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www.schoolofmary.org JeanKhoury1

Mary’sFieryPrayerTrinity,Altar,FireandOffering

Introduction

Whatisprayer?Howdowepray?Howdoweprayforanintentionorforaperson?Whatdowehave to say or do?Howmuch timedoweneed to spendon it?What is the relationshipbetweenourprayerandpublicprayers,especiallytheMass?Whatistherelationshipbetweensilent prayer and all other forms of prayer? In oneword:what is the core of prayer, of anyprayer?Thesearequestionsweoftenask.What is about to be discussed is very important because it offers specific advantagesconcerningprayer:1-itallowsusanin-depthpenetrationofourveryheartswhenwepray,that“innerliturgy”ofourheart,itselementsandhowitoperates.2-Itshowstheintimaterelationshipandconnectionbetweentheinnerworshipinourheartand theouter one, especially in theMass.They feedon eachother, theynever exclude eachother.3-itexplainshowwecanprayforothers(intercessoryprayer).4- it shows the perfect embodiment of prayer in Jesus and Mary, and finally and mostimportantly5-itshowshowMary’sprayer,ShewhoistheperfectdiscipleofJesus,canbecomeourprayer.The lastpoint summarises in fact the goal of this text: there isnodenying the fact that it isnecessarytounderstandthecorrectplaceofMaryinourprayerlife,andfurthermoreweneedtoacceptMary’sprayerinus,sowhenwepray,weprayperfectly,usingtheFireofthePrayerofMary.Whilereadingthistextforthefirsttimeitisimportanttobearinmindthatthereisadeliberateintentiontogothroughthedifferentelementsofprayer,andcombinethemwitheachotherateachstage,inordertoreachthefinalpoint:acceptandreceivetheperfectworshipoccurringinMary,howtoallowittobeours,themethodtouse,theconditions…Tostartwith,however,wewillexplorevariousvital textsorprayers fromStThereseof theChildJesus,DoctoroftheChurch.Eachtextoffersapowerfullightforourprayerlife.WewillstartwiththeActofOblationtotheMercifulLoveofGod.Wewilllearnaboutthecoreofanyprayerrightfromthisfirsttext.ThenwewillseethethreestagesofsimplificationwhichJesuswilloperateinStTherese’sprayerexemplifiedinthethreefollowingtexts.Wewillthenreachthecoreofprayer.Theyareallfierytexts,deservingofmeditation.ThiswillleadusontothemainwayofprayingbytheChurch,aTrinitarianway,inoperationforthelast2000years:totheFather,intheSonandthroughtheHolySpirit.Thenwewillseehow this form of prayer is embodied in the Mass. This in turn will lead each one of us todiscoverthatheorshealsohasanpersonalAltarandnotonlycanworshipbutshouldworshipusingit.Wewillnoticehowthisformofunderstandingprayer/worshipisverymuchoneoneonewithTherese’swayofexplainingprayer, that is,with theuseofa fulcrumand lever, i.e.AltarandFireoftheHolySpirit.NexttherelationshipbetweenthesubjectandobjectastwoaspectsofthesameoneworshipwillbeconsideredandhowallthisisrealisedinJesusandMary.Finally,wewillseehowwecanassimilateMary’sFieryPrayerandmakeitours.PerfectworshipoccurscertainlyinJesus.ButJesuslivesinaperfectwayinMary.Sheisthemodelofthebeliever,thefaithfulofChrist,themodelofthedisciple.Itisinherthatdiscipleshipisrealisedinitsperfection.Insum,thistextisagreatlightforPrayerandSpiritualLifeand,indeed,shouldbereadvarioustimesandmeditatedupon.


Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1

1-The'ActofOblation'asPrayer...........................................................................................................22-ExplanationandSimplificationofPrayerbyTherese...............................................................4

2.1-FirstStageoftheExplanation.........................................................................................................42.2-SecondStageoftheExplanation....................................................................................................6

2.3-ThirdandFinalStageoftheExplanation....................................................................................6

3-OurPrayerandtheTrinity..................................................................................................................74-ExternalWorship:AltarandFire......................................................................................................8

5-InternalWorship:AltarandFire.......................................................................................................9

6-"BaptismalPriesthood"andParticipationintoMass..............................................................117-ObjectandSubjectofFaith...............................................................................................................12

8-OldManvsNewManinPrayer.......................................................................................................139-Mary'sPrayer........................................................................................................................................13

10-MakingMary’sPrayerOurs:'PrayforusSinners'.................................................................14

11-ComparingtheTwoWaysofPraying.........................................................................................1612-"Icalltoyou,Lord,everyday"......................................................................................................17

13-Jesus’Arms:Mary’sFieryPrayer.................................................................................................19

14-Jesus'Name:invokingtheFire.....................................................................................................2115-IsourweaknessahindrancetotheFire?.................................................................................24

Conclusion:PerfectionandPurityofPrayer...................................................................................281- The 'Act of Oblation' as Prayer Our aimnow is to examine the nature of prayer as seen from the highest perspective, fromGod'sperspective.ThereforewestartourjourneyherewiththeuniquegracethatStTheresereceivedfortheentireChurchon9thJune1895:thediscoveryofhowGodwantstobeloved:"IreceivedthegracetounderstandmorethaneverbeforehowmuchJesusdesirestobeloved"(StoryoftheSoul,ManuscriptA84r°)Despite the fact that shewasalreadyveryadvanced inholiness this grace was still accorded her. We are here face to face with a unique Churchexperience.Thereseexplainsthegraceshereceivedasfollows:

"On every side this love is unknown, rejected; those hearts upon whom You wouldlavishitturntocreatures,seekinghappinessfromthemwiththeirmiserableaffection;theydothisinsteadofthrowing themselves intoYourarmsandofacceptingYourInfiniteLove.OmyGod!IsYourdisdainedLovegoingtoremainclosedupwithinYourHeart?ItseemstomethatifYouweretofindsoulsoffering themselvesasvictimsofholocaust* to Your Love,Youwouldconsume themrapidly; it seems tome, too, thatYouwouldbehappynottoholdbackthewavesofinfinitetendernesswithinYou.IfYourJustice lovestoreleaseitself, thisJusticewhichextendsonlyovertheearth,howmuch more does Your Merciful Love desire to set souls on fire, since Your Mercy


reaches to the heavens. O my Jesus, let me be this happy victim; consume YourholocaustwiththefireofYourDivineLove.'”"(StoryoftheSoul,ManuscriptA84r°)

With these words the basic movement of prayer seems to be clarified: instead of being aninitiative coming from us, or being mere words we say, it becomes first and foremost theearnest divine desire of God to Give himself, so prayer now becomes the equivalent of"receivingGod'sLove".Godgivesus throughTherese thegrace tounderstandthatHe is "holdingback thewavesofinfinite tenderness within Himself". He wants to give Himself to us, to give His love to us.PrayerwillbetoanswerthisdesireandgiveourselvestoHim("throwingthemselvesintoYourarms")inordertoreceiveHisLove.*Note:HolocausthereisanexpressioncomingfromtheOldTestamentandalludestothefactthattheentireofferingisgiventoGod:theanimalofferedintheTempleofJerusalemisentirelyburntontheAltar,noremains,nothingleftforthepriests.Wecantranslatethisexpressionby:entire,completeandunconditionaloffering.Wearenotusuallyawarethatthe"ActofOblationofStTheresetotheMercifulLoveofGod"isinfactamethodofprayer,adescriptionofthedeepestcoreofprayerinus.ItiseventhebestmethodofprayerbecauseitisrevealedtousthroughStTherese.Here followsome importantpoints to rememberabout the textof theActofOblation to theMercifulLoveofGod:-Weshouldconsiderthe"MercifulLoveofGod"asbeingtheHolySpirit.-ThelasttwoparagraphsareinfactthedescriptionoftheActofOblation;theyarethecoreofthe act and there are indulgences for this part of the Act, even when prayed without theprecedingparts.Wecanconsiderthatallthatcomesbeforeisinfactapreparation,anecessaryfirst explanation of the context – the theology of the Act – but not the Act itself which isembodiedinthelasttwoparagraphs.-WeshouldpayattentiontothelasttwoparagraphsoftheOblationofherself,theactualact,wheresheunderlinesthefactthatshewouldliketorepeatthisactateachbeatofherheart,untilshedies!Thisisincessantprayer,butitisthebestincessantprayerbecauseitisafieryprayer,aprayerfilledwiththeFireofloveforGod.-WeshouldnoticealsothefactthatheroblationisentrustedtoOurLady.Evenifthereisonlyabriefallusiontoitinhertext,thedimensionsandramificationsofthisarefargreateratfirstappears.Thisisapparentintheimplicitdimensionofthetextwhichisverydeepandwideaswill becomemanifest below.Her life in fact is extremelyMarian. Theweight of the implicitdimension of her daily Marian life is not always obvious, however, and has been oftenneglectedbythecommentators.Therefore,wheretherearesomanyMarianindicationsfromher,weshouldgivethesetheweightofdueconsiderationinoureffortstounderstandher.Anotherquestion canbe raisedat thispoint:does thisprayer includeothersor is it just forThereseherself?Canitbeusedinvariouswaysasanintercessoryprayer,orshouldwechangeprayers?anduseadifferentmethod?Theanswerisgiveninthefollowingsection.LetusfirststartwiththelasttwoparagraphsoftheActofOblation,i.e.theoblationitself:

"InordertoliveinonesingleactofperfectLove,IOFFERMYSELFASAVICTIMOFHOLOCAUST TO YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE, asking You to consume me incessantly,


allowing thewavesofinfinitetendernessshutupwithinYou tooverflow intomysoul,andthatthusImaybecomeamartyrofYourLove,OmyGod!Maythismartyrdom,afterhavingpreparedmetoappearbeforeYou,finallycausemetodieandmaymysoultakeitsflightwithoutanydelayintotheeternalembraceofYourMercifulLove.I want, O myBeloved,at each beat of my heart to renew this offering to You aninfinitenumberoftimes,untiltheshadowshavingdisappearedImaybeabletotellYouofmyLoveinanEternalFacetoFace!"

