I am at the Institute for Priestly Formation (I.P.F) on the campus of Creighton University in Omaha Nebraska this summer. As a beginning to our time here, my fellow seminarians and I took part in an Ignatian 8 day silent retreat. Today was the last day of my very first, but by no means last, retreat such as this. To all of those who thought I couldn't keep quiet for that long... well, you were nearly right, but by the grace of God, I persevered.
In all honesty, though, this experience gave me a plenitude of graces and an awareness of the closeness of Christ throughout my life. Through this experience, I faced my demons, but not alone. I was consoled through the valleys of tears and exulted in the paths of righteousness by Our Lord and His Blessed Mother.
I feel that I must give you one example of the powerful prayer that I experienced while on retreat. As participants, we were required to make four individual Holy Hours each day, in which we would meditate on a passage of Holy Scripture. One evening, toward the end of the retreat, I was meditating on a passage from Zachariah, Chapter 3, verses 1-5. It is the fourth vision given to this Old Testament prophet. Let me simply relate it to you here:
"Then he [the word of the Lord] showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, o Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed in filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel... So they... clothed him with garments and the angel of the Lord was standing by."
In my meditation, I utilized the Rosary as a means to contemplate each facet of this passage, and the vantages from each principal character.
I began, then, the first two decades as seeing and living the passage from the vantage of Joshua. As I stood there, I remember feeling tired and afraid. Satan was there to my right accusing me of my entire life of failings and sin. I remember then the angel of the Lord cutting off the accusing hand of Satan that was pointed toward me. The I remember my filthy garment being gently removed -- it had adhered to wounds underneath, and so it was with pain that it came off. Then, I remember a robe of white light envelope me, and I ascended into the heavens.
The second vantage I took, in the third decade, was that of Satan. I could feel his jealousy and rage. Joshua was his, and he could prove it. But as he, or rather I, began the litany of sin against Joshua, God's angel cut my hand off. From then on, I kept silent, always watching a waiting for another chance to take my prize to hell.
The third vantage was from the angel of the Lord. I remember seeing Joshua and Satan below me. I could see the suffering in Joshua's eyes and the hatred in Satan's. I grew in righteous anger against Satan's accusing hand, and with my sword of Truth, I struck it, and it melted away. I then turned to Joshua and told him that his garment must be removed. Then a person, followed by two others came to Joshua, and slowly, gently removed the robe from Joshua's tired frame. When this was completed, the three persons seemed to meld together into the most beautiful garment of light. It closed around Joshua and lifted him to Heaven.
The final vantage I took to this time of meditation was from the vantage of God the Father. I remember watching the hole scene unfold, but I was not watching from afar. I was standing between Joshua and Satan. I turned to Satan, with tears of sadness in my eyes, and I embraced him. Satan immediately turned to dust. Then I remember turning to Joshua, again with the deepest love. It is no simple servant that was sent to change Joshua's garment. I was sent. I went to Joshua, with my Word and my Love, and we gently tended to Joshua's wounds. Finally, we embraced him, and brought our Beloved Son to heaven.
This reflection and meditation was only one of many life-changing experiences that took place within the past week. I am so thankful to the Blessed Virgin's constant love and intercession to her Son. I am so grateful to my God for His unfailing Love and Presence.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen and Amen.
ALLELUIA!
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