Why am I distressed?
With constant blows of the healing chisel and careful stripping away, the divine Stone-Cutter prepares stones to build an eternal dwelling—as our mother, the holy Catholic Church, full of tenderness, sings in the hymn for the dedication of a church. And that is true.
Every soul is destined for eternal glory and can be considered a stone for building an eternal edifice. Any builder who seeks to erect a house in the best way should first polish the stones to be used in the construction. He does this with blows of hammer and chisel. In the same way, our heavenly Father works on chosen souls who, from all eternity, by His supreme wisdom and providence, have been destined to build the eternal dwelling.
If you want to reign with Christ in eternal glory, you must be polished with the hammer and chisel strokes that the divine Artisan uses to prepare the stones, that is, the chosen souls. What are these hammer and chisel strokes? Darkness, my friend, fears, temptations, sadness of spirit, spiritual anxieties that reek like a sickness, and also bodily discomfort.
Give thanks to the infinite Love of your Father God who, in this way, leads your soul to salvation. Why don’t you accept these generous conditions from the best of all fathers? Open your heart to the celestial doctor of souls and, full of confidence, surrender yourself into His most holy arms: as a chosen one, He leads you to follow Jesus closely on Mount Calvary.
Now, with joy and emotion in my soul, I ponder how grace is working in you.
Do not forget that the Lord has arranged everything you now experience. Do not fear the possibility of causing God harm or injury. It’s enough that you know you have tried throughout your life not to offend the Lord, but rather to honor Him more and more.
If you think that God hides from you, He does so, not because He wants to take revenge on your wickedness, but because He tests your fidelity and determination and, besides, heals you of some carnal diseases—those diseases and faults to which no one is immune. Indeed, Scripture says in the book of Proverbs: “Seven times a righteous man falls.”
Believe me, if I did not see you somehow concerned, I would not be as happy, because I would think that the Lord would give you fewer gifts. Get rid of the doubts that attack you; there are temptations. Also, reject the doubts regarding the purpose of your life; to entertain such thoughts would be to ignore divine directives and resist the sweet invitations of your Father God. All these thoughts do not come from a good spirit but from a bad one. These are diabolical ploys that try to separate you from the right path or, at least, impede your journey. Do not lose heart!
Whenever Jesus shows Himself, give Him thanks. If He hides, give Him thanks; all are touches of His love. I wish for you to give up your spirit with Jesus on the Cross when He says: “It is accomplished.”
Excerpts from St Pius of Pietrelcina
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