his will, gives Him his entire self, and this is that whole which God demands of us the heart, that is, the will. " My son, give me thine heart." (Prov. xxiii. 26.) To fulfil the Divine will, in short, is the aim of all our desires, devotions, meditations, communions it expresses the scope of all our prayers the seeking for grace, that we may follow all that God would have us do; the asking for light and strength, to conform ourselves in all things to His will, but especially in the embracing of these things which are opposed to our self love, as Venerable Avila said, that a single " Blessed be God," for things contrary to us, was of more avail than an infinity of thanksgiving for such things as please us.
Affections and Prayers.
Oh, my God! my entire ruin in time past has been through my being unwilling to conform myself to Thy holy will. I hate and abjure many times, those days and moments in which, by doing my own will, I have opposed Thine, O God of my soul. Now I give it all to Thee; receive it, O my Lord, and bind it so closely to Thy love that it may never be able again to rebel against Thee. I love Thee, Infinite Goodness, and for the love that I bear Thee I offer myself wholly to Thee. Dispose of me, and of all that belongs to me, as it may please Thee, so that I in all things may resign myself to Thy holy will. Free me from the disgrace of having done that which was contrary to Thy will, and then do with me as Thou wilt Eternal Father, hear me, for the love of Jesus Christ. My Jesus, hear me through the merits of Thy Passion.
Second Point.
We must conform ourselves to the will of God, not only in things contrary to us which come directly from God, such as loss of health desolation of spirit, loss of relatives or possessions, but even in those ills which come from Hun indirectly, such as slanders, slights, injustices, and all other kinds of persecution And we should remember, that when we are injured by any one in our goods or our honour, that God does not will
