Chapter 5

In this same time our Lord shewed me a spiritual¹ sight of His homely loving.

At this same time, our Lord showed me a spiritual¹ vision of his familiar love.

I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us: He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all encloseth² us for tender love, that He may never leave us; being to us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding.

I saw that he is everything good and comforting to us. He is our clothing, wrapping us, holding us close, and enclosing² us completely in his tender love, so that he may never leave us. As I understood it, he is everything good to us.

Also in this He shewed me a little thing, the quantity of an hazel-nut, in the palm of my hand; and it was as round as a ball. I looked thereupon with eye of my understanding, and thought: What may this be? And it was answered generally thus: it is all that is made. I marvelled how it might last, for methought it might suddenly have fallen to naught for little[ness]. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasteth, and ever shall [last] for that God loveth it. And so All-thing hath the Being by the love of God.

Also, in this vision, he showed me a little thing in the palm of my hand. It was the size of a hazelnut and as round as a ball. I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and thought: What could this be? The answer came to me in general terms: it is all that has been made. I wondered how it could last. It seemed to me that it might suddenly vanish because it was so small. And the answer came to me in my understanding: It lasts and always will last because God loves it. So everything exists through the love of God.

In this Little Thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it, the second is that God loveth it, the third, that God keepeth it. But what is to me verily the Maker, the Keeper, and the Lover,—I cannot tell; for till I am Substantially oned³ to Him, I may never have full rest nor very bliss: that is to say, till I be so fastened to Him, that there is right nought that is made betwixt my God and me.

In this Little Thing I saw three qualities. First, God made it. Second, God loves it. Third, God keeps it. But I cannot say what the Maker, the Keeper, and the Lover truly means to me. For until I am united with him in my very being³, I can never have complete rest or true bliss. That is, I must be so joined to him that nothing created stands between my God and me.

It needeth us to have knowing of the littleness of creatures and to hold as nought⁴ all-thing that is made, for to love and have God that is unmade. For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart and soul: that we seek here rest in those things that are so little, wherein is no rest, and know not our God that is All-mighty, All-wise, All-good. For He is the Very Rest. God willeth to be known, and it pleaseth Him that we rest in Him; for all that is beneath Him sufficeth not us. And this is the cause why that no soul is rested till it is made nought as to all⁵ things that are made. When it is willingly made nought, for love, to have Him that is all, then is it able to receive spiritual rest.

We need to understand how small created things are and regard as nothing⁴ everything that is made. We must do this so that we can love and possess God, who is not made. We lack peace of heart and soul because we seek rest here in things that are so small. There is no rest in them. We also lack peace because we do not know our God, who is all-powerful, all-wise, and all-good. For he is true rest. God wants to be known, and it pleases him when we rest in him. Nothing beneath him is enough for us. That is why no soul is at rest until it becomes nothing in relation to all⁵ created things. When a soul willingly becomes nothing in relation to them, out of love, so that it may possess God, who is all, it can receive spiritual rest.

Also our Lord God shewed that it is full great pleasance to Him that a helpless soul come to Him simply and plainly and homely. For this is the natural yearnings of the soul, by the touching of the Holy Ghost (as by the understanding that I have in this Shewing): God, of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself: for Thou art enough to me, and I may nothing ask that is less that may be full worship to Thee; and if I ask anything that is less, ever me wanteth,—but only in Thee I have all.

Our Lord God also showed that he is very pleased when a helpless soul comes to him simply, openly, and intimately. The soul naturally longs for this when touched by the Holy Spirit. This is how I understand what was shown to me: God, in your goodness, give me yourself. You are enough for me. I cannot ask for anything less that would fully honor you. If I ask for anything less, I will always lack something. But in you alone I have everything.

And these words are full lovely to the soul, and full near touch they the will of God and His Goodness. For His Goodness comprehendeth all His creatures and all His blessed works, and overpasseth⁶ without end. For He is the endlessness, and He hath made us only to Himself, and restored us by His blessed Passion, and keepeth us in His blessed love; and all this of His Goodness.

These words are deeply lovely to the soul and speak closely of God's will and goodness. For his goodness embraces all his creatures and all his blessed works, and extends beyond them⁶ without end. For he is endlessness itself. He made us for himself alone, restored us through his blessed Passion, and keeps us in his blessed love. And he does all this out of his goodness.