“How beautiful it is to be God’s jester!”

At times, someone has told me: ``Father, I feel tired and cold; when I pray or fulfill some other norm of piety, I seem to be acting out a farce.'' To that friend, and to you, if you are in the same boat, I answer: A farce? What an excellent thing, my child! Act out that farce! The Lord is your audience - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Blessed Trinity is contemplating us in those moments when we are ``acting out a farce''.

Acting like that in front of God, out of love, in order to please him, when our whole life goes against the grain: how splendid, to be God's juggler! How marvellous it is to play one's part for Love, with sacrifice, without any personal satisfaction, just in order to please Our Lord! That indeed is to live for Love. (The Forge, 485)

We read in Scripture: ludens in orbe terrarum [1], that God plays over the whole face of the earth. But he does not abandon us because he adds immediately afterwards: deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum [2], my delight is to be with the children of men. Our Lord is playing with us! So when we feel that we are just play acting, because we feel cold and uninspired; when we find it difficult to fulfill our duties and attain the spiritual objectives we had set ourselves, then the time has come for us to realise that God is playing with us, and that he wishes us to act out our play with style.

I don’t mind telling you that the Lord has, on occasion, given me many graces. But as a rule I have to go against the grain. I follow my plan, not because I like it, but because I’ve a duty to do so, for Love. ‘But, Father’, you ask me, ‘can one put on an act for God? Wouldn’t that be hypocritical?’ Don’t worry: for you the moment has arrived to play out a human comedy before a divine spectator. Persevere, for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are contemplating your act; do it all for love of God, to please him, although you find it hard.

How beautiful it is to be God’s jester! How beautiful to act out such a role for Love, with a spirit of sacrifice, not seeking any personal satisfaction, but just to please Our Father God who is playing with us! Turn to Our Lord with confidence and say to him: ‘I don’t feel like doing this at all, but I will offer it up for you.’ And then put your heart into the job you are doing, even though you think you are just play acting. Blessed play acting! (Friends of God, 152)

[1] Prov 8:31

[2] ibid

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