FOURTH MANSION - CHAPTER 2

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1. GOD help me!  how I have wandered from my subject!  I forget what I was speaking about, for my occupations and ill-health often force me to cease writing until some more suitable time.  The sense will be very disconnected;  as my memory is extremely bad and I have no time to read over what is written, even what I really understand is expressed very vaguely, at least so I fear.  I think I said that spiritual consolations are occasionally connected with the passions.  These feelings of devotion produce fits of sobbing;  I have even heard that sometimes they cause a compression of the chest, and uncontrollable exterior motions violent enough to cause bleeding at the nose and other painful effects.

2.  I can say nothing about this, never having experienced anything of the kind myself;  but there appears some cause for comfort in it, because, as I said, all ends in the desire to please God and to enjoy His presence.  What I call divine consolations, or have termed elsewhere the ‘prayer of quiet,’ is a very different thing, as those will understand who, by the mercy of God, have experienced them.

3.  To make the matter clearer, let us imagine we see two fountains with basins which fill with water. I can find no simile more appropriate than water by which to explain spiritual things, as I am very ignorant and have poor wits to help me.  Besides, I love this element so much that I have studied it more attentively than other things.  God, Who is so great, so wise, has doubtless hidden secrets in all things He created, which we should greatly benefit by knowing, as those say who understand such matters. 

Indeed, I believe that in each smallest creature He has made, though it be but a tiny ant, there are more wonders than can be comprehended.  These two basins are filled in different ways;  the one with water from a distance flowing into it through many pipes and waterworks, while the other basin is built near the source of the spring itself and fills quite noiselessly.  If the fountain is plentiful, like the one we speak of, after the basin is full the water overflows in a great stream which flows continually.  No machinery is needed here, nor does the water run through aqueducts.

4.  Such is the difference between the two kinds of prayer. The water running through the aqueducts resembles sensible devotion, which is obtained by meditation. We gain it by our thoughts, by meditating on created things, and by the labour of our minds;  in short, it is the result of our endeavours, and so makes the commotion I spoke of, while profiting the soul.   The other fountain, like divine consolations, receives the water from the source itself, which signifies God:  as usual, when His Majesty wills to bestow on us any supernatural favours, we experience the greatest peace, calm, and sweetness in the inmost depths of our being; I know neither where nor how.

5.  This joy is not, like earthly happiness, at once felt by the heart;  after gradually filling it to the brim, the delight overflows throughout all the mansions and faculties, until at last it reaches the body.  Therefore, I say it arises from God and ends in ourselves, for whoever experiences it will find that the whole physical part of our nature shares in this delight and sweetness. While writing this I have been thinking that the verse ‘Dilatasti cor meum,’ ‘Thou hast dilated my heart,’ declares that the heart is dilated.  This joy does not appear to me to originate in the heart, but in some more interior part and, as it were, in the depths of our being.  I think this must be the centre of the soul, as I have since learnt and will explain later on.  I discover secrets within us which often fill me with astonishment:  how many more must there be unknown to me!  O my Lord and my God! how stupendous is Thy grandeur!  We are like so many foolish peasant lads:  we think we know something of Thee, yet it must be comparatively nothing, for there are profound secrets even in ourselves of which we know naught.  I say ‘comparatively nothing’ in proportion with all the secrets hidden within Thee, yet how great are Thy mysteries that we are acquainted with and can learn even by the study of such of Thy works as we see!

6.  To return to the verse I quoted, which may help to explain the dilation begun by the celestial waters in the depths of our being. They appear to dilate and enlarge us internally, and benefit us in an inexplicable manner, nor does even the soul itself understand what it receives. It is conscious of what may be described as a certain fragrance, as if within its inmost depths were a brazier sprinkled with sweet perfumes. Although the spirit neither sees the flame nor knows where it is, yet it is penetrated by the warmth, and scented fumes, which are even sometimes perceived by the body.  Understand me, the soul does not feel any real heat or scent, but something far more subtle, which I use this metaphor to explain. Let those who have never experienced it believe that it really occurs to others:  the soul is conscious of it and feels it more distinctly than can be expressed. It is not a thing we can fancy or gain by anything we can do;  clearly it does not arise from the base coin of human nature, but from the most pure gold of Divine Wisdom.  I believe that in this case the powers of the soul are not united to God, but are absorbed and astounded at the marvel before them.  I may possibly be contradicting what I wrote elsewhere;  nor would this be surprising, for it was done about fifteen years ago, and perhaps God has given me since then a clearer insight into the matter.  I may be entirely mistaken on the subject, both then and now, but never do I wilfully say what is untrue.  No;  by the mercy of God, I would rather die a thousand times than tell a falsehood:  I speak of the matter as I understand it. I believe that in this case the will must in some way be united with that of God.  The after effects on the soul, and the subsequent behaviour of the person, show whether this prayer was genuine or no:  this is the best crucible by which to test it.

7.  Our Lord bestows a signal grace on the soul if it realizes how great is this favour, and another greater still if it does not turn back on the right road.  You are longing, my daughters, to enter into this state of prayer at once, and you are right, for, as I said, the soul cannot understand the value of the graces there bestowed by God upon it, nor the love which draws Him ever closer to it: we should certainly desire to learn how to obtain this favour.  I will tell you what I know about it, setting aside certain cases in which God bestows these graces for no other reason than His own choice, into which we have no right to enquire.

8. Practise what I advised in the preceding mansions, then—humility, humility!  for God lets Himself be vanquished by this and grants us all we ask.  The first proof that you possess humility is that you neither think you now deserve these graces and consolations from God, nor that you ever will as long as you live. You ask me:  ‘How shall we receive them, if we do not try to gain them?’  I answer, that there is no surer way to obtain them than the one I have told you, therefore make no efforts to acquire them, for the following reasons.  The first is, that the chief means of obtaining them is to love God without self-interest.  The second, that it is a slight lack of humility to think that our wretched services can win so great a reward.  The third, that the real preparation for them is to desire to suffer and imitate our Lord, rather than to receive consolations, for indeed we have all offended Him.  The fourth reason is, that His Majesty has not promised to give us these favours in the same way as He has bound Himself to bestow eternal glory on us if we keep His commandments. We can be saved without these special graces; He sees better than we do what is best for us and which of us love Him sincerely.  I know for a certain truth, being acquainted with some who walk by the way of love (and therefore only seek to serve Jesus Christ crucified), that not only they neither ask for nor desire consolation, but they even beg Him not to give it them during this life:  this is a fact.  Fifthly, we should but labour in vain:  this water does not flow through aqueducts, like that we first spoke of, and if the spring does not afford it, in vain shall we toil to obtain it.  I mean, that though we may meditate and try our hardest, and though we shed tears to gain it, we cannot make this water flow.  God alone gives it to whom He chooses, and often when the soul is least thinking of it.  We are His, sisters, let Him do what He will with us, and lead us where He will.  If we are really humble and annihilate ourselves, not only in our imagination (which often deceives us), but if we truly detach ourselves from all things, our Lord will not only grant us these favours but many others that we do not know even how to desire. May He be for ever praised and blessed!  Amen.

