Posted by Elizabeth Eilers Sullivan, Visitation Alumna
I came across this writing of St. Francis de Sales. I found it particularly appropriate as we joyfully
.jpg "St. Francis de Sales")
St. Francis de Sales
anticipate our summer Come & Sees, and also with graduations upon us, both are crossroads for people to discern, make prayerful decisions about their next steps in life. Upon reading De Sales words, I thought how apt to offer some wisdom from a great spiritual father, and co-founder of the Visitation Order.
God’s Will
“Here is the most important point: find out what God wants, and when you know, try to carry it out cheerfully, or at least courageously; not only that, but you must love this will of God and the obligations it entails, even if it means performing the most menial tasks in the world the rest of your life, because whatever sauce God chooses for us, it should be all the same to us. In this practice lies the very bull’s-eye of perfection at which we must all aim, and whoever comes nearest to it wind the prize.
But be of good heart, I beg you; little by little train your will to follow God’s will, wherever it may lead you; see that your will is strongly roused when your conscience says: God wants this.
Live entirely for God, and since you have to take part in conversations and social gatherings, try to be of some use to others. Do not think that God is further away from you when you are in the midst of the busyness to which your vocation calls you then he would be if you were enjoying a tranquil life.
No, it is not tranquility which brings him close to our hearts; it is rather the fidelity of our love; it is not the feeling we have of his sweetness, but the consent we give to his holy will. It is more desirable that his will be carried out in us than that we carry out our will in him.
Once we have reached a decision in a holy manner, we must never doubt about the holiness in carrying it out; since it does not depend on us, this holiness cannot be lacking. To act otherwise would be a sign of great self-love, or of immaturity, or of a weak or foolish mind.
A hundred times a day let us look upon this loving will of God, and, dissolving our will into it, let us devoutly exclaim: ‘O goodness of infinite gentleness, how lovable is your will! How desirable your favors! You have created us for eternal life, and your maternal breast, overflowing with incomparable love, abounds with the milk of mercy, either to pardon penitents or to perfect the righteous’”
Please know we, the Visitation Monastery of North Minneapolis, stand with you in prayer as you actively discern your next best steps!
