Meditations

It is not surprising that our faults cause us to appear flawed in God's eyes, but the fact that even our virtues are often only imperfections is what really ought to make us tremble. Often our great spiritual wisdom is merely fleshly and worldly behavior. Our modesty is often only a composed and hypocritical, outward appearance designed to observe social conventions and attract praise to ourselves. Our fervor can be just a mask for fierce moodiness or pride. Our frankness and openness with others can hide impatient brustness, and so on. But in offering a sacrifice to God by making solemn promises to Him, are we not promising to allow His dazzling light to show through us, as through the purest Christian virgin? But sometimes the sacrifice itself is executed with such great cowardliness that the light changes into darkness. Therefore, let us be careful lest the light within us be darkness.