A Discerning Hearts Recording read by Kris McGregor

www.discerninghearts.com

FOURTH MANSION - CHAPTER 3

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1.  THE effects of divine consolations are very numerous:  before describing them, I will speak of another kind of prayer which usually precedes them. I need not say much on this subject, having written about it elsewhere.  This is a kind of recollection which, I believe, is supernatural.  There is no occasion to retire nor to shut the eyes, nor does it depend on anything exterior; involuntarily the eyes suddenly close and solitude is found.  Without any labour of one’s own, the temple of which I spoke is reared for the soul in which to pray:  the senses and exterior surroundings appear to lose their hold, while the spirit gradually regains its lost sovereignty. Some say the soul enters into itself; others, that it rises above itself.   I can say nothing about these terms, but had better speak of the subject as I understand it. You will probably grasp my meaning, although, perhaps, I may be the only person who understands it.  Let us imagine that the senses and powers of the soul (which I compared in my allegory to the inhabitants of the castle) have fled and joined the enemy outside. After long days and years of absence, perceiving how great has been their loss, they return to the neighbourhood of the castle, but cannot manage to re-enter it, for their evil habits are hard to break off;  still, they are no longer traitors, and they wander about outside.

2.  The King, Who holds His court within it, sees their good will, and out of His great mercy desires them to return to Him.  Like a good Shepherd, He plays so sweetly on His pipe, that although scarcely hearing it they recognize His call and no longer wander, but return, like lost sheep, to the mansions.  So strong is this Pastor’s power over His flock, that they abandon the worldly cares which misled them and re-enter the castle.

3.  I think I never put this matter so clearly before. To seek God within ourselves avails us far more than to look for Him amongst creatures;  Saint Augustine tells us how he found the Almighty within his own soul, after having long sought for Him elsewhere.  This recollection helps us greatly when God bestows it upon us.  But do not fancy you can gain it by thinking of God dwelling within you, or by imagining Him as present in your soul:  this is a good practice and an excellent kind of meditation, for it is founded on the fact that God resides within us;   it is not, however, the prayer of recollection, for by the divine assistance every one can practise it, but what I mean is quite a different thing.  Sometimes, before they have begun to think of God, the powers of the soul find themselves within the castle.  I know not by what means they entered, nor how they heard the Shepherd’s pipe;  the ears perceived no sound but the soul is keenly conscious of a delicious sense of recollection experienced by those who enjoy this favour, which I cannot describe more clearly.

4.  I think I read somewhere that the soul is then like a tortoise or sea-urchin, which retreats into itself. Those who said this no doubt understood what they were talking about;  but these creatures can withdraw into themselves at will, while here it is not in our power to retire into ourselves, unless God gives us the grace.  In my opinion, His Majesty only bestows this favour on those who have renounced the world, in desire at least, if their state of life does not permit their doing so in fact.  He thus specially calls them to devote themselves to spiritual things;  if they allow Him power to at freely He will bestow still greater graces on those whom He thus begins calling to a higher life. Those who enjoy this recollection should thank God fervently:  it is of the highest importance for them to realize the value of this favour, gratitude for which would prepare them to receive still more signal graces.  Some books advise that as a preparation for hearing what our Lord may say to us we should keep our minds at rest, waiting to see what He will work in our souls.  But unless His Majesty has begun to suspend our faculties, I cannot understand how we are to stop thinking, without doing ourselves more harm than good.  This point has been much debated by those learned in spiritual matters;  I confess my want of humility in having been unable to yield to their opinion.

5.  Some one told me of a certain book written on the subject by the saintly Friar Peter of Alcantara (as I think I may justly call him);  I should have submitted to his decision, knowing that he was competent to judge, but on reading it I found he agreed with me that the mind must act until called to recollection by love, although he stated it in other words.  Possibly I may be mistaken, but I rely on these reasons.  Firstly, he who reasons less and tries to do least, does most in spiritual matters.  We should make our petitions like beggars before a powerful and rich Emperor;  then, with downcast eyes, humbly wait.  When He secretly shows us He hears our prayers, it is well to be silent, as He has drawn us into His presence;  there would then be no harm in trying to keep our minds at rest (that is to say, if we can).  If, however, the King makes no sign of listening or of seeing us, there is no need to stand inert, like a dolt, which the soul would resemble if it continued inactive.  In this case its dryness would greatly increase, and the imagination would be made more restless than before by its very effort to think of nothing.  Our Lord wishes us at such a time to offer Him our petitions and to place ourselves in His presence;  He knows what is best for us.

6.  I believe that human efforts avail nothing in these matters, which His Majesty appears to reserve to Himself, setting this limit to our powers.  In many other things, such as penances, good works, and prayers, with His aid we can help ourselves as far as human weakness will allow.  The second reason is, that these interior operations being sweet and peaceful, any painful effort does us more harm than good. By ‘painful effort’ I mean any forcible restraint we place on ourselves, such as holding our breath.  We should rather abandon our souls into the hands of God, leaving Him to do as He chooses with us, as far as possible forgetting all self-interest and resigning ourselves entirely to His will.  The third reason is, that the very effort to think of nothing excites our imagination the more.  The fourth is, because we render God the most true and acceptable service by caring only for His honour and glory and forgetting ourselves, our advantages, comfort and happiness.  How can we be self-oblivious, while keeping ourselves under such strict control that we are afraid to move, or even to think, or to leave our minds enough liberty to desire God’s greater glory and to rejoice in the glory which He possesses?  When His Majesty wishes the mind to rest from working He employs it in another manner, giving it a light and knowledge far above any obtainable by its own efforts and absorbing it entirely into Himself.  Then, though it knows not how, it is filled with wisdom such as it could never gain for itself by striving to suspend the thoughts. God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher.

7.  In my opinion, when God chooses to place the soul in this mansion it is best for it to do as I advised, and then endeavour, without force or disturbance, to keep free from wandering thoughts.  No effort, however, should be made to suspend the imagination entirely from arming, for it is well to remember God’s presence and to consider Who He is.  If transported out of itself by its feelings, well and good; but let it not try to understand what is passing within it, for this favour is bestowed on the will which should be left to enjoy it in peace, only making loving aspirations occasionally.  Although, in this kind of prayer, the soul makes no effort towards it, yet often, for a very short time, the mind ceases to think at all.  I explained elsewhere why this occurs during this spiritual state.   On first speaking of the fourth mansions, I told you I had mentioned divine consolations before the prayer of recollection.  The latter should have come first, as it is far inferior to consolations, of which it is the commencement.  Recollection does not require us to give up meditation, nor to cease using our intellect. In the prayer of quiet, when the water flows from the spring itself and not through conduits, the mind ceases to act;  it is forced to do so, although it does not understand what is happening, and so wanders hither and thither in bewilderment, finding no place for rest.  Meanwhile the will, entirely united to God, is much disturbed by the tumult of the thoughts:  no notice, however, should be taken of them, or they would cause the loss of a great part of the favour the soul is enjoying.  Let the spirit ignore these distractions and abandon itself in the arms of divine love:  His Majesty will teach it how best to act, which chiefly consists in its recognizing its unworthiness of so great a good and occupying itself in thanking Him for it.

