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O living flame of love
That wounds so tenderly
In my soul's deepest centre.
As you are no longer oppressive
Perfect your work in me if it is your will.
Break the web of this sweet encounter
Before the divine fire enters the soul and becomes one with its depths, the Holy Spirit wounds it, destroying and consuming the imperfections of its evil habits.
The soul suffers greatly in this, for in this state of purification the flame does not burn brightly but in darkness, and if it gives any light at all it is only to show up and make the soul experience its own weaknesses and defects.
It is not a refreshing, peaceful fire, but a consuming and searching one that makes the soul grieve at the sight of itself. The soul perceives its own smallness in comparison with the immensity of the flame.
St. John of the Cross |
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I recognize you,
because you are me.
I recognize your gifts,
because I know mine.
I recognize your pain,
because I have felt my own.
I recognize your confusion,
because there was no one
I could turn to when I was confused.
God sent you to me to heal
with His Love.
Love and heal,
encourage and support,
hold until the pain
and fear are gone.
With understanding
and compassion
we will heal many others,
because we are willing to suffer.
by Kathryn Elizabeth |
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ALL around you are the signs of my GRACE, the CHAOS which inspires UNITY; the filthy SLOTH which leads to PURITY for the SEEKER. VIRTUE lies hidden deep within its midst; for it is a chaos of LEARNING; a clutter of order. Within its disordered CENTER is TRUTH. The TRUTH that only comes from CONFUSION, the TRUTH that only comes when one is free to DISORDER the ORDERLY and DIRTY up the CLEAN.
Your INNOCENCE was snatched from you. You became defiled and abused, misunderstood and maligned, distorted and disgraced, unloved and unnurtured, abandoned and shamed, yet INNOCENCE still lives, buried within. I KNEW what you would encounter, you did, too; but you forgot until I reminded you and EMPOWERED you to find YOURSELF in the CHAOS. I am your FATHER, who CREATED all things. I created the UNIVERSE out of CHAOS. Do you not think I can RE-CREATE you? With tender HANDS I formed majestic mountains with my skillful fingers as if they were clay. My salty TEARS filled the OCEANS. I have WEPT over you when you angered ME, and loved you so much I sent my SON to WEEP and DIE for you; and by so doing I UNDERSTOOD your PAIN because I EXPERIENCED it myself. I will never give up on you because your DESIRE to FIND ME in the midst of your CHAOS is the ETERNAL sign of your LOVE for ME; and it is WHAT I ask of YOU. |
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