CHAPTER 57

That the care of temporal affairs and exterior duties may be acceptable to God.

ONE year, when the convent was much burdened by a heavy debt, the Saint prayed to God with more devotion than usual that the convent procurators60 might be able to pay their debts. He replied tenderly: “What advantage shall I gain if I assist them in this?” The Saint replied: “They will then be able to occupy themselves with more fervor and recollection in their spiritual duties.” “And what will this advantage Me,” continued Our Lord, “since I have no need of your goods, and it is equally the same to Me whether you employ yourselves in bodily or mental exercises, provided you refer your intention to Me? For if I only took pleasure in spiritual exercises, I should have so reformed human nature after the Fall that it would no longer have needed food, or clothing, or any of the other necessaries of life, which are now obtained with so much labor. And as a powerful emperor is pleased, not merely with bringing up noble ladies in the court of his empress, but also brings up in his own court nobles, captains and soldiers, who are employed in different ways, that they may serve him when any occasion presents itself, so also I take pleasure, not only in the interior delights of contemplation, but also in the different exterior affairs and occupations of the children of men, with whom I love to dwell when they labor in them for My love and for My glory; because in these occupations they are so much exercised in charity, patience, humility and the other virtues.”

After this the Saint beheld the person who had the principal charge of the temporal affairs of the monastery as if he were resting on the left Hand of the Lord; and it appeared to her that he often rose with great pain, and offered Him a piece of gold enriched with a precious stone. Our Lord then said to her: “Know, that if I lessened the troubles of him for whom you pray, I should be also deprived of these precious stones which are so acceptable to Me; and he would lessen the recompense which he will receive; for then he would only be able to offer Me with his right hand this piece of gold without any ornament. He presents Me with a piece of gold who, without suffering any adversity, refers all his actions to God according to His adorable Will. But he who is constantly suffering, and still conforms himself to the decrees of Providence, offers Me gold enriched with very rare and precious stones.”

Nevertheless, the Saint still continued to pray that the convent procurator might be relieved from his difficulties. But Our Lord said to her: “Why does it seem hard to you that anyone should suffer these inconveniences for love of Me, since I am the one true Friend whose faithfulness never changes? For when anyone is deprived of all human help and consolation and is driven to the last extremity, those who have formerly received kindness from them are sorry for their misfortunes, and yet their sorrow is often fruitless, and can afford no assistance to their friend. But I am the only true Friend who, in such dire necessity, will console the afflicted with the merit and glory of all the good works they have practiced during their whole life, whether by thoughts, words or actions; and these shall appear scattered over My vestments like roses and lilies; while this delightful vision shall revive in the soul its hopes of eternal life, to which it beholds itself invited in recompense for its good works. Then the soul disposes itself in holy contentment to depart from its mortal body and to enter eternal felicity, so that amidst its joys it may say: ‘Behold the smell of my beloved is as the smell of a fertile field.’ (Cf. Gen. 27:27). For even as the body is composed of many members united together, so also the soul consists of affections, such as fear, grief, joy, love, hope, anger, modesty, in the exercise of each of which the more man acts for My glory the more he will find in Me that incomprehensible and ineffable joy, and that secure delight, which will prepare him for eternal happiness. For in the resurrection, when the body will be raised incorruptible, each of its members will receive a special recompense for the labors and actions which it has performed in My name and for My love. But the soul will receive an incomparably greater reward for all the holy affections it has entertained for My love, for its compunction, and even for having animated the body for My service.”

Once again, as the Saint prayed that the faithful procurator might receive the full reward of his troublesome labors for the temporal good of the community, Our Lord said to her: “His body, which is wearied by so many labors for Me, is like a treasure-house, in which I place as many drachmas of silver as his limbs make movements to fulfill the duties with which he is charged: and his heart is like an ark, in which I place in reserve as many drachmas of gold as he has had thoughts of providing carefully, for love of Me, for those persons who are under his care.” Then the Saint exclaimed, in surprise: “It seems to me, O Lord, that this man is not so perfect as to undertake all that he does purely for Thy glory; for I believe he also thinks of the temporal profit he obtains thereby, and consequently of his bodily convenience. How, then, canst Thou, my God, find such pleasure as Thou sayest in his heart and in his body?” Our Lord condescended to reply thus: “It is because his will is so entirely submitted61 to Mine that I am always the principal cause of his actions; and for this reason he will merit an inestimable recompense for all his thoughts, his words and his works. If he applies himself to each action with a still greater purity of intention, he will increase his merit even as gold exceeds silver in value; and if he endeavors to refer all his thoughts and anxieties to Me with a yet purer intention, they will become as much more excellent as refined gold is in comparison of that which is alloyed with a baser metal.”