JESUS EXHORTS HIS APOSTLES TO HAVE CONFIDENCE
“Jesus said to them: ‘When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything?’ But they said, ‘Nothing’ ” (Luke 22, 35).
First Prelude: Behold Jesus in the midst of His disciples lovingly reminding them of the proofs of Divine Providence received in the past.
Second Prelude: In the remembrance of Thy touching solicitude for me in the past, O Lord, let me cherish a tender, unbounded confidence in Thee for the future.
FIRST POINT
THE SOLICITUDE OF OUR DIVINE LORD FOR HIS DISCIPLES
Though Jesus foretold the infidelity of the disciples, He saw their sincere, earnest good will. To strengthen and console them in the coming heavy trials, Jesus reminded them of the past when He had so lovingly assisted them in all needs, had ever shown Himself their Redeemer, the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father. He, therefore, asked them gently: “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything?” They were constrained to answer that nothing had ever been wanting them.
Could Jesus not put the same question to us? If we cast a glance into our past life, must we not confess with the Apostles that the same Good Shepherd has never suffered us to want anything? When He sent us, that is, when we complied with holy obedience, we lacked nothing, neither temporal nor heavenly goods; Divine Providence supplied all our needs. How much should we, therefore, trust in the power and goodness of our God! How often has Jesus even miraculously aided souls, who, forgetful of all earthly things and relying solely on Him, sought first the kingdom of God and His Justice. We find most touching proofs of such implicit trust in the life of St. Charles Borromeo, of St. Vincent de Paul, of St. Teresa and many other saints, and read thereof in the chronicles of religious houses. Let us then, likewise, trust in the goodness of our so opulent and lovingly solicitous heavenly Father, especially when we seem to lack the gifts and talents necessary for the discharge of the duties of our vocation. Our Divine Saviour knows our needs. If He wants our labors to be effective, He will supply what we are lacking—if He wishes to try us by failure, He will direct the humiliation to His honor and our salvation, provided we have put forth our best efforts. But why is many a soul so discouraged and dejected, so dissatisfied with the dispensation of almighty God? Why are many duties fulfilled so reluctantly? Because these respective souls lack the spirit of confiding, trustful prayer.
May the remembrance of the prodigies of divine grace manifested in our past life, strengthen, comfort and encourage us in sufferings and tribulations. May we never relinquish our trust in the protection and assistance of God, but may our confidence and firm reliance on Him grow proportionately as our trials and sufferings are multiplied.
Have I not through lack of confidence placed obstacles to the grace of God? Do I avail myself of sufferings and difficulties to increase and strengthen my trust in Him?
SECOND POINT
OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD SHOULD BE UNBOUNDED
If the Apostles had trustingly had recourse to Jesus in the hour of temptation and danger, they should not have fallen into despair, fear and faithlessness. For us, too—would we remain faithful to Jesus—it is essential to trust implicitly in Him, alone, and rely neither on ourselves nor on others. Jesus is infinitely good and loves us as His children. If we cast a hurried glance over our past life, we shall see that He has always dealt mercifully with us. He has often preserved us from sin, kept aloof many dangerous occasions of sin, and if we have, nevertheless, actually fallen, He mercifully pardoned us in the excess of His paternal love. The graces He has bestowed upon us are so numerous, that only in eternity shall we be able to recount them all.
Our confidence in God, therefore, should be boundless and commensurate with our weakness and misery. How difficult soever perfection may seem, with the grace of God it is possible for us to attain it. Looking upon ourselves, we must truly say: It is impossible; but looking up to God, we may add with St. Paul: “I can do all things in Him Who strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4, 13).
True, the violent and numerous attacks of the Evil One are directed primarily at religious to rob them of their trust in God, for he knows full well how such confidence honors God. Unrelenting in his efforts, especially in the case of religious, the favored disciples of Christ, the Evil One seeks to shatter their childlike trust in God, by tempting them to mistrust, to despondency and despair. He even knows as “father of lies,” how to deceive us to such an extent as to make us regard our lack of confidence as humility.
What can be said of my confidence? Am I convinced that God demands a greater degree of trust of religious, and that He imparts His graces according to the measure of their surrender?
Affections: “In Thee, O Lord, I place all my trust, my only hope, and I shall never be confounded.” What mercy and love hast Thou shown me, O Jesus! Why should I not hope all things from Thee for the future? Strengthen and confirm my confidence, which is in truth, a proof of Thy infinite love for me. In future, all sufferings and reverses shall serve to rivet me closer to Thee, that I may say with the love of a child, wholly devoted to Thee: “My Father, I place all my trust in Thee.”
Resolution: In every grief and suffering I will have recourse to my Saviour with childlike and humble confidence.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Lord, increase my hope!”
