In addition to Jesus, the Son of God, the other main actor in the “theo-drama” is the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both, having completely reverted Adam and Eve’s sin of “pride”, have become the Father’s perfect followers who have also perfectly fulfilled the mission bestowed on them by the Father. The collaboration between the Son and the Holy Mother is the fulfilment of the Father’s will; their seamless collaboration is the perfect fulfilment of The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. One can say that Jesus and Mary are the perfect partners in the “theo-drama”.
In the same way, God also wants each of His children to become His partner in order to accomplish “the greater works”. How could we even consider not trying to learn and ask for help from Jesus and Mary? First of all, “humility” is not only a portrayal of the Lord Jesus and Mother Mary, but also the primary condition for being an actor/actress in the “theo-drama”. Furthermore, because the Father knows everything as the “director” of the entire “drama”, the Son and Mother Mary are intimately connected with the Father. Mary treasures and ponders every word in the script, that is, the word of God; she shows no fear towards things that she does not fully understand. When the appointed time arrives, Mary appears on stage and delivers a flawless “performance” of the “script”.
Each morning commences a new episode of the play; it’s also the time to communicate with the director. We need to dialogue with the Father in our solitude and quietude, so that we may receive His words and instructions in order to meet the requirements for our role on that day, and facilitate the development of the “plot”.
First of all, we need to “stop and listen” to the director’s guidance, then “act”, and then “pause” to “treasure and ponder” every message received. The “learning from the reflection” can then be applied to the next act. This same process is to be repeated multiple times every day. The more “parts” we have in the drama, that is, the more work we have to complete that day, the greater the need to press the pause button and spend more time “consulting the director”!
According to Ignatian spirituality, becoming a “contemplative in action” means:
that our active life feeds our contemplative life and our contemplative life informs our active life.
Ignatian spirituality is grounded in the conviction that God is active in our world.
In addition to knowing what we should do in our life, that is, to fulfil the Father’s will, we also need to know how to do it; in other words, the proper means to accomplish God’s will.
In the example of Martha and Mary welcoming Jesus, the focus is not what they do to attend to Jesus but how they do it, their attitude, and their motivations (ref. Luke 10:38-42). Many biblical scholars agreed that even if Martha had chosen to sit by Jesus’ feet and listen to Him, her mind would still be preoccupied with the “many things”; thus, unable to accept what Jesus has to tell her. Contrarily, if Mary chose to serve Jesus by preparing food for him while maintaining her attitude and mentality of listening to God, she would still be able to have a genuine encounter with Jesus through her active work and service.
The core is that we need to know what is the “only necessary thing” in life, that is, ” to listen to Jesus and do whatever He tells you”. We should not let the “many things” disturb and “distract” us into a state of “chaos” , thus losing “Order” and “Focus”.
If God is the director of every moment of our life, He is also an integral part of our life. If we allow God to enter into our life, we become family; He, our kind and gentle Father. Then, we will not have trouble recognizing His voice, and by listening to Him, we can discern His will. When we get to know His “temperaments” gradually, we will also get to know “how” God wants us to live out His will.
When we follow this method to strengthen our communication and cooperation with the Father, we will not be easily swayed by our own motivations and external influences. Neither will our work nor our surrounding environment stand between us and our intimate communication and cooperation with the Father. In this way, our work and surroundings will be transformed from being obstacles into a time and space in which we may effectively encounter and pray to the Father, and support us on our path to holiness!
St. Josemaria Escrivá once said:
“Jesus, let my distractions be the other way around. Instead of thinking of the world when I am engaged in conversation with you, let me rather think of you when I am engaged in the things of this world”.
Ultimately, the foundation of everything we discussed earlier is “humility”. This is echoed by what John the Baptist said in the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, Verse 30,
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Though this proclamation does not come from Jesus, His whole life testifies to it! Jesus has devoted His entire life to “increase” and glorify God.
Since Jesus has made the Father’s will the anchor of His life and “fulfilling the Father’s will” the highest goal for His disciples,
even among the hustle and bustle of His public ministry, His heart is peaceful and steady; His unwavering confidence comes from His unshakable confidence in the Father.
The source of all these is Jesus’ intimate relationship with His Father! Jesus and our Holy Mother Mary are, indeed, exemplars of “contemplative in action”!