8.  In order to treat of the prayer of recollection, I passed over in silence the effects and symptoms to be found in souls thus favoured by God.  Divine consolations evidently cause a dilation or enlargement of the soul that may be compared to water flowing from a spring into a basin which has no outlet, but is so constructed as to increase in size and proportion to the quantity poured into it.  God seems to work the same effect by this prayer, besides giving many other marvellous graces, so preparing and disposing the soul to contain all He intends to give it. After interior sweetness and dilation the soul is not so restrained as formerly in God’s service, but possesses much more liberty of spirit.  It is no longer distressed by the terror of hell, for though more anxious than ever not to offend God, it has lost servile fear and feels sure that one day it will possess its Lord.  It does not dread the loss of health by austerities;  believing that there is nothing it could not do by His grace, it is more desirous than before of doing penance.  Greater indifference is felt for sufferings because faith being stronger, it trusts that if borne for God He will give the grace to endure them patiently.  Indeed, such a one at times even longs for trials, having a most ardent desire to do something for His sake.  As the soul better understands the Divine Majesty, it realizes more vividly its own baseness.  Divine consolation shows it how vile are earthly pleasures; by gradually withdrawing from them, it gains greater self-mastery.  In short, its virtues are increased and it will not cease to advance in perfection, unless it turns back and offends God.  Should it act thus, it would lose everything, however high the state it may have reached.

9.  It is not to be supposed that all these effects are produced merely by God’s having shown these favours once or twice. They must be received continually, for it is on their frequent reception that the whole welfare of the soul depends. I strongly urge those who have reached this state to avoid most carefully all occasions of offending God.  The soul is not yet fully established in virtue, but is like a new-born babe first feeding at its mother’s breast:   if it leaves her, what can it do but die?  I greatly fear that when a soul to whom God has granted this favour discontinues prayer, except under urgent necessity, it will, unless it returns to the practice at once, go from bad to worse.

10.  I realize the danger of such a case, having had the grief of witnessing the fall of persons I knew through their withdrawal from Him Who sought, with so much love, to make Himself their friend, as He proved by His treatment of them.  I urgently warn such persons not to run the risk of sinning, for the devil would rather gain one of these souls than many to whom our Lord does not grant such graces, as the former may cause him severe loss by leading others to follow their example, and may even render great service to the Church of God.  Were there no other reason except that he saw the special love His Majesty bears these people, it would suffice to make Satan frantic to destroy God’s work in them, so that they might be lost eternally. Therefore they suffer grievous temptations, and if they fall, they fall lower than others.

11.  You, my sisters, are free from such dangers, as far as we can tell:  God keep you from pride and vainglory!  The devil sometimes offers counterfeits of the graces I have mentioned: this can easily be detected—the effects being exactly contrary to those of the genuine ones.  Although I have spoken of it elsewhere, I wish to warn you here of a special danger to which those who practise prayer are subject, particularly women, whose weakness of constitution makes them more liable to such mistakes. On account of their penances, prayers, and vigils, or even merely because of debility of health, some persons cannot receive spiritual consolation without being overcome by it. On feeling any interior joy, their bodies being languid and weak, they fall into a slumber—they call it spiritual sleep—which is a more advanced stage of what I have described; they think the soul shares in it as well as the body, and abandon themselves to a sort of intoxication. The more they lose self-control, the more do their feelings get possession of them, because the frame becomes more feeble. They fancy this is a trance and call it one, but I call it nonsense; it does nothing but waste their time and injure their health.

12.  This state lasted with a certain person for eight hours, during which time she was neither insensible, nor had she any thought of God.  She was cured by being made to eat and sleep well and to leave off some of her penances.  Her recovery was owing to some one who understood her case;  hitherto she had unintentionally deceived both her confessor and other people, as well as herself.  I feel quite sure the devil had been at work here to serve his own ends and he was beginning to gain a great deal from it. It should be known that when God bestows such favours on the soul, although there may be languor both of mind and body, it is not shared by the soul, which feels great delight at seeing itself so near God, nor does this state ever continue for more than a very short time.  Although the soul may become absorbed again, yet, as I said, unless already feeble, the body suffers neither exhaustion nor pain. I advise any of you who experience the latter to tell the Prioress, and to divert your thoughts as much as possible from such matters.  The Superior should prevent such a nun from spending more than a very few hours in prayer, and should make her eat and sleep well until her usual strength is restored, if she has lost it in this way.   If the nun’s constitution is so delicate that this does not suffice, let her believe me when I tell her that God only calls her to the active life. There must be such people in monasteries:  employ her in the various offices and be careful that she is never left very long alone, otherwise she will entirely lose her health. This treatment will be a great mortification to her:  our Lord tests her love for Him by the way in which she bears His absence. He may be pleased, after a time, to restore her strength; if not, she will make as much progress, and earn as great a reward by vocal prayer and obedience as she would have done by contemplation, and perhaps more.

13.  There are people, some of whom I have known, whose minds and imaginations are so active as to fancy they see whatever they think about, which is very dangerous.   Perhaps I may treat of this later on, but cannot do so now. I have dwelt at length on this mansion, as I believe it to be the one most souls enter.  As the natural is combined with the supernatural, the devil can do more harm here than later on, when God does not leave him so many opportunities.  May God be for ever praised! Amen.

A Discerning Hearts Recording read by Kris McGregor

www.discerninghearts.com

FIFTH MANSION - CHAPTER 1

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1.  OH, my sisters, how shall I describe the riches, treasures, and joys contained in the fifth mansions!  Would it not be better to say nothing about them?  They are impossible to depict, nor can the mind conceive, nor any comparisons portray them, all earthly things being too vile to serve the purpose.  Send me, O my Lord, light from heaven that I may give some to these Thy servants, some of whom by Thy good will often enjoy these delights, lest the devil in the guise of an angel of light should deceive those whose only desire is to please Thee.

2.  I said ‘some,’ but in reality there are very few who never enter this mansion:  some more and some less, but most of them may be said at least to gain admittance into these rooms.  I think that certain graces I am about to describe are bestowed on only a few of the nuns, but if the rest only arrive at the portal they receive a great boon from God, for ‘many are called, but few are chosen.’  All we who wear the holy habit of the Carmelites are called to prayer and contemplation.  This was the object of our Order, to this lineage we belong.  Our holy Fathers of Mount Carmel sought in perfect solitude and utter contempt of the world for this treasure, this precious pearl, of which we speak, and we are their descendants.  How little do most of us care to prepare our souls, that our Lord may reveal this jewel to us!  Outwardly we may appear to practise the requisite virtues, but we have far more to do than this before it is possible to attain to contemplation, to gain which we should neglect no means, either small or great.  Rouse yourselves, my sisters, and since some foretaste of heaven may be had on earth, beg our Lord to give us grace not to miss it through our own fault.  Ask Him to show us where to find it—ask Him to give us strength of soul to dig until we find this hidden treasure, which lies buried within our hearts, as I wish to show you if it please God to enable me.  I said ‘strength of soul,’ that you might understand that strength of body is not indispensable when our Lord God chooses to withhold it.  He makes it impossible for no one to gain these riches, but is content that each should do his best. Blessed be so just a God!

