My Grace is Sufficient
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
bc 236
In 2 Corintheans, Chapter 12, St. Paul tells of being tempted by Satan. And he goes on to share with us (v.8-10), "Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it [Satan] might leave me, but He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
This is an interesting passage in Scripture, because it indicates so clearly that God's Grace is stronger when we are weak then when we are powerful. The French Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704), proclaimed, "When God desires a work to be wholly from His hand, he reduces all to impotence and nothingness, and then He acts." The key in both the Scripture and Bossuet's homily is that God's Grace is sufficient to heal us, provided we allow Him to heal us. When we are weak and our defenses are low (e.g. impotent), then God heals us.
When we are in trouble through suffering, be it through illness, or weakness by giving in to temptation, please know that He will be with you in your suffering, so it is important that we remain faithful, and seek Him out in prayer.
Our resolute faith while suffering is how we respond to God's love. God wishes to heal us, to cure us, because He wants us to be happy in His love. His love is a gift to us, and is not to be wasted. If we allow bad things to happen, due to direct action on our part or by the sin of omission we waste God's love. Every Catholic should be for "Life." There are some who say they are Catholic but who are not pro-life. The attitude to allow things to happen because you decide not to get involved, is a null-response to God's love. It's like saying "God loves us, so what?" If you have this attitude, repent - and get with it.
Temptations often come concealed, when we are tempted they aren't always obvious. Good Catholics having received His grace are able to discern properly and always find a way out of temptations. His Grace is sufficient! Trust in God, and move on. Don't allow temptations to even enter your life. With God's Grace, we are strong enough to withstand them, to keep them at bay.
God bless you, and keep you well!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
January 12, 2007
© 1996-2007, Frederick S. Schaeffer, OFS