earth—an end which so charms and ravishes the heart of God with love, that it causes him to say: Thou hast wounded My heart, My sister; My spouse, thou hast wounded My heart with one of thy eyes.[1] By "one of thy eyes" is meant that one end which the espoused soul has in all her devotions and thoughts, namely, to please Almighty God. Men of the world look on things with many eyes, that is, have several inordinate views in their actions; as, for instance, to please others, to become honored, to obtain riches, and if nothing else, at least to please themselves; but the saints have but a single eye, with which they keep in view, in all that they do, the sole pleasure of God; and with David they say: What have I in heaven, and besides Thee what do I desire upon earth?[2] What do I wish, O my God, in this world or in the next, save Thee alone? Thou art my riches, Thou art the only Lord of my heart. "Let the rich," said St. Paulinus, "enjoy their riches, let the kings enjoy their kingdoms, Thou, O Christ, art my treasure and my kingdom!"[3]
And here we must remark, that we must not only perform good works, but we must perform them well. In order that our works may be good and perfect, they must be done with the sole end of pleasing God. This was the admirable praise bestowed on Jesus Christ: He hath done all things well.[4] Many actions may in them selves be praiseworthy, but from being performed for some other purpose than for the glory of God, they are often of little or no value in his sight. St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi said, "God rewards our actions by the
- ↑ "Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea Sponsa, vulnerasti cor meum in uno oculorum tuorum."—Cant. iv. 9.
- ↑ "Quid enim mihi est in cœlo? et a te quid volui super terram? … Deus cordis mei, et pars mea, Deus, in æternum."—Ps. lxxii. 25, 26.
- ↑ "Sibi habeant divitias suas divites, sibi regna sua reges; nobis gloria, et possessio, et regnum, Christus est."—Ep. ad Aprum.
- ↑ "Bene omnia fecit."—Mark, vii. 37.