3.  But, daughters, if you would purchase this treasure of which we are speaking, God would have you keep back nothing from Him, little or great.  He will have it all;  in proportion to what you know you have given will your reward be great or small.   There is no more certain sign whether or not we have reached the prayer of union.  Do not imagine that this state of prayer is, like the one preceding it, a sort of drowsiness (I call it ‘drowsiness’ because the soul seems to slumber, being neither quite asleep nor wholly awake).  In the prayer of union the soul is asleep, fast asleep, as regards the world and itself:  in fact, during the short time this state lasts it is deprived of all feeling whatever, being unable to think on any subject, even if it wished.  No effort is needed here to suspend the thoughts:  if the soul can love it knows not how, nor whom it loves, nor what it desires.  In fact, it has died entirely to this world, to live more truly than ever in God.  This is a delicious death, for the soul is deprived of the faculties it exercised while in the body:  delicious because, (although not really the case), it seems to have left its mortal covering to abide more entirely in God.  So completely does this take place, that I know not whether the body retains sufficient life to continue breathing;  on consideration, I believe it does not;  at any rate, if it still breathes, it does so unconsciously.

4.  The mind entirely concentrates itself on trying to understand what is happening, which is beyond its power;  it is so astounded that, if consciousness is not completely lost, at least no movement is possible:  the person may be compared to one who falls into a dead faint with dismay.

5.  Oh, mighty secrets of God!  Never should I weary of trying to explain them if I thought it possible to succeed!  I would write a thousand foolish things that one might be to the point, if only it might make us praise God more.  I said this prayer produced no drowsiness in the mind;  on the other hand, in the prayer (of quiet) described in the last mansion, until the soul has gained much experience it doubts what really happened to it.  ‘Was it nothing but fancy, or was it a sleep?  Did it come from God or from the devil, disguised as an angel of light?’  The mind feels a thousand misgivings, and well for it that it should, because, as I said, nature may sometimes deceive us in this case.  Although there is little chance of the poisonous reptiles entering here, yet agile little lizards will try to slip in, though they can do no harm, especially if they remain unnoticed.  These, as I said, are trivial fancies of the imagination, which are often very troublesome.  However active these small lizards may be, they cannot enter the fifth mansion, for neither the imagination, the understanding, nor the memory has power to hinder the graces bestowed on it.

6.  I dare venture to assert that, if this is genuine union with God, the devil cannot interfere nor do any harm, for His Majesty is so joined and united with the essence of the soul, that the evil one dare not approach, nor can he even understand this mystery.  This is certain, for it is said that the devil does not know our thoughts, much less can he penetrate a secret so profound that God does not reveal it even to us.  Oh, blessed state, in which this cursed one cannot injure us!  What riches we receive while God so works in us that neither we ourselves nor any one else can impede Him!  What will He not bestow, Who is so eager to give, and Who can give us all He desires!  You may perhaps have been puzzled at my saying ‘if this is genuine union with God,’ as if there might be other unions.  There are indeed—not with God, but with vanities—when the devil transports the soul passionately addicted to them, but the union differs from that which is divine and the mind misses the delight and satisfaction, peace and happiness of divine union.  These heavenly consolations are above all earthly joys, pleasure, and satisfaction.  As great a difference exists between their origin and that of worldly pleasures as between their opposite effects, as you know by experience.  

7.  I said somewhere that the one seems only to touch the surface of the body, while the other penetrates to the very marrow:  I believe this is correct, and I cannot express myself better.  I fancy that you are not yet satisfied on this question, but are afraid of deception, for spiritual matters are very hard to explain.  Enough, however, has been said for those who have received this grace, as the difference between divine union and any other is very striking.  However, I will give you a clear proof which cannot mislead you, nor leave any doubt whether the favour comes from God or no.  His Majesty brought it back to my memory this very day;  it appears to me to be an unmistakable sign.  In difficult questions, although I think I understand them and am speaking the truth, I always say ‘it appears to me’;  for, in case my opinion is wrong, I am most willing to submit to the judgment of theologians.    Although they may not have had personal experience in such matters, yet in some way I do not understand, God Who sets them to give light to His Church enables them to recognize the truth when it is put before them.  If they are not thoughtless and indevout, but servants of God, they are never dismayed at His mighty works, knowing perfectly well that it is in His power to perform far greater wonders.  If some of the marvels told are new to them, yet they have read of others of the same kind, showing the former to be possible.  I have had great experience as to this and have also met with timid, half-instructed people whose ignorance has cost me very dear.  I am convinced that those who refuse to believe that God can do far more than this, and that He is pleased now, as in the past, to communicate Himself to His creatures, shut fast their hearts against receiving such favours themselves.  Do not imitate them, sisters:  be convinced that it is possible for God to perform still greater wonders.  Do not concern yourselves as to whether those who receive these graces are good or wicked;  as I said, He knows best and it is no business of yours:  you should serve Him with a single heart and with humility, and should praise Him for His works and wonders

8.  Let us now speak of the sign which proves the prayer of union to have been genuine.  As you have seen, God then deprives the soul of all its senses that He may the better imprint in it true wisdom:  it neither sees, hears, nor understands anything while this state lasts, which is never more than a very brief time;  it appears to the soul to be much shorter than it really is.  God visits the soul in a manner which prevents its doubting, on returning to itself, that it dwelt in Him and that He was within it, and so firmly is it convinced of this truth that, although years may pass before this favour recurs, the soul can never forget it nor doubt the fact, setting aside the effects left by this prayer, to which I will refer later on.  The conviction felt by the soul is the main point.

9.  But, you may ask, how can a person who is incapable of sight and hearing see or know these things?  I do not say that she saw it at the time, but that she perceives it clearly afterwards, not by any vision but by a certitude which remains in the heart which God alone could give.  I know of some one who was unaware of God’s being in all things by presence, power and essence, yet was firmly convinced of it by a divine favour of this sort.  She asked an ill-instructed priest of the kind I mentioned to tell her in what way God dwelt within us:  he was as ignorant on the subject as she had been before our Lord revealed to her the truth, and answered that the Almighty was only present in us by grace.  Yet so strong was her conviction of the truth learnt during her prayer that she did not believe him and questioned other spiritual persons on the subject, who confirmed her in the true doctrine, much to her joy.  Do not mistake and imagine that this certainty of God’s having visited the soul concerns any corporal presence such as that of our Lord Jesus Christ Who dwells in the Blessed Sacrament, although we do not see Him:  it relates solely to the Divinity.  If we did not see it, how can we feel so sure of it?  That I do not know:  it is the work of the Almighty and I am certain that what I say is the fact.  I maintain that a soul which does not feel this assurance has not been united to God entirely, but only by one of its powers, or has received one of the many other favours God is accustomed to bestow on men.  In all such matters we must not seek to know how things happened:  our understanding could not grasp them, therefore why trouble ourselves on the subject?  It is enough to know that it is He, the all-powerful God, Who has performed the work.  We can do nothing on our own part to gain this favour;  it comes from God alone; therefore let us not strive to understand it.

