Way of Life
Community of Love Crucified
The vocation of the Love Crucified Community is to live passionately His love revealed at the Cross. There we receive the gift of His thirst, His gaze, His tears, His radical love which holds nothing back. Now He calls us to respond.
The Lord has given our Community this standard:
“ Suffer all with Me, no longer two but ONE, in my sacrifice of love"
As brothers and sisters we enter into a covenant with Christ and with each other to live fully this love in the heart of the Church, according to our spirituality (The Simple Path to Union with God) and mission.
At first, commitments may seem to be a burden, but the Lord promised: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." -Matthew 11:30. "Sanctity does not consist first of all in doing extraordinary things, but in letting God act" -Pope Francis. God's grace makes this way of life liberating and joyful through love. It disposes us to receive a new life in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our way of life embraces the following commitments:
1. Lives centered on the Eucharist
2. Marian Consecration
3. Docility to the Holy Spirit
4. Live The Simple Path to Union with God: Our Spiritual Formation Book
5. Victims of Love + Offering life for others; for priest
6. 5 Stones: Humility, Purity, Simplicity, Trust, Courage
7. Repentance and Conversion
8. Community Life
9. Obedience to Mother Church
10. Fidelity to our state in life
I propose to do ever what is most perfect. I propose to seek in all things Jesus and His Cross, in conformity with His holy will. I propose in my actions to pursue the interests of Christ and not my own. ...I will never be disquieted should circumstances prevent me from observing my 'Rule of life.' I will go on tranquilly. I will be flexible in the face of difficulties, humbly... then onward, ever onward! -Extract from her "Rule of life", Ven. Concepción Cabrera de Armida, Aug 21, 1894
1. Lives Centered on the Eucharist
The Eucharist is Christ, our life, the source and summit of all we are and do.
We seek to participate in Holy Mass daily, if possible.
At Holy Mass we unite with Jesus as His victim souls in His sacrifice of love to the Father. We go to die to self and receive new life in Him. We become living hosts. We offer ourselves with Jesus to the Father after the consecration of the Precious Blood with this prayer.
We commit to a minimum of once a week of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to listen, adore, praise, intercede, give thanks, and accompany and CONSOLE Jesus and Mary in their suffering for souls.
For their work, prayers and apostolic endeavours, their ordinary married and family life, their daily labour, their mental and physical relaxation, if carried out in the Spirit, and even the hardships of life if patiently borne-all of these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Pt 2:5). During the celebration of the Eucharist these sacrifices are most lovingly offered to the Father along with the Lord’s body. Thus as worshipers whose every deed is holy, the lay faithful consecrate the world itself to God. John Paul II
See teaching Fr Jordi Rivero>>
2. Marian Consecration
To come to the most perfect intimate union of love with Christ—victim united to Victim— we need to consecrate ourselves to Mary, Mother and Bride, with the understanding and abandonment that she will bring us to the foot of the Cross. We commit to be forever "Totus Tuus" (All yours).
See “Importance of Consecration” letter from Lourdes Pinto to community>>
33 Days to Morning Glory -Preparation to Marian Consecration. by Fr Michael E. Gaitley, MIC; Marian Press.
Renew our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Daily Recitation of the Rosary
3. Docility to the Holy Spirit
We live in the Spirit attentive to God and submitting to Him everything we do. We ask of Him in every situation, “Lord what do you want of me?” We trust in the Holy Spirit and invoke Him constantly.
See “Importance of Consecration” letter from Lourdes Pinto to community>>
“Yet there is no greater freedom than that of allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt to plan and control everything to the last detail, and instead, letting him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills.” Pope Francis p. 13
We welcome the Holy Spirit as our teacher and guide through living the Simple Path. It is He who leads us through the passage -- from the feet of Jesus crucified to receive the gift of self-knowledge, into the Sacred Heart of Jesus and brings us into the unity of the Most Holy Trinity.
“God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). Nevertheless, it is not enough to know the Spirit; we must welcome Him as the guide of our souls, as the “Teacher of the interior life” who introduces us to the Mystery of the Trinity, because He alone can open us up to faith and allow us to live it each day to the full.” Pope Benedict XVI, XXXIII World Youth Day, 2008
4. Live The Simple Path to Union with God: Our Spiritual Formation Book
Each Mother of the Cross (MOC) and Missionary of the Cross (MC) must be willing to allow The PATH to lead them through the painful purification and healing of their hearts into the depth of self- knowledge. Each person must persevere to:
Follow Christ daily to the Cross,
To die to self—to what we have become that we are not,
To make ourselves vulnerable and stripped of our masks and false identity
And suffer ALL with Christ, in order to be transformed into Love.
