Second Meditation of the End for Which We Were Created
by Francis de Sales
Preparation
1. Please yourself before God.
2. Ask Him to inspire your heart.
Considerations
1. God did not bring you into the world because He had any need of you, useless as your are; but solely that He might show forth His goodness in you, giving you His grace and glory. And to this end He gave you understanding that you might know Him, memory that you might think of Him, a will that you might love Him, imagination that you might realize His mercies, sight that you might behold the marvels of His works, speech that you might praise Him, and so on with all your other faculties.
2. Being created and placed in the world for this intent, all contrary actions should be shunned and rejected, as also you should avoid as idel and superflous whatever does not promote it.
3. Consider how unhappy they are who do not think of all of this, who live as though they were created only to build and plant, to heap up riches and amuse themsevles with trifles.
Affections and Resolutions
1. Humble youself in that hitherto you have so little thought upon all this. Alas, my God, of what was I thinking when I did not think of Thee? what did I remeber when I forgot Thee? what did I love when I loved Thee not? Alas, when I ought to have been feeding on the truth, I was but filling myself with vanity, and serving the world, which was made to serve me.
2. Abhor your past life. I renounce ye, O vain thoughts and useless cognitions, frivolous and hatelful memories. I renounce all worthless friendships, all unprofitable efforts, and miserably ungrateful self-indulgence, all pitiful compliances.
3. Turn to God. Thou, my God and Savior, shalt henceforth be thte sole object of my thoughts; no more will I give my mind to ideas which are displeasing to Thee. All the days of my life I will dwell upon the greatness of Thy goodness, so lovingly poured out on me. Thou shalt be henceforth the delight of my heart, the resting place of all my affections. From this time forth I will forsake and abhor the vain pleasures and amusements, the empty pursuits which have absorbed my time; the unprofitable ties which have bound my heart I will loosen henceforth, and to that end I will use such and such remedies.
Conclusions
1. Thank God, Who has made you for so gracious an end. Thou hast made me, O Lord, for Thyself, that I may eternally enjoy the immensity of Thy glory. When shall I be worthy thereof, when shall I know how to bless Thee as I ought?
2. Offer. O dearest Lord, I offer Thee all my affections and resolutions, with my whole heart and soul.
3. Pray. I entreat Thee, O God, that Thou wouldst accept my desirs and longings, and give Thy blessing to my soul, to enable me to fulfill them, through the merits of Thy dear Son’s precious blood shed upon the cross of me.
Jonathan Hanegan 