De unione cordis cum Deo habenda
The Soul's Rest in God Alone
The soul is encouraged to detach from worldly distractions and seek its true rest and union in the grace and love of God.
Turn back, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has been good to you. He himself is your rest and your peace; he is your life, your salvation, and your happiness. Therefore, always attribute all the good works you see and hear to the praise of God, so that you may have peace and a good conscience. Do not rest or linger or take pride in yourself or in others, but purely, firmly, and perfectly in God alone, who gives all things and works all things in all people out of his great goodness and immense mercy. Who will grant me the grace to refer everything to the praise and honor of the Lord my God, and to do exactly what I am bound and able to do, so that nothing—small or great—may draw me away from God, infect me, disturb me, or hinder me in any way? But perhaps it isn't possible for me to reach this state right now. Yet everything is possible to God, who can quickly unite a devout soul to himself through grace in love. For the perfect and pure love of God can do this in a moment whenever it wills, so that, having forgotten all else, I may be perfectly united to him alone, and vehemently kindled and melted by the fire of his love.
The Blessedness of the Spiritual Life
A meditation on the happiness of the soul that finds its companionship and identity in the heavenly family and the spiritual life.
O my God, my Love, here in this place of my pilgrimage, when will I be fully united to you with all the powers of my soul that you have given me and so graciously poured into me? Let every creature be silent before you, my God; may you alone speak to me, be present with me, and enlighten me—you who are all in all, and who are eternally blessed above all the lights of heaven. Happy is the soul in this world that is desolate, yet comforted by God; unknown to men, yet known to the holy angels; neglected by the wicked, yet sought out by the good; despised by the proud, yet loved by the humble; separated from the worldly, yet gathered with the spiritual; mocked by the great, yet honored by the little; outwardly as if dead, yet inwardly always alive; afflicted in the flesh, yet joyful in spirit; weak in body, yet strong in mind; deformed in appearance, yet beautiful in conscience; weary from labor, yet strengthened by prayer; pressed by burdens, yet lifted up by consolation; tempted in the flesh while in the world, yet caught up to heaven in spirit and joined to Christ. Happy is the person who has Jesus and Mary, and all the angels and saints of God, as friends in this life: guides on the way, counselors in doubt, teachers in study, readers at the table, companions in the cell, family in conversation, singers in the choir, guardians in danger, helpers in battle, defenders against enemies, intercessors for sins, rescuers in the end, comforters in the agony, advocates in judgment, patrons before God, and protectors in heaven. Brother, since you have left the world for earthly parents, let God the Father of heaven be yours in a religious and devout way; let Jesus be your brother, the Virgin Mary your mother, the angels your friends, and the religious your kin; let all the faithful be your relatives: the old your uncles, the young your brothers, the married your mothers, the virgins your sisters, the poor your nephews, the pilgrims your cousins, the meek and humble your companions, the sober and chaste your table-mates, the sick and weak your family, the afflicted and oppressed your housemates, the mocked and despised your dearest friends, all the devout your honorable ones, and all who reject the world and serve Christ your co-heirs of the heavenly kingdom. This is the holy generation and noble offspring: born of God, pleasing to God, founded in faith, strengthened by hope, adorned with charity, armed with patience, tested by fire, and firm in constancy.
Read the original Latin
Convertere anima mea in requiem tuam: quia Dominus benefecit tibi. Ipse enim est requies tua et pax tua: ipse vita salus et beatitudo tua. Igitur omnia opera bona quae facis vides et audis semper ad laudem Dei referas: ut pacem et bonam conscientiam habeas. Non in te nec in aliis stes nec maneas nec exultes; sed in Deo solo pure firmiter et perfecte: qui dat omnia et operatur omnia in omnibus pro sua magna bonitate et immensa clementia. Quis mihi det talem gratiam, ut omnia ad laudem et honorem Domini Dei mei referam et recte faciam sicut teneor et possum facere; et nulla res parva vel magna a Deo me retrahat: nec inficiat nec conturbet nec in aliquo impediat. Sed forte mihi non est possibile: ad hoc modo posse venire. Est tamen totum Deo possibile: qui animam devotam potest sibi per gratiam in amore cito unire. Hoc enim perfectus et purus amor Dei in momento facere potest quotienscumque voluerit: ut omnibus oblitis sibi soli sim perfecte unitus, et igne amoris eius vehementer accensus et liquefactus.
O Deus meus amor meus in loco peregrinationis meae; quando ero tibi totus unitus cum omnibus animae meae viribus a te mihi datis et gratiose infusis? Sileat ante te omnis creatura stua Deus meus; tu solus mihi loquaris assis et illumines: qui es omnia in omnibus et super omnia caeli luminaria aeternaliter benedictus. Felix anima in hoc mundo desolata, a Deo consolata; ab hominibus ignota, a sanctis angelis nota: a malis neglecta, a bonis requisita; a superbis despecta, ab humilibus dilecta: a saecularibus separata, a spiritualibus congregata; a magnatis derisa, a parvulis honorata: foris quasi mortua intus semper viva; carne afflicta, spiritu laeta: corpore debilis, mente fortis; vultu deformis, conscientia pulchra: labore fatigata, oratione roborata; onere pressa, solacio erecta: carne in mundo tenta, spiritu ad caelum rapta et Christo copulata. Felix qui Iesum et Mariam et omnes angelos et sanctos Dei habet amicos in hac vita, duces in via: consules in dubio, doctores in studio; lectores in mensa, sodales in cella: familiares in colloquio, cantores in choro; custodes in periculis, adiutores in proelio: defensores contra hostes, intercessores pro peccatis, subventores in extremis, confortatores in agone: advocatos in iudicio, patronos coram Deo: susceptores in caelo. Sit tibi religiose et devote frater postquam reliquisti saeculum pro terrenis parentibus Deus caeli pater; Iesus frater: virgo Maria mater; angeli amici: religiosis cognati; omnes fideles propinqui: senes avunculi, iuvenes fratres; coniuges matres, virgines sorores: pauperes nepotes; peregrini consobrini: mites et humiles consodales; sobrii et casti commensales infirmi et debiles familiares; afflicti et oppressi contubernales: derisi et despecti multum amicabiles; omnes devoti honorabiles; omnes mundum spernentes et Christo servientes cohaeredes regni caelestis. Haec est generatio sancta nobilisque progenies: ex Deo nata; Deo placita: fide fundata, spe roborata; caritate ornata: patientia armata; igne probata: constantia firma.
The Little Garden of Roses & The Valley of Lilies companion
Fourteen readings down. The other 39 chapters are waiting.
Chosen Portion serves the complete Little Garden and Valley of Lilies — plus the Imitation — as daily portions.
These treatises were composed as brief daily counsels for a community's rhythm of reading, and Chosen Portion delivers them the same way: one short chapter each morning.
- All 53 chapters of both treatises in modern readable English
- A new short reading delivered every morning, no deciding what's next
- Complete both treatises in under two months at one chapter a day