Dear Readers
I would like to talk about Spiritual Maturity. When we first began our relationship with Christ we're on a Spiritual high. Everything feels great. Because we feel the presence of the Lord within ourselves. When we are in this stage it is the Lord introducing himself in his Spirit teaching us his way similar to the Apostles of old. When Christ was among them they were full of joy and happiness. And, they were astonished by his teaching and they were in awe by the miracles which He did through his Father.
Today the Lord can still speak with us within our souls and even a tear. If any of you have had mystical experiences you understand the joy that you feel when the Spirit is upon you. It is a great feat that this world cannot break. But there comes a time when the Lord Jesus withdraws his presence from us and we go through a dark period. Ask the Lord if he has abandoned us?
My brothers and sisters if he has abandoned us. My brothers and sisters if any of you are feeling this type of abandonment do not fear. The Lord has not abandoned you. In fact you are closer to the Lord when you are at this state. Because, understand brothers and sisters that the Lord Jesus felt this same way at the moment of His passion in the agony of the garden and He wishes to unite Himself to us through His Cross. If we do not go through the Purification our faith and trust in God will not grow.
My brothers and sisters the same happened with the 12 Apostles when Jesus was crucified and died. Many of the Apostles were in despair. If you remember John was the only Apostle that stayed with the Blessed Mother during the Crucifixion. The rest doubted and they waited for the Holy Spirit. My brothers and sisters when we go through this type of darkness of abandonment it is to help purify us and deepen our trust in God and, make our faith more firm.
It is at this time if you are going through this interior suffering to offer up this suffering to the Eternal Father and to Jesus and they will do with it what they will. Say to the Eternal Father and to Jesus that you offer up your suffering for the souls that prayer will return. Even though in these times of darkness we do not understand the reason for this suffering...offer it up to the Lord because the Lord will use it according to his will.
Many of you may say "why should we suffer because Jesus already suffered for us?" My brothers and sisters Jesus also said "to follow me and take up the cross". That means the Lord will bring us to himself so we can better experience the Passion. When that unfolds we will understand what He went through because if everything is conciliation in visions and voices within our soul and feeling good than we become too proud.
It is to humble our souls...reminding us that we are not perfect. It brings us down as Christians to let us know that we still need God. To let us know we are not above Him. It doesn't matter how many scriptures we know or how many Masses we go to...or how many Rosaries we pray.
It is when we are under this darkness that our faith is truly tested. If your being tested in this way look at the Cross, look at the Saints, especially Mother Theresa and Saint Theresa of Avila. Look to them. Just as Jesus went through the desert for 40 days so what brings us to our own desert? We must not despair because just being a Christian is looking at the Cross to following the way of the Cross.
