Volume I, Treatise III, Chapter VIII

What Is Requisite on Our Part, that We May Always Act with a Great Purity of Intention

Wuen the masters of a spiritual life wish to explain to us what we are to do, in order to raise our actions to an high degree of perfection, they are wont to make use of a very just comparison. As the mathematicians, say they, consider in bodies only the dimension and figure; and always abstract from the matter, because it makes nothing to their purpose; so the true servant of God ought to think of nothing in all his actions but the will of God—and for this end he ought to abstract totally from the matter, that is to say, not at all regard, either in what charge he is employed, or what he is commanded to do; because it is not in that in which our perfection consists, but only in performing the will of God, and in seeking his glory in all things. Itis this which the great St. Basil teaches us, as the apostle St. Paul had done before: ‘ The whole conduct of a Christian,” says he, “proposes to itself only one end, which is, the glory of God; wherefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

The Saviour of the world, feeling himself fatigued on his journey, his-disciples went to purchase some food, whilst he reposed upon the well of Jacob, and entertained himself with the Samaritan woman. At their return they pressed him to take refreshment; but he answered them, “I have meat to eat, you know not of;” and afterwards when they asked one another, “Who has brought him food to eat?” “My food,” answered he, “is to do the will of him that sent me.” (John 4:32) See here what ought to be our food in all things we perform. When you study in private, when you teach in public, or when you preach the word of God, feed not on the pleasure imparted by your knowledge, or talents for preaching; but feed on the pleasure imparted by doing the will of God, who is pleased that you should be then employed in those things. But if you be employed in the functions, which regard the temporal service of your brethren, still have the same intention. The food of the porter and infirmarian is not different from that of the preacher and master; and you ‘ought to be as content in this, your employment, as each one of then is in his. For the fulfilling the will of God being the only subject of that satisfaction they ought to feel, you may have as much hereof as they; since as a good spiritual mathematician, you stop not at the matter of the action you perform, but you consider only that you do what God requires of you. We ought therefore endeavour to have always in our mouths and in our hearts these words:—“It is for you, O Lord! I do this—it is for your glory—it is because you desire it;’—and always continue this exercise till we shall have performed our actions, “as those that serve God, and not men” (Ephesians 6:7); that is to say, till we find ourselves actually inflamed with the love of God in what we do; and till we feel joy in accomplishing his divine will: and, in fine, till all our actions savour of nothing else than the effects of that divine love which animates us.

Father Avila adduces a familiar comparison, very applicable to our purpose. He says, that in all our actions we ought to resemble the affectionate wife, who seeing her husband return from a great journey all covered with dust, quite spent and weary, washes his feet herself, and feels joy in this service she does him; so that we clearly see it is love moves her to what she does. If we can perform our actions in this manner—if we can find this treasure hidden in the fields, this treasure so exposed, and yet so hid at the same time; how rich should we become, and how soon should we be perfect? This is truly the philosopher’s stone, which changes iron and brass into gold; because how mean soever any action is of itself, it renders it very precious. Let us. therefore, for the future, thus strive to convert all things into most pure gold, since it is so much in our power to do so. And as, in the temple of Solomon, there was nothing but what was of gold, or covered with gold; so let there be nothing in you, which is not either an act or an effect of the love of God.

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