5 September, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

I Am Not Able

1. Often, when the violence of our passions threatens to overcome all our powers of resistance, we are tempted to say: “Lord, I am not able; I cannot go any further. Why are You not helping me? Why have you abandoned me?” This is a trick of the devil to make us give up the fight, to make us believe that God has deserted us and that we must inevitably give in to temptation.

This is the last stratagem of the devil when he sees that he cannot persuade us in any other manner. But the Lord addresses to us the reproof which he addressed to St. Peter who, while walking on the water, doubted for an instant, and then felt himself going under. “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?” (Mt. 14:31) In such a situation, we must strengthen our faith, our love, and our dedication to Jesus Christ. Then the Lord will extend His helping hand to us as He did to Peter. He will give us the spiritual tranquility which only grace and Christian fortitude can offer.

Let us recall how this has happened in the temptations of our past life. When we were strong and generous with Jesus, we implored His help with faith and perseverance and emerged victorious from the fray. Then we experienced the heavenly joy which only God can give. Why can we not always do the same? We must never say: “I am not able!” We are poor and weak, but with the grace of God we can overcome all obstacles. As St. Paul says, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

2. Whenever we feel called upon to make some sacrifice for Jesus or to form some good resolution, how often do we cry: “I am not able!” It may be a question of praying more fervently, of performing some mortification, or of helping our neighbour spiritually or materially. Or perhaps it is a matter of saying a few words of apology or of encouragement to our neighbour, whom we have previously treated with coldness and selfishness. Or it may be something entirely more generous which is demanded; it may be that God is inviting us to renounce ourselves completely and to dedicate ourselves to Him. Naturally this requires sacrifice, and great generosity of heart. But we say to Jesus when He calls us: “I cannot, it is too difficult!” And yet the Lord says: “You shall make and keep yourselves holy, because I am holy.” (Lev. 11:44; 19:2) “You therefore, are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) We must not refuse God, Who became man for us and shed His blood for our redemption.

3. When the crosses sent to us by God have seemed too heavy, we have often uttered these words of refusal in a mood of weariness or even in a spirit of revolt. If only we had taken our sorrow to the foot of the Crucifix! Then we should not have had the audacity to have spoken these selfish and unchristian words.

We would have remembered that Jesus, the innocent Lamb, suffered for love of us, and we could not then have told Him that our cross was too heavy. We would have embraced it with resignation and walked towards Heaven in the footsteps of Christ.