第三章

上述祈禱所結出的偉大果實。這些效果與先前描述的效果之間的巨大差異應該仔細研究和記住。

1. 最後接受的恩寵的效果。 2. 靈魂只關心神的榮耀。 3.但仍履行其職責。 4.這些恩惠的其他成果。 5. 靈魂熱切地渴望事奉天主。 6. 基督住在這個靈魂內。 7. 如果疏忽了，就會回想起熱情。 8. 神不斷地看顧這樣的靈魂。 9. 他們的平靜與沉默。 10. 第七宅幾乎沒有什麼狂喜。 11. 可能的原因。 12. 聖經中對這種狀態的暗示。 13. 警惕這些靈魂。 14.在這種狀態下十字架受到了折磨。

1. 1. 小蝴蝶帶著最大的喜悅死去，終於找到了安息，現在基督住在她裡面。 ⁴²⁰ 讓我們看看她現在和以前的生活之間的區別，因為效果將證明我告訴你的是否屬實。據可以確定的是：首先，一種完全的自我遺忘，以至於她看起來真的不存在，正如我所說，⁴²¹因為這樣的轉變已經在她身上發生了，以至於她不再認識自己；她也不記得天堂、生命或榮耀是她的，而是似乎完全專注於尋求天主的利益。顯然，國王陛下所說的話起到了作用：「她要關心他的事務，他也會關心她的事務。」⁴²²

2. 2. 因此，無論發生什麼，她都不關心任何事情，而是生活在如此奇怪的遺忘中，正如我所說，她似乎不再存在，也不希望在任何事情中發揮任何作用——任何事情！除非她看見自己能夠增進天主的榮耀和榮耀，無論多麼微不足道，為此她願意犧牲生命。

3. 3. 女兒們，不要認為我的意思是她不吃不喝，儘管這給她帶來了不小的折磨，也不履行她國家的職責。我說的是她的內心；至於她的外在行為，則沒什麼好說的，因為她最大的痛苦就是看到自己幾乎沒有力氣做任何事。因為世界上沒有任何事她會不遺餘力地盡她所能，她知道這會榮耀我們的主。

4. 4. 第二個果子是對受苦的強烈渴望，儘管它不會像以前那樣擾亂她的平靜，因為這些靈魂熱切地希望天主在他們身上實現旨意，使他們默許他所做的一切。如果他讓她受苦，她就滿足了；如果他讓她受苦，她就滿足了；如果沒有，她也不會像以前那樣把自己折磨得半死。當她受到迫害時，內心會感到極大的喜悅，並且在這種情況下比以前更加平靜：她對敵人沒有怨恨，也不希望他們有任何惡意。確實，她對他們有一種特殊的愛，看到他們陷入困境深感悲痛，並盡其所能地幫助他們，⁴²³為他們懇切地向天主代求。她很樂意放棄陛下向她提供的恩惠，如果可以將它們給予她的敵人，以防止他們冒犯我們的主。 5. 對我來說最令人驚訝的是，這些靈魂因無法死去並享受我們主的存在而感到的悲傷和痛苦現在變成了侍奉他、使他受到讚美和盡其所能幫助他人的熱切願望。 他們不但不再渴望死亡，而且希望長壽和承受最沉重的十字架，如果這樣能給我們的主帶來那麼一點榮耀的話。因此，如果他們確實知道，一旦離開他們的身體，他們的靈魂就會享受神，那對他們來說並沒有什麼區別，他們也不會想到聖徒所享受的榮耀，並渴望分享它。這些靈魂認為，他們的榮耀在於以任何方式幫助被釘在十字架上的主，特別是當他們看到人們如何冒犯他，以及多麼少的人，脫離一切，只關心他的榮耀。確實，處於這種狀態的人們有時會忘記這一點，並被一種溫柔的渴望所佔據，想要享受天主並離開這片流亡之地，尤其是當他們看到自己事奉天主是多麼少的時候。然後，回過頭來反思自己如何在靈魂中不斷擁有他，他們感到滿足，向陛下獻上他們願意活下去的意願，作為他們所能做出的最昂貴的祭品。 ⁴²⁵賜予長壽，否則立即讓我死去；讓健康屬於我，否則痛苦和疾病就會降臨；榮譽或骯髒的恥辱——是我的道路被戰爭或和平所困擾，直到最後。 我的強弱由你選擇，既然你沒有提出任何要求，我都不會拒絕。說吧，主啊，祢為我所要的是什麼？

