
THE MYSTERY OF INCARNATION - Jesus Most Sacred Heart
I BELIEVE IN THE ONE GOD. AND IN ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, WHO WAS INCARNATE BY THE HOLY GHOST OF THE VIRGIN MARY. AND I BELIEVE IN THE REST OF THE CREED THAT WE SING (MOSTLY IN THE MERBECKE VERSION) IN MY PARISH CHURCH AT MASS EVERY SUNDAY. I ALSO BELIEVE IN THE MYSTERY OF INCARNATION. NOW, FOR MANY PEOPLE THESE DAYS IT SEEMS TO BE PICK- AND MIX-TALE THAT ONE CAN EITHER TAKE OR LEAVE, WITH THE RESULT OF MANY COPYCAT HERETICAL VERSIONS OF THE GOOD NEWS AND ITS 'CHARACTERS'. IF WE LEAVE CHRIST'S LIVING WORD, THEN WE ENTER THE REALM OF SPIRITUAL DEATH AND ABSURDITY.
BUT IT IS PART OF THE NEVER-ENDING PROCESS OF THE LIVING WORD - REMEMBER: WE ARE LIVING IN A WORLD WITHOUT END! - TO LEAVE OUR COMFORT ZONE IN HOW TO LIVE CHRIST'S LIVING WORD. AND WE ARE BEING TAKEN TO TASK ON IT, WHENEVER WE UTTER THE SMALLEST SOUND IN HIS NAME. WE MIGHT NOT NOTICE IT STRAIGHT AWAY BUT GOD HAS HIS WAY OF TESTING US ON WHATEVER WE ARE SAYING, AND IS WATCHING US CLOSELY, WHETHER WE ARE LIVING, WHAT WE ARE TEACHING.
NOW, EVERY DISCIPLE OF CHRIST KNOWS, THAT HIS SIMPLE NEWS ARE TO MANY, LEAST NOT TO OURSELVES, THE HARDEST ROADS TO GO ON AS THEY DEMAND ALL FROM US, NOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF COMMITMENT, WHEN IT SUITS US AND IN OUR OWN TIME. NO, HE WANTS US TO BE THERE FOR THE SAKE OF THE HIGHEST GOOD OF OUR SOULS, THAT SERVES ALL OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM ON EARTH, AND NOT JUST OURSELVES. WE ALL
ARE BEING CALLED TO FULFILL OUR HOLY ROLES. AND THAT CAN BE VERY TOUGH,
AS WE ARE ALL SINNERS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE SOUL FREE OF SIN, AND THAT IS JESUS CHRIST.
AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS DISCERNMENT OF WHAT WE RECEIVE BY LISTENING TO HIS VOICE, WHEN HE TALKS TO US THROUGH HIS LIVING WORD AND IN HIS ANSWERS, IF WE SURRENDER ENTIRELY TO HIM OUR WORRIES, FEARS AND QUESTIONS. ONCE WE TRUST HIM HE SENDS HIS ANSWERS IN MANIFOLD WAYS, AND VERY OFTEN THEY COME AS BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE - SITUATIONS, IN WHICH WE HAVE TO ANSWER TO HIM THROUGH OTHERS, WHICH HELPS US GROUND OUR FAITH.
AS IT IS IN THOSE TESTING SITUATIONS THAT WE KNOW HE IS WITH US, AND PROVIDES US WITH THE RIGHT SOLUTION IN THAT MOMENT OF TIME. HIS INSTRUCTIONS ALWAYS FEEL RIGHT DEEP INSIDE OUR HEARTS, NO MATTER, HOW OTHERS PERCEIVE OR EVEN TWIST OUR WORDS. AS ONLY HE FITS ALL THINGS BEAUTIFULLY, AND ONLY HE CAN SEE ALWAYS THE WHOLE PICTURE.
I, FOR MY PART, HAVE TAKEN MY TIME TO TOTALLY SURRENDER TO MY LORD AND KING, AND EXPLORED JUST LIKE MANY OTHER OF MY CONTEMPORARIES THE MANY FACETS OF FAITH. BUT IF I HAVE LEARNT ONE THING, THEN IT IS THAT FOLLOWING ON THE PATH OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY PATH TO PEACE AND COMPASSION AND UNITY AND DIGNITY.
