Forgetting about preferences

God speaking to St. Catherine:

Oh, how blessed is this soul who while still in her mortal body enjoys the reward of immortality! She holds all things in reverence, the left hand as well as the right, trouble as well as consolation, hunger and thirst as well as eating and drinking, cold and heat and nakedness as well as clothing, life as well as death, honor as well as disgrace, distress as well as comfort. In all things she remains solid, firm and stable, because her foundation is the living rock. She has seen and known, by the light of faith and with firm hope, that I give everything I give with the same love and the same concern for your salvation, and that I provide for everything.
(p. 292)

... deceived by that selfish will that I have called "spiritual self-will," and in their self-delusion they say: "I would like to have this consolation rather that this conflict or trouble with the devil. Nor is it for myself that I say this, but to be more pleasing to God and to have more grace in my soul. For it seems to me I could serve and possess him better in this way than in that.

In this way they often fall into suffering and weariness, and so become insupportable to themselves... And they are not even aware that they are lying there in the filth of their pride. But there they lie. For if it were not so, if they were truly humble and not presumptuous, they would see by the light that I, gentle first Truth, name the situation, the time, and the place, consolation or trials, whatever is necessary for salvation and to bring souls to the perfection for which I chose them. And they would see that everything I give is for love, and that therefore they should accept everything with love and reverence.
(p. 187)

For I will only your well-being, and whatever I give, I give it so that you may reach the goal for which I created you.
(p. 191)

©1999 by Deb Platt