CHAPITRE V.
The Purpose of Divine Absence
God hides himself from the soul not to abandon her, but to awaken her love and faithfulness through the trial of dryness.
Regarding several matters that arise in this prayer or relate to it, namely: 1. On times of dryness, which here are caused by the felt absence of God for an admirable purpose; and they must be endured through solid, peaceful acts of virtue of mind and heart.1 2. The benefits of acting this way. 1. Since God has no other desire than to give himself to the loving soul that wants to seek him, he often hides himself to wake her from her laziness and to make her seek him with love and faithfulness.✦✦✦ But with what goodness does he reward the faithfulness of his beloved?✦ And how fully are his apparent departures followed by loving caresses?✦
Waiting with Loving Patience
Rather than straining through forced activity, the soul should wait for the Beloved with humble, patient, and silent affection.
People then think that seeking him by straining the mind and by force of activity is greater faithfulness, and a stronger mark of love; or that this will make him come back soon. No, believe me, dear souls: that is not the way of this degree. With a loving patience, a lowered and humbled gaze, a frequent but peaceful affection, and a respectful silence, you must wait for the Beloved's return.✦✦2 2. By acting this way, you'll show him that it is he alone you love, and his good pleasure—not the pleasure you'll take in loving him. That's why it is said: (a) Don't grow impatient in times of dryness and darkness; bear the withholdings and delays of God's consolations: remain united to him: wait for him with patience, so that your life may grow and be renewed.3 (a) Ecclesiasticus. 2. v. 2, 3. Be patient in prayer; even if you offered no other prayer your whole life than to wait patiently—in a humbled, abandoned, resigned, and contented spirit—for the Beloved's return, oh, what an excellent prayer that would be!4 You can interweave it with loving complaints. Oh, how this way of acting charms the heart of God, and binds him far more to return than any other!
Read the original French
De plusieurs choses survenantes ou appartenantes à cette Oraison, savoir;
1. Des Sécheresses, qui sont ici causées par l’absence sensible de Dieu pour une admirable fin; & qu’il faut les souffrir par des actes de vertus solides & paisibles d’esprit & de cœur.
2. Avantages d’en agir ainsi.
1. COMME Dieu n’a point d’autre désir que de se donner à l’ame amoureuse qui le veut chercher, il se cache souvent pour réveiller sa paresse, & l’obliger à le chercher avec amour & fidélité. Mais avec quelle bonté récompense-t-il la fidélité de sa bien aimée ? & combien ses fuites apparentes sont-elles suivies de caresses amoureuses ?
On croit alors que c’est une plus grande fidélité & que c’est marquer davantage son amour, que de le chercher avec effort de tête, & à force d’action ; ou que cela le fera bientôt revenir.
Non, croyez moi, cheres ames ; ce n’est point la conduite de ce dégré : il faut qu’avec une patience amoureuse, un regard abaissé & humilié, une affection fréquente, mais paisible, un silence respectueux, vous attendiez le retour du Bien-aimé.
2. Vous lui ferez voir par cette maniere d’agir, que c’est LUI SEUL que vous aimez, & son bon plaisir ; & non le plaisir que vous aurez à l’aimer. C’est pourquoi il est dit : (a) Ne vous impatientez point dans les tems de sécheresse & d’obscurité ; souffrez les suspensions & les retardemens des consolations de Dieu : demeurez uni à lui : attendez-le avec patience ; afin que votre vie croisse & se renouvelle.
(a) Ecclesiastiq. 2. v. 2, 3.
Soyez patient dans l’Oraison ; & quand vous n’en feriez point d’autre toute votre vie que d’attendre en patience dans un esprit humilié, abandonné, résigné & content, le retour du Bien-aimé ; ô l’excellente Oraison ! Vous pouvez l’entremêler de plaintes amoureuses. O que ce procédé charme le cœur de Dieu, & l’oblige bien plus à revenir que nul autre !
Scripture echoes
- ↩Song.3.1-Song.3.2 — On my bed, night after night, I sought the one my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him. Song.3.2 — I will rise now and go about the city, through the streets and through the squares; I will seek the one my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.
- ↩Song.5.6 — I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and gone. My soul went out when he spoke. I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.
- ↩Isa.45.15 — Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
- ↩Song.2.16;Song.6.3 — My beloved is mine, and I am his — the one who grazes among the lilies. Song.6.3 — I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine — the one who grazes among the lilies.
- ↩Song.5.6 — I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and gone. My soul went out when he spoke. I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.
- ↩Song.3.1-Song.3.4;Song.5.6-Song.5.8 — On my bed, night after night, I sought the one my soul loves; I sought him, but I did not find him. Song.3.2 — I will rise now and go about the city, through the streets and through the squares; I will seek the one my soul loves. I sought him, but I did not find him. Song.3.3 — The watchmen who go about the city found me. "Have you seen the one my soul loves?" Song.3.4 — Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of her who conceived me. Song.5.6 — I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and gone. My soul went out when he spoke. I sought him, but I did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me. Song.5.7 — The watchmen who patrol the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me. The guards of the walls took my veil from me. Song.5.8 — I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.
- ↩Ps.27.14 — Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD.
Notes
- 1 ↩"absence sensible" is the felt, perceptible absence of God in the senses and affections, not a claim that God has actually withdrawn.
- 2 ↩"dégré" (degré) is Guyon's term for a stage of interior prayer, not a civic rank.
- 3 ↩suspensions rendered as withholdings: God's holding back of felt consolations, not a mere pause in activity.
- 4 ↩abandonné kept as abandoned: Guyon's technical surrender of self to God, not forsakenness.
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