THE PROVING OF A TRUE LOVER
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, you are not yet a brave and wise lover.
THE DISCIPLE
Why, Lord?
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
Because, on account of a slight difficulty you give up what you
have undertaken and are too eager to seek consolation.
The brave lover stands firm in temptations and pays no heed to
the crafty persuasions of the enemy. As I please him in prosperity, so
in adversity I am not displeasing to him. The wise lover regards not
so much the gift of Him Who loves as the love of Him Who gives. He
regards the affection of the Giver rather than the value of the gift,
and sets his Beloved above all gifts. The noble lover does not rest in
the gift but in Me Who am above every gift.
All is not lost, then, if you sometimes feel less devout than
you wish toward Me or My saints. That good and sweet feeling which you
sometimes have is the effect of present grace and a certain foretaste
of your heavenly home. You must not lean upon it too much, because it
comes and goes. But to fight against evil thoughts which attack you is
a sign of virtue and great merit. Do not, therefore, let strange
fantasies disturb you, no matter what they concern. Hold strongly to
your resolution and keep a right intention toward God.
It is not an illusion that you are sometimes rapt in ecstasy
and then quickly returned to the usual follies of your heart. For
these are evils which you suffer rather than commit; and so long as
they displease you and you struggle against them, it is a matter of
merit and not a loss.
You must know that the old enemy tries by all means in his
power to hinder your desire for good and to turn you from every
devotional practice, especially from the veneration of the saints,
from devout meditation on My passion, and from your firm purpose of
advancing in virtue. He suggests many evil thoughts that he may cause
you weariness and horror, and thus draw you away from prayer and holy
reading. A humble confession displeases him and, if he could, he would
make you omit Holy Communion.
Do not believe him or heed him, even though he often sets traps
to deceive you. When he suggests evil, unclean things, accuse him. Say
to him: "Away, unclean spirit! Shame, miserable creature! You are but
filth to bring such things to my ears. Begone, most wretched seducer!
You shall have no part in me, for Jesus will be my strength, and you
shall be confounded. I would rather die and suffer all torments than
consent to you. Be still! Be silent! Though you bring many troubles
upon me I will have none of you. The Lord is my light, my salvation.
Whom shall I fear? Though armies unite against me, my heart will not
fear, for the Lord is my Helper, my Redeemer."
Fight like a good soldier and if you sometimes fall through
weakness, rise again with greater strength than before, trusting in My
most abundant grace. But beware of vain complacency and pride. For
many are led into error through these faults and sometimes fall into
almost perpetual blindness. Let the fall of these, who proudly presume
on self, be a warning to you and a constant incentive to humility. |
Of the proving of the true lover
"My Son, thou art not yet strong and prudent in
thy love."
2. Wherefore, O my Lord?
3. "Because for a little opposition thou fallest
away from thy undertakings, and too eagerly seekest after
consolation. The strong lover standeth fast in temptations, and
believeth not the evil persuasions of the enemy. As in prosperity I
please him, so in adversity I do not displease.
4. "The prudent lover considereth not the gift of
the lover so much as the love of the giver. He looketh for the
affection more than the value, and setteth all gifts lower than the
Beloved. The noble lover resteth not in the gift, but in Me above
every gift.
5. "All is not lost, though thou sometimes think
of Me or of My saints, less than thou shouldest desire. That good and
sweet affection which thou sometimes perceivest is the effect of
present grace and some foretaste of the heavenly country; but hereon
thou must not too much depend, for it goeth and cometh. But to strive
against the evil motions of the mind which come to us, and to resist
the suggestions of the devil, is a token of virtue and great merit.
6. "Therefore let not strange fancies disturb
thee, whencesoever they arise. Bravely observe thy purpose and thy
upright intentions towards God. It is not an illusion when thou art
sometimes suddenly carried away into rapture, and then suddenly art
brought back to the wonted vanities of thy heart. For thou dost
rather unwillingly undergo them than cause them; and so long as they
displease thee and thou strivest against them, it is a merit and no
loss.
7. "Know thou that thine old enemy altogether
striveth to hinder thy pursuit after good, and to deter thee from
every godly exercise, to wit, the contemplation of the Saints, the
pious remembrance of My passion, the profitable recollection of sin,
the keeping of thy own heart, and the steadfast purpose to grow in
virtue. He suggesteth to thee many evil thoughts, that he may work in
thee weariness and terror, and so draw thee away from prayer and holy
reading. Humble confession displeaseth him, and if he were able he
would make thee to cease from Communion. Believe him not, nor heed
him, though many a time he hath laid for thee the snares of deceit.
Account it to be from him, when he suggesteth evil and unclean
thoughts. Say unto him, 'Depart unclean spirit; put on shame,
miserable one; horribly unclean art thou, who bringest such things to
mine ears. Depart from me, detestable deceiver; thou shalt have no
part in me; but Jesus shall be with me, as a strong warrior, and thou
shalt stand confounded. Rather would I die and bear all suffering,
than consent unto thee. Hold thy peace and be dumb; I will not hear
thee more, though thou plottest more snares against me. The Lord is
my light and my salvation: whom then shall I fear? Though a host of
men should rise up against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid. The
Lord is my strength and my Redeemer.'(1)
8. "Strive thou like a good soldier; and if
sometimes thou fail through weakness, put on thy strength more bravely
than before, trusting in My more abundant grace, and take thou much
heed of vain confidence and pride. Because of it many are led into
error, and sometimes fall into blindness well-nigh irremediable. Let
this ruin of the proud, who foolishly lift themselves up, be to thee
for a warning and a continual exhortation to humility." |