LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ■Tjy 3 t) 6 3 ij22\§t]ttin$i !fa* Shelf .ZB3.5" UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TYROCINIUM RELIGIOSUM, OR SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS PERFECTION, BASED UPON, THE! T JLE^alJgfeNED MOTOHIHfiAW 7 BY GILES BABTSCHEREK, Abbot. ■ $ The Library of Congress washington Entered according to Act of Congress, on the 23rd day of January in the year 1896, by P. VINCENT HUBER, At the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. Nihil Obstat: Rev. A. A. LAMBENT G, Censor Librorum. IMPRIMATUR: f E. PHELA^, Ejpisc. Pittsb. IMPEIMI PERMITTIMUS: LEAKDEK SCH^EEK, Archiabbas. Die 10. Eebruarii, 1896. Festo Stse Scholastics. PREFACE. E hope that this little work 2 will meet with a hearty wel- come on the part of many >(5 religious communities of both sexes. In the English language there is a dearth of books of this kind. There are some admirable ascetical works, such as Rodriguez, Practice of Christian and Religious Perfection ; Scaramelli, Guide to the Spiritual Life; Saint- Jure, Treatise on the Vows and Virtues of the Religious State, etc., but a compendious work was needed to serve as text book in the Novi- tiate — a small manual to accompany the VI Religious at all times. Such a compendium of ascetic theology is herewith offered. , In its manuscript form it has been used for many years in this Abbey as the text of instruction to the Novices. Two years ago it appeared in Latin print and now it is published in English that it may be servicable in those religious communities, in which it was not available in its original Latin form. We think it will be particularly accepta- ble to the numerous communities of Sisters in this country. Mistresses of Novices will find it a convenient guide in their instructions to aspirants to the religious life. The Tyrocinium is based upon the Holy Rule of S. Benedict. But as this Rule is the basis of all other religious rules, the School of Religious Perfection will be found well adapted to all Orders and Con- gregations existing in the Church. Whilst the work is primarily intended for such as have been called to the religi- ous state, the secular clergy, and even lay- men, who aspire to Christian perfection, VII will read and study it with much profit to their soitfs. The translation does not always adhere to the original text. Many things have been omitted and some changes and addi- tions have been made, which, it is hoped, will render the work more adapted and serviceable as a guide to perfection. That the unpretentious little work may intensify the flame of divine charity in the hearts of many readers, is the ardent prayer of the Translator. ST. VINCENT ARCHABBEY, Beatty, Pa. Feb. 17th, 1896. Octave of S. Scholastica. INDEX. PART I. PAGE. 1. Nature of the Tyrocinium . . . 1 2. Object of the Tyrocinium ... 2 3. Means of obtaining- the object of the Tyrocinium ...... 3 4. Aids and Obstacles to progress in the School of Perfection .... 5 5. What the Novice should avoid and what he should observe during- the time of his Tyrocinium ... 6 6. On the proper Intention, with which the Novice should enter upon his Tyrocinium ...... 8 7. Characteristics of the true Novice . 9 PART II. CHAPTER I. Manner of making Sacramental Con- fession ....... 12 § 1. Matter of- Sacramental Confession . 13 2. Contrition . 14 Necessity of Contrition ... 15 Qualities of Contrition ... 16 Purpose of Amendment and its Qual- ities 19 IX PAGE § 3. Sacramental Confession .... 20 4. Sacramental Satisfaction ... 21 5. Practical Manner of going- to Confes- sion . . . . . . .23 6. General Confession ..... 25 CHAPTER II. Holy Communion ..... 29 § 1. Preparation for Holy Communion . 29 2. Actual Reception of Holy Communion 32 3. After Holy Communion .... 36 4. Spiritual Communion .... 38 CHAPTER III. Manner of celebrating- and assisting- at Mass devoutly and of visiting- the Blessed Sacrament .... 39 § 1. Manner of celebrating- Mass ... 40 2. Manner of assisting- at Mass . . 42 3. Visit to the Blessed Sacrament . . 45 CHAPTER IV, Prayer ARTICLE I. — Prayer in General 1. Nature of Prayer 2. Excellence of Prayer 3. Usefulness of Prayer 4. Necessity of Prayer 5. Conditions of Prayer 6. Impediments of Prayer 7. What to do when we find ourselves dis- tracted in Prayer 48 49 49 50 50 52 54 56 60 ARTICLE II. — Vocal Prayer . .68 § 1. Nature and Division of Vocal Prayer . 68 2. Antiquity of the Canonical Hours or Divine Office 69 X PAGK § 3. Dig-nity and Excellence of the Canoni- cal Office . . .... 72 4. Utility of the Sacred Psalmody . . 76 5. Intention, Devotion and Attention re- quired in the recitation* of the Divine Office 79 6. Nature of the Internal Attention . . 85 7. Aids for preserving- Attention . . 88 8. External Devotion and Reverence dur- ing- Divine Office ..... 91 ARTICLE III.— Mental Prayer or Medi- tation ....... 94 § 1. Nature of Meditation . . . .96 2. Preparation for Meditation ... 99 3. Exercise of the Memory .... 100 4. Exercise of the Understanding- . . 102 5. Exercise of the Will . . . .107 6. Supplemental Parts of Meditation . 114 7. Impediments to a g-ood Meditation and their Remedies 117 ARTICLE IV.— Ejaculatory Prayers . 120 CHAPTER V. Spiritual Reading 123 § 1. Necessity of Spiritual Reading- . . 124 2. Manner of making- Spiritual Reading- . 127 3. Suitable Books for Spiritual Reading: . 130 4. Distribution of the books of the Old and New Testament for Spiritual Reading ...... 136 CHAPTER VI, Daily Examination of Conscience. . 138 ARTICLE I.— General Examination of Conscience ...... 140 ARTICEE II.— Particular Examination of Conscience . . . . . 144 XI PAGE § 1. Nature and Utility of the Particular Examination and Method of making- it well 144 2. Selection of Subject for the Particular Examen .148 CHAPTER VII. Manifestation 152 CHAPTER VHI. Religious Modesty 158 § 1. Nature of Religious Modesty . . 159 2. Necessity of Religious Modesty . . 160 3. General Rules of Religious Modesty . 166 4. Special Rules of Religious Modesty . 168 I. In Conversation .... 168 II. At Table 175 III. In the Dormitory . . .177 IV. In the Cell 178 PART III. CHAPTER 1, The Religious State . . . .181 § 1. Nature of the Religious State . . 181 Inference ...... 184 2. Dignity and Excellence of the Religi- ous State . . . * . . .184 Practical Inferences . . . . 185 CHAPTER II, Religious Perfection . . . . 186 § 1. Essence of Religious Perfection . . 186 Practical Inferences .... 187 2. Nature of that Charity which consti- tutes religious Perfection . . . 189 Practical Inferences .... 190 XII CHAPTER III. page Grave Obligation of striving- after Per- fection ....... 191 1. Whether Religious are required to be actually perfect 191 Practical Inferences . . . 192 2. Whether Religious are obliged under mortal sin to strive after Religious Perfection 192 Practical Inferences . . . . 193 3. In what the Obligation of tending towards Perfection consists . . 194 Practical Inferences . ' . . . 195 PART IV- The Tripple Way . . . . . 200 I. STAGE OF PURGATION . . 203 CHAPTER I. Penance ...... 204 1. Nature of Penance ..... 204 • Inference 207 2. Necessity of Penance . . 208 3. Kinds of Penitential Works . 209 4, Motive of Penance . . . . . CHAPTER II. 211 Mortification 217 ARTICLE I. —Mortification in General 218 1. Nature of Mortification .... 218 2. Division of Mortification 219 3. Necessity of Mortification 219 4. Fruits of Mortification .... ARTICLE} II. — Mortification in Parti- 222 cular . . . . 224 XIII PAGE A. Interior Mortification . . . 224 $ 1. Mortification of the Intellect . . 224 2. Mortification of Self-will and Self-love 227 3. Mortification of the Memory . 4. Mortification of Unruly Passions . 5. Mortification of Human Respect . B. Exterior Mortification . § 1. Mortification of the Sense of Sight 2. Mortification of the Sense of Hearing 3. Mortification of the Sense of Taste 4. Mortification of the Sense of Smell 5. Mortification of the Sense of Touch 6. Mortification of the Tong-ue . ARTICLE II. — Humility 1. Nature of Humility . 2. Necessity of Humility 3. Additional Incentives to Humility 4. Practice of True Humility A. Towards God . B. Towards Others . 5. Signs of False Humility 230 232 233 236 236 237 239 240 241 242 II. STAGE OF ILLUMINATION . 244 CHAPTER I. § 1. Nature of Virtue ..... 245 2. Division of Virtues 247 3. Manner of Developing Virtues . . 248 CHAPTER II, ARTICLE I. — Particular Virtues . 250 § 1. Nature of Religious Zeal . . . 250 2. Pure Intention in our Ordinary Actions 252 2. How to Perform our Daily Duties Per- fectly 256 4. Means of Performing our Dailv Duties Perfectlv . . . . . .258 260 260 260 262 263 263 263 265 XIV PAGE ARTICLE III. — Perfect Conformity of our Will to the Will of God . . 266 1. Nature of this Virtue . . ' 266 2. Excellence and Necessity of this Virtue 267 3. Motives to Acquire this Conformity . 268 4. Practice and Degree of this Conformity 270 ARTICLE IV. — Resolute Perseverance in Good . . ' 271 ARTICLE V. — Synopsis of some other Virtue belonging- to the Stag-e of Il- lumination 272 The Virtue of Religion . . . .272 The Virtue of Prudence .... 274 3. The Virtue of Justice . . . .275 4. The Virtue of Temperance . . . 276 The Virtue of Fortitude . . . .276 The Virtue of Simplicity . . . 277 The Virtue of Meekness .... 278 Religious Friendship and Affability . 282 III. STAGE OF UNION . . .284 CHAPTER I. 1. Union of the Memory with God . . 284 2. Union of the Intellect with God through Faith 289 3. Union of the Will with God through Charity 292 PART V. The Religious Vows . . . .295 CHAPTER L The Vow of Poverty . . . .296 1. Essence of the Vow of Poverty^ . . 296 2. Excellence of Religious Poverty . . 298 3. Advantages of Religious Poverty . . 299 XV PAGE § 4. Obligations Resulting- from the Solemn Vow of Poverty 302 5. What thing's a Religious may possess in his own right and name without vio- lating- the Vow of Poverty . . 307 6- On the Permission required that a Re- ligious may receive or dispose of temporal g-oods without violating- the Vow of Poverty 308 7. Superfluous Thing-s 311 8. Degrees of Poverty 312 9. Practice of Poverty in Dress . . 314 10. Practice of Poverty in Diet . . . 315 11. Practice of Poverty in Cell and Furni- ture . . . . . . 317 CHAPTER II. The Vow of Chastity . . . .318 § 1. Nature of Religious Chastity . . 318 2. Obligations assumed through the Vow of Chastity . . . . ■ . .319 3. Principal Dangers to Chastity . . 320 4. Means of Preserving Chastity . . 325 5. How to behave when actually assailed by Temptations against Chastity . 329 CHAPTER III. The Vow of Obedience . . . .332 § 1. Nature of Religious Obedience . . 332 2. "Excellence of the Vow of Obedience . 333 3. Efficacy of Religious Obedience . . 333 4. Security and Peace of Soul Resulting from Religious Obedience . . . 334 5. To what things Religious Obedience Extends 335 6. Whom we must obey in Virtue of the Vow of Obedience .... 337 7. Degrees of Obedience . . . .339 8. Qualities of Religious Obedience . . 342 9. Murmuring 344 XVI CHAPTER IV. PAGE The Vow of Stability .... 347 § 1. Nature of the Vow of Stability . . 347 2. Obligations assumed through the Vow of Stability .349 3. Reasons that may Excuse from L,ocal Stability 351 4. Some Regulations for such as are sta- tioned outside the Monastery . . 354 CHAPTER V. The Vow of Conversion of Morals . 355 § 1. Nature of the Vow of Conversion of Morals 355 2. Impediments to a thorough Conversion of Morals 356 PART FIRST. On things which the Novice should know at the very beginning of his course in the Tyrocinium. § 1. Nature of the Tyrocinium. The Tyrocinium is a school of perfec- tion, in which, from principles expressly or otherwise revealed by God, we learn how Religious should serve Him. Hence, whether we consider the dignity of the Teacher, Who is God Himself, or the nat- ure and excellence of the knowledge im- parted, which alone is necessary for sal- vation, we at once infer that the Novice should attend the instructions given in this school 1. with great internal reverence, founded in the firm conviction that in it he will hear nothing else than the manifestations of Divine Wisdom; 2. with great external reverence, know- ing that he receives these instructions through his legitimate superior, whom the Holy Ghost uses as His interpreter and organ; 3. with great fervor and spiritual hung-er; 4. with a diligent remembrance of these instructions; 5. with a generous and persevering- ap- plication of them; 6. with a holy and salutary fear, lest, if he should neglect these salutary teach- ing's, the words of the prophet be verified in him: Because thou hast rejected know- ledge I will reject thee. (Osee. 4, 6.) § 2. Object of the Tyrocinium. The object of this school is to teach the Novice how to serve God. It teaches him how to perform the duties of his vocation to the religious life, which demands from him not any ordinary service of God, but rather a hig-her and more perfect one, as is evident from the common belief of the Church, as well as from the intrinsic nat- ure and character of the religious life, as outlined in the writing's of the Fathers and even in Sacred Scripture. This science of perfection in the service of God is so sublime and at the same time so distasteful and repug-nant to cor- rupt nature, that the Novice must not ex- pect to learn it by his own endeavors; he is therefore provided with a g-uide, a mas- ter, whose duty it is not only to teach thoroughly and clearly the principles and maxims of this science, but also to enforce them at all times with fatherly severity. Inference: The religious Novice should manifest his gratitnde to God for this be- nign proyidence by earnestly and frequently reflecting upon the object he had in yiew on entering the school of perfection; he should endeayor to bear it in mind con- tinually and striye conscientiously to ob- tain it; he should apply himself diligently to learn the object and the means neces- sary to attain it, and seriously question himself whether he is equal to the task. Otherwise he would make himself guilty of a fault against the yirtue of religion by neglecting to learn those things, which belong to the service of God, to which he intends to consecrate himself by his re- ligious profession, or at least he would expose himself to the danger of leading a discontented life in the religious state, by entering upon it without an adequate, practical knowledge of his duties. § 3. Means of obtaining the object of the Tyrocinium. The chief means of attaining this end is a proper study of asceticism. For asceti- cism is a practical science, which, by means of principles divinely revealed, not only teaches how to avoid sin and practice virtue, but also by means of the evangeli- cal counsels and works of supererogation perfects the morals and leads to a most intimate union of the will with the will of God. It is therefore a science, which teaches man how to serve God in the most sublime and perfect manner. Hence it is only through diligent study that man can arrive at a practical knowledge how to serve God perfectly. However, that the study of asceticism may produce this desired result, certain conditions and directions must be complied with. The Novice should devote himself to it 1. with a simple, pure and perfect in- tention; 2. with an humble and confiding prayer to God for the assistance of His grace; 3. with a lively faith, realizing that these ascetic truths are not the teachings of man, but that they are revealed by God; hence, he must not seek empty erudition and beauty of style, but a thorough con- version of morals in the showing of the spirit and power; (I. Cor. 2, 4.) 4. with a diligent application of the mind and frequent reflection; 5. with a firm resolution of putting into practice the teachings of this practical science and of overcoming all real or ap- parent difficulties with the assistance of God's grace. He should often examine himself care- fully how he has observed these directions; if he has neglected some he should resolve to comply with them for the future, that so by daily use he may put them into practice and make them his second nature. § 4. Aids and Obstacles to progress in the School of Perfection. The aids are: 1. A practical esteem and fervent love of one's relig-ious vocation; 2. an ardent desire of making- great spiritual progress; this desire is enkindled, nourished and strengthened b}^ daily con- sidering* the manifold favors of God and by keeping* before the eyes of the. soul the examples of the Blessed Virgin and other Saints, particularly of our Order; 3. a perfect self-control; 4. an humble and absolute compliance with every behest of the superior; 5. a pious solicitude to perform all the duties of the spiritual life with an actual reflection on the three points: What is to be done, why and how is it to be done? 6. a firm determination of the will to avoid everything- that is displeasing- to God, to do at all times what is pleasing* to Him, to bear everything- that is distasteful to self-love, to advance continually towards higher perfection. The obstacles are: 1. Love of the world; 2. sloth, aversion to labor, fear of dif- ficulties and faintheartedness; 3. neglect of earnest mortification in- terior as well as exterior; 4. carelessness and indifference in the remembrance of the loving* presence of God; " 5. ingratitude for graces and favors re- ceived from God and their abuse; 6. reliance upon one's own strength and want of confidence in God; 7. want of childlike love and candor towards the superior; 8. lowmindedness, which contents itself with any commonplace and superficial prac- tice of virtue. § 5. What the Novice should avoid and what he should observe during the time of his Tyrocinium. The Novice should avoid 1. all intercourse with the world and worldly minded persons, whether in thought, word or affection; 2. all useless and worldly conversations; 3. all frivolity and petulant frowardness in action or speech, or intercourse with others; 4. all idle and unnecessary roaming* about outside the enclosure of the Novitiate; 5. all excess in eating* and drinking*; 6. all envy, bitterness and dislike of others; 7. all sinister, suspicious and rash judge- ments; 8. all private and sensual friendships and familiarities. On the other hand the Novice should endeavor to keep himself well disposed towards God, his neig*hbor and himself 1. by a holy zeal for Divine Service and all spiritual exercises; 2. by manifesting* reverence, respect, fraternal charity, patience, gentleness and humility towards others; 3. by a pure intention, assiduity in prayer and an ardent desire for solid virtue and a hig*h degree of perfection; 4. by a careful attention to little thing's; 5. by a childlike candor, and confidence in his spiritual director. Let the beg*inner in religious life im- press it well upon his mind, that the avoidance of the obstacles to perfection, the use of the means conducive to per- fection and the observance of all the rules laid down for the religious life are by no means matters of indifference or of little importance; for these are the criterions by which we must judg*e whether he has a 8 true desire of advancing* in spiritual life. Should he prove himself habitually negli- gent, slothful and careless in these mat- ters, especially should he do so out of contempt, he would sin against obedience, against justice and against the virtue of religion, lose much valuable time, abuse and lose many graces and fail to avail himself of numberless opportunities of ac- quiring many and great merits. § 6. On the proper Intention, with which the Novice should enter upon his Tyrocinium. Intention is the deliberate volition of an end. The end, which we strive to attain by our actions, may be good or bad, perfect or imperfect, natural or super- natural; so also the intention may be good or bad, perfect or imperfect, natural or supernatural. As no one can propose to himself a more perfect or exalted end than God, Who is infinitely amiable, it follows that there can be no more perfect intention than that, which proceeds from perfect charity, whether actual or virtual. In virtue of such an intention all man's actions, even those that are of themselves indiffer- ent, as also those that are agreeable to nature, become meritorious; his sufferings and trials are made conducive unto life everlasting and works that are naturally good become more acceptable to God and supernaturally meritorious to man. The value of such works is still more enhanced when the}' are offered to God through the hands of the Blessed Virgin and in union with the works of Christ. Moreover, when an action is performed with several differ- ent good intentions, it increases in merit and will consequently receive a greater reward. Hence the Novice, who is truly in earnest in devoting himself to the ser- vice of God, who has a desire for heaven and is solicitous about the welfare of his soul, will not fail to make a perfect in- tention before entering upon the Tyro- cinium, and will endeavor to perform all his actions from pure motives; and in order to preserve and increase his first fervor in striving after perfection, he will often re- new his good intentions, especially on days of holy communion. §7. Characteristics of the true Novice. St. Benedict in his Holy Rule (chap. 58.) enumerates the following characteristics of the true Novice : 1. That he truly seek God; by a proper intention, by diligent prayer, by a con- tinual practice of mortification, by a manly desire of great and solid virtue, by a per- fect renouncement and forgetfulness of the world, by an invincible fortitude in ad- 10 versity, and by a general exclusion of all human fear and respect; 2. that he shozv a careful solicitude for everything that belongs to the Divine Ser- vice; by arranging- everything properly, by preparing himself conscientiously, by observing everything exactly and by doing everything in the fear of God and in hu- mility to the edification of those who hear him; 3. that he show a readiness to obey; by complying scrupulously with all rules, re- gulations and directions^ even in most trivial matters, by submitting himself in all things to the judgment and will of his superior, by despising self-will, by ex- hibiting an even temper in everything that may be enjoined upon him, by obeying his inferiors, equals and superiors accord- ing to the dictates and spirit of the Holy Rule; (chap. 5. and 71.) 4. that he show a willingness to suffer humiliations ; by accepting injury, reproach, correction and punishment with an even temperament, by bearing all afflictions of body or soul with unbroken patience, by preserving an unruffled calmness of mind in all the vicissitudes of life, by manifest- ing a holy simplicity in all his actions, by endeavoring to cultivate external and internal humility, saying not only with his lips but from profound conviction that he 11 is the least and meanest of all. (Holy Rule, chap. 7.) This, then, is the ideal, before which the young* Novice should examine himself, and according* to which he should fashion himself by removing the stains of a worldly life, till he becomes exactly like the ideal. This it is what God, religion, the com- munity and the eternal welfare of his soul demand from him; let him therefore study this ideal thoroughly, frequently and with fruit. PART SECOND. Practical Doctrines, from the faithful application of which depend the fruits of the spiritual exercises and, in general, of the entire monastic discipline. The practical endeavor of acquiring* re- ligious perfection, the steady observance of monastic discipline and the faithful per- formance of the spiritual exercises are so intimately connected with each other, that they necessarily stand or fall together. Hence this second part of the Tyrocinium treats of matters of the greatest importance and the young Novice should concentrate all his energy upon the study and practice of them. :o: CHAPTER I. Manner of making Sacramental Confession meritoriously and with fruit. The validity and effects of the Sacrament of Penance depend to a great extent upon 13 the acts of the penitent ; hence no one can be ignorant or content himself with a superficial knowledge of the nature of these acts and their essential requisites, without exposing* himself to the danger of com- mitting- a great sacrilege. These acts together with their qualities w T ill now be explained in accordance with safe principles of Theology. § 1. Matter of Sacramental Confession. Penance may be considered as a virtue or as a sacrament. As a virtue it is the same as contrition, which is treated in the next paragraph. As a sacrament it is de- fined as follows : Penance is a sacrament instituted by Christ, in which the priest, as God's representative, forgives sins when the sinner is heartily sorry for them, sin- cerely confesses them and is willing- to do penance for them. (Deharbe.) It is in this latter signification that penance forms the subject matter of this chapter. The matter of this Sacrament is twofold, remote and proximate. The remote matter are only those sins, which have been com- mitted after Baptism. Mortal sins, accord- ing to their kind, number and the circum- stances, which change the kind of sin, form a necessary matter of confession so long as they have not been properly con- fessed and remitted through the absolution 14 of the priest. Venial sins, on the contrary, and those mortal sins, which have been already confessed and forgiven, constitute a sufficient, but optional matter of con- fession. To be able to distinguish more easily between necessary and optional matter of confession, it is necessary to know that to incur the g-uilt of mortal sin three thing's are absolutely and conjointly required: 1. The matter must be grave either in itself or on account of circumstances; 2. there must be full advertence to the sinfulness of the act or omission; 3. there must be full and perfect consent on the part of the will. (Gury, Comp. Theol. Mor. n. 150.) The proximate matter of this Sacrament are three acts of the penitent, namely, con- trition, confession and satisfaction. § 2. Contrition. Contrition is an interior sorrow and de- testation of sin committed^ with the resolu- tion not to sin any more, (Council of Trent, sess. 14. chap. 4.) Detestation of sin, which is the principal part of contrition, has reference to the past, whilst the resolution has reference to the future. The above definition does not take into consideration the New Law, in which contrition must be accompanied by the will 15 of going- to confession, to make it effective in regard to mortal sin. Hence the Council of Trent subjoins — with the will to do all that is required in order to receive this Sacrament properly. This is clearly expressed by St. Thomas when he says that contrition is a sorrow for sins with the purpose of confessing' them and making satisfaction for them. (Suppl. qu. 1. art. 1.) There are two kinds of contrition, perfect and imperfect. Perfect contrition is that sorrow and detestation of sin, which pro- ceeds from perfect charity ; in other words, it springs from a consideration of the in- trinsic goodness of God, on account of which He is infinitely amiable in Himself. Imperfect contrition, which is also called attrition, is a detestation of sin, which proceeds from some other supernatural motive, e. g. from a consideration of the hatefulness of sin or a fear of helL, or a desire of eternal happiness. Necessity of Contrition. Perfect contrition with the will of re- ceiving the Sacrament, or imperfect con- trition with the actual reception of the Sacrament of Penance are the only means, through which the state of grace can be regained by one, who has committed mortal sin after Baptism. This doctrine is clearly 16 contained in the Scriptures and in the writing's of the Fathers, and reason itself teaches that sin can not be forg-iven with- out sorrow for it. Hence the Council of Trent says : This act of sorrow was at all times necessary in order to obtain the for- giveness of sin, (sess. 14. chap. 4.) and (sess. 6. chap. 6.) it numbers hatred and detestation of sin, among- the principal dispositions required for justification. It is clear that the act of contrition must precede or at least co-exist with the absolu- tion itself. Practically speaking-, the act of sorrow must precede the absolution, because the penitent should have all the required dispositions before he presents himself for absolution. It is very advisable to renew the act of contrition immediately before confession, especially if the last act of sorrow has been made a considerable time before confession, althoug-h the act may virtually continue for an entire day or even long-er. Should the penitent, im- mediately after absolution, confess some mortal sin, which he had forg-otten, it is safer to renew the act of contrition. Qualities of Contrition. In order that contrition, whether perfect or imperfect, may effectively dispose the sinner to receive the remission of sin, it must have the following- qualities: 17 1. It must be interior, according* to the words of God spoken by the mouth of the prophet: Rend your hearts and not your garments; (Joel 2, 13.) 2. it must be supernatural, that is, it must be elicited by the assistance of divine grace and from some supernatural motive made known to man throug*h revelation and in some way drawing* the sinner to- wards God; for natural -means cannot conduct to a supernatural end. There are five such supernatural motives of contrition, namely: The fear of punishment, the hope of reward, the hatefulness of sin, the good- ness of God manifested by His gifts and favors to man and the goodness of God considered as one of His attributes. When the act of sorrow spring's from any one of these motives as known by the lig*ht of faith and is accompanied by the hope of obtain- ing* pardon, it is supernatural; 3. it must be supreme, i. e. the sinner must detest his sins more than all other evils that mig*ht befall him, and he must be so disposed that he would choose to lose and suffer everything* rather than to commit sin ag*ain; otherwise his conversion to God would not be entire and without reserve; 4. it must be universal, i. e. it must extend itself at least implicitly to all mortal sins, of which the sinner is guilty ; the reason for this is because sin is remitted 18 by the infusion of sanctifying- grace into the soul, and this sanctifying* grace is in- compatible with even only one mortal sin. Remarks : 1. Contrition for venial sins need not necessarily be universal, because such sins are not a necessary matter for confession and some can be remitted without others being* forg-iven; however, no venial sin is forgiven without sorrow. 2. Contrition for sin need not be supreme in intensity, because the intensity of sorrow is something- merely accidental, in other words, the greater or less degree of sorrow does not constitute the essence of contrition. It is therefore sufficient that it be supreme in estimation, i. e. that sin be considered the greatest of all evils and therefore de- tested more than all other evils. 3. Imperfect contrition, which arises from a fear of the pains of hell, is sufficient to obtain f org-iveness of sin throug-h the Sa- crament of Penance, provided it be truly supernatural and effectively exclude the attachment of the will to sin. The reason for this is because such a contrition is a true conversion to God and an aversion from sin. Hence the Council of Trent teaches that attrition, which is conceived from a fear of hell and other punishments, is g-ood and disposes the sinner for justi- 19 fication in the Sacrament of Penance, (sess. 14. chap. 4.) 4. Imperfect contrition or attrition does not remit mortal sin without the actual reception of the Sacrament of Penance; on the contrary, perfect contrition, which is alwa^ys accompanied b}' the explicit or im- plicit will of receiving- the Sacrament, re- mits mortal sins and therefore justifies the sinner without the actual reception of the Sacrament of Penance. The reason is be- cause attrition does not include perfect charity, but rather excludes it; this charity must therefore be infused together with sanctifying grace throug*h the Sacrament of Penance. But perfect contrition neces- sarily includes perfect charity, which, even in its most remiss degree, is a bond of union between God and man; hence it necessarily excludes mortal sin, which separates man from God. 5. Perfect contrition not only remits the g-uilt of mortal sin and its eternal punish- ment, but in proportion to its degree of intensit}^ it also remits all or at least a part of the temporal punishment due to sin. Purpose of Amendment and its Qualities. Purpose of amendment is a fixed resolve on the part of the will not to sin again. This purpose is two-fold, explicit and implicit. It is explicit or formal when it 20 is made after an actual reflection on the future; it is implicit or virtual, when the future is not actually considered; such an implicit purpose is alwa}^s contained in the act of contrition. A purpose of amendment is absolutely necessary since it forms an essential part of contrition, and must have the follow- ing- qualities: 1. It must be firm, i. e. the sinner must have a fixed determination of the will not to relapse into sin, notwithstanding- all difficulties, human respect or fear; 2. it must be effective, i. e. the penitent must not only firmly resolve not to sin ag-ain, but he must also determine to use the neces- sary means to overcome temptations and to avoid the proximate occasions of sin; 3. it must be universal, i. e., it must extend to all mortal sins committed in the past or committible in the future. With reg-ard to venial sins, it is requisite and sufficient for the validity of the Sacrament to have a firm and effective purpose of avoiding at least one venial sin, for which absolution is asked. § 3. Sacramental Confession. Sacramental confession is a manifestation of one's sins to a duly authorized priest with the intention of receiving- absolution. It must be contrite, i. e. the sorrow for 21 sin must co-exist, at least virtually, with the confession and absolution. It must be entire, i. e. the accusation must include all mortal sins committed after baptism and not yet forgiven through the Sacrament of Penance. These sins must be confessed according- to kind and number, and also the circumstances which change the kind of sin. The confession must also be ac- companied by the hope of pardon. In order that our confessions may be more pleasing to God and fruitful to us, they should have the following- qualifications enumerated by St. Thomas: They should be plain, humble, pure, sincere, frequent, open, discreet, free, modest, entire, secret, contrite, short, manly, self-accusing, submissive. (Suppl. qu. 9. art. 4.) To assist the memory, a certain order should be observed in enumerating- sins, e. g. by first confessing- the sins committed directly against God, then those committed against our neighbor and ourselves in thought, word, deed or sinful omission. § 4. Sacramental Satisfaction. Satisfaction is the reparation made by the sinner to the outraged majesty of God by penitential works. Such penitential works, in the present state of corrupt nature, are all good works and acts of virtue, even those, which are merely in- 22 ternal. All penitential works may be re- duced to three, namely, prayer, fasting* and alms-deeds. These works may be self-imposed, and then they constitute a satisfaction, which is not sacramental; or they may be imposed by the confessor, and then they are called sacramental satisfaction. The will to ac- cept and perform the penance imposed by the confessor is requisite for the validity of the Sacrament. When a grave penance is imposed for mortal sin, it must be per- formed under pain of mortal sin, and to defer it very long- would be at least a venial sin. Since the sacramental penance is seldom equivalent to the reparation, which God demands from the sinner, penitents are oblig-ed by natural law to supply the de- ficiency by self-imposed penitential works. This is done very easily and yet securely by those Religious, who are faithful to their vocation and obedient to their Holy Rule. For they lead a life of continual prayer, fasting- and alms-deeds and practice self-denial without intermission. They are always aspiring- to a hig-her degree of per- fection, and hence if they endeavor to per- form all their actions out of love to God and offer them to Him in satisfaction for their sins, they may piously confide in the Lord and expect an increase of charity 23 and the remission of their temporal punish- ments due to sin. § 5. Practical Manner of going to Confession. First of all, the proper disposition, re- mote as well as proximate is required. The remote disposition consists in a ha- bitual evenness, rectitude and tenderness of conscience. These are acquired by con- tinual recollection, watchfulness over the heart, careful examinations of conscience and unswerving- horror of sin. A true and tender conscience is diametrically opposed to a scrupulous as well as to a lax conscience and it is absolutely necessary to obtain purity of heart. The proximate disposition consists in an exact and earnest observance of those thing's which precede, accompany or fol- low the confession. Before confession there are required: 1. A pure intention; 2. acts af faith, hope and charit3 r ; 3. a fervent invocation of the Holy Ghost for the grace of knowing and detesting- our sins and amending our lives; 4. a diligent examination of conscience; 5. a heartfelt sorrow; 6. a purpose of amendment. 