O Lord God, my holy lover, when Thou shalt come into my heart, all that is within me will be filled with joy. Thou art my hope and my refuge in: the day of my tribulation; But because I am as yet weak in love and imperfect in virtue, therefore do I stand in need of being strengthened and comforted by Thee. For this reason visit me often, and instruct me in Thy holy discipline; Free me from evil passions, and heal my mind of all disorderly affections: that being healed and well purified in my interior, I may become fit to love, courageous to suffer and constant to persevere.
- Bk. III, ch. v.
__________________
You are making a great mistake if you think of me as advancing bravely along the path of self-sacrifice. Every day I learn by experience how weak I am, but Our Lord has taught me how to glory in my infirmities (II Cor. xi). I have asked Him to give you also this great grace which brings true peace to the soul. One turns away from the sight of one's own wretchedness to look only at Jesus Christ.
You ask me what are the means for attaining perfection, but I only know of one: Love. Our hearts having been made for love, let us then love. I sometimes try to find a better word than love, but in this land of exile the word that has a beginning and an end is quite inadequate to express a spiritual experience, and so one has to be content with the one word: Love.
But to whom shall we give the love of our hearts, who is worthy of such a treasure? Is there any human being capable of appreciating it, and giving us some return? Only Our Lord can do this, and He gives in return infinitely more than we can ever give Him.
-Letters
__________________
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment