CIUDAD to - the Catholic Kingdom!

THE CORONATION 259
exhortations, that thou forget the visible, the apparent
and deceitful. Repeat very often, and more with the
heart than with the lips those words of saint Paul : "Lord,
what dost Thou wish to do with me?" For as soon as
thou beginnest to do anything of thy own choice, it
will not be true, that thou seekest solely the will of the
Lord. The instrument has no motion or action except
that imparted to it by the artisan; and if it had its own
will, it would be able to resist and act contrary to the
will of the one using
it. The same holds true between
God and the soul :
for, if it entertains any desire of its
own independently of God, it will militate against the
pleasure of the Lord. As He keeps inviolate the liberty
of action conceded to man, He will permit it to lead man
astray, as soon as he decides for himself without refer
ence to the direction of his Maker.
276. And since it is not proper that the doings of
creatures in this mortal life should be miraculously gov
erned by the divine power, God, in order that men might
not advance false excuses, has implanted a law into their
hearts and also constituted his holy Church, in order
that they might know the divine will and regulate their
conduct in the fulfilling of it. Moreover, for additional
security, He has appointed superiors and ministers in his
Church, in order that hearing and obeying them, men
might obey the Lord in them. All this security thou, my
dearest, possessest in fullness, so that thou shouldst
neither admit of any movement, thought, desire of thy
own, nor fulfill
thy own will in anything independently
of the will and direction of him who has charge of thy
soul; for him the Lord sends to thee, just as He sent
Ananias to saint Paul. Moreover thou art in a particu
lar manner obliged to this obedience, because the Most
High looks upon thee with an especial love and grace and
Private Use Only