I. Is there any one, however uncultured, who would not

consider beforehand how to address a person of high
rank of whom it was necessary to ask a favour ? would
not one be careful to gratify him, to avoid offending
him, and to think over what one meant to petition for,
and what use could be made of it, especially if the request
were an important one, such as the good Jesus tells us
to beg for ? I think this point deserves serious con-
sideration. Couldst Thou not, O my Lord, have included
everything in one phrase, saying : “ Give us. Father,
whatever we need”? For, as God knows all things,

^ Valladolid edition, ch. xxxii. ; Escorial, ch. li.

192 THE WAY OF PERFECTION. [CHAP. XXX.

further words seem useless. O eternal Wisdom ! This
alone would have sufficed between Thee and Thy Father.
Thus didst Thou address Him in the garden : Thou didst
show Him Thy will and Thy dread, and didst submit
Thyself to Him. But Thou knowest, O my God, that
we are not as resigned as Thou wert to the will of Thy
Father — there was need to name each thing we^ pray
for, that we might decide whether it was what we wanted ;
if not, we would not ask it of Thee. Having free will,
we should not receive God’s gift, unless we had first
chosen it, although it might be best for us — for we never
think we are rich unless we see the money in our hands.

2. Alas, O God ! what is it that paralyses our faith
so that we cannot see how inevitably we shall some
day be either punished or rewarded ? This is, daughters,
why you ought to understand what you beg for in
the Pater Noster, so that if God bestows it, you may
not cast it back at Him. Always think first carefully
over what you ask, and whether it would be well for it
to be granted. If not, do not make the petition, but
implore His Majesty to give you light, for we are both
blind and fastidious : we do not relish the food that
nourishes us, but prefer that which causes death — and
what a death — full of horror, and lasting to eternity.®

2 Escorial edition, ch. lii. Comments on the words : “ Hal-
lowed be Thy name ; Thy kingdom come.” Commences the
explanation of the prayer of quiet.

CHAP. XXX.] "THY KINGDOM COME.” I93

3. The good Jesus bids us say these words, which ask
that this kingdom may come in us — “ Hallowed be Thy
name; Thy kingdom come.” How great is the wisdom
of our Master and our Spouse ! It is well that we should
all learn what we ask for here, when praying for this
kingdom. His Majesty knew that, unless He enabled
us to do so by giving us His kingdom here on earth,
our natural defects would render us unfit either
to hallow, praise, magnify, glorify, or extol the holy
name of the eternal Father. The good Jesus therefore
placed the two petitions close together. I will tell
you what I understand about the matter, that you
may realise what you are praying for, how eager we
should be to gain it, and how we should strive to
please Him Who can give it us. If this subject does
not please you, meditate on some other : God permits
you to do so, as long as you submit in all things to the
teaching of the Church, as I always do myself. I will
not give you this book until it has been read by com-
petent judges : if it contains errors, they come from
ignorance, and not from malice.

4. Among the many other joys, the principal happi-
ness of heaven appears to me to consist in a disregard of
all earthly things, and in a peace and glory that dwell
in a soul which rejoices in the bliss of its companions.
It lives in perfect peace and feels supreme satisfaction
in seeing that all those around it honour and praise

13

194 the way of perfection. [chap. XXX.

God and bless His name, and in knowing that they never
offend Him. In heaven, every one loves Him ; the soul
cares for nothing but loving Him : it cannot cease to
do so, because it knows Him as He is. If only we really
knew Him we should do the same in this world, although
not so constantly and so perfectly as in heaven, yet
very differently from what we do now.

5. You must imagine that I mean we must be angels
in order to make this petition and to pray well vocally.
This is what our divine Master wishes, since He tells us
to ask for so sublime a grace, for most certainly He
Would never order us to ask for impossibilities. And
why should this be an impossibility for us during our
exile here ? Perhaps while we are voyaging by sea and
are still on our journey, we shall not attain to the same
perfection as do souls delivered from this prison, yet
there are times when our Lord puts the weary travel-
lers into a rest of the powers and a quietude of soul
that show, by a foretaste, what those enjoy whom He
brings to His kingdom. Souls to whom He gives in
this world the “ kingdom ” we ask for, receive pledges
encouraging them to trust confidently that they will
one day enjoy for ever that happiness which on earth
He only permits them to taste.

6. You would reproach me with speaking of contem-
plation, or it would be appropriate here, while wTiting
of this petition, to treat of the beginning of pure

195

CHAP. XXX.] LEADS TO UNION.

contemplation, which is called the “ prayer of quiet ”
— yet I said I should only write about vocal prayer,
and this might seem a contradiction. This I will not
admit — for it would certainly be consistent with my
promise. Excuse my mentioning the subject : as I
said, I know that many people who practise vocal
prayer are, without their knowing how, raised by
God to a high state of contemplation. This is
why I am most anxious you should say your prayers
well.

7. I knew a nun who could only make vocal prayer,
yet, while keeping to this, she enjoyed all the rest as
well. Unless she used oral prayer, her thoughts wan-
dered to an unbearable extent — yet I wish we all made
such mental prayer as she did ! She spent two or three
hours in reciting certain Pater Nosters and a few other
prayers in honour of our Lord’s Blood-sheddings. One
day she came to me in great distress because she did
not know how to make mental prayer, nor could she
contemplate, but was only able to pray orally. I ques-
tioned her and found that she enjoyed pure contempla-
tion while saying the Pater Noster, and that occasionally
God raised her to perfect union with Himself. This was
evidenced by her conduct, for she lived so holy a life
that I thank God for it, and I even envied her such vocal
prayer. If this was the fact (as I assure you it was),
let not any of you who are the foes of contemplatives

196 the way of perfection. [chap. XXXI.

feel sure that you run no risk of being raised to con-
templation yourselves if you say your vocal prayers
as well as you ought and keep a good conscience. This
I felt bound to say : those who do not wish to know it,
must not read this part.