The practice of the love of Jesus Christ - 075

XL.-HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST WISHES WHAT JESUS CHRIST WISHES

I. Many fabricate a sort of sanctity according to their own inclinations; some, inclined to melancholy, make sanctity consist in living in seclusion; others, of a busy temperament, in preaching and in making up quarrels; some, of an austere nature, make sanctity consist in penitential inflictions and macerations; others, who are naturally generous, in distributing alms; some in saying many vocal prayers; others in visiting Sanctuaries; and all their sanctity consists in such or the like practices. External acts are the fruit of the love of Jesus Christ; and true love itself consists in a complete conformity to the will of God; and as a consequence of this, in denying ourselves and preferring what is most pleasing to God, and solely because He deserves it.

II. Others wish to serve God, but it must be in that employment, in that place, with those companions, and in such circumstances; or else they either neglect their duty, or at least do it with a bad grace: such as these are not free in spirit, but are slaves of self-love, and on that account reap little merit even from what they perform; moreover, they live in perpetual disquiet, since their attachment to self-will makes the yoke of Jesus Christ become heavy to them. The true lovers of Jesus Christ love only that which is pleasing to Jesus Christ, and for the sole reason that it does please Him; and they love it when it pleases Jesus Christ, where it pleases Him, and how it pleases Him; whether He chooses to employ them in honourable functions, or in the mean and lowly occupations; in a life of fame in the world, or in one hidden and despised. This is what is meant by the pure love of Jesus Christ; hence we must labour to overcome the cravings of our self-love, which seeks to be employed in those works only that are glorious, or that are according to our own inclinations. And what will it profit us to be the most honoured, the most wealthy, the greatest in the world, without the will of God? The Blessed Henry Suso said, “I would rather be the vilest insect on earth by the will of God than a Seraph in Heaven by my own will.”