Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him

 Wig’s Word of God Today 4-10-2011

I will put My Spirit in you that you may live. Ezekiel 37:14a
 
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:9e
And Jesus wept. John 11:35
 
Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:8-11 & John 11:1-45
 
I begin today with an apology because I am so late today sending my study. I know, many of you have already been to “service” today soaking in the Word or relishing the Mass or both of course. This weekend lead me to a silent Ignatius Retreat called Magis. In many ways it was a magical weekend full of silent one-on-one contemplation with the LORD where I wrote and encountered Jesus and the Holy Spirit but I learned it’s hard to stay absolutely silent when the world is beckoning at your door. Magis means more in Latin. The ability to give more yet expect less. Yes, less is more in charity and love. This was my first real silent retreat but indeed it will not be my last. St. Ignatius of Loyola went from a mean fighter to seeking sainthood after 30 years of roughneck carousing. Many of us can attest to seemingly waiting until we are older to give it all to the LORD but Ignatius’ all lead him to writing an amazing insight of prayers that ultimately has given many people the opportunity to be in communion with God.
 
This amazing saint broke down praying and giving it all to the LORD through a step-by-step process. Yes, I’m sure there are many types of prayers in the world but if you want to get in communion with God his writings will change the way you view giving your all to the LORD. He recognized the need to surrender to the LORD every moment of every day. Each little thing by examining your conscious to allowing the Blood of Christ to drip on your sin itself. There is so much to seek when you consecrate yourself to living a life of Christ in your thoughts, in your conscious and your deeds. The retreat will allow you to withdraw and contemplate God’s Will and discern Christ’s call for more- more of us in giving the world faith, charity and love taking on the reality of Christ in day-to-day to nourish the Spirit. I will describe this nourishment as more than a surrender, a communion with the Trinity of God in all things; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is no coincidence the study today was being One in the Spirit as Paul so eloquently wrote, it’s learning to conduct all affairs in the Spirit of God that gives us strength, courage and love of living the Gospel for the greater Glory of God. Amen.
 
Today’s Gospel message in John 11 Jesus shows us a side we are sure that’s there but not displayed often. He went to a Cross without crying or stammering or begging for His life. He accepted His task as God’s Will while being in pain from whips and chains to having His hands and feet nailed to our Cross; our Cross of Salvation. He lead by example and His example gives us guidance to accept the LORD’s Will establishing in us a desire to be His messenger of sharing His Redemption. The Bible tells us Jesus cried when hearing of the death of His friend Lazarus. His reaction is one of His humanistic quality but His Majestic Power raised Lazarus to show He was the Christ, the living Son of God. He paved the way for giving more while receiving less and He gave His life to prove it. When you can give your life of more self to loving your love of Christ you can experience less worries and live in a complete confidence of His Truth to guide your every moment of living. Amen.
 
So we ask in prayer: Dear LORD, we pray today for Your Will to accomplish Magis in our lives for the greater Glory of God. My wife and I pray especially for the new found friends who taught us how to embrace a Christian Life Community in everything we do. In Jesus Name we pray.  Amen.
 

God Bless,
Thomas Joe Cruz-Wiggins
Romans 8:28
“Spirit led God inspired Christ fed”

Magis

In silence I learned
A word in Latin to yearn
Magis is the word
Meaning more to be heard

Acquire this surrender
A life of Christ to see
Where more is less
Less is everything to be

Where all senses seek
His creation to respect
The world is a gift
Treat Her with no regret

Empty yourself of sin
Asking to give more and win
Redemption when we fall
God’s Son Eternal Call

Incarnation from self
Mary’s worry she shelved

We too must find
God’s love in the Divine
 
Two standards we learned

Good and evil to discern
A battlefield of sin
Christ’s standard will win
Now it’s time to discern
Open our hearts to learn
God will overwhelm our soul
True freedom to forever show

 
Take on His Passion
Live to testify rejecting sin
His suffering in others

His Cross of death turned Eternal Life to win
 
We live in contemplation
We abandon our life for Him

Allow God to take control
Christ’s reflection in the wind
 
We are the church

We live and believe to see
His Spirit guiding us all
To teach humanity One Body His decree
 

His community was set
On the Cross He did bleed
Cleansing all to witness
His eternal life for you and me

 
Our Magis retreat is over
More is less to fulfill
Christ’s call to conversion
Ignatius life to live His will

Thomas Joe Cruz Wiggins April 10, 2011 @ 9:57 AM EST Casa de San Juan, Miami, Beach, Fl