Do not weep

Yesterday the Gospel tell us do not be afraid, today is why are you weeping

Yesterday, we talk that one of the tricks that the devil uses to discourage us is the fear, today we another, the sandiness.

The devil try for all the means convince to commit a mortal, if is not possible, al list to commit a venial sin, if no to waste the time and do nothing, but if he cannot succeeded, at least try to stool the fruits of the Holy Spirit, to steal the joy, and to destroy us with sadness.

And to convince us that to follow Christ implies sad, telling us that the people on the word are more happy.

Three o’clock in the afternoon on a rainy day in December. It’s time for work, and as it’s Saturday and very cold we don’t go out to the fields. We work in a room where lentils are washed, potatoes peeled, collards chopped etc … we call it the “laboratorium.”

There is a long table here with benches, and a window with a crucifix above it.

I have a knife in my hands and in front of me is a basket with what appear to be huge white carrots, but are actually turnips. I have never seen such big, cold… What can I do? There is no choice but to peel them.

The demons are still making war on me. Why have I left my home to come here and peel these ugly things in this bitter cold? It is truly ridiculous to sit here peeling turnips with the solemnity of an undertaker!

A very small and subtle demon slips deep inside me and quietly reminds me of my house, my parents and brothers, and the freedom that I have left behind to lock myself up here with lentils, potatoes, cabbage and turnips..

I pass the time with my thoughts, the turnips and the cold, when suddenly, swift as the wind, a powerful light penetrates into my soul… a divine light, in a single moment… Someone asks me what I am doing. What am I doing? ¡Virgen Santa! What a question! Peeling turnips! Peeling turnips? Why?And my heart gives a leap and answers without thinking: I am peeling turnips for love, for love of Jesus Christ.

I cannot say anything that could really be understood about this. But inside, deep within my soul, great peace replaced the perturbation that I felt before. I can only say that one can turn the smallest things in the world into acts of love for God… The opening or shutting of an eye – done for His Name’s sake – can gain us Heaven…

I laughed till there were tears in my eyes (though the tears might have been because of the cold) at the little red devils, who, taken aback by the transformation in me, hid themselves among some sacks of chickpeas and a basket of cabbages that were there.

What does it matter– a moment’s grief, the suffering of a moment? I can say is that there is no pain without compensation in this or in another life, and in fact to gain Heaven we are asked very little. Here in the Abbey it is perhaps easier than in the world, but it does not depend on this or that kind of life; in the world we have the same means of offering something to God. But what happens is that the world distracts and makes many opportunities go to waste. Man is the same here as there; his ability to suffer and to love is the same, wherever you go you can find the cross.

Let us make use of the time … let us love this blessed cross the Lord sends our way… whatever form it might take

When we discover the joy of been Cristian even the death we face with humor.

Tomás de la Mora, “Tomasito" was sixteen years old in the city of Colima. They took him to be hanged, and then he said: " hanged me here, in Galván's house, in the tree where Juárez had rested." This is a place of ignominy, he said. It will be here, so that I may be hanged, so that blessing may be changed instead of curse. They didn't want to, they put him in another tree and told him, they passed him the rope and the executioner ordered him: "Put it on!" Tomasito replied smiling: "But, I don't know how it gets, it's the first time I've been hanged.

Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus