Lest You Remain

tradition has also emphasized in the consecrated life the aspect of a particular covenant with God, indeed of a spousal covenant with Christ, of which Saint Paul was a master by his example (cf. 1 Cor 7:7) and by his teaching, proposed under the Spirit’s guidance (cf. 1 Cor 7:40). We may say that the spiritual life, understood as life in Christ or life according to the Spirit, presents itself as a path of increasing faithful- ness, on which the consecrated person is guided by the Spirit and configured by him to Christ, in full communion of love and service in the Church. All these elements, which take shape in the different forms of the consecrated life, give rise to a specific spirituality, that is, a concrete program of relations with God and one’s surroundings, marked by specific spiritual emphases and choices of apostolate, which accentuate and re-present one or another aspect of the one mystery of Christ. When the Church approves a form of consecrated life or an Institute, she confirms that in its spiritual and apostolic charism are found all the objective requisites for achieving personal and communal perfection according to the Gospel. The spiritual life must therefore have first place in the program of Families of consecrated life, in such a way that every Institute and community will be a school of true evangelical spirituality. Apostolic fruitfulness, generosity in love of the poor, and the ability to attract vocations among the younger generation depend on this priority and its growth in personal and com- munal commitment. It is precisely the spiritual quality of the consecrated life which can inspire the men and women of our day, who themselves are thirsting for absolute values. In this way the consecrated life will become an attractive witness. From Founder’s Writings ( Inspectio cordis , 28r–29r) “ They understood nothing of this” (Luke 18:34). Consider how bad is the state of a mind, which does not recognize good, does not grasp it and even rejects it. The Apostles were blind like this, when they did not understand the Lord speaking about suffering and His imminent death. The reason for this lay in the fact that a virtue of love was still hidden from them, its role and per- fection; that one would want to suffer and share the torments and misfortunes and bad fate of another, whether a friend or a person ill-disposed toward us. If you do not yet have a desire to help your brother and to suffer the most painful and disagreeable things, know that you have not understood the essence of the perfection of love and you are truly unlearned, not knowing all the virtues which make us enter into heav- en. Ask, ask, God for the light to understand the importance of each of the virtues. Ask for recognition of what He wants you to do and what road He wants you to take to perfection. Ask and pray like this: “Give me discernment that I may live” (Ps 118:144). “Open my eyes that I may consider the wonders of your law” (Ps 118:18). Program of Vigils 51