THE INTERIOR JOURNEY


OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL (Optional Memorial)

Isa 26:7-9,12,16-19; Ps 102:13-21; Mt 11:28-30

The Naure of Our Spiritual Journey

In our quest for a spiritual or heavenly life, we struggle to gain knowledge of divine mysteries. They are mysteries because they are beyond what human minds or intellects can grasp in this our mortal existence; they are mysteries because the realities we seek are not completely conformable to our categories of knowledge in this present mortal life; they are mysteries because they constitute part of what we know of the absolute mystery we call God. These are the reasons why our interior journey is a journey into both light and darkness at the same time. The inner man journeys into brighter and brighter spiritual light, becoming livelier as he proceeds. At the same time, our outer man journeys deeper and deeper into darkness, for the senses are more and more bereft of their objects of sensation. While the spiritual journey drains the body, it energises the soul and makes it radiant each day. Counting the day according to the world, for the inner or spiritual man knows only of a single day that is the risen Son of Man. In him, we move from glory to glory as we receive the revelation of the mysteries from the Father. Saint Paul described this two-fold journey into death and life when he affirmed that the death of Christ is at work in our body as his life is also manifesting in us.

The difficulties and dilemmas of the interior journey are what Prophet Isaiah paints for us in his prophecy. First, he informs us that the interior path can only be entered by the upright man. “The path of the upright man is straight; you smooth the way of the upright. Following the path of your judgments, we hoped in you, O Lord, your name, your memory are all my soul desires.” We are upright only when we follow the light of God to distinguish between good and evil and choose to do good. The choice is not just for an instance, but a choice that develops into a desire to know and do good. The birth of this desire in our souls is the beginning of the interior journey. We gain understanding of God’s works when we are on the interior journey, for only the spiritual man receives the spiritual gifts and works of God. “O Lord, you are giving us peace, since you treat us as our deeds deserve.” Enlightened spiritually, we see and understand the justice of God in all things within and without. We understand our physical trials as the birth pangs of the spiritual selves. “Distressed, we search for you, O Lord; the misery of oppression was your punishment for us. As a woman with child near her time writhes and cries out in her pangs, so are we, O Lord, in your presence: we have conceived, we writhe as if we were giving birth; we have not given the spirit of salvation to the earth, no more inhabitants of the world are born.” This sorrow causes many tears for those walking the inner path; our unfaithfulness to graces blocks divine graces from reaching others.

We journey intentionally and never by coercion. Each of us must daily make a decision to journey to death in our bodies willingly in order to journey into the new spiritual life. But if our decision is rather to journey to life in our bodies, then we remain dead spiritually. Without an understanding of the end intended for a journey, we can never undertake it, for journeys are disturbing and wearisome. Hence, to undertake this all-important interior journey, we must read the scriptures, pray, meditate, and contemplate what the Father has proposed to us in Jesus Christ. The Father has proposed the Son to be our way, truth, and life. “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” We come to Jesus by choosing to enter the path of the mysteries he opened within us at our baptismal profession of faith. Recall we professed faith in his death and resurrection; let us now live our baptismal profession by entering the interior path in faith. His presence will accompany us through the journey. It is our spiritual journey to Mount Carmel. As we celebrate the optional memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we ask for her protection and prayer for the interior journey and invoke the Lord to rebuild Zion within. “You will arise and have mercy on Zion: for this is the time to have mercy.”

Let us pray: May the venerable intercession of the glorious Virgin Mary come to our aid, we pray, O Lord, so that, fortified by her protection, we may reach the mountain which is Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.    

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