Part 1, lesson 22. Of the mystery of the Death of our Lord, and of the state of death which it ope rates in us

Q. How can we participate in the mystery of the death of our Lord ?

A. By appropriating to ourselves the state and grace of interior death, which he acquirej3SEIuijh this mystery.

Q. What do you call state of interior death ?

A. It is a state in which a man can no , longer be moved, and although the world may show him its beauties, honors and riches, it is the same thing as if they were offered to a dead man, who remains without move ment and desire, insensible to all that is presented to him. The Christian, in this state of death, whatever his senses may snow him, whatever the malig nity of the world may excite against him, is interiorly immoveable; he may be agitated, as long as he is in life, but his soul is always in peace; he remains indifferent to all things, and takes no notice of them, because he is dead to all in our Lord.*

A dead man can be shaken exteriorly, and receive some movement in his body; but this agitation is altogether exterior, and does not proceed from the interior, which is wholly with out life, vigor, or strength. Thus a soul that is interiorly dead, may be disturbed without; but within, it remains dead and without movement for any thing that may present itself, be cause there is no longer in it

• Mortui enim estis. Col. iii, 3.

any life for the world, it is wholly insensible, and com pletely dead to the vain things of the earth, on account of the divine life which absorbs all that is mortal in it. *