It is difficult to ignore the situation in which we currently find ourselves because of the coronavirus, which has been reciprocated by far-reaching government measures and by some incomprehensible ecclesiastical orders.
In particular, the measure taken by the Italian Episcopal Conference – that Holy Masses no longer be celebrated with an audience – is moving towards a dimension that none of us could have imagined.
We know that nothing happens without God’s permission; but we can certainly reflect on this and ask the Lord in prayer what he wants to tell us with all this.
In other times, when epidemics or other serious illnesses struck mankind, great manifestations of faith were made with acts of atonement and processions; special prayers were recited and Holy Masses were celebrated with forms specific to the situation, etc.
Today one is astonished that the Italian Episcopal Conference considers that its collaboration with the State is having to take measures that go much further than those already taken. Now the faithful can no longer go to Holy Mass, because it is celebrated only behind closed doors. Here and there the police are already in front of the church, to prevent the faithful from entering the House of God during the celebration. It is inconceivable!
Now, let us turn – at least briefly – to the meditation on “Father’s Message”
Words from our Heavenly Father:
“The painter delights in contemplating the picture he has painted. In the same way, it is My pleasure and delight to come among men, the masterpiece of My creation! Time presses. I wish men to know as soon as possible that I love them and that I feel the greatest happiness in being with them and talking with them, like a father with his children. I am the Eternal One, and when I was alone, I had already thought of using all My power to create beings in My image. But material creation had to come first, so that these beings could find their means of sustenance; it was then that I created the world. I filled it with all the things I knew would be necessary to men: air, sun and rain, and many other things that I knew to be necessary for their life.”
From this passage, let us take three thoughts for today:
1. For the Lord it is a joy to be among men. He wants to be with us, and this refers to all mankind. This is a joy for Him! We must take these words seriously, for they will help us to understand God better and to understand more deeply the value that comes from Him. In fact, at times we have difficulty with this last point, but our deepest value is to be God’s children! No one can take this value away from us, as long as we do not destroy it ourselves with sin, not being aware of this our dignity! As the Father tells us in this declaration of love, we are the masterpiece of His creation.
2. “Time is short”… This statement reminds us of the words of St. Paul who exhorts us to “make good use of the present time” (cf. Eph 5,16). In Sacred Scripture, we are reminded again and again of this “urgency”. We have no time to lose in proclaiming the love of the Father, in bringing the Gospel to this world, in being converted and in deepening our faith!
This is not a “hurry” or “stress”; it is the tension of love, which does not want to lose a single moment to do all that the Lord has entrusted to us. Therefore, let us not waste time on unnecessary things. This does not exclude legitimate moments of relaxation. But we must be attentive to the so-called “hierarchy of things”, and not allow those of second or third rank to determine our life in such a way that we really lose time and our soul is weakened.
3. We thank the Lord for His wise and fatherly providence for us. He has thought of everything! While we should not get lost in the beauty of Creation, forgetting the “giver of every good gift” (cf. Jas 1,17), we can take delight – in God – in all that He has created for us. How much wealth and abundance, even in the tiniest things! All this proclaims the Wisdom of our Father and Creator…
Harpa Dei accompanies the daily scriptural interpretation or spiritual teaching of Br. Elija, their spiritual father. These meditations can be heard on the following website www.en.elijamission.net