24 During confession : 1. At least a virtual contrition; 2. a profound humility, exterior as well as interior; 3. a sense of holy shame and confusion; 4. a careful attention to the admonitions and instructions of the confessor. After co7ifession: 1. A fervent act of thanksgiving- ; 2. performance of the sacramental pen- ance; 3. a deliberate and manful keeping- of the purpose of amendment; 4. a holy fear for forgiven sins, by means of a frequent and sorrowful remembrance of one's past sinful life, a continual and serious practice of penance and a g-uarded and thougiitful mode of life. To obtain a peaceful and quiet conscience regarding- our confessions it will be found very useful 1. to recall to mind some grievous sin of the past life, to make an explicit act of contrition for it and to mention it in confession without giving* its details; this will intensify the sorrow and compunction of heart, which a sinner should feel for his sins; 2. to select from the number of those venial sins, which the penitent is about to confess, one, which is more serious than 25 the rest, or of more frequent occurrence, or more pernicious, or the cause of many other venial sins and imperfections and to make a special resolution to avoid this particular sin in future. By this practice we acquire a more perfect knowledge and hatred of ourselves, we become more cir- cumspect in daily life and tend more ef- fectually towards religious perfection. § 6. General Confession. A general confession differs from an ordinary confession in this that it extends itself to all sins committed after Baptism. A general confession of mortal sins is necessary for all those, who have always made invalid or sacrilegious confessions. Those who have at any time in their lives made sacrilegious confessions, must confess all mortal sins committed since the last good confession; such a confession is sometimes also called general. It is a very commendable practice for Novices to make a general confession at the beginning of their Novitiate, as it is a very effective means to a thorough re- formation of the whole man, which should be begun with perfect purity of conscience. But even apart from these cases a gen- eral confession made with the approval of one's spiritual director is very useful and 26 j meritorious. By such a confession the penitent acquires 1. the merit of obedience; 2. the merit of heroic humility; 3. an increase of charity and grace; 4. a more complete remission of tempo- ral punishments; 5. a greater purity of soul; 6. a more perfect knowledge and hatred of self. The confessor or spiritual director, to whom such a general confession is made, will know the interior of his penitent much better and will therefore be able to direct him more easily and safely on the paths of perfection. Hence all zealous Religious are accustomed to make such confessions occasionally, and at their annual retreats they make a review of the past year, from which they usually derive abundant fruit. The manner of making a general confes- sion does not differ from that of an ordi- nary one, except that more attention must be given to the examination of conscience, which.extends over a longer period of time, and that sins already duly confessed and forgiven need not be mentioned in detail. It often happens that after a general confession scruples arise in the ^penitent. When this is the case such scruples should be carefully removed in order to restore peace of soul. To do this the penitent 27 with the assistance of his confessor should investigate 1. whether the matter of the sin, which disquiets him, was grave either in itself or on account of some circumstance; 2. whether the sin was committed with full advertence to the sinfulness of the act or omission; 3. whether he was aware of the gravity of the sin at the time of its commission, and if not whether his ignorance of it was culpable; 4. whether he never properly confessed the sin. After examining himself on these points it will not be difficult to arrive at a pru- dent solution of the doubt, and to remove all anxiety. Should his mind still be dis- turbed about the matter, he should not make any further investigations, which would be useless and sometimes dangerous, but should place absolute reliance in the judgment of his confessor. In order to guard against scrupulosity it is advisable to make known to the con- fessor all doubts and perplexities as soon as they arise in the mind, especially if the penitent has once made a general con- fession with due diligence. Should the penitent be tempted by the devil to conceal sins in confession, let him reflect 28 1. that he would act very foolishly in concealing- out of shame from one, what he was not ashamed to do before many; 2. that he makes his confession to a sinner, who can have compassion with him; to a priest, whose lips are sealed and who will know that, which he hears in confession, less, than that, which he does not know at all; to a physician, who is not scandalized but edified by the candor of his patient; 3. that this false shame serves no pur- pose, because the sin, which is now con- cealed from one, will be made known to the whole world on the day of judgment; 4. that by an humble confession he ex- tinguishes the flames of hell; 5. that by a confession, which causes him so much confusion, he practices forti- tude in a heroic degree, which redounds to his honor. After considering- these thing-s it is not likely that anyone will refuse to confess to a merciful Father what he has done, to avoid falling- into the hands of an in- censed Judg-e. -:o:- 29 CHAPTER II. Holy Communion. To partake of this heavenly bread with- out eating- judgment to himself (I. Cor. 11, 28.) a man must prove himself, that is, he must carefully prepare and dispose himself to receive this bread of life; for the more perfect the preparation, the greater will be the spiritual fruit derived from this Sacrament. § 1. Preparation for Holy Communion. In order that holy communion may not become sacrilegious the conscience must be free of mortal sin and the recipient must be fasting since midnight; but to derive abundant fruits from the reception of this Sacrament a careful preparation, remote as well as proximate, is required. The remote preparation comprises: 1. Purity of life, which consists not only in the avoidance of mortal and venial sins, but also in a zealous practice of virtue, in a freedom from all rebellious emotions of love and hatred, from all inordinate desire of ease and honor, from all undue attachment to anything created; for these are the three obstacles to that close union with Christ, which should be the object and effect of holy communion; 30 2. a continual practice of interior and exterior mortification, without which purity of life can not be acquired or preserved; 3. an ardent charity towards God and sincere love of one's neighbor; for this is the Sacrament of God's intense love to man, it is the symbol and figure of unit}- 4. a high regard for this mystery, which sfiould be instilled into the mind by a con- sideration of the intrinsic excellence of this Sacrament and the unspeakable effects, which it produces in the souls of men. The intrinsic excellence of this Sacrament is founded in the dignity of the person, Who is present, in the object, for which He is present, and in the intense love, with which He is present. Its effects are the remission of venial sins, and even of those mortal sins, which the conscience, through no fault of the penitent, fails to disclose; it subdues evil and predominant passions, particularly the rebellion of con- cupiscence; it dispels tepidity and sloth; it increases and strengthens the gifts of the Holy Ghost, namety, fear of the Lord, piety, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, un- derstanding and wisdom. This Sacrament is, as it were, a general dispensary, in which all that is conducive to the well- being of body and soul is offered and dis- tributed. The proximate preparation comprises 31 everything-, that tends to excite and in- crease actual devotion; it therefore includes: 1. A good and pure intention of acknow- ledging- and manifesting- the excessive love of God towards His creatures, and all His other perfections, which lie hidden in this memorial of His passion; 2. an ardent desire and spiritual hung-er for this heavenly food, because the measure of the grace communicated to the soul throug-h this Sacrament will be in propor- tion to this desire and spiritual hung-er for it. This desire is excited by a con- sideration of the excellence and fruitfulness of this Sacrament, as has been explained above, and by a fervent devotion, which is acquired, nourished and augmented . by ejaculatory ptayers and loving- aspirations taken from the Psalms or devotional books or made in our own words. These prayers should be repeated often from the time of confession till the time of holy communion, but especially before retiring- in the even- ing- and on awakening- in the morning-; 3. acts of various virtues, especially of faith, hope and love, of contrition, humil- ity and desire. These acts should be inter- spersed between the ejaculatory prayers and aspirations or may also be subjoined to them. The excellence of this Sacrament, the majesty of Him, Who comes to us and our 32 own interest, demand that at least a quar- ter of an hour be devoted to this proximate preparation for holy communion. § 2. Actual Reception of Holy Communion. This Sacrament should be received with great interior and exterior devotion. The exterior devotion comprises cleanliness of person and dress, ang-elic modesty, manly gravity and great reverence. The interior devotion demands, besides the proximate preparation spoken of in the preceding- paragraph, a profound humility, which is a characteristic of every worthy recipient of this Sacrament. The Church invites her children to the practice of this humility throug-h the priest, who says to them three times in an audible tone of voice: Lord, I am not worthy. It will not be difficult to make such acts of humility, when we consider with a lively faith the inestimable excellence of that, which is given and the vileness and noth- ingness of him, to whom it is given. This faith the Church endeavors to excite in us by the words: Behold the Lamb of God, behold He Who taketh away the sins of the world. After receiving- our divine Guest with lively faith and profound humility, we should endeavor to unite ourselves to Him, so that we may become, as it were, one spirit with Him. 33 This is done 1. by embracing- Him with the most ten- der affections of gladness and love; 2. by adoring* Him with ardent faith in the recesses of our hearts; 3. by most humbly prostrating* ourselves before Him in the dust of our nothing*- ness; 4. by instituting most loving- colloquies with Him, confessing* our worthlessness before the infinite majesty of God, by con- secrating- and offering* ourselves to Him as He offers Himself continually to God in this Sacrament; by manifesting our sub- jection to the King* of ages and absolutely resigning ourselves to His holy will and good pleasure, and by plighting our fidel- ity again and again to the Spouse of our souls. Then we should reveal to our heav- enly Physician all the wounds and infir- mities of our souls and say to Him: Lord if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean, or, considering* Him as our Father and em- bracing Him with childlike love, we should lay before Him all our spiritual and tem- poral wants with a kind of holy impor- tunity, as children are wont to do towards their parents; or, considering* Him as our Brother and being animated with a holy love towards Him, we should most ardently desire to become like Him by imitating* the example of our Prototype and should effectually purpose to fashion ourselves ac- 34 cording* to Him; or we should endeavor to appease our future Judge by offering* to Him as God the blood, which He as man shed for us and which we receive in holy communion. All these acts are contained in the following- lines: Believe, bewail and hope, g-ive thanks and love, adore, The wounds of soul reveal and ask for holy gifts. These and similar colloquies will be easy and abundant in times of consolation and sensible devotion; but in times of spiritual dryness and desolation, we should use the devotions for holy communion contained in some prayer-book, and do our utmost to entertain our Lord with the holy affections, pious aspirations and fervent colloquies which we read. It may not be out of place here to lay down some g-eneral rules to be observed during- times of spiritual dryness, which occur very frequently. When we feel so cold and indifferent that nothing- of a spiritual nature seems to make any im- pression upon us and when we derive no satisfaction from anything* appertaining- to the service of God, we must not g*ive wa}^ to useless dejection of mind and pernicious inquietude of soul, but we should inquire into the origin of this insensibility. If we have been neg-lig-ent in our remote or proxi- mate preparation, then this aridity comes 35 from ourselves and we must meet it with an act of sorrow for the fault committed and a firm resolve to prepare ourselves diligently in the future. If the fault does not lie with us and if we experience not only this dryness of heart, but also a great and unusual inquietude and mental per- turbation, then it comes from the devil, who endeavors to create in us a nausea and distaste for this heavenly food. In this case we must treat the devil with utter contempt, continue to do all in our power, invoke the assistance of God and bear the disagreeable disposition of our souls with humility and patience. When the dryness is peaceful and quiet and is not the consequence of our own neg-lig-ence, then it comes from God, Who by means of it chastises us for our inordinate attach- ment to the thing-s of this world, or puri- fies us from all cupidity and self-love or perfects us and prepares us for contem- plative union with Himself. We should always feel convinced that aridity is a kind of punishment; such a conviction will remove every suspicion of pride and pre- sumption, and, considering- our own frailty and infidelity in the service of God, it will very likely rest on truth and is very well adapted to the practice of acts of repent- ance and resig-nation, and disposes us to undertake thing's that are difficult. We should practice these acts especially during- 36 the periods of dryness, because they cor- respond to the present condition of our souls, and directly dispose us to receive spiritual consolation. § 3. What should be done after Holy Communion. It is evident that we should first of all offer our most fervent thanks to our heav- enly Guest, lyy observing- those things, that have been spoken of in the two pre- ceding* paragraphs, and, if necessary, use a prayer-book for this purpose. We should select some quiet and retired spot and there spend at least a quarter of an hour in making* our thanksgiving as faith, reason and common decency demand. In doing so we must not imagine that our other duties or occupations will suffer, on the contrary, if we recommend them to Him, Whom we have within us, and ask Him to teach us how to do them, then these very duties will derive great profit from the time spent with our heavenly Visitor after holy communion. But we must not content ourselves with this devotion of a quarter of an hour; during the day we should often reflect on the greatness of the grace and favor, which we have received; we should be par- ticularly modest and reserved in our de- portment, observe silence, seek recollection 37 and compunction of heart and avoid all dissipation whether interior or exterior. Hence we should spend at least a part of the days of holy communion in earnest reflection and ask ourselves what fruit we have derived from so many communions, whether our sins have grown less in num- ber and malice, whether our vices have been weakened, whether the acts and hab- its of virtue have increased in intensity, whether the love of the world has been checked and the love of God augmented. If we find that we are continually in the same mire of sinfulness, then we have reason to fear that our disposition and preparation have been wanting* in fervor, and that to a certain extent, we have eaten judgment to ourselves. It is also a very wholesome practice to offer to God, our Guest, in thanksgiving- for the favor received, some special reso- lution, with the intention of keeping it carefully for that day at least. We should resolve to overcome ourselves occasionally in something, which in itself may be very insignificant, but towards which we have an inordinate inclination and which there- fore causes in us an undue attachment. This will result in greater purity of heart, which is the chief requisite for a worthy and fruitful communion. 38 § 4. Spiritual Communion. Spiritual communion is a desire of re- ceiving- Christ in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, proceeding- from a lively faith which worketh by charity, (Gal. 5, 6.) and joined with an affectionate union of the soul with Him. The same preparation and disposition of soul are required for spiritual communion as for sacramental communion, but they need not be so long* and formal; they should consist in that holy, humble, contrite and loving- desire and long-ing-, which have been spoken of in the first paragraph. These acts may be found in prayer-books and are never wanting* to a soul enamored with her God. It may be well to mention here that, althoug-h spiritual communion does not differ very much from sacramental com- munion as to the effects, which it pro- duces, it nevertheless does differ widely from actual communion as to the manner of producing- these effects; for spiritual communion does not produce them ex ofiere operato like sacramental communion but only ex oftere ofterantis, so that these effects are greater or less in proportion to the intensity of the love and desire, with which we make the spiritual communion. This spiritual communion is not re- stricted to any certain time or place, we can always and everywhere unite ourselves 39 to our God and thus gain the fruits of spiritual communion. What a happiness, what a consolation is this in all the circumstances of life and particularly in the hour of death! Surely, no one should fail to adhere continually to God and become one spirit with Him through this easy and salutary practice of receiving- Him spiritually in the Sacrament of His love. -:o:- CHAPTER III. Manner of celebrating and assisting at Mass devoutly and of visiting the Blessed Sacrament. Of all the acts of religion, by which we offer to God the worship due to Him, by far the most excellent and sublime is the sacrifice of the Mass. It is a worship that can be offered to God alone and is commensurate to His infinite majesty. It is a sacrifice of adoration, thanksgiving*, impetration and propitiation and therefore contains in itself all the differences and objects of all the sacrifices of the Old Law and infinitely surpasses them all, whether we take into consideration the chief Hig-h- priest, Who in Christ the Lord Himself, or the victim offered, which is the human nature of Christ hypostatically united to 40 the Divine Word, or the sublime manner, in which it is offered and which trans- cends all created understanding-, namely, the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, leaving- only the appearances and accidents of the bread and wine. This is not so much a stupendous miracle of divine omnipotence as an aggregation of many amazing- mira- cles. Since, then, Religious, as the very name already indicates, are in a special manner obliged to worship God, it is evident that they can comply with this duty in no bet- ter way than by daily offering this sacri- fice and assisting at holy Mass. § 1. Manner of celebrating Mass. In regard to the celebration of Mass, it will suffice for our present purpose to say that every priest should often and most seriously reflect upon the intrinsic dignity and excellence of this most holy action. In doing so he will guard against the example of the lukewarm and their lax teachings, whereas otherwise he may be- come like them and perform these awful mysteries of our religion with tepidity, irreverence and scandalous indifference. Such a mode of offering sacrifice would not only expose the priest to the danger of sacrilegious irreverence, but it might 41 also convert the chalice of benediction into a chalice of the wrath of the Lord, not only for the priest, but also, to a certain ex- tent at least, for all the faithful. For, as St. Prosper says, if God became so in- censed ag-ainst the people of Israel on account of the sins of those who had been chosen to serve Him at the altars, that He did not spare even the places and ves- sels consecrated to His service, what must be expected when such criminal irreverence is exhibited not in offering" the sacrifices of the Old Law, which were but shadows and fig-ures, but in offering" the reality, the most sublime sacrifice of the New Law. The priest should be careful not to give scandal to heretics, not to give offence to Catholics, not to expose the Church to ridicule, not to deprive himself and others of the fruits of this sacrifice by offering- it in a cold, careless and mechanical man- ner; on the contrary, he should make a fervent preparation before g"oing" to the altar; during" Mass he should be animated by profound humility, heartfelt compunc- tion, lively faith and ardent love; after Mass he should make his thanksgiving devoutly; he should understand that what was said in the preceding" chapter on the manner of receiving- holy communion ap- plies with special force to the devout cele- bration of the sacrifice of the Mass. Let him not imagine that he will en- 42 croach too much upon the time, which he should devote to other affairs and duties; for preparation, Mass and thanksgiving- one hour is sufficient and required, and should a priest hesitate or refuse to allot so much of his time to this most sublime of all his sacerdotal functions when his conscience tells him that he often spends whole hours in idle and useless conversa- tions. Much less should he be appre- hensive, lest, by celebrating- Mass devoutly he mig-ht become tedious and tiresome to others; for, if he does not consume more than half an hour in saying Mass, no one will have any just cause for complaint. But even if he should be oblig-ed to hear the criticisms and sarcasms of others oc- casionally, let him remember the words of St. Paul: If I did yet f lease men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Gal. 1, 10.) § 2. Manner of assisting at Mass. Since the priest offers sacrifice in the name of and as a representative of the faithful, especially of those who assist at the Mass, it follows that no devotion is more appropriate, none more adapted to fix the attention and to excite fervor, than to reflect upon what the priest says and does at the altar. During- the first part of the Mass, which comprises everything- that precedes the 43 Offertory, the priest makes a general con- fession of his own sinfulness by saying the Conjileor, he prays in the name of the universal Church and reads the Epistle and Gospel. Those, who assist at Mass should therefore accompany him by a heart- felt act of sorrow for all their sins; by fervent prayer, asking- for themselves or others special graces throug-h the infinite merits of Christ; by an act of thanksgiv- ing- for their vocation to the true religion joined with a profession of faith and a petition for an increase of faith, saying* with St. Aug-ustine: Lord^ give what Thou commandest and command what Thou wilt. The second part of the Mass extends from the Offertory to the Agnus Dei. It contains the act of sacrifice, namely the consecration, . and those prayers and litur- gical actions, which have a more imme- diate bearing- upon the sacrifice; the prin- cipal of these are the Offertory, the Preface and the Lord's Prayer. During- this part w^e should offer an humble and contrite heart as a sacrifice of propitiation; an act of fervent gratitude for all favors and graces received from God as a sacrifice of thanksgiving; we should offer the Son of God, Who is really present upon the altar, as a sacrifice of adoration to God, and accompany this oblation by acts of adora- tion, faith, hope and charity; lastly, we should offer Him as a sacrifice of impe- 44 tration, Who is our advocate with the Father and in His own words present to the Author of all good the petitions con- tained in the Lord's Prayer. The third and last part of the Mass comprises the immediate preparation for holy communion, holy communion itself and thanksgiving - . Those, who are present, should accompany the priest by an humble petition for pardon through the Lamb That taketh away the sins of the world; by a fervent spiritual communion; by an act of thanksgiving for all graces received through this sacrifice. This method of hearing Mass need not always be followed; others may also be employed and sometimes even to greater advantage. This is especially the case when we feel indisposed for mental prayer or when we experience dryness and insensi- bility of heart. Then it is better to give way a little to our weakness and to use a prayer-book, so however that we stop reading occasionally in order to make those acts that have been spoken of above. These acts should accompany the vocal prayers just as the consideration of the mysteries in the life and passion of Christ accompa- nies the recitation of the Rosary. In this way prayer will not become tedious, and the mind will gradually become disposed for mental prayer and will receive an in- crease of spiritual fervor. 45 Reflection upon the mysteries of Christ's passion is particularly appropriate during- the time of Mass, for the Eucharistic sacri- fice is a commemoration of Christ's passion; it is a repetition of the bloody sacrifice of the cross offered in an unbloody manner upon the altar, and hence it is very proper that the mind should represent to itself the circumstances of that awful scene, which was enacted on Mount Calvery. This will also serve to keep the imagination employed within proper limits and to en- kindle the flame of devotion in the heart. § 3. Visits to the Blessed Sacrament. The pious practice of visiting" the Blessed Sacrament is one which should be familiar to all Religious. The Christian temple is the palace of the Redeemer, the tabernacle is the throne of the God-man Jesus Christ. Hence Religious, who are called to par- take in a special manner in the lot of the children of God, who are His courtiers, His chamberlains and companions should consider nothing- so pleasant, so natural as to converse with their God in the tabernacle. This kind of attention is certainly most acceptable to Jesus Christ, Whose delig-ht it is to -be with the children of men. (Prov. 8, 31.) That He might find this delig-ht and be with us to the end of the world, 46 He has instructed and directed His Church to keep this Sacrament in His temples. In order, therefore, not to deprive God, Who is present in the holy Eucharist, of this delight and ourselves of numberless graces, we should not only never absent ourselves from the visits made in common, but in arranging- our order of the day we should also set apart certain fixed times for private visits to the Blessed Sacrament. It is very advisable to make these visits 1. every morning- and evening* so that the first and last homag-e may be offered to our Divine Master; 2. after conversation, or any bodily re- creation, especially if it has been of long-er duration, to ask pardon for committed faults and imperfections as also to banish distractions; 3. in times of temptations, difficulties and public or private afflictions, taking* our refug-e to Him, Who is ever ready to assist us, Who even invites us saying-: Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you; (Matt. 11, 28.) 4. before undertaking- anything- of un- usual importance, consulting* God according* to the example of Moses and David and placing- all our reliance in Him alone; 5. after the happy termination of the work undertaken, giving* thanks to the 47 Source of everything- that is good and meriting- for ourselves more abundant measures of graces. We should take great care that in mak- ing- these visits we be always animated by lively faith and fervent charity. Hence we should always have a g-ood and pure in- tention, remembering- that God in the Sa- crament of His love is not only deserving of homage, but that He desires these visits because they are a source of delight to Him. In these visits we should elicit acts of faith, hope and charity; we should offer Him our petitions, we should offer ourselves to Him asking Him to dispose concerning us as He pleases for His own honor and glory; we should make acts of contrition and humility and receive Him in spiritual communion, adding such prayers as our special necessities or private devotion may suggest. But these prayers must be fer- vent; our visits must not be the result of a frigid routine; they must proceed from a generous and devout disposition of the heart. Prayer-books containing pious reflections and prayers for every day of the week or month may sometimes be used with great advantage in making these visits to the Blessed Sacrament. We should often place ourselves in spirit before the tabernacle to offer our homage to our Divine Master and to thank Him 48 for remaining- in our midst in this Sacra- ment. In this way we may daily visit Him hundreds of times whilst eng-ag-ed in our cells in the class-room or wherever else obedience may detain us. -:o:- CHAPTER IV. Prayer. The subject matter of this chapter is very extensive and the knowledge of it is of the utmost importance to all, but es- pecially to Religious; for prayer is an es- sential and almost continual occupation of Religious, prescribed by the very nature of their vocation and sometimes also by foundations made by g-enerous benefactors of their monasteries or convents. Moreover, prayer is the key of heaven it opens the treasures of divine grace, so that he, who knows how to pray well, may confidently hope to obtain anything- he may ask from God. On account of the breadth and copi- ousness of this subject we will devide the treatise on prayer in three articles and speak 1. on prayer in g-eneral, 2. on vocal prayer, 3. on mental prayer. 49 ARTICLE I. Prayer in General. § 1. Nature of Prayer. Prayer is the elevation of the mind to God. It is a colloquy of the soul with God by means of the intellect, which serves the will as a tong-ue and interpreter. Such a colloquy is not possible without a de- tachment of the mind from lowly and earthly thing's and its union with the Su- preme Being*, with Whom it speaks. It is therefore clear that this elevation of the mind to God is essential to prayer. In prayer we always have some end or object in view. All the particular objects or puposes of prayer may be reduced to these four g-eneral objects: 1. To praise and glorify God on account of His infinite perfections; 2. to ask graces or other favors for our- selves or others; 3. to return thanks to God for benefits received; 4. to beg pardon for our offenses throug-h the merits of Jesus Christ. St. Paul seems to have insinuated these objects of prayer when he said: In every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, Let your petitions be made known to God. (Philip. 4, 6.) so § 2. Excellence of Prayer. Through -prayer man shows reverence to God, by submitting himself to Him, and acknowledging his dependence from the Au- thor of all good. Hence it is clear that prayer is an act of the virtue of Religion. (Str Thorn. 2. 2. qu. 83. a. 3.) Religion is the first and chief of all the moral virtues; it follows therefore that prayer, which is an act of religion, must be something- very excellent and sublime. But apart from this prerogative, which accrues to prayer from the fact that it belongs to the virtue of religion, it possesses an other and intrinsic excellence founded in the very nature of prayer. Prayer, as has been said, is a col- loquy with God, it is an interview with God, in which, as St. Chrysostom says, we ask whatever we desire and receive what- ever we ask, without fear of refusal since Christ himself has plighted His word say- ing: Ask, and you shall 7'eceive. (John 16, 24.) Hence we justly infer with St. Chry- sostom: // is a sign of great stupidity not to realize how exceedingly honoi'able it is to pray, not to love prayer, not to believe that it is the death of the soul not to adore God. § 3. Usefulness of Prayer. Prayer recommends itself no less by its usefulness than by its intrinsic excellence. 51 The principal fruits of prayer are: 1. The merit of the act itself. 2. A more intimate union with God, which constitutes the very essence of happiness in this life as well as in the next. 3. Progress in the science of the Saints, which alone is necessary for salvation and which is promised to prayer in the words: If any of you want wisdom let him ask of God, Who giveth to all abundantly. (James 1, 5.) 4. Extirpation of vices, victory over temp- tations, it puts to flight the devils, who openly or secretly make their attacks upon us. Hence Christ, speaking* of a certain kind of demons, says: This kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting. (Matt. 17, 20.) He also admonishes us: Watch ye and pray that ye enter not into temptation. (Matt. 26, 41.) St. Lawrence Justinian says: The devil fears nothing so much as the pious aspirations of those who pray; he is tor- tured by prayer as ?nuch as by the fire of hell. 5. an increase of spiritual fervor by means of the more abundant and powerful graces, which God bestows upon us in virtue of our prayers, so that St. Augustine was rig-ht when he said: He knows how to live well, who knows how to pray well; and St. Chrysostom says: There is nothing, by which we advance so rapidly towards 52 holiness as by the art of prayer. (Horn, on Prayer.) By prayer we associate with God; hence, if it is true that we become like those, with whom we associate, we will become holy if we lead lives of prayer. 6. Streng-th and courage in all the vicis- situdes of life, all that is required for the well-being- of body and soul; for the pro- mises made to prayer are g-eneral without limitation. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. (Matt. 7, 7. 8.) Well, then, has some one said: Prayer in a certain way makes man omnipotent, for what God can effect by com?nand man can effect by prayer. Great therefore is the happiness of the Religious, to whom it has been given to devote almost all their time to this most useful occupation of prayer and who thereby can acquire immense treasures of merits and inestimable temporal and spiritual ad- vantages for themselves and others. § 4. Necessity of Prayer. Prayer is not only useful, it is also ne- cessary. It is a duty imposed upon all, who have come to the use of reason, by the natural law as well as by the positive 53 command of God. It is a duty imposed by natural law, because the supreme and infinite majesty of God demands that man should be subject to God and acknowledge his dependence from the Creator; and the generosity of God, which proclaims His con- tinual goodness towards man, demands gratitude. But by prayer we acknowledge our dependence from God and show our gratitude for favors received from Him. That God positively directed man to pray is clear from many texts of S. Script- ure particularly of the New Law, in which prayer is not only counseled but also com- manded according- to the unanimous inter- pretation and teaching* of the Fathers and councils of the Church. Hence the Ca- techism of the council of Trent says: In the first place then the pastor is to teach the necessity of prayer; a ditty not only reco?nmended by way of counsel, but also enforced by positive precept. Our Lord Himself has said: We should pray always; (St. Luke 18, 1.) and this necessity of prayer the Church declares in the prelude, if we may so call it, to the Lord's Prayer in her liturgy: Admonished by salutary pre- cepts and taught by divine instruction, we f resume to say : Our Father etc. Moralists do not agree in determining when Christians in general are obliged to pray under pain of mortal sin, but so much is certain that there is some obligation to 54 pray in all great necessities of body and soul, whether public or private, whenever the honor of God, religion or faith is seri- ously threatened, whenever public prayers of thanksgiving- or supplication are ordered by ecclesiastical authority. But Religious are in a special manner obliged to pra}~ they bind themselves by their profession to strive continually after perfection and hence they require more abundant and greater graces; but prayer is the ordinary means of obtaining these graces and con- sequently those Religious, who neglect prayer are in great danger of losing their vocation and may easily lose the state of grace. A Religious destitude of the pano- ply of prayer, will soon succumb to the attacks of the enemy — he is an unarmed soldier. § 5. Conditions of Prayer. Since God has promised to hear our prayer infallibly only when it is accom- panied by certain conditions, it is of great importance to know what these conditions are. The conditions requisite to a good prayer partly precede, partly accompany and~ partly follow prayer itself. The only condition required before prayer is a proper preparation. Before % prayer prepai'e thy soul, and be not as a man that te?npteth God. (Eccli. 18, 23.) This preparation is 55 twofold, remote and proximate. The re- mote preparation consists in probity of life, purity of heart and recollection of mind; the proximate consists in a short, practical and earnest reflection on the nature and importance of prayer itself. This consid er- ation is made practical and earnest by an act of faith in the majesty of Him, to Whom prayer is directed, and the nothing- ness of him, who addresses it to God; by an act of hope in the goodness of God and a lively conviction of one's own indi- gence; by an act of love joined with an act of sorrow for past transgressions and a firm purpose of amendment, for God does not despise an humble and contrite heart and The prayer of him that humbleth him- self shall pierce the clouds. (Eccli. 35, 21.) The conditions, which must accompany prayer, are: 1. Attention, which excludes all volun- tary distractions; 2. petition in the name of Christ, by asking- eve^thing in the name and through the merits of the Saviour, and not asking anything contrary to our own salvation; 3. unshaken confidence that our prayer will be heard founded upon the infinite power and mercy of God, His fidelity, His absolute promise, His boundless goodness, His generosity, which we have so often experienced, and the mediation of our Lord 56 Jesus Christ, Who could say to His Father / know that Thou hearest me always: (John 11, 42.) 4. perfect resignation, implicit or ex- plicit, as to the success of our prayer. The condition, which must follow prayer, is perseverance. If our prayer is not heard immediately we must not become diffident or impatient, but continue to pray, if not formally and explicitly, at least virtually and implicitly by doing* everything* with the g*ood intention of pleasing* God. He always frays, who always loves, (St. Aug*.) § 6. Impediments of Prayer. Devout prayer involves two thing's, namely, attention and fervor. Attention to prayer is the voluntary application of the mind to what we say in prayer; fervor is the application of the will excluding* all sloth and tepidity in prayer. Devout prayer therefore excludes all voluntary dis- tractions and implies a dilig*ent application of the mind to prayer. This devotion is essential to prayer, it is therefore neces- sary and sufficient and may be defined as an alacrity and fervor of the soul in all thing's that appertain to divine worship. This devotion is never wanting* except throug*h our own fault; hence in order that it may never be lacking*, we should ask it from God in fervent prayer. We 57 should nourish it by frequently meditating- on the truths of our faith, especially on those, which are well adapted to remove all slothfulness, to encourage us in the practice of virtue and to withdraw our minds from earthly thing's and direct them to thing's that are above. The readiness of the will is sometimes accompanied by a certain sweetness, relish or joy, which occasionally communicates itself even to the body. But this sensible devotion is not essential to prayer, it is only integral and accidental; nevertheless it is a great aid to prayer and perfection. This sweetness of prayer may be wanting- without any fault on our part and consequently its ab- sence should not disquiet us; but since it perfects that devotion, which is essential to prayer, we should endeavor to obtain it from God by asking* it with humility and resig-nation and dispose ourselves for it by a dilig-ent practice of mortification. Whatever, therefore diminishes or de- stroys the attention of the mind or the fervor of the will, that, and that only, is an impediment to the devotion, which is essential to prayer. Now, it is plain that the impediments to devout prayer arise either from sloth, which is a kitid of in- ertion of the soul refusing- to undertake and execute thing's that are difficult, or from distraction, which is a detachment and aberration of the mind from the matter 58 or object of prayer, whilst the imagination is feeding - upon useless and frivolous thing's. Distractions may occur whilst we are quite unwilling*, even whilst we strug-g-le ag-ainst them; in this case they are involuntary and have no bad effect upon prayer. But as soon as we begin to entertain them by g-iving- them our consent they become volun- tary, and then they are not only injurious to prayer, but they even destroy it entirely by removing- that, which constitutes the very essence of prayer, namely, the ele- vation of the mind to God. Distractions may be voluntary either di- rectly and in themselves or indirectly and in their causes. A distraction is voluntary directly and in itself when we wilfully, diliberately and advertently dwell upon any thoug-ht or representation, which is incompatible with prayer; a distraction is voluntary indirectly and in its cause when we do or omit something-, which naturally bring-s on an aberration of the mind. In order to remove the distrations, which occur during- prayer, it is absolutely neces- sary to remove their causes, the remote as well as the proximate. The remote causes of distractions are: 1. Habitual disquietude and perturbation of mind arising- from bad passions, inordi- nate attachments and desires; for these carry away the imagination and fix it upon objects cong-enial to themselves; 59 2. unrestrained and habitual freedom and curiosity of the senses, especially of the eves, which fill the fancy and memory with thousands of representations, which recur most persistently during* the time of prayer; 3. curiosity of the mind always occupy- ing* itself with friyolous thoughts that are foreign to the state of perfection; seldom recollected it does not learn to control its own thoughts and the imagination, and therefore gradually creates an earthly, worldly and animal heart, which neither perceives nor relishes the thing's that are of the Spirit of God; - 4. an inordinate care and solicitute about our official duties, which destroy attention by overwhelming* the mind with too many occupations or drive it away by precipitate activity and an inordinate apprehensiveness as to the happy termination of our external labors. The proximate causes of distractions are: 1. The omission of the remote and proxi- mate preparation spoken of in the preced- ing* paragraph; 2. the culpable omission of the frequent and loving* remembrance of the presence of God; 3. present disregard of the custody of the senses, especially of the eyes; 60 4. present negligence in trying* to keep the mind from wandering-; 5. voluntary neg*lig*ence in banishing- distractions from the mind by offering- them only a slug*g*ish, weak and feeble resistance, the unhappy offspring* of sloth and tepidity; 6. culpable disreg-ard of the helps to de- votion spoken of in the next paragraph. St. Bernard seems to sum up all the causes of distractions in the words: Want of earnestness, engrossing care, guilt of con- science and disturbing fancy. Involuntary distractions also have their causes, but it is not in our power to re- move them; they are principally these three: 1. "The intrinsic weakness of our nature, which is the source of our mental insta- bility; 2. the envy and malice of the devil, who endeavors in every possible way to destroy our devotion at prayer; 3. the kindness and g-oodness of God, Who either punishes us for past infidelities or cleanses us from the dross of self-love. § 7. What to do when we find ourselves distracted in Prayer. Since prayer is a duty imposed by divine precept and since God can not oblig-e man 61 to do what is impossible, He can not deny the grace necessan' for prayer, provided we do what lies in our power by removing- the causes of distractions and by applying - the means conducive to devotion in prayer. Here it is necessary to inquire first of all whether our distractions are voluntary or not. If we find that they are voluntary then we must seek their causes and sources, which have been pointed out in the fore- going- paragraph, and when we have dis- covered them we must apply the proper remedies. The remedies, diametrically opposed to the sources of distractions, are: 1. Peace and tranquillity of mind, which exclude all inordinate passions and attach- ments and are obtained by a persevering- and generous practice of mortification and abneg-ation of self-love and by a continual and total renunciation of the world; 2. a careful and rigid custody of the senses, especially of the eyes; 3. a constant practice of recollection joined to frequent spiritual reading-, so that the mind may be filled with holy thoug-hts and elicit pious aspirations; 4. a fervent preparation, elevating- the mind to God by acts of faith, humility, hope, contrition, charity and religion; 5. an humble, ardent and constant prayer to God for the gift of prayer, saying- to Him: Lord, teach its to pray. (Luke 11, 1.) 62 Since recollection is so very necessary to devout prayer, it may be well to explain very briefly wherein it consists and to call attention to the means of acquiring- it. Recollection is nothing- else than a dilig-ent remembrance of the presence of God. This practice will produce a state or condition of the soul, in virtue of which, midst all occupations and all intercourse with others, it will enjoy an uninterrupted interior peace and silence and constantly cling- to God alone. This exercise engag-es the three faculties of the soul and therefore unites it entirely with God. The memory recalls to our mind the presence of God; the intellect by means of active faith sees God always pre- sent by simple intuition, without any phantastic representations; the will tends towards God by fervent aspirations suitable to the present state of the soul, or to our present employment, or to the feast, which is being- celebrated or to the three stag-es of the spiritual life. These aspirations should alw^ays be short, not too numerous, not too diversified, and they should always be directed to God as intimately present to us. Such aspirations can be plentifully g-athered from our meditations and exam- inations of conscience, from the Psalms or other books of devotion. The habit and practice of recollection 63 may be acquired by paying- attention to four thing-s; they are: . 1. A strict g-uard over our tong-ues as to the time, matter and manner of speaking*. Obedience, prudence and loye of silence must direct us when to speak; the subject matter of our conyersations should invari- ably be g-ood and edifying*, and our man- ner of speaking* must be circumspect. Peter Blosius (Ep. 100.) says: We speak circum- spectly when charity, necessity or utility re- quire us to speak: when we speak of God with dignity, of ourselves with humility, of our neighbor with edification. When we speak to g-iye some relaxation to the mind our conversation should always be seasoned with eyang-elical wisdom, it should be thoug-htful, dig-nified and virtuous, so that the soul may have something* to feast upon while the mind is being- reg-aled. 2. Custody of one's cell. We should never leave it except when necessity or duty de- mands, and then we should raise the mind to God asking- from Him the grace to avoid everything- that mig-ht in any way be inju- rious to the soul. Whilst we are outside of our cells we should positively refuse to listen to vain and dang-erous conversations and not allow ourselves to g-aze upon ob- jects from mere curiosity. 