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CHAPTER VII
THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST THE KING
Your sins are forgiven, now what happens?
At this point during an Ignatian Retreat, most have by now made their General Confession. Through the great Mercy and Love of Christ, all of our sins are forgiven! Now what happens?
St. Ignatius helps us make this decision by considering Mediations on The Kingdom of Christ The King, The Two Standards and The Three Classes of Men.
Let us place ourselves in the presence of God and Humbly adore Him.
Oh God my Lord, please grant me the grace that all my intentions, all my actions, and all my works may be directed purely to the service and praise of your Divine Majesty.
What will the rest of your life be like? Will you go back to your old and familiar faults or will you strive to do God’s Will.
There is no neutral ground. You are either with Him or you are against Him. “Those who do not gather….scatter.”
Christ is our King. Will you now act like it? The only other alternative is to serve Satan. Like it or not, you will serve one or the other.
Allow Christ to be our King within us:
Therefore He has a right to rule over our activity and us.
Therefore He has a right to draft us into His Army.
Therefore He has a right to delegate Authority.
He has these rights by right of conquest. He has won us from Satan by His death on the Cross.
We owe Him our gratitude.
“Ye are not your own, for ye have been bought at a great price.”
We owe Him more that mere lip service. We owe Him our complete submission.
Take an interest in your salvation, it’s not at all certain.
Satan has made no sacrifice for us – yet he gets so many willing followers!
Modern man, particularly Americans, have lost the sense of Hierarchy. We therefore don’t understand Scripture with its references to serving the King. Back in the Middle Ages to “serve the King” was easily recognizable as the Honorable and Noble thing to do.
Also for many today, the true meaning (and feeling) of “Father” has been lost. The term “father” has been denatured. Modern “men” have abandoned many of their responsibilities as head of their families. Particularly their responsibilities as to guide their families to serve Christ The King. Because men refuse to be manly, women have had to fill in as best they can.
Spirituality is manly, not unmanly. We must have a great desire to become a saint for ourselves and for those whom we may influence.
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Virility is not following our emotions. Virility is doing what is right, despite emotions.
Bravery is not following our fears. Bravery is doing our duty despite fears.
When we speak of God as our Father, it should bring images of LOVE, STRENGTH, HOLINESS, LOYALITY, and PROTECTION. Such a King we would gladly trust and serve. We would follow Him and love Him more than our own life. To even consider betraying Him would be the lowest of the low…..unthinkable and cowardly!
WAKE UP! MOVE IT! Don’t just sit there with your sins forgiven! J
We must return love for God’s love.
Saints are made, not born.
Convert others with humility, not argument.
Note how The King deals with his subjects: Honor, generosity, and humility in order to move the Will.
The call of an earthly king.
We do not have a King in America but we do have a Country. We do have love of Country. In the past our Country has had to call up its citizens for its defense.
I am old enough to have lived through World War II. The Nazi war machine was marching across Europe. The Japanese Military made a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. America found herself fighting a war on two fronts. The whole Nation heeded the call to arms. Both men and women enlisted in the Armed Services. Many women started to work in factories. There was a patriotic song about “Rosie the Riveter”. The children went from house to house collecting scrap metal for the war effort. A couple of us seven and eight year olds hauled a hot water heater a few blocks up to the schoolyard in a red wagon. Sugar, meat, tires, shoes, gasoline, etc were rationed. We used jelly in our oatmeal instead of sugar to help the war effort. The movie industry made many good patriotic movies. Even the comic books had Superman and other super heroes and even Donald duck and Mickey Mouse fighting the spies and saboteurs. Our parents bought War Bonds when they could.
In the face of all this effort, can you imagine what would be thought of a coward, who tried to avoid service in the Armed Service or who tried to buy his way out of it? Woe to the man who would not answer the “call to arms” of his country or king during such a time.
Can you imagine what would have been thought of a greedy person, who would not try to conserve using critical materials needed for the war effort?
Worse yet can you imagine someone giving aid and comfort to the enemy for material gain!! The traitor would have been shot.
If such is the loyalty expected for an earthly King and Country, what about Christ The King?
