The Mind Toward Heaven
In 1932, in a letter addressed to “dear Sister M. Giovannina,” Luisa Piccarreta writes, “The mind toward Heaven, the gaze to the Cross, the heart loving Him, the arms always in the act of hugging Him, the steps calling Him, the words saying always “Fiat”. In each thing never escape from acquiring a degree of sanctity. Make yourself a saint; Jesus wants it, make Him content.”
“The mind toward Heaven.” We are called to contemplate on the Eternal Perspective in all things. Truth be told, every single thing in this life, from the most random and small to the most obvious and large, has its purpose in some way with the Divine Will. And it is always ordered towards our sanctification and, ultimately, our salvation. We must reflect on the perspective of Heaven in the events and circumstances of our daily life, even to our moments as they occur. Seek to find God’s hand involved in the act and occurrence of the present moment.
We ought to also frequently meditate on our final end, the Four Last Things. Death, Judgment, Heaven or Hell. As the Church Militant, we must wage combat against our vices, and ascend the ladder of holiness through the acquisition of virtue. This is how we keep our mind toward Heaven, by reflecting on our thoughts, words, and deeds and ordering them towards the conformity of our will to the Divine Will.
“The gaze to the Cross.” In this phrase, we now have a tangible object on which to direct our eyes, which is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it is at Calvary where we learn the science of holiness that was assiduously studied by the Saints and Martyrs. It was through patient suffering and humble resignation wherein our Lord won for us our blessed redemption. And it is through those same avenues whereby we arrive to the Heart of our Father in Heaven.
We also know that the Cross is truly made present to us at the Holy Mass. Thus, we discover that we literally gaze to the Cross at every Mass, and we can reap the same spiritual benefits as those who remained at our Lord’s side as He was immolated on Good Friday. So then we find a closeness towards Mary our Mother of Sorrows, St. John the Beloved Disciple, and St. Mary Magdalene. Let us also remember St. Dismas, the Good Thief who died alongside our Lord. To understand what it means to live in the Divine Will, we must first know how to gaze to the Cross.
“The words saying always Fiat.” St. Gabriel the Archangel said to Mary that nothing shall be impossible with God, and our Lady responded, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.” Our Lord taught, “Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.” Fiat comes from the Latin rendering for “Let it be done.” God spoke His Fiat at the dawn of creation, and so it was. He proclaimed, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
May our lives reflect the Fiat of Almighty God. May His Will be fused into our own, so that everything we want and do is only what He would want and do. We pray every day, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,” just as our Lord instructed us. May His Kingdom truly come through us, the Kingdom of His Divine Will.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls. Amen.