3. Avoidance of such occupations, which by their very nature are apt to cause dis- tractions. We should therefore not eng-ag-e 64 in too many things; this overwhelms the mind. We should avoid all inordinate haste and hurry in fulfilling our duties; this leaves no room for the operations of the spiritual faculties of our soul. We should avoid all inordinate anxiety regard- ing* the issue of our undertakings by a childlike confidence in the providence of God and b}^ a manly contempt of the judg- ment of the world. These, then, are the means, by which recollection is acquired and nourished, by which, in turn, distractions are diminished and gradually exterminated. Involuntary distractions, since they are not injurious to prayer, do not require a remedy, in fact there is none, since it is not in our power to remove their causes. However, because they often discourage the beginner and cause dejection of spirit, and because they can be diminished by careful attention, we will briefly speak of them also. When these involuntary distractions pro- ceed from our corrupt nature, that is, from a restless, unsteady and flighty fancy, then we should beseech God to apply His power- ful and healing graces to remedy this de- pravity of our natures. We should fill the mind with holy ideas gleaned from spiri- tual books and teach it to think of God and cling to Him by a diligent remem- brance of the divine presence. 65 If they occur from a special permission of God, Who by means of them chastises us for our past transgressions or tests our fidelity in His service or purifies us from self-love, we should lovingly kiss the hand of the Lord midst acts of compunction, patience, humility, resignation etc. From these acts we must not desist even when they appear to proceed from the lips rather than from the heart; on the contrary we should humble ourselves, before God on account of our hardness of heart and desire that these acts might proceed from intense love and in accordance with the good pleasure of God; but in doing so we must always prove our sincerity by an unswerv- ing patience in struggling against distrac- tions. If, however, as is frequently the case, they come from the devil, we must battle against him manfully, and never lose cour- age even though he should be most vehe- ment and persistent in his attacks and even though we should occasionally be guilty of some negligence in resisting his on- slaughts. Animated by a firm belief and confidence that God will not permit us to be tempted beyond our strength and that these very distractions are a source of great merit as long as we withstand man- fully, we should frequently send up our sighs to Christ our Savior saying to him: 5 66 Jesus, son of David, have mercv on me. (Mark. 10, 47.) Should the devil in time of prayer not only endeavor to distract us but also posi- tively tempt us to sin e. g., of blasphemy, or against holy purity or against faith, then we should solemnly protest against these temptations before we begin our prayers; we should meet them with acts of faith, adoration and love and with a holy resolve to guard ag-ainst everything that might be offensive or detrimental to purity of heart or body, and we should stipulate that whenever the assaults of hell are repeated, these acts be also repeated and ratified again everytime that we call upon God with the heart or by any out- ward sign. After we have made such a protest, all temptations are to be met with utter contempt without any uneasiness or disquiet; we must pay no attention to them but pass them by like little curs barking at the wayside; we must not resist them outwardly by shaking- the head, contorting the features etc., we should not even in- wardly make any positive resistance espe- cially when we notice that they increase and grow stronger when we offer them opposition. We have seen what is required in order to pray well; we will now call attention to five things, which will tend to make 67 the practice of prayer easy. They are the following-: 1. The practice of mortification, interior as well as exterior; ascetic and mystic writers without exception lay down the following* axioms: Mortification engenders and preserves devotion. Whoever wishes to overcome dryness in prayer must practice penitential works; 2. a certain freedom and expansion of the mind, in virtue of which we do not scrupulously cling- to any particular form of prayer but vary it according* to circum- stances, e. g-. by substituting- vocal prayer for meditation when we feel ourselves in- disposed for mental prayer. For, should a person violently force himself to one par- ticular kind of prayer, he would weaken the mind and heart, he would become dis- gusted with prayer and he might even despair of ever obtaining* the gift of prayer. You must not think that but little progress is made by using vocal prayer provided it be done well; Jor I assure you it is quite possible that whilst you recite the Our Father or any other vocal prayer, God ?nay elevate you to the very height of perfect contem- plation; (St. 'Theresa, Way of Perfection, chap. 25.) 3. change in the method of prayer. Ac- cording to St. Ignatius we can pray in three different ways, first by reflecting upon ourselves during prayer and examin- 68 ing* ourselves in reference to the present matter of our prayer; secondly by consider- ing- the obvious text of our prayer; thirdly by pausing* after every few words to make the aspirations sug-gested by the words we have just uttered; 4. a short examination after prayer to see how we have prayed and whence our distractions or other imperfections pro- ceeded. To this examination we should subjoin an act of sorrow for the defects and faults committed during- prayer together with a resolution to do better in future by applying* the proper remedies; 5. a thoug*htful transition from one prayer to the next, by offering* up our past prayers, by petitioning for the grace to pray well the next time, by renewing* the g*ood in- tention with aspirations of love. Let us, therefore, constantly strive to remove the obstacles to devotion so that we may always pray well, for if we pray well we will also live well. ARTICLE II. Vocal Praykr. § 1. Nature and Division of Vocal Prayer. Vocal prayer is that elevation of the mind to God, by which we pray to Him with the lips or voice as well as with the 69 heart. Vocal prayer, therefore, besides the attention of the intellect and fervor of the will, which are essential to every form and kind of prayer, also involves the use of the voice, lips and tongue, because we give expression in words or some other outward signs to the thoughts and affec- tions, which proceed from the faculties of the soul during prayer. Vocal prayer may be either public or private. It is public when it is offered by a community or in the name of a community by a public minister appointed for that purpose; the place where these prayers are offered may be private but the prayer is a public prayer. Private prayer is that, which is offered by a private person or even by a public minis- ter acting as a private person; such a prayer is called private even when it is offered in a public place and for a community. Public prayer is so fixed, established and regu- lated by a public authority that the indi- vidual is not at liberty to change anything, not even one word; private prayer on the contrary is entirely at the option of the individual so that he may give expression to his sentiments as he pleases. § 2. Antiquity of the Canonical Hours or Divine Office. Just as all that was said in the preced- ing article on prayer in general applies 70 to vocal as well as to mental prayer, so also what shall be said in this article on public vocal prayer can and must be under- stood as appertaining- also to private prayer. This article will treat directly only of pub- lic prayer, because this is at the same time the principal occupation and greatest obli- gation of Religious founded in the virtue of religion and frequently also in that of justice. We will therefore first propose a few considerations, which will tend to ex- cite in us a hig-h estimation and reg-ard for this kind of prayer and then we will explain how the practice of this prayer may be rendered more easy and fruitful. The public prayer, of which we speak and which is so intimately and inseparably con- nected with our state of life, is the Divine Office or Sacred Psalmody, in praise and commendation of which, nothing- greater or more honorable can be said than that it is of apostolic institution. This could easily be proven, but it is not necessary; the criterion of St. Aug-ustine is sufficient for our present purpose. He says: Whatever has been observed by the • Church everywhere and at all times, and can not be -proven to have been instituted by General Council or by the Supreme Pon- tiffs is most justly considered to have its origin in apostolic tradition. Cardinal Bona has collected the monu- ments of ecclesiastical history from the 71 first to the seventeenth century bearing- upon this point, and these monuments, which are found in his work entitled "The Divine Psalmody", prove conclusively that the practice of singing- and reciting- psalms has always existed in the Church, and yet its origin is not found in the canons of any General Council nor in any Pontifical Decree. But even positive arguments could be advanced to prove the antiquity of this holy psalmody. Thus we read that Christ and His disciples after the last supper sang a hymn and then went out to Mount Olivet. In I. Paralipomenon chap. 23. and 25. King David regulates the public service of God. The Levites are to stand in the morning to give thanks, and to sing the praises of the Lord, (23, 30.) He also appointed 288 chanters and' musicians and divided them into 24 courses or choirs. Of them it is said: All these were distributed to sing in the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, and psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of the Lord. (25, 6.) This pious practice of the Old Law was continued by the Apostles and the early Christians. We read in the Acts that the Apostles went up to the temple at stated hours to pray, and St. Paul even commands the faithful to occupy themselves continually in worshipping God: Teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in 72 grace' in your hearts to God. (Coloss. 3, 16.) This practice was not abolished or lost sight of in the course of time, but it took a more definite form in the second century, when St. Ignatius introduced the custom of singing* the hymns and psalms by two alternating- choirs in his church at Antioch. In the third century the Apostolic Consti- tutions, as they are called, direct the bishops and priests to exercise a special care that this method of chanting" psalms be observed by the faithful. Those, there- fore, who assert that the canonical office originated with monasticism pervert eccle- siastical history, which proves to the satis- faction of every intelligent mind that in the first centuries this practice was general in the universal Church. But when the piety of the faithful began to grow cold, then the ecclesiastical authorities directed that the clergy and afterwards also the Religious, who are in a special manner consecrated to God, should continue to sing and recite the canonical hours in the name of the faithful and of the universal Church. § 3. Dignity and Excellence of the Canonical Office or Sacred Psalmody. Not wishing to repeat what was said above regarding the dignity and excellence of prayer in general, we will select from the numberless encomiums, which the Fa- 73 thers and ascetical writers bestow upon the sacred psalmody, a few prerogatives, which belong- more directly arid exclusively to this particular kind of prayer. 1. The sacred psalmody is pre-eminently a praj r er of divine praise. It is composed of psalms and canticles dictated by the Holy Ghost Himself for this very purpose, that they might be used to praise and glorify God. And, if it is a token of child- like familiarity and confidence to ask God to give us what is His, as St. Cyprian says, then, certainly our prayer of praise will also be most acceptable to Him, when we praise Him in the very words, which He Himself has taught us: for, who can imagine expressions of praise more exalted than those, which eternal Wisdom revealed to man and demands from man? Even when God rejected the sacrifice of the old Law he said to his people: Offer to God the sacrifice of praise; and again: The sa- crifice of praise shall glorify Me, (Ps. 49, 14. 23.) 2. To sing psalms, hymns and canticles is the office and occupation of the Angels. Isaias (chap. 5.) and St. John (Apocal. chap. 4.) tell us that the Angels surround the throne of God to adore, praise and glorify Him and in this way to manifest their love of Him. Hence St. Bonaventure calls the sacred psalmody an imitation of the musical harmonies of heaven, and Ter- 74 tullian said that those who sing* psalms belong* to the family of the Ang*els. St. Bernard does not hesitate to assert that Ang-els take their places in the midst of those who sing* psalms in choir, and grounds his assertion on the words of the psalmist: Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels play- ing on timbrels. (Ps. 67, 26.) 3. The holy psalmody is a most devout and touching* form of prayer, because the psalms, very frequently single versicles of them, are replete with holy emotions of the soul or most diversified and sublime acts of virtue corresponding to the three stag-es of the spiritual life, and adapted to almost every possible condition and cir- cumstance in life. 4. The sacred psalmody is a most effica- cious prayer, because it is a public prayer offered up in the name of the entire Church, and since Christ most tenderly loves the Church as His spouse and because the Church is most dear to God on account of the great and numberless merits of the just, who are or have been members of Christ's mystical body, her prayers will surely be heard and there is nothing that she can not obtain by prayer from her divine Spouse. From all that has been said it follows that those ecclesiastics and Religious, who recite the Divine Office only with great re- 75 pug-nance, without any interior or exterior devotion, who omit it or absent themselves from choir for trivial reasons, or even look upon it with contempt as an occupation replete with distractions, tiresome and too exacting-, or consider it a waste of precious time, which might have been devoted more profitably to study and to the work of sav- ing* souls, — it follows, I say, that such ecclesiastics and such Religious must be destitute of faith and have very little un- derstanding* and that they commit a serious offense ag-ainst the virtue of religion and sometimes also ag*ainst the virtue of justice. They show and confess that they are not spiritual but animal, that they occupy themselves only with external things and that their taste is vitiated, otherwise they would not experience a distaste, disg*ust and nausea in a form of prayer, in which the most saintly as well as the most learned of men have at all times tasted the sweet- ness of honey. If they can devote hours to the study of dangerous matters, if they can spend a great part of' the day in the reading of frivolous and fictitious stories and rumors, why should they not recite the Divine Office properly, which requires less time and is not so exacting upon the mind as study, which requires actual atten- tion, whereas virtual attention suffices for the recitation of the Office. To say that the holy psalmody takes away much valu- 76 able time, which might have been devoted to study and pastoral work, is a mere sub- terfuge; on the contrary it is to the interest of all other duties that the Divine Office be said well; for the proper recitation of the Office will obtain more abundant mea- sures of graces and will call down the blessing" of God upon our studies that we may be wise unto sobriety; (Rom. 12, 3.) it will call down the blessing* of Him upon our pastoral labors, who giveth the increase. (I. Cor. 3, 7.) Do we not see that in the course of so many centuries, just those, who were attentive and devoted to choir or to the recitation of the Divine Office outside of choir when duty demanded, have become and remained the teachers of an admiring' world by their voluminous and profoundly learned literary productions; do we not see that they were the indefatigable and successful laborers in the vineyard of the Lord, His co-laborers in the salvation of numberless souls, and have, therefore, not their entire lives been a standing- proof that such a charge ag-ainst the recitation of the Divine Office could originate only with men, who are destitute of every sense of piety and religion, that it is the ignoble offspring of tepidity and malice? § 4. Utility of the Sacred Psalmody. There is a twofold advantage or utility in the recitation of the Divine Office. One 77 belongs to the individual who recites it, the other promotes the common good of the Church, in whose name it is offered. Both of these advantages proceed from the prerogatives of this prayer, which were enumerated in the preceding paragraph. For if the chanting or recitation of the sacred psalmody is an act of religion most pleasing to God, if it is replete with the most exalted acts of virtue, it is clear that it is always accompanied by the gain of great and manifold merits. Moreover if the psalmody is an inexhaustible treasure containing everything that is required for the cleansing and healing of the soul, everything that appertains to the instruc- tion, erudition and beauty of the spiritual man; and if the internal, untainted palate of the soul finds inexpressible delights in chanting the praises of God, it is evident that the psalmody is an antidote and spi- ritual remedy adapted to every condition and circumstance in life and to all the maladies of the soul. If therefore the psalmody becomes irksome and distasteful to us we must not ascribe this to the form of prayer but to our own defective dispo- sition of the heart. That the psalmody promotes the common good of the Church and even of the state or civil society is no less certain; for if the public prayer of the assembled faithful does holy and pleasing violence to God, 78 as Tertullian sa} r s, will not the prayers of ecclesiastics and Religious offered up in the name of the universal Church be much more acceptable to God, since not only the collective prayers, but also the merits of all the faithful lend it an extraordinary degree of force, weight and moving* power. Hence it is that the Church at all times ordered public prayers to be said by the assembled faithful when heresies, schisms, persecutions or other evils and calamities threatened to pervert the faith of her children or to deprive her of the right of worshipping* God as He desires and deserves to be worshipped. Temporal rulers also took their refuge to public prayer, and when calamities threatened their states they ordered their subjects to assemble and offer their united prayers to God for the welfare of the state. They even founded and endowed monasteries with the express purpose of securing* the continued favor and benediction of God for themselves and their subjects throug*h the public prayers of the Religious. If in modern times public opinion has changed regarding* the efficacy of prayer and the usefulness of those, who devote themselves to a life of prayer, it is indeed a sign of decaying faith but not an argument against the utility of public prayer; and in proportion as the piety of former ages has grown cold, the peace, tranquillity and virtuous- 79 ness of civil society have disappeared, whilst discontent, disquietude and ever} r phase of political heresy have taken their place. § 5. Intention, Devotion and Attention required . in the recitation of the Divine Office. What has been said in the foregoing- paragraphs will tend to remove all distas.te for the recitation of the Divine Office. We will now inquire what is necessary that we may take part in the sacred psalmody with fruit and alacrity. To ob- tain this end three things are required, namely, intention, devotion and attention. The intention which is required for the recitation of the Divine Office is the will or readiness to pray and to praise God. This intention may be implicit, contained in the intention of complying with our duty and obeying the precept of the Church, which imposes this duty; or it may be ex- plicit, and this is the case when we ex- pressly and with reflection resolve to pray to God and to praise Him. Either of these intentions is sufficient, and one or the other is required that the psalmody, which might be directed to many ends or objects, may become a prayer psalmody. Devotion, of which we treated in the foregoing article, excludes all sloth, lazi- ness and indifference from the sacred psal- 80 mody; it implies a pious movement or dis- position of the will, for, as the council of Treves (a. D. 1549) says: God hears the voice of the heart without which He despises the voice of the mouth; hence those who sing psalms in the spirit (i. e. with atten- tion) should sing also with, the heart, (i e. devoutly.) To obtain this end St. Augus- tine supplies us with a g*olden rule, wiien he says that when we recite the psalter w^e should put on, as it were, the person of David and then by making- the senti- ments of the psalmist our own sentiments, we should recite the psalms as if they pro- ceeded from our own mind and heart; so that when the psalm is prayerful we also pray; if it is plaintive we also excite our- selves to compunction; if it is joyful we also rejoice in the Lord; if it is hopeful we also hope; if it expresses fear we also fear. This practice will tend to lessen the difficulty in being* attentive during- the psalmody, because by continually changing* the acts and affections of the soul we yield to our natural instability of mind without any detriment to prayer, and by this stra- tegy we convert into an aid to prayer what usually is a prolific source of distractions. Attention is twofold, external and inter- nal. External or material attention is a voluntary application of the mind to the proper pronunciation of the words and to the proper posture of the body during* 81 prayer. In virtue of this external attention, no omissions of ceremonies, no omission, transposition or syncopation of words is allowed to occur. It also excludes all move- ments and positions of the body or mem- bers of the body, which are inconsistent with prayer or at least betra}^ slovenliness and indifference in the worship of God. Internal or spiritual attention is a volun- tary application of the mind to the mean- ing- of the words of prayer. This, may be done in four ways: 1. By paying- attention to the literal sense; 2. by attention to the mystical sense; 3. by concentrating- our thoughts upon God; 4. by paying* attention to the words them- selves in as much as the}^ contain the praises of God and various acts of virtue. This last is called interpretative attention and is the most imperfect of all. It is suf- ficient, however, provided it be joined to the third by a cencentration of the mind upon God; it is also the only attention, which those can have, who do not under- stand the language in which they pray, and can consequently not pay attention to the literal or mystical sense of the words. Any one of these four kinds of internal attention is sufficient, but whether any in- ternal attention is required, whether ex- 82 ternal attention alone suffices, is a disputed question among- Theologians; but the Holy Rule undoubtedly requires from us Bene- dictines an internal attention when it says: Let us reflect with what respect we ought to appear before the majesty of God and His holy Angels; and let us acquit ourselves of this most holy exercise with such devotion that it may be truly said that our voice is the echo of our feelings, (chap. 19.) To the authority of the Holy Rule may be added that of the Church herself. In imposing upon ecclesiastics and Relig-ious the obli- gation of reciting- the Divine Office the Church undoubtedly intends that it should be recited religiously; she commands them to recite the Office in such a way that it may be truly a prayer acceptable to God and a source of graces to the faithful; but without at least some internal attention there can be no true prayer since the very essence of prayer consists in the elevation of the mind to God, and it is therefore clear that the words of prayer pronounced with the lips only can not be pleasing to God. Christ Himself has said: The true adorers shall adoi'e the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father also seeketh such to adore Him. God is a spirit and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in truth. (John. 4, 23. 24.) It is re- quired that the rational and spiritual soul should take part in prayer by employing 83 its faculties of the higher order, namely, will, memory and understanding-, and that the affections of the heart should correspond to the words uttered by the lips. When the words of prayer find no sentiments in the heart, then they constitute only a semblance and mockery of prayer; they be- come the outward signs of the pharisaical hypocrisy, nestling- in the heart and which was so solemnly rebuked and detested by Christ. (Matt. 15, 7.) Such a prayer is worthless, it is not meritorious but on the contrary it may be to the greater damna- tion of him, who insults his God by offer- ing Him such a putrid service. That the Church intends to impose the strict obligation of reciting the Divine Of- fice with some internal intention is clear also from solemn and positive declarations made in her General Councils. The IV. Lateran Council requires that the Divine Office be said diligently and devoutly (chap. Dolentes etc. on the Cele. of Mass) and the Council of Trent commands that it be said reverently, distinctly mid devoutly, (Sess. 24. chap. 12.) Since, then, both Councils require devotion in the recitation of the Divine Office, and mere external at- tention is rather a mockery of devotion than true devotion, it follows that the Church has rejected the opinion of those, who would hold that such material atten- 84 tion is sufficient for the fulfillment of this obligation. In order to compty with the intention and desire of the Church in this matter, both internal and external attention are required; there can be no doubt about this statement. But in order to guard against scruples and an erroneous conscience, we must remember that the internal attention need not be actual and formal, for such an attention would be more than morally impossible, at least in prolonged prayer; but a virtual attention is sufficient, and this attention is nothing else than the actual and formal attention, with which prayer was begun, continuing in some or at least one of its effects. This virtual attention remains in force till it is recalled, either expressly by freely and deliberately discon- tinuing the application of the mind to prayer, or implicitly by negligence in re- sisting distractions or in removing their causes. Whoever, therefore, prepares him- self properly before prayer, keeps a strict custody over his senses, observes a reve- rential posture of the body, applies the means conducive to attention to the best of his ability and persistently recalls his thoughts when he finds them wandering about, he has at least a virtual attention and needs never repeat the recitation of the Divine Office, no matter how full of 85 distractions it may have been, because the distractions were all involuntary. § 6. Nature of the Internal Attention, which is required to recite the Divine Office properly. We have seen that there are several kinds of internal attention, that some in- ternal attention is necessary, and that any of the attentions mentioned above is suffi- cient for the worthy recitation of the Di- vine Office. But we must not infer that they are all equally good and perfect; on the contrary, one of them is much better adapted to concentrate and steady the mind and to excite devotion, and this is the attention, which we pay to the sense of the words, which we utter. This sense may be either the literal, which itself may be grammatical or historical, or it may be the mystical, which is again sub-divided into the allegorical, having reference to faith and to the Church militant; the ana- gogical, having reference to hope and to the Church triumphant, and the tropological or moral, having reference to the morals and to charity. The literal sense, therefore, teaches us what has been done; the alle- gorical teaches us what we are to believe; the tropological teaches us what we are to do and the anagogical reminds us of 86 our future home.* The literal as well as the mystical sense is directly intended by the Holy Ghost, and both are often found in one and the same verse, sometimes even in a single word. For instance the word Jerusalem in the literal, historical sense is the name of the capital city of Palestine; in the allegorical sense it signifies the Church militant; in the analogical it is the Church triumphant, in the tropological it is the just or also the sinful soul. Some- times passages of Scripture are used in a sense not intended by the Holy Ghost; thus the Church applies to all Confessors the words spoken of Noe: Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation. (Eccli. 44, 17.) Sometimes texts of Scripture are also used in this way to establish some truth on account of a certain parity existing be- tween a truth really expressed in the Sacred Text and that which we desire to prove; but since this accommodated sense is not intended by the Holy Ghost any argument based upon it does not rest upon divine authority. In general the use of the ac- commodated sense to establish truths is not to be recommended, for in using it the authority of God is at least seemingly * Litera gesta docet; quid credas allegoria; Moralis quid agas; quo tendas anagogia. 87 adduced for something", which He has never said. From what has been said it follows that attention to the mystical sense is best adapted to keep away^ distractions and to excite devotion during prayer. But this requires a thorough acquaintance with the psalms, and consequently those, who are desirous of having attention, devotion and even pleasure in reciting or chanting the Divine Office, should devote their spare moments to the reading of standard com- mentaries on the psalms, and often as well as attentively read some synopsis of them in order to acquire a flow of holy thoughts and affections during" the psal- mody itself. The reward of this practice will be that the psalms will become most pleasing- to us, spreading a profusion of heavenly lig-ht over the soul, because by means of the mystical sense they will al- ways represent to our minds the head and the members, Christ, namely, and the Church. In this way our singing of psalms will be worthy of rational beings, and not resemble the chattering of birds, and the words of the psalmist will be verified in regard to us: Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation (Ps. 88, 16.) and we will imitate the Apostle, who says of him- self: / will pray in the spirit (by atten- tion and devotion) I will pray also in the understanding ; I will sing with the spirit 88 / will sing also with the understanding. (I. Cor. 14, 15.) Meanwhile, if, before we arrive at a more perfect knowledge of the mystical sense of the psalms, we meet with passa- ges, which it is difficult to understand, we should bear in mind the admonition of St. Augustine when he says: Although the faithful may understand the psalms, which they sing, only very imperfectly, they are nevertheless convinced that what they sing is good and holy; the firmest support of the intellect is faith and the fruit of faith is understanding. (Tract. 22. on S. John.) By this faith we will prepare the way and we will gradually understand the obscure and difficult passages of the psalms by the light of those that are clear and readily understood. § 7. Aids for preserving Attention during the recitation of the Divine Office. We will not repeat what was said above (art. 1. § 7.) in reference to prayer in general, but only add a few means of fix- ing the attention, which have a special bearing upon the sacred psalmody. The first is supplied by Cassian (Coll. 10.) and consists in this that we recite the psalms as if they were our own produc- tions, as if they were our own prayer, ad- verting to the fact that they are daily 89 fulfilled in us and express the sentiments of our own hearts. The second aid is pointed out to us by Card. Bona (Horolog. ascet 3. 4.) and is found in the very nature of the psalms themselves, which contain the holiest effu- sions of the soul and constitute an inex- haustible source of the most exalted acts of virtue. If we elicit these acts in our innermost hearts, they can not fail to in- flame us with ardent fervor and holy zeal, especially if we mentally add to the words of the psalms such adverbs and adjectives as will serve to intensify their force, if we allow the interior acts of the soul to succeed each other in such a way that they find their expression in the words, which we are actually uttering-, or if we allow them to adapt themselves to the circumstances in which we ma}- be placed, or to the feast, which is being celebrated. The third means is one, which abun- dantly supplies the Religious with all that is necessary or useful to recite the Divine Office with becoming- attention. It consists in a devout contemplation of the mysteries of Christ's life and passion, many of which were foretold in the psalms and prefigured in the person of David. But lest we should occupy ourselves in this matter without any order, and consequently with little or no fruit, we should join the consideration of the principal mysteries to the different 90 canonical hours. This may be done in the following- manner: During- Matins we should represent to our minds how Christ, Who came into the world to free us from the captivity of the devil by loosing* us from our sins, is cap- tured and bound in the g-arden; at Prime we should remember how He was insulted by the Jews spitting- in His face; at Tierce we should call to mind how He was un- justly condemned to death; at Sext we should picture to ourselves the scene on Mount Calvary when He was nailed to the cross; at None we should stand in spirit at the foot of the cross to hear His dying- words, to see Him bow his head in death and to witness the opening- of His sacred side; at Vespers we should contemplate how the sacred body is taken down from the cross, and at Compline we should re- verently follow it to the tomb. The fourth means to avoid all interior and exterior irreverence at prayer, as well as at other exercises of piety and relig-ion, consists in a lively faith and a practical remembrance of the presence of God, before Whom we stand in the midst of Angels whilst we pray the Divine Office. This is a most effective aid to which St. Benedict in his Holy Rule (chap. 19.) directs our attention. But lest this practical remem- brance of the presence of God be extin- guished by sudden and frequent distrac- 91 tions, it is expedient to call to mind the presence of God and to renew the intention of praising* God at certain intervals or -parts of each canonical hour; e. g., at each 4 'Glory be to the Father", etc., at the "Our Father", etc., at the Collect, at the invocation "O God, come to my aid" etc. In doing- so we will fan the dying- embers of devotion and if we adhere faithfully to this practice and gradually increase the number of such acts of faith in the divine presence at each canonical hour, we may rest assured that we not only have had a virtual attention but that we have made much progress towards preserving actual attention during- the Divine Office. § 8. External Devotion and Reverence during Divine Office. From what has been said in paragraphs 6. and 7. art. I. of this chapter, as well as from a consideration of the close union, which exists between the body and soul on account of which they exert a powerful influence upon one another, it is evident that among the means of preserving atten- tion during Divine Office not the last place must be assigned to external devotion and reverence. These must always accompany prayer on account of the exalted majesty of God, to Whom we pray, but they are more emphatically required in the sacred 92 psalmody because it is a public homage and worship offered to God in the name of the universal Church. This external devotion comprises four thing's: 1. A proper posture of the body and its members. This excludes every vestige and shadow of ill-breeding* or indecorum. It is a reliable indication of interior fervor, pro- found humility and submissive reverence and manifests itself by a most scrupulous observance of all ceremonies, whether they be prescribed by law or introduced by praiseworthy custom. 2. A close custody of the senses, parti- cularly of the eyes. This is so necessary that the neglect of it destroys the very essence of prayer, as it becomes the pro- ximate cause of numberless distractions. 3. A manly dignity and seriousness in chanting, being mindful of the injunction of the psalmist: Sing ye wisely, (Ps. 46, 8.) and again: I will praise Thee in a strong people. (Ps. 34, 18.) This will make the task of singing the praises of God agree- able, and the Religious will perform it without inordinate haste, without syncopa- tion of words, without dissonance of voice or tone; it will awaken and nourish in him a pious regard for the Divine Office, which, as he is well aware, occupies the place of honor among all his duties, and it will 93 cause him to exercise a special care to avoid everything- that might cause confusion or be a source of annoyance to others. 4. A cheerfulness of voice and counte- nance, which requires of us that we recite the Divine Office without contortion of the features and with a becoming- volume of voice so that we may sing-, chant and re- cite the praises of God distinctly, manfully and with proper emphasis, not by stops and starts. Not in an effeminate or lazy manner, but with a sonorous voice and accent should we utter the words of the Holy Ghost to sound the praises of the Creator. All that has been said in reference to the recitation of the Divine Office in choir should also be observed when it is said alone or outside of choir. St. Benedict says in his Holy Rule: (chap. 50.) The brethren who work in places remote from the monastery and can not, in the Abbofs judgment, come to the place of prayer at the stated hours for the Office, should recite it where they are, on bended knee, (exterior devotion) and with reverential awe in the divine presence, (interior devotion and re- verence.) Those who are on a journey, must not allow the usual hours for the Office to pass without reciting it in private in the best way they can. This precept of the Holy Rule was scrupulously observed by our holy predecessors, and we also should 94 endeavor to comply with it to the best of our ability by not putting* off the recitation of the Office to a late hour unless where necessity or unforeseen circumstances make it impossible to say it at the hours desig- nated by the Holy Rule. Before beginning* we should make a g*ood intention by saying* the prayer, "Aperi", etc. and conclude it by reciting* the "Sa- crosanctae", etc. on our knees and repeatedly offer our unworthy prayers to the Blessed Trinity throug*h the hands of the Blessed Virgin, and in union with the merits and prayers of Christ. ARTICLE III. Mental Prayer or Meditation. Whatever has been said in article I. re- garding* the excellence of prayer in g*eneral is to be understood preeminently of mental prayer, which is by far the best and most effective means of arriving* at true santity of life and a hig*h degree of spiritual per- fection. The practice of mental prayer is everywhere, in the Scriptures as well as in the writing's and examples of the H0I3- Fathers, extolled as a most efficacious means of keeping* the divine law, of per- forming* works of justice and consequently of acquiring perfection. St. Paul recom- mends meditation to his disciple St. Timo- 95 thy that he may advance in perfection: Meditate upon these things, be wholly in these things, that thy pro fitting may be manifest to all. (I. Tim. 4, 15.) St. Au- gustine, speaking- on meditation says: (Ps. 148.) // is not possible that one, who has good thoughts should lead a wicked life. St. Prosper says: (Serm. 218. on Meditation) Let the faithful 7neditate on the truths of God, when he is at leisure, and thereby gain strength to ' do good lest he fail in the performance of his duties. David frequently occupied himself in meditation as is appa- rent from the 118. psalm. The Apostles, during* the ten days that elapsed between the ascension of Christ and the advent of the Holy Ghost, soug-ht retirement and de- voted themselves to prayer. The Blessed Virgin, too, kept the words, which she heard from the shepherds pondering- them in her heart. (Luke 2, 19.) These examples have induced all saintly men but particularly Religious to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with mental prayer, and to practice it dilig-ently. With St. Thomas Aquinas they felt con- vinced that no one could live in a monas- tery and make spiritual progress without meditation and that, as St. Theresa says: (Way of Perfection, chap. 16.) Meditation is the first step towards acqtiiring every virtue. Hugh of St. Victor says (Method of Prayer) that mental prayer is so essen- 96 tial to vocal prayer that unless it is pre- ceded or accompanied by meditation vocal prayer is no prayer at all. If this is true, it follows that the same arguments, which prove the necessity of prayer in general, also prove the necessity- of some kind of mental prayer. Experience demonstrates that the facility and habit of eliciting- acts of faith, hope and charity, a practical hor- ror of sin and detestation of vice, a love of virtue and perseverance in good, together with all the other aids and means of ar- riving at perfection, are the results of fre- quent and fervent meditation. No wonder that Christ, when he wished to epitomize the art of acquiring perfection, said that it consists in affectionate meditation or mental prayer. But one thing is necessary; Mary hath chosen the best part. (Luke 10, 42.) § 1. Nature of Meditation. In a wider signification and in ordinary parlance, the words consideration, medita- tion and contemplation are often used pro- miscuously; but objectively and strictly speaking there is a vast difference in the meaning of these three words. They co- incide in this that all three words express a deep and serious reflection upon some truth; they differ as to the manner of mak- ing this reflection. If the reflection con- 97 sists of a simple intuition of some truth, i. e. if the mind simply dwells upon it, without trying- to explain it and without any process of reasoning- about it, then it is called contemplation; if the mind is oc- cupied with some truth, not endeavoring" to prove it by arguments, but rather makes effort to understand it clearly and fully in order to draw from it practical conclusions, then it is called consideration; but when the mind weighs the arg-uments, which are advanced in favor of some proposed truth, and also applies them practically and feel- ingly to itself, then we have what is pro- perly called meditation, which may be de- scribed as: An affect/til and p?'actical pondering upon some pai'ticular subject, by means of the three faculties of the soul, memory, understanding and will, for the -purpose of extirpating vices, acquiring vir- tues and of obtaining a more ardent Jove of God. Meditation, therefore, employs all three faculties of the soul, and for this reason is called mental prayer, and differs from vocal prayer in so far as it does not require the service of the tongue, the lips or any of the senses. Hence if anyone should content himself with a simple in- vestigation and demonstration of some truth, without the corresponding emotions of the heart and acts of the will, he would not make a meditation; and vice versa should he be satisfied with some indefinite 7 98 and barren movement of the will, without considering- what he is practically to do or avoid and without resolving- upon some- thing definite, he would not meditate, for without this practice neither a solid con- version of morals, which is the proximate object of meditation, nor a persevering-, steadfast and deep-seated love of God, which is the ultimate object of mental prayer, can be obtained. Although a practical fruit may be ob- tained from every truth, yet many truths proposed at the same time are apt to over- whelm rather than convince the intellect; they become a source of mental dissipation rather than of edification. Hence it is very important that some one particular truth be taken as the subject matter of a me- ditation, and this matter should be selected and prepared on the preceding evening; for, if the selection of the matter is made at the beginning of the meditation it will take away much valuable time, which should be devoted to exercises of the in- tellect and will, from which the principal and substantial fruit of mental prayer de- pends. However, in choosing this matter of meditation we should not be guided by morbid curiosity, but we should be directed by obedience or consult our own spiritual need and interest. 