Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/486

 the Lord  and  the  beauty  of  our  God.  The  wilderness  shall be a  perennial  fountain  of  joy  and  gladness  to  the  soul that seeks  it;  it  shall  flourish  like  the  lily  in  whiteness  and innocence of  life,  and  shall  produce  fruits  of  every  virtue. These happy  souls  shall  in  the  end  be  raised  on  high  to see  the  glory  and  infinite  beauty  of  the  Lord. It is certain  that  to  keep  the  heart  united  with  God  we  must preserve in  the  soul  the  thoughts  of  God,  and  of  the  immense goods  that  he  prepares  for  those  who  love  him; but when  we  hold  intercourse  with  the  world,  it  presents to  us  earthly  things  that  cancel  spiritual  impressions and  pious  sentiments. Hence, for  a  nun  that  delights in  receiving  visits  and  letters,  in  reading  the newspapers, and  in  speaking  frequently  of  the  things of the  world,  it  is  impossible  to  be  a  good  religious. Every time  that  she  unnecessarily  holds  intercourse  with seculars, she  will  suffer  a  diminution  of  fervor.

There is  no  one  more  deserving  of  pity  than  a  nun who, being  unable  to  go  into  the  world,  brings  the  world to herself  by  spending  a  great  part  of  the  day  in  vain amusements, in  conversing  with  seculars  at  the  grate,  or in  diverting  herself  with  the  sisters,  laughing,  talking, censuring others,  and  by  seeking  to  learn  what  happens in the  neighborhood. Shall a  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ, who should  have  no  other  pleasure  than  that  of  con- versing with her  God,  place  her  consolation  in  a  life  of distraction,  and  of  intercourse  with  seculars,  who  by their  conversation  will  infect  her  heart  with  the  corrupt maxims of  the  world? Shall she  thus  spend  the  time that the  Lord  gives  her  in  order  to  become  a  saint? O God! how can  she  squander  that  time  the  moments  of which  the  saints  would  have  purchased  even  at  the  cost of their  blood? Alas! when one  day  she  finds  herself  at