9781644135945

The Time After Pentecost
His interests and honor. It is never satisfied with the thought of having done enough; it urges
us to render an even greater service of love and greater sacrifices.
God, on His part, answers with even greater proofs of His love. He draws the soul towards
Himself; the fear which until now plagued the soul, hindering its loving conversation with God,
gives way to an unspeakably blissful intimacy with Him and an unshakable confidence in His
love. Even the fear of not loving Him enough, of not pleasing Him, is no longer a torturing fear;
but it incites the soul to watch more carefully, to fight more courageously, and to break with
everything that is not of God. If it fears that it has offended the Father, it hurries to Him full of
humility, repentance, and confidence, knowing that He will not refuse the kiss of peace. The
longing to give Him everything continues to live in the soul. “Perfect charity casteth out fear”
(1 Jn 4:18). We have been baptized in this love.
How well the Father has arranged everything for us! Whereas once we yielded our members
“to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity” (Epistle), God through His love and mercy
has delivered us from sin. From “servants of sin” we have “become servants to God,” having
received the vocation and the power “to yield [our] members to serve justice unto sanctification.”
The fruit of our transformation: “life everlasting.” Are we not to be thankful from the depths of
our heart? Let us thank Him with words, with the offering of our sacrifice, which is Christ our
Lord; but above all, let us thank Him with our life.
“Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God with the voice of joy” (Introit). These
words are an invitation to us, the baptized, the children of God, to give thanks at all times and
in all places, but especially during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. “As in holocausts of rams and
bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs; so let our sacrifice be made in Thy sight this day, that
it may please Thee” (Offertory): a sacrifice of thanksgiving through Christ our Lord.
Prayer
May Thy healing work in our souls mercifully free us from our perverse inclinations, O Lord,
and lead us ever to do that which is right in Thy sight. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday
“Now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification,
and the end life everlasting” (Epistle). With these brief words the Apostle represents
our entire life. From sin we turn to a life in union with God, to a life of sanctity. This is the law
of our life: to do the will of God in all things, to fulfill His commandments as faithful servants.
We must therefore learn to see His holy will in all things.
We must learn to see God’s will in anything that may happen to us during our life: in difficulties,
sufferings, and humiliations, in whatever may occur, be it agreeable or painful; for
His providence manifests itself in all things. A deep and living faith is needed for this view
of life, an eye that is not deceived by the mere outward appearance of things. A Christian
should observe life with an eye that searches into the deeper reasons for everything, finding
in all things the hand of God and His infinitely wise and loving providence guiding and
providing for all creatures. He sees with the eye of faith; his judgment is not formed by
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