10.  Concerning my words:  ‘We can do nothing on our own part,’ I was struck by the words of the Bride in the Canticles, which you will remember to have heard:  ’The King brought me into the cellar of wine,’ (or ‘placed me’ I think she says):  she does not say she went of her own accord, although telling us how she wandered up and down seeking her Beloved.  I think the prayer of union is the ‘cellar’ in which our Lord places us when and how He chooses, but we cannot enter it through any effort of our own.  His Majesty alone can bring us there and come into the centre of our souls.  In order to declare His wondrous works more clearly, He will leave us no share in them except complete conformity of our wills to His and abandonment of all things:  He does not require the faculties or senses to open the door to Him;  they are all asleep.  He enters the innermost depths of our souls without a door, as He entered the room where the disciples sat, saying ‘Pax vobis,’  and as He emerged from the sepulchre without removing the stone that closed the entrance.  You will see farther on, in the seventh mansion, far better than here, how God makes the soul enjoy His presence in its very centre.  O daughters, what wonders shall we see, if we keep ever before our eyes our own baseness and frailty and recognize how unworthy we are to be the handmaids of so great a Lord, Whose marvels are beyond our comprehension!  May He be for ever praised!  Amen.

FIFTH MANSION - CHAPTER 2

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1.  You may imagine that there is no more left to be described of the contents of this mansion, but a great deal remains to be told, for as I said, it contains favours of various degrees.  I think there is nothing to add about the prayer of union, but when the soul on which God bestows this grace disposes itself for their reception, I could tell you much about the marvels our Lord works in it.  I will describe some of them in my own way, also the state in which they leave the soul, and will use a suitable comparison to elucidate the matter, explaining that though we can take no active part in this work of God within us, yet we may do much to prepare ourselves to receive this grace. You have heard how wonderfully silk is made—in a way such as God alone could plan—how it all comes from an egg resembling a tiny pepper-corn.  Not having seen it myself, I only know of it by hearsay, so if the facts are inaccurate the fault will not be mine.  When, in the warm weather, the mulberry trees come into leaf, the little egg which was lifeless before its food was ready, begins to live.  The caterpillar nourishes itself upon the mulberry leaves until, when it has grown large, people place near it small twigs upon which, of its own accord, it spins silk from its tiny mouth until it has made a narrow little cocoon in which it buries itself.  Then this large and ugly worm leaves the cocoon as a lovely little white butterfly.

2.  If we had not seen this but had only heard of it as an old legend, who could believe it?  Could we persuade ourselves that insects so utterly without the use of reason as a silkworm or a bee would work with such industry and skill in our service that the poor little silkworm loses its life over the task?  This would suffice for a short meditation, sisters, without my adding more, for you may learn from it the wonders and the wisdom of God.  How if we knew the properties of all things?  It is most profitable to ponder over the grandeurs of creation and to exult in being the brides of such a wise and mighty King.

3.  Let us return to our subject.  The silkworm symbolizes the soul which begins to live when, kindled by the Holy Spirit, it commences using the ordinary aids given by God to all, and applies the remedies left by Him in His Church, such as regular confession, religious books, and sermons; these are the cure for a soul dead in its negligence and sins and liable to fall into temptation. Then it comes to life and continues nourishing itself on this food and on devout meditation until it has attained full vigour, which is the essential point, for I attach no importance to the rest.  When the silkworm is full-grown as I told you in the first part of this chapter, it begins to spin silk and to build the house wherein it must die.  By this house, when speaking of the soul, I mean Christ.  I think I read or heard somewhere, either that our life is hid in Christ, or in God (which means the same thing) or that Christ is our life.  It makes little difference to my meaning which of these quotations is correct.

4.  This shows, my daughters, how much, by God’s grace, we can do, by preparing this home for ourselves, towards making Him our dwelling-place as He is in the prayer of union.  You will suppose that I mean we can take away from or add something to God when I say that He is our home, and that we can make this home and dwell in it by our own power.  Indeed we can:  though we can neither deprive God of anything nor add aught to Him, yet we can take away from and add to ourselves, like the silkworms.  The little we can do will hardly have been accomplished when this insignificant work of ours, which amounts to nothing at all, will be united by God to His greatness and thus enhanced with such immense value that our Lord Himself will be the reward of our toil.  Although He has had the greatest share in it, He will join our trifling pains to the bitter sufferings He endured for us and make them one.

5.  Forward then, my daughters!  hasten over your work and build the little cocoon.  Let us renounce self-love and self-will, care for nothing earthly, do penance, pray, mortify ourselves, be obedient, and perform all the other good works of which you know.  Act up to your light; you have been taught your duties.  Die! die as the silkworm does when it has fulfilled the office of its creation, and you will see God and be immersed in His greatness, as the little silkworm is enveloped in its cocoon.  Understand that when I say ‘you will see God,’ I mean in the manner described, in which He manifests Himself in this kind of union.

6.  Now let us see what becomes of the ‘silkworm,’ for all I have been saying leads to this.  As soon as, by means of this prayer, the soul has become entirely dead to the world, it comes forth like a lovely little white butterfly!  Oh, how great God is!  How beautiful is the soul after having been immersed in God’s grandeur and united closely to Him for but a short time!  Indeed, I do not think it is ever as long as half an hour.  Truly, the spirit does not recognize itself, being as different from what it was as is the white butterfly from the repulsive caterpillar.  It does not know how it can have merited so great a good, or rather, whence this grace came which it well knows it merits not.  The soul desires to praise our Lord God and longs to sacrifice itself and die a thousand deaths for Him.  It feels an unconquerable desire for great crosses and would like to perform the most severe penances;  it sighs for solitude and would have all men know God, while it is bitterly grieved at seeing them offend Him.  These matters will be described more fully in the next mansion;  there they are of the same nature, yet in a more advanced state the effects are far stronger, because, as I told you, if;  after the soul has received these favours, it strives to make still farther progress, it will experience great things.  Oh, to see the restlessness of this charming little butterfly, although never in its life has it been more tranquil and at peace!  May God be praised!  It knows not where to stay nor take its rest;  everything on earth disgusts it after what it has experienced, particularly when God has often given it this wine which leaves fresh graces behind it at every draught.

7.  It despises the work it did while yet a caterpillar—the slow weaving of its cocoon thread by thread—its wings have grown and it can fly;  could it be content to crawl?  All that it can do for God seems nothing to the soul compared with its desire. It no longer wonders at what the saints bore for Him, knowing by experience how our Lord aids and transforms the soul until it no longer seems the same in character and appearance.  Formerly it feared penance, now it is strong:  it wanted courage to forsake relations, friends, or possessions:  neither its actions, its resolutions, nor separation from those it loved could detach the soul, but rather seemed to increase its fondness.  Now it finds even their rightful claims a burden,179 fearing contact with them lest it should offend God.  It wearies of everything, realizing that no true rest can be found in creatures.

