love may join them to Me in unbroken loyalty.

Servitor. What Thou sayest pleases me, O Lord, and it is as I would
have it. But there is another thing at which I greatly marvel--how
it is that when the soul is faint from desire of the sweetness of
Thy presence, Thou art wholly mute, and dost not utter a single word
that can be heard. And who, O Lord, would not be grieved, when Thou
showest Thyself so strange, so silent, to the soul that loves Thee
above all things?

Wisdom. And yet all the creatures speak of Me.

Servitor. But that is by no means enough for the soul that loves.

Wisdom. Also every word that is uttered about Me is a message of My
love; all the voices of holy Scripture that are written about Me are
letters of love, sweet as honey. They are to be received as if I had
written them Myself. Ought not this to satisfy thee?

Servitor. Nay but, O most holy God, dearest Friend of all to me,
Thou knowest well that a heart which is on fire with love is not
satisfied with anything that is not the Beloved himself, in whom is
its only comfort. Even though all the tongues of all the angelic
spirits were to speak to me, none the less would my unquenchable
love continue to yearn and strive for the one thing which it
desires. The soul that loves Thee would choose Thee rather than the
kingdom of heaven. Pardon me, O Lord: it would become Thee to show
more kindness to those who love Thee so ardently, who sigh and look
up to Thee and say: Return, return! Who anxiously debate with
themselves: alas, thinkest thou that thou hast offended Him? That He