When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. After three days they found him in the temple… – Luke 2:45-46, WEB-BE
There are times when we may feel lost. We try our very best to find our way, but we only end up becoming even more lost than we have been. We ask for directions but none could point us to the right path.
There are times also when we feel helpless. Other people may try to tell us what we ought to do and how, but we are powerless to even begin. None of those we sought could accompany us and give us the strength we need to carry on.
During such times, why not try to find your answers in God?Why not try to ask Him what others have failed to provide you? Why not go to the One who has been waiting for you all along?
We often look so long because we fail to look where all the answers could be found: in God.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace. – St. Augustine
And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. – Luke 1:28, DRA
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, WEB-BE
…for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. – Ephesians 2:8-10, WEB-BE
You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. – Galatians 5:4, WEB-BE
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. – James 4:6, WEB-BE
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… – Romans 3:20-24, WEB-BE
The Word became flesh, and lived amongst us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14, WEB-BE
But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. – Ephesians 4:7, WEB-BE
Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16, WEB-BE
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men… – Titus 2:11, WEB-BE
Thus saith the Lord: The people that were left and escaped from the sword, found grace in the desert: Israel shall go to his rest. The Lord hath appeared from afar to me. Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee. – Jeremiah 31:2-3, DRA
With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all. – Acts 4:33, WEB-BE
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. – Matthew 5:44-45, WEB-BE
The LORD bless you, and keep you. The LORD make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up his face towards you, and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26, WEB-BE
“Grace is the love that gives, that loves the unlovely and the unlovable.” -Oswald C. Hoffmann
“For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.” – Saint Augustine of Hippo
“He who has not felt what sin is in the Old Testament knows little what grace is in the New. He who has not trembled in Moses, and wept in David, and wondered in Isaiah will rejoice little in Matthew, rest little in John. He who has not suffered under the Law will scarcely hear the glad sound of the gospel.” -R. W. Barbour
“I need thy presence every passing hour; What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?” -Henry Francis Lyte
“If God wants you to do something, he’ll make it possible for you to do it, but the grace he provides comes only with the task and cannot be stockpiled beforehand. We are dependent on him from hour to hour, and the greater our awareness of this fact, the less likely we are to faint or fail in a crisis.” -Louis Cassels
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) That sav’d a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. -John Newton
“That is the mystery of grace: it never comes too late. -François Mauriac
“The growth of grace is like the polishing of metals. There is first an opaque surface; by and by you see a spark darting out, then a strong light; till at length it sends back a perfect image of the sun that shines upon it.” -Edward Payson
“The law detects, grace alone conquers sin.” – Saint Augustine of Hippo
“To be able to live peaceably with hard and perverse persons, or with the disorderly, or with such as go contrary to us, is a great grace.” -Thomas À Kempis
“When the mask of self-righteousness has been torn from us and we stand stripped of all our accustomed defenses, we are candidates for God’s generous grace.” -Erwin W. Lutzer
“Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.” -Saint Thomas Aquinas
“Grace comes into the soul, as the morning sun into the world; first a dawning, then a light; and at last the sun in his full and excellent brightness.” -Thomas Adams
Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggle increases.-St. Rose of Lima
What was the first rule of our dear Savior’s life? You know if was to do his Father’s will. Well, then, the first purpose of our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will. We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty. – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Oh! Could you but see the beauty of a soul in the grace of God, you would be so much enamored of it that you would do nothing else but ask souls of God; and, on the contrary, could a soul in mortal sin be placed before your eyes, you would do nothing but weep, and you would hate sin more than the devil himself, and always pray for the conversion of sinners. –Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
The path of virtue is painful to nature when left to itself; but nature, assisted by grace, finds it easy and agreeable. – Ven. Louis de Granada
The greatest security we can have in this world that we are in the grace of God, does not consist in the feelings that we have of love to Him, but rather in an irrevocable abandonment of our whole being into His hands, and in a firm resolution never to consent to any sin great or small. -Saint Francis of Sales
Grace is nothing else but a certain beginning of glory in us. — St. Thomas Aquinas
Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly. — St. Ignatius Loyola
God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will, and to do it fully. – St. Ignatius of Loyola
What beauty? I don’t see my beauty at all; I see only the graces I’ve received from God. You always misunderstand me; you don’t know, then, that I’m only a little seedling, a little almond. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
Blessed the one whose thought has been with grace, like a cloud filled with rain, and which waters souls for the increase of fruits of life; his praise will be for everlasting glory. – St. Ephrem of Syria
Sickness is a great grace of God; it teaches us what we are; in it we recognize the patient, humble, and mortified man. When sickness weakens and mortifies the body, the soul is better disposed to raise herself up to God. – St. Paul of the Cross
Do you want the Lord to give you many graces? Visit Him often. Do you want Him to give you few graces? Visit Him rarely. Do you want the devil to attack you? Visit Jesus rarely in the Blessed Sacrament. Do you want him to flee from you? Visit Jesus often. Do you want to conquer the devil? Take refuge often at the feet of Jesus. Do you want to be conquered by the devil? Forget about visiting Jesus. My dear ones, the Visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an extremely necessary way to conquer the devil. Therefore, go often to visit Jesus and the devil will not come out victorious against you. – St. John Bosco
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength when the labors increase; To added affliction he addeth his mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
-Annie Johnson Flint
What is grace? It is to receive a favor totally unmerited and undeserved. It is to be loved without condition or any strings attached. It is to be shown benevolence without being asked for anything in return.
To be given grace is to be given a great treasure. It is to be offered help without losing your dignity. It is to be understood and appreciated for who you are, not for what you have or what you can give back.
It is like the sun shining quietly and giving warmth to everyone even if everyone is so busy doing something else. It is like the rain quenching the thirst of the earth for free. It is like a mother taking care of her son, not minding her lack of sleep, not asking for anything but to be allowed to love and to give ever more.
From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realised through Jesus Christ. – John 1:16-17, WEB-BE
“Grace comes into the soul, as the morning sun into the world; first a dawning, then a light; and at last the sun in his full and excellent brightness.”-Thomas Adams
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” – Isaiah 49:15, NIV
A mother’s love may be the purest and most tender love we know. Whenever we get hurt as children, we run to our mothers. Whenever we feel sad or afraid, we know our mother would be there to comfort us. A mother would sacrifice her all for her children. She would offer up even her own life for their good!
Can we now imagine how tender and pure God’s love is?Even if a mother may forget her own child, God promised He never would! Even if a mother may fail to love her own child, God never would.
God’s love is a love that can never fail. It is a love that would always remain fervent, pure and unselfish. It is a love that is the source of all goodness, all beauty and all happiness.
God’s love surpasses even a mother’s love, and it is a love that no one could ever take away from us.
“Rejoice, all you creatures… for you are closer to God in His infinite mercy than a baby to its mother’s heart.” – Diary of St. Faustina
