little book still available at Catholic bookstores.
But Jesus Himself provides more details on daily Christian living through the mystic Luisa Piccarreta whom I had already introduced in a past column.
To review: Luisa (April 23 1865- March 4, 1947) was a contemporary of St. Padre Pio (May 25, 1887- September 23, 1968). When Luisa's work titled Book of Heaven was condemned by the Vatican into the Index of forbidden books (as were the works of St. Faustina Kowalska and mystic Maria Valtorta), Padre Pio sent her a message saying “Dear Luisa, saints serve for the good of souls, but their suffering knows no bounds”.
Then at one time when folk from Corato (Italy) went to visit Padre Pio in his monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo, the padre told them: “What have you come here for? You have Luisa, go to her.”
Thus with Luisa's credibility established, we cite her quoting Jesus on how to conduct our daily lives. Jesus told her:
“My child, in order for a person to be able to forget themselves, everything they do or have to do – must be done as if I want to do it in them. If they pray, they should say: ‘It is Jesus who wants to pray, and I pray together with him.’ If they work: ‘It is Jesus who wants to work, and I work together with him’. ‘It is Jesus who wants to walk... It is Jesus who wants to eat, who wants to sleep, who wants to get up, who wants to enjoy himself...’ Only in this manner is a person able to forget themselves. For not only will they do everything because I want it... but because I want to do it, they will need Me.”
Jesus further said: "You do my Life. You will pray with Me, and the Divine Father will be content with it."
She quoted Jesus further: “If a person had to give us only what is spiritual, they could give Us very little. But in giving us also their little natural acts, they can keep giving them to Us always, and we are in a continuous relationship. The union between Us and a person is never broken. All the more so, for the smallest things are always at one’s fingertips, within reach of the little and the great, the uneducated and the learned... Breathing, moving, attending to one’s personal needs is normal to everyone, and these things never cease. If they are done to love Me, to let the Life of the Divine Will be formed in them – this is Our triumph, Our victory, and the purpose for which We created them.”
Luisa found all these difficult to understand and asked: "How is it possible that while I work, it is Jesus who works in me, and it is he who wants to do this work?"
And Jesus told her: "It is really Me, it is my fingers that work in yours. My daughter, when I was on earth didn’t I humble myself working with wood, hammering nails, helping my foster father Joseph in his carpentry labors? And while I was doing that, with those same hands and fingers, I was creating souls, while calling other souls to the next life. I was divinizing all human actions: I was sanctifying them, giving divine merit to each. Through the movements of my fingers, I was calling all the movements of your fingers, as well as those of other people... Daughter, the hidden life which I lived at Nazareth is neither known nor valued by mankind – with the exception of my Passion. However, there was no greater good that I could have accomplished. By lowering myself to perform all those little acts which people do in their daily lives, such as eating, sleeping, drinking, working, lighting the fire, sweeping – I placed in souls a divine currency of infinite value. For if it was my Passion that redeemed them; it was my hidden life that endowed their every human action, even the most indifferent, with divine merit and infinite value’.” (End of quote.)
Meanwhile, amid the worldwide pandemic that has put earth on tenterhooks, messages from the Blessed Mother continue to pour and from them can be deciphered a parallel flow in the news we hear daily.
To Pedro Regis on June 17, 2021, Our Blessed Mother said:
"Dear children, give Me your hands and I will lead you to the One who is your Sole and True Savior. Do not live in sin. This is the time of grace for your lives. Turn away from the world and live turned towards Heaven. Testify that you belong to the Lord and help those who are afar off. The Lord loves you and awaits you with Open Arms.
"Humanity is heading towards a great spiritual abyss. Turn back. Do not leave what you have to do until tomorrow. I am your Sorrowful Mother and I suffer because of what comes to you. Pray for the Church of My Jesus. Agreements will be made, but do not forget: God’s Truth is non-negotiable. Onward in defense of the truth! This is the message I give you today in the name of the Most Holy Trinity. Thank you for having allowed Me to gather you here once more. I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Be at peace."
Also to Pedro Regis on June 18, 2021, the Blessed Mother said:
"Dear children, I am your Sorrowful Mother and I know what is coming for you. Bend your knees in prayer. The false Church with the New Order will suffocate the truth. The plan of the enemies is to separate the greatest number of My poor children from the knowledge of the truth. Be attentive. Proclaim the Truth of my Jesus to all my poor children. When there is no knowledge of the truth, sad spiritual blindness comes.
"Humanity will be controlled, but those who belong to the Lord will be protected. Seek strength in prayer and in the Eucharist. There is no victory without a cross. Whatever happens, stay with Jesus. This is the message I give you today in the name of the Holy Trinity. Thank you for having allowed Me to gather you here once more. I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Be at peace."