sussidio 6 2014

CALLED

From the Word of God

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

“That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

Think of the ravens. They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds them. And how much more you are worth than the birds! Can any of you, however much you worry, add a single cubit to your span of life?

If a very small thing is beyond your powers, why worry about the rest?Think how the flowers grow; they never have to spin or weave; yet, I assure you, not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of them. Now if that is how God clothes a flower which is growing wild today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he look after you, who have so little faith! But you must not set your hearts on things to eat and things to drink; nor must you worry. It is the gentiles of this world who set their hearts on all these things. Your Father well knows you need them. No; set your hearts on his kingdom, and these other things will be given you as well. There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the

Kingdom.” (Lk 12, 22-32)

TO A COMPLETE TRUST

From the writings of

                 Blessed A. Rosmini

My dear brother and friend in Jesus Christ… we must never allow ourselves to be carried away by impatience over having to wait, since this is quite contrary to the spirit that we have chosen, and it would destroy in its origins that Institute which it would seem that God in his mercy, through the working of divine Providence, wishes to bring into being. This is something very close to my heart;… I therefore beg you to rely on divine Providence, with great faith, while you try to carry out well the present works, with no worry about the future, but committing it to God.

And should it enter your mind to take any step, first get in touch with me about it so that we may consider it maturely together and see whether it is genuinely in accord with the spirit of prudence (which is the Spirit of God), as our Constitutions require.

If God wants anything of us, will he perhaps conceal from us what will be good? No, certainly- he is all good. He is also wise, and he knows the times and the moments quae Pater posuit in sua potestate [which the Father has fixed by his own authority]. Let peace dwell in us as we carry out our good works in tranquillity — that is enough: peace, because we possess our God; the lively faith and longanimity so much praised by scripture; and that attitude of sustine Dominum [wait on the Lord] so often found in the psalms.

IN PROVIDENCE

Yes, we must await the Lord: he will come, but we must not anticipate him — that would be unpardonable presumption and stupidity on our part.

It is very important to understand this: that although we do not wish to limit ourselves in any way, neither do we want to undertake anything simply of our own accord, but rather follow the Lord’s leading when he gives us a work to do. The Constitutions are simply rules of prudence covering possible situations; so we should not be thinking about the whole development which the Constitutions envisage [as possible]. It is God who, if he so wishes, will bring it about in his own time and place. Our thoughts must be on the particular works we have in hand.

Let us all pray, united in heart; it is prayer that must bring everything to maturity — but prayer, needless to say, made for our own souls, and not for other ends. That is all.

We are not to be solicitous: let us leave to Providence the outcome of what we are doing, since God alone can do all things and we can do nothing. So we must not use great efforts and work hard in the belief that it is on such exertions that the spread of the kingdom of God depends. Only God can convert souls: they are all in his hand. Think how gently our Lord himself behaved — with no violence, nothing overheated, in his words. He sowed the seed and let it bring forth fruit on its own — that is, through his secret working. So too, at the right time, and

in the right place, we must act, with complete confidence in the way God works in souls. These are the principles that govern our Society: it must be formed on them, not relying on the will of man but an that of God, whose influence extends through the very nature of all things, and reaches from end to end sweetly and with power: et disponit omnia fortiter et suaviter.

We are always content: whatever state our Society finds itself in, it is always complete and perfect: it wants nothing else. All our desires must be concentrated on advancing every day in virtue; whether we are many or few matters little in relation to attaining the end of our Society. And this can be achieved whatever state it finds itself in.

I embrace you warmly in the Lord, in whom I love you and all of our company. May the cross of Christ seal and sanctify us all.

(AL, Vol. I, let.95, pp.184-188, to Don Pietro Rigler, Rector of the seminary of Trent, Monte Calvario, 31 January 1831)

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