Divine Destiny And Man's Free Will

O soul!

If you long for the life of this world and flee death, know certainly that the conditions you suppose to be life are only the minute in which you are. All the time previous to the present minute and the things of the world within that time are dead in the present minute. And all the time subsequent to the present minute and all it contains is non-existent in it, and nothing.

That means the physical life on which you rely is only one minute. Some of the learned, even, said it was a tenth of a minute, rather, the passing instant. Thus, it is due to this mystery that certain saints stated that with regard to this world, this world is non-existent.

So, since it is thus, give up the physical life of the soul. Rise to the level of life of the heart, spirit, and inner faculties; see what a broad sphere of life they have. For them, the past and the future, which for you are dead, are Living; they are existent and full of life. O my soul! Like my heart, you too weep and cry out and say:


I am ephemeral; I do not want another who is thus.
I am impotent; I do not want another who is thus.
I have surrendered my spirit to the Most Merciful; I do not want another.
I want another, but let him be an eternal friend.
I am a mere atom, but I desire an Everlasting Sun.
I am nothing, yet I wish for these beings, all of them.