99 § 2. Preparation for Meditation. Just as you shall have shown yourself towa?'ds God, so God will show Himself towards you; (S. Bernard Serm. 69. on the Canticle) hence, as we have seen, a remote as well as a proximate preparation is ne- cessary for prayer, and this ag*ain is pre- eminently true of mental prayer. The re- mote preparation for meditation involves three things: 1. A previous selection of the subject matter; 2. a brief consideration of it in the evening before retiring-; 3. a remembrance of it on awaking* in the morning-. The selection of the subject consists in choosing- the matter, in calling- to mind the arg-uments on which it rests, in noting- the sources of the affections of the will. When the points of meditation are read from a book, it will be sufficient to strive to un- derstand them well, to select the proofs and affections and to determine the special fruit or particular resolution, which is to result from the meditation. This should be impressed upon the mind by means of an aphorism or maxim, which can be rea- dily recalled to mind before retiring- and on awaking*. This aphorism or maxim should be a short, pithy sentence contain- 100 ing* the subject as well as the fruit of the meditation. The proximate preparation, which should be made in the place and at the time ap- pointed for the meditation, immediately before beginning" the exercise of the me- mory, consists of the following- acts, which should be elicited very briefly but with great fervor: 1. An act of faith in the presence of God tog*ether with a short reflection upon the importance of what we are about to do; this act should be elicited most dilig-ently and carefully as it is the principal incen- tive, the mother and soul of all attention and fervor in prayer; 2. an act of sorrow for the faults com- mitted in. former meditations, which have diminished the fruits of prayer; 3. an act of confidence in the assistance of God and of diffidence in one's own streng-th; 4. a resolution to make the present me- ditation as perfectly as possible; 5. an act of resignation to the will of God as to whether He will fill our souls with consolation or allow them to remain cold and insensible. § 3. Exercise of the Memory. What the introductory is to a sermon, that the exercise of the memory is to me- 101 ditation. It is the office of the memory to propose or present to the understanding- as briefly as possible the subject of the meditation, either by presenting* the whole subject to be considered by an aphorism or short sentence, or by painting-, as it were, in lively colors all the circumstances of the subject, which we are about to con- sider, thereby placing the entire scene so vividly before the eyes of the soul as thougii it were being- really enacted before us. The former method is to be used when the subject is something- entirely spiritual and remote from the senses or when the ima- gination is weak and slug-g-ish; the latter method is to be followed when the subject is one which falls under the observation of the senses, e. g\ parables, . historical facts, etc. or when the imagination is very active. Should it so happen that the mere re- membrance of the subject calls forth ap- propriate affections and acts of the will, then we should not disturb the will, but allow it to continue in its acts and re- solutions till its force is exhausted, till it craves for more food. The exercise of the memory and understanding- are only means to move the will; hence, as soon as the will elicits acts, which are in keeping- with the subject of the meditation, the object of the exercise of the former two faculties is already attained and to continue their 102 exercise would only prove injurious, because it would deprive us of some of the fruits of meditation, which proceed from the will alone. § 4. Exercise of the Understanding. In order that the will may be drawn to or away from something", in other words, that it may act, it requires the guidance of the understanding-, and this g-uidance is so necessary, that without it the will remains torpid and entirely inert. But the under- standing- will not succeed in moving- the will to forceful and resolute acts, unless it is itself convinced by suitable arg-uments. Now, the exercise of the intellect in re- ference to. meditation consists in consider- ing- the subject, by carefully examining- it, by proving* it with suitable arg-uments, by applying- it by reflection to the present condition of the soul, and by deducting- from it practical conclusions. Like an orator it speaks from the pulpit of the conscience clearly, forcibly and pleasingly to the souL In order that this exercise of the intellect may not be too difficult to beginners, who often complain of it, it should be chang-ed to suit the nature of the subject. If the subject of the meditation is some historic fact, e. g*. some mystery of Christ's passion, it will suffice to dwell upon all or at least some of its circumstances, being- 103 careful however always to direct the con- sideration of these circumstances towards the fruit, which we had proposed to our- selves when we made our preparation. If the meditation treats of some virtue to be developed in the soul, we should consider its intrinsic excellence, its usefulness and necessity, by advancing* arguments taken from the Scriptures, the writings of the Holy Fathers, the canons of the Church and ascetical books, alluring the will to give its assent by placing before it the example of Christ and the Saints, calling, attention to the increase of merit, the edi- fication of others, the augmentation of the glory of God, of the Church and our Order, the preservation of religious discipline, and to other spiritual advantages, as also to the private and public good, all of which spring directly or indirectly from the prac- tice of this virtue. If the subject is some vice, which we wish to extirpate, we should, by arguments drawn from the self-same sources, represent to the will the nature, divisions, degrees, malice, ugliness, folly and perniciousness of this vice, urge the will again and again by examples taken from the Scriptures, by placing before it the four last things, that it may resolve to do for the soul what it would counsel others to do for the body. Finally, if the subject is some text of 'Holy Scripture, or some sentence bearing upon doctrine or 104 morals, we should consider the authority of the speaker and the meaning- of the sentence, show how fitting-, true, useful and necessary is the doctrine, which it conveys, and prove all this from obvious principles of faith or morals, of sound reason and prudence, from the common consent of all well-disposed and learned men and from our own or others' expe- rience. But in order that the intellect may not labor in vain in proposing- these motives to the will, it should exert itself 1. with moderation, without any intense strain of the mind, as thoug-h it had to ex- haust the entire subject, weig-h and scru- tinize every arg-ument; this would not only be a useless torture of the mind and waste of forces, but it would also be positively injurious by incapacitating- us for medita- tion and engendering- disg-ust. It is amply sufficient to devote as much care to the exercise of the understanding during me- ditation as a prudent man is wont to be- stow upon study or other important matters; 2. with calmness and composure, without any inordinate desire to investigate the details of arguments, without any anxiety lest we occupy ourselves too long with one point before going over to the next. As has been said above, the end or object of meditation is to move the will; if this is 105 obtained by a mere presentation of the subject, or by the first argument, all is .well, and the exercise of the understanding- must be discontinued at once, and not be resumed till the movement of the will has ceased; 3. with simplicity, seeking- nothing- more than to establish the truth and to move the will, without soaring* aloft in quest of sublime ideas, without making* fine and subtle distinctions, without studying* beauty of diction or artful connection of argu- ments; 4. without haste, not jumping* about from one arg-ument to another, without allowing* any of them time to fix itself upon the intellect or move the will; 5. with brevity and conciseness, without prying* into every little circumstance or detail of proofs; otherwise much time that should have been given to the affections and the will, would be devoted to consi- deration and the meditation will become a study, with the loss of many graces, and it will be a sacrifice of time to vain curi- osity. It may happen that a person feels unfit or indisposed to think or consider; the subject matter may be very dry to him, or he may be too torpid to exert himself. Then he should use force to dispose him- self and to superinduce some activity of the 106 intellect. Very frequently a little effort sets the mind to work. If even then he does not succeed he should read and re-read the matter carefully, interrupting the reading at times in order to make appropriate aspi- rations and to renew his particular resolu- tion, and thus he should spend all the time set apart by obedience for this exercise. He should also bear his indisposition with humility and resignation and midst acts of fervent love to God prepare his soul for a continuation of this affliction of the spirit. When this is done the merit and fruit of meditation are never lost; on the con- trar}^, they are increased on account of the great self-denial practiced under such cir- cumstances, and God will reward it in due time, b}^ recalling to the memory the sub- ject of such a meditation and enabling the soul by a more abundant measure of graces to put into execution the resolution generously made under such difficulties. Such acts, although they may seem to be. wrung from the brain rather than elicited by the heart, must not be omitted; for the very fact of continuing the meditation under such circumstances, proves that they are sincere and genuine. But when the indisposition is the result of one's own negligence or dissipation, then he should revoke and remove the cause, as far as in him lies, by an act of sorrow, consider his spiritual dryness and 107 mental desolation as just punishments for his neg-lig-ence, bear them patiently, man- ♦ fully and with constancy and humble him- self under the smiting- hand of God. § 5. Exercise of the Will. The exercise of the will comprises two thing's, the affections and the resolution. By affection we here understand any move- ment of the will. The will is said to be moved when it begins to love what it for- merly did not love or even hated, or be- gins to hate what before it did not hate or even loved. Hence affections are divided into two classes, one of which contains all those by which we seek and pursue the g*ood, the other comprises those by which we hate and flee from evil. From the exercise of the will the fruit of meditation depends. In order, therefore, that the fountains of affections may not run dry at the very beginning* of medita- tion, leaving* the will barren and desolate, it is very important that the exercise of the intellect be followed up immediately by a reflexive operation of the mind, by means of which the truth or subject of meditation is at once practically applied to the present condition of the soul. This is done by means of those well known questions: has my past life been in keep- ing- with this truth? what is the present 108 state of my soul in reference to this truth? how much would it have profited me to have lived so? what have I lost by doing- otherwise? what will I gain or lose in fu- ture by leading- a life in conformity or at variance to the truth, which I have just now considered? By such reflections, which show how advantag-eous and necessary it is to us individually that we should con- form our lives to the truth, which now so vividly confronts us, the will becomes dis- posed and will readily elicit acts of humi- lity, it will be filled with shame, confusion and sorrow, ask pardon, purpose amend- ment etc. To facilitate the exercise of the will, it will prove of great advantag-e to note the anatytical order, in which the acts usually succeed each other in meditations; it is as follows: 1. A certain abasement of the mind, confusion and sorrow joined to a petition for pardon; 2. a most determined and resolute pur- pose of amendment, which, however, is only general; 3. diffidence in one's own strength found- ed upon the experience of one's own weak- ness and fickleness; 4. hope and confidence in God's assist- ance; 5. prayer or petition for this assistance; 109 6. a fortifying* and strengthening- of the soul to withstand and overcome all diffi- culties, which it may encounter in the actual execution of the resolution; 7. a most fervent and tender love of God, under the impulse of which the par- ticular resolution is here made. This act of love should be as intense as possible, because a resolution, which is dictated by love, is more apt to be kept faithfully and g-enerously; for love makes all things easy. To increase the intensity of this act of love it will be expedient to divide it into parts, to analyze it as it were, and elicit every part of it by a special act of the will. This is done 1. by explicitly preferring God and His good pleasure to every personal interest and by resolving to meet and overcome every difficulty which might divert us from keeping the resolution; 2. by rejoicing at the extrinsic glory, which accrues to God from our fidelity in keeping the resolution; 3. by desiring that this extrinsic glory of God might exceed all measure; 4. by regretting that we have so long and so often deprived Him of this glory; 5. by plighting to Him our hearts and offering Him our resolution as a pledge of our love; 6. by inviting the Angels and Saints to 110 love Him and by offering- to Him their love in compensation for the coldness of our own hearts; 7. by declaring- our readiness to lose even'thing*, to suffer every possible afflic- tion, to do anything- He may require from us, and by this subjection of our will to the will of God, attesting- our undying- love for Him. To assist the memory all these acts are summed up in the following* w T ords: Self- abasement, sorrow, grief resolve (g-eneral), determination, fear, hope, petition, love. These acts will take up the time set apart for the meditation, so, however, that this time will prove amply sufficient for all of them; for they do not require many words, but consist in deep, interior affections of the heart and holy aspirations. Care must be taken that these acts be in keep- ing* with the resolution, which we have formed, and in eliciting* them we must not strive after sensible devotion by a strained application of the mind and heart, for by going- in quest of sensible devotion we are apt to seek self-gratification rather than God. Nor must we be apprehensive lest we tarry too long* with one or the other of these acts or elicit all of them before the time has elapsed; in the former case no injury is done to the meditation, in the latter case the acts may be repeated until the time shall have expired. Ill Now, in order that these affections or acts, however intense they may be. may .not terminate in transient and barren movements of the will, they should at once be directed and applied to a practical and permanent conversion of the morals by means of the particular resolution, which is nothing- else than a determination on the part of the will to do or omit something*. This resolution, that it may be lasting and productive of good results, must be earnest and efficacious. The resolution is said to be earnest when it is formed with sincere seriousness, so that it may not consist in a feeble or only apparent consent of the will. To make the consent of the w r ill re- solute and intense it will be found very expedient 1. to form the resolution in the presence of God and before all His Angels; 2. to call upon all the Saints, particu- larly those whose feast is being celebrated, as witnesses to our resolution; 3. to seal it, as it were, with the Pre- cious Blood of Christ and to bury it in His sacred side, to be taken from thence on the da}' of judgment in testimony of our breach of promise should we fail to keep the resolution; 4. to designate some particular penance, which we will voluntarily impose upon ourselves should we break the resolution. 112 The resolution is said to be efficacious, if it is actually kept, or when it is endowed with such qualities that there can be no reasonable fears as to its execution. These qualities are: 1. The resolution should be one, definite and special, not multiform, vague or ge- neral; one or at most two things are to be resolved upon in particular, the place, time and manner of carrying- out the re- solution are to be fixed upon, when neces- sary also the means are to be selected; 2. it should be practicable, so that it may be carried out on the same da}'. It sometimes happens that, contrary to all ex- pectations, no opportunity will present it- self for doing the external act resolved upon during the meditation; hence we should form a resolution to elicit one or more internal acts at certain times of the day. For such acts time and occasion will never be wanting and by the continued practice of eliciting them a certain habi- tual promptitude of mind is acquired, by which virtues are more quickly developed and more firmly established in the soul; 3. it should be adapted to our present circumstances and spiritual necessities; it should have reference to that fault, sin or vice, into which we fall more frequently, or towards which we feel a greater pro- clivity, or which is a more stubborn ob- stacle to our spiritual advancement, or the 113 source of many other sins and imperfections, or exposes us to greater danger of commit- ting mortal sin; or it may have reference to some special virtue or act of virtue, the exercise of which is particularly distateful to corrupt nature, or is more conducive to spiritual progress, to the edification of others or to the preservation or restoration of monastic discipline, or to which God has invited us by more frequent movement* of His grace, or contains more humiliation, abnegation or self-denial. In order that w^e may not forget our resolution midst the unavoidable distrac- tions resulting from our labors and occu- pations, we should frequently remind our- selves of it during the day by means of an aphorism or short sentence containing the truth, upon which we have meditated, or the resolution which we have formed. This aphorism may be written on a slip of paper and fastened to some convenient place, e. g. to the desk or table in the cell, so that the sight of it may not only prevent us from forgetting the resolution, but also keep alive the flame of devotion enkindled during the meditation, as it will most certainly do if it be couched in the form of some pious aspiration and fre- quentty directed to God in a spirit of compunction and love. We should also renew the resolution during Mass, par- ticularly at the offertory and communion, 8 114 in our visits to the Blessed Sacrament, at the Angelas, etc., and humbly ask God to give us the grace of keeping it faithfully. If we do this we may rest assured that no day will pass without an increase of spiritual perfection, supernatural merits and future glory; for it is a well established truth worthy of great attention that the firmness of our perseverance in good etc. depends upon an humble diffidence in our- selves, an unshaken confidence in God and persevering prayer: Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. (Ps. 126. 1.) § 6. Supplementary Parts of Meditation. There are five supplementary parts of meditation, three of which form, as it were, the epilogue of the meditation; these are: 1. A colloqu}' consisting in this that we present the resolutions, which we made in meditation to the Saints, whose feast we celebrate, to our holy patrons, to the Blessed Virgin or to Christ our Lord to be ratified by them. Such a colloquy is very well adapted to excite holy affections of the heart, especially if we vividly re- present these Saints to ourselves as speak- ing to us and if we ourselves impersonate different characters according to the diver- sity of the subject considered or the im- pulses of grace.- 115 2. An act of thanksgiving* for all the illuminating* and moving graces which we ♦have received, as also for the resolutions which we have made. In acknowledgment of all these favors and as a token of our appreciation of them, we should offer our- selves without reserve to the service of God for time and eternity in union with the offering* which Christ, the Blessed Virgin and the other Saints made of themselves to God. 3. Humble prayer; the meditation should be concluded by a fervent supplication for the graces necessary that we may derive abundant fruit from it, and the supplica- tion as well as the offering*, which pre- cedes it, should be made with greatest possible humility. The two remaining supplementary parts demand our attention after the medi- tation has been formally concluded. They are: 1. An examination as to whether we have meditated fervently, by a diligent ap- plication of the powers and faculties of the soul; whether we observed external reverence by a becoming posture of the body; whether we did not curtail the time pre- scribed by obedience for meditation; whether we observed the rules and directions laid down for meditation; whether we have made the required preparation; whether 116 we have derived profit from the meditation by eliciting- acts and affections of the will and by forming- g*ood resolutions. This examination should be followed immedi- ately by an act of sorrow, should we find that the meditation was defective throug-h our own fault, or by an act of thanks- giving*, if the meditation has succeeded well, if we have' obtained a clearer and more complete knowledg-e of some truth, if we have experienced more fervent affec- tions of the heart, if we have formed strong- and efficacious resolutions and consequently have not been visited with dryness or deso- lation of spirit. 2. A memorandum or annotation of the lights received during- meditation. By lig-hts we here mean certain salient thoug-hts, which penetrate more deeply into the soul, which place the interior condition of the soul more clearly before our eyes, which point out the sources and occasions of sins, which call attention to the special means of de- veloping virtues, of rooting out bad habits, of g-aining- victories over cupidity and self- love or of fulfilling* the will of God punctu- ally and g-enerously. These lig-hts may be put down in alphabetical order so that they may be easily found when we wish to use them as subjects of particular ex- amens, or to renew our fervor, or to give advice to others. 117 § 7. Impediments to a good Meditation and their Remedies. The success of the meditation depends primarily upon the grace of God, not upon human endeavor. Hence whatever impedes the operation of the Holy Ghost in the soul is also an obstacle to a g-ood medi- tation. The principal impediments are: 1. Sins and sinful habits, especially of gluttony and intemperance, for these exer- cise a most blunting- and blinding- influence on the understanding-, weaken and deprave the will and make man so animal that he fails to perceive the thing's that are of the spirit of God. (I Cor. 2, 14.) This im- pediment must be removed by frequent acts of detestation of sin and by a constant practice of mortifications, for wisdo?n will not enter into a ?nalicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sin. (Wis. 1, 4.) 2. Inordinate and uncurbed passions, which destroy the peace and tranquility of the mind. These passions must be w r eeded out or at least placed under proper control by the practice of mortification and self- denial, for the Holy Spirit of discipline will fee fro?n the deceitful and will withdraw Hi7nself from thoughts that are without un- derstanding. (Wis. 1, 5.) 3. Ig-norance of the -method of medita- tion, of the mysteries of faith, of other 118 revealed truths and the principles of asce- ticism. This ignorance is to be removed by frequent reading-, spiritual conferences, and by the exact observance of all that has been said on the method of meditation. 4. Habitual sluggishness of the will aris- ing- from a distaste or disregard for spiri- tual thing's, or from an inveterate custom of devoting- oneself to spiritual matters without energy and alacrity. This inac- tivity of the will must be counteracted by a hig-h estimation of spiritual things, espe- cially of mental praj^er, by frequent ejacu- latory prayers and aspirations taken from the Psalms or other pious sources, and by a most praiseworthy habit of performing- all duties with all possible intensity of attention and fervor of mind and spirit. 5. Flig-htiness and restlessness of the imagination. This should be remedied by renouncing and forgetting the world, by refraining from worldly conversations, by avoiding the company of wordly minded persons, by striving after recollection, or by allowing and engaging the fancy at the beginning of the meditation to picture the scene, upon which we are about to medi- tate, if the nature of the subject admits the exercise of the fancy. 6. Curiosity of the senses, particularly of the eyes, through which impressions or images, which are the seeds of distractions, are produced or recalled. This impediment 119 is removed by a strict surveillance over the senses and by the constant practice of compunction. 7. Love of ease and comfort, which shrinks from everything- that requires a manly effort, fears difficulties and has a distate for everything - that mig"ht disturb its effeminate repose. This obstacle must be displaced by a persevering- practice of mortification and self-denial especially in ordinary and trivial matters. 8. Intemperence in eating- and drinking*, particularly before retiring- in the evening-, when we should have a special reg*ard for the opposite virtue; for a frug-al supper is followed by a refreshing- sleep and a re- freshing- sleep produces a clear mind. 9. Drowsiness or sleepiness arising- either from indiscreet privation of sleep, or from a natural tendency to somnolence or from the envy of the devil. This obstacle we should endeavor to overcome by avoiding- its causes, by applying- the natural means of dispelling- sleep, and if w T e can do no more than keep awake, even this is a vic- tory and our prayer will be acceptable to God as long- as we strive manfully to pray well. 120 ARTICLE IV. EjACULATORY PRAYERS. Ejaculatory prayers are short aspirations directed to God either by the mind alone, or by the mind and lips together. The Fathers, in fact all the Saints, have shown by word and example that they considered the habitual use of ejaculatory prayers as the shortest way to true devotion and an intimate union with God. And, indeed, their usefulness is very great, for 1. they are the safest remedy against all temptations, because by means of them we are quickly reminded of the presence of God, and midst the actual remembrance of the presence of God even the most depraved will scarcely venture to commit sin; 2. they are a most timely assistance in all the vicissitudes of life or, at least, a prolific source of consolation in adversity and affliction as we learn from the psal- mist when he says: My soul refused to be comforted; I remembered God and was de- lighted; (Ps. 76. 3.) 3. they are an actual practice of most devout prayer, because their brevity pre- cludes all distractions and tepidity; 4. they are a practical observance of the injunction given by Christ: We ought al- ways to pray, and not to fai7it, (Luke 18, 1.) because in the midst of the most distract- 121 ing- occupations, even during* recreation, there is time and opportunity for them; 5. they are, if habitually and fervently 'made, a continual practice of recollection. St. Francis de Sales says that aspirations to God and spiritual recollection mutually produce each other; 6. they are a universal means of doing* all thing's perfectly. St. Francis ag-ain says that without aspirations or ejaculatory prayers it is impossible to lead a contem- plative life, because the quiescence which is characteristic of the contemplative life would very soon deg-enerate into idolence; lie also says that the labors and occupa- tions of the active life will be an impedi- ment to perfection and a source of confu- sion to the soul if they be not seasoned with holy sig*hs and aspirations; 7. they are an uninterrupted union, fa- miliarity and amorous intercourse with God. The memory reminds us of God; the intel- lect believes in God, and the will loves God, and thus all the time of a man accustomed to ejaculatory prayers is taken up in loving- God, in imitating- the Blessed in heaven, in tasting- their joys, and partaking* in their happiness. Hence it would be very desirable that these ejaculatory prayers should be made continually, without intermission, as they are the indication, the practice and nutri- ment of love to God; but because this is 122 almost impossible, even in the most perfect, on account of the unavoidable distractions arising- from our occupations, we should at least endeavor to direct such aspirations to God as frequently as possible, so that they ma}^ be morally continuous. This will be accomplished if we make use of such prayers 1. when we awake in the morning-; 2. before beginning- any work or task, especially one that will consume consider- able time or that is of much importance; 3. at intervals during- our work or occu- pations, especially if these are of a secular nature, and particularly when me meet with some difficulty, when we become too impulsive and too much intent upon w^hat we are doing*; 4. after the completion of every work or task; 5. when the clock strikes; 6. when we are assailed by temptations of any kind; 7. when we are afflicted, melancholy, de- jected or restless; 8. at intervals during* spiritual reading-; 9. during- conversation, in time of re- creation and mental relaxation; 10. during- meals. The source, from which these holy aspi- rations must flow, is the heart inflamed with love to God. Althoug-h it may be ad- visable to commit some forms or formulas 123 of ejaculatory prayers to memory, yet, should we restrict ourselves to them alone, we would expose ourselves to the danger of merely repeating- them with the lips, or of omitting- them frequently, or of wasting- much valuable time in trying* to remember them. Let us learn to draw some whole- some thoug-ht from everything- that we hear or see, let us read the Scriptures, particu- larly the Psalms, and other spiritual books frequently and attentively and then we will almost naturally acquire the habit of di- recting- holy sig-hs and aspirations to God. But we must not forg*et that to acquire this habit and to practice it successfully, we must possess freedom of heart, and this is obtained by purifying- the imagination from worldly impressions and representa- tions, by keeping* the heart diseng-ag-ed from inordinate cares and by subduing- the inordinate desires and turbulent passi- ons of our sensual nature. :o:- CHAPTER V. Spiritual Reading. Spiritual reading- prepares the way to easy and profitable meditation, by supply- ing- abundant matter and powerful aids. Hence the treatise on mental prayer is 124 closely connected with that on spiritual reading-, which forms the subject of this chapter. § 1. Necessity of Spiritual Reading. In virtue of our vocation we are bound to lead a life, which is partly active and partly contemplative. From this we at once infer that spiritual reading- is most neces- sary to every Relig-ious, who seriously de- sires to comply with the duties of his state of life and thus obtain the object he had in view when he made his relig-ious pro- fession. The very essence of the con- templative life consists in the continued endeavor of attaining- a greater purity of soul, of reaching- a more perfect detachment of the heart from the world, and of obtain- ing- a more intimate and closer union with God after we have detested our past sins, extirpated vices, subdued inordinate pas- sions, developed and cherished virtues by the zealous practice of them. To accom- plish all this it is not sufficient to know in a g-eneral way what we are commanded to do or avoid, but we must also learn what we are counseled to do, what it is advisable and expedient to do. We must know the secret principles of the spiritual life, the means, which are most conducive to holiness of life, the most effective mo- tives for applying- such means faithfully 125 and manfully, in a word, the soul must have a comprehensive knowledge of spiri- tual things, and this knowledge can be gained only by the reading of books of piet} r and spiritual edification. Beginners in the religious life are sometimes not only profoundly ignorant of spiritual things, but also very often imbued with most perni- cious principles and lax notions imbibed in the school of the devil, the world and the flesh. These must be eradicated and supplanted by more exalted principles, otherwise they will expose such beginners to the proximate danger of losing not only their vocation but even their eternal sal- vation. Finally, St. Theresa says that the great difficulty, which beginners usually experience in meditating is more speedily and effectually overcome by spiritual read- ing than by anything else, because by means of this exercise a clearer and more exhaustive knowledge of truth is acquired, the mind is convinced by more forcible arguments, and the will is actuated by stronger and nobler motives. That spiritual reading is necessary in the active life scarcely calls for any proof. In the active life we are apt to come in contact with men and women of all classes, of every age, of every condition. We must give instruction, counsel and direction in most various, intricate and dangerous cases; we must excite a salutary fear in the sinner, 126 we must encourage the penitent, we must lend assistance to those who are advancing on the path of perfection, we must confirm those, who have reached a high degree of sanctity, in one word, we must become all to all that others may be saved. But there is no other treasure than that of spiritual reading, from which we as householders may continually bring forth new things and old. (Matt. 13, 52.) Hence St. Paul admonishes his disciple St. Timothy, whom he had consecrated bishop: Attend unto reading, to exhortation and to doctrine .... Take heed to thyself, and to doctrine, be earnest in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee, (I. Tim. 4, 13. 16.) On the contrary, those pastors of souls, who despise or neglect this source of spiri- tual erudition, belong to those of whom St. Jude speaks when he says: These are spots in their banquets, feasting together without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water, which are can'ied about by winds, trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, -plucked up by the roots. Rag- ing waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion, wandei'ing stars: to whom the storm of darkness is reserved forever. (Jude 12. 13.) 127 § 2. Manner of making Spiritual Eeading with profit. In order that spiritual reading- may pro- duce all these fruits, some things must precede, others accompany, and others fol- low the reading itself. Before reading there are required: 1. A good and pure intention of reading the book in that spirit and for that purpose, in which and for which it was written, namely to increase our knowledge and love of God and thereby to promote our own and others 1 salvation. For what things soever were written^ were written for our learning, that through patience and the com- fort of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Rom. 15, 4.) All Scripture inspired of God is profit able to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to everv good work. (II. Tim. 3, 16. 17.) We must therefore not read from morbid curi- osity, or with a desire of pampering to vain-glory by the acquisition of an erudi- tion of which we may afterwards boast. 2. A spiritual hunger and eagerness to acquire the science of the Saints; for only those who hunger and thirst after justice shall be filled, and the word of God, which is the food of the soul, nourishes the soul in proportion to the eagerness with which it is sought. Hence we must not read as 128 though we were performing a wearisome and irksome task, nor because we are com- pelled to do so or for mere pastime. 3. An humble consciousness and sincere acknowledgment of our ignorance in divine and spiritual matters, so that a simple love of truth will induce us to read books not on account of any beauty or elegance of style, but rather on account of the know- ledge of truth which we may derive from them. This food of the soul is found very frequently in greater abundance in works that lay no claim to sublimity and gracefulness of diction; for it is well known that God hides the secret and adorable counsels and plans of wisdQtn from those, who are wise and prudent according to the world and reveals them to the little ones, that is, to those who have a lowly opinion of themselves. To these He gives His grace, but He resists the proud, those, namely, who are puffed up by their worldly learning and erudition, and always find fault with the style of the language, with the method of treating the subject or with the subject itself, and pride themselves in the use of high-sounding and bombastic words to give expression to the lowly thoughts of worldly science. They belong to those who see and do not perceive, hear and do not understand. 4. A fervent and confiding supplication for the assistance of divine grace, that the 129 Lord, Who is the God of all knowledge, (I. King's 2, 3.) from Whom as from a Father of lights even- best gift and every perfect gift cometh (James 1, 17.) may open our understanding, that we may understand the Scriptures (Luke 24, 25.) and that we may all be taught of God. (John 6, 45.) During spiritual reading the following points should be observed: We should read 1. attentively and slowly, particularly when we meet with something that is of special utility to us. Then we should tarry for a little while to give the mind suffi- cient time to digest its food properly; for just as food, which is taken into the sto- mach too greedily and without moderation as to quantity becomes a source of uneasi- ness to the stomach, so hasty reading over- whelms the memory and confuses the un- derstanding and little if any fruit results from it; 2. with reflection, by applying the truths and teachings practically to ourselves to eradicate vice or increase the exercise of virtue; 3. devoutly, by seasoning the spiritual reading with sighs and aspirations in keep- ing with the matter, which we are reading; 4. studiously, by always making the re- solve of putting into practice the know- ledge acquired from reading; 5. orderly, by using judgment in the choice of books and reading them from 9 130 beginning- to end. To read indiscriminately everything- that we may chance to hit upon will not be profitable but positively inju- rious, it will not cherish piety but gratify curiosity. Three thing-s are required after spiritual reading-: 1. We should make a brief synopsis of the matter, which we have read, so that it may be impressed more deeply upon the memory and more readily called to mind when an opportunity presents itself of practicing* what we have learned in our reading*; 2. we should note down in alphabetical order the more salient passages of what we have read, that they may more effectu- ally increase our fund of knowledg-e; 3. we should give thanks to God for all holy thoug-hts and pious affections, with which He has favored us during- spiritual reading-; we should humbly beseech Him to g-ive us the grace to keep our g-ood re- solutions, so that we may derive abundant fruit from this spiritual exercise. § 3. Suitable Books for Spiritual Reading. The first g-eneral rule is that we should read only edifying books, such, namely, as are in keeping- with the idea of spiri- tual reading-, by furnishing- the understand- ing- with solid principles and supplying- the 131 will with forceful motives, the result of which will be a thorougii conversion of morals. For only that reading- deserves to be called spiritual reading*, by which we .put off, according* to our former conversa- tion, the old man, who is corrupted accord- ing* to the desire of error, by which we are renewed in the spirit of. our mind, and put on the new man, who, according* to God, is created in justice, and holiness of truth. (Eph. 4, 22. 