How to converse continually and familiarly with God - 11

During the day make frequently an offering of yourself to God, as St. Teresa used to do, saying: Lord, here I am! Do with me what pleaseth Thee! She used to say that all he who practises prayer should seek is to conform his will to the divine will; and let him be assured that in this consists the highest perfection.

I. During the day make frequently an offering of yourself to God, as St. Teresa used to do, saying: “Lord, here am I! Do with me what pleaseth Thee! Declare to me Thy will, that I may do it for Thee; I wish to do it thoroughly.” Then repeat, as often as you can, acts of love towards God. St. Teresa used also to say that acts of love are the fuel by which the holy love of God is to be kept on fire within the heart. When the Venerable Sister Seraphine of Capri was one day considering that the mule belonging to the convent had not the power of loving God, she expressed her compassion for it thus: “Poor brute; thou neither knowest nor canst love thy God”; and the mule commenced to weep so that the tears fell in streams from its eyes; so likewise do you, when beholding any animal which has not the capacity for knowing or loving God, animate yourself, who can love Him, to make more frequent act of holy love. Whenever you fall into any fault, humble yourself for it immediately; and, with an act of more fervent love, endeavour to rise again. When anything adverse happens, immediately make an offering to God of what you have to suffer, bringing your will into conformity with God’s will; and ever accustom yourself under all adverse circumstances to repeat these words: “Thus does God will; thus I will too.” Acts of resignation are the acts of love that are most precious and acceptable to the Heart of God.

II. When you have to decide upon anything, or to give any counsel of importance, first commend yourself to God, and then set about your undertaking, or give your opinion. As often as you can during the day, after the example of St. Rose of Lima, repeat the prayer, Deus, in adjutorium meum intende: “Lord, come to my assistance! Do not leave me in my own hands!” And for this end frequently turn to the Image of the Crucified, or to that of the Most Holy Mary, which is in your room; and do not omit to make frequent invocations of the Names of Jesus and Mary, especially in time of temptation. Since God is infinite goodness, His desire of communicating His graces to us is perfect. The Venerable Father Alvarez one day saw our Saviour with His hands full of graces, and going about in search of those to whom He might dispense them. But it is His will that we should ask them of Him. Ask, and ye shall receive-(Jo. xvi. 24), otherwise He will draw back His hands, whereas, on the contrary, He will willingly open them to those who call upon Him. And who is there that hath called upon Him and God despised him by not answering his prayer? Who hath called upon him and he hath despised him?-(Ecclus. ii. 12). And David tells us that the Lord shows not merely mercy, but great mercy, to those who call upon Him: For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee-(Ps. lxxxv. 5).

Oh, how good and bountiful is the Lord to him who seeks Him lovingly! The Lord is good to the soul that seeketh him-(Lam. iii. 25). If He lets Himself be found even by him who seeks Him not-I was found by them that did not seek me (Rom. x. 20)-how much more willingly will He let Himself be found by one who does seek Him-and seeks Him, too, in order to serve and to love Him!

To conclude: St. Teresa says that holy souls in this world have to conform themselves by love to what the souls of the Blessed do in Heaven. As the Saints in Heaven occupy themselves only with God, and have no other thought or joy than in His glory and in His love, so also must this be the case with you. While you are in this world, let God be your only happiness, the only object of your affections, the only end of your actions and desires, until you come to that Eternal Kingdom where your love will be in all things perpetual and complete, and your desires will be perfectly fulfilled and satisfied.