Will you serve with Him or against Him? Think about it.
Go ahead, answer this question. “I double dare ya.” J Now, think of the consequences of your answer.
Will you strive for Sainthood and be a good example to those around you or will you be a coward and a traitor to Christ The King, yourself, your family and your country?
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Will you feel ashamed and down, or will courage and love well up inside your heart, to do the best that you can, as long as you can, no matter what.
To be delivered from blindness of heart, we must imitate Christ’s life. Be generous with God, you cannot outdo Him, then He will speak to you.
Model our whole life to that of Christ. Unite our will to His Will to be lead to God.
Truth is like a light; it helps us to see.
Pray for your conversion….that is doing everything for God.
Good and Evil are in a constant battle, both internal and external.
We are in an all out war. You are in it. Which side are you on? You must decide. What are you: Saint or traitor, brave or cowardly? Think about it.
Move it! Don’t just sit there with your sins forgiven!
What would you have me do? “Speak Lord, thy servant heareth.” Listen to what he says to your heart. Write down some initial thoughts, goals and action plans.
Establish Christ first in your heart.
Establish Christ second in our family.
Establish Christ third anywhere else you can.
Thank Christ for your General Confession.
Ask Christ for the Grace to give yourself generously to Him.
Pray to St. Joseph for the grace to be a true man of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray an “Our Father” to Our Lord in thanksgiving for the grace to complete this meditation. Pray a “Hail Mary” to Our Lady (the Mediatrix of All Graces) in thanksgiving for her help.
Did you take any notes during this meditation? If you did you may want to review them now. If not, you may want to record and thoughts you had. You may want to go through this meditation and take additional notes. They will be helpful to review sometime in the future.
MEDITATION ON THE TWO STANDARDS (flags): The recruitment conference.
The first Standard is that of Christ, our supreme leader and Lord. Christ calls us all to serve under His Standard.
The second Standard is that of Lucifer, the deadly enemy of our human nature. He wants us all to serve under His Standard.
We must decide under which Standard we will serve. (In reality there is no choice.). The Blessed will take the places that the fallen Angels would have had in Heaven.
Let us place ourselves in the presence of God and Humbly adore Him.
Oh God my Lord, please grant me the grace that all my intentions, all my actions, and all my works may be directed purely to the service and praise of your Divine Majesty.
VIEW THE PLACE:
For example see a great plain, comprising the whole region about Jerusalem, where the sovereign Commander-in-Chief of all the good is Christ our Lord.
See another plain, about the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer.
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Oh! ……..Look closer!
The fog is lifting. The “plains” look like your home, the places that you work and play and pray. This is the territory assigned to you for action……but under which Standard will you fight? There are only two Standards and no neutral ground.
ASK FOR GRACE:
Ask for the Grace of knowledge of the deceits of the rebel chief and help to guard against them.
Ask for the Grace of the true life exemplified in the sovereign and true Commander.
Ask for the Grace to imitate Him.
Ask for the Grace to carry your cross.
THE STANDARD OF SATAN:
Imagine you see the chief of all the enemy in the vast plain about Babylon (sources of temptation for you), seated on a great throne of fire (passions: hate, lust, greed, envy, anger) and smoke (sloth, lies and deceits).
The Devil is an Angel, a powerful force. Satan is the Father of lies and a liar is a child of the devil….. (Thought: If he is so smart, why did he act so stupid when he fell through pride?)
Consider how he summons innumerable demons, and scatters them, some to one city and some to another, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state of life, no individual is overlooked.
Look closer. Can you see the demons where you are? Can you see the temptations that have led and are now leading you away from Christ (the false reasonings, occasions of sin, bad companions, passions, etc.)? Can you see the demons laugh at what they have made you do in the past and are sure they can mak
e you do in the future?! …………Stop and think a minute. Perhaps make a list; so as to clearly focus on the tricks that have worked in the past.
Listen to how Satan goads the demons on to lay snares for men and bind them with chains. First they are to tempt them t covet riches (as Satan himself is accustomed to do in most cases), that they may more easily attain the empty honors of this world. Then lead them to overwhelming pride.
