“My grace is sufficient enough for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. I have been foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am in no way inferior to these ‘superapostles”, even though I am nothing.” says Saint Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. He speaks to the words that are on my heart. I long for Christ to fill every part of me. The only way He can complete me is if I am continually brought lower and lower. I burn with a desire to be independent and strong, which leads me to shy away from my littleness. I must acknowledge and accept my weaknesses.
I am still treading. I need to stop and let God take over. I need to let Him envelop me. I need to let go so He can work in me and through me. Drowning in God is glorious. I am afraid to let go of control. I am clinging to it, slowly I let go, and then suddenly I grasp tight. It is consuming and exhausting. When I attempt to accomplish things alone, I fail. I need God and His grace to carry out His work. I permit Him to work through me to touch the world.
“Amen,” we declare as we accept the cup at holy Mass. With these words and this action we are confirming that we allow God the authority to make choices and decisions for us. We grant Him the reins. We remind ourselves of this each time we receive His Blood, His cup of Life and Salvation. We allow Him to lift us up and draw us nearer to Him, the One who loves us and who would inflict us no harm.
God guides us to make decisions that are pleasing to Him and that bear us no harm. He is our Creator and He knows how we will best serve Him. We must allow Him to fill us with His grace in order for us to submit our wills to His will. His love fills us and overwhelms us with a desire to do all that He asks of us and only what He asks of us. We no longer seek to please ourselves, our wills, our desires, our yearnings because what was once ours is now His.
We become willing, docile servants of Our Lord. He is the captain of our ship. He is the creator of our soul and will steer it well if we turn over the wheel, our will, let go and let God. “Come to terms with him to be at peace. In this shall good come to you: Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.” writes Job in chapter 22, verses 21-22.
How do we do this? Through fasting, penance and prayer and through all our seemingly insignificant submissions through our day. We turn to Him in prayer to ask for His grace to be able to carry out only His will and to be empowered to reject and deny our own bodily desires. We fast like we have never before because our hearts are bursting with His grace and His love, as well as, a burning desire to work for Him and to accomplish all He asks of us. We choose penance as He sees fit. We sacrifice not only for our own transgressions but also for those we establish cause pain to our Lord’s heart. We understand that their sin is not unseen by our Lord and is surely misunderstood by them, but nonetheless afflicts our Heavenly Father.
Galatians 6:7-10 tells us “Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person who will reap only what he sows, because the one who sows for his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows for the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit. Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, but especially those who belong to the family of the faith.” With this Our Lord is well pleased.
God looks with pleasure on those who choose His path, the path that leads to a closer relationship with Him and fruits beyond measure.
Call to Act: Where is Our Heavenly Father asking you to submit your will? Is there a certain situation you are attempting to control? Is there a particular penance He has been calling you to institute into your life? Do you fast regularly? Is this a practice He is asking of you right now? Take it to prayer, sister. Ask God to reveal to you practices that will draw you and others nearer to His Divine heart. Step outside yourself and your worldly comforts and offer atonement in a new way.
St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us that we may be able to sanctify ourselves through sacrifices and dying to our wills. Pray that we may be made holy through prayer, penance and fasting, as well as, our submissions through our days. Intercede for us, sinners, as we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the glory and will of our Heavenly Father. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
St. Padre Pio grew up as an extremely devout and serious young boy. He was born in Italy to peasant farmers with 6 siblings. He was known for his great sacrifices for our Lord, even at a young age. He received the gift of stigmata after he became a Capuchin priest and was known for levitating during mass as he became so enthralled in the sacrifice. He is known for preaching, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” He died in 1968, making him a modern saint. Read more about him here.
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=311