“Jesus isn't satisfied ‘going halves’: He wants the lot.” (Saint Josemaria).
I recently read the story of a young woman whose cause to Sainthood has progressed to Blessed…
Blessed Chiara Badano was diagnosed with a very painful bone cancer, called osteogenic sarcoma, when she was only sixteen years old. Two years later – after terrible pain and suffering – Chiara was dead…
Her words (and attitude) to each new painful treatment were consistent. She always responded… by offering her suffering with a smile to God, saying firmly, “For You, Jesus, if You want it, I want it too!” When people asked about her suffering, Chiara explained that she did not ask Christ to take her to heaven because “I don't want to give Him the impression that I don't want to suffer any longer.” When she lost her hair during her treatment, she would take each fallen lock of hair and say, “This is for You, Jesus.” And she gave everything to God with a smile…
And I have been reflecting on that today as I have been reflecting on the example of that Blessed soul – that very young girl…
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps...at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him’.” (Matthew 25:1-13).
You see, Saint Josemaria says, “Jesus isn't satisfied ‘going halves’: He wants the lot.” The drama of these foolish maidens wasn't that they didn't give anything; it was that they didn’t give everything.” And That is – I guess – at the heart of every single problem in the world. That lack of complete commitment. If I am uncommitted, I will not give up everything for that purpose, I will reserve some of my strength or talents or skills or resources for other things, and other options.
But God is not asking me for EVERYTHING that I have. He is asking me to get up – right now – and follow Him. He is calling to me for everything that I am because I WAS MADE FOR HIM. And when I think about this, the words of Saint Paul are so clear to me when he said, “The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6). For God will refuse nothing of the soul who gives everything to God, because “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
And I have been reflecting on that today because it seems to me that I am like the maidens who are waiting at the gate for my Master, but I am one of the foolish ones, because deep down I am not really committed to the idea that He is on His way to me. And because of this I cannot faithfully answer him by saying of every suffering, “This is for You, Jesus.”
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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