The first step will be riches…….then empty honors……then pride. From these three steps the evil one leads to all other vices. Love of comfort characterizes Satan’s men. How many people sell their souls just to make it good in this life – the outcome is damnation. They will burn forever in Hell.
Satan, like a roaring lion, wants to pull as many as he can into the fires of Hell.
Satan is pure Evil. He loves it when we play this fact down. Lucifer uses his talents to lead you to sleep. To get out of the fight, is to fall victim to Lucifer. We will have our rest in Heaven. Now the Church Militant must fight. Fight while on earth! There is a joy in giving Satan a battle. There really is a war – a war to the death!! It will be over for you, one way or the other, only at your death. It is a fight to the death.
Think about how many times they have kept you from a spiritual duty (like Sunday Mass, good example for those around you, etc.) by striving for money or human respect from “friends”.
Listen…………can you hear their evil demonic laughs at what they have made you do? Do they have no respect for you because you were so easy in the past and they fully expect you to be just as easy in the future. So what are you going to do? Are you going to surprise them with heroic resistance, or reinforce their current opinion? …………Think about it, before you go back to the vomit.
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Under whose banner will you serve? No man can serve two masters.
Hell is the ultimate Evil.
Heaven is the ultimate Good.
THE STANDARD OF CHRIST:
Consider Christ our Lord, standing in a lowly place in the great plain about the region of Jerusalem, perhaps in the tabernacle of a small Chapel. His appearance is beautiful and attractive. Spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament and just be with Him be quiet and think and listen to Him speak to your heart..
Consider how the Lord of all the world chooses so many persons, apostles, disciples, etc., and sends them throughout the whole world to spread His Sacred Doctrine among all men, no matter what their state or condition.
How many times has He sent Priests and Nuns and perhaps a friend or family member to help you learn about The Catholic Faith? How many times has he urged you to help someone else? Did you respond or ignore these Graces?
Now listen to what Our Lord says to His servants and friends whom He sends on this enterprise, recommending to them to seek to help all:
First by attracting them to the highest spiritual poverty (you may use “things” and also have a detachment from them), and should it please the Divine Majesty, and should He deign to choose them for it, even actual poverty. “Not my will but Thy Will be done.”
Second to desire insults and contempt, for from these springs Humility.
Three steps:
1. Poverty as opposed to riches.
2. Insults and contempt as opposed to the honor of this world.
3. Humility as opposed to pride.
From these three steps He will lead men to all other virtues. The Virtues are like armor that deflects the attacks of demons.
Be charitable to others, instruct the ignorant.
Praise others but not excessively.
Be tolerant of the defects in others.
Be ready to serve one another.
Everything we have really belongs to God.
Have a big heart, love, and give the peace of God, the peace of a good conscience.
Christ Our King asks you to serve in His army. We will be treated as He was treated! Our Lord suffered much. Is the servant greater than the Master? Are we willing to suffer such?
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Imagine the joy in Heaven to have served Him, to be in His Army. Imagine the hate for it in Hell.
Now --- you can expect an attack from the Devil, to keep this from happening. He will try to introduce doubt about your General Confession. Don’t worry about it. You forgot a sin? – It’s forgiven. Mention it the next time.
This life is a war. It is a constant battle. The battlefield is our souls, between Angels and Devils.
What shall I do for Christ the King? Give myself, my life – everything.
New Principle: To follow Our Lord Jesus Christ. “I am the Way, the Truth, the Light – follow me!”
True we are outnumbered by the demons but CHRIST IS KING! We need spiritual exercises: visits to the Blessed Sacrament, Stations of the Cross, Rosaries, frequent confession, etc.
The battle cannot be won with soldiers in Mortal Sin.
Under whose Banner will you serve? No man can serve two Masters.
COLLOQUY:
Ask Our Lady to obtain from her Son and Lord the grace to be received under His Standard, with all that may go with it: spiritual poverty, actual poverty, insults, humility etc. Pray a Hail Mary.
Ask Our Lord, for the same graces. Pray the “Soul of Christ”.
Soul of Christ, Sanctify me.
Soul of Christ, Sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from Thee.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to Thee.
