MAN HAS NO GOOD IN HIMSELF AND CAN GLORY IN NOTHING
THE DISCIPLE
LORD, what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of
man that You visit him? What has man deserved that You should give him
Your grace? What cause have I, Lord, to complain if You desert me, or
what objection can I have if You do not do what I ask? This I may
think and say in all truth: "Lord, I am nothing, of myself I have
nothing that is good; I am lacking in all things, and I am ever
tending toward nothing. And unless I have Your help and am inwardly
strengthened by You, I become quite lukewarm and lax."
But You, Lord, are always the same. You remain forever, always
good, just, and holy; doing all things rightly, justly, and holily,
disposing them wisely. I, however, who am more ready to go backward
than forward, do not remain always in one state, for I change with the
seasons. Yet my condition quickly improves when it pleases You and
when You reach forth Your helping hand. For You alone, without human
aid, can help me and strengthen me so greatly that my heart shall no
more change but be converted and rest solely in You. Hence, if I knew
well how to cast aside all earthly consolation, either to attain
devotion or because of the necessity which, in the absence of human
solace, compels me to seek You alone, then I could deservedly hope for
Your grace and rejoice in the gift of new consolation.
Thanks be to You from Whom all things come, whenever it is well
with me. In Your sight I am vanity and nothingness, a weak, unstable
man. In what, therefore, can I glory, and how can I wish to be highly
regarded? Is it because I am nothing? This, too, is utterly vain.
Indeed, the greatest vanity is the evil plague of empty self-glory,
because it draws one away from true glory and robs one of heavenly
grace. For when a man is pleased with himself he displeases You, when
he pants after human praise he is deprived of true virtue. But it is
true glory and holy exultation to glory in You and not in self, to
rejoice in Your name rather than in one's own virtue, and not to
delight in any creature except for Your sake.
Let Your name, not mine, be praised. Let Your work, not mine,
be magnified. Let Your holy name be blessed, but let no human praise
be given to me. You are my glory. You are the joy of my heart. In You
I will glory and rejoice all the day, and for myself I will glory in
nothing but my infirmities.
Let the Jews seek the glory that comes from another. I will
seek that which comes from God alone. All human glory, all temporal
honor, all worldly position is truly vanity and foolishness compared
to Your everlasting glory. O my Truth, my Mercy, my God, O Blessed
Trinity, to You alone be praise and honor, power and glory, throughout
all the endless ages of ages. |
That man hath no good in himself, and nothing
whereof to glory
Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him,
or the son of man that Thou visitest him?(1) What hath man deserved,
that Thou shouldest bestow thy favour upon him? Lord, what cause can
I have of complaint, if Thou forsake me? Or what can I justly allege,
if Thou refuse to hear my petition? Of a truth, this I may truly
think and say, Lord, I am nothing, I have nothing that is good of
myself, but I fall short in all things, and ever tend unto nothing.
And unless I am helped by Thee and inwardly supported, I become
altogether lukewarm and reckless.
2. But Thou, O Lord, art always the same, and
endurest for ever, always good, righteous, and holy; doing all things
well, righteously, and holily, and disposing all in Thy wisdom. But I
who am more ready to go forward than backward, never continue in one
stay, because changes sevenfold pass over me. Yet it quickly becometh
better when it so pleaseth Thee, and Thou puttest forth Thy hand to
help me; because Thou alone canst aid without help of man, and canst
so strengthen me that my countenance shall be no more changed, but my
heart shall be turned to Thee, and rest in Thee alone.
3. Wherefore, if I but knew well how to reject
all human consolations, whether for the sake of gaining devotion, or
because of the necessity by which I was compelled to seek Thee, seeing
there is no man who can comfort me; then could I worthily trust in Thy
grace, and rejoice in the gift of new consolation.
4. Thanks be to Thee, from whom all cometh,
whensoever it goeth well with me! But I am vanity and nothing in Thy
sight, a man inconstant and weak. What then have I whereof to glory,
or why do I long to be held in honour? Is it not for nought? This
also is utterly vain. Verily vain glory is an evil plague, the
greatest of vanities, because it draweth us away from the true glory,
and robbeth us of heavenly grace. For whilst a man pleaseth himself
he displeaseth Thee; whilst he gapeth after the praises of man, he is
deprived of true virtues.
5. But true glory and holy rejoicing lieth in
glorying in Thee and not in self; in rejoicing in Thy Name, not in our
own virtue; in not taking delight in any creature, save only for Thy
sake. Let thy Name, not mine be praised; let Thy work, not mine be
magnified; let Thy holy Name be blessed, but to me let nought be given
of the praises of men. Thou art my glory, Thou art the joy of my
heart. In Thee will I make my boast and be glad all the day long, but
for myself let me not glory save only in my infirmities.(2)
6. Let the Jews seek the honour which cometh from
one another; but I will ask for that which cometh from God only.(3)
Truly all human glory, all temporal honour, all worldly exultation,
compared to Thy eternal glory, is but vanity and folly. O God my
Truth and my Mercy, Blessed Trinity, to Thee alone be all praise,
honour, power, and glory for ever and for ever. Amen. |