8.  I seem to have enlarged on this subject, yet far more might be said about it;  those who have received this favour will think I have treated it too briefly.  No wonder this pretty butterfly, estranged from earthly things, seeks repose elsewhere.  Where can the poor little creature go?  It cannot return to whence it came, for as I told you, that is not in the soul’s power, do what it will, but depends upon God’s pleasure.  Alas, what fresh trials begin to afflict the mind!  Who would expect this after such a sublime grace?   In fact in one way or another we must carry the cross all our lives.  If people told me that ever since attaining to the prayer of union they had enjoyed constant peace and consolation, I should reply that they could never have reached that state, but that, at the most, if they had arrived as far as the last mansion, their emotion must have been some spiritual satisfaction joined to physical debility. It might even have been a false sweetness caused by the devil, who gives peace for a time only to wage far fiercer war later on.  I do not mean that those who reach this stage possess no peace;  they do so in a very high degree, for their sorrows, though extremely severe, are so beneficial and proceed from so good a source as to procure both peace and happiness.

9.  Discontent with this world gives such a painful longing to quit it that, if the heart finds comfort, it is solely from the thought that God wishes it to remain here in banishment.  Even this is not enough to reconcile it to fate, for after all the gifts received, it is not yet so entirely surrendered to the will of God as it afterwards becomes.  Here, although conformed to His will, the soul feels an unconquerable reluctance to submit, for our Lord has not given it higher grace.  During prayer this grief breaks forth in floods of tears, probably from the great pain felt at seeing God offended and at thinking how many souls, both heretics and heathens, are lost eternally, and keenest grief of all, Christians also!  The soul realizes the greatness of God’s mercy and knows that however wicked men are, they may still repent and be saved;  yet it fears that many precipitate themselves into hell.

10.  Oh, infinite greatness of God!  A few years ago—indeed, perhaps but a few days—this soul thought of nothing but itself.  Who has made it feel such tormenting cares?  If we tried for many years to obtain such sorrow by means of meditation, we could not succeed.

11.  God help me!  If for long days and years I considered how great a wrong it is that God should be offended, and that lost souls are His children and my brethren;  if I pondered over the dangers of this world and how blessed it would be to leave this wretched life, would not that suffice?  No, daughters, the pain would not be the same.  For this, by the help of God, we can obtain by such meditation;  but it does not seem to penetrate the very depths of our being like the other which appears to cut the soul to pieces and grind it to powder through no action—even sometimes with no wish—of its own.  What is this sorrow, then?   Whence does it come?  I will tell you.  Have you not heard (I quoted the words to you just now, but did not apply to them this meaning) how the Bride says that God ‘brought her into the cellar of wine and set in order charity in her’?  This is what happens here.  The soul has so entirely yielded itself into His hands and is so subdued by love for Him that it knows or cares for nothing but that God should dispose of it according to His will.  I believe that He only bestows this grace on those He takes entirely for His own.  He desires that, without knowing how, the spirit should come forth stamped with His seal for indeed it does no more than does the wax when impressed with the signet.  It does not mould itself but need only be in a fit condition—soft and pliable; even then it does not soften itself but must merely remain still and submit to the impression.

12.  How good Thou art, O God!  All is done for us by Thee, Who dost but ask us to give our wills to Thee that we may be plastic as wax in Thy hands.  You see, sisters, what God does to this soul so that it may know that it is His.  He gives it something of His own—that which His Son possessed when living on earth—He could bestow on greater gift on us.  Who could ever have longed more eagerly to leave this life than did Christ?  As He said at the Last Supper:  ‘With desire have I desired’    this.  O Lord!  does not that bitter death Thou art to undergo present itself before Thine eyes in all its pain and horror?  ’No, for My ardent love and My desire to save souls are immeasurably stronger than the torments. This deeper sorrow I have suffered and still suffer while living here on earth, makes other pain seem as nothing in comparison.’

13.  I have often meditated on this and I know that the torture a friend of mine has felt, and still feels, at seeing our Lord sinned against is so unbearable that she would far rather die than continue in such anguish.  Then I thought that if a soul whose charity is so weak compared to that of Christ—indeed, in comparison with His this charity might be said not to exist—experiences this insufferable grief, what must have been the feelings of our Lord Jesus Christ and what must His life have been?  for all things were present before His eyes and He was the constant witness of the great offences committed against His Father.  I believe without doubt that this pained Him far more than His most sacred Passion.  There, at least, He found the end of all His trials, while His agony was allayed by the consolation of gaining our salvation through His death and of proving how He loved His Father by suffering for Him.  Thus, people who, urged by fervent love, perform great penances hardly feel them but want to do still more and count even that as little.  What, then, must His Majesty have felt at thus publicly manifesting His perfect obedience to His Father and His love for His brethren?  What joy to suffer in doing God’s will!  Yet I think the constant sight of the many sins committed against God and of the numberless souls on their way to hell must have caused Him such anguish that, had He not been more than man, one day of such torment would have destroyed not only His life but many more lives, had they been His.

FIFTH MANSION - CHAPTER 3

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1 .  LET us now return to our little dove and see what graces God gives it in this state. This implies that the soul endeavours to advance in the service of our Lord and in self-knowledge. If it receives the grace of union and then does no more, thinking itself safe, and so leads a careless life, wandering off the road to heaven (that is, the keeping of the commandments) it will share the fate of the butterfly that comes from the silkworm, which lays some eggs that produce more of its kind and then dies for ever.  I say it leaves some eggs, for I believe God will not allow so great a favour to be lost but that if the recipient does not profit by it, others will.  For while it keeps to the right path, this soul, with its ardent desires and great virtues, helps others and kindles their fervour with its own.   Yet even after having lost this it may still long to benefit others and delight to make known the mercies shown by God to those who love and serve Him.   

2.  I knew a person to whom this happened. Although greatly erring, she longed that others should profit by the favours God had bestowed on her and taught the way of prayer to people ignorant of it, thus helping them immensely.  God afterwards bestowed fresh light upon her; indeed the prayer of union had not hitherto produced the above effects in her.  How many people there must be to whom our Lord communicates Himself, who, like Judas, are called to the Apostleship and made kings by Him, as was Saul, yet who afterwards lose everything by their own fault!  We should learn from this, sisters, that if we would merit fresh favours and avoid losing those we already possess, our only safety lies in obedience and in following the law of God.  This I say, both to those who have received these graces and to those who have not.

3.  In spite of all I have written, there still seems some difficulty in understanding this mansion. The advantage of entering is so great, that it is well that none should despair of doing so because God does not give them the supernatural gifts described above. With the help of divine grace true union can always be attained by forcing ourselves to renounce our own will and by following the will of God in all things. 

4.  Oh, how many of us affirm that we do this, and believe we seek nothing else—indeed we would die for the truth of what we say!  If this be the case I can only declare, as I fancy I did before, and I shall again and again, that we have already obtained this grace from God. Therefore we need not wish for that other delightful union described above, for its chief value lies in the resignation of our will to that of God without which it could not be reached.  Oh, how desirable is this union! The happy soul which has attained it will live in this world and in the next without care of any sort.  No earthly events can trouble it, unless it should see itself in danger of losing God or should witness any offence offered Him.  Neither sickness, poverty, nor the loss of any one by death affect it, except that of persons useful to the Church of God, for the soul realizes thoroughly that God’s disposal is wiser than its own desires.

