For some background on Sri Ramakrishna, see this post.

One cannot see God without His grace. Is it an easy thing to receive grace? One must altogether renounce egotism; one cannot see God as long as one feels, “I am the doer.”

God doesn’t easily appear in the heart of a man who feels himself to be his own master. But God can be seen the moment His grace descends. He is the Sun of Knowledge. One single ray of His has illuminated the world with the light of knowledge. That is how we are able to see one another and acquire varied knowledge. One can see God only if He turns His light toward His own face.

The police sergeant goes his rounds in the dark of night with a lantern* in his hand. No one sees his face but with the help of that light the sergeant sees everybody’s faces, and others, too, can see one another. If you want to see the sergeant, however, you must pray to him, ‘Sir, please turn the light on your own face. Let me see you.’ In the same way, one must pray to God: ‘O Lord, be gracious and turn the light of knowledge on Thyself, that I may see Thy face.’ A house without light indicates poverty. So one must light the lamp of Knowledge in one’s heart.

*This type of lantern throws light forward, but has dark glass on three sides.

Translation Swami Nikhilananda