Jesus to a soul: Dear one, I created you so that these two things go together: divine wisdom and human intuition. Grace and nature. You are experiencing agitation, even to sleepless nights. I invite you to be curious with Me about this. Are there many problems to solve? What would it be like to be still with Me for one moment, with no problem to solve? Do this with me, in My Presence, for one minute… and then another… and then another. And listen for my guidance.
The enemy of your soul loves to agitate you into self-reliance, and does not want you to remember My gifts of patience, presence, compassion and curiosity that flow into you through my Holy Spirit. In your imagination place your head on my chest, like the apostle John did, and feel My love and wisdom flowing into you. My Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth about any situation.
A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).
Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.
(To see the original text go here). Jesus to a soul: Dear one, are there some opposing thoughts that you are trying to discern? There may be excitement about following the path I lay out for you, and yet perhaps you notice fear? Can you direct attention to both of these thoughts in your mind’s eye, and ask them to turn towards you, the one who notices them? Be with them and send them My peace, which flows into you by the Holy Spirit.
I may lead you on a path different from the one you thought you would be on, and I will prepare you. “I am the good shepherd,” (Jn 10:1), and I will carry you in my arms. Notice all the thoughts and feelings around what comes next—the future. Rest in my spiritual embrace, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, and then magically find themselves resting comfortably in their bed.
Even so, you may have thoughts bringing all sorts of reasons not to trust Me. I welcome all of your thoughts and feelings, and I validate the good and noble intentions of your questions and worries. As you learn to rest in Me, the wisdom, understanding, and courage of Holy Spirit will heal and bring peace to your body, mind, and spirit.
A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).
Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.
Jesus to the soul:Do I notice a fear that things are getting worse? The world seems crazy as ever, and evil seems to be growing. (see Ps 57:4 below). Pray as David did, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Ps 57:5). Close your eyes and say to Me with faith: “Thy will be done, in You, Lord, is my hope!” I say to you that all is within My permissive will, and that I will intervene as does a doctor and I will accomplish many miracles. Do you see that the sick person is getting worse? Your presence with them is also My Presence with them — a Presence that brings peace and inner healing. Close your eyes and say, “Thy will be done.” I say to you that “I make all things new,” (Rev 21:5), and that there is no medicine more powerful than My loving intervention. By My love, I promise this to you.
A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).
Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.
My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
Jesus to the soul: Rest in My loving Presence. Rest, My dear one. I am the King of your heart, your Creator, your Love. “Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God and believe in Me” ( Jn 14:1). How many things I do when the soul, in so much spiritual and material need, turns to Me, looks at Me, and says to Me, “Thy will be done; in You, Lord, is my hope” and then closes its eyes and rests?
I notice the emotional pain in your prayers to Me. Is there a fear that I don’t hear you? Is there a fear that your feelings do not matter to Me? Pray as I taught you in the Our Father: “Hallowed be thy Name;” that is, be glorified in my need, Abba!
“Thy kingdom come;” that is, let all that is in me and in the world be in accord with Your kingdom.
“Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven;” that is, in my need, decide as You see fit for my temporal and eternal life.
If you say to Me truly: “Thy will be done,” which is the same as saying: “In You, Lord, is my hope” I will intervene with all My omnipotence, and I will resolve the most difficult situations.
A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).
Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.
Jesus to the soul: Do I noticing fretting and hopeless thoughts? It doesn’t feel very good to have these thoughts take over your mind, and even your body, does it? The stress can take its toll with tension and anxiety. I invite you to turn your mind’s eye toward these thoughts and feelings, notice them, and say “Hello.” Let them know they are not alone. These thoughts and feelings are parts of you that need tenderness and healing.
Is there another thought that comes in and hurriedly prays — asking Me to take away all your difficulties? “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). I am always here with you and I accompany you in all things.
Imagine this with Me: there is a little one who asks her mother to see to her needs, and then she tries to take care of those needs for herself. Do you know a little one like this? Does she live inside of you?
Let her know that patience gains all things and you and I are with her. Invite her to be open to my Presence and creative care. In whatever way seems best, convey to her that My divine power works through you — the person whose soul I created in my image and likeness — and together we will bring her hope and peace.
A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).
Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.
A few years ago during my walks I began praying the Surrender Novena as a way to bring calm to my system (body, soul, spirit) and direct my mind’s attention towards trusting God. Covid lockdown was in its prime, and growing in trust of my Creator and Source of life and love was needed. Prayer is the means to grow in relationship with God, and there are many ways to approach God in prayer. For me during the time of Covid the Surrender Novena was a good choice.
