O if people understood what is the condition of their happiness, then even in the robe of a beggar they would feel happy. The learned and pious John Tauler prayed earnestly for a long time, eight years, that God would send him a master proficient in spiritual life. One morning he hears an inner voice: Go to the church and you will find the one you are looking for. Tauler hurried immediately to the church and spotted a beggar in rags at the gate. “Good morning friend,” he says to him. “I do not recall, my master,” replied the beggar, “that I have ever had a bad day.” “Then good luck to you.” “Thank you for your good wishes, but I have never been unhappy,” said the beggar. “God bless you, my dear, but speak, please, a little more clearly, for I do not understand you.” “Very gladly,” replied the beggar, “you told me first of all: good morning, and I replied that I have never had a bad day; – and rightly so, ho when I suffer hunger, I praise God , – when I am cold, I praise God, – when the sun shines, or the storm howls, I praise God, when they give me alms, or drag me out of the door, I always praise God. You further wished me happiness, and I replied that I was never unhappy; – and again rightly so, for I am accustomed to desire only what God desires; hence whatever happens to me, whether pleasant or unpleasant, I accept with joy as a gift bestowed upon me by the hand of God.” “Very well, my friend,” replied Tauler, “but what would happen to your peace if God wanted to condemn you?” “If God were to condemn me, I have two arms to grasp Him; with the left arm – and this is humility – I would embrace His Humanity, with the right arm – and this is love – I would embrace His Deity, and I would hold on so strongly that if He wanted to cast me into hell, He would have to descend with me; and then it would be a hundred times more fortunate for me to be in hell with the Lord than in heaven without Him.” “Where do you go from?” asks the theologian puzzled. “I am going from God.” “Where did you find Him?” “Where , where I lost myself and the creatures.” “Where is God?” “In the hearts of the pure and in people of good will.” “Who are you?” asks Tauler further. “I am the king.” “Where is your kingdom?” “In my soul, where reason rules over lusts, God over reason.” “Where did you acquire such wisdom ?” “From silence, – I was silent in front of people, but for that I often talked with God.” “From where did you acquire such happiness and peace ?” “From the fact that, not being able to find happiness in creatures, I sought it in God and found it”(6).

From this agreement with God’s will flows our merit and glory.