ON FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. HOLY SCRIPTURE has said on this subject two things which may well convince us of its importance: “He that despises small things” we are told, “shall fall by little and little.” And our Lord Jesus Christ said, ” He that is faithful in that which is least, shall be faithful also […]
ON THE THREE WORDS THAT WERE SAID TO SAINT ARSENIUS—FLY: KEEP SILENCE: REST.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. THESE three words, which were spoken by a voice from heaven to Saint Arsenius, contain everything that it is necessary for us to do on our part to correspond with the designs of God for us. We must fly from all that could draw us away from God: we must keep […]
ON THE WEAKNESS AND CORRUPTION OF THE HUMAN HEART.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. WE have been considering how blind is the natural understanding of man; and now we will see also how his heart is naturally weak and corrupted. When I say weak, I mean when there is a question of doing good; his heart is only too strong when there is a question […]
ON THE BLINDNESS OF MAN.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. OUR Lord Jesus Christ said, “For judgment I am come into this world; that they that see not might see: and that they who see might be made blind.” Our Savior uttered these words with relation to the man who was born blind, and to whom He granted sight of the […]
ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF TIME.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. THE greater number of mankind employ their time badly; many others are perfectly embarrassed by their time, and do not know how to employ it, or rather, how to lose it; their sole object is to fritter it away, to pass it agreeably to themselves, or at least without feeling themselves […]
ON WHAT GOD ASKS OF US, AND WHAT WE MUST ASK OF GOD.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. IT is very important, it is even absolutely necessary, in the spiritual life, that we should be able to distinguish clearly, with regard to our interior dispositions, between what God actually asks of us and what we ought to ask of God — or rather between what He has a right […]
HOW GOD IS ALL, AND THE CREATURE IS NOTHING.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. HE who has well embraced these two ideas can understand the spiritual life, in all its extent; for the sole end of the spiritual life is to give to God and the creature their just due; all to God, all without reserve: nothing to the creature, absolutely nothing. He who acts […]
ON COMMERCE: AS A FIGURE OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. THE spiritual life is nothing else than a sort of commerce, an exchange between God and the soul. God gives that He may receive, and receives that He may give: so it is with the soul. God gives first; and He also gives last. He presents the soul with His grace, […]
ON HOLINESS.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. “BE ye holy, because I am holy” God said to the children of Israel. “Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect? Jesus Christ said to His disciples. These words show us that God is at once the motive and the model of our holiness. If we really understand […]
ON THE FEAR OF GOD.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. ST. JOHN says : “Perfect love casts out fear” There is no doubt that God wishes to be feared; and it is not in vain that Holy Scripture declares in many places that He is terrible in His judgments, and that St. Paul says that it is dreadful to fall into […]