42 Joseph (namely, Jesus) for their Spouse: They seek after nothing vain, nor say or listen to any empty word of love, but they strive to be intimate with Jesus, their Spouse, alone. How sweet and joyful be the death of the one who during life has had no other Lover than Jesus! In order to possess this virtue of purity, let them avoid idleness, drunkenness, suspicious companionships and dealings with others, vain adornments of face and body; and singing to please men. They must seek and strive to please Christ alone, who is all desirable [cf. Sg 5:16], all lovable, and more beautiful than anybody else. How many have been lost through idleness and drunkenness! How many are those whom worldly companionships, familiarities, letters, or small gifts have brought to damnation! How many consciences have been led to evil through vanity and song! Happy the one who can say with heart, lips, and deeds: Jesus, my Love! Jesus, my Spouse! Jesus my God and my All! How beautiful and great will be the kingdom received in the world to come by the one who in this world, for Christ’s sake, imprisoned himself in the cloister — especially if he has been faithful not merely to the place of enclosure, but to the true enclosure of the heart: through the window of the senses allowing nothing vain to enter and not
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==