Part V, Chapter IV
An Examination of the State of Our Soul towards God
How stands your heart with respect to mortal sin? Are you firmly resolved never to commit it, on any account whatever? Is this resolution continued from the time of your protestation till the present moment? In this resolution consists the foundation of the spiritual life.
How is your heart disposed with regard to the commandments of God? Do you find them good, sweet, and agreeable? Ah! my child, he whose taste is in good order, and whose stomach is sound, loves good meat and rejects bad.
How is your heart affected with regard to venial sin? We cannot keep ourselves so pure as not to fall now and then into such sins; but is there none to which you have a particular inclination; or what would be still worse, is there none to which you bear an affection and love?
How is your heart affected with regard to spiritual exercises? Do you love them? Do you esteem them? Do they not make you uneasy? Are you not disgusted with them? To which of them do you find yourself more or less inclined? To hear the word of God, to read it, to discourse of it, to meditate, to aspire to God, to go to confession, to receive spiritual counsel, to prepare yourself for communion, to communicate, to restrain your affections, — in all this, what is there to which you feel repugnance? If you find anything to which your heart has less inclination, examine the cause whence this dislike arises, and apply the remedy.
How stands your heart towards God himself? Does it delight in the remembrance of God? Does this remembrance leave an agreeable sweetness behind it? “Ah!” said David, “I remembered God, and I was delighted.” Does your heart feel an inclination to love God, and a particular satisfaction in relishing this love? Does not your heart love to reflect on the immensity of God, on his goodness, on his sweetness? If the remembrance of God comes to you amidst the occupations and vanities of the world, do you not willingly receive it? Does it not seize upon your heart? Does it not seem to you that your heart turns towards that side, and, as it were, runs to meet her God? Certainly there are such souls to be found.
When the husband of an affectionate wife returns home from a distant country, as soon as she is sensible of his approach, or hears his voice, although she be ever so much engaged in business, or forcibly detained from him by some urgent occupation, yet her heart is not withheld from him, but leaps over all other thoughts to think on her husband, who is returned. It is the same with souls that love God well; let them be ever so busy, when the remembrance of God comes near them they lose almost the thought of all things else, so rejoiced are they that this dear remembrance is returned; and this is a very good sign.
How is your heart affected towards Jesus Christ, God, and man? Do you place your happiness in him? As bees find pleasure in their honey, and wasps in corrupted things, so good souls seek their happiness in thinking on Jesus Christ, and feel a tender affection towards him; but the wicked please themselves about vanities.
How is your heart affected towards the blessed Virgin, the saints, and your good angel? Do you love them? Have you a special confidence in their patronage? Are you pleased with their pictures, their lives, and their praises?
As to your tongue: how do you speak of God? Do you find pleasure in speaking well of him, according to your condition and ability? Do you love to sing his praises?
As to works: consider whether you take the exterior glory of God to heart, and are emulous of doing something for his honor; for such as love God love, like David, the adorning of his house.
Can you discover that you have forsaken any affection, or renounced anything for the sake of God? for it is a good sign of love to deprive ourselves of anything in favor of him whom we love. What, then, have you hitherto forsaken for the love of God?
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