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The wind that raises the apodes blows first upon
their feathers, as the parts most light and most
susceptible of its agitation, by which it gives the
beginning of motion to their wings, extending and
displaying them in such sort that they give a hold by
which to seize the bird and waft it into the air. And
if they, thus raised, do contribute the motion of
their wings to that of the wind, the same wind that
took them will still aid them more and more to fly
with ease.
Even so, my dear Theotimus, when the inspiration,
as a sacred gale, comes to blow us forward into the
air of holy love, it first takes our will, and by the
sentiment of some heavenly delectation it moves it,
extending and unfolding the natural inclination which
the will has to good, so that this same inclination
serves as a hold by which to seize our spirit. And
all this, as I have said, is done in us without us,
for it is the divine favour that prevents us in this
sort.
But if our will thus holily prevented, perceiving
the wings of her inclination moved, displayed,
extended, stirred, and agitated, by this heavenly
wind, contributes, be it never so little, its consent
- Ah! how happy it is, Theotimus. The same favourable
inspiration which has seized us, mingling its action
with our consent, animating our feeble motions with
its vigour, and vivifying our weak cooperation by the
power of its operation, will aid, conduct, and
accompany us, from love to love, even unto the act of
most holy faith requisite for our conversion.
True God! Theotimus, what a consolation it is to
consider the secret method by which the Holy Ghost
pours into our hearts the first rays and feelings of
his light and vital heat! O Jesus! how delightful a
pleasure it is to see celestial love, which is the
sun of virtues, as little by little with a progress
which insensibly becomes sensible, it displays its
light upon a soul, and stops not till it has it all
covered with the splendour of its presence, giving it
at last the perfect beauty of love's day! O how
cheerful, beautiful, sweet and agreeable this
daybreak is!
Nevertheless true it is that break of day is
either not day, or if it be day, it is but a
beginning day, a rising of the day, and rather the
infancy of the day than the day itself. In like
manner without doubt these motions of love which
forerun the act of faith required for our
justification are either not love properly speaking,
or but a beginning and imperfect love. They are the
first verdant buds which the soul, warmed with the
heavenly sun, begins, as a mystical tree, to put
forth in springtime, rather presages of fruit than
fruit itself.
S. Pachomius then a young soldier and without
knowledge of God, enrolled under the colours of the
army which Constantine had levied against the tyrant
Masentius, came, with the troop to which he belonged,
to lodge nigh a little town not far distant from
Thebes, where he, and indeed the whole army, were in
extreme want of victuals. The inhabitants of the
little town having understood this, being by good
fortune of the faithful of Jesus Christ, and
consequently friendly and charitable to their
neighbours, immediately succoured the soldiers in
their necessities, but with such care, courtesy and
love, that Pachomius was struck with admiration
thereat, and asking what nation it was that was so
good, amiable and gracious, it was answered him that
they were Christians; and inquiring again what law
and manner of life were theirs, he learned that they
believed in Jesus Christ the only Son of God, and did
good to all sorts of people, with a firm hope of
receiving from God himself an ample recompense.
Alas! Theotimus, the poor Pachomius, though of a
good natural disposition, was as yet asleep in the
bed of his infidelity, and behold how upon a sudden
God was present at the gate of his heart, and by the
good example of these Christians, as by a sweet
voice, he calls him, awakens him, and gives him the
first feelings of the vital heat of his love. For
scarcely had he heard, as I have said, of the sweet
law of Our Saviour, than, all filled with a new light
and interior consolation, having retired apart, and
mused for a space, he lifted up his hands towards
heaven, and with a profound sigh he said Lord God,
who hast made heaven and earth, if thou deign to cast
thine eyes upon my baseness and misery, and to give
me the knowledge of thy divinity, l promise to serve
thee, and obey thy commandments all the days of my
life! After this prayer and promise, the love of the
true good and of piety so increased in him, that he
ceased not to practise a thousand thousand acts of
virtue.
Methinks I see in this example a nightingale which,
awaking at the peep of day, begins to stir, and to
stretch itself, unfold its plumes, skip from branch
to branch in its grove, and little by little warble
out its delicious wood-music. For did you not note,
how the good example of the charitable Christians
excited and awakened with a sudden start the blessed
Pachomiua?
Truly this astonished admiration he had was
nothing else than his awakening, in which God touched
him, as the sun touches the earth, with a ray of his
brightness, which filled him with a great feeling of
spiritual pleasure. For which cause Pachomius shakes
himself loose from distractions, to the end he may
with more attention and facility gather together and
relish the grace he has received, withdrawing himself
to think thereupon. Then he extends his heart and
hands towards heaven, whither the inspiration is
drawing him, and beginning to display the wings of
his affections, flying between diffidence of himself,
and confidence in God, he entones in a humbly amorous
air the canticle of his conversion. He first
testifies that he already knows one only God Creator
of heaven and earth: but withal he knows that he does
not yet know him sufficiently to serve him as he
ought, and therefore he petitions that a more perfect
knowledge may be imparted to him, that thereby he may
come to the perfect service of his divine majesty.
Behold, therefore, I pray you, Theotimus, how
gently God moves, strengthening by little and little
the grace of his inspiration in consenting hearts,
drawing them after him, as it were step by step, upon
this Jacob's ladder. But what are his drawings?
The first, by which he prevents and awakens us, is
done by him in us and without our action; all the
others are also done by him and in us, but not
without our action. Draw me: says the sacred spouse,
we will run after thee to the odour of thy
ointments,(1) that is, begin thou first: I cannot
awake of myself, I cannot move unless thou move me;
but when thou shalt once have given motion, then, O
dear spouse of my heart, we run, we two, thou runnest
before me drawing me ever forward, and, as for me, I
will follow thee in thy course consenting to thy
drawing. But let no one think that thou draggest me
after thee like a forced slave, or a lifeless wagon.
Ah! no, thou drawest me by the odour of thy
ointments; though I follow thee, it is not that thou
trailest me but that thou enticest me; thy drawing is
mighty, but not violent, since its whole force lies
in its sweetness. Perfumes have no other force to
draw men to follow them than their sweetness, and
sweetness - how could it draw but sweetly and
delightfully?
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