Come Away By Yourselves

The goodness of God should find an appropriate response in our desire for him.  Our yearning for God can get covered up at times by other desires.  Only by contemplating God regularly does our thirst for him grow.  Loving God blissfully in heaven is the fruit of loving him more and more in this life.

Contemplating the great multitude of saints in heaven, we realize the power of God to change and purify us.  From heaven the saints speak to us of the primacy God should have in our lives.  The purification necessary to be in heaven comes from our acceptance of the cross.

Contemplative prayer is a great gift from God.  The saints teach us that it brings many blessings with it and even holiness itself.  This gift must be asked for and desired, however, and we must do what we can to foster a truly contemplative lifestyle.

God's omnipotence is a key aspect of our Faith in Him.  God's infinite power helps explain the other mysteries of our Faith and is revealed especially in the Incarnation by the Archangel Gabriel.  The name "Gabriel" signifies "the strength of God."  Faith truly unlocks God's power on our behalf.   God''s power, however, is not at the mercy of our caprices or our own plans, but is rather always in service of our truest good: our sanctification.

"This is the will of God for you, your sanctification."  With these words, St. Paul reveals to us the great potential of our Christian life.  St. Josemaria was inspired by God to remind us of this universal vocation.  We should always be confident about taking the next step in our spiritual life.  It is something that God always wants for us.  Holiness is  growth in faith, hope, and charity powered by the access we have to God's grace in prayer and the sacraments.