Some days I pray endlessly for God to give me a break and take away the parts of myself I most despise. However, that is a futile prayer. His intent isn’t to take me apart like a Mr. Potato head doll and toss away the parts that don’t belong. Rather, His desire is to perfect this nature He has intentionally created in me.
Our 2nd reading from the 1st Letter of St. John is confusing. What does it mean to see God as He is? And why does that matter in my day today? It matters because it is our path to happiness; the path God wants us to bring others to as well.
Putting ourselves in the Gospel scene of doubting Thomas, our ‘take’ on it might be strikingly different from the popular (and disparaging) view of this Holy apostle. He had shown great fidelity and courage. God is wanting to give us that same courageous fidelity and these troubling times are actually the gift of opportunity for us to grow. . It is built by intentional small choices made throughout the day Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
A priest once said “When Jesus looks at you, He does not see your sin. He sees through your sin to the images of God still remaining.”
St. Claude de Colombiere wrote “Men may deprive me of property and honour; sickness may take away my strength and other means of serving You; I may even lose Your grace by sin; but never, never will I lose my hope in You.” That is Divine Mercy.
It is Easter, Halleluiah! Easter isn’t just a day; it is an entire season for us to rejoice with Him in our resurrection in Christ! Yes, He rejoices in us, in our smallness, our vulnerability, our fidelity through thick and thin. We pushed through Lent with steadfastness. Now is the season to think about how to keep that up, maintain Jesus in our heart despite the confusing world around us. He wants to help with that.