St. Jane is a Model for All Walks of Life
Francis’ description of a Sister of the Visitation as “the Will of God in her,” surely applies first and foremost to Jane de Chantal. Her whole life could be called an image of love stretched out, surrendered, offered, accepting all in its embrace of the Will of God. The Church holds her up as a model in four walks of life; daughter, wife, mother, religious. When these various stages of her life are presented by her biographers we see Jane as a beautiful woman–radiant, loving, gentle, firm, good natured with a sense of humor; at times sad, even overcome with sorrow, but always abandoned to God’s holy Will. Following the example of Jesus, her Savior, she saw it as her food, and it was ever the lesson she taught her daughters of the Visitation-day in and day out, this beloved Will was her life and her salvation.
She urged dependence on God and told the sisters it was the only method for reforming the soul. “We must really know ourselves,” she said, “so that nothing must be looked for from us, but much indeed from God and his grace which he will give as without fail.”
Reflection questions:
1. Do lay persons need to practice this powerlessness and obedience as rigorously as religious? Why or why not?
2.In what ways is this idea of dependence on God at odds with values our culture places on independence? Does this make it easier or harder to be dependent on God?
3.How can embracing the will of God bring peace into your life, especially when facing difficulties and disappointments?
APPLICATION
Scripture
Teach me to do your will, because you are my God (Psalm 143:10)
We remain silent except to say, The Lord’s will be done.” (Acts 21:14)
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. (I Peter 4:1)
Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. (Matt 25:50)
Let it be done to me according to your will. (Luke 1:38)
Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done. (Luke 22:42)
JANE’S WORDS:
If we keep ourselves in close union with God’s Will, he will give us all needful light.
Simplicity does not philosophize on what others do or say. Never swerving from its search for God and his Will, it loyally shuts out the attention from other things and keeps it exclusively for him
In everything good or ill that befalls us, see only the Will of God. Then whatsoever the event we shall always be tranquil because we shall have no love, no desire other than that of his adorable Will.