|
The Disciple
Whatever I can desire or imagine for my own comfort I
look for not here but hereafter.
For if I alone should have all the world's comforts
and could enjoy all its delights, it is certain that
they could not long endure. Therefore, my soul, you
cannot enjoy full consolation or perfect delight
except in God, the Consoler of the poor and the
Helper of the humble. Wait a little, my soul, wait
for the divine promise and you will have an abundance
of all good things in heaven. If you desire these
present things too much, you will lose those which
are everlasting and heavenly. Use temporal things but
desire eternal things. You cannot be satisfied with
any temporal goods because you were not created to
enjoy them.
Even if you possessed all created things you could
not be happy and blessed; for in God, Who created all
these things, your whole blessedness and happiness
consists -- not indeed such happiness as is seen and
praised by lovers of the world, but such as that for
which the good and faithful servants of Christ wait,
and of which the spiritual and pure of heart, whose
conversation is in heaven, sometime have a foretaste.
Vain and brief is all human consolation. But that
which is received inwardly from the Truth is blessed
and true. The devout man carries his Consoler, Jesus,
everywhere with him, and he says to Him: "Be with me,
Lord Jesus, in every place and at all times. Let this
be my consolation, to be willing to forego all human
comforting. And if Your consolation be wanting to me,
let Your will and just trial of me be my greatest
comfort. For You will not always be angry, nor will
You threaten forever."
|
|
|
The Voice of Christ
My child, allow me to do what I will with you. I know what is best
for you. You think as a man; you feel in many things as human
affection persuades.
The Disciple
Lord, what You say is true. Your care for me is greater than all
the care I can take of myself. For he who does not cast all his
care upon You stands very unsafely. If only my will remain right
and firm toward You, Lord, do with me whatever pleases You. For
whatever You shall do with me can only be good.
If You wish me to be in darkness, I shall bless You. And if You
wish me to be in light, again I shall bless You. If You stoop down
to comfort me, I shall bless You, and if You wish me to be
afflicted, I shall bless You forever.
The Voice of Christ
My child, this is the disposition which you should have if you
wish to walk with Me. You should be as ready to suffer as to
enjoy. You should as willingly be destitute and poor as rich and
satisfied.
The Disciple
O Lord, I shall suffer willingly for Your sake whatever You wish
to send me. I am ready to accept from Your hand both good and evil
alike, the sweet and the bitter together, sorrow with joy; and for
all that happens to me I am grateful. Keep me from all sin and I
will fear neither death nor hell. Do not cast me out forever nor
blot me out of the Book of Life, and whatever tribulation befalls
will not harm me.
|