Exclamation I

I, Oh, life, life, how canst thou still exist, apart from Him Who is thy Life? How dost thou occupy thyself during such solitude? What dost thou do — thou, whose actions are full of faults and imperfections? What can comfort thee, O my soul, in this tempestuous sea? I grieve for self, and yet still more for the time when I felt no grief. How sweet are Thy ways, O Lord! yet who can travel by them without dread? I dare not abstain from serving Thee, yet my service contents me not, nor acquits aught of the debt I owe. Fain would I give myself wholly to Thy service, yet, looking on my misery, I see that I am incapable of good, unless Thou first give it me. Oh, my merciful God! what shall I do, not to render void Thy great graces? Thy works are holy, just, priceless,

77 full of sublimest wisdom, for Thou, Lord, art Wisdom itself! Yet while my mind ponders over this, my will complains; it would have no hindrance to its loving Thee, for in such high matters the intellect cannot attain to its God, yet longs to enjoy Him, although it knows not how, while shut within the dreary prison of mortality. Now it impedes me, though, at first, meditation on Thy grandeurs was an aid, showing me more clearly my own immeasurable baseness.

2. Why do I say this, my God? To whom do I complain? Who hears me, but Thou, my Father and my Creator? But why speak, in order to tell Thee of my pain, since I see so clearly that Thou dost dwell within me? Behold my folly! But alas, my God, how can I be sure I am not separated from Thee?

3. Oh, my life! which must be passed in such vital hazard, who would wish for thee? The sole gain to be found or hoped for in thee is to please God in all -things, and even this is most uncertain and beset by dangers.