BUT I MUST BE WILLING ALWAYS AND AGAIN WALK THE EXTRA-MILE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY THAT COMES MY WAY THROUGH HIM. HE TAUGHT ME TO ALWAYS CONSIDER ALL MY DECISIONS UNDER FOR THE SAKE OF THE HIGHEST GOOD OF EACH SOUL.
IF I ENTERTAIN ANY KIND OF DOUBT IN THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST, THEN I AM IN A MESS AND AM QUICKLY LANDING IN A SPIRAL OF SPIRITUAL EXILE, DEADLY SILENCE AND DELUSION THAT MY FATE IS IN MY OWN HANDS - AS IT IS NOT.
TO FOLLOW HIS PATH IS MOST OF THE TIMES VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND CAN UPSET EVEN MANY PEOPLE, AS HE MAKES ME WRITE, PAINT OR SING HIS LIVING WORD THAT SHAKES UP ANY KIND OF PRETENCE OR DECEIT OR LIES.
HE DOES NOT LET ME GET AWAY WITH ANY KIND OF EXCUSE AND HE ALSO WILL LET ME KNOW INSTANTLY, IF HE IS NOT YET SATISFIED WITH WHAT I AM DOING AT THE MOMENT.
JESUS IS GOD. AND AS OUR LORD GOD HE HAS THE POWER TO DIRECT US IN THE WAY HE NEEDS US TO BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMING WITH EVERY DAY CLOSER TO THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM ON EARTH.
IN EVERY GENERATION MAN HAS BEEN AWAITING HIS RETURN. AND FOR THOSE WITH EARS TO HEAR AND EYES TO SEE HE MADE HIMSELF HEARD AND VISIBLE - FROM THE UNSEEN WORLDS. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF OUR CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY IS PLACING CHRISTIANS, ESPECIALLY CATHOLICS, UNDER THE LABEL OF 'DELUSIONED' OR 'OBSESSED' BECAUSE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, IF THEY ARE EVEN KNOWN TO SOMEBODY, DO NOT SEEM VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THE IN COMPARISON EASY-WAY-OUT
OPTION OF 'DOING IT BETTER NEXT TIME ROUND'.
WE CATHOLICS BELIEVE IN THE DREADFUL DAY OF JUDGMENT AND WE DO FEAR GOD.
THAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR FAITH. BUT I AM NOT FEARFUL OF AN ANGRY GOD. I FEAR TO HURT GOD IN MY SLIGHTEST FAILURE AS I KNOW I AM A SINNER. I FIND SOMETHING TO REPENT EVERY FEW SECONDS, IF NOT FROM THE PRESENT, THEN IT IS SOMETHING FROM THE PAST, THAT I NOW, WITH DISTANCE, SEE MORE CLEARLY AS A FAILURE TOWARDS GOD, MYSELF AND OTHERS. AND THEN I SURRENDER MY FAILURE TO GOD AND TO JESUS AND ASK THEIR FORGIVENESS.
AND I AM PREPARING TO FACE THEM ON MY DREADFUL DAY OF JUDGMENT. I GAVE MY VOW TO JESUS AS MY LORD AND KING AND MASTER AND GOD, TO SERVE HIM IN ALL THE WAYS HE NEEDS ME. BELIEVE ME, SOME OF THE THINGS I WRITE, WOULD NORMALLY SCARE ME TO DEATH, BUT I KNOW, IF I DO NOT WRITE THEM, THEN I WILL HAVE A REAL REASON TO BE SCARED - OF HIS SAD EYES AND TEARS. AND OF THE TEARS OF GOD.
I LOVE GOD AND JESUS SO MUCH THAT I SUFFER FROM THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT OF MY SLIGHTEST SIN. I LOVE ALL SOULS AS MY NEXT OF KIN, AND I SOMETIMES HAVE TO MAKE UNPOPULAR DECISIONS FOR THEM BECAUSE JESUS HAS TAUGHT ME THAT TO BRING OUT AND LIVE HIS HOLY TRUTH IS ABOVE ALL WORLDLY CONSIDERATIONS AND HAS TO BE SPOKEN AND DONE.
