XIII
A Sorrow Like Yours
The soul asks that self-loving grief be replaced by Christ-shaped sorrow, so that suffering may quiet divine anger and become the path of conversion.
So take from me, Lord, the sadness that self-love could give me over my own sufferings and over the things of the world that do not turn out as my heart desires, and that have no regard for your glory; but put in me a sorrow conformed to yours. May my sufferings serve to appease your anger. Make them an occasion for my salvation and my conversion.
Life and Death for You Alone
Health and life are desired only for God, while both wellness and illness, living and dying, are left to His glory, the soul’s salvation, and the good of the Church.
From now on may I wish for health and life only so that I may use them and end them for you, with you, and in you.✦1 I ask you for neither health nor sickness, nor life, nor death; but that you dispose my health and my sickness, my life and my death, for your glory, for my salvation, and for the good of the Church and of your saints, of whom I hope by your grace to be a part.✦2
Do What You Will
Confessing God’s sole wisdom, the soul yields will and circumstance, ready to receive and adore whatever eternal providence ordains.
You alone know what is good for me: you are the sovereign Master; do what you will.3 Give me, take from me; but conform my will to yours: and in humble and perfect submission and in holy trust, may I prepare myself to receive the orders of your eternal providence, and may I adore equally everything that comes to me from you.
Read the original Latin
Otez donc de moi, Seigneur, la tristesse que l’amour de moi-même me pourroit donner de mes propres souffrances et des choses du monde qui ne réussissent pas au gré des inclinations de mon cœur, et qui ne regardent pas votre gloire ; mais mettez en moi une tristesse conforme à la vôtre. Que mes souffrances servent à apaiser votre colère. Faites-en une occasion de mon salut et de ma conversion. Que je ne souhaite désormais de santé et de vie qu’afin de l’employer et la finir pour vous, avec vous et en vous. Je ne vous demande ni santé, ni maladie. ni vie, ni mort ; mais que vous disposiez de ma santé et de ma maladie, de ma vie et de ma mort, pour votre gloire, pour mon salut et pour l’utilité de l’Église et de vos saints, dont j’espère par votre grâce faire une portion. Vous seul savez ce qui m’est expedient : vous ètes le souverain maître, faites ce que vous voudrez. Donnez-moi, ôtez-moi ; mais conformez ma volonté à la vôtre : et que dans une soumission humble et parfaite et dans une sainte confiance, je me dispose à recevoir les ordres de votre providence éternelle, et que j’adore également tout ce qui me vient de vous.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Rom.14.8;Acts.17.28 — For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord. Acts.17.28 — For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'
- ↩Rom.14.8;Phil.1.21 — For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord. Phil.1.21 — For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Notes
- 1 ↩"l'employer et la finir" refers back to santé and vie (feminine); rendered as plural "them" for natural English agreement with both nouns.
- 2 ↩"utilité de l'Église" rendered "good of the Church" (usefulness/benefit), not utilitarian "utility".
- 3 ↩Source has "ètes" for expected "êtes"; translated as "you are".
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