God: The Source of Human Greatness

Who am I, since you … with infinite love think always of me? … You are turned towards me and pour upon me … [your] mercies in order to destroy my unworthiness … You speak to me in the intimate recesses of my most ungrateful heart: “I will not change into you, but you will change into me.” (OOCC, X, pp. 472 -473; STA, 557)

God is the source of a person’s greatness. Though a person devises plans to be prosperous in his life, explores various possibilities to execute them and works hard in actualizing these plans, it is ultimately God who brings success to all human endeavors. Even though a person has many proposals for his happiness in life, it is God who disposes each of them according to his plan for the human person. Hence, God is the author of human greatness. St. Vincent Pallotti accepted this truth as a guiding principle for his personal life. St. Vincent experienced God as the one who constantly thought of him and whose eyes were always turned toward him. God consistently poured on him his infinite mercies for the purpose of destroying everything that was unworthy in him. God spoke to St. Vincent in the intimate recesses of his heart, promising to change him into God, thereby making him great and godly. Since God had so much interest in St. Vincent and his life, he was certain that he definitely would achieve whatever greatness God wanted him to have in his life, provided he cooperated with God.

Do I acknowledge God as the source of my greatness? In working out my plans and purposes, do I accept God as the one who disposes my proposals? Do I believe in God’s plan for me? Do I cooperate with God to achieve in my life the greatness God wants for me?

Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings … For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors. (Deut. 30:9)