I came across a wonderful meditation from Divine Intimacy
In discussing the true spirit of mortification, Fr. Gabriel states that it embraces all occasions for physical and moral suffering permitted by Divine Providence. These sufferings may include illness or fatigue, the effort involved in performing our daily duties, intense labor, defects of mind, or poverty. If we desire to surrender to God’s will in everything, we will not try to lighten these sufferings or run from them. It is these that God wants us to accept from His hands…more than any voluntary mortification that we choose of our own accord.
“All…must have that truly deep spirit of mortification which can embrace with generosity every opportunity for renunciation prepared or permitted by God.”
The same applies to sufferings in the moral order. Do we avoid those that we dislike…people that God has placed in our path? Do we avoid any kind of humiliation? Do we avoid an act of obedience that is painful to our nature? If so, we are running from the best opportunities for sacrifice and mortifying our self-love. Even if we substitute with another mortification, this will not have the same effect as those which are chosen by God Himself…those mortifications that He has especially prepared for us. Imagine that! God knows exactly what is needed for our sanctification and He chose these sacrifices Himself for each soul. No two souls are alike, so the mortifications will differ with every individual soul. With the mortifications ordained by Divine Providence there is no involvement of our own will and preferences. They strike us just where we need it most (smile).
15 Comments
Leave a Reply
Stop By and Thank Our Sponsors
Community Button
I’ve missed reading your wise thoughts, dear Carmelite sister. I too love the phrase “Lenten Failure.” I believe that is one purpose of Lent — to teach us that our human nature is truly weak – yet when we recognize this weakness is when we tend to give our whole self to God our Father who is strength and love itself.
Oh Julia…I can’t tell you how nice it was to see you post here. Beautifully said…just the pain of knowing how weak we truly are is a mortification…but only when we then offer everything to God and know that without Him, we are nothing.
Love this, Theresa! A reminder that we all need…like Mother Teresa said, ” I know the Lord wont’ give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.”
LOL
Thank you much for this post and the further comments – it has truly enlightened me. I was beginning to struggle with what I term ‘Lenten failure’. Yet during this time I have been given plenty of crosses to bear. I am trying to carry these with thanks and be cheerful in the face of small difficulties (They would seem small to others).
We can never judge one another’s *crosses*. God knows exactly what each unique soul needs for its purification. What might be a very heavy cross for one person may be small to another and vice versa.
I like the term *Lenten failure*. It made me laugh and now I have a name to use for myself LOL!
LOL, I spend more time and effort sometimes, trying to reduce or avoid suffering when letting go would be so much easier!! For whatever reason I feel the need to control, God is aware of and I suppose I can offer that up. We must look pretty goofy when we give up sweets instead of calling our husbands names. And I don’t mean “St Joseph”. I am shooting for that though. Thank you for this reminder of letting go and letting God.
LOL!! Loved your comment and it gave me a good chuckle. It is so true in ALL of our lives. Let us life one another in prayer to learn to *let go and let God*.
With three children four-years-old and younger, I often feel like my plate is full when it comes to the sacrifices God has chosen for me. I have had so much difficulty this lent offering up any self-imposed mortifications and it has discouraged me. Reading this makes me wonder if fully embracing the sufferings that come with caring for little ones is perhaps greater for my soul than becoming disheartened over penances I’ve chosen for myself.
ABSOLUTELY!! This is what God asks of you…to truly *embrace* the trials and discouragements…the little everyday vexations…the monotonous duties. This is so much more beneficial for your soul. Our penances and mortifications will differ drastically from the cloistered nun or the single person.
You truly have hit it right on the nail.
Some day I pray I will rejoice in my *little thorns* God bestows on me.
Another excellent post, Theresa! This is so true. The mortification I choose for myself are so much easier than the ones God sends. His are more profitable to my soul, as painful as they can be sometimes. Blessings.
Thanks Rebecca for your kind words. Yes…it is true. Lent is going so fast this year and I think *what have I really done?* Then I think back to my experiences and say *oh yeah…forgot about those.* The mortifications that are part of our daily life are much harder to deal with day after day then one large penance we impose on ourselves!
Allison~ I’ll tell ya…it’s the ones God chooses that are the hardest…I can attest to that. As mothers and wives, there are more than enough opportunities for mortification without going around looking for more!
He does seem to know exactly how to stretch us, Theresa…
‘Even if we substitute with another mortification, this will not have the same effect as those which are chosen by God Himself…’
Surrender and trust, right?
Thanks for this. +
Right…easier said than done. I find myself thinking…*this isn’t quite what I had in mind Lord.* LOL! Maybe I will learn to surrender just a little bit more by the time Lent is over…God willing. It’s gets tiring kicking and complaining after a while : )
Beautifully put, Theresa! God knows and do I 2nd guess is something I often wonder about…