Maxims
The Maxims of the Little Institute are extracted in various ways from a spiritual book composed by Father MédaiIle at a date unknown to us and eventually published at Clermont-Ferrand in 1657 under the rather lengthy title: Maxims of Perfection for Souls Aspiring to the Great Virtue. This book must have enjoyed a certain success, since the publisher of the second edition in 1672 wrote that Anne of Austria, Queen of France and mother of Louis XIV, "took pleasure in using it and kept it among her spiritual reading." (Maximes de Perfection, 1962 French Edition, Marius Nepper, s .j., p. 9) More than 360 years ago, Father Jean Pierre Médaille, SJ, composed the Maxims of the Little Institute, 100 short sayings to help the first Sisters of St. Joseph grow in virtue.
We share them here, along with contemporary translations developed by Susan Wilcox, CSJ, Brentwood, and a group of her students.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 1
Keep always in mind the aim of your vocation which is sublime; and never do anything which contradicts the commitment to a life full of modesty, gentleness, and holiness.
Dude! Stay focused on what's important in life. Don't let the crazy stuff distract you.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 2
Take it as a general rule for your inner being, for your virtues, and for your actions, that "you must be made perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect"; (Mt. 5:48) that is to say, embrace in all things what will bring about the greater glory of God, be more conformable to his holy will, and be more pleasing in his sight.
You are made in God's image. It's a pretty spectacular heritage. Live up to it!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 3
Empty yourself continually in honor of the Incarnate Word who emptied himself with so much love for you. (Phil. 2:7) Make your commitment to live in the practice of the most sincere, true, and profound humility possible to you. Do so on all occasions, to everyone but especially to God, from whom must come all the blessings of your Institute.
Learn to see your ego and how it operates, and then choose love. Gentleness can rule the day!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 4
Live, as much as you can, in such a way that your life, in honor of the Holy Spirit, may be a continual act of the most pure and perfect charity that you are able to practice toward God.
Keep your relationships sacred! It's all that really matters, right?
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 5
Esteem the world and its vanities no more than dung. (Phil. 3:8) Let the world be crucified to you and you to it; (Gal. 6:14) that is to say, "despise the world which is only illusion" (1Cor. 7:31) and reject its maxims which are full of deceit and impiety.
Don't worship money, status, and power. It always ends badly.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 6
Put aside your old self" "so that you can put on the new," (Eph. 4:22-24) and accordingly lead a life dead to the world and to self-love, full of gentleness, humility of heart, true sincerity, modesty, interior and exterior peace, and of charity toward the neighbor; in a word, (a life) completely modeled on the holiness and the pleasing virtues of Jesus which you should develop in yourself. Thus you can by grace draw many people who will profit by your example and your conversations.
Keep evolving yourself. Other people find that attractive.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 7
In the manifestation of zeal characteristic of your very humble vocation, imitate the fervor of the most zealous and embrace in desire the salvation and perfection of a whole world in a spirit replete with a true humility and a generous courage. This will bring you to wish to do everything, to suffer everything, and to undertake everything for the advancement of the glory of God and the salvation of the dear neighbor.
Be courageous! Don't wimp out just because it's impossible.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 8
Root the strength of your resolutions and the hope of the success of your undertakings in the knowledge of your great weakness and the total mistrust of self, as well as in the firm and assured confidence you ought to have in God, for whom nothing is impossible and who will always assist you in everything you undertake for his glory through the
movement of his grace and according to the orders of obedience.
Nobody achieved anything all alone. A gratitude check is standard wellness practice.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 9
Shun always and with repulsion all vanity, self-complacency, and infidelity to grace as plagues that infect good works and interfere with the action of divine grace on the living out of your life.
Avoid the plague of the unaware self.
It can be very ugly.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 10
Speak neither well nor ill of yourself without necessity; have no esteem of yourself nor of what you do, since what you are and can do is nothing before God, and since anyhow you are full of imperfections which would make you despise yourself were they known to you.
Forget yourself. Be transparent. It's so much easier.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 11
Always speak favorably of others and value highly the good in them, excusing and covering up, in the best way you can, the deficiencies they might have.
