Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Just for Today, February 20

O infinite love, singularly bestowed on man! But what return shall I make to the Lord for this grace, and for so extraordinary a charity?

There is nothing that I can give Him that will please Him better, than if I give up my heart entirely to God, and unite it closely to Him. Then all that is within me shall rejoice exceedingly, when my soul shall be per­fectly united to my God: then will He say to me: If thou wilt be with Me, I will be with thee. And I will answer Him: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to remain with me, and I will willingly be with Thee. This is my whole desire, that my heart may be united to Thee.
-Bk. IV, ch. xiii.
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If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? Or shall I drink the blood of goats?

Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High. (Ps.xlix)

That is all Our Lord asks of us. He has no need of our works, but only of our love. The same God who declares that He has no need to tell us if He is hungry, deigned to beg a little water from the Samaritan woman.... He was thirsty! But when He said: Give me to drink (John iv, 7), the Creator of the universe was asking for the love of His poor creature; He thirsted for love.

To this day Our Lord still thirsts. He meets with indifference and ingratitude from His disciples in the world, and even among His chosen disciples He finds very few willing to give themselves up whole-heartedly to the designs of His love.
-The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'une Âme)
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For more information, see this post.
Adapted from Just For Today(©1943 Burns & Oates)
Nihil Obstat: Reginaldus Phillips, S.T.L.,Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edwardus Myers, Vic. Cap.

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