A Catholic's integrity is their alignment with remaining in Christ. (38Memorial of St. John Neumann)
The desire to share in God's love is the fuel for all endeavors. C.S.
Lewis said, "Trying to find meaning or happiness apart from Him leaves us
running on empty, leading to the search for a self that isn't there."
The purpose of human creation is to share in God's love as citizens of
the Kingdom of God. Original sin led to a corruption of human nature and
creation, resulting in a separation from God. God restored this kingdom
through Jesus Christ. Baptism begins this process, providing a glimpse
of the Kingdom of God. To fully experience the Kingdom of God through
union with Christ,
those who are baptized must engage with actual grace for daily blessing
and sanctifying grace for purification. Once this response to the baptismal call succeeds, you will be 'Chosen' to partake in the process of purgation and realize it is Christ's peace and joy.
John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.
Experiencing even a small part of the Kingdom of God can lead to a
deeper longing, which in turn might make worldly life seem difficult or
less fulfilling by comparison.
-------------- Mark 4:21 Jesus said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?
Baptism lights the lamp of faith in the soul, acting as a pilot lamp for the Christian life. To keep this light burning and glowing brighter, one must remain in a state of sanctifying grace. The first step is to live a devout Catholic life, nurturing the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity received at Baptism.
A baptized Catholic is not a coincidence. Regardless of the circumstances, being baptized signifies that you have a calling.
A baptized Catholic has a call to fellowship from their mother’s womb; their response decides the result: either inheritance of God or the world. Inheritance from God is not merely a future reward but a present journey of discipleship leading to union with Christ.
God’s favor isn't just a "gift"; it’s often a weight that requires a strong foundation.
To get glorified by God, first find favor in God's presence by honoring Him. This favor brings a promise from God. Believe the promise and express trust by waiting. Ask God for the promise to be fulfilled, and forge the character required to sustain it.
A man after Gods heart knows how to please God. This turns to favor , and favor turns promise or blessing. The waiting period for a promise to fulfill is the preparation period to forging the character required to sustain the promise. This leads to intense purification process covering the full spectrum of human experience from suffering to triumph. This will make a heart meek and humble.
After receiving the promise of an everlasting kingdom and a royal throne from God, David responds with a prayer that exemplifies profound humility, gratitude, and faith. This act is not a passive reception of a gift, but an active trust in God's faithfulness and a commitment to aligning his heart with divine purpose.
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The Lord is refining His chosen people like gold or silver, so they may enter His presence in righteousness. (Malachi chapter 3 verse 3)
To enter His presence in righteousness while alive, one must go through five fundamental stages. There will be a fierce fight with evil forces in each stage.
There are five fundamental
stages to to receive Him, ushering in God's kingdom. There will be fierce fight with evil forces in each stage.
The
simplest method to progress through all stages of growth in the Kingdom
of Heaven and enjoy the Fruits of each stage is by reciting four Rosaries each day and reflecting on all the mysteries of Christ and Mary. Christusway daily missal reflections can assist Catholics in effectively using the
Rosary to develop an integrity that aligns with remaining in Christ and
helps to attain the death of the righteous—a peaceful, blessed, and
hopeful death.
The
experience of death is ultimately a solitary one and finding God's mercy is
crucial at death time. A person has to face the phenomenon of the time of death. There
are two kinds of death: either death to the world or physical death. The state of a person's integrity determines the pain at the time of death. A Catholic's integrity is proportionate to their alignment with remaining in Christ.There are different stages to develop this alignment.
Stage 1: Align with actual grace by receiving daily blessings in the physical realm by living a fundamental Catholic life. This alignment will help to realize the the
call to participate in the next stage.
Stage 2: Live a life to justify 'The Call'—self-purification in the
physical realm by engaging with sanctifying grace. This involves praying
more rosaries, resulting in new spiritual habits.
Next
stage: the reign of sanctifying grace begins once you have built an
unbroken habit of praying four rosaries daily for years, along with an
active sacramental life.
Stage 3: Chosen for Purgation: Sanctifying
grace, infused into the soul, facilitates the process of purgation,
removing the remnants of sin and inordinate attachments while fostering a
permanent, virtuous disposition in the heart.
Stage 4: Illumination at spiritual realm : Inner person growing and outer person decreasing.
Stage 5: Union, where grace is demonstrated through actions as results.
------Physical Realm
Anyone, of any faith, can receive Actual Grace; however, only a baptized Catholic receives Sanctifying Grace, which is God's indwelling life.
