Learn to see me even in obscurity; learn to feel my presence even in abandonment, O my son; learn to do everything with me, in me. Give me your whole self completely, at each moment.
Blue Book #38 d
When I’m discouraged I remember that I have recourse to the only thing I know will keep me from absolute discouragement, and that is Calvary. Whenever I feel that the things of the world are too much for me, I take refuge at the foot of the cross, and even if the whole world is shrouded in darkness, and the curtains of all my temples are rent, I know that although I cannot see, nor hear, nor understand I am safe at the feet of my crucified Savior.
Grace in Every Season (February 23)
In today’s Gospel we hear “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
The world easily accepts ‘no pain no gain’ or ‘just do it’… but when we speak of embracing our crosses everyone cringes. But yet that’s the fullness of truth right there. It’s in facing and dealing with our hardships that with God’s grace we can triumph over them.
This grace filled season of Lent is the perfect time to take a look at all of our crosses big and small and see how many ways we’ve been running from them.
The Cross is rightly associated with suffering, but that isn’t its sole purpose. The main purpose is to die to self so that He can live in us more fully. So our thoughts during Lent shouldn’t be how horrible can I make my life during these forty days, but to instead say ‘Lord I’m Yours, I’m here to do Your will’ … when our wills aren’t fully united in a particular area that’s when ‘suffering’ happens…go with it, grow with it…fully embracing that He knows best and loves you completely.