AfterhavingmadethisdiscoveryofGod'sDesiretogiveushimself,afterhavingconsideredtheActofOblationitself(seetextabove),afterhavingdiscoveredthecoreofPrayer,ofanyPrayer,letusnowattempttoseeifthiscanbesimplifiedevenfurther.Infact,theActofOblation(thetextabove)isthelongversionofwhatprayershouldbe,a"shortanddirectway"toreachGodHimself–orbettersaid:tobereachedbyGod'sLove.Butinordertopray,howcanwecombinethe"tension"between:1-ontheonehandthedesiretorepeatthisentireprayer"aninfinitenumberoftimes"and2-ontheotherhandthelengthoftheparagraphs?The following section will show us how Jesus himself simplified her prayer without takinganythingfromit.2- Explanation and Simplification of Prayer by Therese On the one hand Theresewants to repeat this Act incessantly, but of course repeating twoentireparagraphsislong-winded.So,sheexplainstousthatJesustaughtherhowtosimplifyherprayer.ShepresentsaquotefromtheSongofSongswherethetextsays:"drawmeandwewillrun".The interesting thing is that this shorter version, which is more of an ejaculatory prayer,containstwodimensionsasshewillexplain:first,topraytoGod,Jesus,theHolySpiritandaskHimtodrawherclosertoHim.Secondly,topraytoGodforallherbrothersandsisters.Insumthen, this one short prayer ("draw me and we will run") is in fact two prayers in one, astraightforwardprayerandanintercessoryprayer.Theresewillexplainthisshorterversionofherprayerinthreedifferentplacestowardtheendofherautobiography.Shewillstartfirstbyintroducingustoit.Then,shewillreturntoit,afteradiversion,anddeveloptheexplanationfurther.Andfinally,shewilladdevenmoreprecisionandclaritytoitbytakingtheexampleoftheleverandfulcrum,inordertolifttheworld.Thus,fromthefirsttwoexplanationsof"drawmeandwewillrun",welearnthatGodattacheshimself to her (and to all of us) souls. It is not shewho acts but God, and she doesn't payattention towho has been attached by God to her, or how andwhen. She understands thatthesemysteriouspeople(herspiritualchildren)areattachedtoherand inawayarepartofherbeingwhensheprays.Theresultisthatshedoesn’thavetopayattentiontothem,butonlyto God. In briefwhat Therese learnedwas that: therewas no need to pay attention,watch,stare,dwelloverthesefacts,buttherealneedwasinfacttofocusonJesus,toloveHim,tobetransformedby the Fire ofHis love. Furthermore, she understood that in this case, if she isdrawncloserandmoreintimatelyintotheFireoftheLoveofJesus,allthesoulsattached(byGod)toherwillautomaticallybeattracted,willbenefit,andwillreceivethegracesthroughher.2.1- First Stage of the Explanation Asmentioned above the following is the first explanation she gives of how Jesus taught herhowtoprayforothers:


"SinceIhavetwobrothersandmylittleSisters,thenovices,ifIwantedtoaskforeachsoulwhateachoneneededandgointodetailaboutit,thedayswouldnotbelongenoughandIfear Iwould forgetsomething important.Forsimplesouls theremustbenocomplicatedways; as I amof their number, onemorningduringmy thanksgiving, Jesus gaveme asimplemeansofaccomplishingmymission.Hemademe[34r°]understandthesewordsoftheCanticleofCanticles:“DRAWME,WESHALLRUNafteryouintheodourofyourointments.”OJesus,itisnotevennecessarytosay: “Whendrawingme,drawthesoulswhomI love!”Thissimple statement:“Drawme”suffices;Iunderstand,Lord,thatwhenasoulallowsherselftobecaptivatedbytheodourofyourointments,shecannotrunalone,allthesoulswhomshelovesfollowinhertrain;this isdonewithoutconstraint,withouteffort, it isanatural consequenceofherattractionforYou.Justasatorrent,throwingitselfwithimpetuosityintotheocean,dragsafter it everything it encounters in its passage, in the sameway, O Jesus, the soul whoplunges into the shoreless ocean of Your Love, draws with her all the treasures shepossesses.Lord,Youknowit,IhavenoothertreasuresthanthesoulsithaspleasedYoutounitetomine;

NowThereseentersdeeperintoherintercessoryprayerthatresultsfromherdrawingclosertoJesus:"weshallrun".

it isYouwhoentrusted these treasures tome,andsoIdaretoborrowthewordsYouaddressedtotheheavenlyFather,thelastnightwhichsawYouonourearthasatravellerandamortal.Jesus,Idonotknowwhenmyexilewillbeended;morethanonenightwillstill seemesingingYourMercies inthisexile,but formewill finallycomethe lastnight,andthenIwanttobeabletosaytoYou,OmyGod:“Ihaveglorifiedyouonearth;Ihavefinished thework yougaveme to do.Andnowdo you, Father, glorifymewith yourself,withtheglory Ihadwithyoubefore theworldexisted.“ Ihavemanifestedyournametothosewhom you have givenme out of theworld. Theywere yours, and you have giventhemtome,andtheyhavekeptyourword.Nowtheyhavelearnedthatwhateveryouhavegivenmeisfromyou;becausethewordsyouhavegivenme,Ihavegiventothem.Andtheyhave received them, and have known of a truth that I came from you, and they havebelievedthatyousentme.“Iprayforthem,notfortheworlddoIpray,butforthosewhomyouhavegivenme, because theyare yours; andall things thataremineare yours, andyours aremine; and I amglorified in them.And I amno longer in theworld, and I amcomingtoyou.HolyFather,keepinyournamethosewhomyouhavegiventome.“ButnowIamcomingtoyou;andthesethingsIspeakintheworld,inorderthattheymayhave joymadefull inthemselves. Ihavegiventhemyourword;andtheworldhashatedthem,becausetheyarenotoftheworld,evenasIamnotoftheworld.Idonotpraythatyou take them out of theworld, but that you keep them from evil. They are not of theworld,evenasIamnotoftheworld.“YetnotfortheseonlydoIpray,butforthosewhothroughtheirwordaretobelieveinme.“Father,IwillthatwhereIam,thesealsowhomyouhavegivenmemaybewithme,thatthey may see my glory which you have given me, because you loved me from thefoundation of theworld. And I havemade known your name to them, andwillmake itknown,thatthelovewithwhichyoulovedmemaybeinthem,andIinthem.”"(StoryofaSoul,ManuscriptC)

"Drawme" in fact is thesummaryof theActofOblation.This is the lessonweneedtogleanfromthisexplanation!Thisisnewandliberating!JesusHimselftaughtherhowtosimplify,toconcentrate, to intensifyherprayer.Therefore, thecontentsoftheentireActofOblationandnotonly,butmostimportantly,thisfinalpart(whichissolelygivenabove)isincludedinthisexpression,requestorprayer:“drawme”.


2.2- Second Stage of the Explanation AfewparagraphsafterwardsSt.Theresecomesbacktotheexplanationbecauseshefeelssheneedstooffermoredetail:

“Mother, I think it is necessary to give a fewmore explanations on the passage in theCanticleofCanticles:“Drawme,weshallrun,”forwhatIwantedtosayappearstomelittleunderstood.“Nomancancomeafterme,unlesstheFATHERwhosentmedrawhim,”Jesushassaid.Again,throughbeautifulparables,andoftenevenwithoutusingthismeanssowellknowntothepeople,Heteachesusthatitisenoughtoknockanditwillbeopened,toseekinordertofind,andtoholdoutone’shandhumblytoreceivewhatisaskedfor.HealsosaysthateverythingweasktheFather inHisname,Hewillgrant it.Nodoubt, it isbecause of this teaching that theHoly Spirit, before Jesus’ birth, dictated this propheticprayer:“Drawme,weshallrun.”What is itthentoasktobe“Drawn”ifnottobeunitedinanintimatewaytotheobjectwhichcaptivatesourheart?Iffireandironhadtheuseofreason,andifthelattersaidtotheother:“Drawme,”woulditnotprovethatitdesirestobeidentifiedwiththefireinsuchawaythatthefirepenetrate[36r°]anddrinkitupwithitsburningsubstanceandseemtobecomeonewithit?DearMother,thisismyprayer.IaskJesustodrawmeintotheflamesofHislove,tounitemesocloselytoHimthatHeliveandactinme.Ifeelthatthemorethefireofloveburnswithinmyheart,themoreIshallsay:“Drawme,” themorealso the soulswhowillapproachme (poorlittlepieceof iron,uselessifIwithdrawfromthedivinefurnace),themorethesesoulswillrunswiftly intheodouroftheointmentsoftheirBeloved,forasoulthatisburningwithlovecannotremaininactive.Nodoubt,shewillremainatJesus’feetasdidMaryMagdalene,andshewill listen toHis sweetandburningwords.Appearing todonothing, shewillgivemuchmorethanMarthawhotormentsherselfwithmanythingsandwantshersistertoimitateher."(StoryofaSoul,ManuscriptC)

2.3- Third and Final Stage of the Explanation A few lines after the above enhanced explanation she comes back to it but, this time, in adifferentform:

"All thesaintshaveunderstoodthis,andmoreespeciallythosewhofilledtheworldwiththelightoftheGospelteachings.WasitnotinprayerthatSt.Paul,St.Augustine,St.Johnof the Cross, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis, St. Dominic, and so many other famousFriendsofGodhavedrawnoutthisdivinesciencewhichdelightsthegreatestgeniuses?Ascholar has said: “Give me a lever and a fulcrum and I will lift the world.” WhatArchimedeswasnotabletoobtain,forhisrequestwasnotdirectedbyGodandwasonlymadefromamaterialviewpoint,thesaintshaveobtainedinallitsfullness.TheAlmightyhasgiventhemasfulcrum:HIMSELFALONE;aslever:PRAYERwhichburnswithafireoflove.Anditisinthiswaythattheyhaveliftedtheworld;itisinthiswaythatthesaintsstillmilitantliftit,andthat,untiltheendoftime,thesaintstocomewillliftit."(StoryofaSoul,ManuscriptC)

ElsewhereStTheresesays that if somebodyasksher topray forhim,shestops, saysa “HailMary“fortheperson,entrustingthepersontoGod,toMary,andthatisthat.Shedoesn'tworryanymore.


It is important, consequently, to understand that prayer is not separable from intercessoryprayerandvice-versa.Theyarenottwotypesofprayer,butone.ThemorewearetransformedbytheLoveofGod,themoreweloveGodandthemorewecanloveourbrothers.Wecansaythat in a way Love makes us like a "mystical body". This is truly the development of ourBaptismalPriesthood.ItissointhesensethatallthepeoplethatGod"attaches"tous, i.e.allthosewhowillbenefit fromourgrowthandourrelationshipwithGod,are likeourpersonalmysticalbody.Weareusuallyunawareofwhothesepeopleare.Itcanbe100.000peoplelivingin China.We don't know.Whatwe do know, by contrast, is that themore the Love of Godentersintous,makesusgrow,transformsusinGod,themoreour"spiritualshoulders"becomelarger andwe can carrymore people.We still don't know them. But anythingwe do, has adirect mystical impact on them. Hence the great significance of St Therese’s words, whentoward the endof her life,when shewas very ill andwas enduringmuch suffering yetwasordered by the doctors to walk in order to help her ailments, she said: “I walk for amissionary”.Shesawandlivedthisunitybetweenherandanotherperson,intheCommunionof saints, andsawhow thegraceofGod flows. Sheunderlines it inherdiscoveryof the realengineoftheChurch:"IunderstooditwasLovealonethatmadetheChurch’smembersact,thatif Loveeverbecameextinct,apostleswouldnotpreach theGospelandmartyrswouldnot shedtheirblood."(MsB3v°)Thispresentationof the coreofprayer, ofhow to "lift theworld"bears in it a "mechanism"whichissummarisedbytheimageofthelever.Thisneedsthefollowing:1-somethingtolift,2-alever,3-asolidfulcrumthatcanbeartheweightandthepower,4-thepowertoexerciseoverthelever.Isthisimageviabletheologically??Theanswerisadefinite“Yes”.Letusseethisstepby step.First letusunderstand the traditionalwayofunderstandingprayer (theTrinitarianway), then see in theMasshow theTrinitarianway is enacted, and finally comeback to theleverandseehowitshedsabeautifulandusefullightforourpersonalspirituallife–theinnerAltarinourheart.Importantnote:itisimportanttoseethatbyStTherese’slastexplanation,wewereableinaway to transcendwords andperforman inner act of love, namely, "To love [God] is to giveoneself" to God says St Therese elsewhere!Wemay express this gift of ourselves by saying"drawme"andwemaysimplymakethesilentinneractofgivingourselves!Somepeoplemakethe silent act, others just continue to say: “drawme!” Or just: “I love you Jesus” or similarwords thatembody"drawme".LetusalsorememberhowStThereseunderstandsanactoflove: she says andevenunderlines inmanyofherwritingshowa sighexpressed toGod, toJesus,asighoflonging,earnestlongingorlove,pleasesGod.Soyes,thisisarealact-asigh!This brings us very close to the finest explanations of prayer offered by St AugustinecommentingonthePsalms,wherehesaysthat"desire"andtheincreaseofdesireisthehighestlevelandsimplestformofprayer.WhenprayerbecomesFire,"realfire"asStTheresesays,thisfireisinfactathirst,anactofthirstexpressedtoGod-Godinus-ourthirstingandlovingGod.3- Our Prayer and the Trinity TheLivingTraditionoftheChurchismoreparticularlyembodiedintheFathersoftheChurch;they laiddownthe foundationsof theLiturgyandpublicprayers.The livingTraditionof theChurchsaysclearly thatbaptism insertsus inChrist,and therefore in theTrinity.Therefore,whenweprayweareinChrist-asadoptivesonsinHim-facingtheFather,prayingintheHolySpirit.We can easily say that the Fathers of the Church clearly understood how real prayerworks: it can only exist in the Trinity, when being grafted onto the Son, we are therefore


enabledtoaccesstheFather,"appear" inHisPresence, throughtheHolySpiritwhoseDivineLifeflowsthroughus,elevatingus,andunitinguswiththeFather.Trueworshipof theFather, thus,happens in "spiritand in truth", i.e. in theTruth, that is inChristwhoisthetruth,andintheHolySpirit.ThisiswhatJesussaystotheSamaritanwoman:"GodisSpirit,andthosewhoworshipHimmustworshipinspiritandtruth"(John4:24)ThehumannatureofChristisinfactourdwellingplace:Hisbodyisthedwellingplaceofourbody,Hissoulofoursoul,Hisspiritofourspirit.Asshownbelow,weareinvitedtodwell inChristinordertopray,toenterintothepresenceoftheFather,intheHolySpirit.

