Day 29

This is confirmed by the words that follow : ‘No man can serve two masters 9 — or love two things at once. When we know not what we love, and divide our affections between God and the creature, then God refuses the share that we offer Him, and the creature keeps all. We must, therefore, be decided and vigorous in following the path of devotion.

A good intention sanctifies every act of the soul, just as a direct look guides and secures our bodily steps. We ought to renew such an intention often in every day, and continually beg God to strengthen it. We need to be [ ioi ] always pulling ourselves up, if we would have a c single eye * in all things.

‘You cannot serve God and Mammon.* According to St Paul ‘ covetousness ... is the service of idols ; * 1 and those who love good cheer make c a God of their belly.* 2 We make gods for ourselves out of all the objects we love. Every vicious attachment is idolatry : — and who would willingly serve an idol, and transfer the glory due to God to a false divinity ? The very thought horrifies one ; and yet it is what everybody, who loves anything more than God, does. His thoughts, his affections, the purest incense of his heart — his Whole worship — goes to that thing, whatever it may be. What misery ! Is it really possible that a rational being, possessing the power of offering himself, can make the sacrifice to any object except God ?

Uproot, then, from your hearts, avarice, ambition, love of sensuous pleasure — all creatureloves ; for they are so many idols that you have erected within you. It is not enough for the creature not to have your whole heart : — it must not really possess the least portion of it. Give all to God : — dive to the bottom, and empty out your whole heart to Him ! He will know 1 Coloss. iii. 5. 3 Philip, iii. 19.

[ IQ 2 ] TWENTY-NINTH DAY how to take up His abode in it, and to fill it* To fill oneself with the creature is to fill oneself with such viands as load and satiate, without nourishing ; and after feeding on which one straightway hungers again, because they contain no substance that can assimilate with one’s own. What terrible emptiness must follow on such fulness !

[ I0 3 ] Gbirttetb 2>a$ On having no anxiety about this life , but trusting in Providence . — Matt. vi. 25, 26, seq.

E not solicitous.’ This injunction does not forbid reasonable forethought, nor well-regulated work ; but only anxiety and worry of mind.

i The life is more than the food, and the body more than the raiment.’ God, Who gave you life, and Who formed your body before you were able to take care of it, will not fail to give you the rest. He who has done the greater will not disdain to do the less.

c Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.’ Happy were these little animals — happy the flowers — a thousand times happy every one of these small creatures — could they but know their own happiness in being objects of God’s Fatherly care and receiving all things straight from His hands !

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