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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.
The divine action places before us at every moment things of infinite value, and gives them to us according to the measure of our faith and love.
If we understood how to see in each moment some manifestation of the will of God we should find therein also all that our hearts could desire. In fact there could be nothing more reasonable, more perfect, more divine than the will of God. Could any change of time, place, or circumstance alter or increase its infinite value? If you possess the secret of discovering it at every moment and in everything, then you possess all that is most precious, and most worthy to be desired. What is it that you desire, you who aim at perfection? Give yourselves full scope. Your wishes need have no measure, no limit. However much you may desire I can show you how to attain it, even though it be infinite. There is never a moment in which I cannot enable you to obtain all that you can desire. The present is ever filled with infinite treasure, it contains more than you have capacity to hold. Faith is the measure. Believe, and it will be done to you accordingly. Love also is the measure. The more the heart loves, the more it desires; and the more it desires, so much the more will it receive. The will of God is at each moment before us like an immense, inexhaustible ocean 20that no human heart can fathom; but none can receive from it more than he has capacity to contain, it is necessary to enlarge this capacity by faith, confidence, and love.
The whole creation cannot fill the human heart, for it is greater than all that is not God. It is on a higher plane than the material creation, and for this reason nothing material can satisfy it. The divine will is a deep abyss of which the present moment is the entrance. If you plunge into this abyss you will find it infinitely more vast than your desires. Do not flatter anyone, nor worship your own illusions, they can neither give you anything nor receive anything from you. Receive your fulness from the will of God alone, it will not leave you empty. Adore it, put it first, before all things; tear all disguises from vain pretences and forsake them all going straight to the sole reality. The reign of faith is death to the senses; it is their spoliation, their destruction. The senses worship creatures; faith adores the divine will. Destroy the idols of the senses and they will rebel and lament, but faith must triumph because the will of God is indestructible. When the senses are terrified, or famished, despoiled, or crushed, then it is that faith is nourished, enriched and enlivened. Faith laughs at these calamities as a governor of an impregnable fortress laughs at the useless attacks of an impotent foe. When a soul recognises the will of God and shows a readiness to submit to it entirely, then God gives Himself to such a soul and renders it most powerful succour under all circumstances. Thus it experiences a great happiness in this coming of God, and enjoys it the more, the more it has learnt to abandon itself at every moment to His adorable will.