  他們對死亡的恐懼不亞於對美妙的恍惚的恐懼。

[6.事實上，賦予他們這些折磨人的死亡慾望的天主已經將他們換成了其他人。願他永遠受到祝福和讚美！阿門。事實上，這樣的人不再渴望安慰或快樂，因為他們裡面有神自己，就是天主住在他們裡面。顯然，他的生活是一種持續的折磨：他希望我們的生活也如此，至少在願望上，因為至於其餘的事情，他會根據我們的軟弱需要仁慈地引導我們，儘管當他看到需要時，他會賜予我們他的力量。 ]

7. 7. 這樣的靈魂，完全脫離一切事物，希望要么總是獨自一人，要么專注於有益於他人靈魂的事情：她既不感到枯乾，也不感到任何內心的煩惱，而是不斷溫柔地回憶我們的主，她希望不斷地讚美他。當她變得疏忽時，同樣的主會以我告訴你的方式喚醒她，很容易看出這種衝動（我不知道用什麼詞來形容）來自靈魂的內部，就像以前的浮躁的慾望一樣。 ⁴²⁶現在感覺非常甜蜜，但既不是由智力或記憶產生的，也沒有理由相信靈魂本身有任何份額。這種情況是如此常見，如此頻繁，任何處於這種狀態的人都一定注意到了。無論火有多大，火焰都不會向下燃燒，而是向上燃燒，因此這種運動被視為來自靈魂的中心，它激發了靈魂的力量。事實上，如果透過這種祈禱方式沒有獲得任何其他收穫，除了了解神為了向我們傳達他自己而採取的特別照顧，以及他如何懇求我們與他同在（因為事實上我無法用其他方式來描述它），我想，為了這些甜蜜而深入的他的愛的感動，我們過去所有的痛苦都值得了。

8. 8. 姊妹們，你們會從經驗中了解到這一點，因為我認為，當我們的主帶領我們進行聯合祈禱時，他會以這種方式看顧我們，除非我們忽視遵守他的誡命。當這些衝動被給你時，請記住它們來自最內在的府邸，即天主居住在我們靈魂中的地方。熱烈地讚美他，因為是他向你發送了這封信，或者是情書，寫得如此溫柔，而且密碼只有你才能理解和知道他的要求。即使你可能忙於外事或交談，也絕不能忽視回答陛下的問題。我們的主可能常常很樂意在公開場合向你展示這種秘密的恩惠；但很容易，因為答案應該完全是內在的，以愛來回應或向聖保羅詢問：「主啊，你要我做什麼？」⁴²⁷耶穌會以多種方式向你展示如何取悅他。 這是一個吉祥的時刻，因為他似乎在傾聽我們的聲音，而靈魂幾乎總是被這種微妙的觸摸所吸引，以慷慨的決心做出回應。 ⁴²⁸正如我告訴你的，這座居所與其他居所的不同之處在於，正如我所說，⁴²⁹在所有其他地方有時感到的干燥和乾擾幾乎從未進入這裡，靈魂所在的地方幾乎總是平靜的。它並不擔心這種崇高的恩惠會被魔鬼偽造，而是堅信它具有神聖的起源，因為如上所述，這裡沒有任何東西可以被感官或官能感知到，但陛下向精神啟示自己，他認為精神與自己同在，我毫不懷疑魔鬼不敢進入，我們的主也永遠不會允許他進入。

9. 9. 正如我所說，這裡神聖賜給靈魂的所有恩寵都不是透過它自己的獅子而來，而是它完全將自己交給了天主。他們在和平與寂靜中被給予，就像所羅門聖殿的建築一樣，聽不到任何聲音。 ⁴³⁰ 因此，在這座神的殿堂，他的這座居所中，他和靈魂在深沉的沉默中獨自彼此喜樂。心靈不需要行動，也不需要尋找任何東西，因為創造它的主希望它處於休息狀態，只透過一個小縫隙觀察裡面發生的事情。雖然有時它看不到這一點，但這種間隔非常短，我相信因為這裡的力量並沒有喪失，而只是停止工作，可以說是因驚訝而茫然。

10. 10. 我也很驚訝地發現，當靈魂達到這種狀態時，它不會進入狂喜狀態，除非在極少數情況下——即使如此，它們也不像以前的恍惚和精神飛翔，也很少像以前那樣在公共場合發生。 ⁴³¹它們不再是由任何特殊的奉獻召喚所產生的，例如通過看到宗教圖片，聆聽佈道（如果只是前幾句話），或聆聽神聖的音樂；以前，就像那隻可憐的小蝴蝶一樣，靈魂是如此焦慮，以至於任何東西都會驚動它並讓它飛走。這可能是因為靈魂終於得到了休息，或者是因為它在這座居所中看到瞭如此奇觀，沒有什麼可以嚇倒它，或者也許是因為它不再感到孤獨，因為它在這樣的陪伴下感到高興。