23.) Hence, according* to the spirit of our Holy Rule (chap 6. and 67.) not only scurrilous and idle words and such as provoke inordinate laug*hter, but also all frivolous, worldly and traslry books, and particularly such as are a source of dang*er to faith or morality, should never find their way into religious communities. The reading* of such pestiferous pro- ductions of ignoble and putrid minds would necessarily be subversive of all religious spirit and discipline. In fact, not even books that are in themselves g*ood and that treat on subjects bearing* upon morality, should be read promiscuously when they are written in a very flowery style or by heterodox authors, because they will either make the heart effeminate and render it unfit to treat serious matters seriously, or they will embarrass and pervert those, who are less on their g*uard or not so well pos- ted on dogmatic Theology, b}^ the dang*er- ous principles of a false Christianity, which 132 naturally creep into the literary productions of non-Catholic writers. The second general rule is that we should read those books, which our superior or spiritual director may adyise or direct us to read. Our superiors are the legiti- mate and authorized interpreters of the divine will in our -regard, and by submit- ting* ourselves to their judgment we gain the merit of humble obedience and self- denial, which God will reward by impart- ing to us a more abundant measure of graces, in virtue of which we will be en- abled to derive greater spiritual advantages from our reading. However, should the reader find it utterly impossible, in spite of earnest and conscientious endeavors, to derive any spiritual profit from the book given to him by his superior, he may can- didh^ advise him of the fact and humbly ask for another book, so, however that he be prepared to follow the directions of the superior whatsoever they may be. The reason why we should permit the spiritual director to select the books for us is very clear, for in the choice of the reading matter the condition of the soul and ca- pacity of the reader must be taken into consideration, and of these no one is sup- posed to be a better judge than the spiri- tual director. If we rely upon our own judgment in selecting our spiritual reading 133 books, self-love will blind us and iniquity Will lie to itself. Having seen the general rules we will now proceed to call attention to the de- tails by classifying the books, which we should use in spiritual reading. The place of honor undoubtedly belongs to the Sacred Scriptures on account of their dignity as well as in consideration of their utility. Their intrinsic dignity is evident from the fact that they have God for their author: For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost. (II. Pet. 1, 21.) S. Paul extols the utility of the Scriptures when he says: For the ward of God is living and effectual and more piercing than any tn'o-edged sii'ord. and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow. t Heb. 4, 12. ) The Scriptures are a divine production, which man can not even imitate. In them may be found a wonderful multiplicity of meaning, an in- exhaustible richness of unction joined with the greatest simplicity of diction and style. The Sciptures. as the Fathers express it, are a letter addressed by God to man. in which He has deigned to reveal Himself to His creatures and to instruct man in the truths of salvation. But that we may reap the desired fruit from the reading of the Scriptures, we 134 must not only observe all that has been said in the second paragraph of this chapter, but we must also bring- the understanding* into captivity (II. Cor. 10, 5.) in theoreti- cal truths, out of reverence towards the omniscience and truthfulness of God, and exhibit a prompt docility of the will in reg-ard to the practical truths and a holy eag-erness to put them into practice, on ac- count of the supreme authority of Him, Who commands. Reason must not be too bold or inquisitive, but must pay humble deference to the authority of God and His Church, especially in thing's that are hard to be understood, and which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction. (II. Pet. 3, 16.) But even the books of Sacred Script- ure are not all equally adapted for spi- ritual reading-, and we should give the preference to those which treat more directly of faith and morals and read them more frequently than the historic and prophetic books. We should therefore read the New Testament and select from the Old Testament the Book of Proverbs, Ec- clesiastes, the Canticle of Canticles, the Book of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus and espe- cially the Psalter, which is at the same time prophetical, historical and theological, and proclaims the praises of God. Next to the Scriptures we should read the Holy Rule, the Statutes of our Con- 135 gregation and ascetical writing's. The Rule and Statutes contain the obligations, which we took upon ourselves in our religious profession, and through them and our su- periors we learn what is the will of God in our regard. The careful reading of as- cetical books will not only remind us of the first principles of the spiritual life, of the tender conscience and of the generous fidelity, which we learned, cherished and practiced during the Novitiate and during the first few years of our religious life, but will also keep alive our first fervor, or it will cause us to be filled with holy confusion and fear, reminding us of our past infidelity in the service of God and will thereby animate us with a firm resolve to return to our first fervor and to spend the remaining days of our life in an ear- nest endeavor to reach a high degree of spiritual perfection. Next we should read the works of the Fathers and of other approved writers on mystic theology and asceticism. On account of the great number of books, which treat of these subjects, we should never make the selection ourselves but invariably re- quest our superiors or spiritual director to make it for us. The substance of all that has been said on the choice of books for spiritual read- ing is found in the last chapter of the Holy Rule. It may not be out of place 136 here to submit a plan, according- to which the entire Scriptures may be easily and profitably read in the course of one year. This can be accomplished by reading- a few verses of the New Testament every morn- ing-, together with one chapter of the moral or prophetic books of the Old Testament, and one or two chapters of the historical books of the Old Testament every evening-. § 4. Distribution of the books of the Old and New Testament for Spiritual Reading. January: Genesis, and the first twelve chapters of Exodus; Proverbs, and the first twenty chapters of Matthew. February : The last twenty eig-ht chap- ters of Exodus, and the entire of Leviticus; Ecclesiastes, Canticle of Canticles, the first eig-ht chapters of Wisdom, the last eig-ht chapters of Matthew and the first ten chapters of Mark. March: Numbers, and the first twenty six chapters of Deuteronomy; the last eleven chapters of Wisdom, the first twenty chap- ters of Ecclesiasticus, the last six chapters of Mark and the first fourteen chapters of Luke. April: The last eig-ht chapters of Deu- teronomy, Josue, Judg-es and Ruth; the last thirty one chapters of Ecclesiasticus, the last ten chapters of Luke and the first ten chapters of John. 137 May: The first two Books of Kings; the first thirty three chapters of Isaias, the last eleven chapters of John, and the first eight chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. June: The last two books of Kings; the 'last thirty three chapters of Isaias, and the last twenty chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. July: The first book of Paralipomenon; the first thirty chapters of Jeremias, Epistle to the Romans, and the first eight chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. August: The second Book of Paralipo- menon; the last twenty two chapters of Jeremias, the Lamentations, Baruch, the last eight chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians and the second Epistle to the Corinthians. September : Esdras, Nehemias and To- bias; the first thirty chapters of Ezechiel and the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephe- sians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessa- lonians. October: Judith, Esther and the first ten chapters of Job; the last eighteen chapters of Ezechiel and the Prophecy of •Daniel; the Epistles to Timothy, Titus Philemon and the Hebrews. November: The last thirty chapters of Job; the Prophecy of Osee, Joel, Amos, Abdias and Jonas; the Epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude. 138 December: The Books of the Macha- bees; the Prophecy of Micheas, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophonias, Ag-g-eus, Zacharias and Malachias and the Apocalypse. The Psalms were intentionally omitted in this distribution because they are in daily use. Should anyone desire to read only the moral books of Scripture, to the exclusion of the historical and prophetical books, he might substitute- the Psalms for the books assigned for the month of De- cember, and thus 'he would have sufficient reading- matter and ample time for reflec- tion. -:o:- CHAPTER VI. Daily Examination of Conscience. Watch ye therefore, for you know not the day nor the hour. (Matt. 25, 13.) These are the words with which our divine Lord exhorts us to continual watchfulness. He tells us that death is certain but that the hour of death is uncertain. This watch- fulness consists in this that we keep our- selves in readiness for that awful moment, in which we must be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that we may receive the proper thing-s of the body, ac- 139 cording" as we have done, whether it be good or evil. (II. Cor. 5, 10.) But the best preparation for judgment is that we judg-e ourselves, for the Apostle says: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (I. Cor. 11, 31.) We should there- fore pass judgment on all our actions, and that we may do this regularly, impartially and profitably we should daily examine our conscience thoroug-hly. There is no better method of keeping oneself prepared for death than this prac- tice of self-examination, and at the same time, it is a most practical and effective means of arriving- at a high degree of spi- ritual perfection. By means of this spiri- tual exercise we acquire a more perfect knowledge of ourselves, and in consequence of this we will conceive a holy hatred of ourselves, and we will form an humble and lowly opinion of ourselves; but these three, knowledge, hatred and contempt of our- selves, constitute the solid foundation of a spiritual life. Moreover, if we daily be- wail the defects and infidelities, which we discover by means of this exercise, our sins of weakness will not become sins of malice and vicious habits, and if bad habits have taken up their abode in our hearts, nothing will serve to extirpate and expel them more quickly or more radically than the daily examination of conscience, in which we realize how pernicious they are and con- 140 sequently resolve to combat them manfully by means of firm resolutions. Finally, in this spiritual exercise we elicit and practice many acts of virtue, which God rewards by imparting- to us a richer measure of graces and other blessing's, in virtue of which we will not only learn how to avoid evil and do gx>od, but we will also actually co-operate with these graces and by the daily exercise of Christian justice we will bring- forth fruits worthy of pen- ance, by making- satisfaction for our past transgressions, and arm ourselves ag-ainst future temptations. What has been said is amply sufficient to demonstrate the usefulness of this spiri- tual exercise. We will now show how the examination of conscience must be made in order that it may produce g*ood results. There are two examinations of conscience, with which Relig-ious are familiar, the g-eneral and the particular; hence this chap- ter is naturally divided into two articles the first of which treats of the g-eneral, the second of the particular examination. ARTICLE I. General Examination of Conscience. The g-eneral examination of conscience is a scrutiny of our lives or of all our ac- 141 tions and omissions from one day to the other. This scrutiny is made for the pur- pose of removing- all faults and imperfec- tions, which we may discover, together with their sources, by a fervent act of sor- row and by arming* ourselves against the'm for the future by a firm purpose of amend- ment. From this description of the general examination we can easily see how it dif- fers from the particular examination, as well as from that which is required for sacramental confession. The particular examination has reference to only one par- ticular vice or virtue, whilst in the g-eneral examination we take ourselves to task for all actions or omissions of thought, word or deed. The examination before confession extends to all sins committed since the last valid confession, whereas the g-eneral exa- mination is restricted to the actions and omissions of one day only. This g-eneral examination has a twofold scope or object. The first is to reconcile us more perfectly to God by sorrow for the sins, by which we have offended Him; the second is to re- move the causes and occasions of our daily sins and imperfections by a firm purpose of amendment; and such a sorrow and such a purpose constitute the basis of a thoroug-h and permanent conversion of morals. This twofold object will be obtained if we make the general examination in the following manner: 142 1. We should briefly call to mind the graces received from God during- the day and make an humble act of thanksgiving for them, in order that we may more fully realize our past ingratitude to God. 2. We should implore the divine assist- ance that by the light of God's illuminat- ing grace we may discover all our defects and imperfections together with their sour- ces; that b) 7 His moving grace we may earnestly detest them, and that by His help- ing grace we may persistently and success- fully battle against them for the future. 3. We should make the examination itself orderly by observing a certain order or method. This is best done by taking up the actions and omissions of the day singly in their chronological order and inquiring whether and to what extent we have failed therein against God, our neighbor or our- selves. We should make it concisely so that we may not only examine our conscience during the time set apart by obedience for this exercise, but also have ample time for the act of sorrow and the purpose of amend- ment, from which the fruit of the exami- nation principally depends. We should make it thoroughly, not tepidly, hastily or super- ficially, but everything must be carefully- examined and weighed, not in the fallacious scales of the world, the flesh or of self- love, but by the weight of the sanctuary, (Exod. 30, 24.) according to the principles 143 laid down in the Gospel, the precepts of the Holy Rule, the teaching's of enlightened asceticism and the examples of our holy predecessors, and we should weigh our actions with the same care, rigor and im- partiality, with which we w^ould weigh them at the hour of death. 4. After the examination we should elicit an act of perfect contrition. This act should extend, in a general way at least, to all the sins of our past lives, particularly to all hidden sins, and be as intense as possible. 5. Next we should ask pardon with a heart filled with holy shame and confusion and deep humility. 6. We should make a fixed and definite purpose of amendment endowed with all those qualities, which have been enumer- ated and explained in the treatise on medi- tation. 7. Finally, we should impose upon our- selves some special works of penance for our sins, e. g. a special visit to the Blessed Sacrament, spiritual reading, meditation or particular examination of conscience, abstinence or any other corporal mortifi- cation. In this way vices are more quickly and effectually extirpated, a practical ha- tred of sin is implanted and the will is strengthened against a relapse. Such a punishment we should inflict upon ourselves 144 not only for serious faults, for which we must sooner or later make satisfaction, but also for lesser imperfections and infidelities; for if we acquire the habit of being- faith- ful in little things we will be faithful also in greater thing's. ARTICLE II. Particular Examination of Conscience. § 1. Nature and Utility of the Particular Ex- amination and Method of making it well. The particular examination is either a combat against one definite vice, upon which we wage war by means of a daily scrutiny and resolution, giving- no quarters and allowing no truce of peace until the monster has been perfectly subdued or put to flight; or it is an endeavor to develop some particular virtue by the same means, namely, examination of our actions in re- ference to that virtue, which forms the subject of particular examen and a daily resolve of practicing that virtue more per- fectly. The Holy Fathers as well as other masters of the spiritual life have always recommended this exercise as the most powerful and almost only adequate means of extirpating vices and of acquiring the practice of virtues; for as no one becomes very good or extremely wicked at once, 145 so also vices are not cut off by one stroke nor virtues perfectty developed by a single act; but rather, just as nature gradually reaches its complete development, so also grace, as a general rule at least, purifies and sanctifies the soul little by little. Hence, in making* the particular examen we must exercise the greatest care not to proceed in a g-eneral and rambling- way, but limit ourselves to one single and individual subject, by selecting- only certain acts and examining- them in detail with reg-ard to their circumstances of time, place etc., and only after we have mastered the subject in all its bearing's should we turn our attention upon some other vice or virtue. The method of making* the particular examen does not differ from that of the g-eneral examination; they have the same constituent parts, which follow each other in the same order. But the particular ex- amen has one part more than the g-eneral, and this consists in a careful and exact annotation of the points g-ained or lost with reg-ard to the present subject of ex- amination. This annotation constitutes the characteristic feature and is an essential part of this exercise, for it enables us to judg-e of the progress or regress, which we make from day to day, from week to week, from year to year, by comparing the records of one day, week, or year with that of the preceding, and to know whether 10 146 we are gaining- or losing- in our spiritual warfare is a matter of the utmost import- ance. This annotation will also assist us in discovering- the sources and occasions of our sins and imperfections, and in form- ing- a true judgment in regard to the quali- ties of our resolutions. In order that the daily record may be of great practical utility it must be kept carefully and systematically. If the sub- ject of the examen is some vice, which we are endeavoring to extirpate, we should note down the defects or vicious acts; if the subject is some virtue, which we wish to develop, we should record the number of times we have practiced this virtue in the course of the day. We should also keep account of the number of times we have acted with reflection, i. e. with an actual advertence to the resolution, which we have made in the particular examen. for from these deliberate acts, which are either in keeping with the particular re- solution or at variance to it. we can best judge of the fruit derived from this exercise. From all that has been said we can easily infer that the fruit of the examen depends upon the resolution, which should have the following qualities: 1. It should be serious and firm; it must not be made superficially and thoughtlessly, but it should spring from a great fervor 147 and from an intense love of the virtue, or a deep-seated hatred of the vice, which forms the subject of the examen. Our success depends upon the strength of our purpose, (Imit. Christ. B. 1. chap. 19.) And, indeed, if even those, who make strong- resolutions often relapse into their former sins and imperfections, what can be ex- pected from those, who never or only very seldom make a determined purpose of amendment? Hence we should frequently strive to renew our first fervor by reading- or meditating- upon the virtue or vice, which we have chosen for our particular examination. 2. It should be manly and energ-etic, so that neither the greatness of difficulties nor the duration of the exertion, which it will require, may cause us to become faint- hearted in keeping- it. 3. It should be prudent and discreet; we must not propose to ourselves too many thing's, or very difficult thing-s, and our resolution must not be too g-eneral, but we should make it as particular as possible, and as our streng-th increases we shonld proceed from thing's that are easy to those that are more difficult. A resolution that is not tempered by prudence and discretion will do little g-ood; it will be short-lived, for we will soon learn that the spirit is indeed willing- but that the flesh is weak. Such a resolution will not be kept, and it 148 will therefore have a discouraging* effect upon the mind and engender a disgust for the entire exercise. 4. It should be accompanied by a guarded watchfulness, which should recall to our mind the resolution, which we have made, watch the occasions of breaking it and cautiously avoid them by calling the at- tention of the mind to them. It should also seek and point out the occasions of practi- cing what is contained in the resolution, it should urge us to bewail our failings and to punish ourselves for our want of fidelity, it should suggest new and more effective means of keeping the resolution and make our endeavors fruitful by ask- ing every day in fervent prayer the grace and assistance of Him, Who teacheth our hands to fight, and our fingers to war. (Ps. 143, 1.) § 2. Selection of Subject for the Particular Examen. In this single-handed combat very much depends upon the prudent choice of the subject, whether it be a vice or a virtue. In choosing it we should be guided by the following rules: 1. We should select as the subject mat- ter of the particular examen our predomi- nant vice or passion, that one, namely, 149 in which the other unruly passions and affections have their origin; 2. when several vices or passions are equally strong- and dominant, that one should form the matter of our examen. which is more pernicious than the rest and places greater obstacles to spiritual progress, to a thorough conversion of mo- rals and to charity towards God and our neighbor; 3. when several vices or passions are equally pernicious we should first attack those that are external; these do not escape the notice of others and they are conse- quently a source of scandal; they under- mine discipline, they disturb the peace of the community and expose the religious life to ridicule and contempt. Such vices in a Religious are: A general looseness of morals, worldly levity and want of com- posure, quarrelsomeness, detraction, mur- muring and hypocrisy; 4. after we have rooted out the external vices we should give our attention to the internal, and exterminate them by the full development of those virtues, which are characteristic of the religious life, such as childlike and punctual obedience in all things, profound humility, the constant practice of mortification and self-denial, contempt of the world, enduring patience and perfect resignation to the will of God. 150 It is sometimes very difficult to de- termine, which is the predominant vice or passion; however if we allow ourselves to be guided by the following- rules, we will not fail to detect it: 1. We should inquire into the proximate cause of that unusual joy or sadness, which occasionally affects the heart; for this cause is not far removed from the pre- dominant passion; 2. w^e should carefully hunt up the source of our daily defects and of the sins, into which we fall most frequently; 3. we should exercise a vigilance over our thoughts, to see what it is that we .think of most frequently, involuntarily and without advertence; 4. we should be on the alert for those indications b}^ w^hich the predominant pas- sion usually distinguishes itself from others. Such indications are the following: 1. It enters into almost all our actions and intentions; 2. when the will is drawn in contrary directions by opposite affections, the pre- dominant passion invariably gives the issue; 3. it hides itself most insiduously, ex- cuses itself most eloquently and becomes exceedingly exasperated when it is sus- pected or accused; 4. although this passion persistently evades our own notice it is easily detected 151 by others; hence that vice, for which we are reproved by others, especially if they are well disposed towards us — that passion for which we are g-enerally or at least very frequently called to account by others, may safely be considered our predominant vice or passion. After we have discovered the predominant vice or passion by these methods, we should make a resolute attack upon it by practicing- the opposite virtue persevering-ly and habitually. In this way we will g*ain the victory over it more quickly and with greater profit to ourselves, for si- multaneously we will destroy the vice and foster the opposite virtue. The acts of virtue must not necessarily be external, for which time and opportunity may be want- ing", but they should be principally internal acts, which may be elicited or practiced at all times. Moreover, by internal acts we more readily acquire a facility and habit of making* such acts, which will naturally tend to manifest themselves in external actions; and also this is worthy of notice, that by interior acts the inner man is reformed, and without this interior reformation the exterior reformation is of little value and will not last long". — This attack must be continued not only until the vice or passion is weakened but until it is perfectly extirpated or subdued. The vice or passion is weakened when we easily overcome vehement temptations against the 152 opposite virtue; it is extirpated or subdued when the very thought of it fills us with horror and detestation, and then we should render thanks to God, through Whose as- sistance we have gained such an important victory. -:o:- CHAPTBR VII. Manifestation. The manifestation, which forms the sub- ject of this chapter, is a sincere and candid disclosure of the state or condition of the soul made to the religious superior or to the spiritual director. This manifestation is prescribed by the Holy Rule (chap. 4 Inst. 51 and chap. 45.) and the Holy Fa- thers as well as all ascetical writers re- commend it as a most effective means to progress in the spiritual life. And, indeed, our nature is so depraved, so full of self- love, that, whilst we see the mote in the eye of our brother, we do not even feel the beam in our own eye, and this same self-love blinds us to such an extent that we fail to notice our own spiritual defects and wounds, it causes us to conceal them or even love them. This disease of the eve of the soul can be healed only by those, whom God has placed over our heads; for 153 as God has enjoined upon them to be fa- ther, teacher, counselor and physician to those committed to their care, so, on the other hand, has he commanded those to observe all that a son owes to the father, 'the disciple to his master, the perplexed to his adviser and the sick man to his physician. They owe to their superiors and spiritual guides love, confidence, dutiful- ness and candid sincerity. Hence, just as one who is suffering- from some disease or infirmity of the body must not conceal his wounds, ailments and their causes from the ph}^sician, so the Religious must not fail to make known to his spiritual phy- sician the ailments of the soul together with their causes. The obligation of mak- ing a manifestation is specially incumbent upon beginners, for they are yet strangers to the science of the Saints, whilst they are often imbued with the pernicious prin- ciples and maxims of the world and dan- gerous prejudices, which cause them to have little respect for virtue, to look with suspicion upon the solid principles of as- ceticism, to shirk the yoke of religious life, or to carry it reluctantly or even to shake it off entirely, thereby endangering their eternal happiness, unless they vomit out the poison in time by a candid mani- festation and open their hearts to the principles and teachings of the science of the Saints. Hence S. Dorotheus says: This 154 or that is often assigned as the cause why such a one fell into sin, zvhy such another left the monastery; it is said that he left on account of sickness, on account of the inter- ference of his parents, but I say these ai'e not the true causes, they are only pretexts; the truth is that he grew dissatisfied with religious life and left his monastery because he failed to unbosom himself in the beg'in- ning to his spiritual adviser and physician. And, indeed, this want of frankness and openheartedness is the result of secret pride. It is an unmistakable indication of pride to think that we do not stand in need of the advice of anyone else, to profess self- sufficiency, to imagine that we can direct ourselves in the spiritual life. Hence God punishes those, who subvert the plans of divine providence in this matter, by spir- itual blindness and hardness of heart, so that seeing- they tnay not see and hearing- may not understand. He will deliver them up to a reprobate sense on account of their vain thoug-hts and the words of the Apos- tle will be verified in them: Professing themselves to be wise they beca?ne fools. (Rom, 1, 22.) S. Bernard says: Whoever constitutes himself his own master, makes himself the disciple of a fool. Finally a candid manifestation is a most opportune and effective remedy ag-ainst temptations of all kinds and an efficacious means of frustrating* the deceitful machinations of 155 the wily serpent. The prince of darkness hates the light, and hence, as Cassian says. when he is brought out from his dark lurking- place and exposed to the light by an open confession he takes to flight: when he is unmasked his power is broken. This manifestation is twofold, ordinary and extraordinary. The ordinary is that which is made by the direction of the superior or spiritual director, who also designates its subject matter. The extraordinary ma- nifestation is that which is made of one's own accord. It is not limited to any fixed time nor to particular matters, on the con- trary it comprises everything that belongs to the internal or external state or con- dition of the soul or body — temptations. doubts, adversities, attachments, proclivi- ties, passions, aids and obstacles to spiritual progress, inspirations, special inclinations to certain virtues, spiritual things or ob- jects of piety, the intentions, by which we are usually actuated in our actions, the estimation we have of our vocation, the endeavors we are making to excite and nourish holy desires in ourselves, the gift of prayer and the degree of perfection, which we have acquired in this spiritual art. etc. Concerning all these things we must give an account in our manifestation 1. timely, lest the evils grow strong whilst we postpone the manifestation; 156 2. humbly, by an abnegation of our own judgment and a heroic victory oyer pride, which is wont to conceal its deformities and vices; 3. briefly and to the point, avoiding all useless and irrelevant narrations; 4. sincerely and openly, without conceal- ing anything; 5. clearly and candidly, without abiguity or equivocation; 6. submissively, by accepting the advice, by complying with the admonitions and by applying the remedies suggested by the superior or spiritual director. This mani- festation may always be made to the Abbot, who is pre-eminently the spiritual father of all his subjects; usually, how r ever, it is made to the spiritual directors and con- fessors, to whom the Abbot entrusts a part of his pastoral care over his spiritual flock. Of these Christ has said: He that heareth you. heareth vie : (Luke 10, 16.) these God has placed over our heads. (Ps. 65, 12.) Hence, although they be men, and al- though they may show by their faults that they have not yet reached the summit of perfection, yet we must never lose confi- dence in them; we should be practically mindful of the words of the Holy Rule: (chap. 4.) To obey the commands of the Abbot in all things, even when {which God forbid*) he fails to practice what he teaches, being mindful of the command of the Lord: 157 All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do; but according to their works do ye not, (Matt. 23, 2.) What difference does it make in the end, through whom God may wish to direct and lead us to Himself? His power and wisdom are not dependent upon human science, adroitness, rectitude. Away, there- fore, with all suspicious, rash judgements and everything* that may tend to instill into our hearts aversion or repugnance to our spiritual father or g-uide! In fact, if we should notice something- in the actions or character of our superior or spiritual director, that causes us to be displeased with him or make it difficult for us to follow his suggestions and obey his com- mands, we should not conceal it from him, but in all frankness and sincerity we should mention it to him. This childlike candor and unaffected freedom will redound to our honor and be a source of consolation to the superior or spiritual g-uide. In a word, we should feel perfectly con- vinced that the benig-n providence of God, which uses men to teach and direct others, will not allow us to be led astray as long- as we are openhearted and obedient to the moderator of our consciences, even thoug-h he should not possess eminent learning- and sanctity. On the other hand, we should endeavor to realize well that God, to Whom every mocker is an abomination and Whose 158 communication is with the simple, (Prov. 3, 32.) will punish him who acts deceitfully and fraudulently towards his director and strives to deceive him. Even the most learned and saintly guide will not direct such a dissembler successfully, for God scorns the scorners (Prov. 3, 34.) and hates the mouth with a double tongue. (Prov. 8, 13.) -:o: CHAPTER VIII. Religious Modesty. By faithfully putting- into practice all that has been said in the preceding- chap- ters, we will not fail to reform the interior man and we will speedily arrive at a high degree of religious perfection. But the ex- terior man also requires attention. In the religious profession we promised a refor- mation of the entire man, and consequently if we wish to become perfect Religious we must bring the exterior man into harmony with the interior, perfected man. Now, this harmony will be established if we ac- quire, preserve and practice religious mod- est}^, and in this chapter we intend to ex- plain its nature and necessity, and to lay down general and particular rules, accord- 159 ing- to which the exterior man must be fashioned. § 1. Nature of Keligious Modesty. Modesty is a moral virtue, which duly feg-ulates the speech tog-ether with all the external actions and movements of the body, so that in manners and behavior nothing- is found that may give offense to others, but, on the contrary, our whole deportment becomes a source of pleasure and edification to those with whom we associate. Card. Bona gives, what may be called an analy- sis of this virtue and shows us how to practice it. He says: "Modesty requires cleanliness of dress, composure of the hands, cheerfulness of countenance, unruffled brozv, downcast eyes, a dignified gait, pleasing speech, discreet laughter, courteous manners, so that nothing in our exterior conduct may give the least offense to others." (Horolog-. Ascet.) The term modesty has therefore a very comprehensive signification; it is rather an ag-gregation of many moral vir- tues than one single perfection, for it com- prises honorableness of character, reserve, humility, g-entleness, truthfulness, candor, prudence and general civility towards all. When modesty is not accompanied by these attendant virtues, it is not genuine and will therefore not be lasting-. From this it is easily inferred that the foundation, upon 160 which religious modesty rests, is a holy fear and timidity, arrising from a loving- remembrance of the presence of God and nourished by ejaculatory prayers and pious* aspirations. Hence St. Benedict repeatedly recommends the practical remembrance of the presence of God, not only as a most effective instrument of virtue and good works, (chap. 4. inst. 49.) but also (chap. 7.) as a means of exterminating- vices and other bad habits, and as the foundation of interior and exterior humility; and ex- terior humility is nothing- else than re- ligious modesty. § 2. Necessity of Religious Modesty. The necessity of this virtue arises from the fact that we are Christians, from the fact that we are Religious and from the oblig-ation of preserving- our g*ood name. Regarding- the first it will suffice to say that modesty is a characteristic virtue of the Christian and that Christ himself in- culcated it to his followers when he said: Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart. (Matt, 11, 29.) He practiced this virtue to such a degree that S. Paul did not hesitate to add weight and force to his admonitions by reminding the Corinth- ians of the example of Christ, saying: / Paul myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ. (II. Cor. 10, 1.) 161 Hence the same Apostle in many places exhorts the faithful to practice this virtue: Put ye on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, be- nignity, humility, modesty, patience. (Colos. 3, 12.) Brethren, we pray and beseech you that you walk honestly towards them that are without. (I. Thess. 4, 11.) With honor preventing one another. (Rom. 12, 10.) Let your modesty be known to all men. (Phil. 4, 5.) Finally in his letter to the Romans, (12, 17.) he says: Providing good things not only in the' sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. S. Bernard interprets these words of the Apostle as follows: Every one should endeavor to be without reproach, first before God and then before all men; in three ways can we provide good things in the sight of ?nen, by our manners, by our actions, by our speech; by our man- ners, which should not be excentric, by our actions which should not be reprehensible, by our speech which should not be con- temptible. S. John Chrysostom (23. horn, to the people of Antioch.) says: // is ad7nitted that faith is the light of the world, and this faith manifests itself in the gait, in look, in manners, in speech. I say this not that we ?nay boast of ourselves before others, but that they may be edified by our conduct. Now, if this is true of every Christian, it is pre-eminently true of every Religious. 11 162 To Religious, who by their vocation are placed upon the candlestick and man}^ of whom are set upon the mountain in virtue of their priestly dignity — to Religious has it been said in the person of the Apostles: Tou are 'the light of the world; so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (Matt. 5, 14.) Hence we find no Rule of any religious Order, no monastic constitutions, which do not lay particular stress upon the ob- servance of religious modesty, for it is at the same time a source and a criterion of a solid conversion of morals. It is a source, for, as S. Bonaventure says: (Specul. Novit. p. I. c. 74.) Whilst modesty subjects the body to a rigorous discipline, the mind ac- quires constancy, and by degrees attains interior peace and tranquillity of the soul, because a diligent vigilance over the actions of the exterior man curbs the passions and does not allow them free scope. Modesty is a criterion of a true conversion of mo- rals, because, as the same Holy Doctor says: (de 6 Alis Seraph, c. 4.) To relin- quish exte?'ior discipline, which has been instituted as an ornamejit to religion and an effective means of spiritual progress, is the sign of a neglected conscience and of interior levity. A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest him is known by his countenance. The at- 163 tire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man show what he is. (Eccli. 19, 26. 27.) Hence S. Ber- nard lays down the following* infallible rule: When you see a monk, of whom you have always had a good opinion, begin to look about wherever he stands, walks or sits, to carry his head high, to show a de- sire of hearing everything that is going on, you may at once infer from the exterior change that has taken place, that a similar change has occurred within: for, a pe?'- verted man keeps his eyes askant, his feet are always astir, his fingers are restive and the froward and petulent movements of the body are the sy?nptoms of some new disease of the soul. And finally lie says: Without modesty we may have the semblance of con- version, but not the reality ; a conversion devoid of vii'tue, bears only the appearance of true holiness of life. From this it follows, that a Religious, especially a Benedictine, who does not practice the virtue of religious modesty, is unfaithful to his profession, in which he solemnly promised to God a conversion of morals; he also makes himself guilty of unmitigated contempt of his Holy Rule, which so graphically describes religious modesty and so earnest^ enjoins it; (chap. 7.) and in the last chapter S. Be- nedict saj^s in a general way that the en- tire Holy Rule was written that by ob- 164 serving" it in our monasteries we may- show that we have acquired some probity of morals and that we have at least a small beginning* of religious discipline. But if we adhere to the world by exhibiting* an unrestrained levity in our words and ac- tions, we will lie to God by our religious dress and soon become as detestable as the Sarabaites. Now, if it be true that the absence of modesty in the deportment of a man is a sure indication of some internal disorder, it is evident that Religious, who are de- void of modesty, do not guard their g*ood name. They debase themselves before the eyes of the world, particularly in these times, when the revilers of monastic insti- tutions divulg-e and exaggerate even the least failings of Religious, which may come to their notice. Moreover, as a mat- ter of fact, thoug-h unjustly, the faults of individuals are imputed to the entire com- munity; hence it follows, that those Re- ligious, who show a lack of modesty, not only debase themselves but also bring* the Monastery and their Order into bad repute, so that what S. Greg*ory once said of wicked priests may be justly applied to them: / do not think that God (the reli- gious state) is dishonored so much by any- one as by wicked -priests, (Religious devoid of modesty) when He sees those, whom He had chosen to watch over the morals of 165 others, give scandal by their public offenses; when those commit sin, who should appease the anger of God and weep over the sins of others; when those, who have been called to dwell in a place of holiness, occupy them- selves with wordly affairs, (by their proud, scurrilous, scandalous conduct.) (Horn. 12. in Luc.) There is nothing- so amiable as a modest youth. S. Bernard says: What a beautiful and resplendent gem is modesty of manners in the life and countenance of a young man! It is a reliable indication of future worth, the index of a noble mind; it is the rod of discipline; it expels evil habits, defends interior -purity; it is the glo?y of his conscience, the guardian of his good name, it is an ornament to his life, the seat of virtues and source, from which they spring; it bespeaks the beauty of his nature and is a token of all that is honor- able. (Ser. 16. super Cant.) On the contrary, S. Bonaventure says: An overbearing and insolent youth is a dis- grace to the religious profession. (Spec. Novit. p. I. c. 8.) Hence, since everyone is in duty bound to protect the honor and good name of the community, of which he is a member, the words of S. Paul to Ti- tus are applicable in a special way to the members of a religious community, and his words contain not a mere counsel but a strict command; he says: In all things show thyself an example of good works, 166 in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity, the sound word that can not be blamed: that he, who is on the contrary part, ?7tay be afraid, having no evil to say of us. (Tit. 2, 7. 