Divine Appeal Reflection - 17
Today, consider in Divine Appeal 17: "Be a fervent soul, light and salt of the earth, by means of your life of simplicity and humility so that you might be able to make fervent souls flourish."
Our Adorable Jesus does not ask us to blaze briefly and then disappear; He asks us to remain with Him. Divine fervor is not sustained by emotional fire but by the quiet, stubborn decision to stay when prayer feels dry, when obedience costs more than expected, and when God seems silent. Throughout salvation history, the Lord entrusts His work to those who remain present despite fear or confusion: Moses who felt unworthy yet stood before the burning mystery, Jeremiah who longed to withdraw yet continued to speak God’s word, the disciples who barely understood yet refused to walk away (cf. Ex 3:11–12; Jer 20:7–9; Lk 24:28–32). Fervor is born in this staying. The Church admonishes that continuity is nothing but the result of the Holy Spirit’s unperceived and gradual work inside the soul through daily fidelity, not through outstanding incidents (cf. CCC 736; 2013). The saints define fervor ultimately as a love ready to endure—ready to go back into prayer again, ready to take up the same old duties again, ready to pardon again even when the heart is weary. In the home, this love shows itself as presence that does not abandon when strength is gone; in professional life, as integrity chosen when no one is watching; in consecrated life, as obedience offered when interior warmth has cooled. Our Adorable Jesus desires this fervor because it mirrors His own Heart, which loves without urgency or display, yet never withdraws. These souls just won't allow virtue to fade; they don't want attention. They become a silent light and a preserving force in the world—light that does not blind and salt that works unseen—by choosing fidelity in little, repeated deeds, preventing love from deteriorating and hope from weakening (cf. Mt 5:13–16; Gal 2:20).
Our Adorable Jesus hides fervor within smallness because pride exposes love to collapse. Humility and simplicity are not qualities that diminish the soul; they rather form its foundation and God can then act without any hindrances. The Son of God took a long time as a nobody, did common work, and obeyed without justification. According to the Church’s wisdom, humility anchors prayer in truth, placing the soul where it can truly receive God rather than perform before Him or attempt to manage Him (cf. CCC 2559). The saints repeatedly warn that the moment the heart turns inward to measure itself—by productivity, recognition, or comparison with others—love begins to cool. What was once an offering becomes a calculation, and fervor quietly gives way to strain. Simplicity restores clarity by loosening the grip of excess desire; humility steadies love when life humbles us through failure, delay, or misunderstanding. For parents, this means loving without applause. For leaders, serving without control. For professionals, choosing conscience over advantage. In light of the insight derived from Psalm 131:1–3 and 1 Corinthians 1:26–29, we ascertain that God gives His power to the humble since they do not resist His strength but rather take it. Their insignificance transforms into a place, their meekness into a sanctuary. Our Adorable Lord Jesus is in search of spirits whose heat does not burn brightly in the open but rather grows deeper in the hidden—immersed with Him, protected from the gales of pride and recognition. It is here that love develops slowly, taking its strength from yielding, until it becomes tough enough to withstand the tempests and loyal enough to produce the harvest that even the passing of time cannot spoil.
Divine Appeal 17 reveals that fervor carries weight beyond the individual. Our Adorable Jesus teaches that light does not need to explain itself, and salt does not announce its presence (cf. Mt 5:13–16). Scripture reveals again and again that the faithfulness of one person sustains many: Abraham standing between God and destruction, Hannah’s quiet tears shaping a prophet, Paul’s endurance strengthening distant believers (cf. Gen 18:23–33; 1 Sam 1:15–20; Phil 1:12–14). The Church teaches that through baptism, each soul is drawn into Christ’s work of sanctifying the world through communion, not visibility (cf. CCC 783). A fervent soul creates stability. Its calm prevents despair. Its faith steadies others when confusion rises. Saints insist that holiness spreads less by persuasion than by spiritual gravity. In families, fervor becomes safety. In workplaces, credibility. In communities, hope. Our Adorable Jesus desires souls who intercede more than they instruct, who carry others before God without claiming responsibility for outcomes. Through such souls, grace moves freely, and hearts are drawn quietly toward Christ (cf. Jn 12:32).
Our Adorable Jesus knows the human heart from the inside. He knows how enthusiasm quietly erodes when days are crowded, when minds are overstimulated, and when weariness becomes a constant companion. He demonstrates that love is seldom completely eliminated by direct conflict; in most cases, it is gradually suppressed by distraction, by being everywhere but with God (cf. Mk 4:18–19). The Church, acting as a wise mother, tells that love lasts and develops only when it is purposefully protected through endurance and vigilance; otherwise, even the most faithful commitment is reduced to mere habit (cf. CCC 2742). Thus, fervor is not maintained merely by intensity but indeed through a rhythm that continuously leads the soul back home—prayer that stabilizes us, sacraments that subtly heal brokenness, silence that gives depth to our wishes, and service that prevents love from being self-centered. The saints are remarkably honest: when the inner life is neglected, even good works lose warmth and charity becomes heavy. St. John Paul II warned that modern holiness requires learning to listen again in a world that never pauses. This listening becomes concrete in small, costly choices—setting limits, lifting the heart back to God in the middle of ordinary tasks, and examining oneself without excuses. For parents, it can mean expressing tiredness without bitterness; for kids, picking the truth above expediency; and for leaders, taking the time to observe rather than respond. According to scripture (cf. Rom 5:3–5; Jas 1:2–4), persistence purifies love and gives hope roots strong enough to withstand storms. Because such steadfast love becomes trustworthy—capable of supporting people when their own strength fails—Our Adorable Jesus longs for a zeal that is independent of emotion (cf. Rev 3:15–19).
Divine Appeal 17 reveals that fervent souls become living invitations of Our Adorable Jesus. The saints teach that the Gospel convinces most deeply when it is embodied. St. Benedict transformed societies through steady order. St. Teresa of Calcutta softened the world through hidden prayer and simple service. The Church teaches that mission flows first from holiness, then from action (cf. CCC 849). Across every vocation, Our Adorable Jesus desires souls who allow Him to love through them. According to scripture, even while hidden in silence and seeming nothingness, the souls that remain committed to Him become living branches of His own life, bringing fruit that lasts beyond sight and measure (cf. Jn 15:4–8). This fruit appears quietly: courage restored, faith awakened, wounds gently healed. A fervent soul becomes a place of rest and clarity. Such lives do not seek influence, yet they shape eternity. Our Adorable Jesus entrusts His appeal to these souls because they do not claim the fruit as their own. They simply remain. Through them, fervor spreads naturally, and other souls begin to flourish because love has found a dwelling place.
Prayer
Our Adorable Jesus, teach us to remain with You when love feels small and life feels heavy. Simplify our hearts, ground us in humility, and guard our fervor through faithfulness. Let Your quiet fire pass through our lives, so that others may find strength, hope, and new life in You.
Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.
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