. CHAPTER 23 The Way of Perfection Describes - the importance of not turning back when one has set out upon the way of prayer. - Repeats how necessary it is to be resolute. . |
Now, as I have said,
it is most important
that from the first
we should be very resolute, and
for this there are so many reasons
that if I were to give them all
I should have to write at great length.
Some of them are given in other books.
I will tell you
just two or three of them, sisters.
▌One is that
when we decide to give anything
--such as this slight effort
of recollection [88] --
to Him
Who has given us so much, and
Who is continually giving,
it would be wrong for us
not to be entirely resolute in doing so
and
to act like a person who
lends something and
expects to get it back again.
(Not that we do not receive interest:
on the contrary, we gain a great deal.)
I do not call this "giving".
Anyone who has been lent something
always feels slightly displeased
when the lender wants it back again,
especially if he
is using it himself and
has come to look upon it as his own.
If the two are friends and
the lender is indebted to the recipient
for many things
of which he has made him free gifts,
he will think it
meanness and
a great lack of affection
if he will leave not even
the smallest thing in his possession,
merely as a sign of love.
What wife is there who,
after receiving many valuable jewels
from her husband,
will not give him so much as a ring--
which he wants,
not because of its value,
for all she has is his,
but as
a sign of love and
a token that she will be his
until she dies?
Does the Lord deserve less than this
that we should mock Him
by taking away the worthless gift [89]
which we have given Him?
Since we have resolved
to devote to Him
this very brief period of time
--only a small part of what we spend
upon ourselves and
upon people
who are not particularly grateful
to us for it--
let us give it Him freely,
with our minds
unoccupied by other things and
entirely resolved
never to take it back again,
whatever we may suffer
through trials, annoyances or aridities.
Let me
realize that this time
is being lent me and
is not my own, and
feel that I can rightly be called
to account for it
if I am not prepared to devote it
wholly to God.
I say "wholly",
but we must not be considered
as taking it back
if we should fail to give it Him
for a day, or for a few days,
because of
legitimate occupations or
through some indisposition.
Provided the intention remains firm,
my God is not in the least meticulous; [90]
He does not look at trivial details; and,
if you are trying
to please Him in any way,
He will assuredly accept that as your gift.
The other way is suitable
for ungenerous souls,
so mean
that they are not large-hearted enough
to give
that they are not large-hearted enough
to give
but find it as much as they can do
to lend.
Still, let them make some effort,
for this Lord of ours will
reckon everything we do
to our credit and
accept everything
we want to give Him.
In drawing up our reckoning,
He is not in the least exacting,
but generous;
however large the amount
we may owe Him,
it is a small thing for Him to forgive us.
And, as to paying us,
He is so careful about this
that you need have no fear
He will leave us without our reward
if only we
raise our eyes to Heaven and
remember Him.
▌A second reason
why we should be resolute is
that this will give the devil
less opportunity to tempt us.
He is very much afraid of resolute souls,
knowing by experience
that they inflict great injury upon him,
and, when he plans to do them harm,
he
only profits them and others and
is himself the loser.
We must not
become unwatchful, or
count upon this,
for we have to do with treacherous folk,
who
are great cowards and
dare not attack the wary,
but, if they
see we are careless,
will work us great harm.
And if they know anyone to be
changeable, and
not
resolute in doing what is good and
firmly determined to persevere,
they
will not leave him alone
either by night or by day and
will suggest to him endless
misgivings and difficulties.
This I know very well
by experience
by experience
and so I have been able
to tell you about it:
to tell you about it:
I am sure
that none of us realize
its great importance.
that none of us realize
its great importance.
▌Another reason,
very much to the point, is
that a resolute person
fights more courageously.
He knows that, come what may,
he must not retreat.
He is like a soldier in battle
who is aware
that if he is vanquished
his life will not be spared and
that if he escapes death in battle
he must die afterwards.
It has been proved, I think,
that such a man
will fight more resolutely and
will try, as they say,
to sell his life dearly,
fearing the enemy's blows the less
because he
understands the importance of victory
and
knows that his very life depends
upon his gaining it.
We must also be firmly convinced
from the start
that, if we
fight courageously and
do not allow ourselves to be beaten,
we shall get what we want, and
there is no doubt
that, however small our gains may be,
they will make us very rich.
Do not be afraid
that the Lord,
Who has called us to drink
of this spring,
of this spring,
will allow you to die of thirst.
This I have already said
and I should like to repeat it;
for people are often timid
when they have not learned
by experience
of the Lord's goodness,
even though they know of it
by faith.
It is a great thing to have experienced
what friendship and joy He gives
to those who walk on this road and
how He takes almost the whole cost of it
upon Himself.
I am not surprised
that those who have never made this test
should want to be sure
that they will receive some interest
on their outlay.
But you already know
- that even in this life
we shall receive a hundredfold, and
- that the Lord says:
"Ask and it shall be given you." [91]
If you do not believe His Majesty
in those passages of His Gospel
where He gives us this assurance,
it will be of little help to you, sisters,
for me to weary my brains
by telling you of it.
Still, I will say to anyone
who is in doubt
that she will lose little
by putting the matter to the test;
for this journey has the advantage [92]
of giving us very much more
than we ask or
than we shall even get so far as to desire.
This is a never-failing truth:
I know it;
though, if you do not find it so,
do not believe any of the things I tell you.
I can call as witnesses
those of you
who, by God's goodness,
know it from experience.
___________________
. Foot Notes: [88] Este cuidadito: lit., "this little attentiveness" --another characteristic diminuitive. [89] Lit.: "a nothing at all" (una nonada). [90] No es nada delicado mi Dios. "Fastidious" might be nearer to the characteristically bold adjective of the original. [91] St. Luke xi, 9. [92] Lit.: "the good." . |
End of Chapter 23 The Way of Perfection |
