SELF-LOVE IS THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO THE HIGHEST
GOOD
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, you should give all for all, and in no way belong to
yourself. You must know that self-love is more harmful to you than
anything else in the world. In proportion to the love and affection
you have for a thing, it will cling to you more or less. If your love
is pure, simple, and well ordered, you will not be a slave to
anything. Do not covet what you may not have. Do not possess anything
that can hinder you or rob you of freedom.
It is strange that you do not commit yourself to Me with your
whole heart, together with all that you can desire or possess. Why are
you consumed with foolish sorrow? Why are you wearied with unnecessary
care? Be resigned to My will and you will suffer no loss.
If you seek this or that, if you wish to be in this place or
that place, to have more ease and pleasure, you will never rest or be
free from care, for some defect is found in everything and everywhere
someone will vex you. To obtain and multiply earthly goods, then, will
not help you, but to despise them and root them out of your heart will
aid. This, understand, is true not only of money and wealth, but also
of ambition for honor and desire for empty praise, all of which will
pass away with this world.
The place matters little if the spirit of fervor is not there;
nor will peace be lasting if it is sought from the outside; if your
heart has no true foundation, that is, if you are not founded in Me,
you may change, but you will not better yourself. For when occasion
arises and is accepted, you will find that from which you fled and
worse.
A PRAYER FOR CLEANSING THE HEART AND OBTAINING
HEAVENLY WISDOM
Strengthen me by the grace of Your holy spirit, O God. Give me
the power to be strengthened inwardly and to empty my heart of all
vain care and anxiety, so that I may not be drawn away by many
desires, whether for precious things or mean ones. Let me look upon
everything as passing, and upon myself as soon to pass away with them,
because there is nothing lasting under the sun, where all is vanity
and affliction of spirit. How wise is he who thinks thus!
Give me, Lord, heavenly wisdom to learn above all else to seek
and find You, to enjoy and love You more than anything, and to
consider other things as they are, as Your wisdom has ordered them.
Grant me prudence to avoid the flatterer and to bear patiently with
him who disagrees with me. For it is great wisdom not to be moved by
the sound of words, nor to give ear to the wicked, flattering siren.
Then, I shall walk safely in the way I have begun. |
That personal love greatly hindereth from the
highest good
"My Son, thou must give all for all, and be
nothing of thine own. Know thou that the love of thyself is more
hurtful to thee than anything in the world. According to the love and
inclination which thou hast, everything more or less cleaveth to
thee. If thy love be pure, sincere, well-regulated, thou shalt not be
in captivity to anything. Do not covet what thou mayest not have; do
not have what is able to hinder thee, and to rob thee of inward
liberty. It is wonderful that thou committest not thyself to Me from
the very bottom of thy heart, with all things which thou canst desire
or have.
2. "Why art thou consumed with vain sorrow? Why
art thou wearied with superfluous cares? Stand thou by My good
pleasure, and thou shalt suffer no loss. If thou seekest after this
or that, and wilt be here or there, according to thine own advantage
or the fulfilling of thine own pleasure, thou shalt never be in quiet,
nor free from care, because in everything somewhat will be found
lacking, and everywhere there will be somebody who opposeth thee.
3. "Therefore it is not gaining or multiplying of
this thing or that which advantageth thee, but rather the despising it
and cutting it by the root out of thy heart; which thou must not only
understand of money and riches, but of the desire after honour and
vain praise, things which all pass away with the world. The place
availeth little if the spirit of devotion is wanting; nor shall that
peace stand long which is sought from abroad, if the state of thy
heart is without the true foundation, that is, if it abide not in Me.
Thou mayest change, but thou canst not better thyself; for when
occasion ariseth and is accepted thou shalt find what thou didst fly
from, yea more."
A PRAYER FOR CLEANSING OF THE HEART AND FOR
HEAVENLY WISDOM
4. Strengthen me, O God, by the grace of Thy Holy
Spirit. Give me virtue to be strengthened with might in the inner
man, and to free my heart from all fruitless care and trouble, and
that I be not drawn away by various desires after any things
whatsoever, whether of little value or great, but that I may look upon
all as passing away, and myself as passing away with them; because
there is no profit under the sun, and all is vanity and vexation of
spirit.(1) Oh how wise is he that considereth thus!
5. Give me, O Lord, heavenly wisdom, that I may
learn to seek Thee above all things and to find Thee; to relish Thee
above all things and to love Thee; and to understand all other things,
even as they are, according to the order of Thy wisdom. Grant me
prudently to avoid the flatterer, and patiently to bear with him that
opposeth me; for this is great wisdom, not to be carried by every wind
of words, nor to give ear to the wicked flattering Siren; for thus do
we go safely on in the way we have begun. |