A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [41]
an agony, what
woe, were seen in me! For when they separated me from my Beloved, the
separating wrestled with my heart like bitter death. Supported by their
hands who led me away, I walked with tottering steps, for I was robbed of
all consolation, my heart longed woefully to return to my Love, my
confidence was wholly set in Him, I rendered Him alone of all mankind entire
fidelity and true attachment, even to the grave.
The Servant.--Oh, affectionate and tender Lady, for this do all hearts
greet thee, all tongues praise thee, since all the good that the Fatherly
heart has vouchsafed to give us, flowed through thy hands. Thou are the
beginning, thou art the means, thou shalt also be the end. Alas, pure and
tender Mother, let me remind thee today of thy miserable separation; think
of thy bitter separating from thy tender Child, and help me that I may not
be separated either from thee or from His joyous countenance.
Yes, pure Mother, even as my soul now stands by thee with compassionate
sympathy, and embraces thee with ardent desire, and, in contemplation with
heartfelt desire, with thanksgiving and praise, leads thee from the sepuchre
through the gate of Jerusalem back again to thy house, so do I crave that,
at my last departure, my soul may be again led by thee, O pure and tender
Mother, to its Fatherland, and there be confirmed in everlasting bliss.
Amen.
THE SECOND PART
CHAPTER XXI. How We Should Learn to Die, And of The Nature of An Unprovided
Death
The Servant.--Eternal Wisdom! if any one were to give me the whole
earth for my own, it would not be so agreeable to me as the truth and the
advantage which I have found in Thy sweet doctrines. Therefore, do I desire
from the very bottom of my heart that Thou, the Eternal Wisdom, wouldst
teach me still more. Lord, what is that which belongs, above all things, to
a servant of Eternal Wisdom, who is desirous to live for Thee alone? Lord, I
should like to hear about the union of pure reason with the Holy Trinity,
when, in the true reflection of the eternal birth of the Word, and in the
regeneration of her own Spirit, reason is ravished from herself and stands
face to face with God.
Eternal Wisdom.--Let not him ask about what is highest in doctrine, who
still stands on what is lowest in a good life. I will teach thee what will
profit thee more.
The Servant.--Lord, what wilt Thou teach me?
Eternal Wisdom.--I will teach thee to die and will teach thee to live.
I will teach thee to receive Me lovingly, and will teach thee to praise Me
lovingly. Behold, this is what properly belongs to thee.
The Servant.--Eternal Wisdom, if I had the power to fulfill my wishes,
I know not whether, in this temporal state, I ought to wish anything else,
as to doctrine, than how to die to myself and all the world, how to live
wholly for Thee, to cherish Thy love with all my heart, to receive Thee
lovingly, and to praise Thee lovingly. O God, how blessed is that man who is
able to do this, and who consumes in it his whole life. But, Lord, dost Thou
mean a spiritual dying or a bodily dying?
Eternal Wisdom.--I mean both one and the other.
The Servant.--What need have I, Lord, of being taught to die bodily?
Surely it teaches itself when it comes.
Eternal Wisdom.--He who puts his teaching off till then, will find it
too late.
The Servant.--O Lord, it is still somewhat bitter for me to hear about
death.
Eternal Wisdom.--Behold, even this is the source of those unprovided
and terrible deaths whereof the towns and convents now are full. Behold,
death has often bridled thee secretly, and had fain ridden thee from hence,
in the same way as he does the countless multitude, one of whom I will now
show thee. Open, therefore, thy interior sense, and see and listen; see what
grim death is like in the person of thy neighbour, do but mark the
lamentable voice thou wilt hear.
The Servant heard with his understanding the voice
woe, were seen in me! For when they separated me from my Beloved, the
separating wrestled with my heart like bitter death. Supported by their
hands who led me away, I walked with tottering steps, for I was robbed of
all consolation, my heart longed woefully to return to my Love, my
confidence was wholly set in Him, I rendered Him alone of all mankind entire
fidelity and true attachment, even to the grave.
The Servant.--Oh, affectionate and tender Lady, for this do all hearts
greet thee, all tongues praise thee, since all the good that the Fatherly
heart has vouchsafed to give us, flowed through thy hands. Thou are the
beginning, thou art the means, thou shalt also be the end. Alas, pure and
tender Mother, let me remind thee today of thy miserable separation; think
of thy bitter separating from thy tender Child, and help me that I may not
be separated either from thee or from His joyous countenance.
Yes, pure Mother, even as my soul now stands by thee with compassionate
sympathy, and embraces thee with ardent desire, and, in contemplation with
heartfelt desire, with thanksgiving and praise, leads thee from the sepuchre
through the gate of Jerusalem back again to thy house, so do I crave that,
at my last departure, my soul may be again led by thee, O pure and tender
Mother, to its Fatherland, and there be confirmed in everlasting bliss.
Amen.
THE SECOND PART
CHAPTER XXI. How We Should Learn to Die, And of The Nature of An Unprovided
Death
The Servant.--Eternal Wisdom! if any one were to give me the whole
earth for my own, it would not be so agreeable to me as the truth and the
advantage which I have found in Thy sweet doctrines. Therefore, do I desire
from the very bottom of my heart that Thou, the Eternal Wisdom, wouldst
teach me still more. Lord, what is that which belongs, above all things, to
a servant of Eternal Wisdom, who is desirous to live for Thee alone? Lord, I
should like to hear about the union of pure reason with the Holy Trinity,
when, in the true reflection of the eternal birth of the Word, and in the
regeneration of her own Spirit, reason is ravished from herself and stands
face to face with God.
Eternal Wisdom.--Let not him ask about what is highest in doctrine, who
still stands on what is lowest in a good life. I will teach thee what will
profit thee more.
The Servant.--Lord, what wilt Thou teach me?
Eternal Wisdom.--I will teach thee to die and will teach thee to live.
I will teach thee to receive Me lovingly, and will teach thee to praise Me
lovingly. Behold, this is what properly belongs to thee.
The Servant.--Eternal Wisdom, if I had the power to fulfill my wishes,
I know not whether, in this temporal state, I ought to wish anything else,
as to doctrine, than how to die to myself and all the world, how to live
wholly for Thee, to cherish Thy love with all my heart, to receive Thee
lovingly, and to praise Thee lovingly. O God, how blessed is that man who is
able to do this, and who consumes in it his whole life. But, Lord, dost Thou
mean a spiritual dying or a bodily dying?
Eternal Wisdom.--I mean both one and the other.
The Servant.--What need have I, Lord, of being taught to die bodily?
Surely it teaches itself when it comes.
Eternal Wisdom.--He who puts his teaching off till then, will find it
too late.
The Servant.--O Lord, it is still somewhat bitter for me to hear about
death.
Eternal Wisdom.--Behold, even this is the source of those unprovided
and terrible deaths whereof the towns and convents now are full. Behold,
death has often bridled thee secretly, and had fain ridden thee from hence,
in the same way as he does the countless multitude, one of whom I will now
show thee. Open, therefore, thy interior sense, and see and listen; see what
grim death is like in the person of thy neighbour, do but mark the
lamentable voice thou wilt hear.
The Servant heard with his understanding the voice