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.
Identity: Know Who You Are
Lourdes Pinto — December 8, 2016
Adam and Eve fell because they had not embraced their identity in relation with God and with each other. Our perseverance in the Church, in our relationships and community requires that we know who we are and are willing to fight for it...
Note: These are supplemental notes. To get a fuller and richer understanding of this teaching, we recommend you listen to the audio.
Adam and Eve fell because they had not embraced their identity in relation with God and with each other and the responsibility that goes with it: son, spouse, protector, guardian of the garden... This is an essential aspect of loving.
Satan was able to plant thoughts of distrust against God. Once they disobeyed they would not accept their wrongdoing. Intead they blamed each other and God: Gen 3:9-20 "The woman whom you put here with me, she gave me fruit..." Notice the lack of love.
For Love to endure we must know who the other is to me and be willing to suffer to defend the relationship. Adam did not act according to his identity as husband and his identity as son of God who had made them to be one in love. The woman then blames the Serpent. When the truth is exposed, they go into hidding, away from the relationship.
Why were they disobedient?
Their love and identity was not yet perfected through sacrifice. Instead of trusting God who is all good and truth, they were open to other options. Instead of thinking of the spouse they each thought only of themselves. Their identity wan not mature.
Message 66 on The Path: "The virtue of obedience it the fruit of interior transformation... it grows from humility and purity of heart." To be obedient we must be willing to go through this transformation. We must abandon of our will and believe. Obedience is the fruit of trust and love. Disobedience comes from a heart that lacks trust and love.
Jesus was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father. He loves and trusts. He knows His identity: who He is, where He came from, where He is going.
To grow in obedience is to grow in deep attentiveness to the movements and stirrings of the Holy Spirit.
This is why silence is so important. God told us: "Perfect obedience to My will is your response of love."
Meekness
Meekness is not being a wimp; it is to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we are not defined by earthly power. It is know who you are and where you are going. To be at home in your own skin, not afflicted with envy, no defined by what you or others do or have. To be meek is to be free because you know you belong to God. Blessed are the meek!
Jesus and Mary are the New Adam and the New Eve. She gives birth to the New Adam and forms Him. Encourages and conforts Him, suffering all with Him. There is no blame between them but only perfect sacrificial victim love.
This is the mission of The Path: to bring us into a profound interior transformation so that we can trust, surrender and love God and thus live in perfect obedience to His will. Only through the work of The Path, which requires our consent and great dedication, that we become meek of heart, free to live our true identity knowing where we come from, where we are going and who we are. The Lord is telling us:
KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!
Our perseverance in the Church, in our relationships and in community requires that we know who we are and are willing to fight for it.
Messages from The Path 47-48
Jesus says to the Mothers of the Cross: "You are my consolation because you are united as one with Mary the New Eve. I need you to bring life my Missionaries of the Cross and to all the men in our territory of souls… It is my hidden martyrs of love, in perfect union with the Queen of Martyrs, that will raise up my apostles of light. Know that I have taken my abode in each of your hearts, therefore radiate the humility and purity of my mother. Do not grow weary in your hidden life of suffering all with me for you are my holy remnant that God the Father will use to purify My Church and pierce the darkness penetrating her. Therefore, go forth my daughters, as My holy warriors with Mary to seize the dragon and cast him into hell."
It is through the hidden life of my mothers of the cross that my army of holy priests will be raised. These spiritual mothers will live the tears and sorrows of their hearts united as one with the mother of sorrows. Zilkia and Maria have experienced the grace of our Blessed Mother of tears in this pilgrimage.
As mothers united with Mary, we bring life to others. But each (Mothers and Missionaries of the Cross) must be perfected in living her hidden ordinary life with all its trials, sorrows, exhaustion with PURE LOVE.
In this community there is confession and accompaniment
Our transformation and our freedom to live our identity as sons of God comes through our openness to receive both. Our way of responding when we mess up reveals the disposition of our hearts. Like Adam: the way he reacted revealed the darkness in his heart. But when we go with good disposition to confession and accompaniment, we can enter the root system of that darkness, the hidden pride in all of us. This develops a meek heart.
Our identity as a hidden soul
One of the greatest purifications is to embrace the reality that our lives as victims of love will go unnoticed by the world. We need to enter and accept our identity as hidden souls. Then we begin to live in the freedom of knowing who we are in the gaze of the Father and be happy being unnoticed by the world and even by our closest family. This gives power to our intercession and our ability to bring new life to the New Adams.
The transformation of the Missionaries of the Cross is contingent to the Mothers of the Cross being obedient to their mission. Also, If the the men do not become meek (firm in their identity in Christ the bridegroom), they will not be able to protect the women nor the mission. They will remain old Adams. They will not be obedient to the mission given by God to this community. Thus we all need each living The Path in order to grow.
Message 44 of The Path tells us: "through the restoration of motherhood I will strengthen the domestic church, aid in the healing of fatherhood and bring restoration to my universal Church."
Our identity is in Christ and Mary as victims of love
Ephesians chp. 1 tells us that we were chosen, destined, according to the purpose of the ONE, Christ. Ours is not a separate mission, It is one with Jesus. We continue the mission of Christ. Through The Path, we are to become Christ and be love. We exist to praise and glorify the Father as we live our identity as victims of love suffering all with Christ solely for love. Our mission is to be united specifically to His victimhood and to live it on earth bringing forth the graces of redemption. Our identity is Christ as victim.
All Mothers of the Cross will conceive many sons to be Jesus.
At the Annunciation the angel says to Mary, “The Lord has found favor with you.” The Lord says this now to the Mothers of the Cross as they are called to be one with Mary: "You are my delight." So do not be afraid, each mother is going to conceive and bear sons—Jesus in the priests. This is our purpose. Nothing is impossible with God.
Messages 139-140. "Give your lives for them united with Mary as victim intercessors." We give birth to them and they bring us to heaven. The women need to help form the men become victims of love. If we are not transformed at the cross with Mary as victim souls, will will bring them trouble, not help. We have to be a committed community to this transformation.
Jesus is God and He humbles Himself and receives formation from the Father and from Mary.
It is important to receive the charism and mission form me (Lourdes), the spiritual mother of the community. This is my identity and responsibility. If I would not give the pure milk as spiritual mother of the community, I would fail the Lord. But you as members of the Community have the responsibility to receive from me the charism. This is a fundamental point of discernment to know if you are called to Love Crucified. I had to grow through many years to say this because my lack of meekness blocked me from being fully who I am in Christ and so I hid my identity. That is a sin.
Many men do not want to receive formation from ordinary moms. Until they have the humility to receive they will not be able to be Christ crucified. See how Father Felix received from Conchita to be part of Works of the Cross. Only the humble and pure of heart receive The Path and find it to be a treasure. Pride and arrogance is an obstacle to receive. It becomes a wall.
May this reflexion help you in your discernment, to solidify and grow in meekness, and to acquire the freedom to live who we are in Christ.