St. John of the Cross Sayings of Light & Love #20

God is more pleased by one work, however small, done secretly, without desire that it be known, than a thousand done with the desire that people know of them. Those who work for God with purest love not only care nothing about whether others see their works, but do not even seek that God himself know of them. Such persons would not cease to render to God the same services, with the same joy and purity of love, even if God were never to know of these.


St. Therese, a true daughter of St. John of the Cross, gives us spiritual insight into the above quote of St. John:

If God Himself could not see my good actions I would not be troubled. I love Him so much I would like to give Him joy without His knowing who gave it. When He sees the gifts being made, He is obliged, as it were, to make a return. I should wish to spare Him the trouble.

In the scripture reading from Matthew Our Lord clearly states how we should conduct ourselves when fasting, for example. He also teaches us to go to our room and "shut the door" and pray to Our Father in secret.

When you fast, you are not to look glum as the hypocrites do. They change the appearance of their faces so that others may see they are fasting. I assure you, they are already repaid. When you fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden: and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. Matthew 6:16-18

St. Therese, a master of "hidden spirituality" taught the novices her "little way" of keeping suffering and acts of charity hidden from others.

For those who think St. Therese too simple and sweet, listen to the depth of her longing to be hidden with Christ and to be unknown to creatures:

It was through you, dear Mother, that I learned to know these treasures. Just as formerly you had preceded us to Carmel, so also you were the first to enter deeply into the mysteries of love hidden in the Face of our Spouse. You called me and I understood, I understood what real glory was. He whose Kingdom is not of this world showed me that true wisdom consists in "desiring to be unknown and counted as nothing (Imitation of Christ, 1,2:3). Ah! I desired that, like the Face of Jesus, "my face to be truly hidden, that no one on earth would know me." (Isaiah 53:3) I thirsted after suffering and I longed to be forgotten.
St. Therese of Lisieux, Her Last Conversations, pg. 12.

To obtain true holiness and purity of heart that St. John of the Cross, St. Therese , and all the saints experienced, we must have a burning desire for it. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit inspire us to keep our acts of kindness hidden from our neighbor and ourselves. May our holy deeds be lost in the mysterious ocean of God's Love and remain a secret shared only by Jesus and the Father.





Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS