"Little man," says St. Augustine, "grow up. What are you seeking in your search for happiness? Seek the one good that embraces all others."
Seek him, find him, cleave to him; bind your will to his with bands of steel and you will live always at peace.
Augustine inside Liguori: seek the one good that embraces all others. Not the many goods. The one good that holds all the others inside it. When you have that one good, you have them all. Not because the problems disappear. Because they are held inside something bigger. Bands of steel. Not threads. Steel.
God wills only our good; God loves us more than anybody else can or does love us.
If he sends suffering, it is for our good: "All things work together unto good."
He that spared not even his own son — how hath he not also given us all things?
"Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you."
Our Lord said to St. Catherine of Siena: "Daughter, think of me, and I will always think of you."
Think of Me, and I will think of you. The care is cast. The care is caught. He who gave the Son will give the rest. Romans 8:32 — the argument that ends all arguments.
Form the habit of offering yourself frequently: "My God, behold me in your presence; do with me and all that I have as you please."
This was St. Teresa's constant practice. At least fifty times a day she offered herself to God.
If during life we have embraced everything as coming from God's hands, we shall certainly die the death of saints.
Rest secure: beyond the possibility of a doubt, God works to effect our welfare, infinitely better than we could ever hope to accomplish ourselves.
St. Teresa offered fifty times a day. Every hour. Every box. Every decision. The habit of offering is the habit of peace. And the death of saints is simply the fifty-first offering. God works our welfare infinitely better than we could ourselves. The control is released. The welfare is secured. The soul rests.
These are words of wisdom from centuries ago, pretty much forgotten today — seek the one good that embraces all others.
Yesterday I saw a light from a 10-year-old boy I haven't seen in years. His whole being expressed a sincere joy when we told him he is getting our TV. It was not the TV — it was the joy of a child. This is what we need in our lives: the sincere joy and gratitude of a child towards God, who gives us all things.
The boy saw a TV. Le saw the light. The child did not calculate the value. He did not negotiate. He received — and the receiving was pure joy. Not joy at the thing. Joy at the gift. Joy at being given something by someone who cared.
Augustine said grow up. But growing up in the Spirit means becoming MORE like that boy, not less. The world grows up by losing the child's joy — calculating, measuring, protecting. The Spirit grows up by recovering it. Kempis taught it on day forty-two: except you become as little children. And today a ten-year-old preached the same sermon — without a single word of theology.
The sincere joy of a child toward God, who gives us all things. That is the one good. The joy of receiving from the Father's hands. Whatever He gives. The child does not ask why. The child says thank you. And the light Le saw in his face — is the light of the soul that has what it wants, because it wants only what it is given.
"It was not the TV — it was the joy of a child. This is what we need: the sincere joy and gratitude of a child towards God, who gives us all things."
Le's Heart · Caldas da Rainha · Day fifty-two · The light in a boy's faceThe One Good
Grow up — seek the one good that embraces all others. Bind your will with bands of steel. The union that does not flex.
Cast All Your Care
Think of Me and I will think of you. The care is cast. He who gave the Son will give the rest.
Fifty Times a Day
My God, do with me as You please. The death of saints is the fifty-first offering. God works our welfare infinitely better.
The Joy of a Child
A boy's face lit up — not at the TV, at the gift. The world grows up by losing the joy. The Spirit grows up by recovering it.