1. They find, moreover, so unitive a conformity with their God, which draws them so mightily to itself (through the natural instinct between God and the soul), that no reasons, figures, or examples can be given sufficient to make this thing clear as the mind feels it in effect and understands it by interior perception. Nevertheless, I will tell an example that presents itself to the mind.
2. If in all the world there were but one bread, which had to take away the hunger of all creatures, and such that merely by seeing it the creatures would be satisfied; and since man, by nature, when he is healthy, has the instinct to eat, if he did not eat, and could neither fall ill nor die, that hunger would grow ever more, because the instinct to eat would never fail him. And knowing that only that bread could satisfy him, and not having it, his hunger could not be taken away: he would therefore remain in intolerable pain. But the nearer the man drew to it, without being able to see it, the more his natural desire would be kindled, which by its instinct is wholly gathered toward the bread, wherein consists all his contentment.
3. And if he were certain of never seeing the bread, at that point his Hell would be complete, like that of the damned souls, who are deprived of every hope of ever being able to see the bread, God, the true Savior.
4. But the souls being purified have hope of seeing the bread and of being wholly satisfied by it. Therefore, they suffer hunger and remain in pain for as long as it will be until they can satisfy themselves with that bread, Jesus Christ, true God and Savior, our Love.