XXVI.
Of all the means placed by Providence within our reach, whereby we may lead souls to Him, there is one more blessed than all others,—intercessory prayer.
How often, in the presence of one deeply loved, but, alas! estranged from God, the heart of mother or wife [pg 048] has felt a sudden impulse to say an earnest word, propose an act of devotion, to paint in glowing colors the blessings of faith and the happiness of virtue ... and she has stopped, deterred by an irresistible fear of how the words may be received; and she says to herself, poor woman, "To-morrow I shall be braver."
Poor mother! poor wife! go and tell to your Heavenly Father all you would, but dare not, say to the loved one who gives you so much pain.
Lay that sin-sick soul before the Lord, as long ago they laid the paralytic man who could not, or perhaps would not, be led to Him.
Plead for him with the long-suffering Saviour, as you would plead with an earthly master, upon whom depended all his future welfare, and say [pg 049] to Him simply, "Lord, have patience with him yet a little longer."
Tell God of all your anxiety, your discouragements, the means employed for success.
Ask Him to teach you what to say and how to act. One sentence learned of God in prayer will do more for the conversion of a soul than all our poor human endeavors. That sentence will escape our lips involuntarily. We may not remember that we have said it, but it will sink deep into the heart, making a lasting impression, and silently fulfilling its mission.
You are, perhaps, surprised, after many years, to see such poor results. Ah! how little can you judge!...
Do you know what you have gained? In the first place, time—often a physical impossibility to sin, which [pg 050] you may attribute to chance, but which was, in reality, the work of Providence; and is it nothing, one sin the less, in the life of an immortal soul?... Then a vague uneasiness which will soon allow of no rest, a confidence which may enable you to sympathize, more liberty left you for the exercise of religious acts; you no longer see the contemptuous smile at your acts of devotion. Is all this nothing?
Ah! if, while on your knees praying for the one you would have reconciled to God, you could but see what is passing in his soul,—the wrestlings, the remorse he strives vainly to stifle; if you could see the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, gently but firmly triumphing over the will, how earnestly, how incessantly, would you continue to pray!
Only have patience to wait—perseverance not to grow weary.
It is the want of patience that often [pg 051] makes us exacting towards those we desire to help.
More haste, less speed, is an old saying; the more we are exacting, the less likely are we to succeed.
Men like to act freely, and to have the credit of their actions.
It is because we have not learned to persevere that the work seems never to progress.
Courage, then! the ground may seem too dry for cultivation, but each prayer will be as a drop of water; the marble may be very hard, but each prayer is like the hammer's stroke that wears away its roughness.
XXVII.
The sweet peace of God bears the outward token of resignation.
When the Holy Spirit dwells within us everything seems bright.
Everything may not be exactly as [pg 052] we would wish it, but we accept all with a good grace.... For instance, some change in our household or mode of living upsets us. If God is with us, He will whisper, "Yield cheerfully thy will; in a little while all will be forgotten."
Some command or employment wounds our pride; if God is with us, He will say to us, "Be submissive, and I will come to thine aid."
We may dislike a certain neighborhood; the society there may be repulsive to us, and we are about to become morbid: God will tell us to continue gracious and smiling, for He will recompense the little annoyances we may experience. If you would discern in whom God's Spirit dwells, watch that person, and notice whether you ever hear him murmur.
XXVIII.
I Want to Be Holy
Heavenly Father, aid Thy child, who longs to become holy!
But then, I must be patient under humiliation, let myself be forgotten, and be even pleased at feeling myself set aside.
Never mind! I am resolved; I wish to be holy!
But I must never excuse myself, never be impatient, never out of temper.
Never mind! I am resolved; I wish to be holy!
Then I must continually be doing violence to my feelings,—submitting my will always to that of my superiors, never contentious, never sulky, finishing every work begun, in spite of dislike or ennui.
Never mind! I am resolved; I wish to be holy!
[pg 054]But then, I must be always charitable towards all around me; loving them, helping them to the utmost of my power, although it may cause me trouble.
Never mind! I am resolved; I wish to be holy!
But I must constantly strive against the cowardice, sloth, and pride of my nature, renouncing the world, the vanity that pleases, the sensuality that rejoices me, the antipathy that makes me avoid those I do not like.
Never mind! I am resolved; I still wish to be holy!
