Refreshing the fountain of life within




If we had to seek for virtue outside of ourselves, that would assuredly be
difficult; but as it is within us, it suffices to avoid bad thoughts and to keep
our souls turned towards the Lord. -Philokalia


From my teacher:
To remake ourselves, we don't have to bring goodness,love, fearlessness, and the like from without and force them into our hearts somehow. They are already present in us, deep in our consciousness.
If we work to remove the impediments that have built up over many years of conditioning, to dislodge the old resentments and fears and selfish desires, our life will become like a fountain of living waters, as it was meant to be. An old fountain may be clogged so that not much water can get through. But with a lot of cleaning, you can get the water to start playing again. Then grass and flowers will grow around it, and birds will come there to have their bath. Just so, love can flow from us as from a living fountain, and those we live and work with will come to us to be refreshed.
_________________________________________________________________

I am challenged to remember that within my heart is the infinite power of the Holy Spirit and the life giving resources of the Kingdom of Heaven. What is needed is for me to allow the Lord to remove all the "emotional programs for happiness"and the conditioning of the false self or the ego based personality, and simply "be" in the presence of the Essence, the One who exists in the Eternal Now.
Remembrance, as is taught by Christ through the Eucharist--is the practice which creates a flow of life giving water within. This is the life that is abundant and that which draws us so that we express in our behavior-the Kingdom of God within.
Oh, Lord Christ, may it be that others might be refreshed by the flow of life giving water from your Spirit, O Christ, as You dwell and refresh the Essential Eternal Soul/Self--the place where You exist, within us.
Help me to remember Lord Jesus, what You have done for me today.
Grace upon Grace.

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