Choosing to Love God

“When the soul sees that everything is given it freely and that the only thing it has of itself is its own misery, this is what sustains it in a continual act of humble prostration before the majesty of God. And God, seeing the soul in such a disposition, pursues it with His graces.” (St. Faustina 593)

A priest once explained why God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden. I hadn’t ever thought about that…why did God put something right in Adam and Eve’s face if they weren’t allowed to have it? The answer: it gave them the opportunity to choose to love God. How true that remains for us today too. Every temptation is an opportunity for us to choose to love God by rejecting it and choosing Him. 

It actually is a blessing for us that God didn’t leave us in the garden. We would have spent eternity in our brokenness. In harmony with this, holy writers of the past explain that we have opportunity which Adam and Eve never had—that of growing in virtue as we follow God with fidelity through the struggles. 

 “…the infinite Wisdom of God is such that He would only permit His plan to be rejected [by Adam and Eve] if He foresaw that He would achieve a greater good by doing so.” (Dom Eugene Boylan)

Jesus taught St. Faustina that the only gift we have to give Him which is truly of our own is our misery (Diary 1318). 

Even when someone is showered in God’s wisdom, rejecting temptations and disciplining the will still remain difficult…it isn’t as easy as just putting on a happy face. The popular culture will convince it’s a matter of the power of positive thinking, or if I’m happy you’re happy, or any one of the trendy perspectives that center us in ourselves. These make us self-reliant rather than God-reliant even if we do it in God’s name. The saints teach us the truth: surrender to God. Let’s not forget St. Monica’s example when she developed her teenage drinking problem. Rather than just giving up wine, she gave up all drink between meals. The rationale was if she didn’t thirst, then she wouldn’t develop a thirst for wine.   And St. Ignatius of Loyolas’ rules for eating are really the approach to an attitude of temperance in all areas of life. Finally, keep in mind the wise words of Fr. Daniel Considine SJ: “The first condition for carrying out God’s Will in our regard — the sanctification of our soul — is to believe we can do it. … God is much more interested in our sanctification than we are ourselves.”   

Whereas our intent this Lent might be to be rid of a bad habit, His is our deification. The readings of saints and ancient sages help us to maintain both focus and enthusiasm during this season of atonement, as well as better dispose ourselves to the graces of the sacraments. 

“[to priests] The immensity of the sacrifice of Christ, as High Priest, of himself as Victim is so overwhelming that we are apt to overlook our personal association with him as Priest and as Victim. It is this latter association that is especially relevant here. In the encyclical on the Mystical Body of Christ we are reminded that not only does Christ offer himself in the Mass by the ministry of the priests, but that he also offers each of his members. So that when we priests are offering Mass, we cannot avoid offering ourselves. … since Christ offers us in the Mass, we must be prepared to take our place with him as victims. We are his friends, not merely his servants.” (Dom Eugene Boylan)  

Let’s offer up our sufferings for clergy, religious and those on the path who are already dedicating their lives of prayer to us. 

O Mary, my Mother and my Lady, I offer You my soul, my body, my life and my death, and all that will follow it. I place everything in Your hands. O my Mother, cover my soul with Your virginal mantle and grant me the grace of purity of heart, soul and body. Defend me with Your power against all enemies, and especially against those who hide their malice behind the mask of virtue. O lovely lily! You are for me a mirror, O my Mother! (St. Faustina 79)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

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