THE CONFORMITY OF OUR WILL TO GOD’S WILL TO SAVE US
God has declared to us in so many ways and by so many means that he wills all of us to be saved. No one can be unaware of it. With this purpose, he made us in his own image and likeness by creration (Gn:1:26-27). At the incarnation he took up our image and likeness. Then he suffered death to redeem the whole race of humans, and save it. He did it with so much love as St. Denis the great apostle of France narrates: The Lord told Carpus, a saintly man, that “he was ready to suffer again, still another time to save humans." It would be pleasing to him if he could do so without the sin of any human.
Even though all do not save themselves, this will, however, does not cease to be a genuine will of God. It acts in us according to his nature and ours. His goodness leads him to bestow generously the assistance of his grace so that we reach the bliss of his glory. But our nature demands that his generosity leaves freedom to avail ourselves of his graces to be saved or to despise them to be lost.
One thing have I asked ofthe Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house ofthe Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty ofthe Lord, and to inquire in his temple (Ps 27:4).[1] What is the beauty of the supreme goodness if not to spread and share his perfections? Indeed, his delights are to be with the children ofhumans (Prov 8:31) to shower his graces on them. Nothing is more delightful to free agents than to do their own will. For this is the will of God, our sanctification (1 Th 4:3)[2] and our salvation is his good pleasure. There is no difference between the good pleasure and the delight and consequently between the delight and the good divine will. Hence the will God has for the welfare of humans is called good (Rom 12:2)[3] because it is lovable, kind, favourable, pleasing, delightful. The Greeks, after St. Paul, have said, it is true philanthropy (Titus 3:4; Acts 28:1). It means benevolence or a will full of love towards humans.
The whole heavenly temple of the triumphant church and the militant resounds everywhere with the songs of this sweet love of God towards us. The most sacred body of the Saviour as a most holy temple of his divinity is fully adorned with the signs and tokens of this benevolence. That is why in visiting this divine temple we experience these loving delights which his heart takes in showering favours on us.
Let us then contemplate hundred times a day this loving will of God. Let us blend our will with his will. Let us cry out devoutly: O goodness of infinite loving kindness, how lovable is your will! How desirable are your favours! You have created us for eternal life. Your maternal bosom with sacred breasts swelling with immense love abounds in the milk of mercy whether to forgive penitents or to perfect the just. Then why not we attach our will to yours, just like little children attach themselves to their mothers breast, to suck the milk of eternal blessings?
Theotimus, we should desire our salvation as God intends it. God wills our salvation by way of desire. We are to desire it unceasingly following his desire. He not only desires it but in fact gives us all the means necessary to reach our salvation. Following our desire to be saved, we should not only desire but in fact accept all the graces which God has prepared for us and which he offers us. It is enough to say: I desire to be saved. But it is not enough to say: I wish to accept all the means to arrive at it. Instead we should have absolute decision to desire and accept the graces which God bestows on us. Hence our wills must be in harmony with that of God. In so far as he gives us the means for our salvation, we are to accept them. We must desire our salvation as the divine will wants it for us and because it wants.
Often, even many times, it happens that the means of salvation, thought of as a whole or in general, are pleasing to our heart. When they are seen in detail and in particular, they are frightening to us. Have we not seen the poor St. Peter ready in general to accept all kinds of torments and even death itself to follow the Master? Yet when it comes to the reality and to the point, does he not become pale, tremble and deny his Master at the word of a simple servant girl (Lk 22:33, 36)? Each one thinks that he can drink the chalice (Mt 20:22) of our Lord with him. But when it is actually offered to us we take flight and give up everything. Things presented in detail make a deep impression on us and wound the imagination very sensibly. That is why in the Introduction[4] we have given the advice that, after the good movements of the will in general, we make particular decisions in meditation. David accepted in detail his sufferings as means to progress in perfection when he sang like this: It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn thy statutes (Ps 119: 71)[5] So were the Apostles rejoicing in their trials with which they were favoured that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name of their Saviour (Acts 5:41).[6]
_____________________________________
[1] RSV. In the original Ps 26:4
[2] RSV
[3] The reference given in the original Ps 5:13; 50:20 does not correspond. Rom 12:2 corresponds well with the text.
[4] IDL Pt 2:Ch.6.
[5] RSV
[6] RSV