Tag: AbandonmentFr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, SJ: Abandon Yourself to this BookBy Dr. Jeff Mirus | www.CatholicCulture.org Published with Permission Ignatius Press has just come out with a new edition of Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s oustanding work of spiritual direction, Abandonment to Divine Providence. This work, written in the 18th century by a French Jesuit, The core of Fr. de Caussade’s approach is the insight that God reveals himself through the daily events, possibilities, restrictions, cares and sufferings of ordinary life, and that we can ensure rapid spiritual growth only by fully recognizing and accepting His merciful will in every situation. This, of course, is a common theme in all authentic Catholic spiritual direction, lodged deep in the mind of the Church. Some speak in terms of “resignation”, but Fr. de Caussade goes even further with the word “abandonment”, implying a relinquishing of our own wills in favor of a joyful perception of and total reliance on the will of God. His treatment of this topic is by far the most comprehensive we have in any one place. I first used this book in an old reprint by TAN of the Burns, Oates and Washbourne edition of 1959, which itself was based mostly on four separate volumes published in the 1930s covering various portions of the material. Fr. de Caussade himself, of course, wrote in French. The difficulty with the various editions of his work is that he not only gave comprehensive spiritual direction to the Sisters of the Visitation in Nancy while chaplain there from 1733 until 1740, but he also followed up with numerous letters on personal questions and related topics after he had gone on to other assignments. Thus his entire spiritual doctrine is contained in a variety of conferences, retreat notes, and letters over a considerable period of time. In 1861, some 110 years after the Jesuit spiritual director’s death, all of Fr. de Caussade’s writings were handed over to a Jesuit writer and editor, Fr. Henri Ramière. Fr. Ramière studied the work carefully, and organized it into a logical progression in one comprehensive book entitled Abandon à la Providence Divine which, owing to its tremendous value and popularity, has gone through many editions since that time. The Ignatius text is the E. J. Strickland translation of the 10th French edition, originally published in 1921 by Catholic Records Press. It is worth mentioning that the book has sometimes been published under the title of The Sacrament of the Present Moment, which gives further insight into Fr. de Caussade’s wonderful spirituality. Fr. de Caussade treated the concept of abandonment both as a virtue to be acquired by all Christians, and as a spiritual state to which some souls are especially called. Both aspects are set forth in an initial treatise posessing significant theoretical depth. This treatise forms the first part of the book. But Fr. de Caussade also addressed many particular concerns, including questions raised by the various sisters, and of course he gave considerable counsel to the souls under his care in their varying stages of spiritual growth. Much of this is found in his letters, and all of this more practical material is organized into sections which form the latter portion of the book, “Spiritual Counsels of Father de Caussade.” It is because his subject is treated so comprehensively, both in theory and in practice, marked by both particular questions and varying spiritual stages on the way, and divided between considerations of both the virtue and the state of abandonment, that Fr. de Caussade’s advice is so broadly applicable. Though prepared specifically for religious, who are doubtless more often called to what Fr. de Caussade described as the state of abandonment, the treatment of abandonment as a necessary virtue obviously applies to lay people as well. And the various stages of spiritual growth, along with the different problems encountered in these various stages, at least potentially apply to all devout souls, wherever they may be found. A survey of the main sections of the second part of the book reveal something of its scope: In dealing with the love of the virtue of abandonment, Fr. de Caussade considers it as a short way to perfection, happiness, peace and liberty. This leads to meditations on providence, community, dependence on God, God’s goodness, continued troubles, and good works. In treating of the exercise of the virtue of abandonment, he touches on no fewer than thirty-seven points, including such things as general rules, useless fears, submission and confidence, simplicity, acceptance of duties, patience with oneself, and how to treat consolations. The section on obstacles to abandonment addresses such problems as vanity, illusions, attachments, intemperate zeal, and discouragement. In the remaining four sections, Fr. de Caussade covers similar particular points relating to aridities, weaknesses and weariness; trials, sufferings and privations; fear of the anger of God; the last agony and a mystical death. This book is at once extraordinarily deep and wonderfully practical. It is superbly organized—subdivided into titled sections which generally run from just one to three pages, making the presentation perfect for daily spiritual reading. As I indicated at the start, Fr. de Caussade’s work is one of the great classics of spiritual direction, holding a place in Catholic spiritual literature which is about as high as one can go without having been canonized and declared a doctor of the Church. For this reason, I have not tried to give