PRAYERS TO OUR LADY

" I BELIEVE IN LOVE" Day Five, Part Three--Humble Confidence

Excerpts from the book “I believe in love”.

By Father Jean C.J. d’Elbee

DAY 5

PART THREE

HUMBLE CONFIDENCE

WHEN JESUS TESTS YOUR FAITH, GIVE HIM, LIKE THE CENTURION, THE RESPONSE THAT ETERNAL WISDOM INSPIRES IN THE LITTLE ONES, AND HE WILL BE FILLED WITH ADMIRATION FOR YOU TOO, AND WILL SHOWER HIS GRACES UPON YOU.

WHAT DOES JESUS LAMENT MOST WHEN HE IS WITH HIS APOSTLES? THEIR LACK OF CONFIDENCE. “MEN OF LITTLE FAITH”! THIS IS THE MAIN REPROACH HE MAKES TO THEM. HE DOES NOT SAY TO THEM, “MEN OF NO CHARACTER, MEN WITHOUT ENERGY, WITHOUT DISCIPLINE.” NO, HE SAYS “MEN OF LITTLE FAITH!”

WHILE JESUS WAS ASLEEP IN THE STERN AND A GREAT STORM CAME UP, AND THE WAVES POURED INTO THE BOAT, SEIZED WITH FEAR AND ANGUISH, THE DISCIPLES WOKE JESUS: “LORD SAVE US, WE ARE PERISHING!”

RISING UP JESUS REPRIMANDS THE WIND AND THE SEA AND THERE WAS GREAT CALM. THEN TURNING TO HIS APOSTLES, HE ASKS, “WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?”

DO YOU NOT KNOW AFTER ALL WHO I AM, AND DO YOU NOT KNOW AFTER ALL WITH WHAT TENDERNESS MY HEART WATCHES OVER YOU CONTINUALLY?” IT IS TRULY SUCH DOUBT THAT PAINS AND OFFENDS HIM MOST.

JESUS IS LIKE THIS WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. HE DOES NOT GRANT THE FIRST PRAYER; HE PERMITS A GREATER TRIAL. AND WE BECOME DISTRESSED: “I HAVE PRAYED, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD. ALL IS LOST; ALL IS FINISHED. GOD DOES NOT LISTEN TO ME. HE DOES NOT LOVE ME.”

BECAUSE GOD LOVES YOU, HE WANTS TO SEE HOW FAR YOU WILL PUSH YOUR CONFIDENCE. HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO YOU, AS HE DID TO THE CANAANITE WOMAN, “HOW GREAT IS YOUR FAITH!”

IN HOURS OF ANGUISH, THINK OF THE DIVINE MASTER CALMING THE VIOLENT STORM WITH ONE WORD. THIS WILL BE A TREMENDOUS SOURCE OF COMFORT FOR YOU AS YOU WAIT---PEACEFULLY---FOR HIM TO AWAKEN.