Ave Maria Meditations
It is difficult to explain many of the things that happen nowadays any personal and at a public level if we do not bear in mind that so many people who should be awake, watching and attentive , have allowed their faith to fall asleep; love has been snuffed out in so very many hearts. In many spheres, the normal Christian now generally means someone who is lukewarm and mediocre. Among the first Christians the normal Christian meant one who lived the heroism of each day and when the occasion presented itself, accepted martyrdom itself. It could and did mean very often the surrender of one’s very life in defense of the faith.
When love grows cold and faith falls asleep, the salt loses its savor and is no longer good for anything. It is just something for throwing away; what a pity if a Christian were to become as useless as this! Lukewarmness is often the cause of apostolic ineffectiveness, because if we are in its grip the little we do becomes a task devoid of human or supernatural attractiveness, and bereft of a spirit of sacrifice. Faith that appears moribund and radiates little love is unable to win anyone over or find the right words with which to attract others do a deep and intimate relationship with Christ.
Let us fervently ask God for the strength to react. We will be the true salt of the earth if we keep our daily conversation with God and if we go with ever greater faith and love to receive the holy Eucharist. Love was and is the moving force in the life of the saints. It is the whole reason of every life dedicated to God. Love gives us wings with which to soar over any personal barriers to our advance, or any obstacles presented to us by our surroundings. Love makes us unyielding when confronted by setbacks.
Lukewarmness gives up at the slightest difficulty. It makes mountains out of mole hills. Love for God, on the other hand, makes a mole hill out of the mountain; it transforms the soul, gives it new lights and opens up new horizons for it; it makes the soul capable of achieving its highest desires and gives it capacities it never as much as dreamed of possessing. Love does not make a fuss about the effort involved, and fills the soul with happiness as it surveys the results of its efforts.
As we finish our meditation, let us turn with confidence to the Blessed Virgin, the perfect model of loving correspondence with the Christian vocation. Let us ask her to remove effectively from our soul any shadow of lukewarmness. Let us ask our guardian angel also to make us diligent in God’s service.
Fr. Francis Fernandez
