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All whatsoever you do in word and in work, do all in
the name of Jesus Christ.(1) Whether you eat or drink
or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.(2)
These are the words of the Divine Apostle; which,
as the great S. Thomas says in explaining them, are
sufficiently put in practice when we have the habit
of holy charity, whereby, though we have not an
express and set purpose of doing every work for God,
that intention is implicitly contained in the union
and communion we have with God, which dedicates all
the good we can do, with ourselves, to his Divine
goodness.
It is not necessary that a child, while living in
the house and under the authority of his father,
should declare that all he gets is got for his
father; for since his person belongs to his father,
all that depends on it also belongs to him. So it
suffices that we be God's children by love, to make
all that we do entirely directed to his glory.
It is true then, Theotimus, that, as we have said
elsewhere, even as the olive-tree set near unto the
vine imparts unto it its savour, so charity being
near the other virtues communicates unto them its
perfection. Yet true it is also that if one engraft a
vine upon an olive, it not only more perfectly
communicates its taste but also makes it share in its
sap; so do you not content yourself with having
charity, and together with it the practice of
virtues, but endeavour that it may be by and for it
that you practise them, that they may be rightly
ascribed unto it.
When a painter holds and guides a pupil's hand,
the stroke that is made is principally attributed to
the painter, because, though the pupil indeed
contributed the motion of his hand and application of
the brush, yet the master also for his part did so
mingle his movement with the pupil's, giving the
touch through him, that to the master is specially
attributed the honour of whatever is good in the
stroke, though yet the apprentice is also praised,
because of the pliableness with which he accommodated
his movement to the direction of his master.
Oh! how excellent are the actions of the virtues
when Divine love impresses its sacred movement on
them, that is, when they are done out of the motive
of love! But this happens in different ways.
The motive of Divine love pours forth a particular
influence of perfection upon the virtuous actions of
those who have in a special manner dedicated
themselves to God to serve him for ever. Such are
bishops and priests, who by a sacramental
consecration, and by a spiritual character that
cannot be effaced, vow themselves, as branded and
marked serfs, to the perpetual service of God; such
are religious, who by their vows, either solemn or
simple, are immolated to God in quality of living and
reasonable sacrifices; such are those who betake
themselves to pious congregations, dedicating
themselves for ever to God's glory; further, such are
all those who of set purpose produce deep and strong
resolutions of following the will of God, making for
this end retreats of some days, that they may stir up
their souls by divers spiritual exercises to the
entire reformation of their life - a holy method, and
ordinary among the ancient Christians, but since
almost entirely left off till that great servant of
God, Ignatius of Loyola, brought it into use again in
the time of our fathers.
I know that some are of opinion, that such a
general oblation of ourselves does not extend its
virtue and carry its influence into the actions which
we practise afterwards except so far forth as in the
exercise of them we apply the motive of love in
particular, by dedicating them in a special manner to
the glory of God; yet all confess with S.
Bonaventure, quoted by every one in this matter, that
if I have resolved in my heart to give a hundred
crowns for God's sake, though afterwards I make the
distribution of this sum at leisure, having my mind
distracted and without attention, yet is all the
distribution made through love, because it proceeds
from the first intention which Divine love made me
make of giving it all.
But, prithee, Theotimus, what difference is there
between him who offers a hundred crowns to God, and
him who offers all his actions? Truly none, save that
the one offers a sum of money, and the other a sum of
actions. And why, I pray, shall they not equally be
considered to make the distribution of the parts of
their sum in virtue of their first purposes and
fundamental resolutions? And if the one, distributing
his crowns without attention, fails not to have the
advantage of that first purpose, why shall not the
other, in the distribution of his actions, enjoy the
fruit of the first intention? He who has deliberately
made himself a loving servant of his divine goodness
has, by that act, dedicated to him all his actions.
Grounding himself upon this truth, every one should
once in his life make a good retreat, therein to
cleanse his soul from all sin, and should then make a
determined and solid resolution to live wholly to
God, as we have taught in the first part of the
Introduction to a Devout Life; and afterwards, at
least once every year, he must make the review of his
conscience and the renewal of the first resolution,
which we have put down in the fifth part of that
work, to which on this point I refer you.
Indeed S. Bonaventure acknowledges that a man who
has got so great an inclination and custom of
well-doing as frequently to do it without any special
intention, fails not to merit much by such actions;
which are ennobled by love, because they spring from
love as from the root and original source of this
blessed habit, facility and promptitude.
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