He who abandons himself to the will of God and accepts all things as coming from his hands — he is the happiest person in the world.
Those who love God are always happy, because their whole happiness is to fulfill, even in adversity, the will of God. Afflictions do not mar their serenity.
This is the happy lot of the man who wills only what God wills, because everything that happens, save sin, happens through the will of God.
A farmer whose crops were more plentiful than his neighbors' said: "I always have the kind of weather I want, because I want whatever kind of weather God wants."
In cold and heat, in rain and wind, the soul united to God says: "I want it to be warm, to be cold, windy, to rain, because God wills it."
The farmer's secret is not controlling the weather. It is wanting the weather God sends. Not controlling the movers — wanting what God allows through them. Not controlling the move — wanting the move God has ordained. The soul that wants what God wants always has what she wants — because she wants only what God gives.
"A fool is changed as the moon; but a holy man continues in wisdom as the sun."
The fool changes with the changes in the things that happen. The just man is like the sun, constant in his serenity, no matter what betides him. His calmness is founded on his union with the will of God.
This is the peace promised by the angel: "On earth, peace to men of good will" — those whose wills are united to the infinitely good and perfect will of God.
"A fool is changed as the moon; but a holy man continues in wisdom as the sun." Can't say enough how timely this phrase is to me today.
No wonder Pope Leo was happy preaching to the people of Peru in the mountains by horseback.
Can't say enough how timely. After the stress, the correction, the "blessed be God" in adversity — Liguori holds up two images. The moon: changing with every circumstance. The sun: constant. Le knows where she was this week. The old nature pulled. The thinking went wrong. And then the Word corrected, the obedience was prayed for, the "blessed be God" was spoken. The will was reunited with God's.
And Pope Leo on horseback in Peru — choosing the mountains over the Vatican. Why happy? Because his will is united with God's will for him. The joy is not in the comfort. The joy is in the union. The Pope in the Andes and Le among the boxes — the same happiness, from the same source.
This is the beautiful freedom of the sons of God, and it is worth vastly more than all the kingdoms in the world.
This is the abiding peace which "surpasseth all understanding."
By uniting themselves to the divine will, the saints have enjoyed paradise by anticipation in this life.
Jangling irritations will make surface impact on the senses. This however will be experienced only in the inferior part of the soul; in the superior part will reign peace and tranquillity as long as our will remains united with God's.
"Your joy no man shall take from you. Your joy shall be full." Full, because he has what he wants; lasting, because no one can prevent what God wills from happening.
Paradise by anticipation. The saints did not wait for heaven. They enjoyed it here — in the union of wills. Kempis said the freedom is inside. Augustine said the weight of love carries upward. Liguori says the union produces paradise now.
The jangling irritations come — movers, boxes, wrong thinking. Liguori does not deny them. They make surface impact. But in the superior part of the soul — where the will is united with God's — peace reigns. The surface is disturbed. The depth is still.
Your joy no man shall take. Full, because the surrendered soul always has what she wants. Lasting, because no one can prevent what God wills. The joy that is both full and lasting — paradise anticipated. In Caldas da Rainha. Among the boxes. On a Tuesday morning. Constant as the sun.
"This is the beautiful freedom of the sons of God, and it is worth vastly more than all the kingdoms in the world."
St. Alphonsus de Liguori · Caldas da Rainha · Day fifty-one · Constant as the sunThe Farmer's Weather
I always have the weather I want — because I want whatever God wants. The secret is not controlling the circumstance. It is wanting what God sends.
Constant as the Sun
The fool changes as the moon. The holy man continues as the sun. The difference: whose will determines the peace.
The Beautiful Freedom
Worth more than all kingdoms. The peace that surpasses understanding. True peace resides in the depth of the soul alone.
Paradise by Anticipation
The saints enjoyed heaven here. The surface is disturbed — the depth is still. Your joy no man shall take. Full and lasting.