In some centuries, men are so full of corruption that they try to corrupt the saints. The time of the martyrs was one type of temptation and strong persecution. The history of saints has many examples of trials of this sort. In our century a trial happens when the servants of God are persecuted and afflicted continually, despised of people. The world treats them as the manure of the ground. The martyrs were all the more esteemed because they resisted more strongly. Yet in our time, the closer they are to God, the more they are despised.
Some saints though resisted pain but could not resist the temptations of pleasure. God permits this to test us. In temptations of pleasure, physical nature and demons are joined together, which makes this more difficult to conquer. We recognize them as demonic.
But alas! Where do we find this who are faithful to bear this trial? Out of ambition, everyone wants to please others and gain credit. They work to establish himself on the ruins of his brother. We do not bother to please God or to be esteemed by him, as long as we please humans, and they return esteem. We want only the world’s values. We do not look at the virtues of Jesus Christ, because the world condemns him. However, the true servants of God suffer outrages without complaining and calumny without justifying themselves. These are those that God keeps with a particular protection in the hour of trial.
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.” (Rev 3:11–12)
My God, what a wonderful mystery! Jesus Christ assures the angel that he is coming soon. We must keep what we have for this time.
Jesus Christ also comes soon to souls of high degree by the mystical incarnation, when he wants them to bear his own state. In calling out to Jesus Christ, these souls are already consummated and removed from the world that is unworthy of these people. We can understand this in two ways. First, God raises us by his goodness into this state, so we do not fail by our own fault. The second sense is that the soul is being reduced by annihilation. The most harmful temptation is under the pretext of duty or perfection, we leave our state. Instead, we must rest in this state. Otherwise, the crown will be given to another. The crown of crowns is that which is reserved for the state of annihilation. The annihilation of Mary was so great that the Word became her very crown.
Whoever will be victorious will have the advantage of being a column in the church unshakeable by its firmness. These people are the support of the church, although they are not always known for such. O God, you will that one day your servant will be this strong. Make your servant a firm column that will resist the shaking of the building. My God, support your church. Make the Spirit strong. Support your church and revive it in all its members. Join and unite all the lackluster members and give us all vigor and life. Support us, Lord. The demon opposes your kingdom with all his might.
This scripture says again here that God places the soul in divine immobility in himself and confirms that she will never leave. O happy state for this soul that she will never lose her God anymore! The name of God will be written on her, on her heart and arm, as was given to the spouse in the Canticles, when the Lord says, Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal upon your arm (Song of Solomon 8:6). The name that is engraved on this person is an entire consecration both exterior and interior. There is only God both inside and outside of this person. Jesus Christ also writes on her the name of the city of my God. He does this in two ways. First, Jesus Christ associates her with the number of saints and gives her all the characteristics of holiness which writes the name of the holy city of God on her. Secondly, he places in this soul all the traits and characteristics of the purity of the church. This soul is a small church but a church so pure and completed that all interior and exterior traits of Jesus Christ are expressed in this person. Then every facility is rendered for these external practices. Also, at the end of their days, these people after having been annihilated, will be the lights of the church. Because of this favor, all the nations will come to know the Lord.
Jesus Christ adds that he will write the name of the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven. What is this New Jerusalem? It is the church already formed that the Holy Spirit comes to fill. This Spirit is going to be spread on the church soon, soon, as it is written, You will all be taught of the Lord (John 6:45). How can there be signs of the Lord if they do not listen to the Lord, and pay attention to his voice? But if they listen, as David says, Let me hear what the God the Lord will speak inside of me (Psalm 85:8). When they listen, they will not fail to be taught by him. Because of this, the demon fights with all his might against prayer and loving attention paid to God. The demon inspires even shameful crimes done by those who call themselves people of prayer (like the Jews who called themselves Jews and were not) to persecute the people of God and to make the innocents look guilty. But after this tempest comes the lull, after the combat comes the victory. The Holy Spirit comes from God to fill all the creatures. This accomplishes the Word of the prophet Joel who says, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28). In the early church, the Holy Spirit came on the apostles and the general assembly. This Spirit though was not spread on all flesh, although it was spread on every soul there. There will come a time when the prophecy is fully accomplished with the Spirit spread on all flesh.
In another place, Jesus Christ says that he will give the victorious a new name. And in this scripture, he says he will write on them his new name. These two scriptures reveal two different experiences. In the first, the new name is given only when the soul has lost her self–centeredness through annihilation and she has passed into God. But here Jesus gives his name again, which is the name of Christ and Savior to use this person to save many souls. His name brings pure suffering that crucifies her with him. And these graces are reserved for very few.
“Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Rev 3:13)
It takes a profound intelligence to understand this. If there was only a natural sense hidden under these words, it would not be so often repeated. Who has ears, hear. But this has a high and profound mystical sense. Do not be surprised that this is so frequently repeated. O profound words, who will understand you!
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation: 15 I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3:14–16)
No matter how poor a pastor, he is the angel of his church and it his title. But sometimes instead of being a guardian angel, the pastor is a seductive angel who makes people fall into the abyss. Jesus Christ states here his character. “I am,” he says, “the Amen, the true being. There is nothing outside of me. It is I who am the essence. All other beings only subsist in me or by me. I am. And everything that is not me is nothing.” Why the Amen? He has nothing to add here because when Jesus Christ says, “I am the One who is,” this is all that may be said of him affirmatively.
Jesus Christ repeats that he is the faithful and true witness. He also testifies to reveal the bad. This is why, being as exact as God is, it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). So that it is not terrible for us, we must put all our conduct into his hands and act only by his motions and follow his Spirit. Then all our works will be done in assurance. He will be the faithful and true witness and he will not reject any of our works that he has made. I say he will have made them, since, he adds, he is the Principle of God’s creatures. All creatures are created by the Word and all life emanates from God and so all works may be looked upon as God’s works. We see Jesus Christ as the agent in these works. We only operate by dependence on Jesus Christ’s Spirit. Jesus Christ only is the power.
The reproach that Jesus Christ makes through John to this pastor is appalling. These lukewarm people are opposed to receiving the true Spirit of God, the interior Spirit.