SOMETIMES I RECEIVE POEMS, OR DO PAINTINGS, AND DO NOT KNOW AT THAT VERY MOMENT, WHERE THEY LEAD ME, OR WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT. I HEAR WORDS, AS I LISTEN EVER SO CAREFULLY, AS TO NOT FAIL HIM, THAT I HAVE NOT EVEN HEARD EVER BEFORE
BUT I WRITE THEM DOWN REGARDLESS. SOMETIMES I RECEIVE WORDS OR SENTENCES EVEN IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE AND I WRITE THEM DOWN PHONETICALLY, LOOK THEM UP IN DICTIONARIES OR IN GOOGLE AND FIND THAT THEY OPEN UP A WHOLE NEW INSIGHT INTO A WHOLE NEW OR OLD WORLD OR CONTEXT THAT I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE, AND THAT SUDDENLY CONNECTS WHOLE NATIONS AND SUBJECTS AND PUTS THEM INTO A WONDERFUL NEW CONSTELLATION THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED OR THAT CAN HEAL OLD WOUNDS AND RIFTS.
SOMETIMES I HAVE TO ADDRESS VERY, VERY PAINFUL SUBJECTS, BUT IT IS MAN, WHO HAS CREATED THE SUFFERING TO DO WITH IT, NOT GOD NOR JESUS. BUT YET, HOW OFTEN HAS HIS NAME BEEN ABUSED SIMPLY OUT OF GREED AND LUST FOR POWER BY SO MANY. AND IT IS STILL ONGOING FOR THE SAKE OF A FEW GREEDY, WHO DO NOT FEED THE NEEDY BUT WHO CORRUPT EVEN THE INNOCENT AND VULNERABLE.
I HAVE FAILED GOD AND JESUS MANY, MANY TIMES, AND, BELIEVE ME, I AM CRYING MY HEART OUT FOR EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE DONE SO. MY ONLY COMFORT IS JESUS' CAPACITY TO ALLOW ME TO REPENT AND TO DO PENANCE. SOMETIMES WE EXPERIENCE PENANCE AS A PHASE OF NO ANSWERS, OF STAGNATION, OF NOT MOVING FORWARD AND DOUBTING EVERYTHING. BUT THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS STILL AN ELEMENT OF EGO INVOLVED IN THAT WE THINK WE SHOULD REDEEM OURSELVES, TO PUSH THINGS THE WAY WE THINK THEY SHOULD GO.
BUT IT DOES NOT WORK LIKE THIS. JUST, WHEN I THINK, I GRASPED THE LAST MYSTERY HE LEADS ME TO THE NEXT SUBJECT ON MEMORY LANE AND OPENS UP ANOTHER VAST TREASURE BOX OF QUESTIONS THAT SEEM TO TAKE ME EVEN FURTHER AWAY FROM WHAT I PERCEIVED WAS MY 'GOAL'. UNTIL I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WAY ALONE IS THE ANSWER, TO LIVE IN THE HERE AND NOW AND TO SERVE HIM - NO MATTER WHAT THE COST, AS TO HIM THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THE HIGHEST GOOD FOR EACH SOUL. AND THAT IS THEN ALSO FITTING IN WITH OTHERS, WHOM HE WANTS ME TO CONNECT WITH AND TO BE THERE FOR. AND SOMETIMES HE TAKES PEOPLE ALSO AWAY FROM ME AS THEY HAVE LEARNT FROM ME OR I FROM THEM, WHAT WE NEEDED TO LEARN.
AND THEN, THEY GO INTO THE WORLD TO FULFILL WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION THEIR HOLY ROLE. AND I AM ENRICHED WITH THE BEAUTY OF HAVING HAD THE HONOUR TO HAVE HAD CHRIST UNDER MY ROOF AGAIN THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YET ANOTHER SOUL.
