Exclamations, Or Meditations of The Soul on Its God Exclamation 6 S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila ░░░░░░░░░░░░ "Written By The Holy Mother Teresa Of Jesus On Different Occasions, According To The Devotion Imparted To Her By Our Lord After Holy ComMunion. A.D. 1569." ░░░░░░░░░░░░ From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
Exclamations, Or Meditations of The Soul on Its God Exclamation 6 |
Exclamation VI
1.
O my Joy,
Lord of all things and my God !
How long must I languish
for Thy presence ?
What solace wilt Thou grant to one
who has so little earthly comfort,
that she may find peace
while absent from Thee ?
2.
Oh tedious, oh painful, oh dying life !
What lonely solitude !
How hopeless is my case !
How long, Lord,
how long shall it endure ?
What shall I do, my sovereign Good,
what shall I do ?
Shall I desire not to desire Thee?
3.
O God my Creator !
Who dost wound,
yet dost not heal;
Who dost strike
but leave no wound;
Dost kill
and give new life by it;
In a word, Who art almighty,
and
therefore dost what pleaseth Thee;
Wilt Thou make such a wretched worm
suffer these conflicting pains ?
Be it so, my God,
since it is Thy will,
for I only seek to love Thee.
But alas, alas, my Creator,
bitter anguish
wrings this complaint from me,
making me speak of that
for which there is no remedy
until Thou providest one !
The soul,
thus pent in bondage,
longs for liberty,
yet would not move one hair's breadth
from the path Thou choosest for it.
Do Thou, my Glory,
either increase my pain,
or cure it altogether.
4.
Ah, death, death,
I know not why men dread thee,
since life is found in thee !
Yet who
that has not always loved God
in the past
would fear thee not ?
Since I am such a one,
what do I desire and ask ?
Will death but bring the punishment
my sins so justly merit ?
Permit it not, my sovereign Good,
for it cost Thee dear to ransom me !
5.
O my soul,
submit to the will of thy God:
This is best for thee:
Serve Him and trust to His mercy
to ease thy pain,
when by penance thou hast won
some little claim to pardon for thy sins:
Seek not to rejoice
until thou hast suffered !
6.
Alas, my true Lord and King,
I am incapable even of this,
unaided by Thy sovereign
power and majesty,
but with these
I can do all things !
I can do all things !
End of Exclamation 6 Exclamations, Or Meditations Of The Soul On Its God S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
