TO FIND THE CREATOR, FORSAKE ALL CREATURES
THE DISCIPLE
O LORD, I am in sore need still of greater grace if I am to
arrive at the point where no man and no created thing can be an
obstacle to me. For as long as anything holds me back, I cannot freely
fly to You. He that said "Oh that I had wings like a dove, that I
might fly away and be at rest!"[35] desired to fly freely to You. Who
is more at rest than he who aims at nothing but God? And who more free
than the man who desires nothing on earth?
It is well, then, to pass over all creation, perfectly to
abandon self, and to see in ecstasy of mind that You, the Creator of
all, have no likeness among all Your creatures, and that unless a man
be freed from all creatures, he cannot attend freely to the Divine.
The reason why so few contemplative persons are found, is that so few
know how to separate themselves entirely from what is transitory and
created.
For this, indeed, great grace is needed, grace that will raise
the soul and lift it up above itself. Unless a man be elevated in
spirit, free from all creatures, and completely united to God, all his
knowledge and possessions are of little moment. He who considers
anything great except the one, immense, eternal good will long be
little and lie groveling on the earth. Whatever is not God is nothing
and must be accounted as nothing.
There is great difference between the wisdom of an enlightened
and devout man and the learning of a well-read and brilliant scholar,
for the knowledge which flows down from divine sources is much nobler
than that laboriously acquired by human industry.
Many there are who desire contemplation, but who do not care to
do the things which contemplation requires. It is also a great
obstacle to be satisfied with externals and sensible things, and to
have so little of perfect mortification. I know not what it is, or by
what spirit we are led, or to what we pretend -- we who wish to be
called spiritual -- that we spend so much labor and even more anxiety
on things that are transitory and mean, while we seldom or never
advert with full consciousness to our interior concerns.
Alas, after very little recollection we falter, not weighing
our deeds by strict examination. We pay no attention to where our
affections lie, nor do we deplore the fact that our actions are
impure.
Remember that because all flesh had corrupted its course, the
great deluge followed. Since, then, our interior affection is corrupt,
it must be that the action which follows from it, the index as it were
of our lack of inward strength, is also corrupt. Out of a pure heart
come the fruits of a good life.
People are wont to ask how much a man has done, but they think
little of the virtue with which he acts. They ask: Is he strong? rich?
handsome? a good writer? a good singer? or a good worker? They say
little, however, about how poor he is in spirit, how patient and meek,
how devout and spiritual. Nature looks to his outward appearance;
grace turns to his inward being. The one often errs, the other trusts
in God and is not deceived. |
Of the neglect of every creature, that the Creator
may be found
O Lord, I still need more grace, if I would
arrive where neither man nor any other creature may hinder me. For so
long as anything keepeth me back, I cannot freely fly unto Thee. He
desired eagerly thus to fly, who cried, saying, Oh that I had wings
like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest. What is more
peaceful than the single eye? And what more free than he that
desireth nothing upon earth? Therefore must a man rise above every
creature, and perfectly forsake himself, and with abstracted mind to
stand and behold that Thou, the Creator of all things, hast among Thy
creatures nothing like unto Thyself. And except a man be freed from
all creatures, he will not be able to reach freely after Divine
things. Therefore few are found who give themselves to contemplation,
because few know how to separate themselves entirely from perishing
and created things.
2. For this much grace is necessary, which may
lift up the soul and raise it above itself. And except a man be
lifted up in the spirit, and freed from all creatures, and altogether
united to God, whatsoever he knoweth, whatsoever even he hath, it
mattereth but little. He who esteemeth anything great save the one
only incomprehensible, eternal, good, shall long time be little and
lie low. For whatsoever is not God is nothing, and ought to be
counted for nothing. Great is the difference between a godly man,
illuminated with wisdom, and a scholar learned in knowledge and given
to books. Far nobler is that doctrine which floweth down from the
divine fulness above, than that which is acquired laboriously by human
study.
3. Many are found who desire contemplation, but
they do not strive to practice those things which are required
thereunto. It is also a great impediment, that much is made of
symbols and external signs, and too little of thorough mortification.
I know not how it is, and by what spirit we are led, and what we who
would be deemed spiritual are aiming at, that we give so great labour
and so eager solicitude for transitory and worthless things, and
scarcely ever gather our senses together to think at all of our inward
condition.
4. Ah, me! Forthwith after a little recollection
we rush out of doors, and do not subject our actions to a strict
examination. Where our affections are set we take no heed, and we weep
not that all things belonging to us are so defiled. For because all
flesh had corrupted itself upon the earth, the great deluge came.
Since therefore our inmost affections are very corrupt, it followeth
of necessity that our actions also are corrupt, being the index of a
deficient inward strength. Out of a pure heart proceedeth the fruit
of good living.
5. We demand, how much a man hath done; but from
how much virtue he acted, is not so narrowly considered. We ask if he
be strong, rich, handsome, clever, whether he is a good writer, good
singer, good workman; but how poor he may be in spirit, how patient
and gentle, how devout and meditative, on these things many are
silent. Nature looketh upon the outward appearance of a man, grace
turneth its thought to the heart. The former frequently judgeth
amiss; the latter trusteth in God, that it may not be deceived. |