11. 11.簡而言之，姊妹們，我無法說出原因，但是一旦天主向靈魂展示這座居所所包含的東西，使其居住在範圍內，以前對心靈如此困擾且無法克服的軟弱就立即消失了。也許這是因為我們的主現在已經加強、擴張和發展了靈魂，或者可能是他希望公開（為了某種目的只有他自己知道）他在這些靈魂中秘密所做的事情，因為他的判斷超出了我們今生的理解。

12. 12. 這些效果，以及我提到的不同程度的祈禱的所有其他好果子，是當靈魂接近他並接受新娘所要求的“他的嘴的吻”時，天主賜給靈魂的，⁴³²，我相信她的請求現在得到了批准。在這裡，滿溢的水流給了受傷的雄鹿：在這裡，她在天主的聖殿中感到高興⁴³³：在這裡，諾伊派出去看洪水是否已經消退的鴿子，已經拔下了橄欖枝，表明她在這個世界的洪水和風暴中找到了堅固的土地。 ⁴³⁴ O天啊！誰知道聖經中有多少提到這種靈魂的平安？我的神啊，既然你已經看到這種平安對我們有多重要，那麼你就鼓勵基督徒努力爭取它吧！憑著你的仁慈，不要剝奪你所賜予的人的平安，因為在你賜予他們真正的平安並將他們帶到永無止境的地方之前，他們必須永遠生活在恐懼之中。

13. 13. 我並不是說地球上的和平是不真實的，因為我說“真正的和平”，而是說，如果這些靈魂拋棄了天主，他們可能不得不重新開始他們所有的鬥爭。一想到可能會失去如此巨大的好處，這些人一定會怎麼想？他們的恐懼使他們更加小心；他們試圖從自己的軟弱中累積力量，以免因自己的過錯而錯過任何更好地取悅天主的機會。他們從陛下那裡得到的恩惠越大，他們對自己就越缺乏自信和不信任。他們所目睹的奇蹟更清楚地向他們揭示了他們自己的痛苦和罪惡的可憎，因此他們常常像稅吏一樣不敢抬起眼睛。 ⁴³⁵

14. 14. 有時他們渴望死亡並獲得安全，但他們的愛立即使他們希望活著以便侍奉天主，正如我告訴過你的；因此，他們將所有與他們有關的事情交託給他的憐憫。 ⁴³⁶ 有時，他們比以往任何時候都更加沮喪，因為他們想到自己所接受的許多恩典，以免他們像一艘超載的船一樣在重擔下沉沒。姊妹們，我向你們保證，這樣的靈魂要背負十字架，但這並不會困擾他們，也不會剝奪他們的平安，而是像波浪或風暴一樣很快消失，然後是平靜，因為天主在他們裡面的臨在很快讓他們忘記了一切。願他永遠受到所有受造物的祝福和讚美！阿門，

THE GREAT FRUITS PRODUCED BY THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PRAYER. THE WONDERFUL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE EFFECTS AND THOSE FORMERLY DESCRIBED SHOULD BE CAREFULLY STUDIED AND REMEMBERED.

1. Effects of the graces last received. 2. The soul only cares for God’s honour. 3. But still performs its duties. 4. Other fruits of these favours. 5. The soul’s fervent desire to serve God. 6. Christ dwells within this soul. 7. And recalls it to fervour if negligent. 8. God’s constant care of such souls. 9. Their peace and silence. 10. Few ecstasies in the Seventh Mansions. 11. Probable reasons for this. 12. Allusions in Holy Scripture to this state. 13. Watchfulness of such souls. 14. Crosses suffered in this state.

1.

1. THE little butterfly has died with the greatest joy at having found rest at last, and now Christ lives in her.⁴²⁰ Let us see the difference between her present and her former life, for the effects will prove whether what I told you was true. As far as can be ascertained they are these: first, a self-forgetfulness so complete that she really appears not to exist, as I said,⁴²¹ for such a transformation has been worked in her that she no longer recognizes herself; nor does she remember that heaven, or life, or glory are to be hers, but seems entirely occupied in seeking God’s interests. Apparently the words spoken by His Majesty have done their work: ’that she was to care for His affairs, and He would care for hers.’⁴²²

2.

