Salesian Literature

Chapter 14  :  Further light on the death of the will

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It is quite likely that the blessed Virgin, our Lady, found such happiness cradling her dear little Jesus in her arms that her contentment proved a barrier to weariness, or at least alleviated it.  If she let him toddle beside her, holding him by the hand, it did not mean that she preferred this to feeling his arms around her neck; she was merely training him to walk by himself.

 

As for us, Theotimus, little children as we are of our Father in heaven, we can walk with him in two ways … First of all, we can walk on our own feet by using our own wills; we try to bring them into line with his, holding his hand by our obedience to his intention, by following wherever he leads us.  This is what God demands of us through his declared will.  He wants me to do what he enjoins, so he means me to have the will to do it.

 

However, there is another way of walking with our Lord: when we have no will of our own, but simply allow ourselves to be carried in the arms of his permissive will by a wondrous consent which can be given the name of union – or rather, perfect oneness of will with God.  You see, God’s permissive will is nothing but the working out of his providence, events that happen beyond our control.

 

That is how we should be – tractable and docile to God’s permissive will, as it were wax in his hands, never a desire or ambition of our own, but leaving God to will and provide for us as he pleases, throwing back on him (as St. Peter advises) the burden of all our anxiety; he is concerned for us (1 Pet. 5:7).  Notice that St. Peter says “all our anxiety”; in other words, both the things that happen to us and those we seek or avoid for ourselves.  It will be his concern to bring everything right for us, to decide what is for the best.

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