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J. P. De Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence
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Abandonment To Divine Providence
BOOK I ON THE VIRTUE OF ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE ITS NATURE AND EXCELLENCE.
SECTION I.—Hidden Operations of God.
SECTION II.—The Duties of Each Moment.
SECTION III.—The Work of our Sanctification.
SECTION IV.—In what Perfection Consists. 6
SECTION V.—The Divine Influence alone can Sanctify Us.
SECTION VI.—On the Use of Mental Faculties.
SECTION VII.—On the Attainment of Peace.
SECTION VIII.—To Estimate Degrees of Excellence.
SECTION IX.—Sanctity Made Easy.
CHAPTER II. THE DIVINE ACTION WORKS UNCEASINGLY FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF SOULS.
Section IV. The Revelations of God. SECTION IV.—The Revelations of God.
Section VI. The Treatment of the Divine Action. SECTION VI.—The Treatment of the Divine Action.
Section VII. The Hidden Work of Divine Love. SECTION VII.—The Hidden Work of Divine Love. 26
Section VIII. Experimental Science. 27 SECTION VIII.—Experimental Science.
Section XII. The Divine Word our Model. SECTION XII.—The Divine Word our Model. 34
BOOK II ON THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT.
CHAPTER I. ON THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT.
Section I. The life of God in the soul. SECTION I.—The life of God in the soul.
Section II. The most perfect way. SECTION II.—The most perfect way.
Section IV. Abandonment as a Source of Joy. SECTION IV.—Abandonment a Source of Joy.
Section V. The Great Merit of Pure Faith. SECTION V.—The Great Merit of Pure Faith.
Section VI. Submission a Free Gift to God. SECTION VI.—Submission a Free Gift to God.
Section VII. Divine Favours Offered to All. SECTION VII.—Submission a Free Gift to God.
Section VIII. God Reigns in a Pure Heart. SECTION VIII.—God Reigns in a Pure Heart.
CHAPTER II. THE DUTIES OF THOSE SOULS CALLED BY GOD TO THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT.
Section I. Sacrifice, the Foundation of Sanctity. SECTION I.—Sacrifice, the Foundation of Sanctity.
Section IV. God Does All for a Soul of Goodwill. SECTION IV.—God Does All for a Soul of Goodwill.
Section V. The Common Way of all Souls. SECTION V.—The Common Way of all Souls.
Section VII. Trust in the guidance of God. SECTION VII.—Trust in the guidance of God.
Section VIII. Great Faith is Necessary. SECTION VIII.—Great Faith is Necessary.
CHAPTER III. THE TRIALS CONNECTED WITH THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT.
Section I. Unwise Interference. SECTION I.—Unwise Interference.
Section II. Unjust Judgments. SECTION II.—Unjust Judgments.
Section III. Self-Contempt. SECTION III.—Self-Contempt.
Section IV. Distrust of Self. SECTION IV.—Distrust of Self. 68
Section VI. The Life of Faith. SECTION V.—The Life of Faith.
Section I. Confidence in God. SECTION I.—Confidence in God.
Section II. Diversity of Grace. SECTION II.—Diversity of Grace.
Section III. The Generosity of God. 78 SECTION III.—The Generosity of God.
Section VI. Supernatural Prudence. SECTION VI.—Supernatural Prudence.
Section VII. Conviction of Weakness. SECTION VII.—Conviction of Weakness.
Section VIII. Self-guidance a Mistake. SECTION VIII.—Self-guidance a Mistake.
Section X. We Must see God in all His Creatures. SECTION X.—We Must see God in all His Creatures.
Section XI. The Strength of Simplicity. SECTION XI.—The Strength of Simplicity.
Section XII. The Triumph of Humility. SECTION XII.—The Triumph of Humility.
This total abandonment is as simple as its effects are marvellous.
Such then is the straight path to sanctity. Such is the state of perfection, and of the duties imposed by it; such the great and incomparable secret of abandonment; a secret that is, in reality, no secret, an art without art.
God, who exacts it of all, has explained it clearly, and made it intelligible, and quite simple. What is obscure in the way of pure faith is not necessary for the soul in that way, to practise; there is, in fact, nothing more easy to understand, nor more luminous; the mystery is only in what is done by God.
This is what takes place in the Blessed Eucharist. That which is necessary to change bread into the Body of Jesus Christ, is so clear and so easy that the most ignorant priest is capable of doing it; yet it is the mystery of mysteries, where all is so hidden, so obscure, so incomprehensible that the more spiritual and enlightened one is, the more faith is required to believe it. The way of pure faith presents much that is similar. Its effect is to enable one to find God at each moment; it is this that makes it so exalted, so mystical, so blessed. It is an inexhaustible fund of thought, of discourse, of writing, it is a whole collection, and source of wonders. To produce so prodigious an effect but one thing is necessary; to let God act, and to do all that He wills according to one’s state. Nothing in the spiritual life could be easier; nor more within the power of everyone; and yet nothing could be more wonderful, nor any path more obscure. To walk in it the soul has need of great faith, all the more so as reason is always suspicious, and has always some argument against it. All its ideas are confused. There is nothing in it that reason has ever known or read about, or been accustomed to admire; it is something quite new. “The Prophets were saints, but this Jesus is a sorcerer,” said the Jews. If the soul following their example, is scandalised, it shows but little faith, and well deserves to be deprived of those wonderful things that God is so ready to work in the faithful soul.