Spiritual Gems of Elizabeth Ann Seton: Simplicity
Who can bind the soul that God sets free? Think of Him, love Him, and look at Him. Never mind anything. All will be well.
Seek God in all things.
Into whatsoever state of blindness or obscurity I may fall, in whatever ignorance of God's ways I may chance to be, if I seek out God in the simplicity of my heart, I will surely find Him.
Not an instant shall be lost. Every thought, word, and action will tend to the one point. And how ungrateful I should be to my merciful Creator did I not devote to Him to the utmost of my power, the short remainder of my life.
Dear simplicity, so loved by our Divine Master, I embrace three and prefer thee a thousand times to the wisdom of the world.
If we would please Him and be found among His children, we must learn what our duty is, pray to Him for the grace to do it, and then set our whole heart and soul to perform it.
If I succeed I bless God. If I do not succeed, I bless God, for then it will be right that I should not succeed.
Let all be in the order of His Providence, neither asking nor refusing.
Thy kingdom come! Every day I ask my soul what I do for it in my little part assigned, and can see nothing but to smile, be patient, pray and wait before Him. Oh, my blessed God, Thy kingdom come!
Do all in God's way.
Pray Him, supplicate Him to make you His own.
Let us place our whole confidence in Him who chooses to make us know His holy will and to be ready to meet with joy every contradiction or ill success that might attend our compliance.
Oh, whatever is Thy good pleasure, Thy blessed will be done. Let me have but one wish, that of pleasing Thee; but one fear, the fear of offending Thee.
This day, I trust, is noted for me in the book of life, and oh, that the blessings received, and the precious privileges I have enjoyed in it, may be the incitement to a faithful discharge, through divine grace, of every duty which my dear and gracious Master may give me to perform, and that it may make me His own, in thought, word and deed forever, leading me to the Supreme Good, the blessing of losing myself and all things in Him.
For myself, certainly, the only fear I can have is that there is too much self-seeking in pleasing for the accomplishment of this object. However, I joyfully yield to the will of the Almighty, confident that as He has disposed my heart to wish above all things to please Him, it will not be disappointed in the desire, whatever may be His appointed means.
Think of how great is our blindness and misery when, for want of directing our intentions to this end, we lose the merit of all we do, instead of gathering up heavenly treasures and weaving our bright crown for eternity.
