One day, Saint Anselm was rapt in ecstasy

In the book “Preparation for Total Consecration According to Saint Louis de Montfort” (1), who recommended taking 30 days to prepare for this act of consecration and 9 to say "Goodbye to the world," we find this passage on Saint Anselm that sheds light on what "the world" is:

"One day, Saint Anselm was rapt in ecstasy. He saw a great river with a fast current, carrying the filth of the whole universe. Nothing was more hideous than these foul and muddy waters. But what astonished the saint most was to see multitudes of men, women, and children who continually threw themselves into it and seemed to enjoy it. What do these unfortunates eat, and how can they live for a second in that place? Anselm exclaimed, profoundly shocked.

A voice answered him: "They feed on this muck and delight in it. This river that you see, O Anselm, is the world, which draws mortals into its foul waters, with their riches, their honors, and all their passions. Alas! So great that their misfortune seems to you, they consider themselves blessed! ... "

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(1) Book by Fr. Hugh Gillespie, Montfort Missionaries

The Marie de Nazareth Team