WE SHOULD MAKE USE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTISE DIVINE LOVE
There are persons who make grandiose plans of doing distinguished service to our Lord. They plan very lofty activities and unusual sufferings. But an opportunity for such activities and sufferings are not present and may never come on their way. Since they have such plans, they think that they have done a great deed of love. In this, often they deceive themselves. As it appears, by embracing by desire what seems to them great future crosses, they zealously avoid current duties which are much less taxing. Is it not an extreme temptation to be so courageous in imagination and so cowardly in practice?
May God preserve us from these imaginary favours.Often, they cherish in the depths of our hearts a hidden and secret pride in ourselves! Great deeds do not always come on our way. We can do at every moment little things very well, that is, with great love. See this Saint, I beg you, who gives a glass of water to a poor thirsty traveller for love of God. He does very little, it seems. But the attention, the gentleness, the love with which he enlivens his action is so excellent that it turns this simple water into a water of life and of life eternal (Mt 10:42).
The bees pilfer honey from the lily, the iris and the rose. But they take no less booty from the very small flowers like rosemary and thyme. They gather from them not only more honey but sweeter honey. It is because in these little vessels the honey is more condensed and better preserved. Indeed in the lowly little acts of devotion, charity is practised not only frequently but also usually with greater humility. As a consequence, such practices are more useful and holy.
Adjusting with the moods of others, bearing the rude, annoying actions and behaviour of our neighbour, these conquests of our own moods and passions, renunciation of our little inclinations, the effort we make against our dislikes and reluctances, the whole-hearted and gentle recognition of our imperfections, the constant struggle to preserve peace of soul, this love of our abjection, the kind, gracious welcome we offer to contempt and criticism of our way of life, of our company, of our actions, Theotimus, all these do more good to us than we can ever imagine provided heavenly love inspires them. We have already spoken about it to Philothea.[1]
[1] IDL, Pt.III, Ch.3; Ch.35