Lest You Remain

L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 102 are free and not under any domination. You can strive for what you want and choose what you want, and love and follow what you have chosen. And finally, added to this Divine image, God gave memory to contemplate His blessings bestowed upon you. Remember that He is your Creator while you used to be dust and in the future, dust you shall be again. He announced this to the first Parent saying: “For you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). (Inspectio Cordis) 2 Contemplate the works of Providence, which even before the conception, gave the name to the Savior of the world (cf. Luke 1:31). It was the same with you, before you were born, some graces were bestowed upon you for the salvation of your soul, talents to be used, particularly your vocation to the state you are in at present, which was assigned to you by God. How much you should admire and follow this care of the Great God the Father for you, which preceded even your birth! With what devotion you should repay Him! With what submission to God’s will, you should reciprocate! May you at least make an effort not to neglect willingly and consciously, anything which was insti- tuted for your salvation and may you earnestly cooperate both with your vocation and with God’s grace! (Inspectio Cordis) 3 God shows you His benevolence out of pure, disinterested love for you. That is why He did not leave you in the world to perish, but He called you to His Order. He did not administer to you who have sinned, a just punishment as He has done to many others. Any time you fall and lose the path of perfection, He patiently waits for you to improve. Every day and at every moment, He enriches you with His graces and He does this out of pure love for you. Thus, it is right for you, also out of pure love for God, to perform good deeds and suffer all the difficulties just as [...] the Apostle who was empowered and led to endless toil, to suffering and death, by the love for God alone. (Inspectio Cordis)