Dear Father Angelo,

I am 16 years old and my name is […]. Today I ask you a few questions.

I read in the diary by Saint Faustina: “The holiness of God is poured out upon the Church of God and upon every living soul in it, but not in the same degree” (Par. 180).

I ask myself: why the “holiness of God”? Actually, does the possession of holiness correspond to the presence of God’s holiness in the soul?

In the same diary, I also read she received a monthly permission to pray lying on the ground in the shape of a cross … It is particular and, in my opinion, very significant …

But can everybody do that, including me, or not?

Thanks, Father.

My dearest,

1. when it comes to holiness or grace (which is basically the same thing) it is necessary to make a distinction.

Indeed, there is an uncreated holiness or grace and a created holiness or grace.

The uncreated one is eternal and is identified with God himself.

The created one is that which is given to us and it is a participation in the life and holiness of God.

It is given to each one according to the measure of Christ’s gift and his or her own personal participation. It can grow and it can be lost.

Precisely because it begins to exist, can grow and be lost, it is called created sanctity or grace.

2. I give an example that helps with understanding it.

I would draw a comparison between the sun and its rays.

The reality of the sun with its fire and light is different from the rays that derive from it.

In the sun, fire, light and sun are identified, they are the same thing.

The rays, on the other hand, come from the sun, they participate in the light and heat of the sun, but they are not the sun.

They can grow in intensity and can disappear.

The example fits up to a certain point because while the rays are a necessary emanation of the sun, the created grace is not a divine emanation but, precisely because it is created, it is freely sought and given to men.

3. Precisely because it is created, God can give it to different degrees “according to the measure of Christ’s gift” as Saint Paul says in Eph 4:7 and according to the capacity and cooperation of individuals, as the Lord says in the Gospel in the parable of talents: the master gave the talents, “to each according to his ability” (Mt 25:15).

As the same parable of the talents shows, the created grace can grow.

Indeed, not only it can grow, but it must grow relentlessly since this is the reason why God created us and placed us in this world: to make us more and more participants in His divine life and communion.

4. Finally, you tell me that Saint Faustina was allowed to pray for once a month prostrate (not lying down) on the ground.

Prostration is a form of worship. It was frequent in Israel and also among the first Christians (Mt 17:6; 26:39; Rev 4:10). It is done with the body and face lying on the ground.

It is no longer in use in the current Latin liturgy, except in the Good Friday liturgy and during the singing of the Litany of the Saints during sacred ordinations and the consecration of virgins.

It shows complete willingness to conform to Christ’s prostration (death), to conform to His resurrection (rising) and His new life.

Sometimes it is also done as a sign of repentance.

This way of praying was quite common to our holy Father Dominic.

In the booklet entitled Nine Ways of Prayer of St. Dominic, written around 1260, we read: “Saint Dominic used to pray by throwing himself outstretched upon the ground, lying on his face. He would feel great remorse and repentance in his heart and would repeat those words of the Gospel, saying sometimes in a voice loud enough to be heard: «O God, be merciful to me, a sinner» (Lk 18:13). 

With devotion and reverence, he repeated that verse of David: «I am he that has sinned, I have done wickedly» (2Kgs 24:17). Then he would weep and groan vehemently and say: «I am not worthy to see the heights of heaven because of the greatness of my iniquity, for I have aroused thy anger and done what is evil in thy sight» (Prayer of Manasseh, 9-10). 

From the psalm: «Deus auribus nostris audivimus» he said fervently and devoutly: «For our soul is cast down to the dust, our belly is flat on the earth!» (Ps 43[44]:25). To this he would add: «My soul is prostrate in the dust; quicken thou me according to thy word» (Ps 118[119]:25).

Wishing to teach the brethren to pray reverently, he would sometimes say to them: When the Magi, those devout kings, entered the dwelling, they found the child with Mary, his mother, and falling down they worshipped him. There is no doubt that we too have found the God-Man with Mary, his handmaid. «Come, let us adore and fall down in prostration before God, and let us weep before God, and let us weep before the Lord that made us» (Ps 94[95]:6). 

He would also exhort the younger ones, and say to them: If you cannot weep for your own sins because you have none, remember that there are many sinners who can be disposed for mercy and charity. It was for these that the prophets lamented; and when Jesus saw them, he wept bitterly (ref. Lk 19:41). The holy David also wept as he said: «I beheld the transgressors and began to grieve» (Ps 118[119]:158)”.

5. I don’t know why the Lord gave Saint Faustina the authorization to pray prostrate only once a month. Perhaps there were health reasons or even because of moisture that could be easily contracted from the floor.

The floors were made of wood or terracotta at the time of Saint Dominic and, therefore, of a less cold or frozen material.

6. It is not forbidden for you to pray in this way as well.

But if you do, you have to do it in your little room with nobody seeing you because others may not understand the meaning of that prayer.

You could also do it after talking to the confessor or spiritual director, who will evaluate the opportunity to do so.

In any case, I will tell you how to proceed: let the Lord inspire you to pray in this body position, too.

7. If it is a matter of short moments, you can do it without asking anyone’s opinion.

But, if it were more prolonged and demanding, follow the instructions of the confessor or spiritual director as I said.

I wish you all the best, and I bless you.

Father Angelo

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