Meditation for September 25, The Will of God

Humanity in its source, that is, in the person of Adam and Eve, did not wish to submit to God. The created being, he who is even by essence an inferior, did not wish to bow before the Divine Sov­ereignty, and incited by the devil's you will be like to God, aspired to treat God as an equal.

To atone for this disobedience He, the Word, most perfect, equal to the Father, came upon our poor earth; He would be inferior and for that reason assumed a created human nature like to ours; thus He would be in a position of inferiority with reference to His Father. . . . The Father is greater than I. Our Lord would be able to atone for our disobedience.

Creatures that we are, we do not wish to obey God.

He who was never obliged to obey came on earth expressly to spend His life in obedience. Christ, says St. Paul, never did His own will; nothing is more certain; He had not come for that, He accomplished it in heaven since it was one with that of His Father. Christ came among us so that He might fulfill, at every instant, in reparation for our disobedience, the Will of His Father. Such was to be His food, the momentum of His life.

If, then, like Jesus, we set ourselves to accomplish completely at each instant what we discover to be the will of God, then have we risen to the full stature of Christ. Jesus in our place would act no differently. Thus we realize our complete Christian vocation.

How simple sanctity is! To grow in Christ to the point of always doing, wherever we may be, what He would do if He were in our place.
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)