Looking For Consolation

One of the temptations that crops up during Lent is the prospect of a reward at the end, a "high", a state of utter consolation, as a recompense for the effort and sacrifices we have made for 40 days. There may be some feeling of satisfaction at Easter, as one who sprints at the end of a long race, completing what seemed to be impossible. A Runner's High, it is called. But for most of us, there will not be a huge surge of consolation, unless so ordained by God. Consolation is God's gift, not something we earn. Praying faithfully each day, whether we feel like it or not, squeezing out time from what seems to be daily "work over-run", takes effort, and most of the time, our prayer is "flat" if not dry. No great lights, no great feelings. But what we might be forgetting is that the daily effort, the daily fidelity no matter what the feelings or circumstances, is what God accepts, wants, loves. As he is our Faithful Friend, so does he want us to be to him: faithful in the humdrum of our work, our house-cleaning, shopping, cooking, listening, all.... We don't see nor feel the effects of this fidelity, but all the time we are growing in faith and love. God sees all of this and once in awhile treats us with something better than we ever dreamed of. Sometimes not...as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's diary revealed. She loved, she helped the dying, she inspired, she consoled, despite the lack of consolation in her heart, perhaps even with the doubts she felt. So too with us. Let us walk our Lenten path with fidelity, leaving all anticipation and expectation aside, thus allowing ourselves to receive WHAT God wants to give us, WHEN he wants to give it.
Bro. Rene