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PIETY

FIFTH ROSEBUD
Sunday 5th September 1999 After 10.30 Mass, Home, Huntingdon.

At Mass today and after Communion Jesus said to me the name of the next Rosebud -

"The next Rosebud is Piety".

Again taken by surprise He added-

"I have some homework for you"

I started to conjure what this might be getting it wrong, when Jesus said-

"Write all you know about Piety"

Oh no I thought (feeling fairly blank), I can't- I shall feel such a fool, an idiot, compared to what I know He will say. Feeling quite uncomfortable, I said ( thinking all this)- ' Jesus, I shall feel so silly'.

" Precisely Halina", (Jesus said).

Then, I thought, well maybe if I take a week I can produce something. I am sure I can think it through.

Jesus said " By tonight Halina".

Jesus answered knowing exactly what I was thinking/ planning. O.K. Jesus I thought, what a way to teach humility!

Early that afternoon,. my daughter and boyfriend decided to go shopping, so I thought I have a little free time so I had better use it wisely.

Later that afternoon as we ( Michael and I ) walk with my father in his brand new wheelchair, I tried to think of piety and not much came into my head. I will write what comes into my head and ask the Holy Spirit's guidance.

The first thing I think of is that it is often seen and confused with an external reverence and an over-zealous manifestation of prayerfulness which is not always matched by the inner disposition of the person exhibiting the piety. I have seen this too often and I personally dislike it. However when it is genuine it shines through the person it is a kind of true devotion. To be devoted is to be in love and close to someone or something, and real devotion is close to piety. People often speak of certain prayers as devotions/ for example, the Rosary or Chaplets. In fact, this is often to misunderstand the nature of these and all prayer, and there is often a demeaning and disparaging criticism implied in the statement, as somehow lowly, not lofty or exalted. however, true devotion is a sincere love and this yearns to serve the object of the devotion. Piety is closely related to devotion. Piety also seems closely related to awe and fear of the Lord- but obviously not the same either- I say 'obviously' simply because I know that the two are separate Gifts of the Holy Spirit and though I know it to be so in fact, I can't say I grasp the distinction between them save in terms of reverence and devotion.

My daughter returns.

Late evening- 12.45. a.m.----- I return to the theme.

Another idea that strikes me trying to think of piety pure and simple, is that it is related to pity--

the Pieta- a kind of deep compassion for the things of God- a feeling of being at one in His suffering and hoping to appreciate this- it has to do with a deep sense of inwardness, a contemplative spirit however expressed. Piety is a kind of veneration, a kind of adoration of God for being Who He is. It seems, also , to be linked with drawing closer to a familiar person - namely, Jesus and Mary. I am grappling with this for, in truth, I cannot grasp the 'gift' completely, nor totally differentiate it from related ones. I know that it is considered somewhat ' old hat', old fashioned, and not in keeping with today's liturgy and belief. It is something to be belittled and relegated to elderly people mostly women. Yet this cannot be, especially as it is one of the gifts conferred by Confirmation-- Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord. Today Reverence is substituted for Piety, but that too is not really explained save by a few who rue it's going with no external sign of it's presence- genuflection, silence, etc.- and some who would say who would say that it is a kind of inner disposition with no need for externalities.

Friday/Saturday10/11 September 1999 2.25 a.m. Home Huntingdon.

JESUS....Halina, still struggling to answer me? See how Satan gets in and you cannot respond freely. I called you all yesterday why did you not come- He will use all means, including you father to prevent you from responding. Last night he got to your father through his fears and you were not able to respond to Me as you were attending to your father. Did you not realise that his behaviour was, even for his state much worse than usual......( Jesus continues to explain my fathers distress both physical and spiritual which is here omitted). Halina, lead by example. Your father will never understand your relationship with Me unless it is manifest, and even then he will resist for it is too challenging for him to cope with and he will wish to dispel it.

