Divine love is a repose that refreshes

“In Labore Requies: in Fletu Solatium.”

Divine Love is called rest in labour, in mourning comfort. A soul that loves God finds peace and contentment in all tribulations and adversities, by merely saying: This is the will of my God.

I. Di_vine Love is also called rest in labour, in mourning comfort. In labore requies, in fletu solatium_. Love is a repose that refreshes, because the principal effect of love is to unite the will of the lover with that of the beloved. For a soul that loves God, in every affront it receives, in every grief it endures, in every loss it suffers, it is sufficient to make it resigned to know that such things are permitted to befall it by the will of its Beloved. It finds peace and contentment in all tribulations and adversities, saying: Such is the will of my God. This is that peace which surpasseth all the pleasures of sense: The peace of God which surpasseth all understanding-(Philipp. iv. 7). St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, by merely repeating: “it is the will of God,” was immediately filled with joy.

O my God, how often, for the sake of following my own will, have I opposed Thy holy will and despised it. I grieve for this evil above every other evil. O Lord, I desire from this day forward to love Thee with my whole heart.

II. Everyone in this world must carry his cross; but St. Teresa says that the cross is hard to those who drag it but not to those who embrace it. Thus, the Lord knows well how to strike and how to heal. He woundeth, saith holy Job, and cureth; he striketh, and his hands shall heal. The Holy Ghost, by His sweet unction, renders even ignominies and torments sweet and amiable. Yea, Father: for so hath it seemed good in thy sight (Matt. xi. 26). Thus ought we to say in all the adversities which befall us: So be it done, O Lord, for so hath it pleased Thee. And when the fear of any temporal calamity alarms us, let us always say: “Do with me, o Lord, whatever Thou pleasest; I will accept all as coming from Thee.” It is good, as St. Teresa advises, frequently in the course of the day to offer ourselves in this manner to God.

Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. What wouldst Thou have me to do? I will do all that Thou requirest of me. Thy will shall be my only desire, my only love. Holy Spirit, strengthen my weakness. Thou art goodness itself: how can I love any other but Thee? 0 do Thou draw all the affections of my heart to Thyself, by the sweet attractions of Thy holy love. I renounce all, to give myself entirely to Thee. Accept of me, and succour me. O Mary, my Mother, pray for me.