6. lam telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains."( John12:24 ). Mortification, being an old practice by early Christian mystics, is killing the self- centered self so that we can be other-centered like Christ. Purgation is a constant self-denial in order to lead us to the next ladder: lllumination 

 

7. Ilumination. The next step mentioned by our Lord, after "deny yourself" is ""Carry your cross" In the Gospel according to St.luke, he added the word"daily". Carrying ones cross is not only once but daily. But how can carrying ones' cross a path to illumination? In the first letter of St.John chapter 2 verse 10 says :"If we love others, we live in the light". Our daily cross pertains to our responsibilities. Your cross can be your spouse, your cross can be your parents who are elderly and ill, your cross can be your incorrigible son or your cross can be your workers in the company. Nonetheless, we are called to carry them. It means to love them. Not to hate them. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the lord will save his people."' ( Luke 4:18-19 ). The Jubilee year's essence is love of the poor. The jubilee year is meant to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. (Diakonia) 

 

8. The vow of poverty of the religious is practiced by detachment from worldly goods and pleasures. But this is a medium to be free or available in serving the poor. It does not mean becoming miserable by having a home like a dog cage. Or the poverty here is not practising detachment to be attached to exclusive relationship with the powerful and influential elite class. Poverty is more of an attitude. It does not mean automatically that rich people is evil or categorized with oppressors and the poor is the superman. Wrong. There are so many rich people who are altruistic and there are poor people who are self-centered and lacking in discipline. But of course, there are poor people who are happy in serving God and the Church. Despite of their lack of material blessings. 

 

9. What we are emphasizing here is authentic poverty which the Lord pleases is not simplistic acceptance of our poor condition but working hard to develop ones' lifestyle which is comfortable for everyone. It is not appropriate for the children of God to live in shanties; it is not appropriate for the children of God to be jobless. And therefore, We are inviting the poor to help themselves by disciplining themselves. Limit population growth. The well-off should share with the poor. Correct graft and corruption. And correct unjust structures. These are the correct attitude of the Anawim( the poor in spirit mentioned by St.Matthew chapter 5 ). These are the crosses we need to carry. 

 

10. We have mentioned already the two ladder to heaven : Purgation and illumination We go now to the third ladder: Union. In the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola particularly on Contemplation to obtain the love of God, he pointed out that love is an exchange of gifts; the lover and the beloved are continuously sharing whatever they have and accepting whatever is given. Our Lord God is so good to us; he gave His only begotten Son to us( John 3:16). Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His body and blood on the cross for our salvation and continuously giving Himself through His Real Presence in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass plus the material and spiritual blessings which we receive every day. Now the question is, What now can we offer to God in return? Love is simultaneously exchange of self in order to accomplish union and the best we can give to God is to do His will not ours. We remember here the motto of our predecessor His Holiness Pope Michael of happy memory, " Fiat voluntas tua" ( Thy will be done). The best gift we can give to God is to do His will not ours. 

 

11. Hence, the life of prayer is very necessary for all seriously following the Lord. In as much as in prayer, action and prayer meets. This is what we call Discernment. In our continuous prayer, we can clearly identify the voice of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the devil. In our continuous prayer we can hear clearly the voice of God speaking to us. 

 

12. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer. Because it is the unbloody sacrifice of Christ on the cross at the Calvary. It is on the crucifixion our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the will of the Father. Whenever we pray the Holy Mass, we institute the Crucifixion on our Altar. We offer Christ and Christ himself is offering on our behalf through the person of the priest. 

 

13. At the reading of the epistle and of the Holy Gospel, the Lord is revealing himself to US as ro loving father ready to embrace us; at the offertory we respond to that very love in union with Christ. And in the Holy communion, God the Trinity and man becomes one. At the consecration, The bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ and we His people who received His body and blood become the body and blood of Christ. 

 

14. As we come to the conclusion of this letter, we invite you to change your attire. Remove the old garment of sinfulness and dressed-up the garment of Christ-like character of obedience to the will of the Father through obedience to the Pope and to bishops in communion with him. 

 

15. The modern world does not need instructors but people filled with the Holy Spirit; persons filled with Christ-like attitude. By so doing, we transform the world into Christ.