9781644135945

The Time After Pentecost
God; and then only may we seek temporal things. The Church sees with sorrow how many of
her children become worldly and strive after natural and temporal things alone, thus neglecting
the life of grace and the works of faith. She prays for all these that the Lord may grant them
“an increase of faith, hope, and charity.” Let us unite our prayers also with those of the Church.
“Make us love that which Thou dost command” (Collect). “Man must fear obedience
more than disobedience,” was a favorite saying of St. Francis de Sales. If we love that which
God commands, we shall be safe against faithlessness and transgressions of His commands.
The commands of God are often unwelcome and unpleasant. But happy are we if we do what
God commands us to do. “My yoke is sweet and My burden light” (Mt 11:30). If we submit
ourselves to the will of God because we feel forced to do so, the burden will crush us; but if we
embrace His commands with a ready and joyful heart, they will support us. It is important that
we make a distinction between what is hard and severe and what is sweet and light. Commands
and duties are hard; sweet, however, is the holy will of God, for love makes sweet and light all
things which God wants us to do.
Love also urges us to do cheerfully the things God asks of us; it causes us to embrace our
cross with a generous and persevering will, to fulfill our duties conscientiously even in minor
details. This faithfulness sees behind even trifling matters the infinitely wise and holy will of
God and the opportunity of drawing closer to God by the proper use of little things. Let us
look at the saints in this regard. How joyful, light, and cheerful were their souls! We may justly
assert that they were as free as they were obedient and faithful. Devoting themselves to God
and to Him alone, they were not bound by any creature. They knew neither the severity of the
Pharisees nor the scrupulous narrow-mindedness of the scribe; but, being free, they are exact
in all things. We observe in them a conscientiousness in the smallest detail; yet they never lose
their adaptability to their surroundings. The wisdom of many of their actions, inspired by the
love of God, helps them to overcome many difficulties which seem an insurmountable obstacle
to us. The saints understand that it is our duty, not only to act in accordance with the will of God,
but also to act from motives inspired by love for God. Thus they find the right way of combining
broad-mindedness with exactitude, ease with fidelity. The liturgy wishes us to have this spiritual
attitude. The Church prays God that we may “love that which Thou dost command.”
“Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity,” of wisdom, understanding, and an appreciation
of grace and things supernatural. This is the great need of our times: an understanding of
supernatural values. These should govern our thinking, our speech, our acts, our families, and our
nations. The science of our age must also come to acknowledge the supernatural sphere. But we
often prefer earthly and temporal things, even sinful things, to those supernatural; we act out of
merely natural motives in accordance with the supposed wisdom of our own spirit. We especially
underestimate the power of prayer, which is the fountain from which all graces come to us. We
neglect to spiritualize our thoughts, words, and actions; we do not properly esteem or make
use of the Church and her sacraments. “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity.”
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we
may obtain what Thou dost promise, make us love that which Thou dost command. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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