THE GRACE OF DEVOTION IS ACQUIRED THROUGH HUMILITY
AND SELF-DENIAL
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
YOU must seek earnestly the grace of devotion, ask for it
fervently, await it patiently and hopefully, receive it gratefully,
guard it humbly, cooperate with it carefully and leave to God, when it
comes, the length and manner of the heavenly visitation.
When you feel little or no inward devotion, you should
especially humiliate yourself, but do not become too dejected or
unreasonably sad. In one short moment God often gives what He has long
denied. At times He grants at the end what He has denied from the
beginning of prayer. If grace were always given at once, or were
present at our beck and call, it would not be well taken by weak
humankind. Therefore, with good hope and humble patience await the
grace of devotion.
When it is not given, or for some unknown reason is taken away,
blame yourself and your sins. Sometimes it is a small matter that
hinders grace and hides it, if, indeed, that which prevents so great a
good may be called little rather than great. But if you remove this
hindrance, be it great or small, and if you conquer it perfectly, you
shall have what you ask. As soon as you have given yourself to God
with all your heart and seek neither this nor that for your own
pleasure and purpose, but place yourself completely in His charge, you
shall find yourself at peace, united with Him, because nothing will be
so sweet, nothing will please you so much as the good pleasure of His
will.
Anyone, therefore, who shall with simplicity of heart direct
his intention to God and free himself from all inordinate love or
dislike for any creature will be most fit to receive grace and will be
worthy of the gift of devotion. For where the Lord finds the vessel
empty He pours down His blessing.
So also the more perfectly a man renounces things of this
world, and the more completely he dies to himself through contempt of
self, the more quickly this great grace comes to him, the more
plentifully it enters in, and the higher it uplifts the free heart.
Then shall he see and abound, then shall his heart marvel and
be enlarged within him, because the Hand of the Lord is with him and
in the hollow of that Hand he has placed himself forever. Thus shall
the man be blessed who seeks God with all his heart and has not
regarded his soul in vain. Such a one, receiving the Holy Eucharist,
merits the grace of divine union because he looks not on his own
thoughts, nor to his own comfort, but above all devotion and
consolation to the glory and honor of God. |
That the grace of devotion is acquired by humility
and self-denial
The Voice of the Beloved
Thou oughtest to seek earnestly the grace of
devotion, to ask it fervently, to wait for it patiently and
faithfully, to receive it gratefully, to preserve it humbly, to work
with it diligently, and to leave to God the time and manner of
heavenly visitation until it come. Chiefly oughtest thou to humble
thyself when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion, yet not to
be too much cast down, nor to grieve out of measure. God ofttimes
giveth in one short moment what He hath long time denied; He sometimes
giveth at the end what at the beginning of prayer He hath deferred to
give.
2. If grace were always given immediately, and
were at hand at the wish, it would be hardly bearable to weak man.
Wherefore the grace of devotion is to be waited for with a good hope
and with humble patience. Yet impute it to thyself and to thy sins
when it is not given, or when it is mysteriously taken away. It is
sometimes a small thing which hindereth and hideth grace; (if indeed
that ought to be called small and not rather great, which hindereth so
great a good); but if thou remove this, be it small or great, and
perfectly overcome it, thou wilt have what thou hast asked.
3. For immediately that thou hast given thyself
unto God with all thine heart, and hast sought neither this nor that
according to thine own will and pleasure, but hast altogether settled
thyself in Him, thou shalt find thyself united and at peace; because
nothing shall give thee so sweet relish and delight, as the good
pleasure of the Divine will. Whosoever therefore shall have lifted up
his will unto God with singleness of heart, and shall have delivered
himself from every inordinate love or dislike of any created thing, he
will be the most fit for receiving grace, and worthy of the gift of
devotion. For where the Lord findeth empty vessels,(1) there giveth
He His blessing. And the more perfectly a man forsaketh things which
cannot profit, and the more he dieth to himself, the more quickly doth
grace come, the more plentifully doth it enter in, and the higher doth
it lift up the free heart.
4. Then shall he see, and flow together, and
wonder, and his heart shall be enlarged within him,(2) because the
hand of the Lord is with him, and he hath put himself wholly in His
hand, even for ever. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed, that seeketh
God with all his heart, and receiveth not his soul in vain. This man
in receiving the Holy Eucharist obtaineth the great grace of Divine
Union; because he hath not regard to his own devotion and comfort,
but, above all devotion and comfort, to the glory and honour of God. |