20 August, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

Confidence in the Providence of God

1. Sometimes we grow discouraged and lose confidence in God. This may be the result of sickness, or of misfortune, or of misunderstanding on the part of others. At any rate, on such occasions we may feel as if we have been forgotten by God.

Jesus Christ willed to endure a trial of this nature when He was hanging upon the Cross, derided and jeered at by those whom He had come to redeem. “My God, my God,” He cried, “why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mt. 27:46) In the Garden of Gethsemane, however, He had already seen in a terrifying vision the sins and acts of ingratitude of the human race. He had begged His Father to take away from Him the chalice of suffering which had been offered to Him, but He had added immediately: “Yet not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:62)

We must behave in the same manner. Whether it is a physical or moral anguish which torments us, we must gaze upon the Crucifix and remember that Jesus suffered much more in obedience to the will of His Heavenly Father. We must never lack confidence in Divine Providence and resignation to the will of God. In the mysterious designs of God for us, this evil which we experience is intended for our own good. It may have been sent to ennoble us or to purify us or to give us an opportunity of making reparation for our sins.

God has endowed suffering with a very purposeful mission in the world. It should have the effect of making us detached from earthly things and more preoccupied with spiritual matters. Let us trust in God, then, and remember the words of the Holy Spirit: “Has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?” (Ecclus. 2:10)

2. An excessive preoccupation with worldly affairs may often be responsible for our lack of perfect confidence in God. We worry about tomorrow, and about our many material needs. But Jesus has warned us about this. “Do not be anxious for your life,” He said, “what you shall eat; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on… Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they?... Consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which flourishes today but tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more you, O you of little faith! Therefore do not be anxious… But seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be given you besides. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will have anxieties of its own. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Cf. Mt. 6:25-34) “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave. But as for you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not be afraid.” (Cf. Mt. 10: 29-31)

3. God does not forbid us, naturally, to work and to provide for the future. But He condemns such immoderate anxiety as would tend to distract our attention from our spiritual obligations. We should be occupied, certainly, but never preoccupied. We should always have perfect confidence in God and resignation to His will.