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And since, when anyone lies fallen, he must remain there prostrate

unless someone give a helping hand and he falls in order to rise again

[Isaiah, 24, 20], our soul has not been able to be raised perfectly from

the things of sense to an intuition of itself and of the eternal Truth in

itself unless the Truth, having assumed human form in Christ, should make

itself into a ladder, repairing the first ladder which was broken in Adam.

Therefore, however much anyone is illuminated only by the light of nature

and of acquired science, he cannot enter into himself that he may delight

in the Lord in himself, unless Christ be his mediator, Who says, "I am the

door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved; and he shall go in,

and go out, and shall find pastures" [John, 10, 9]. We do not, however,

approach this door unless we believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him. It

is therefore necessary, if we wish to enter into the fruition of Truth, as

into Paradise, that we enter through the faith, hope, and charity of the

Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, Who is as the tree of life in

the middle of Paradise.