First Meditation.—Of Creation.
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself in the presence of God._
_2. Beseech Him to inspire you._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. Consider that it is only so many years ago that you were not in the world, and that your being was a true nothing. Where were we, O my soul, at that time? The world had already endured for a long while, and there was no news of us.
2. God drew you forth from this nothing, to make you what you are; and this, without any need of you, but by the pure effect of His goodness.
3. Consider with reverence the being that God hath given you; you are the first and most perfect of all the beings in this visible world, capable of living eternally, and of being perfectly united to the divine Majesty.
_Affections and Resolutions._
1. Humble yourself profoundly before God, saying to Him with all your heart, with the Psalmist: O Lord, I am before Thee as a true nothing; whence is it that Thou hast thought of me, to create me? Alas! my soul, thou wast lost in that ancient abyss, and thou wouldst still be there if God had not drawn thee forth from it; what wouldst thou be doing now without this goodness of thy God?
2. Give thanks to God. O my great and good Creator, how much am I indebted to Thee, since Thou didst come and take me from my nothingness, to make me by Thy mercy what I am? What could I ever do to bless worthily Thy holy name and give thanks for Thy immense goodness?
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself in the presence of God._
_2. Beseech Him to inspire you._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. Consider that it is only so many years ago that you were not in the world, and that your being was a true nothing. Where were we, O my soul, at that time? The world had already endured for a long while, and there was no news of us.
2. God drew you forth from this nothing, to make you what you are; and this, without any need of you, but by the pure effect of His goodness.
3. Consider with reverence the being that God hath given you; you are the first and most perfect of all the beings in this visible world, capable of living eternally, and of being perfectly united to the divine Majesty.
_Affections and Resolutions._
1. Humble yourself profoundly before God, saying to Him with all your heart, with the Psalmist: O Lord, I am before Thee as a true nothing; whence is it that Thou hast thought of me, to create me? Alas! my soul, thou wast lost in that ancient abyss, and thou wouldst still be there if God had not drawn thee forth from it; what wouldst thou be doing now without this goodness of thy God?
2. Give thanks to God. O my great and good Creator, how much am I indebted to Thee, since Thou didst come and take me from my nothingness, to make me by Thy mercy what I am? What could I ever do to bless worthily Thy holy name and give thanks for Thy immense goodness?
3. Humble yourself. But alas! my Creator, instead of uniting myself to Thee by my love and my services, I have made myself rebellious by the disorders of my heart; I have separated myself from Thee, to join myself to sin; I have fled from Thee, I have disregarded Thy goodness, as though Thou wert not my Creator.
4. Abase yourself before God. O my soul, remember that the Lord is Thy God; it is He that made thee, and Thou didst not make thyself: O God! I am the work of Thy hands.
I will no longer, therefore, take pleasure in myself, since of myself I am nothing. Whereof dost Thou glory, O dust and ashes? Why dost Thou exalt thyself, O nothingness? Yea, henceforth, for my humbling, I will do this and that, endure this and that contempt: I will change my life, and faithfully follow my Creator: I will take pride in the state of a creature, to which He hath called me; I will entirely sacrifice all my wills to His; and to this end I will have recourse to the means that shall be shown me, and of which I will receive thorough instruction from my spiritual father.
CONCLUSION.
1. Give thanks to God. O my soul, bless the Lord, and let all that is within thee extol His holy name; for His goodness hath drawn Thee out of nothing, and His mercy hath created Thee.
2. Offer. O my God, I offer Thee the being Thou hast given me, with all my heart. I consecrate it wholly to Thee.
4. Abase yourself before God. O my soul, remember that the Lord is Thy God; it is He that made thee, and Thou didst not make thyself: O God! I am the work of Thy hands.
I will no longer, therefore, take pleasure in myself, since of myself I am nothing. Whereof dost Thou glory, O dust and ashes? Why dost Thou exalt thyself, O nothingness? Yea, henceforth, for my humbling, I will do this and that, endure this and that contempt: I will change my life, and faithfully follow my Creator: I will take pride in the state of a creature, to which He hath called me; I will entirely sacrifice all my wills to His; and to this end I will have recourse to the means that shall be shown me, and of which I will receive thorough instruction from my spiritual father.
CONCLUSION.
1. Give thanks to God. O my soul, bless the Lord, and let all that is within thee extol His holy name; for His goodness hath drawn Thee out of nothing, and His mercy hath created Thee.
2. Offer. O my God, I offer Thee the being Thou hast given me, with all my heart. I consecrate it wholly to Thee.
3. Pray. O God, strengthen in me these affections and resolutions. O holy Virgin, commend them to the mercy of Thy Son, together with all the persons for whom I ought to pray, etc. _Pater noster, Ave, Maria._
After the prayer, make for yourself a spiritual bouquet of the considerations that have most touched you, so that you may breathe their sweet fragrance from time to time throughout the day.
After the prayer, make for yourself a spiritual bouquet of the considerations that have most touched you, so that you may breathe their sweet fragrance from time to time throughout the day.