The Presence of God – The nucleus of St Alphonsa’s spirituality
“Nothing there is for us to cry over, for the Lord is always with us” St Alphonsa.
The nucleus of St Alphonsa’s spirituality was the awareness that God is with her, which motivated her a burning desire for Jesus and the salvation of all people. She had complete faith that God was working in her, and she was willing to endure anything for the sake of the Lord. Alphonsa, a helpless and insignificant virgin, gave everything to the Lord and loved him. The Lord gave her victory. Lucky is not the one who wins the lottery but the one who always feels the Lord’s presence. She was a person who lived in the presence of God for 36 years, from the day she was conceived in her mother’s womb until the day she surrendered her soul to the presence of the Lord.
In Psalm 91, we read that God will cover us with His feathers and shelter us under His wings. Alphonsa then held fast to God’s providence directly from the sufferings she had to experience in her infancy, trusting in God as innocently as children. She used to say that my body and mind may fail, but God is my strength.
Pope Benedict XVI recommended the first Indian saint as a typical example of how one should offer up one’s sufferings, humiliations, and persecutions for the good of the Church and thus unite oneself with the suffering of Jesus. The message of St Alphonsa is a challenge for the people of this generation. Each of us is looking for a path of fulfillment in life. We want to become winners by having success, influence, and money. However, it seems that we have lost our bearings somewhere. No earthly achievement can really fulfill people’s hearts.
Sister Alphonsa is a beacon that calls us onto the road to life in abundance. Her life, which by the standards of worldly understanding was an apparent failure, is, in fact, the answer to the search of every human heart. She was given a special honor. She spent her life in seclusion. And yet her little life, completed so early, has infinite value with God.
Imbibing the spirit of St Alphonsa, we shall pray: Lord, help us recognize you are with us today. Forgive us for so quickly forgetting your presence when we get busy or feel stressed by the worries of this life.
Fr Jaison Kunnel MCBS