Like Jesus and Mary, if we dwell in God and align our life with His will as well as endeavour to fully cooperate with Him, we don’t need to be afraid of sufferings, illnesses, and other challenges in life! Indeed, God will grant us a life that is serene and trouble-free, as well as the gift of “holy indifference” mentioned in previous reflections, when we have full confidence and rely completely on Him. When we can see God in all things, the peace of Christ, a peace that cannot be taken away, and the true “interior order” will remain with us always!
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 14, Verse 27, Jesus says,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
Reflection
Would you aspire to be a “contemplative in action”? How would you learn from Jesus to let go of the “many things” of the world and the so-called high-efficiency attachment?
How can you learn true humility from the Lord Jesus and Our Lady?
During the whole retreat, is there anything, insight or learning, that you are thankful for?
Today’s Prayer
Loving Abba Father, as I complete this 40-day retreat, I thank and praise You, and I long to honour Your Holy Name by saying the Litany of Humility:
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honoured, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Sincerely invite you to share the reflections that inspires you by this day’s retreat.
The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: Finding Order in Chaos” team, including FLL staff and volunteers. Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Project Manager: Michael Lam
Writer: Paul Yeung
English Translator: Susanna Mak
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrators: Bonny Chan, Francis Lai
Mandarin Narrators: Rene Ren, Anthony X.
Audio Editors: Arnold Chan Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editor: Sander Lee
Graphics: Francis Lai, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
“Farmer” Support: Otto Lam
Other Support: Yollie Leung
多謝心田的農夫團隊，為我們製作提升身心靈健康的避靜。獲益良多，願主祝福各位身心健康，繼續福傳工作。主佑。
感謝天主！謝謝團隊！
四十天的祈禱，讓我更能觀看自己內心深處與天主的關係，在被誘惑困擾時、沒有人可以依靠時，第一時間想到尋找天主的旨意，求主帶領我、指示我下一步該怎麼走。使我更加確信主時時與我同在，我並不是孤單一人面對。amen
感謝農夫們，辛苦晒！
願我被更新的生命能多結果子，榮歸上主！
每天跟隨著此靈修之路, 有不少當頭棒喝之處, 特別是在俗世中的高效, 常令我不能專注地選擇天主為我們最好的一份。 願能成爲Theo drama 中的一个角色, 在生命的舞臺中, 常感應到導演的啟發和指引。 在今天最末的祈禱中, 引起了心中的很多不安, 原來我在真正謙遜上仍距千里, 願彼此代禱及打氣!
今次的主題“混亂中找秩序”很吸引我。經過四十天的耕耘，而今幸得“心靈歸位”於主，感激沿途有您們引領陪伴！
願主報答福佑辛勞的農夫團隊！
十分感激農夫團隊在這四旬期的勞心勞力。為我們製作這靈修的導航, 讓我獲益良多。就讓我由謙遜開始, 放下自己的“ 許多事”,並放主於首位。
非常感謝生命恩泉團隊的精心傑作，帶領大家過一個聖善的四旬期。平心去度每一天，因我們是天主的肖像，懷著原則與基礎去活出阿爸父的面容。
「 在整個避靜當中，你有甚麼地方及得著是你希望感恩的呢？ 」
我從馬爾大一步一步慢慢變成瑪利亞。
感謝心田團隊的辛苦付出，也希望您能夠繼續幫助我們，使我們人人都能達到「天人合一」的境界，那時我們就不會懼怕生命中的任何遭遇，也就是天國已在我們中間了！
多謝農夫們提醒大家要學習放開心中煩憂,多些平衡我們的心態,不想太忙,不会把時間弄到身不由己,做好本份外,也運用時間參与靈修,信仰項目,參加教區,教堂主辦的聚会,活動及服務
感謝心田的農夫，你我用心的製作，帶領信友在網上閱讀、聆聽、默想，親近上主，與主契合。
感恩這是我們選擇了更好的那一份。
十分多謝生命恩泉團隊今次40天的避靜，令我有很大的得著，對在混亂中找到跌序和平心更認能識和掌握，明白謙卑的重要性，放下自我，才可與主相遇，願大家能放下許多事，能找到唯一的一份💪🏻🙏
Thank you so much for this retreat, it is very educating, I have gained a lot in this period of rent. May our God bless you abundantly
感謝天主！感謝心田的農夫的團隊！
這40天，剛遇上疫情的爆發，工作上和生活上都充滿極大的挑戰，面對好多好多困難，完全唔識得點樣去做，好彩有呢個四十天的避靜，讓我能在混亂中找到秩序，重新掌握生命中的重點，主耶穌基督，Amen
感謝天主. 我在這四十天的避靜中從每日的主題和重複看過每日的祈禱詞及各位主內的弟兄姊妹或沒有宗教信仰的人仕們的分享, 我獲益良多. 我要堅定 (信) 天主的決心, 由天主白白賜給我的恩寵, 我要放下自我, 謙卑. 在自己能力份內作出慷慨的分施. 在煩亂時要停下來,尋求天主的旨意. 因(厄瑪奴耳)天主與我們同在.
