Confessions of a Rational Mystic

CAPITULUM I

314 I PROSLOGION CAPITULUM I Excitatio mentis ad contemplandum Deum Eia nunc, homuncio, fuge paululum occupationes tuas, absconde te modicum a tumultuosis cogitationibus tuis. Abice nunc onerosas curas, et postpone laboriosas distentiones tuas. Vaca aliquantulum Deo, et requiesce aliquantulum in eo. Mt 6:6 Intra in cubiculum mentis tuae, exclude omnia praeter Deum et quae te iuvent ad quaerendum eum, et ibid. . clauso ostio quaere eum. Dic nunc, totum cor meum, dic nunc Deo: Quaero vultum tuum, Ps 26:8 vultum tuum, Domine, requiro. Eia nunc ergo tu, Domine Deus meus, doce cor meum, ubi et quomodo te quaerat, ubi et quomodo te inveniat. Domine, si hic non es, ubi te quaeram absentem? Si autem ubique es, cur non video praesentem? 1 TIn 6:16 Sed certe habitas lucem inaccessibilem. Et ubi est lux inaccessibilis? Aut quomodo accedam ad lucem inaccessibilem? Aut quis me ducet et inducet in illam, ut videam te in illa? Diende quibus signis, qua facie te quaeram? Numquam te vidi, Domine Deus meus, non novi faciem tuam. Quid faciet, altissime Domine, quid faciet iste tuus, longinquus exsul? Quid faciet servus tuus anxius amore tui et longe Ps 50:13 proiectus a facie tua? Anhelat videre te -et nimis abest illi facies tua. 314 I PROSLOGION CAPITULUM I Excitatio mentis ad contemplandum Deum Eia nunc, homuncio, fuge paululum occupationes tuas, absconde te modicum a tumultuosis cogitationibus tuis. Abice nunc onerosas curas, et postpone laboriosas distentiones tuas. Vaca aliquantulum Deo, et requiesce aliquantulum in eo. Mt 6:6 Intra in cubiculum mentis tuae, exclude omnia praeter Deum et quae te iuvent ad quaerendum eum, et ibid. . clauso ostio quaere eum. Dic nunc, totum cor meum, dic nunc Deo: Quaero vultum tuum, Ps 26:8 vultum tuum, Domine, requiro. Eia nunc ergo tu, Domine Deus meus, doce cor meum, ubi et quomodo te quaerat, ubi et quomodo te inveniat. Domine, si hic non es, ubi te quaeram absentem? Si autem ubique es, cur non video praesentem? 1 TIn 6:16 Sed certe habitas lucem inaccessibilem. Et ubi est lux inaccessibilis? Aut quomodo accedam ad lucem inaccessibilem? Aut quis me ducet et inducet in illam, ut videam te in illa? Diende quibus signis, qua facie te quaeram? Numquam te vidi, Domine Deus meus, non novi faciem tuam. Quid faciet, altissime Domine, quid faciet iste tuus, longinquus exsul? Quid faciet servus tuus anxius amore tui et longe Ps 50:13 proiectus a facie tua? Anhelat videre te -et nimis abest illi facies tua. 315 I Text and Translation Chapter 1 An excitation ofthe mind to the contemplation ofGod Come, now, 0 insignificant man, flee a while from your busy tasks, put aside for a moment the confusion ofyour thoughts, discard now your distracting cares and postpone your busy labors. Free yourselfa little for God, and. rest a while in him. Enter into the inner chamber ofyour mind, exclude everything, besides God and what can be ofhelp in seeking him, and close the door to seek him. Speak, now, my whole heart, Say now to God: I seek your face, For your face, 0 lord, I search. Come, now then, you, 0 my lord God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, ifyou are not here, where should I seek you in your absence? And ifyou are everywhere, why do I not see you in your presence? Surely you dwell in inaccessible light! But where is the inaccessible light, and how can I approach such unapproachable light? Who will lead me to and bring me into it, so that I may see you there? By what signs, in what profile, should I seek thee? Never have I seen you, lord my God, I have not known your face. What shall he do, 0 lord most high, what shall this far-flung exile do? What shall your servant do, anxious for your love, but cast far from your face? Breathless from the struggle to see you, your face is too far off. 315 I Text and Translation Chapter 1 An excitation ofthe mind to the contemplation ofGod Come, now, 0 insignificant man, flee a while from your busy tasks, put aside for a moment the confusion ofyour thoughts, discard now your distracting cares and postpone your busy labors. Free yourselfa little for God, and. rest a while in him. Enter into the inner chamber ofyour mind, exclude everything, besides God and what can be ofhelp in seeking him, and close the door to seek...