I don’t like to use this word, but for lack of a better one… Are some people “predestined” to be saints from the beginning? I know that God has some preferences: He loves the Virgin Mary much more than me, He loves St. Joseph much more than me, He loves Sister Dulce much more than me… Could it be that, in the many heavenly mansions, I am destined to have only a “hut”? I would like to try to understand a little better.
André Moraes – Via e-mail
Dear André, your question is excellent. St. Therese of Lisieux faced a similar doubt: “I often asked myself why God had preferences, why all souls did not receive an equal measure of grace” (Manuscript A, 2f).
Would you like to know the answer she discovered? We will see it soon. For now, let us return to your question. From what you describe, we can discern a temptation of the devil to discourage you: “To have only a ‘hut’?” Will there be huts in Heaven? …
The Book of Revelation solves this problem, for it affirms that the Heavenly Jerusalem is entirely made of magnificent precious stones, with splendour that we cannot imagine. There the Angels sing a new song without ceasing, and the righteous always rejoice in the presence of God; there is no weeping or sorrow (cf. Rev 21).
In this world, especially in the modern world, we live amidst competition, comparisons, and envy. In Heaven, everything is different: it could be called the Kingdom of admiration, where each rejoices in the good of the others. After all, we are “one body” (Rom 12:5) and, “if one member is honoured, all rejoice together” (1 Cor 12:26).
If some receive more from God than others, or are more loved by Him, there is no injustice in that. The Lord created us freely, taking us from nothingness by an immense act of love, and giving us the promise of eternal happiness, a “very great” (Gen 15:1) reward.
Thus, faced with the superiority of Our Lady and other saints, the reaction of the blessed is one of contentment and not of sadness, for the greatness of those who are above proclaims the magnificence of Him who created all. A penitent like St. Augustine will rejoice for all eternity in the untouched innocence of St. Therese, who will sing of God’s goodness in lifting such a sinner from the mire, making him one of the beacons of the Holy Church.
With these assumptions in mind, let us now consider the words of the Saint of Lisieux:
“Our Lord […] showed me the book of nature, and I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its springtide beauty. […]
“And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord’s living garden. He has been pleased to create great Saints who may be compared to the lily and the rose, but He has also created lesser ones, who must be content to be daisies or simple violets flowering at His Feet, and whose mission it is to gladden His Divine Eyes […]. And the more gladly they do His Will the greater is their perfection. I understood this also, that God’s Love is made manifest as well in a simple soul which does not resist His grace as in one more highly endowed” (Manuscript A, 2v).
And she concludes by saying: “As the sun shines both on the cedar and on the floweret, so the Divine Sun illumines every soul, great and small, and all correspond to His care” (Manuscript A, 3f).
Finally, André, may I give you a piece of advice? Be very devoted to Our Lady! Place yourself in her hands, for She will guide you with her maternal care along the path to sanctity. ◊