Any religion can access Actual Grace and generate blessings, which are
connected to moral principles and natural law for both humanity and
nature. Religions set moral standards, and adhering to these standards
facilitates access to Actual Grace for generating blessings. This
principle applies to individuals, families, and society as a whole. It
is a fundamental right for every human being. Deities influence and
oversee this process, leading to the establishment of customs around
deities, which we may refer to as religion, each with its own principles
and ideologies.
In the Catholic Church, individuals can access Actual Grace through
prayers, invocations, and charitable actions. The primary distinction
between the Catholic Church and other religions is that Sanctifying
Grace is conferred during Catholic Baptism and can only be accessed
through the sacraments. This grace is what enables a person to become a
saint.
The rosary serves as a useful tool for understanding sanctifying grace and its impact on the daily lives of Catholics.
Salvation is by Christ alone, and by His Sanctifying Grace, this process of salvation is worked out in the faithful.
Confession,Forgiveness,Temporal consequences,Plenary indulgence:
In Catholic confession, God grants complete forgiveness for the eternal consequences of sins, restoring the individual's relationship with Him. However, the temporal consequences, such as the need for personal growth or repairing harm done, often persist and must be addressed through penance, good works, or purification (purgatory). The actual effects of sin in the world and within ourselves are not immediately removed.
Confession absolves the guilt of sin, which pertains to eternal punishment, while a plenary indulgence alleviates temporal punishment, or the consequences associated with sins that have already been forgiven. This process necessitates genuine repentance, participation in the Sacraments (Confession and Communion), alignment with the Pope's intentions, and total detachment from sin to achieve its full effect. A plenary indulgence can be seen as a means to address the remaining consequences, but it does not provide permission to sin.
Catholic Baptism opens the door to Sanctifying Grace,
essential for entering the Kingdom of God.
Ephesians 2:8 states, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith.' In this context, baptism is the expression of faith that opens the doors of sanctifying grace. This is specifically offered in Catholic Baptism. To fully embrace the salvation that constitutes the kingdom of God, individuals must sincerely adhere to Stages 1 and 2.Actual Grace is accessible to all, but Sanctifying Grace, the permanent indwelling of God's life, begins with Catholic Baptism.
Stage 1 and 2 at physical realm, the tangible world we
experience through our senses, governed by natural laws like gravity,
consisting of space, time, matter, and energy. Within the physical realm, one can lead a calculated life or rely on Actual grace.
A
calculated life emphasizes human intentional actions for daily success,
whereas relying on actual grace focuses on divine assistance for
success. A calculated life feels emptiness, whereas a life focused on actual grace feels content.
A life driven by meticulous planning, self-effort, and the pursuit of
external achievements ("calculated life") often results in a feeling of
emptiness
or a lack of deep meaning, whereas a life lived in reliance on divine
assistance and unmerited favor ("actual grace") leads to genuine contentment.
Human limitation vs. Divine sufficiency:
A "calculated life," which relies solely on human plans, self-control,
and striving for perfection, is seen as inherently insufficient and
leading to exhaustion or failure in an ultimate sense.
The role of grace:
"Gracelife success" implies that true success comes not from personal
merit but from an ongoing reliance on God's grace, which operates even
in moments of human failure and weakness.
Redefining success:
Worldly metrics of success (wealth, prestige, etc.) may differ from a
grace-centered view, where success is defined by things like humility,
spiritual growth, resilience, and a relationship with God.
------5 Basic Stages to ushering in God's kingdom
Stage 1. Align with Actual Grace at physical realm :
Lead a fundamental Catholic life to get aligned with actual Grace that provides daily needs through blessings. Consistently using four rosaries each day over the years shows that you are
embracing the call to be chosen for purgation while alive.
2: Purification in the Physical Realm: Realize the Call and engage with Sanctifying Grace, to actively purify oneself to receive Grace.
To be 'chosen' for purgation, you should engage with 'actual grace' in the physical realm.The reign of sanctifying grace begins once you have built an unbroken
habit of praying four Rosaries daily for years. At that point, you are
chosen to be yoked with Christ for death, burial and Resurrection.
Accessing sanctifying grace to start the purgation process is the only way to avoid the fire of purgatory.
Stage 3.Purgation, Chosen: Reigning of Sanctifying Grace to fulfill the work of purgation.
Those who recite four Rosaries, reflecting on all the mysteries of
Christ and Mary, will uniquely realize the hidden mysteries and charm of
Catholic life. Once yoked with Christ, they know there is no turning
back.
