Author Topic: Zeal of Souls: How Do You Foster It? (Read 1289 times)

Waskiewicz · « **on:** November 02, 2011, 11:57:13 AM »

It is clear that the saints burned with a desire to save souls for Christ. Not only do we have an abundant source of quotes from them about what a great grace this is, but we can also see this as a distinguishing feature in many of their lives. Take for example a quote of St. John Chrysostom:

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Zeal for the salvation of souls is of so great a merit before God, that to give up all our goods to the poor, or to spend our whole life in the exercises of all sorts of austerities cannot equal the merit of it. There is no service more agreeable to God than this one. To employ one's life in this blessed labor is more pleasing to the Divine Majesty than to suffer martyrdom. Would you not feel happy if you could spend large sums of money in corporal works of mercy? But know that he who labors for the salvation of souls does far more; nay, the zeal of souls is of far greater merit before God . . . than the working of miracles.

My question for you is how do you work in your life at growing this most exquisite zeal? What encourages you, what compels you, what enthralls you to the beautiful end of laboring for the salvation of souls? Is it the life of a particular saint, a book, a (supernatural) byproduct of prayer or meditation? And if you wish to add, what effects does it manifest in your life?

Parents, how are you working to instill this in the hearts of your children? How should we all enkindle this flame in others?

We have many a man filled with wise winged words on this forum. You know our Mother didn’t bestow the grace of understanding on you only for it to be hid under a bush. Please share your thoughts and help us little ones! :)

wallflower · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2011, 12:08:41 PM »

It's a great question. One with an answer that I'd like to know as well. I used to be very motivated this way but got pretty burnt out the past few years.

Man of the West · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2011, 12:48:58 PM »

I may not have the sole and abiding answer to this all-important question, but I can share what has helped me in the past.

1. First of all, you must cultivate a profound love of Christ and his Church. All of our power comes from this love, which is Divine charity living in us. It is only natural that we will not have much success converting souls to Christ, if our own soul is not in love with Him. Prayer and study, study and prayer, will be our best allies here, and not some sui generis attempt to "act more spiritual." The sacramental and penitential path to virtue has the result of making you more choate, more substantial and real. You will never know how much this reality of yours impresses people, because they will hardly ever tell you, being slightly afraid of it and ashamed of their comparative unworthiness; but you will shine like a beacon in this wishy-washy world. Modesty, simplicity, and charity unfeigned are the weapons that pierce the hearts of mortals and put demons to flight.

2. Have heroes. They can be either real or fictional, living or dead, it does not matter. The point is not to model your life precisely after them, but to play in the same league as them. You must conceive of yourself as being in a state of war, and these mighty men of fearsome aspect are your comrades in arms.For some unthinkable reason, they have all befriended you and elected you to be a member of their company. Now in order to not let them down, in order to be worthy of the unmerited honor they have bestowed on you,you have to hold the gate. You will have misery multiplied upon misery, you would rather lose life itself than lose this honor. You would rather die in the company of these men, and with their approval, than live under any other conditions. I know of no better way to sum up the heroic life than that which is contained in the simple maxim, "Whenever you feel like quitting, DON'T!"

3. Ride off into the sunset. That means, do not stick around after the fact to see what good your work is doing, or else you will end up kibbitzing over matters that are not really within your control. You want to be a soldier for Christ, not some insufferable brood hen. Think of the knight Great Heart at the end of The Pilgrim's Progress. After destroying giants and demons and confronting every kind of evil, the only reward he sought was to go and bring more pilgrims to the Celestial City. (For the record, I find this one to be the most difficult to practice.)

In the last analysis, I believe that putting ourselves completely at the service of God is the only true path to zeal. Mortification, penance, and the painful emptying of ourselves necessarily follow upon any serious attempt to be "at the service of God," but this is the training regimen that purchases the victory, and in itself does more good than you will ever know in this life.

Stephen Francis · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2011, 02:14:39 PM »

MotW, I'd like to agree AND disagree with you (charitably, of course) in your opinions:

1) Deo gratias. Rarely have truer, fitter words for the Christian life been expressed.

2) I'd like to insist that our heroes should in fact be BOTH living and dead. By this I mean the Saints of the Church; there are no greater heroes in history, EVER, than those who lived lives of heroic sanctity and supernatural zeal both for God's glory and for souls. My hero is Francis of Assisi (hence my screen name), but I have recently fallen in love with the virtues of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, whose biography I am currently reading. What a beautiful devotion to Our Lord and His Sacred Heart she expressed, and how she encouraged it in others!

