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Section 6 - Submission a Free Gift to God.
The state of abandonment includes the merit of every separate
operation.
Abandonment as practised interiorly
contains every possible variety of operation, because, the soul
giving itself up to the good pleasure of God, this surrender,
effected by pure love, extends to all the operations of this good
pleasure.
Thus the soul practises at each moment an abandonment
without limit, and in its virtue are comprehended all possible
qualities and every method. It is, therefore, by no means the
business of the soul to decide what is the object of the
submission it owes to God; its sole occupation is to submit at all
times and for all things.
What God requires of the soul is the essential part of
abandonment. The free gifts He asks are abnegation, obedience, and
love, the rest is His business. Provided that the soul carefully
fulfils the duties of its state; provided it quietly follows the
attraction given to it, and submits peacefully to the dealings of
grace as to body and soul, it is in this way exercising interiorly
one general and universal act, that of abandonment.
This act is by
no means limited by time, nor by the special duty of the moment,
but possesses in the main all the merit and efficacy which a
sincere good will always has, although the result does not depend
upon it. What it desired to do is done, in the sight of God.
If God's good pleasure sets a limit to the exercise of particular
faculties, it sets none to that of the will. The good pleasures of
God, the being and essence of God are the objects of the will, and
by the exercise of charity its union with God has neither limit,
distinction, nor measure. If this charity ends in the exercise of
the faculties for certain objects, it is because the will of God
only goes so far; it contracts itself, so to speak, restricting
itself to the exigencies of the present moment from whence it
passes to the faculties, and then to the heart.
Finding the heart pure, free, and without reserve, it communicates
itself fully to it on account of the infinite capacity which
charity has effected, by emptying it of all created things, thus
rendering it capable of union with God.
O heavenly purity! O blessed annihilation!
O unreserved submission! through you is God drawn into the centre
of the heart. Let the faculties then be what they will, provided,
Lord, that I possess You. Do what You will with this insignificant
creature; whether it works, becomes inspired, or becomes the
subject of Your impressions, it is all one. All is yours, all is
from You and for You.
I have no longer anything to look after,
anything to do. I have no hand in the arrangement of one single
moment of my life, all is Yours. I ought neither to add to, nor to
diminish anything, neither to seek after, nor to reflect upon,
anything. It is for You to regulate everything. Direction,
mortification, sanctity, perfection, and salvation are all Your
business, Lord; mine is to be satisfied with Your work, and not to
appropriate any action, or any state, but to leave all to Your
good pleasure.
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