2. Thus she recks nothing, whatever happens, but lives in such strange oblivion that, as I stated, she seems no longer to exist, nor does she wish to be of any account in anything—anything! unless she sees that she can advance, however little, the honour and glory of God, for which she would most willingly die.

3.

3. Do not fancy I mean, daughters, that she neglects to eat and drink, though it brings no small torment to her, or to perform the duties of her state. I am speaking of her interior; as regards her exterior actions there is little to say, for her chief suffering is to see that she has hardly strength to do anything. For nothing in the world would she omit doing all she can which she knows would honour our Lord.

4.

4. The second fruit is a strong desire for suffering, though it does not disturb her peace as before because the fervent wish of such souls for the fulfilment of God’s will in them makes them acquiesce in all He does. If He would have her suffer, she is content; if not, she does not torment herself to death about it as she used to do. She feels a great interior joy when persecuted, and is far more peaceful than in the former state under such circumstances: she bears no grudge against her enemies, nor wishes them any ill. Indeed she has a special love for them, is deeply grieved at seeing them in trouble, and does all she can to relieve them,⁴²³ earnestly interceding with God on their behalf. She would be glad to forfeit the favours His Majesty shows her, if they might be given to her enemies instead, to prevent their offending our Lord. 5. The most surprising thing to me is that the sorrow and distress which such souls felt because they could not die and enjoy our Lord’s presence⁴²⁴ are now exchanged for as fervent a desire of serving Him, of causing Him to be praised, and of helping others to the utmost of their power. Not only have they ceased to long for death, but they wish for a long life and most heavy crosses, if such would bring ever so little honour to our Lord. Thus, if they knew for certain that immediately on quitting their bodies their souls would enjoy God, it would make no difference to them, nor do they think of the glory enjoyed by the saints, and long to share it. Such souls hold that their glory consists in helping, in any way, Him Who was crucified, especially as they see how men offend against Him, and how few, detached from all else, care for His honour alone. True, people in this state forget this at times, and are seized with tender longings to enjoy God and to leave this land of exile, especially as they see how little they serve Him. Then, returning to themselves and reflecting how they possess Him continually in their souls, they are satisfied, offering to His Majesty their willingness to live as the most costly oblation they can make.⁴²⁵ Long life bestow, or straightway let me die; Let health be mine, or pain and sickness send; Honour or foul dishonour—be my path Beset by war or peaceful till the end. My strength or weakness be as Thou dost choose, Since naught Thou askest shall I e’er refuse. Say, Lord, what is it Thou dost will for me?

  They fear death no more than they would a delicious trance.

[6. The fact is, that He Who gave them these torturing desires of death has exchanged them for the others. May He be for ever blessed and praised! Amen. In fact, such persons no longer wish for consolations nor delights, since they bear God Himself within them, and it is He Who lives in them. It is evident that His life was one continual torment: so would He have ours to be, at least in desire, for as to the rest He leads us mercifully as our weakness requires, though when He sees the need He imparts to us His strength.]

7.

7. Such a soul, thoroughly detached from all things, wishes to be either always alone or occupied on what benefits the souls of others: she feels neither aridity nor any interior troubles, but a constant tender recollection of our Lord Whom she wishes to praise unceasingly. When she grows negligent, the same Lord arouses her in the way that I told you, and it is easy to see that this impulse (I know not what term to use for it) comes from the interior of the soul, like the former impetuous desires.⁴²⁶ It is now felt very sweetly, but is neither produced by the intellect nor the memory, nor is there reason to believe the soul itself has any share in it. This is so usual and so frequent that whoever has been in this state must have noticed it. However large a fire may be, the flame never burns downwards, but upwards, and so this movement is seen to come from the centre of the soul whose powers it excites. Indeed, were nothing else gained by this way of prayer but the knowledge of the special care God takes to communicate Himself to us and how He entreats us to abide with Him (for indeed I can describe it in no other way) I think that for the sake of these sweet and penetrating touches of His love all our past pains would be well spent.

8.

