They spent all their time profitably: every hour seemed short which they spent with God; and through the great sweetness of divine contemplation they forgot even the necessity of their bodily refreshment.
They were strangers to the world, but near and familiar friends with God. They seemed to themselves as nothing, and were despised by this world; but in the eyes of God they were very valuable and beloved. They stood in true humility, they lived in simple obedience, they walked in charity and patience; and therefore they daily advanced in spirit, and obtained great favour with God.
-Bk. I, ch. xviii.
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We are neither lazy nor wasteful; Our Lord took up our defence as He sat at table with Lazarus and the disciples, and Martha served. Mary took no food, but thought only of pleasing her divine Master. Taking an alabaster box of precious ointment, breaking it she poured it out upon His head, so that the house was filled with the odour of the ointment (John xii, 3). The Apostles murmured against her, and the same happens to us. Even fervent Catholics consider that we go to exaggerated lengths, and ought to serve with Martha instead of dedicating to God the alabaster vase of our life with all its ointment intact. What does it matter if the vase be broken, so long as Our Lord is consoled, and the world is forced to acknowledge the sweet odour that it contained? It is in sore need of such perfumes to purify the unhealthy atmosphere that it breathes.
-Letters
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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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