Reflection #17
On Confidence in
Jesus Christ
Wonderfully great, as has been said, is the mercy of Jesus Christ to us; but for our greater good, He desires that we should hope in His mercy with a lively confidence, trusting in His merits and His promises. Therefore, St. Paul recommends to us this confidence, saying, "Do not therefore lose your confidence, which hath a great reward." (Hebrews 10:35). And therefore, when a fear of the Divine Judgments seems to diminish this confidence in us, we ought to drive it away, and say to ourselves with the Psalmist: "Why art thou sad, O my Soul, and why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him, the salvation of my countenance and my God." (Psalms 41:6-7).
Our Lord revealed to St. Gertrude that our confidence offers such violence to Him that He cannot possibly refuse to hear us in everything we ask of Him. The same thing was said by St. John Climacus: "Prayer exercises a holy violence upon God." Every prayer offered with confidence, as it were, forces God, but this force is acceptable and pleasing to Him. Therefore, St. Bernard writes that the Divine Mercy is like an inexhaustible fountain, from which whosoever brings the larger vessel of confidence, carries away the greater abundance of graces. And this is according to what the Psalmist wrote: "Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in Thee." (Psalms 32:22).
God has declared that He protects and saves all who trust in Him. Let all, then, rejoice, says David, who hope in Thee, my God; they shall be blessed forever, and Thou wilt ever dwell in them. (Cf. Psalms 5:12). The same prophet said: "Mercy shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord." (Psalms 31:10). He that trusts in God shall be ever so encircled and guarded around that he will be safe from danger of perishing. Oh, what great promises the Holy Scriptures make to those who trust in God! Do we seem to be lost through the sins we have committed? Behold, the remedy at hand! "Let us go therefore with confidence," says the Apostle, "to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid." (Hebrews 4:16). Let us not defer going to Jesus Christ until He is seated as Judge on His throne of Judgment; let us hasten at once, while He sits on His throne of grace. St. John Chrysostom says that our Savior has a greater desire to pardon us than we have to be pardoned.
But, says some sinner, I do not deserve to be heard if I beg for pardon. I reply that though he has not deserved it, his confidence in the Divine Mercy will obtain grace for him, because this pardon is not dependent on his merits, but upon the Divine promise to pardon those who repent; and this is what Jesus Christ says: "Everyone who asketh, receiveth." (Matthew 7:8). A learned author, commenting on the word "everyone," says that it means "everyone," whether just or sinner; it is sufficient that he pray with confidence. Let us, then, hear from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself what great things are done by confidence: "All things whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come unto you." (Mark 11:24).
Whosoever, then, fears that through weakness he will fall again into his old sins, let him trust in God, and he shall not fall, as the Psalmist assures us: "None of them that trust in Him shall offend." (Psalms 33:23). Isaiah says that they who hope in the Lord renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31); he means that they acquire a new strength. Let us, then, be firm and not wavering in our confidence, because God has promised, as St. Paul says, to protect all who hope in Him; and therefore, when anything seems especially difficult to overcome, let us say: "I can do all things in Him who strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13). And who that ever trusted in God was lost? "Know ye," says the Wise Man, "that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded." (Ecclesiasticus 2:11). Yet, let us not go about seeking always that sensible confidence we should wish to feel; it is enough if we have the will to trust. This is true confidence, the will to trust in God because He is good and desires to help us, and is powerful and can help us, and is faithful and has promised to help us. Above all, let us avail ourselves of the promise made by Jesus Christ: "Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you." (John 16:23). Thus, let us seek graces from God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and we shall obtain whatever we will.
