Saint Faustina once saw a vision. Jesus was crucified on the cross. After a brief bit of looking at Him, she saw three groups of people. The first group were also fastened to crosses. Those were mostly religious. The second group of people were not fas- tened to their crosses but carried them willingly. The third group dragged their crosses along behind them, discontented, no doubt, complaining.
Certainly, we all must strive to be in that first group, willingly accepting our crosses. But I don’t think that always happens overnight. Perhaps there is movement between these three levels, as a person reaches closer to perfection. So if we are not in that first group, and I know that I am not, we should not lose heart and think we are not intended for such heights. I think if we are even in that third group, where we are dragging our cross behind us,
complaining all the while, we should say, “Well, I’m in the ballgame anyway. I have my cross and it’s coming with me. I am a follower of Jesus Christ and that makes me a contender for great- ness. Jesus will bring me along if I trust Him and perhaps one day I will shoulder my cross a little more willingly. Then, on another day, I will agree to be fastened to it for the sake of my brothers and sisters, so desperately needing grace and love.”
These brothers and sisters of ours are not always easy to love, anymore than we ourselves are always lovable. We should not worry because we do not feel these sentiments. Love of souls, at least in my case, came well behind love of Christ. And love of Christ? Is there anything more natural, more instinctive, more piercing to us, His creatures? No. If you don’t feel a strong love for Jesus Christ, the Man and the God, you simply don’t know Him well enough. Pay closer attention during the Gospels. Read Scripture. He is there and when you hear Him talking, both to His apostles and to your soul, you will feel the over- whelming love He has for you. Think of the Ascension. “I go to prepare a place for you. So that where I am, you also will be” (John 14:2-3).Spend some time with that line of Scripture. He’s say- ing, “I’m bringing you with Me. I can’t be without you, little soul of My heart.”
Jesus also repeatedly says, “Don’t be afraid. Do not fear. I am with you. I will never leave you.”
These brothers and sisters of ours are not always easy to love, anymore than we ourselves are always lovable. We should not worry because we do not feel these sentiments. Love of souls, at least in my case, came well behind love of Christ. And love of Christ? Is there anything more natural, more instinctive, more piercing to us, His creatures? No. If you don’t feel a strong love for Jesus Christ, the Man and the God, you simply don’t know Him well enough. Pay closer attention during the Gospels. Read Scripture. He is there and when you hear Him talking, both to His apostles and to your soul, you will feel the over- whelming love He has for you. Think of the Ascension. “I go to prepare a place for you. So that where I am, you also will be” (John 14:2-3).Spend some time with that line of Scripture. He’s say- ing, “I’m bringing you with Me. I can’t be without you, little soul of My heart.”
Jesus also repeatedly says, “Don’t be afraid. Do not fear. I am with you. I will never leave you.”
Jesus loves you. Ask Him to put love in your heart for Him. He will not refuse this prayer. Ask Him all day long until you feel it. It will come. And then you will begin to know Him. And then you will begin to love Him. Shortly after, you will begin to love your brothers and sisters and there will be no stopping the progress of your soul. You will find yourself in that first group in no time.
Someone recently asked me about uniting our suf- ferings to Christ. It’s a bit hazy until you give it a little thought. The gift of His life, on the cross, to redeem us or ransom us back, is adequate. It is perfect. God our Father would joyfully redeem each one of us using that sacrifice alone, were we will- ing to be saved. Not everybody is willing, though, at every moment of their lives. The pull of the world can be strong.
When we say we unite our sufferings with those of Christ, what we are doing is agreeing to be fastened to our cross. We are in that first group for that time. Well, you might ask, what’s the point? Jesus did the job.
This is true. But there is a subtlety and a distinction to be made. Our suffering is not ransoming souls. That work has been completed. But our suffering is buying precious graces, graces that can be used for suffering souls, sinning souls, hardened souls, dying souls, souls in error, in ignorance, souls being victimized, abused. Souls on the brink of hell can be brought back with our sufferings. We’re trading them in for graces. The Blessed Mother, the Mediatrix of All Grace, takes our little offerings and uses them to buy mercy for souls, despite the horrendous behavior of us in this modern world.
Ann, a lay apostle, Ireland
Someone recently asked me about uniting our suf- ferings to Christ. It’s a bit hazy until you give it a little thought. The gift of His life, on the cross, to redeem us or ransom us back, is adequate. It is perfect. God our Father would joyfully redeem each one of us using that sacrifice alone, were we will- ing to be saved. Not everybody is willing, though, at every moment of their lives. The pull of the world can be strong.
When we say we unite our sufferings with those of Christ, what we are doing is agreeing to be fastened to our cross. We are in that first group for that time. Well, you might ask, what’s the point? Jesus did the job.
This is true. But there is a subtlety and a distinction to be made. Our suffering is not ransoming souls. That work has been completed. But our suffering is buying precious graces, graces that can be used for suffering souls, sinning souls, hardened souls, dying souls, souls in error, in ignorance, souls being victimized, abused. Souls on the brink of hell can be brought back with our sufferings. We’re trading them in for graces. The Blessed Mother, the Mediatrix of All Grace, takes our little offerings and uses them to buy mercy for souls, despite the horrendous behavior of us in this modern world.
Ann, a lay apostle, Ireland