Vigils Reading

A reading from

BLESSED GUERRIC OF IGNY

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Christ is the way by which we journey to the heights, the eternity at the

journey’s end; he is the spotless way, the blessed dwelling place.

However, I think that even before you reach that blessed dwelling, if you

have prepared for the Lord a spotless way he will quite often deign to tread the

way with you, making smooth the path before you, so that your heart may be

enlarged and you may run in the way of his commandments. The beginning, you

may say, is strait and narrow. For wisdom walks in the way of justice, as she

herself says. And he that possesses justice shall lay hold of her and she will meet

him as a mother welcomes the son who cherishes her. She goes about seeking

such as are worthy of her and she shows herself to them cheerfully in her ways

and meets them with all prudence.

If you complain she seldom if ever meets you, consider whether you have

perhaps soiled your way. For it is written: “The foolishness of a man soils his

way; he finds fault with God in his heart.” Yet God stands at the gate and knocks,

in order that if a man opens to him he may share with him the delights of the

heavenly banquet. The spouse says: “A knock on the door, and then my true

love’s voice: Let me in, my sister, my spouse. Open your heart to me and I will

nourish it; open your mouth and I will fill it.” “I have opened my mouth,” says

David, “and have drawn my breath.”

Now the breath of our mouth is Christ the Lord. He is to be not merely

invited but drawn into the guest chamber of our heart by the violence of our

prayers and the vehemence of our fervor. The gospel tells us of the two disciples

to give us an example of this. Indeed if sometimes he makes as though he would

go farther, he does so for no other reason than that he may prove the zeal of your

love, just as the two angels whom Lot adored and begged to enter. They

dissembled saying: “No, we will remain in the street.” But what does Scripture

tell us? “He pressed them very much to turn in unto him.” Loving violence, by

which the heavenly kingdom is borne away; matchless importunity that wins as

guest Christ or angels.