Chap. VIII Of Familiar Friendship With Jesus
1. When Jesus is present, all goes well, and nothing seems difficult: but when Jesus is absent every thing is hard.
When Jesus speaks not within, our comfort is worth nothing: but if Jesus speak but one word, we feel a great consolation.
Did not Mary Magdalen arise presently from the place where she wept, when Martha said to her: The Master is here and calls for thee. John xiii.
Happy hour, when Jesus calls from tears, to joy of spirit!
How dry and hard art thou without Jesus! How foolish and vain if thou desire any thing out of Jesus! Is not this a greater damage than if thou wert to lose the whole world?
2. What can the world profit thee without Jesus?
To be without Jesus is a grievous hell, and to be with Jesus a sweet paradise.
If Jesus be with thee, no enemy can hurt thee.
Whoever finds Jesus, finds a good treasure, yea good above all goods.
And he that loseth Jesus, loseth exceeding much, and more than if he lost the whole world.
He is wretchedly poor, who lives without Jesus: and he is exceedingly rich, who is well with Jesus.
3. It is a great art to know how to converse with Jesus: and to know how to keep Jesus is great wisdom.
Be humble and peaceable, and Jesus will be with thee.
Be devout and quiet, and Jesus will stay with thee.
Thou mayest quickly drive away Jesus and lose his grace, if thou decline after outward things.
And if thou drive him from thee, and lose him, to whom wilt thou fly, and whom then wilt thou seek for thy friend?
Without a friend thou canst not well live; and if Jesus be not thy friend above all, thou wilt be exceeding sad and desolate.
Thou actest then foolishly, if thou puttest thy trust or rejoiceth in any other.
We ought rather to chuse to have the whole world against us, than to offend Jesus.
Of all therefore that are dear to thee, let Jesus always be thy special beloved.
4. Let all be loved for Jesus’s sake, but Jesus for himself.
Jesus Christ alone is singularly to be loved, who alone is found good and faithful above all friends.
For him, and in him, let both friends and enemies be dear to thee: and for all these must thou pray to him, that all may know and love him.
Neither desire to be singularly praised or beloved: for this belongs to God alone, who hath none like to himself.
Neither desire that any one’s heart should be set on thee: nor do thou let thyself be taken up with the love of any one: but let Jesus be in thee, and in every good man.
5. Be pure and free interiorly, without being entangled by any creature.
Thou must be naked and carry a pure heart to God, if thou wilt attend at leisure, and see how sweet is the Lord.
And indeed thou wilt never attain to this, unless thou be prevented and drawn in by his grace: that so thou mayest all alone be united to him alone, having cast out and dismissed all others.
For when the grace of God comes to a man, then he is strong and powerful for all things: and when it departs, then he is poor and weak, left as it were only to stripes.
In these he must not be dejected nor despair; but stand with an even mind, resigned to the will of God, and bear, for the glory of Jesus Christ, whatever shall befal him: because after winter, comes summer; after night the day returns; after a storm there follows a great calm.