Episode 2677: The Victory of the Cross - Morning Episode

Today’s episode focuses on the Cross, voluntary poverty, and the profound freedom found in a heart set entirely on Christ. From St. Leo the Great to Ven. Mary of Agreda, we are reminded that even in our weaknesses, Christ’s grace empowers us to share in His victory and that by renouncing earthly attachments, our hearts become open to God’s infinite treasures.
1. The Power of the Cross and the Strength of Christ’s Prayer:
We begin with a reflection from St. Leo the Great, who said:
“No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.”
This teaching from St. Leo is incredibly encouraging. In a world that often celebrates only visible strength and success, we are reminded that God’s love and mercy reach out especially to the weak and the struggling. The victory of the Cross isn’t just for the strong or the saints; it’s for each one of us, no matter where we are in our journey. Christ’s intercession, His prayer, extends to all making no exceptions.
This truth invites us to see ourselves as constantly supported by the grace of Christ, especially in moments of weakness. We are called not only to trust in His victory but to claim it as our own. Our sufferings and struggles can unite us to His Cross, and through that union, we experience a deeper strength, one that allows us to overcome obstacles we never thought possible.

2. The Freedom Found in Voluntary Poverty:
Ven. Mary of Agreda shares a powerful insight into the nature of voluntary poverty:
"Voluntary poverty restores to man the nobility of his condition, liberating him from vile servitude and reinstating him his noble freedom and mastery of all things. The soul is never more a mistress than when she despises them, and only then has she the more firm possession and makes the more excellent use of riches, when she gives them away or leaves them of her own free will; only then her appetite for them is best satiated, when she does not care to possess them. Then above all is the heart set free and made capable of the treasures of the Divinity, for which it is furnished by the Creator with almost infinite capacity." —Ven. Mary of Agreda
This statement might feel counterintuitive in a culture that tells us to accumulate as much as possible. Yet, voluntary poverty the choice to renounce material wealth grants a freedom and nobility that nothing else can provide. By detaching ourselves from earthly possessions, we restore our hearts to their original purpose: to be fully united to God and open to His infinite love.
Mary of Agreda’s words highlight how material things, while good in themselves, can enslave us when they consume our hearts. True mastery over creation doesn’t come from possessing or hoarding; it comes from being able to let go, knowing that God provides all we need. When we detach from worldly goods, our hearts become receptive to “the treasures of the Divinity,” as she says. We start to experience a peace and richness that no material possession can replace, a foretaste of the eternal joy that awaits us in Heaven.
3. Surrendering to God’s Knowing Love:
In Jeremiah 12:3, we hear the prophet’s words:
“But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee.”
Jeremiah’s words remind us of a powerful truth: God not only knows us completely but also tests us, refining our hearts and minds to draw us closer to Him. Each trial, each call to let go of earthly attachments, is a gentle yet firm invitation from God to trust Him more, to find our worth and fulfillment in Him alone.