Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/510

 beloved spouse  always  walks  in  my  presence,  seeking always to  do  my  will,  and  directing  all  her  works  to  my glory."  This  was  also  the  practice  of  St.  Teresa;  for in  whatever  occupation  she  found  herself  she  never  lost sight  of  her  beloved  Lord.

If, then,  you  ask  me  how  often  in  the  day  you  should remember the  presence  of  God,  I  will  answer  you  with St. Bernard3  that  you  ought  to  remember  it  every moment. As there  is  not  a  moment,  says  the  saint,  in which  we  do  not  enjoy  the  benefits  of  God,  so  there  is not  a  moment  in  which  we  should  not  remember  God, and prove  our  gratitude. If you  knew  that  the  king was always  thinking  of  you  and  of  your  welfare,  though he should  confer  no  real  benefit,  still  you  could  not  remember his  affection  without  feeling  an  interior  love  for him. It is  certain  that  your  God  is  always  thinking  of you,  and  that  he  incessantly  confers  favors  on  you  at one  time  by  his  lights,  at  another  by  internal  helps,  and again by  loving  visits. Is it  not  ingratitude  in  you  to be  forgetful  of  him  for  any  length  of  time? It is  then  a duty  to  endeavor  to  remember  always,  or  at  least  as  often as we  can,  the  divine  presence.

This was  the  advice  of  the  Lord  to  Abraham:  Walk before  me,  and  be  perfect.  Endeavor  to  walk  always  in my  presence,  and  you  shall  be  perfect. Tobias gave  the same advice  to  his  son:  All  the  days  of  thy  life  have  God  in thy  mind.  My  son,  during  your  whole  life  keep  God always before  your  eyes. The exercise  of  the  divine presence St.  Dorotheus  recommended  in  a  most  special manner to  his  disciple,  St.  Dositheus,  who  besought  him to tell  him  what  he  should  do  in  order  to  be  a  saint: