Where shall one be found who is willing to serve God for nought? Rarely is anyone found so spiritual as to be stripped of all things. For who will find one who is indeed poor in spirit and stripped of every created thing? “She is worth far more than rubies”.†
“If one were to give all the wealth of his house” yet it is nothing.† And if he should practice great repentance, still it is little. And if he should attain to all knowledge, still he is far off. And if he should have great virtue and very fervent devotion, yet there is much wanting to him; especially one thing, which is for him most chiefly necessary. And what is that? That, forsaking all, he forsake himself, and go forth wholly from himself † and retain nothing of self-love. And when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him think that he has done nothing. Let him not weigh that much, which might be much esteemed; but let him pronounce himself to be in truth an unprofitable servant. “When you have done everything you were told to do, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’  ”.† Then you will be truly poor and naked in spirit, and say with the prophet: “I am lonely and afflicted”.† Yet no more richer than he, no man more powerful, no man more free: for he is able to leave himself and all things, and set himself in the lowest place. •
