“To You, O living spring of mercy, all souls are drawn.”. Divine Mercy in my soul # 1747
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:27-31
All souls are drawn to You, Father. That is how You created all Your people. You have a simple plan, for us to love You and each other. You made us in Your very own image, gave us free will. You love us as Your very own and give us everything we need and so much more. And, in return, You simply ask us to love You back.
But, instead, of returning love we give back cold indifference, selfishness and apathy. Instead of love for our brothers and sisters, we draw back in pride and envy. We look to add more to our accounts and treasures stepping over or forgetting others.
“Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in You”
St. Augustine of Hippo – the Confessions
We chase around in endless circles seeking that which fulfills our desires, not realizing al the combined blessings of this world can not satiate our needs, only You can do that!
But, honestly it seems such a struggle to find You and live for You, Father. Why? I make it so much more difficult when it is simply to live in Your presence now as if living already in eternity.
I find sinful ways more enticing and even intoxicating than You which fills the soul. Woe is me! I am a sinful man who doesn’t even know how to live a life for You, Father. My soul cries out to follow You but I always find myself distracted and wondering. Worse yet, I know better. I know what sins I do and still find myself repeating. Woe! I am tired and worn of chasing the world, Father.
I lament for I am doomed to be lost in my failings. But, I hear Your Voice calling out to my soul. “Be not afraid, trust My Mercy, it is beyond the contemplation of human or angel. Trust My Mercy, rest in My Sacred Heart. I know your struggles and I love that you are fighting this fight against the world. Your effort and intention is more precious to Me.”
I will fight this battle for Your Presence, Lord. I will get up after every fall, wipe the dirt from my knees and hands and the tears of failure from my eyes. I will raise my eyes to You again, and press forward. I will surrender to Your Mercy all my fears of failure, all the worries of not measuring up or of not being worthy. When the enemy tells me I am not worthy or I’ve failed too many times, I will lean harder into Your side, covering my ears with Your cloak. As he tried to distract me, I will look past him, keeping my eyes on Your Holy Cross.
Look at Matthew 14:22-33 in the light of life’s daily struggles. Jesus calls out, “be not afraid”. Jump out of the boat and walk towards Jesus. Keep your eyes locked upon His. But, if the world’s crashing waves cause you to fall and sink, just do as St. Peter, call out immediately to Jesus and He will always be right there to pull you from the depths. What I like to see as unwritten in this story is Peter’s reaction at the time when Jesus pulls him out of the water. I imagine Peter throwing his arms around Jesus with tears of joy in his eyes. And, best yet, Jesus readily and warmly returning the embrace.
Trust in the mercy of God! We will only have scratched the surface even after we’ve spent eternity contemplating His Divine Mercy and love. NOTHING you do can separate your from God’s Love or overcome His Divine Mercy, if you just continue (again and again and again and again) to turn to Him with a repentant heart. Ask for forgiveness with contriteness of soul and He will pour all the oceans of mercy, opening the floodgates of Heaven’s treasury upon you, Every time you ask. Then, get back up and move forward.
“For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!“. Romans 7:14-25