THAT IS, HOW WE ALL HELP AND HEAL EACH OTHER. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN MY LIFE AS MORE THAN ONE PRIEST SAID TO ME: 'LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE IN YOUR HEART, IT IS THE RIGHT VOICE GIVEN TO YOU BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE. YOU MUST TRUST THIS VOICE AS IT IS THE VOICE OF GOD.' AND INDEED, EVEN IN MY EARLY CHILDHOOD I HEARD THIS VOICE THAT TOLD ME CLEARLY THAT SOME OF THE THINGS MY PARENTS SAID WERE NOT, WHAT THE VOICE HAD TAUGHT ME. AND THE VOICE TOLD ME THAT MY PARENTS WERE WRONG. AND I KNEW THAT I MUST NEVER FAIL THIS VOICE AS THE VOICE WAS ALWAYS RIGHT, AND I KNEW IT SO WELL THAT I TRUSTED IT AND TALKED TO IT FROM AS EARLY I CAN REMEMBER. I HAD A BEAUTIFUL AND PURE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD FOR MANY YEARS.
THERE WERE TIMES LATER AS A YOUNG ADULT, WHERE I ENCOUNTERED A LOT OF CYNICISM AT UNIVERSITY AND MORE SECULAR VIEWS, WITH WHICH I NEVER FELT COMFORTABLE AS THEY LACKED COMPASSION AND EMPATHY. WHEN I WAS TRAINED IN VARIOUS THERAPY DISCIPLINES I OFTEN SHOOK MY HEAD IN DESPAIR AND DISBELIEF REGARDING THE WAY PATIENTS WERE BEING TREATED. IT SEEMED ALL WRONG TO NOT SEE THE SOUL AS WELL - MANY THERAPIES FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOUL OF A PERSON. THEY BOOST THE EGO, WHERE THEY SHOULD SOMETIMES TAKE A PATIENT TO TASK BY MAKING HIM OR HER FACE UP TO HER RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY AND SOCIETY BUT THEY ALSO FAIL TO NOURISH AND SHOW EMPATHY AND GO THE EXTRA-MILE, WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WHEN I WAS MAINLY WORKING AS A SINGING AND DRAMA TEACHER, VOICE AND SPEECH-THERAPIST OR MUSIC THERAPIST I NEVER ENDED A SESSION JUST BECAUSE THE TIME WAS UP. I AM VERY GOOD AT TIMING BUT IF A SOUL NEEDS NURTURING, THEN IT IS MY CHRISTIAN DUTY TO GRANT IT TO THIS SOUL, IF IT IS FOR THIS SOUL'S HIGHEST GOOD.
I WAS ALWAYS CAREFUL AT THE SAME TIME NEVER TO BUILD A DEPENDANCY FOR THE CLIENT, AS WE ALL NEED TO TAKE UP OUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY EVENTUALLY AND LIVE, WHAT WE HAVE LEARNT AND HELP OTHERS.
THESE DAYS I SHARE FREELY, WHAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN FREELY IN ALL AREAS THAT CHRIST OPENS UP FOR ME. I NEVER ACTIVELY 'PUSH' THINGS IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION AS ONLY HE KNOWS MY PURPOSE FULLY. AND I AM BUT A PART OF THE WHOLE. I LEARNT A LOT OF PATIENCE WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS AND THE PROCESS IS ONGOING AS EVERY SOUL PRESENTS US WITH YET ANOTHER UNIQUE SITUATION AND BACKGROUND.
SOME SOULS THAT COME INTO OUR LIVES ARE ONLY MEANT TO ENTER OUR LIVES SHORT-TERM, AS WE LEARN SOMETHING TOGETHER OR NEED TO EXPERIENCE A CERTAIN ASPECT THAT CHRIST NEEDS US TO KNOW AND REMEMBER FOR ANOTHER TIME, WHERE IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SERVE OTHERS. OTHERS ARE WITH US, EVEN WHEN WE ARE SEPARATED OVER A DISTANCE, IN TERMS OF ETERNITY AND ARE LINKED TO US, EVEN IF WE CANNOT SEE EACH OTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS. REMEMBER, HOW THE APOSTLES HARDLY WERE MEETING AFTER CHRIST HAD DIED?! WE MUST SHARE OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS IN ALL THE WAYS AND PLACES, WHERE GOD SENDS US TO WEAVE A NET OF LIGHT
OVER THE EARTH, SO EVENTUALLY ONLY GOODNESS AND PEACEFUL AND COMPASSIONATE SELFLESS THOUGHTS ARE IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND SOULS.
