angels come to thy soul, and GOD is there, and says to His
lover:--"What wouldest thou that I should do for thee?" and thou dost
answer; "Lord it is enough for me, a sinful wretch and outcast of Thy
people, to praise Thee and love Thee, if I could, for so I well ought."
If thou canst win to such thinkings in thy prayers, thou shalt have such
joys that it shall be a pain to thee to think of aught else. S. Bernard,
for the liking that he had for such stirrings desired that matins-time
might last till Dooms-day. Think, when thou standest or kneelest in
prayer, that thou seest JESUS Christ come with angels and holy Saints on
each side, and angels carrying before Him basketsfull of help which is
left from the feasts of Saints who dwell with GOD in heaven: that GOD
bade them gather up to help the poor with, that naught might be lost.
This help is meat to us poor wretches, who would perish in default of
it, unless GOD had pity on us. Think thou hearest GOD cry: "Whoso has
need of meat, put forth thine hand, and have." And bow thou with thine
head to GOD, and lament thy poverty to Him and say "There is no bread in
mine house"; and also say, "Lord, so long meatless have I been, that I
die of hunger save Thou takest pity on me; and naught can hold my life
in me, save meat that Thou givest." Stir thyself up with such
recollections, and by others that may kindle thy devotion and raise it
to Him, even until thou thinkest thou hearest Him say to thee, "Open thy
mouth wide, and I will fill it." And then, through GOD'S grace, shalt
thou feel something of that heavenly food that feeds all Hallows, that
thou mayest with liking sing the Maiden's Song, that is GOD'S Mother's,
_Magnificat anima mea dominum et exultavit spiritus meus in DEO salutari
meo_. When GOD, through His grace, sends thee such likings, turn thou
kindly to the angels who stand before thee, and to them say: "I pray you
as my keepers whom GOD has sent to me, that ye thank your good Lord for
me." And turn thou then to the altar, where GOD truly is, and say,
"Truly, O GOD, great is Thy mercy towards me," that is, "Soothly Lord,
great is Thy mercy that Thou shewest to me." With such love-stirrings,
GOD comes to His lovers: and waits not till the prayer be made, but
presses in to the midst, and softens the languishing soul, with a
bedewing of heavenly sweetness: and tears and sighings are messengers of
GOD'S coming. Blessed are they who thus mourn and languish to GOD, for
they