God never forgets, and never changes: having made man for himself, he never ceases to draw him to himself. The innermost folds of our hearts are open to him, and he knows better than we ourselves all the aspirations, all the instincts there implanted. These he sets in motion and makes us of to lead us to our end: instruments sometimes the most different, sometimes even the most opposed, become in his almighty hand instruments of love. Hope, fear, every feeling, when it comes from God, tends to unite us to him by the bonds of love. But there is in the depths of our souls a sentiment whose strength no one can measure, and for which God shows a special preference: that feeling is love which challenges and demands love in return; and God, who wishes our love, resolved first to exhibit his boundless love for us: “I will draw them in the bonds of love.” …

Lost in the darkness of ignorance and sin, we were rescued and brought back to the light of eternal truth; dead to the supernatural order of grace by sin, we were recalled to life by his divine power; children of wrath and slaves of Satan, we were made by him the children of God; and ransomed from our bondage, we regained our rights to our heavenly inheritance. Jesus never ceases to bestow upon his creatures whom he bought with his blood all the perfection to which he destined them. He it is who, in the midst of the darkness that sometimes compasses our minds, flashes before our eyes the bright light of faith; who comes to strengthen our will on the point of yielding to the assaults of corrupt nature; who in the deadly struggle of our passions hastens to rouse our flagging courage, fighting with us, in us, and for us.

Father Benedict Sestini, S.J., (+1890) was born in Florence, Italy; he was an
astronomer and a professor of mathematics at Georgetown College, Washington,
D.C.

This passage, which I read this morning in my Magnificat, really speaks to me, especially the second paragraph. I have a picture of myself, battling the evil which surrounds me and infiltrates my defenses, and then there’s JC, with a special force field, swooping in to behead the enemies, drive them off, zap them good. The reminder to me is to not slacken, not lessen my efforts. He will strengthen my will and rouse my flagging courage. And I love the image of him fighting with me, in me, and for me. What a great way to start my day!