The Pure Soul

When one has preserved his innocence, he feels himself borne aloft by love, even as a bird is borne upward by its wings.

A Christian possessing purity of soul is, in this world, as a bird tied by a string. Poor little bird ! It is ever awaiting the moment when the string shall be cut, that it may fly away.

Good Christians are like those birds with very large wings and small feet, which never rest upon the ground, lest, being unable to rise again, they should be captured. They build their nests in elevated places ; on the summits of rocks ; on the house-tops. Even so should the Christian ever seek the heights. As soon as we turn our thoughts to earth, we are captive.

A pure soul is like a beautiful pearl. ' When concealed in a shell, at the bottom of the sea, no one admires it, but bring it forth to the sun, it becomes radiant and attracts the admiration of all. It is thus the pure soul, although concealed from the eyes of the world, will one day shine before the angels in the sun of eternity.

The pure soul is a beautiful rose, and the Three Divine Persons descend from Heaven to inhale its fragrance.

There is nothing so beautiful as a pure soul ! If this were fully understood no one would ever lose his purity. The pure soul is disengaged not only from material, and from worldly things, but also from itself.

We must close our heart to pride, sensuality and all other passions . . . for when the doors and windows of a house are closed no one can enter.

All Heaven regards the pure soul with eyes of love !

Pure souls shall form a circle around our Lord. The purer one has been on earth, the nearer will he be to our Lord in Heaven.

When the heart is pure it cannot help loving, because it has found the source of love, which is God. ' The power that a pure soul has over the good God is ihcpmprehensible. It is not that this soul does God’s will, but that God does its will.

God contemplates with love the pure soul, and grants all its petitions. How could He resist a soul that lives only for Him, by Him and in Him It seeks God and God shows Himself to it, it calls Him and He comes ; it makes itself one with Him ; it enchains His will.

A pure soul is with God like an infant with its mother; it caresses and embraces her; and the mother returns these caresses and embraces.