Inter-Provincial Novitiate

BELIEVE AND TRUST IN GOD

Nidhin

To imitate Christ means to trust in him and follow him. When we follow the footsteps of Christ we must keep in mind the fact that we are following the crucified Christ. This fact gives us courage when we feel lonely or when we are humiliated or faces harsh words, because the one, whom we are imitating, was left alone in the midst of sufferings and was humiliated until death. We should not fear even if we are suffering, because he has given us the promise that he will be with us always to the end of the age (Mt. 28:20)

Contrary to this faith, many times we feel discouraged when we face with problems, misunderstandings and harsh words. Why is it? The answer that St Thomas A. Kempis gives in his “imitation of Christ” is that: we are still worldly. And we have not yet understand and trust in God fully (book.3, 46:1). The entire chapter (46) speaks about the need of putting our full trust in God even when Evil words are spoken against us. According to St. Thomas A. Kempis when we face with these kinds of harsh words we must gladly suffer this for the love of god. Then these words will not affect us. In saint’s words; “even if all the evils, which the worst human malice can invent, were said against you, what harm can they possibly do you if you pay no attention to them? They cannot take so much as one hair from your head, but” he continues, “if you do not keep your eyes fixed on God nor keep Him in your heart, then you will be easily upset by the slightest rebuke.” When we go through the life of St Gaspar we find an incident when a person showers harsh words of criticism and curse upon the saint in the street, he suffered all those words for the sake of imitating the Crucified Lord. The righteous persons are never dismayed by anything even if they be wrongly accused. It will not worry them much because, they trust in the true judge who judges the heart not the external appearance.

Many times we might feel that why only we are humiliated and avoided. These are the little ways of testing us on earth. Often people will say nice things about others but never a good word about us, others will be promoted to the positions of trust but we will be judged as unfit, others will be listened but people will pay no attention to what we say. Naturally these kinds of things go against our human understanding and reason but, if we bear them in silence we will advance in our spiritual life. These are the means by which the faithful servants of the Lord are tested, in order to determine how far they can deny and break their own will in all things (Cfr. 49:4-5)

Chapter 57 of book no.3 also speaks about the same idea. We, as religious many times are criticized when we begin to do something good. Those comments or criticisms must not disturb us; as St. Thomas A Kempis says, “It is not the first or anything new and it will not be the last. We will face them as long as we live.” Many people, with lot of problems comes to us for consolation and encouragement but if we ourselves are not courageous enough to face our problems how can we console others or if we don’t have such bad experiences and overcome them courageously how can we encourage them to overcome their difficulties. It is through experiences that we learn many things. As St. Thomas A Kempis continue to say, “Yet it is for your spiritual help that these and similar things are permitted to happen to you.” We might fail in facing them courageously but, it must not discourage us; rather it would help us to know our great frailty and it will lead us to trust fully on God and call upon Him. We must keep in mind that, all is not lost just because we find ourselves often in troubles and grievously tempted. We must remember that we are humans not God. Even the Angels and the first man in Eden had failed to continue in the same state of virtue. So trust in God when the times of difficulties come. He is, who rises up and supports those who mourn even lifting up to His Godhead those who know their own weaknesses. Learn to abandon ourselves fully to god and love the crosses that he gives to us; with lot of expatiations that we will bear them with him with joy and peace. He will encourage us in our troubles and anguish because it is He who called us.