a comprehensive explanation of Fr. de Caussade’s doctrine, as if it is something the reader must fully grasp before committing himself to it. It is enough that Catholic spiritual directors around the world have been recommending the book regularly now for some two hundred and fifty years. It has stood the test of time. There are some concepts which, under whatever name, are fundamental to the spiritual life. Practicing the presence of God, for example, is one of these. And so is abandonment to Divine Providence—a simple yet profound idea which beckons all souls who love God. Not for nothing, for example, did Bishop R. Walter Nickless of Sioux City recently conclude a stirring pastoral letter on Church renewal by urging Fr. de Caussade’s insights upon all the priests, religious and laity of his diocese. If you do not yet own or have not yet used this magnificent book, you should take advantage of the new Ignatius edition and purchase it. And if you have already gone through it some years past, you are probably now at a different stage of spiritual development, and so you may find it is time to make use of Fr. de Caussade once again. In fact, that is exactly what I intend to do. The Joy of Full Surrender – Abandonment to Divine Providence
Abandonment to Divine Providence (also known in another translation as the Joy of Full Surrender) has been a life-changing book for me. Aside from scripture, it is the only book that I have read through multiple times (at least three cover to cover). The great power of the book comes through Lectio Divina or meditation on the content versus reading at a purely intellectually level. Read in the former manner, it will provide rich spiritual transformation as you begin to recognize God’s loving presence in each moment. With this recognition and the resulting impact on our relationship with God, we are better able to leave the challenges of the present and future completely in His hands. If you struggle with worry, anxiety, or if you desire to know Christ more fully each moment, this book is an unparalleled resource. Seek Him – Find Him – Follow Him Dan Purchase Now – Please Buy from Us to Support Our Service to You and Others! When you purchase through the links on this site, we receive credits to purchase and review books on the spiritual life that we then share with you. We only pass along recommendations to books that are faithful to the magisterium and that are consistent with authentic Catholic spirituality. Thank you in advance for your support as we seek to serve you in your quest for a deeper relationship with Christ! XXI – Modeled After the Incarnate Word
Is it not evident that a work such as this cannot be effected by subtlety of mind, skill, or intelligence, but can only follow on our submissive self-surrender to God’s will, yielding ourselves like metal to a mold, or canvas to the brush, or stone in the hands of the sculptor. Is it not clear that a knowledge of all the divine mysteries which the will of God carries out in all ages is not what makes us conformable to the design the Word has conceived for us? No, it is the impress of the divine Hand. This imprint is not graven on our minds by ideas, but in the will by its submission to the will of God. The wisdom of the simple soul consists in being content with its own business, in confining itself within the boundary of its path, and not going beyond its limits. It is not curious about God’s ways of acting, but is content with God’s will in regard to itself, making no effort to discover hidden meanings by comparisons or conjectures, but only desiring to understand what each moment reveals. It listens to the voice of the Word when it sounds in the depths of the heart. It does not ask what the divine Bridegroom has said to others, but is satisfied with what it receives for itself, so that moment by moment by everything, however insignificant or whatever its nature, the soul is sanctified without knowing it. In this way the Bridegroom speaks to His Bride, by the solid effects of His actions which the soul accepts with loving gratitude without curious scrutiny. Thus the spirituality of such a soul is perfectly simple, absolutely solid, permeating its whole being. Its actions are not determined by ideas or by a tumult of words, which by themselves would only serve to inflate pride. People make a great use of the intellect in piety, yet it is of little use, and often detrimental to true piety. We must make use only of what God’s will gives us to do or to suffer, and not forsake this divine essential to occupy our minds with the historic wonders of God’s work, but rather we should increase these wonders by our own faithfulness. The marvels of these works of God, which we read about to satisfy our curiosity, often tend only to disgust us with things that seem trifling, but by which, if we do not despise them, God’s love effects very great things in us. Foolish creatures that we are! We admire, we bless God’s action in written history, but when His love is ready to continue this writing on our hearts, we keep moving the paper and preventing its writing by our curiosity, to see what it is doing in us and what is is accomplishing elsewhere. Forgive, divine Love, these defects; I can see them all in myself, and I have not yet learned what it is to abandon myself to Your hand. I have not yet yielded myself to the mold. I have walked through all Your workshops and admired all Your works of art, but have not as yet had the self-surrender needed to receive even the bare outlines of your brush. But at last I have found You, my dear Master, Teacher, Father, my beloved Friend. Now I will be Your disciple; I will attend to no other school than Yours. I return, like the prodigal, hungering for Your bread. I relinquish the ideas which tend only to satisfy my curiosity. I will no longer run after teachers and books; no, I will use them only as Your holy will ordains them, not for my gratification but to obey You, by accepting all that You send me. I will confine myself solely to the duty of the present moment in order to prove my love and leave You free to do with me what You will. Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade - Purchase The Joy of Full Surrender Abandonment XX – God’s Will Effects Sanctification