Look for the good in people. Even if it's hard. It's there somewhere.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 12
Choose to bear all the evils of time rather than the least of eternity, all the evils of nature rather than the least deprivation of grace, since all kinds of reasons illumined by faith teach you to live according to this truth.
Adopt a positive worldview. It alleviates personal suffering.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 13
Consequently, accept without hesitation the loss of all good and the suffering of all evil, rather than the failure, however slight, to fulfill the holy will of God.
Go out there and make the creator of the universe look amazing!
You can contribute something to 14 billion years of evolution!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 14
Be completely humble since whatever you are, whatever you have, and whatever you do for yourself and others depends on a pure mercy and an infinite condescension of God. If you are not humble in every way, you make yourself unworthy of these and of the assistance of his graces.
Remember, God's love is holding you up every second, no matter what.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 15
Likewise, be very faithful to the grace of the Holy Spirit, listening to him attentively, obeying him promptly and entirely, attributing to him, as is indeed just, the honor resulting from the success of your good actions.
Wait for it ... Listen for what you are being called to. Then just do it!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 16
In everything and everywhere, have only God, his will and his glory before your eyes, and make no account of anything else.
Practice love and gratitude. Everywhere.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 17
Desire little in this world, and what you do desire, desire that very little. And better yet, live without desire and without set plans. Abandon yourself, surrendering very gently, to the very loving Providence of God your Father,
Abandon the desires of the ego. Be led…by love.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 18
Make so perfect a sacrifice of self and of wiII that you are empty of self from this time on, and thus you wiII no longer be able to choose deliberately anything except that God's will be completely and perfectly accomplished in you, by you, and among all others.
Be ONE with Love's Design!
History and Practice of Joy 101
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 19
Recognize and cherish tenderly this very loving will in all that happens in your life, whatever this may be, and in all the orders of your superiors, unless something manifestly sinful is commanded.
Synchronicity happens.
Cherish it and it will keep on happening. Synchronicity: meaningful coincidence
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 20
Apply yourself seriously and totally to perform with perfection the present will of God without diverting yourself from it, to the detriment of your obligations, by considering uselessly what will be intimated and manifested to you in due time and place.
Be serious to the task of being awake to your soul. Seriously!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 21
Desire neither praise nor reward for your good works in this life and you will have deeper and fuller life in eternity.
Don't worry about getting credit for your good work, just enjoy the beauty of it.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 22
On the contrary, behave in such a manner that your good actions are hidden in time and known to God alone, to appear only in eternity and even never to appear, if God so wills.
Desire a sense of self that doesn't need publicity.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 23
Love nothing but God and what can be called divine.
Seek a heart fully engaged! It's full throttle, baby.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 24
Be utterly given to God by a holy self-surrender, utterly for God by a love pure and completely unselfish, utterly in God by a continuing effort to be more conscious of his presence, utterly according to God by a will, a life and everything conformed to him.
Find God in all things.
It's like being a treasure hunter.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 25
Be happy in all things about God's glory solely, regardless of who furthers it, and be happier yet when others seem noticeably to advance that glory more than you do.
When someone takes off with what you have started. Be grateful and joyful!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 26
Seek in everything God's contentment and not anything else, and the better to practice this, remember in the entire living out of your life, in desolation, in sick¬ness, etc., to desire God's greater contentment without giving a thought to your own interests.
Keep heart, action and desire in alignment with Love's Design
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 27
Seek out the interior and hidden life of Jesus in so far as the activities of zeal allow.
Avoid mediocrity. It's really boring.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 28
Be sad over the world's notice of you or affection for you and be convinced that such notice and affection are wasted on anyone who so little merits it; and, on the contrary, desire only that the preoccupation and affection of people be, like that of the angels, of God alone and for God alone.
On occasion give yourself a reality check--"I am not the center of the world."
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 29
Believe with St. Teresa the truths of your religion with a firmer faith when they are more difficult to understand. (The Autobiography of Teresa of' Avila, Ch. XIX)
In times of darkness, dig in deeper to find the light within you. It's there. Really!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 30
And do the same in the practice of hope. When in your actions and plans there is little likelihood of success or of human aid and more difficulties oppose you, trust in God far more.
