Lord, I stand greatly in need of grace if I am to reach that place where no man or any creature will be a hindrance to me. For as long as anything holds me back , I cannot freely flee to You.
One who was longing to flee to You said: “Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest”.† Who is more perfectly at rest than the man with but one purpose? And who is more free than he who desires nothing upon this earth? A man ought to rise above all creatures, perfectly forsake himself, and stand in ecstasy of mind, to see that You, the Creator of all things, have nothing like to Yourself among all creatures. Unless a man be disentangled from all creatures, he cannot freely attend to divine things. For that is the reason why there are few contemplative men to be found, because few have the knowledge to withdraw themselves fully from things about to perish and from creatures.
To obtain this there is need of much grace, which may elevate the soul and carry it away above itself. And unless a man is elevated in spirit, and freed from all creatures, and wholly united to God, whatever he knows, and whatever he has, is of no great weight. For a long while he will be small and lie groveling below, who esteems anything great, but the One,
