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The Time After Pentecost
commands and forbids, what He advises and expects of us beyond His express commandments.
Another sign of the will of God is manifested in His providence and His creation. Every creature
proclaims the power and wisdom and love of God, and urges us to show the greatest respect for
Him and to love and serve Him. God’s providence is made manifest in everything that happens,
from the greatest to the least. Every event of our lives, no matter how insignificant it may seem
to us, is directed by the wisdom of God and ordained for our best interests. Our spiritual duties,
nature, the social obligations arising from our membership in society, the duties of our state of
life, are but so many manifestations of the will of God in our regard.
A third indication of the will of God may be found in the inspirations which He gives to
us, which are not as easily recognized as the openly manifested will of God. If we achieve and
maintain a close union with God, these inspirations will become increasingly clear and certain.
A fourth sign of the will of God will be found in the enlightenment of our understanding. It is
the will of God that we turn to Him in the spirit of faith and allow our intellect to be enlightened
by His divine intellect. In many circumstances this is the only source from which we
may seek enlightenment. As we grow in grace and increase in charity, our intellect becomes
so enlightened by the Holy Spirit that we come to know instinctively what is the will of God.
This is the gift of counsel.
“Understanding what is the will of God.” There can be no more blessed knowledge than knowing
what is the will of God. In the light of such knowledge we say: It is His will; He has ordained it
so; He has allowed this to come to pass. Thus all our duties become light and sweet. Whatever
befalls us we offer to Him as a prayer, saying: I accept this out of love for thee; or in the words
of the Introit: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.”
“Understanding what is the will of God,” we confess: “All that Thou hast done to us, O
Lord, Thou hast done in true judgment; because we have sinned against Thee, and we have not
obeyed Thy commandments” (Introit). In all the sufferings that God imposes on us we must
recognize the hand of the just, merciful, and loving Father. We should humble ourselves beneath
the hand of God, and with unshakable confidence in His justice and mercy cry out, “Give glory
to Thy name, and deal with us according to the multitude of Thy mercy.” Thus we should consider
and accept the sufferings of this life in the spirit of our Holy Mother the Church.
Prayer
Graciously grant to Thy faithful, we beseech Thee, O Lord, forgiveness and peace, that they
may be cleansed from all offenses and serve Thee with a quiet mind. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Saturday
The liturgy is concerned today with the approaching end of all things, and particularly with the
proximity of our own death. Holy Mother the Church is filled with sorrow to see so many of
her baptized children living worldly lives, totally absorbed by worldly cares and interests, and
devoting themselves so completely to temporal goods and pursuits. They are totally lacking in
“understanding what is the will of God; and be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury; but be
ye filled with the Holy Spirit” (Epistle).
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