When someone tells you, "can't be done," prove them wrong 🙂
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 31
In your greatest troubles and dangers hope with a firm confidence not that God will comfort or deliver you but that he will effect in you and through you his holy and loving will and live perfectly at peace with this hope.
In times of trouble, just open yourself to be an instrument of Love's Design.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 32
When you happen to be abandoned by creatures, and even by God if he takes away his sensible graces, remember the abandonment of the dear Savior on the cross and tenderly cherish your own in consideration of his.
Don't reject or judge what life is offering you. Be present to it. It makes all the difference.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 33
If it glorifies God, desire to be as pleasing to him by each of your actions as the (holiest) persons in this world would be by the practice of the same action.
Do have role models, but choose enlightened ones.
Enlightened: having a loving understanding of how people and creation should be treated.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 34
In your undertakings, see to it that God alone is their inspiration and their goal; that in their execution you never turn aside from his holy will, and as for the result, remain completely indifferent whether they succeed or not, desiring that in all and by all the will of God would be perfectly fulfilled, a will that you should equally recognize and love when your plans are delayed and even destroyed and when you see their advancement and successful development.
Nothing that you do for good is wasted even if it seems like it fell flat.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 35
Convince yourself that wherever you are and whatever you do God sees you clearly and distinctly; do not do in his presence what you would not dare to do in the presence of a person you should esteem.
God knows you fully. So no need to act a fool unnecessarily.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 36
Let your affections and actions be guided by reason and duty and not by caprice and natural inclinations.
Tell yourself stories that keep your goal in sight. Stay on track.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 37
Ask nothing and refuse nothing, unless you judge it absolutely necessary after having prayed to God. Even in that case let it be done as a simple proposal together with a complete resignation whether this proposal is accepted or not.
Do the best you can and then let it go.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 38
Never complain about anyone but yourself.
Don't complain about anyone except yourself. Yes, really.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 39
Be nothing to yourself and be utterly given to God and to the neighbor.
Be of service to the world!
The best service is one that shares your gifts and gives you life!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 40
Love nothing that is not eternal.
Devote yourself to what lasts forever. Everything else is as temporary as that last common hour anyway.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 41
Tend solely and lovingly to resemble the dear Savior perfectly and in all things. Let him live in you and you live utterly in him.
Be gentle with yourself, the dear neighbor and creation.
We are all still evolving.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 42
Long solely and constantly for the great love of God and of our Savior Jesus, but long for it without overeagerness.
Live in the creative tension rather than your own headstrong impulses.
There are less headaches.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 43
Be, at least in desire, the poorest of people, the most humble and humbled, the most pure and obedient, in order to become like the One who was all that, the divine exemplar according to whom you should form yourself.
The way to the front of the line is to keep putting others ahead of you.
I know... it's a mystery.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 44
Never do anything which contradicts the pursuit of holiness.
Remember, you're in a journey of love, not a rat race.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 45
Always be serious when you are with others, but let it be a joyful seriousness, courteous and full of a gentle and reserved simplicity.
Mind your intentions when you are with others, but DO have parties!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 46
Live with the Lord on the cross. Die to pleasures and to vanity. Live only for God and die completely to self.
Let go of your ego to free your whole self. It's way less complicated.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 47
When there is question of many things to be done at the same time in the community and the choice is given to you, choose what is more lowly and difficult, and leave to others what is easier and brings more honor.
Let someone else be the star! It won't kill you.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 48
Pursue above all the pure glory of God, your salvation and perfection, the salvation and perfection of the neighbor, and not the satisfaction and consolation often found in these pursuits.
Don't forget the end game: Love's Design
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 49
Whenever there is no danger that God will be offended or less honored, manifest all the compliance possible towards the neighbor. Whatever difficulty you may experience in that, do not let it appear, showing a joyful countenance full of gentleness, as if you found great happiness in what is painful to you. Whatever you do for the dear neighbor, do it with the same feeling of devotion and of charity as if you were doing it for the very person of Jesus Christ.
