The Divine Will

One thing I have noticed about praying in the Divine Will is that how easily I have taken to the practises. Other devotions have been recommended to me over the years and some I have taken to but most not. One gets set in one's way in life and this includes one's prayer life too. The DW though has totally changed how I pray and it all happened in the course of a week or less! The last time I was in Medjugorge, in adoration whilst sensing it would be the last time Our Lady would call me there, I also sensed her speak to me through scripture; Job 8:7.
I didn't know what it meant then and now some 4+ years on think this may be what she meant.

 

Ah, pretty tricky, BC, making me look it up.

Inasmuch, that if thy former things were small, thy latter things would be multiplies exceedingly!

 

so, to do this devotion, what is the required reading? I have downloaded the 24 hour passion meditation and have started to read that. this devotion sounds like it bears great fruit, but I am a little confused on how to get started. and it sounds like a ton of reading, based on the amount of volumes mentioned, and I definately don't have time to read a lot. sorry if you have posted this before, but is there something brief that can get you started on this?

 

OUR EXAMPLE
Jesus Christ and his life on earth was consumed by the Will of his Eternal Father.Father’s Will above and over everything.
A human will since He was a man and a Divine Will since He was God.
In Psalms 39:8-9 - saying ‘yes’ to the Father’s Will at the beginning of his life:
“Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me that I should do thy will: 0 my God, I have desired it”
John 5:30: “I cannot do anything by myself, because I am not looking to do how I will, rather how the Father who sent me wills.”
John 4:32-34: “I have food that you do not know...My food is to do the will of God who sent me, and to fulfill his work to its depth.”
“Father, ..not my will be done but yours” (Lk 22:42).
His last words: When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.”And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.(John 19:30) What was Finished? Doing the Will of His father on His earthly journey.

 

The act of the moment, doing what God would do...not thinking God would want us to do anything different. It all leads to Gods will.

 

As Lent is about to start, I want to begin to learn more and start to live in this Divine Will. This thread is pretty long so I would appreciate if one of you could give me the overview or links to learn more? And since I'm a complete novice, what us this first step to take. Thanks.

 

The disciples asked----"Lord, teach us to pray, [Luke 11: 1],
He said to them, when you pray say,
'Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name;
He asks us to humble ourselves and praise and worship the God who is our all and is over all. “Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, with all your Soul, with all your Mind, and with all your Strength.” #1 Commandment
“Thy Kingdom Come; Thy Will be Done on Earth, as It is in Heaven!"
Where is His Kingdom on earth that is like heaven?
IN OUR HEARTS - OUR “TABERNACLE” & The Church (the people)
This doesn't ask that we do His Will in Heaven, rather that we do It now while on the earth, and DO IT AS IT IS DONE IN HEAVEN!

How do we do God’s Will? He finishes His Recipe for success!
Give us this day our daily bread
Matthew 6:25, 33
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than foodand the body more than clothing? But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”
(Jesus)“My food is to do the will of God who sent me, and to fulfill his work to its depth.”John 4:32-34
We are asked to receive Jesus as the bread of Life. Receive Him in your heart & as the body, blood soul and divinity of the Eucharist. Become All He IS: His suffering, His joy, His compassion, His forgiveness, His mercy and Grace, His Love and His obedience to His Father, to do His Will.
And forgive us our trespasses
When we fall and when we fail ask to become humble again, ask for forgiveness and go to confession. Stay in His sanctifying grace. Then find the right path again in life and go and Live the Eucharist! “Go and love and serve the Lord”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
…as we forgive those who trespass against us.
“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4
Colossians 3:13 says we are called to forgive each other "as the Lord has forgiven us."

And lead us not into temptation,

Ask, not to be caught up in the material pleasures and worldly ways.

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.”
but deliver us from evil. Amen
deliver us oh Lord to your Divine Love. So I believe and so I will.

"Saints are people who when they do their own will, they do the will of God." Thomas Merten

 

What does God will for us?
To be with him in Heaven and stay in His image and likeness.
C.C.51 "It pleased God, in his goodness and wisdom, to reveal himself and to make known the mystery of his will. His will was that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature."

C.C. "To carry out the will of the Father, Christ inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth."247 Now the Father's will is "to raise up men to share in his own divine life".248He does this by gathering men around his Son Jesus Christ. This gathering is the Church,on earth the seed and the beginning of that kingdom."

 

How to Live in His Divine Will
From the first moment a soul decides to embrace living in the Divine Will they must learn to forget themselves. Jesus says that there is only one way of achieving this, and that it must be practiced for the rest of your life.
1.Humble ourselves (I can do nothing without God who gives me everything)
2.Love God - no fear in love; perfect love drives out fear; fear has to do with punishment; one who fears is not yet perfect in love. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….Matt.22
3. Love your Brother – If you do not love your brother/sister you cannot love God. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matt. 22
Live the Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy.
4. Live in sanctifying grace (go to confession often) Keep the commandments!
5. Receive the Eucharist and follow the word of the Lord.
7. Have faith in God. Take up the cross and follow Jesus and do God’s works here on earth as it is done in Heaven.
8. PRAY (from the heart) Mary has asked us to pray the Rosary
9. Obedience to God's Will. Your will should be in line and in unity with God’s Will. Work at it and most important Desire It!
10. Read and meditate upon the spiritual writings on Divine Will by Luissa & Francine.
God will give us the undeserving grace and light of the Holy Spirit as the apostles received to walk in the light of God "here on earth as it is in Heaven"

 

There's a Zen proverb: "The work will teach you how to do it." From my experience, the Lord wants this SO much that He will do it in you. This is different from the way to sanctity in the past - so many fasts, mortifications, vigils...beginning to live in the Divine Will does not depend on personal virtue, but on your fiat. "I lay down my will at your feet; please give me Yours."

