A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [48]
and all the senses? Or why wilt
thou needs inquire into it? Behold, all such wondering and prying thoughts
proceed alone from grossness of sense, which takes divine and supernatural
things after the likeness of things earthly and natural, and such is not the
case. If a woman were to give birth to a child in a dark tower, and it were
to be brought up there, and its mother were to tell it of the sun and the
stars, the child would marvel greatly, and would think it all against reason
and incredible, which its mother, nevertheless, knows so well to be true.
The Servant.--Indeed, Lord, I have nothing more to say, for Thou hast
so enlightened my faith that I ought to think of marvelling in my heart
again, or why should I seek to enquire into the highest, who cannot
comprehend the lowest? Thou art the truth which cannot lie; Thou art the
highest wisdom that can do all things; Thou art the omnipotent who can
dispose of all things. Oh, noble and loving Lord, I have often desired in my
heart that, like holy Simeon in the temple, I might have received Thee
bodily in my arms, might have pressed Thee to my heart and soul, so that the
spiritual kiss of Thy presence might have been as truly mine as it was his.
But now, Lord, I see that I receive Thee as truly as he, and so much the
more nobly as Thy tender body is now glorified, and impassible, which then
was passible. Wherefore, dearest Lord, if my heart had the love of all
hearts, my conscience the purity of all the angels, and my soul the beauty
of all souls so that by Thy grace I should be worthy of Thee, I would fain
receive Thee today so affectionately, and so bury and sink Thee in the
bottom of my heart and soul, that neither joy nor sorrow, neither life nor
death, could separate Thee from me. Ah, sweet Lord, hadst Thou, my chosen
love, only sent me Thy messenger, I should not have known, for all this
world, how I ought to offer him a sufficient welcome. How then ought I to
behave myself towards Him whom my soul loveth? Truly art Thou the only one
thing in which everything is included, that, in time and eternity, my heart
can desire. Or is there any thing else that my soul can desire of that which
is contrary to Thee, or which is without Thee, for that would be repugnant
to me. Truly art Thou the comeliest of all to the eyes, the sweetest of all
to the mouth, the tenderest of all to the touch, the most beloved of all to
the heart! Lord, my soul neither sees nor hears, nor feels aught of all that
is here below, but she finds it severally a thousand times lovelier in Thee
my chosen love. Ah, Eternal Lord, how am I to restrain myself in Thy regard
from wonder and delight? Thy presence inflames me, but Thy greatness
terrifies me. My reason will needs do honour to its Lord, but my heart
desires to love its only good, and lovingly to embrace it. Thou art my Lord
and my God, but Thou art also my Brother, and, if I may venture to say so,
my beloved Spouse. Oh, what love, what rapture, and what great joy, what
dignity do I not possess in Thee alone! Ah, sweet Lord, methinks that had I
only been vouchsafed the grace to receive out of Thy open wounds, from Thy
heart, one single drop of blood into my mouth, if I could have had my
desire, it would have given me the fullness of joy. Ah, heartfelt,
inconceivable wonder, now I have not only received one or two drops, but I
have received all Thy hot, rose-coloured blood through my mouth into my
heart and soul. Is not this a great thing? Ought I not to appreciate this
which to the exalted angels is precious? Lord, would that all my limbs, and
all that I am, were transformed into an unfathomable love for the sake of
this sign of Thy love. Lord, what is there else in all this world that could
rejoice my heart, or that it could desire, when Thou givest Thyself thus
cordially to me to enjoy and love! Truly is it called a SACRAMENT OF LOVE.
When was there anything lovelier seen or heard of than to embrace love
itself; than to be changed by grace into love itself? Lord, I see no
difference except
thou needs inquire into it? Behold, all such wondering and prying thoughts
proceed alone from grossness of sense, which takes divine and supernatural
things after the likeness of things earthly and natural, and such is not the
case. If a woman were to give birth to a child in a dark tower, and it were
to be brought up there, and its mother were to tell it of the sun and the
stars, the child would marvel greatly, and would think it all against reason
and incredible, which its mother, nevertheless, knows so well to be true.
The Servant.--Indeed, Lord, I have nothing more to say, for Thou hast
so enlightened my faith that I ought to think of marvelling in my heart
again, or why should I seek to enquire into the highest, who cannot
comprehend the lowest? Thou art the truth which cannot lie; Thou art the
highest wisdom that can do all things; Thou art the omnipotent who can
dispose of all things. Oh, noble and loving Lord, I have often desired in my
heart that, like holy Simeon in the temple, I might have received Thee
bodily in my arms, might have pressed Thee to my heart and soul, so that the
spiritual kiss of Thy presence might have been as truly mine as it was his.
But now, Lord, I see that I receive Thee as truly as he, and so much the
more nobly as Thy tender body is now glorified, and impassible, which then
was passible. Wherefore, dearest Lord, if my heart had the love of all
hearts, my conscience the purity of all the angels, and my soul the beauty
of all souls so that by Thy grace I should be worthy of Thee, I would fain
receive Thee today so affectionately, and so bury and sink Thee in the
bottom of my heart and soul, that neither joy nor sorrow, neither life nor
death, could separate Thee from me. Ah, sweet Lord, hadst Thou, my chosen
love, only sent me Thy messenger, I should not have known, for all this
world, how I ought to offer him a sufficient welcome. How then ought I to
behave myself towards Him whom my soul loveth? Truly art Thou the only one
thing in which everything is included, that, in time and eternity, my heart
can desire. Or is there any thing else that my soul can desire of that which
is contrary to Thee, or which is without Thee, for that would be repugnant
to me. Truly art Thou the comeliest of all to the eyes, the sweetest of all
to the mouth, the tenderest of all to the touch, the most beloved of all to
the heart! Lord, my soul neither sees nor hears, nor feels aught of all that
is here below, but she finds it severally a thousand times lovelier in Thee
my chosen love. Ah, Eternal Lord, how am I to restrain myself in Thy regard
from wonder and delight? Thy presence inflames me, but Thy greatness
terrifies me. My reason will needs do honour to its Lord, but my heart
desires to love its only good, and lovingly to embrace it. Thou art my Lord
and my God, but Thou art also my Brother, and, if I may venture to say so,
my beloved Spouse. Oh, what love, what rapture, and what great joy, what
dignity do I not possess in Thee alone! Ah, sweet Lord, methinks that had I
only been vouchsafed the grace to receive out of Thy open wounds, from Thy
heart, one single drop of blood into my mouth, if I could have had my
desire, it would have given me the fullness of joy. Ah, heartfelt,
inconceivable wonder, now I have not only received one or two drops, but I
have received all Thy hot, rose-coloured blood through my mouth into my
heart and soul. Is not this a great thing? Ought I not to appreciate this
which to the exalted angels is precious? Lord, would that all my limbs, and
all that I am, were transformed into an unfathomable love for the sake of
this sign of Thy love. Lord, what is there else in all this world that could
rejoice my heart, or that it could desire, when Thou givest Thyself thus
cordially to me to enjoy and love! Truly is it called a SACRAMENT OF LOVE.
When was there anything lovelier seen or heard of than to embrace love
itself; than to be changed by grace into love itself? Lord, I see no
difference except