"To Restore What was Intended from the Beginning": Jesus, Our Hope and Redeemer

Redemption: to restore what was intended from the beginning.

            I don’t think we need to look too far or think too hard to remind ourselves that those we love the most - our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephew, brothers, sisters - could be struggling with their identity, namely, who they are and what is the meaning of their life. Distressed parents and grandparents often ask us to pray for their children and grandchildren who are suffering from gender dysphoria.  As you read this reflection, I invite you to call to mind the names and faces of those you know who are suffering from confusion about their identity.  I want to offer you a word of hope, of encouragement, and an opportunity to renew your commitment to pray and not give up on them. If you are struggling with discouragement, I invite you to make a renewed act of trust in Jesus, who desires to restore what was lost and heal what is broken.

            What did God intend from the beginning of creation? God desired from the beginning that we would recipients of His unfailing, tender, fatherly love for all eternity. He always intended that Heaven would be our eternal home. We were made out of love for Love Himself. A seed of doubt in our Father’s eternal plan was sown by Satan in the hearts of Adam and Eve. Their sin was a sin of disobedience, distrust, and disbelief that God is good.  At the fall of mankind, we experienced five broken communions: between us and God, between us and others, within your heart and mind (weakening of our will and intellect), between your body and soul (death entered into our experience), and between us and nature.

But our Father did not abandon us or leave us to fix or figure out our dire situation. He immediately promised a Redeemer - One who could and would restore what was intended from the beginning. The Name of Jesus means “God saves.” From Jesus springs our hope and trust because He reveals the truth that our Father keeps His promises. The Catechism states: “God’s very being is love. By sending His only Son and the Spirit of Love in the fullness of time, God has revealed His innermost secret: God Himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He has destined us to share in that exchange.” (CCC 221)

            St. Monica is a well-known intercessor for those who worry about their children’s eternal salvation. I have a friend who is, in my opinion, on her way to becoming a modern-day St. Monica. I have seen God’s grace work so powerfully in her life, and I have been deeply moved by her honesty about the pain she carries for her adult daughter who suffers from gender dysphoria, and how God is bringing life, light, and hope to her heart through this cross she carries.

           My friend is part of a prayer group called “Millions of Monica’s” and I’ll never forget what she once shared with me:

“Millions of Monica’s is a prayer group to help mothers grow in holiness and to bring peace to their hearts that can only come when you draw close to God. God loves my daughter so much. Knowing that, I realized how much more He desires to bring her back. Worry doesn’t equal love. Worry is the opposite of trust. That is hard. I’ve had to work through the stages of grief - accepting that I can’t do anything except pray. I may never see my daughter’s healing and conversion in my lifetime, but I try to trust and turn it all over to the Lord constantly. As mothers, we want to fix it, thinking, ‘If only she would listen to my wisdom.’ God’s love and desire for our children is beyond our human understanding. Look at the cross and that’s love - that’s what He did for my daughter. The enemy wants to keep you down, and when you’re down you can’t pray and you can’t pray for your child. The enemy wants to keep you from the Lord and keep you in despair, but that is the opposite of hope. Despair tears down all aspects of my life. The more I can remove the blocks between me and God - that’s when the graces come down. When I see myself falling into despair, I start running to the Lord. We need to stay in the light. If I join my daughter in the darkness by despairing, then the enemy has won. To persevere, I must look for the tiniest movements of grace. The more I can identify them, the more I can revel in what God is doing.”

            St. Monica was given the grace not only to see the conversion of her son in her lifetime, but to see him enter his vocation as a priest.  St. Augustine owes his conversion to his mother’s fervent prayers poured out with tears to the One who could save him.  Don’t give up! And let us pray for one another, that we would each renew our hope in Jesus, our Redeemer, and lean in with trust that our Father hears, and will answer, our prayers.

Sr. Catherine, CFR