| “I Feel Much Pain, But Never Think of Remedies” |
This article is taken from a chapter in St. Francis de Sales Signature Set Volume II: Consoling Thoughts by Saint Francis de Sales which is available from TAN Books. To prepare for our chat on Sunday, please read the article, which is reproduced below, and review the questions at the end.Click for Living Jesus Chatroom  Photo by Juliane Liebermann on UnsplashGratitude To God in Everything TO BLESS and thank God for all the appointments of His Providence is indeed a holy occupation; but if, while abandoning ourselves to God that He may do whatever He wishes with us, without attending on our part to what happens—though we are not expected to be quite devoid of feeling—we could divert our minds to the Divine Goodness: praising it not in the effects which it ordains, but in itself, and in its own excellence, then, without doubt, we should perform an exercise much more holy. Let us employ a parable, since this method was most agreeable to the sovereign Master of that love which we teach. “My Father, I Am Yours”The daughter of an excellent surgeon and physician suffered from a long continued fever, and knowing that her father loved her exceedingly, she said one day to a friend of hers: “I feel much pain, but still I never think of remedies; for I know not what would cure me. I might desire one thing, and another thing might be necessary for me.Do I not gain more by leaving this care to my father, who knows, wishes, and is able to procure everything conducive to my health? It would be painful for me to think, but he thinks sufficiently for me; it would be painful for me to wish for anything, but he wishes for everything serviceable to me. I have only to await what he judges expedient, and when he is near, employ myself only in testifying to him my filial love and perfect confidence.”And after these words she slept, while her father, judging it proper that she should be bled, arranged what was requisite, and coming to her as soon as she awoke, after having inquired how the sleep had benefited her, asked if she would not like to be bled in order to be cured. “My father,” she answered, “I am yours, I do not know what I ought to wish for, to cure me; it is for you to wish and to do for me whatever appears to you good; as for me, it is enough for me to honor and to love you with all my heart, as I always do.”Her arm was then bandaged, and her father held the lance over the vein; but neither while he pierced the flesh, nor while the blood sprang forth, did this amiable daughter cast her eyes once on the wounded arm, or the gushing blood, but, with looks fixed on her father’s countenance, she only said, now and again, softly and sweetly: “My father loves me well, and I am all his.” And when everything was over, she did not thank him, but only repeated once more the selfsame words of her affection and filial confidence.Tell me, now; did not this young girl testify a more tender and sincere love towards her father, than if she had employed a great deal of time in inquiries about the remedies for her disease, in gazing on the scarlet stream, or in uttering words of gratitude? No doubt, whatever, about it. For, by thinking her? By looking on her arm, what would have resulted, unless, perhaps, to get a fright? And by thanking her father, what virtue would she have practiced, but gratitude? Did she not then act better by confining her attention to some demonstrations of filial love, infinitely more agreeable to a father than any other virtue? Keep Your Eyes Upon the Lord My eyes are always on the Lord, for He will free my feet from pits and snares. Have you fallen into the snares of trials? Regard not your misfortune; look only to God; He will have care of you. Cast thy solicitude on Him, and He will provide for thee. Why trouble yourself by sighing or pining about the accidents of this world, since you know not what you ought to wish for, and God will always wish what is best for you? Await, then, in repose of spirit, the effects of the divine good pleasure, and let it suffice for you, since it is always good; so Our Lord ordered St. Catherine of Siena, saying: “Think of Me, and I will think of thee.”Look then, a hundred times a day, on the loving will of God; and placing our will in the divine will, let us exclaim devoutly: O infinitely sweet goodness! How amiable is Thy will! How desirable are Thy favors! Thou hast created us for eternal life, and thy maternal breast, enlarged with the sacred paps of incomparable love, abounds in the milk of mercy, whether to forgive the penitent, or to perfect the just. Why then, should we not cast our wills into Thine, as little children nestle in the bosom of their mother, to drink in the milk of Thy eternal benedictions? Reflections: Is it easy to honor God’s own remedy for a problem when it involves great difficulty? How can we do so?How can we learn to trust our Heavenly Father the way children trust their earthly fathers to provide for them and care for them?Do children just trust because they are naive and haven’t been burnt by the world?At what point do we stop thinking of “remedies” to our problems, and place them in God’s hands?How can we always keep our mind and thoughts on God?St. Francis mentions a quote of St. Catherine of Siena: “Think of Me, and I will think of thee.” Does that mean God won’t think of us if we don’t think of him? How can we think more about God throughout our day? Sign up for our Living Jesus Chat Room:Come to our Living Jesus Chat Room, 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Eastern Time U.S. |