May 14 Wednesday
How can I be happy when facing problems?
Sacrifice brings joy, since it unites us to Christ on the Cross and leads us to achieve our end.
We must work with our eyes set on heaven, and we cannot allow anyone or anything to slow us down. We will reach our goal because heaven is pledged to its fulfillment. No sacrifice will seem too great for us if we have set our hearts to attain our aim.
Saint Josemaría: “We can understand the emotion which a poor priest felt some time ago when he heard within his soul the divine locution: ‘I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.’ At the same time, he saw the meaning that our Lord wanted to give those words of Scripture: we have to put Christ at the summit of all human activity. He understood clearly that, by our ordinary work in the very heart of civil society, we have to reconcile the world to God in such a way that worldly things, while remaining worldly, are at the same time turned into something sacred, consecrated to God, the end of all things."
This is our goal: that all creation should give glory to God, and that we should be happy in heaven. What we give up is very little. We should give ourselves entirely, joyfully uniting our sufferings to the sufferings of Christ on the Cross.
Thus, optimism will ensue in the face of difficulties.
“It is true: we are worth nothing, we are nothing, we can do nothing, we have nothing. And, at the same time, during our daily struggle, obstacles and temptations are not lacking." But we should continue relying on Him, because you, Lord, are our strength.
This is the source of our optimism and daring whenever we face obstacles.
The victory of Christ over the devil, sin, and death is the guarantee of our victory if we truly rely on Him. Still, “Without the firm resolve to do your part, all the spiritual resources in the world would go for nothing. Recall the phrase which you frequently see engraved on old daggers: ‘Don't rely on me if you lack a stout heart.’"
If we keep this marvelous supernatural perspective of the love of Christ, of co-redemption, and of the sanctification of all human realities, no suffering in this life will discourage us. On the contrary, it will fill us with optimism, because it guarantees that we are fulfilling a divine mission, united to Christ on the Cross.
As Saint Josemaría told us, “to find the Cross is to find Christ. And with Him, there is always joy, even when we are faced with injustice, misunderstanding, or physical suffering.
“Optimism? Yes, always! Even when things seem to turn out badly, perhaps that is the time to break into a song, with a Gloria, because you have sought refuge in him, and nothing but good can come to you from Him."
“Beside the Cross of Christ stands our Mother Mary, who encourages us and assures us of her constant, all-powerful intercession on our behalf."