Fourth Day
Yesterday, St. Paul raised the veil a little way so that I could catch a glimpse " of the lot of the saints in light," and ascertain how they employ themselves, and that I might try, as far as possible, to conform my life to theirs, and fulfil my vocation of Laudem Gloria,
To-day it is St. John who will partly open the "eternal gates "f for me, that my soul may rest in "Jerusalem the holy," the sweet " vision of peace!" J He tells me, to begin with, that " the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God hath enlightened it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof." §
If I wish my interior city to agree with, to resemble that of the "immortal King of ages,"|| and
X Office of the Dedication. § Apoc. xxi. 23.12
to shine with the great illumination given by God, I must first extinguish every other light, so that the Lamb may be its only Lamp.
Here faith, the fair light of faith, appears to me. That, and no other, ought to enlighten me to go to meet the Bridegroom. The Psalmist sings that "He made darkness His covert,"3 but seems to contradict himself by saying elsewhere that He is "clothed with light as with a garment." t This apparent contradiction appears to mean that I ought to plunge into the sacred darkness, keeping all my powers in night and emptiness ; then I shall meet my Master, and the light which " clothes Him as a garment" will enwrap me too, for He wishes His bride to be luminous with His light, and with His light alone, "having the glory of God." J
It is said of Moses that "he endured as seeing Him that is invisible ";4 such should be the attitude of a " Praise of glory " who desires to persevere in her hymn of thanksgiving whatever happens ; to be enduring in her faith, as if she saw Him Who is invisible ; enduring in her faith in His " exceeding charity "! u We have known and have believed the charity which God hath to us,"||
" Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." IF
What does it matter to the soul that retires within itself, enlightened by this word, whether it feels or does not feel, whether it is in light or darkness, enjoys or does not enjoy ? It is struck by a kind of shame at making any difference between such things,
X Apoc. xxi. II. § Heb. xi. 27.
and despising itself utterly for such want of love, it turns at once to its Master for deliverance! " It exalts Him upon the highest summit of the heart " — that is to say, above the sweetness and consolations which flow from Him, having resolved to pass by all else to obtain union with Him it loves.
To this soul, this enduring believer in the God of love, may be applied the words of the prince of the Apostles : " In Whom . . . believing, you shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified."*
Footnotes
Chapter 4 of 16