Why Do We Refuse Love?

April 18, 1992
Holy Saturday
Manresa

"Today's meditation: Jesus' body is cold dead meat, lacerated and bruised. His heart stopped, no blood in the chambers. Mary waits in hope. The world is stunned at how it tried to kill God, mangled His hand of mercy, reached out in love to save it. 

"Why do we refuse love, reject life? Because we are held in fear by the devil; fear of losing our life if we let God be God to us. The Light waits at the door of our will; when we open, He will flood our darkest rooms, warm our coldest and moldiest crannies.

"I'm amazed to see how in this pilgrimage, God is always serving me, discreetly revealing His Providence. He wants me to live the rest of my life in this faith and confidence. Ignatius says to ask, 'What will I do for Christ?' in the few more years allotted me? Lord, I want you to lead and show me what I can suffer and do for You and for souls. I'll pay any price, bear any burden...but it's quality you want, not quantity...

"What have I done for You, Jesus, with the almost 50 years that have passed? Not a tenth of what I wanted to do. Help me to serve You. Flood my cold and bloodless heart with power of your Resurrection that I might share in the life-giving pattern of your death; be a seed that is multiplied as it falls into the ground!"