223rd Meditation
“If we would serenely abandon ourselves to God’s Will in all adversities, we would be on the way to holiness and would be the happiest people on earth” (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori).
These words come to us from people who have had a profound experience of God. Their advice, drawn from the richness of their path of following Christ, helps us especially in difficult situations.
Indeed, when we learn to face adversity with serenity, a deep peace penetrates our soul and we do not need to be treated all our lives like immature children, who cannot yet digest solid food (cf. 1 Cor 3:2).
For our Heavenly Father, this means that He can entrust us with even more tasks to cooperate in the salvation of souls. He sees that our soul grows in strength, and thus draws us more and more to Himself and endows us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to the extent of our ability. In this way, He forms us as “warriors of light”, who take up their task in the army of the Lamb, and moreover do so with joy.
It may be small and seemingly insignificant situations that teach us to face adversity with serenity. Just as there are countless possibilities to do good and thus glorify God, there are also many occasions to show our love for Him by enduring adversity. In this way we grow in love. Our Father welcomes both expressions of love: both the fervour to do good, as well as patiently enduring the difficulties and adversities that come our way… Each in its own time!