The Spiritual Combat/Supplement
CHAPTER I.
What is the Nature of Christian Perfection.
THAT you may not weary yourself in vain, O devout soul, in spiritual exercises, as many have done, and not run without knowing whither you are tending, you must first learn in what Christian perfection consists.
Christian perfection is nothing else but the entire observance of the precepts of God and of His Law with the view of pleasing Him, without swerving to the right hand or to the left, or turning back. "For this is the whole duty of man."
So that the scope of a Christian's whole life, if he would become perfect, must be to strive to form the habit day by day of putting self more and more aside, and of giving up his own will, that he may do all things according to the guidance of the Will of God Alone, and in order to please and honour Him.
CHAPTER II.
Of the Necessity of a Conflict in order to gain Christian Perfection.
THE great lesson which we have before us has been told in few words, but to have to take it in hand, and to put it into practice, "this is the work, this is the toil."
For as there is in us, through the sin of our first parents, and through the evil habits we have ourselves formed, a law contrary to the law of God, we have to fight against ourselves, and also against the world and the devil—the exciting causes of our conflicts.
CHAPTER III.
Of Three Things which are needful for the Young Soldier of Christ.
HAVING then declared war, young soldier of Christ, you have need of three things: a heart courageous and resolute for the conflict, arms, and the knowledge how to use them.
Resolution for the conflict will be acquired by frequently considering that the life of man upon earth is a warfare, and that the law of this warfare is, that he who does not fight as he ought, shall without doubt perish for ever.
Courage will be gained, first by distrust of self and by great trust in God, and by the firm conviction that He is within you to rescue you from danger. Whenever, then, you are assaulted by enemies, be assured, that as often as, distrusting your own power and wisdom, you turn with confidence to the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, you will come off victorious in the conflict.
Your arms are resistance and violence.
CHAPTER IV.
Of Resistance and Violence, and of the Art of using them.
RESISTANCE and violence, though cumbrous and painful weapons, are nevertheless necessary for winning the victory. These arms are to be used in the following way.
When you are attacked by your corrupt will, and evil habits, which would hinder you from willing and doing what God wills, you must resist them, saying, "Yes, yes, I will do it."
With the same resistance you should oppose them, when you feel yourself drawn towards the desires of bad habits and of the corrupt will, saying, "No, no, I will to do the Will of God, with His help. O my God, make haste to help me, lest this desire ever to do Thy Will, which through Thy grace is now present with me, be stifled, when temptation arises, by the old and corrupt will."
And if you feel great pain in resisting and weakness of will, you must use all manner of violence, remembering that "the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence," and that "the violent," against themselves, and their own passions, "take it by force." And if the pain and violence be so great as to fill your heart with anguish, go in spirit to Christ in the Garden, and unite your anguish with His, and pray Him that by virtue of His, He would give you victory over yourself, that so from your heart you may be able to say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Thy Will be done."
Then bend your will again and again to the Will of God, willing as He wills you to will. Strive to perform some action with such fulness and purity of intention, as if in it alone all perfection consisted, and the whole pleasure and honour of God. And afterwards do the second, third, fourth, and the others, in the same way.
Further, if the memory of some past transgression come to your mind, grieve over the fault, and summon up greater courage to obey God in the precept in which you have transgressed, and in any other with which you may be concerned. And here I would remind you (in order that you may not omit any occasion of obeying God, however trifling it may be) that if you obey God in little things, He will give you fresh grace, which will make obedience easy in greater things.
Also make it a habit, when any Divine precept presents itself to your thoughts, first to adore God, and then to pray Him that, when an opportunity offers, He would enable you to obey Him.
CHAPTER V.
That we have need to Watch continually over our Will, so as to discover the particular Passion to which it inclines.
ENTER into yourself as deeply as possible, in order to find out to which of your passions your will is most often inclined; for by it, more than by any other, it will be seduced and held in bondage.
For since the will of man is unaccustomed to lack the companionship of some one of the passions, it must needs either love or hate, desire or shun, rejoice or regret, hope or despair, be fearful or daring, or be angry.
When you find it to be influenced by some passion, not as God wills, but as its own self-love wills, take pains to bend it from the love of self to the love of God, and to the observance of the precepts of God, and of His Law. And this you should do, not only with strong passions, such as those which lead to mortal sins, but also with those which are the occasion of venial faults; for these, when they are allowed, though they move lightly and tread very softly, keep us nevertheless weak and without vigour, and in great peril of falling into mortal sin.
CHAPTER VI.
How by removing the first Passion, which is Love of the Creature and of Self, and by giving it to God, all the rest will be well Regulated and Ordered.
THAT you may free your will in a speedy and orderly manner from inordinate passions, you must set yourself wholly to subdue and regulate the first passion, which is love; for when this is brought into order, all the rest will follow it by degrees, since they spring out of it, and in it have their root and life.
You will clearly see this, as we proceed; for according to a man's love for anything so is his desire for it, and his delight in it; and according to his love he either hates, or shuns, or is grieved by that which hinders or offends the thing loved. Neither does he hope for anything, except for that which he loves; and of the same does he despair, when the difficulty of obtaining it seems invincible and insurmountable. Neither is he fearful, bold, or enraged, except concerning something which hinders or offends the object of his love.
The way to conquer and regulate this first passion is, to consider the objects of its love and attachment, their qualities, and what end it has in view in this attachment and love. And, finding in it qualities of beauty and of goodness, and claims of delight and usefulness, you may say again and again to yourself: "Can anything exceed the Beauty and Goodness of God, Who is the Sole Source of all goodness and perfection?"
"And what claim to usefulness and delight can be imagined greater than that which is to be found in the love of God, since that love transforms a man into Him, and makes him rejoice and delight in Him Alone?"
Moreover, the heart of man belongs to God, because God first made, and then redeemed it, and day by day, by new benefits, lays claim to it, saying: "My son, give Me thy heart."
