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reconciliation to take place. The person who is capable of compunction, %u201crather than feeling angerand scandal at the failings of our brothers and sisters, weeps for their sins. There occurs a sort ofreversal, where the natural tendency to be indulgent with ourselves and inflexible with others isoverturned and, by God%u2019s grace, we become strict with ourselves and merciful towards others%u201d.[204]REPARATION: AN EXTENSION OF THE HEART OF CHRIST191. There is another, complementary, approach to reparation, which allows us to set it in an evenmore direct relationship with the heart of Christ, without excluding the aspect of concretecommitment to our brothers and sisters.192. Elsewhere I have suggested that, %u201cGod has in some way sought to limit himself in such a waythat many of the things we think of as evils, dangers or sources of suffering, are in reality part ofthe pains of childbirth which he uses to draw us into the act of cooperation with the Creator%u201d. [205]This cooperation on our part can allow the power and the love of God to expand in our lives and inthe world, whereas our refusal or indifference can prevent it. Several passages of the Bibleexpress this metaphorically, as when the Lord cries out, %u201cIf only you would return to me, O Israel!%u201d(cf. Jer 4:1). Or when, confronted with rejection by his people, he says, %u201cMy heart recoils withinme; my compassion grows warm and tender%u201d ( Hos 11:8).193. Even though it is not possible to speak of new suffering on the part of the glorified Lord, %u201cthepaschal mystery of Christ%u2026 and all that Christ is %u2013 all that he did and suffered for all men %u2013participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends all times while being made present in themall%u201d. [206] We can say that he has allowed the expansive glory of his resurrection to be limited andthe diffusion of his immense and burning love to be contained, in order to leave room for our freecooperation with his heart. Our rejection of his love erects a barrier to that gracious gift, whereasour trusting acceptance of it opens a space, a channel enabling it to pour into our hearts. Ourrejection or indifference limits the effects of his power and the fruitfulness of his love in us. If hedoes not encounter openness and confidence in me, his love is deprived %u2013 because he himself haswilled it %u2013 of its extension, unique and unrepeatable, in my life and in this world, where he calls meto make him present. Again, this does not stem from any weakness on his part but rather from hisinfinite freedom, his mysterious power and his perfect love for each of us. When God%u2019s power isrevealed in the weakness of our human freedom, %u201conly faith can discern it%u201d. [207]194. Saint Margaret Mary recounted that, in one of Christ%u2019s appearances, he spoke of his heart%u2019spassionate love for us, telling her that, %u201cunable to contain the flames of his burning charity, he mustspread them abroad%u201d. [208] Since the Lord, who can do all things, desired in his divine freedom torequire our cooperation, reparation can be understood as our removal of the obstacles we placebefore the expansion of Christ%u2019s love in the world by our lack of trust, gratitude and self-sacrifice.45