Part III, Chapter XXXV

That We Must Be Faithful Both on Great and Small Occasions

The sacred Spouse in the canticle says, that his Spouse has wounded “his heart with one of her eyes, and with one hair of her neck.” Now, among all the exterior parts of the human body, none is more noble, either for its construction or activity, than the eye, and none more inconsiderable than the hair. Wherefore the divine Spouse would give us to understand, that he is pleased to accept not only the great works of devout persons, but also the least and most trivial; and that, to serve him as he desires, we must take care to serve him well, not only in great and important things, but in those that are small and unimportant; since we may equally by the one and the other wound his heart with love.

Prepare yourself, then, Philothea, to suffer many great afflictions, even martyrdom itself, for our Lord; resolve to surrender to him whatever is most dear to you, when it shall please him to take it; father, mother, husband, wife, brother, sister, children; yea, even your eyes, or your life; for to all these sacrifices you ought to prepare your heart. But as long as divine Providence sends you not afflictions so sensible or so great, since he requires not your eyes, give him at least your hair. I mean, suffer meekly those small injuries, trifling inconveniences, and inconsiderable losses, which daily befall you; for by means of such little circumstances as these, managed with love and affection, you will engage his heart entirely, and make it all your own. These little daily charities; this headache, or toothache; this cold; this perverse humor of a husband or wife; this breaking of a glass; this contempt or scorn; this loss of a pair of gloves, of a ring, or a handkerchief; those little inconveniences which we suffer by retiring to rest at an early hour, and rising early to pray or communicate; that little bashfulness we have in performing certain acts of devotion in public; in short, all these trivial sufferings, being accepted, and embraced with love, are highly pleasing to the divine goodness, who for a cup of cold water only has promised an eternal reward to his faithful servants. Wherefore, as these occasions present themselves every moment, to employ them to advantage will be a great means to heap up a store of spiritual riches.

When I saw in the life of St. Catharine, of Sienna, her many raptures and elevations of spirit, so many words of wisdom, nay, even profound instructions uttered by her, I doubted not but that, with the eye of contemplation, she had ravished the heart of her heavenly Spouse. But I was no less comforted when I found her in her father’s kitchen, humbly turning the spit, kindling the fire, dressing the meat, kneading the bread, and performing the meanest offices of the house, with a courage full of love and affection towards her God; for I esteem no less the little and humble meditations she made in the midst of these mean and abject employments than the ecstasies and raptures she so often enjoyed, which were perhaps granted to her only in recompense of her humility and abjection. Her manner of meditating was as follows: whilst she was dressing the meat for her father she imagined that, like another St. Martha, she was preparing it for our Saviour, and that her mother held the place of the blessed Virgin, and her brothers that of the apostles; exciting herself in this manner to serve the whole court of heaven in spirit, whilst she employed herself with great delight in these humble services, because she knew that such was the will of God. I have adduced this example, Philothea, that you may know of what importance it is to direct all your actions, how inconsiderable soever they may be, with a pure intention, to the service of his divine Majesty.

Wherefore I earnestly advise you to imitate the valiant woman whom the great Solomon so highly commends; “she hath put out her hands,” he says, “to strong things”; that is, to high, generous, and important things, and yet disdained not to “take hold of the spindle.” (Proverbs 31) Put out your hand to strong things, exercise yourself in prayer and meditation, in frequenting the sacraments, in exciting souls to the love of God, and infusing good inspirations into their hearts, and, in a word, in the performance of great and important works, according to your vocation; but never forget your distaff or spindle; or, in other words, take care to practise these low and humble virtues, which grow like flowers at the foot of the cross; such as serving the poor, visiting the sick, taking care of your family, and attending to all your domestic concerns, with that profitable diligence which will not suffer you to be idle; and, amidst all these occupations, mingle considerations similar to those I have related above of St. Catharine.

Great occasions of serving God present themselves seldom; but little ones, frequently. “Now he that shall be faithful in small matters,” says our Saviour, “shall be set over great things.” Perform all things, then, in the name of God, and you will do all things well; whether you eat, drink, sleep, recreate yourself, or turn the spit, provided you know how to refer all your actions to God, you will profit much in the sight of his divine Majesty.

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