Part I, Chapter XI

Third Meditation: On the Benefits of God

Preparation

1. Place yourself in the presence of God. 2. Beseech him to inspire you.

Considerations

1. Consider the corporal benefits which God has bestowed on you: what a body! what conveniences to maintain it! what health! what lawful comforts for its use, and recreations for its support! what friends and what assistances! How different is the situation of so many other persons, more worthy than yourself, who are destitute of these blessings! Some are disabled in their bodies, their health, or their limbs; others abandoned, and exposed to reproaches, contempt, and infamy; others oppressed with poverty; whilst God has not suffered you to become so miserable.

2, Consider the gifts of the mind. How many are there in the world stupid, frantic, or mad, and why are not you of this number? Because God has favored you. How many are there who have been brought up rudely, and in gross ignorance? and you, by God’s providence, have received a good and liberal education.

3. Consider the spiritual graces. O Philothea! you are a child of the Catholic Church; God has taught you to know him, even from your childhood. How often has he given you his sacraments? How many internal illuminations and reprehensions for your amendment? How frequently has he pardoned your faults? How often has he delivered you from those dangers of eternal perdition to which you were exposed? And were not all these years past given you as so many favorable opportunities of working out your salvation? Consider a little, by descending to particulars, how sweet and gracious God has been to you.

Affections and Resolutions

1. Admire the goodness of God. O how good is my God to me! O how good indeed! How rich is thy heart, O Lord, in mercy, and liberal in clemency! O my soul! let us recount forever the many favors he has done us.

2. Wonder at your ingratitude. But what am I, O Lord! that thou shouldst have been so mindful of me? Ah! how great is my unworthiness! Alas! I have trodden thy blessings under foot. I have abused thy graces, perverting them to the dishonor and contempt of thy sovereign goodness. I have opposed the abyss of my ingratitude to the abyss of thy bounty and favors.

3. Excite yourself to make an acknowledgment. Well, then, O my heart! resolve now to be no more unfaithful, ungrateful, or disloyal to thy great benefactor. And how? Shall not my soul be henceforth wholly subject to God, who has wrought so many wonders and graces in me and for me?

4. Ah! withdraw then your body, Philothea, from such and such sensual pleasures, and consecrate it to the service of God, who has done so much for it. Apply your soul to know and acknowledge him by such exercises as are requisite for that purpose. Employ diligently those means which are in the Church to help you to save your soul and love God. Yes, O my God! I will be diligent in frequenting prayer and the sacraments; I will listen to thy holy word, and put thy inspirations and counsels in practice.

Conclusion

1. Thank God for the knowledge which he has now given you of your duty, and for all the benefits which you have hitherto received. 2. Offer him your heart, with all your resolutions. 3. Pray that he would give you strength to practise them faithfully, through the merits and death of his Divine Son. Implore the intercession of the blessed Virgin and of the saints.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Make a little spiritual nosegay.

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