Very grateful for this retreat, inspiring and relevant to our lives.
The voice from 廣東話聲音導航 is very soothing to me. A very peaceful and lovely voice. Thank you so much.
相信這是一個天主祝福的最佳福傳工具之一。期望以後每逢慶期都有類的好節目來為今日備受考驗的信友, 加油, 加力。主佑各位。復活節快樂, 平安。
感謝各位農夫！願天主百倍賞報您們，在未來收穫更豐厚，愈顯主榮。亞孟。
親愛的天父，感謝祢這四十天的陪伴；耐心的等待；輕言的規勸，讓我們在靜默中，重新檢視和體味自己的生命方向和生活節奏。是的，唯有在祢內，才能經驗祢與我們的同在，學習如何在生活的混亂中，尋找祢的道路、真理和生命。
主啊！請祢繼續在我們每天的生活裏，仍能意識到需要停下來，與祢親近，與祢談心，使自己的生命得以調整，不至在混亂中失去祢的慈恩！天父，我愛祢！
感恩🙏
感激🙏
感謝🙏
願天父賜福你們🙏
願天父助佑你們繼續此神聖任務🙏
亞肋路亞
願光榮歸於天父🙏
做好多野去肯定自己的價值，要承認自己驕傲，是很不容易的。繼續學習以天主的眼光去看，以耶穌的心去馴服，以聖母的謙遜承行主旨。這40天的材料，仍可在生活中繼續不時翻看。感謝你們團隊的關顧，願天主大力賞賜你們恩寵和力量。在遙遠的澳門祝福你們，主祐！
在此，亦衷心感謝生命恩泉團隊的努力和付出，為我們精心製作這四十天的靈修，讓我們在繁忙和混亂的生活中，找到能夠憩息的時間和空間。
願上主垂顧並祝福生命恩泉團隊的各位成員，也願仁慈的天父，賜予你們百倍賞報，在福傳的事工上繼續前進！
Thank you very much for the retreat. I have been benefitted so much. Again thank you and God bless your whole team always.
Thank you O Lord, for the opportunity of encountering this Team of Farmer of Hearts, who has done a great job in glorifying You. Not only have I gained insight from all the reflections, I am deeply moved by the devotion of their time and efforts in producing this project. Please protect and sustain them for continuing this journey as Your follower! Oh, Lord, please also give me strength and wisdom to live out a life – with the enlightenment which I benefited from this forum – that You have ‘scripted’ for me! Make me a humble ‘actress’ in always obeying You, the ‘Director’, in this ‘theo-drama’!