The pure Act of Love happens when we are in the Circulation (Circumincession in Latin –PerichoresisinGreek)ofthelifeoftheTrinity.4- External Worship: Altar and Fire ThereisanotherwaytounderstandprayerthatisrelatedtoExternalWorship.IfwetaketheessentialelementsoftheSacrificeoftheAltar,wefindthesameTrinitarianelementsthatwefound above displayed, offered, and introducing us into real prayer and worship. Thus, wehave:1-theAltar,thestoneoftheAltarthatsymbolisesChristhimself.2-theFireoftheHolySpirit.3- theOfferings:ourselves inChrist: in theMass.After theConsecration therealTrinitarianprayer startswhen the Priest,who represents Christ,mentions the three dimensions of the


existingChurchinordertointroducetheminChristnowpresentastheLamb,namely:“Mayhe[theHolySpirit]makeusaneverlastinggifttoyou",thatis,a-Peoplewhoarevictorious,thesaints,startingwithOurLady,b-ThePilgrimChurch,theChurchmilitanthereonearth,livingpeoplewhoarenamed,fromthePopetothehumblestChristian,incorporatingevenallGod'schildrenscatteredaroundtheworld:"uniteallyourchildrenwherever theymaybe.", c-andfinallypeoplewhoaredeadbutarestillbeingpurifiedinpurgatory.Bymentioningthem,thePriest in fact isshowingthat the Jesuswho ispresenthere, in theappearancesofBreadandWine, the Lamb, is in fact absorbing all these persons intoHimself, inHis act of Offering ofhimself to theFather: "Christ,whothroughtheeternalSpiritofferedhimselfunblemishedtoGod"(He9:14).4-theEternalFathertowhomwepray,whomweworship.5-thePriestwhorepresentsChristhimselfperformingtheOfferingofHimself.6-FinallywehavethemostperfectActofOfferingrealisedbyChrist,theliftingoperation:allthepersonsmentionedabove,beingnow inChrist areofferedbyChrist and inChrist to theFatherintheHolySpirit.ItisanActofWorship,anActofLove:“ThroughHim,withHimandinHim,in theunityof theHolySpirit,allgloryandhonourareyours,almightyFather, foreverandever.”This is theembodimentof themost complete,mostperfectandpureActofLove.This is the summit ofWorship,when all thepersons inChrist become agreeable toGod theFatherandarereceivedbyHim,seeinginthemHisSon.Observations:- It is important to notice that the real Altar is the Altar of the Cross, wherewe find JesusHimselfasPriestwhooffers,asOffering(orVictim)whoisoffered,intheHolySpirit,beingthehiddenFireinwhichChristofferedHimself,andofcoursetheEternalFather.OntheCross,bytheloveoftheHolySpiritinHim,ChristgatheredallhumanbeingsintoHimself,unitedHimselfwitheachoneofusandofferedHimselftotheFather,reunitingeachoneofuswiththeFather.AfullyTrinitarianmovement.Redemption.- It isalso importanttostudythe liturgyof the firstCovenant, intheOldTestament,andseehowall the elementsofworship areprefigured, howGodpreparedhumanity tounderstandandlivethetrueandonlySacrifice,-Jesus'RedemptionontheCross.-TheMassisnotarepetitionoftheSacrifice.ItistheonlySacrificeoftheCrossmadepresenttous.-StTeresaofAvilateachingcontemplativeprayeratacertainpointsummarisesprayerinthemostsyntheticanddeepway,thatitsdepthsalmostescapesus:"For,hiddentherewithinitself,it can think about the Passion, and picture the Son, and offer Him to the Father, withoutwearyingthemindbygoingtoseekHimonMountCalvary,orintheGarden,orattheColumn."(WayofPerfection,28,4)The indication is there, in themiddleofasentencethat ismeant toexplainthe"PrayerofQuiet".BewiththeSon,andofferHimtotheFather!ThisisinfactwhatishappeningintheMass.5- Internal Worship: Altar and Fire When we reflect on worship in the Mass is what is visible, its external aspect, the onlyconsideration.WhataboutourpersonalprayerduringtheMassandoutsideoftheMass?HowdoesitrelatetotheperfectWorshipthatwefindintheMass?If we look carefully at the different elements of external worship and look into theanthropologicalaspectofprayer,inourheart,wewillfindinitatruereflectionoftheexteriorworship. In fact, the external reality of worship that we saw about the Mass (Altar, Fire,


Offering,…)offersus all the elements of internal trueworship and the essenceof prayer "inSpiritandinTruth".Inaddition, it is important toknowthat, asbaptisedpersons,notonlydowehave themainelementsofthisworshippresentinourheart,butanotherdemandisalsomadeofus.WearecalledtoexerciseourBaptismalPriesthood(seetextsbelow),byoffering-inChristandwithHim-ourselvesontheAltarofChristinourheart,throughthepowerofofferingandelevationoftheHolySpirittoGodtheFather.ThisisthecornerstoneofWorship,ofthetrueWorship,"inSpiritandinTruth".OurBaptisminsertsintoourheartJesusHimselfwhoistheAltar,givesustheHolySpirit,andthe lifting power of Jesus the Priest and theHoly Spirit together. Our Baptism offers us thepossibility to enter not only in Jesus, but also into Communionwith the Father in the HolySpirit.Whoeveris"inChrist",isobviouslygranteddirectaccesstotheFatherforthe"embraceoftheFather"isgiventotheBaptised.

WorshipinOurHeartDiscovering or acknowledging this complex Gift, the entire "mechanism" of Worship, verysimilartotheonewehaveintheMassisthecornerstoneofanyChristianprayerlife.Knowingthatnotonlywecan,butthatweare invitedto,offerourselves inChristtotheFather intheCommunionoftheHolySpiritisabsolutelyvital.Weareempowered,bythepuregoodnessandmercyofGod toenter into theTrinity, but also toexercise thisDivineActofLove,of givingourselvesinChristtotheFatherintheembraceoftheHolySpirit.ThisISprayer,thisISDivineLifeinus,thisistoloveGodandbelovedbyHim.


HerebelowwecanfindsometextsfromtheteachingoftheChurch,takenfromCouncilVaticanIIdocuments.TheywillhelpstrengthenourfaithandunderstandingofwhattheGiftofGodistous,whatitmeanstobeBaptised,whatweareenabledtodo.6- "Baptismal Priesthood" and Participation into Mass Let us see first how "Baptismal Priesthood" enables us: a- to take part in the liturgy andworshipandb-asPriestsinChrist,toofferourselvestoGod.

‘‘ChristtheLord,HighPriesttakenfromamongmen,madethenewpeople"akingdomandprieststoGodtheFather".Thebaptized,byregenerationandtheanointingoftheHolySpirit,areconsecratedasaspiritualhouseandaholy priesthood, inorderthatthroughallthoseworkswhicharethoseoftheChristianmantheymayofferspiritualsacrificesandproclaimthepowerofHimwhohascalledthemoutofdarknessintoHismarvellouslight.ThereforeallthedisciplesofChrist,perseveringinprayerandpraisingGod,shouldpresent[offer]themselvesasalivingsacrifice,holyandpleasingtoGod.EverywhereonearththeymustbearwitnesstoChristandgiveananswertothosewhoseekanaccountofthathopeofeternallifewhichisinthem.Though theydiffer fromone another in essence andnot only in degree, the commonpriesthoodofthefaithfulandtheministerialorhierarchicalpriesthoodarenonethelessinterrelated: each of them in its own special way is a participation in the onepriesthood of Christ. Theministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teachesand rules the priestly people; acting in the person of Christ, he makes present theEucharisticsacrifice,andoffersittoGodinthenameofallthepeople.Butthefaithful,in virtue of their royal priesthood, join in the offering of the Eucharist. Theylikewise exercise that priesthood in receiving the sacraments, in prayer andthanksgiving,inthewitnessofaholylife,andbyself-denialandactivecharity.”(CouncilVaticanII,LumenGentium,10)

“Itisthroughthesacramentsandtheexerciseofthevirtuesthatthesacrednatureandorganicstructureofthepriestlycommunityisbroughtintooperation.IncorporatedintheChurchthroughbaptism,the faithfularedestinedbythebaptismalcharacterfortheworshipoftheChristianreligion;rebornassonsofGodtheymustconfessbeforementhe faithwhich theyhavereceived fromGodthroughtheChurch.Theyaremoreperfectlyboundto theChurchby thesacramentofConfirmation,andtheHoly Spiritendows themwith special strengthsothattheyaremorestrictlyobligedtospreadanddefendthefaith,bothbywordandbydeed,astruewitnessesofChrist.TakingpartintheEucharisticsacrifice,whichisthefountandapexofthewholeChristianlife,theyoffertheDivineVictimtoGod,andofferthemselvesalongwithIt.ThusbothbyreasonoftheofferingandthroughHolyCommunionalltakepartinthisliturgicalservice, not indeed, all in the sameway but each in that way which is proper tohimself.StrengthenedinHolyCommunionbytheBodyofChrist,theythenmanifestina concrete way that unity of the people of God which is suitably signified andwondrouslybroughtaboutbythismostaugustsacrament.[…]Fortifiedbysomanyandsuchpowerfulmeansofsalvation,allthefaithful,whatevertheirconditionorstate,arecalled by the Lord, each in his ownway, to that perfect holinesswhereby the FatherHimselfisperfect.”(CouncilVaticanII,LumenGentium,11)


Asaconsequenceofhavingreceived fromGodourBaptismalPriesthood,beinggraftedontoChristThePriest,letusnowseeatextthatmentionstheneedforustoparticipate(takepart)intheMassinafruitfulanddeepway,byexercisingourPriesthood:

“The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at thismystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on thecontrary,throughagoodunderstandingoftheritesandprayerstheyshouldtakepart[participate]inthesacredactionconsciousofwhattheyaredoing,withdevotionandfull collaboration.Theyshouldbe instructedbyGod'swordandbenourishedat thetableoftheLord'sbody;theyshouldgivethankstoGod;byoffering the ImmaculateVictim,notonly through thehandsof thepriest,butalsowithhim, theyshouldlearnalsotoofferthemselves;throughChristtheMediator,theyshouldbedrawndaybydayintoevermoreperfectunionwithGodandwitheachother,sothatfinallyGodmaybeallinall.”(CouncilVaticanII,SacrosanctumConcilium48;seeaswell10-11,13,21)