8.) No one can hurt us if we be zealous of good, (I. Pet. 3. 13.) and there is no better way of closing- the mouths of the revilers of the religious state, than by exhibiting* at all times an unfeig-ned re- ligious modesty and gravity of deport- ment. § 3. General Rules of Religious Modesty. We call those g-eneral rules, which readily adapt themselves to all circum- stances. S. Bonaventure sums them up in the following- words: The manners of Re- ligious should have three qualities; they should be dignified, humble and gentle. They should be dignified in order that we may manifest no levity in gait, that we may not indulge in loud and inordinate laughter, that we may not be flippant and garrulous in speech, that we may not be insolent, bold and froward in our looks, that we may not be nonsensical, clownish or mimical in our general intercourse with others, that we may not be whimsical, restive or uncultured in the posture of our bodies or their members. Our manners should bear the impress of humility, in order that we may not be over- bearing in our carriage, that we may exer- 167 rise a diligent care over our eyes, that eveiy movement of the body may be in accord with the requirements of modesty and pro- priety, that zee may love simplicity in dress, that zee may be content with poor fare and 'lodgings, that we may since?'ely seek the last place at all times, that we may avoid boastful words and gestures, that we may bear contempt with silence, that we may flee from praise, that we may decline to be se/i'ed by others and be ever ready to mini- ster to the spiritual and co?po?'al wants of others, even in the meanest and lowliest things. Finally, our manners should be gentle, that we ?nay listen to the advice of others, that we may do favors to others even at a sacrifice of our own ease and convenience, that we may yield to the judgments of others and shai'e with them all we have, that we may make ourselves agreeable to others and be cheerful in the Lord, that we may be affable and social, openhcarted without divulging secrets; always ready to give and return thanks for favors ?xceived, that we may always be charitable in inter- preting the actions and motives of others, that we may show respect to all, despise no one and never make ourselves guilty of 7'ash judgment. In this way our intercourse with others will invite respect, because it is dignified, it will become worthy of imitation, because it is humble; it will become amiable, be- 168 cause it is gentle. The dignity and gravity of onr demeanor will temper our gentleness that it may not degenerate into levity and effeminacy ; our gentleness will moderate our gravity of deportment that it may not turn into moroseness and peevishness: it will also dii'ect our humility so that we may not incur the least suspicion of either vain-glor\\ affectation or hypocrisy. § 4. Special Rules of Religious Modesty. In order that we may not be drawn be- yond the reasonable limits of our compend- ium by the abundance of matter that might be ranged under the heading* of this para- graph, we will confine ourselves to a few circumstances in the ordinary daily life of a Religious and lay down special rules by which he should regulate his conduct. I. lit Conversation. 1. We should never fail to make a good intention, in order to fortify the soul against all temptations. When it is possible, we should also prepare the matter so that we ma}' always speak to the edification of those with whom we associate. 2. We should frequently elevate our hearts to God by means of holy aspirations. By this practical and loving remembrance of the presence of God we will guard against all 169 inordinate and worldly merriment, which r -ource of mental dissipation. tures should give no indication dejection, weariness or drowsi- ness, n r should we exhibit any listles-r.es-. or lack of interest in our conversation- Should we fail to observe this rule we would make ourselves painfully disagreeable to those, who had a right to expect mental relaxation from their intercourse with us. We should pay special attention to the injunction of the apostle and alwa~- render honor, to whom honor is due. > Rom. 13. 7. When we associate with anyone, our entire manner of acting and speaking sh:udd re:ie:t the reverence, esterrn and honor in which we hold him. The observ- ance of this rule will effectually exclude from our conversations all self-glorification and will make our deportment truly pol- ished and agreeable. 5. We should studiously avoid all undue familiarity with others, which is apt to become a very pest to a religious com- munity: we should flee and detest all forms of private friendship, which has neither God nor the salvation of souls as its ob- : but springs from the flesh and seeks its gratification in the flesh alone. TVe should be the same towards all — polite, hum':;-, kind, respectful and rondescend- inga 170 6. We should exclude from our words and actions everything- that is dark, hid- den, underhanded, deceitful, deceptive, tricky, feigned or dissembled; we should speak the truth with heart and lips, season our speech with the salt of prudence and thus imitate the simplicicity of the dove according- to the precept of our divine Master. 7. We should above all things preserve inviolate the bonds of peace and harmony; without peace and concord, as S. Jerome says, religious houses become veritable hells, where the one is the other's devil. Hence we should frequently call to mind the characteristic marks of true, Christian charity, which S. Paul enumerates as fol- lows: Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed tip, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, bat rejoiceth with the truth: Beareth all things, believeth all things* hopeth all things, endureth all things. (I. Cor. 13, 4.-7.) 8. We must therefore not converse more with the hands than with the tongue; to do so would be an offense against the rules of politeness, it would show a lack of good taste and culture and would be an indication of latent pride and levity. S. Bonaventure says: Every ?nove?nent and gesture 'of the speaker 171 should bear the impress of modesty; he should not throw his arms about in a wild and agitated manner, he should not contort his features by rolling the eyes, by com- pressing or biting the lips, by drawing the mouth to oive side, or by any other unbe- coming movement, but his countenance should always bear the expression of seriousness, kindness and meekness, (Tom. VII. p. 1. 549, c. 20. Spec. Discipl.) 9. We should speak only of serious, useful or necessary things; for scurrility, idle words and such as provoke inordinate laughter, are condemned by the Holy Rule (chap. 6.) and by the excellence and holi- ness of our state of life, upon which, those bring discredit, who are frivolous and non- sensical in speech. It is, indeed, allowed to make use of pleasantries occasionally to make ourselves or others cheerful, but they must always be within the limits of propriety. Whatever we may say to re- create the mind should be seasoned with the salt ol evangelical wisdom, it should be reasonable, seasonable and never un- charitable. 10. We should speak with reflection, weigh our words and not become garrulous. A man full of tongue shall ?iot be established in the earth. (Ps. 139, 12.) S. Bonaventure says: The wise man will carefully consider when to speak and when to be silent, he weighs and examines every word twice be- 172 fore placing it upon his tongue; zvheras the fool splutters out pro?niscuously, what- ever youthful exuberance or his predominant passion may suggest. 11. We should avoid all intentional ambi- guities and mental restrictions, all duplicity, dissembling, untruthfulness and boasting; our conversation should be full of holy sincerity and open-hearted simplicity. /;/ all thy works let the true word go bofore thee. (Eccli. 37, 20.) My 7nouth shall medi- tate truth, and my lips shall hate wicked- ness. (Prov. 8, 7.) 12. We should avoid all detraction, cal- umny, contumely, derision, murmuring, sarcasm, and everything else that ma}^ give offense or hurt the feelings of others. We should particularly guard against say- ing anything injurious or uncharitable of those, who are absent; on the contrary we should protect the good name of our ab- sent brethern by concealing, excusing or at least palliating their faults. 13. We should avoid everything that even in the least degree savors of pride, vanity or ostentation, lest we lose merit before God and draw upon ourselves the contempt of men; on the contrary we should observe an inviolate silence concerning ourselves and our doings. 14. We should avoid with equal humility, all strife, loud and obstinate disputes and wordy altercations; we should advance and 173 uphold our opinions with modesty, humility and charity; otherwise we may seriously offend ag-ainst fraternal charity and our colloquy- may deg-enerate into mutual re- crimination. It is an honor for a man to separate himself from quarrels; but all fools are meddling with reproaches. (Prov. 20, 3.) 15. We should manifest the same gentle- ness towards all, be they great or small, superiors or inferiors, learned or unlearned. We should never be curt or snappish in conversation; to be so is a sig-n of ill-con- cealed contempt, impatience and peevish- ness. When we are questioned we should answer calmly, without giving- the least indication of any inordinate passion or aversion; 16. We should most carefully avoid every- thing- uncultured or uncouth in our con- versations and always pay due honor and respect to those, with whom we speak. 17. We should never wantonly interrupt others whilst they are speaking-, by con- tradicting- their statements, by telling- our own experiences, by making- irrelevant re- marks, and we should be particularly care- ful not to answer questions before they are asked. He that answereth before he heareth, showeth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion. (Prov. 18, 13.) If we are animated by genuine charity, we will always look upon the words and actions of others with a simple and pure 174 mind; we will place the best possible interpretation upon everything- they say, we will think well of all, we will judge none, we will despise none. Like S. Paul, we will strive to become all to all. In all things that are not con- trary to conscience, the Holy Rule, precepts or duties of our state, we will accommodate ourselves to others, we will be submissive even to the least in the community; out of regard for peace and harmony we will cheerfully submit our judgment, we will deny our will, we will sacrifice our con- venience and self-love. We will do all this particularly when we are called upon to associate with such as are less polished in their manners, proud, contentious, wise in their own conceit. To associate peaceably with persons of such dispositions requires great virtue and a high degree of spiritual perfection. Such members are burdens, which are found in every religious com- munity; but we will bear them patiently if we remember that we too have our faults and weaknesses, which tax the patience of of others. Hence we should deeply impress upon our hearts the words of the Imitation of Christ: If you wish to be borne with yourself bear with others. (B. II. c. 3.) If we are ever mindful of religious mod- esty and put it into practice, the body with all its members and actions will conform itself to the requirements of true civility 175 and humility. We will not speak in a loud and boastful tone of voice, we will avoid all immoderate laughter, all buffoonery and vulgar pleasantries, all flippancy and petulance of language, particular^ in our conversation and intercourse with seculars. II. At Table. 1. S. Paul lays down a general rule of life, which we should carefully observe when we take food or drink. He says: We should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world. (Tit. 2, 12.) We live soberly when we do not allow our natural appetite to determine the quantity and quality of our food and drink, but partake only of that which is necessary to sustain life and strength that we may continue to serve God. We live justly when we not only leave to others their allotted portions, but also choose for ourselves the things that are less palatable, and occasionally deprive ourselves of a part of our portion for the sake of the poor. We live godly when we mortify ourselves and purify our intention as often as the sensual appetite tempts us to seek mere gratification whilst we replenish our bodies. 2. We should never go to table without first visiting the Blessed* Sacrament, at least mentally, to implore the divine as- sistance against all temptations to intem- perence in eating and drinking. 176 3. Before and after meals, whilst we are in the refectory, we should observe every detail of religious modesty in our looks, posture, etc., in compunction of heart and deep humility. 4. At table we should sit free and easy, not too erect nor too much bent, we should not support ourselves on our elbows nor cross our feet, we should carefully guard our eyes, and no word, no sound but the reader's voice should be heard. (Holy Rule, chap. 38.) 5. We should look upon those who serve us at table, as Ang-els of the Lord, throug-h whom He feeds His servants. 6. We should not use our fing-ers where it is proper to use knife, fork or spoon, and these should always be kept clean so as not to provoke nausea in those who sit near us. 7. We should not eat so fast as to be done long- before the rest, nor so slowly as to keep others waiting-. 8. We should not selet a second piece before we have fully disposed of the first; to do so is a mark of greediness, which is most unbecoming* in a Religious. 9. Should we find anything- nauseating- on our plate or in any dish, we should not call the attention of others to it, but quietly request the waiter to remove the plate or dish, and say no more about it. 177 10. If there be a deficiency in the quan- tity or a defect in the quality or prepara- tion of the food, let us remember that we are useless servants, that we have vowed poverty and that mortification is necessary. At any rate, let us not murmur, if we must make complaint, let us go to the superior and not disturb the community. 11. We should observe moderation at all times, but particularly when we are in- vited or obliged to dine with strangers and seculars, when the danger of indulging to excess is often augmented by the bad ex- ample and importunities of others, whom we would scandalize by our excesses. III. In the Dormitory. All Religious sleep in single beds, but usually many or at least several occupy the same apartment or dormitory. In it the following rules should regulate our conduct: 1. The strictest silence must be observed by all and towards all. S. Benedict ex- pressly requires this in his Holy Rule, (chap. 42.) The observance of this noctur- nal silence is so essential to the preserva- tion of religious discipline that no superior can conscientiously even connive at its violation, and no usage or custom, no dif- ference how long it may have continued, can make it legitimate to disregard the 12 178 rule on this point. So important is the observance of this silence, that, except in case of necessity, its violation can scarcely ever be excused from venial sin; and if such violation be loud, protracted and fre- quent it will easily become a mortal sin on account of the implied contempt of the Holy Rule. 2. The grave obligation of observing this silence as well as fraternal charity require that we make as little noise as possible in going up or down stairs, in opening- or closing- doors, in taking- off our shoes etc., and that in all our move- ments, even when we are in a hurry, we cause no unnecessary disturbance. 3. Beds should be carefully made at the proper time, and they as well as the en- tire apartment should always be scrupu- lously clean. IV. In the Cell. 1. The cell should always be neat and clean. Furniture, clothes, books and all other thing's in the room should be in their proper places, and the bed well made. 2. In our cells, even when we are not observed by others, we should always pre- serve a decent and modest posture, because there is One, Who always sees us. 3. Nothing- should be found in the cell that the superior did not give us or per- mit us to have. Nothing superfluous, 179 nothing- that savors of vanity or effeminacy should be found there. Such thing's do not harmonize with the state which we profess — a state of poverty and morti- fication. 4. In bed we should always be modest and chaste, keeping* ourselves well covered even at a sacrifice of ease and comfort. 5. We should not enter the cell of an- other without permission, and even then make our stay as short as possible, speak in a whisper only, and leave the door of the cell open. 6. Lengthy confabs and private conven- ticles breed much evil in religious com- munities, and we should therefore never tolerate them in our cells. They are a violation of obedience and silence and un- dermine religious discipline; the faults of superiors and confreres are the usual to- pics of conversation at such clandestine meetings, and hence fraternal charity and the peace of the community suffer, unholy alliances and private friendships are formed and valuable time is wasted. The faithful observance of these rules and of others that will readily suggest themselves, will cause our modest}^ to be known to all men, (Phil. 4, 5.) and make us a pleasing spectacle to God, to the world, to Angels and to men. (I. Cor. 4, 9.) 180 With this we conclude the second part of the Tyrocinium. May the Novice in religion not think lightly of or disregard anything- that has been said. The Re- ligious will never fulfill the grave obli- gation of striving after perfection, unless he learns to perform all his ordinary, daily duties and actions perfectly. This he will do if he zealously practices the lessons he has been taught in this second part. But if he should fail to regulate his conduct by these teachings, he will make little or no progress in the science of the Saints. He may do great things in the eyes of the world, but they will be worthless in the sight of God, Who looks to the heart rather than to the work. — True holiness does not consist in doing great or many things, but it consists in doing all things well. PART THIRD. CHAPTER I. The Religious State. § 1. Nature of the Keligious State. The religious state is one in which men or women oblige themselves to strive con- tinually after perfection, by observing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, according to a fixed rule, in an Order ap- proved of by the Church. It is called a state, because it implies a certain stability and uniformity of life founded upon vows, which are to remain in force until death. Of men or women. It is understood that they must be baptized and profess the true faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb. 11, 6.) Oblige themselves to strive after per- fection. Perfection is the principal end of the religious state; however it is not a state of perfection already acquired, but 182 it imposes the obligation of tending- to- wards perfection. Strive continually. St. Bernard says, as soon as a Religious fails to advance on the way of perfection he begins to lose what he had gained. By observing the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. These three vows are essential to the religious state, and through them the principal obstacles to perfection are removed. All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the fleshy the concicpiscence of the eyes and the pride of life. (I. John 2, 16.) By concupiscence of the eyes, according to the common interpretation of the Fa- thers, is meant the inordinate desire to pos- sess the riches of this world. Our Lord Himself has taught us what dangers are connected with earthly riches. Amen I say to you, that a rich man shall ha7'dly enter into the kingdom of heaven . . . It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 19, 23. 24.) How many dangers are found in the concupiscence of the flesh! S. Isidore says: The devil holds more in his grasp through the sins of lust than through all the other vices combined. S. Bernardine says: This sin of lust fills hell with delight and carries almost the whole human race 183 to perdition. (4. Serm. on Lust.) By pride of live self-will is meant, of which S. Bernard says: Take away self -will and hell will cease to exist. (3. Serm. on Easter.) But the vow of poverty is opposed to the con- cupiscence of the eyes; the vow of chastity to a great extent removes the dangers arising- from the concupiscence of the flesh, and the vow of obedience counteracts the dangerous tendencies of pride of life or self-will, and hence these three vows by their very nature lead to perfection. According to some fixed rule. Hence Religious are called Regulars, from regula, which signifies a rule. A religious Order is a complete organization and cannot exist without some rules, just as a civil societ}' can not exist without laws. Hence the Council of Trent enjoins that all Re- ligious should live in conformity to the rule, which they have professed; (sess. 25. chap. I.) and S. Benedict speaks with no little indignation of the Sarabaites, who, without having been tried by any Rule . . . are known to belie God by their tonsure. (chap. 1.) In an Order approved of by the Church. In the IV. Council of the Lateran, Inno- cent III. reserved the right of approving religious Orders to the Holy See, but be- fore that an indirect and tacit approval was sufficient. 184 Inference: The name Religious is undoubtedly taken from the word religion, for Religious in virtue of their profession are obliged to practice continually the virtue of religion by keeping their vows conscientiously, by chanting the divine praises by day and by night and by performing other pious works, and, in general, by leading a virtuous life. Hence those Religious, who continue to lead worldly lives belie- God and man by the name which they bear. § 2. Dignity and Excellence of the Religious State. It is a characteristic of the religious state, that the life, which it enjoins finds its model not only in the Apostles but also in Christ Himself. S. Jerome says, that Christ and the Apostles were the first Re- ligious. S. Chrysostom makes the same remark. And, indeed, the end, for which the religious state was instituted, is most exalted, and the means of attaining this end are most effective. The end is to serve God perfectly, to love Him perfectly and to sing His praises without intermission. The means are the religious vows. The religious life is an imitation of the occu- pation of the Blessed in heaven: Like these, so also Religious, in as far as their present imperfect condition permits, are 185 wholly and continually intent upon serving- God and proclaiming- His praises in hymns and canticles. S. Lawrence Justinian says: Here on earth and in oar present pilgrim- age we find nothing that gives a truer re- ' presentation of our heavenly home than the religions life of a community, which has dedicated itself to the service of God. (De Monte Pert. cap. .6.) S.Bernard, speaking of the religious state, says:. In it man lives more purely, falls less frequently, rises more speedily, acts more circumspectly , re- ceives richer measures, of graces, dies more confidently , is purified more quickly and rewarded more abundantly. (Horn, de Quae- renti bonas marg., cap. 7.) These are weighty words and deserving- of our most earnest consideration. Practical Inferences: 1. We should often thank God for the grace of a vocation to the religious life. 2. We should remember that the best way to show our gratitude- is by leading- holy lives according- to the requirements of our religious state. 3. We should realize how unworthily they think of the religious state, who say that it lays upon them an unbearable burden, who therefore feel no contentment in the state, to which they have been mercifully called, and finally turn their 186 backs upon it and become apostates from religion. 4. We should often reflect upon the dignity and advantages of the religious state, that we may love it sincerely and prove our love by the sanctity of our lives, by venerating the religious dress and kiss- ing it devoutly when we put it on or off, by offering one of the canonical hours in thanksgiving for our vocation and to ob- tain the grace of perseverance, by renew- ing our vows frequently and by observing the religious discipline even in its most minute details. -:o:- CHAPTER II. Religious Perfection. § 1. Essence of Religious Perfection. Christian perfection consists in a true love of God. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of -per- fection. (Col. 3, 14.) Now the end of the commandment is cha?'ity. (I. Tim. 1, 5.) But the end of the commandment is per- fection, hence perfection consists in chari- ty. S. Paul expressly says: Love, there- fore, is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 187 13, 10.) S. Thomas says: The perfection of man consists in his union with God through charity, (Ep. ad Phil. cap. 3. lect. 2.) The Fathers as well as all masters of the , spiritual life teach the same doctrine. When we say that perfection consists in charity, we mean habitual charity. How- ever, that habit of charity, which is in- fused into our souls by the Holy Ghost and which is also found in baptized in- fants, does not yet constitute the perfection of which we now speak. Christian per- fection consists rather in the increase and development of that infused habit of chari- ty, which are gained by the frequent re- petition of acts of charity or of other vir- tuous acts proceeding- from love of God, whereby the will is gradually strengthened and rendered prompt in producing* such acts when moved and assisted by actual grace. This is Christian perfection in general, from which religious perfection does not differ essentially, but only in the means employed in developing the habit of chari- ty, which are proper to the religious state. Practical Inferences: 1, Religious perfection does not consist in great illuminations or ecstatic raptures, nor in sweet emotions or spiritual conso- lations. Such conditions of the soul often 188 do not proceed from or indicate true, in- dwelling* charity, but are frequently the results of a latent self-complacency or gra- tified self-love. They are not the fruits of g*enuine charity if we become remiss and negligent when we no longer ex- perience such sweetness in our spiritual exercises or good works. On the contrary, the examples of many Saints prove that religious perfection is not incompatible with spiritual dryness and barrenness. Scrupulous and faint-hearted persons should bear 'this in mind. The true lover is re- cognized in those works, in which self-will is mortified and overcome. 2. Religious perfection does not consist in the voluntary chastisement of the body, nor in self-denial, nor in austerity of life, nor in the desire of suffering adversities for God's sake; they are only the effects and outward manifestations of charity and perfection. But those effeminate persons, who shrink from everything that is diffi- cult and repugnant to nature, prove thereby that they have not even entered upon the path of perfection. 3. Religious perfection does not consist in protracted prayers- and exercises; they are only the proper and necessary means of acquiring perfection. But if they pro- ceed from self-will and take the precedence over duties imposed upon us by office or obedience, they become obstacles in the 189 way of perfection and must therefore be considered spurious. Obedience is better than sacrifices. (I. King's, 15, 22.) § 2. Nature of that Charity which constitutes religious Perfection. Charity may be perfect in a twofold way, intensively or extensively, or, as some say, intrinsically and extrinsical^. We call charity intensively perfect when it is fervid and causes us to practice good works with ease, alacrity and pleasure, and it is susceptible of many degrees as the fervor itself may be more or less intense. Charity is called extensively perfect, when it is accompanied by. the practice of other vir- tues, and the greater the number and per- fection of these virtues is, the more perfect the extensive or extrinsic charity becomes. All charity* whether intensive or extensive, even in its lowest degree, is a supernatural gift of God. But we would not call a man perfect when he possesses charity only in a very low degree, for he may then ex- perience great difficulty in doing- gx>od, he may be subject to many imperfections and have many bad habits. Religious perfection does not require a charity that is inten- sively perfect, but it does demand a chari- ty, which is supreme and more or less ex- tensively perfect. Who then shall separate 190 its from the love of Christ? shall tribula- tion? or distress or famine? or nakedness? or danger ? or persecittion ? or the sword ? (Rom. 8, 35.) This is supreme love. Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitiozts, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, re- joiceth not in iniqitity, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, (I. Cor. 13, 4.-7.) This is charity extensively perfect. Practical Inferences: 1. We arrive at religious perfection by degrees. In beginners we find a charity, which impels them to remove the stains of sin by penance and to extirpate bad habits by mortification. In those who have made considerable progress on the way of perfection we find a charity, which urges them on to acquire steady alacrity in prac- ticing the different virtues. In those who have attained a high degree of perfection, we find that same charity tending to unite them still more closely to God by love, which becomes the main-spring of all their actions. 2. Habitual tepidity is incompatible with religious perfection and the end of the re- 191 ligious state, and is therefore grievously sinful. 3. Persons, who refrain from commit- ting* mortal sin, but make little of venial sins, and are habitually negligent in re- sisting* temptations, are yet far removed from perfection. -:o:- CHAPTBR III. Grave Obligation of striving after Perfection. § 1. Whether Religious are required to be actually perfect. All teachers of ascetic life agree that Religious are not required to be actually perfect. S. Thomas expressly says: One that enters upon the religious life is not obliged to have perfect charity, but he ?nust endeavor to obtain perfect charity, (2. 2. qu. 186. art. 2.) The religious life is only a school of perfection. S. Benedict says in the preface to the Holy Rule: We intend to institute a school of divine service. As a student on entering- a school of philoso- phy is not expected to be a perfect phi- losopher, so also a person, who embraces the religious life is not expected to be al- 192 ready perfect, but he must strive to become perfect, just as the student must endeavor to become a g-ood philosopher. Hence S. Bernard says: A ceaseless effort and con- tinual striving to become perfect is accounted perfection. And S. Augustine calls him perfect, who strives without intermission and without faltering- after perfection. Practical Inferences: 1. It is not the same thing- to be in a state of perfection and to be actually per- fect. All Religious are in a state of per- fection, because by their vows they are oblig-ed to tend towards perfection by fol- lowing" the evang-elical counsels, whereas only those are actually perfect who have attained a higii ■ degree of charity accom- panied by a proportionate development of the other virtues. 2. Timid and scrupulous persons have no cause to feel worried about the fulfillment of the oblig-ation of striving* after perfec- tion. § 2. Whether Religious are obliged under mortal sin to strive after religious Perfection. An affirmative answer must be given to this question for the following- reasons: 1. It is the teaching- of the Holy Fathers. S. Jerome says: For a Religious to be 193 perfect in this life is impossible; but for him not to strive after perfection is a crime. (delinquere est) (Letter to Heliodor.) (The * Fathers use the word delinquere only when they speak of mortal sin.) S. Caesarius says: To go into the desert (to enter the relig- ious state) is great perfection; not to live perfectly in the desert brings on great dam- nation, (horn. 29.) 2. It is the common opinion of Theolo- gians. 3. It stands to reason. Perfection is the end of the religious state and everyone who enters this state must strive to obtain its end. It is the sum of all obligations imposed upon him by his state of life. Hence Christ says: If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, etc. (Matt. 19, 21.) Every Religious is obliged under grievous sin to redeem his vows, and consequently he is also obliged under mortal sin to strive after perfection. S. Bernard says: By our religious profession we have promised to ascend the heights of perfection. S. Jerome says: You have pro?nised a life of perfec- tion; you play false to the Lord, if you do not become perfect. (Letter to Heliodor.) Practical Inferences : 1. Our striving after perfection must be se- rious and efficacious. Hence we must reject the fallacies of some, who try to persuade 13 194 themselves that a certain barren intention or a listless indifference will suffice, so that a Religious need not be worried if he have on^v the intention of striving- after perfec- tion though he never or rarely actually do anything- to attain perfection. 2. We should endeavor to excite in our- selves a spiritual fervor by daily calling* to mind the fact, that we have assumed such a serious oblig-ation of striving- after perfection, and by addressing- to ourselves the question, which S. Bernard so often asked himself saying-: Bernard, why did you come here? 3. Religious have a grave oblig-ation of knowing- not only the end of the religious state, but also the means adapted and necessary to the attainment of that end. Hence, Novices should diligently learn the principles of monastic life and put them in practice, otherwise their ig-norance will be culpable and will consequently not ex- cuse them when they shall have made their religious profession. § 3. In what the Obligation of tending towards Perfection consists. The obligation of tending towards per- fection requires the Religious constantly to use the befitting and necessary means to arrive at perfection according to his Rule and profession. It is therefore not distinct 195 from the obligation of keeping- the vows and observing- religious discipline. This .is the teaching- of most Theologians. S. Thomas says: The religious state is a per- severing effort to arrive at perfection, but the means of attaining it are not the same for all. (2. 2. qu. 186. art. 2.) Towards the close of this article he says that a Religious need not apply all those means which lead to perfection, but he must make use of those, which are expressly pointed out by the Rule he professes. Christians living in the world are oblig-ed to seek the per- fection of their respective states in life, for to all it is said: Be you therefore per- fect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt. 5, 48.) But people in the world do this by keeping" the commandments; hence the Religious also fulfills his duty of striv- ing" after perfection by keeping his vows and his Rule. Otherwise a Religious, when he violates his vow, would be guilty of a twofold sin, one against his vow, the other against perfection, which is not the case. Practical Inferences: 1. Our progress in perfection and per- fection itself consists in performing all our works and spiritual exercises in a perfect manner. The difference between a perfect Religious and a tepid Religious does not 1% consist in this that the former does more or different thing's, but in this that he performs his works and actions more per- fectly than the latter. 2. A Religious is not required to perform works of supererogation, but a fervent Relig-ious will not content himself with doing- only that, which he is bound to do, but, like a dutiful child, he will try to please God by some extraordinary work of his own choosing*, which will indicate the intensity of his charity. 3. A Religious, who observes all that belong-s to the substance of his vows, can nevertheless not be excused from mortal sin, if he is not concerned about the ob- servance of the Rule and Statutes of his Order and habitually transgresses them. He manifests a kind of contempt of his Rule and Statutes by his conduct and does not apply the means of perfection laid down for him, and the natural inference is that he is not disposed to seek the end of the relig-ious state seriously and efficaciously. Moreover, anyone who habitually disre- gards his Rule exposes himself to the proxi- mate dang-er of violating- his vows in their very substance. It is, indeed, the common opinion that the Holy Rule does not bind under mortal sin, where it does not treat of thing's appertaining* to the substance of the relig-ious vows or the precepts of natu- ral law, but this is understood of single 197 items and does not therefore apply to the Religious, who habitually disregards his entire Rule. 4. Since this obligation of striving* after perfection is essential to the religious state, a Religious is bound by it at all times and in all places, and no office or dignity will exempt him. On the contrary, those who are appointed to offices, which require them to come in contact with the world, to trans-* act business with seculars, to speak with persons of the opposite sex, etc., must be more on their guard, more solidly grounded in virtue, more earnest in striving- after perfection than others, who are not exposed to so many dangers and distractions. Hence Louis de Ponte says that no one should be chosen to do pastoral work, who is not already perfect or has at least advanced far on the way of perfection, which he must teach to others. (1. 2. de Christian. Horn. Perfect.) 5. A Religious sins grievously when, by his bad example, he induces others to lead negligent lives or causes the collapse of religious discipline in a community; for in- stance, if he should habitually neglect and disregard the rule of silence and occasion others to do likewise; if he should habitu- ally hold private confabs with his confreres or seculars; if he should incite others to defy their superiors, or encourage them in 198 murmuring- against them, or if he should sow the seed of discord in the community. 6. For many reasons the sins of Re- ligious are more grievous than the sins of seculars. They have more obligations to fulfill and greater and more plentiful graces and other means at their disposal. Hence S. Augustine says: Since I began to serve God I have seldom found better 'men than those that led good lives in mon- asteries, but I have also never found zv or se men than those who led bad lives in monas- teries, (ep. ad. Pleb. Hipp.) 7. A Religious sins greviously if he fails to use the means of perfection for a long* time or negiects them entirely. Such means are: Meditation, spiritual reading-, exami- nation of conscience and others prescribed by the Holy Rule. It is not sufficient to attend these spiritual exercises from mere habit or human respect, without fervor and devotion; such negiig-ence is incom- patible with a true tendence towards per- fection. 8. Persons who are of a timid and scru- pulous disposition should bear in mind that a Religious is not required to perform works of greater perfection from day to day. All that is necessary is to perform the monas- tic exercises and daily works in a perfect manner, and charity will continually in- crease in the soul. 199 9. If we do not notice a continual in- crease of perfection, especially in the be- ginning- of our religious life, we need not ♦infer that we are making- no progress. God sometimes conceals this progress from us in order to keep us humble and permits us to be assailed by more violent tempta- tions in order to induce us to make greater exertions. But if a long- time has elapsed and we still experience no progress in per- fection, the probabilities are that the fault lies with us, for God does not deny his grace to those who do their utmost. We should then subject ourselves to rig-id ex- amination to discover the root of the evil. 10. Religious, who occasionally trans- gress a rule, or who, for a time, relent in their fervor in attending* to their spiritual duties, have no reason to fear that they have fallen into mortal sin. But those who are habitually lukewarm and careless, have cause to fear that charity has become extinguished in their souls. PART FOURTH, The Tripple Way or Means of attaining Religious Perfection. Ascetic writers are wont to distinguish three stages or divisions in the way to perfection, namely, purgation, illumination and union. Virtues, like plants, have their beginnings, their growth, and final per- fection. In the first stage or division we find the beginners in religious life — they are the recruits of the army. In the second we find those who have completed their spiritual apprenticeship — they are the drilled soldiers of the army. In the third stage we find those, who have attained a high degree of perfection in the spiritual life — they are the veterans of the army. S. Maximus compares those in the first stage to servants, those in the second to hired laborers, and those in the third to children of the household. According to 201 S. Thomas, the three stages on the way of perfection bear the same relation to each other, as childhood, youth and man- *hood in the physical life of man. S. Au- gustine says: Charity is born through the operations of divine mercy ; after it is bom it develops and grows strong, and after it has grown strong it becomes perfect. (Trac. 5. in ep. Joannis.) The first stage purifies and perfects the senses, the second purifies and perfects reason, the third puri- fies and perfects the soul in its higher spiritualized faculties. In the first stage man tries to know himself, in the second he endeavors to know God, and in the third he strives to unite himself with God; for the entire spiritual life may be reduced to these three points — to know oneself, to know God and to become one. with God. As the fire when it begins to work on green wood, first draws out the cold and moisture, which are obstacles to its union with the wood, then imparts to it heat and dryness, which are favorable to com- bustion, and finally unites itself to the wood and consumes it, so to obtain a union be- tween God and the soul all obstacles must first be removed (stage of purgation), then the soul must be proper!