In the most intimate, hidden and innermost ground of the soul, God is always essentially, actively, and substantially present. Here the soul possesses everything by grace which God possesses by nature. Johannes Tauler More Quotes by Johannes Tauler More Quotes From Johannes Tauler As a good wine must be kept in a good cask, so a wholesome body is the proper foundation for a well-appointed inner ground. Johannes Tauler foundation wine body You have within you many strong and cruel enemies to overcome. You must know that there are still a thousand ties which you must break. No one can tell you what they are; only you can tell by looking at yourself and into your heart. Johannes Tauler ties strong heart Often when He comes, He finds the soul occupied. Other guests are there, and He has to turn away. He cannot gain entry, for we love and desire other things; therefore, His gifts, which He is offering to everyone unceasingly, must remain outside. Johannes Tauler offering soul desire Everything depends on this: a fathomless sinking into a fathomless nothingness. Johannes Tauler nothingness sinking depends A good meditation, even when it is interrupted by occasional nodding, is much more beneficial than many outward religious exercises. Johannes Tauler meditation religious exercise Because in the school of the Spirit man learns wisdom through humility, knowledge by forgetting, how to speak by silence, how to live by dying. Johannes Tauler humility men school He who desires to become a spiritual man must not be ever taking note of others, and above all of their sins, lest he fall into wrath and bitterness, and a judging spirit towards his neighbours. Johannes Tauler spiritual men fall In the school of the spirit, man learns wisdom through humility. Johannes Tauler humility humble school In prayerful silence you must look into your own heart. No one can tell you better than yourself what comes between you and God. Ask yourself. Then listen! Johannes Tauler silence heart looks God is infinite and without end, but the soul's desire is an abyss which cannot be filled except by a Good which is infinite; and the more ardently the soul longeth after God, the more she wills to long after him; for God is a Good without drawback, and a well of living water without bottom, and the soul is made in the image of God, and therefore it is created to know and love God. Johannes Tauler god water long God does not lead all His servants by one road, nor in one way, nor at one time; for God is in all things; and that man is not serving God aright, who can only serve Him in his own self-chosen way. Johannes Tauler prayer christian men Give yourself entirely to God, enter and hide in the hidden ground of your soul. Johannes Tauler your-soul soul giving For where there is true love, a man is neither out of measure lifted up by prosperity, nor cast down by mishap; whether you give or take away from him, so long as he keeps his beloved, he has a spring of inward peace. Thus, even though thy outward man grieve, or weep downright, that may well be borne, if only thy inner man remain at peace, perfectly content with the will of God. Johannes Tauler spring love men God in His wisdom has decided that He will reward no works but His own. Johannes Tauler decided rewards god Judge yourself; if you sincerely and humbly do that, you will not be judged by God. Johannes Tauler sincerely judging humble In the kingdom of heaven it is His work that will be crowned, not yours. Anything in you that He has not wrought Himself will count for nothing. Johannes Tauler kingdom-of-heaven kingdoms heaven If ye keep watch over your hearts, and listen for the Voice of God and learn of Him, in one short hour ye can learn more from Him than ye could learn from Man in a thousand years. Johannes Tauler heart men years To discern what weaknesses and faults separate you from God, you must enter into your own inward ground and then confront yourself. Johannes Tauler inward faults weakness Spiritually good people, pure in heart, who long for the Blessed Sacrament but cannot receive at the time, can receive spiritually... even a hundred times a day, in sickness and in health, with immeasurable grace and profit. Johannes Tauler blessed heart long Rid yourself of anything that is not directed toward God. Johannes Tauler
