To discourage the Israelites from entering the Promised Land, they were told that it was a country that devoured its inhabitants. It was implied that its climate was so unhealthy that no one would be able to live there for long, and further that the people there were monsters who devoured other men like locusts (Numbers 13:33-34). In the same way, my dear Philothea, the world defames holy devotion as much as it can. It represents devout persons with faces that are dissatisfied, sad and sulky. It proclaims that devotion makes people depressed and unbearable.
But Joshua and Caleb insisted that the Promised Land was good and beautiful, and also that possessing it would be delightful and pleasant (Num. 14:7-8). So also the Holy spirit assures us, through the words of all the Saints, and our Lord by his own teaching (Mt. 11:28-30), that the devout life is pleasant, happy and lovable.
The world sees that devout persons fast, pray, put up with insults, serve the sick, give to the poor, keep awake to pray, control their anger, stifle and smother their passions, deny themselves sensual pleasures. They do these as well as other kinds of actions which, in themselves and of their very nature and character, are difficult and austere. But the world does not see their interior and whole-hearted devotion which makes all these actions pleasant, delightful and easy.
Look at the bees on the thyme. They find there a very bitter juice, but as they suck it they change it into honey since that is their nature. Worldly people! It is true that the devout find much bitterness in their exercises of mortification, but in doing them they change them into the most delightful sweetness.
The fires, the flames, the wheels and the swords were like flowers and perfumes to the Martyrs because they were devout. If the most cruel torments, and even death itself, are made delightful by devotion, what will it not do for the practice of virtue?
Sugar sweetens fruits that are not quite ripe and puts right anything unpleasant or harmful in those that are fully ripe. Indeed, devotion is the true spiritual sugar, removing unpleasantness from mortifications, and what may be hurtful from consolations. Devotion takes away discontent from the poor and anxiety from the rich, despair from the oppressed and arrogance from the powerful, sadness from the lonely and dissipation from one who is with others. Devotion serves as fire in winter and dew in summer. It is able to live in prosperity and suffer need. It draws equal profit from honour and contempt. It receives pleasure and pain with a heart that hardly changes and fills us with a wonderful delight.
Look carefully at Jacob’s ladder (Gen. 28:10ff) since it is a true image of the devout life. The two sides, between which we go up, and to which the rungs are fixed, represent prayer which asks for and receives the love of God and the Sacraments which give it. The rungs are the various degrees of charity by which we move from virtue to virtue, either coming down by action to help and support our neighbour or going up by contemplation to loving union with God.
Now consider those on the ladder; they are either men with angelic hearts or Angels with human bodies. They are not young but seem so since they are full of vigour and spiritual agility. They have wings to fly and they soar up to God in holy prayer. But they also have feet to walk along with men by a life of holiness and love. Their faces are beautiful and cheerful because they receive everything with delight and contentment. Their legs, arms and head are completely uncovered because their thoughts, desires and actions have no other intention or purpose but that of pleasing God. The rest of their body is covered, but with a beautiful and light garment, because while they do make use of the world, and of the things of the world, they do so with complete sincerity and detachment. They take with moderation what is needed for their state in life. Such are devout people.
I assure you, dear Philothea, devotion is the delight of delights and the queen of virtues, since it is the perfection of charity. If charity is milk, devotion is its cream; if it is a plant, devotion is its flower; if it is a jewel, devotion is its lustre; if it is a precious balm, devotion is its perfume, a delightful perfume that gives comfort to men and makes the Angels rejoice.