Act, if only in behavior toward everyone, the same way you would act towards your beloved. Just don't be creepy with anyone.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 50
Prefer always the wiII and the contentment of others to your own wiII and contentment and do so even with a happy and joyful heart, provided, of course, as has been said, that God is not offended by it nor less honored.
Orient yourself towards giving. It can be contagious!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 51
Give all the happiness you can to those who give you a great deal of unhappiness, and give it willingly.
If someone disregards you, know that they probably have issues. Meet their disregard with regard! It changes the dynamic.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 52
Interpret all things from the best possible point of view.
Interpret all things from the best possible point of view. The universe will return the favor!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 53
Keep an ever free heart which clings to nothing terrestrial, whatever might be the appearances of good.
Don't judge good or bad. Remember, God knows something you don't know.
Plus it's better to think outside a binary system.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 54
Empty yourself of all human respect and of the least blameworthy concession, and declare, with a generous heart, never to yield in anything that would be against God's will.
Yeah, you look good and are doing well, but strive for greatness of heart!
It's way less trivial.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 55
When you work for the neighbor do it with a very unselfish love which expects no reward for its services, and aim at nothing other than helping him and being at the same time pleasing to God
Be in service to the dear neighbor without reward. Love's Design has it's own reward!
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 56
Be troubled instead of being complacent if it happens that what you do satisfies people, since, according to St. Paul, it seems that those who are pleasing to men are not the servants of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:10)
Don't go along to get along.
It's more trouble than it's worth.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 57
At the end of your good works, give all the glory to our dear Savior, who by his death has truly be¬come the inspiration of your life and of your good works.
When things are popping in your life, don't think it's you that made it happen.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 58
Convince yourself of this truth, that you scarcely do anything in this world but place drawbacks in the path of God's grace.
Laugh at yourself. It frees the heart for service.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 59
Believe, after success in your good works, that the sins you have committed while doing them will have caused much less progress than God had reason to expect from your cooperation.
Being with God and the dear neighbor and all of creation is the same movement.
Who knew?
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 60
Love and strive after, especially, the interior gentleness of your soul, living in peace and in the tranquillity of all your passions, and outwardly doing all things without over¬eagerness and bearing what you must bear without any complaint or murmuring or anxiety whatsoever.
Life has tension. Choose peacefulness. It lowers your blood pressure.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 61
Strive also wholeheartedly after the peaceful and intimate union with God, very cordial charity and forbearance towards the neighbor, really innocent purity of heart, very perfect fidelity to grace joined to a peaceful death to all natural inclinations, very true humility, simplicity and sincere candor, the obedience of a child who looks for no reason, poverty completely stripped, continual joy of spirit appropriate to your Institute, in a word, attain the pure and perfect love of God which explains all these things.
Be present to the moment. The goal is a social order of love. Minus the -isms.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 62
Be constant in the way of life and virtue you have chosen, changing nothing about it except to improve it.
You're an incomplete work of art.
Don't ever stop working on yourself.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 63
Do not consider unfortunate events as obstacles but as aids and cherish them, whatever they may be, as effects of the gentle and loving Providence of God your Father.
Don't consider unfortunate events as obstacles.
Be creative. Ask yourself-- what is the opportunity here?
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 64
Strive to be kind always to everyone and unkind to no one.
Make a practice of being kind all the time.
Directions: Reflect on your actions and attitudes and let your past inform the present.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 65
Be exact and diligent to do what you are advised or what is required by your duties, especially when these are useful or necessary for the neighbor. And beware of the fact that we are often apt to postpone them to accomplish others which are not so much our duty but are more in accordance with our natural inclination and our own petty interest.
Be a responsible person.
It pays off in the end.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 66
Be courageous to undertake what God wants of you and constant to persevere in what you undertake, never giving up, whatever difficulties occur and whatever obstacles may be placed in your path unless you become totally powerless against them.
Don't give up on Love's Design until it's totally obvious that this is the wrong direction. Obstacles are to be expected when you're trying to change the world.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 67
Accordingly, pursue to the very end and with gentleness and vigor what you have once and for all resolved and what you prudently believe corresponds to the greater glory of God.
