338. Nineteenth Friday of Ordinary Time
Meditations no. 310 (unofficial computer-aided translation)
We have to be faithful to God in everything we do.
Shortly before his death, Joshua reminded the People of Israel of the wonders God had wrought by taking them out of Egypt and leading them into the land promised to their ancestors: the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan, the victories over their enemies, the taking of Jericho⌠The prophet Ezekiel highlights very clearly how the choice of this People was entirely free from Godâs point of view. He describes Jerusalem as a new-born baby girl who has been left abandoned but who has been rescued by God: I bound myself by oath, I made a covenant with you - it is the Lord who speaks -and you became mine.
Boundless was the Lordâs mercy to Israel. Not only did he have pity on his people: he also showered them with gifts. I loaded you with jewels, gave you bracelets for your wrists and a necklace for your throat ⌠You were loaded with gold and silver, and dressed in fine linen and embroidered silks ⌠and you rose to be queen. The fame of your beauty spread through the nations, since it was perfect, because I had clothed you with my own splendour it is the Lord who speaks. Was it not right to expect the people to be faithful to the Covenant made with God? Sacred history, though, reminds us of their repeated betrayals, for which the prophet Ezekiel reproaches them harshly on Godâs behalf.
Whatever was written in former days, St Paul points out, was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. We too have been called by God with a special love, and we have received his bountiful mercy in our souls, so he has every right to expect us to respond to his love with total self-giving, for ever, without wavering, without any shadow of doubt, with love that is faithful and loyal.
Our Father tells us: Donât ever lose sight, my daughters and sons, of the fact that God is counting on you to co-redeem. Be really faithful: donât lower your sights! Remember that we are never alone. Our Lord wishes to dwell within us, and through us to reach many souls: those we know already, and many more we have yet to meet. On your fidelity depends the fidelity of many others. I like to remind you that, in my experience, nothing is ever lost; the seed which we sow, by the grace of God, always bears fruit.
When talking of fidelity it is difficult to distinguish between what is important and what is unimportant, because he who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. Disloyalty is never unimportant, because it always has to be measured in relation to the confidence God has placed in the person concerned. In our case, because of the gift of a vocation to Opus Dei, that confidence is far greater than we can imagine, not only because God has placed in our hands the treasure of the spirit of the Work, but also because he keeps us safe and unshaken amid the storms which buffet many souls, inside and outside the Church. Our loyalty, therefore, should be pure, shining out like a beacon: a fidelity which can act as a stimulus and encouragement for others.
Loyalty to the Church, especially in times of disloyalty.
We all want to be faithful, right down to the smallest detail of our daily lives. I am convinced that all my daughters and sons mean this sincerely, because none of them can forget that the Lord has said to them personally: Ego redemi te, et vocavi te nomine tuo, meus es tu! (I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine!) But do we really belong to God completely? Thatâs why I feel obliged nowadays - when so many people make a show of permissiveness, lack of faith, selfishness and self-indulgence - to keep reminding you always about fidelity.
We have to be resolute in our determination, because the devil goes about tamquam leo rugiens, like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour: he never takes holidays, and threatens us continuously, beginning with our everyday moral behaviour. That is why it is so important nowadays to give good example. Bear in mind that your purpose in life is to sanctify yourselves and to sanctify the people around you. Your fidelity assures the perseverance and fidelity of many souls who are watching you.
There have always been difficult periods in the Churchâs history: heresies, schisms, persecutions⌠But now the rebellion is against God directly, and one of its immediate expressions is the anarchy of our passions. And since many people donât want to keep them under control, since they refuse to speak about ascetical struggle, since they try to forget that as Christians we have the same means as those who knew Jesus personally and lived with him here on earth, it is not surprising that they end up betraying him.
