Sanctity of Life and My Duty of State
by Rev. Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen O.C.D.

The perfection of charity consists in the perfect conformity of our wills with the Divine Will; this Divine Will is expressed, first of all, in the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church.  Moreover, it is expressed in a more concrete and detailed way in the duties of my state and the various circumstances of life. The duties of my state determine particularly how I must act in daily life, so as to be always in conformity with the Divine Will: if I am a religious, these duties are set forth in my Rule, the customs of my Institute, the commands of my superiors, and the tasks imposed by obedience. If I am a Priest, my duty is the care of souls; if I am a lay person, my duties are those required by my family life, my profession or occupation, my social activities and by good citizenship.

 

God's Will is also marked out for me by the circumstances of my life, whether important or not, down to the smallest detail, health or sickness, poverty or wealth, aridity or interior consolation, success or failure, misfortunes, losses and struggles. From time to time, God asks me to fulfil special tasks of charity, patience, activity or renouncement, detachment, submission, generosity, sacrifice. But everything is permitted by God, all is ordered by Him for my sanctification, "To them that love God, all things work together unto good" (Rom. 8:28); "everything is a grace!".

 

"Sanctity properly consists only in conformity to God's Will, expressed in a constant and exact fulfilment of the duties of our state in life" (Benedict XV). This statement confirms my knowledge that sanctity does not consist in doing extraordinary things, but is essentially reduced to the fulfilment of duty; therefore, it is possible for me.

 

For this reason I must be punctual and persevering in the fulfilment of my duties; punctual; that is diligent, being careful to please God in all my actions, in order to do His Holy, Sanctifying Will. Hence, I must accustom myself to see the expression of God's Will in every one of my duties, for then everything I do will be an opportunity to submerge myself in God's love and to unite myself to Him; persevering, that is, fulfilling my duties faithfully, not only when I feel great fervour, but also when I am sad, tired, or in aridity; constancy calls for  generosity. "lt takes uncommon virtue to fulfil with exactitude, that is, without carelessness; negligence or indolence . . .  but with attention, piety, and spiritual fervour, the whole combination of ordinary duties which make up our daily life!" (Pius XI).

 

This untiring, generous fidelity will not always be easy; however, I must not become discouraged by my failures, but begin again every day, fully confident that some day, God will make my poor efforts fruitful.