The Men Who Abandon Themselves

I Had Wished To Find In Philosophy And Religion A Remedy For My Disgrace; I Searched Out An Asylum To Secure Me From Love... Duty, Reason And Decency, Which Upon Other Occasions Have Some Power Over Me, Are Here Useless. The Gospel Is A Language I Do Not Understand When It Opposes My Passion... But When Love Has Once Been Sincere How Difficult It Is To Determine To Love No More! 'tis A Thousand Times More Easy To Renounce The World Than Love. I Hate This Deceitful, Faithless World; I Think No More Of It.

The Beginning Of Wisdom Is Found In Doubting; By Doubting We Come To The Question, And By Seeking We May Come Upon The Truth.

The Purpose And Cause Of The Incarnation Was That He Might Illuminate The World By His Wisdom And Excite It To The Love Of Himself.

Under The Pretext Of Study We Spent Our Hours In The Happiness Of Love, And Learning Held Out To Us The Secret Opportunities That Our Passion Craved. Our Speech Was More Of Love Than Of The Books Which Lay Open Before Us; Our Kisses Far Outnumbered Our Reasoned Words.

Alone Thou Goest Forth, O Lord, In Sacrifice To Die; Is This Thy Sorrow Naught To Us Who Pass Unheeding By? Our Sins, Not Thine, Thou Bearest, Lord; Make Us Thy Sorrow Feel, Till Through Our Pity And Our Shame Love Answers Love's Appeal. This Is Earth's Darkest Hour, But Thou Dost Light And Life Restore; Then Let All Praise Be Given Thee Who Livest Evermore. Grant Us With Thee To Suffer Pain That, As We Share This Hour, Thy Cross May Bring Us To Thy Joy And Resurrection Power.