“You know that everything is grace and that everything comes from us. But you also know that it is necessary to cooperate with grace in order for it to be effective” (Inner Word).
Without God’s grace we are incapable of anything, as Jesus makes clear: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5b). How wisely our heavenly Father has arranged it! Knowing full well that we are always in danger of overestimating our abilities and giving too much importance to our contribution to what has been achieved, God reminds us that everything comes from Him. This is what we also experience on the spiritual path. Our Father allows us to feel our weakness so that we do not become trapped in ourselves, but rather confess with full conviction that it is only by His grace that we have been able to accomplish this or that. “In thy light do we see light.” (Ps 35:10). What would we be without You?
What a profound, liberating, and true statement!
From here, we discover even more of His wisdom: our Father takes us seriously. We are not mere tools without a will of our own. Therefore, day after day and hour after hour, we must do our part so that His grace and His divine life may become effective in us.
In this, our heavenly Father allows us to recognize our dignity. We must give our “yes” as the Blessed Virgin did when the angel announced the divine plan to her (cf. Lk 1:26–38). Mary’s “yes,” which she pronounced once and for all, becomes our example.
Our “fiat” must become ever more firm and proven, ever more joyful and natural. This is what our Father desires, for with our “yes” to His love and our response to Him, the essential in our lives has already been fulfilled. By God’s grace, we have awakened to true life, which our Father nourishes with His love.
And we know that everything comes from Him! Our dignity as persons lies in our “yes” to His will, so that grace may become effective in our lives. How wisely our Father has arranged this!