September 14, 1978
RIGHTS AND DUTIES
Write brother Octavio, I am Pope John XXIII.
The message that St. Theresa of the Child Jesus gave to you merits, as all the others,that all the souls who can get it may read it; in fact life on earth is really a testing ground: personal test for which every human creature will be obliged to account for his own works but the man is not alone on the earth, he is “naturally” friendly because he has been created by God this way, therefore he will be obliged to account either for the family or for the societies of which he is a member. The first among all the societies of which he is part and for which he will be obliged to account, is the Church, be it Catholic or not, then of the various civil societies such as Commune, Province, Nation, finally of those of private character, because every society requires rights and duties.
You see, brother Octavio, they are very scarce the souls endowed of this spiritual sensibility for which they are convinced that if they fail towards some of these societies, for example Parish, Commune or State they commit a sin...
The Enemy has sown really devilish convictions about this, too. But why this introduction to what I want to tell you?
It is simple: we supreme Pastors have opened a talk to you meant to prepare you to the hour of purification and to the regenerated Church, it is true that the souls destined to overcome the obstacle of purification are already signed by the divine Mercy, but “woe” to them if they won’t be ready!
Faith and purity of adamantine customs
The “integral” christian life in the new Church must be exempt from the serious evils by which the mankind of today is affected. Woe to the men that will be found unprepared!
If their faith was to be shaken and if the way of their living was corrupt and infected by the serious evils of the present christian life, if faith and purity of customs were not adamantine, terror, desperation and even general madness would be the harvest of their earthly and eternal life!
Brother Octavio, very dear brother, you must prepare yourself seriously with the prayer which invokes the “gifts” of fortitude and of perseverance to be coherent to what St. Theresa of the Child Jesus has suggested and that is fidelity to the faith, to the law and to love, to the love that does not fear, does not judge and does not doubt, because love will be the one that wins.
Uniquique suum, to everybody his own, to God what is of God and to our neighbour what it’s of the neighbour.
Brother Octavio, if from the top of a tower you see a man running in the street, running crazily towards a precipice from which he can climb up again no more and, if that man was a brother of yours, what would you do?
Wouldn’t you get down flying to reach him and save him from the irreparable? Yes, would you?
Well then isn’t it this what happens under your eyes?
How many men are running crazily towards the eternal ruin of their souls, towards that precipice from which they can climb up again no more .
Haven’t you been told since the beginning when you started your Communion with the Saints: what we communicate to you cry it loudly to everybody so that everybody knows, so that nobody can say that he has been taken by surprise?
The love in action is the most perfect love
- If I started to cry who would listen to me if even now from many we are estimated crazy, and then it is not my task to do what you tell me.
- Yes, brother, keep to the orders of the Apostle as well, but don’t forget that just the Apostle has warned you that the action of the enemy has tripled in number and power… but your efforts haven’t increased in proportion.
The number of the souls in danger of damning themselves increases; the bold arrogance of the enemy rises…
You instead didn’t adjourne yourselves adequately! You must fight with an enemy that knows well how to hide and to camouflage himself and still better to manage; be cautious, be prudent and don’t discourage yourselves, Jesus is the strongest!
- What must we do to adjourne ourselves?
- Learn to defend yourselves better, the fortress and the victory in the fight, will be in you in the measure you will use to free yourselves from the scorie of so many little things; purer is your soul and greater will be your power.
Also the powder that settles on the precious stone dims its splendor and how many times aren’t you repeating to yourself that before God nothing is great and nothing is small… but also by small and tiny things you can do great things and great conquests in the pastoral field!
Don’t worry if you don’t see the fruits; you seldom will be granted even only to sense them, for a design of the divine Wisdom and Providence!
So, me too, I have wanted to answer your invitation and I thank you of having done it to me, because the love in action is the most perfect love, in sofar as love always donates and donating to you is a motive of rejoycing.
I unite myself to the numerous group of your friends of the Heavenly Country in asking the Almighty God by means of yours and our Queen, help, grace and protection against the snares of the Enemy.
I bless you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen.