Book III, Chapter IV

If thou wouldst perfectly empty thyself from all creatures, Jesus would willingly dwell with thee

(On these words) — “ If thou wouldst perfectly empty thy- 1 self from all creatures, Jesus would willingly dwell with thee.” I

B. ii. c. 7. i

Question. — What is it that hinders the Saviour from dwelling in the soul?

Answer. — It is, that He does not find it perfectly emptied from all creatures. The greater number of

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108 CHRIST DWELLS IN THE SOUL VOID OF ALL ELSE, those who profess to serve God, do not wholly re- nounce created things, and therefore Jesus cannot I dwell with them.

Question. — How does Christ dwell in the soul?

i Answer. — Not only by habitual and sanctifying

Grace, but also by a joy and a delightful feeling caused; by His Divine Presence, which is greater or less, i according to His different way of giving and applyj ing Himself, so to speak, to the soul in which He; takes up His abode. Sometimes He communicates i Himself to her in such a manner as entirely to fill l her, and then she is overflowing with joy, like a man who sees his coffers full of money, or one who comes forth well satisfied from a magnificent feast, or one

who by some sudden good fortune has gained a large

sum of money. If such a man thinks himself!

happy in the possession of good things which pass away, if he is fully content, shall not the soul which possesses Christ in the manner of which our Author speaks, and to which Christ unites Himself very closely, whether by the Holy Eucharist or by prayer, feel a like satisfaction? When I say a like satisfaci tion, I mean only one resembling it; for in truth there is no comparison between them.

I This joy, this perfect satisfaction, produced by the immediate presence of our Lord, is not a favour com- I mon to all the just, nor, perhaps, even to all who I have renounced the world, although they do not

I repent of having quitted it, and consecrated them- selves for ever to God in the religious life. This

gift is only for those who, by complete self-abnega- tion, and a general renunciation of all that is not 1 God, and that does not tend to God, have perfectly emptied themselves of all creatures. It is to them i that our Lord communicates Himself, He honours i I them with His familiar converse; with them He

WHEN IS THE SOUL VOID OF ALL BUT CHRIST? 109 discourses confidentially and openly. He is their guide, their companion, their support, their counsel, their All; He fills them, satisfies them, rejoices all the powers of their soul, so that they possess and enjoy Him, not by seeing Him clearly, but in such a way as to feel Him within themselves, by a lively faith and ardent love.

Question. — How must we renounce all creatures?

Answer. — Entirely, and in such manner, as to rest only on God and on what is in God, and to die to all beside. Few reach this high degree of perfection; and therefore there are but few who are free from all affection and attachment to created things. Let us take, for example, an Ecclesiastic, a Religious, in a great town, the capital of a great kingdom, where innumerable pleasing objects are presented to his eyes without need of his going far to seek them, where he exercises his functions with reputation, and where the first people follow him, hear, admire, and applaud him; he feels, in this, a true joy, which creeps into his soul without his perceiving that there is any thing wrong; for, after all, he is entirely occupied in ministrations which regard the glory of God, and the good of souls. But the heart enjoys this pleasure far more human than divine, and finds in it a nameless sweetness. It is easy to say that all is directed to God’s glory; this is not said till after the man has contented himself, and given to nature the satisfaction it desires. Then, hut too late, he lifts up his mind to God, and protests that he desires to serve Him, and to seek His Glory; as if that consisted in performing actions, good in themselves, with earthly views, and, as if the principal point were not to purify the heart from all love for worldly things, and to fill it wholly with God.

His most certain means of judging rightly whether

, 1 10 WHEN IS THE SOUL VOID OF ALL BUT CHRIST?

he is truly full of God, is to examine what would be his feelings if he were obliged to quit this pleasant abode and go into a village to catechize the peasants. Would he leave it willingly? And supposing that he could resolve to do so, would not the desire of returning and seeing once more those things which it pained him to quit, cause him fresh grief? If so, this

is an evident sign that he has not yet perfectly renounced all. Some man may say perhaps, “ I do not make this my great object.” Granted; but you make it your satisfaction and your rest, and this must be carefully avoided.

See if you feel no repugnance to live in a poor and obscure place, where you will find none but God. But if you have virtue enough to prefer villages to the largest towns, think not that all is done. Perhaps in the most solitary place, if you do not love the inward life, you may find means of satisfying your self-love. Nothing more is needed to divert you than some curious study; the things that you have read will return to you continually, and your heart and mind will be full of them. A soul emptied of all creatures thinks only of the things of God; this is her whole pleasure; she thinks and acts only with the intention of pleasing the Lord.

After all, we would not condemn those outward employments which are suited to the vocation and the disposition of each individual. What we blame, is that natural satisfaction that is sought in them without any consideration of the Divine Will. Thus perfectly to empty ourselves of all things is difficult; but it is the cross of the true children of God, who, after many victories gained over themselves, and a > long practice of mortification, at length obtain that God comes to dwell in them, occupies their whole soul, and fills them with such great joy, that they can neither rejoice nor repose but in Him.