Prayer: Jesus, my Lord, my King . . .
“Jesus said to them: ‘When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything?’ But they said, ‘Nothing’ ” (Luke 22, 35).
First Prelude: Behold Jesus in the midst of His disciples lovingly reminding them of the proofs of Divine Providence received in the past.
Second Prelude: In the remembrance of Thy touching solicitude for me in the past, O Lord, let me cherish a tender, unbounded confidence in Thee for the future.
FIRST POINT
THE SOLICITUDE OF OUR DIVINE LORD FOR HIS DISCIPLES
Though Jesus foretold the infidelity of the disciples, He saw their sincere, earnest good will. To strengthen and console them in the coming heavy trials, Jesus reminded them of the past when He had so lovingly assisted them in all needs, had ever shown Himself their Redeemer, the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father. He, therefore, asked them gently: “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want anything?” They were constrained to answer that nothing had ever been wanting them.
Could Jesus not put the same question to us? If we cast a glance into our past life, must we not confess with the Apostles that the same Good Shepherd has never suffered us to want anything? When He sent us, that is, when we complied with holy obedience, we lacked nothing, neither temporal nor heavenly goods; Divine Providence supplied all our needs. How much should we, therefore, trust in the power and goodness of our God! How often has Jesus even miraculously aided souls, who, forgetful of all earthly things and relying solely on Him, sought first the kingdom of God and His Justice. We find most touching proofs of such implicit trust in the life of St. Charles Borromeo, of St. Vincent de Paul, of St. Teresa and many other saints, and read thereof in the chronicles of religious houses. Let us then, likewise, trust in the goodness of our so opulent and lovingly solicitous heavenly Father, especially when we seem to lack the gifts and talents necessary for the discharge of the duties of our vocation. Our Divine Saviour knows our needs. If He wants our labors to be effective, He will supply what we are lacking—if He wishes to try us by failure, He will direct the humiliation to His honor and our salvation, provided we have put forth our best efforts. But why is many a soul so discouraged and dejected, so dissatisfied with the dispensation of almighty God? Why are many duties fulfilled so reluctantly? Because these respective souls lack the spirit of confiding, trustful prayer.
May the remembrance of the prodigies of divine grace manifested in our past life, strengthen, comfort and encourage us in sufferings and tribulations. May we never relinquish our trust in the protection and assistance of God, but may our confidence and firm reliance on Him grow proportionately as our trials and sufferings are multiplied.
Have I not through lack of confidence placed obstacles to the grace of God? Do I avail myself of sufferings and difficulties to increase and strengthen my trust in Him?
SECOND POINT
OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD SHOULD BE UNBOUNDED
If the Apostles had trustingly had recourse to Jesus in the hour of temptation and danger, they should not have fallen into despair, fear and faithlessness. For us, too—would we remain faithful to Jesus—it is essential to trust implicitly in Him, alone, and rely neither on ourselves nor on others. Jesus is infinitely good and loves us as His children. If we cast a hurried glance over our past life, we shall see that He has always dealt mercifully with us. He has often preserved us from sin, kept aloof many dangerous occasions of sin, and if we have, nevertheless, actually fallen, He mercifully pardoned us in the excess of His paternal love. The graces He has bestowed upon us are so numerous, that only in eternity shall we be able to recount them all.
Our confidence in God, therefore, should be boundless and commensurate with our weakness and misery. How difficult soever perfection may seem, with the grace of God it is possible for us to attain it. Looking upon ourselves, we must truly say: It is impossible; but looking up to God, we may add with St. Paul: “I can do all things in Him Who strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4, 13).
True, the violent and numerous attacks of the Evil One are directed primarily at religious to rob them of their trust in God, for he knows full well how such confidence honors God. Unrelenting in his efforts, especially in the case of religious, the favored disciples of Christ, the Evil One seeks to shatter their childlike trust in God, by tempting them to mistrust, to despondency and despair. He even knows as “father of lies,” how to deceive us to such an extent as to make us regard our lack of confidence as humility.
What can be said of my confidence? Am I convinced that God demands a greater degree of trust of religious, and that He imparts His graces according to the measure of their surrender?
Affections: “In Thee, O Lord, I place all my trust, my only hope, and I shall never be confounded.” What mercy and love hast Thou shown me, O Jesus! Why should I not hope all things from Thee for the future? Strengthen and confirm my confidence, which is in truth, a proof of Thy infinite love for me. In future, all sufferings and reverses shall serve to rivet me closer to Thee, that I may say with the love of a child, wholly devoted to Thee: “My Father, I place all my trust in Thee.”
Resolution: In every grief and suffering I will have recourse to my Saviour with childlike and humble confidence.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Lord, increase my hope!”
Prayer: Jesus, my Lord, my King . . .
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