|
Then this soul exclaimed with ardent love, -- "Oh,
inestimable Charity, sweet above all sweetness! Who
would not be inflamed by such great love? What heart
can help breaking at such tenderness? It seems, oh,
Abyss of Charity, as if you were mad with love of
Your creature, as if You could not live without him,
and yet You are our God who have no heed of us, Your
greatness does not increase through our good, for You
are unchangeable, and our evil causes You no harm,
for You are the Supreme and Eternal Goodness.
"What moves You to do us such mercy through pure
love, and on account of no debt that You owed us, or
need that You had of us? We are rather Your guilty
and malignant debtors. Wherefore, if I understand
aright, Oh, Supreme and Eternal Truth, I am the thief
and You have been punished for me. For I see Your
Word, Your Son, fastened and nailed to the Cross, of
which You have made me a Bridge, as You have shown
me, Your miserable servant, for which reason, my
heart is bursting, and yet cannot burst, through the
hunger and the desire which it has conceived towards
You.
"I remember, my Lord, that You were willing to show
me who are those who go by the Bridge and those who
do not; should it please Your goodness to manifest
this to me, willingly would I see and hear it."
|