The Third Meditation: On God’s Benefactions”


11: “The Third Meditation: On God’s Benefactions”
Of all the wealth and corporeal benefits we may have, the simple cross is our greatest Hope for it reveals to us the Truth that corporeal benefits, gifts of the mind, and even gifts of the spirit are empty without His Love. (Trinitarian Abbey in Adare, Co. Limerick, Ireland. P. Smith)

                We are all given what De Sales calls “corporeal benefits”. That is, we are blessed with certain physical gifts or attributes. Some more than others. We need to be careful not to directly correlate corporeal benefits with the Love of God. When we do this, we begin to say that those who have more and also Loved more by God. This is not True. What we can do is we can looks at whatever gifts we do have and simply be thankful. Similarly, we have gifts of the mind and gifts of the spirit, all of which come from God. De Sales really is only challenging us to “marvel at God’s goodness”. When we begin this habit of thanksgiving, we tend toward a relationship with God, the gift-giver.

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