Thus, the heart of man belonging wholly to God, for many reasons which shall be given hereafter, and being all too little to discharge its obligations to Him, every one should be most jealous over it, that it love God Alone, and the things which are pleasing to God, and in the degree and manner which are most pleasing to Him.
We must exercise the same jealousy in watching over the passion of hatred (for on the two passions, hatred and love, rests the whole fabric of perfection), so as to hate nothing but sin, and whatever leads to sin.
CHAPTER VII.
That the Human Will stands in need of Succour.
OUR will, thus under the influence of the passions, is very weak in resisting and overcoming them, and making them submissive to God, and to His obedience. (As experience well shows, for even when it desires and proposes to mortify itself, yet is it often stifled by its passions, and all its purposes and resolutions vanish, whilst it falls a prey to them.) It stands, therefore, in need of succour and assistance, not only in the time of trial, but beforehand; that so, being strengthened against itself, it may gain the victory, and, freed from the tyranny of the passions, give itself up wholly to God and to His good pleasure.
CHAPTER VIII.
How the Will of Man is greatly strengthened by overcoming the World.
SINCE our passions are stirred and fed by the world and the things of the world, when its greatness, riches, and delights are set before us, it evidently follows, that when the world and the things of the world are trodden under foot, the will of man begins to breathe freely and to turn elsewhere; for it cannot remain without an object to love and delight in.
The way to trample the world under foot is to penetrate into the real nature of its gifts and promises.
And in doing this, lest we should err, from being blinded, it may be, by some passion, we will take for our consideration and conclusion the words of the wisest of men, Solomon, who had had experience of all earthly greatness. "Vanity of vanities," saith he, "all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Every day affords a fresh evidence of this truth; for man's heart desires to be satisfied, and yet if it had all it desired, not only would it fail to be satisfied, but it would hunger still more. And this is so, because, in feeding on the things of the world, it feeds upon shadows and dreams, on unrealities and lies,—things which cannot nourish.
The promises of the world are false, and full of deception. It promises one thing for another. It promises happiness and gives misery. In very many cases it promises and gives no fulfilment. It gives, and quickly takes away; and if it does not quickly take away, it only the more afflicts those who indulge their passions, and who fix their desires in the mire. To such it may be said: 'O ye sons of men, how long will ye be vexed? wherefore do ye have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?'
But let it be granted that in a certain sense the apparent blessings of this world are real blessings, what will they say of the rapidity with which man's life passes away? Where is the happiness, where the greatness, and the pride of princes, kings, and emperors? It is all gone.
The way then to overcome the world in such a manner that it may become loathsome to you, and you to it, or I should rather use the words, that it may be crucified unto you, and you to it, is, before your will is set upon it, to regard most attentively first with the understanding, and then with the will, its vanities and falsehood; that so, the understanding and will being free from the influence of the passions, you may easily despise it, and be able to say to every creature that presents itself: "Art thou a creature? Away with, away with all attachment to you, for in the creature I seek the Creator, and my affection is for the spiritual, not the corporeal."
"He Who gives you life and virtue, and not you, is the One I will and desire to love."
CHAPTER IX.
Of the Second Aid to the Will.
THE second aid to the human will consists in putting to flight the Prince of darkness, as the author of every inordinate kindling of the passions. We drive away and conquer this enemy every time we subdue and conquer our own lusts and inordinate desires. If then you wish to make the devil flee from you, resist your passions, for this is the resistance St. James would have us make to him.
And here I would remind you, that the devil sometimes so assaults us by inflaming the lusts of the flesh and the passions, that man seems constrained to yield. But you need not be dismayed; only resist, and be convinced that God is with you, and will not suffer you to be oppressed. Resist, I say, and for certain, if you persevere, you shall conquer.
This I said, "if you persevere," for it is not enough to resist once, or twice, or thrice, but every time that you are tempted. For it is the custom of the devil to try to-morrow what he could not do to-day, and next week what he could not accomplish in this; and thus he goes on, continuously from time to time, with much patience, now with fury and then with craftiness, till he gains his point.
Therefore you have need to be constant, ever on your.guard; do not trust to the victories you have already gained, however many they may be; seeing that man's life is a continual warfare, the victory in it depends on the end, and not on to-day or to-morrow.
And know that, if this resistance is painful to you, it is far more painful to the devil to be resisted.
Hence for your consolation you may say to him, "Go, infernal demon, and endure torment; but since you suffer through your wickedness, and I, lest I offend my Lord, your pain shall be eternal, and mine, by the grace of God, shall be changed into eternal peace."
CHAPTER X.
Of Temptations to Spiritual Pride.
I HAVE spoken to you in the preceding chapter of the temptations which the devil is wont to present to us by means of the greatness, riches, and delights of the world; but I now will speak of the temptations of spiritual pride, self-complacency, and vain-glory, which are so much the more dangerous and terrible as they are the less obvious, and the more opposed to God.
Oh! how many brave soldiers and great servants of God, after many many years of victory, have been overthrown by this pride, and have become servants of Lucifer!
The escape from this tremendous fall and subtle snare is by fearing at all times, and by doing good works with fear and trembling, lest through some hidden worm of self-love and pride they be contaminated and rendered offensive to God. Therefore, in the doing of them, whilst humbling ourselves, always strive to do them better, as though hitherto we had never done any thing well. But if we think that we have done all things well (which we ought never to think), we ought still to say with our whole heart, "We are unprofitable servants."
Above all, we must frequently have recourse to Christ, that He may deliver us from all pride, and teach us and help us to become lowly in heart; and often seek the help of the most lowly Mother of God, praying that she might obtain for us true humility, which is the foundation of all virtues, and which causes them to grow and accompanies them, so that they be not lost, but increased and preserved.
Having already spoken at length on the subject of humility in the "Spiritual Combat," I will not now say more upon it.
CHAPTER XI.
Of the Third Aid of the Human Will.
THE third succour of the will, which we must very often have recourse to, is prayer. Accustom yourself, whenever you are assailed, to turn instantly to God, saying: "O God, make speed to save me: O Lord, make haste to help me."
Let your combat then be carried on with prayer, and with resistance in the presence of God, and be ever clothed with distrust of self and trust in Him; fighting in this manner and with these arms, you may make sure of victory. What things may not be overcome and resisted by prayer? What things may not by resistance be repulsed, when accompanied with distrust of self and trust in God? And what is the conflict in which he can be worsted, who stands in the Presence of God with the determination to please Him?
CHAPTER XII.
In what Way a Man may gain the Habit of keeping in the Presence of God whenever he will.
THAT you may acquire the habit of keeping yourself, whenever you will, in the Presence of God, strive to grasp the thought that God is secretly ever before you, that He is beholding you, and considering all your thoughts and actions.
Or again, regard all the creatures as so many windows through which the hidden God watches you, and says to you at times: "Ask, and ye shall receive. For whoso asketh receiveth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."
You can also realise the Presence of God by meditating on the creatures; passing through the corporeal, raise your mind to God, Who gives them their existence, movement, and power to act.
Whenever you seek help from God by prayer, in any struggle or action, place yourself in the Presence of God in one of the ways above mentioned, and then pray and beseech Him to grant you aid and succour.
And know this, O devout soul, that if you will become familiar with the Presence of God, you will gain victories and treasures without number. Amongst other things, you will learn to guard your movements, thoughts, words and actions, so that they may befit the Presence of God and the Life of His Son. And the Presence itself of God will impart to you strength to abide in His Presence.
For if from the presence of and nearness to natural agents, whose virtue is limited and finite, we bear away something of their qualities and virtues, what shall be said of the Presence of God, Whose virtue is infinite, and power of shedding it abroad unspeakable?
Besides the way of praying spoken of above—"O God, make speed to save: O Lord, make haste to help me,"—which is suitable for every need, you may also pray in another way by making some particular request. Thus, if you desire to know and do the Will of God, your prayer might take the following form: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord; O teach me Thy statutes. Lead me, O Lord, in the path of Thy commandments. O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep Thy statutes!"
And to ask of God all that you can ask, and what He wills we should ask of Him, use the Lord's Prayer, which should be said with the whole affection of the heart, and with all attention.
CHAPTER XIII.
Some Advice about Prayer.
I WOULD first advise you to make prayers (I do not now speak of meditation, of which I shall treat presently) short, in the way above spoken of, but frequent, full of desire and of actual faith in the help of God, which He will give, not in your way and at your time, but more effectually, and at a more fitting opportunity.
Secondly, always let your prayers be accompanied, either actually or virtually, with one of the following little clauses: "Of Thy Goodness." "According to Thy promises." "For Thy Honour." "In the Name of Thy dearly-beloved Son." "By the virtue of Thy Passion." "In remembrance of the Virgin Mary, Thy daughter, spouse and Mother."
Thirdly, let them at times be united with ejaculations, such as: "Grant me, O Lord, Thy love, in the Name of Thy dearly-beloved Son." "And when will it be, my Lord, that I shall have it? when?" You may do this also after each separate petition, or after the whole of it, in this way: "Our Father, Which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. But, O Heavenly Father, our Father, when shall Thy Name be known, honoured, and glorified by all the world? When, my God? when?" And so after all the other petitions.
Fourthly, when seeking any virtue or grace, it would be well to consider the value of the virtue, and the need you have of it, the Greatness of God and of His Goodness, and what the deserts of him who asks. This will lead you to pray with stronger affections and desires, with greater reverence and confidence, and with more humility. And, finally, you must consider the end for which you seek the virtue, that it may be to please and honour God.
CHAPTER XIV.
Of another Way of Praying.
ANOTHER most perfect way of praying is, by placing one's self in the Presence of God by an effort of thought, without any words, darting towards Him now and then a sigh, turning our eyes towards Him with a heart full of desires to please Him, and with a swift and ardent desire that He would help us to love Him simply, to honour, and serve Him; or else, with the desire that He would grant us the grace which we had sought from Him in our previous prayers.
CHAPTER XV.
Of the Fourth Aid of the Human Will.
THE fourth succour of our. will is Divine Love, which so aids and fortifies it, that there is nothing which it cannot do, and no passion or temptation which it cannot overcome.
The way to obtain it is by praying for it, and frequently seeking it from God; and by meditation—meditating on those points, which are calculated, by the grace of God, to inflame it in the earthly and human heart, which are these: Who is God. What and how great is His Power, His Wisdom, Goodness; what the Divine Beauty. What God has done for man: and what, if necessary, He would yet do. With what dispositions He did it. What He does every day for man. What He will do for man hereafter in another life, if whilst he now lives he obeys His precepts for the sake of pleasing Him, and with simplicity of mind.
CHAPTER XVI.
Of Meditation on the Being of God.
WHAT God is, He Himself, Who has perfect knowledge of Himself, has told us, when He answered and said: "I Am that I Am."
And this which is here declared concerning God, may not be attributed to any creature; neither to Princes, nor Kings, nor Emperors, neither to Angels, nor to the whole world when taken together; because every thing has its being dependent upon God, and is in itself simply nothing.
And from this appears the vanity of man's love for creatures, and of his attachment for them, when he should love the Creator in them, and the creatures only according to the will of his Lord; his love is vain, because he loves vanities. It is vain, because he thinks to satisfy himself with those things which are nothing in themselves. It is vain, because he wearies himself to possess those things which, when they are obtained, rob and slay their possessors.
If then you would love as you ought to love, love God, Who fills and satisfies the heart.
CHAPTER XVII.
Of Meditation on the Power of God.
WE know that, if not this or that power only, but all the powers of the world were combined together, and wished to build, not a kingdom nor a city, but only a palace, they would need various materials, and workmen, and a long space of time; nor then would the building be entirely in accordance with their wishes.
