LET us consider in this meditation the punctual care with which Mary
always followed her vocation.
God had uttered in her ears, or rather in the interior of her heart,
the words of the psalm: _Audi Fili, inclina aurem tuam, et obliviscere
populum tuum, et domum patris tui et concupiscet rex decorem tuum--
'Hearken, my child, incline thine ear to Me; forget thy people and thy
father's house, and the King shall desire thy beauty_.'
Ponder attentively these words: '_Hearken, child_'--_Audi Fili_. They
imply that, in order to hear well, it is necessary to listen, first,
very attentively--'_inclina aurem tuam_;' it is to the humble alone
that God deigns to make known His Will. '_Forget thy people and thy
fathers house, and the King will greatly desire thy beauty_.' This is
as if He would say, do not confine thyself to listening to the word of
inspiration, and abasing thyself in order that thou mayest understand
it, but further strip thy heart of all affection for thy country and
thy relations, and then I shall be delighted with thy beauty. O, holy
and Divine seed which our Lord sows in the hearts of so many! And yet
how many there are who hear the Divine call, without making one step
to leave their country and go whither God calls them! Diligence is
taken to examine and consider attentively whether the inspiration
comes from God, or from the enemy of all good, or if it be the
deception of self-love; and meanwhile, through our own fault, the
Divine vocation fails in its effect. I do not wish to condemn the
considerations which ought to be made in order to discern well the
nature of the inspiration. By no means; but after having made your
examen with simplicity, in the presence of God, and recognised His
voice, go forth quickly and enter the land which He points out to you.
Listen no longer to so many discourses and reasonings suggested by the
spirit of the world, because procrastination under such circumstances
exposes you to very serious dangers. Do not, then, lull yourself to
sleep, but follow diligently the Divine attraction.
With what assiduity and with what solicitude did not the glorious
Virgin obey the sacred call of God! She had no need of protracted
self-examination, because she was endowed with the grace of
discernment. Therefore, although but a child, she repaired without
delay whither her God led her, and the King of Heaven, won by her
beauty, chose her not only for His Spouse, but also for His Mother.
'_Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it_.'
Certainly, all are not called to follow the same path, and yet they
may all follow the Divine inspirations. We will explain. The Church
may be considered as the Court of a great Prince or King, in whose
kingdom are many vassals or under-lords. All these vassals are invited
to Court, and all share in the favours of their Sovereign, but
differently. Some are favoured in a very special manner, and He treats
them with greater confidence than the rest, and repeats to them His
secrets. But besides the graces which He grants in general to all the
members of His Church, to some amongst them He bestows more precious
favours; for instance, religious persons, whom He admits into His
Cabinet--that is to say, into holy religion--in order to entertain
Himself with them familiarly, and disclose His secrets to them in the
closest union of Heart.
Amongst those who have received this grace, the Most Holy Virgin has
been singularly privileged, Our Lord having made known to her secrets
and mysteries which have been revealed to no other creature. Happy was
she to have heard the word of God and kept it, and how happy also will
you be, pious souls, if you endeavour, in imitation of her, to follow
promptly the inspirations by which God manifests to you His Most Holy
Will!
I am well aware that for many it is necessary that they should live in
the world. These persons should use, but not abuse the riches, honours
and dignities which they are allowed by the law of God to possess; and
if they endeavour, in the use of these possessions, to conform their
affections to the commandments of God, without following the counsels,
they will be as truly blessed, and will attain to the joys of eternal
life.
There are many persons who wish to consecrate themselves to God, but
at the same time wish to reserve always something for themselves. They
will say, for instance, I will give to God what belongs to God, and
reserve for the world what is due to the world, without however doing
what would be an offence to His Divine Majesty, or contrary to His
most holy law. Such as these listen, it is true, to the inspirations
of God, but do not correspond to them with their whole heart, and
although they may be saved, yet they never will reach a high degree of
perfection and glory.
There are others who are quite resolved to follow steadily the
inspirations and Will of God, and also desire to live united to Him,
but not in a _perfect manner_. Observe well that there is a great
difference between being _all_ given to God and _wholly_ given to God.
These persons of whom we speak wish to reserve to themselves the
choice at least of their spiritual exercises, in order, as they say,
that they may the better serve God. But to how much danger of being
deceived do not they expose themselves! Regulating themselves
according to their own notions, they refuse to submit to others, and
they mark out for themselves a mode of life according to their own
caprices. I would say to such souls: Do you not perceive that with
these ideas you do not belong _wholly_ to God? Their answer would be:
But I act so in order to serve God. But this is not the example that
our most Blessed Lady, the glorious Virgin, gives us. On the day of
her presentation she consecrated herself to God entirely, without any
reserve, and never again made use of her own will or choice. O
faithful souls, you ought continually to keep before your eyes the
life of our dear Lady, and meditate upon it, so as to be able to
conform all your actions and affections to this perfect model. You are
her children, and therefore you ought to follow her, to imitate her,
and make use of her as a mirror in which you should always view and
study yourselves well. The sweetness which will flow from the
consideration of her virtues will be received in earthen vessels;
nevertheless, its fragrance will be none the less sweet. The balsam
that is contained in an earthen vase is as sweet as that in a vase of
crystal.