十分感謝生命恩泉團隊的努力和貼心主題，生活中確實有好多挑戰，感謝在主內的兄弟姊妹同行，感激有主耶穌的陪伴和不離不棄🙏🙏🙏🙏
今日介紹的「謙遜禱文」是這四十天四旬期避靜很好的結束禱文，我們努力向著這些渴望這些恩寵而祈求吧！
感謝阿爸，父啊！祢讓我有機會成為心田農夫，獲得靈性生命的滋養，求祢祝福每位導師，他們的熱誠及無私的奉獻，協助很多饑渴的兄弟姊妹得到養份，重新起步，找回生命中的明燈，決志選擇最好的一份，靜心聆聽主的教誨，與主相遇，成為「行動中的默觀者」，不時停下來，反複思量，保持一夥平心，學習聖母媽媽的謙卑，陪伴主耶穌，默默地完成天父的旨意。主感謝祢！我愛祢！
慶幸有機會參與這40天的靈修之旅。多謝生命恩泉服務團隊的努力和付出。
這40天，讓我在信仰上得到不少的啟發和修正，真有點當頭棒喝，往後的日子，會學習放下自己的偏執、缺點和不足，恆常地與主相處，聆聽、溝通和回應是與主建立關係的必要條件，讓主進入我心，能牢記祂的話語，使我有堅穩的信心，緊靠祂去承行祂的旨意，善度在世能悅樂他的生活，願成為祂偉大工程的一小角。
感謝主！讚美主！
有了秩序，便要專注，謙卑地以「平心」生活，在世間事物中看見天主。
主耶穌，祢教導我「承行天父旨意」為生活的至高目標。請賜給我恩寵，在每天早晨謙卑地聽取祢的旨意，教導我如何做一好當天的角色。在工作中時刻與祢相遇。
從混亂中找尋秩序，我必須專心才能在秩序中看到祢隱藏著的旨意。
祈禱正是發出波段，向祢申訴，向祢請求，向祢細訴心事，盼望和祢接觸。我要重新修補與天父的關係，我主基督，請帶領我，守護我，不要跟隨魔鬼的誘惑，使我迷失，遠離天主。
「因我深信：無論是死亡，是生活，是天使，是掌權者，是現存的或將來的事物，是有權能者，是崇高或深遠的勢力，或其他任何受造之物，都不能使我們與天主的愛相隔絕，即是與我們的主基督耶蘇之內的愛相隔絕。」（羅8：39）
多謝天主，賜團隊能努力不懈為我們提供機會去聆聽天主要提醒祂在世生活的子女的話。也多謝天主賜 M.Woo 能以出自內心的聲調讀出天主的訊息。最後的祈禱文正可助我們慢慢在生活中活出所聽道理。多謝🙏。
親愛的亞爸父啊！ 這個四十日的退省可以完成，感恩能夠堅持到底。感謝祢先愛了我，讓我有力還愛於祢。多謝整個團隊的愛，緊密地扣連我們與主每日的相聚。彼此代禱，繼續努力為主愛作見證。
願光榮歸於父，及子，及聖神之名，亞孟！
仁,慈的阿爸父，
我在這四旬期已過得很靈命健康，感謝祢！🙏🙏🙏
對於執迷著世間過眼煙雲名利物欲的各種包伏，就要自我反省：訓導篇5:14: （他赤身出離母胎，也照樣赤身歸去，他勞力之所得，絲毫不能帶走）。能夠攞脫這些困擾後，就要努力追求奉行天父的旨意，哥：3:1-2:（你們既輿基督一同復活了，就該追求天上的事，那裡有基督坐在天父的右邊）。就是我們信心的保證，恩寵的泉源。感謝生活恩泉團隊的努力，求主降福您們。🙏
衷心感謝「生泉恩泉」的團隊為信友們主辦的四旬期避靜，引導我得到更豐富的默想和祈禱資源，祝你們各人身體健康，主恩滿溢，主祐
感謝天主派遣心田農夫團隊四十天的辛勞耕耘，令我們一天比一天更懂得如何在混亂中找出秩序。
轉述聖施禮華的「分心術」，更使我們易於如何在混亂中時時刻刻不忘把天主放在心中。
「謙遜禱文」更指引了我們怎樣以謙卑的心請求主的拯救，卻又同時光榮了天主。
Thanks for the Team’s persevering efforts in making this wonderful in-line retreat possible. It has deepened in me the importance of : not what I do for God but the attitude, the togetherness with Him in whatever I do for Him. Thank you once again. It is indeed a labour of love of the Team. With my prayers I wish you all God’s blessings!
感謝天主,耶穌基督的復活為我們帶來了新希望,特別衷心感謝「生命恩泉」的團隊用心製作四旬期避靜，四十天的歷程引導我得到豐富的默想和祈禱資源,在混亂中時時刻刻點醒自己靜心的重要,主愛永相隨!
願主祝福你們
繼續為福傳加油努力
謝謝主祐！