But God, by His Power, created in a moment the whole universe out of nothing, and with the same facility could create countless worlds, destroy them, and reduce them to nothing.
The more profoundly we meditate on this point, and continue to do so, the more shall we find out fresh grounds for wonder, and fresh incentives to love so powerful a Lord.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Of Meditation on the Wisdom of God.
THE Wisdom of God is too deep and unsearchable for us to be able to comprehend it. Yet that you may have some idea of it, turn your eyes to the stars above, the beauty of earth, and of all the universe; and you will find nothing but the expression of the incomprehensible Wisdom of the Divine Architect. Turn your thoughts to the life of man, and to the various accidents which happen, and nothing will be discovered so disordered but that in the sight of God it will be unsearchable wisdom.
Meditate on the Mysteries of Redemption, for you will find that they are full of the profoundest wisdom. "Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments!"
CHAPTER XIX.
Of Meditation on the Goodness of God.
THE Goodness of God, like every one of His Infinite Perfections, is in itself incomprehensible; but so great is it in its outward manifestations, that there is no created thing in which it is not found. Creation is an effect of the Goodness of God. The preservation and government of the world is also an effect of the Goodness of God. Our Redemption is an evidence to us of the unspeakable greatness of the Goodness of God, Who for our ransom gave His Only-begotten Son, and still gives Him to us for our daily food in the Sacrament of the Altar.
CHAPTER XX.
Of Meditation on the Beauty of God.
CONCERNING the Beauty of God it should be enough for us to know that it is such and so great, that God Himself, from all eternity contemplating it without ever turning aside from it, remains in His Infinite Capacity incomprehensibly satisfied and blessed.
O man, know now the dignity to which the Goodness of God calls you, and be no more so dull of heart as to despise it, giving your love to vanity, lies, and shadows.
God calls you to the love of His Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, to be charmed with His Beauty, and to enter into His joy; and do you turn a deaf ear? Think, think upon what you are doing, lest the hour come upon you when repentance shall be unavailing.
CHAPTER XXI.
What God has done for Man, and with what Love; and what He would further do for him, if needful.
WHAT God has done to man, and for man, may be seen by meditating on Creation and Redemption.
But the Love with which He made him and wrought out his salvation was more than infinite.
Infinite had been the price of the ransom, but the Love yet more; for had there been necessity, He would willingly have suffered more, and died many times.
If then for your ransom you owe your whole being over and over again, to what extent are you indebted to that Love of God towards you, which exceeds and outstrips the ransom itself?
CHAPTER XXII.
What God does every Day for Man.
THERE is not a day, nor a moment, in which man does not receive from God some fresh benefit; for every day and every moment God creates him by preserving him in being. Every moment God ministers to him through His creatures, through heaven, air, earth, sea, and all things therein.
Every day He gives him His grace, calling him from evil to good, guarding him from sin, and when he has sinned, helping him that he may sin no more. He waits for him, calls him to repentance, and when he comes to Him, is more ready to forgive than he to desire forgiveness. Every day He sends him His Son, with all the riches of the Mysteries of the Cross, rendering Him ever present with him in the Sacrament of the Altar.
CHAPTER XXIII.
How great is the Goodness of our God in waiting for and bearing with the Sinner.
TO know the greatness of the Goodness of our God in supporting the sinner, consider first, that as God loves holiness unutterably, so His hatred, on the other hand, of sin is infinite.
What Goodness, then, does God show in supporting the sinner, who before the eyes of His Purity and Majesty commits many sins, not once, nor twice, nor thrice, but over and over again. "I see well, O Lord (may the sinner say), that when I have sinned you have said to my heart: We will see which of the two will prevail, you in offending Me, or I in pardoning you."
This point well meditated upon, will, I believe, with the grace of God, inflame the heart of the sinner, and make him quickly turn to God; but if not, he will have great reason to fear the unsearchable judgments of God, from which oftentimes proceed blows of vengeance, sudden, tremendous and irremediable.
CHAPTER XXIV.
What God will do in another Life, not only for him who has always served Him, but also for the converted Sinner.
THE favours and the bliss which are received from God in the Heavenly Country are such, and so great, that here they cannot be conceived, nor can we clearly and adequately desire them.
Who shall ever attain to the full knowledge of what it is for a man to sit down at the table of God, God ministering to him and giving him the food of His Own Beatitude?
Who can imagine what it is for the souls of the blessed to enter into the joy of their Lord?
And who can ever comprehend the love and honour which God shows to His citizens, of which St. Thomas speaks in one of his works thus—"The Almighty God to each of His Angels, and to holy souls, subjects Himself to such a degree as to become, so to speak, the hired servant of each, and as if each of them were His God?"
O Lord! O Lord! he who often enters into a profound consideration of Thy dealings with Thy creatures, finds Thee so inebriated with love that it appears to him that Thy Beatitude consists in loving, in doing them good, and feeding them with Thyself. O Lord, so impress this consideration upon us, that we may love Thee, and loving Thee, may be made one with Thee by a loving union.
O human heart, whither dost thou run?— after a shadow?—after the wind?—after nothing? leaving that which is All, Almightiness, Highest Wisdom, Unspeakable Goodness, Uncreated Beauty, Supreme Good, and the Infinite Sea of all Perfections? He runs after you, calling you with many, many a strong cry, with new blessings, as well as by those already received.
Do you know from whence your so great misery arises? It is because you do not pray; it is because you do not meditate. Therefore, being without light, and without heat, it is no wonder that you cannot turn yourself from the works of darkness. Enter, enter now, O soul, O lukewarm Religious, into the school of meditation and prayer of which we have been speaking; and in it you will learn by experience that it is the true study of a Christian and of a Religious to endeavour to deny self-will, so as to do the Will of God, and to hate self, so as to love God. All other studies without this (though of all the sciences put together) are nothing else but the fuel of presumption and of pride, and the more they enlighten the understanding, the more they darken the will, to the ruin of the souls of those who make them their pursuit.
CHAPTER XXV.
Of the Fifth Support of the Human Will.
THE hatred of ourselves is a necessary aid to the human will, for without it you will never attain the aid of Divine Love, the Source of all good.
The way to gain it is, first to seek it from God; and then to reflect upon the many injuries which are, and have been, brought upon man by self-love.
This self-love is of so malignant a nature, that if it could enter into heaven, it would suddenly convert the Heavenly Jerusalem into a Babylon. Consider then what this pest works in the human breast, and in this present life!
Take self-love out of the world, and immediately the gates of hell would close. Who then would be such an enemy to himself, as, when he has considered the nature, qualities, and effects of self-love, not to be indignant against it, and to hate it?
CHAPTER XXVI.
In what Way Self-love may be discovered.
THAT you may ascertain how wide and extensive is the reign of self-love within you, frequently turn to consider which of the passions of the soul it is which most often leads your will, for it will be found not to stand alone.
Having discovered then the movement of love or desire, of joy or grief, then consider well whether the object loved or desired is a virtuous one, and in accordance with the commandments of God; and do the same with joy or sorrow, see whether the things which produce those effects are such as God would have us feel joy or sorrow for; or whether all springs from the world and from attachment to the creatures, which is shown by being occupied with them more than is necessary or requisite, or than God wills. If this be so, it is evident that self-love reigns in your will, and is the ruling principle of all.
But if your will be busied and occupied with virtues, and things which God wills, you must still consider whether it is directed to those objects by the impulse of the Divine Will, or by some liking of its own or caprice; for it often happens, that a man, actuated by some caprice or liking of his own, gives himself to various good works, such as prayers, fastings, communions, and other holy occupations.
This may be proved in two ways:—first, if the will does not accept all opportunities of doing good which present themselves, indifferently; secondly, if when some hindrance arises, it gives way to grief, vexation and disquietude; or when, on the other hand, it succeeds, if it yields to self-complacency and satisfaction.
If the will be moved by God, besides what has been said above, you must further consider to what end its actions are mostly directed. For if the end be simply to please God, so far it is well, yet even then a man may not feel quite secure; self-love is so subtle, and hides itself beneath good works and acts of virtue.
When this most cruel monster, self-love, shows itself openly, we must pursue it with all hatred even to death;—in little things too, and not only in great.
We should always be suspicious of its concealment. Therefore, after every good work, humble yourself, smite upon your breast, praying God to pardon you, and to keep you from self-love.
It will be well, therefore, early in the morning to turn to the Lord, and to protest to Him that you intend not to offend Him any more, and particularly on that day, but in all things ever to do His Divine Will, and for the sake of pleasing Him.
For this purpose often turn to God in prayer, and ask Him continually that He would protect you with His Hand, and enable you to do such things as please Him, and in the way that pleases Him.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Of the Birth Aid.
THE practice of being present during the offering of the Holy Sacrifice is the sixth help of the human will;—Communion also, and Confession. Since the grace of God is the principal and necessary succour of our will, so as to guard it from evil and direct it to good, it cannot but follow that every thing by which we gain an increase of grace is a support to the will.
To gain an increase of grace by being present at the Holy Mysteries, you should attend in the following manner.
In the first part (for there are three parts in the Celebration), which extends from the Introit to the Offertory, strive to excite in yourself a great desire, that, as the Son of God came down from Heaven, and was born in the world, in order to send upon the earth the fire of His Love, so He would deign to come and be born by His own power in your inmost heart, that it may burn, and have no other thought but that of pleasing Him at all times, as long as you live, and evermore.
When the priest is saying the prayers, with burning desire ask, O needy soul, for yourself the same graces. And when he commences the Epistle and Gospel, pray mentally to God for the understanding and the power to know their meaning, and to observe all that they enjoin.
In the second part, which extends from the Offertory to the Communion, withdraw yourself entirely from all attachment to, or thought of, the creatures or of self, and offer yourself wholly to God—to do all His Will.
Immediately after the Consecration, at the Elevation, adore the true Body and Blood of Christ, together with His whole Divinity. Contemplate Him hidden beneath the elements of bread and wine; render to Him loving thanks that every day He vouchsafes to come to us with the precious fruits of the tree of His Cross; and with the same offering, and with the same intentions with which, transfixed upon the Cross, He made that offering to His Heavenly Father, you also offer to the Same Father.
When the priest receives the Holy Sacrament, then you make your spiritual communion, opening your heart to your Lord, having closed it to all creatures, that He may inflame it with the fire of His Love.
In the third part to the end, together with the priest, he with his mouth, you with your heart, seek what is asked for in the prayers after Communion.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Of Sacramental Communion.
IN order to receive a great increase of grace by Communicating, you must have very holy dispositions; and as we cannot of ourselves have holy dispositions, the following prayer should be said with great devotion;—"Cleanse, O Lord, we beseech Thee, our consciences, by Thy visitation, that Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at His Coming with all His Saints, may find in us a mansion fitted for His Presence, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, One God, world without end. Amen."
But that we may not be wanting on our part to co-operate with the Divine help, your preparation should consist in considering first for what purpose Christ instituted the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Then, finding that it was for the sake of reminding us of the love which He displayed for us in the Mysteries of the Cross, consider next, why it is He wishes us to remember it. The end being that we should love and obey Him, our best preparation will be a desire and burning wish to obey and love Him, grieving for the past, when we have not loved but offended Him. And with this desire and inflamed wish to love Him, we must prepare ourselves until the time of Communion.
When the time for communicating has arrived, rekindle your faith in the Presence of the Lamb of God beneath the elements of bread and wine; make an act of profound adoration, beseech Him to remove from your heart all hidden sin, and every stain, and receive Him with the hope that He will give you His Love.
When you have received and brought Him into your heart, ask Him again and again for His Love, and for every other gift you need in order to please Him. After that, offer Him to your Heavenly Father, as a sacrifice of praise for the boundless love which He has shown to us in this and in all other blessings of Redemption, and that you may gain His Love, and in behalf of the living and the dead.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Of Sacramental Confession.
CONFESSION, to be made as it ought to be, has need of many things. The first of these is an exact examination of conscience on the commandments of God, and the duties of our state. And having found out your sins, though they be but little sins, mourn over them bitterly; view them in relation to the Majesty of God, and as acts of human ingratitude against Divine Goodness and Love. Therefore blame and condemn yourself in these words—"Is this the return you make to the Lord, O foolish and unwise? Is He not thy Father, to Whom you belong, Who made you and created you?"
And renewing again and again the ardent desire that you had never offended God, say,—"Oh, that I had never offended Thee, my Creator, my Heavenly Father, my Redeemer, and had rather suffered all other evils!"
Then turn to God, with deep confusion, and faith that He will forgive you, say with your whole heart,—"Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son: make me as one of Thy hired servants."
And renewing again your sorrow for having offended God, with the resolve rather to suffer any pain than wilfully to offend Him again, confess your sins to your confessor with shame and grief, precisely as you committed them, without excusing yourself, or accusing any one else.
After confession, give thanks to God, that, although you had so many, many times offended Him, He is ever more ready to forgive than the sinner to receive forgiveness. And in this, finding a fresh ground for sorrow for having offended so kind a Father, resolve, with more purpose than ever, that you will never offend Him any more, with His help, in company with the Blessed Virgin, your Guardian Angel, and any Saint in particular, or patron.
CHAPTER XXX.
How to overcome the Impure Passion.
EVERY other passion is overcome by being faced and resisted, even though we receive a wound in the attack, and by challenging it anew to the battle, till we master every movement of it, both great and small. But this shameful passion must not only not be provoked, but every possible incentive to it must be removed out of the way.
The temptation of the flesh is conquered and the impure passion mortified by flight, and not by an encounter face to face.
A regular life, sincere intentions, past trials and victories, relationships, meanness or ugliness in appearance, which do not threaten danger, and whatever else may seem to betoken security, are not sufficient grounds for not taking flight. Fly, fly, beloved soul, if you would not be taken captive.
And if there are some, who have spent all their life in the presence of most dangerous occasions, without falling, that is no encouragement to you, but arises from the judgments of God; besides, when the falls are not seen, the overthrow of the soul is often the greatest. Fly, and obey the advice and examples which God gives you in Holy Scripture, in the lives of so many great saints, and every day in this or that person.
Fly, fly, without looking behind you to see or remember from what object you are flying; for here too there is the danger of returning to it.
And if there is necessary intercourse, let your words be few and brief, and rather brusque than gracious: for in this you may be caught, and there is danger of flame and fire. Here the maxim holds good, "Use medicine or ever thou be sick." Do not wait until you are ill, but fly betimes; for this is the only safe medicine.
But if unfortunately the sickness overtakes you, your whole safety depends upon your instantly checking the first symptoms, which is—to use the expression of the Spirit—the taking and dashing the little ones against the stones; then hasten to your confessor, hide not from him the slightest venial sin of this passion, for if you hide it, it will grow up and become great.
CHAPTER XXXI.
How many things should be Avoided, so as not to fall into the Vice of Impurity.
THERE are many things from which we must flee if we would not have our wings caught in the bird-lime of this shameful passion. The first and principal flight is from persons who are manifestly dangerous. The second, from others also as much as possible. The third, from visits, negotiations, presents, friendships, even though distant, for it is easier for that which is at first distant to become intimate, than for that which is once intimate to be made distant again. The fourth flight is from entering into discourse about this passion, from music, songs, and books of doubtful morality. The fifth flight (which is one but little known, made account of, or put into practice) is from all delight in created things, such as clothes, various articles of furniture which minister to ease and comfort, kinds of food and other indulgences, which if they are for the most part in themselves lawful, yet they accustom the heart of man to pleasure, and keep up a craving for pleasure.
Thus, when an unlawful pleasure offers itself (which by its nature quickly makes a wound, and pierces to the very marrow of the bones), the heart finds it difficult to reject it, because at other times it has not been in the habit of mortification.
On the other hand, hearts accustomed to turn away from lawful gratifications, when unlawful and shameful ones present themselves, flee from them with the greatest ease, shrinking from their very name as well as from themselves.
CHAPTER XXXII.
What we should do when we have Fallen into this Sin of Impurity.
IF through misfortune, or wilfulness, you have fallen into this sin of the flesh, the remedy (lest you add sin to sin) is to have recourse with all possible speed, without any further examination of conscience, to confession; and putting aside all human prudence, speak frankly, and lay bare all your disease, taking whatever medicine and counsel may be given you, however bitter or painful it may seem to you.
Delay not, though a hundred, nay, a thousand reasons for delay may suggest themselves; for if you delay, you will fall again, and the second fall will produce further delays; so that delays causing relapses, and relapses fresh delays, before you have confessed and forsaken your sins, years will have elapsed.
In conclusion, then, to avoid this shameful sin, I advise you once more to fly, if you would not fall.
And if thoughts come into your mind, no matter how slight they may be, regard them seriously, and fly from them no less than from the greater. And though from your quickness in resisting them, you are quite clear that they are light sins, still confess them, and reveal your enemy to your confessor.
And if you have fallen, go at once to confession, and do not let shame hinder you from doing so.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Of some Motives which should lead the Sinner to turn to God without delay.
THE first motive which ought to induce the sinner to return to God is, the consideration of God Himself, Whom, as He is the Supreme Good—Supreme Power, Wisdom, and Goodness—man should never have dared to offend. Not only because it is prudent, for it is an evil choice for a man to dispute with Almightiness, and with the Supreme Judge Who has to judge him; nor simply because of justice and fitness, for it is not to be tolerated that a mere nothing, a little dust, a creature, should offend his Creator; a servant, his Lord; the benefited, the Benefactor; the son, the Father.
