Brief

“Brief indeed is our time for loving…”  (Saint Josemaria).

Mary Baby Jesus (African Art)

It is so tempting to think that we have heaps of time left to do things.  There is so much to be said for waiting and procrastinating and putting off all the various things that we would like to do.  And yet, there is so little freedom to make choices about the time that we have to spend on this earth.  After all, we only have a very very brief time on this earth.

It may feel that life is long, but the reality is that our life is passing us by and unless we make choices to follow the Holy Will of God we will be little prepared for meeting our Creator on the day of judgement.

Saint Josemaria said, “Brief indeed is our time for loving”…  And he was referring our time for loving God, here on Earth.  When Saint Faustina was in the height of her suffering prior to her death she spoke to Christ when He appeared to her and she asked Him why He was allowing her to continue to live in such suffering when she knew what Heaven would be for her.  Christ responded that if the Saint only knew the merit that such suffering and sacrifice could provide to her after death, then she would wish that her suffering would be extended…

“A son of God fears neither life nor death, because his spiritual life is founded on a sense of divine filiation. So he says to himself: God is my Father and he is the Author of all good; he is all Goodness. But, you and I, do we really act as sons of God?” (Saint Josemaria, “The Forge”, at 987).

God has entrusted to each of us a certain portion of the history of the world.  And it is my job to ensure that in this brief patch of history I am able to hold on to the Holy Will of God and to do whatever it is that He is asking of me.  For this day will not be brought to the world again and God in His infinite wisdom has chosen me to be a part of this day.  And as a result of this, I am here for some purpose that has been assigned to me alone.  And without my cooperation with God’s own plans for me I will come to naught.

“That day will come for us. It will be our last day, but we’re not afraid of it. Trusting firmly in God’s grace, we are ready from this very moment to be generous and courageous, and take loving care of little things: we are ready to go and meet Our Lord, with our lamps burning brightly. For the feast of feasts awaits us in Heaven.” (Saint Josemaria, “Friends of God”, at 39-40)

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.