Meditation for the Tuesday after Pentecost: I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved
I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved; he will go in and out, and find pastures . (S. John, ch. 10)
1. Consider that Jesus Christ assures us with these words, that if we are faithful to follow his ways and his conduct, we will find favorable outcomes in everything we undertake; the beginning, the goal and the end of our actions will be accompanied by blessings, and finally we will happily arrive at the desired end of our salvation; but the main difficulty is to know well the ways and the conduct of this divine Savior towards us, and for this we need the gift of counsel , which is the third among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is very necessary for us to properly discern the ways of God from those which are not of God, and the sure paths of salvation from the circuitous paths.
Oh ! how necessary this gift of advice is in the circumstances in which we find ourselves! and that there are nevertheless few people who conduct themselves by this spirit of advice! Devise a new desire to obtain this gift which is very important to your salvation. Ask him who is called par excellence: Angel of the great council .
2. Consider the great advantages of this gift of counsel; because, by this gift, the Holy Spirit makes up for the lack of our natural prudence; he makes us know what are the right paths that lead to God; he reveals to us the tricks and artifices of the devil; it clarifies the doubts of our conscience; he leads us along a path of peace and assurance, and then brings us to a happy end.
Oh ! what a joy to walk under the guidance of such a favorable light! but also what a misfortune to deprive yourself of it through your own fault! What can happen from this deprivation but darkness in the mind, confusion in thoughts, haste in designs, blindness in actions, and finally curse in all things?
See in what way you are, and under what guidance you walk; and ask God, with the Prophet, to send you his light and his truth to guide you, and to introduce you into his holy tabernacles .
3. Consider that to obtain abundantly the gift of counsel , we must renounce the prudence of the flesh, which is enemy of God; one must keep one's conscience free from the sins which blind the soul; we must impose this inviolable law on ourselves, never to undertake anything of consequence without consulting God through prayer, and without asking him to let us know what is pleasing to him for us to do, and in what way we must do it.
Therefore say to him often with the Prophet: Lord, make known to me your ways; teach me your paths; make me walk in your truth, and teach me; for you are my God and my Savior .
PRACTICES
1° In your doubts, you can take advice from prudent and wise men.
2° But before all things, take care to consult the Holy Spirit, the true source of light.
(Meditation taken from The Crown of the Christian Year )
taken from the excellent Catholic blog : le-petit-sacristain.blogspot.com