That we must rest in God above all goods and gifts
Above all things and in all things thou shalt rest alway in the Lord, O
my soul, for he himself is the eternal rest of the saints. Grant me,
most sweet and loving Jesus, to rest in Thee above every creature,
above all health and beauty, above all glory and honour, above all
power and dignity, above all knowledge and skilfulness, above all
riches and arts, above all joy and exultation, above all fame and
praise, above all sweetness and consolation, above all hope and
promise, above all merit and desire, above all gifts and rewards which
Thou canst give and pour forth, above all joy and jubilation which the
mind is able to receive and feel; in a word, above Angels and
Archangels and all the army of heaven, above all things visible and
invisible, and above everything which Thou, O my God, art not.
2. For Thou, O Lord, my God, art best above all things; Thou only art
the Most High, Thou only the Almighty, Thou only the All-sufficient,
and the Fulness of all things; Thou only the All-delightsome and the
All-comforting; Thou alone the altogether lovely and altogether loving;
Thou alone the Most Exalted and Most Glorious above all things; in Whom
all things are, and were, and ever shall be, altogether and
all-perfect. And thus it falleth short and is insufficient whatsoever
Thou givest to me without Thyself or whatsoever Thou revealest or dost
promise concerning Thyself, whilst Thou art not seen or fully
possessed: since verily my heart cannot truly rest nor be entirely
content, except it rest in Thee, and go beyond all gifts and every
creature.
3. O my most beloved Spouse, Jesus Christ, most holy lover of my soul,
Ruler of this whole Creation, who shall give me the wings of true
liberty, that I may flee to Thee and find rest? Oh when shall it be
given me to be open to receive Thee to the full, and to see how sweet
Thou art, O Lord my God? When shall I collect myself altogether in
Thee, that because of Thy love I may not feel myself at all, but may
know Thee only above every sense and measure, in measure not known to
others. But now I ofttimes groan, and bear my sad estate with sorrow;
because many evils befall me in this vale of miseries which continually
disturb and fill me with sorrow, and encloud me, continually hinder and
fill me with care, allure and entangle me, that I cannot have free
access to Thee, nor enjoy that sweet intercourse which is always near
at hand to the blessed spirits. Let my deep sighing come before Thee,
and my manifold desolation on the earth.
4. O Jesus, Light of Eternal Glory, solace of the wandering soul,
before Thee my mouth is without speech, and my silence speaketh to
Thee. How long will my Lord delay to come unto me? Let Him come unto
me, His poor and humble one, and make me glad. Let Him put forth His
hand, and deliver His holy one from every snare. Come, Oh come; for
without Thee shall be no joyful day or hour, for Thou art my joy, and
without Thee is my table empty. I am miserable, and in a manner
imprisoned and loaded with fetters, until Thou refresh me by the light
of Thy presence, and give me liberty, and show Thy loving countenance.
5. Let others seek some other thing instead of Thee, whatsoever it
shall please them; but for my part nothing else pleaseth or shall
please, save Thou, my God, my hope, my eternal salvation. I will not
hold my peace, nor cease to implore, until Thy grace return, and until
Thou speak to me within.
6. “Behold, here I am! Behold, I come to thee, for thou didst call Me.
Thy tears and the longing of thy soul, thy humbleness and contrition of
heart have inclined Me, and brought Me to thee.”
7. And I said Lord, I have called upon Thee, and I have longed to enjoy
Thee, being ready to reject everything for Thy sake. For Thou didst
first move me to seek Thee. Therefore, blessed be Thou, O Lord, who has
wrought this good work upon Thy servant, according to the multitude of
Thy mercy. What then hath Thy servant to say in Thy presence, save to
humble himself greatly before Thee, being alway mindful of his own
iniquity and vileness. For there is none like unto Thee in all marvels
of heaven and earth. Excellent are Thy works, true are Thy judgments,
and by Thy Providence are all things governed. Therefore praise and
glory be unto Thee, O Wisdom of the Father, let my mouth and my soul
and all created things praise and bless Thee together.