Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/40

 strong and  hearty;  and  it  is  a  thirst,  which,  instead  of  pain, imparts great  pleasure  to  us. It is  true,  that  it  is  only  in heaven  we  shall  be  perfectly  satisfied,  according  to  these  words, " I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  shall  see  thee  in  thy  glory"  (Ps.  xvi. 15) ;  and  these  others,  "  They  shall  be  inebriated  with  the  plenty of  thy  house." (Ps, xxxv.  9.)  However,  the  above  words  of  the Wise Man  must  be  understood  according  to  the  interpretation of St.  Bernard,  who  says,  we  shall  never  be  in  such  manner satisfied with  the  sight  of  God  as  to  be  without  a  desire  of,  and thirst after  his  sight;  because,  instead  of  giving  us  disgust,  it  will excite in  us  perpetually  a  new  desire  of  seeing  and  enjoying him. In the  Apocalypse,  St.  John,  speaking  of  the  blessed  who assisted at  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  says,  "That  they sung  as  it  were  a  new  song." (Apoc. xiv.  3.)  This  is  to  show us, that  this  song  will  always  contain,  something  new,  and  will excite in  us  new  joy,  and  new  admiration,  which  will  make  ua continually  cry  out,  as  the  children  of  Israel  did  in  first  seeing the manna  fall  in  the  desert,  "Manhu?" that is  to  say,  "What  is this?" It is  just  so  with  spiritual  things  here  below ;  for  being an emanation  from  those  above,  they,  in  consequence,  participate of their  qualities  and  virtue. On the  one  hand  they  satisfy  and fill our  hearts,  and  on  the  other,  they  excite  in  us  extreme  hunger and thirst. The more  we  devote  ourselves  to  them,  the  more  we relish  them;  and  the  more  we  enjoy  them,  the  more  we  continually hunger  and  thirst  after  them. But then  this  very hanger will  be  a  kind  of  satiety,  and  this  thirst  a  most  sweet and agreeable  refreshment  to  the  soul. All this  ought  to  excite in us  a  high  idea  of  spiritual  things;  it  ought  to  make  us  set  a great  value  on  them,  and  devote  ourselves  to  them  with  such zeal and  fervour,  that  regardless  of,  and  scorning  all  the  allurements and  vanities  of  this  world,  we  may  say  with  the  prince  of the  apostles,  "  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here." (Matt. xvii.  4.)

What ought  urge  us  to  wish  still  more  ardently  for  our  advancement in  perfection,  and  to  renew  our  efforts  to  please  God  daily still more  and  more,  and  what  ought,  at  the  same  time,  to  be  of