How to converse continually and familiarly with God - 7

To long but little for Heaven is to set small value on the great good of the eternal Kingdom our Redeemer purchased for us by His death. St. Teresa so greatly desired death in order to see God, that she was dying with the desire to die, and so composed that loving Canticle of hers: I die because I do not die.

I. It is said that in Purgatory those souls who in this life have had but little longing for Heaven are punished with a particular suffering, called the pain of languor; and with reason; because to long but little for Heaven is to set small value on the great good of the eternal Kingdom our Redeemer purchased for us by His death. Forget not, therefore, devout soul, frequently to sigh after Heaven. Say to your God that it seems to you an endless time till you go and see Him, and love Him face to face. Long ardently to depart out of this banishment, this scene of sinning, and danger of losing His grace, that you may arrive in that land of love where you may love Him with all your powers. Say to Him again and again: Lord, so long as I live on this earth, I am always in danger of forsaking Thee and losing Thy love. When will it be that I quit this life, wherein I am ever offending Thee, and come to love Thee with all my soul, and unite myself to Thee, with no danger of losing Thee again? Saint Teresa was ever sighing in this way, and used to rejoice when she heard the clock strike, because another hour of life, and of the danger of losing God, was past and gone. For she so greatly desired death in order to see God that she was dying with the desire to die; and so she composed that loving Canticle of hers, I die, because I do not die.

II. In a word, if you desire to delight the loving Heart of your God, be careful to speak to Him as often as you are able, and with fullest confidence that He will not disdain to answer and speak with you in return. He does not, indeed, make Himself heard in a voice that reaches your ears, but in a voice that your heart can well perceive, when you withdraw from converse with creatures, to occupy yourself in conversing with your God alone: I will lead her into the wilderness, and I will speak to her heart-(Osee ii. 14). He will then speak to you by such inspirations, such interior lights, such manifestations of His goodness, such sweet touches of your heart, such tokens of forgiveness, such experience of peace, such hopes of Heaven, such rejoicings within you, such sweetness of His grace, such loving and close embraces-in a word, such voices of love-as are well understood by those souls whom He loves, and who seek for nothing but God alone.