Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/494

 love God,  who  is  an  infinite  good. Hence Cardinal Petrucci says,  that  the  love  of  a  heart  dedicated  to  the divine love  is  raised  above  all  that  is  spread  over  the theatre of  the  world.

But remember  that  by  solitude  I  do  not  mean  pure leisure, as  if  a  religious  were  to  be  free  from  all  occupations and  from  all  care. God wishes  that  his  spouses be solitary,  but  not  idle. Some nuns  lead  a  hidden  and retired life,  but  in  their  retreat  they  either  remain  idle, without applying  themselves  to  any  work,  or  spend  their time  in  vain    reading,  or  in   other  useless   occupations. They remain  silent,  but  of  this  useless  silence  St.  Basil says '  they  shall    render  an   account  to  God. Idle solitude is  the  solitude  of  beasts;   solitude  devoted  to  curious  studies   is    worldly   solitude;     religious    solitude   is neither   idle   nor   useless,   but   is  all   fruitful  and    holy. Religious  should   remain  in    their    cells,  like     the    bee, which in  its   little  cell    never  ceases  to  make  honey;  and hence they  should  not  waste  their  time,  but  should  be employed  either  in  prayer,  or  in  reading  spiritual  books, or in  manual  works  that  will  not  hinder  them  to  keep the  mind  on  God. St. John   Chrysostom   says   that  in solitude  the  soul  is  not  idle,  but  occupied  in  God. In a certain  convent  of  St.  Francis  there  was  an  idle  brother who was  always  going  about  the  house— now  troublesome to  one,  and   again  to   another. The saint  called him Brother  Fly. Would  to   God    that   in  monasteries there were  no  Sister  Fly,  constantly  going  about,  observing who  is  at  the  grate   or  at  confession;   who  sends  or receive   presents,   and   the  like. Such   religious  would deserve, like  flies,  to  be  expelled  from   the  house,  or  at