Stage 4.Illumination at spiritual realm : Inner person growing and outer person decreasing. Soul,heart, brain, and senses will get harmonized and the whole person will be perfected to elevate to the level of Christ.
The heart, brain, and senses adapt daily to
the expanding realm of the inner self (Soul) and the contracting world
of the body, causing confusion and a struggle between the inner and outer
person's interests.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Once the outer self has been humbled and made 'poor in spirit', the process of union with Christ begins.
Stage 5.Union : Bearing fruit : Grace reflects in actions.1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle
Grace enriches the believer with true wisdom to comprehend the testimony to Christ originating from within, confirming it with thoughts, words and actions, and leading to revelation and communion.
1 Samuel 16:4 When Samuel entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him
This shows an inherent sense of awe and fear in God's presence. Proverbs 9:10, that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Awe is the beginning of wisdom; awe at God's presence precedes His will and actions.
The Rosary is a significant tool for comprehending the role of Grace in the daily lives of Catholics, assisting them in their preparation for purification to fully participate in the Kingdom of Heaven.Understanding this aspect of sanctifying grace is linked to Christ's
peace and happiness.
-----------------------Purpose of Human Life 38.Memorial of St. John Neumann
The desire for God is written in the human heart. This can fulfill only in the life
cycle of a Catholic.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), God created humans to share in his love and they are ultimately destined for a life of communion with Him in the Kingdom of God. This vocation is the fundamental reason for human dignity.
C.S.
Lewis famously stated that humans are like machines designed to run on God as
their fuel; trying to find meaning or happiness apart from Him leaves us
running on empty, leading to the search for a self that isn't there. Humans have an innate need for God as their ultimate source of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness, that cannot run properly on anything else.
All human endeavors are a desire to manifest a true sense of self, the
expression of the inner person, a goal that can fulfill only in the life
cycle of a Catholic.
All human endeavors—career, relationships, creativity, even material pursuits—are often driven by an underlying, often unconscious, search for meaning, purpose, and a true sense of self, leading to greater well-being, authenticity, and connection, even if we start by seeking it externally. It’s about moving from external validation to internal understanding, finding peace and purpose by aligning actions with one's core values, using practices like mindfulness, reflection, and honest self-assessment to fill that inner void.
Innate Desire for God: CCC 27 states, "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself".
Restless Heart: St. Augustine famously said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee," highlighting this inherent yearning.
"De-Sire" (Of the Father): The Latin root of "desire" suggests it comes from God, pointing us to our purpose.
Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" is interpreted as God fulfilling the pure, God-given desires as we delight in Him, not selfish whims.
Discernment is Key: The Catechism distinguishes between desires of the flesh (sinful) and desires of the Spirit, urging us to align our will with God's, not indulge every impulse
------------------- Call of a baptized Catholic
Malachi
3:1 is fulfilled in the life cycle of a Catholic. A Catholic serves as Messenger, Temple of the Holy Spirit,and Messenger of the
covenant. Tuesday - 4th Week of Advent.
2 Samuel 7(Prophet,King and Priest) is fulfilled in the life cycle of a Catholic.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that through Baptism, every Catholic is called to be a priest, prophet, and
king.
As part of the prophetic office of your Catholic baptism, you are called to enter the presence of God to pray and know His will. This process involves both the soul and the heart and is called imagination.The prophetic office involves imagination and wisdom, which may originate from the
True God or from other deities. It is the responsibility of the kingly
office within a person to discern the spirit guiding that imagination. A
tree is recognized by its fruit.
As part of the priestly office of your Catholic baptism, you are required to gather information
regarding your current needs and those of others, using common sense
and your abilities. This is an opportunity for you to convey your
current situation based on personal interests and preferences. This
process involves the use of your senses, intellect, and emotions, and is
referred to as cognition.
Kingly office of Catholic baptism (Tuesday - 1st week - Ordinary Time After Christmas)
As part of the kingly office of your Catholic baptism, you need to make wise decisions based on information from the prophetic office and the priestly office. You should exercise your free will to make decisions guided by
imagination, reason, and cognition. These decisions may lead to either
positive outcomes, which can result in blessings, or negative outcomes,
which may lead to curses.
Grace is the fundamental force or provision from which all tangible
blessings or outcomes emerge. It can be said that raw materials are
transformed into products.
The prophetic office produces grace(crude) in response to the requirements of
the priestly office. The king's office manages this grace to create
outcomes(products) by reconciling the divine will from the prophetic office with
the human will from the priestly office. The outcome may be either a
blessing or a curse.
