Rather than seeing this as "gloom and doom" however, I see this as a call from God to turn to Him. In times of prosperity, it is our natural tendency to turn away from God. From time to time, in His mercy, He afflicts us in the hope that we will turn to Him. This, I believe, is one of those times.
I was drawn earlier to read from the writings of a lowly French monk of the 17th century by the simple name of Brother Lawrence. This man of little education worked in a small monastery preparing meals for other monks. While doing his lowly kitchen duties, he developed the practice of living always in conscious awareness of God. "Despite his humble position in the community, his reputation attracted many visitors from the outside who sought spiritual guidance from him. The practical wisdom that he shared became the basis of his book, 'Practicing the Presence of God'" (From the Forward to the book). This book has been a source of great spiritual wisdom for many for over three centuries.
I read this morning Brother Lawrence's "Spiritual Maxims" from that book. I believe in this time of "pandemic panic", his words are exactly what we need. I share a portion of these with you here. (Italics and bold print are mine)
SPIRITUAL MAXIMS
MEANS FOR ATTAINING TO THE PRESENCE OF
GOD
2. When we begin the
spiritual life, we should do a thorough inquiry into our human
nature, probing to its deepest depths. We will find that we are
unworthy of the name of Christ. We are subject to all sorts of
difficulties and weaknesses. These trouble us and damage our
spiritual health. They cause us to waver and be unstable in our
emotions and attitudes. We are creatures chastened and humbled by God
through countless sufferings and adversities, inside and outside.
3. We must steadfastly believe, and never doubt, that all suffering is
for our good. God is disciplining us. His Divine Providence permits
our souls to pass through many difficult experiences and times of
trial. We are to endure various sorrows and sufferings for the love
of God, for as long as He deems it necessary. Without submission of
the heart and spirit to the will of God, devotion and perfection
cannot exist.
4. The higher the spiritual state to which a soul
aspires, the more it is dependent on grace. The grace of God is
necessary every moment, for without it the soul can do nothing. The
world, the flesh, and the devil join forces and assault the soul
directly and relentlessly. Without humble reliance on the
ever-present assistance of God, they drag the soul down in spite of
all resistance. To rely on God’s help seems difficult, but grace
makes it easy, and it brings joy.
NECESSARY PRACTICES FOR ATTAINING TO
THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
1. The practice of the Presence of God is the most
holy, the most all-encompassing, and the most necessary practice of
the spiritual life. It trains the soul to find its joy in His Divine
Companionship. At all times and at every moment, it engages the soul
in humble and loving communion with Him, without rules or methods.
This is practiced in all circumstances, in times of temptation and
tribulation, spiritual dryness and apathy, and even when we fall into
unfaithfulness and sin.
2. We should commit ourselves unceasingly to
this one goal: that everything we do be little acts of communion with
God. This must be natural and not artificial, coming from the purity
and simplicity of the heart.
3. We must do everything thoughtfully
and mindfully, without impulsiveness or rashness, which indicate an
undisciplined mind. We must go about our daily activities quietly,
calmly, and lovingly, asking Him to bless the work of our hands. By
keeping our heart and mind fixed on God, we shall bruise the head of
the evil one, and cast his weapons to the ground.
4. When we are busy
meditating on spiritual things, or doing our daily devotions, or even
raising our voice in prayer, we ought to stop every once in a while
to worship God in the depth of our being. Taste Him as if in passing.
Touch Him, as it were, by stealth. Know that God is with you in
everything you do. He is at the very depth and center of your soul.
Why not pause for a moment from time to time in the midst of your
busyness, even during the act of prayer, to worship Him within your
soul? Why not praise Him, ask for His help, offer Him the service of
your heart, and give Him thanks for all His loving-kindnesses and
tender mercies?
What offering is more acceptable to God than to,
periodically throughout the day, leave behind the things of our
outward senses and withdraw within to worship Him in the secret place
of the soul? By doing this we destroy the love of self, which can
survive only among the things of sense. These times of quiet
retirement with God rid us unconsciously of self-love.
Truly we could
give God no greater evidence of our trust and faithfulness than by
turning from the creation to find our joy in the present moment in
the Creator. I am not suggesting that we completely disregard forever
the outward things that are around us. That is impossible. Prudence (wisdom), the mother of the virtues,
must be your guide. Yet it is a common error of religious persons to
neglect this practice of stopping for a moment in order to worship
God in the depth of their soul and enjoy briefly the peace of
communion with Him...
5. Our acts of worship are to be
prompted and guided by faith. We must honestly believe that God is
really within our souls. We must believe that we should worship Him,
love Him, and serve Him in spirit and in truth. We must believe that
He sees all and that all hearts are open to Him, both our own and
those of all His creatures. We must believe that He is self-existent
and that all His creatures live and move and have their being in him.
We believe that His Perfection is infinite and sovereign, and demands
the full surrender of our whole selves, body and soul. It is only
right that we owe Him all our thoughts, words and actions. Let us pay
our debt.
6. It is necessary to examine ourselves carefully to find
out which virtues we lack most, and which are the hardest for us to
acquire. We should seek to discover which sins most easily ensnare
us, and at what times and on what occasions we usually fall. In time
of struggle we ought to turn to God with perfect confidence, abiding
steadfastly in the Presence of His Divine Majesty. In lowly adoration
we can tell Him our sorrows and our failures, asking Him lovingly for
the assistance of His grace. In our weakness we shall find strength
in Him.
