Of Drynesses of Spirit that Befall One in Meditation.
If it happen to you, Philothea, to have no relish nor consolation in meditation, I conjure you not to be troubled at it, but simply to have recourse to the remedies which I am about to point out to you. Sometimes open the door to vocal prayers; lovingly complain to Our Lord, confess to Him your unworthiness, pray Him to help you, kiss His image, if you have one; say to Him these words of Jacob: _I will never leave Thee, Lord, until Thou hast given me Thy blessing_; or these of the Canaanite woman: _Yes, Lord, I am a dog; but the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table._ Another time, take a book and read it attentively, until your mind is awakened and ready; or else stir your heart by some act of outward devotion, prostrating yourself on the ground, folding your hands upon your breast, embracing a crucifix: all this is understood, if you are alone and out of sight of all. But if after this you are not consoled, however great your dryness may be, do not be troubled, but continue to remain before God in a devout posture. How many courtiers go a hundred times a year to the prince’s levee, with no hope of speaking to him, but only to be seen by him and to pay him their respects! Thus must we come, Philothea, to holy prayer, purely and simply to do our duty and to testify our fidelity. And if it please the Divine Majesty to draw near to us and converse with us through His holy inspirations and inward consolations, this will doubtless be a great honour and a most delightful pleasure to us; but if it please Him not to grant us this grace, leaving us there without speaking to us, as though He saw us not, and as though we were not in His presence, we ought not for that reason to depart; but, on the contrary, we must remain there before this sovereign goodness, in a respectful and peaceful posture, which will at least make our patience acceptable to Him, and will gain for us the merit of constancy and perseverance. By this means we may hope that another time, when we come again before God, He will be pleased to favour us with His divine converse, and make us taste the sweetness of holy prayer. But if, after all, He should not do so, we ought still to esteem ourselves too greatly honoured and too happy to be near Him and in His presence.