5. Victims of Love
Our life is an offering of love. Our crosses, including the injustices we suffer, as well as the daily duties, are powerful when done with great love and united with Christ. God waits for the FIAT that signals our total surrender. We don’t just offer something; we offer ourselves without reserve, our entire being, our will, our heart, our body and soul, one with Him. This is to be with Christ victims of love.
It is a victim soul's 'yes' that 'stirs into flame' the power of the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can lead a docile and willing soul to die with Me. It is this voluntary death that brings the soul to new life…I continue to thirst for love, but it is only the love of My victim souls that satisfies My thirst… Therefore, bring Me many victim souls. 2/1/11 Simple Path #124 p.331
See “Victim of Love” by Fr Jordi Rivero>>
6. 5 Stones: Humility, Purity, Simplicity, Trust and Courage
The MOC and MC must be committed to growing in these five virtues as we persevere in living the Simple Path and taking to heart the teachings of this community.
Virtues Needed as Warriors of Love
My little one, the time draws near. You hold the sword of the Spirit in the mission given to you. My family of LC are My warriors of love that will defeat the dragon in the decisive battle that draws near. Be ready to approach this evil in the same way that David approached Goliath. You will conquer the dragon in your littleness and purity because it is.
God who is with you. You must not fear and believe with the innocence and zeal of David… You each must also approach the battle with five stones.
1. First, the stone of humility, possessing the perfect knowledge of your nothingness and of My power and majesty.
2. Second, the stone of purity, purity of mind, heart, intention, word, desire…
3. Third, simplicity, detached from all, most especially from your ego.
4. Fourth, trust perfectly abandoned to My will.
5. Fifth, courage, courage rooted in love of Me to be perfectly obedient to My commands.
These stones are your weapons for battle, for the dragon will not be defeated according to the standards of the world but in the Light of Love… 1/18/12 Simple Path #148 p. 436
7. Repentance and Conversion
As Love Crucified, we are committed to go daily to the Cross to kiss the feet of Jesus crucified and beg the Spirit for the gift of self-knowledge, so that we can come in truth to know our sins, wounds and disordered tendencies. It is then, through this self-awareness, that we receive the gift of repentance.
Repentance is the gift of God that serves to pry open the hardened human heart so that My seeds of conversion can grow. Repentance is the Sword of the Spirit that opens the darkness within the human heart to be filled with God’s Light of truth, and the truth sets you free.
To live in repentance is to live clothed in the knowledge of who you are, which is misery, and the knowledge of who I Am, which is Love and Mercy.
To live in repentance is to live in the freedom of living in the embrace of Abba, Our Father.
Tell My souls to seek true repentance at the foot of My Cross and the power of My Love Crucified will set them free to live in My peace and the joy of My promise. 2/18/18
The soul that lives wrapped in the gift of knowledge grows in true humility and is then able to advance in My path on the wings of the Holy Spirit… It is here, at My feet, that you must persevere… 12/12/11 Simple Path #10 p.40. see full message >>
Confession: We are encouraged to go regularly to confession. There is no better way to make progress on our spiritual journey than by returning in humble repentance and love to God’s infinite mercy.
Our Mission:
To remain with Christ as His companions of the Cross.
MADRES ESPIRITUALES PARA SACERDOTES
Padre Jordi Rivero
«Toda vocación al sacerdocio proviene del Corazón de Dios, pero pasa por el corazón de una madre». —papa San Pío X
La maternidad espiritual fue establecida por Cristo en el Calvario cuando unió a la Santísima Virgen María y San Juan como madre e hijo (Cf. Jn. 19,26-27). Las madres espirituales para sacerdotes continúan esta vocación mariana como lo pide la Congregación para el Clero en su sitio web.
Con todo mi corazón, deseo alentar y ofrecer un agradecimiento especial a todas las madres de sacerdotes y seminaristas, y junto con ellas a todas las mujeres consagradas y laicas que han recibido ... el don de la maternidad espiritual para aquellos que son llamados al ministerio sacerdotal. Al ofrecer sus vidas, sus oraciones, sus sufrimientos y sus dificultades, así como sus alegrías, por la fidelidad y la santificación de los ministros de Dios, han venido a compartir de manera especial la maternidad de la Santa Iglesia, cuyo modelo y cumplimiento se encuentra en la divina maternidad de María Santísima. —Cardenal Piacenza, prefecto de la Congregación para el Clero, 2012.
El Espíritu Santo une a las mujeres con María para participar en su maternidad para los sacerdotes. Ellas ofrecen sus vidas por la santificación de los sacerdotes. Es una vocación que debe ser vivida en el corazón de María, imitando sus virtudes, especialmente la pureza, la humildad y el sacrificio. Las madres espirituales se relacionan con los sacerdotes con el corazón de María, obteniendo gracias de Jesús en la Cruz.
