TO DESPISE THE WORLD AND SERVE GOD IS SWEET
THE DISCIPLE
NOW again I will speak, Lord, and will not be silent. I will
speak to the hearing of my God, my Lord, and my King Who is in heaven.
How great, O Lord, is the multitude of Your mercies which You have
stored up for those who love You. But what are You to those who love
You? What are You to those who serve You with their whole heart?
Truly beyond the power of words is the sweetness of
contemplation You give to those who love You. To me You have shown the
sweetness of Your charity, especially in having made me when I did not
exist, in having brought me back to serve You when I had gone far
astray from You, in having commanded me to love You.
O Fountain of unceasing love, what shall I say of You? How can
I forget You, Who have been pleased to remember me even after I had
wasted away and perished? You have shown mercy to Your servant beyond
all hope, and have exhibited grace and friendship beyond his
deserving.
What return shall I make to You for this grace? For it is not
given every man to forsake all things, to renounce the world, and
undertake the religious life. Is it anything great that I should serve
You Whom every creature is bound to serve? It should not seem much to
me; instead it should appear great and wonderful that You condescend
to receive into Your service one who is so poor and unworthy. Behold,
all things are Yours, even those which I have and by which I serve
You. Behold, heaven and earth which You created for the service of
man, stand ready, and each day they do whatever You command. But even
this is little, for You have appointed angels also to minister to man
-- yea more than all this -- You Yourself have condescended to serve
man and have promised to give him Yourself.
What return shall I make for all these thousands of benefits?
Would that I could serve You all the days of my life! Would that for
but one day I could serve You worthily! Truly You are worthy of all
service, all honor, and everlasting praise. Truly You are my Lord, and
I am Your poor servant, bound to serve You with all my powers,
praising You without ever becoming weary. I wish to do this -- this is
my desire. Do You supply whatever is wanting in me.
It is a great honor, a great glory to serve You and to despise
all things for Your sake. They who give themselves gladly to Your most
holy service will possess great grace. They who cast aside all carnal
delights for Your love will find the most sweet consolation of the
Holy Ghost. They who enter upon the narrow way for Your name and cast
aside all worldly care will attain great freedom of mind.
O sweet and joyful service of God, which makes man truly free
and holy! O sacred state of religious bondage which makes man equal to
the angels, pleasing to God, terrible to the demons, and worthy of the
commendation of all the faithful! O service to be embraced and always
desired, in which the highest good is offered and joy is won which
shall remain forever! |
That it is sweet to despise the world and to serve
God
Now will I speak again, O my Lord, and hold not
my peace; I will say in the ears of my God, my Lord, and my King, who
is exalted above all, Oh how plentiful is Thy goodness which Thou hast
laid up for them that fear Thee!(1) But what art Thou to those who
love Thee? What to those who serve Thee with their whole heart? Truly
unspeakable is the sweetness of the contemplation of Thee, which Thou
bestowest upon those who love Thee. In this most of all Thou hast
showed me the sweetness of Thy charity, that when I was not, Thou
madest me, and when I wandered far from Thee, Thou broughtest me back
that I might serve Thee, and commandedst me to love Thee.
2. O Fountain of perpetual love, what shall I say
concerning Thee? How shall I be unmindful of Thee, who didst
vouchsafe to remember me, even after I pined away and perished? Thou
hast had mercy beyond all hope upon Thy servant, and hast showed Thy
grace and friendship beyond all deserving. What reward shall I render
Thee for this Thy grace? For it is not given unto all to renounce
this world and its affairs, and to take up a religious life. For is
it a great thing that I should serve Thee, whom every creature ought
to serve? It ought not to seem a great thing to me to serve Thee; but
rather this appeareth to me a great and wonderful thing, that Thou
vouchsafest to receive as Thy servant one so poor and unworthy, and to
join him unto Thy chosen servants.
3. Behold all things which I have are Thine, and
with them I serve Thee. And yet verily it is Thou who servest me,
rather than I Thee. Behold the heaven and the earth which Thou hast
created for the service of men; they are at Thy bidding, and perform
daily whatsoever Thou dost command. Yea, and this is little; for Thou
hast even ordained the Angels for the service of man. But it
surpasseth even all these things, that Thou Thyself didst vouchsafe to
minister unto man, and didst promise that Thou wouldest give Thyself
unto him.
4. What shall I render unto Thee for all these
Thy manifold mercies? Oh that I were able to serve Thee all the days
of my life! Oh that even for one day I were enabled to do Thee
service worthy of Thyself! For verily Thou art worthy of all service,
all honour, and praise without end. Verily Thou art my God, and I am
Thy poor servant, who am bound to serve Thee with all my strength, nor
ought I ever to grow weary of Thy praise. This is my wish, this is my
exceeding great desire, and whatsoever is lacking to me, vouchsafe
Thou to supply.
5. It is great honour, great glory to serve Thee,
and to despise all for Thy sake. For they shall have great grace who
of their own will shall submit themselves to Thy most holy service.
They who for Thy love have cast away every carnal delight shall find
the sweetest consolation of the Holy Ghost. They who enter the narrow
way of life for Thy Name's sake, and have put away all worldly cares,
shall attain great liberty of spirit.
6. Oh grateful and delightsome service of God,
whereby man is made truly free and holy! Oh sacred condition of the
religious servant, which maketh man equal to the Angels, well-pleasing
unto God, terrible to evil spirits, and acceptable to all faithful
ones! Oh service to be embraced and ever desired, in which the
highest good is promised, and joy is gained which shall remain for
evermore! |