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.
Faith to Become the Sword of the Spirit
Lourdes Pinto – May 19, 2016
Note: The following text contains supplemental notes, not a complete transcription of the audio. To get a fuller understanding of this teaching, we recommend you listen to the audio.
Jesus:
We are making all things new through My Blood and the blood of My victim souls. My little one, believe that the union of love in suffering with God produces one hundredfold. Trust in your beloved Spouse who is making you a new creation in God and for God. This Path (book) is My Light in the darkness, hope in despair… It is My formation manual for My saints of these times. You (Love Crucified) have been entrusted this treasure from God. (I see the Path inside the heart of each LC member where it is protected, loved, appreciated and blessed. We must be the hidden force for every soul that receives the Path to read.)
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“Believe that the union of love in suffering with God produces one hundredfold.”
- The word “believe” appears 115X in the Path.
*Mark 9:19, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
*Mark 9:24, “I believe, help my unbelief.”
*Do we believe when we are in the midst of suffering?
*In pain and suffering how do we react?
*Do we remain in complete PEACE because we have come to believe in the power of our suffering as one with Christ?
2. My experience this week with my pain & sorrows.
*The Path helped me.
*The Holy Spirit sent Fr. Ron to remind me of the Path and he coached me through it (as a midwife helps a woman give birth)
3. The danger of forgetting the Word.
Cardinal Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, wrote:
The Church is able to resist every attack, all the assaults that political, economic and cultural powers can unleash against her, but she cannot resist the danger that comes from forgetting this word of Jesus: "You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world." Jesus himself indicates the consequence of this forgetfulness: "But if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? (Path p380)
*Mark 9:49 - “Everyone will be salted with fire.”
*How can we lose our “saltiness”? Forgetting the words of Jesus to us and who we are.
*All new life comes through labor pains.
4. On Pentecost Sunday I had the experience:
*My heart united to Jesus’ Heart –as ONE becoming "sword–fire".
*The Holy Spirit led me to last chapter of Path (8) to reflect the prophecies the Lord has given us:
5. BELIEVE / Sword of the Spirit tested under fire.
*Jesus calls us to “believe”: This means the power of our lives as the sword of the Spirit is contingent on our FAITH.
*Blessed Titus Brandsma was a frail and peaceful Dutch priest, yet the Nazis called him “that dangerous little friar.” They feared the power of his witness and words. By holding fast to love and truth he came into conflict with the forces of evil. He wrote: “He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it.” (Path p380)
“Faith is always also a sword and may indeed promote conflict for the sake of truth and love.” -Cardinal Ratzinger (Path p381)
6. Prophecies Received By Our Community:
149- “I'm forming you as My warriors of love,” Diary of a MOC
Become the Sword of the Spirit to conquer the dragon.
The armor you put on is to protect you from being overcome and conquered by the enemy, but your sword is what has the power to pierce the enemy and conquer it. "To put on the armor of light... put on your Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 13:12;14) is to become the Sword of the Spirit. I have been leading you through the passage of union with your Crucified Lord, union with the Word of the Cross. It is in this union that you enter your Crucified Lord and, beginning at the foot of the Cross with Mary, your lives become the Sword of the Spirit.These are the warriors that will fight the decisive battle and have the power of God to conquer the dragon. I desire each of you to become ONE with the Sword of the Spirit through My Cross. (11/2/11) p.407
7. How do we enter this “conflict” as the “sword of the Spirit”?
1. Believing that suffering in love with Christ has the power of God.
This means entering interior spiritual battle through the power of the martyrdom of heart.
2. Confront others by speaking the truth.
8. Homework
Study section 8-B-4, “Prophecies Received By Our Community” (p405f) & make an outline or summary covering these key questions:
1. What is the Lord asking us to believe?
2. What is our mission? Who are you? What is your identity?
3. What key words stand out in each message, why are they important and what are they saying to your heart?