MORNING MEDITATION: FRIDAY IN THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

Morning Meditation: Considerations on the Religious State — V
     Consider the immense glory that Religious will enjoy in Heaven.
     He will render to everyone according to his works. – (Matt. xvi., 27).
     From this you can judge how exceeding great will be the reward that God will give in Heaven to good Religious on account of the great merits they acquire every day. Going, they went and wept casting their seeds; but coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. – (Ps. cxxv., 6, 7).

Meditation I:
     Consider, in the first place, what St. Bernard says: that it is difficult for Religious who die in the Religious state to be damned. “From the cell to heaven the way is easy. One scarcely ever descends from the cell into hell.” The reason the Saint adduces is: “because one scarcely ever perseveres in it until death unless he be predestinated.” For it is with difficulty a Religious perseveres until death, if he be not of the number of the Elect of Paradise. Therefore, St. Laurence Justinian called the Religious state the gate of Paradise: “Of that heavenly city this is the gate.” And he said that, therefore, “Religious have a great sign of predestination.”
     Consider, moreover, that the reward of Heaven, as the Apostle says, is a crown of justice. – (2 Tim. iv., 8). Wherefore, God, though He rewards us for our works more abundantly than we deserve, rewards us nevertheless in proportion to the works we have done. He will render to everyone according to his works. From this you can judge how exceedingly great will be the reward which God will give in Heaven to good Religious, in consideration of the great merits they daily acquire.
     The Religious gives to God all his earthly goods and is content to be entirely poor, without possessing anything. The Religious renounces all attachment to his parents, friends, and country, in order to unite himself more closely to God. The Religious continually mortifies himself in many things which he would enjoy in the world. The Religious, finally, gives to God his whole self, by giving Him his will through the Vow of Obedience.
     The dearest thing that we have to give is our own will, and what God, of all other things, requires of us most is the heart, that is to say, the will. My son, give me thy heart. He who serves God in the world will give Him his possessions, but not himself; he will give Him a part and not the whole, for he will give Him indeed his goods by alms-deeds, his food by fasting, his blood by disciplines, etc. But he will always reserve for himself his own will, fasting when he pleasest, praying when he likes. But the Religious, giving Him his own will, gives himself and gives all; gives not only the fruits of the tree, but the whole tree itself. Whence he may then truly say to Him: O Lord! Having given Thee my will, I have nothing more to give Thee.
     Is it possible, O my God and true Lover! that Thou so much desirest my good, and to be loved by me, and that I, miserable that I am, desire so little to love and to please Thee? For what end hast Thou favoured me with so many graces, and taken me out of the world? O my Jesus! I understand Thee. Thou lovest me much, Thou wilt have me love Thee much, and be all Thine, in this life and in the next. Thou wishest that my love should not be divided with creatures, but wilt have it be wholly for Thyself, the only Good, the only lovely One, and worthy of infinite love. Ah! my Lord, my Treasure, my Love, my All! Yes, I pant and truly desire to love Thee, and to love no other but Thee.