glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- a God-given taste of what God is like Yesterday morning I read "On Contemplation" by Guigo De Ponte and came across this--- "Finally, a person gazing on God in the hidden tranquility of the spirit's eye needs humble and godly devotion so that, having taken up with godly yearning a single word of divine material, he can with utmost devotion, goodness, and simplicity of heart work more wisely at a God-given taste of what God is like. This always takes place, according to the soul's capacity, on the path of sweetness and love in the dewdrops of the Holy Spirit. When by God's grace the godly spirit is the aforementioned state, the understanding follows behind a thirsty affectus quickened by the Spirit, striving to discover a ray of purest truth. If the coarser worldly fog be dispersed from the viewer's heart, she sometimes sees ineffably that ineffable light which truly is God. Two things are altogether necessary if this blessed vision is to be seen: The spirit must become even purer and, in her growing purity, let the innermost sprinkling of celestial dew make her fecund. Moreover, this blessed vision occurs with wavering and unsteady sight, not with a fixed or firm gaze. It takes place in a fleeting transit in which the pious spirit hurriedly and momentarily glimpses the light of divine glory, the flash of blessed and divine reflection. This occurs by means of the sweetness of godly devotion and of burning, envisioning love. Indeed, to be more accurate, she sees that she is unable to see on account of her great weakness and incapacity, an incapacity which ineffably stretches almost but not quite to the point of seeing-she sees within her limits as she is lifted up in spirit. How absolutely lucid this most brilliant brightness is, and, as the Scripture says, how far removed it is from every thought of human effort, understanding, prudence, investigation, and estimation. Christ alone reveals it to whomsoever he wishes and when he wishes, for he hides it from the wise and prudent and reveals it to infants as he pleases. Whosoever wishes to attain this unspeakable light, which really is God, should strive to be cleansed, clinging all the more attentively to the Mediator between God and man who unites the lowest to the highest." pg. 205 "On Contemplation" by Guigo De Ponte 10:14 a.m. - 2012-03-27 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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