Exclamations, Or Meditations of The Soul on Its God Exclamation 8 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 8 |
Exclamation VIII.
1.
O Lord my God,
truly "Thou hast the words of life," [l]
wherein men can find all they crave,
if they but seek it !
But what wonder is it
if we forget Thy words,
seeing the state of folly and disorder
to which our sins have reduced us ?
2.
O my God ! God !
God and Maker of all Creation !
What is all this creation
compared with
what Thou canst create,
what Thou canst create,
dost Thou but will ?
Thou art omnipotent:
Thy works are incomprehensible. [2]
Permit not Thy words
ever to become effaced from my mind:
"Come unto Me all you that labour
and
I will refresh you." [3]
I will refresh you." [3]
What more can we desire or seek, Lord ?
Why are worldlings lost,
save through seeking happiness ?
3.
Good God ! Good God !
How is it, Lord ?
How pitiful !
What utter blindness
to seek for happiness
where it cannot be found.
Have pity, Creator, on Thy creatures !
Remember,
we do not
understand ourselves,
or
know what we want,
nor do we ask aright !
Lord, give us light !
See !
We need it more than did the man
who was born blind,
for he longed to see the light
but could not,
while we do not wish to see it.
4.
Oh ! ill, past remedy,
needing Thee to manifest
both Thy power and Thy mercy.
O true God of mine !
How hard a thing I crave of Thee !
No less than that Thou
shouldst love those
who love not Thee:
shouldst open to those
who do not knock —
shouldst cure those
who wish to ail,
and
who foster their maladies.
5.
Thou didst declare, my Master,
that Thou earnest to seek sinners: [4]
These are the real sinners !
Look
not on our blindness, my God,
but on the streams of blood
shed by Thy Son for us.
Let Thy mercy shine forth
amidst such monstrous wickedness.
Remember, Lord,
we are "the work of Thy hands"; [5 ]
Succour us by Thy goodness and mercy !
Foot Notes: [1] St. John vi. 69: Domine, ad quern ibimus ? verba vitae aeternce habes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Footnote reference #1 After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him. Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away? And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of God. [John 6: 66-69 ] _____________________ [2] Job ix. 10: Qui facit magna et incomprehensibilia. Blog Addition: Regarding Footnote reference #2 Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number. [ Job 9: 10 ] _____________________ [3] St. Matt. xi. 28: Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. _____________________ [4] St. Matt. ix. 13 : Non enim veni vocare justos, sed peccatores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Footnote reference #4 "For I have not come to call the just but sinners" [Mt 9: 13 ] _____________________ [5] Isaias lxiv. 8: Opera manuum tuarum omnes nos |
End of Exclamation 8 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" |
