236th Meditation
“How can we ever thank You enough, O Beloved Father, for Your love and Your infinite mercy” (Hymn of Praise to the Most Holy Trinity).
When we become aware of our Father’s love and admire His works, an “eternal thanksgiving” begins to well up in us, leading to unceasing praise of His majesty.
We then experience that our gratitude is never exhausted, because with every “thank you” that comes from our heart, we see another reason to give thanks and another door opens for us. If we pass through it, we find ourselves in a huge room, full of light, where we perceive even more clearly how gracious our Father is and how tenderly and lovingly He has provided everything we need.
At the end of this room, there is another door. Full of trust and gratitude we walk through it. The new room in which we now find ourselves is even brighter than the previous one. Here we recognise – not without a shudder – how many dangers the Lord has saved us from and from what deep mire He has sometimes had to rescue us. Then our heart lifts up its eyes to the Father, overflowing with gratitude, and cannot imagine that there is room for even more gratitude.
But at the end of this room, too, a new door is glimpsed, which this time opens into a vast vault, full of bright lights. The soul understands that this is the grace our Father offers to all men. With even greater gratitude, it walks through this new room, marvelling at how the Heavenly Father takes care of everything and does not forget a single person. Now the gratitude becomes even more vast.
Then the soul discovers a side room with a beautiful entrance, where she sees people praying and earnestly imploring God. She understands that these are those who follow the motions of the Spirit, interceding for other people, so that they may be saved.
A little ashamed, because she knows that she owes her own conversion to the prayers of others, but at the same time even more grateful, not only to God but also to these praying people, the soul moves on until she sees another magnificent side door. Filled with joy she passes through it and sees a beautiful woman, gazing up at God and interceding for men. She is surrounded by angels and saints, who are praying with her. The soul understands that she is our beloved Mother and the Mother of God.
What more can the heart, overflowing with gratitude, do now?
Then it sees at the end of the road the most magnificent portal of all. Two glorious angels guard the entrance. The heart understands that it is the entrance to eternity.
Now it can go no further, for its time has not yet come. But it gazes at that portal with deep longing, gratitude and expectation. The soul knows that it will have all eternity to give thanks to the Father and that it will never reach the end.