{"id":9582,"date":"2026-05-20T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/?p=9582"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T14:03:09","slug":"day-12-the-holy-spirit-shapes-the-heart-with-a-supernatural-vision-of-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/day-12-the-holy-spirit-shapes-the-heart-with-a-supernatural-vision-of-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 12: The Holy Spirit Shapes the Heart with a Supernatural Vision of Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

READING 1<\/strong>
Psalm 1:1-3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blessed indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the path with sinners, nor abides in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord, and who ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READING 2<\/strong>
From Pope Leo XIV\u2019s address to seminarians from Spain on Feb 28,2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a quote from the author Chesterton that can serve as a key to understanding everything I would like to share with you: \u201cTake away the supernatural, and what remains is the unnatural.\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[…] Having a supernatural view does not mean fleeing from reality, but learning to recognize God\u2019s action in the concrete reality of each day; a vision that cannot be improvised or delegated, but must be learned and exercised in the ordinary course of life…. This believing outlook on reality needs to be translated every day into concrete choices in life; otherwise, even intrinsically good practices\u2014such as study, prayer, community life\u2014can become empty and distorted, becoming mere fulfillment. A simple and proven way to safeguard this view is to practice the presence of God<\/em>, which keeps the heart awake and life constantly focused on Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sacred Scripture expresses this truth with a simple image in the first psalm, when it describes the righteous as \u201ca tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither\u201d (Ps 1:3). It is not fruitful because of an absence of difficulties, but because of the place where it has taken root. Wind, winter, drought, and pruning are all part of its growth, but neither storm nor drought can destroy it when its roots are deep and close to the source. Scripture itself, however, recognizes the paradox of the fig tree that does not bear fruit despite the care it receives (cf. Lk 13:6-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is said that trees \u201cdie standing\u201d: they remain upright, they retain their appearance, but inside they are already dry. Something similar can happen in the life of a seminary or of a seminarian\u2014and later in the life of a priest\u2014when fruitfulness is mistaken for the intensity of activities or with merely external care for appearances. Spiritual life does not bear fruit because of what is visible, but because of what is deeply rooted in God. When that root is neglected, everything ends up drying up inside, until, silently, it ends up \u201cdying standing upright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep down, the supernatural gaze springs from the simplest and most decisive aspect of vocation: being with the Master. Jesus called those he wanted \u201cto be with him\u201d (Mk 3:14). That is the foundation of all priestly formation: staying with Him and allowing oneself to be formed from within; seeing God at work and recognizing how He works in one\u2019s own life and in that of His people. Therefore, although human means, psychology and formative tools are valuable and necessary, they cannot replace this relationship. The true agent of this journey is the Holy Spirit, who shapes the heart, teaches us to respond to grace and prepares us for a fruitful life in the service of the Church. Everything begins now, in the ordinary routine of each day, where each one decides whether to remain with the Lord or to try to sustain oneself by one\u2019s own strength alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n

REFLECTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pope Leo XIV invites us to practice the presence of God, remembering that we are always in His presence as we keep our hearts awake to Him and helps us focus our lives on Him. Together with all the means of our formation\u2014human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral\u2014we are invited to make room for the true agent of formation, the Holy Spirit, who shapes our hearts. More important than what difficulties you are facing is the question, \u201cWhere are you rooted?\u201d If your life is rooted in relationship with God, all the difficulties will serve to form you in holiness. And if your spiritual life is deeply rooted in the source of God\u2019s love, you will never be like a tree that \u201cdies standing.\u201d How deeply rooted is your spiritual life? How awake is your heart to the presence of God?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRAYERS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Litany of Healing and Repentance in the Eucharist
Radiating Christ<\/p>\n\n\n

  1. Cf. Heretics, VI. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n

    Copyright \u00a9 2026 by St. Vincent Archabbey<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    READING 1Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the path with sinners, nor abides in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord, and who ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"Cf. Heretics, VI.\",\"id\":\"34c0f2a8-26a6-40c8-a240-08df65ee085e\"}]","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7bfMR-2uy","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4645,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/mercy\/behold-i-make-all-things-new-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":9582,"position":0},"title":"Behold I make all things new","author":"monks4christ","date":"March 31, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Art by Dino The New Heaven and the New Earth Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mercy"","block_context":{"text":"Mercy","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/mercy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/april7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9415,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/behold-i-make-all-things-new-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":9582,"position":1},"title":"Behold I make all things new","author":"monks4christ","date":"April 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The New Heaven and the New Earth Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 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