Baptism initiates this process, which requires engaging in a process of purification to be fulfilled.
Trying to find meaning or happiness apart from Him leaves us
running on empty, leading to the search for a self that isn't there.
---------------------------5 Basic Stages : Monday 1st week - Ordinary Time After Christmas
-------1.Align with Actual Grace stage :
Matthew 11:12 states that Jesus addressed the crowds, saying, "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the the
Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
In this context, the Catholic Church is akin to 'John the Baptist,'
preparing the way for Catholics by guiding their hearts to be 'straight'
and 'level.'
To progress towards a deeper union with Christ, it is essential to lead
an active Catholic life and fully accept the blessings of the Church.
Once you fully understand Actual Grace through the practice of an Active
Catholic life, you will have the opportunity to begin the process of
purgation.
To participate in union with Christ, a Catholic must engage with grace
to undergo purgation. This process consists of 5 stages leading to
union with Christ's death and resurrection: 1. Fundamental Catholic
life, 2. Purification, 4.Purgation ,5. Illumination, 6. Union.
Fundamental Catholic life: Engage with Actual Grace and Blessings.
A key aspect of a Fundamental Catholic life is understanding actual grace for everyday blessings.As
you receive more blessings, you gain a deeper understanding of their
source. Ultimately, you come to realize that nothing matters; only
blessing matters. This understanding of actual grace opens the door for purgation, facilitating a deeper union with Christ.
A fundamental Catholic life can enhance your connection with the Church,
the saints, and, through them, the Holy Mother. This experience takes
place on a physical realm , within the context of Actual Grace present in
the Church. Living a fundamental Catholic life is based in culture and social
activities and requires resisting worldly temptations and pressures.
This experience is regarded as a spiritual struggle that demands
discipline, prayer, and participation in sacraments. It stresses the
importance of making intentional choices to follow Christ's teachings
instead of secular values, placing eternal life above temporary
pleasures, and is often described as walking a "narrow path." Daily
distractions can divert individuals from Christ.
To lead a fundamental Catholic life, individuals should be baptized in
the Catholic faith and participate in church activities from a young age
to receive associated blessings. 1. Live a sacramental life to receive blessings from Christ.
2. Recite the rosary daily to develop a relationship with Mary and
receive her blessings.
3. Read Scripture and understand how the Word has influenced the lives
of the saints.
4. Seek blessings through the intercession of the saints to cultivate a
good relationship with them.
5. Get involved in the community and engage in charitable works to share
these blessings.
A proper alignment of spirituality in the physical realm, including actual
grace, sacraments, scripture, traditions, teachings, Mother Mary, and
the consistent use of the Rosary, graciously opens the spiritual realm
of sanctifying grace for purification and purgation.
The Rosary is a significant tool for comprehending the role of
sanctifying grace in the daily lives of Catholics, assisting them in their
preparation for purification before entering the Kingdom of Heaven.
Understanding this aspect of sanctifying grace is linked to Christ's
peace and happiness.
a. Active purgation : The
intentional, voluntary spiritual effort to cleanse oneself of sins, bad
habits, and attachments to worldly things to draw closer to God,
practices of active Catholic life. Passionately involved with church
activities and religious symbols.
Once you learn how to effectively align with Actual Grace, Passive purgation will get activated.
This
stage a person get a motherly relation with Mother Mary, by using more
rosary. Rosary is the only way to conquer mother Mary's heart.
Passive purgation Starts from wedding feast at Cana, Mary's active involvement in the life.
Once a person learns to align effectively with Actual Grace, active purgation becomes engaged. Active purgation involves the interaction with sanctifying grace, which is represented by Christ's yoke. This entails a conscious and intentional spiritual effort to cleanse oneself from sins, negative habits, and attachments to material concerns to draw closer to God, often associated with the practices of an active Catholic life. Significant participation in church activities and religious symbols is a part of this process. At this stage, an individual may develop a deeper relationship with Mother Mary by engaging more with the rosary, viewed as a means of garnering her favor. Active purgation concludes, and passive purgation commences with the Wedding Feast at Cana, illustrating Mary's active role in life.
John 2:1-11
1. At the wedding in Cana, the mother of Jesus was present.
2. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the event.
A life aligned with blessings signifies that our lives can resemble a wedding feast,
where Mother Mary, Jesus, and the disciples play an active role in our
spiritual journeys, reflecting a committed Catholic life.
3. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus informed him, “They have
no wine.”
