“It is not the beginning that is rewarded, but perseverance alone.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
It is good that the words of Saint Catherine remind us that a brief uplifting of the heart—sometimes accompanied by the tangible grace of God and corresponding resolutions—must prove itself over the long journey. This requires spiritual training, so that we consciously work at bearing the hardships necessary to bring a good beginning to fulfillment.
“Just as young nightingales learn to sing from the older ones, so we too, through our association with the saints, will learn to pray and sing God’s praises more beautifully: ‘I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels,’ says David (Ps 138:1).” (St. Francis de Sales)
“Consider how I love thy precepts! Preserve my life according to thy steadfast love.” (Ps 119:159)
God’s holy commandments are life. To move within them means to live in the favor of our Father. They are instructions that God, in His goodness, has given so that we may not perish in the turmoil of this world or fall prey to evil. We need only look at them individually to recognize that they were given to us with great wisdom. When our Father gives us as the first commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt 22:37), then the most essential thing has already been said to us.
“No one in the whole world can change the truth. We can do only one thing: seek it, find it, and serve it.” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)
This profoundly true statement by St. Maximilian Kolbe is meant to lead us into an attitude of humble simplicity. It shows us the path on which we can live our lives fruitfully and in union with God. For this we were created, and for this our Father has placed the longing for truth within our hearts.
“I, I am he that comforts you” (Isaiah 51:12a)
How deeply our Father longs for us to understand this. Who else could give us comfort that reaches into that depth which neither we nor any other human being can fathom?
“The more you live in My heart and I in yours, the greater the fruit will be.” (Inner Word)
Do we desire to live our earthly lives in such a way that they bear abundant fruit—fruit that will follow us into eternity? Here we are shown a path, for the Heavenly Father offers us His heart for this very purpose. It is not a difficult path that demands endless effort from us. No, it is a simple path of love, an intimate communion with our Father and He with us. The fruit of this will grow and ripen almost of itself, for God Himself will bring it forth.
“To depart from You is to die. To return to You is to rise again. To dwell with You is to live.” (St. Augustine)
With these few words, dear Father, St. Augustine expresses it perfectly. For if we were to go away from You—which may You always prevent—we would no longer be able to receive the grace, Your living love for us. Everything within us would begin to wither, everything that truly reveals to us the real value of existence.
“All who wish to follow Me will experience the hostility of hell and also of those who listen to the demons.” (Inner Word)
This is inevitable once we begin to follow Christ. The expression of this hostility may take different forms, but it will certainly appear. The Father has made this clear to us through His Son and through the testimony of those who followed Him.
“Everyone can become brothers and sisters if they believe in Me.” (Inner Word)
This refers to the kinship our Lord speaks of in the Gospel:
“Some one told him, ‘Your mother and your brethren are standing outside, asking to speak to you’. But he replied to the man who told him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?’ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.’” (Mt 12:47–50)
“Look at Me, just as I look at you!” (Inner Word)
This is our Heavenly Father’s loving invitation to walk a path of intimacy through this earthly life. What tenderness we encounter in these words! The Father’s gaze upon us humans is filled with caring love for our physical and spiritual needs. God’s love always precedes us, for He had already looked upon us before we were in our mother’s womb:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jer 1:5).
