Today we have reached the eleventh day of our Lenten itinerary, which prepares us throughout these forty days for the great Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord. Today we will continue to develop the theme of the fight against vices. But before we get into the subject, a brief reminder of the stages we have travelled so far on our journey:
Showing all posts dated February 24, 2024
DO NOT STAGNATE
“I consider it impossible that love should be content to stagnate in the same place” (St. Teresa of Avila).
Surely we are all familiar with St. Paul’s wonderful “Hymn to Love,” which concludes: “Love never ends” (1 Cor 13:8).
St. Teresa’s words are in perfect harmony with this conclusion: love cannot remain stagnant in one place. Love drives us forward (cf. 2 Cor 5:14). It is the creative power of our Father that never ceases. Without causing the slightest anxiety, it penetrates our souls, builds there its holy temple, and never tires of completing its work of redemption and sanctification.
We know that if we allow ourselves to be moved by our Father’s love and respond to it with all our heart, it becomes a fire that never goes out. In contemplation, we can and should enjoy this love and rest in it to the extent that our Father grants us this joy during our earthly life. At the same time, the fire of love sets us going again, not allowing us to stagnate and live only for ourselves.
Let us think of a person in whom love for God has been awakened. Day after day he will try to deepen this love and cooperate with the creative, redeeming and healing work of our Father. God’s love urges us to seek all people. In the message to Mother Eugenia Ravasio, our Father shows us again and again how love moves Him to do everything for the salvation of humanity.
And because this is so, the Holy Spirit, who is love poured into our hearts and who is also the great evangelizer, will not allow us to stop, but will always exhort us to walk with Him. The more the fire of love is kindled in us, the more we will be able to make these words of St. Francis de Sales a reality:
“The Holy Spirit does not tolerate procrastination; He demands a prompt response to His motions”.
FINAL NOTE: Since we are now on a missionary journey in Brazil and Argentina, we will have recourse during this time to meditations from the past. God willing, I will be able to write new reflections after Easter.