Theallusionmadeabove is to the followingbeautiful textof StPaul: “Therefore, I urgeyou,brothersandsisters,inviewofGod'smercy,toofferyourbodiesasa livingsacrifice,holyandpleasingtoGod-thisisyourtrueandproperworship.”(Rm12:1)The important question now is the following: is this movement of Worship, this liftingmovementofourselvestotheFather,happeninginourheartperfectlyandwithpurity?CananypersonhandleJesus'Priesthoodwithpurity?WhenwetakeonboardJesus’movementofofferingofhimselftotheFather,aren'twesometimesusingthemeansoftheOldMan?7- Object and Subject of Faith Asuperficialandnaïvewayofunderstandingexternaland internalworshipmight leadus toforgetaveryimportantreality:thewaywereceiveChristandHisWorshipinus.Herewealsoneed the help of the teaching of the greatMasters in Spiritual Life, especially St John of theCross.AverydeeptruthimpregnatesthewritingsofthisgreatMaster:itisnotenoughtohaveJesusasourgoalandobjectofourspirituallife!Weneedtopayattentionaswelltothedegreeofour transformation inHim,weneed topayattention to theway (ormodality)wereceiveHimandtheActionoftheHolySpiritinus:thesubjectoffaith.In fact,averydeeptruththatwealso find intheGospel isunderlinedherebySt Johnof theCross:mymodality,orthewayIreceiveanddealwithChristandtheHolySpiritcanbehuman,i.e. following theOldMan’swaysandmeans.Think for instanceofPeter in theGospel: JesussayswhereHeisheadingfor,HisPassion,andPeterinsiststhathewillgivehislifeforJesus.The Old Man is still very much alive in Peter. And the Old Man, even if he has very goodintentions, doesn't have the means to reach the Divine Passion. This is why the Lord saysrepeatedlythattheNewWine(theDivineLifethatGodwantstogiveus)canonlybehandledbyNewSkins!Nodiscussion!ThisiswhytheLordtakesgreatcaretoinitiateusintothedepthsof spiritual life, thedepthsofhow to followHim,byofferingusa seriesofParables thatarevital foranyprogress inSpiritualLife!Thefoundationof theseparables is theParableof theSowerwherethisdivineTeachingisgiventous:attentionbroughttothedivineSeed,i.e.theWordofGod,isnotenough,attentionshouldalsobebroughttothesoil!Thereasonsforthisare two-fold: a-without the soil the Seed cannot possibly develop!Divine life in uswill notexistwithoutourcollaboration.b-itisnotanysoilthatwillwork!Goodwillisnotenough,weneed"TheGoodSoil"!Insum,tobecomeJesus’discipleencompassesasecondstep:howamIexercisingdiscipleship?IstheOldManstillaliveinme?Actinginme?JeopardisingmySpiritualLife?Whatisittobea


perfectdisciple?HowisitpossibletolettheNewManinusgrow,developandworkinasecureandguaranteedway?8- Old Man vs New Man in Prayer Prayerlifeincorporatesthesameissue.TheobjectofourprayeriscertainlyJesus!ButhowdowepraytoHim?OnwhichmodalitydoweleaninordertoreachHimorGodtheFather?ItisveryimportanttorememberthatthejourneyofgrowthinSpiritualLifeisinfactthejourneyofpurificationandtransformationofthemodalityweusewhenwepray.Thepurerwebecome,themorefreelyJesusandtheHolySpiritcanoperateinus.Doweeverreachtheperfectmodality?Isthereawaytoreachtheperfectmodality?Thisisthenextfundamentalquestionweneedtoaskofourselves.TheGospelalreadymentions"thenewskin"and"thegoodsoil".Thelivingtradition,dogmaticand liturgical, recognises inMary thegoodsoiland thenewskin!She is the immaculate, thepure,theholy,whowascapableofreceivingChrist,theDivineSeed,theNewWine.MaryistheperfectdiscipleforJesus,butsheisalsotheperfectembodimentoftheprayeroftheperfectdisciple.Infact,sheistheonlyonewhoisprayer,firefromfire!Sheistheburningbush,thatburnsandwhoisnotconsumed.PrayertoJesus,inHeristhemostperfectandthepurest!Significantlyonlycertainsaintshavebeengivenunderstandingofthisdivineteachingandhavebeen able to develop it. From amongst these St Grignon deMontfort is one of the greatestsaintswhounderstoodthisissue.9- Mary's Prayer An important truth about worship should be underlined here. This worship takes placeperfectly inChrist'shumannature.Butwhenitcomesto introducingthisworshiptoChrist'sdisciples, that is, to the faithful, the question changes. Is it being enacted perfectly?Who istotallyholyandtransformedinChrist?Thisisthecondition.TheworshipattheAltarisperfect–evenindependentlyofthecelebrant'sholiness.Wearenottalkingaboutthisworship.Wearetalking about the inner worship, about the degree of our participation in the external one.VarioustimesCouncilVaticanIImentionsthenotionofparticipation, fruitfulparticipationintheMass.Inaddition,wealsohaveourpersonalprayer,whereweneedtoaskourselves:isourpersonalworshiptakingplaceperfectly?ArewereallygivingperfectpraisetoGod?AmongstJesus'disciplesonlyonewastotallypure,totallyperfect:Mary.Sheisimmaculate.Sheisgreetedbytheangelas"fullofgrace".OnlytheHolySpiritoperatesinhersaysStJohnoftheCross. In this sense,participating in Jesus'Worshipof theFather in theHoly Spirit is takingplaceperfectlyinMary.TheliftingpoweroftheFireoftheHolySpiritisworkingperfectlyinMarywithoutanyobstacle.Mary'sprayer,istotallyandperfectlymovedbytheHolySpirit,tothepointthat,herbeingissounitedandtransformedintheHolySpirit,thatherprayeristheFireitselfoftheHolySpirit.TheliftingpoweroftheHolySpiritremainsasitis,intact,workinginMary. Consequentlywe can say that Jesus' Prayer, i.e. theHoly Spirit, is perfectly alive inMary.SheistheembodimentoftheperfectdiscipleofJesus.ThepowerofMary'sprayer is simplyGod'spower!There isnoobstacle inMary thatoffersresistancetotheactionofJesusandtheHolySpiritwhichistakingplaceinher.Inherwefind JesustheAltar, thestone, the fulcrumofanyprayer. Inherwefindthe liftingpoweroftheHolySpirit,workingperfectlywithnoresistance,withallitsliftingpower!Inthissense,inMarytheentireworldislifteduptotheFather,becausetheSonandtheHolySpirit areperfectlyworking in her. In sum, theperfectworship of the Son is enacted in herperfectly.


Cansuchprayertakeplaceinourheart?Canwereachthatlevelofpurityandholiness?Howcan we enter into prayer of such purity? Can we do this as St Therese says in her Act ofOblation:"inordertoliveinaperfectactoflove…"?Canwehavethatperfectandpurelove?That perfect and pure offering of ourselves leaning only on Christ, being lifted by the purePoweroftheHolySpirit?Dowehavethatperfectloveinus?Canwehopeforthisperfectlove?Ifso,how?Aren'twesinners?WearenottheImmaculateConception-wearenotimmaculate.10- Making Mary’s Prayer Ours: 'Pray for us Sinners' Now the amazing gift of God is thatHe is offering to graftMary's Prayer onto us. Thus, theperfectworshipofJesus,inthefireoftheHolySpirit,occurringinMaryisbeingofferedtous.Mary'sFire,Mary'sliftingpowerisbeinggiventous.Letusexplorehowthiscanbebroughtabout.To start with in the “Hail Mary” we greetMary by saying "Full-of-Grace", as the Angel did,recognisingthatonlyGodworksinher!Sheis"full",namely,thereisnospaceinherthatcanhold anything else but God! Only God dwells in her, only the Holy Spirit works in Her andmovesher.Next,weacknowledgethatJesus,"theLord",thetrueAltarandonlyfulcrumofanyprayeris"with her", followed by our recognition that She is “blessed” by being the only Immaculateamongstallthedisciples.Weareallsinners,weareallnon-fruitfulsoils,Sheistheonly"GoodSoil"(seetheParableof theSower,Matthew13).Weacknowledgethat Jesus is the“fruit”ofher Faith, that Jesus is dwelling in the fullness of his Holiness, in the fullness of His height,depths,length,width,inHer.SheisHoly,theworshipSheofferstoGodisperfect.WethenaddthatwewouldliketotakeonboardthatWorship,thatweare“sinners”,incapableofofferinganyacceptableworshipbut thatsinceshe isourpersonalmother,werely,count,haverecoursetoherFieryPrayer.Wesay:prayforus,prayinus,realiseyourperfectworshipinus.TherebytheperfectrealityofWorshipcanbesaidtobetransportedintousandreceivedinus.Thus,anyprayercanbeperfectinusaslongasweallowMary'sprayer(JesusprayingtotheFatherintheFireoftheHolySpirit)tobeinus,namely,"Prayforus",reallysays:comeinus,dwellinus,andprayinus.Allourintentions,allourofferings,ourselves,ourlife,theentireworldweplaceintoyourHands.Therefore,whenwesay“Prayforus”,Maryisinvitedintoourheartswithallthatsheembodies(see image of the blue oval below – Mary Herself), which is then enacted, activated andbecomesaliveandworksinus.We,thereby,offerMaryspaceinussothatherprayercanberealisedinus.Theamazingthingisthattheperfection,purityandmostlythePowerofthepureFireofMary'sprayer("crownedflame"asDantecalledOurLady)canbeours!ItissimplyincredibletobeabletoaccessperfectionbyjustacknowledgingwhoMaryis,whatishappeninginher,andwhoweareandjustconcludewith:"Prayforus".ThepowerofHerFire is then immediately integrated into us, has the opportunity towork for us and for theworld,forthepersonswhoareattachedtous,asStTheresesaysabove.Thisisthepurepowerthatliftstheworld.Thisrealityintheblueovalformcanbeinus.Simplyifwesay:"prayforus".Thefollowingdrawinghasall theelementsofperfectworship inMary:theSon(thestoneoftheAltar); theFire for theoblation (in redon theAltar), i.e. theHoly Spirit; theOblation ingreen(ourselves,theworld;,theFather,andtheOvalForm,Mary'sheartorwomborbeing.TheAltaristhestone,thestrongstonethatisChristthatnoonecancrush.HeistheFulcrum,thepointonwhichtheleverleans.ThefireoftheHolySpiritistheLever.TheliftingPower!


Letusnowre-readTherese'swordswiththisgreatlightadded:

“WhatArchimedeswasnotabletoobtain,forhisrequestwasnotdirectedbyGodandwasonly made from a material viewpoint, the saints have obtained in all its fullness. TheAlmighty has given them asfulcrum: HIMSELF ALONE; aslever: PRAYER which burnswithafireoflove.Anditisinthiswaythattheyhave lifted theworld; itisinthiswaythatthesaintsstillmilitantliftit,andthat,untiltheendoftime,thesaintstocomewillliftit."(StoryofaSoul,ManuscriptC)

ThiscanonlyhappenperfectlyinMary,theMotherofallsaints,theMotherofholinessinus.Shehasinherthepurefulcrum:JesustheStone,alone.Shedoesnot leanonanyvirtuousormeritorious act coming from us! She does not lean on our holiness! Notice, in fact, whatTheresesaysinthelongpresentationofherActofOblation:"AllourjusticeisstainedinYoureyes","Idesire,inaword,tobeasaint,butIfeelmyhelplessnessandIbegYou,OmyGod!tobe Yourself mySanctity!", "I offer You,O Blessed Trinity!theLoveand merits of theBlessedVirgin,mydearMother.ItistoherIabandonmyoffering,begginghertopresentittoYou."The lever is the"prayerwhichburnswitha fireof love"!This is Jesus'Prayer inMary,MaryunitedtotheFireoftheHolySpirit,theLiftingpowerofGodhimself!

