Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/86

 the highest  degree;  but  when  He  favors  thee  by making  thee  feel  his  Presence,  and  know  His  desire that thou  shouldst  speak  to  Him  as  to  that  One  Who loves thee  above  all,  then  express  to  Him  thy  feelings with  freedom  and  confidence. " She  preventeth them  that  Covet  her,  so  that  she  first  showeth  herself unto  them"  (Wisd.  vi.  14). When thou  desirest His love,  He  takes  the  first  step,  without  waiting  till thou comest  to  Him;  and  presents  Himself  to  thee, bringing with  Him  the  graces  and  the  remedies  thou dost stand  in  need  of. He only  waits  for  thee  to speak  to  Him,  to  show  thee  that  He  is  near  to  thee, ready to  hear  and  to  comfort  thee:  "  And  His  ears are  unto  their  prayers"  (Ps.  xxxiii.  16).

By reason  of  His  immensity,  our  God  is  in  every place; but  there *are  two  places  above  all  where  He has  His  own  peculiar  dwelling. One is  the  highest heaven, where  He  is  present  by  that  glory  which  He communicates  to  the  blessed;  the  other  is  upon earth, — it is  within  the  humble  soul  that  loves  Him: " who  dwelleth  with  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit " (Is. lvii.  15). He, then,  our  God,  dwelleth  in  the height of  heaven;  and  yet  He  disdains  not  to  occupy and engage  Himself  day  and  night  with  His  faithful servants in  their  cabins  or  their  cells. And there He bestows  on  them  His  divine  consolations,  each one of  which  surpasses  all  the  delights  the  world can give,  and  which  he  only  desires  not  who  has  no experience  of  them:  "  Oh,  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord is  sweet "  (Ps.  xxxiii.  9).

Friends in  the  world  have  some  hours  in  which they converse  together,  and  others  during  which  they are apart;  but  between  God  and  thee  (if  thou  wiliest) there shall  never  be  one  hour  of  separation:  "Thou shalt  rest,  and  thy  sleep  shall  be  sweet:  the  Lord  will be  at  thy  side"  (Prov.  iii.  24,  26). Thou shalt  sleep, and God  will  place  Himself  at  thy  side,  and  watch with thee  continually;   "  I  will  repose  myself  with