Remember who you are.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 68
Consider as suspect any desire that is overeager and capable of distracting you from more necessary and obligatory occupations.
There are a lot of distractions out there. Try not to get caught up in them.
Tweeting it, is not the same as doing it.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 69
Never think of tomorrow unless it has some necessary Iink with today, but entrust it entirely to Providence.
Stay present to the moment and the future will take care of itself.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 70
Never be curious regarding the decisions superiors have in mind for you, but await them all from God's hand, and desire this knowledge only at his appointed time without overeagerness to be informed sooner.
God's timing is the priority. You will know what you need to at the right time.
It's still a good idea to turn your assignments in on time.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 71
Live content with the work obedience gives you, applying yourself to do it carefully, unwilling to tolerate the slightest thought of change, until obedience orders it.
Generally, respond to life with a joyful simplicity and with a sense of contentment.
Needless worrying and complexifying solves nothing anyway.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 72
Be always ready to obey peacefully, indifferent to all that is not against God's will: to live or to die, to be healthy or ill, happy or unhappy, loved or persecuted, finding always your complete contentment solely in fulfilling God's will.
Align your desires with Love's Design. Be Peace!
Nothing is so strong as gentleness…(St. Francis de Sales)
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 73
Live out your life with one desire only: to be always what God wants you to be, in nature, grace, and glory, for time and eternity.
Get caught up in Love's Design and revel in it!
You'll wake up joyful like a young child.
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 74
Obey promptly, joyfully, and simply, without allowing, if you are able, a single thought of reluctance or refusal or without interjecting a single word between the order and the execution, unless it would obviously be a sin.
Don't resist Love's Design.
Clue: If there's resistance, there' s unchecked ego
Sisters of St. Joseph Maxim 75
Desire that people have a modest opinion of you and a good one of others; be uneasy when you are considered important and very much at ease when others are.
Resist being put on a pedestal!
You could fall and break your neck.
Keep your rewards to yourself unless you are asked.Bragging is not attractive anyway.
Always keep in mind the goal of creating a social order of love and don't get lost in details!
Embarrassment and criticism sometimes serves to temper the ego.Don't worry or stress, it pretty much happens to everyone.
Don't stress if you notice that others are doing a better job than you in Love's Design. It's a joint effort, not a competition.
When good things happen to you, pay it forward! And don't forget to act on behalf of our Mother Earth.
Always remember that God knows something you don't know. This is what we call mystery.
We're all subject to the flaws of being human. God empowers us anyway.It's good to be mindful... you can cause a lot of damage otherwise.
Have good intentions in whatever you do but always mind your ego.Seriously, did you see "Devil's Advocate"?
Put on the brakes! And wait for grace.
Lead a project through and then step out and let someone else finish and get the credit. It's too cool for words.
Be reasonable and don't go off the deep end unless it's for Love's Design.
Don't project on yourself or others. Projections aren't accurate anyway.
The moments of your life are precious.Use them well.
Be your best as much as possible! The returns are highest.
Love's Design calls you to your whole self to the best you are able.The best things always do.
Creating a social order based on love is the big time, so bring your A game!
God is never finished with you. So never think that you've arrived.
Be dynamic: keep focused, see God in all things, and embrace what comes.Being static is boring anyway.
Deceit is out there, so be awake! Don't overly stress about it though.
Develop yourself as fully as possible!
- this great good is something lent rather than belonging to you,
- it belongs to the Savior Jesus, from whose merits this good comes, more than it belongs to you,
- this same Savior may take it away from you when he pleases without doing you wrong, ad
- if he ever withdrew his graces, the good in you would vanish like smoke.
All your beauties and talents are just borrowed.Remember who owns them.
When times are tough, find solidarity with those who suffer without having a voice.
God has a continual evolutionary, unfolding love!It's the sweet spot, reside there.
Everything in balance: heart, humility, ego, obedience, detachment, peace, gentleness, solitude, prayer, love of neighbor and God.I see joyful people.
