God said to Abraham, Walk before Me and be
perfect (Gen. xvii. 1)
The highest praise that can be bestowed upon
the saints of God during their earthly pilgrimage
is that they "walked with God." In this all perfection
consists, as we see from God's words to
faithful Abraham. This was the privilege of our
first parents before they sinned. "The Lord God
walked with them in Paradise" (Gen. iii. 8). This
was the praise of Henoch and of Noe. It is an
anticipation of the eternal happiness of Heaven,
where the just will walk. with God for ever in
the glory of the Beatific Vision.
What is meant by walking with God? It
means an intimate union with Him, a continual
and joyful remembrance of His presence, a perfect
agreement of will with God. This was the beginning
of God's gifts to Mary; it was the result of her
sinlessness. It rendered her life a sort of Heaven
upon earth. From the first moment of her existence
she could cry out: "My Beloved to me, and
I to Him," and He could answer, "Thou art all
fair. My love, and there is not a spot in thee"
(Cant. iv. 7).
God was thus always present to Mary's
thoughts; every action, every movement, was
directed to His glory--this was the secret of her
unapproachable holiness. How different am I
from Mary! I think so little of God, and do so
little for Him! I will try and do more, that I too
may become more pleasing to God, more full ot
His graces and gifts.