though some of us feel it seldom, it passeth never from Christ till what time He hath brought us out of all our woe. For love suffereth never to be without pity. And what time that we fall into sin and leave the mind of Him and the keeping of our own soul, then keepeth Christ alone all the charge; and thus standeth He sorrowfully and moaning.
Then belongeth it to us for reverence and kindness to turn us hastily to our Lord and leave Him not alone. He is here alone with us all: that is to say, only for us He is here. And what time I am strange to Him by sin, despair or sloth, then I let my Lord stand alone, in as much as it is in me. And thus it fareth with us all which be sinners. But though it be so that we do thus oftentimes. His Goodness sufFereth us never to be alone, but lastingly He is with us, and tenderly He excuseth us, and ever shieldeth us from blame in His sight.
CHAPTER LXXXI
"God seeth all our living a penance: for nature-longing of our love is to Him a lasting penance in us." "His love maketh Him to long"
OUR Good Lord shewed Himself in diverse manners both in heaven and in earth, but I saw Him take no place save in man's soul.
He shewed Himself in earth in the sweet Incarnation and in His blessed Passion. And in other manner He shewed Himself in earth [as in the Revelation] where I say: I saw God in a Point.[1] And in another manner He shewed Himself in earth thus as it were in pilgrimage;
- ↑ ch, xi.
