We should see with the eyes of a child the Fatherhood of God and His love for us so clearly that nothing upset or worries us . . . We do not look at our troubles and then see how the faith can be reconciled with them; we look at God and believe them to be His gifts, whatever they look like to our human eyes and feelings. Simplicity and humility, confidence and self-surrender, a readiness to make little sacrifices, appreciating the value of very little things: little sacrifices, little sufferings, little acts of love. We should have a childlike love of Our Lady, for She sees to it that we keep the qualities of spiritual childhood: a refusal to get anything done in the Kingdom of God by treachery, intrigue or human string-pulling or throwing one’s weight around. (from a July 4, 1971 conference)
The maturity of children of God whilst on earth is mainly shown by the firmness and clarity of their faith. Instead of looking at the world and at our life and then puzzling over how God can allow certain things to happen if He loves us, we start the other way round. The basic truth is that God, Who has all things down to the least speck of reality entirely in His hands, does love us. If we are like little children in our relationship with God, it follows that we shall simply take for granted that everything which happens to us is a manifestation of God’s love. Any difficulties we find in accepting some thins as being marks and gifts of His love can be overcome by hiding them in the Cross of Christ. (from a July 4, 1971 conference)
With childlike simplicity and with adult determination and strength of character, we thank God for each up and down in our life, joys and sorrows, consolations and desolations, perplexities or difficulties . . . For those who love God, all things cooperate unto good. We do not have to ask questions, and we can always rejoice in the loveliness of God and the glory of Jesus Christ no matter how miserable we feel in ourselves. We can always remember the Cross of Our Lord, and not just as a cause of suffering, but as its remedy. You will never find the Cross or feel it in your life without it’s being a crucifix. It does not exist without Christ. We are to take up our cross with both hands and follow Him. When we realize this truth we have found both truth and peace. (from a July 4, 1971 conference)
In great simplicity let us accept the true fact that whatever our present situation is, whatever effects of the past are with us still, whatever threats the future holds, we are God’s children. The very hairs on our heads are numbered. (from a July 4, 1971 conference)
We should not look at ourselves to see whether Our Lord’s promise to give His peace has been fulfilled. We should not look at ourselves to see if the cross we bear is doing us or others any good. We should not look at the world to see if our faith is acceptable to it. Let us be like little children with sparkling eyes before the truths God has revealed to us. (from a July 4, 1971 conference)
The secret of success in finding true peace among the ups and downs of life for God is sometimes summarized as “Abandonment to Divine Providence” or “Abandonment to the Will of God” or “Conformity with God’s Holy Will.” This providence of God penetrates to the least detail and regulates everything in our lives. There is nothing whatever that can escape the completely free providential action and control of God. Nothing created and no created person and no law of nature and no free will can in any way put any constraint on God. And God is pure love all at once, all the time, infinite and active. It is a simple fact that for those who love God all things cooperate unto good. Everything that comes to us without exception is a gift from God and a grace and a help towards greater holiness if it is accepted in the right spirit. It is this right spirit that gives us peace of soul: a childlike, simple acceptance of what God sends, not because it looks acceptable, but because of Him from whom it comes. (from an August 1, 1971 conference)
So our secret of success, of holiness, of peace and contentment can be described as abandonment to divine providence, abandonment to God’s holy will in all its manifestations. Of course this sounds very passive. It sounds as if all we have to do is to let go and God will do everything. But that is not what is meant by abandonment to the will of God and to His providence. It is not a negative attitude we have to adopt at all. We have to align our will with God’s. We have to put our own will firmly into the will of God, to want whatever He wants us to desire, to choose what He wants us to choose (not just let Him choose it), to accept what He wants us to accept, to do what He wants us to do because we want to do it. In fact we can call abandonment to divine providence “willed cooperation with the will of God.” (from an August 1, 1971 conference)
So, abandonment to divine providence, yielding completely to the holy will of God, willed cooperation with God’s adorable will, is the way to peace of soul and holiness. It puts us perfectly within God’s order. We are in harmony with God’s dynamic developing plan. Every moment, if we are perfectly within God’s order, is a moment of grace; we receive “the sacrament of the present moment.” It is a communion with God brought by all that moment involves. (from an August 1, 1971 conference)
Let us want the adorable will of God. Let us say yes to everything He sends and everything He asks of us . . . All His ways are wonderful and holy . . . When we really feel miserable and at rock bottom, let us forget ourselves and our cross for a while and just be glad that God is God, that He is full of glory and happiness and love. Remember too that although we experience life moment by moment on earth, God sees everything and all of it in a very glorious eternal now, which we shall share. He sees us already in His eternal embrace. He created us for one reason only, that we should glorify Him by sharing His joy and happiness and glory and peace. (from an August 1, 1971 conference)
