November 14, 2005   

"Changed Into Christ Crucified"

The soul in the Unitive Way is led to Jesus Christ crucified.  The first time I read The Interior Castle,  the seven mansions of Teresa, the seventh mansion being transforming union, I was shocked to find it is all about Jesus Christ crucified.  That is not what I expected - the Cross and being transformed into Jesus Christ crucified. 

Yet Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity knew this.  When she prayed for the graces of transforming union, she prayed to be changed, transformed, into Jesus Christ crucified.  The reason is that it is the highest form of love there is.  It is the fullest expression of God's love that He could show us here on this earth.  It is agape love.  God has given everything.  In the Unitive Way, when one is in union with this giving, generous God, He wants the soul, in turn, to give everything.  It is the way for the perfect apostolic life where everything is given.  It's the fullness of contemplation and resembles the crucified Jesus on the Cross.  All the great saints, all the great people of prayer in our Church, have gone this way.  It is the soul of any apostolate, contemplation of God, a deep profound love of God, and then, simply doing whatever He tells us. 

In order to be fruitful, our apostolate must spring from this deep love of God and contemplation of Him and divine things.  Otherwise, how are we going to stay on the cross?  It is one thing to be called there.  It is one thing to have the Lord say, "Come higher, friends," but we might get up there and say, "Oooh, this isn't what I thought.  I don't think I can stay here, Lord."  Well, this kind of love will keep us there because we will fall so madly in love with the Father.  He is the key.  But it is the gift of piety, which the Spirit is activating within the soul, that allows us to stay there for the greater honor and glory of the Father, to add to His glory and His honor.

At this level of union, we see Jesus was not content just to preach to save souls. He had been doing some wonderful preaching, healing, and delivering, but He wanted to go further.  He needed to die.  This is the call to total martyrdom.  Bonhoffer said that when Christ bids a person to come and follow Him he bids him to come and die.  So this is death.  In the Mass we say that we're called to proclaim the death of the Lord.  This is what we're talking about "so that others may have life and have it in abundance."  If we're going to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, this will also be required of us.  We're called, all of us, to be another Christ.  We're called to be Jesus.  Priests, especially, are called to be Jesus.  They are the living model, the living example, especially of a Jesus who is madly in love with the Father.  We address them as, "Father."  We expect that.  We see that.  They are fathering us now.  They are images, not only of Jesus to us, but of the Father.  Every one of us is called to be changed into Jesus. 

Several years ago the Lord said, "I want you to start a center to form contemplatives to be sent into every diocese throughout the world to rebuild My Church."  I said, "Fine, but a formation center?  We're forming contemplatives?  What do you mean contemplatives?"  He said, "You're forming them into Me."  A contemplative is always heading toward transforming union.  It is not enough to follow Jesus.  We are being called higher now.  We have to become one with Jesus Christ crucified.  We have to take up the Cross. 

These Nights are for our good because God sees the potential He has for us.  It's like parents.  You see what your children are going through and many, many times there is suffering in certain areas, but you see their potential.  You know they can give more.  You know God has more for them.  This is the way it is with the Lord.  He sees our sufferings in the Nights.  He sees our struggles day after day but He knows there is more.  He knows that He has to make room in us for Himself and that is what it's all about. 

Excerpt from Mother Nadine's "New Commandment," Omaha, NE, 2004.