Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/96

 Him face  to  face. Long ardently  to  depart  out  of this  banishment,  this  scene  of  sinning,  and  danger  of losing  His  grace,  that  thou  mayest  arrive  in  that  land of love  where  thou  shalt  love  Him  with  all  thy  powers. Say to  Him  again  and  again,  Lord,  so  long  as  I  live on this  earth,  I  am  always  in  danger  of  forsaking Thee, and  losing  Thy  love. When shall  it  be  that  I quit  this  life,  wherein  I  am  ever  offending  Thee,  and come to  love  Thee  with  all  my  soul,  and  unite  myself to  Thee,  with  no  danger  of  losing  Thee  any more? St. Teresa  was  ever  sighing  after  this  sort, and used  to  rejoice  when  she  heard  the  clock  strike, because another  hour  of  life,  and  of  the  danger  of losing  God,  was  past  and  gone. For she  so  greatly desired death  in  order  to  see  God,  that  she  was  dying with the  desire  to  die;  and  hence  she  composed  that loving canticle  of  hers,  "  I  die,  because  I  do  not  die."

N a  word,  if  thou  desirest  to  delight  the  loving Heart of  thy  God,  be  careful  to  speak  to Him  as  often  as  thou  art  able,  and  with  the fullest confidence  that  He  will  not  disdain  to  answer and to  speak  with  thee  in  return. He does  not,  indeed, make  Himself  heard  in  any  voice  which reaches thy  ears,  but  in  a  voice  which  thy  heart  can well perceive,  when  thou  dost  withdraw  from  converse with  creatures,  to  occupy  thyself  in  conversing with thy  God  alone:  "  I  will  lead  her  into  the  wilderness, and  I  will  speak  to  her  heart "  (Osee  ii.  14). He will  then  speak  to  thee  by  such  inspirations, such interior  lights,  such  manifestations  of  His  goodness, such  sweet  touches  in  thy  heart,  such  tokens of forgiveness,  such  experience  of  peace,  such  hopes