3) I could not agree with you more, except to point out that 'Progress' is a virulently anti-Catholic work that should have no place in a Catholic's library. When I lived as a Protestant, I read the life of John Bunyan; indeed, a 'pastor' that I know is an INTERNATIONALLY-known expert on the life of Bunyan and on 'Pilgrim's Progress'. Trust me when I tell you it was definitely written with poisonous malice toward Christ's true Church.

In short, zeal for souls can only be gained and/or increased as we recognize our own desperate need for God's great mercies and graces.

PONDER THE CROSS OF OUR LORD. Contemplate His sufferings, His wounds, His rejection by men, though He loved them so much. Recognize YOUR sins as those that brought Christ low and burdened Him as He bore the Cross to Calvary.

Now, then, mindful of all that Christ suffered, call to mind the fact that He did not suffer for His own sake, but for YOUR sins, and that the merits of His Passion, Death and Resurrection are more than superabundant to satisfy YOUR faults and those of ANYONE who will come to Him in faith through His Church.

CONFESS REGULARLY. DO NOT despise or treat lightly the great and wonderful blessing of unburdening yourself of your secret sins and pleading with Christ, through His priest, for forgiveness and absolution. He is great in mercy and will abundantly pardon those who confess willingly, completely and with that firm resolve to conform their life more closely to His.

Finally, NEVER forget that we are not, as the Protestants are, in the business of handing out condemnation. We, as those called to be saints, are to HUMBLE ourselves in acts of charity and in telling others about the Faith, not to go about arguing or screaming in the streets. GIVE REASON, by your prayers, your deeds and your chastity and modesty, for people to WONDER at the work of God, just as they did when they marveled at the lame man that was healed through the prayer of St. Peter. The Apostle confessed that it was not his power that healed the man, but it WAS the prayer of a righteous man, not the presumptuous arrogance of the heretics who believe they have no obligations before God other than mental assent.

The more we draw close to Christ and lean upon His strength and receive of His merciful graces, the more we will be like Him. That, and nothing else, will make our lives attractive to others, and make the souls of others attractive to us, because our hearts will be like the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, Who said, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."[/color]

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Waskiewicz · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2011, 02:46:51 PM »

Thank you both so much for your edifying words! There are some real gems in your posts. (Hopefully others won’t be intimidated to add their thoughts.)

If Christ be with us, our words have the power to move hearts. I pray that your words move the hearts of Catholics to a steady powerful zeal for souls. If us traditional Catholics don’t love those lost souls, if we don’t burn with a desire to save them, to pray for them, to (gently) move them to love God; who will? Who is going to bring those souls out of the mire to be washed in the Precious Blood of Christ?

I too think Stephen Francis’ “PONDER THE CROSS OF OUR LORD” seems to be a wonderful means of arriving at Man of the West’s first point: "Profound Love of God." The only thing I’ll add is advice from St. Theresa of Avila that helped and comforted me with my terrible excuse for meditation:

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I only wish to inform you that in order to profit by this path and ascend to the dwelling places we desire, the important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love.

The Interior Castle IV:1 vii

She goes on to state the signs of true love, and sure enough zeal for souls is amongst them. Oh, if I could but stir the whole world to this love! I desire to bring all to the sweet perfection of His grace, only I am not afforded with the lights to know how to arrive at such peaks let alone what the peaks consist in. When I find a little budding virtue or a burning flame in my heart I can’t help but run to Him and say, “My Love, what have you put in Your little servant’s hands?” … Surely I do not know how to use it well, nor from whence it appeared. Thankfully I can be content with praying He enlightens you wise people to speak and teach us how to grow! I send you very many thank yous for corresponding with His graces.
(P.S. and for the biography recommendation, SF! I only have a couple pages left in the one I'm reading on St. Martin de Porres and was searching for the next one to pick up. Found it!)

wallflower, I fear that state more than most anything. Who can forget the terrible rebuke our Lord gave to the Church in Laodicea:

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I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of My Mouth. Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

The Apocalypse 3:15-17

Oh, may He not say those frightful words to any of us, our brethren, or our “enemies,” though we be nothing more than wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked!