Reflection #21
He that Loves Jesus Christ
Ought to Hate the World
He that Loves Jesus Christ
Ought to Hate the World
Whosoever loves Jesus with a true love rejoices sincerely when he sees himself treated by the world as Jesus Christ was treated, who was hated, reviled and persecuted by the world, even to make Him die of anguish upon a gibbet of infamy.
The world is completely against Jesus Christ, and therefore, hating Jesus Christ, it hates all His servants. Therefore, Our Lord encouraged His disciples to suffer in peace the persecutions of the world, saying to them that, having given up the world, they could not but be hated by the world. "You are not of the world . . . therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19).
Now, as the lovers of God are hateful to the world, so the world ought to be hateful to him who loves God. St. Paul says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me." (Galatians 6:14). The Apostle was an object of horror to the world, as is a man condemned and dead upon a cross; and thus in return, the world was an object of horror to St. Paul: "the world is crucified to me." (Galatians 6:14).
Jesus Christ chose to die crucified for our sins for this end, that He might deliver us from the love of this wicked world. Our Savior, having called us to His love, desires that we should become superior to all the promises and threats of the world. He desires that we should no longer take account of its censures or of its praises. We must beg of God to make us utterly forget the world and to make us rejoice when we see the world reject us.
However, it is not enough, in order to belong wholly to God, that we should abandon the world; we must desire that the world abandon us and utterly forget us. Some people leave the world, but they do not cease to wish to be praised by it, at least for having abandoned it; in such persons the desire of the esteem of the world is yet living and causes the world still to live in them.
So then, as the world hates the servants of God and therefore hates their good example and holy maxim, so also it is necessary that we should hate all maxims of the world. "The wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be." (Romans 8:7). The Apostle says, "Neither can it be." Yes, because the world has no other object but its own interest and pleasure, and thus it cannot agree with those who seek only to please God.
Yes, my Jesus, crucified and dead for me! Thee alone I desire to please. What is the world to me? What are riches, what are honors? Thou, my Redeemer, Thou shalt be all my treasure; to love Thee is my riches. If Thou wilt have me poor, I desire to be poor; if Thou wilt have me humbled and despised by all, I embrace everything and receive it from Thy hands; Thy will shall ever be my consolation. This is the grace that I seek of Thee, that in every event I may not depart in the least thing from Thy holy Will.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
The world is completely against Jesus Christ, and therefore, hating Jesus Christ, it hates all His servants. Therefore, Our Lord encouraged His disciples to suffer in peace the persecutions of the world, saying to them that, having given up the world, they could not but be hated by the world. "You are not of the world . . . therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19).
Now, as the lovers of God are hateful to the world, so the world ought to be hateful to him who loves God. St. Paul says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me." (Galatians 6:14). The Apostle was an object of horror to the world, as is a man condemned and dead upon a cross; and thus in return, the world was an object of horror to St. Paul: "the world is crucified to me." (Galatians 6:14).
Jesus Christ chose to die crucified for our sins for this end, that He might deliver us from the love of this wicked world. Our Savior, having called us to His love, desires that we should become superior to all the promises and threats of the world. He desires that we should no longer take account of its censures or of its praises. We must beg of God to make us utterly forget the world and to make us rejoice when we see the world reject us.
However, it is not enough, in order to belong wholly to God, that we should abandon the world; we must desire that the world abandon us and utterly forget us. Some people leave the world, but they do not cease to wish to be praised by it, at least for having abandoned it; in such persons the desire of the esteem of the world is yet living and causes the world still to live in them.
So then, as the world hates the servants of God and therefore hates their good example and holy maxim, so also it is necessary that we should hate all maxims of the world. "The wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be." (Romans 8:7). The Apostle says, "Neither can it be." Yes, because the world has no other object but its own interest and pleasure, and thus it cannot agree with those who seek only to please God.
Yes, my Jesus, crucified and dead for me! Thee alone I desire to please. What is the world to me? What are riches, what are honors? Thou, my Redeemer, Thou shalt be all my treasure; to love Thee is my riches. If Thou wilt have me poor, I desire to be poor; if Thou wilt have me humbled and despised by all, I embrace everything and receive it from Thy hands; Thy will shall ever be my consolation. This is the grace that I seek of Thee, that in every event I may not depart in the least thing from Thy holy Will.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
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