5.  You must know that there are different kinds of sorrow:  there are both griefs and joys rising from an impulse of nature or from a charity which makes us pity our neighbour, like that felt by our Saviour when He raised Lazarus from the dead.  These feelings do not destroy union with the will of God nor do they disturb the soul by a restless, turbulent, and lasting passion. They soon pass away, for as I said of sweetness in prayer, they do not affect the depths of the soul but only its senses and faculties.  They are found in the former mansions, but do not enter the last of all.  Is it necessary, in order to attain to this kind of divine union, for the powers of the soul to be suspended? No;  God has many ways of enriching the soul and bringing it to these mansions besides what might be called a ‘short cut.’  But, be sure of this, my daughters:  in any case the silkworm must die and it will cost you more in this way.  In the former manner this death is facilitated by finding ourselves introduced into a new life;  here, on the contrary, we must give ourselves the death-blow.  I own that the work will be much harder, but then it will be of higher value so that your reward will be greater if you come forth victorious;  yet there is no doubt it is possible for you to attain this true union with the will of God.

6.  This is the union I have longed for all my life and that I beg our Lord to grant me; it is the most certain and the safest. But alas, how few of us ever obtain it! Those who are careful not to offend God, and who enter the religious state, think there is nothing more to do. How many maggots remain in hiding until, like the worm which gnawed at Jonas’s ivy,  they have destroyed our virtues. These pests are such evils as self-love, self-esteem, rash judgment of others even in small matters, and a want of charity in not loving our neighbour quite as much as ourselves. Although perforce we satisfy our obligations sufficiently to avoid sin, yet we fall far short of what must be done in order to obtain perfect union with the will of God.

7.  What do you think, daughters, is His will?  That we may become quite perfect and so be made one with Him and with His Father as He prayed we might be.   Observe, then, what is wanting in us to obtain this.  I assure you it is most painful for me to write on this subject, for I see how far I am, through my own fault, from having attained perfection. There is no need for us to receive special consolations from God in order to arrive at conformity with His will;  He has done enough in giving us His Son to teach the way. This does not mean that we must so submit to the will of God as not to sorrow at such troubles as the death of a father or brother, or that we must bear crosses and sickness with joy.  This is well, but it sometimes comes from common sense which, as we cannot help ourselves, makes a virtue of necessity. How often the great wisdom of the heathen philosophers led them to act thus in trials of this kind!  Our Lord asks but two things of us:  love, for Him and for our neighbour:  these are what we must strive to obtain. If we practise both these virtues perfectly we shall be doing His will and so shall be united to Him.  But, as I said, we are very far from obeying and serving our great Master perfectly in these two matters:  may His Majesty give us the grace to merit union with Him; it is in our power to gain it if we will.

8.  I think the most certain sign that we keep these two commandments is that we have a genuine love for others. We cannot know whether we love God although there may be strong reasons for thinking so, but there can be no doubt about whether we love our neighbour or no.   Be sure that in proportion as you advance in fraternal charity, you are increasing in your love of God, for His Majesty bears so tender an affection for us that I cannot doubt He will repay our love for others by augmenting, in a thousand different ways, that which we bear for Him.  We should watch most carefully over ourselves in this matter, for if we are faultless on this point we have done all.  I believe human nature is so evil that we could not feel a perfect charity for our neighbour unless it were rooted in the love of God.

9.  In this most important matter, sisters, we should be most vigilant in little things, taking no notice of the great works we plan during prayer which we imagine that we would perform for other people, even perhaps for the sake of saving a single soul.  If our actions afterwards belie these grand schemes, there is no reason to imagine that we should do anything of the sort.  I say the same of humility and the other virtues.  The devil’s wiles are many;  he would turn hell upside down a thousand times to make us think ourselves better than we are.  He has good reason for it, for such fancies are most injurious;  sham virtues springing from this root are always accompanied by a vain glory never found in those of divine origin, which are free from pride.

10.  It is amusing to see souls who, while they are at prayer, fancy they are willing to be despised and publicly insulted for the love of God, yet afterwards do all they can to hide their small defects; if any one unjustly accuses them of a fault, God deliver us from their outcries!  Let those who cannot bear such things take no notice of the splendid plans they made when alone, which could have been no genuine determination of the will but only some trick of the imagination, or the results would have been very different.  The devil assaults and deceives people in this way, often doing great harm to women and others too ignorant to understand the difference between the powers of the soul and the imagination, and a thousand other matters of the sort.  O sisters!  how easy it is to know which of you have attained to a sincere love of your neighbour, and which of you are far from it.  If you knew the importance of this virtue, your only care would be to gain it.

11.  When I see people very anxious to know what sort of prayer they practise, covering their faces and afraid to move or think lest they should lose any slight tenderness and devotion they feel, I know how little they understand how to attain union with God since they think it consists in such things as these.  No, sisters, no; our Lord expects works from us.  If you see a sick sister whom you can relieve, never fear losing your devotion;  compassionate her;  if she is in pain, feel for it as if it were your own and, when there is need, fast so that she may eat, not so much for her sake as because you know your Lord asks it of you.  This is the true union of our will with the will of God.  If some one else is well spoken of, be more pleased than if it were yourself;  this is easy enough, for if you were really humble it would vex you to be praised.  It is a great good to rejoice at your sister’s virtues being known and to feel as sorry for the fault you see in her as if it were yours, hiding it from the sight of others.

12.  I have often spoken on this subject elsewhere, because, my sisters, if we fail in this I know that all is lost:  please God this may never be our case.  If you possess fraternal charity, I assure you that you will certainly obtain the union I have described.  If you are conscious that you are wanting in this charity, although you may feel devotion and sweetness and a short absorption in the prayer of quiet (which makes you think you have attained to union with God), believe me you have not yet reached it.  Beg our Lord to grant you perfect love for your neighbour, and leave the rest to Him.  He will give you more than you know how to desire if you constrain yourselves and strive with all your power to gain it, forcing your will as far as possible to comply in all things with your sisters’ wishes although you may sometimes forfeit your own rights by so doing.  Forget your self-interests for theirs, how ever much nature may rebel; when opportunity occurs take some burden upon yourself to ease your neighbour of it.  Do not fancy it will cost you nothing and that you will find it all done for you:  think what the love He bore for us cost our Spouse, Who to free us from death, Himself suffered the most painful death of all—the death of the Cross.

