Close to Jesus, Eternally
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Also this year we have reached the beginning of Lent, a time in which we reflect more on how Jesus loves us.
True love is not based on words, but on the concrete, in breaking the mold of human rationality and giving oneself … giving oneself completely. (Is 53,4)
Yet he took upon himself our sufferings, he took on our pains; and we judged him punished, beaten by God and humiliated.
Our human logic leads us above all to avoid pain and to complain when we cannot do without it.
We cry out to God why us? And why the pain? (1 Peter 2:21)
In fact, you have been called to this, for Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you can follow in his footsteps. So our life is made for suffering, and for what purpose? Our very birth took place with the pains of childbirth (Jn 16,21-23)
The woman, when she gives birth, is in pain, because she has come now for her; but, when she gave birth to the child, she no longer remembers the suffering, for the joy that a man was born into the world.
So you too are in pain now; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and no one will be able to take away your joy from you. Pain can be seen as the key to reset and rebalance the values of life, to reduce our temporal needs from the eternal ones.
In the life of the Saints, we often find the acceptance of suffering and the grace of abandonment to the Father, becoming nothing on earth to be everything in heaven. Not everyone is given to experience an intimate communion with God already here on earth, but we have all been taught to dialogue (pray), interact (give charity) and draw close (fast) to Him.
Prayer of the heart (from the depths), with simple and direct words, praise, thanksgiving and supplication. The charity of small daily gestures and of our being in the world. The fasting of everything that distances us from God in order to be able to approach him more candidly and be impressed by his radiant light. God the Father, enable us to understand what we are living and to focus our gaze on your ways, to be close to Jesus and to remain together eternally.
109 International Prayer Marathon
Close to Jesus, Eternally
26.27.28 February 2022
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