Path of Holiness

bodies are not alike. Often one has to give up the penance begun because something unforeseen happens. If we, then, built our spiritual foundation on penance, or encouraged others to do so, we may find we have nothing, and worse yet, find ourselves so imperfect that even consolation and virtue fail us. The reason for this is that when the thing we set our heart on and made so central disappears, we feel that God has disappeared and we fall victim to despondency, becoming sad and bitter; this in turn deprives us of the fervent, active prayer we used to experience. You see, then, what misfortune would befall you if you concentrate solely on penance. Ignorance, criticism, weariness, and a bitter spirit would result if all your effort was in providing God with a finished work, when he who is infinite Good only requires infinite desire of us. We should concentrate instead on killing and destroying our bad will so that we can place it before God as the loving, eager, infinite desire for his glory and the salvation of souls. We will find nourishment at the table of holy desire where there is nothing offensive, either from self or from another, but only joy and goodness. What a miserable woman I am!

I regret that I never lived out the truth of this teaching; no, I did just the opposite and so I feel that I have often been irritable and judgmental toward my neighbor. By the love of Christ crucified, I hope to find healing for this and all my other infirmities so that today we together can set out 6