The second motive is, the great obligation of the sinner to return at once to his Father's house; seeing that the conversion of the son, and his return to the house, honours the Father and gladdens all the household, and the neighbours, and the Angels of Heaven.
For as the son, at first, by sinning, offended and vexed the Father, so by returning, with bitter tears for his offence, and with full purpose of will to obey Him henceforth in all His commands and desires, he honours and rejoices his Father, and so touches His heart and moves Him to pity, that He is not content to wait for him longingly, but runs towards him, falls on his neck, kisses him, and clothes him with His grace, and His other gifts.
The third motive is, self-interest; for every sinner has to consider that if he turn not in time, the winter and sabbath-day are certainly approaching, and he will fall for ever into the pains of Hell. But were there no other pain than the infinite increase of those passions which hold him in the bondage of sin, without the hope of being once able to dip the tip of his finger in those waters in which he delights, this ought to be sufficient to terrify him.
Nor is there any ground for confidence in the intention to turn to God at the end of life, or after some months or years; since such a proposal is madness and extreme impiety. It is a sign of a weak head to propose to cope with a great difficulty at the very time when a man has the least strength.
The sinner, as he continues in sin, has less power to turn to God every day, both because of the evil habit which gradually becomes natural to him, and from an increasing indisposition for receiving the grace of conversion; also, by disdaining God through the great impiety of cleaving as long as possible to the creature, and then at the last gasp, or at least late in life, giving himself to God, out of self-interest, he forfeits the help which he will stand in need of in that hour.
Again, such an idea and intention befit a madman, for, even granting that he will be capable of conversion and have effectual grace, what security has he, or can he have, that he will not die suddenly and without the power of speech, as has happened, and does happen continually?
Cry, cry, O sinner, to the Lord, even while you are reading, and say—"Turn me, and I shall be turned, for Thou art my Lord God." And do not cease, until you are converted to your Lord and Father, mourning exceedingly over your offences against Him, and accepting with resignation whatever by way of satisfaction He may be pleased to require of you.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
How to obtain the Gift of Tears for our Offences against God, and Conversion.
THE best way to get the gift of tears for our offences against God, is to meditate upon the greatness of the Goodness of God, and of His Love, which He has shown towards man. For whoever considers that by sinning, he has offended the Supreme Good and ineffable Goodness, Who is ever doing good, and has never done any thing else but good, pouring down His graces, and shedding His light upon friends and enemies; and that he has offended Him for a mere nothing, for a trifle, for some little false pleasure, cannot but weep bitterly.
Place yourself then before the image of the Crucified, and imagine that He is saying to you—"Look upon Me, consider one by one My Wounds, and that your sins have caused Me to be in this state in which you behold Me, wounded and ill-treated. And yet I am your God, your Creator, your loving Lord, and Merciful Father. Return, then, to Me with tears of sincere sorrow, and with the burning wish that you had never offended Me, and with the full will of readily bearing any pain rather than offend Me again."
Then, picturing Christ before you, with the crown of thorns on His Head, and with the reed in His Hand, and covered with wounds, imagine that He says to you: "Behold the Man." Behold the Man, Who loves you with unspeakable love, and has redeemed you by these insults, these Wounds, and this Blood—"Behold the Man." This Man is the One Whom you have offended, after He has bestowed upon you so much love, after so many benefits—"Behold the Man." This Man is the Mercy of God and plenteous Redemption. This Man offers Himself for you every hour and every moment to the Father. This Man, sitting on the Right Hand of the Father, makes intercession for you, and is your Advocate.
"Why, then, do you offend Me? why not return to Me?" "Return to Me, for I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgression, and as a cloud, thy sins."
CHAPTER XXXV.
Of some Reasons why Men live without Weeping for their Offences against God, without Virtues, and without Christian Perfection.
THE reasons why man sleeps on in lukewarmness, and neither rises out of sin, nor advances in virtues as he ought, are many: the following are some of them.
Because man does not dwell within himself, to see what goes on in his inner house, and who is its owner; but with a wandering and curious mind wastes his days in pastimes of vanity. And even if he is occupied with things which are lawful and good in themselves, and with such as concern virtues and Christian perfection, he does not give his mind to them.
And if at times he thinks and becomes conscious of his need, and is called and moved by God to change his life, he answers, "To-morrow, to-morrow"; "By and by, by and by." But neither "to-day" nor "now" ever arrive; for through this vice of procrastination and delay, each "to-day" brings forth a new "to-morrow," and each "now" a new "by and by."
Nor are there wanting those who, believing that a change of life consists in certain devotions, spend all the day in reciting "Our Father," &c., without ever setting to work to mortify their disorderly passions, which cause them to cleave to creatures.
Others give themselves to exercises of virtue, but build without having laid their foundation, for every virtue has its proper foundation. Thus, humility has its foundation in the desire to be but little or nothing accounted of, to be despised by others, and to be vile in its own sight; therefore he who first lays this foundation, afterwards gladly accepts the stones of the building of humility. Then, increasing in the desire to be despised, and willingly receiving slights from others, he goes on acquiring humility; above all, often seeking it from God by virtue of the Humiliation of His Son.
And yet all this may be done by some, without either love of the virtue, or desire to please God. Here arises a want of consistency in the exhibition of this virtue; such persons to some are humble, to others are proud; humble to some, but proud to those whose esteem is of no importance to their designs.
There are others who desire Christian perfection, but seek it in their own strength, which is very feeble, by their own industry and exercises, and not from God, in distrust of themselves, and so they go backward rather than forward.
Again, there are those who have but just entered on the path of holiness, who persuade themselves that they have at once attained perfection, and so, having become vain in themselves, their virtues become vain also.
