CONTENTS.PAGEPreface by Rev. H. Ramière, S.J.3BOOK FIRST.OF THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF THE VIRTUE OF HOLY ABANDONMENT.CHAPTERI.The sanctity of the righteous of the Old Law, and of Joseph and of Mary herself, consisted in fidelity to the order of God31II.The duties of each moment are the shadows which veil the divine action33III.How much easier sanctity becomes when studied from this point of view36IV.Perfection does not consist in knowing the order of God, but in submitting to it42V.Reading and other exercises only sanctify us in so far as they are the channels of the divine action44VI.The mind and other human means are useful only in so far as they are the instruments of the divine action49VII.There is no enduring peace but in submission to the divine action52VIII.The perfection of souls and the excellence of different states are in proportion to their conformity to the order of God54IX.All the riches of grace are the fruit of purity of heart and perfect self-abandonment62BOOK SECOND.THE DIVINE ACTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT UNCEASINGLY WORKS THE SANCTIFICATION OF SOULS.CHAPTERPAGEI.The divine action is everywhere and always present, though only visible to the eye of Faith69II.The divine action is all the more visible to the eye of Faith when hidden under appearances most repugnant to the senses74III.The divine action offers us at each moment infinite blessings which we receive in proportion to our faith and love79IV.God reveals Himself to us as mysteriously, as adorably, and with as much reality in the most ordinary events as in the great events of history and the Holy Scriptures82V.The divine action continues in our hearts the revelation begun in Holy Scripture; but the characters in which it is written will be only visible at the last day86VI.Divine love is communicated to us through the veil of creatures, as Jesus communicates Himself to us through the veil of the Eucharistic species92VII.The divine action, the will of God, is as unworthily treated and disregarded, in its daily manifestation, by many Christians, as was Jesus in the flesh by the Jews94VIII.The revelation of the present moment is the more profitable that it is addressed directly to us97IX.The revelation of the present moment is an inexhaustible source of sanctity99X.The present moment is the manifestation of the name of God and the coming of His kingdom101XI.The divine will imparts the highest sanctity to souls; they have but to abandon themselves to its divine action106XII.The divine action alone can sanctify us, for it forms us after the divine Model of our perfection114BOOK THIRD.THE PATERNAL CARE WITH WHICH GOD SURROUNDS SOULS WHOLLY ABANDONED TO HIM.CHAPTERPAGEI.God Himself guides souls who wholly abandon themselves to Him119II.The more God seems to withdraw light from the soul abandoned to His direction, the more safely He guides her125III.The afflictions with which God visits the soul are but loving artifices at which she will one day rejoice129IV.The more God seems to take from a soul wholly abandoned to Him, the more generous He is to her133V.The less capable the faithful soul is of defending herself, the more powerfully does God defend her136VI.The soul abandoned to the will of God, so far from resisting its enemies, finds in them useful auxiliaries140VII.The soul that abandons itself to God has no need to justify herself by words or actions; the divine action abundantly justifies her142VIII.God gives life to the soul abandoned to Him by means which apparently lead only to death144IX.Love holds the place of all things to souls who walk in the way of abandonment149X.The faithful soul finds in submission to the will of God more force and strength than the proudest of those who resist Him154XI.The soul abandoned to God learns to recognize His will, even in the proud who resist Him. All creatures, whether good or evil, reveal Him to her158XII.God assures to faithful souls a glorious victory over the powers of earth and hell160APPENDIX.PAGEI.A very easy means of acquiring peace of heart, by Fr. Surin165II.On perfect abandonment, by Bossuet172III.A short and easy method of making the prayer of faith, and of the simple presence of God, by Bossuet173IV.Exercise of loving union of our will with that of God, by St. Francis de Sales185V.Acts of abandonment188
PAGEPreface by Rev. H. Ramière, S.J.3BOOK FIRST.OF THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF THE VIRTUE OF HOLY ABANDONMENT.CHAPTERI.The sanctity of the righteous of the Old Law, and of Joseph and of Mary herself, consisted in fidelity to the order of God31II.The duties of each moment are the shadows which veil the divine action33III.How much easier sanctity becomes when studied from this point of view36IV.Perfection does not consist in knowing the order of God, but in submitting to it42V.Reading and other exercises only sanctify us in so far as they are the channels of the divine action44VI.The mind and other human means are useful only in so far as they are the instruments of the divine action49VII.There is no enduring peace but in submission to the divine action52VIII.The perfection of souls and the excellence of different states are in proportion to their conformity to the order of God54IX.All the riches of grace are the fruit of purity of heart and perfect self-abandonment62BOOK SECOND.THE DIVINE ACTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT UNCEASINGLY WORKS THE SANCTIFICATION OF SOULS.CHAPTERPAGEI.The divine action is everywhere and always present, though only visible to the eye of Faith69II.The divine action is all the more visible to the eye of Faith when hidden under appearances most repugnant to the senses74III.The divine action offers us at each moment infinite blessings which we receive in proportion to our faith and love79IV.God reveals Himself to us as mysteriously, as adorably, and with as much reality in the most ordinary events as in the great events of history and the Holy Scriptures82V.The divine action continues in our hearts the revelation begun in Holy Scripture; but the characters in which it is written will be only visible at the last day86VI.Divine love is communicated to us through the veil of creatures, as Jesus communicates Himself to us through the veil of the Eucharistic species92VII.The divine action, the will of God, is as unworthily treated and disregarded, in its daily manifestation, by many Christians, as was Jesus in the flesh by the Jews94VIII.The revelation of the present moment is the more profitable that it is addressed directly to us97IX.The revelation of the present moment is an inexhaustible source of sanctity99X.The present moment is the manifestation of the name of God and the coming of His kingdom101XI.The divine will imparts the highest sanctity to souls; they have but to abandon themselves to its divine action106XII.The divine action alone can sanctify us, for it forms us after the divine Model of our perfection114BOOK THIRD.THE PATERNAL CARE WITH WHICH GOD SURROUNDS SOULS WHOLLY ABANDONED TO HIM.CHAPTERPAGEI.God Himself guides souls who wholly abandon themselves to Him119II.The more God seems to withdraw light from the soul abandoned to His direction, the more safely He guides her125III.The afflictions with which God visits the soul are but loving artifices at which she will one day rejoice129IV.The more God seems to take from a soul wholly abandoned to Him, the more generous He is to her133V.The less capable the faithful soul is of defending herself, the more powerfully does God defend her136VI.The soul abandoned to the will of God, so far from resisting its enemies, finds in them useful auxiliaries140VII.The soul that abandons itself to God has no need to justify herself by words or actions; the divine action abundantly justifies her142VIII.God gives life to the soul abandoned to Him by means which apparently lead only to death144IX.Love holds the place of all things to souls who walk in the way of abandonment149X.The faithful soul finds in submission to the will of God more force and strength than the proudest of those who resist Him154XI.The soul abandoned to God learns to recognize His will, even in the proud who resist Him. All creatures, whether good or evil, reveal Him to her158XII.God assures to faithful souls a glorious victory over the powers of earth and hell160APPENDIX.PAGEI.A very easy means of acquiring peace of heart, by Fr. Surin165II.On perfect abandonment, by Bossuet172III.A short and easy method of making the prayer of faith, and of the simple presence of God, by Bossuet173IV.Exercise of loving union of our will with that of God, by St. Francis de Sales185V.Acts of abandonment188