Eighth Meditation.—Of Paradise.
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself in the presence of God._
_2. Make the invocation._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. Consider a beautiful, very serene night, and think how delightful it is to behold the heavens with that multitude and variety of stars. Now add this beauty to that of a fair day, so that the brightness of the sun does not hinder the clear sight of the stars and the moon; and then say boldly that all this beauty gathered together is nothing compared with the wonders of paradise. Oh! how lovely and desirable is that place! Oh! how precious that city!
2. Consider the nobility, beauty, and multitude of the inhabitants of that happy country; those millions upon millions of angels, cherubim, and seraphim; that throng of apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and holy women: their company is beyond number. Oh! how happy is that company! The least among them is a thousand times more beautiful than the whole world: what, then, will it be to see them all? But, my God, how happy they are! Ever do they sing the sweet canticle of eternal love: ever do they enjoy perfect gladness: ever do they communicate to one another ineffable delights, and live without clouds in the bonds of a happy and indissoluble friendship.
3. Consider, lastly, what good they all have in enjoying God, Who continually honors them with His gaze, and thus pours into their hearts torrents of delight. What good it is to be united for ever to one’s source! There, surrounded and penetrated by God, as birds are by the air, they are flooded on every side with incredible consolations; there, each vying with the other, they sing the praises of the Creator: “Blessed be Thou for ever,” they cry, “O Thou Who art our Creator and our Saviour, Thou Who art so good to us, and Who so liberally impartest Thy glory to us.” And likewise God blesses all His saints with a perpetual blessing: “Be ye blessed for ever,” saith He, “my dear creatures, ye who have served Me so well, and who shall praise Me eternally with such great zeal and so perfect a love.”
PREPARATION.
_1. Place yourself in the presence of God._
_2. Make the invocation._
CONSIDERATIONS.
1. Consider a beautiful, very serene night, and think how delightful it is to behold the heavens with that multitude and variety of stars. Now add this beauty to that of a fair day, so that the brightness of the sun does not hinder the clear sight of the stars and the moon; and then say boldly that all this beauty gathered together is nothing compared with the wonders of paradise. Oh! how lovely and desirable is that place! Oh! how precious that city!
2. Consider the nobility, beauty, and multitude of the inhabitants of that happy country; those millions upon millions of angels, cherubim, and seraphim; that throng of apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and holy women: their company is beyond number. Oh! how happy is that company! The least among them is a thousand times more beautiful than the whole world: what, then, will it be to see them all? But, my God, how happy they are! Ever do they sing the sweet canticle of eternal love: ever do they enjoy perfect gladness: ever do they communicate to one another ineffable delights, and live without clouds in the bonds of a happy and indissoluble friendship.
3. Consider, lastly, what good they all have in enjoying God, Who continually honors them with His gaze, and thus pours into their hearts torrents of delight. What good it is to be united for ever to one’s source! There, surrounded and penetrated by God, as birds are by the air, they are flooded on every side with incredible consolations; there, each vying with the other, they sing the praises of the Creator: “Blessed be Thou for ever,” they cry, “O Thou Who art our Creator and our Saviour, Thou Who art so good to us, and Who so liberally impartest Thy glory to us.” And likewise God blesses all His saints with a perpetual blessing: “Be ye blessed for ever,” saith He, “my dear creatures, ye who have served Me so well, and who shall praise Me eternally with such great zeal and so perfect a love.”
_Affections and Resolutions._
1. Admire and praise this heavenly homeland. Oh! how fair art thou, my dear Jerusalem, and how blessed are thy inhabitants!
2. Reproach thy heart for the cowardice that has hitherto turned it aside from the path to this glorious abode. Why have I so far strayed from my sovereign good? Ah! wretched that I am! For a few fleeting pleasures, a thousand and a thousand times have I forsaken these eternal and infinite delights! Where, then, was my mind, that I should despise goods so desirable, and desire things so contemptible?
3. Now yearn ardently for this most delightful dwelling. Oh! since it hath pleased Thee, my good and sovereign Lord, to lead me into Thy ways, no, never again will I turn back. Come, my dear soul, let us go to this infinite repose: let us journey towards that blessed land promised to us: what are we doing in this Egypt?
I will therefore deny myself such and such things as turn me aside or delay me on the way.
I will therefore do such and such things as may lead me to my goal.
Give thanks, offer, pray.
1. Admire and praise this heavenly homeland. Oh! how fair art thou, my dear Jerusalem, and how blessed are thy inhabitants!
2. Reproach thy heart for the cowardice that has hitherto turned it aside from the path to this glorious abode. Why have I so far strayed from my sovereign good? Ah! wretched that I am! For a few fleeting pleasures, a thousand and a thousand times have I forsaken these eternal and infinite delights! Where, then, was my mind, that I should despise goods so desirable, and desire things so contemptible?
3. Now yearn ardently for this most delightful dwelling. Oh! since it hath pleased Thee, my good and sovereign Lord, to lead me into Thy ways, no, never again will I turn back. Come, my dear soul, let us go to this infinite repose: let us journey towards that blessed land promised to us: what are we doing in this Egypt?
I will therefore deny myself such and such things as turn me aside or delay me on the way.
I will therefore do such and such things as may lead me to my goal.
Give thanks, offer, pray.