PerfectWorshipinMary


11- Comparing the Two Ways of Praying Bycomparingthetwowaysofpraying,theonewithoutMaryandtheonewithMary'sFire,wecanseethedifference.Belowthetwodiagrams,sidebyside,expressthetwowaysofpraying:the first one (to the left) shows us the case where we lean on our capacity/modality ofreceivingJesusandtheHolySpiritinus.Thisway,theoutcomeofourprayerdependsonourdegreeoftransformationinJesus,onourdegreeofpurity, i.e.thedegreeinwhichwedonotopposetheactionoftheHolySpiritinus,byourweakness,oursinfulcondition,ourlackoffulltransformation. The second diagram (to the right) describes our prayer when we lean onMary'scapacity/modalityofreceivingJesusandtheHolySpirit.WithoutadoubtMary'swayispure,perfect,fullandwholesome.Althoughinbothcasesitiswewhopray,itisourprayerinonecasehoweverwhereweleanonourowncapacity-oftenunknowingly,andyetonthecontrarywethinkwearedoingwell.However,intheseconddiagramwereallysucceedwhenweprayandhaverecoursetoMary'sPrayer,andinfactweleanonMary'scapacity.Hercapacityisimmaculate,Jesusinherworksperfectly,fully,withoutfindinganyobstacle.

OurPrayerLeaningonOurModality

OurPrayerLeaningonMary'sModality

Fulcrum:thealtariscrushedbytheweightoftheoffering.Fire:thefireisinashesandcan'tlift.Priest:weareinterferinginChrist'swork.Itiswe,then,whoarethepriest!

Fulcrum: the Altar is Christ as it is bearingtheweight.Fire:theFireisfullyaliveandworking.Priest:ChristthePriestworksfreelyinMary,andthereforeinus.

Ifweleanonourmodality,whathappensisthealtarinourheartisours!"allourjusticeshavestains"StThereseremindsus,thejustdofallseventimes!Onthedrawingwecanseethatthealtariscrushedbytheweightoftheliftingpower,theHolySpirit.AndontopofthattheFireoftheHolySpiritisnotwelllit,itisratherintheformofashes.


12- "I call to you, Lord, every day" Union with Jesus' Body Baptism grafts us onto Jesus who is Head and Body. We can't separate these two dimensions. The more we grow spiritually the more we become aware of this unity between Jesus' Head and Body. We understand better to which extent we are called to be united to the One Christ, the Total Christ. The more we grow spiritually, the more we are united with Jesus' Body. In fact, the more we grow spiritually, the more the love of God in us grows and allows us – by its own strength – to be united to more people. We don't see them, we don't know them, or better said we might know a tiny proportion of them. The majority will remain unknown, hidden in the mystery of God's Providence until we die. But it is a solid truth that when we pray, we are never alone. This is why there is no such thing as a "private" prayer ever even if we are totally alone, like a hermit in a wide desert. The Church is at the centre of our heart. "private" could induce us to think that when we pray alone the Church and other people are not present. We might end up living an abstract, selfish, spiritual life. There is no such thing; it would be a deviation to think this or worse to behave like this. The same Jesus we receive in Communion is received by the others around us. We are never alone. We can't be cut off from the rest of the Church. On the contrary, the more we grow, the more we are led to deeper layers of the great Mystery of the Church, Jesus' Body. In the heart of any of the Baptised the Church is to be found, and a growing deep connection is thereby made with the rest of the Church. Therefore, when we pray, we are always in the midst of other people, united to them. Hence the use of the expression "Our Father" and not "My Father". In the Living Tradition of the liturgy and prayer of the Church we always find two types of prayers: public prayers and personal ones. In both of them we offer praise, intercession for ourselves and for the entire Church and for the World. Leaning on the Fiery prayer of Mary, then, invoking Her Prayer, leaning on the power of elevation that Her incandescent Prayer has, makes us draw closer to the heart of the Church and join Jesus' Prayer. In a way, whenever we pray our prayer is always intercessory since we are united to our brothers and sisters, since the Love of God poured into our hearts and ever-growing, unites us with many others who need our Priestly Prayer derived from our Baptismal Priesthood. When we pray we are like a mother carrying her children in her womb. Whatever she does benefits her children directly. If our entire being is absorbed by Mary's Perfect Prayer, automatically all our children are absorbed as well and benefit from the Communication of the Love of God we receive. The more we grow, the greater the number of Children we carry mysteriously. Hence the importance of praying incessantly. This can occur during public prayers (Divine Office) and as well in our personal prayer, throughout the day. "You have put me in the lowest pit" For the Divine Office (Lauds, Mid-day, Vespers, Compline, Readings), we essentially use the Psalms of the Old Testament. “Why do we use a prayer used in the Old Covenant?” you may ask. Because we have understood that Jesus prayed the Psalms and gave them their final and irreversible meaning of a mission successfully accomplished. We do not hear David's prayer only, we are led by the Spirit deeper to find Jesus' Prayer. Jesus is our true David, and therefore we find Christ in the Psalms and we discover, every time we pray them, marvels of the mysteries of Christ. We find countless lessons on prayer in the Psalms.


Note: Just as an example one can read St Augustin's famous Commentary on the Psalms or a summarized presentation of it. The Fathers of the Desert, the Egyptian Monks, teach us a very important lesson about prayer and union with the Mystical Body of Christ. One would think that freed from the World's concerns they are in a constant, happy and carefree state. In fact, far from that, even if they draw closer to Christ and are united to Him, they are introduced to deeper layers of the Church and of the World and exercise therefore a deeper form of prayer. Often one finds them "in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths" of humanity. Why so? The reason is that, as we have said, the more one grows in Christ the more he or she is introduced to deeper layers of the mystery of the Church and of the World. Out of the abundance of the Holy Spirit, Fire of God, one is united to people who are far from God. One is led to discover and visit, with the work of the Holy Spirit, "the people walking in darkness […] those living in the land of deep darkness" (Isaiah 9:1-2). He or she, united to Mary and Jesus, is called to be their light in their darkness. So, if any of us, at any time during the day, feel any darkness, any sadness, or we are facing any struggle, we can say with Jesus:

"Lord, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. […] I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you." (Ps 88:1…9)

"I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you."… How do we do this? Holding my rosary, I invoke the Fire of Mary's Prayer, I direct the sacred Beam of Her powerful Fire onto this darkness, and keep praying, until the Light comes back, until the Communion with Jesus comes back. The Fire of Mary's Prayer is capable of purifying all the dirt, drying all the water, making us lighter again, burning with God's Fire. If on one hand I direct the Sacred Beam onto the darkness, on the other hand I rely on the inherent Power of the Sacred Beam to clear it, according to when God will judge the time right: in five minutes, in ten minutes - this is not in our hands. This is God's work, directly in the hearts of other people… mysteriously. We and our little "mystical body" benefit. It is not up to us to weigh, judge,… We just pray and offer ourselves to God, putting ourselves like little Children in the Hands of Mary. It is important to count and rely on Mary's Prayer of Fire. Holding our Rosary. In this sense, anything negative that happens to us during the day can be used and transformed by the Fire of God present in Mary's Prayer: it dissolves anything that is not God, it makes any darkness vanish. Everything is combustible in the Fire of God. During any prayer, public or personal, we hold our Rosary, we have recourse to Mary's Prayer, we lean on the Power of Elevation the Holy Spirit has in her… and we keep "bombarding" or better said: we keep directing the Beam of this Fire, against the darkness, until we can sing with Her, after a few or many minutes: "My Soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour"… Her Prayer becomes our Prayer. Amen. This can be done and repeated during the day: "Pray incessantly" says the Scriptures.


13- Jesus’ Arms: Mary’s Fiery Prayer Inthefollowingtext,againfromSaintTherese,thesamesubjectisexpressedbutinadifferentway.Theonlykeyneededinordertounlockthetextandseetheunityofalltheteachingisthatwhen St Theresementions the Arms of Jesus, we should understand:Mary. Mary is indeedJesus’ Arms. More precisely, Jesus’ Arms are Mary’s Fiery Prayer. Let us first read the textwhich is an extract from her Autobiography, Story of a Soul, Manuscript C. It is a passagewrittenafterJune1897,namely,twoyearsaftertheActofOblation.ThebeginningofthetextremindsusofthebeginningoftheActofOblation:StTheresewantstobeasaint,butisfacedwithherweaknessandlimitations.

“Ihavealwayswantedtobeasaint.Alas!IhavealwaysnoticedthatwhenIcomparedmyself to the saints, there is between them and me the same difference that existsbetweenamountainwhosesummitislostinthecloudsandtheobscuregrainofsandtrampledunderfootbypassers-by. Insteadofbecomingdiscouraged, Isaidtomyself:Godcannotinspireunrealizabledesires.Icanthen,inspiteofmylittleness,aspiretoholiness.Itisimpossibleformetogrowup,andsoImustbearwithmyselfsuchasIamwithallmyimperfections.”

HerreasoningischaracteristicofTherese:Iamlittle,weak,butIwon’tsurrendertodespairorlosecourage.IfGodinspiressuchdesiresinme,theremustbeasolutionthatdoesn’twipeoutmyweaknessbutinsteadtakesitintoconsiderationandworkswithit.

“ButIwanttoseekoutameansofgoingtoheavenbyalittleway,awaythatisverystraight,veryshort,andtotallynew.”

Sheisledbyherintuition,adeepcertainty.Addedtothis,shefeelshowthetimessheislivinginisoneofmanyinventions,isatimeofinventions,andshethinksthatsomethingsimilarhasto exist as well in the spiritual realm. Her ultimate aim is to reach heaven; she wants toovercomethehugedistancethatseparatesherfromGod,Jesus.Therehadtobeaway.

“Wearelivingnowinanageof inventions,andwenolongerhavetotakethetroubleofclimbing[3r]stairs,for,inthehomesoftherich,anelevatorhasreplacedtheseverysuccessfully.Iwantedtofindanelevatorwhichwouldraisemeto Jesus,forIamtoosmalltoclimbtheroughstairwayofperfection.”

Thedriving force of her intuition is quite clear.Weneed an “invention”, an easierway. Thestairwayofperfectionistoodifficulttobeusedatthatmomentintime!Ofcourse,shedoesnotsayifatothertimesthatwouldbepossible. Ifwereadallherwritings,however,webecomeawarethatatalltimesperfectionhasbeenimpossible.Tocontinuereadingthen:continuethereading:

“I searched, then, in the Scriptures for some sign of thiselevator, the object of mydesireandIreadthesewordscomingfromthemouthofEternalWisdom:WhoeverIsaLITTLEONE,lethimcometome[Pr9.4].”

Oncemore shehas a Eurekamoment: “And so I succeeded. I felt I had foundwhat Iwaslookingfor.”Yetshedoesnotimmediatelyexplainwhatshehasfound,butwillstateitafewlines later: theElevator is Jesus’Arms. “Theelevatorwhichmustraiseme toheaven isYourarms,O Jesus!”Aswe seehere, the liftingpower comes fromGod. It isdivine.However, theconditionforbeingliftedistobecomelikealittlechild,forasJesussaid:ifonewantstoenterintothekingdomofGod,inheaven,onehastobecomelikealittlechild.


