PAGE 114 CHAP. XXI. On Remembrance of the Heavenly Country V. On acquiring the Grace of Devotion VI. On Hearing and Reading the Divine Word Of the longings of a Soul seeking God. "BUT it is good for me to cleave steadfastly unto GOD." O! brief and pleasant words, embracing GOD, and excluding all the world. What more can be said, what more desired? Is it not enough if that be done, which has now been spoken. And if others, ay, many others are spoken, can they not all be reduced to this? Say, therefore, my soul, with the Prophet, It is good for me to cleave steadfastly unto God. Oh! my GOD, Thou art my only good, Thou alone art good and precious. To speak of Thee is sweet to them that love Thee, to think of Thee pleasant to the devout, whose heart is not in this world, but altogether hidden 1 Ps. lxxiii. 28. B 1 with Thee in Heaven; so that Thou art his only rest, and inner sweetness, and he is not daily tormented here, where false desires tempt. My GOD, how is it with him at heart, who burns with love of Thee? What joy is his, whom no vanity of creatures delights! Does not his voice speak in the Psalm from which I have taken the beginning of this discourse, and says it not as follows? "Whom have I in Heaven but Thee, and whom have I desired on earth beside Thee ?" Oh! holy, devout soul, hanging upon GOD, what is this I hear from thee? What is it that thou sayest? Do all in Heaven and on earth appear little unto thee? 2. "Yea, small indeed are they." What then seekest thou? Whom desirest thou without these? and where wilt thou find Him without them ? Hath He a name, or place, or habitation, where He may be sought? Where is the place of the habitation of His Glory, of Whom thou hast sung, saying: "O LORD, I have loved the beauty of Thy House, and the place of the habitation of Thy Glory ?" 2 Answer I pray thee. For if thou canst point Him out to me, I will go with thee, and we will seek Him together, and thy God shall be my GOD, and it shall be well with us, when He has been found and detained by us. me, 3. "What is this (she says) which thou askest of me, or why dost thou pry into aught such with me? Thinkest thou that I can, or am able to speak such things. If charity inclines me, do not the rareness of the subject, and the depth of the secret prevent my declaring them? Why askest thou me? Ask those who have seen and heard Him; there are who have found Him, Whom thou seekest. But rather ask Him, Who knoweth all things. For He it is of Whom we converse, Who will better manifest Himself unto thee, and show far more clearly, where He dwelleth. He it is, Who teacheth man knowledge, and giveth His grace unto the humble. Draw near to Him, Who revealeth Himself, whensoever, and to whomsoever He pleaseth; for none can open without Him. He alone can reveal to thee the joy of His lovers, and that far beyond ought thou canst learn from me." 4. And now why speakest thou thus, holy and humble soul! Think not I would ask of thee, what, perchance, ought not to be known, or cannot be told. Let thy secret remain with thee; be thy door closed upon thee: let the seal of faith be unbroken, and the veil be not removed from the sanctuary. Eat holy bread in the sacrarium, within the tabernacle of thy house; ascend to the upper room; enter the cellar of the eternal King -or what is better, and sweeter far-the chamber of thy heavenly Bridegroom. I know it is written : "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs." "I know and have read this. But see what follows, and pity me according to her word, who said, "The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the Master's table."2 Conceal not then the words which I desire; but out of the fulness of thy inner sweetness pour out even one spark of burning love. Give but a little drop of precious wine; emit even the slightest odour from that richest ointment, that I also may taste that, of which the best part is known to thee, and which is so oft thy blest consolation. 5. Why delayest thou? Satisfy one longing eagerly, and open the door to a friend knocking now for the third time. Speak, beloved of the Beloved, yet despise me not. If thou canst not speak of Him, as He is, tell as best thou canst. For who can speak of Him, as He is, and who could understand one so speaking? Therefore if not as He is in Himself, tell at least what He is in thee. If not what He is for Himself, proclaim what good He hath done to thee? For who shall discover what He is in Himself? Thou canst not, as thou hast confessed and admitted, saying: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit."s 1 S. Matt. xv. 26. 2 S. Matt. xv. 27. 3 Ps. cxxxix. 6. |