Part 7 (2/2)
ON GENTLENESS
FROM this patience are born gentleness and kindness, for no one can be gentle under adversity if not the patient man. Gentleness creates in man peace and repose from everything; for the gentle man endures insulting words and gestures, and bad faces and bad deeds, and all manner of injustice towards his friends and himself, and he is content with all, for gentleness is suffering in repose. Thanks to gentleness, the force of anger remains immovable in its tranquillity, the force of desire lifts itself up towards the virtues, and the reason rejoices, and the conscience dwells in peace, for the other mortal sins, such as anger and rage, are removed far from her. For the Spirit of G.o.d reposes in a gentle and humble heart, as Christ saith, ”Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”--that is to say, their own nature and the things of earth in meekness, and, after this life, the things of eternity.
ON KINDNESS
FROM the same source as gentleness comes kindness, for the gentle spirit alone can possess kindness. This kindness causes a man to oppose a loving face and friendly words, and all the works of pity, to those who are angry with him, and he hopes that they will return to themselves and amend. Thanks to mercy and kindness, charity remains lively and fruitful in a man; for the heart full of kindness is like a lamp full of precious oil; and the oil of kindness lightens the wandering sinner by its good example, and soothes and heals by consoling words and deeds those whose heart is wounded, saddened, or irritated. And it inflames and illumines those who are in charity, and no jealousy or envy can touch it.
ON COMPa.s.sION
FROM kindness is born compa.s.sion, by which we sympathise with every one, for no one can suffer with all men, except he who has kindness.
Compa.s.sion is an inward movement of the heart, aroused by pity for the bodily or spiritual distress of all men. This compa.s.sion makes a man partaker in Christ's sufferings, when he considers the reason of these sufferings, the resignation and love of Christ, His wounds, His tortures, His shame, His n.o.bleness, His misery, the shame which He endured, the crown, the nails, and the death in patience. These unheard of and manifold pains of Christ, our Redeemer and Bridegroom, move to pity anyone who is capable of feeling pity.
Compa.s.sion makes a man observe and note his faults, his want of power to do any good thing, and weakness in all that pertains to the glory of G.o.d; his lukewarmness and slowness, the mult.i.tude of his faults, the waste of his time, and his positive shortcomings in virtue and good conduct. All this makes a man truly sorry for himself. Then his compa.s.sion for himself makes him consider his errors and wanderings, the small care which he has of G.o.d and of his eternal salvation, his ingrat.i.tude for all the good that G.o.d has done him, and for all that He has suffered for man. And he considers also that he is a stranger to the virtues, that he neither knows them nor practises them, while he is clever and crafty in all that is bad and unjust; he sees how attentive he is to the loss or gain of worldly goods, how inattentive and indifferent towards G.o.d, the things of eternity, and his own salvation. This consideration makes the just man feel a great compa.s.sion towards the salvation of all men. The man will also observe with pity the bodily needs of his neighbour and the manifold pains of nature, when he sees the hunger which men suffer, the thirst, cold, nakedness, poverty, contempt, and oppression; the sadness which they feel at the loss of relations, friends, goods, honour, and repose; and the innumerable afflictions to which flesh is heir. All this rouses the just man to compa.s.sion, and he suffers with all men; but his greatest suffering arises when he sees the impatience of others under their own sufferings, by which they lose their reward and often deserve h.e.l.l.
This is the work of compa.s.sion and pity.
This work of compa.s.sion and love for all men overcomes and removes the third mortal sin--namely, hatred and envy; for compa.s.sion is a wound of the heart, which makes us love all men, and can only work healing in so far as some suffering lives in men; for G.o.d has ordained that mourning and pain must precede all the other virtues.
This is why Christ said, ”Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted”--that is to say, when they shall reap in joy what they now sow in compa.s.sion and sorrow.
ON GENEROSITY
FROM this compa.s.sion is born generosity, for no one can be supernaturally generous, with faith in all men, and with love, except the merciful man; though one many give to a particular individual without charity, and without supernatural generosity.
Generosity is the copious outflow of a heart moved with charity and pity. When a man considers with compa.s.sion the sufferings and pains of Christ, from this compa.s.sion is born generosity, which excites us to praise and thank Christ for His pains and for His love, at the same time that it causes to be born in us respect and veneration, and a joyous and humble submission of heart and soul, in time and in eternity. When a man observes and pities himself, and considers the good that G.o.d has done to him and his own weakness, he cannot help flowing out into the liberality of G.o.d, taking refuge in His pity and fidelity, and abandoning himself to G.o.d, with a free and perfect wish to serve Him for ever. The generous man, who observes the errors, the wanderings, and the injustice of men, desires and implores the outflow of the divine gifts and the exercise of their generosity on all men, that they may return to themselves and be converted to the truth. The generous man considers also with compa.s.sion the material needs of all men; he helps them, gives, lends, consoles to the best of his power. By means of this generosity, men practise the seven works of mercy, the rich by their services and the bestowal of their goods, the poor by good will and the desire to do good if they can, and thus the virtue of generosity is perfected. Generosity in the depth of the heart multiplies all the virtues, and illuminates the forces of the soul. For the generous, man is always of joyful spirit, he is without anxiety; he is full of sympathy, and is ready to do kindnesses to all men in the works of virtue. He who is generous, and loves not the things of earth, however poor he may be, is like unto G.o.d, for all that he has, and all the thoughts of his heart flow out of him in largess.
