Wise Advice on Growing in Perfection

St. Francis de Sales wrote this to St. Jane Frances de Chantal. The nothing considers it wise and beautiful--and attainable--advice.

"...I wish you to be little and lowly in your own egos,
yielding and gentle as a dove, to love lowliness and faithfully
practise it. Employ willingly all the opportunities of doing so
which occur. Do not speak quickly, answer slowly, humbly
and gently, and let your silence often speak for you.
Gently support and make allowances for others with great
kindness of heart. Do not dwell on contradictions and troubles;
look only on God and submit yourself completely to His Divine
will. Do everything for God, turning your eyes and your heart
always towards Him...."

The nothing continues to focus on letting silence speak for it,
and to gently support others and make allowances for others
with great kindness of heart.

The human element in a not-so-holy way continues to reveal
protruding roots in the service at the altar.  How easily some
can assume; and the nothing has been as guilty in other ways.
The nothing prefers to remain in the pew, in prayer; yet in the
past few months was called upon to serve.  Lately, though, at
one Mass, others have assumed the nothing prefers to serve,
and there is an effort by just two or so, to quickly go at the
time required--if not a jump start before--so that the nothing
would not serve.  It is foolishness, and the nothing keeps head
bowed. For now, the distraction of the others' needsmand
efforts must be dealt with within, and to not react one way
or another; for the desire isto withdraw, to not have to deal
with the ins-and-outs of our human frailties even when it
comes to lay ministry.

The nothing will simply remain still and quiet.  The good
admonition of SFDS suffices: Ask for nothing, refuse nothing.
There would be no good in withdrawing, avoiding the fellow
puppies at the food bowl. The Master will make sure all the
pups\are allowed to eat. The human silliness occurs in all
areas of life, at all ages, in all circumstances: we are human
(if not puppies)!

It is very good to have wrong things assumed, for the nothing
is joyously tasting what the nothing has done for years in
criticizing and noticing, in detracting--now doing so mostly
within thoughts. God provides, also, the means to self-
restraint, to remain low, to be the last pup to the bowl.
Peace reigns not being in the scramble and crunch. There
is a touch of pain in all this, of seeing how desperate we can
become over small triflings, how competition can arise even
in the work of altar service, or in volunteerism, or in who
seems pious and devoted. Did not this behavior show itself
among the disciples of Christ when He trod the earth as
God-made-man? Others assumed, and then did what they
could to limit what they thought He was doing, that which
they assumed....

Jesus was so gentle and understanding.  Yet He explained, for
example, to Peter that John would not have the same kind of
death as Peter, and that it was not for Peter to be concerned
about.  Can YOU drink the Cup God will give YOU?

This is very good to note: much in life is not our concern.  Our
work is to do God's will, in the parameters of what He has
placed in our own souls and bodies, minds and hearts.
Omnia pro Deo!

There is much in the book currently being read, regarding
emphasis of certain modalities of our Christian Faith, over the
centuries.  The teeter-totter goes up and down; how difficult
is it to keep it balanced! A child sits on each end, requiring
cooperationand not trying to go higher than the other. If so,
the one causes the other to plop hard down onto clay-packed
ground (for usually there is no grass softening the ground
beneath teeter-totter seats).  No, they are most often plunked
down and grass long worn and gone.

There remain the ups and downs of too much pessimism
or too much optimism. The balance floats in penance and
joy: love. Then there is the reality of our vocations, and
that people can be tempted to desire something that is not
God's will.  God created our souls for our specific bodies;
he created our personalities and allowed our environmental
circumstances in His will. Thus, for someone with physical
limitations to desire active ministry, comes to frustration. 
Yet, for those of us who cannot know ourselves well
enough to discern God's will interiorly, He graciously
allows us to try this or that, if we insist, and then we
learn--and often regret the time spent shoving on doors
too heavy, or locked.

In the Middle Ages, people desired so much to be in
religious orders which had been considered then the
purest means of sanctification. Even if married, some
on their death beds asked to be clothed in the habit of
some order and to take the vows. Yes, there is a spiritual
hierarchy, and the fact is, some vocations are indeed
more "lofty" than others.  St. Paul mentions gifts that are
in hierarchical order. The Bishop is higher than the priest.

But God does not prohibit us from being sanctified based
upon which gift, which vocation. He expects us to utilize
our gifts and to do His will: to seek and find His will and
remain softly, gently, meekly within His will.  For some,
His will and desires (and all the attendant circumstances:
body,personality, and ability) are lofty in terms of
Christian vocation.  In others, His will and desire are
lowly in terms of output.  Yet, the interior disposition and
effort of the soul, in cooperation with God's will, remains
of critical necessity for sanctification.

SFDS and other spiritual writers who attained great
sanctity, point out that the vocation of hermit is not
prevalent; for God creates the world and keeps most
souls in it, in proportion to the balance He wills. 
Many are called to the married life; some to single and
to religious life, some to priesthood, some to virginity,
some to hermit life, and a few to physical martyrdom.

Interesting to note, the practice of great physical
austerities evolved from those who desired the revered
crown of physical martyrdom and a desire to
experience a taste of what those martyrdoms may have
been like--and often with true love of God.
Others desired to have the high honor of virginity for life
and espousal to Christ. Some yearned for pure
contemplative lives, and ecstatic union that comes to but
a few. But SFDS (and others) point out that a soul who
attempts something other than what God wills in a vocation,
will eventually end up frustrated and falling from their his
chosen vocation. Some remain floundering without living
the God-willed vocation at all, or only after loss of
opportunity, much later.

There can be competition and envy even within the
realm of vocations. The widow St. Jane Frances de Chantal,
wanted to flee to the Holy Land and immerse herself in God
alone; but SFDS reminded her of her vocation as mother to
young children, and of the great work to be done to perfect
her daily faults and personality failings--of which he pointed
out her impulsive desire for lofty sacrifice and dramatic
turning from the circumstances God had willed and placed
before her.  

She did not flee to Jerusalem.... St. Francis de Sales did not
become the hermit he wanted to be in retirement.  God had
other desires, and His will is--and was and will be--done.