ThenextthingTheresewantstoknowisthat,onceJesustakeshertoHimwhatwouldHedo;shewantstoknowwhatthecontentsofrealprayerwouldbe,whatGoddoesonceweareinhisarms:

“But wanting to know, Omy God,what You would do to the very little one whoansweredYourcall,IcontinuedmysearchandthisiswhatIdiscovered"Asonewhomamothercaresses,sowillIcomfortyou;youshallbecarriedatthebreasts,anduponthekneestheyshallcaressyou[Is66.12-13].”

ClearlyseenisheracknowledgementofthetendernessandbeautyofGod’sactiononceweareinhisarms:Heoffersus“caresses”,He“comfortsus”,“carriesusatthebreasts”.Shefinishesupwiththeseecstaticexpressionsofadmirationandgratitude:“Ah!neverdidwordsmoretenderandmoremelodiouscometogivejoytomysoul.”Now,shefinallyconcludes:“TheelevatorwhichmustraisemetoheavenisYourarms,OJesus!AndforthisIhadnoneedtogrowup,butratherIhadtoremainlittleandbecomethismoreandmore.”Inthissentenceshesummarizestheentiremovementofprayer.TheliftingpoweristheJesus'Arms!Andtheconditionofliftingisnottotrytodoitwithourownstrength.Shehasalreadyexplainedthatthiswasimpossibleinherimageofthehighmountainandthetinygrainofsand.Thequestion,though,isthis:Issheonlyahill?Tryingtooverstretchherselfinordertobecomeamountain?No,sheisan“obscuregrainofsand”.Theimagesusedherearetooextreme,andthis isdonedeliberately to showushowsheperceives thedistance that separatesher fromJesus, God. Wanting to interfere, to try, to overstretch oneself is impossible. This point iscentral inStTherese’s teaching. It is as if she is trying to say tous:prayer isaboutbeing inJesus’arms,onhisknees,carriedatthebreastsofGod.ButthedistancebetweenusandJesus’armsissobigthatnobodycancrossit.Theanswerthenisthis:itisbetternottotry,itisbetterto find therightelevator, the liftingpower!Of course, shedoesnotdirectlysay thatMary is“Jesus’arms”.Thisisahighlysignificantinterpretation.MaryisgivenbytheLordtousontheCross.Herprayerispureandperfect.SheistheonlyhighMountain,whosesummitis lostintheclouds.Butsincesheisamother,shecomes,andtakesus–ifwearelightandsmall likechildren–andplacesusinJesus’arms.Thus,wecanonlyreachaconclusionof theutmost importance: inordertouseMary’sFieryPrayerwedon’tneed to “growup”, ratherweneed to “remain little andbecome this [little]moreandmore”!As we can see, in this text Therese develops hermain intuition, the one found in differentplaces in herwritings, especially in herActofOblation, namely, thatwewould like to reachGod,tobeinhisarms,dandledonhisknee,carriedathisbreasts,toreceivethetendernessofHis Love. Acknowledging our poverty, our nothingness, the distance that separates us fromGod,wediscoverthatGodhimselfistheonewhocomestous,andHeistheonewhogivesustheliftingpower.Theonlythingweneedtodoistolivebythetruthofourbeing:acceptandloveourlittleness,andevenbecomesmallerandsmaller,livingthetrue“povertyinspirit”(Mt5).Thesamecoreelementsareusedinotherpassages.ThisishowprayerinitsfundamentalformemergedfromTherese’sresearchandexperience.ShesearchedintheScripturesandfoundtheanswerfromtheScriptures.Aswehavesaidabove,thereareimplicitdimensionsinthewritingsofStTheresethatdonotappearoneachpage,butwestillneedtotakethemintoconsiderationinordertoarriveatacorrectinterpretationorreadingofherdoctrine.OneofthemisherMariandimension.Onehasto study Mary extensively in Therese’s life and in her writings in order to understand the


densityofthedimensionofMaryinherlife,andtounderstandthattosaythatJesus’armsisMary’sFieryPrayeristotallycoherentwiththefindingsofsuchastudy.14- Jesus' Name: Invoking the Fire Often theMastersofSpiritualLifewhen theyprayedand taughtprayer, invitedus to repeatJesus’Nameasarealprayer,theshortestbutthemostcomplexandintenseone,namely,tosay“Jesus”,“Jesus”,“Jesus”,as ifbreathinginhisveryEssence.Whyso?Jesus’nameisaverb,anactivepowerofsalvation.Infact,Jesusmeans:“Godsaves”us.To"save"meanstotakeusfromwherewearetowhereHeis.Itmeanstotakeusfromwhereweare,fromtheactionswearecapableofperformingandtoimmerseusintheFireofHisLove.ItistheliftingPowerofJesusthePriest.Havingdiscoveredthat“Jesus”isaprayer,thatitisasifwearesaying:“Godsaveus”,wouldn’twe allwant to pronounce Jesus' Name properly, i.e. to pray and invoke upon ourselves thepowerofHisSalvation,tobeimmersedintheFireofHisLove?HisnameistheveryessenceofFire.Butwhoiscapableofpronouncingitproperly,withpurity?WhoisthefirstpersontonameJesus:Mary.WhocalledHimandinvokedHimperfectly?Marydid.SinceMaryisourMother,sinceherbeingisJesus’PresencetousontheCross,havingMarywithusallowsustoreceiveJesus’NameinHer.WereceivethecapacitytopronouncethenameofJesusperfectlywhenwearedwellinginthePureandImmaculateMary.InheronlytheHolySpiritacts.Noothercreatureispresentinherormovesher.St.Paulsaysthatnobodycansay“JesusisLord”withouthavingfirstreceivedtheHolySpiritinhim.Weshouldgoevenfurtherbysaying:nobodycanjustsay:“Jesus”,nobodycaninvokehissalvificpower,hisliftingpower,withouthavingtheHolySpirit.ButwheredoestheHolySpiritworkpurelyandperfectly,inthefullnessofhispower?InMary.Thisiswhyitis“inMary”thattheNameofJesusispronouncedwithpurity.WhenwesaytheHailMary,weare in factplaced inMary, and thusenabled inHer topray Jesus’Name: “andblessedisthefruitofyourwomb:Jesus”.Indeed,itisinthepureMary,thatweareenabledtosaythenameof“Jesus”,topronouncethispowerfulverb:“GodSaves”,or“Godcomeandsaveus”,“Godcomeandliftus”.Jesus isMary’s fruit, the fruitofherFaith,notour fruit!SinceMarydwells inus, Jesus isherfruit.LetusreceiveMaryintouslikeStJohnatthefootoftheCross(seeJohn19:27);letusreceivethedivinecapacity(i.e.Mary)todealdirectlywithJesusandreceivehispowerfulliftingpower.Letus, inMary,sayslowly: “Jesus”, “Jesus”, invokinguponourselvesandupontheworld thePowerofHis Salvation thatworks invisibly and in truthwhenwepray.Now letus examinecloselyhowweareenabledinMarytopraywhensaying,“Jesus”.The“OurFather”TobeginwithwewillexaminethecentralstructureofPrayer-the“OurFather”-thegeneralandtheouterframeworkofPrayer.HowitismadeupwithreferencetothenameofJesus,andfinallyhowtheHailMaryenablesustopronounceJesus’NameandpreparesusforaproperwayofprayingtheOurFather.Wewill first see how the “Our Father” presupposes two things: a)Having a closed circle ofdivine Life (circulation in the Trinity) b)- Our being allowed (by Baptism) into this closedDivine Circle. Otherwise, it is impossible to say the “Our Father”. Thereafter we will ask


ourselveswhy Jesus’ Name is not invoked in the Our Father andwill try to seewhere it isinvoked(i.e.inthe“HailMary”)andthereasonsforthis.TobeginwiththeGospelsendorsethatthereisacirculation,i.e.areciprocalexchangeoflovewhich constitutes the Divine Life of the Trinity, namely, "No one knows the Son except theFather, andnooneknows theFatherexcept theSonand those towhom theSon chooses toreveal him." (Matthew11:27, see also John1:18)The Son is in the constant embrace of theFather, turned towardHim (see John1:18).ThisCirculationofDivineLife is closedon itselfexceptifitopensandwehumanbeingsareacceptedintoit,thatis,“excepttheSonandthosetowhomtheSonchoosestorevealhim."Itisbyacall,andbybaptismthatweareintroducedintotheintimacyoftheTrinity’sLife.The"OurFather"prayer,embodiesthisCirculationoftheTrinity.Baptismintroducesus intothe Trinity and enables us to Pray in the circulation of the Trinity.Whenwe pray the "OurFather",weareintheSon,intheCommunionoftheHolySpirit,facingtheFather.Thisiswhywecansay:"OurFather".Consequently,sinceweare"intheSon",wedonotpronounceJesus'Nameinthe"OurFather".Admittedly it isveryaudacioustocallGod“ourFather”.This iswhybeforeprayingthe“OurFather”intheMasswesay:“wedaretosay”,i.e.weacknowledgewehavethecourageandtheaudacitytodosoforitisonlybygracethatweareadmittedtoGod,intheSon,inthePresenceof theFather. It isby thegraceofBaptismthatwearegraftedontoChristand thereforeareseenbytheFatherashisrealsonsanddaughters.Weshouldn’teasilytakeforgrantedthatwecanpraythe“OurFather”.Itisbygraceonlythatwecandoit!Anyotherwayisinconceivable!Howisit,then,thatweareintroducedintotheSonandthatwereceivethegraceofPrayer?ByBaptism,yes,butthegraceisenactedthroughthe“HailMary”….Letusnowexaminethis.Inthe“HailMary”weSay:“Jesus”Inthe“HailMary”,afterrepeatingthewordsoftheAngelandElisabethaddressedtoMary,wepronounce Jesus' name: “and blessed is the fruit of your womb: Jesus”. Pronouncing Jesus'NameinitselfisaPrayer,thecoreofPrayer,aswehavejustsaid.Inacertainsense,however,thisisatotalbreakthrough.Howcome?NobodycanpronounceJesus'Name,nobodycaninvokethePowerofSalvationcontainedinhisnamewithouthavingtheHolySpiritinhim.StPaulsaysitwithhiswordsin1Co12:3:"noonecansay,"JesusisLord,"exceptbytheHolySpirit."Bycontrast,interestinglyenough,the"HailMary" offers us the conditions that enable us to pronounce Jesus' Name: we can onlypronouncehisnamewhilebeing"inMary",whenwe"enterinMary",whenwereceiveMarywithinus(John19:27: JesusontheCrosssaid,"tothedisciple,"Here isyourmother."Fromthat timeon, thisdisciple tookher intohishome.")This iswhywe start the "HailMary"bygreetingMary,theImmaculate,thepure,the“FullofGrace”,fulloftheHolySpirit,steepedinHim,havingonlyHimlivingandactinginher. InthiswayweenterthesecondCirculationofLove,theonebetweenMary,theHolySpiritandJesus.WeacknowledgewhatMary'sstatusis,namelythatSheis"FullofGrace,theLordiswiththee[her],blessedartthou[isshe]amongwomen",andasaresultweareintroducedintoher,orwereceiveherinus.SheisGod'sgifttousontheCross:"hereisyourmother"i.e.hername,herbeing:hereyesandherheart.OnlyMaryiscapableofconceivingandgivingbirthtoJesus,onlyMaryiscapableofinvokingJesus'name,ofsayingit,ofpronouncingitforsheisfulloftheHoly Spirit: “Full-of-Grace”: she alone can hold “God Saves”. As a consequence, after havingmentionedMary, clarifyingwhoshe isandhavingbeenadmitted intoHer,we finallyspecifyher only fruit: Jesus. Herewhat is at stake is not just amention of Jesus' name, but rather