Then, I shall have to experience long hours of weariness, sadness, and discontent. I shall often feel lonely and discouraged.
Never mind! I am resolved; I wish to be holy! for then I shall have Thee always with me, ever near me. Lord, help me, for I want to be holy!
How to Become Holy
Oh! it is quite easy, if I fulfil every duty to the best of my ability; and many who had no more to do than I have become saints.
One day is the same as another. Prayer, worldly business, calls to be devout, charitable, and faithful,—these are the duties that each hour brings in its turn; and if I am faithful in their fulfilment, God will be always ready to help me, and then what signifies a little ennui, pain, or misfortune?
The Sanctification of Daily Duties
I will perform them as in God's sight, conscious that He is present, and smiling on my efforts.
I will perform each as if I had but [pg 056] one to accomplish, striving to render it as perfect as possible.
I will fulfil each duty as if upon that one alone depended my salvation.
Motives for Sanctifying My Actions
God expects me to honor Him by that action.
God has attached a special blessing to that action, and awaits its fulfilment to bestow it.
God notes each action; and of them all hereafter I must give an account.
God will see that I love Him, if I strive to fulfil every duty, in spite of weariness and trouble.
I honor God by this action; and I, poor, weak, sinful child, am allowed to glorify Him, in place of those who blaspheme and rebel against the Divine will.
XXIX.
They say there is nothing which communicates itself so quickly amongst the members of a family as an expression of coldness or discontent on the face of one of its members. It is like the frost that chills us. This is not altogether true; there is something which is communicated with equal rapidity and greater force—I mean the smiling face, the beaming countenance, the happy heart.
XXX.
Little Worries
There is not a day in our lives that we are not distressed by some one of those numberless little worries that meet us at every step, and which are inevitable.
The wound made may not be deep; but the constant pricks, each day [pg 058] renewed, imbitter the character, destroy peace, create anxiety, and make the family life, that otherwise would be so sweet and peaceful, almost unendurable.
Life is full of these little miseries. Each hour brings with it its own trouble.
Here are some of the little worries: An impatient word escapes our lips in the presence of some one in whose estimation we would stand well.
A servant does his work badly, fidgets us by his slowness, irritates us by his thoughtlessness, and his awkward blunders make us blush.
A giddy child in its clumsiness breaks something of value, or that we treasure on account of its associations; we are charged with a message of importance, and our forgetfulness makes us appear uncourteous, perhaps ungrateful; some one we live with is constantly finding fault, nothing pleases [pg 059] them. If, when night comes, we find we have not experienced these little worries, then we ought to be grateful to God. Each of these, and many more, are liable to befall us every day of our life.
How to Bear Little Worries
In the first place, expect them. Make them the subject of our morning prayers, and say to ourselves, Here is my daily cross, do I accept willingly? Surely! for it is God Who sends it. After all ... these little troubles, looked at calmly, what are they? Ah, if there were never any worse!
Secondly, we must be prepared for them. You know, if you wish to break the force of a blow falling on you, you naturally bend the body; so let us act with regard to our souls.
Accustom yourself, wrote a pious [pg 060] author, to stoop with sweet condescension, not only to exigencies (that is your duty), but to the simple wishes of those who surround you—the accidents which may intervene; you will find yourself seldom, if ever, crushed.
To bend is better than to bear; to bear is often a little hard; to bend implies a certain external sweetness that yields all constraint, sacrificing the wishes, even in holy things, when they tend to cause disagreements in the family circle.
Submission often implies an entire resignation to all that God permits. The soul that endures feels the weight of its trouble. The soul that yields scarcely perceives it.
Blessed are those docile ones; they are those whom God selects to work for Him.
XXXI.
To Obtain Peace
Approach the Blessed Sacrament, O restless soul, in search of peace, and, humbly kneeling there, pour forth bravely, slowly, and with earnest desire, the following prayer:—
That others may be loved more than myself. Jesus grant this desire.
That others may be more highly esteemed.
That others may grow and increase in honor, and I decrease. Jesus, grant me to desire it.
That others may be employed, and I set aside. Jesus, grant me to desire this.
That others may attract the praise, and myself be forgotten.
That others may be preferred in all.
Grant me the utmost holiness of which I am capable, then let others be holier than myself. Jesus, grant me to desire it!
[pg 063]Oh, if God hearkens,—and hearken He surely will, if your prayer has been sincere,—what joy in your heart, what peace on your countenance, what sweetness will pervade your whole life!
More than half one's troubles arise from an exaggerated idea of one's own importance, and the efforts we make to increase our position in the world. Lacordaire says, that the sweetest thing on earth is to be forgotten by all, with the exception of those who love us. All else brings more trouble than joy; and as soon as we have completed our task here, and fulfilled our mission, the best thing for us to do is to disappear altogether.
Let us each cultivate carefully and joyously the portion of soil Providence has committed to our care. Let us never be hindered or distracted by [pg 064] ambitious thoughts, that we could do better, or a false zeal tempting us to forsake our daily task with the vain desire to surpass our neighbors.... Let this one thought occupy our minds. To do well what is given us to do, for this is all that God requires at our hands. It may be summed up in four words,—simply, zealously, cheerfully, completely.
Then if we are slighted, misunderstood, maligned, or persecuted, what does it matter? These injuries will pass away; but the peace and love of God will remain with us forever, the reward of our faith and patience. The love of God! Who can describe all the joy, strength, and consolation it reveals?
Never has human love, in its brightest dreams, been able to form any idea of all the sweetness the love of God [pg 065] imparts to the soul, and which is brought still nearer to us in the Blessed Sacrament.
I can well understand the words of a loving soul: "With heaven so near, and daily communion with our God, how can we ever repine!"
XXXII.
After Holy Communion
OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN
O Jesus! it is Thou Who biddest me say, Father! My Father! Oh how that Name rejoices my heart! My Father! I can no longer feel alone; and whatever may happen to me this day, I feel I am protected, comforted, beloved.
Jesus! let me dwell on the sweetness of those words: My Father! I need not lift my eyes to heaven, Thou [pg 066] art within me, and where Thou dwellest heaven must be.
Yes! heaven is within me! heaven with all its peace and love; and if I keep free from guile this day, my day will be one of heavenly joy, and in addition, the privilege of suffering for Thee.
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
To hallow Thy Name, O Lord, is to pronounce it with reverence and awe.
To-day I will pray more fervently, try to realize Thy Presence, Thy Goodness, Thy Love; and my heart shall be a sanctuary into which nothing shall penetrate that could be displeasing unto Thee.
To hallow Thy Name is to call upon it fervently, to have it constantly upon my lips; above all, before taking an important step, when there are difficulties to be overcome, I will softly whisper the Invocation, which is the secret [pg 067] of all holy living! "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have pity upon me."
THY KINGDOM COME
O Jesus, Thy kingdom is within my heart, reign there in all Thy sovereignty and power, reign there absolutely!
My King! what dost Thou require of me to-day? Thy commandments, my rule of life, my daily duties,—these are Thy commands that I will promise to obey; more than that, I will regard all in authority over me as Thine Ambassadors, speaking to me in Thy Name. What matters the tone or the harshness of the order?
What does it signify if some unexpected command upsets all my previous plans? It is Thy Voice I hear, Thou Lord, Whom I will obey always, and in all things.
Thy kingdom is also in the hearts of [pg 068] others; and there would I see Thee reigning. Then to whom can I speak of Thee this day? What counsels can I give? What moments may I seize, in which, without wounding the feelings, or parading my zeal, I may be allowed to speak a few words of piety? Lord, let me have the opportunity to help another to love Thee!
THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Yes, yes! Thy Will be done! Thy sweet all-perfect Will!
What wilt Thou send me to-day?
Humiliation? Provocation? Sufferings? A fresh rending of the heart? A disappointment? Shall I see myself misjudged, falsely suspected, despised? I accept beforehand all that Thou sendest me; and if through weakness I weep, suffer it to be so; if I murmur, check me; if I am vexed, correct me; if hopeless, encourage me.
[pg 069]Yes, yes! Let Thy sweet and holy Will be done!
Even, O Lord, if to glorify Thee, I must be humiliated, suffering, useless, and forsaken, still, Lord, stay not Thine Hand, I am wholly Thine.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
How blessed, O Lord, to depend only upon Thee ... behold me, Thy child, waiting with outstretched hand to receive Thy benefits.
Grant me my temporal blessings,—clothing, nourishment, shelter ... but not too much of anything; and let me have the happiness of sharing my blessings with those poorer than myself to-day. Grant me the blessing of intelligence, that I may read, or hear one of those golden counsels that elevate the soul, and lend wings to the thoughts.