And so he is delivered from the fourth of the deadly sins, avarice.
Jesus Christ saith to these: ”Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”; in the day when they shall hear this word spoken unto them: ”Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
ON ZEAL AND DILIGENCE
FROM this generosity are born supernatural zeal and diligence in all the virtues. None can exhibit this zeal, save the generous and diligent man. This is an internal and eager impulse towards all the virtues, and towards the imitation of Christ and the saints. In this zeal, a man desires to expend in the honour of G.o.d the united powers of his heart and senses, his soul and body, all that he is, and all that he may receive. This zeal makes a man watchful in reason and discrimination, and makes him practise the virtues in justice.
Thanks to this supernatural zeal, all the forces of his soul are open to G.o.d, and prepared for all the virtues. His conscience is refreshed, and divine grace is increased, virtue is practised with joy, and his external works are adorned. He who has received this lively zeal from G.o.d is removed far from the fifth deadly sin--lukewarmness and gloominess towards the virtues necessary for salvation. [Footnote: The best account in English of the deadly sin of acedia, too much neglected in modern religious teaching, is to be found in Bishop Paget's Spirit of Discipline.] And sometimes this lively zeal disperses heaviness and sluggishness of the bodily temperament. It is on this subject that Jesus Christ says: ”Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” This will be, when the glory of G.o.d shall be manifested, and shall fill every man in proportion to his love and justice.
ON TEMPERANCE AND SOBRIETY
FROM zeal are born temperance and sobriety within and without; for none can maintain true moderation in sobriety, if he is not thoroughly diligent and zealous to preserve his body and soul in justice. Sobriety separates the higher faculties from the animal faculties, and preserves a man from excesses. Sobriety wishes not to taste nor know those things which are not permitted.
The incomprehensible and sublime nature of G.o.d surpa.s.ses all the creatures in heaven and earth, for whatever the creature conceives is creature. But G.o.d is above every creature, and within and without every creature, and all created comprehension is too strait to comprehend Him. In order that the creature may conceive and comprehend G.o.d, it must be drawn up into G.o.d from above; it is only by G.o.d that it can comprehend G.o.d. Those then who wish to know what G.o.d is, and to study Him, let them know that it is forbidden. They would become mad. All created light must fail here. What G.o.d is, pa.s.ses the comprehension of every creature. But Holy Scripture, nature, and all the creatures show us that He is. We shall believe the articles of faith without trying to penetrate them, for that is impossible while we are here: this is sobriety. The difficult and subtle teachings of the inspired writings we shall only explain in accordance with the life of Christ and His saints. Man will study nature and the Scriptures, and every creature; and will seek to learn from them only what may be to his own advantage. This is sobriety of spirit.
A man will maintain sobriety of the senses, and he will subdue by reason his animal faculties, that the animal pleasure in food and drink may not delight him too much, but that he may eat and drink as a sick man takes a potion, because it is his duty to preserve his strength for the service of G.o.d. This is sobriety of body. A man will preserve moderation in words and actions, in silence and speech, in eating and drinking, in what he does and abstains from doing, as Holy Church enjoins and the saints give the example.
By moderation and sobriety of spirit within, a man maintains constancy and perseverance in the faith, that purity of intelligence and calmness of reason which are necessary to understand the truth, readiness to bend to the will of G.o.d with regard to every virtue, peace of heart and serenity of conscience. Thanks to this virtue, he possesses a.s.sured peace in G.o.d and in himself.
By moderation and sobriety in the use of the bodily faculties, he often preserves health and contentment of the bodily nature, his honour in external relations, and his good name. And thus he is at peace with himself and with his neighbour. For he attracts and rejoices all men of good will, by his moderation and sobriety. And he escapes the sixth deadly sin, which is want of temperance, and gluttony. It is of this that Christ said: ”Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of G.o.d.” For being like unto the Son, who has made peace in all creatures who desire it, and who make peace in their turn, by moderation and sobriety, the Son will divide among them the heritage of His Father, and they will possess this heritage with Him throughout eternity.
ON PURITY
FROM this sobriety are born purity of soul and body, for none can be absolutely pure in body and soul, save he who follows after sobriety in body and soul. Purity of spirit consists in this--that a man cleaves to no creature with any pa.s.sionate desire, but attaches himself to G.o.d only; for one may use all the creatures while rejoicing in G.o.d only. Purity of spirit makes a man attach himself to G.o.d above intelligence and above the senses, and above all the gifts which G.o.d may bestow upon the soul; for all that the creature receives in its intelligence or in its senses purity desires to transcend, and to repose in G.o.d only. We should approach the sacrament of the altar not for the sake of the delights, the pleasure, the peace, or the sweetness which we find there, but for the glory of G.o.d only, and that we may grow in all the virtues. This is purity of spirit.
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