Regarding this exercise, dear Philothea, I want you to follow my advice with great earnestness. In fact, in this practice is contained one of the most sure means of your spiritual progress.
In the course of the day, recall to mind the presence of God, as often as you can. Use one of the four ways I have shown you (Second Part, Chapter 2). Become aware of what God is doing and of what you are doing: you will realize that his eyes are turned towards you and, with unparalleled love, fixed on you all the time. “My God”, you will say, “why do I not look at you always, as you look at me always? You think of me so often, my Lord, and I think of you so seldom. Where am I? My true place is God, and where do I find myself?”
Birds have nests in the trees where they can seek refuge when they find it necessary. Deer have their bushes and their thickets where they hide, seek shelter and find the coolness of the shade in summer. Similarly, Philothea, our hearts must find and choose some place each day, either on Mount Calvary, or in the wounds of our Lord, or in some other place near him. There we must seek refuge at every opportunity. There we must refresh and recreate ourselves in the midst of exterior occupations. There we must remain as in a castle to be protected from temptations. Happy is the one who can sincerely say to our Lord: Your are my house of refuge (Ps. 31:2), my secure stronghold, my shelter from the rain and my shade against the heat (Is. 25:4).
So keep in mind, Philothea, always to recollect yourself again and again in the solitude of your heart, while outwardly dealing with others and your occupations. This spiritual solitude cannot be prevented by the many people who are around you. They are not around your heart but only around your body. So your heart can remain by itself all alone, in the presence of God alone.
This is the exercise which king David practised in the midst of his numerous occupations. He declares this a thousand times in his Psalms. For instance, he says: Lord, I am always with you (73:23). I see my God always before me (16:8). I have lifted up my eyes to you, my God, you who dwell in Heaven (123:1). My eyes are always turned towards the Lord (25:15). In fact, our occupations are not so serious usually. So we can every now and then, disengage our heart in order to go back into this sacred solitude.
The father and mother of St. Catherine of Sienna denied her every convenience of place and of time for prayer and meditation. At that time, our Lord inspired her to make in her spirit a little interior prayer room. Retiring into it spiritually, she could, in the midst of her exterior occupations, immerse herself in this holy solitude of heart. Since then, when the world attacked her, she was not disturbed by it in the least. She said this was because she shut herself in this interior room and there found comfort with her heavenly Spouse. Hence, she advised her spiritual children to make a room in the heart and to dwell there.
So recollect your spirit within your heart every now and then. There, separated from everyone, you can speak to God heart to heart about yourself. You can say with David: I have watched and have become like a pelican in the solitude. I have become like an owl in a ruined house, and like a sparrow solitary on the roof top (Ps. 102:6-7). These words, in their literal sense, confirm that this great king used to devote some hours to being alone contemplating spiritual things. In their mystical sense, they point out three outstanding places of refuge, to be regarded as three hermitages. There we can live in solitude, imitating our Saviour. On Mount Calvary he was like a pelican in the solitude, which brings back to life her dead young with her own blood. At his Birth in a deserted stable he was like an owl in a ruined house, mourning and weeping over our faults and sins. On the day of his Ascension he was like a sparrow going away and flying to Heaven, which is like the roof of the world. In these three places we can find refuge amid the strain of our occupations.
Blessed Elzear, count of Arian in Provence, had been away for a long time from Delphina, his devout and chaste wife. She sent a man to him specially to find out about his health. This was his reply: “My dear wife, I am very well. If you want to see me, look for me in the wound in the side of our loving Jesus. It is there that I dwell and there you will find me. You will never find me elsewhere.” He was indeed a Christian knight.
