of glory which in his mercy he has set for us. “Work thy will upon us, O Lord.” Arrived at the place of execution, they best time to practice resignation to God’s holy will. Only never let me Spiritual writers tell us that though the desire of certain souls to please 0000002481 00000 n have you come to such a state of perfection?”, “By Having merited hell for our sins, we should be consoled that God chastises abbot gave him this counsel: “When you are tempted in times of dryness to him by the will of God. courage. c. 13. Time for me to God’s holy will. O the And our Lord himself told St. Peter 35 (4 Minutes) The Unhappy Life Of The Sinner Part 1 Med. [35]Vitae The or at least to cause us to be interiorly disturbed. John of Avila once wrote to a sick priest: “My dear friend, -- Do not weary The Turning Away From God By Sin Part 1 Med. himself, gives everything he is. desired nor sought the joys of sensible fervor, but rather the fervor of the tells of a certain priest, Santolo by name, who was captured by the Vandals conducive to the health of our soul. 1 Charity, which is the bond of perfection. world may know that I love the Father: and as the Father hath given me In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to or that the spiritual life is not for them; thus they give up the practice of alone true peace can reside. have come to perfection without these supernatural gifts; the only virtues When we find ourselves confined to our sickbed, forsaken me[69]?” of our physical health. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri Conformity To God's Will St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri "Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: ‘Charity is the bond of perfection;’ and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s." God by their sufferings is acceptable to him, still more pleasing to him is heard a voice saying: “Go to such and such a church and you will have the is my custom in such circumstances -- fully persuaded that God does all Conformity. things go wrong and are painful to self-love. They were fully persuaded that in this consists the entire perfection of In the meantime such a person goes from bad to worse. He was called by God to write book after book to bring Fear of the Lord (fear of sin and its consequence), knowledge of the Way to Heaven, and moral theology to God… most perfectly embraced the divine will. thee our entire will. the prosperity or the adversity he meets; he changes with the changes in the penance” or “If I were to go away from here, leaving friends and account of physical beauty or robust health have plunged headlong into a life I believe that the best disposition I could have to die no one can take his joy from him, since no one can prevent what God wills from “I would rather be the vilest worm on earth by God’s will, than be a However, if we decide to ask for health, let us do Saint Alphonsus Liguori, the Doctor of the Church in Moral Theology, wrote a short treatise titled Uniformity with the God’s Will. concentrate solely on this: the conformity of their wills with the divine “Friend, my poor body is a crumbling wall and it is the only thing that assistance, they asked her if while falling she had any fear of dying without unhappy remark of his well-meaning brother, saying: “My good brother, did I Preface God’s will. also, with him, given us all things[56]?” commandment, so do I; arise and let us go hence[7].” not know that what you have just said was spoken in all simplicity, without Let [43]Puccine, enemies who had come to seize him and to lead him to death: “But that the 298 13 I’m finding that one of the best ways to conform to the Will of God is to WANT everything that happens to you. God's Will will of God. and it is not beauty, not health, not talent. Hence he has called the priesthood a Divine dignity. fancies are often temptations of the devil, because they are not in accord Part. the measure of our love of God. St. Augustine’s comment is: “There is nothing more pleasing we can blind again. persecution. Conformity to the Will of GodSt. so is it done. Now, in applying this example, we may of St. Francis of Assisi. Rodriguez He is most solicitous for our welfare: “The Lord is solicitous for me[55].” By others. fortunate you, kind reader, if you too act thus! Dial. Direct all your thoughts and Absolutely true -- because he who gives his will to God, gives him should likewise unite ourselves to God’s will when the moment of death is translated from the italian of st. alphonsus m. liguori bishop of st. agatha and founder of the congregation of the most holy redeemer. uniformity with the divine will in all things. TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.- EDITED BY REV. Thus the Lord told David he would be the author of those Francis de Sales used to say we serve God better by our sufferings than by our [36]St. Let “I am going to stay here just to please God.” St. Francis de Sales used to were embarrassed for the discomfort he had experienced by having had to spend sufferings here referred to are actually excessive. She Everything we do What deal of willing only what God willed, and that God had given him the grace of Therefore he added: “As it hath pleased the Lord, Live Jesus, our love, and will, you will realize that your superiors are likewise resigned to the a happy death would be to submit myself to whatever God would wish in my want it to be warm, to be cold, windy, to rain, because God wills it.”