Reflection #35
In God Alone True
Peace Is Found
In God Alone True
Peace Is Found
He that seeks peace in creatures will never find it, because no creatures are capable of giving contentment to the heart. God has created man for Himself, who is an infinite good; therefore, God alone can satisfy him. Hence it comes that many persons, though loaded with riches, honors and earthly pleasures, are never satisfied; they are ever yearning for more honors, more possessions, more amusements; and however many they obtain, they are always restless and never enjoy a day of true peace. "Delight in the Lord, and He will give thee the requests of thy heart." (Psalms 36:4). When any person delights only in God and seeks nothing but God, God Himself will take care to satisfy all the desires of his heart; and then he will attain the happy state of those souls who desire nothing but to please God.
Senseless are they who say: "Happy is he who can employ himself as he likes, who can command others, who can take what pleasure he pleases." It is madness; he alone is happy who loves God, who says that God alone is sufficient for him. Experience shows clearly that so many persons called fortunate by men of the world, however much they are raised up to the possession of great riches and great dignities, lead an unhappy life and never find rest.
But how is this that so many persons, rich and titled, and even princes, in the midst of the abundance of the goods of the world, do not find peace? And, on the contrary, so many good religious, who live retired in a cell, poor and hidden, live so contentedly? How was it that so many solitaries, living in a desert or in a cave, suffering hunger and cold, yet exulted with joy? It is because they lived for God alone, and God consoled them.
"The peace of God . . . surpasseth all understanding." (Philippians 4:7). Oh, how much does not the peace which the Lord gives to those who love Him exceed all the delights which the world can give! "O taste and see that the Lord is sweet!" (Psalms 33:9). O men of the world, cries the prophet, why will ye despise the life of the Saints, without having ever known it? Try it for once; leave the world, leave it and give yourselves to God, and you shall see how well He knows how to console you more than can all the grandeurs and delights of the world.
It is true that even the Saints suffer great trials in this life; but they, resigning themselves to the Will of God, never lose their peace. The lovers of the world are seen to be at times joyful and at times sad, but in truth they are ever restless and in trouble. On the contrary, the lovers of God are superior to all adversities and to the changes of this world, and therefore they always live in uniform tranquility. See how the celebrated Cardinal Petrucci describes a soul wholly given to God: "It beholds creatures around it changing into various forms, while within the depths of its heart, it lives ever united to God without change."
But he who would be always united with God and would enjoy a continual peace must drive from his heart everything which is not God and live as one dead to earthly affections. O my God, give me help to disengage myself from all the snares which draw me to the world. Grant that I may think of nothing but pleasing Thee.
Happy are they for whom God alone is sufficient!
O Lord, give me grace that I may seek nothing but Thee and desire nothing but to love Thee and give Thee pleasure. For love of Thee I now renounce all earthly pleasures. I renounce also all spiritual consolations. I desire nothing but to do Thy will and to give Thee pleasure.
O Mother of God, recommend me to thy Son, who denies thee nothing.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
Senseless are they who say: "Happy is he who can employ himself as he likes, who can command others, who can take what pleasure he pleases." It is madness; he alone is happy who loves God, who says that God alone is sufficient for him. Experience shows clearly that so many persons called fortunate by men of the world, however much they are raised up to the possession of great riches and great dignities, lead an unhappy life and never find rest.
But how is this that so many persons, rich and titled, and even princes, in the midst of the abundance of the goods of the world, do not find peace? And, on the contrary, so many good religious, who live retired in a cell, poor and hidden, live so contentedly? How was it that so many solitaries, living in a desert or in a cave, suffering hunger and cold, yet exulted with joy? It is because they lived for God alone, and God consoled them.
"The peace of God . . . surpasseth all understanding." (Philippians 4:7). Oh, how much does not the peace which the Lord gives to those who love Him exceed all the delights which the world can give! "O taste and see that the Lord is sweet!" (Psalms 33:9). O men of the world, cries the prophet, why will ye despise the life of the Saints, without having ever known it? Try it for once; leave the world, leave it and give yourselves to God, and you shall see how well He knows how to console you more than can all the grandeurs and delights of the world.
It is true that even the Saints suffer great trials in this life; but they, resigning themselves to the Will of God, never lose their peace. The lovers of the world are seen to be at times joyful and at times sad, but in truth they are ever restless and in trouble. On the contrary, the lovers of God are superior to all adversities and to the changes of this world, and therefore they always live in uniform tranquility. See how the celebrated Cardinal Petrucci describes a soul wholly given to God: "It beholds creatures around it changing into various forms, while within the depths of its heart, it lives ever united to God without change."
But he who would be always united with God and would enjoy a continual peace must drive from his heart everything which is not God and live as one dead to earthly affections. O my God, give me help to disengage myself from all the snares which draw me to the world. Grant that I may think of nothing but pleasing Thee.
Happy are they for whom God alone is sufficient!
O Lord, give me grace that I may seek nothing but Thee and desire nothing but to love Thee and give Thee pleasure. For love of Thee I now renounce all earthly pleasures. I renounce also all spiritual consolations. I desire nothing but to do Thy will and to give Thee pleasure.
O Mother of God, recommend me to thy Son, who denies thee nothing.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
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