My children, the means at our disposal are no more and no less than they have ever been: prayer, life of piety - that is, conversation with God, his Mother, St Joseph, the Angels and Saints, the Apostles - avoiding occasions of sin, practising sincerity and all the other virtues. But especially now, my children, I ask you to have a sense of loyalty for divine things like the allegiance of a soldier: his private life may be anything but edifying, but when someone attacks his countryâs honour he leaps to its defence; on that he doesnât give in. Well, we have to have at least the same loyalty with God!
In our commitment of love we canât afford to compromise or make concessions. The example of our lives should be a constant source of sound doctrine. We should think about the responsibility we have to be Christâs salt, because salt that loses its taste, apart from being useless for anything, makes the ground it falls on sterile. Since we have to defend, with our life and our piety, the certainty of the faith, we have to fight doggedly to the very end.
Perhaps we donât realize it, but God our Lord, while taking into account our personal defects, has chosen to place on our shoulders the faith in all its purity. I repeat: we have to keep it and defend it; we have to believe in him, trying to ensure that at every moment our conduct is in harmony with our interior life, in which he gives us light and inspiration to fulfil his Will.
In view of what we have received so far, and considering how greatly God loves each of us - we even touch him with our hands! - I cannot understand how people could have time for thoughts that centre on themselves.
Loyalty in little things, as a response to Godâs Love.
In your life of piety donât ever be in a hurry. Iâve often explained how, when we sincerely desire to do Godâs Will, there is no separation between prayer and work. But let me stress that you should be very sensitive in your fulfilment of the Norms. Donât be in a hurry in your relationship with God. Be well-mannered. Look after your devotional practices lovingly, and grieve for all those expressions of Christian piety that some unscrupulous people are trying to get rid of
The fidelity God asks of us extends to those details of our life of piety which may seem insignificant, but which are nevertheless clear signs that we love with our whole heart; we donât want to steal anything from our Lord. Donât get discouraged when you discover your defects. Try always to be very loyal. That way we will fight, and if occasionally we fall, we will return to the battle immediately, more contrite and more loving than before.
We will never fully realize what an important virtue loyalty is. So if you ever feel the strain of the journey, speak out, because then you can be helped: you will never feel alone. And it will help you see that even those difficult moments help to purify you and make you a better instrument, and at the same time, if you bear them well, they contribute to the growth of the apostolate.
The same sense of loyalty has to be present in our relationships with one another in the Work: it is expressed in being affectionate, in our readiness to make fraternal correction, in our willingness to serve, and in our gentle and friendly conversation. If we all play our part, together we create a sure defence against the onslaughts of the enemy.
Loyalty: I always find myself saying the same things about it. We really must be loyal if we are to counteract the infection that has spread throughout the world. Open your heart, asking our Lady for help, and be sincere with God, sincere in spiritual direction, and sincere with yourself. Furthermore, we have the experience that we are happier, even humanly speaking, when we open our heart frankly in the chat, because thatâs what gives us the means to keep going.
The path we follow is one of peace and happiness, even here on earth; but itâs only natural to have to tackle little problems along the way. At times God can permit bigger trials to occur - but letâs not exaggerate them either! - and even periods of great dryness when we find ourselves going against the grain. Thatâs the moment not to give in but to increase our prayer and mortification, our little daily prayers; and I assure you that the difficulties will vanish. The mere good disposition to give ourselves is enough to satisfy God: he never lets himself he outdone in generosity.
God does not abandon us, my children. And how do we act towards him? We have to fight resolutely to be really faithful. With the help of his grace, itâs always possible for us to do so.
Consider this: if we want to avoid making fools of ourselves, before God and before the Work, as long as we live we will always have to be very sincere. If we are, then I assure you that the devil will leave us alone, because he can get nowhere with a soul that wants to be united with God, a soul that makes use of the means and doesnât close in on itself. From the very start I have always taught you that sincerity with God, with the Directors and with oneself, is the way to be happy both in this life and in the life to come.
Our Mother, Virgo fidelis, Virgin most faithful, is pleased to see our resolutions of loyalty. She will make them bear fruit.