Meditations

In the hands of God

My life is in your hands

"The Lord is my part of the inheritance and in the cup: in your hands is my life". This is what Psalm 15 says. We should remember frequently, daily, that life is not in our hands. Of course, we must take care of both the needs that living entails, and of all that concerns health, however this life does not belong to us because it is a gift, and this gift can cease at any time. God entrusted it to us for a certain time and when it will end we will be called to present ourselves before Him and then we will realize if we have been able to recognize His providence.

Observing the life we are used to lead every day, it does not seem to see it placed in the hands of God, but it appears that it is all in our hands or in the hands of others, with the illusion of being eternal: we have exorcised death, living the illusion of an eternal present, but it is a deception of the mind that allows us to live the ephemeral, making us forget that infinity and immortality do not belong to any earthly creature.

But for those who are aware of an eternal future beyond human life, they should at every moment of their existence and in everything they do, always place the Lord before them, so that every action and everything is constantly compared with the teachings of God.

Our life whether we like it or not is always in God’s hands. Whoever puts his life in his hands, perceives its presence and feels that God is close to him and that he cannot waver: even when hurricanes, terrible trials and situations of suffering are unleashed, he will have a sure support in God. Sometimes we feel scared, confused, disoriented, depressed and sad, why?

Because we feel despondent, because we feel an infinite loneliness within us, especially when in the evening we return to our home, our bed, our pillow, and we are alone with ourselves: in that inner silence of our loneliness, In that darkness which darkens us in the face of the silence of God, we may sometimes be gripped by bewilderment, bewildered by doubt, surrounded by darkness.

How many times have we stopped to thank God for the gifts He gives us? Yet we always ask Him, we ask for everything, but then we also told Him a simple thanks? That thanks that does not admit any word. If we look at our lives, but what have we ever missed? Yet we certainly experienced situations of suffering that seemed to us to be painful crosses, yet unexpectedly we got out, and sometimes those same sufferings have turned into fantastic realities. How many of us, faced with certain situations, thought we had fallen into disgrace and instead those same ones turned out to be an incredible fortune? We can believe that they were the lucky fruit of destiny, but also of God’s providence: only with this awareness will we be able to say "Lord thank you!".

Some justify themselves: "we are distracted by many things, by work, by fun in order to think of God", however, despite such distractions they never forget to eat, drink, sleep. It is evident that this God is not essential to them, such as eating, drinking and sleeping. Too bad that one day this body will end and with it will end the need to eat, drink and sleep, God no. "Heaven and earth will pass, but my words - says Jesus in the Gospel - will not pass away".
(Mt 24,35)

When we stand before Him, what will we say? Because at that moment we will be questioned and judged on love, no one can make excuses. No one will be able to say that they have been taken unawares or prepared on other matters, because the only subject will be love. A love for concrete people, made of concrete gestures.

When asked, Jesus replied: "You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mt 22,37). But what does it mean to love?
If you have been in love, you know what it feels like, even if it is difficult to express this feeling in all its nuances, and it is precisely in this that lies its magic.
Love in summary is a feeling of vigorous affection, which is felt for a person and reveals itself with the desire to want the good of the other, to share everyday life, to live empathy and mutual esteem. But does esteem not mean believing in the other? And that is where the roots of faith lie. In this feeling there is a force that allows us to face all the difficulties of life, because it makes us feel invincible and able to overcome any adversity, pushing us to offer ourselves in sharing.

If you love, believe in your loved one: try to imagine if this love binds you to God, then you will experience that feeling that leads you to an unshakable faith, that guides you to translate into practice his teachings and He will become a part of your life. You are sure that God will return this your love with flaming darts that will burn your heart. It will be easy for you to follow His teachings and He will guide and sustain you on your earthly journey.

If you love, believe in your loved one: try to imagine if this love binds you to God, then you will experience that feeling that leads you to an unshakable faith, that guides you to translate into practice his teachings and He will become a part of your life. You are sure that God will return this your love with flaming darts that will burn your heart. It will be easy for you to follow His teachings and He will guide and sustain you on your earthly journey.

"If you love me, do not weep! If you knew the immense mystery of the sky where I now live, if you could see and feel what I see and feel in these endless horizons, and in this light that invests and penetrates everything, you would not weep if you love me.
Here one is now absorbed in the enchantment of God, in His expressions of infinite goodness and in the reflections of His boundless beauty.
The things of yore are so small and fleeting in comparison.
I am left with affection for you: a tenderness I have never known.
I am happy to have met you in time, though everything was then so fleeting and limited.
Now the love that holds me deeply to you is pure joy without sunset.
While I live in serene and exhilarating anticipation of your arrival among us, you think of me like this!
In your struggles, in your moments of discouragement and loneliness, think of this wonderful home, where there is no death, where we will quench our thirst together, in the most intense transport to the inexhaustible fountain of love and happiness.
Weep no more, if you truly love me!"
(Saint Augustine).