Keeping a diary, writing a love letter

by: Father Matthew Linn

For many years I attended workshops on how to keep a prayer journal and I was always convinced of the value of keeping this diary to focus on my inner life. But despite that, they were very few times I kept a diary. When it came time to write in the diary at the end of the day, I was too tired to exercise that seemed almost a school assignment. And even when I tried, it was getting very little writing.

But a month later, I found myself wishing he'd scored an inspirational and moving experience, instead of having let go without being taken advantage of it. Then I found myself surprised at how others could discuss what their experiences taught him, while I spent so much work still vaguely remembering things had happened to me. While my friends were reflecting and became people with experience, I only had some memorable experiences.

Then later, I found much enjoyed writing letters to my friends. They told them about what was happening in my life and what those things meant for me. And I found that the more he loved a person, not just felt the desire to share more of myself and what I was living, but also how I felt about it. Then I realized that it could not do in my journal, I was doing in my letters. Moreover, did not feel like work, but as something he enjoyed.

For example, I could never take my daily what my religious vows meant to me, however, I found myself writing four pages to a friend who asked me why I wanted to make final vows? It is true that my letter was full of errors and half-thoughts, because it was written late at night, with my heart than my head ... but that was so special!

After that letter was that I discovered a new growth within myself more gratitude and commitment to my vocation as a Jesuit, a new desire to serve the poor and not just those who were grateful, a deep trust in allowing God to work through my poverty, a desire to grow in love bachelor who treats everyone as a family and be more open to receive the love that made me more grateful for what I was giving in these times. I grew up more for that one card than any other thing I did that year, and in some ways, was starting a newspaper. The love I felt for my friend took me to share with him my heart, so I no longer noticed how to spell the words or ideas expressed, but focused on telling me these things that happened in my life and through them as I felt.

So I started keeping a journal through my letters, especially letters of Christmas where he shared the full year. I could not write a letter to the events of the year had passed without taking the time to reflect and remember all the love that inspired me the friend whom he wrote. Then, I began to remember things I wanted to share. He remembered some of the good times we had lived together, and soon found my pen away. And according to the letter ended, I could guess how my friend would reply, because I also knew he would respond with the depths of his heart. And the bigger was my love for that person, I found it easier to guess his answer.

Suddenly I found I could do this in prayer with Jesus. I relaxed in his presence and he remembered a time when he experienced his love in a special way. Often it was something that had happened during the day and I was deeply grateful. And then began to write a word of thanks, followed by all the things I wanted to share with him did not have to be written in complete sentences because Jesus understands even a single word, but the prayers helped me clarify what I really wanted to tell. Usually told him what I felt in my heart and those things you most wanted. Then I wrote my name ... followed by what Jesus would say in response to my letter. And guess what my friend wrote, so imagine what Jesus was answering me.

But is it really Jesus, or is it just my imagination myself answering me? The day I asked myself this question I thought that any word that makes me feel stronger Your love really has to be the voice of Jesus. And if I can write a love letter to Jesus is only because I heard his voice in the letter that he and I have written to me. "In this is love: not that we loved God, but that he us We loved and sent his Son as expiation for our sins "(1 John 4, 10). Keeping a journal is just that, writing a love letter to Jesus and hear His voice in the letter and he has written first.

The more love I put in my letters, the more you hear what Jesus says to me, because love makes the heart work to hear everything. Who is the first to hear a crying baby at night? Usually, he is more concerned about the baby is sleeping a lighter sleep and be less likely to turn and go back to sleep. A loving mother heard the cries of her baby and know immediately if your baby is hungry, wet, tired, afraid, cold or in danger.

Love opens the ears of the heart that can hear what others ignore and to make sense of what others might consider foolish. The deeper is our love for Jesus - as the love of a mother for her baby - hear his voice stronger and more easily understand. So when I wonder whether it is really Jesus or just my imagination back to me, I can ask myself: what am I feel most loved by Jesus, and what I have for him a love as deep as that of a mother for her child? The more I can give and receive love for Jesus and others, the more I could hear his voice.

Here are some instructions that can help you keep your journal, writing a love letter to Jesus ... and to receive the letter that you wrote in response. But remember to keep a diary does not depend on the best technique of writing, but to discover that Jesus is the best friend we can have.

Instructions:

• When writing your journal, tell Jesus how many times during your prayer or during the day experienced greater struggle or spiritual growth.
• Write in your journal how Jesus responds to you (which seems to do or say in response to what you said in your letter.) If you can not get in touch with how Jesus answers, write what moves you most when you talk with him or what you want most He tells you at that time. Gradually you will notice that there are fewer than you and more of Jesus in the responses.

Based on the brochure Prayer Course for Healing Life's Hurts, Matthew Linn, Sheila Fabricant, 1983, The Missionary Society of St. Paul Apostle, NY.