Introduction to the Devout Life

Another devout soul, gazing upon a brook wherein the starlit sky of a calm summer’s night was reflected, exclaims, “O my God, when Thou callest me to dwell in Thy heavenly tabernacles, these stars will be beneath my feet; and even as those stars are now reflected here below, so are we Thy creatures reflected above in the 96 living waters of Thy Divine Love.” So another cried out, beholding a rapid river as it flowed, “Even thus my soul will know no rest until it plunge into that Divine Sea whence it came forth!” S. Frances, as she knelt to pray beside the banks of a pleasant streamlet, cried out in ecstasy, “The Grace of my Dear Lord flows softly and sweetly even as these refreshing waters” And another saintly soul, looking upon the blooming orchards, cried out, “Why am I alone barren in the Church’s garden!” So S. Francis of Assisi, beholding a hen gathering her chickens beneath her wings, exclaimed, “Keep me, O Lord, under the shadow of Thy Wings” And looking upon the sunflower, he ejaculated, “When, O Lord, will my soul follow the attractions of Thy Love?” ³⁸³⁸ Moore has preserved the graceful imagery of the sunflower, anciently called “tourne-soleil” (as by S. Francis here).
“Oh the heart that once truly loved, never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sunflower turns to her God when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose.” And gathering pansies in a garden which are fair to see, but scentless, ³⁹³⁹ “Pensees.” This play on words is common—as Ophelia says in Hamlet, Act iv. sc. 5: “There is pansies—that’s for thoughts.” But the name of this pretty viola is really derived from panacea, signifying all-heal, just as Tansy is derived from Athanasia, i.e. immortelle or everlasting. Its other name of heart’s-ease also refers to the potent virtues ascribed to it of old. Cawdray, in his Treasurie of Similies, London, 1609, says: “As the herb Panax or Panace hath in it a remedy against all diseases, so is the Death of Christ against all sin sufficient and effectual.” In the preface to our English Bible of 1611, the translators speak of “Panaces, the herb that is good for all diseases.” 97 “Ah,” he cried out, “even so are the thoughts of my heart, fair to behold, but without savour or fruit!”

Thus it is, my daughter, that good thoughts and holy aspirations may be drawn from all that surrounds us in our ordinary life. Woe to them that turn aside the creature from the Creator, and thrice blessed are they who turn all creation to their Creator’s Glory, and make human vanities subservient to the truth. “Verily,” says Saint Gregory Nazianzen, “I am wont to turn all things to my spiritual profit.”

Read the pious epitaph written for S. Paula by S. Jerome; it is marvellous therein to see how she conceived spiritual thoughts and aspirations at every turn.

Now, in the practice of this spiritual retreat and of these ejaculatory prayers the great work of devotion lies: it can supply all other deficiencies, but there is hardly any means of making up where this is lacking. Without it no one can lead a true contemplative life, and the active life will be but imperfect where it is omitted: without it rest is but indolence, labour but weariness,—therefore I beseech you to adopt it heartily, and never let it go.