Objective truth series – Reflection #17

In our last reflection we discussed how delightful it is to see the simplification of the truth when one sees profound connections and acquires a more objective view.  This delightful experience of the soul fills us with wonder at God’s Goodness.  This is God’s marvelous way of working in a soul. “The ways of God are unsearchable”.  Ecclesiastes, 8:1.

Likewise, God in His Goodness often lets us get a view of ourselves in hindsight.  This hindsight view includes things in the spiritual life that He has been teaching us, and habits we have formed which we didn’t notice before, and He has us come to notice.  Thus, He sometimes gives us a glimpse of what He has done in our souls.  We then see how God has a wonderful way of working quietly behind the scenes.  We see His Patience with us and we find ourselves then counting our blessings anew and appreciating God’s mercy to us all the more.

Another amazing thing God does is to use us poor creatures as His instruments in helping other souls.  For example, sometimes, when we are trying to help someone come to understand a Catholic teaching, we find ourselves saying things that we didn’t plan to say.  If we reflect back on the conversation where we were planting the seeds of the Faith, we can sense truly that God was working in us.  Because we can see that we didn’t plan what we were going to say, we are amazed how just the right concepts, facts, and wording came to our minds and in the smooth way our words came out.  We can then say that truly the Holy Ghost inspired it all.  This makes it is easier to be detached from any credit that one could be tempted to take for the work.  We ponder at God’s Goodness again and praise Him for what He is doing through us unworthy creatures.

St. Thomas Aquinas explains that it is a mark of a higher being to work through lower beings.  Some examples of this are God using His angels to control the forces of nature and using the guardian angels to protect us.   Likewise, He uses us to spread the truth and plant seeds in souls.   He strictly doesn’t need us, yet God gives us the dignity to be His instruments though we are so unworthy.

However, Our Lord does not want us to be worried about what we will say when we are confronted by the unreasonable people in the world.   Our Lord has assured us, “And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say.   For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say.”  St. Luke 12:11-12.  And, again, Our Lord says, “But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you.”  St. John 14:26.

So, with astonishment we find that we can help souls in these apostate times of confusion.  We are called to be apostles of Christ.  Indeed, the spiritual works of mercy—to instruct the ignorant, council the doubtful, and even admonish the sinner are crucial in our days.  In these times of so much hatred against Jesus Christ, His Church, and Catholic Morality, we can truly be soldiers of Christ defending Catholic Faith and Morality.  How great God is to let us be His helpers especially when uncompromising priests cannot be found in most places!  He will supply the help we need to accomplish what He wills for sous.

So, with all our hearts for love of God and our neighbor for His sake, let us try with all our might to sow the seeds of our Holy Catholic Faith in our neighbor.  We cannot thank God enough for the precious pearl of the Faith, yet working for Him is one way to show Him gratitude for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us.

And we will most likely find more gratitude growing in our hearts when we realize that, though we are most unworthy, God is using us to pass on the truth.  We could find ourselves saying with heartfelt words something like the following:

I, unworthy, how can it be?
The Holy Faith, to others spread?
 Be I, a tool, for God’s Glory?
 How through me, can poor sheep be fed?

Gardening the soil of souls?
Or be a fisher of men?
To instruct of eternal goals?
Things beyond, the modern mind’s ken?

In these times, where all’s up-side-down,
 Each day a new battle to fight,
And lies are spreading all aroun’,
People confused, on left and right.

God’s wants to use us, as His tools,
To teach, by examples, and words,
Even though, most may, think us fools,
‘Cause we are not part, of their herds.

 Of those poor folks, trained not to think,
But simply go on the “easy" path
Causing their hearts, to further sink,
Deserving more of, Divine Wrath.

Just as a sign, of higher one,
Through lower beings, does his works,
So it is the Lord, gets jobs done,
With us, insignificant clerks.

Grateful are we, instruments poor,
That He blesses, the deeds we do.
He provides the souls, at our door,
Though He need not, by us work through.

Amazing movement, doth He then,
That He helps souls, through words of ours,
Like lush spring rain, in the soul’s glen,
He draws forth, precious soul-flowers.

Only God with, power Supreme,
Could bring such worth, from us poor men,
As flowing forth, from wisdom’s stream,
Yet from a, lowly creature’s pen.

We thank the Goodness, of Our Guide,
Who sets us, sowers in His field,
E’er inspiring us, at our side,
Yet, He, brings forth, the fruitful yield.