Here's how it works for me:

It starts in the morning by asking Jesus to live the day in you. "Think in my thinking, act in my acting, work in my working. Arrange my day to your good pleasure. Take my heartbeats and breaths as a continuous "Fiat" to your will."

Through the day, call on the Divine Will whenever it comes to mind. "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth at is is in heaven." When you feel that you are losing your peace or find yourself in a difficult situation, pray, "Think in my thinking, speak in my speaking." "Jesus, You take over." Every time you see an example of God's creation, pray, "I love you too, Lord - in the shining sun, in the wind, in this bird, in those trees. I give you glory and honor and thanksgiving for your Fiat of creation." When you see evil, pray, "Cover these people with all the acts done in the Divine Will." When you're doing menial tasks, pray, "I join the work of my hands with your works and those of your Mother when you walked the earth. I give glory to the Father for the ability to do this work."

Before sleep, pray, "Rest in me Lord; sleep in my sleeping. Make my sleep a continuous act in your Will."

Everything is done for everyone, from Adam to the last person on earth, to give the Father the glory owed to Him, and to call for the reign of the Divine Will on earth as in heaven.

Our free will is such an incredible gift, and we can stubbornly hold onto it out of habit. Just give it Him, over and over, and eventually the gift will "take".

This is the way of returning to the original blessing of Adam, and the order God purposed from the beginning. From my experience, the Lord wants this so much that He will do it in you if you just give him permission.

I also believe that this is what we will all live in the new era; and only those living this way will enter it, Just as Joshua and Caleb, along with the children, were the only ones to enter the promised land. The others, including Moses, died in the desert. It wasn't that Joshua and Caleb were special; but the others lacked faith.

 

PotatoSack,
It is not so much the required reading, but to open up your heart to whatever God brings in to you as you read. To do this you need to read slowly meditating on what is being said to you. I many times re-read it several times and try to relate the reading to other aspects in our Catholic/Christian beliefs and understandings such as the virtues in particular the Theological virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, commandments and in particular the two greatest, scripture, spiritual and corporal works of mercy, the mysteries of the rosary and so forth. Remember in your reading this is God speaking to your heart for you alone, to deepen your love for Him who is all Love. Find a time that works for you to develop this prayer, meditation and reading. You do not need hours in your day, but once you get started you may not want to stop as the peace and understanding starts to flow within!
By the way, I am enjoying your thread on the consecration of Mary. The process of knowing and allowing Mary within your heart, mind and soul is your example from her on how to find Gods peace and better understanding your will in relationship to His. This is the next step, does she not lead us to her Son?

 

The 24 hours of the passion are beautiful and heartbreaking, and very powerful. I pray them during Lent, at least on Good Friday. Pray them as you are inspired to, but this is not something I do regularly (probably because as a hospice nurse I've spent so much time at the foot of the cross!)

The best resource I've found is Father Robert Young and his weekly audio teachings. He reads passages and explains them in light of the Catechism, the Church Fathers and the Saints. I listen and play solitaire. Start with his "introduction," then go the archives. I'd start with volume 12.

http://www.divinewilltallahassee.com/introduction-to-the-divine-will

 

The first step as always is to open up your heart for him so he can make His love known. As it is said, "Create a clean heart in me oh Lord." It begins by allowing our will to be open for Him. To make a humble "YES" to work in us and allow the Sanctifying grace to move and shape our being. Then read and meditate upon the words that the Lord has spoken through Luisa's or Francine's writings. Ask as you read, what is He saying to me? How can I apply this in my life journey to get closer to you my God? He will lead you from there with all His Love and Mercy.
"Ask and it shall be given to you, knock and the door will be opened for you."

 

Thank you both for your beautiful and thoughtful way to approach this. I'm ready and willing- please pray for me

 

Actually, I have loved Caussade's book, "Abandonment to Divine Providence", especially Kitty Muggeridge's translation, "The Sacrament of the Present Moment", for years. I think that book prepared me for living in the Divine Will.

 

The Blessed Mother is Queen of the Divine Will, and never used her human will, not once! Asking her to hold my hand, and teach me to live always in the Divine Will has been an incredible help.

 

Our own Daniel O'Connor wrote this great booklet, which is an into to living in Divine Will:

https://danieloconnor.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/the-crown-and-completion-of-all-sanctity.pdf

 

Thank You! I have not seen this. Always looking for notes in my heart!

 

I started with a 30 page booklet written by Tony Hickey from the UK. He also has 2 cds to accompany it. They explain the booklet in greater depth. I'm sure one can order them from here : http://tonyhickey.org/
He is a brilliant speaker and having met him I would recommend his booklet and cds to anybody starting off. I am still playing the cds every time I drive, and get something different from them each time!

 

"...What contaminated itself in man was his will; and since this human nature was animated by this rebellious will, which dwelled in the human nature, it participated and remained contaminated. So, once the Divine Will and the human are placed in harmony, giving dominion and regime to the Divine, as it is wanted by Us, the human nature loses the sad effects and remains as beautiful as it came out of Our creative hands. Now, in the Queen of Heaven, all Our work was on Her human will, which received with joy the dominion of Ours; and Our Will, finding no opposition on Her part, operated prodigies of graces, and by virtue of my Divine Volition, She remained sanctified and did not feel the sad effects and the evils which the other creatures feel. Therefore, my daughter, once the cause is removed, the effects end. Oh! if my Divine Will enters into creatures and reigns in them, It will banish all evils in them, and will communicate to them all goods – to soul and body.”
Book of Heaven, Volume 26