FIVE WAYS OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF OUR SOULS AND THE ACQUISITION OF PERFECT VIRTUES

In Naju, Korea, Our Lord and Our Lady have inspired Julia Kim to practice five ways of spiritual exercise in her daily lives for the purpose of the sanctification of her soul and the perfection of her virtues.

These five ways are closely and organically connected with one another and thus form one single spirituality, as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are Three Persons but One God.  If we wholeheartedly accept and practice this spirituality regardless of our level of education and knowledge, the sanctification of our souls will be quickened and our ability of discernment will also increase so that we may be able to reach the perfection of virtues.  This spirituality of the five ways will help us lead a life of sincere repentance even to the extent that it may completely remove all of the penance made necessary by all our past sins.  Our Lord and Our Lady wish that all the children in the world practice this spirituality all the time in the same way as they breathe all the time so that they may enter Heaven as little souls even without passing through purgatory.    

1.    “Amen”

When the Angel announced the Coming of the Savior to Our Lady, she humbly responded, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord.  Be it done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).  The spirituality of “Amen” is an imitation of this humble and loving obedience of Our Lady to God.  It is a profession of total faith made without any calculation of inconvenience or loss to us, without any hesitation, and without any wondering about the consequences, but with total willingness and joyfulness.  It is necessary, however, that we carefully discern with the help of the Holy Spirit whether the calling is really coming from Our Lord and Our Lady before we accept and follow it  (cf. Julia’s autobiography: “The Life Prepared by the Lord”, #261).       

2.  “It was my fault”

Even when we were hit with a flying rock while standing still or walking in the street, we do not blame the person who threw the rock but practice charity toward him by realizing that it was my fault because I was hit by being there.  If we practice this by blaming ourselves only, the devils of division will give up and run away (cf. Julia’s autobiography:  “The Way of Love for the Lord”, p. 264).

3.     Turning our lives into prayers

From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we fall asleep at night, we turn everything, not ignoring even the most trivial and unimportant-looking matter, into a prayer, conforming it to God’s Will.  We can also turn everything that occurred in our past into a prayer, whenever we remember what occurred in our past.  Such prayers can quicken the sanctification of our souls and will reduce the penance that we need to do in purgatory.  This prayer will fill up the abysmal chasm that lies between the Lord’s infinite greatness and our nothingness and, thus, help us reach the perfection of virtues (cf. Julia’s autobiography:  “The Way of Love for the Lord”, p. 21).

4.    Offering Up to God All Our Joys, Sorrows, and Difficulties

If we only try to endure and put up with the wounds that we receive, our resentment and bitterness will remain and this make it impossible for us to practice true love.  On the other hand, if we totally believe in and trust God, transform all our joys, sorrows, and difficulties into gracious prayers of gratitude and wishing God’s blessing on others, we will never blame others even when we are faced with trials or pains, never become depressed but always make a new start and lead a life of true love (cf. Julia’s autobiography:  “The Way of Love for the Lord”, p. 47).   

5.     “Semchigo” (Self-denial for the love of others) 

This spirituality is the most fundamental of all of the five ways of spiritual exercise and may be regarded as the mother of the other four ways.  “Semchigo” refers to the practice of self-denial, graciously offering up our inconveniences as little sacrifices to the Lord praying for the benefit and peace to others.  For example, when we desire something for ourselves, we give it up for the sake of others as if we already received it; when we wish to eat something, we give it up for the sake of others as if we already ate it; and when there is some work that is disliked by everyone, we do it willingly as if we really like it  (cf. Julia’s autobiography:  “The Life Prepared by the Lord, #36).