FIFTH MANSION - CHAPTER 4

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1.  You appear anxious to know what has become of the little dove and where she obtains rest, since obviously she can find it neither in spiritual consolations nor in earthly pleasures but takes a higher flight. I cannot tell you until we come to the last mansion: God grant I may remember or have leisure to write it. It is nearly five months since I began this work, and as my head is too weak to read it again, no doubt it will be very disconnected and full of repetitions: however, as it is only for my sisters, that will matter little. Yet I should like to express myself more fully about the prayer of union and will make use, to the best of my scanty wits, of a comparison. Later on we will speak of the little butterfly, which is never still, for it can find no true repose, yet always fertile, doing good both to itself and others. You have often heard that God spiritually espouses souls: may He be praised for His mercy in thus humbling Himself so utterly. Though but a homely comparison, yet I can find nothing better to express my meaning than the Sacrament of Matrimony although the two things are very different. In divine union everything is spiritual and far removed from anything corporal, all the joys our Lord gives and the mutual delight felt in it being celestial and very unlike human marriage, which it excels a thousand times. Here all is love united to love; its operations are more pure, refined, and sweet than can be described, though our Lord knows how to make the soul sensible of them.

2.  I think this union does not attain as far as the spiritual espousals but resembles the preliminaries that take place when two people are contemplating a betrothal. Their suitability and willingness for the alliance are first discussed; then they may be allowed to see one another sometimes so as to come to a decision. Thus it is in the spiritual espousals: when the preliminary agreement has been made and the soul thoroughly understands what great advantages she will gain, having resolved to fulfil the will of her Spouse in all things and to do all she can to please Him, His Majesty Who knows well whether this is so in reality, wishes in return to gratify His bride. He therefore bestows this favour upon her, visits her and draws her into His presence, as He wishes her to know Him better. We might compare the prayer of union to a visit, for it lasts but a very little while. There is no longer any question of deliberation, but the soul in a secret manner sees to what a Bridegroom it is betrothed; the senses and faculties could not, in a thousand years, gain the knowledge thus imparted in a very short time. The Spouse, being Who He is, leaves the soul far more deserving of completing the espousals, as we may call them; the enamoured soul in its love for Him makes every effort to prevent their being frustrated. Should it grow neglectful and set its affections on anything except our Lord, it will forfeit everything: this loss is as great as are the favours the soul has continually received, which are precious beyond description.

3.  O Christian souls! you whom God has brought thus far! I implore you for His dear sake not to grow careless, but to avoid all occasions of sin; you are not strong enough yet to undergo temptation, as you will be after the espousals which take place in the next mansion. Here the betrothed are, as they say, only acquainted by sight and the devil will spare no pains to oppose and prevent their nuptials. Afterwards, when he sees the Bride is wholly given to her Bridegroom, he is afraid to interfere, having learnt by experience that if he molests her, while he loses much, she will gain greatly in merit.

4.  I can assure you, my daughters, that I have known people far advanced in the spiritual life who had reached this state of prayer yet whom the devil reclaimed by his subtlety and wiles: as I have often said, all hell leagues together against such souls because the loss of one of them entails the perdition of many more, as Satan is well aware. If we considered how many men God draws to Himself by means of one, we should praise Him fervently. Think of the multitudes converted by the martyrs or by one young maiden like St. Ursula! Again, of how many victims the evil one was deprived by St. Dominic, St. Francis, and other founders of religious orders. How many more he loses, even now, through Father Ignatius [Loyola], who founded the Company [of Jesus]! As we read their lives, we learn that they received such graces from God. How was this great good done except by their efforts not to forfeit, through any fault of theirs, these divine espousals? Oh, my daughters, how willing our Lord is to grant us the same graces! In fact, there is even more urgent need now for persons to prepare for such favours, since there are fewer who care for His honour. We love ourselves too much and are too prudent to give up any of our rights. What a deception! May God in His mercy give us light, lest we sink into such darkness.

5.  You may question or be in doubt on two points. Firstly: if the soul is entirely united with the will of God, as I have stated, how can it be deceived, since it ever seeks to follow His pleasure? Secondly, how can the devil enter and work such havoc as to destroy your soul while you are so utterly withdrawn from the world and constantly frequent the Sacraments? At the same time you enjoy the society of angels (as we might call them) and by the mercy of God you desire nothing but to serve and please Him in all things? It is not surprising that people in the world should run such risks. I admit you have the right to say this, for God has shown us signal mercy; but, as I said above, knowing as I do that Judas was amongst the Apostles and that he held constant intercourse with God Himself, to Whose words he listened, I learn that the state of religion does not make us safe.

6.  To your first question I reply that doubtless if such a soul is always faithful to the will of God, it cannot be lost; the evil one, however, comes with his keen subtlety and, under the pretext of good, leads it astray in some trivial matter and causes it to commit small defects which he makes it believe are harmless. Thus, little by little, the reason is obscured and the will is weakened while the devil fosters his victim’s self-love, until, by degrees, he succeeds in withdrawing it from union with the will of God and makes it follow its own will.

7.  The answer to your first inquiry will serve for the second. No enclosure can be too strict for Satan to enter nor any desert too remote for him to visit. Besides, God may permit him to tempt the soul to prove its virtue; for as He intends it to enlighten others, it is better for it to fail in the beginning than when it might do them great harm.

8.  We must beg God constantly in our prayers to uphold us by His hand; we should keep ever in our minds the truth that if He leaves us, most certainly we shall fall at once into the abyss, for we must never be so foolish as to trust in ourselves. After this I think the greatest safeguard is to be very careful and to watch how we advance in virtue; we must notice whether we are making progress or falling back in it, especially as regards the love of our neighbour, the desire to be thought the least of all and how we perform our ordinary, everyday duties. If we attend to this and beg Our Lord to enlighten us, we shall at once perceive our gain or loss.

9.  Do not suppose that after advancing the soul to such a state God abandons it so easily that it is light work for the devil to regain it. When His Majesty sees it leaving Him, He feels the loss so keenly that He gives it in many a way a thousand secret warnings which reveal to it the hidden danger.  

10.  In conclusion, let us strive to make constant progress: we ought to feel great alarm if we do not find ourselves advancing, for without doubt the evil one must be planning to injure us in some way; it is impossible for a soul that has come to this state not to go still farther, for love is never idle. Therefore it is a very bad sign when one comes to a stand-still in virtue. She who aspires to become the spouse of God Himself, and has treated with His Majesty and come to such an understanding with Him, must not leave off and go to sleep.   

11.  To show you, my daughters, how Christ treats the souls He takes for His brides, I will now speak of the sixth mansions. You will then see how little in comparison is all that we can do or suffer in His service to prepare ourselves for the reception of such immense favours. Perhaps our Lord decreed that I should write this in order that the knowledge of the great reward to come, and of His infinite mercy in seeking to give and to manifest Himself to such worms as we are, might make us forget our wretched, petty, earthly pleasures and run on our way with eyes fixed on His grandeur, inflamed with love for Him.

12.  May He enable me to explain some of these difficult matters; if our Lord and the Holy Ghost do not guide my pen, I know the task will prove impossible. I beg Him to prevent my saying anything unless it will profit you. His Majesty knows that, as far as I can judge, I have no other wish but that His Name may be glorified and that we may strive to serve a Lord Who thus recompenses our efforts even in this world. What, then, will be our joy in heaven where it will be continuous, without the interruptions, labours, and dangers of this tempestuous sea of life? Were it not for the fear of losing or offending Him, we should wish to live until the end of the world in order to work for so great a God—our Lord and our Spouse. May His Majesty enable us to render Him some service free from the many faults we always commit, even in good works! Amen.