HIGHER DEGREE OF PRAYER, WHICH IS THAT OF THE SIMPLE PRESENCE OF GOD, OR
ACTIVE CONTEMPLATION.
The soul, faithfully exercising itself in the affection and love of its
God, is astonished to find Him taking complete possession of it.
His presence becomes so natural, that it would be impossible not to have
it: it becomes habitual to the soul, which is also conscious of a great
calm spreading over it. Its prayer is all silence, and God imparts to it
an intrinsic love, which is the commencement of ineffable happiness.
Oh, if I could describe the infinite degrees which follow! But I must
stop here, since I am writing for beginners, and wait till God shall
bring to light what may be useful to those more advanced.[1] I can only
say, that, at this point, it is most important that all natural
operation should cease, that God may act alone: "Be still, and know that
I am God," is His own word by David (Ps. xlvi. 10).
1. This subject is pursued in the treatise entitled "Spiritual
Torrents."
But man is so attached to his own works, that he cannot believe God is
working, unless he can feel, know, and distinguish His operation. He
does not see that it is the speed of his course which prevents his
seeing the extent of his advancement; and that the operation of God
becoming more abundant, absorbs that of the creature, as we see that the
sun, in proportion as he rises, absorbs the light of the stars, which
were easily distinguishable before he appeared. It is not the want of
light, but an excess of light, which prevents our distinguishing the
stars.
It is the same here; man can no longer distinguish his own operation,
because the strong light absorbs all his little distinct lights, and
makes them fade away entirely, because God's excess surpasses them all.
So that those who accuse this degree of prayer of being a state of
_idleness_, are greatly deceived; and only speak thus from want of
experience. Oh, if they would only prove it! in how short a time they
would become experimentally acquainted with this matter!
I say, then, that this failure of work does not spring from scarcity,
but from abundance.
Two classes of persons are silent: the one because they have nothing to
say, the other because they have too much. It is thus in this degree. We
are silent from excess, not from want.
Water causes death to two persons in very different ways. One dies of
thirst, another is drowned: the one dies from want, the other from
abundance. So here it is abundance which causes the cessation of natural
operation. It is therefore important in this degree to remain as much as
possible in stillness.
At the commencement of this prayer, a movement of affection is
necessary; but when grace begins to flow into us, we have nothing to do
but to remain at rest, and take all that God gives. Any other movement
would prevent our profiting by this grace, which is given in order to
draw us into the _rest of love_.
The soul in this peaceful attitude of prayer falls into a mystic sleep,
in which all its natural powers are silenced, until that which had been
temporary becomes its permanent condition. You see that the soul is
thus led, without effort, without study, without artifice.
The heart is not a fortified place, which must be taken by cannonading
and violence: it is a kingdom of peace, which is possessed by love.
Gently following in His train, you will soon reach the degree of
_intuitive_ prayer. God asks nothing extraordinary and difficult: on the
contrary, He is most pleased with childlike simplicity.
The grandest part of religion is the most simple. It is the same with
natural things. Do you wish to get to the sea? Embark upon a river, and
insensibly and without effort you will be taken to it. Do you wish to
get to God? Take His way, so quiet, so easy, and in a little while you
will be taken to Him in a manner that will surprise you. Oh, if only you
would try it! How soon you would see that I am telling you only too
little, and that the experience would far surpass any description that
could be given! What do you fear? Why do you not throw yourself at once
into the arms of Love, who only stretched them out upon the cross in
order to take you in? What risk can there be in trusting God, and
abandoning yourself to Him? Oh, He will not deceive you, unless it be by
giving you far more than you ever expected: while those who expect
everything from themselves may well take to themselves the reproach
which God utters by the mouth of Isaiah: "Thou art wearied in the
greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope" (Isa. lvii.
10).