June 28th
St Chantal on Prayer
Rise Above Self

Make no response then nor so much as pretend to see or to feel either temptations or troubles, no matter how they show themselves.  Give no heed to anything which goes on within your conscience, no  matter how agonizing it may be.  Look at God.  Do this and nothing more.  Or remain in Him, or near Him, in peace of mind and utter trust, completely given over to His care, without a deliberate act and without seeking a deliberate act, for God means you to hold yourself in a thoroughly passive state.  So, all you have to do is to calm yourself, set yourself at peace, and establish yourself in tranquility.  Be sure that you never fail in your resolution which is not to desire to be delivered from this cross which has been given you by God.  Submit yourself humbly and with a good heart to this holy intention of His.  Make not the slightest effort to escape it nor to find your way out of it, nor even to know what sort of thing it is.  In short, endure with humble gentle patience the weaknesses, the sense of being crushed, and any sort of grief, fear, trouble, desolation, with anything else which may happen to you, without alarm nor so much as a deliberate reflection to determine what you are doing, nor what may come upon you.  I beg you again, gaze upon God simple and straightforwardly, and let Him do as He pleases.  Since you have confided to Him and placed in His hands all that you are, having rid yourself of everything let Him now take charge, for you have made exception of nothing, but have handed over everything to His faithful love, and now you must work out your salvation on this cross, though it means that never again in your life you enjoy a bright or happy day.