Question 8.138

8.138 How can we continue to believe, “despite the despites”, as Saint Josemaría [Escriva], the founder of Opus Dei, put it?

The Church must always remember the reality of our divine adoption. Thanks to it, we experience the joy and the peace that come from God, and even our weaknesses do not depress us.

We must never forget the moment of Jesus’ death. Despair seemed to cover everything, and the darkness surpassed the light. The apostles were overwhelmed. Despite this enormous tragedy, the women did not renounce their faith. Mary and Mary Magdalen, the sinner from whom Jesus had expelled seven demons, wanted to take care of Jesus’ body and make sure that he had a dignified burial. They could not believe that evil had conquered the Son of God. Mary remained present even after his death because her faith was a rock that no tide could sweep away; she went beyond what is humanly possible.

Today, too, we can get over the disappointments that we feel with regard to the Church or about any other human or Christian matter if we remain in union with God through prayer. We must continue to have absolute trust that we are not alone. Without God, we can do nothing.

Despite sufferings, despite failure, despite evil, our victory is our faith. Saint John writes: “This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:4-5).

Sometimes the relentless attacks against the words of the pope, against the teaching of the Church, or against morality can cause us to think that evil has won the battle. Some obscure philosophical forces wish to impose silence on the Church so as to govern the world more easily according to its selfish, mercenary, and cruel principles. We must not let down our guard against the noise that would like to annihilate man’s whole interior life by brutalizing him with images and news that are veritable drugs.

It is necessary to believe in spite of everything, because that is our vocation as Christians. We must believe in the future of the Church, which has overcome many crises. We must believe that the victor is still Christ. We must believe with great and loving patience.

Once again, I turn to Saint Augustine, who speaks marvellously about our human condition: “He who wants to find in himself the cause of his joy will be sad, but he who wants to find in God the cause of his joy will always be joyful, because God is eternal. Do you want to have eternal joy? Cling to the One who is eternal.”