15 December, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

Consolations from God

1. Even men and other creatures have some power to comfort and console us. The comfort which we receive from them, however, cannot completely satisfy our hearts, which were made for God. Such consolations as they can give are short-lived and vanish like snow beneath the sun.

What can men or other worldly creatures give us? They can give us material wealth, but this often turns out to be troublesome and vexatious and is too much inferior to the greatness of the human soul to be able to satisfy it. Worldly honours can intoxicate our pride and self-conceit for a little while, but this state of inebriation cannot last very long. We know too well that we are what we are in the sight of God, and nothing more. The praise and flattery of other men adds nothing to our stature and only serves as an incentive to idle vanity. Then there are worldly pleasures, some of which are healthy and commendable; but how long do they last? They are like flowers which open their petals to the morning air and fold them again in the evening. There are unhealthy pleasures, too; not only are these passing and perishable like all created things, but they leave behind a sense of nausea and remorse.

Let us seek before all other joys the consolations of God. These do not decrease as life goes on, but last forever and are completed in the next life.

2. "Whatsoever I can desire or imagine for my comfort," says ‘The Imitation of Christ,’ "I look not for here, but hereafter. For if I alone should have all the comfort of this world, and might enjoy all its delights, certain it is they could not last long. Wherefore thou canst not, O my soul, be fully confident nor perfectly refreshed, except in God, the comforter of the poor and the receiver of the humble. Wait a little while, my soul, wait for the divine promise, and thou wilt have abundance of all good things in heaven. If thou desirest too inordinately these present things, thou wilt lose those that are heavenly and eternal. Use temporal things, but desire eternal. Thou canst not be satisfied with any temporal goods, because thou wast not created for their enjoyment. Although thou shouldst have all created goods, thou couldst not be happy and blessed; but in God who created all things, consists all thy beatitude and happiness. Not such as is seen or cried up by the foolish lovers of the world, but such as the good faithful of Christ await, and of which they that are spiritual and clean of heart, whose conversation is in heaven, have sometimes a foretaste." (Bk. III, c.16)

3. We must, therefore, seek in God all true comfort and consolation, because all other comforts and consolations are insignificant and unenduring. We should remember, however, that even heavenly consolations may sometimes decrease or disappear. At times God is silent and withdraws the sweetness of His consolations. These are trials which we can often surmount by patience and resignation. This kind of spiritual aridity afflicted for a long time holy souls like St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. If God sends us these trials also, let us accept them willingly, for He merely wishes to test our love and our fidelity. We must be brave. Peace of mind will soon return and then we shall hear God's voice and enjoy His heavenly consolations once more.