Salesian Literature

Letters on:

Prayer, Faith, and Accepting Your Vocation

1. Thy Will be done   ::    2. Do the will of God joyfully  ::    3. Serve God where you are  ::    4. Let us be what we are, and let us be it well 

5. Our faith should be naked and simple  ::    6. There are two principal reasons for prayer  ::    7. Little virtues prepare for contemplation of God

8. We must remain in the presence of God  ::    9. Never does God leave us save to hold us better

 

3. Serve God where you are

To a priest, on fidelity to one’s calling

 

My very dear confrere,

 

Pardon me, I beg you, for taking so long to respond to the first letter you ever wrote to me; it will not be so with the others, if I have the consolation of receiving any.  But I was so occupied with my departure that I did not have any sort of leisure with which to render to you this duty; and, with that, I placed my hope in your affection, that you would interpret the delay benevolently.

 

I persist always in telling you that you must serve God where you are and do what you are doing.  Not, my dear brother, that I would like to hinder the increase of your good spiritual exercises or the continual purification of your heart; but continue to do what you are doing, and better than you are doing it.  Because I know well that God commands all His faithful in the person of Abraham, “Walk before me, and be perfect” (Gen. 17:1); I also know that “blessed are those who walk in the ways” of the Lord (Ps. 127:1; RSV Ps. 128:1), that our fathers walked in them, and that they “resolved to ascend by steps,” so that they might go from “virtue to virtue” (Ps. 83:6, 8; RSV Ps. 84:5, 7).

 

Therefore have good courage to cultivate this vineyard, contributing your little effort to the spiritual good of the souls that the Lord has reserved for himself lest they “bend their knees before Baal” (3 Kings 19:18; RSV 1 Kings 19:18), “in the midst of a people that has unclean lips” (Is. 6:5).  Do not be surprised if the fruits do not yet appear, because if you do the work of God patiently, your labour will not be “in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

 

Alas!  Sir, God has nourished us with the gentle milk of many consolations so that, having grown up, we might try to help in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, whether by carrying stones, or by mixing the mortar, or by hammering.  Believe me, remain there where you are; do faithfully everything in good conscience that morally you can do, and you will see that “if you believe, you will see the glory of God” (Jn. 11:40).  And if indeed you wish to do well, consider as temptation everything that will be suggested to you regarding changing your place; because as long as your spirit looks elsewhere than where you are, it will never apply itself rightly to profiting from where you are.

 

Well, know that all this has been said in the confidence that you gave me in your letter, and in the sincere friendship that I bear for you in the bosom of the One whose side was pierced for love of us.  I entreat Him that He may strengthen more and more in you the zeal of His honour, and I am with all my heart,

 

Your humble and very affectionate servant,

Francis

 

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