Theological Foundations new file

63 Life in Christ own life at the time when, soon after the renovation of the congregation, came a period of great sufferings, for which he gave thanks to God and surrendered himself to Divine Providence in everything. His life at that time gave ample evidence of self-denial and an ardent love of Christ. His confession of love for the Savior, whom he wanted to love more and more, is very moving. His requests for the grace of ever greater love, for the grace of courage and fortitude in the labors which he undertook for the exultation of Christ’s name, for the courage to overcome all difficul- ties, obstacles and discouragement, are all very telling. He asked Jesus for courage to be able to work and suffer for Him anywhere, wherever He might bring him in His Spirit. 25 St. Paul and his famous words: “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom 8, 31) was an example and inspiration for the Renovator of the Marians in his efforts. Therefore, he continues to draw inspiration from the Apostle of the Nations: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than con- querors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8, 35-39). To the Renovator of the Marians, these words offered strength, support and comfort in all persecutions. In these words he found the strength necessary to deny himself completely, to love God, to give himself totally to Christ and become united with Him. 26 This is how profoundly Father Matulaitis-Matulewicz understood his relationship with the Lord and Savior of the world whom he loved above all else. Animated with the spirit of love for Jesus, the author of the Spiritual Diary encourages his confreres to try and renew everything in Christ, including themselves. In order to accomplish this, they should not give in to the bad habits and passions of this world, to the erroneous opinions and views, but renew themselves, become completely filled with the