Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/88

 thee about  thyself  and  thy  affairs,  as  thou  wouldst tell it  to  a  dear  friend. Look not  upon  Him  as  a haughty  sovereign,  who  will  only  converse  with  the great, and  on  great  matters. He, our  God,  delights to abase  Himself  to  converse  with  us,  loves  to  have us communicate  to  Him  our  smallest,  our  most  daily concerns. He loves  thee  as  much,  and  has  as  much care for  thee,  as  if  He  had  none  others  to  think  of but  thyself. He is  as  entirely  devoted  to  thy  interests as  though  the  only  end  of  His  providence were to  succor  thee,  of  His  almighty  power  to  aid thee, of  His  mercy  and  goodness  to  take  pity  on thee,  to  do  thee  good,  and  gain  by  the  delicate touches of  His  kindness  thy  confidence  and  love. Manifest, then,  to  Him  freely  all  thy  state  of  mind, and pray  Him  to  guide  thee  to  accomplish  perfectly His holy  will. And let  all  thy  desires  and  plans  be simply  bent  to  discover  His  good  pleasure,  and  do what  is  agreeable  to  His  Divine  Heart:  "  Commit thy  way  to  the  Lord,  and  desire  of  Him  to  direct thy  ways,  and  that  all  thy  counsels  may  abide  in Him"  (Tob.  iv.  20).

Say not:  But  where  is  the  need  of  disclosing  to God  all  my  wants,  if  He  already  sees  and  knows them better  than  I?  True,  He  knows  them;  but God makes  as  if  He  knew  not  the  necessities  about which thou  dost  not  speak  to  Him,  and  for  which thou seekest  not  His  aid. Our Saviour  knew  well that Lazarus  was  dead,  and  yet  He  made  as  if  He knew  it  not,  until  the  Magdalene  had  told  him  of  it, and then  He  comforted  her  by  raising  her  brother to life  again.

HEN, therefore,  thou  art  afflicted  with  any  sickness, temptation,  persecution,  or  other  trouble, go  at  once  and  beseech  Him,  that  His hand may  help  thee. It is  enough  for  thee  to  pre-