O Eternal God, I well know that I am poor in all things; I can do nothing, I have nothing, save what has come to me from Thy hands; therefore, all I say to Thee is, "Lord, have mercy upon me." The worst of it is that to my poverty I have added the sin of having abused Thy graces by the offenses I have committed against Thee. But notwithstanding all this, I will hope from Thy goodness this twofold mercy: first, that Thou wouldst give me holy perseverance, together with Thy love and with the grace to pray to Thee always to help me, even till death. All this I ask of Thee, and I hope for it, through the merits of Thy Son Jesus and of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
O my Great Advocate, succor me with thy prayers.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
Our Lord revealed to St. Gertrude that our confidence offers such violence to Him that He cannot possibly refuse to hear us in everything we ask of Him. The same thing was said by St. John Climacus: "Prayer exercises a holy violence upon God." Every prayer offered with confidence, as it were, forces God, but this force is acceptable and pleasing to Him. Therefore, St. Bernard writes that the Divine Mercy is like an inexhaustible fountain, from which whosoever brings the larger vessel of confidence, carries away the greater abundance of graces. And this is according to what the Psalmist wrote: "Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in Thee." (Psalms 32:22).
God has declared that He protects and saves all who trust in Him. Let all, then, rejoice, says David, who hope in Thee, my God; they shall be blessed forever, and Thou wilt ever dwell in them. (Cf. Psalms 5:12). The same prophet said: "Mercy shall encompass him that hopeth in the Lord." (Psalms 31:10). He that trusts in God shall be ever so encircled and guarded around that he will be safe from danger of perishing. Oh, what great promises the Holy Scriptures make to those who trust in God! Do we seem to be lost through the sins we have committed? Behold, the remedy at hand! "Let us go therefore with confidence," says the Apostle, "to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid." (Hebrews 4:16). Let us not defer going to Jesus Christ until He is seated as Judge on His throne of Judgment; let us hasten at once, while He sits on His throne of grace. St. John Chrysostom says that our Savior has a greater desire to pardon us than we have to be pardoned.
But, says some sinner, I do not deserve to be heard if I beg for pardon. I reply that though he has not deserved it, his confidence in the Divine Mercy will obtain grace for him, because this pardon is not dependent on his merits, but upon the Divine promise to pardon those who repent; and this is what Jesus Christ says: "Everyone who asketh, receiveth." (Matthew 7:8). A learned author, commenting on the word "everyone," says that it means "everyone," whether just or sinner; it is sufficient that he pray with confidence. Let us, then, hear from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself what great things are done by confidence: "All things whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come unto you." (Mark 11:24).
Whosoever, then, fears that through weakness he will fall again into his old sins, let him trust in God, and he shall not fall, as the Psalmist assures us: "None of them that trust in Him shall offend." (Psalms 33:23). Isaiah says that they who hope in the Lord renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31); he means that they acquire a new strength. Let us, then, be firm and not wavering in our confidence, because God has promised, as St. Paul says, to protect all who hope in Him; and therefore, when anything seems especially difficult to overcome, let us say: "I can do all things in Him who strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13). And who that ever trusted in God was lost? "Know ye," says the Wise Man, "that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded." (Ecclesiasticus 2:11). Yet, let us not go about seeking always that sensible confidence we should wish to feel; it is enough if we have the will to trust. This is true confidence, the will to trust in God because He is good and desires to help us, and is powerful and can help us, and is faithful and has promised to help us. Above all, let us avail ourselves of the promise made by Jesus Christ: "Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you." (John 16:23). Thus, let us seek graces from God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and we shall obtain whatever we will.
O Eternal God, I well know that I am poor in all things; I can do nothing, I have nothing, save what has come to me from Thy hands; therefore, all I say to Thee is, "Lord, have mercy upon me." The worst of it is that to my poverty I have added the sin of having abused Thy graces by the offenses I have committed against Thee. But notwithstanding all this, I will hope from Thy goodness this twofold mercy: first, that Thou wouldst give me holy perseverance, together with Thy love and with the grace to pray to Thee always to help me, even till death. All this I ask of Thee, and I hope for it, through the merits of Thy Son Jesus and of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
O my Great Advocate, succor me with thy prayers.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please no anonymous comments. I require at least some way for people to address each other personally and courteously. Having some name or handle helps.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.