Thought for the Day – 7 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations for Advent
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
The Causes of Delay
+1. If the wickedness of the world in heathen times was so great, how was it that the Coming of the Redeemer was so long delayed?
To this question we can only give one answer with absolute certainty, it was so decreed by Almighty God in His Infinite Wisdom. We cannot hope, in this life, to comprehend the Mysteries of the Providence of the Most High. We can only humbly bow our heads and say that, the Redeemer came when God so Willed and that which God Wills, is necessarily the best.
+2. Yet, we can at least form some kind of conjecture, as to the causes of delay. God works by natural means.
In order that the religion of Jesus, should spread all over the world, by the ordinary working of the laws which govern the affairs of men, it was convenient that the world should be subject to one central power. This was never the case until, at the time of Christ’s Nativity, the Roman Empire was mistress of the world. Thus, God prepares the way for His Designs of Mercy and arranges the world’s events according to His Will, yet, without forcing the wills of men.
+3. There was another reason for the long delay.
It was to teach us that, God does nothing hurriedly.
He always waits, before executing His Decrees. In this, He wishes us to imitate Him. The Eternal Wisdom of the Most High needs no time for deliberation. His Works are not gradually perfected, or improved, on second thoughts. But ours are and the slow action (in our understanding of time) of the Providence of God, should impress upon us, the importance of waiting before we act and considering and reconsidering, all our plans .
AnaStpaul 