God shows us how to love and forgive, in imitation of Christ, those who are the most
hateful and hardhearted. The devil shows us how to hate those
who, in imitation of Christ, are the most kind and loving.
Who have you chosen to be YOUR teacher?
The child support payments had stopped coming, again; the checking account over drafted three times, and the friend of the court said that by law, they had to wait until the payments were in arrears for two months before they could take any action.
It was Holy Week.
The children were picked up for visitation after school. Their father stated that he was refusing to pay the children's medical bills, again. Historically the reasons given included: the children weren't "really" sick, they should be seeing any other doctor, the doctor wasn't really a doctor, the doctor's office (or emergency room) was too close to where the family lived, and that helped them out too much when they were in need.
The rationale provided that day: the doctor wasn't a real doctor. Then in the very next sentence the excuse changed. Another doctor within the same specialty should have been chosen instead (anyone the family did not prefer; the farther away from their house, the better).
After the children left, their mother went to church to pray. As soon as she got to the church, the Lord said to her, "You must forgive Him."
Then He said, "It's only money."
God concluded by promising that He would provide for the children's medical bills.
"Pray, hope, and don't worry." ~ St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The mother prayed at the church on her knees for three hours while meditating on Christ's Passion, in reparation for her pride and in reparation for the man's pride, too. The very next week, when the wealthy father arrived to pick up his children, he handed the mother a check for a small portion of the children's medical bills which he saw fit to pay. The woman accepted the check in imitation of Christ, and with a heart full of God's love and mercy said to the man, "I forgive you."
God's grace, abundantly flowing from the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Confession, had made it possible for the woman to love the man anyway, and to forgive his malice, which came straight from the devil.
God shows us how to love and forgive, in imitation of Christ, those who are the most hateful and hardhearted. The devil shows us how to hate those who, in imitation of Christ, are the most kind and loving.
Who have you chosen to be your teacher, God or Satan?
"It is we who must choose between good and evil." ~ Blessed Pope John Paul II
We must choose well, for our choice will decide where we spend eternity.
"Even half an eternity is a long time." ~ Gene X. Kortsha
God wants us to be united with Him in love, forever, in heaven. The devil wants us to be united with him in hate, forever, in hell.
Go to Holy Mass as often as you possibly can, receive the Blessed Sacrament worthily, go to Confession often, and receive the graces you need to live, love, serve, forgive, and patiently bear suffering in imitation of Christ.
Unify your every action with the perfect will of God.
On our own, we can do nothing. With God, all things are possible. ~ Matthew 19:26
God is at work in you!
Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
All things pass away
God never changes
Patience obtains all things
Let nothing frighten you
All things pass away
God never changes
Patience obtains all things
Nothing is wanting to her who possesses God
God alone suffices.
~ Saint Teresa of Avila
God alone suffices.
~ Saint Teresa of Avila