Desiring What Pleases God
I want nothing of what is not pleasing to God, nothing, nothing, nothing; but everything, everything, everything that pleases God. I see only God. (OOCC, X, p. 56)
The only desire of St. Vincent in his lifetime was to do what pleased God. In his diary, he often repeats his determination to do nothing that displeases God. But instead he wants to do only those things which please God. Not only does St. Vincent speak aloud his earnestness to do what is pleasing to God, but he does those things that please God, both in letter and in spirit. He is very sensitive in becoming aware of those things that displease God and takes scrupulous care to avoid them. His sensitivity to the pleasure of God comes as the result of his ability to perceive everything that happens in his life from the perspective of God. St. Vincent is totally attuned to the thinking of God so that he can think nothing which God does not think. Nor can he think anything different from the way God thinks. In other words, St. Vincent, because of his closer union with God, is able to see his personal life, the lives of other persons, and the whole of creation in a faith-vision. This faith-vision opens St. Vincent to see God in everything and everything in God. As the result of this unity of perspective between God and St. Vincent, he cannot even think of anything that displeases God. Thus, the only thought that pervades throughout St. Vincent’s life in whatever he thinks, speaks and does, is the thought of doing only those things according to the thinking of God and that which truly pleases him.
Do I desire what pleases God? Do I think what pleases God? Do I speak what pleases God? Do I do what pleases God? Is my thinking attuned to the thinking of God? Do I have the faith-vision to see all things in God and God in all things?
He who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him. (Jn. 8: 29).