If then you would acquire Christian virtue and perfection, you must first distrust yourself, then trust in God, and strive to kindle in yourself the desire, as much as possible, of advancement day by day.
Watch also, so that no opportunity, whether it be great or small, of exercising a virtue be lost; and if you have missed some occasion of the kind, inflict on yourself some punishment, and do not suffer it to pass without chastisement.
And however far you may have advanced towards perfection, regard yourself day by day as one who is beginning, and study to perform every act with as much care, as if on it alone all perfection depended, and so with the second, the third, and all following actions.
Guard yourself against little faults as carefully, as diligent persons guard themselves against great ones.
Embrace virtue for virtue's sake, and for the sake of pleasing God, and then you will be the same, whether you are alone or in the presence of others. And you will learn in this way sometimes to leave a virtue for a virtue, and God for God. Do not swerve to the right hand nor to the left, neither turn back. Be discreet; love to be alone, to meditate and pray, beseeching God continually that He will grant you the virtue and perfection for which you are seeking, since God Himself is the Fountain of all virtues, and of the perfection to which He hourly calls us.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Of Love towards Enemies.
ALTHOUGH Christian perfection consists in perfect obedience to the commandments of God, nevertheless it chiefly proceeds from the love of our enemies; so greatly does this precept resemble the ways of God.
If then you wish to attain to perfection by a short road, strive very accurately to observe the command of Christ, which He gives in the precept to love our enemies; love, do good to, and pray for, them, not stiffly and coldly, but with such affection, that your heart, as it were, forgetting yourself, should be wholly given up to loving them and praying for them.
Do them good then; be very careful that in every thing that affects the soul they receive no injury from you, but manifest to them by every gesture, word and deed, that you love and value them, and are always at their service.
With reference to temporal benefits, you must be guided in what you do by prudence and judgment, having consideration for the nature of your enemies, your own condition, and circumstances.
If you follow this advice, holiness and peace will enter into your heart in great abundance.
Nor is this precept so difficult to keep as some imagine. No doubt it is hard to nature, but to him who is desirous and ever anxious to subdue each movement of nature or malice that arises within him, it will become easy, bringing with it an inner spring of sweet peace and readiness. However, to help your weakness, there are four most powerful aids to which you may resort.
One is prayer;—frequently to beseech Christ to give you this love, by virtue of His Love, Who, whilst hanging on the Cross, thought first of the good of His enemies, then of His Mother, lastly of Himself.
The second aid is to remind yourself of the precept, saying to yourself, "It is the Lord's command that I should love my enemies, therefore I must do so."
The third aid is to behold in your enemies the living image of God, Who at their creation gave it to them, and thus to excite your love and esteem for it.
The fourth, to regard further the ineffable ransom wherewith Christ redeemed them, not with silver and gold, but with His Own Blood, and so exert yourself that it be not shed in vain, lost, and trodden under foot.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Of Examination of Conscience.
EXAMINATION of conscience by diligent persons is usually made three times a day; before dinner, before vespers, and before going to bed. But if this cannot be done by some one, at least let him not neglect the examination in the evening. If God twice looked upon the works He had done for man, shall not man look more than once upon what he does for God, and for which he will moreover have to render to Him a strict account?
The examination should be made in the following way. First, seek light from God that you may know the state of your inner life and your works. Secondly, you will begin to consider how far your heart has been enclosed, and how you have kept the spirit of recollection. Thirdly, how you have during that day obeyed God, on all the occasions which He has given you of serving Him. On this I will add no more; for in this third consideration must be included the duties and obligations of each individual.
Having thanked God for enabling you on any occasion to correspond with His grace, or to perform any good action, forget it altogether, retaining the desire to begin your course anew, as if you had hitherto accomplished nothing.
Concerning failures, defects, and sins, turn to God, and, grieving over your offences, say to Him: "Lord, I have done this from what I am, nor should I have stopped where I did, had not Thy Right Hand come to my rescue; for this I give Thee thanks. Now do Thou, I pray Thee, O my Lord, in the Name of Thy Beloved Son, from what Thou art. Pardon me, and give me grace, so that I may not offend Thee any more."
And then, as a penance for your faults, and as a spur to amendment, mortify your will in some trifle which otherwise you would have allowed yourself, for this is well-pleasing to Him. I say the same of the body; and do not neglect this and similar acts of penance, lest the examination of conscience become a mere matter of routine, and fruitless in consequence of a slothful way of using it.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Of Two Rules for Living in Peace.
ALTHOUGH he who lives according to what has been already laid down will abide continually in peace, I will in this last chapter give two rules, which are also included in what has been said, by keeping which, you will live as quiet as is possible in this wicked world.
One is, to endeavour more and more to keep the door of your heart closed against desires, for desire is the long beam of the cross, and of anxiety, which will encumber you according to the greatness of the desire. And if the desires be for many things, the more will be the beams, which are prepared for many crosses. Then, when difficulties and obstacles in the way of the gratification of the desires arise, in these behold the other beam which forms the arms of the cross, to which is nailed the soul that yields to desires.
Whoever then would not have the cross, let him not desire, and if he finds himself on the cross, let him give up the desire; for as soon as he gives up the desire, he shall come down from the cross. It is the only remedy.
The other rule is, that when you are vexed or offended by others, do not let the thought rest in your mind, neither give way to such considerations as these: "That they have no business to treat me like this; who are they, or what do they think of themselves, or the like," for all this is adding fuel to the fire of anger, indignation, and hatred.
But have recourse at once in such cases to the Strength and Commands of God, in order that you may know what you ought to do, lest perchance your error may be worse than theirs. For in this way you shall return into the path of virtue and peace.
For if you cannot deal rightly with yourself, what marvel is it if others do not deal rightly with you?
And if you delight in taking vengeance on those who offend you, first you ought to take vengeance upon yourself, than whom you have not a greater enemy or offender.