. CHAPTER 35 The Way of Perfection Describes - the recollection which should be practiced after Communion. Concludes - this subject with an exclamatory prayer . |
I have written at length about this,
although, when writing
of the Prayer of Recollection,
I spoke of the great importance
of our entering into solitude with God.
When you hear Mass
without communicating, daughters,
you may communicate spiritually,
which is extremely profitable,
and
afterwards you may practise
inward recollection
in exactly the same way,
for this impresses upon us
a deep love of the Lord.
If we prepare to receive Him,
He never fails to give,
and
He gives in many ways
that we cannot understand.
It is as if we were to approach a fire:
it might be a very large one,
but, if we
remained a long way from it
and
covered our hands,
we should get little warmth from it,
although we should be warmer
than if we were in a place
where there was no fire at all.
But when we try to approach the Lord
there is this difference:
if the soul
◦ is properly disposed, and
◦ comes with the intention
of driving out the cold,
and
◦ stays for some time
where it is,
it will retain its warmth for several hours,
and
if any little spark flies out,
it will set it on fire.
It is of such importance, daughters,
for us to prepare ourselves in thy way
that you must not be surprised
if I often repeat this counsel.
If at first you do not get on
with this practice
(which may happen,
for the devil will try to
oppress and distress your heart,
knowing what great harm
he can do in this way),
the devil will make you think
that you can find more devotion
in other things and less in this.
But [trust me and]
do not give up this method,
for the Lord will use it
to prove your love for Him.
Remember
that there are few souls
who stay with Him
and follow Him in His trials;
let us endure something for Him
and
His Majesty will repay us.
Remember, too,
that there are actually people
who not only have no wish
to be with Him
but who insult Him
and with great irreverence
drive Him away from their homes.
We must endure something, therefore,
to show Him
that we have the desire to see Him.
In many places
He is neglected and ill-treated,
but He
suffers everything,
and
will continue to do so,
if He finds but one single soul
which will receive Him
and
which will love to have Him
as its Guest. [123]
Let this soul be yours, then,
for, if there were none,
the Eternal Father would rightly refuse
to allow Him to remain with us.
Yet the Lord is
so good a Friend
to those who are His friends,
and
so good a Master
to those who are His servants,
that, when He knows it
to be the will of His Beloved Son,
He will not hinder Him
in so excellent a work,
in which His Son so fully reveals
the love which He has for His Father,
as this wonderful way
which He seeks
˚ of showing
how much He loves us
and
˚ of helping us to bear our trials.
Since, then, Holy Father,
Who art in the Heavens,
Thou dost will and accept this
(and it is clear
that Thou couldst not deny us a thing
which is so good for us)
there must be someone,
as I said at the beginning,
who will speak for Thy Son,
for He has never defended Himself.
Let this be the task for us, daughters,
though, having regard to what we are,
it is presumptuous of us to undertake it.
Let us rely, however,
on Our Lord's command to us
to pray to Him,
and,
in fulfilment of our obedience to Him,
let us beseech His Majesty,
in the name of the good Jesus,
that, as He has left nothing undone
that He could do for us
in granting sinners so great a favour,
He may be pleased of His mercy
to prevent Him from being so ill-treated.
Since His Holy Son has given us
this excellent way
in which we can offer Him up frequently
as a sacrifice,
let us make use of this precious gift
so that it may stay the advance
of such terrible evil and irreverence
as in many places is paid
to this Most Holy Sacrament.
For these (dissenters) seem to want
to drive Him out of the world again:
they destroy churches,
cause the loss of many priests and
abolish the sacraments. [124]
And there is something of this
even among Christians,
who sometimes go to church
meaning to offend Him
rather than to worship Him.
Why is this, my Lord and my God?
Do Thou
bring the world to an end
or
give us a remedy for such grievous wrongs,
which even our wicked hearts cannot endure.
I beseech Thee, Eternal Father,
endure it no longer:
quench this fire, Lord,
for Thou canst do so if Thou wilt.
Remember
that Thy Son is still in the world;
may these dreadful things be stopped
out of respect for Him,
horrible and abominable and foul
as they are.
With His beauty and purity
He does not deserve to be in a house
where such things happen.
Do this, Lord,
not for our sake,
for we do not deserve it,
but for the sake of Thy Son.
We dare not entreat Thee
that He should no longer stay with us,
for Thou hast granted His prayer to Thee
to leave Him with us for to-day--
that is, until the end of the world.
If He were to go,
what would become of us?
It would be the end of everything.
If anything can placate Thee
it is to have on earth
such a pledge as this.
Since some remedy
must be found for this,
then, my Lord, I beg Thy Majesty
to apply it.
For if Thou wilt, Thou art able.
O my God,
if only I could indeed importune Thee!
If only I had served Thee well
so that I might be able to beg of Thee
this great favour
as a reward for my services,
for Thou leavest no service unrewarded!
But I have not served Thee, Lord;
indeed, it may perhaps be for my sins,
and
because I have so greatly offended Thee,
that so many evils come.
What, then, can I do, my Creator,
but present to Thee
this most holy Bread,
which, though Thou gavest it to us,
I return to Thee,
beseeching Thee,
by the merits of Thy Son,
to grant me this favour,
which on so many counts He has merited?
Do Thou, Lord,
calm this sea,
and
no longer allow this ship,
which is Thy Church,
to endure so great a tempest.
Save us, my Lord, for we perish. [125]
_______________________
. Foot Notes: [123] Lit.: "and have him within itself with love." [124] The sense of the verb here rendered "cause the loss of" is vague. Literally the phrase reads: "so many priests are lost." [125] St. Matthew viii, 25. 24 And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep. 25 And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. 26 And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, . |
| . End of Chapter 35 The Way of Perfection . |