Jesus has given us a teacher whom we do not heed sufficiently. He speaks to every heart and to each one he utters the word of life, the only word applicable to us. But we do not hear it. We want to know what he has said to others and do not listen to what has said to us. We do not sufficiently regard circumstances as having been given a supernatural significance by God’s action. We should always accept them with the perfect confidence they merit, with an open heart and with generosity, sure that nothing will harm those who receive them this way. This limitless activity, which is the same from the beginning to the end of time, goes on every moment, giving itself in all its greatness and strength to the simple soul who adores it, loves it, and rejoices in it alone. You would be delighted, you say, to find an opportunity of dying for God’s sake. Such heroism enchants you. To lose all, to die, forsaken and alone, to sacrifice your life for others – such are the glorious deeds that charm you! As for me, O Lord, let me glorify Your will in all things. In it I find all the happiness of martyrdom, bodily austerities, and the sacrifice of self for others. Your will is enough, and I am content to live and die as it decrees. It pleases me more for its own sake than all the means it uses and the effects it produces, because it permeates all things and makes them divine, and transforms them all into itself. It is heaven on earth to me, and all my moments are full of God’s action. So living or dying, I shall always remain content with that. Yes, my Beloved, I shall no longer single out times or ways but shall welcome You always and in any fashion. It seems to me, O divine Will, as if You had revealed your immensity to me. I will walk henceforth in the bosom of Your infinity, You who are the same today, yesterday, and forever. Streams of mercy never-ceasing have their springs in You. From You they begin and continue, and they are changed at Your will. No longer will I seek You within narrow limits of a book or the life of a saint, or of some sublime idea. No, these are but drops of that great ocean that covers every created thing. Your divine will floods them all. They are but atoms that disappear in this unfathomable sea. I will no longer look for Your will merely in the thoughts of spiritual persons. No longer will I beg my bread from door to door. I will depend on no creature, but I will live as the child of an infinitely good, wise and powerful Father whom I desire to please and make happy. I would live as I believe, and since Your activity works in everything and at every moment for my sanctification, I will draw my life from this great and boundless reservoir, ever present and ever available in the most practical way. Is there any creature anywhere whose action equals that of God? And since this uncreated Hand directs all that comes to me shall I go in search of aid from created things? Such creatures are powerless, ignorant, and indifferent to me, and I should die of thirst rushing from one fountain to another, from one stream to another, when there is a sea at hand whose waters surround me on every side. Yes, all that happens to me becomes bread to nourish me, soap to cleanse me, fire to purify me, a chisel to carve heavenly features on me. Everything is a channel of grace for my needs. The very thing I sought everywhere else seeks me incessantly, and gives itself to me by means of all created things. O Love of God, will men never see that You meet them at every step, while they seek You here and there, where You are not to be found? How foolish to be in open country and not breathe its pure air! to search for a spot on which to place my foot when I may find Him and taste Him and find His will present in everything! Good people, do you seek the secret of belonging to God? The only way is to make use of everything He sends you. Everything leads to this union. Everything may perfect it except sin and that which is contrary to your duty. You have but to accept all that he sends and let it do its work in you. Everything is intended to guide, uphold and support you. Everything is the hand of God. God’s action is vaster and more present to you than the elements of earth, air, and water. God will even enter by means of all the senses, provided you use them only as He ordains, because you must guard them and close them to all that is contrary to His will. There is not a single atom in your frame, even the marrow of your bones, that is not formed by divine power. From that power everything proceeds. By it all things are made. Your very life-blood flows through your veins by movement His power imparts. All the variations of your system, between strength and weakness, sluggishness and liveliness, life and death are divine means put in motion to effect your sanctification. Under His will, every bodily state becomes an operation of grace. All your thoughts, all your emotions, whatever their apparent