Thou must not depend too much on this affection, which may be quickly changed into the contrary. When thou hast grace, think with thyself how miserable and poor thou art wont to be when thou art without it.
Nor does the progress of a spiritual life consist so much in having the grace of consolation, as in bearing the want of it with humility, resignation, and patience; so as not to grow remiss in the exercise of prayer at that time, nor to suffer thyself to omit any of thy accustomed good works.
-Bk. III, ch. vii.
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How sweet and easy it is to serve Our Lord upon earth, and how happy He has made me! He gives me all I want, or rather, He has always made me desire that which He intends to give me. Not long before the beginning of my terrible temptation against faith, I said to myself: I have no great exterior trials, and as for interior ones, Almighty God would have to alter my way of serving Him before that could happen, and I see no likelihood of a change. And yet, I cannot go on living in absolute peace; I wonder what He will do?
The answer was not long in coming, and taught me that our loving Lord is never short of expedients, for without changing the way of my spiritual life, He allows this great trial to temper with gall the sweetness of my consolation.
-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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