A Mother Foundress once said to her daughters, "When God asks for a sample give Him the whole piece." This is a well-put thought which presupposes a generous soul speaking to generous daughters.
As though He dreaded asking too much at one time, God gradually reveals how much He requires of our love. He gives only a sign, a proposal, an indication. He is waiting to see how we will react.
If we begin at once to draw back, to show our fear and displeasure, if we are disconcerted, God may hesitate to insist. He asks a more complete sacrifice, a total surrender; we withdraw coldly, and perhaps even indicate in no uncertain terms that He is mistaken, He really ought not treat us this way. Even the sample is too much to give.
If, on the contrary, God sees that we will not refuse the sacrifice He asks - declining health, unpleasant work, continued aridity, or who knows what else He might ask - that we simply beg for strength to hold on and correspond fully to His expectation, God will reserve to Himself the right to play the game as He sees fit.
Do not imagine Him a maliciously traitorous sort of person, who is going to profit by our generous spirit in order to send us the worst possible trials and to ask what is beyond our strength.... No! if He judges it fitting to beg the whole piece, it is not always with the intention of having us carry out His request, but in many cases, solely to give us the merit of a full acquiescence. He will often be satisfied with that and will treat us in His goodness as He did Abraham: He will demand the sacrifice of our Isaac, and when the offering is prepared, He will be content to have a ram.
Our God is good; never forget.it, even when He asks a sacrifice.
_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
No comments:
Post a Comment