always sighing for it. with so many sighs and tears for the knowledge and vision of always God. Reason enough have SS. Chrysostom, Ambrose, Augustine, Cyprian, and Bernard, whose writings are filled with the expression of that desire. “O my God! I can speak only of what is in my heart, and of what I am always thinking of.”[1] “Wretched man that I am in being without Thee, in not seeing Thee!”[2] “To live without Thee is death to me; to die for Thee is my life!”[3] “O joy above all joys! O joy surpassing every joy! outside of which there is no joy, when shall I enter into thee to see my God, who dwells in thee?”[4] “How long shall I be miserably cast about by the waves of this mortality of mine, calling to Thee, my God, and Thou wilt not hear?”[5] “Hear me, O Lord! calling out to Thee from this vast ocean, and bring me to the haven of eternal happiness!”[6] O vision of my God! O knowledge of my God! thou alone art the object of my desires, the end of all my sighs and longings! Let me lose all else if I can only gain thee; if I possess thee alone I am rich enough! O divine countenance! when shall I behold thee? “As the hart panteth after the fountains of waters,” sighs forth David, filled with a similar longing, “so my soul panteth after Thee, O God! My soul hath thirsted after the strong, living God: when shall I come and appear before the face of God?”[7] When shall that happy time come? There is nothing on this earth that can give me pleasure. I have been a shepherd, and liave asked Thee for strength to slay the lions and bears that attacked my flock; I thought I was fortunate enough when I obtained that favor from Thee; I did obtain it, but I am not satisfied with it. I wished to engage in combat with a huge giant and to overthrow him, and I succeeded in doing so. As a reward I was promised the daughter of an earthly king in marriage; again I thought my desires were all satisfied, but not yet had I found what could fully content me. At last the crown was placed on my head; now I am a rich, powerful king seated
- ↑ Solum quod mihi est cordi loquar.
- ↑ Miserum me, quod to careo! miserum me, quod te non video!
- ↑ Sine te vivere mihi mori est; pro te mori mihi vivere est!
- ↑ O gaudium super gaudium! gaudium vincens omne gaudium, extra quod non est gaudium, quando intrabo in te, ut videam Deum meum, qui habitat in te?
- ↑ Quamdiu miser jactabor in fluctibus mortalitatis meæ, clamans ad te Domine, et non exaudis?
- ↑ Audi clamantem Domine de hoc mari magno, et adduc me ad portum felicitatis æternæ!
- ↑ Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum; ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus. Sitivit anima mea ad Deum fortem vivum; quando veniam et apparebo ante faciem Dei?—Ps. xli. 2, 3.