Grant me the loving heart, O my [pg 070] Father! that I may feel for a moment how I love Thee, and Thy love towards me; let me sacrifice myself for the welfare of another. Give me the Bread of Life, the Holy Eucharist! I have just received it, Lord! Grant me again ere long that great blessing.
And then, give all these blessings to those I love, and who love me!
FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US
When I pronounce the word of pardon, what a weight seems lifted from my heart.
I will not only banish every feeling of hatred, I will efface every painful remembrance. O God, if Thou forgivest me, as I forgive others, what mercy for me!
Thou seest I bear no malice, that I forget all injuries....
[pg 071]I have been offended by words; I forget them; by actions, I forget them; by omissions, thoughts, desires; they are all forgotten.
Ah! in all these ways I have offended Thee, and Thou wilt forget, even as I have forgotten.
I will be very merciful, so that Thou mayst have mercy upon me.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL
Now, as I leave Thine altar, I go to encounter temptation.
O Saviour! help me, keep me, and warn me of my danger!
Let me shun all occasions of evil, and if by weakness or allurements I am led into paths of sin, if I fall, oh! rescue me speedily, that I may fall upon my knees, confessing my sin, and imploring pardon.
Sin! this is the evil from which I beseech Thee to deliver me; other [pg 072] troubles that may happen, I accept; they are sent to try me and to purify, and come from Thee; but sin, I have no pleasure in it! Oh! when in the hour of temptation I fall away, Lord, hearken to the cry that I now raise to Thee in all sincerity; I will it not! it is not wilful! I go from Thy Presence, but, Jesus, Thou art with me! In work, in prayer, in suffering, let all be done in Thee!
XXXIII.
"Mother," asked a child, "since nothing is ever lost, where do all our thoughts go?"
"To God," answered the mother gravely, "who remembers them forever."
"Forever!" said the child. He bent his head, and, drawing closer to his mother, murmured, "I am frightened!"
Which of us have not felt the same?
XXXIV.
One more solemn thought: How old are you? Nineteen. Have you reckoned the number of minutes that have elapsed since your birth? The number is startling: nine millions, three hundred and thirty-three thousand, two hundred.... Each of those minutes has flown to God; God has examined them and weighed them, and for them you must give account.
Each minute bears its own impress (as a coin bears the impress of the Sovereign), and only those marked with the image of God will avail you for eternity.
Is not this thought one to make you tremble?
"I never could understand," writes Guérin, "the feeling of security some have that their works must find favor with God—as if our duties were confined to the narrow limits of this little [pg 074] world. To be a good son, statesman, or brother, is not all that is required of us; God demands far more than this from those for whom He has destined a crown of glory hereafter."
XXXV.
One great characteristic of holiness is never to be exacting, never to complain.
Each complaint drags us down a degree in our upward course.
By complaining, I do not mean the simple imparting of our troubles to others.
Complaint savors always of a little bad temper, and a slightly vindictive spirit.
The saints were never exacting.
Contented with their lot, they never desired anything that was withheld from them.
[pg 075]"I have asked," said a holy soul, "for something I thought needful; they have forgotten to answer me, or perhaps would not bestow it. Why need I be disquieted? If it were really necessary, God would quickly provide means to obtain it." How few could enter into this feeling; and yet it is but the echo of Christ's own words, "Your Father in Heaven knoweth that ye have need of all these things."
XXXVI.
Joy in life is like oil in a lamp. When the oil gets low the wick is consumed, emitting a black vapor, and sending forth only a lurid glow, which does not give light.
A life without joy passes away unprofitably, shedding around it only gloom and sorrow.
If every morning in a simple prayer,—in those fifteen minutes' meditation (which only seem hard when we do [pg 076] not practise it),—we opened our hearts to God, as we open our windows to the sun and air, God would fill it with that calm, sweet joy which elevates the soul, prevents it feeling the weight of troubles, and makes it overflow with benevolence.
But joy does not mean levity, witty sayings, or repartee ... it is habitual serenity.
Through a clear atmosphere we can always see the sky; it seems so light and full of elasticity.
A serene sky is always pure ... clouds may pass across it, but they do not stain it.
So it is with the heart that early in the morning opens to receive God's Peace.