October 17

Thirteenth Thursday after Trinity

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11.

THE most important duty of every faithful Christian is to be continually seeking to perfect himself in his own calling, using our own special calling and its circumstances to promote that love which is the true and essential perfection of Christianity, without which all else is naught. We can only attain our great end, God's glory, through charity. Put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. It is the bond which binds us to God, our sole Perfection, and the bond which knits all graces together, and unites them to their true Source, God and His glory. It may be asked, does not God sometimes lead souls to a perfection altogether beyond that of their obvious calling? God never calls any one to a perfection contrary to his state of life, so as to hinder its duties. He never calls the layman to meddle with the priestly office of direction, or the devout woman to take upon herself to direct the consciences of others. He never inspires the wife with the desire to forsake her family duties in order to give herself up to the delights of religious exercises, or the hermit to rush into the world out of sudden zeal. He whose calling binds him to active works of charity is not led to forsake them for contemplation by the Holy Spirit. God does everything in order, and such efforts after perfection to which we are not called are perilous to the soul.

Know we not that he who intermits The appointed task and duties of the day, Untunes full oft the pleasure of the day; Checking the finer spirits that refuse To flow, when purposes are lightly changed?