Todos los sacerdotes necesitan una madre espiritual
El cardenal Hummes, prefecto de la Congregación para el Clero, 2008, escribió:
No podemos prescindir de una maternidad espiritual para nuestra vida sacerdotal… en la historia de la Iglesia siempre ha acompañado silenciosamente el elegido linaje sacerdotal: se trata de la consagración de nuestro ministerio a un rostro determinado, a un alma consagrada, que esté llamada por Cristo y, por tanto, que elija ofrecerse a sí misma, sus sufrimientos necesarios y sus inevitables pruebas de la vida, para interceder en favor de nuestra existencia sacerdotal, viviendo de este modo en la dulce presencia de Cristo.
Esta maternidad, en la que se encarna el rostro amoroso de María, es preciso pedirla en la oración, pues sólo Dios puede suscitarla y sostenerla [1].
Como María, todas las mujeres tienen el don de ser madres mas allá del parto natural
El Papa Francisco, hablando con religiosas, dijo algunas cosas que también se aplican perfectamente a las mujeres laicas, solteras y casadas que han consagrado sus vidas a María y han abrazado el carisma de la maternidad espiritual:
La castidad genera hijos espirituales en la Iglesia ... Que esta alegría de la fecundidad espiritual motive sus vidas; sean madres, como figura de María, Madre y Madre Iglesia. Es imposible comprender a María sin su maternidad; Es imposible entender a la Iglesia aparte de su maternidad y ustedes son íconos de María y de la Iglesia.
¿Qué haría la Iglesia sin ti? ¡Carecería de tu maternidad, calidez, ternura e intuición maternal!
—Vaticano, 8 Mayo, 2013.
Cuando una madre espiritual recibe la gracia de vivir su vocación, su maternidad se expande. Ella se une a Cristo en sus tareas diarias por el bien de sus hijos espirituales, así como por todos aquellos que Dios ha puesto en su vida. Las mujeres que acompañaron a Jesús fueron madres espirituales.
¿Quién puede ser una madre espiritual para sacerdotes?
Las madres espirituales pueden ser casadas, religiosas, viudas, solteras, jóvenes o ancianas. Es una vocación de Dios, no un derecho. Descubrimos el llamado a medida que ponemos la mirada en Jesús Crucificado y nos abandonamos en Él.
Madres espirituales:
1- Unen sus tareas diarias a Jesús y María, ofreciéndose en reparación, intercesión y acción de gracias por la restauración de sus familias, sacerdotes y por todos.
2- Animan a sus hijos, como lo hizo María, a abrazar la Cruz. No malcrían a sus hijos. María también fue al Calvario con San Juan y quiere llevar a todos los sacerdotes a unirlos con su Hijo. Otros ejemplos: la madre que animó a cada uno de sus hijos a convertirse en mártir. «Aunque vio a sus siete hijos perecer en un solo día, lo soportó con buen coraje debido a su esperanza en el Señor». (2 Macabeos 7). También, Santa Rita, quien le pidió a Dios por la muerte de sus hijos si eso evitaría que se convirtieran en asesinos.
3- Oran para que los sacerdotes puedan irradiar a Cristo en todo; oran por aquellos sacerdotes que oran poco; por los que han caído en pecado y en vicios; por la liberación de los sacerdotes que están oprimidos, deprimidos, desesperados; por los que han perdido su amor por el Señor; por la perseverancia de todos. Oran también ora por aquellos que han sido heridos, alienados o escandalizados por los sacerdotes; por las ovejas que no tienen buen pastor.
También adoran por los que no adoran. Ellas continúan la oración que el ángel enseñó a los niños de Fátima en preparación para la visita de María: «¡Dios mío, creo, adoro, espero y te amo! Te pido perdón por aquellos que no creen, no adoran, no esperan y no te aman.»
4- Buscan la intercesión de la Santísima Virgen María por aquellos que la han olvidado. Ellas suplican a María que los sacerdotes puedan "adorar en espíritu y en verdad" (Jn 4,24) y, por lo tanto, sean sacerdotes-víctimas puras unidas a Cristo. También hacen reparaciones para consolar al corazón herido de Jesús, que se aflige por la frialdad, las ofensas y las traiciones de sus sacerdotes y espera que regresen a Su abrazo misericordioso.
[1]Carta con motivo de la jornada mundial de oración por la santificación de los sacerdotes, 22 abril del 2008. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_20080530_santificazione-sacerdotale_sp.html