The Dialogue

Of the deception, which those fall into, who have placed all their affections in consolations and mental visions.

" SOMETIMES, through such love as this, the soul receives even more damage than if her affection is altogether placed in consolations and visions which I often give to My servants, for, when she feels herself deprived of them, she falls into bitterness and tedium of mind, for it seems to her that she is deprived of grace, though I have only withdrawn Myself from her mind by sentiment, and not by grace, as I have told thee that I often do, in order to bring the soul to per-

148 THE DIALOGUE OF ST. CATHERINE

fection. So she falls into bitterness, and seems to herself to have entered into Hell, feeling no delight, but the molesta tion of many temptations. She should not be so ignorant, nor allow herself to be so deceived by spiritual self-love ; but she does not know Me truly in herself, Who am her Supreme Good, preserving to her My goodwill in the time of battle, though she does not hasten to the warfare with delight. She should rather humiliate herself, deeming her self unworthy of peace and quiet of mind. For this purpose do I withdraw from her, so that she may humiliate herself and learn My charity in her, seeing the goodwill which I preserve to her in the time of battle, and also that she may not only receive the milk of sweetness sprinkled by Me on the face of her soul, but that, clinging to the breast of My Truth, she may receive milk together with meat, that is, may draw to herself the milk of My charity, by means of the Flesh of Christ crucified; which is the Doctrine of which I have made for you a Bridge, by crossing which you arrive at Me, Who have withdrawn Myself from you for this pur pose. Wherefore, to souls who act with prudence, not ignorantly receiving the milk alone, I return with more delight and strength, with more light and ardour of charity. But if, on the other hand, they endure with tedium and sad - ness and confusion of mind, the suffering caused them by the loss of mental sweetness, they gain but little, and remain in their tepidity."