Chapter 7. We must do everything for the love of God
St. Paul is the great master of the spiritual life. No one can teach us better than he how to become a saint. Here are his very words:
"Whatever you do in word or work, do all in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ."Lest we may think that the Apostle is speaking only of offering our spiritual acts to God, he goes into particulars and says:
"Whether you eat or whether you drink, or whatever else you do, do all for Our Lord Jesus Christ."There are no acts more material, more necessary, than eating and drinking. Therefore, St. Paul mentions these to show us that we must do everything for the love of God.
Take these words, dear Reader, as directed to yourself by the Apostle, and you have at once another great secret of sanctity.
To do this, it is not necessary to add one iota to your prayers or devotions, you have merely to form the intention of offering your every action for the love of God.
This makes your every work meritorious. All your acts give pleasure and glory to God. It does not matter whether you succeed or fail in your enterprises; your acts have the same merit.
Thus, the countless acts of every day are pleasing God and earning for us rewards for all Eternity.
On the other hand, if we neglect to follow this rule of the Apostle, all our acts are worthless. We deprive ourselves of wonderful rewards, and we rob God of His glory and pleasure.
Think for a moment on the long lives of 50, 60, 70 years, every day of which is full of energy and activities - but all lost if we do not offer them to God!
Do not think, dear Reader, that what St. Paul recommends is impracticable or impossible, a thing that only saints can do. There is no difficulty whatever in offering our acts to God, and there is nothing more consoling, nothing more meritorious...
[Continued tomorrow]
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From An Easy Way to Become a Saint
by E. D. M. (1949)
The Catholic Printing Press
Lisbon, Portugal
With Ecclesiastical Approbation
13th June 1949
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