42d: I Give You the Joy of the Cross
Indeed, you will know joy in your every sorrow; moreover, you will offer for my joy each of your sufferings, even the smallest, and I will accept it as a gift which the little child makes to its Mother, and I will change it immediately into joy for you. (Mary’s Messages to Fr. Gobbi)
This message reminds me of the story of the little girl holding tight to her fake pearls, and the joy she receives when she finally lets go. Read it here.—> Precious Jewels
There are two competing world views today, one embraces the ‘party’ lifestyle which encompasses aiming to get all that we want, when we want it and claims that ‘happiness’ is the highest goal…hedonism is the official term. The other is the ‘sacrificial’ life style, which states that sometimes we must go against our own will in order to achieve a greater good that goes beyond temporary happiness.
This way of sacrifice, doesn’t have to entail big things. It’s in seeking His will in the small ordinary steps of life that, that although can be painful when our disposition isn’t right, bring about the biggest rewards.
“Those who give themselves to prayer,” says St. Teresa, “should concentrate solely on this: the conformity of their wills with the divine will. They should be convinced that this constitutes their highest perfection. The more fully they practice this, the greater the gifts they will receive from God, and the greater the progress they will make in the interior life.“
In today’s Gospel of Luke we hear
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Read from my previous posts…
Sacrifice(November 18, 2020)
Mortifiction(November 4, 2020)
suffering-and-gratitude-preparing-for-the-savior/ (November 19, 2018)
Embracing the Cross(July 9, 2014)
A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving
And yet of all the sacrifices we can take part of, nothing is more beneficial for our soul than that of participating in the Eucharist. The word Eucharist literally means ‘Thanksgiving’ in Greek. But then offering our own thanksgiving and praise throughout our daily life, brings us into a greater awareness of what the Lord is continually doing for us.
This is where even seemingly benign distractions can cause immense harm, they keep us from the graces and joy that the Lord wants to give to us at each moment. Oh what immense pain when we realize this too late.
“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set on fire to attain the peace which is yours.”