Chapter VII. Of the spirit of devotion

The spirit of devotion is the mainspring of the spiritual life, and consists in keeping the heart always united to God or our Lord Jesus Christ. And when this is done effectually and without difficulty, every thing else follows easily, as amendment of life, progress in virtue, forgetftdness of the things of the world, &c. So that to raise' a soul to perfection in a short time two things are necessary.

The first is, to make it labour at knowing and correcting itself; the second, to fill it with ideas which excite it to devotion, and cause it to feel an interior relish for God.

When the soul has attained to this relish for God, it must endeavour to cherish it and render it enduring. To this end, it must despise the care of the body ; it must discard all reflections on the life of others ; it must give up a thousand little diversions which waste its time and retard its progress. Then also virtues will introduce themselves sweetly and easily into the mind.

Let us therefore constantly endeavour to draw near unto God ; to unite ourselves to Him by our thoughts and affections, and allow nothing to divert us from Him, unless it be such actions as appertain to His service, for which we must quit every thing, even prayer and converse with God.

As soon as we find a void in our occupations, let us turn to the profitable employment of conversing with God in our own interior, or to Jesus Christ, in order to quicken devotion in us. The result will be, that our mind, being always occupied in some holy way, will give no admission to vices or a store of useless accomplishments ; and will become noble and venerable in its own eyes and in those of others, breathing a perpetual odour of sanctity.

Of the three principal objects of our devotion, Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and St. Joseph, we may say that what forms the glory and special lustre of Jesus Christ in His mortal life is His humility and meekness ; that of the Blessed Virgin, her purity ; that of St. Joseph, the wisdom of his conduct.

Three things are injurious to the spirit of devotion in some religious communities : 1. excess of unprofitable recreations ; 2. a spirit of raillery ; 3. particular friendships, and too great an intimacy between individuals.