somethingmorepowerful,reachingthecoreofprayer,theinvocationofJesusHimself.Whatisatstakehereis:prayingtheNameofJesus.EachtimeMarypronouncedJesus'name,withherbeingfulloftheHolySpirit,sheprayedit,she invokedthepowerofHissalvation.EverytimeshepronouncedJesus'nameshe invokeduponherselfanduponusthepowerofHissalvation. "MysoulglorifiestheLord,andmyspiritrejoicesinGodmySaviour"(Luke1:46-47).Consequently,eachandeverytimewesaythe"HailMary"weareplacedinMary,andwithherandthroughherweareenabledtopronounceJesus'Name. Inus,shepronouncesHisName.Thisprayerofsaying:"Jesus"isdoneinherandthroughher,inapureandholyway.ItislikeallowingherwithinourverybeingtocallJesus,tocalluponusthePowerofHisSalvation,totakeusdeeperintotheFireofHisLove.Thisisindeedauniqueandpowerfulprayer.Notice, then, how the sentence is structured: "andblessed is the fruit of yourwomb: Jesus".Jesus'nameismentionedattheveryend,asarealfruitofourprayer.ThiswayweenterintothemysteryofPrayer,throughMaryandinMary.AndasifforthefirsttimeweareenabledtoproperlypronounceJesus'Name,thePrayer.It isas if the“HailMary”positionsusmore favourablywithin thegraceofBaptism, in Jesus,underthe influenceof thepowerofhissalvation,sothatwecanpraythe“OurFather”moreefficaciously.PlacedinMary'sFaith,wecaninvokeJesusbyHisName,wearebetterplacedinHim,betterprepared,andsotospeakworthiertosay:"OurFather";notbecauseofanymeritonourpartbutbecauseofMary'sMerits.SheherselfacknowledgesthatshehasreceivedallHerbeingfromtheSaviour,Jesus:"MysoulglorifiestheLord,andmyspiritrejoicesinGodmySaviour"(Luke1:46-47).In truth it must be said that this is a real, deep and vital mystery: Jesus' name and thepronunciationofhisnameare theexclusive fruitofMaryandofheraction inus. It isworthrepeatingherethat,StPaulsaysveryclearly:1Co12:3:"noonecansay,"JesusisLord,"exceptby the Holy Spirit." To say: "Jesus" is to invoke his Lordship, his Salvation, to ask for itsimmediateeffectoninourlife.Tosay"Jesus"istorecognisethatHeistheAuthorofourownsalvation;itistoaskHimtocommunicatetousthepowerofHissalvation.Implicitly,infact,itistorecognisethatHeisLord,thatHeisseatedattherighthandoftheFatherandthatfromthereHeexercisesthepowerofhissalvation.NobodycandothiswithouttheHolySpirit.ButthereisaperfectwaytobefilledwiththeHolySpiritwithalltheeffectsoftheHolySpirit,andthatisthroughMary.Again, let us notice the structure and the dynamism of the following sentence in the “HailMary”:"andblessedisthefruitofthywomb:Jesus".Afterhavingsaidthatsheistheonlyonewhobelieved(being immaculate,andfullofgrace);afterrepeatingwhatElisabethmovedbythe Holy Spirit said: ‘blessed are you among women”, that is, "blessed” is she amongst the“believers”orthe“soils”,wefinallysay:artthouamongstwomen"(amongstthe"believers"orthe "soils") we do say: "and blessed is the Fruit of your womb: Jesus". Jesus' name can beclearlyunderstoodastheendresult,thefruitofthedynamismofthesentence–theclimaxofthesentence:enablingustopronouncetheName,toprayitwithpurity.ThisisbroughtaboutinuspurelybecauseoftheGraceofGodthatreignsinMary.In sum, the "Hail Mary" places us in themidst of the Divine Circulation (Mary, Holy Spirit,Jesus) and allows us to recognise thatwe are enabled to pronounce the fruit of herwomb:Jesus'name.Infact,whenwesaythe“HailMary”wearegiventhecapacitythatisinMarytogenerate,toinvokethepoweroftheName:Jesus.Likealaunchingpad,beingintroducedintoandwellplacedinMary,weareenabledto"launch"(pray)Jesus'Name.


15- Is our Weakness a Hindrance to the Fire? AllthatwecanoffertoGodiscombustibletoGod.Wetendtothinkthatbyofferingourdeedsthis is good combustiblematerial for theFire ofGod.By contrast, in fact,we forgetwhat StTheresesays:“allourrighteousactshavestainsinyoureyesOGod”.Indeed,anyactneedstobe put into the Fire of the Love of God, Fire that will transform it, elevate it, and make itacceptedandagreeabletoGod.Therefore,itisGodhimselfwhomakesourofferingagreeabletoHimandworthyofbeingintroducedintohispresence.WehavetocountonGodforthis:theinteractionofFulcrumandLever,asmentionedbefore.OftenwethinkthatourweaknessesareahindrancefortheDivineFire.Wethinkthatourbaddeedsareahindrancetotrueprayer.WethinkthatGodisnotcapableofpurifyingourdeeds!Onthecontrary,thefactthatweofferourselvestoHim,allowsHimtoact.StTheresewillusenotonlytheimageoftheOblationbutthefarsimpleroneof“exposingourwetwings”tothePoweroftheRaysoftheSun,theSunbeingJesus,theRaysbeingHisLove,theHolySpirit.SisterMarieoftheSacredHeart,whowasStTherese’sbiologicalsister,andherGodmotheraswell, knew that her sister received powerful graces andwanted a share of them, a share ofTherese’s “littleDoctrine”. Shewas in for a surprise, however, becauseTheresewould showherthatourhumanweaknesswasnotahindrance;shewouldexplainhowshebehavedeverytimeshewasledastrayfromJesus,becomingbusywithcreatedthings.Herteachingisreallynewandrevolutionary,forshedilutesalltheobstaclesthatcanrisebetweenusandGod.ShehassuchapenetrativeunderstandingofGod’sheartthatweneedtolistentoher,tohowsheseesthingsandmoreimportantlyhowshethenacts.But before exposing this very important teaching of Therese, let us see where in the “HailMary”thereisalsoamentionaboutourweakness.Infact intwodifferentplacesinthe“HailMary”ourweaknessismentioned.First,inthe“HailMary”weacknowledgethatMaryis“blessedamongwomen”.Ifwedeepenedourunderstandingofthisvoicingofpraise,wewillseethathere“women”canbereplacedby“faithful”,or“soils”,or“wineskins”.Infact,intheGospeltheLordthoroughlyexplainsthatourfaithhastwopolarities:theobjectof our Faith (Jesus himself) and the subject (the disciple). And if Jesus is the newwine, theDivineSeed,wealsoneedtohave,inordertodealdirectlywithHim,a“newskin”anda“goodsoil”.Letuscastourmindsbackamomentandlookin-depthatthemeaningoftheParableoftheSower(Mt13),wherethethreefirstsoilsrepresenteachoneofus, the“goodsoil”MaryandtheSeed,Jesus’WordsorJesusHimself.Thefirstthreesoilscouldnotbearanyfruits.Nofruitsatall!Thisisstriking.Despitethefactthattherewerethreedifferentsoils,noneofthembearsfruits. This is clear evidence that, in the eyes of God “all our righteous deeds have stains inthem”,andtheydon’tpleaseGod,theyarenotreceivedbyHim.Weareallsinners,(“prayforussinners”), as endorsed by what Therese says when she compares the righteous with God’sHoliness:“allourrighteousactshavestainsinyoureyesOGod”.Second:weclearlysayinthe”HailMary”:“prayforussinners”!Whilewearepraying,then,weacknowledgethatwearesinners.Infact,wecountonMary,onherandherprayerforustobeacceptabletoGod,thattheliftingpowerofherFieryprayeriscapableofallowingustoreallypray.ItistheFireoftheLoveofGod,bytransformingourbeing,whichmakesusagreeabletoGod,acceptable toGod.Themorewe accept ourweakness, themorewe loveourweakness saysTherese,themoreweadaptourselvestotheFireoftheLoveofGod.


LetusseenowhowTheresepresentsthisaspectofherdoctrine,namely,howweaknessisnotahindrance,butonthecontrary,isa“combustible”forGod’slove.Therese,livesinMaryanddwellsbeneathMary’sVeil,andbenefitsfromallMary’sVirtuesandGraces.Shebelieves that sinceMary ishermother, thesevirtuesautomaticallybecomehers,namely,thetreasureofthemother’svirtuesbelongsandiscommunicatedtoherchild.Underthe influence ofMary’s light and grace, Therese explains to us how she dealswith her ownweaknesses.

“O luminous Beacon of love, I know how to reach You, I have found the secret ofpossessingYourflame.[35]Iamonlyachild,powerlessandweak,andyetit ismyweaknessthatgivesmetheboldnessofofferingmyselfasVICTIMofYourLove,OJesus! In times past, victims, pure and spotless, were the only ones accepted by theStrongandPowerfulGod.TosatisfyDivineJustice,perfectvictimswerenecessary,[40]but the law of Love has succeeded to the law of fear, and Love has chosenme as aholocaust,me,aweakandimperfectcreature.IsnotthischoiceworthyofLove?Yes,inorderthatLovebefullysatisfied,itisnecessarythatItlowerItself,andthatItlowerItselftonothingness[45]andtransformthisnothingnessintofire.”

Whatweallnormallyknow is thatweneed tobe “pureandspotless” tobeacceptedby theStrongandPowerfulgod.Therese,however,discoversapricelesssecret!ThesecretoftheGodwhoislove,theGodwhoisaFireofLove.Thelawofattractionthathaschanged.ThefireofLoveisnotattractedby“perfect”personsbutbychildren,powerlessandweak,imperfect.Thisis new! And after more than a hundred years, this teaching is new! We still struggle toassimilatethisvisionofthings;westruggletobelievethatGodcanbeattractedbyusifweareweak,imperfect,powerless!Theresewrites:

“How cana soul as imperfect as mine aspire to the possession of the plenitude ofLove? O Jesus, my first and only Friend, You whom I love UNIQUELY, explain thismysterytome!WhydoYounotreservethese[40]greataspirationsforgreatsouls,fortheEaglesthatsoarintheheights?Ilookuponmyselfasaweaklittlebird,withonlyalight down as covering. I am not an eagle, but I have only an eagle’s EYES ANDHEART.”

TheveryimportantimplicitdimensionofStTherese’steachingemergesherewhenshestatesinapowerfulwaythatshehasthe“eagle’sEyesandHeart”.ThepresenceofMaryinTherese’slife so encompasses every aspect of it, and becomes so natural for her, that she omits theexplanationofthesewords.WithoutunderstandingtowhatextentMaryispresentinherlifeandtowhichextentThereselivesunderMary’sveil,wecannotunderstandthisteaching.Here, however,we see howMary gaveTherese her eyes andher heart, so thatTherese cancontemplate JesuswithMary’sEyes, and love JesuswithMary’sHeart.This is confirmedyetagain inTherese’sPoemonOurLady:“theVirtuesoftheMotherbelongtoherchild”(Poem52). In a sense havingMary’s eyes and heart are like having been offeredHer Fiery Prayer,havingaccesstoMary’sowndivineFulcrumandLever,JesusandtheHolySpiritwholiveandactinherintheirFullness.

“Inspiteofmyextreme littleness IstilldaretogazeupontheDivineSun,theSunofLove,andmyheart feelswithin itall [5r°] theaspirationsofanEagle.The little birdwillstoflytowardthebrightSunthatattractsitseye,imitatingitsbrothers,theeagles[theangelsandsaints],whomitseesclimbinguptowardtheDivineFurnaceoftheHolyTrinity.”


