Volume IV Lesson #5

Before Cross at Lourdes Shrine

10/21/91

SELF-DENIAL

My dear one, as I was dying on the Cross, I looked in despair for My Mother in hopes that she would com­fort Me and be by My side in My last moments of agony. She gave Me hope and love for My broken body. I could not find Her because the blood dripped into My eyes and My vi­sion was blurred! In despair I thought, “Where is My love to comfort Me? Has she, too, abandoned Me?”

All I had was then to abandon further unto death of My own Self, physically and spiritually. Those, who are blessed to suffer unto Me, must also be crucified and die to their very selves.

Self-denial is the ultimate self death route. Choose only to accept those things that give glory to God. If it pleases you and does not bring glory to God, then it is not self-denial! Do not deceive yourself to think that it is. Be careful, as you get closer to My Kingdom spiritually, that you are not deceived to think that you are living in self-denial when, in fact, you are not!

Self-denial is an emptiness, not only of physical pleasures, but also spiritual! Avoid spiritual gluttony. Abandon totally in your pain to the emptiness of self death, as I experienced and lived out for you. This I have done for you, that I experienced even the abandonment spiritually of My Father and My be­loved Mother, My treasures.

Many wish to know the key to self-denial. My answer is to avoid all pleasures of self which do not give glory to God, and do not influence yourself to believe that, because it is your desire, it would always bring glory to God.

Pray that the discernment and strength to self death, because of your love and desire to please Me, will always remain as the primary choice in your heart, above your own desires. Accept only to live out those experiences and things which bring glory to God.

Beware, also, of spiritual gluttony. Allow Me to even strip you of spiritual enlightenment to achieve total unity in aban­donment through self death.

Self-denial is the way to embrace My Cross and die to the world, only to gain life. Peace, My dear one. Peace to you in My death on this Cross.