Friday, August 10th
St. Lawrence
Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wants to be a follower of Mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow Me,"
Matthew 16:24
Unless a wheat grain falls to the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain
John 12:24

The natural self is given to be discarded: as the chrysalis is to the butterfly, so is the natural self to the human soul. And unless it is purposefully set aside in the process of time and experience it is a handicap to further growth and development : soul-growth is stunted, potential unrealised. The natural self was designed to be the womb of the soul. All life is sustained and progressed by reaching out to that which created it. So does the soul grow and prosper by search and openness. And as the search and openness continue there is growth, for the loving Heavenly Father tends, waters, and feeds His beloved child - Our Holy Spirit enlightens and empowers, and I Indwell.

And each and every beloved child of the Heavenly Father who progresses according to His loving will and purpose is offered a share in the pain of the world's total suffering by identifying that which he experiences in contrary circumstance with the cross which I continually bear for suffering humanity. Each one who so identifies, in whatever belief, or faith shares in the joy and fulfilment of My risen life.