Tuesday, September 13 : Saint Claude la Colombi

In the meditation on the love of God I was strongly moved by the sight of all the blessings I’ve received from God from the first moments of my life until now. Oh, what goodness! What care! What providence towards both body and soul! What patience! What sweetness!… It seems to me that God has made me penetrate and see these truths clearly: first, that he is in all creatures; secondly, that he is what is good in them all; third, that it is he who brings about all the blessings we receive from them. And it seemed to me that I saw this king of glory and majesty dedicated to warming us in our dress, refreshing us in the air, nourishing us in our meals, gladdening us in pleasant sounds and objects and producing within me all the movements required to live and act. Oh, what a wonder! Who am I, O God, that I should be thus ministered to by you at all times, with such constancy and with such care and love in all things! He acts in just the same way in every other creature, but he does all of that for me like an enthusiastic and watchful steward who causes work to be carried out for his God in every corner of the kingdom. And what is most wonderful of all is that God does all these things for all of us even though hardly anyone gives it a thought except some chosen or saintly soul or other. I, at least, should should be thinking about it, should be grateful for it. I figure that, as God has his own glory as the final end of all his actions, so he does all this primarily for love of those who think about and wonder at his goodness in this, who experience gratitude towards him, who seize the opportunity to love him in it all. Others receive the same blessings as though by chance and good fortune… God unceasingly refers on to us the existence, life, action of all created things in the world. This is his work in nature. Ours must be continually to receive all he sends us from every side and give it back to him in thanksgiving by praising him and acknowledging that he is the author of all that is. I have vowed to God that I will do this as much as I’m able.

maronite readings – rosary,team