Also at this time I was implementing the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model for my mental health. My inner system was becoming accustomed to the IFS manner of kindness directed interiorly. Sometimes the words of the Novena, as I was hearing them through my audio app, started to feel shaming. The manner in which the words were expressed in the audio app was angry in tone, much like my own inner critic. Through further discernment I concluded that God’s intention for me is to be closer to Him, and He doesn’t speak to my heart as a critic. That is not God’s character (see Luke 15:11-32). God lovingly draws us towards union with Him, because God is Love. In particular, God is a loving Trinity of persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Shaming is not loving. In fact, God created human love to image Trinitarian love, which is vulnerable, and without shame (cf Gen 2:25).
To make a long story short, I have attempted to rewrite the Surrender Novena using language that I imagine Jesus is speaking to me. I will be posting the 9 days of the novena, beginning today, on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday leading up to the 4th Sunday of Advent —Christmas Eve Day. As I rewrite this novena, I want to mention that I am not doing a anything different than its original author. This novena is what is called a private revelation given to Fr. Dulindo Ruotolo. It is not something that has been officially approved by the Church for private prayer, and it has not been officially discouraged (as far as I know, and I am open to correction). This is important to remember. Fr. Ruotolo is no different from you and me, in terms of baptismal character; that is, we are all given the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity and a capacity to be in relationship with our Creator. It could be said that this is my own private revelation that I am sharing with all of you, with Fr. Ruotolo’s novena as a guide for my own prayer.
First a note about the changes I have made: I have attempted to make the prayer more scriptural because Sacred Scripture is the basis for all Christian Prayer. The change in the repeated words in the prayer reflect this goal to make the prayer more scriptural. I have also attempted to reflect God’s character to a soul as I personally imagine it, and based on how God has revealed God’s character in Sacred Scripture. It is my belief that God’s character will manifest the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit into my heart: gentleness, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, peace, love, self-control, and joy (cf Gal 5:22-23).
Weary Traveler…beat down from the storms that you have weathered. Feels like this road just might go on forever…Carry on.
-Jordan St. Cyr, Weary Traveler
“Dear Holy Spirit, help me to get up and go.”
This was my prayer before I went to sleep last night. I need all the help I can get. I have been planning to go to confession for weeks, and somehow I haven’t made it. One of my favorite coping strategies is to put things off, even good things. I intended to get up at 4:30, have my coffee, and leave at 5 am in order to go to confession at 5:30 and Mass at 6:00. Right away, I want to nip something in the bud – whatever you may be thinking of me right now, I want you to know – I do this because I need it. Everyone does. Only God is good (Mark 10:18).
Holy Spirit came through, and I sat and waited for the priest at 5:30 am. I am glad he was a little late because it gave me time to prepare. Confession is always difficult. “Why do I have to do this?” a little part of me says inside. “Because it will be good for us,” I respond back. (Yes, I talk to myself). The priest was kind and gentle, and listened and attuned to my words. He encouraged me, gave me a simple and practical penance, said the words of absolution, and sent me on my way with the words, “Go in peace, your sins are forgiven!”
Then the tears started, as I waited in the Church for Mass to begin. “How can it be so easy? And yet so hard?” I stared at the Crucifix and had my answer. “My yoke is easy, my burden is light,” came the words of Matthew 11:30 into my heart. The tears continued.
Weary Traveler, restless soul…you were never meant to walk this road alone! It’ll all be worth it, so just hold on! Weary Traveler, You won’t be weary long!
– Jordan St. Cyr
To attend Mass is to receive another Sacrament – Holy Communion. We hear the Word, then we literally eat the Word. This is our belief. Food for the soul; spiritual food for the journey, taken through the body. Before the prayer of consecration the priest prayed:
O God, who in the offerings presented here
provide for the twofold needs of human nature,
nourishing us with food
and renewing us with your Sacrament,
grant, we pray,
that the sustenance they provide
may not fail us in body or in spirit.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
This is what I mean when I say Jesus is the ultimate both/and. He, as both human and divine, is the only human who can provide the two fold needs of human nature. He nourishes the spirit through the body in the Sacraments.
No more searching. Heaven’s healing’s gonna find where all the hurt is…When Jesus calls, we’ll lay down all our heavy burdens. Carry on!
–Jordan St. Cyr
By the end of Mass there was one major feeling I felt: Gratitude.