}' disposed (stage of illumination) and only then will the union be effected. In the first stage, we find converted sin- ners, who are doing penance for their past 202 sins, and struggle manfully not to relapse. They are employed in rooting- out bad habits and in subduing- their passions. To do this they mortify their flesh by fasting*, vigils and other works of penance, and by tears of compunction they bewail their past infidelities and sins. In the second stage (illumination) we find those who are earnestly battling against the world and make strenuous efforts to increase in all virtue; for virtue is the true light of the soul. They ponder and meditate upon their divine Model, Christ, and strive to imitate Him in the practice of virtue. In the third stage (union) those find peaceful repose, who have successfully pas- sed through the first two stages, have conquered the world and gained the mas- tery over themselves and now enjoy a union with God, which surpasses all understand- ing. Occasionally God permits those who have just entered upon the spiritual life, to taste the sweetness of the unitive stage for a short time, in order to give them courage and confidence when they meet temptations or find the practice of virtue difficult. On the other hand God allows even the most perfect to be assailed by the most violent temptations in order to keep them humble. 203 When the converted sinner tastes the sweetness of the spirit then the pleasures *of the world and the flesh become insipid to him; when the perfect man experiences the difficulties of beginners, he will despise himself and be impelled to exert himself as though he were yet far removed from the heights of perfection. Hence the lines of demarcation between these three stages in the way of perfection are not so sharp and defined as to exclude the acts of the one from the other; but their names indi- cate the predominant and distinctive feat- ures, which characterize our progress to- wards perfection in its different stages. 1". Stage of Purgation. To those who enter this stage of per- fection the Holy Ghost addresses the words: Decline from evil. (Ps. 36, 27.) They are directed to remove everything that may be an obstacle to an ardent and enduring love of God. The obstacles to charity are: 1. Sins. A mortal sin is absolutely in- compatible with charity even in its lowest degree. It turns man away from God, his ultimate end. Venial sins are obstacles to charity in as much as they diminish its fervor and render it less active. 2. Vices and other bad habits. These 204 render man prone to sin and hence are obstacles to ardent charity, which implies a certain facilit}^ and alacrity in the prac- tice of virtue. The remed}^ for sin is -penance, the remedy for vices and other bad habits is mortification. -:o: CHAPTER I. Penance. § 1. Nature of Penance. We here treat of the virtue of penance which is an essential part of the Sacrament of Penance. Penance is a supernatural, moral virtue infused into the soul by God inclining* the sinner to detest his sins, because by them he has offended 'God, and to resolve not to sin again and to make atonement for his past transgressions. True penance therefore requires: 1. Sorrow- and detestation of sin. A mere cessation from sin, or even a change of life, is not sufficient. Holy Scriptures speak of penance as a voluntary grief and afflic- tion of the spirit. And when thou shalt seek there the Lord thy God, thou shalt 205 -find Him; yet so if thou seek Him with all thy heart, and all the affliction of thy .soul (Deut. 4, 29.) S. Paul (II. Cor. 7, 10.) calls penance Sorrow that is according to God. S. Gregory says: To do penance is to bewail past sins and not to do again what we bewail. Moreover, no one can really repent of his sins withont reflecting that by them he has lost God and deserved hell, or, in case of venial sins, that he has offended God and merited severe punish- ment, and thus he will feel sorrow and re- gret for his sins and hate them with a holy aversion. 2. This sorrow and detestation of our sins must proceed from the consideration that they are offenses against God. We may regret our sins on account of their natural hatefulness, as we see it merely bj T the light of reason, or we may be sorry for them on account of their physical, natural effects, e. g. sickness, imprisonment, loss of one's good name, etc. ; such sorrow is of no avail before God; we must be sorry for His sake. It must come from God through His grace and lead to God through our co-operation from some supernatural motive. 3. An earnest and efficacious purpose of amendment. In Holy Scripture we often find detestation of the past and a re- solution for the future put down as con- ditions for the forgiveness of sin. But 206 if the wicked do penance for all his sins, which he hath committed,, and keep all My commandments, and do judgment and justice, living he shall live, and not die, I will not remember all his iniquities. (Ezech. 18, 21. 22.) Moreover, it is evident that no one can really be sorry for his sins, without resolving* to avoid them in future and to use the necessary means ag*ainst a relapse. 4. ^4 -purpose to make atonement. Al- though David had heard the prophet Nathan say: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin, (II. King's, 12, 13.) yet he did not cease to bewail his sin and to do peneten- tial works to make satisfaction for it to God. S. Cyprian says: Do not imagine that God is so easily appeased and extends complete forgiveness; -we must pray, we must do good works to wash away the guilt and punishment of our sins. The Holy Fathers call penance a labori- ous baptism, and the Council of Trent (sess. 14. c. 2.) tells us that it is utterly impossible for sinners to reg-ain their former state of justice and rig-hteousness, even throug-h the sacrament of Penance, with- out fervent tears and great penitential works, because the justice of God demands them. Hence we find that in the early centuries the Church enjoined very severe penances, especially upon public sinners. 207 Inference : By its fruit we must judge whether our penance is genuine or spurious. The fruit of true penance is an enduring- change of life. It causes us to change our per- verse judgments, our false opinions, our carnal affections and our sinful actions. It uproots pride and implants humility; it substitutes a custody of the senses, recol- lection and compunction of heart for curi- osity and gratification of the senses; it takes away the desire of frivolous com- panionship and. instils a love of solitude; it removes laziness and listlessness and imparts an active love of spiritual things; it declares relentless war on gluttony and lust and prescribes moderation, self-denial and mortifications of the flesh. A penance that does not produce these fruits is spurious. We find many sinners whose life is a continual see-saw between sin and repentance. Well has S. August- ine said: That -penance is vain which wal- lows again in the same mire; it is useless to bewail our sins as long as we continue to multiply them; it is useless to crave par- don for our offenses whilst we continue to insiclt God. Such persons prove by their very actions that their grief and sorrow has not penetrated to the heart. They mock Gok but do no penance. 208 § 2. Necessity of Penance. The penance spoken of in the preceding- paragraph is called internal and consists in sorrow for sin in as much as it is an offense ag-ainst God, and in a resolve to sin no more and make atonement. There is also another penance which is called ex- ternal. This consists in penitential works, which may be self-imposed or enjoined by the confessor in the tribunal of penance. Internal penance, i. e. sorroio, is absolutely necessary to reg-ain the state of grace after we have lost it b}^ personal sins, and in- cludes at least the will to perform the ex- ternal penance. Our Lord said: Unless yon shall do pen- ance, you shall all likewise perish, (Luke 13, 3.) and the Council of Trent says: This sorrow was at all times necessary to obtain forgiveness of sin. And, indeed, as long- as man does not regret his sinful action or omission, which separated him from God, he tacitly approves of it, he ad- heres to it, and therefore keeps up the barrier between himself and God. A person, who is in the state of mortal sin, is obliged to repent of his sin, when- ever he is in probable dang-er of death, before he administers or receives any sa- crament and even apart from these cases he can not defer his contrition a very long* time without sin. To continue for a long* 209 time in sin without repentance is almost equivalent to defying- God, and exposes the sinner to the dang-er of committing- other grievous offenses. Hence the Lord says: Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day, for His zvrath shall come on a sudden, and in the ti?ne of vengeance He will destroy thee, (Eccli. 5, 8. 9.) The Prophet says: Seek ye the Lord while He may be found: call upon Him while He is near. (Is. 55, 5.) ' These admonitions and exhortations are addressed to all Christians, but naturally apply with special force to Religious, be- cause their profession requires them to lead a life of penance and to make atonement to God for their own and others' sins. § 3. Kinds of Penitential Works. Faith teaches that after the g-uilt of sin has been remitted there often remains a temporal punishment due to it, for which satisfaction must be made during life or in Purgatory. This satisfation is made by w^orks of penance volutarily performed with the intention of appeasing- the ang-er of God. All satisfactory works may be re- duced to Prayer, Fasting and Alms-deeds, Prayer includes all works and acts of di- vine worship; fasting- includes every thing- that appertains to mortification; and all works of mercy, whether spiritual or cor- 14 210 poral, are comprised in alms-deeds. But not only by positive works of a penitential nature, but also by suffering- with patience and resignation, satisfaction may be made to the justice of God. Hence the Council of- Trent teaches: (sess. 14, c. 9.) So great is the goodness and bounty of God that we a7'e enabled to make atonement to the Father through Jesus Christ not only by self-im- posed penances or penitential works enjoined by the confessor acco?'ding to the measure of 'our offenses, but also by temporal chas- tisements sent by God and patiently endured by us; this is the greatest proof of His love to us. The sacramental Penance is intended as a compensation, at least in part, for the temporal punishment yet due to sin after its guilt has been forgiven. Hence the Council of Trent (sess. 14. c. 8.) directs confessors to impose penances proportionate to the sins for which it is enjoined. It cautions them not to be too lenient, not to impose slight penances for most griev- ous sins, lest they make themselves acces- sory to the sins of others. In the early centuries the Church was more severe in her penitential discipline than she is to-day. Charity has grown cold in the hearts of many and hence the public canonical penances of more fervent ages are almost unknown. Nevertheless the natural obligation of making atone- 211 ment to God for our sins remains great and certain as ever. § 4. Motives of Penance. The first motive or reason why we should practice penance is the grievousness of mortal sin. Mortal sin, so called because it kills the soul by depriving- it of its supernatural life of grace, is a willful transgression of a law of God in a grave matter. It is the greatest conceivable evil in itself as well as in its effects. 1. /;/ itself. Mortal sin is a fully de- liberate transgression of the law of God. Man, a mere worm of the earth, rebels against God, proud and haugiity he stands before his Maker and declares to His face: I will not serve. (Jer. 2, 20.) Man dares to criticise the Eternal Lawgiver and refuses obedience. He turns his back upon God and gives his heart to creatures. Mortal sin is the blackest ingratitude. How many and how great are the graces, favors and blessings bestowed upon man by God in his creation, redemption and sanctification! But the sinner does not appreciate them, he is utterly unmindful of them. Mortal sin is perfidy and treason. The pligiited word given in Baptism is broken and set at naugiit. It is inconceivable insanity 212 or unbearable malice, because the sinner loves that which alone he should hate, he hates that which alone he should love. The malice of mortal sin is infinite because it is measured by the dignity of Him against Whom it is committed, Who is the Infinite God. 2. In its effects. By mortal sin man loses inestimable treasures. He loses sanctify- ing- grace; he loses the child-ship of God and becomes a child of the devil; he loses the power of performing - works strictly meritorious; he loses all his previously gained merits; he loses his right to the heavenly inheritance. But if the just man turn himself azvay from his justice, and do iniquity all his justices which he had done, shall not be remembered. (Ezech. 18, 24.) . Behold, then, the wreck brought on by one mortal sin! What a change it has wrought! The friend of God has become the slave of the devil; the worm of con- science is born and begins to gnaw within the sinner's bosom; the heir of heaven has entered upon the high-way to hell, with no power of his own to retrace his steps. Should death, which comes like a thief in the night, overtake him on this high-way his doom would be sealed for ever. Since the malice of mortal sin is infinite, because it is measured by the infinite dig- nity of God, against Whom it is committed, 213 and since all purely human satisfaction is finite, because it is measured by the dignity of man, which is finite, it follows that the aggregate of all penitential works all men that have been or shall be, would not be able to blot out one single mortal sin or to make adequate satisfaction for it. But God decreed to exact full reparation for the sins of mankind, and hence only a Di- vine Person was capable of making atone- ment for the sins of the world. We should often and seriously reflect on the intrinsic gravity and the terrible effects of mortal sin, in order to intensify our sor- row for it and to strenghten our resolution to avoid it in future. But we must not allow^ these considerations to carry us to the opposite extreme of despondency and despair. As soon as we have realized the shamefulness and heinousness of our fall we should call to mind the goodness and mercy of God, and say to Him with S. Augustine: "Lord, I have done that for which Thou canst damn ?ne, yet Thou hast not lost that by which Thou canst save me" The second motive or reason for penance is the gravity of venial sins. When we compare venial sins with mor- tal sins we rightly call them light and small, for they do not utterly turn us away from God, they do not deprive us of charity and sanctifying grace nor of our right to 214 the heavenly inheritance. However, next to mortal sin, venial sin is the greatest evil that can befall us, and hence we should flee from it as we would from a venomous serpent in our path. All physical evils, even death itself, can not be compared to the evil of one venial sin. The heathen philosopher Aristotle already said: "It is better to die than to do anything against the good of virtue" Venial sin is an offense ag-ainst God. But the least offense ag-ainst God is in- comparably greater than the ag-greg-ate of all other evils that can befall creatures. Hence if we could save the whole world by the commission of the least venial sin we would still not be justified in commit- ting- it. So great is the malice of even the least venial sin that all mankind could not make full atonement for it; only the blood of Christ can wash it away. As those who sin mortally crucify again to themselves the Son of God and make Him a mockery, so those who commit venial sins aug-ment the suffering's of Christ. Let us also judg-e of the gravity of venial sin from its effects. 1. It infects our best and holiest actions and often deprives them of all merit. Even martyrdom, says S. Jerome, if undergone from a desire of gaining the admiration or praise of our fellow men, is of no account. 215 And Christ Himself says: Take heed, that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward from your Father Who is in heaven. (Matt. 6, 1.) 2. Venial sins diminish the fervor of charity. They make us languid in the serv- ice of God, cause us to become disgusted with spiritual things, by degrees develop a habitual tepidity and lukewarmness, which is so nauseating to God. Because thou art lukewarm I will begin to spit thee out of My mouth. (Apoc. 3, 16.) 3. Venial sins are obstructions in the channels of divine graces; they cause God to withdraw Himself from us as we may have learned by our own experience. 4. Venial sins, although they do not deprive a man of sanctifying grace and the habit of charity, nevertheless render him filthy and detestable in the sight of God. S. Catherine of Genoa said that she would rather be thrown alive into a fiery furnace, S. Anselm that he would rather be precipitated into hell, S. Chrysostom that he would rather be possessed by a devil than to be defiled by a venial sin. 5. Venial sins prepare the way for mortal sins. He that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little. (Eccli. 19, 1. ) If we make light of venial sins, temptations gradually increase, our bad habits gain 216 strength, we become spiritually weaker because the measure of our graces is di- minished, we come nearer and nearer to the edg-e of the precipice and then we are assailed by some vehement temptations and we fall. Even then we are not alarmed because our conscience has been rendered insensible and callous by venial sins and now fails to report promptly the mortal sin into which we have fallen. But when it shall awake from its lethargy it will reproach us bitterly and we will then ex- perience the truth of the words of the Prophet: Know thou, and see that it is an evil and bitter thing for thee to haze left the Lord thy God.\SeT. 2. 19.) 6. Every venial sin will be severely pun- ished in this life or in the flames of pur- gatory, of which S. Caesarius says: That purging fire is more severe than anything we can see. feci or imagine in this world. And S. Aug-ustine: Although this fire is not eternal it is nevertheless excruciating bexond conception: its torments are greater than anything that man can suffer in this world. (Ser. on the Fire of Purg\) S. Cyril (ep. ad Aug-ust.) says: The torments of hell and of purgatory are equally great : they differ only in this, that those of hell are eternal in their duration, w he reus those op purgatory will come to cm end. These, then, are the doleful effects of venial sins! But why do we make so little 217 of them that we drink them in like water? It is because we seldom seriously reflect upon their heinousness and consequences and because we do not earnestly strive to subdue our inordinate passions. In order, therefore, to avoid venial sins let us 1. often think of all that has been said in this paragraph; 2. make our daily examinations of con- science, the particular as well as the gen- eral ; 3. be always on our guard and keep a strict watch over our senses; 4. resist promptly and manfully when we are tempted; 5. pray with humility and fervor; 6. think of the last things, for it is said: In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin. (Eccli. 7, 40.) -:o:- CHAPTBR II. Mortification. It is not sufficient for us to repent of our sins and to regain the state of grace. We must lay the axe to the root of our spiritual disorder; we must subdue our sin- 218 ful habits, because they expose us to many great dangers of losing- charity, or at least hinder our progress to perfection to a very great extent. Hence beg-inners must make it their object to remove sin, which is the main obstacle to perfection and crucify the flesh with all its vices and concupiscences. (Gal. 5, 24.) ARTICLE I. Mortification in General. § 1. Nature of Mortification. As natural death deprives man of his natural life, so mortification deprives him of that sensual life which is contrary to the precepts of morality. Hence, mortifi- cation is a holy violence by which we compel ourselves to do or to suffer w^hat our perverse nature abhors, or to abstain from thing-s that are agreeable to it. The object of mortification is to re-establish that perfect subjection of the flesh to the spirit and of the spirit to God, which we lost throug-h original sin. We are not ex- pected to annihilate our passions; the}^ are not bad in themselves. They are the na- tural results of our nature of which God is the author; but we must bring* them into subjection and direct them properly. 219 § 2. Division of Mortification. Man is a rational animal; hence we speak of the spiritual and animal parts of man, the inner man and the outer man. Will, memor}^ and understanding- constitute the spiritual or inner man; the body with its five senses constitutes the animal or outer man. By original sin the entire man deterio- rated, he was weakened and made prone to sin in body and soul. Hence two kinds of mortification have become necessary — the internal, which subjects the will and intellect to the law of God; and the ex- ternal, which keeps the senses in check and subjugates them to reason. Mortification may be either active or passive. It is active when we voluntarily do violence to ourselves by self-imposed penances or other positive acts of self-de- nial. It is passive when we bear with resignation the adversities, molestations and suffering's, which God permits to fall upon us or which others impose upon us. § 3. Necessity of Mortification. The necessity of mortification is incul- cated: 1. By holy Scripture. Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will. (Eccli. 18, 30.) If any man will come after 220 Me, let him take up his cross daily and follow Me. (Luke 9, 23.) Brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you shall die: but if by the spirit, you mortify the deeds of the flesh you shall live. (Rom. 8, 12.) (See also Matt. 11, 12. and Col. 3, 5.) 2. By the Fathers. The whole life of a Christian, if he lives according to the Gos- pel, is a c?'oss and a martyrdom. (S. Au- gustine.) This is the work which we have to perform in this life, to mortify, punish, weaken, subdue and exterminate the deeds of the flesh by the power of the spirit. This is our purpose in life, this is our warfare. (S. Climacus.) 3. By the example of Christ and the Saints. The whole life of Christ was made up of uninterrupted mortifications; but those whom God foreknew He predestined to be made conformable to the image of His Son. (Rom. 8, 29.) For if we be dead ' with Him, we shall live also with Him; if zee suffer, we shall also reign with Him. (II. Tim. 2, 11. 12.) All the Saints have imitated the example of S. Paul, who says of himself: / chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest, perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a reprobate. (1. Cor. 9, 27.) 4. By reason. Surely nothing can be more natural and necessary than that the 221 inferior part of man should be subject to the superior part, i. e. that the sensual appetite should be regulated by reason. S. Bernard says: // is an inversion of right order that the mistress should serve the hand- maid and the handmaid should do?nineer over the mistress; so also is it contrary to sound reason that the inferior fart of man should not only refuse submission to the superior but even exercise despotic rule over it. The principle reason why mortification is so very necessary, is found in the utter depravity of the sensual appetites of man. The imagination and thought of marts heart are prone to evil from his youth. (Gen. 8, 21.) The flesh lusteth against the spirit. (Gal. 5, 17.) Our own daily experience bears witness to the truth of these inspired words. Then, too, so many bad habits that we have contracted in the world, the loose maxims and bad examples of others and the continual efforts of the devil to en- snare us, imperatively demand that we exercise a careful watchfulness over our- selves by the practice of self-denial and mortification. We can not reasonably ex- pect to arrive at perfection by the con- scientious observance of our vows and Rule, unless we first remove the obstacles to this observance, namely, the inordinate desires for honors, riches, pleasures, etc. We will never be able to obey our superiors with 222 humility in all things unless we shall have learned to renounce our own will and judg- ment. Hence mortification is absolutely necessary, especially to Religious. § 4. Fruits of Mortification. The fruits of mortification are manifold and great. 1. It brings peace and tranquillity to the soul. All our perturbation and restless- ness are the results of our rebellious con- cupiscence and the inordinate passions arising from it. Our own conscience tells us so, and, if we observe those who are given to ambition, envy, quarrelling, anger or sins of the flesh, we can not doubt of the truth of the assertion. But if the cause ceases to exist the effects no longer appear. Whensoever a man desires any- thing inordinately, he is presently disquieted within himself but if he has attained his inclinations, he is pi'esently sad, because his conscience accuses him It is by resisting our passions that we are to fnd true peace of heart, and not by being slaves to them. (Imit. of Ch. B. I. c. 6.) Whosoever has gained a perfect mastery over himself, will in all adversities and temptations be able to say with the Prophet: If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. (Ps. 26, 3.) 223 2. Mortification makes the practice of virtue easy, because it removes trie obsta- cles to virtue. A truly mortified man en- counters few temptations, because he avoids their proximate and remote occasions, and when they do arise he easily gains the victory over them because he is well drilled in resisting- his evil inclinations. Whoso- ever denies himself thing's that are lawful, will easily abstain from thing's that are forbidden. Hence the Imitation of Christ says: The greater violence thou offer est to thyself, the greater progress thou wilt make. (B. I. c. 25.) 3. Mortification regulates the outer man. When the will is properly disposed the outward actions will also conform them- selves to the rules of propriety and the requirements of virtue, on account of the close union of body and soul and their natural influence and dependence upon each other. Then our whole exterior deport- ment will reflect the happy peacefulness of our souls and others will be edified by our virtuous lives. We will fulfill the in- junction of Christ: Let your loins be girt and lamps burn in your hands. (Luke 12, 35.) S. Gregory says: We hold burning lamfs in our hands when we show the light of good works to others. The force of exam- ple is great. What admonitions, medita- tions, etc. fail to accomplish in a refrac- 224 tory Religious, the good example of a confrere often effects without difficulty. This g-ood example should be shown par- ticularly by superiors, confessors and those who are commissioned to preach the Gospel, lest there be g-ood reason to say of them: They say and do not, (Matt. 23, 3.) and Physician heal thyself, (Luke 4, 23.) ARTICLE II. Mortification in Particular. A. Interior Mortification. § 1. Mortification of the Intellect. The will is a blind faculty and depends upon the intellect for lig-ht. It can take action* only on thing's submitted to it by the intellect; hence, if the intellect is dis- ordered the will also becomes disordered, and if the will is disordered the faculties that execute the commands of the will, also become disordered. The principal vices of the intellect are: Curiosity, Temerity and Pertinacity \ 1. Curiosity or inquisitiveness causes us to inquire into truths that are beyond the sphere of human knowledg-e and understand- ing*. It is a prolific source of temptations and sins ag-ainst faith, and the Holy Ghost 225 puts us on our guard against it saying: Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability ; but the things that God hath com- manded thee, think on them always, and in many of His works be not curious; for it is not necessary for thee to see with the eyes those things that a?'e hid. In unneces- sary things be not over-carious, and in many of His works thou shall not be inquisitive. For ?nany things are shown to thee above the understanding of men. And the sus- picion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity. (Kccli. 4, 22.-26.) This vice of curiosity also causes us to observe the doings of our confreres and superiors with a spirit of unfriendly criti- cism and engenders many rash judgments. 2. Temerity or censoriousness causes us to sit in judginent over the lives, manners and actions of others and to violate the first law of fraternal charity, which re- quires us to do unto others as we would have others do unto us. We have not been appointed judges over our fellow men, and if we nevertheless judge them, we show that we are worse than those whom we judge, because we usurp a power, which God has reserved to Himself, fudge not, and you shall not be judged. (Luke 6, 37.) The judgments, which we pass on others, are often the unintentional confessions of 15 226 our own iniquity. Thou art inexcusable, O man whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself: for thou dost the same things which thou judgest. (Rom. 2, 1.) We should therefore mortify our judg- ment and always intepret the words and actions of others in a spirit of charity. Whatever we see or hear, let us think that it is done or said with a good intention, even if it should appear otherwise. (S. Ber- nard.) If the evil is so manifest, that it cannot be explained away, then sympathize with the frailty of your fellow man and be on }^our g-uard for your own safety. He that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall. (I. Cor. 10, 12.) If God should withdraw His graces from you, you would be the greatest of all sinners. 3. Pertinacity or obstinacy causes us to hold and defend our own opinions with stubborness. It is the daug-hter of pride. This vice exposes those who are given to if, to great dang-ers. It is a veritable pest in a community, because it incites to fac- tions and strife; it is the lash of superiors and confreres. // is like the sin of witch- craft, to rebel; and like the crime of idola- try, to refuse to obey. (I. King-s 15, 23.) Practice: 1. Dismiss without delay all thoug-hts that are foreign to the state of life you profess 227 — thoughts of home, parents and friends. Try to forget the things }^ou may have 'seen in the world. Do not worry about what may be in store for you, about meals, recreations, duties, etc. Pray every day for your parents and friends, as for the rest let the dead bury their dead. We have left the world not only in body, but by our profession we have severed all ties with the world. 2. In reading papers and periodicals, even of a religious character, be careful not to store the mind with dangerous matter. Do not read for mere pastime or from curiosity, especially if you should thereby neglect your spiritual reading or useful study. 3. Do not be hasty in forming your judgment or in expressing your opinion; say with modesty what you have to say and then yield to others. 4. Do not meddle in affairs that do not concern you, and especially do not examine and criticise the actions and directions of your superiors. What is it to you? They are responsible to God and not to you. 5. Do not be anxious to hear news, re- ceive letters, etc. § 2. Mortification of Self-will and Self-love. I call that self-will which is not common to God and our fellow-men but our own only, and prompts us to do what we desire 228 for our own sake without regard for the honor of God or the interest of our brethren. (S. Bernard.) A Religious can have no will of his own. By his vow of obedience he has placed himself with all his faculties, endowments and attainments at the disposal of his superiors. Hence S. Benedict in his Rule numbers among the Instruments of good works: To hate one^s own will. Self-will and self-love are the roots of all sin. Do away with self- will and there will be no hell. (S. Bernard serm. 3, de Resurr. Dom.) As the greatest good of man consists in the love of God, so the greatest evil of man consists in the inordinate love of himself . (S. Augustine.) Through original sin our will has be- come depraved; we are inclined to evil and almost naturally tend towards things that are forbidden. We should therefore strive to put into practice the salutary admonition of God: Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will. If thou give to thy soul her desires, she will make thee a joy to thy enemies. (Eccli. 18, 30. 31.) Hence it is necessary to mortify self-will by withdrawing it from all inordinate love of self or other creatures. He that hateth his life in this world, keefeth it unto life eternal. (John 12, 25.) 229 Signs of Self-will. 1. To do onl}^ those things promptly and cheerfully which are agreeable to us, and to grow tired of other things. 2. To love exceptional and peculiar things, and to be languid and indifferent in the common exercises of the community. 3. To find difficulty in submitting to the will of the superior or in accommodat- ing oneself to others. 4. To grow indignant or to murmur at the admonitions or corrections given by the superior. 5. To ask exemptions from common bur- dens and to shove disagreeable duties upon others. 6. To extort w^ith importunity from su- periors what we want, and to shun poverty and common-place things. 7. To desire a change of monastery, office, occupation, etc. on account of diffi- culties, inconveniences, etc. or on account of the w^ay we are treated by our superiors or confreres. 8. To insist on getting privileges, va- cations, excursions, etc. and to instigate others to do likewise. 9. To foster and cultivate private friend- ships. 230 Practice: 1. Do nothing-, omit nothing", refuse noth- ing without the explicit, implicit or pru- dently presumed permisson of your superior. Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 18, 3.) God re- jects our works, no difference how g-ood and great they ma} 1 - be in themselves, if He finds them tainted with self-will or self-love. 2. Observe the order of the day and all other reg-ulations laid down by your su- periors as thoug-h they were given by God Himself. 3. Never do anything- because it is pleas- ing or agreeable to yourself, but because it is the will of God. 4. Do not desire that thing's shape them- selves according- to your human desires. 5. Be unselfish in all your actions and desire nothing* but that God be glorified in all things. § 3. Mortification of the Memory; It is the office of the memory to receive and store away ideas or impressions of external things produced in the soul by the senses, and to present them again to the mind in due time. The mind is like a mill, it grinds up everything- that the 231 memory supplies, whether good or bad. .Hence arises the necessity of mortifying* the memory by restraining- it from storing awa}^ and reproducing- useless, dangerous and hurtful representations and compelling it to make an effort to remember useful and necessary things. Practice: 1. Do not allow your fancy to dwell upon vain and useless things. 2. Do not engage in building air-castles, think not of honors and riches that might have been yours had you remained in the world, but let your memory forget the world and all worldly things. 3. Do not recall to mind the sins of your past life, after you have worthily confessed them, except in a general way to keep you humble. To recall the details of sins committed, especially against holy purity, is often accompanied with great danger. 4. Do not allow the memory to suggest distracting thoughts regarding your official duties, in time of prayer or other devo- tional exercises. 5. Do not allow your memory to remind you of injuries received from others. 6. Often recall the good resolutions you made in your morning's meditation. 232 7. Keep the remembrance of the presence of God always fresh in your memory. § 4. Mortification of Unruly Passions. A passion is nothing- else than a strong- inclination or aversion to anything-. It is unruly when it draws us to thing's that are evil or withdraws us from thing-s that are g-ood. Unruly passions deprive us of peace of soul; they make us unsteady in doing- g"ood, they stifle virtue and tend to precipitate us into all kinds of sins. Hence, unless we mortify our passions and bring- them into subjection by reason and grace, we need not expect much progress in Christian and relig-ious perfection. The habit and the tonsure contribute little; it is a change of manners and e7itire mortification of the passions that ?nake a true Religious. (Imit. of Ch. B. I. c. 17.) The mortification of our passions con- sists in an earnest and persevering- en- deavor to seek or avoid in all our actions, internal and external, only those things, which reason enlig-htened by grace directs us to seek or avoid. To make this endeavor efficacious and meritorious it must be vir- tuous, i. e., it must be actuated by a desire to preserve and aug-ment the virtues, which God has infused into the soul, especially charity, which is the queen of all virtues. 233 Practice: 1. Make your daily meditation, spiritual reading", both examinations of conscience faithfully and conscientiously in order that you may realize the hideousness of your unruly passions and discover their roots and disastrous effects and find the best means of subduing- them. 2. Often during- the day exercise those virtues, which are directly opposed to the passions, which g*ive you special annoyance. 3. Keep a careful look-out for the oc- casions and avoid them if possible, or arm yourself ag-ainst them when you cannot escape them. They are less dang-erous when they find us prepared. 4. Resist instantly; medicine is of no avail when the disease has had time to make fatal inroads upon the s}^stem. 5. Make sincere manifestations to your spiritual physician and director, and re- ligiously follow out his instructions. 6. Distrust yourself and place unbounded confidence in God. By humble prayer, by the frequent and worthy reception of the Sacraments and through the intercession of the Saints you will obtain graces amply sufficient to resist all temptations. § 5. Mortification of Human Eespect. Human respect is an inordinate desire of pleasing- others or an abject, ig-noble 234 fear of offending- them. Its tendency is to make us do or omit many thing's in order to g-ain the favor or evade the displeasure of others. It is the offspring- of pride, which loves to be esteemed and hates to be despised. 1. Human respect is an insult to God, because by it we show that we fear men more than God, that we prize their g-ood opinion more than the friendship of God. Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God. (James 4, 4.) Do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men I should not be the serv- ant of Christ. (Gal. 1, 10.) No man can serve two masters. (Matt. 6, 24.) 2. Human respect is very injurious to man. In relig-ious communities its effects are particularly pernicious. A Relig-ious, who is infected with this disease, is apt to transgress all rules of monastic disci- pline, to be ashamed to be g*ood, to dread the frowns and scowls of his wayward confreres. He that feareth man shall quickly fall. (Prov. 29, 25.) 3. Human respect corrupts all our works, however g-ood and holy they may be in themselves, because the}^ are performed from an impure, selfish motive. It is in- compatible with solid virtue. The man who acts from human respect is like a reed shaken with every wind; he is ashamed 235 to declare, himself openly for God, and the Son of God will be ashamed to acknowledge him before His Father, Who is in heaven. * He will not enjoy peace of soul, because he is always in dread lest he lose the es- timation of others; whereas He who covets not to -please men and fears not their dis- pleasure shall enjoy much peace. (Imit. of Ch. B. III. c. 28.) Practice: 1. Look to God alone and do not care, much lest inquire, what others, even su- periors, think of you. If you do what is right }^ou will have no reason to fear anyone. 2. Be not disturbed or actuated by the sarcasms, taunts or criticisms, by which the world ridicules the manner of life you have chosen. 3. Be not led astray by the lax princi- ples and maxims of your less fervent breth- ren, but follow your Rule, your Statutes and the examples of the Saints even in the smallest things. 4. Flatter no man, have no particular friendship, and be not vilely subservient to anyone. 5. Practice humility; then you will not care if others have a lowly opinion of }^ou. 236 B. Exterior Mortification. § 1. Mortification of the Sense of Sight. The sight is the most dangerous of all the senses, it produces much more vivid representations in us than any of the other senses. What is created more wicked than the eye? (Eccli. 31, 15.) The wounds in- flicted upon the soul by unguarded glances, begin to fester many years after they are received; the representations revive and be- come the well-springs of the most vehement temptations. We have an axample of this in the life of S. Benedict. Idle thoughts, distractions, rash judgments, bad desires are the fruits of a curious and unguarded eye. Practice: 1. Never look upon those parts of the body, which modesty should hide from view. 2. Do not gaze upon the face of a person of the opposite sex, especially if that per- son be young and handsome. Gaze not upon a maiden lest her beauty be a stum- bling block to thee. (Eccli. 9, 5.) The gazing' upon women is an arrow steeped in poison, which wounds the soul and instils the poi- son, and the longer it continues the more putrid the wound becomes. (S. Nilus.) 3. Turn your eyes away from the rich and fastidious attire of women. 237 4. Do not g-aze upon, fondle or caress children, even of your own sex, especially if they be comely or beautiful. 