The Story of Souls
During the different triduums that have followed one another since 2004, everyone has been able to see, by listening to the sometimes poignant accounts of conversion, that for God every soul has its own very singular story.
St. Thérèse |
As the little Thérèse tells us in her Story of a Soul, her trust in her Jesus of love was absolute. Of course, she received those little gifts which helped her to trust: “Reflecting on the name I would have in the Carmel, I knew there was a Sister Teresa of Jesus. However, my beautiful name of Thérèse could not be taken from me. Suddenly, I thought of the little Jesus whom I loved so much and I said to myself: ‘Oh, how happy I would be to call myself Thérèse of the Child Jesus!’ I said nothing of the dream I had had while fully awake, but this good Mother de Gonzague, asking the Sisters what name I should be given, had the thought of calling me by the name I had dreamed of... I was filled with joy and this happy meeting of minds seemed to me to be a thoughtful gesture of my beloved little Jesus.”
Thérèse only saw in that “the happy meeting of minds”. We know that it was more than that. Consciously or subconsciously, she shows us that the fact of having given oneself totally to God does not prevent one from having holy desires. And the whole history of salvation is made up of such stories of men and women who abandoned themselves to Mercy.
We are forced to acknowledge that, in order to write this singular story, abandonment is required. There is not one single testimonial in which that does not show through. Man must accept to let himself be shaped. And it is when there is opposition to this divine will that the story becomes trite, and for many people, humdrum and tasteless when it does not fall into the groove of despair or vice.
To accept God as the guide of our life is an adventure. Yes, an adventure, the outcome of which we do not know. Taking one extra step in trust often uncovers an unsuspected possibility that was never even imagined. It is like walking in a void in which as you put one foot in front of the other, a small plank (of salvation) comes from nowhere to allow you to put your foot on it, sometimes at the very last second. There are so many examples of that in Life of Love: the telephone ringing, giving in extremis the direction to follow, etc. And if each one is attentive, he can see that in his own life.
Courage is required to abandon oneself: abandonment is a real immolation. This self-abandonment that is done in love; that love that is abandonment leads to the love of the giving of self, that love that is the giving of self. For when we give a little, we receive much. That is what Jesus tells us: “In the measure you give [of love] you shall receive [from God], and more besides. To those who have [something to offer God], more will be given, from those who have [nothing to offer God], what little they have will be taken away.” (Cf. Mk 4:24-25.)
May we believe that our faith in Providence can transform our lives. A simple look back on all that this life of abandonment has been allows us to see the hand of God. Would we, poor sinners that we are, have been able to achieve better outcomes? In many situations we would have given in to discouragement that leads to rebellion.
And so it is that, possessing this experience in abandonment as a treasure that ought to be shared, each one can bear witness and act as Jesus requested we do: “Once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:32) Having recovered... from that formation God works in us day after day. Strengthen... support those who do not dare trust, have pure faith. And by listening to those many testimonials, we can feel ourselves being filled with a new strength. In our turn, we want to try to abandon ourselves. However, at times, it is necessary to wait for the end of one’s life before understanding its happy outcome. So, every day, we will give thanks for those planks of salvation received at the most appropriate moment.
For God, every soul is a most singular story, and His plan of love, which has sometimes remained hidden for a very long time, will end up by being brought to light and made known to all. The same is true of the Lady so that all may believe in Him, in Her.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding, and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
(Ignatius of Loyola, Suscipe Prayer)
Ghislaine Pernak, France