My wife and I are visiting a mini-retreat put on by Opus Dei. Last night was the men’s turn, with an evening of recollection. There was a talk by an Opus Dei priest on the Mass, a talk by a layman on the importance of having “a plan”, an examination of conscience, a second talk by the priest about every Christian’s priestly soul and ample opportunity for confession.
This morning was mass and then the women’s turn. So I am holed up at a local coffee house, already on my second cup and thinking about lots of things.
What is coming to mind is how real that old phrase is—the one we utter when someone else does unthinkable things: “But for the grace of God there go I.” I think this is often said without much thought, sometimes even smugly. For me, today, the phrase is very real.
I have prayed for humility for years, and now I begin to see that humility is very simply a deep inward realization of truth. If we are given even a glimpse of where we would be without divine providence we must shed the ragged clothes of pride and exhale its puffed-upness, we must open our closed fists and look up to see Him who was pierced, who bled, who suffered, who sacrificed all he had, yes, giving his very life . . . for me
