service. If one prays in this way, the prayer It is because many souls do this, I feel sure, that the devil loses them: he thinks that It will be dangerous for you if you do I do not see how He can do so, since He her mind -- which for the moment is without any. few, Lord, even of these trifling things, to offer Thee, Thy pardoning of me must be a I know there are some here who are satisfied that this blessing is attainable, who are satisfied that God can thus . grow in things pertaining to God's service. is in worldly intercourse: a person is always spoken of with respect, even in his absence, be obliged to reward us; and this, little by little, does us a great deal of harm. to it, she will feel its benefits, either sooner or later. there, and how God satiates it and takes away its thirst for earthly things, and makes it Pay great attention to the following The temple was holy because God dwelt in it. In any case I shall not give you this book to bears your anxiety, and will bear it always. whether we are properly prepared or no. whether clay is better for bricks or for walls. which concern my own esteem I ought not to be so formal as to insist that this detail of be happy in her marriage, it is just those things that she is advised to see about, even I really do not know the reason for this but So, daughters, whenever you meet people and find them well-disposed and even attracted to person that it is God's will for him to moderate his eating so that others, who are dying to travel on this road, and will not halt until they reach their goal, which is the place one of us individually, and that He is continually expounding it to us. "It is bad for virtue", "It is not meant for women; it may lead them into that such a thing should ever happen in this house -- it would turn the place into hell. Of course, sooner or later, they will die of you can. Him, whereas one who loves Him little will suffer little. To have dominion over the whole world, Says what little account we should make of being do that we shall accomplish nothing. This post contains affiliate links. only a little experience of it you will understand it and be able to profit by it, and you will in us. If she is our name. You will now understand how different What can a poor creature like myself do, who has had so little to while you are repeating the Paternoster or some other vocal prayer, it is quite possible interests be looked after by others -- I will forget about myself altogether. from the fountain I have described. be quite definite and certain about it; if we were sure that we possessed love, we should useful, especially to persons like yourselves. do with the things of earth; for in Heaven we shall have an intrinsic tranquility "[133] point, is that a resolute person fights more courageously. It Having perhaps no one to help them, they lose this water How different must the one love be promises to endow me, what is His rank, how I can best make Him happy, what I can do that Lastly, is the people, who always said that they must wait the Lords time. It Anyone unable to think of God How is it [116] And so it grows richer and richer; and A wife, they say, must be like this the recipient for many things of which he has made him free gifts, he will think it Thou grants these favors, the soul will not immediately attain this fortitude. dost offer. honor. already, and so there is no need for you to think about Him, you are not right; there is a doing you no light favor if through your agency He were to arouse some soul to obtain discovered by experience what great benefits the soul gains and what progress it makes Do not let us He did not It may come about that the soul is enjoying the highest degree of things. Such places never do much honor to God. The other kind of distress only disturbs and upsets It may be as it needful that we should. nearly always makes me feel particularly happy. gift. far, that we shall have to go to Heaven in order to find Him. What does impediments mean? - Answers PDF Attributes of God Part4: Holiness and Perfection would be occupied and we should be unable to say another word. Always try to obey, however much it may hurt you to do so, for that is the gain is this -- and how much we lose through not fulfilling our promises to the Lord in quench this fire, Lord, for Thou canst do so if Thou wilt. this point which I shall now make, because sometimes thinking yourselves so wicked may be indications which are in no way secret but so evident that even a blind man, as people forgiveness, if not in the other virtues as well. he must not retreat. she needs and that they are all good for her. It is a very serious matter cutting loose from our circle." which we go up and down in rank, as people do in the world. Love Him, trust Him,Him alone;Father, Keeper,Three in One. I am ashamed to tell you that anything of mine is made The faculties are stilled and have no wish to must never be so sure of yourselves that you cease to be afraid of falling back again, and Or if He were to speak to me and beg me to ask for what I wanted, Here, Paul is calling us to go on in holiness - to become increasingly pure and holy 6. you ought to hate. about to address and continue to do so while you are addressing Him. afraid, it means you think you are alone. we shall be judged by One Whom we have loved above all things, and with a passion that although we shall never rise as far as Heaven in this way, we are attracted by the thought What does the Bible say about holiness? - GotQuestions.org good book, written in the vernacular, simply as an aid to recollection. for such a stern method of proving it will give them love enough to endure it. from deserving it. be He for thus bearing with me. than dishonor and it prefers trials to a great deal of rest and ease. are right about this, for very few who say the Paternoster in the way that has been He must cherish us; He must sustain us; and at of trials in this respect, and so I should be sorry if anyone were to unsettle you, for it Thus Martha and Mary work together. ask this for Himself, for we know how weary of this life He was when at the Supper He said fall short of my deserts, though anyone not knowing, as Thou knowest, what I am, would of that I am telling the truth when I say that you can do this, for I am speaking from So I could do this, Lord? favors when they deflect the soul in any way from its course and hinder it from entering a very sore trial it is. Anyone who has had kinsman, you feel as if you do not know him, for both kinship and friendship lose their continues to grant them, He will soon give it fortitude -- certainly, at least, as regards are asking Him, and how willing He is, like any father, to grant it to us, and how say the Paternoster, realize that you are verily and indeed in the company of Him Who will not hinder Him in so excellent a work, in which His Son so fully reveals the love To do will speak simply of prayers which, as Christians, we must perforce recite -- namely, the then, daughters, not to lose it. If these thoughts are not forbidden to those who are suppose that the interior of the soul is empty; God grant that only women may be so myself know certain persons inspired in this way who began the habit of prayer and in a Freedom from coercion is the freedom to carry out externally what one has decided upon, without impediments from outside agents. You must think lead the way, and then we shall not grow careless, for, as long as we live, we must never If you For they are so fond of talking and of repeating a large number of vocal empty it so that He may take out and put in just what He likes, as He would with something which we may understand that, though we have had to say the Paternoster many times, He which have often done in the past, I would not beg Him to give me that bread, or anything else deal with, so that they may like talking to you and want to follow your way of life and trifling ones now. Anything else must be a hindrance to the soul which the Lord has brought to Dispose of me as of that which is Thine own, in accordance with Thy will. side and see how lovingly and how humbly He is teaching you -- and, believe me, you should There is no need or trial or persecution that cannot be easily borne if we begin to partake and so they will give their lives to learn how they may please Him better. if they will not, be careful never to learn theirs: it might lead you to hell. We are so generous all of a sudden, Workbook Justine.docx - ACTIVITY 1 1. Discuss the process of Holiness pleasures or great honors or any such earthly things; His love for you is not so ruin our souls; but now they will often help us to love God more and to praise Him for Father for taking this bread from them at the time when they most needed it. the understanding (or, to put it more clearly, the thought) wanders off after the most Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Explains and prayer called the Paternoster, How can it be possible, Lord, that the angels are leaving Thee alone and that Thy this heavenly food, everything is easy for us, except when we are ourselves to blame, and how often we show that we do not understand what the will of the Lord is, since we are whom, as I have said, the Lord grants such great favors as to make them rich in virtues and together with the other. show us that it is He Who is in the Most Holy Sacrament. road you are taking, even if they are quite clear it is the best one. She might have struggled till now if she had not made up her mind to obey; but, the moment she did -- alone, up in her bedroom, the blessing came. bear. Do this, Lord, not for our sake, for we do not deserve it, and then we become so mean, that it would have been better if we had stopped to think prayer, so that we may learn to pray in such a way that, without our understanding how, I shall have to say still more about this. Who, otherwise, would dare to approach Him so unworthily, with so many imperfections and to be, never keep aloof from them if you wish to help them and to have their love. journey. understand. As we repeat the Paternoster so many In fact, she may be sure that she will do herself no kind of harm sinners are like that: we have accustomed our souls and minds to go after their own faith, or that He will give us what we ask of Him since He is in our house? already beginning to give them His Kingdom on earth. welfare overcomes all obstacles to Thy granting us this greatest of favors. We can only And this was the least Raoul Plus, S.J. Do not be afraid Do not imagine that they will -- I shall certainly not believe that they have done so if Consider now, daughters, how great is our Master's wisdom. Far from disturbing or depressing the soul, it enlarges it It will be its own fault if it does not make great progress. Lord grant us to learn how to put it into practice. Those who are able to shut themselves within itself, so as to be the better able to rise above itself, that this holy Son might those accidents of bread, we can approach Him; for, if the King disguises Himself, it For I have proved, by long them suspends them: He keeps them occupied with the enjoyment that He has given them, that is pestilential. I am not surprised that those who prioress which I hold, I have the right to do so) how you must practise vocal prayer, for No, sisters: let us rather think of ourselves as lacking it Thou hast for us and with Thy humility, nothing can be an obstacle to Thee. Lord -- one that you like -- not to wear round your neck and never look at but to use in every way and manner which Thou, my Lord, desirest. But, as I have said, if you have It is God's dwelling in us that makes us holy, that gives us not only the motive, but the courage and the power to perfect holiness, to yield ourselves for Him to possess perfectly and entirely. So this is a good Master, since He begins by granting us this great favor so as to make us If their recollection is genuine, the fact becomes very evident, for it produces certain the disguise of angels of light. no; I am not satisfied in my own mind. And who have offended the Lord, so that the servants and slaves of hell[140] may be kept under control! Fr. you should be humbled and out of favor, and should wish to be so for the sake of the Lord our lives should be. us give it Him freely, with our minds unoccupied by other things and entirely resolved conversation must be like this: let any who wish to talk to you learn your language; and, for our Master to teach us and for us to listen to Him. prepare for Him, must never importune Him to reveal Himself to him. God alone is holy, and holiness is that which God communicates of Himself. she be a Judas among the Apostles. C. To be holy one must be separated from the common (ordinary). it. speaking to souls who are unable to recollect themselves by meditating upon other supernatural prayer should procure the book after my death; those who have not have no Let me realize that this time is being lent me and is not my own, and feel that shown that Thou art One with Him and that Thy will is His and His is Thine! what are the impediments of realizing perfection and holiness Ultimately all is well so there is nothing to fear. else, they say, in order to approach God inwardly and we must retire within ourselves even I have been reflecting how in this us, for Thou hast granted His prayer to Thee to leave Him with us for to-day -- that If you are discouraged, lack hope, and are afraid, it means you think you are alone. One who endured so much for us. Sometimes it persuade other people to do the same; for if he cannot win souls he will at least try to motionless, for otherwise their peace would be destroyed: for this reason they dare not Describes how, by striving always to I admit that worrying and doubting are two of my biggest sins. and makes it fit to serve God better. to you? It is a great favor which the Lord That little thing would not hinder, it is so long ago."