“Providentiae Tuae Me Committo”
“I commit myself to Your Providence” (translation)
But what does it mean to follow the designs of Providence?
And how can we know what God has in mind for us?
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the Lord…” – Jeremiah 29: 11-14
A person who practices a spirituality of Providence tries to be grounded in the attitude that Jesus himself took toward life: embracing the present moment, and trusting God to provide for us and for the world. Jesus’ advice is counter-cultural and it can be difficult to put into practice, especially in today’s world. But there is a spiritual path that helps us to deepen and grow in our commitment to live in this way. It is a path that also gives witness to our trust in Divine Providence, and to our desire to rely on Providence alone.
That path is the practice of four fundamental virtues: Poverty, Simplicity, Charity, and Abandonment to Divine Providence.
For almost 250 years, the practice of these four fundamental virtues has been at the heart of Providence spirituality, and we have experienced that powerful energies of transformation and healing are released when this spiritual path is embraced. As we try to allow our own lives to become more open to the action of God“s Providence, God will also work through us to re-create places, moments, and human hearts. The practice of the fundamental virtues as a personal spiritual path is providence for our own times of great change and uncertainty.
“God‘s Providence governs all things, provides for everything, arranges everything, and turns everything to good.”
– Blessed John Martin Moye, Founder of the Sisters of Divine Providence