A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [49]
that Simeon received Thee visibly, and I receive Thee
invisibly. But as little as my bodily eyes can see Thy true humanity, just
as little could his bodily eyes contemplate Thy divinity, except through
faith, as I do now. Lord, what new power is lodged in this bodily sight? He
whose spiritual eyes are opened, has not much to see with his bodily eyes,
for the eyes of the spirit see far more really and truly. Lord, I know by
faith, so far as one can know it, that I have Thee here; what do I wish for
more? Lord, it is a thousand times better for me that I am unable to see
Thee; how could I ever have the heart thus visibly to partake of Thee! As it
is, that which is lovely and delightful remains, while that which is inhuman
falls away. Lord, when I truly reflect how inscrutably well, how lovingly
and wisely Thou hast regulated all things, my heart with a loud voice,
exclaims: Oh, the great treasure of the abyss of Divine Wisdom, what must
Thou not be in Thyself, if Thou art so much in Thy fair emanations! Now, O
glorious Lord, look at the great and sincere desire of my heart. Lord, never
was king or emperor so worthily received, never dear strange guest so
cordially embraced, never bride so beautifully and tenderly taken home, nor
so honourably maintained, as my soul desires to receive Thee, my most
honoured emperor, my soul's most lovely Bridegroom, this day, and to
introduce Thee to the innermost and the very best that my heart and soul are
able to afford, and to offer it Thee as worthily as ever it was offered Thee
by any creature. Wherefore, Lord, teach me how I should behave myself
towards Thee, how, with due honour and love, I should receive Thee.
Eternal Wisdom.--Thou shouldst receive Me worthily, thou shouldst
partake of Me with humility, thou shouldst keep Me earnestly, thou shouldst
embrace Me with conjugal love, and have Me in My godly dignity before thy
eyes. Spiritual hunger and actual devotion must impel thee to Me more than
custom. The soul that wishes to feel Me interiorly in the recesses of a
secluded life, and sweetly to enjoy Me, must, first of all, be cleansed from
sin, must be adorned with virtue, encircled with self-denial, decked out
with the red roses of ardent love, strewn over with the fair violets of
humble submission, and the white lilies of perfect purity. She should pray
to Me with peace of heart, for in peace is My dwelling-place. She should
clasp Me in her arms to the exclusion of all strange affections; for these I
avoid, and flee as the free bird avoids and flees the cage. She should sing
Me the song of Sion, which is a song of fervent, loving, and measureless
praise; then will I embrace her, and she shall incline herself on My breast.
There, if she finds a calm repose, a pure vision, unusual fruition, a
foretaste of eternal bliss, let her preserve it, let her keep it for
herself, and, with a sighing heart, let her speak as follows: Truly art thou
the hidden God, the secret good which no one can know that has not felt it.
The Servant.--Alas, the great blindness in which I have hitherto lived!
I have plucked the red roses and have not smelt them; I have wandered among
the blooming flowers and have not seen them; I have been as a dry branch
amid the fresh dews of May. Never, O never can I sufficiently repent Thy
having been for many a day so near me, and my having been so far from Thee.
O, Thou sweet guest of pure souls, what a sorry welcome have I hitherto
given Thee, what an ill return have I so frequently made Thee! How little
desirous have I not shown myself of the sweet bread of angels! I had the
precious balsam in my mouth, and felt it not. Ah, Thou delight of all
angelic eyes, never as yet did I feel true delight in Thee! If it were
announced to me that a bodily friend would visit me in the morning should I
not rejoice at it all the night before? And yet, never did I prepare myself
for the reception of Thee, as in reason I ought, Thou worthy guest, whom
heaven and earth equally honour. Alas! how have I been wont to turn quickly
invisibly. But as little as my bodily eyes can see Thy true humanity, just
as little could his bodily eyes contemplate Thy divinity, except through
faith, as I do now. Lord, what new power is lodged in this bodily sight? He
whose spiritual eyes are opened, has not much to see with his bodily eyes,
for the eyes of the spirit see far more really and truly. Lord, I know by
faith, so far as one can know it, that I have Thee here; what do I wish for
more? Lord, it is a thousand times better for me that I am unable to see
Thee; how could I ever have the heart thus visibly to partake of Thee! As it
is, that which is lovely and delightful remains, while that which is inhuman
falls away. Lord, when I truly reflect how inscrutably well, how lovingly
and wisely Thou hast regulated all things, my heart with a loud voice,
exclaims: Oh, the great treasure of the abyss of Divine Wisdom, what must
Thou not be in Thyself, if Thou art so much in Thy fair emanations! Now, O
glorious Lord, look at the great and sincere desire of my heart. Lord, never
was king or emperor so worthily received, never dear strange guest so
cordially embraced, never bride so beautifully and tenderly taken home, nor
so honourably maintained, as my soul desires to receive Thee, my most
honoured emperor, my soul's most lovely Bridegroom, this day, and to
introduce Thee to the innermost and the very best that my heart and soul are
able to afford, and to offer it Thee as worthily as ever it was offered Thee
by any creature. Wherefore, Lord, teach me how I should behave myself
towards Thee, how, with due honour and love, I should receive Thee.
Eternal Wisdom.--Thou shouldst receive Me worthily, thou shouldst
partake of Me with humility, thou shouldst keep Me earnestly, thou shouldst
embrace Me with conjugal love, and have Me in My godly dignity before thy
eyes. Spiritual hunger and actual devotion must impel thee to Me more than
custom. The soul that wishes to feel Me interiorly in the recesses of a
secluded life, and sweetly to enjoy Me, must, first of all, be cleansed from
sin, must be adorned with virtue, encircled with self-denial, decked out
with the red roses of ardent love, strewn over with the fair violets of
humble submission, and the white lilies of perfect purity. She should pray
to Me with peace of heart, for in peace is My dwelling-place. She should
clasp Me in her arms to the exclusion of all strange affections; for these I
avoid, and flee as the free bird avoids and flees the cage. She should sing
Me the song of Sion, which is a song of fervent, loving, and measureless
praise; then will I embrace her, and she shall incline herself on My breast.
There, if she finds a calm repose, a pure vision, unusual fruition, a
foretaste of eternal bliss, let her preserve it, let her keep it for
herself, and, with a sighing heart, let her speak as follows: Truly art thou
the hidden God, the secret good which no one can know that has not felt it.
The Servant.--Alas, the great blindness in which I have hitherto lived!
I have plucked the red roses and have not smelt them; I have wandered among
the blooming flowers and have not seen them; I have been as a dry branch
amid the fresh dews of May. Never, O never can I sufficiently repent Thy
having been for many a day so near me, and my having been so far from Thee.
O, Thou sweet guest of pure souls, what a sorry welcome have I hitherto
given Thee, what an ill return have I so frequently made Thee! How little
desirous have I not shown myself of the sweet bread of angels! I had the
precious balsam in my mouth, and felt it not. Ah, Thou delight of all
angelic eyes, never as yet did I feel true delight in Thee! If it were
announced to me that a bodily friend would visit me in the morning should I
not rejoice at it all the night before? And yet, never did I prepare myself
for the reception of Thee, as in reason I ought, Thou worthy guest, whom
heaven and earth equally honour. Alas! how have I been wont to turn quickly