we should know His great love to His Father, when we see that He died in obedience to His will. " But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do." (S. John xiv. 31.) He says afterwards, that He acknowledges for His own, those alone, who do the Divine will. " Whosoever shall do the will of My Father Which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." (S. Matt. xii. 50.) This, then, is the one scope and desire of all the saints in all their works the fulfilment of the Divine will. Henry Suso said, " I would much rather be the vilest worm on earth, according to the will of God, than a seraph according to my own." S. Teresa wrote, "All that he ought to try to procure, who exercises himself in prayer, is to conform his own to the Divine will, and he may be assured that in this conformation the highest perfection consists; he who most aims at such conformity, will receive from God the choicest gifts, and will make most progress in the spiritual life." The blessed in heaven, love God perfectly from their entire conformity to the Divine will. Hence it was that our Blessed Lord taught us ta pray, that by us " Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." (S. Matt. vi. 10.) He who performs the Divine will, becomes a man after the Lord's "own heart," just as the Lord called David, " I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will." (Acts xiii. 22.) And why? Because David was always prepared to follow the Divine will " O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready." (Ps. cviii. i.) And He desired nothing further of the Lord than that he might be taught to do His will, " Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee." (Ps. cxliii. 10.)
Oh, of what great value is the act of perfect resignation to the will of God. It is sufficient in itself to make a saint. Whilst S. Paul was persecuting the Church, our Blessed Lord appeared to him, enlightened him, and converted him; the Saint immediately desired to do the Divine will: " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts ix. 6.) And then our Lord said at once, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles (Acts ix, 15.) He who fasts, gives alms, mortifies himself for God, gives Him a part of himself - but he who gives God
