THE BASIS OF FIRM PEACE OF HEART AND TRUE PROGRESS
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, I have said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you."[34]
All men desire peace but all do not care for the things that go
to make true peace. My peace is with the humble and meek of heart:
your peace will be in much patience. If you hear Me and follow My
voice, you will be able to enjoy much peace.
THE DISCIPLE
What, then, shall I do, Lord?
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
Watch yourself in all things, in what you do and what you say.
Direct your every intention toward pleasing Me alone, and desire
nothing outside of Me. Do not be rash in judging the deeds and words
of others, and do not entangle yourself in affairs that are not your
own. Thus, it will come about that you will be disturbed little and
seldom.
Yet, never to experience any disturbance or to suffer any hurt
in heart or body does not belong to this present life, but rather to
the state of eternal rest. Do not think, therefore, that you have
found true peace if you feel no depression, or that all is well
because you suffer no opposition. Do not think that all is perfect if
everything happens just as you wish. And do not imagine yourself great
or consider yourself especially beloved if you are filled with great
devotion and sweetness. For the true lover of virtue is not known by
these things, nor do the progress and perfection of a man consist in
them.
THE DISCIPLE
In what do they consist, Lord?
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
They consist in offering yourself with all your heart to the
divine will, not seeking what is yours either in small matters or
great ones, either in temporal or eternal things, so that you will
preserve equanimity and give thanks in both prosperity and adversity,
seeing all things in their proper light.
If you become so brave and long-suffering in hope that you can
prepare your heart to suffer still more even when all inward
consolation is withdrawn, and if you do not justify yourself as though
you ought not be made to suffer such great things, but acknowledge Me
to be just in all My works and praise My holy name -- then you will
walk in the true and right path of peace, then you may have sure hope
of seeing My face again in joy. If you attain to complete contempt of
self, then know that you will enjoy an abundance of peace, as much as
is possible in this earthly life. |
Wherein firm peace of heart and true profit consist
"My Son, I have said, Peace I leave with you, My
peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you.(1)
All men desire peace, but all do not care for the things which belong
unto true peace. My peace is with the humble and lowly in heart. Thy
peace shall be in much patience. If thou heardest Me, and didst
follow My voice, thou shouldest enjoy much peace."
2. What then shall I do, Lord?
3. "In everything take heed to thyself what thou
doest, and what thou sayest; and direct all thy purpose to this, that
thou please Me alone, and desire or seek nothing apart from Me. But,
moreover, judge nothing rashly concerning the words or deeds of
others, nor meddle with matters which are not committed to thee; and
it may be that thou shalt be disturbed little or rarely. Yet never to
feel any disquiet, nor to suffer any pain of heart or body, this
belongeth not to the present life, but is the state of eternal rest.
Therefore count not thyself to have found true peace, if thou hast
felt no grief; nor that then all is well if thou hast no adversary;
nor that this is perfect if all things fall out according to thy
desire. Nor then reckon thyself to be anything great, or think that
thou art specially beloved, if thou art in a state of great fervour
and sweetness of spirit; for not by these things is the true lover of
virtue known, nor in them doth the profit and perfection of man
consist."
4. In what then, Lord?
5. "In offering thyself with all thy heart to the
Divine Will, in not seeking the things which are thine own, whether
great or small, whether temporal or eternal; so that thou remain with
the same steady countenance in giving of thanks between prosperity and
adversity, weighing all things in an equal balance. If thou be so
brave and long-suffering in hope that when inward comfort is taken
from thee, thou even prepare thy heart for the more endurance, and
justify not thyself, as though thou oughtest not to suffer these heavy
things, but dost justify Me in all things that I appoint, and dost
bless My Holy Name, then dost thou walk in the true and right way of
peace, and shalt have a sure hope that thou shalt again behold My face
with joy. For if thou come to an utter contempt of thyself, know that
then thou shalt enjoy abundance of peace, as much as is possible where
thou art but a wayfaring man." |