The revelation of this “passive” intuition seems to be implicit in the statements from St. John’s Gospel that have just been quoted. When Christ says, “I will manifest myself to him,” it means that the “activity” is on the side of the Lord, and that the one who contemplates the divine presence is in no position to bring about its manifestation by any effort of his own. Nor is he capable of increasing or modifying it by his efforts. And even, in some cases, he is incapable of preventing it. The classical expression for such a grace as this is that it is effected in us and without us: In nobis
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