The Soul: “O Most Gracious One, if it pleases You so much that people believe in You, then please tell me what I am to believe regarding Your ineffable goodness.” (St. Mechthild of Hackeborn)
With certain hope, you shall believe that after your death I will receive you as a father receives his most beloved son, and that never has a father so faithfully apportioned the inheritance to his only son as I will share with you all My goods and Myself.
“I tell you in truth, it pleases Me greatly when people trustingly expect great things from Me.” (Word of the Lord to Mechthild of Hackeborn)
“If you conform to God’s plans, He will make a saint of you.” (St. Paul of the Cross)
So it really isn’t that hard, dear Father, if St. Paul of the Cross tells us so. He must have known. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matt. 6:33) So it is written in Holy Scripture through the mouth of Your Son. So, dear Father, You have a plan for our lives. Then we don’t really need to make our own plans; we just need to follow You. What a burden that saves us from— all those plans and considerations that we often discard, or that don’t quite come to fruition, or even turn into illusions. Perhaps they do come to fruition, but they don’t deliver what they promise because they aren’t Your plans for us.
“Whoever rises again after falling, with trust in God and in deep humility, becomes in God’s hands a suitable instrument for accomplishing great things; but whoever behaves otherwise can never do good.” (St. Paul of the Cross)
“You have a good friend there, My son, a good friend!” (Inner word)
“A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure.” (Sir 6:14)
I heard these beautiful words deep within my heart and knew that the good friend was the Apostle Paul. Indeed, he has been with me for a long time, and his wise words and devoted life are a light on my path. Thus, he is my teacher and friend, to whom I can turn.
“When you speak the truth, heaven opens and bestows gifts upon you.” (Inner word)
The goodness and beauty of the truth that comes from Your heart, dear Father, transforms everything. The mists must give way, lies are dispelled, deceptions are exposed, and the light shines in the darkness.
“Saints are always called to grow and never to stand still” (inner word)
On our path of discipleship and in our Father’s arms, we can ease the taut bow a little—without, however, setting it aside or losing sight of it. This does no harm; rather, it removes unnecessary hardness from us. For as children of our Father, we know well that God adjusts every cross to our abilities and gives all the grace needed to bear it.
“The greatest happiness of our lives: to become like Jesus.” (St. John Eudes)
What joy—for You and for humanity—when we strive to put these words of John Eudes into practice. You did not send Your Son merely as our Redeemer, so that He might be the way to You. You also set Him before our eyes so that we might become like Him and be as He is.
“God must be served first.” (St. Joan of Arc)
These are the words of St. Joan of Arc—words she followed even in the midst of great distress, when the unjust judges in her ecclesiastical trial sought to corner her and lead her into contradictions. Her death was a foregone conclusion for her judges, just as it was for our Lord Jesus.
Beloved Father, yesterday I shared with Your children the wonderful gift You bestowed upon us three years ago, on the most holy day of Your Son’s death, and which remains with us to this day. Contemplating the Face of the Lord, who draws us to Himself with His gentleness, is always a great comfort. In an inner word, the Lord has exhorted us: “From the cross of this world, which causes so much suffering, lift your gaze with Me to the Father.” Read More
