In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio brings to life several stories from the life of St. Josemaria, including the footprints in the snow that helped him recognize his vocation and the founding of Opus Dei on October 2, 1928. Fr. Peter helps us consider the importance of being a contemplative soul in the midst of our occupation so that we can bear witness to the love of Christ in all we say and do.

PAUSE & REFLECT:

• Could I become a more ready apostolic instrument for the Holy Spirit to spread the blaze of Jesus Christ in and through my life?
• Am I at risk of becoming worldly, and if so, what am I going to do about becoming a more contemplative soul?
• What if I were to entrust myself and my resolutions from this time of prayer to my guardian angel?

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In this meditation, we invite you to pray alongside Msgr. Martin Schlag and, following the advice of St. Josemaria, repeat his heartfelt petitions to Mary under the invocation of Our Lady of Sorrows.

By contemplating Mary's heart, we can learn to:

• let God strengthen my faith when I find myself at the foot of the Cross;
• pronounce a 'fiat' to God when He is asking something of me that's not what I want;
• stand loyally by the side of Christ when I feel lonely, abandoned, or just plain tired.

Speaking about the heart of Mary, Msgr. Schlag leads us in meditation on Scripture, through a personal examination, and into contemplation by speaking directly to our Blessed Mother.

He explains: "The sword pierces a heart that loves Jesus, and in Jesus, loves all of us. So, Saint Josemaria goes so far as to connect Mary's sorrow with these words of Jesus: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Mary's suffering is not pointless or sterile. She suffers with Christ and for souls—for us—and is united with the redemptive love of her Son.

PAUSE & REFLECT:

• How do I receive suffering? Am I afraid of pain?
• What barriers in my life prevent me from accepting the cross with faith?
• How can my suffering lead me into to a deeper love of God?

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In this meditation, Fr. Marty Miller draws out lessons about becoming contemplatives in the middle of the world by looking at our similarities to the lives of the Apostles. Their active lifestyles highlight three key elements for us to maintain a contemplative spirit amid our everyday duties:

1) our love for creation can grow to extend to the stark realities of modern life;

2) our willingness to struggle can get us through the tough spots of the road if we take them as reminders of the importance of the contemplative spirit;

3) our constant connection with Our Lord, that He himself maintains, can keep us oriented towards Him no matter what.

The saintly Apostles were not monks; rather their ministry demanded that they support themselves with work. And, the lives of so many saints show us that contemplation is compatible with facing great challenges. For us, too, the realities of our lives in the middle of the world should be content for our dialogue with God. In this way, we can trust that He has placed us in this world, with our life's challenges, for a reason, and the reason is always our sanctification.

PAUSE & REFLECT:

• Have I become cynical about some aspect of contemporary life? If so, how could I lean more on God, to allow him to heal me?
• How could the lives of the saints, of a particular saint perhaps, help me to put my troubles in perspective and to realize that God is always by my side?
• What is going on in my life right now that could and should be content for my next conversation with God?

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If you enjoy our weekly meditations, please consider helping us keep the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast ad-free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

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