You must return today to simplicity, to humility, to the confidence of little children, in order to see God. For this, I myself am preparing this cohort: my priests, whom I will cause to become littler, ever littler, so that they may be filled with the light and the love of God.
Blue Book #53f
When we got home, mother asked me to get the baby’s little potty, fill it with water, and bring it to her. While I did so, she gathered a bunch of beautiful white lilies from the garden. When I arrived with the potty, she put the bouquet into the potty and said, “Look at that. The white lilies don’t change, though they sit in a potty instead of in a beautiful vase. Always remember that, Catherine. The potty might be the priest. The white lily is Christ, the Christ who never changes, the Christ who is in the priest in a special way. Yes, the priest might be the potty, but the Christ in him always remains just like those lilies. Never in your life make the mistake of mixing the two together!”
Grace in Every Season (March 13)
In Back to Virtue , Peter Kreeft mentions how God sometimes allows priests (and us) to stumble and fall into sins that are more easily seen by others such as alcoholism and gluttony, in order to prevent the greater sin of pride.
This becoming ‘littler, ever littler’ mentioned in the above Blue Book passage sometimes includes allowing such humiliating means, among others. But it’s always with the objective of purification and sanctification.
So we must look beyond the falling place and see with God’s eyes, the final destination.
On a side note, Today is Pope Francis’ 10th anniversary… please pray for him.