God’s love for me turns what is long into something short…
I have been thinking about a priest who has been declared blessed. His name is Blessed Alvaro del Portillo who succeeded Saint Josemaría Escriva as the prelate of Opus Dei.
During the Spanish civil war, Blessed Alvaro was imprisoned for his faith. Finally – after some time – he was released from prison. Following his release, the priest and two of his friends decided to enlist in the army, to get sent to the front line so that they could cross into another country where they would be safe and free to practice their faith. All three men were assigned to the same regiment, battalion, company and platoon and so it was that the three men spent their time in the army (and at the front line) together).
Blessed Alvaro knew that they were heading into mortal danger, and so, he took with him (inside his wallet) some consecrated hosts. In other words, Blessed Alvaro carried God Himself inside his pocket during that war. And each evening, when the men were at camp, the three friends would take a walk through the countryside with God Himself, safely inside their pocket (to take Him away from any possible profanity or sin of the men who did not realise that they were in the presence of God). During this time, the friends knew that they were making a “Visit to the Blessed Sacrament”. And that visit was very very beautiful. Blessed Alvaro said, “We are living intensely the strength and truth of the Gospel story of the disciples of Emmaus: ‘Were not our hearts burning as we walked with Him?’”
Later, Blessed Alvaro wrote that on one day in October the men walked 25 miles… “Uphill and downhill slopes... turns to one side or other, canyons, stream, small ports, paths that lead nowhere, bushes that conceal men, shouting, wind, profanity, night noises, worn-out shoes. A Roman bridge? More. And even more. Stops, soldiers who are lost, boys who swear not to continue... And Our Lord with us; affection, trust, appreciation, mutual words of encouragement... What a long walk for the others! Yet how short is the hike for us!”
And I have been reflecting on that today – for God is with me – perhaps not in my pocket as He was for Blessed Alvaro, but inside my heart… And that means that no matter what happens, no matter how terrible or how awful, my walk will never be a long one.
that it must surely at tmes appear that it will never bear fruit…
And in those moments of weakness, when I feel the weight of my – albeit minimal – suffering, I know that I can turn my thoughts inward to my Beloved and ask Him for His strength. For my Beloved came to EARTH of ME. Even if there were never another soul created in this world and the only soul that had ever been made were mine, my Beloved would have come to Earth for me and me alone. And He carried that Cross twenty centuries ago, not thinking about me as one of the bunch – but thinking about me as me – thinking about me the creature that He made in HIS Image and Likeness so that I would be able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
And when I stop and think about that – even in all the Christmas rush – I really cannot go on from wonder. For my Beloved loves me in a way that I could never be able to fathom.
And that love of His turns what is long into something short…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.