By: Sister Laetitia Therese, O.C.D.
JM+JT
One of our priest friends was illustrating how we can never take credit for how the Holy Spirit is going to use us to inspire others. He shared that after giving a talk an attendee came up with great enthusiasm sharing that he had just received the most amazing clarity through his words. The priest asked if he minded sharing what had been so inspiring to which the eager reply came, “That now concludes Part I of my talk. I will begin Part II.” He had received an insight from Our Lord regarding a chapter in his life that had ended and a new one that was beginning.
As we are on the threshold of a new calendar year, we can take hold of this perspective. The old year… for better or worse… lays stretched behind us and the present, which may as yet unfold into the future, is here with us. We can often tend to live mentally in both the past and the future, without really living in the moment that we have- which is the present. It is in the present where the Lord really dwells with us. True, He can illuminate and bring healing to the past and He can strengthen us and prepare us for the future, but it is only really here in the present where He is at work in our lives right now. Let us pray for the grace this year to recognize Him here in the present with us and to consciously dwell here with Him.
Our Carmelite Foundress, Mother Luisita, had such a beautiful way of living in the present moment with the Lord, in a profound spirit of recollection. Among her words that she bequeaths to us are, “You have to be very united with Our Lord so that your prayer may be continual and at the same time, full of confidence in God… We must look for the strength which pours forth from union and very much prayer. Without that, we can do nothing. If God does not build the house, those who work at it, do so in vain. If God does not guard the city, those who keep vigil do so in vain.”
Let us place our complete confidence and trust in Our Lord present to us in Part II.