That with Thy Saints, I may praise Thee
Forever and ever. Amen
Forever and ever. Amen
Pray an “Our Father” to Our Lord in thanksgiving for the grace to complete this meditation. Pray a “Hail Mary” to Our Lady (the Mediatrix of All Graces) in thanksgiving for her help.
Did you take any notes during this meditation? If you did you may want to review them now. If not, you may want to record and thoughts you had. You may want to go through this meditation and take additional notes. They will be helpful to review sometime in the future.
MEDITATION ON THE THREE CLASSES OF MEN:
This meditation concerns three types of men. They all have acquired an attachment – say $10,000. When they acquired this $10,000, it was not necessarily for the love of God. They all wish to save their souls and find peace in God our Lord by ridding themselves of the burden arising from the attachment.
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Let us place ourselves in the presence of God and Humbly adore Him.
Oh God my Lord, please grant me the grace that all my intentions, all my actions, and all my works may be directed purely to the service and praise of your Divine Majesty.
What is it that you are attached to (A hobby, a pastime, a possession, a skill, a sum of money that you saved up, etc.)? During this meditation, the “$10,000” could symbolize one of these attachments for you.
VISUALIZE THE PLACE:
You are standing before God our Lord and all of His saints. You ask them to let you know and to desire, what is more pleasing to His Divine Goodness, that you do with this $10,000.
How can you best use these “attachments” for the service of God?
It is not a sin to be rich. It’s the inordinate attachment that is the impediment.
ASK FOR GRACE:
Beg for the grace to choose what is more for the glory of His Divine Majesty and the salvation of your soul.
Ask for the grace to fortify our will to do the right thing.
THE FIRST CLASS: The procrastinators.
Sure they would like to rid themselves of the attachment in order to find peace in God our Lord and assure their salvation.
The first weapon of the Devil is procrastination. Insufficient will – later…then never.
The Devil has got them where he wants them – no action.
The Angels see through the trick. The saints pity them setting up creatures before God.
I’m not going to do it now, perhaps tomorrow. They procrastinate.
Oh! The hour of death comes and they still have the attachment! They have never tried to rid themselves of it and now it is too late.
On their deathbed they will wish they had acted and not put it off!
THE SECOND CLASS: Thy Will should be my will.
Sure they would like to rid themselves of the attachment, but they wish to do so, in such a way that they retain what they acquired, so that God wants what they desire.
They want to get rid of the attachment but they want to retain control. To “use it for the glory of God”, under my control.
The second weapon of the Devil is: “Ready for anything but THAT.”
They want God to agree to our idea.
In other words “Oh God, Thy Will should be my will.” They do not give up the attachment in order to go to God, though this would be better for them.
The Devil thinks to bind them with chains. First desire of riches, then pride.
The Angels and the saints pity them.
God gave them all the graces needed but only a partial response.
At the moment of death, they still have the attachment.
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THE THIRD CLASS: Thy Will be done.
They want to rid themselves of the attachment, but they wish to do so in such a way that they desire neither to retain nor to relinquish the sum acquired. They seek only to will or not will as God our Lord inspires them, and as seems better for the service and praise of the Divine Majesty.
Use “creatures’ to get to Heaven but how? “Indifference” to avoid inordinate attachments.
Meanwhile, they will strive to conduct themselves as if every attachment to it had been broken. They take any means necessary, to break the inordinate attachment, as long as it does not cause harm.
They behave as if the attachment has been broken. They give it to God in their affections.
The desire to be better able to serve God our Lord, will be the cause of their accepting anything or relinquishing it.
The Devil can’t do anything with them because they keep throwing it back to God. If He returns it - OK.
The Angels and saints: “What a joy! He has responded to all the graces.”
When death comes, there is nothing holding them down to earth.
Pray an “Our Father” to Our Lord in thanksgiving for the grace to complete this meditation. Pray a “Hail Mary” to Our Lady (the Mediatrix of All Graces) in thanksgiving for her help.
Did you take any notes during this meditation? If you did you may want to review them now. If not, you may want to record and thoughts you had. You may want to go through this meditation and take additional notes. They will be helpful to review sometime in the future.
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