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It is clear, then, that for the soul to come to unite itself perfectly with God through love and will, it must first be free from all desire of the will, howsoever slight. That is, that it must not intentionally and knowingly consent with the will to imperfections, and it must have power and liberty to be able not so to consent intentionally.

There is no reason to marvel at God's granting such sublime and strange gifts to souls he determines to favor. If we consider that He is God and that He bestows them as God, with infinite love and goodness, it does not seem unreasonable.

I have no other means of proving my love for you other than that of strewing flowers, that is, not allowing one little sacrifice to escape, not one look, one word, profiting by all the smallest things and doing them through love.

Great in the tenderness and deep the love with which the Eternal Father comforts and exalts the loving soul.

Before the divine fire is introduced into and united to the substance of the soul through a person's perfect and complete purgation and purity, its flame, which is the Holy Spirit, wounds it by destroying and consuming the imperfections of its bad habits. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit, in which He disposes it for the divine union and transformation in God through love.

Mary has generated us according to the life of grace, having given her whole being, body and soul to be the Mother of God. From this is born a most intimate union between her and us: she loves us, she knows us, and is completely available to make us what we ought to be.

God knows what is best for all, and orders affairs for our good.  Think on this only, that all is ordained by God.  And pour in love where there is no love, and you will draw love out.

If you desire that devotion be born in your spirit and that the love of God and the desire for divine things increase, cleanse your soul of every desire, attachment, and ambition in such a way that you have no concern about anything. Just as a sick person is immediately aware of good health once the bad humor has been thrown off and a desire to eat is felt, so will you recover your health, in God, if you cure yourself as was said. Without doing this, you will not advance no matter how much you do.

I find I am doing nothing to correspond to love...I feel within me a continual reproach of the Sovereign Good, and on the other hand everything seems to hinder me from simply rushing forward to God...I find no other remedy but to live by faith. I cannot imagine what painful fare living without love would be for one who burns with desire for this love.

But please do tell me, O child Mary, which way could one follow to acquire a love so high?... An anxious and constant desire for that love, and removing from ourselves self- love! For, love hinders love. The loves that hinder this high love are of three kinds: a great and grand self love; a great and anxious love of created things; and a great and restless love of creatures.

The center of the soul is God. When the soul loves and understands and enjoys God to its utmost capacity it will have reached its deep center, God.

The Beloved cares for nothing else but love. The soul therefore, anxious to please him perfectly, occupies itself unceasingly in pure love of God.