Here, Mother Mary intervenes for the purpose of passive
purgation.
4. Jesus responded to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My
hour has not yet come.”
Passive purgation is the work of sanctifying grace, Christ's Yoke, aimed
at purifying the soul, heart, and senses. To undergo the challenging
process of passive purgation, one should be under the motherly
protection of Mother Mary
5. His mother instructed the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6. Jesus then commanded them, “Fill the jars with water.”
This marks the
initiation of passive purgation. Once it begins, there is no turning
back. The influences of your spouse, parents, children, friends,
relatives, and every circumstance in life will contribute to filling the
jars, transforming vices into virtues. This is an intense and painful process.
7. Jesus performed this act as the first of his signs to reveal his
glory, leading his disciples to believe in him. The absence of passive
purgation will prevent the manifestation of glory.
Is purgation possible while still alive ?
Purgation is possible while alive. It a process of becoming holy for heaven, distinct from the post-death state of Purgatory, though the earthly purification lessens the time/intensity needed in the afterlife.
To start purgation while alive, one has to live a Fundamental Catholic life, engaging with actual grace and blessings.
What happens if you resist or avoid passive purgation:
If passive purgation (a deep, God-initiated spiritual purification) doesn't happen, the soul remains attached to worldly things and imperfections, hindering true union with God, potentially leading to a much harsher purification in
Purgatory after death, while delaying spiritual growth and deeper love in this life, requiring continued active effort to embrace God's will through trials. It means missing profound spiritual growth, deeper intimacy with God, and the deeper humility and compassion that come from facing inner darkness, risking a shallow spirituality.
Spiritual Stagnation: You remain stuck in the "purgative way," unable to move into deeper stages like illumination or union because deeply rooted attachments (pride, self-will, worldly comforts) aren't removed.
Reliance on Consolation: You might become attached to feelings of spiritual comfort during prayer, missing the deeper call to rely purely on God's presence.
Continued Trials: God may bring more intense, externally imposed trials (humiliations, difficulties) to force the purification that passive nights would otherwise provide, as seen in.
After death Purgatory: Unpurified attachments must be dealt with after death, often in a more severe Purgatory, whereas present-day purification brings greater glory in Heaven
b. Passive Purgation: Welcome to the Reign of Sanctifying grace. When
personal efforts reach their limit in eradicating deeply embedded
imperfections, God intervenes and initiates a deeper purification
process that the soul cannot accomplish on its own. This is often a
painful and bewildering experience, described by Saint John of the Cross
as the "Dark Night of the Senses".
This stage you will trained to walk in the way of the Cross.(Christusway).
This stage will end at Calvary, where Jesus will entrust Mary as your mother. “Behold your John 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27: Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
Matthew 17:9a, 10 The disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
John the Baptist prepares the way, means he acted as a forerunner, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 40:3) by calling people to repent (turn from sin) and prepare spiritually for the imminent arrival of the Messiah, Jesus, making their hearts "straight" and "level" to receive Him, ushering in God's kingdom. His baptism symbolized this cleansing, and his life pointed away from himself to Jesus, the "Lamb of God" who would take away the world's sin, marking the transition from the old covenant to God's new way through Jesus.
Wednesday - 2nd Week of Advent.
Matthew Chapter 11 30: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; My yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Catholic life is subject to the baptismal covenant, that is, Christ's yoke or sanctifying grace.
------------2.Align with Sanctifying grace stage :
Zechariah 2: 17 Silence, all people, in the presence of the LORD, who stirs forth from his holy dwelling. Luke 1:30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). Angels are always at the presence of Lord. Fallen angels are those were cast out of His presence. Mary found Grace, means She is completely inhabited by God's presence, his holy dwelling. Where one can hear heaven.
To enter into the presence one has to under the governance of Sanctifying grace. Chanting more rosaries help to comprehend Sanctifying grace and relation with Mother Mary.
3. Bearing fruit stage :
2 Samuel 7:6: i have been going about in a tent or a tabernacle. Is it you who would build me a house to dwell in? You will be called Prophet of the Most High.
16 Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever.
Priestly Role: Offering their daily lives, prayers, and sacrifices to God, participating in the Eucharist, and sanctifying the world.Prophetic Role: Speaking God's truth in word and deed, witnessing to faith, and teaching others.Kingly Role: Exercising leadership in their families, communities, and work to build God's kingdom, bringing order and peace through service
Baptized Catholics participate in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king exercising their baptismal call to offer their lives in worship, witness to God's truth, and lead others to God's kingdom.