Nov 4 Wed
With my defects, should I begin again every day?
After confessing your sins and doing penance—and perhaps shedding some tears—a message of hope springs forth once more for the heart that wants to start over: “The Lord has forgiven your sin.” Forget what God has already forgotten, and… let’s continue on the path of the brave.
Were there falls or setbacks? Well, get back up. And with even greater zeal than before, even if your soul has been pierced.
Listen to St. Josemaría: “In this tournament of love, we must not be saddened by our falls—not even serious ones—if we turn to God with sorrow and good resolve in the sacrament of Penance. The Christian is not a maniacal collector of an immaculate record of good deeds.”
But what if all the effort I put into behaving well turns out to be in vain? What if, after so many years of struggling and fighting to behave like a good Christian, I stumble headlong over the very same stumbling block?
Listen: “We continually experience our own personal inadequacy. But sometimes it seems as if all these things come together, as if they were revealed to us with greater clarity. This is so to realize how little we are. What should we do?”
“Wait on the Lord; live by hope,” the Church suggests to us, “with love and faith.” Viriliter age—be manly. What does it matter that we are creatures of clay, if we place our hope in God? And if at any time a soul suffers a fall, a setback—which need not happen—the remedy is applied, just as is normally done in everyday life with the health of the body. And then, start over again!”
Start over again, my friend. You can do that. This is what is within your power. Do not trust in yourself, but rely completely on Him. Up, up! Do not remain stuck in the mud thinking you are worthless. Do not dwell morbidly on the times when you’ve had to resume the climb.
Should I always be starting again?
Of course, you must! In that, at least, you can imitate the saints, who started anew every day—several times a day—every time they made an act of contrition, on countless occasions, with a sincere humility that led them to love and to strive with all their might.
“It brings me joy to see you begin each day anew; there is no better way to end life well than to always start over, and never think that we’ve already done enough.”
Lord, take me as I am, with my defects, with my weaknesses; but make me become as You wish me to be.
Trilogy (2), excerpts from J. Urteaga.
Pic: Caravaggio, the Conversion of St. Paul.