God is Love. No truer words could be spoken. This was so true that Pope Benedict XVI made this the title and theme of his first encyclical. God the Father so loved the world that He gave His only Son as a pure and perfect sacrifice for our sins. The New Adam, sent to wash away the sins of the world in His own blood. With love like this it is easy to see why we should trust Him in everything, right? Well, short answer yes, but we are finite creatures weighed down by the effects of original sin. So many will say, “Why is this happening to me? I’m a good person. I love God. I’m faithful.” Truly heartfelt words that I can assure you do not fall on deaf ears when they are cried out in prayer to God. Remember, Christ was True God AND True Man. He suffered every insult, anguish, torment, and sadness that we do in this life. He suffered them in a much more profound way than we ever could. He was rejected by so many while He was right in front of them Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This continues to happen today as so many, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, reject His real and substantial presence in the Blessed Sacrament, but I digress.
Trust in God is essential. It is easy to say but without humility and a surrendering of the will to God it is impossible. We as Christians are called to be Christ-like. He called us all to take up our crosses daily and follow Him. Each person has a specific cross to bear that has been given by God. These crosses can crush us if we try to carry them ourselves. Know this, God will always give you what you need. Notice I didn’t say He will give you what you want. We so often see things we want, materially, emotionally, or even spiritually. We can ask God for them and then become frustrated when He doesn’t hand them over. This is where we must turn ourselves over to God and trust in His wisdom and love completely. Like a good father, God will never give us something we don’t need. What we need is to draw ourselves closer to God. This involves following the example of Christ. When Christ became man He completely humbled Himself to take on the lowly form of one of His creation. Humility again! Christ emptied Himself totally and came as a servant. The truest translation actually says, “He came as a slave”. No object or possession in this world can bring us happiness. God is the only true happiness. Trust in Him with your whole heart, mind, and soul. He will lead you to Him. The road may be rocky. As a matter of fact, I can guarantee you that it will be. Nothing worth having is easy to attain. Salvation and faith are gifts from God, never earned, but bestowed out of love and mercy. We are citizens of Heaven just passing through this world on our way home. Empty yourself so that God can fill you with His love and happiness. Trust that God will give you what you need, not necessarily what you want. Pray for Humility and Faith. God is Love.
