Gaudete Sunday

Yesterday, a friend of mine (who is not Catholic) and I were speaking about baby Paul, commiserating over the stunning news of his MRI, talking about "crosses" and their value.

She mentioned that we needed to put all these things in God's hands; mentioned that "we would never seek out these trials for ourselves", and I expanded with something about the "gifts of our crosses" when she stopped me and said, very emphatically, "No, Kathy, this is not all that I'm saying. What I'm saying is that these things are for the Glory of God".

She stopped me dead in my tracks.

All day I walked around the house thinking about this; "for the Glory of God".

I know about crosses. I know they are the greatest gifts God can give us. I know that their value resides in our response: that it is through suffering - done well - that we come to a greater level of understanding of God and His love for us. In an act of self-giving, we ask for His mercy and His help. Above all, we ask to be able to accept His Will.

But, "for the glory of God" ? That's not about us anymore. That's about God.

Padre Pio counseled certain of his "spiritual children" , who prayed and found no comfort or consolation in their prayers; who, quite to the contrary, began to "feel" only emptiness - even disgust - for all their efforts. He told them to continue praying; no matter what, continue praying. Because the idea was to love God for His Sake; because He was God. Just that.

All consolations are gifts...because we need them...because without them we would give up. But True love is when you love another because they are worthy of being loved, not because of what you might receive in recompense. When God removes our consolations, it is because He knows we are ready to Love Him for Himself - for Who He is.

And I thought about this as I pondered the idea of Paul's suffering, of our suffering because of Paul.

And I thought about the Glory of God; that ALL things are for His Glory. That all we are enduring during this time should be set aside so that we can "look" at God and say, "Yes" , this is for Your Glory. Not for us. Not just for us and our spiritual good. But for Him, so that He may be Glorified.

Today is Gaudite Sunday. A day of Joy. A break from the solemnity of the Advent Season which asks us to contemplate the coming of Christ and His Church.

And so I thought about Paul today, and thought, "Oh, little one, you are here for the Glory of God".