Chapter
Four: That
All Human Perfection Consists
in the Conformity of Man's Will to the Divine
ALL human
actions derive their value from the end for which they are done; hence
they are either good
or bad according to their end. But, as an end and aim of our actions,
we shall find nothing better or more sublime than the Divine Will, that
is to say, than God Himself; and, therefore, there are no actions
better or more sublime than those which are nearest to this end. And
hence that saying of S. Basil the Great, that the whole sum of sanctity
in a Christian man consists in his referring the causes of all things,
great and small alike, to God alone, and most readily submitting
himself in everything to the Divine Will. This is that virtue of
resignation, so often and so greatly commended by the Holy Fathers and
masters of the saintly life; it is the commencement of all
tranquillity, as being that which places a man in the Hand of God, by
far the safest of all resting-places, in such a way that he no longer
desires to be his own, but God's, and not to live to himself, but to
God, and to do everything for God's sake, being contented alike with
adversity and prosperity. And this virtue God so greatly loves and
delights in, that, when rewarding King David with a title of the
highest honour, He called him-----"A man according to My
Own Heart, who shall do all My Wills." (Acts XIII. 22) For that King
kept his own heart so entirely fixed on the Divine Heart, that he stood
ready and prepared to perform every indication of God's Will. And in
this same way one may daily merit much if he refers to the Divine Will
all those actions which in themselves are neither matter of blame or
praise, such as eating, drinking, walking, and sleeping; and does not
eat or drink merely because he is hungry or thirsty, but because it
pleases God that it should be so. An ox or a cow would say,-----"I
eat because I am hungry; I drink because I am thirsty; I lie down
because I wish to go to sleep." But far otherwise should a Christian
man speak, who is able to desire, eat, drink, stand, sit, and sleep,
not because it is pleasant to him, but because it is approved by God.
1. The
Heliotrope, as I have said (Book II. chap.
ii), a flower most devoted to the sun, is accustomed ever to look
towards it when it sets, and at all hours to turn round with it, even
on a cloudy day. And let the will of man emulate the natural
inclination of this flower, and constantly regard the Divine Will as
its Sun, even on cloudy days, and in troublous times. And in this in
good truth all sanctity of life consists, as a Theologian most
admirably says,-----"The
sum of a Christian life, and the compendium of all virtues is, to
conform oneself in all things to the Will of God, so which is
voluntary.
2. The Acts of
the Saints abound with stories showing the marvellous power of the
human will when joined to the Divine.
Those miracles
of old time are well known-----the
rod of Moses, the mantle of Elias, the staff of Eliseus, the apron of
Paul, [Acts XIX. 12] the shadow of Peter. Of a truth such men as these
obtain from God the power of ruling over created things, in return for
which they give to Him the best thing which they have-----their
will. By this law of transfer man deals with God as if he were to
say,-----"My
whole will I deliver to Thee, O Lord;" while God says,-----"And
I deliver to thee My sovereignty, that thou shouldest be lord over
beasts, that thou shouldest rule over the sea; in a word, that thou
shouldest be a kind of God in the earth." For the most benign Creator
wills not to be outdone in liberality. When anyone gives to Him that
which he holds dearest, He does not deny him the most excel lent gift
which He has, that is, to rule over all things. And as, in the olden
time, King Alexander said of His beloved Hephrestion, [Because of his
close resemblance to the King]-----"You
are not mistaken, for he, too, is Alexander," in like manner it may be
said of the man who is entirely devoted to the Divine Will,-----"He,
too, is God," through a most intimate union of his own will with the
Divine.
It is related
that there was once upon a time a
husbandman whose land usually produced more abundant crops than that of
his neighbours. On being asked how this was, he replied that there was
nothing wonderful about it, for that he had a most perfect agreement
with the sky, and there was never any kind of weather but just what he
wished. His neighbours laughed at him, and said that this was
impossible. "Not so," he said, "for the favour of Heaven always answers
to my wishes; since I never wish for any other changes of weather than
those which God wills. Inasmuch, then, as the Divine Will is my will
also, God wills that more abundant crops should spring up for me than
for you, who very often are at variance with Heaven, and the Divine
Will." Truly,-----"The
creature serving Thee the Creator abateth its strength for the benefit
of them that trust in Thee." (Wisdom XVI. 24)
3. The
children of Israel presented a petition to Pharao, by the hand of
Moses, in these words:-----
"The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days' journey into
the wilderness and to sacrifice to the Lord our God." (Exod. V. 3) And
many say Ithat the path to Heaven is a 'three days' journey." Onthe
first day's journey the road is called Purgative, on the second
Illuminative, on the third Unitive.
And by this road, indeed, we approach closest to God, when the human
will is most firmly bound to the Divine. Our Lord proclaims (Luke
XVIII. 19):-----"None
is good but God alone." And hence arises that saying of the holy
Fathers and Theologians:-----"As
the Divine Intelligence is the rule of entire TRUTH, and cannot be
deceived, so the Divine Will is the rule of entire GOOD, nor can it be
distorted. And as it cannot be that anything should be conformed to the
Divine Intelligence and not be TRUE, so nothing can be conformed to the
Divine Will which is not GOOD." S. Chrysostom admirably says,-----"That
which is in accordance with the Divine Will, although it seems to be
wrong, is nevertheless pleasing and acceptable to God. And, on the
other hand, that which is contrary to the Divine Will, and other than
what He wills to be done, although it is thought to be acceptable to
God, is nevertheless the worst and most pernicious of all things."
The Book of Kings
furnishes an example of this. A
prophet, who had been sent by Divine command to rebuke Achab, because,
contrary to the Will of God, he had spared the King of Syria, whom he
had taken prisoner in battle, in order that he might not be recognized
by his face when delivering the message, went to a neighbour "in the
word of the Lord," and said,"Strike me." (3 Kings XX. 35) But he
refused to do so, for he was afraid to smite a prophet. But quickly he
heard the fearful sentence,-----"Behold, thou shalt
depart from me, and a lion shall slay thee." (Verse 36) And it happened
as he said. "Then he found another man, and said to him: Strike me. And
he struck him, and wounded him." (Verse 37) And this he not only did
without punishment; but also earned commendation for what he had done.
"And what could happen more contrary to all expectation?" asks S.
Chrysostom. "He who smote the prophet escaped without harm, while he
who spared him suffered punishment. Of such moment is it to follow the
rule of the Divine Will, or to despise it." When the Divine Will points
out anything to anyone it is impiety even so much as to ask,-----"Why
is this?" It must stand us in place of all reasons that God so wills.
Therefore it is the safest height of Christian perfection to yield
oneself as entirely as possible to the Divine Will, and to cease to be
one's own that we may become God's.
