Hold on to His Will in the Dark

Hold on to His Will in the Dark

by Father William G. Most

There is a Widespread-Pattern, revealed in Scripture, in which God Wills to put People into Situations in which they must, as it were, Hold on to His Will in the Dark, i.e., without being able to see Why or How it is possible. For example, Abraham had been told by God that he would be the Father of a Great Nation through Isaac. But then, when Isaac was still a little boy, God told him to offer Isaac in Sacrifice. This seemed to Conflict. However, Abraham did not Question; he just went ahead, Obeying God in the Dark.

Christ among the Doctors at age 12 - by MASTER of the Catholic Kings - from National Gallery of Art, Washington

If we would hold the Majority Opinion that the Jews did not know of Retribution in the Next-Life until the 2nd Century B.C., we would say that they had to hold on in the dark; they knew God was Just, but so often they saw that His Justice did not work-out, even to the end-of-the-life of an individual; the Wicked would continue to Prosper, the Just to Suffer. There are Numerous other Instances.

The conduct of Jesus at Age 12 is one instance, where Mary and Joseph had to hold on in the dark. If Joseph and Mary did not understand at that time the meaning of this Desolation, their Loss of their Dearly Beloved Son, how can we expect to do so now? We Reverently wait in Patience, knowing that one day in Heaven we shall understand (as they already have understood) 'How' and 'Why' God sent this Cross to Bless those whom He Loved most. Together with Joseph and Mary, we can say that this is our Mystery also. We do, however, learn this with certainty: Jesus evidently Willed to separate Himself from His Parents to show us that God's Will must come First, above all Human Ties, even if the Preference will cause Pain.

The basic-idea is this: The only thing Free in a Person is the Free-Will. If one then Aligns that Will Perfectly with the Will of the Father, that is Complete-Perfection. To Align that Will with the Will of the Father in cases where it seems impossible - that requires a Most-Intense holding to the Will of God. That gives room for greater Spiritual-Growth.

Now Our Lady was Full-of-Grace even at the start. But her Capacity, as it were, could Grow. To put her in Situations where she had to "hold on in the dark" was a Sign of Great Love.

During the "Presentation in the Temple", Luke 2:33 reports "And they did not understand the word he (Simeon) spoke to them". This does not mean that she did not know Who He was. We already know in Study of the Old Testament Prophecies and Targums that she did. What she would not grasp was the 'Strange Change' in the Pattern of His Conduct; previously, always Thoughtful, now 'quite different'.