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Zeal
Zeal
in Amending our Lives
BE
WATCHFUL and diligent in God's service and often think of why you left the world
and came here. Was it not that you might live for God and become a spiritual
man? Strive earnestly for perfection, then, because in a short time you will
receive the reward of your labour, and neither fear nor sorrow shall come upon
you at the hour of death.
Labour
a little now, and soon you shall find great rest, in truth, eternal joy; for if
you continue faithful and diligent in doing, God will undoubtedly be faithful
and generous in rewarding. Continue to have reasonable hope of gaining
salvation, but do not act as though you were certain of it lest you grow
indolent and proud.
One
day when a certain man who wavered often and anxiously between hope and fear was
struck with sadness, he knelt in humble prayer before the altar of a church.
While meditating on these things, he said: "Oh if I but knew whether I
should persevere to the end!" Instantly he heard within the divine answer:
"If you knew this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you
will be quite secure." Immediately consoled and comforted, he resigned
himself to the divine will and the anxious uncertainty ceased. His curiosity no
longer sought to know what the future held for him, and he tried instead to find
the perfect, the acceptable will of God in the beginning and end of every good
work.
"Trust
thou in the Lord and do good," says the Prophet; "dwell in the land
and thou shalt feed on its riches."
There
is one thing that keeps many from zealously improving their lives, that is,
dread of the difficulty, the toil of battle. Certainly they who try
bravely
to overcome the most difficult and unpleasant obstacles far outstrip others in
the pursuit of virtue. A man makes the most progress and merits the most grace
precisely in those matters wherein he gains the greatest victories over self and
most mortifies his will. True, each one has his own difficulties to meet and
conquer, but a diligent and sincere man will make greater progress even though
he have more passions than one who is more even-tempered but less concerned
about virtue.
Two
things particularly further improvement -- to withdraw oneself forcibly from
those vices to which nature is viciously inclined, and to work fervently for
those graces which are most needed.
Study
also to guard against and to overcome the faults which in others very frequently
displease you. Make the best of every opportunity, so that if you see or hear
good example you may be moved to imitate it. On the other hand, take care lest
you be guilty of those things which you consider reprehensible, or if you have
ever been guilty of them, try to correct yourself as soon as possible. As you
see others, so they see you.
How
pleasant and sweet to behold brethren fervent and devout, well mannered and
disciplined! How sad and painful to see them wandering in dissolution, not
practicing the things to which they are called! How hurtful it is to neglect the
purpose of their vocation and to attend to what is not their business!
Remember
the purpose you have undertaken, and keep in mind the image of the Crucified.
Even though you may have walked for many years on the pathway to God, you may
well be ashamed if, with the image of Christ before you, you do not try to make
yourself still more like Him.
The
religious who concerns himself intently and devoutly with our Lord's most holy
life and passion will find there an abundance of all things useful and necessary
for him. He need not seek for anything better than Jesus.
If
the Crucified should come to our hearts, how quickly and abundantly we would
learn!
A
fervent religious accepts all the things that are commanded him and does them
well, but a negligent and lukewarm religious has trial upon trial, and suffers
anguish from every side because he has no consolation within and is forbidden to
seek it from without. The religious who does not live up to his rule exposes
himself to dreadful ruin, and he who wishes to be more free and untrammelled
will always be in trouble, for something or other will always displease him.
How
do so many other religious who are confined in cloistered discipline get along?
They seldom go out, they live in contemplation, their food is poor, their
clothing coarse, they work hard, they speak but little, keep long vigils, rise
early, pray much, read frequently, and subject themselves to all sorts of
discipline. Think of the Carthusians and the Cistercians,
If
there were nothing else to do but praise the Lord God with all your heart and
voice, if you had never to eat, or drink, or sleep, but could praise God always
and occupy yourself solely with spiritual pursuits, how much happier you would
be than you are now, a slave to every necessity of the body! Would that there
were no such needs, but only the spiritual refreshments of the soul which, sad
to say, we taste too seldom!
When
a man reaches a point where he seeks no solace from any creature, then he begins
to relish God perfectly. Then also he will be content no matter what may happen
to him. He will neither rejoice over great things nor grieve over small ones,
but will place himself entirely and confidently in the hands of God, Who for him
is all in all, to Whom nothing ever perishes or dies, for Whom all things live,
and Whom they serve as He desires.
Always
remember your end and do not forget that lost time never returns. Without care
and diligence you will never acquire virtue. When you begin to grow lukewarm,
you are falling into the beginning of evil; but if you give yourself to fervour,
you will find peace and will experience less hardship because of God's grace and
the love of virtue.
A
fervent and diligent man is ready for all things. It is greater work to resist
vices and passions than to sweat in physical toil. He who does not overcome
small faults, shall fall little by little into greater ones.
If
you have spent the day profitably, you will always be happy at eventide. Watch
over yourself, arouse yourself, warn yourself, and regardless of what becomes of
others, do not neglect yourself. The more violence you do to yourself, the more
progress you will make.
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