Halina watch out for the Yellow races and all that is going on in the world- wars, violence, disease, and yet I permit a little baby to be born out of it's mothers womb to show that anything is possible with and for God. ( A young English mother was safely delivered of a healthy baby which she carried ectopically, in the fallopian tube,)

Halina, Your brother is also not well.......Pray for him at this time.

Halina, you did well to write as I requested before the day was out, though you interpreted 'tonight' rather liberally. You were also given a reflection on Piety when searching for something on the rubrics of the liturgy concerning fasting and the use of native language. This was not by accident. Tomorrow read this properly and you will see what has happened to piety. The section speaks of Resurrection. Piety yet it misuses the term in many ways to signal a kind of attitude of mind which is far from pious or devout, rather rooted in a view which is humanist or quasi-religious - namely, that rejoicing is a sign of a person's well-being in the sight of God the Father. This is not truly Holy Joy- that rejoices at both gain and loss, trial and victory, Death and Resurrection. It has more to do with an escape from the Cross.

How can Piety ever be exemplified, except through, and in , and by the Cross. Piety requires a complete ' living in' the Cross of Jesus to such an extent that the spirit weeps at the sight or 'sound' of the Cross on which I died. The cross leads to Resurrection but the transformation of the spirit happens when it actively seeks the Cross in real identification with My suffering and does not believe itself to be worthy (of or seeks ) resurrection I, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords then blesses the spirit and we gift it with Life Eternal in the presence of Our Father.

Piety, real Piety, lives under the Shadow of the Cross and on It. The overflowing of this life shows itself in a kind of awe, reverence and a true devotion. The spirit falls in love with its Saviour and Redeemer and debases itself, prostrates itself, speaks tenderly, lovingly, openly , gently, tearfully, slowly, unashamedly, moderately, passionately, to Me, Jesus, or to The Most Holy Trinity. It cares not for the the opinion of others or any outward manifestation or consequences of its reverent behaviour. The spirit is incapable of acting in any other way for it is filled with love and gratitude and thus it prays. Piety and Prayer are Sisters - the deeper the prayer the more the spirit is so transformed that it appears transformed and the signs externally are of complete absorption, listening ejaculations sighs and tears

Sometimes I lift such a person beyond these realms into ecstasy and even into bi-location and stigmatism . Do you realise how wonderful it is to be so pious that your complete identification with the Cross leads you to go through some of the pain of the Cross. This is not the Piety that most people think about and deride. The Dictionary you looked up yesterday spoke of over-zealous religious practice and even hypocritical religiosity. What a terrible misuse of both the gift and the word. If this is what Man has done with the word, is it any wonder, Halina, that Man cannot embrace it as a friend yet one little word, dutiful, which surprised you, is in many ways more accurate. If you are duty-full, you will approach the Cross as your duty to venerate It requires. You will seek out the Cross, for Man must bow before the Cross as a fundamental sign of obedience and obeisance. To be dutiful the start of Piety, is to grow 'crossed' with the Cross of Jesus. I Jesus will always encourage a dutiful spirit of prayer and recollection, asking the soul to come higher, to walk to Golgotha and stay.

Piety is a great tenderness of heart. You understood a little of this when you talked of pity. Remember, Halina that what you wrote had already been revealed to you or else you could have written nothing. You thought it poor and it was, but it was, nevertheless, by the action of Our Holy Spirit that, even that was possible. Halina, take heart you know more by inspiration than you realise. Do not be ashamed of what you know. Never take pride in it but neither reject it as inadequate. You cannot contain all there is to know, but are led to a greater understanding in order to serve.

Now, Halina, Faith moves mountains. If you wish to serve increase your faith. Ask My Mother about the House you are thinking of buying and check if it is what you should be doing. Follow Her advice and guidance as your Mother. She will tell you Herself. Do nothing without this. Tomorrow is Her day- Saturday. Ask Her.

Halina, drink your drink and sleep. Good night, blessed one. Good night little lamb. Learn Patience.

Look to Me, Who is Meek and Humble of Heart. Look into My Heart.


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