Episode 2907: Confidence, Love, and Abandonment in Catholic Life - Nightly Episode

“O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory. Amen.”
Confidence, Love, and Abandonment in Catholic Life
We will explore the profound connection between confidence, love, and abandonment to God in the spiritual and educational life of Catholics. In a world that constantly pushes self-reliance and individualism, how do we cultivate true peace? How do we raise our children in the love of God, ensuring they grow in faith and virtue? We will turn to the wisdom of the saints and spiritual masters to guide us.
The Role of Confidence and Love in Education
St. John Bosco, a saint who dedicated his life to the education and formation of young souls, once said:
"Without confidence and love, there can be no true education. If you want to be loved…you must love yourselves, and make your children feel that you love them."
This statement cuts to the heart of Catholic pedagogy. True education is not merely the transfer of knowledge, but the formation of souls. St. John Bosco, in his work with street children and orphans, understood that no amount of discipline, academic rigor, or even theological instruction would bear fruit if the child did not first feel loved. Love, in its highest form, reflects God’s love sacrificial, steadfast, and firm in truth.
This principle applies not only to teachers and parents but to every Catholic who seeks to evangelize and bring souls to Christ. Without genuine love, our efforts become sterile. The modern world seeks education devoid of love, education rooted in relativism, devoid of objective truth, and indifferent to the soul’s eternal destiny. As traditional Catholics, we must reclaim an education that is rooted in confidence in God’s law, love of the truth, and love for the souls entrusted to our care.
The Necessity of Total Abandonment to God
While love and confidence are crucial in the external work of education and evangelization, the interior life requires something even deeper total abandonment to God. This leads us to the powerful words of Fr. Jacques Philippe:
"In order that abandonment might be authentic and engender peace, it must be total. We must put everything, without exception, into the hands of God, not seeking any longer to manage or ‘to save’ ourselves by our own means: not in the material domain, nor the emotional, nor the spiritual. … all reality that we have not surrendered to God, that we choose to manage by ourselves without giving carte blanche to God, will continue to make us more or less uneasy. The measure of our interior peace will be that of our abandonment."
How often do we find ourselves clinging to control trying to direct every aspect of our lives, our families, our futures? We worry, strategize, and maneuver, forgetting that peace is found not in our efforts but in complete trust in God. The saints have always understood this truth. The Blessed Virgin Mary, in her fiat, surrendered herself entirely to God’s will. Our Lord in Gethsemane prayed, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” This radical abandonment is the key to true freedom.
We must ask ourselves: What areas of our lives have we not surrendered? Are we still trying to secure our futures by our own means? Are we hesitant to give everything our families, our struggles, our desires into the hands of Divine Providence? If so, we must remember: the more we hold back, the more anxiety we create. The peace of Christ is only found when we surrender completely.
Practical Steps to Grow in Confidence, Love, and Abandonment
1. Practice Acts of Love Daily – Whether in education, work, or family life, we must consciously choose to love, especially when it is difficult. Love, as St. John Bosco teaches, is the foundation of all true formation.
2. Develop a Habit of Prayerful Surrender – Each day, make an intentional act of surrender to God. A simple prayer such as, “Jesus, I trust in You,” repeated throughout the day can transform our interior life.
3. Seek the Sacraments – The Eucharist and Confession provide the grace we need to live in abandonment. Frequenting these sacraments ensures that we are constantly renewed in grace.
4. Meditate on the Lives of the Saints – The saints are our models in both love and abandonment. Reading their writings and imitating their virtues will help us grow in confidence in God’s plan.
Conclusion Prayer
Let us close with a prayer, asking Our Lord for the grace to love deeply and abandon ourselves entirely to His will:
Heavenly Father, You are the source of all love and the giver of all peace. Through the intercession of St. John Bosco, grant us the grace to love as You love, to educate our children in confidence and truth, and to bring souls to You through the warmth of our charity. Lord, we surrender to You all our worries, all our fears, and all our desires. May we abandon ourselves completely into Your hands, trusting that You will guide us in all things. Help us to say, as Your Blessed Mother did, ‘Be it done unto me according to Thy word.’ In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Thank you for joining us in today’s episode. May Our Lord grant you peace as you walk in confidence, love, and total surrender to Him. God bless you!