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Vigils Reading – St Mechthild of Hackeborn
November 19
OUR SERVICE OF GOD
An excerpt from “The Book of Special Grace” by St Mechthild of Hackeborn3
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If any obstacle arises in our service of God, whether from the attitude of
others, from external circumstances, from our own desires, memories, or from
any other cause – whatever the impediment, we should take it as a messenger
from God, sending it back to Him, so to speak, with praise and thanksgiving.
Three things very pleasing to God are: first, never to abandon one’s
neighbors in their needs, and to excuse their shortcomings and sins as much as
possible; second, in tribulation to seek refuge only in God, abandoning to Him
alone all that disquiets the heart; third, to walk with Him in truth.
When it is time to eat or to sleep, say in your heart: “Lord, in union with
the love with which you created this useful thing for me, and yourself made us of
it when you were on earth, I take it for your eternal praise and for my bodily
need.” The Blessed Virgin tells us: “if you wish to be truly holy, stay close to my
Son; he is holiness itself, making all things holy.”
We should be lovingly grateful not only for the spiritual blessings God
gives us, but for all bodily necessaries, such as food and clothing, receiving them
with a sincerely thankful heart and considering ourselves unworthy of them.
We should also thank God for everything that he has given to his Mother and to
the angels.
Works which give no human satisfaction may nevertheless be very
pleasing to God. What best pleases God in members of religious orders is purity
of heart, holy desires, gentle kindness in conversation, and works of charity.
When you are alone, raise your heart constantly to God, speak with him and
direct all your desire to him with great intensity. You can never be in so large a
crowd that your are not alone with him.
When those who receive from the Lord the gift of a fine orchard, they
cannot taste the fruit until it is ripe. Likewise, when one receives a special grace,
any interior joy is not experienced until by the practice of mortification one has
broken the hard rind of earthly pleasure.