IT IS SO EASY TO ABANDON ALL WAYS OF VIOLENCE AND WRATH, IF WE SIMPLY REFUSE TO RESPOND TO PROVOCATION IN THE WAY OF THE WORLD. IF WE ARE FALSELY ACCUSED OR MOCKED, BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING AND SPEAKING IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THEN OFTEN SILENCE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE AS THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS BY THE GRACE OF GOD PREVAIL.
AND PRAYER IS IN TIMES OF MISUNDERSTANDING THE ONLY POWERFUL RESPONSE THAT
HAS NEVER FAILED ME. GOD MIGHT NOT SEND THE ANSWER AS I SOMETIMES EXPECT IT BUT IT HAS ALWAYS COME AND TURNED OUT IN THE MOST MIRACULOUS WAYS.
SOMETIMES SOLUTIONS OR SITUATIONS ARE BEING ADDRESSED BY GOD IN MY DREAMS. I HAVE LEARNT TO DISCERN MANY DIFFERENT KIND OF DREAMS AND DO NOT RELY ON ANY BOOKS BUT ON THE HOLY SPIRIT AND JESUS AND GOD ALONE, TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE RIGHT ANSWERS, WHICH I ALWAYS SEEK IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENTS AND BY PRAYING TO JESUS' MOST SACRED HEART.
QUITE FRANKLY, I DO NOT CARE, WHETHER ANYBODY THINKS I AM DELUSIONAL AND OBSESSED, IF I BELIEVE IN CHRIST'S INCARNATION AND IF I BELIEVE IN THE APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION WITHOUT WOMEN PRIESTS AND WOMEN BISHOPS, AS I BELIEVE IN THE REALITY OF HIS TRANSSUBSTANTIATION IN HIS HOLY EUCHARIST. BUT THAT IS A QUESTION, THAT IS BETWEEN EVERY SOUL AND GOD. AND I ONLY CLAIM THE SAME RIGHT AS EVERY OTHER RELIGIOUS BROTHER AND SISTER OF ANOTHER FAITH TO LIVE IN THE INFNITE LIGHT OF MY LORD AND KING AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. AND I AM NOT ASHAMED TO CONFESS MY LOVE OVERFLOWING FOR HIM.
THERE IS NO HEART MORE LOVING THAN HIS. HE IS MY ALL, MY WORLD AND MY HEAVEN, MY JERUSALEM. HE IS MY HOME. FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN
THOSE, WHO FIND IT FUNNY ENOUGH TO GRIN WITH HYPOCRISY AND BLASPHEMY FOR GOD INTO MY FACE, DO, WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO - I WILL SMILE AT THEM WITH GOD'S GRACE AND PRAY FOR THEIR SOULS AND WISH THEM A GOOD DAY, SO THAT THEY MAY SEE HIS LIGHT IN ME. JESUS WAS DECLARED MAD AT TIMES BY HIS OWN FAMILY - AND THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH SINCE THEN IT SEEMS. GOD HAS CHOSEN HIM TO BE HIS SON FOR A REASON, AND I HAVE VOWED TO SHARE IN HIS CROSS BY BEARING MY OWN WITHOUT EVER COMMITTING AGAINST HIM HIGH TREASON, AS I AM LIVING WITH HIM THROUGH EVERY CHURCH SEASON STRENGTHENED IN HIS CHOSEN SACRAMENTS.
MAY THE INFINITE LIGHT OF GOD SHINE BRIGHTLY UPON YOU, KEEP AND PROTECT YOU FROM ALL EVIL, HARM AND ANXIETY AND FILL YOUR VERY HEART AND SOUL WITH THE PEACE AND COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS OF JESUS' MOST SACRED HEART.
GOD BLESS YOU!
Mother Ziggy
Mother Ziggy Agocsi OHR
Mother Superior
Order of the Holy Rose
holyrose@btinternet.com
http://abbeyoftheholyrose.webs.com/
http://mothersuperiorohr.blogspot.com/
http://marianschool-ohr.blogspot.com/
NIHIL HORUM TIMEAS
FAITHFUL TO GOD AND JESUS AND FEARLESS THROUGH THEIR LOVE














