First Consideration. On the Excellence of Our Souls.
Consider the nobility and excellence of your soul, which has an understanding whereby it not only knows the whole visible world, but also knows that there are angels and a paradise, that there is a most sovereign, most good, and ineffable God; it knows that there is an eternity; and moreover, it knows what is necessary to live well in this visible world, to join the angels in paradise, and to enjoy God eternally.
Your soul has, besides, a most noble will, which can love God, and cannot hate Him in Himself. See how generous your heart is: like the bees, which can be satisfied by nothing that is corrupt, but settle only upon flowers; so this heart can be at rest in God alone, and no creature can satisfy it. Boldly call to mind the dearest and liveliest amusements that once occupied your heart, and judge whether they were not full of wearisome anxieties, piercing thoughts, and importunate cares, amid which you were truly in torment.
Alas! when our heart runs after creatures, it hastens toward them with the utmost eagerness, thinking that there it can appease its desires; but as soon as it has found them, it sees that all must begin anew, and that nothing can satisfy it; God not willing that it should find anywhere a place to rest, so that, like the dove which came forth from the ark, it may return to its first dwelling, that is, to its God, from whom it had come forth. Ah! of what excellence, then, is our heart! and why should we hold it against its will in the service of creatures?
Consider the nobility and excellence of your soul, which has an understanding whereby it not only knows the whole visible world, but also knows that there are angels and a paradise, that there is a most sovereign, most good, and ineffable God; it knows that there is an eternity; and moreover, it knows what is necessary to live well in this visible world, to join the angels in paradise, and to enjoy God eternally.
Your soul has, besides, a most noble will, which can love God, and cannot hate Him in Himself. See how generous your heart is: like the bees, which can be satisfied by nothing that is corrupt, but settle only upon flowers; so this heart can be at rest in God alone, and no creature can satisfy it. Boldly call to mind the dearest and liveliest amusements that once occupied your heart, and judge whether they were not full of wearisome anxieties, piercing thoughts, and importunate cares, amid which you were truly in torment.
Alas! when our heart runs after creatures, it hastens toward them with the utmost eagerness, thinking that there it can appease its desires; but as soon as it has found them, it sees that all must begin anew, and that nothing can satisfy it; God not willing that it should find anywhere a place to rest, so that, like the dove which came forth from the ark, it may return to its first dwelling, that is, to its God, from whom it had come forth. Ah! of what excellence, then, is our heart! and why should we hold it against its will in the service of creatures?
O my soul! You can know and love God; why then amuse yourself with what is infinitely beneath you? You can aspire to eternity; why then amuse yourself with moments so brief? It was one of the prodigal son’s regrets that, though he could have lived delightfully at his father’s table, he was reduced to sharing the food of beasts. O soul! Thou art capable of God: woe to thee if Thou art content with anything less than God! Raise thy soul high by this consideration; show it that it is eternal and worthy of eternity; this will fill it with courage.