"I have loved you with an everlasting love...And I know the plans I have for you says the Lord"
Jeremiah:29-31
Thinking as God Does
We have to be careful at times not to pray "thy will be done" as if a secret agreement is present by which no divine testing in our life can take place without our approval. The words, rich as they are, are empty without our willingness to embrace unwelcome advances by God asking our soul to offer more…. The finer approach is to perceive in the inevitability of suffering a mark of divine love. It is to welcome the prospect of further offerings as means of union with a beloved who hung on a cross. The thought of suffering does not frighten. It has been understood in love…. Suffering requires a very active faith. But this is not simply in order to endure. We must see suffering in a graced light. Our true powerlessness rises up in the face of suffering. Indeed, an incomprehension often accompanies suffering. God’s purpose is unknown; he is more hidden. Precisely then must faith be exercised. God is inviting us to himself long before our last breath, and we must come to realize this. Our profound surrender to him is his desire, so different from mere resignation to his will. This deeper surrender is what God waits for always; it is why he allows pain. Father Donald Haggerty The Litany of Trust
From the belief that I have to earn Your love... Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that I am unlovable... Deliver me, Jesus. From the false security that I have what it takes... Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that trusting you will leave me more destitute... Deliver me, Jesus. From all suspicion of your words and promises... Deliver me, Jesus. From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You... Deliver me, Jesus. From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will... Deliver me, Jesus. From anxiety about the future... Deliver me, Jesus. From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past... Deliver me, Jesus. From restless self-seeking in the present moment... Deliver me, Jesus. From disbelief in Your love and presence... Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being asked to give more than I have... Deliver me, Jesus. From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth... Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of what love demands... Deliver me, Jesus. From discouragement... Deliver me, Jesus. That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me... Jesus, I trust in You. That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me... Jesus, I trust in You. That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You... Jesus, I trust in You. That You are with me in my suffering... Jesus, I trust in You. That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next... Jesus, I trust in You. That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church... Jesus, I trust in You. That Your plan is better than anything else... Jesus, I trust in You. That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me... Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others... Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked... Jesus, I trust in You. That my life is a gift... Jesus, I trust in You. That You will teach me to trust You... Jesus, I trust in You. That You are my Lord and my God... Jesus, I trust in You. That I am Your beloved one... Jesus, I trust in You. Written by Sr. Faustina Maria Pia, Sisters of Life Finding Rest in His Loving Heart
Let us penetrate the mystery of love and of mercy a little farther. Let us see what are the sources of our own most frequent anxieties. Frequently we become disturbed by thoughts like these: “Could I have committed that fault? Will I get rid of these temptations? Am I in a good state before God? Am I on the right road?” If I am ill: “Shall I get well?” If I am well: “Shall I become ill?” I would never finish if I tried to make a complete list of all our worries; each reader may complete it on his own. Ordinarily we concern ourselves about future events as well as those that are past. Well now, did all these disquieting events escape God’s loving providence? Or could our Lord have been distracted when he determined that such a thing happen to us? Or was he unable to avert this event in spite of his attention and solicitude for us? Or did his love suffer an eclipse during which this misfortune befell us? By no means. What does happen is that we forget that God arranges or permits all things, that nothing escapes his providence and that our Lord guides and governs our whole life. When we are disquieted it is usually through such forgetfulness or because the event is not according to our liking and we do not accept it with resignation, or because we want to know the consequences beforehand, whether for good or for ill. “Will this affair involve me in complications? Will it not be the first link in a chain of sufferings and contradictions?” We forget that God regulates all things, that we are not alone but carried in the divine arms, those omnipotent arms which not only protect us but also direct the world and arrange all life’s occurrences. Since we are in such hands, protected by such love, are we not foolish to be disturbed? The peace enjoyed by the saints intrigues us at times, but we wonder how they always remained tranquil in the midst of so many painful vicissitudes. To me it seems more strange that Christians, who have the faith, are filled with anxiety, for to preserve peace, one single thing would suffice: to live by faith, especially to believe in the consoling dogma of the love of God and of his constant, solicitous providence. “What will tomorrow bring? What will happen to me this year? Will it be better or worse than last year?” Idle questions, useless forebodings. I know only one thing: that today as yesterday, that tomorrow as today, that this year as last, God loves me, and he loves me as my heart yearns to be loved—no, much more than I dare aspire to. I know only that during this year as in the past I shall continue to live in the arms and in the heart of Jesus, and that he, with incomparable solicitude, will rule over all things including each detail of my life, designing all for my good and for my happiness. Servant of God Luis María |
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I'm not really a writer, but it's on my long list of aspirations to become one. The first on the list is to become a great Saint! My hope is to share knowledge and inspiration as we walk together during our pilgrim journey on earth and guide each other, hand in hand to the gates of Heaven... If you for find this website helpful please consider making a donation today! Archives
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