THE USUAL MEANS OF OFFERING OUR WORKS TO GOD’S SERVICE
And whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him ( Col 3:17). [1] So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31)20. They are the words of St Paul the Apostle. The great St Thomas [Aquinas] explains them: We practise them well when we have the habit of the most holy charity. We may not have an explicit and actual intention of doing each work for God. All the same, because of charity, this intention is included and hidden in the union and communion we have with God. By this communion, all the good we may do is dedicated together with us to his divine goodness. It is not necessary that a child staying at home under the authority of its father affirms that whatever it gets is acquired for its father. Since its person belongs to its father, all that depends on it belongs to its father. It is enough that we are God’s children by love. All that we do will be totally dedicated to his glory.
It is true, Theotimus, that an olive-tree planted near the vine gives its flavour to the grapes. We have said this elsewhere21. It is the same with charity. Coming close to other virtues it communicates its perfection to them. It is true also that if we graft a vine onto the olive, it not only communicates perfectly its taste but makes it share its juice. Do not be satisfied with having charity and with it the practice of virtues. But do your best that it is for charity and by charity that you practise these virtues. Thus they may be rightly assigned to charity.
When a painter holds and guides the hand of a trainee, the strokes are mainly attributed to the painter. The trainee has contributed the movement of his hand and the application of the brush. Yet the master has also mingled his movement with that of his pupil. So the honour of the good strokes imprinted on the painting is specially referred to the Master. However we do not cease to praise the trainee for the flexibility with which he adapts his movement to that of his master. O how excellent are the actions of virtues when divine love engraves its sacred movements on them, that is, when they are done alone with the motive of love. But it is done in various ways.
The motive of the love of God spreads an influence of special perfection on the various actions of those who are specially consecrated to God to serve him for ever. Such are bishops and priests who by a sacramental consecration and by a spiritual character which cannot be erased devote themselves to God. They are like stags branded and set apart for the perpetual service of God. Such are the religious who by their solemn or simple vows are immolated to God as living and reasonable sacrifices (Rom 12:1). Such are those who join pious congregations dedicated for ever to the glory of God. Such also are those who on set purpose make deep and strong decisions to follow the will of God. For this purpose they make a retreat of some days to stir themselves by different spiritual exercises to a complete renewal of their lives. This holy method was quite familiar to the early Christians. Since then it was entirely abandoned till the great Servant of God St Ignatius of Loyola restored this practice at the time of our fathers.
I know that some do not think that this general offering of ourselves extends its effects and carry its influences into the actions we practise afterwards. It influences only in so far as in doing these actions we specially apply the motive of love and we dedicate them specially to the glory of God. Nevertheless, all agree with St Bonaventure, praised by everyone on this subject. Suppose I decided to give a hundred crowns for the glory of God. Afterwards I make the distribution of this sum at my leisure. I am distracted and without attention. All the same, the whole distribution does not cease to be done by love. For my action is the result of the first intention by which divine love inspired me to give all this money.
After all, Theotimus, what difference is there between the one who offers hundred crowns and the one who offers all his actions. Why then, I pray you, the one and the other shall be thought of as making the distribution of the pieces of their sum by the power of their original plan and basic decisions? [2] On distributing his crowns without attention, he does not cease to enjoy the influence of his first intention. If so, why the other performing his actions does not enjoy the fruit of his first intention? One who has intentionally made himself a slave of divine goodness has, as a consequence, dedicated to God all his actions.
On the truth of this above statement, each one should make a good retreat once in his life. By this means, he should purify his soul from every sin. Finally, he must make a personal and strong decision to live whole-heartedly for God as we have taught in the First Part of the Introduction to the Devout Life. Then, atleast, once a year he is to make a review of conscience and renewal of the first decision. This we have noted in the Fifth Part of the same book. I refer you back to this book on this point.
Surely St Bonaventure states: A man has acquired for himself a great inclination and habit of doing well everything. So he acts often without special attention. Even then, he does not fail to merit from such actions as they are ennobled by the love of God. They proceed from charity as from a root and original source of this happy habit, facility and promptness.
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[1] NRSV
[2] In other words: Why not the same principle apply to both?