“You, my saints, have faced the struggle in the world; but I will give you the reward of your labors” (Antiphon in memory of Saints Odon, Mayolus, Odilo and Hugo, Monastic Diurnal).
The struggle is inevitable, and if we fight it in the right way, a great reward awaits us that only God can give.
Also in the message to Mother Eugenia, God the Father speaks of the reward we will receive if we fulfill His desire:
“And to you who will work for My glory and commit yourselves to making Me known, honoured and loved, I give the assurance that your reward will be great, because I will count everything, even the smallest effort you make, and I will reward you a hundredfold in eternity”.
This too is a battle, for the words of the Prologue of St. John continue to be fulfilled: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5).
It is always a time of battle, with the goal that the love of God will finally overcome all darkness: a battle within our soul, a battle against the powers of darkness, a battle against the seduction of this world, a battle to restrain our sensual appetites, a battle for evangelization, for perseverance in prayer, for the fulfillment of our daily duties.
But there are signs that the battle is becoming more and more fierce. It is directed against the impiety, the apostasy and the forgetfulness of God that we see in many parts of the world and which often goes hand in hand with a rebellion against the Christian faith.
In His message, God the Father responds to this alienation with an “offensive of love”. The martyrs remind us of the extent to which we can love our Father, even beyond our own lives. Total surrender is required of us. And the great reward that awaits us is intimate communion with God in eternity. There is nothing more certain or joyful!
