From Br. Joseph —
This is the third reflection on seven signposts for the season of Lent (and for all seasons).
Surrender to grace.
This signpost comes from a line in the book, The Lord by Romano Guardini. (A highly recommended book full of short, deep reflections on nearly every episode of Jesus’ life.) Although the sentence was referencing something specific, it applies to everything.
God’s grace rains down upon us every moment of our lives. A student once told me she likes to dance in the rain, and when she does, it feels like she is touching heaven, maybe even touching God, as the raindrops wash over her, re-baptizing her in His love.
God’s grace “reigns” down upon us every moment to open our eyes to see Him and His love for us, calling us into a deeper relationship with Him. We resist. We need to stop resisting. We need to surrender to this grace. Not surrender as in give up, but rather as in give over. Instead of swimming against the ocean currents of God’s grace, we need to learn to float in God’s ocean. Just as floating is not passive, surrender to grace is not passive. It requires action, teamwork, choice—much like a dance. Perhaps St. John said it best in his Gospel, surrendering to grace is abiding in God’s love.
Surrender to grace also means to stop resisting the present moment. Enough grace will be given to you to get through whatever you need to do. In other words, do what is right when you see that something or someone must be attended to—this is an opportunity given to you to love, and God will help you through it.
Keep hope alive.
Dare to trust.
Surrender to grace.
Our Lady of Mercy is praying for us…