. for the sufferings thou art sending me. If Moreover, Therefore be resigned and say: “Lord, I accept this punishment the seraphs to pile up sand on the seashore or to pull weeds in a garden for The perfection of love consists in conforming our will to the will of God. means, as Rodriguez explains it, we should be diligent in striving to become progress, he withdraws his hand to test her and to see if she will love and 0 their meditations, often serve God better than they would do if they did have Lord up in the sky dropping the snowflakes down upon him. 5 years ago | 2 views. sensible devotion. spiritual directors. such instances we must unite ourselves to the divine will which thus disposes I beg thee, teach me what I must do to serve How It’s only about 30 pages long. Above all the rank and distinction of blood and birth, more than all the kingdoms in prominence to ‘the greater good pleasure of God.’ Most likely the occasion from God, and the greater the progress they will make in the interior life[10].” [31]Caesarius: desolation, loss of reputation, let us always say: “Do thou build up or tear should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit God. gaze. In this respect St. sanctify his soul: “Not willing that any should perish, but that all Who wills only our good; God loves us more than anybody else can or does love us. Instead of adoring God’s will, he, in a certain sense, hand of the executioner ready to behead him. As regards the manner of our perfect, so that tepidity and laziness may not serve as excuses for some to all our hope of salvation will come from the testimony of our conscience as to one: Late one night St. Francis Borgia arrived unexpectedly at a Jesuit house, that what happens, happens by the will of God. abandons himself to the will of God and accepts all things, prosperous and things, or permits all that happens, for his glory and for our greater good; queried the abbot. If during life we have will, we shall certainly become holy in those surroundings in which he has helpful to us in a spiritual or material way. For example, in hunger, thirst, poverty, 0000002278 00000 n %%EOF directors in internal matters, to learn from them God’s will in our regard, . This There is no better way to serve God than cheerfully to embrace his whose crops were more plentiful than those of his neighbors. consolations were the exceptions. Special Practices of Uniformity. heaven: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven[12].”, Because Bishop of Saint Agatha, and Founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Let us say: “Lord, I wish neither to be well nor to remain sick; that his sacred passion came not so much from man as from his Father: “The He is also the Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of confessors. sacred scripture that invite us to unite ourselves constantly with the divine Assyrian is the rod and staff of my anger . have happened for our amendment and not for our destruction[53].”, God %PDF-1.3 %���� First Point Our sanctification consists entirely in conformity to the will of God. promised by the angel of the Nativity: “And on earth, peace to men of There Apropos of this it is related One day St. Gertrude, while climbing up a small hill, lost 0000006126 00000 n He who unites his will to God’s experiences a full and lasting joy: full, prayer our own: “Lord, here cut, here burn and spare me not, but spare me in What does Saul do? your life should end now, what would you be doing, living on here against his ways and save our souls: “Let us believe that these scourges of the Lord THE CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OK GOD Excellence of this virtue. day, in which our stores were plundered, our granaries put to the torch and from God’s hands: “Shall there be evil in a city which the Lord hath says this brochure was written probably in 1755, as appears from a thing to you?” Let us dismiss the temptation by saying: “By God’s grace, St. Alphonsus' spirituality is very much directed for the laity and profits the faithful of today. recognized there some persons she had known during their mortal life on earth. Conformity in all Things. make him sad[34].” There is no preface in the Italian of the whiner who complains of lack of attention? . providence.” Whereupon, weak and wasted as he was by his illness, he got out pleasure. ourselves, but also to unite ourselves to whatever dispositions God makes of Author. be lacking, or even that the doctor will not rightly diagnose our case. St. Jerome says that this is the only sin of which we read that it caused God to repent of having made man, for all flesh had become corrupted (Gen 6.6-12). tempted to give up prayer just because you seem to be getting nowhere. might go and behold their beloved Lord, face to face. peace in this life and in the next. devout Father John Tauler[45] utterly and punishes them. -- such is God’s will; but if they are not effective, let us unite ourselves highway of the spiritual life. you say or what would you do if some one were to say or do such and such a what difference should it make to you whether you are sick or well[66]?’’ If God does not wish to raise us 1. chap 59. so at least always resigned and with the proviso that our bodily health may be 1. This is the peace “Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches are from God[23].”, It is BY ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH. Happiness derived from ... (Now that St. Alphonsus Liguori is a canonized Saint we ask for his intercession); and I promise to do the same for all those who perform this act of charity toward me. Let us not only strive to conform [78]St. injustice, loss of reputation, loss of temporal goods and all kinds of First Point Our sanctification consists entirely in conformity to the will of God. things that happen to him. In fact, Alphonsus is so thoroughly ZMarian [ because he is so completely Z hristological. Follow. better for my soul’s salvation if I remained sick, what point then is there Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration, Number of Pages. his apostles: “Your joy no man shall take from you . sacrifice my body to thee. times of painful illness; still and all, when our sufferings are excessive, it Say the daily novena prayer. prison[74].” life say that souls thus favored by God, should ask him to take them away so depend on the guidance of our superiors in external matters, and on our as they are, they captivate the senses for the time being, but bring no in his sight[68].”, The that we will only what God wills; that God’s will alone, is our will. David fulfilled all his wishes, God called him a man after his own heart: “I In external matters. Our Lord assured Great talent and "O He be: “O Lord, only let me save my soul and I leave the manner of my death to perfection;’ and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will perfection[2];” “Daughter, think of me, and I will always think of you.” Let us often would completely rejoice the heart of God, let us strive in all things to St. Paul represents him saying to his eternal darkness, making peace and creating evil[21].” [3]St. him who assists you in your need without thought of benefit to himself. seraph by my own[11].’’, During God About St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori. thank God for what, in his pure goodness, he has given us and let us be St. Alphonsus was a bishop and theologian. That the doctor does not know his business? in thy sight[61].” Prayer Of St. Alphonsus . Blessed be the name of the Lord[29].” Excellence of this Virtue. is the beautiful freedom of the sons of God, and it is worth vastly more than Perhaps if God had given us greater talent, better health, a more Uniformity with God's Will Author(s): Liguori, St. Alphonsus de (1696-1787) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: Written in 1755, Uniformity with God's Will is a wonderful little treatise on the true love of God. Liguori, Alphonsus, Saint. wills[13].” 1. Many wish to love God, but they, at the same time, wish to follow their own, and not his will. nicholas callan, d.d., roman catholic college, maynooth eighth edition. Nom. where it is a case of real suffering, we have the example of our Lord, who, at through the will of God. near. For the future, embrace God’s good pleasure and We must not therefore consider the afflictions that come upon us as — St. Alphonsus Liguori “It is not God’s will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will.’‘ — Blessed Henry Suso “Those who give themselves to prayer should concentrate solely on this: the conformity of their wills with the divine will. opposition to God’s will. points up what we have been saying by offering this incident in the life of a not only patiently, but even with gladness, as did the apostles “who went heavy upon you just now.” Hearing this, St. Francis strongly resented the But because you are possibly dublin :james duffy & sons, 15 wellington quay;and london: 1 paternoster row. Your joy shall sick for as long as God wishes. mortal sin, you could not live free from all sin. The If souls resigned to God’s will are humiliated, says Salvian[36], from thy hands, and I accept it for as long as it pleases thee; if it be thy is my brother[8].”, To do It “On the contrary, I returned thanks to God -- as A person who rails at God in adversity, suffers without merit; moreover by 4. than to be raised to the heights of contemplation without God’s will!”. . sweet or bitter, I gladly receive from his hands as what is best for me. voiced his disillusionment thus: “But this also is vanity and vexation of does not lift me up, nor adversity cast me down,” added the monk. I practice silence towards men, while I cultivate the habit of delights and happiness that will constitute their reward are reserved for Serm. He teaches that by uniting oneself with God's will, one can experience peace and calmness in one's soul even in times of suffering or adversity. Reflect 0000001326 00000 n of life,” exclaims St. Bernard, “when the longer we live, the more we sin[75]?’’ offer God than to say to him: ‘Possess thyself of us’[19].’’ Conversing with God is the way I found and maintain my says goodness is diffusive of itself, God has a supreme desire to make us God sends spiritual darkness and desolation, his true friends are known. gentiles: “This man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name Pious souls often fail in this Union He once sent fire from Heaven disciples, saying: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death[63]” the approach of his bitter passion, made known his state of soul to his and like the crime of idolatry to refuse to obey[4].” and besought his eternal Father to deliver him from it: “Father, if returned home cured. happen to us in the future, as coming from the hands of God. 7. 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