Trusting in Divine Providence is practiced every moment of
every day. Garrigou-Lagrange tell us
that “In the order intended by Providence
this present moment is in some way related to our last end, to the one thing
necessary; and thus each instant of fleeting time has some sort of relation
with the unique instant of unchanging eternity….then not only the time of mass
or our hours of prayer and visits to the Blessed Sacrament would be a source of
sanctification to us, but every hour of the day
would take on a supernatural significance and remind us that we are on
our way to eternity.”
The author notes that in the Great War, World War One, this
attitude was that of those who were spiritual.
“ In those
three-minute intervals before firing recommenced, they would say to themselves,
‘One moment, perhaps, and then death’ and they would live the present moment as
though it were the prelude to eternity.”
The readership of my blog has changed over the years. Many
people in their forties (remember the poll two years ago or so?) find these
perfection posts helpful. But, many do not want to be reminded that Church
politics or government decisions, which do effect us, are not what make us
saints.
The saints never lose the “sense of God’s presence”. They are not immersed in the material or the
transitory.
If prayers do not seem to be answered, the saints would
think, either, “I am not one with God’s Will” or “This will happen when God
ordains.”
Garrigou-Lagrange reminds us that none of our actions are
indifferent. As I say on this blog, there is nothing which is neutral. The
author refers to Aquinas, who tells us that no moral act is neutral-none.
Nothing trivial is neutral.
So, how do we avoid doing evil? How do we avoid not offering
up each moment of the day for God?
The answer, Garrigou-Lagrange reminds us, is simple. A daily
offering in the morning to God is all that is necessary.
And, this following thought is consoling for those in the
Church Militant. “…in the lives of the
just every deliberate act that is not sinful is at once morally good and
meritorious, whether it be easy or difficult, trivial or heroic.”
To be continued…