The Ascent of Mount CarmelChapter XXXVII. Motive goods continued. Oratories and places of prayer

I THINK I have now explained how the spiritual man may fall into as great imperfections, in the matter of images, as in the matter of temporal and bodily goods; perhaps greater if he takes pleasure in them. I say, perhaps more dangerous, for in considering, and speaking of, these images as holy things, men make too sure of themselves, and cease to be afraid of attachment to them in a mere natural way. Thus they frequently deceive themselves very much, thinking themselves most devout because they feel a delight in these holy things; and after all, perhaps, this may be nothing more than natural taste and inclination, which is gratified here as it might have been by anything else.

2. The issue is—I am going to speak about oratories —that some people are never satisfied in adding image to image in their oratory, taking pleasure in the order and neatness of their arrangements, to the end that their oratory may be well furnished and beautiful to the eye. God is not their object in one arrangement more than in another—perhaps less so, for the delight they experience in these decorations is so much stolen from the reality, as I have just now said.¹ It is very true that all decoration, embellishment, and reverence of images are exceedingly little in comparison with that which they represent, and therefore those who treat them with no great decency and reverence are deserving of all blame, as well as those who paint them so clumsily that they rather quench than kindle devotion; such persons should not be allowed to paint because of their gross unskilfulness. But what has that to do with the attachment and desire with which you cling to these decorations and exterior ornaments, seeing that they so engross your senses and make heavy your heart, that you cannot draw near unto God, and love Him, and forget all these matters for His love? If you are deficient in this through carefulness about outward things, not only will He not be pleased with you, but He will punish you also, because you have sought not His pleasure, but your own, in all things.

3. You may see this truth most clearly in that rejoicing when our Lord entered into Jerusalem. The people sung hymns of joy and strewed branches in the way, but He was weeping,² for the hearts of some of them were far from Him while they received Him with outward show of honour. ‘This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.' We may say of them, that they did that in honour of them- | | selves rather than of God. It is the same with many at this day, for in great solemnities men are wont to rejoice more in the recreation they furnish, whether in seeing or being seen, in the banquet or for any other reason, than in rendering true service unto God.

4. Such inclinations and intentions are not pleasing unto God. Much less do they please Him who, when they are making preparations for a great solemnity, invent ridiculous and undevout actions to create laughter among the spectators, that men may be the more distracted; and who make such arrangements as shall please the multitude instead of such as shall quicken devotion among them. What shall I say of those who celebrate great feasts for ends not belonging to them? of those who make them serve their private interests? of those who are more intent on their personal advantage therein than on the service of God? This they know, and God also Who sees it; and in whichever way the feast is thus observed, let them remember, they keep it for themselves and not for God. What men do to please themselves or others God will not account as done for Himself. Yea, many keep His feasts with solemnity, ‘and yet He is angry with them as He was with the children of Israel, for He slew many thousands of them, when they sung and danced before the golden calf, thinking they were observing a feast in honour of God;* or as He was with Nadab and Abiu, the sons of Aaron, whom He slew with the censers in their hands, because they offered strange fire upon His altar;† or as with him who came to the wedding feast without the wedding garment, and whom He commanded to be cast, bound hand and foot, ‘into the exterior darkness.’†

5. This shows us how intolerable to God must be these irreverences in those assemblies which are held in His honour. O Lord, my God, how many feasts are kept by the children of men in which the devil is more honoured

* Exod. xxxii 19, 28. + Lewis. %. die: > St. Matt. xxii. 11-13. than Thou? Satan rejoices in these assemblies, for he profits by them like a merchant in a fair. How often hast Thou to say to them: ‘This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,’* because they serve Me in vain? The chief ground for the service of God is that He is what He is. Other and lower considerations ought not to enter into the question.

6. I return to the subject of oratories. Some people adorn them more for their own pleasure than for God’s; some treat them with so little respect, that they make no more of them than of their ordinary rooms; and some not so much, for they have more pleasure in what is profane than in what is divine. But let me now leave this, and speak of those who proceed in a more cunning way, that is, of those who consider themselves devout. Many of these take such keen delight in their oratories and in the adorning of them, that they waste in such occupations all the time which they ought to have spent in prayer and interior recollection. They do not see that by not disposing themselves for interior recollection and tranquillity of mind, they are as much distracted by such occupations as by any other worldly occupation, and that they are every moment troubled by such attachment, especially if it be attempted to separate them from their oratories.

7 by xv: &