Making a Pact with the Lord

Making a Pact with the Lord

by Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP On the evening of January 6, 1919, Blessed James Alberione called the young members of his new congregation, the Society of St. Paul, together for a conference. The congregation was only five years old and so the members of the community were still in school finishing their studies as well as beginning to print and distribute books, newspapers and magazines for the “good press.” There was a lot to do! Nothing really has changed. In every Pauline community there is a lot to do and I’m sure in your life too there is no shortage of activities to fill the day.

On that evening, which was recorded in the diary of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, Alberione invited everyone to make what he called a “pact” with the Lord. Specifically, that evening, the pact was regarding study. Here is what he said, “Confidence is what is lacking…. But we who trust in all and in everyone except in God are stupid and crazy….”

So what was this pact? Putting all their trust in God, the young men would study one hour and trust that God would make it possible that would they learn as much as if they had studied four hours! And with this simple prayer, the Pauline spirituality of humility and trust in God was given a shorthand reference that would become part of the daily prayer of every member of the Pauline Family. And it is still called our “Pact with the Lord.”

Read the original prayer of the pact.

The conditions for the Pact are these: “1) Trust in God…; 2) occupy well all the time granted for study…; 3) promise to make use of what is learned only for the Good Press and the glory of God.” A personal annotation of Timothy Giaccardo ends the page of January 7, 1919: “When our Father speaks of confidence in Divine Providence he no longer finds the conclusion of his sermon (he never stops!); he says this himself. The words come out from him inflamed….”

On January 24th the founder said, “We have no reason to be worried about anything, because Divine Providence has always been more bountiful than our confidence. Faith.

Faith. Faith.”

Since that January almost 100 years ago, the Pact with the Lord has become the bedrock of our Pauline spirituality and the gift we offer you. It is the secret of the saints…this immense confidence in God’s love. So I invite you to make your own Pact with the Lord.

Describe your difficulty: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (Example from Alberione: his boys needed to be well educated and they didn’t have time to pursue studies like other religious) What is it that you need or value in this situation (not a solution, but just one word): _________________________ (Example: security, assurance, connection, respect, warmth, rest, etc.)

Write out a Pact with the Lord: O God, my Father, this is my difficulty: ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________. I have confidence that you are generous with your love and that you desire to help me. This is what I can do: ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________. This is how I’m asking you to multiply what I can do: ________________________________________________________. I am very little. I am poor in every way. You are God. Your love is immense. I trust that you will care for me. Amen.

(To be continued.)