8. You will have learnt this by experience, sisters, for I think that when our Lord has brought us to the prayer of union, He watches over us in this way unless we neglect to keep His commandments. When these impulses are given you, remember that they come from the innermost mansion, where God dwells in our souls. Praise Him fervently, for it is He Who sends you this message, or love letter, so tenderly written, and in a cipher that only you can understand and know what He asks. By no means neglect to answer His Majesty, even though you may be occupied exteriorly and engaged in conversation. Our Lord may often be pleased to show you this secret favour in public; but it is very easy, as the reply should be entirely interior, to respond by an at of love or to ask with Saint Paul: ’Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”⁴²⁷ Jesus will show you in many ways how to please Him. It is a propitious moment, for He seems to be listening to us and the soul is nearly always disposed by this delicate touch to respond with a generous determination.⁴²⁸ As I told you, this mansion differs from the rest in that, as I said,⁴²⁹ the dryness and disturbance felt in all the rest at times hardly ever enter here, where the soul is nearly always calm. It does not fear that this sublime favour can be counterfeited by the devil, but feels a settled conviction that it is of divine origin because, as above stated, nothing is here perceived by the senses or faculties but His Majesty reveals Himself to the spirit, which He takes to be with Himself in a place where I doubt not the devil dares not enter, nor would our Lord ever permit him.

9.

9. All the graces here divinely bestowed on the soul come, as I said, through no a Lion of its own except its total abandonment of itself to God. They are given in peace and silence, like the building of Solomon’s Temple where no sound was heard.⁴³⁰ It is thus with this temple of God, this mansion of His where He and the soul rejoice in each other alone in profound silence. The mind need not act nor search for anything, as the Lord Who created it wishes it to be at rest and only to watch through a little chink, what passes within. Though at times it cannot see this, yet such intervals are very short, I believe because the powers are not here lost but only cease to work, being, as it were, dazed with astonishment.

10.

10. I, too, am astonished at seeing that when the soul arrives at this state it does not go into ecstasies except perhaps on rare occasions—even then they are not like the former trances and the flight of the spirit and seldom take place in public as they did before.⁴³¹ They are no longer produced by any special calls to devotion, such as by the sight of a religious picture, by hearing a sermon (were it only the first few words), or by sacred music; formerly, like the poor little butterfly, the soul was so anxious that anything used to alarm it and make it take flight. This may be either because the spirit has at last found repose, or that it has seen such wonders in this mansion that nothing can frighten it, or perhaps because it no longer feels solitary since it rejoices in such Company.

11.

11. In short, sisters, I cannot tell the reason, but as soon as God shows the soul what this mansion contains, bringing it to dwell within the precincts, the infirmity formerly so troublesome to the mind and impossible to get over, disappears at once. Probably this is because our Lord has now strengthened, dilated, and developed the soul, or it may be that He wished to make public (for some end known only to Himself) what He was doing in secret within such souls, for His judgments are beyond our comprehension in this life.

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12. These effects, with all the other good fruits I have mentioned of the different degrees of prayer, are given by God to the soul when it draws near Him to receive that ‘kiss of His mouth’ for which the bride asked,⁴³² and I believe her petition is now granted. Here the overflowing waters are given to the wounded hart: here she delights in the tabernacles of God⁴³³ : here the dove sent out by Noe to see whether the flood had subsided, has plucked the olive branch, showing that she has found firm land amongst the floods and tempests of this world.⁴³⁴ O Jesus! Who knows how much in Holy Scripture refers to this peace of soul? Since, O my God, Thou dost see of what grave import is this peace to us, do Thou incite Christians to strive to gain it! In Thy mercy do not deprive those of it on whom Thou hast bestowed it, for until Thou hast given them true peace and brought them to where it is unending, they must ever live in fear.

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13. I do not mean that peace is unreal on earth because I say ‘true peace,’ but that such souls might have to begin all their struggles over again if they forsook God. What must these people feel at the thought that it is possible to lose so great a good? Their dread makes them more careful; they try to gather strength from their weakness lest, through their own fault, they should miss any opportunity of pleasing God better. The greater the favours they have received from His Majesty, the more diffident and mistrustful are they of themselves; the marvels they have witnessed having revealed more clearly to them their own miseries and the heinousness of their sins, so that often, like the publican, they dare not so much as lift up their eyes.⁴³⁵

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14. Sometimes they long to die and be in safety, but then their love at once makes them wish to live in order to serve God, as I told you; therefore they commit all that concerns them to His mercy.⁴³⁶ At times they are more crushed than ever by the thought of the many graces they have received lest, like an overladen ship, they sink beneath the burden. I assure you, sisters, such souls have their cross to bear, yet it does not trouble them nor rob them of their peace, but is quickly gone like a wave or a storm which is followed by a calm, for God’s presence within them soon makes them forget all else. May He be for ever blessed and praised by all His creatures! Amen,