Course XX - Teaching 11: Other Stimulating Affective Meditations

Meditation: The “TWO WAYS”. Effect: DETACHMENT.
Invocation:
Oh Jesus in the Cross at sight of all, please show me Your Way, the only true Way marked by blood pouring out from Your wounds.
Imaginative Picture:
I see blood pouring out of Christ’s wounded feet; His blood falls on the hard soil of the Mount Calvary, paves the way, and forms a furrow, a brook, a torrent, a big river of mystical blood crossing over the whole world. Here is the redeeming river deleting bad and wicked ways.
I see how this river of blood, flowing from Christ’s feet, runs from the Cross through the Earth, throughout centuries and times, and his name is that of salvation and redemption for Humanity.
Sensations:
Oh Jesus of mine, now I sense it is not time of hesitation. I cannot tell any more, “Is this or that path?”. No, no! You show me the way, not with words, examples or promises, but by giving your own adorable blood, which is a river of salvation, a torrent of grace.
I sense your words coming to my innermost being and leaving me no choice: “The one who wants to be perfect, take his cross and follow me”, “The one who wants to get salvation must renounce to himself”, “My kingdom is not of this world”.
I cannot deceive myself. All ways are delusions and lies –vain verbiage, worldly promises. There is only one way, only one path, the path of total detachment from all things of the world. Henceforward I cannot say, “Perhaps I also may find my mission here or there, coming back and forth, serving God and the World”.
No, already no! You are showing me the only way, my way, traced by your living blood –way of detachment from all things, way of perfect detachment.
Purposes:
My purpose: oh Lord, I will constantly follow my way, the way that I recognize as the true way; that of your blood and renunciation.
My purpose: every time human illusion and fleeting fantasy is in me and says, “Turn aside from here”, “Walk over there”, I will not hear this deceitful voice –I will ever follow ahead, ever steadily. I cannot be wrong if I follow the track of your blood, but certainly will be wrong all those things moving me away from renunciation, sacrifice and detachment.
My purpose: to follow steadily the river of redeeming blood traced by the blood poured out of Christ’s wounded feet.
Consequences:
Through my wishes for detachment, I succeed in making my soul be one with the Redeeming Will of Crucified Christ.
Through this perfect detachment, I completely bleed as a man, and my blood and the blood of Christ are one in order to contribute to redemption of men. My only support will be the Divine Blood; Blood of God in me as redeeming participation, which only is granted to those who practice perfect detachment. Christ’s blood, redeem me!

Meditation: The “STANDARD”. Effect: “CHOICE”.
Invocation:
Of Jesus, please show me the Holy Shroud, impressions of your adorable and wounded face, your head crowned with thorns and martyrdom.
Imaginative Picture:
I see white linen with Christ’s face imprinted on it. This divine face is entirely disfigured, battered, bruised, bleeding, and covered with dust and sweat.
I see the face of Christ entirely wounded and bleeding.
I see his head crowned with thorns.
Of Jesus of mine, I sense my choice is made forever.
When I look at Your Image imprinted on the linen, on the Standard, I understand that, by means of Your Image, you have written there, by means of your purest blood, Divine Rules to reach holiness.
I sense my way is only one –Your Way. It is You that eloquently dictates it– You show me the Way through all affronts and sorrows and blood that you allow to be imprinted on a pious linen for my only guide. Giving everything, and demanding nothing. Keeping quite, no matter how strongly our head is battered. Standing affronts and sacrifices as you stand Your Crown with Thorns. Being nobody. Being unknown to everybody. Being unnoticed in this world, as you conceal Your Divine Face behind wounds, sweat and blows.
Giving everything. Giving the blood of the face. Giving the blood of the brain.
Refusing to be, refusing to think by myself, refusing anything, except Your Will.
I sense this to be my choice. I sense this as my own standard.
Purposes:
My purpose: to keep ever fixed the Divine Standard in front of me, or rather, to hold it up always and not to forget it ever; and to carry it up high as my own sign, my only sign, sign of my own choice. Moreover, my purpose: as the pious Veronique, make of her linen the Symbol and Realization of my life. Yes, I will keep it always with me, in my hands, in front of me, will never forget which is my lesson, never will stop being what I have chosen: a soul totally detached, totally self-denying, totally surrendered to renunciation.
Consequences:
I get necessary strength for a happy conclusion of this renunciation that I have chosen.
I achieve this because I rest on Christ’s face, of Christ’s renunciation, and not on my own purposes and decisions.
Christ’s blood, hide me!