poverty; if honourable, I am pleased with honour: if dishonoured, I do not shun disgrace. Wilt thou have me enjoy consolation? — my will is the same. Desolation? — it alarms me not. If thou wilt have me be in favour with men, I will it too; if thou wilt have me be hated, I will pray for my enemies, and in my persecutions I will praise thee.
3. Therefore, I would not have eyes, but to see thee; nor ears, but to hear thee; nor a tongue, but to speak to thee; nor a heart, but to love thee; nor memory, but for the recollection of thy sweetness; nor understanding, but to acknowledge thy majesty; nor hands, but to serve thee; nor feet, but to obey thee; nor a body, but for a victim; nor life, but for a sacrifice to thee.
4. In sum, I desire so to be thine, without any reserve, as to despoil myself; to put away all that belongs to me; and to give, resign, and make over to thy most holy will, all my thoughts, words, and deeds, both interior and exterior; with all that I do or may possess, and which thou, of thy grace, hast vouchsafed to bestow on me. For I have already given thee my will; and I now give it thee irrevocably, and for ever.
Nor do I wish to desire, or not to desire, anything but as, when, and as much as thou desirest it or not; so that thy will may be my first and last desire, happiness, and consolation, at all times and in all circumstances. Assist me, therefore, O most loving Lord, with thy most holy grace (without which I know that I can do nothing), that all things may tend to thy honour and glory, and that thy most holy will may be most perfectly fulfilled. Amen.
X.
Act of Delight in God.
Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.[1]
True joy is the delight produced by the things that belong to God. For in God, and in his excellence, lie the true grounds of all joy.
1. Oh, how great cause
have I, O most sweet Lord,
to rejoice and be glad! For
thou art the God who is of
infinite power, wisdom, goodness, beauty, mercy, justice,
faithfulness, and innumerable
other attributes which belong
to thee as the beginning and
- ↑ Psal. xxxvi. 4.
