Him face to face. Long ardently to depart out of this banishment, this scene of sinning, and danger of losing His grace, that thou mayest arrive in that land of love where thou shalt love Him with all thy powers. Say to Him again and again, Lord, so long as I live on this earth, I am always in danger of forsaking Thee, and losing Thy love. When shall it be that I quit this life, wherein I am ever offending Thee, and come to love Thee with all my soul, and unite myself to Thee, with no danger of losing Thee any more? St. Teresa was ever sighing after this sort, and used to rejoice when she heard the clock strike, because another hour of life, and of the danger of losing God, was past and gone. For she so greatly desired death in order to see God, that she was dying with the desire to die; and hence she composed that loving canticle of hers, " I die, because I do not die."
IV.
God Answers the Soul that Speaks to Him.
IN a word, if thou desirest to delight the loving Heart of thy God, be careful to speak to Him as often as thou art able, and with the fullest confidence that He will not disdain to answer and to speak with thee in return. He does not, indeed, make Himself heard in any voice which reaches thy ears, but in a voice which thy heart can well perceive, when thou dost withdraw from converse with creatures, to occupy thyself in conversing with thy God alone: " I will lead her into the wilderness,[1] and I will speak to her heart " (Osee ii. 14). He will then speak to thee by such inspirations, such interior lights, such manifestations of His goodness, such sweet touches in thy heart, such tokens of forgiveness, such experience of peace, such hopes
- ↑ "into solitude." Vulg.
