Novena to God the Father, Day 8
As You give us to understand, Beloved Father, You are not far away, but very close to us, and You will come even closer, to the extent that we allow You and open our hearts to You.
Since this is so and You call us to infinite trust, knowing that You are watching over all that happens to Your children, we come to You also at this hour of history, to ask You what is currently happening on earth.
There is so much discord and confusion. Even Your Church is involved, and it would seem that the anti-Christian powers are gaining more and more dominance. Can You give us some light?
In Your message to Mother Eugenia, You promise that wherever You are invoked, You will bring peace, be it in families, in Christian communities, in nations and in humanity as a whole. For where You are, there will be no more wars. So Scripture tells us:
“For the Lord is a God who breaks battle-lines” (Jdt 16:2).
“He puts an end to wars over the whole wide world,
he breaks the bow, he snaps the spear,
shields he burns in the fire.” (Ps 46:9)
“I shall break the bow and the sword and warfare, and banish them from the country, and I will let them sleep secure.” (Hos 2:20b)
Certainly You refer, Beloved Father, to true peace. It is, in the first instance, peace with You, the peace that only You can give (Jn 14:27), peace of heart; and from there, peace among us men.
These are wonderful promises that You make to us! But the present situation in this world seems so different…
If we ask You why these promises of Yours have not yet been fulfilled, we can be sure of what You will answer… With good reason, You will ask if men recognise You, honour You and love You as Father, as You ask of us. You will ask if men keep Your commandments and live as Your children. You will ask if the Feast in Your honour has already been established as You have requested. Then I am silent, Beloved Father…
Certainly there are those who call upon You and serve You as Your children, but they are too few! And neither has a liturgical Feast in Your honour been established yet.
So what is it for us to do?
Abraham bargained with You, and You were willing to spare Sodom if only ten righteous people were found there (Gen 18:16-33).
Can I also bargain with You? Even if there are not enough in every nation who honour You as You wish, is it not possible for at least a few to represent their respective people, devoting themselves wholly to Your “work of love”?
We need to awaken from all lethargy! In all that has been happening in the world for many months now, it is evident that Your insistent call to conversion is perceived.
Only if we place our trust in You and reciprocate Your love, will the dark shadows be dispelled and the plans of the Evil One be defeated.
You will lead Your people through the wilderness, and every high-handed Pharaoh will be cast down from his throne (cf. Ex 14:18-28). If only we understood this!
Let us take the desires of Your Heart seriously and trust in You, for they are a light in the midst of the present darkness!
Precisely now, in this time, with its absurdities and increasing darkness, when the revolt against You and Your Anointed (cf. Ps 2:2) is growing more and more intense, we must gather behind You and Your Son and proclaim Your love. In times of persecution, Your light can spread even more.
The prophet Isaiah answered Your call:
“I then heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I, send me.’” (Isa 6:8)
Today, Father, we are all called.