Every season of Christmas, I have had some sumptuous meals
with wine along with my family but this season wine was missing and this
prompted me to make some wine. Having tried this earlier once, I did some
additional research on this subject and set out for this task. Most important
and difficult task was to ensure that everything was squeaky clean because
bacteria could turn the grapes to vinegar instead of wine. Once I filled the
ceramic jar with hand crushed grapes and yeast, I had to again ensure that it
was covered with a clean cloth which will ensure that none of the dirt comes in
but ensures that oxygen is still going in which helps in fermenting the grapes.
What this brought to my mind is how we as the grapes when we encounter Christ
in the crushing moments of our life the yeast that is the Holy Spirit not just
transforms us into another Christ but also makes us witnesses for him. But
during these crushing moments we should ensure that none of the dirt from the
air comes into our lives like hatred, greed, despair, lust, pride, envy which
could instead of transforming us to become like Christ will make us into
vinegar which Christ rejected when on the cross.
The word of God says that “I am the Lord and there is no
other. I form the light and create darkness, I make well-being and create woe,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.” Isaiah 45:7 God is not the cause of
evil but permits the misuse of free will expressed in evil deeds. When the
messenger came to announce to Job that the Sabeans had plundered his goods and
slain his children, he said: “The Lord gave and the Lord taken away.” He did
not say: “The Lord has given me my children and my possessions, and the Sabeans
have taken them away.” He realized that adversity had come upon him by the will
of God. Therefore he added: “As it has pleased the Lord, so is it done. Blessed
be the name of the Lord.” God wills only our good; God loves us more than
anybody else can or does love us. His will is that no one should lose his soul,
that everyone should save and sanctify his soul: “Not willing that any should
perish, but that all should return to penance.” 2 peter 3:9 “This is the will
of God, your sanctification.” 1 thess 4:3 God has made the attainment of our
happiness, his glory. Since he is by his nature infinite goodness, and since as
St. Leo says goodness is diffusive of itself, God has a supreme desire to make
us sharers of his goods and of his happiness. If then he sends us suffering in
this life, it is for our own good: “All things work together unto good.” The
essence of perfection is to embrace the will of God in all things, prosperous
or adverse. In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to the
divine will; but it takes saints to unite themselves to God’s will when things
go wrong and are painful to selflove.
What we want to become is our choice. Fallen man’s natural
inclination is to look to allowing sin to take control of his life. But a life filled with obedience to the gentle
promptings of the Holy Spirit which guide us in the path of holiness will
enable us to be true, tried, tested and humble witnesses for the Lord. Let us
imitate what Habakkuk said when he faced difficulties in his life.
Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Also make the prayer of our mother Mary our own prayer. Behold
I am the handmaid of the Lord let it be done to me according to thy will. Though
she did not fully understand everything perfectly she most perfectly embraced
the divine will of God. Though we do not fully understand or like what we are
undergoing at the present moment let us move forward with our faith, hope and love in God. We will
slowly but surely be transformed by the Holy Spirit who acts as the yeast, into another Christ.
