Feb 28 Fri
What is the first sequel of being a child of God?
Our life of piety is a consequence of our divine filiation.
“How should we pray? Saint Josemaría once asked. There are many, countless, ways of praying. But I would like all of us to pray sincerely, as God's children, not chattering away like hypocrites who will hear from Jesus' lips: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Our Lord tells us that, above all, we should treat God as a Father, with a child's spontaneity and simplicity. Pray then like this: "Our Father, who art in heaven..."
When praying, we are told to call God "Father" and to say: "Our Father, who art in heaven"… We are even told to say "Abba" (Dad), thus showing the confidence we should have to address him. Children, in their simplicity, treat their parents with the greatest freedom and often use this word.
God wants us to approach him with complete trust, like little children of his. Our conversation with God, both in personal prayer and in the liturgy, is the loving conversation of children with their Father.
We, children of God, don't need a method, an artificial system, to talk to our Father.
Love is inventive and full of initiative. If we truly love, we will discover our own intimate paths to lead to a continuous conversation with our Lord. Thus, with faith in divine Providence, we will abandon ourselves peacefully and joyfully to God's Will.
We need solid piety, shown in deeds: in fulfilling the norms of piety with willingness, doing with special joy whatever most directly concerns God's service. Piety leads us to the faithful and loving fulfillment of God's will. And when things get difficult, everything is conquered by the power of love.
When there is piety, we come away from our prayer set on fire with love and with firm and specific resolutions for the rest of the day. A true life of piety is a stable attitude, not a passing state. It is true virtue, not superficial sentiment.
Saint Josemaría would often ask us: “Are you pious, my children? We have to lead a life of piety. Without piety, we wouldn't be able to do anything. We need to be very united with our Lord. May yours be a life of piety.” Piety continually rejuvenates our interior life and dedication.
Piety and doctrine. Piety without doctrine would make our interior life superficial, sentimental, and easy prey to temptation. Doctrine without piety would make us rigid, insensitive, and proud.
We should be eager to use all the means of doctrinal formation the Church offers us. Only in this way will we become souls of sound judgment.
St. Tarsicius was a young boy; during a fierce 3rd-century Roman persecution, he was entrusted with the task of secretly bringing the Eucharist to condemned Christians in prison. He preferred to be stoned to death at the hands of a mob rather than deliver to them the Blessed Sacrament which he was carrying, keeping it pressing against his chest. Sculpture by Alexandre Falguière.
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