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Section 3 - Abandonment a Pledge of Predestination.
The state of abandonment
contains in itself pure faith, hope, and charity.
The state of abandonment is a certain
mixture of faith, hope, and charity in one single act, which
unites the soul to God and to His action.
United, these three
virtues together form but one in a single act, the raising of the
heart to God, and abandonment to His action. But how can this
divine mingling, this spiritual oneness be explained? How can a
name be found to convey an idea of its nature, and to make the
unity of this trinity intelligible?
It can be explained thus. It
is only by means of these three virtues that the possession and
enjoyment of God and of His will can be attained. This adorable
object is seen, is loved, and all things are hoped for from it.
Either virtue can with equal justice be called pure love, pure
hope, or pure faith, and if the state of which we are speaking is
more frequently designated by the last name, it is not that the
other theological virtues are excluded, but rather that they may
be understood to subsist and to be practised in this state in
obscurity.
There can be nothing more secure than this state in the things
that are of God; nothing more disinterested than the character of
the heart. On the side of God is the absolute certitude of faith,
and on that of the heart is the same certitude tempered with fear
and hope. O most desirable unity of the trinity of these holy
virtues! Believe then, hope and love, but by a simple feeling
which the Holy Spirit who is given you by God will produce in your
soul. It is there that the unction of the name of God is diffused
by the Holy Spirit in the centre of the heart. This is the word,
this is the mystical revelation, and a pledge of predestination
with all its happy results. "Quam bonus Israel Deus his qui recto sunt corde" (Psalm 72, i). This impress of the Holy Spirit in
souls inflamed with His love, is called pure love on account of
the torrent of delight overflowing every faculty, accompanied by a
fulness of confidence and light; but in souls that are plunged in
bitterness it is called pure faith because the darkness and
obscurity of night are without alleviation.
Pure love sees, feels, and believes. Pure
faith believes without either seeing or feeling. In this is shown
the difference between these two states, but this difference is
only apparent, not real. The appearances are dissimilar, but in
reality as the state of pure faith is not lacking in charity,
neither is the state of pure love lacking in faith nor in
abandonment; the terms being applied according to which virtue
prevails.
The different gradations of these virtues
under the touch of the Holy Spirit form the variety of all
supernatural and lofty states. And since God can rearrange them in
an endless variety there is not a single soul that does not
receive this priceless impress in a character suitable to it. The
difference is nothing, there are the same faith, hope, and charity
in all. Abandonment is a general means of receiving special
virtues in every variety of different impresses. Souls cannot all
lay claim to the same sort, nor to a similar state but all can be
united to God, all can be abandoned to His action, all can receive
the impress that is best suited to them, all in fact can live
under the reign of God and enjoy a share in His justice with all
its advantages.
In this kingdom every soul can aspire to a
crown, and whether a crown of love, or a crown of faith, it is
always a crown, always the kingdom of God. There is this
difference, it is true--the one is in light, the other in
darkness; but again what does this signify if the soul belongs to
God and obeys His will? We do not seek to know the name of this
state, its characteristics, nor excellence, but we seek God alone
and His action. The manner of it ought to be a matter of
indifference to the soul.
Let us therefore no longer preach to souls
about either the state of pure love, or of perfect faith, the way
of delights, or of the Cross, for these cannot be imparted to all
in the same degree nor in the same manner; but let us preach
abandonment in general to the divine action, to all simple souls
who fear God, and let us make them all understand that by these
means they will attain to that particular state chosen and
destined for them by the divine action from all eternity.
Let us not dishearten, nor rebuff, nor drive away anyone from that
most eminent perfection to which Jesus calls everyone, exacting
from them submission to the will of His heavenly Father and thus
making them members of His mystical body. He is their head only in
so far as their will is in accordance with His.
Let us continually repeat to all souls that
the invitation of this sweet and loving Saviour does not exact
anything very difficult from them, nor very extraordinary. He does
not ask for talent and ingenuity, all He desires is that they have
a good will and desire to be united to Him so that He could guide,
direct and befriend them in proportion as they are so united.
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