Remember, the littlebirdhasonlya few feathersordownonhiswings.Thebirdcannot fly.Thebirdcannotoffergrandandwonderfulthingssinceheisweakandpowerless,butthebirdcanofferhimself to theFireofLove.Thisaudacitywhich leadshimtoexposehimself to theRays of the Sun (being inMary, and throughMary)will trigger true prayer (being elevated,being given the Wings of the Eagle - Jesus), a prayer that takes into consideration ourweakness:

“Butalas!theonlythingitcandoisraiseitslittlewings;toflyisnotwithinitslittlepower!Whatthenwillbecomeofit?Will itdieofsorrowatseeingitselfsoweak?Ohno!thelittlebirdwillnotevenbetroubled[acceptinghisstateandnotbeingupsetby it, knowing that it isnot ahindrance].Withbold surrender, itwishes to remaingazinguponitsDivineSun[Jesus].Nothingwillfrightenit,neitherwindnorrain,andifdarkcloudscomeandhidetheStarofLove, thelittlebirdwillnot change itsplacebecause it knows that beyond the clouds its bright Sun still shines on and that itsbrightnessisnoteclipsedforasingleinstant.Attimesthelittlebird’sheartisassailedbythestorm,anditseemsitshouldbelieveintheexistenceofnootherthingexcepttheclouds surrounding it; this is the moment of perfect joy for the poor little weakcreature.Andwhatjoyitexperienceswhenremainingtherejustthesame!andgazingattheInvisibleLightwhichremainshiddenfromitsfaith!”

Here in fact Therese explains what happens during the daily business of life, how out ofweaknessshecanbeattractedbythecreatedthings,goastrayfromJesusalittlebit.So,howdoesshecomebacktotheFieryPrayer?

“O Jesus, up until the presentmoment I can understand Your love for the little birdbecauseithasnotstrayedfarfromYou.ButIknowandsodoYouthatveryoftentheimperfectlittlecreature,whileremaininginitsplace(thatis,undertheSun’srays),allowsitself tobesomewhatdistractedfromitssoleoccupation. Itpicksupapieceofgrainontherightorontheleft;itchasesafteralittleworm;thencominguponalittlepoolofwater,itwetsitsfeathersstillhardlyformed.Itseesanattractivefloweranditslittlemindisoccupiedwiththisflower.Inaword,beingunabletosoarliketheeagles,thepoorlittlebirdistakenupwiththetriflesofearth.”

Doesshefearherweakness?HertrustinJesus’LoveisMary’strustaswewillsee.

“And yet after all these misdeeds, instead of going and hiding away in a corner, toweepover itsmiseryand todieof sorrow,the little bird turns toward its belovedSun,presentingitswetwingstoitsbeneficentrays.Itcrieslikeaswallowandinitssweetsongitrecountsindetailallitsinfidelities,thinkingintheboldnessofitsfulltrustthatitwillacquireinevengreaterfullnesstheloveofHimwhocametocallnotthejustbutsinners.”

“will acquire in even greater fullness the love of Him”! Yes, just reflect on how deep aknowledge and experience of God this shows.Who could have imagined this! See how sheknowsthatthisaudaciousboldnesscontainedwithinher-comingfromMary-isagreatsignoftrustandattracts,therefore,theFireofJesus’Love.OftentheFirewillreturn.But:

“eveniftheAdorableStarremainsdeaftotheplaintivechirpingofthe littlecreature,evenif itremainshidden,well,the littleonewillremainwet,acceptingitsnumbnessfromthecoldandrejoicinginitssufferingwhichitknowsitdeserves.”


NowsheexplainstouswhattodowithourweaknessbecausewemightbetemptedtocomeoutofMaryandwanttogrowbyourselves:

“OJesus,Yourlittlebirdishappytobeweakandlittle.Whatwouldbecomeofitifitwerebig?NeverwouldithavetheboldnesstoappearinYourpresence,tofallasleepinfrontofYou.Yes,thisisstilloneoftheweaknessesofthelittlebird:whenitwantstofixitsgazeupontheDivineSun,andwhenthecloudspreventitfromseeingasinglerayof that Sun, in spite of itself, its little eyes close, its little head is hiddenbeneath itswing,and the poor little thing falls asleep, believingall the time that it is fixing itsgazeuponitsDearStar.Whenitawakens,itdoesn’tfeeldesolate;its littleheart isatpeaceanditbeginsonceagainitsworkoflove.ItcallsupontheangelsandsaintswhoriselikeeaglesbeforetheconsumingFire,andsincethisistheobjectofthelittlebird’sdesiretheeaglestakepityonit,protectinganddefendingit,andputtingtoflightatthesametimethevultureswhowanttodevourit.Thesevulturesarethedemonswhomthelittlebirddoesn’t fear, for it isnotdestined tobe theirpreybut thepreyof theEaglewhomitcontemplatesinthecentreoftheSunofLove.

“Jesus, Iam too little toperformgreatactions,andmyown folly is this: to trust thatYour Love will accept me as a victim. My folly consists in begging the eagles, mybrothers, toobtainformethefavourof flyingtowardtheSunofLovewiththeDivineEagle’sownwings!”

“AslongasYoudesireit,OmyBeloved,YourlittlebirdwillremainwithoutstrengthandwithoutwingsandwillalwaysstaywithitsgazefixeduponYou.ItwantstobefascinatedbyYourdivineglance. ItwantstobecomethepreyofYourLove.OnedayIhopethatYou,theAdorableEagle,willcometofetchme,Yourlittlebird;andascendingwithittotheFurnaceofLove,YouwillplungeitforalleternityintotheburningAbyssofthisLovetowhichithasoffereditselfasvictim.”

“OJesus!whycan’t I tellall littlesoulshowunspeakable isYourcondescension?I feelthatifYoufoundasoulweakerandlittlerthanmine,whichisimpossible,Youwouldbe pleased to grant it still greater favours, provided it abandoned itself with totalconfidencetoYourInfiniteMercy.”(StoryofaSoul,ManuscriptB)

WhenhersisterMariereadtheseincandescentwords,shesaidshefeltsomesadnessliketheyounggentlemanoftheGospelforhehadmanypossessions.ShedoubtedwhethershecouldloveGodasTherese lovedHim.She found thather sister’sdesireswereextremelypowerfulandthatshedidnothavethesame.Infact,inafewparagraphsbeforetheonesquotedabove,StTheresespeaksaboutherdesiresforMartyrdom.Thisimpressedhersisterwhofeltthatshedidnothavethesamedesires,butonthecontrary,actuallyfledfromsuchthingsfeelingthatsuch an undertaking to love Jesus, to the point of martyrdom, was unsuited to hertemperament. She asked her sister if she could write to her, even a brief word, to tell herwhethershe,inherturn,couldloveJesusinthesamewayTheresedid.(seeLC170,LetterofMarieoftheSacredHeart,September1896)Thereserepliedtheasfollows:

“Dear Sister, I am not embarrassed in answering you… How can you ask me if it ispossibleforyoutoloveGodasIloveHim?...Ifyouhadunderstoodthestoryofmylittlebird,youwouldnothaveaskedmethisquestion.Mydesiresofmartyrdomarenothing;theyarenotwhatgivemetheunlimitedconfidencethatIfeelinmyheart.Theyare,totell thetruth, thespiritualrichesthatrenderoneunjust,whenonerests inthemwithcomplacence andwhen one believes they are something great. ... These desires are aconsolation that Jesus grants at times to weak souls like mine (and these souls are


numerous),butwhenHedoesnotgivethisconsolation,itisagraceofprivilege.RecallthosewordsofFather:"Themartyrssufferedwithjoy,andtheKingofMartyrssufferedwithsadness."Yes,Jesussaid:"Father,letthischalicepassawayfromme."DearSister,howcanyousayafterthisthatmydesiresarethesignofmylove?...Ah!IreallyfeelthatitisnotthisatallthatpleasesGodinmylittlesoul;whatpleasesHimisthatHeseesmelovingmylittlenessandmypoverty,theblindhopethatIhaveinHismercy....Thatismyonlytreasure,dearGodmother,whywouldthistreasurenotbeyours?...”

AndthencomesoneofthemostbeautifultextsinallChristianity:

“Oh,dearSister,Ibegyou,understandyourlittlegirl,understandthattoloveJesus,tobeHisvictimof love,theweakeroneis,withoutdesiresorvirtues,themoresuitedoneisfortheworkingsofthisconsumingandtransformingLove....Thedesirealonetobe a victim suffices, but we must consent to remain always poor and withoutstrength,andthisisthedifficulty,for:"Thetrulypoorinspirit,wheredowefindhim?Youmust look forhim fromafar," said thepsalmist. ...Hedoesnotsay thatyoumustlook for him among great souls, but "from afar," that is to say in lowliness, innothingness.... Ah! let us remain then very far from all that sparkles, let us love ourlittleness,letuslovetofeelnothing,thenweshallbepoorinspirit,andJesuswillcometolookforus,andhoweverfarwemaybe,Hewilltransformusinflamesoflove....”

“Oh!howIwouldliketobeabletomakeyouunderstandwhatIfeel!...ItisconfidenceandnothingbutconfidencethatmustleadustoLove....DoesnotfearleadtoJustice*?...Sinceweseetheway, letusruntogether.Yes, I feel it, Jesuswills togiveusthesamegraces,HewillstogiveusHisheavengratuitously."

“Oh,dearlittleSister,ifyoudonotunderstandme,itisbecauseyouaretoogreatasoul..,orratheritisbecauseIamexplainingmyselfpoorly,forIamsurethatGodwouldnotgive you the desire to be POSSESSED by Him, by His Merciful Love if He were notreservingthis favourforyou..orratherHehasalreadygivenit toyou,sinceyouhavegivenyourself toHim, since youdesire tobe consumedbyHim, and sinceGodnevergives desires thatHe cannot realize. ...” (LT197, FromTherese to SisterMarie of theSacredHeart.17September1896)

* To strict justice such as is portrayed for sinners, but not this Justice that Jesus will havetowardthosewholoveHim. In this teaching, Therese shows a very deep and revolutionaryway of understandingGod, his love, and what He wants from us, what He wants to give us. Our prayer is trulytransformedby this teaching, andwestart to seehowall ourweaknesses, all ourbeing, arecombustible in the Fire of the Love of God and all that is needed is to lean onMary’s FieryPrayer,onMary’strustinGod.Conclusion: Perfection and Purity of Prayer Ifwewant true prayer,we need to be detached from our own prayer, frompossessing ourprayeranditsoutcome!Soweak!Soinsignificant!WeneedtoentrustourprayertoMary,weneedtotakeonboardMary'sPrayer,Mary'sFireofLove,Mary'sLiftingPower.ItispurelytheHolySpiritactinginher.


Ifweneedtoprayforsomebody,whynotadoptMary'sprayer?WhynotentrustthepersontoMary?Herprayer isexceedinglymorepowerful thananyotherhumanprayer.Herprayer isavailabletous,giventous.Letususeit.WhynotuniteourselvestoMary'sintentions?Thoughunknowntous,theyarepurerandmoreperfectthanallourintentions!WhenweattendMass,whynotallowtheinnerrealitytocorrespondtotheouteroneandbeperfect?WhynotaskMary'sprayertoenterintous,whynotentrustourselvesintoherHandssoourprayerbecomesHerPrayerandnotours?ThisallowsustohaveafruitfulparticipationintheMass!Whatissilentprayer….ifnotallowingMary'sPrayertotakeoverinus?Anyprayershouldbedonethisway.Asapartingthoughttotakeawaywithyou,whynotre-read,meditateandentirelyabsorbthesubstanceofthisteaching–immerseyourselftotallyinthefurnaceofJesus’LovethroughtheFiery Prayer of Mary. It is to be recommended that one should re-read, meditate, absorbentirelythesubstanceofthisteaching.JeanKhouryHolyWeekMarch2018

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