y son, I ought to be your supreme and ultimate end, if you truly desire to be blessed, With this intention your affections, which are too often perversely twisted toward self and toward creatures, will be purified. For if in anything you seek yourself, immediately you faint and dry up within yourself. Refer all things therefore to Me in the first place, for I am He who has given all. Thus think of everything as flowing from the highest good; and therefore to Me as their spring must all be brought back.
From Me, the small and the great, the poor and the rich draw, as from a living fountain, the water of life;† and they that willingly and freely serve Me will receive “grace for grace”.† But he who desires to glory in things outside of Me,† or to take pleasure in some private good, will not be grounded in true joy, or be enlarged in his heart, but will in many ways be harried and frustrated. Therefore you ought to attribute nothing good to yourself, neither attribute virtue to any man; but give all onto God, without whom man has nothing.
I, who have given all, will also have all again; and I require a return of thanks. This is the truth whereby vainglory is put to flight. And if heavenly grace enter in, and true love, there will be no envy or
