Keeping Our Hand to the Plough in Prayer
I desire that you do
not pray less, or keep vigils less often, or do any other good works any the
less when divine grace is withdrawn from you than when it is in your
possession.
Keep in mind... that no creature has ever
bound me through hatred or love - or ever will. Do not pay attention to
exterior signs, because they are not always true. There is a love that can be
demonstrated by signs, and a love which cannot be demonstrated by signs. I ask
you... to become infused with the love that is totally inexpressible, the love
that has no exterior signs.
I desire with my whole self that you be
renewed in the love and pain of the suffering God-man. I also desire with my
whole self that you feel my love without my need to express it....
I desire very much... that you be reborn and
renewed. I also desire... that you rid yourself completely of negligence and
laziness. Furthermore... I desire that you do not pray less, or keep vigils
less often, or do any other good works any the less when divine grace is
withdrawn from you than when it is in your possession.
It is a good thing and very acceptable to
God... if you pray, keep vigils, and perform other good works when the fervour
of divine grace is with you, but it is altogether most pleasing and acceptable
to God that, when divine grace is lacking or has been withdrawn form you, you
do not pray less, keep vigils less often, or perform fewer good works. Act
without grace just as you do when you have grace.
Therefore... if divine fervour or warmth
impels you sometimes to pray, keep vigils, and devote yourself to spiritual
discipline and exercises, then, when it is God's pleasure to withdraw this
fervour or warmth from you - either because of some deficit in you or, which is
most often, to amplify and increase his grace in you - strive to do your utmost
not to pray less, or keep vigils less often, or be less persistent in dong good
works. Even if you suffer tribulations or temptations, which serve to punish
and purify the sons of God, and grace is taken from you, strive nonetheless not
to pray less, keep vigils less often, or be less persistent in doing good
works; likewise, strive to resist and fight against temptations just as much as
ever, in order to overcome them. Thus by your continual prayers, vigils, tears,
spiritual discipline and exercises, and every kind of importuning, may you at
least force God to deign to restore to you at some time the fervour and warmth
of his grace.
Do your share... for God will do his part
well. Forced prayers... are particularly pleasing to God.
[1]
Blessed Angela of Foligno (d. 1309) was a wife and mother who later became a
Franciscan tertiary and an esteemed mystical writer.