the days of my life

第27部分 (第2/7頁)

d　things　no　longer　have　the　effect　upon　us　that　God　intended　in　creating　them；　they　were　to　have　raised　by　their　use　our　minds　and　hearts　to　God；　and　of　course　it　would　have　been　absurd　for　the　unfallen　Adam　to　practise　asceticism。　But　now　unfortunately　our　natures　drag　us　down；　and　usually　the　more　a　man　enjoys　good　things　in　life　the　less　he　thinks　of　God；　and　I　suppose　this　is　why　the　rich　and　riches　are　so　much　denounced　in　the　Gospel。　Anyhow　no　one　ever　applied　himself　seriously　to　the　love　of　his　Creator　without　feeling　the　necessity　of　separating　himself　more　and　more　from　fort。　Even　in　a　monastery　it　requires　a　constant　effort　to　set　our　affections　on　the　things　that　are　above　and　not　to　mind　things　that　are　on　earth；　to　attend　to　the　invisible　which　does　not　pass　away。　In　fact　it　cannot　be　done　perfectly　till　we　can　say　that　the　world　is　crucified　to　us　and　we　to　the　world；　and　that　with　Christ　we　are　nailed　to　the　Cross。　（Of　course　only　the　Saints　ever　really　do　this。　“Nullus　amor　sine　dolore。”）　You　are　wrong　in　saying　that　it　is　hard　to　e　face　to　face　with　God’s　will　in　this　world；　because　God　is　not　far　from　every　one　of　us。　If　any　man　wants　wisdom　let　him　ask　of　Him　Who　giveth　to　all　abundantly；　and　he　shall　receive　it。　The　day　after　receiving　your　letter　I　was　looking　over　the　life　of　my　patron　St。　Justin；　it　being　the　eve　of　his　feast；　he　was　a　heathen；　but　possessed　by　a　passion　for　truth。　He　spent　his　youth　wandering　from　one　school　of　philosophy　to　another；　dissatisfied　with　them　all；　till　one　day　he　met　on　the　seashore　an　old　man　who　began　telling　him　of　the　wisdom　of　the　prophets　and　of　Christ；　and　after　such　speaking　concluded　by　saying；　“As　for　thyself；　above　all　things；　pray　that　the　gates　of　life　may　be　open　to　you；　for　these　are　not　things　to　be