Attributes Continued….
Simplicity must be sought. For some, it comes “naturally,”
or at least, it seems like that. Saints like St. John Vianney or Our Lady Mary
seem to have “natural” simplicity. But, this focus on God is a great grace. It
is not only the grace of humility but the grace of focusing on love.
Love is the answer, as both Julian of Norwich and T. S.
Eliot, who repeats her ideas, note. Love is the answer to all pride and
negativity. Those who complain focus only on themselves and their own grievances.
They have fallen into habits of selfishness, either repeating past hurts or
dwelling on a lack of forgiveness. Love forgives and forgets.
Sometimes such negativity is a sign of depression, or some
mental illness, but mostly, it is a sign of a lack of understanding of the love
of God.
Garrigou-Lagrange states something important: “In us temperament is determined in one
particular direction inclining us either to indulgence or to severity, to a
broad and comprehensive view of things, or to practical details, but never both
ways at once. If, then, the soul with perfect simplicity practices at one and
the same time virtues that are apparently extreme opposites, it is because
almighty God is very intimately present in the soul, impressing His likeness
upon it.”
I pray for these graces.
I think of St. Paul
Can we all desire this gift of freedom, of simplicity in
Christ? Simplicity is one of the
Attributes of God, which is most difficult to understand. Sometimes it is
easier to understand something by looking at the opposite. See my attribute
series.
When I am really old, I want to be peaceful with whatever
comes: greater poverty, illness, weakness, loneliness, whatever.
One does not wait until old age to practice peace. One finds
it early so that it can become a habit, a way of life, the life of being
humble.
To be continued…
