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Selected Thoughts from Father John’s Diary "My Life in Christ"



God, His Grace and concern for people


As the mother teaches her child to walk so also God teaches us to have a living faith in Him. A mother will position a child on its feet, walk away, and then ask the child to come to her. Without the mother’s support, the child will cry, wanting to come to her, yet afraid, or in trying to approach her, falls over. In like manner, God teaches the Christian to have faith in Him. Just like a child learning to walk, our faith is feeble. God temporarily abandons a Christian and consigns him to various adversities, and later, when the need arises, delivers him. He directs us to look to Him and go to Him. The Christian attempts to see Him, but a heart untrained in seeing God is fearful of its own boldness, stumbles and falls. But God is near and is ready to take the powerless Christian in His arms. That is why in various sorrows and devil’s snares, learn to look upon the Savior with eyes of your heart. Look upon Him boldly as an inexhaustible treasure-trove of goodness and fervently beseech Him for His assistance. And you will receive it instantly. The important thing here is to view the Lord with your heart & have trust in Him as All-goodness. This is the truth taken from experience! This is how God teaches us to acknowledge our frailties and to depend on Him.

How many times, Master Lord Jesus did You restore my being, which I so flippantly corrupted with sin! Countless times! How many times did You deliver me out of the flames of numerous passions that were burning inside me, from the abyss of melancholy and despair! How many times did You restore my corrupted heart by me just invoking Your name with faith? You did this so many times through your life-giving Sacraments. O, Master! There is no end to Your mercy for me sinner. What will I bring You for Your immeasurable grace, Jesus, my Life and contentment! Help me to become vigilant.

God has great respect for beings that He endowed with reason and a free will, especially for Angels and saints. He acts through them to enlighten and save people. Consequently, do not say "I always turn to God directly with my needs." Sometimes, one has to address His saints, as messengers and instruments of His help. God himself does not want people, who have attained a high spiritual level to remain idle and not help those who are not yet strong in their faith. For example, once a mother from Canaan, through her entreaties, obtained the release of her daughter from the devil’s possession, while four friends succeeded in having their infirm friend healed, by bringing and placing him at the feet of Christ.

As a creation of His infinite Wisdom, God has total respect toward nature and its laws. He normally implements His will through nature and its laws, punishing or blessing us through various physical elements and life’s circumstances. Consequently, in the absence of dire need do not demand a miracle from Him.

Without the help of His grace, you would not be able to conquer any one of your carnal lusts. Therefore, always ask for help from Christ your Savior. That is why He came into the world, that is why He suffered, died, and resurrected: to help you in all things, to save you from the tyranny of passions and cleanse you of your sins, to give you strength through the Holy Spirit to perform good deeds, to enlighten you and bring you peace. You ask, "How can I find salvation when there is temptation every step of the way and I sin every minute?" There is a simple answer to this: "With every step and every minute, call upon the Savior. This way you will save yourself and others."

Just as breathing is essential to the body, so is the Holy Spirit essential for the soul. What air is to the body is what God’s Spirit is to the soul. Air is akin to the Spirit of God.

In descending upon the whole universe, the Holy Spirit the Comforter passes through all the faithful, humble, kind-hearted and meek souls, residing, invigorating and strengthening them. He becomes one spirit with them and becomes everything to them — their light, strength, peace, joy, and success in their endeavors, especially in leading a virtuous life.

How easily and instantly can God save us! Often, I would be a great sinner in daytime, but in the evening after prayer, I would retire absolved, with deep serenity and peace in my heart, and by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, be whiter than snow. How effortless it is for God to save us even in the evening of our life, at the twilight of our days. O, save me, save me Lord, receive me into Your Heavenly Kingdom, for everything is possible for You. Even if we fall, we fall before our Lord. And He is able to make us stand up (Romans 14:4).

When the Savior lived on earth, all those who came into contact with His garments were healed. In the same manner, contemporary people who apply the holy water with faith are healed. After all, a Cross immersed into water with a prayer of faith carries with it the life-giving power of God. Just as the Savior's garments were permeated with His spirit, so is the water in which the life-giving Cross was immersed permeated with His spirit, giving it healing powers.

By inflicting our physical body with illnesses, God destroys our primitive and sinful being so as to give strength to our new being, which we have made impotent through actions of the flesh: gluttony, waste, distractions and various other attachments. "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10) One must accept illnesses with gratitude.

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