Letting Go

Watch that you might always remain in a true letting go of yourself. This is the rock, the most fundamental element of our lives. Piety, devotion and a spirit of prayer are good, excellent, but letting go surpasses and replaces everything. ~The Venerable Father Francis Libermann, CSSP, 1804-1852

Why do I sometimes resist letting go? Why do I cling so to my dreams, my ideas, my plans, my desires -- even the good ones that I have discerned, with God's help, are for His glory and for the benefit of others? Why don't I trust His wisdom and providence, His utter love for me? And then there are those "dark things" that I cling to -- such as my pride, my perfectionism, my fault-finding, my Tragedy Queen tendencies. What good do they serve me, God and others? Don't I realize that until I let go of all these things, I cannot receive all the beautiful gifts and wondrous graces that God passionately desires to give me? Indeed, I cannot fully receive GOD HIMSELF, who is always saying to me: "Open wide your mouth that I may fill it" (Ps 81:11)! Dear Venerable Father Francis, you spent your entire life letting go of yourself so that you could better serve the Lord, whom you so dearly loved. Teach me to do the same. Amen.