Living in the Present Instant
- VENERABLE FATHER FRANCOIS-MARIE-PAUL LIBERMANN
Be docile and pliable in the hands of God. You know what you must do to achieve this.
Keep yourself at peace and in complete repose, never become upset and never trouble yourself about anything, forget the past, live as though the future does not exist, live for Jesus in every moment that you are living, or, better, live as though you have no life in yourself, but allow Jesus to live in you at His leisure; to walk thus, in all circumstances and in all encounters, without fear or worry as is becoming the children of Jesus and Mary; never think of yourself voluntarily; abandon the care of your soul to Jesus alone, etc.
It is He who takes the soul by force; it belongs to Him. It is therefore up to Him to take care of it because it is His property. Do not fear so much the judgment of such a tender master.
Generally speaking, banish all fear and replace this feeling with love; in all of this, act gently, sweetly, steadily, without haste, without anger.
Walk in this fashion in all graciousness, abandonment and complete confidence. The time of this exile will end and Jesus will belong to us and we to Him.
Then each of our tribulations will be a crown of glory for us that we will place on the head of Jesus, because all glory is His alone.
This is Meaghen Gonzalez, Editor of CERC. I hope you appreciated this piece. We curate these articles especially for believers like you.
Please show your appreciation by making a $3 donation. CERC is entirely reader supported.
Acknowledgement
Venerable Father François-Marie-Paul Libermann. "Living in the Present Instant." this passage was translated directly from the French edition of Lettres du Venerable Pere Libermann (Paris: Desclée de Brouwer, 1965).
This excerpt appeared in Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Father Jacques Philippe.
The Author
Venerable Father François-Marie-Paul Libermann (1804-1852) was a 19th-century Jewish convert to Catholicism who was a member of the Spiritan order. He is best known for founding the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary which later merged with the Congregation of the Holy Ghost. He is often referred to as "The Second Founder of the Holy Ghost Fathers". He was declared venerable in the Roman Catholic Church on 1 June 1876, by Pope Pius IX.
