The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-04-28
CHAPTER VI.
OF THE PROOF OF A TRUE LOVE

OF THE PROOF OF A TRUE LOVER
My son, thou art not yet a valiant
and a true lover.
| Why, o Lord?
| Because thou fallest off from what
thou hast begun upon meeting with a
| little adversely, and too eagerly seek
eth after consolation.
| A valiant lover standeth his ground
in temptations, and yieldeth not to the
crafty persuasions of the enemy.
AS I please him in when in prosper
ity, so 1 displease him not in adversely
A prudent lover conliderth not so
much the gift of the lover as the love
of the giver He looketh more at the
good will than the value, and letteth
every gift beneath the beloved.
4 generous lover resteth not in the
gift, but in Me, above every gift.
All, therefore, is not lost, if some
times thou hast not that feeling (of
devotion) towards Me or My Saints
which thou wouldst have.
That good and delightful affection
which thou sometimes perceiveth is tine
effect of present grace. and a. certain
forecasts of thy heavenly country, upon
which thou oughtest not to lean too
much, because it goeth and cometh.
But to fight against the evil motions
of the mind which arise, and to despise
the suggestion Of the devil, is sign of
virtue and of great merit.
8. Let not, therefore, strange phanit-
asies of whatever kind suggested
trouble thee. Keep thy resolution firm
and thy intention upright towards God.
Neither is it an Illusion, because
sometimes thou art rapt in ecstasy, and
presently returned to the accustomed
fooleries of the heart.
For these thou rather unwillingly
dearest with than Occastonest; and ais
long as they displease thee, and thou
resistest them, it is not merit and not
loss.
L. Know that the old enemy striveth
by all means to hinder thy desire after
good and to draw thee from every de-
vout exercise. namely, from the vener-
alton of the Saints, from the pious re-
membrance of My Passion, from the
profitable calling to mind of thy sins,
from watchfulness over thy own heart,
and from firm purpose of advancing
in virtue.
He suggesteth many evil thoughts
that he may cause thee tediousnesst and
horror, that ne may call thee away
from prayer and holy reading.
He is displeased with humble confess
sion and if he could, he would cause
thee to cease from communion.
Give no credit to him, care not for
him, although he often set for thee
snare Of deception.
Charge him with it when he suggests
wicked and uncEean things, and say to
him: Begone unclean spirit; be ashamed
miserable wretch most unclean art
thou TO suggest such things in my ear.
Depart from me thou most wicked Sc
Queer; thou shalt have no part in me;
but Jesus will be with me as a. valiant
warrior, and thou shalt stand con-
founded 1 prefer to die and undergo
any torment whatsoever, rather than
consent to thee. Hold thy peace and
be silent; I will hear thee no further,
although thou many times modest me.
The Lord is my light and my sal
walton; whom shall 1 fear?
If whole armies should stand together
against me, my heart shall not fear.
The Lord is my Helper and my Re
deemer.
5. Fight like a good soldier, and if
sometimes thou fall through fraflty, re-
sumo greater courage than before, con-
fiding in My more abundant grace. But
take every care against vain Compla-
cency and pride. Through this many
are led into error, and sometimes fall
into almost incurable blindness.
Let this fall CT the proud. foolishly (
presuming on Il nIselves, serve thee as
a warming and keep thee always num- |
BILE.