From Saint and Thought For Every Day,
by Blessed James Alberione
Mary Generates Us in the Spirit
Through His prayers and His merits, Christ brings it about that the Holy Spirit works in us as in His own soul. We live in Him because we are incorporated in Him. He impresses a new life upon us and develops it in us - the life which grafts good olives onto a wild olive tree. Being our Mother, Mary shares with Christ in our regeneration; and we, being members of the Mystical Body, share in all the good belonging to the saints of heaven and earth. This is because of the dogma of the communion of saints, and this is eternal life. "O God, grant that we may partake in the divinity of Him who deigned to be partaker of our humanity, Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord."
From A Year With Blessed James Alberione,
Compiled by J. Maurus
Apostolic Maturity
It is easy to say an enthusiastic yes in the prime of youth when one has not gone through hardships, when life has been blessed with a series of favourable situations, and the difficulties on one's way are overcome easily. But there will come a time when we will be made aware of our insufficiencies. Whereas once we thought capable of achieving and building up something, now we have instead discovered our inadequacies. Once we thought that we would be encountering trust and that everything would be very simple. Instead we have met very complicated persons.
Suddenly we experience a sense of tiredness. It is the Lord purifying us even to 99 degree.
The Lord will remove your presumption and the sense of self-sufficiency you had instead of trust in him.
He will shatter the idea that good can be achieved very easily and he will make you learn that the good requires much sacrifice, many tears and at times, even bloodshed. The Lord will leave only one percent, but with this you can achieve marvels.
If you wish to bear fruit, remember that the heavenly Father will prune you The branch that does not bear fruit will be cut off; the fruitful branch will be pruned: it is the gospel teaching.
What Strikes Me Most Today
The second passage really speaks to where I'm at right now. I have been incredibly stressed and tired. I often feel like I just can't quite get my head above water, getting behind in so much in life. I feel less idealistic about plans for what I want to do with my life, but I read Blessed Alberione's writings, and I feel like maybe I'm not the only one feeling that. (And the "complicated persons" in our lives... he had to throw that one in there just for me!)
But to handle it, I am trying to be more and more self-sufficient. I am very often way too presumptuous that I know how to handle all the details of my life. I have a hard time just letting go and trusting in God. I feel like I always have to be doing things to make life work out like it should.
Wondering how I should handle daily problems differently, the Serenity Prayer comes to mind:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
What strikes you most today?
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From Saint and Thought For Every Day, 
