"I Believe in Love" Day 14 Part Four----Abandonment to Jesus

[Dawn Marie]

Excerpts from the book “I believe in love”.

By Father Jean C.J. d’Elbee

DAY 14

PART FOUR

ABANDONMENT TO JESUS

LITTLE THERESE AND FAMILY

 

IN THE GOSPEL, IT IS SAID, “SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS JUSTICE , AND ALL THE REST SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU”.  THAT IS WHAT WE DO NOT DO.  WE DO NOT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  WE SEEK FIRST OUR ADVANTAGE, OUR INTEREST, MONEY, OR WHATEVER.  AND JESUS TURNS AWAY.

 

IN ANY CASE, THERE WILL BE FAILURES, CONTRADICTIONS, VERY DIFFICULT MOMENTS AND SOMETIMES VERY DISTRESSING ONES.  BUT IF THERE IS ON OUR PART, THIS TOTAL CONFIDENCE WHICH WE OUGHT TO HAVE IN OUR LORD, HE WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.  HE WILL BRING GOOD OUT OF EVIL AND EVEN, AS I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU, A GREATER GOOD THAN IF THERE HAD BEEN NO EVIL;AND THE TRIAL WILL HAVE BEEN AN IMMENSE GOOD FOR US.

 

YES, DO EVERYTHING AS IF IT ALL DEPENDED ON YOU, AND LEAVE THE RESULT TO OUR DIVINE MASTER, ON WHOM EVERYTHING REALLY DEPENDS.

 

WHEN SOMEONE ASKED LITTLE THERESE TO SUMMARIZE HER LITTLE CHILDLIKE WAY, SHE ANSWERED, “IT IS TO BE DISTURBED BY NOTHING.”  I CONFESS THAT THESE WORDS SAY A GREAT DEAL!

 

NATURALLY THIS MEANS NOT TO BE VOLUNTARILY DISTURBED, NOT CONSCIOUSLY OR DELIBERATELY DISTURBED, BECAUSE NATURE WORRIES.  THE MAIN THING IS NOT TO CONSENT CONSCIOUSLY TO ANXIETY OR A TROUBLED MIND.

 

THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE YOU ARE WORRYING, MAKE VERY QUICKLY AN ACT OF CONFIDENCE: “NO! JESUS YOU ARE THERE: NOTHING----NOTHING----HAPPENS, NOT A HAIR FALLS FROM OUR HEADS, WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.  I HAVE NO RIGHT TO WORRY.”

 

PERHAPS HE IS SLEEPING IN THE BOAT, BUT HE IS THERE.  HE IS ALWAYS THERE, NOTHING ESCAPES HIS VIGILANCE.  IT IS REALLY AN OFFENSE AGAINST HIM WHEN WE WORRY VOLUNTARILY ABOUT ANYTHING.  THAT IS WHAT CAUSES HIM PAIN.  THAT IS WHAT WOUNDS HIS HEART MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

 

SUCH GENTLE WORDS RETURN CONSTANTLY TO HIS LIPS, IN AN ENDLESS REFRAIN WHICH SHOULD REJOICE OUR EARS AND EXPAND OUR HEARTS: NOLITE TIMERE: “DO NOT BE AFRAID.  IT IS I----JESUS.

 

 

I EMPHASIZE THIS CONCEPT OF “WORRYING WITH THE FULL CONSENT OF THE WILL,” FOR IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN OUR NATURE AND OUR WILL, UNITED TO THE WILL OF JESUS.  HOMO DUPLEX: MY NATURE SAYS, “NO”, MY WILL SAYS, “YES.”  MY NATURE TREMBLES WITH ALL MY WILL, I SMILE THROUGH MY TEARS.  MY NATURE IS TROUBLED AND AFRAID.  MY NATURE REVOLTS; I FORCE MYSELF TO SAY, “ALL IS WELL, JESUS; DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.”

 

IT IS A FIGHT WHICH WE MUST TAKE UP AGAIN AND AGAIN WITHOUT CEASING, FOR OUR FALLEN NATURE ALWAYS REARS UP ITS HEAD.  SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES SAYS IT DIES A QUARTER OF AN HOUR AFTER WE DO!  THIS IS THE DRAMA OF OUR LIFE.  BUT JESUS SEES OUR WILL UNTIED TO HIS BY A FUNDAMENTAL CHOICE---THE PROFOUND, HABITUAL DISPOSITION OF HAVING ONLY ONE WILL WITH HIM.  ALL THOSE MOVEMENTS OF OUR WILL, IF WE DO NOT CONSENT TO THEM, DO NOT EXIST FOR HIM.  THERE IS NO SIN WITHOUT CONSENT.

 

[MARIA ESTHER DE VALLE]

Amen

[AURA CID L F FERREIRA DE BRITTO]

†Amen†

[bernadette szczepkowski]

I am all Yours, My Jesus.

[Kate Jackson]

Amen

[AnnaMaria]

AMEN

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen. 

[Alley]

O Jesus, I surrender myself to Thee, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

take care of everything!

[Michael]

Amen.

[bernadette szczepkowski]

He will take care of everything!

[Sue K]

It is tattooed in those worry lines on the brow...

Our Lord reminds us in our physiognomy of some of our faults!