The Sacraments are real, and Jesus is the ultimate Both/And.
“Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”
We come to Jesus to listen to the Father, who loves us and cherishes us. He has seen the Father; the Father sees us through His sacrifice.
We can bury ourselves in and join His holy sacrifice by receiving His Word and Sacrament (body and blood) as often as we can. Jesus welcomes us with open arms (look at the Cross, on which He says in His dying breath: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”). He chooses to live in us, broken vessels, so that we may become whole. Let us live together in communion with the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Early Western spirituality developed with St. Ambrose who paved the way for the Doctor of Grace, St. Augustine. A religious cultural challenge of the age was the continued development of heresies in the Church: Arian, Pelagian, Manichean, and Donatist. Arguably the strict asceticism of the East contributed to these heresies, given that there was not yet a tradition of spiritual guidance. The Churches in both the East and the West were young, and the great tradition of spiritual theory and practice was yet to be formed in history. For example, St. Jerome, while traveling through Gaul around 366, became acquainted with the practices of Eastern monasticism, and “began his own undertaking of this way of life in various experimental forms” (Christian Spirituality: An Introduction to the Heritage, Charles Healey, 68, my emphasis). As the Church developed doctrinally and spiritually, the importance of guidance from others in terms of spiritual fatherhood and motherhood was increasing. The writings of Ambrose and Jerome, followed by the “mixed life of action and contemplation” (Healey, 77) of Augustine, paved the way for a new monasticism in which pastoral service was connected with the monastic life. St. Benedict, the “Father of Western Monasticism” (Healey, 89), devised a Rule of Life in which personal sanctification was sought through living the Christian life in a community rather than a hermitage. These are the beginnings of “Contemplation in Action,” that we see in more modern spiritual masters through the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Jesuits (just to name a few).
By the time of Augustine around 384, St. Ambrose’s writings had transmitted much of Greek thought to the West (Healey, 66). Ambrose was preoccupied with the Arian heresy, (that Jesus was not both human and divine), and through his method of preaching he kindled a passion for philosophy in Augustine that eventually led to his rejection of Manichæism (that evil is a created entity), and his baptism by Ambrose in 387. It was a coming to God through reason that kindled the fire in Augustine’s heart. He not only discerned who God was through reason, but His essence of goodness. “For in no way can corruption affect our God, neither by will, nor by necessity, nor by chance, since He Himself is God and what He wills is good, and He himself is goodness; but to be corrupted is not good.” It was an agony for Augustine to determine the origin of evil. Once he came upon the truth that evil is a corrupted good he realized that he himself was created good and that it was his corruption that kept him from knowing the true good, Who is God. Augustine, with the light of truth and the eyes of faith was able to see how God was his helper, and through the “secret hand of [God’s] healing,” Augustine’s darkened intellect “gained strength by the stinging ointment of wholesome sorrow”. Augustine also realized that seeing truth and the power to see truth were a grace that he had received from this “Beauty so ancient and so new,” his poetic term for God.
Truly, reading Augustine leaves me breathless. I, too, am held by, in his words, the “iron bondage of my own will.” Indeed, I am a slave to bad habits as he was. As Augustine says, “I was still tied down to earth and refused to accept service in your army. I was as much afraid of being freed from what hindered my going to you as I should have feared whatever might hinder this.” I, too, hear the muttering of vanities, when the Spirit says to me, as Continence told Augustine, “Cast yourself upon Him, do not be afraid; He will not withdraw and let you fall; cast yourself fearlessly upon Him.”
I pray for fortitude and I continue to “work out my salvation with fear and trembling” (cf. Phil 2:12) with the help of prayer, Scripture, and the Sacraments.
In a similar way to Augustine, I believe that helping people to come to the truth about the one true God through reason is necessary. In the dualism of our culture it seems that either there is nothing spiritual at all, or the spiritual is viewed some kind of “energy” flowing through the world and our bodies that is not attached to the one true God. It is important to come to an agreement about first principles dealing with God’s essence. If one believes in God, he may believe Him to be someone who “does things” or “doesn’t do things,” rather than who He is — His essence of Goodness, Truth, Beauty, and Love. This error trickles down to how one thinks about the human person. It is important to begin with the truth of God – that He exists, that He is all good, that He is love, and that we are created in His image and likeness.
(Nota bene, this article is a modified version of something I wrote for a spirituality class about five years ago. I urge all readers to read The Confessions of St. Augustine. You won’t be sorry)!
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