source, proceed from this invisible hand. No created mind or heart can teach you what His divine action will do in you. You will learn it through experience. Your life flows on unceasingly into this unfathomable Sea, where we have but to love and accept at best what each present moment brings, with perfect trust in God’s divine action, His will which can only work for good. Yes, divine Love! All souls might attain supernatural, praiseworthy, incomparably sublime states if they would only be satisfied with Your will in action! Yes, if they would but leave matters in this divine hand, they would attain a notable degree of holiness! Everyone would arrive at it because it is offered to all. You have but to open your heart and God will act. Every soul possesses in You, O God, an infinitely perfect model, and by Your action You work ceaselessly to make us in Your image. If we were faithful, we would all live, act and speak divinely. We would not need to copy one another, but would be shaped individually through the most ordinary things. How, O my God, can I make your children appreciate what is offered to them? Must I, possessing a treasure that could make the whole world rich, see beloved souls perish in poverty? Must I watch them withering like plants in a desert when I can show them the source of living waters? Come, simple souls, you who have no feeling of devotion, no talent, not even the first elements of instruction – you who cannot understand a single spiritual term, who stand astonished at the eloquence of the learned whom you admire; come, and I will teach you a secret which will place you far beyond these clever minds. I will make perfection so easy you will find it everywhere and in everything. I will unite you to God, and He will hold you by the hand from the moment you begin to practice what I tell you. Come, not to learn the map of this spiritual country, but to possess it, to walk in it at your ease without fear of losing your way. Come, not to study the theory of God’s grace, or to learn what it has done in the past and is still doing, but simply to be open yourself to what it can do. You do not need to know what it has said to others, or repeat words intended only for them which you have overheard. His grace will speak to you, yourself, what is best for you. Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade - Purchase The Joy of Full Surrender Abandonment XVIII – The Ever-Flowing Spring of Holiness
O Love unknown! Men think that your wonders are past and finished, and that all we can do is copy the ancient volumes and quote Your words out of the past! And we do not see that Your unceasing action is an infinite source of new thoughts, new sufferings, new works, new patriarchs, new prophets, apostles, new saints, who have no need to copy each others lives or writings, but only to live in perpetual self-surrender to Your secret operations. We like to speak of “the first ages of the Church – the times of the saints.” Are not all times the effect of God’s action, the working of His divine will, including all moments, filling them, sanctifying them and making them supernatural? Has there ever been a method of self-surrender to God’s will which is not still practicable? Did the saints from the earliest ages have any other secret of holiness than that of becoming what God’s will was seeking to make them from moment to moment? And will this operation not continue even to the end of time to pour out its grace on those who give themselves unreservedly to it? Yes, dear eternal Love! Love eternally fruitful and full of wonder! Yes, Will of God! You are my book, my doctrine, my knowledge. In You are my thoughts, my words, my deeds, my crosses. It is not by consulting Your other works that I can become what You would make me, but only by accepting You in all things, in that one royal way, that ancient way, the way of our fathers, the way of self-surrender to Your will. I will think like them, speak like them, be enlightened as they were. In this way, I will imitate them, quote and copy them in everything. Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade - Purchase The Joy of Full Surrender |
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
The workings of God within us carry out in the course of time the designs which Eternal Wisdom has formed in regard to everything. In God all things have their own design, and His wisdom alone knows what that is. Though you read the will of God in regard to others, this knowledge cannot direct you in anything. In the Incarnate Word, in God Himself, is the design after which you were meant to be formed and which is the model of His work in you. In the Word, the divine action sees that to which every soul must be conformed. The Holy Scriptures contain one part of this design, and the divine activity formed by the Holy Spirit within the soul completes the design set forth by the Word. We must understand that the only way of receiving the impression of this eternal design is to remain quietly submissive to it, and that neither effort nor mental speculation can help us to attain it.
O all you who thirst, learn that you have not far to go to find the spring of living waters! It springs forth quite close to you in the present moment. Therefore hasten to approach it. Why, with the spring so near, do you tire yourselves running after shallow brooks which only tease your thirst? They measure stingily the water they give us, while only the spring itself is inexhaustible. If you wish to think, write and talk like Apostles, prophets and saints, abandon yourselves as they did to God’s inspiration.