5. Guard your e}^es in choir, in church, on your walks, in fact, wheresoever you ma}- be. 6. Often withhold your eyes from look- ing- upon thing's that are not dang-erous, but quite innocent; do this especially when } 7 ou feel a strong- impulse to feast your eyes upon such thing's. 7. When you look upon indifferent thing-s, try to make some useful reflection, e. g\, when you see the beauties of nature, think of the eternal beauty of their Creator. § 2. Mortification of the Sense of Hearing. Unless we mortify the sense of hearing* the mind will be filled with numberless distracting- thoug-hts, which will disturb us in our prayers; our passions will be aroused and we will readily become par- takers in the sins of -others, especially in the sin of detraction. Hence the admo- nition of the Lord: Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue, (Eccli. 28, 28.) and S. Benedict in his Holy Rule (chap. 67.) says: Let no one -presume to relate to his brethren anything that he had seen or heard outside, as much evil 7nay arise therefrom. P?-actice: 1. Do not listen to words in any way opposed to the virtueof holy purity, but try to change the subject of conversation, or leave the company or in some other wa}^ show }^our displeasure. If the person, who uses such language, is your equal or if }^ou are his superior command him to cease at once. 2. Do not listen to detracting- tongues. 3. Do not listen to those who murmur against superiors, officials or their con- freres. 4. Do not try to hear what others are secretly speaking- amongst themselves. 5. Do not be anxious to hear the rumors and news of the world or anything else that may tend to disquiet the mind; be- cause they destroy recollection and are a great impediment to progress in spiritual things. 6. Love to hear pious discourses; lax Religious are wont to tire of such con- versations, to despise and ridicule them. 7. Love to hear the exhortations and admonitions of your superiors and receive their corrections with an humble and docile heart. Bad Religious hear admonitions with impatience, criticise them and con- sider them of no consequence. 239 § 3. Mortification of the Sense of Taste. The more we pamper our bodies the more insolent they become. By indulging- the sense of taste we supply the flesh with material to lust ag-ainst the spirit, the soul becomes depressed and unfit for earnest work. Plenus venter non studet libenier. A well filled stomach will not study. In supplying- the body with food and drink we must observe moderation as to quantity, indifference as to quality, and exclude everything- that may savor of vo- racity. Practice: 1. Keep your natural appetite in check and do not fall to your meals like some wild animal pounces upon its prey. Let a holy intention always precede your cor- poral refections. 2. If more dishes are placed before you than are necessary, abstain from one or the other from a spirit of poverty, pen- ance, etc. Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any meat; for in many meats the?'e will be sickness, and greediness will turn to choler. By sur- feiting many have -perished; but he that is temperate, shall prolong life. (Eccli. 37, 32.-34.) 240 3. Be content with the diet that is set before you. Never murmur against the officials on account of the meals, and much less instigate others to do so. 4. Abstain from delicacies altogether, or partake of them very sparingly. 5. Do not eat between meals without necessity or without permission, and keep no eatables or refreshments in your cell. 6. Observe good manners and the rules of etiquette, particularly when you chance to dine with seculars. 7. Pay attention to the table-reading. § 4. Mortification of the Sense of Smell. We sin by the sense of smell if we in- hale agreeable odors for mere gratification. We mortify this sense by denying ourselves the pleasure of smelling fragrant things without cause, and by inhaling odors dis- agreeable to the smell. Practice: 1. Use no perfumeries; they are not be- coming to men, much less to Religious. 2. Do not pluck flowers or cany them about with you. 3. Keep no aromatics in your room. 4. Abstain from the use of tobacco, or, at least, use it with moderation. 241 5. Do not shirk duty in the class-room, sick-room, etc. on account of the foul air often found there. § 5. Mortification of the Sense of Touch. The sense of touch is most dang-erous to holy purity. Let it always be remem- bered that our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Our Guardian Angel is always at our side, hence, let us heed the admonition of S. Bernard: Wherever you may be, show dice reverence to your Guardian Angel. The mortification of this sense consists in abstaining- from thing's that are agree- able to the touch, and in using- and bear- ing- patiently thing's that cause discomfort or pain to the body. Practice: 1. Never touch the private parts of your body without necessity. 2. Do not touch the face or tig-htly press the hand of a person of the opposite sex. 3. Do not stroke animals, cats, dog-s, etc. 4. Always preserve a modest posture of the body when standing-, sitting-, or lying- in bed. 5. Bear patiently cold, heat, sickness, etc. 6. Use a hard bed, and with the per- mission of your spiritual director, apply 16 242 the discipline or some other instrument of physical mortification. § 6. Mortification of the Tongue. If any man think himself to be religions, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, that man's religion is vain. (James 1, 26.) The tongue is a lire, a z^'orld of iniquity, the tongue is placed among our members, which defleth the whole body .... being- set on fire by hell. For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and oJ~ serpents, and of the rest is tamed and hath been tamed by the nature of man: But the tongue no man can tame: an unquiet evil full of deadly poison. (James 3, 6. 8.) .4 slippery mouth worketh ruin. (Prov. 26, 28.") And indeed, how many idle, deceitful. lying - , detracting-, lasciyious. uncharitable, murmuring*, impure words drop from the human tongue ! Truly it is a world of iniquity. But the Lord has said : Every idle zjord that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment. (Matt. 12. 36.) A Religious must be specially careful to ofuard his tongue, for S. Bernard is rig-ht when he says : With men of the world jokes are jokes, but in the mouth of a p>riest (Religious) they are blasphemies. 2'ou have consecrated your lips to the Gos- 243 pel, to open them to such things is not al- lowed, to accustom them to such things is sacrilegious. All founders of religious Orders have inculcated the necessity of observing- silence, because a talkative man can not be recollected, he can not be a man of prayer, and therefore can not make much progress in perfection. Hence we must mortify the tong-ue and not allow it to utter idle or sinful words. Our conversa- tions should always be useful and a source of edification to others. Practice: 1. Be careful not to speak from a sud- den impulse, or whilst vou are in a pas- sion. 2. Before you join in a conversation make a g*ood intention and a resolution to say nothing- that may be offensive to God or man. 3. Do not speak in forbidden places, at forbidden times or with forbidden per- sons. 4. Let your words be few. In the multitude of words there shall not want sin. (Prov, 10, 19.) 5. Never say anything* that may cause factions, impair the authority of superiors, violate fraternal charity, or in any other way be sinful. 244 6. When you speak, observe the rules of religious modesty. 7. Refrain sometimes from speaking- even of lawful thing's, thereby imitating* the Prophet, who says of himself: / was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence fro?n good things. (Ps. 38, 3.) II. STAGE OF ILLUMINATION. The stag-e of purg-ation requires us to decline from evil, the stag-e of illumina- tion requires us to do g*ood, to practice virtue. S. Peter marks out the work for this division on the way to perfection, when he says : Wherefore, brethren, labor the more that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. (II. Pet. 1, 10.) During this stag-e we are to make posi- tive advances in perfection. We must lead holy lives, increase from virtue to virtue. Hence we have the treatise on the virtues. -:o:- 245 CHAPTER I. Virtue in General. § 1. Nature of Virtue. Virtue is a supernatural habit or en- dowment infused into the soul by God, which elevates and perfects the rational faculties, and inclines and assists them to do that which is good. Others define vir- tue in this way: It is a uniform and ef- ficacious disposition of the mind to act in accordance with the will of God. All supernatural virtues are infused into the soul at the same time with sanctify- ing* grace, which is the supernatural life of the soul. They are the supernatural powers of the elevated soul', through which, by the assistance of actual grace, she must produce acts of virtue corre- sponding to these habits. It is therefore our object and duty in this life to develop, increase, intensify and perfect these habits of virtue by correlative acts of virtue. These heavenly endowments, powers and faculties of the soul, like the members of the body, must grow strong by continued exercise. The fact that we possess the habits of virtue as we receive them from God, will not make our life virtuous. We must ac- quire an ease and promptitude in the prac- 246 tice of virtue, by the oft repeated acts of virtue, so that by degree we may find our delight in the service of God, i. e. in the practice of everj^ virtue. That an act may be virtuous, it must have all the following* qualities: 1. It must be good in itself, i. e. it must be in keeping with the law of God; 2. it must be free; 3. it must be actuated by some good motive; 4. it must not be vitiated by any sinful circumstance. An action may be very good in itself, but the object or end for w^hich it is per- formed may deprive it of all moral recti- tude and value. The end in view may be grievously 'sinful; then it so uterly corrupts the action itself that no moral goodness remains. The end may be venially sinful; then, if it is the adequate or total object, the whole action is morally bad. If the agent has a twofold object* in view, one good and the other venially sinful, then, if the sinful object is primarily intended, the en- tire action becomes infected and morally corrupt. But if the good object is really intended and the sinful end simply accom- panies it, clings to it like a parasite, then the moral rectitude of the action is separ- able from its moral depravit}', in other 247 words the action is parti}' good and partly bad, and after we have removed every- thing- that is sinful or imperfect in such an action by penance, there will remain only what is pure, good and holy. That a good action may be meritorious in the strict sense, (de condigno) it is re- quired that the agent be in the state of sanctifying- grace, that he act from some supernatural motive and cooperate with actual grace. § 2. Division of Virtues. There are two classes of virtues, theo- logical and moral. The theological vir- tues have God for their immediate object. They are Faith, Hope, and Charity. When we make an act of any of these virtues we base the act upon some inher- ent perfection of God. An act of faith is based upon the infinite knowledge and truthfulness of God; an act of hope is based upon His infinite power, His infinite fidelity in keeping His promises and His infinite goodness towards us; an act of charity is based upon His intrinsic, abso- lute goodness, on account of which He is infinitely deserving of our love. The theological virtues are the greatest and most necessary of all virtues. The moral virtues are those which direct and assist us in bringing our actions into 248 conformity to right reason and to the laws of God and man. Four of the moral virtues are called cardinal virtues, (from the Latin word cardo, which signifies a hinge,) because all the other virtues and all integrity of life move and turn upon them as a door moves and turns upon its hinges. The cardinal virtues are: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. § 3. Manner of Developing Virtues. All the habits of supernatural virtues are infused together with sanctifying grace, but it behooves us to cultivate, de- velop and perfect them, and to acquire an ease and alacrity in performing the acts corresponding to the habits of virtue. The most effective means of developing virtues are: Meditation, Practice and Examination of conscience, especially the particular ex- amen. Meditation: We will not love virtue or strive to develop it, unless we know its worth, its utility and necessity. By me- ditation we gain such knowledge of vir- tue; we see its beauty, understand its ad- vantages for time and eternity, and hence we will try to acquire it, we will love it. Practice : As exercise develops the sinews and muscles of the body, so practice de- 249 velops and perfects the habits of virtue. Unless we accustom ourselves to perform virtuous acts, we will never acquire that ease and steadiness in the practice of vir- tue, which should characterize the true Religious. An old adage says: Practice makes pei'fect. Hence we should not grow faint-hearted or dejected w^hen we meet with occasions and opportunities for the exercise of virtue, or when we are assailed by temptations, which render the practice of virtue more difficult. There is no room for patience where there is nothing- to make us impatient; there is no actual humility without humiliations; no moder- ation without privation. Examination of conscience : The gener- al examinations bring* before the eyes of the soul the steps we have taken on our pilgrimag-e through life. If we find that we have often gone astray from the nar- row path of virtue, we will feel ashamed, but our confidence in God will urge us to rectify our missteps and to resolve to lead a more virtuous life in the future. The particular examen will show us what pro- gress we have made in subduing some special vice and in developing the opposite virtue. It will make us watchful and per- sistent in our holy resolutions, and thus cause us to grow stronger in virtue from day to day. We must not permanently drop the subject of this particular examen until 250 we have gained a perfect ease, alacrity and even delight in the practice of that virtue, which we are endeavoring to develop. Sometimes we may experience a temporary facility in the practice of virtue, as the result of some special fervor of devotion, or of the encouragement or approval of our superiors, but we must not content ourselves with any transient virtuousness. We must be firmly grounded in abiding virtue before we can be said to have gained perfection. The surest test of solid virtue is if we continue to practice it in time of spiritual dryness and desolation, when it is misunderstood and misjudged by our best friends, when there is no human motive for our faithful perseverance in its practice. :o:- CHAPTBR II. Particular Virtues. ARTICLE I. Zeal in the Performance of Common Daily Duties. § 1. Nature of Religious Zeal. This zeal is a virtue directly opposed to slovenliness, and inclines man to perform with diligence and to the best of his abil- 251 ity, all duties incumbent upon him in virtue of his office, of obedience or of his re- ligious profession, at the proper time, in the proper manner and order. The progress of a Religious on the path of perfection consists almost exclusively in doing- his common, every-day duties per- fectly. Hence the necessity of this virtue is quite apparent. That Religious is perfect, who does the will of God with all his heart, with all his mind and with all his strength. God does not often require extraordinary^ and heroic works, and the average Re- ligious seldom finds occasion for such deeds of valor, but He that is faithful in that which is hast, is faithful also in that which is greater, and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater. (Luke 16, 10.) By our zeal and fidelity in little things we merit the graces necessary to execute great things, when we are called upon by God to do so. God does not weigh the mate- rial action, but rather the good disposition and intentions of the will. The work of the Lay-sister in the kitchen may be more perfect, acceptable and meritorious in the sight of God than the labors of the mis- sionar}% who converts whole nations to the true faith. It mostl} 7 depends upon the pu- rity of intention and the intensity of our love to God, how much our actions are worth before Him, Who searches the hearts of men. 252 § 2. Pure Intention in our Ordinary Actions. We have a pure intention if we desire to please God alone, to fulfill His holy will in all thing's, and thus increase His extrin- sic glory. Our intention is actual, when, by a special act of the will, we refer our actions to God. It is virtual when our former actual intention no longer exists as an act of the will, but continues in force in its effects, so that we perform our pres- ent actions in virtue of a past actual in- tention of referring- everything* to the greater honor and glory of God. Our in- tention is habitual when the preceding* ac- tual intention has not been formally re- called, but does no long*er exert any influ- ence upon our present actions. This habitual intention does not suffice to make our ac- tions supernaturally good and meritorious; that they may become so, we must refer them to God either immediatly or mediatly, explicitly or implicitly. Every one that hath left house . . .fo r my name'* s sake, shall receive a hund?'edfold* (Matt. 19, 29.) Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else' you do, do all to the glory of God. (I. Cor. 10, 31.) S. Ambrose says: A Chris- tian should refer all he does to the praise of God, and S. Bernard: Whatsoever we do, we are commanded to do for the glory of God. The Benedictine motto taken from the Holy Rule (chap. 57.) has always been: 253 Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus, That God may be glorified in ail things. The motto of S. Ignatius and his sons is: Omnia ad majorem Dei gloriam, All for the greater .glory of God. All our actions must be directed to God as our last end, at least by some general intention, in order that they may be mor- ally good and meritorious. In this human actions are distinguished from the actions of brutes and man's indeliberate actions, that they are directed to an end, showing that man is the master of his deliberate acts and responsible for them. Now, reason proves that man's ultimate end is God, in Whom alone he can find supreme happiness. Hence reason also demands that man should strive to attain his last end, and, therefore, it requires him to direct all his actions to God. It is the common teaching of Theo- logians that no individual, deliberate act of man is indifferent, i. e., neither good nor bad, for it is or is not referred to God. If it is, supposing of course that it is not bad in itself, it is morally good. If it is not, it becomes morally bad precisely be- cause we do not fulfill the obligation of directing all our actions to God as our ultimate end. All our actions, even the smallest and the most trifling, increase our merits and consequent^ our reward in heaven, if they are performed for God's 254 sake, because they bring- us closer to God by augmenting* charity in our souls, and charity is the bond of union between God and man. God reg-ards the heart and not the ma- terial act; He does not consider the great- ness of the action but the intensity of the love from which it proceeds. This con- sideration should be a source of great con- solation to those, who are called upon to do the drudgery work in a community, or have no success in their undertakings. Inferences : 1. The good intention made in the morn- ing, by which all our actions of the entire day are offered up to God, is indeed most pleasing and acceptable to Him, and we should make it every day with the great- est possible fervor of charity. But we must renew it occasionally during the day, else it will grow weak, lose its efficacy and gradually degenerate into a habitual inten- tion, which is not sufficient, and we will begin to perform our actions from mere routine or from impure motives, such as human fear, vain glory and love of ease. 2. It is not sufficient to begin a work with a pure intention, but the good inten- tion must accompany the work through all its stages to the very end. The devil is sly; he will do his utmost to render 255 our work worthless, or even sinful in the sight of God. He tries to prevent or weak- en our g-ood intention when we beg-in the work, if he fails in this, he will sug-g-est .improper motives in the course of the work, or, when the work is completed, he will endeavor to corrupt the entire work by sug-gesting- self-complacency or a desire of praise for what we have done. 3. It is very expedient to make several specifically different intentions; e. g\, when we fast we may be actuated by the fol- lowing- motives: To practice the virtue of temperance, to mortify the flesh so danger- ous to the virtue of chastity, to do pen- ance for past sins, to obey the precept of the Church, to exercise ourselves in humility, etc. Every additional g-ood in- tention enhances the glory of God and in- creases our merit, and consequently our reward. Since impure motives so easily creep into our actions, it is of great importance that we should be able to discover them, so that we may be on our guard ag-ainst them. They are recognized by the following* sig-ns: a) If we envy others when they are suc- cessful in their undertaking's. b) If we become dejected and melancholy 256 when our works and efforts are not crowned with success. c) If we neglect or shorten our spiritual exercises on account of dryness and deso- lation of spirit. d) If we do not respond cheerfully when called upon to do menial work. e) If we sulk and perform our work without zest or energy, because we have been reprimanded by our superior. § 3. How to Perform our Daily Duties Perfectly. That our works be good a pure inten- tion is requisite but not sufficient; we must also perform them in a perfect manner. We must perform them: 1. At the proper time. This is very necessary in a religious community, other- wise there will be no order in the house of God. All things have their season. (Eccles 3, 1.) Those works which we fail to do at the time appointed for them, unless we have some valid excuse, are tainted by self-will; they are displeasing* or at least less pleasing- to God. Fre- quently they are omitted entirely. S. Bene- dict in his Holy Rule (Chap. 6.) says: The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. It belongs to those who prefer Jesus Christ to all things else, who, by consider- ing the holy engagement they have ?nade in 257 His service, . . . obex at the moment and as promptly, when the superior commands as if the order was from God Himself . If we defer our spiritual exercises, we will either omit them or we will make them hastily and superficially and conse- quently with little or no fruit. 2. Zealously and entirely. "We fail against this condition if we come late to the com- munity exercises, or leave without necessity before they are completed; if we grow tired of our work and put it off, leaving it unfinished; if we perform our work in a superficial manner and occupy ourselves with things of no consequence; if we per- form the duties imposed upon us by obedi- ence iu a slovenly manner or with disgust. Cursed be he that doth the zvork of the Lord deceitfully \ (Jer. 48, 10.) 3. Cheerfully \ Not with sadness, or of necessity. (II. Cor. 9, 7.) A cheerful counte- nance and a fleasant wo7'd add much grace to obedience. (S. Bernard.) Whosoever groans under his burden will not carry it long. And why should we not gladly serve God if we sincerely love Him? He is an amia- ble Master. He has been so good and kind to us and is so anxious to reward us for our little services. 4. Attentively and with singleness of purpose. We should concentrate our whole mind and energy upon the work in hand, 17 258 and not think of what we have already done or must do afterwards. Meddle not with manny matters, (Eccli. 11, 10.) 5. With religious modesty, for the edific- ation of others and out of reverence to God and the Guardian Angel. 6. Calmly and quietly, without any in- ordinate desire of pleasing- men, without fear of displeasing- them, without any un- due anxiety about the happy issue of the work. God looks to the heart and rewards the effort. § 4. Means of Performing our Daily Duties perfectly. 1. An ea?yiest will and desire to do everything perfectly. This desire will im- pel us to do our utmost. It will make us watchful to avail ourselves of the means and occasions of doing* our duties well, and to remove everything- that mig-ht be an obstacle to perfection in our works. 2. Self-distrust, God resists the proud and presumptuous and witholds His graces from them, that they may be put to shame and then take refug*e to Him. 3. Confidence in God, Know ye that no one has hoped in the Lord and hath been confounded, (Eccli. 2, 11.) The weak things of the world hath God chosen that He 7nay confound the strong , , , that no 259 flesh should glory in His sight. (I. Cor. 1, 27. 29.) This is the will of God, your sanctification. (I. Thess. 4, 3.) God siti- cerly desires our sanctification, hence He is also ready and desirous to bestow upon us His graces, without which we can not sanctify our actions or ourselves. 4. Humble prayer, God desires to be asked, He desires to be coerced, He desires to be forced to yield by our importunities. (S. Gregory.) As a dutiful child asks from its parents whatever it may need, so we, as loving children of God, should ask from our heavenly Father by humble, fervent, persevering, confiding and loving prayer whatever we may require to perfect our lives. Amen, amen I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you. (John 16, 23.) 5. Actual co-operation with the grace of God. God made us without us, but He will not save us without us. (S. Augus- tine.) 6. Serious reflection that the work in hand may be the last of our lives. And, indeed, no one knows the day or the hour when the Lord will come. 7. Finally, a most universal and effec- tive means is the loving rememberance of the presence of God. (Rule of S. Bene- dict c. 7.) 260 ARTICLE II. Humility. § 1. Nature of Humility. Humilit} 7- is a moral virtue inclining* man to form a lowly opinion of himself, and to desire that others should also think lowly of him. Hence, there is a humility of estimation, which is an acknow- ledgment of our own nothing-ness, based upon our utter dependence from God and our own depravity; and there is a humility of affection, which consists in a love of humiliations and in a desire that others should think little of us. Humility does not require us to ig-nore the g-ood that is in us, but that we do not claim it as our own, for it is God's gift. What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? (I. Cor. 4, 7.) § 2. Necessity of Humility. 1. When the Apostles were wrangling* among-st themselves, who of them would be the greater in the king*dom of heaven, our Lord said to them: Unless you become converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble 261 himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven, (Matt. 18, 3. 4.) 2. It is the common teaching- of the Holy Fathers that humility is the basis and foundation of all Christian perfection. Humility has always been the groundwork of holiness, and pride could not maintain itself in heaven. (S. Cyprian.) If yon intend to erect a lofty edifice of sanctity, give voter first attention to the foundation of humility. (S. Aug-ustine.) Whosoever tries to be virtuous without humility throws dust to the wind. (S. Greg-ory.) Without actual grace we can not even begin any supernatural act of virtue; but God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (James 4, 6.) Hence it is impossible to develop or even preserve the habits of virtue without humility. 3. As Benedictines we have promised obedience according- to the Rule of S. Benedict. But in that Rule nothing- is in- culcated with greater force and persistency than true humility. It is only after we shall have passed through the twelve degrees of humility, described in the 7. chapter of the Holy Rule, that we shall attain to that perfect love and union with God, to which every Relig-ious is bound to aspire. 4. Reason itself demonstrates the ne- cessity of humility. Our whole being- is dependent upon God, and by our sinful 262 lives we have given ourselves ample reason to be humble and ashamed of our- selves. § 3. Additional Incentives to Humility. 1. The example of Christ and the Saints of God. Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart. (Matt. 11, 29.) After He had washed the feet of His disciples Christ said to them: / have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. (John 13, 15.) In vain do we call ourselves Christians, if we do not follow Christ. (S. Bernard.) 2. Humility renders us pleasing* to God and man. For the Lord is high and looketh on the low; and the high He knoweth afar off. (Ps. 137, 6.) Whoso- ever shall exalt himself, shall be hu?nbled; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted. (Matt. 23, 12.) 3. Humility beg-ets peace and tran- quillity of soul, whilst confusion and per- turbation of spirit are the unhappy pro- geny of pride. Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. (Matt. 11, 29.) If there is peace on earth, it is surely found with him, who is truly humble of heart. 263 § 4. Practice of True Humility. A. Towards God. > 1. Sink down into the dust of your own nothingness before the awful majesty of God, when you visit the Blessed Sacra- ment, when you stand before Him in the recitation of the Divine Office, when you kneel before Him in meditation, etc. 2. In time of spiritual dryness and desolation, remember your past sins and infidelities, and acknowledge yourself to be unworthy of any favors or consolations. Say to the Lord with David: I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are equity, and in Thy truth Thoti hast humbled me, (Ps. 118, 75.) 3. Always distrust yourself, and place your whole reliance in the assistance of God. 4. Never seek your own glory, but direct all your actions to God and His greater honor and glory. 5. Ascribe all the good that is in you, your talents, your other natural endow- ments, your success in your undertakings, etc., to the grace of God. What hast thou that thou hast not received? B. Towards Others. 1. Always consider yourself the least of men; and, indeed, if God had favored 264 others with graces as He has favored you, perhaps they would be much better than you are now; and if you had been exposed to the occasions of sin as others have been exposed, perhaps you would be much worse than they are. Hence, if you are not really as bad as others, you owe it to the mercy of God. 2. Always consider yourself unworthy of positions of honor and trust, and shrink from them as long* as obedience and charity permit you to do so. 3. Be content to do the drudgery work in the community and do it cheerfully. 4. Bear it patiently when others think little of you, when they expose your faults and make them a subject of mirth; when they directly or indirectly obstruct your way to positions of honor; w T hen others are praised for the good they may do and nothing is said of you; when others oppose you; when they shun your com- pany; when wxxrk that is hard and dis- agreeable is always parcelled out to you, whilst others do the easy work that draws the attention of others; when you are treated contemptuously and fail to receive even the customary greetings of the com- munity members. 5. When you commit public faults, for which a humiliating penance is en- joined by the superior, or for which you are upbraided by your confreres, bewail 265 your faults because the}^ are displeasing t,o God, but receive }^our humiliation with joy and say to God with the Prophet: // is qvod for me that Thou hast humbled me. (Ps. 118, 71.) 6. Never den} T or excuse your faults, but acknowledge and confess them. 7. Do not feel ashamed of your natural defects, your want of tact and talent, your lowly ancestry. 8. Do not seek the acquaintance of persons of high rank or great renown. § 5. Signs of False Humility. There is one that humbleth himself wick- edly, and his interior is full of deceit. (Eccli. 19, 23.) Of such S. Ambrose says: There ai'e many, who have the semblance but not the virtue of humility. Many show outwa?'d sig'ns of humility but inwardly they are foes of hu?nility. The signs of a spurious humility are: 1. To proclaim ourselves sinners, simple- tons, etc., before others, and to grow in- dignant when others say the same of us or treat us as such. Thus we often lie to God by humbling ourselves before Him in prayer and meditation, and as soon as we are humbled by others we become in- censed and begin to whine and pout. 2. To walk with downcast eyes and lowered head, to speak softty as long as 266 all g-oes well, but become angry and obstreperous when others g-ive us any offense. Touch the mountains and they shall smoke. (Ps. 143, 5.) 3. To shun those occupations and duties, which do not attract the attention of men, from which no success, but only humiliations and confusion are to be expected, and to seek offices and occupa- tions, that bring- us into prominence. 4. To grow sad or envious when others achieve success in their undertaking's. 5. To be filled with confusion over public faults, and to care little or nothing- for those that escape the notice of others* ARTICLE III. Perfect Conformity of our Will to the Will of God. § 1. Nature of this Virtue. This conformity is a virtue or rather an ag-greg-ate of virtues, which inclines man, in consideration of the infinite power, wisdom and g-oodness of God, to bring his will into perfect accord with the will of God, so that he will do only what God wills, as God wills and because God so wills. 267 § 2. Excellence and Necessity of this Virtue. This virtue produces a close union .between man and God, and consequently perfects charit}^, which is the bond of union and the measure of man's perfec- tion. Whosoever do the will of God are more closely united to Him, than the nearest of kin to one another. (S. Chrysostom.) When someone came to our Lord and said: Behold Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, seeking Thee, He said: Who- soever shall do the will of My Father, Who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother. (Matt. 12, 47. 50.) This conformity is the surest criterion of our love of God. He that hath My commandments and keefeth them, he it is that loveth Me. (John 14, 21.) It was the only object of Christ's life: My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me. (John 4, 34.) It is not difficult to see the necessity of this conformity. All inani- mate creation exactly follows the laws of eternal wisdom, and man endowed with reason should certainly not refuse to do the will of his Creator. By creation, redemption, sanctification, and by our own free choice, God is our absolute Master, hence we must do His will in all things. Without conformity of our will with God's will there can be no true love of God. True friendship requires that 268 those between whom it exists, should love and pursue the same goods, hate and flee the same evils. Hence the adage: Love either finds like or produces like, § 3. Motives to Acquire this Conformity. 1. All afflictions of soul or body, whether proceeding- from natural causes, or from the malice of man, or the envy of the devil, come from God; He either positively sends them Himself, or, for g*ood reasons, permits them to befall us, but by His* all- wise providence He directs everything- to our spiritual advancement. Shall there be evil in the city -which the Lord hath not done? (Amos 3, 6.) Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God, (Eccli. 11, 14.) 2. The providence and watchfulness of God over us extend even to the minutest details of our lives. Bat a hair of yonr head shall not perish, (Luke 21, 18.) 3. God ordains and directs all our trials and adversities' to our spiritual welfare. If we bear them patiently and with resignation, we make atonement for our sins in this life. The}' withdraw us from an inordinate love of creatures; they pre- serve us from sin; they test and perfect our virtuosness; they augment our merits and future crown of glory. The sufferings of this present time a?'e not worthy to be 269 compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8, 18.) Hence, afflictions attest God's love towards us. Those whom I love, I rebuke and chastise. (Apoc. 3, 19.) Think of Job, Joseph, Tobias and numberless Saints of the Church. 4. God does not send us greater afflic- tions than we are able to bear with the assistance of His grace. God is 'faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it. (I. Cor. 10, 13.) The fruits of this conformity, besides those already mentioned, are very great indeed. a) We avoid numberless sins, which are wont to result from impatience and despair. b) Our adversities become lig*hter and do not produce that inordinate sadness, which is frequently harder to bear than the affliction itself. c) We obtain peace of soul, that peace which the world cannot give. Moreover, this conformity has always been considered a sign of predestination. The Apostle says: Heirs indeed of God, and joint-heirs of Christ, yet so if we suffer with Him , that we may be also glorified with Him, (Rom. 8, 17.) And ag-ain: 270 Whom He fore-knew, He also predestined to be made conformable to the image of His Son. (Rom. 8, 28.) § 4. Practice and Degree of this Conformity. Practice: 1. Often reflect that nothing can befall you without the permission of God, and that To- them that love God all things work together unto good. (Rom. 8, 28.) 2. Before you act, always ask yourself: What is the will of God? 3. Be not solicitous about the future. Do your present duty and leaye the rest to God. 4. In adversity implore the divine assistance, but with perfect resignation to the will of God, saying to Him in the words of our Lord: Father, not My will but Thine be done. 5. Be wholly indifferent as to the nature of the duties imposed upon you, knowing that it is the will of God that you should do what others desire or com- mand you to do. Degi'ees: 1. To undergo all trials and difficulties without any external manifestation of impatience. The victory is enhanced in proportion to the obstacles which we surmount. 271 2. To subject ourselves without any internal unwillingness or mental strain. Where there is love, nothing is difficult. (S. Augustine.) 3. To submit to the will of God, even in the greatest sufferings and adversities, with joy and cheerfulness of soul. aye. even to desire and ask for afflictions as the Saints have done. AETICLE IV. Resolute Perseverance in Good. He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved. (Matt. 10. 22.) No man putting his hand to the plozb and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9, 62. ) It is nothing great to begin a good work but to complete it is praise- worthy. (S. Augustine.) The motto of S. John Berchmans was: .4 little at a time, but always something. Young Religious should pay special attention to the virtue of perseverance, because in every community there are some who give disedirication. We must perseveringly strive to bring our lives into conformity with our Holy Rule, our Statutes and the examples of the Saints. S. Bernard says: The devil hates nothing so much as perseverance in good, because 272 he is well azvare that perseverance alone will gain the crown. Hence he tries to weaken our resolutions and to undermine our perseverance. To accomplish this end he assails us with vehement temptations and subtle delusions. We fail ag-ainst the virtue of persever- ance 1. by neglecting- our spiritual exercises; 2. by faintheartedness and a dread of difficulties; 3. by a lax way of living"; 4. by giving* too much time and atten- tion to external thing's; 5. by indiscreet fervor; 6. by relying too much upon ourselves and our own strength; 7. by a want of watchfulness; 8. by a disreg-ard of little things. ARTICLE V. Synopsis of some other Virtue belonging to the Stage of Illumination. § 1. The Virtue of Religion. Religion, the greatest of all moral virtues, is a habit infused by God inclin- ing man to render due honor and worship to God. Since man is composed of body 273 and soul, he must offer to God an internal and external worship. Religious take their name from the virtue of religion, because they are ex- pected to cultivate this virtue in a special decree. Practice of the Virtue of Religion: 1. Adoration, which is an attestation of the supreme and absolute dominion of God and an acknowledgement of our depend- ence from Him. In its strict sense adora- tion is a worship of latria and can therefore have God alone as its object. 2. Prayer, both mental and vocal. For Religious the Divine Office is pre-eminently the prayer, which the virtue of religion requires from them. 3. Sacrifice, which consists in the obla- tion of some material object by a duly authorized minister, in attestation of the supreme dominion of God, with a physical or morally equivalent destruction of the thing offered. The sacrifice of the Mass is the most sublime act of religion; by it we offer to an infinite God an infinite worship. 4. Devotion, which consists in a holy alacrity and fervor in everything that belongs to the honor and worship of God. 18 274 § 2. The Virtue of Prudence. Prudence or discretion is a virtue of the intellect, pointing* out what is to be done or omitted in every individual act, that it may be perfect in all its bearing's. Hence it moderates, directs and reg-ulates all our moral actions. Discretion is not so much a virtue as the directress and mistress of all virtues. Take it away and virtue becomes a vice. (S. Bernard.) We fail ag-ainst this virtue either by want or excess of prudence. By Want: 1. When we act with precipitation, as those are wont to do, who have not yet mastered their inordinate passions. 2. When we act without reflection, not considering- the nature of circumstances, the aids and difficulties of the work we perform. 3. When we are inconstant and change our mind or purpose without sufficient reason, v. g\ because we become tired or disg-usted, or because we fear criticism. 4. When we are slug-gish and do not earnestly apply our minds to the work in hand. By Excess: 1. When we apply the prudence of the flesh, which seeks only earthy g"ain, pursues unholy ends and employs sinful - 7 /o means to obtain them. S. Paul says: The wisdom of the flesh is an enemy of God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be, (Rom, 8, 7.) 2. When we use cunning" and guile to deceive our fellowmen. Woe to than that are of a double heart . . . and to the sinner that goeth on the earth two ways. (Eccli. 2, 14.) 3. When we are unreasonably anxious and fretful in anything- that concerns our temporal or eternal welfare. Martha. Martha, thou art careful, and a?'t troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. ~(Luke 10, 41.) 4. When we are obstinate and persist in doing- or trying to do thing's where true discretion requires us to disist. § 3. The Virtue of Justice. Justice, the second of the cardinal virtues, orders the will and directs it to give to every one his due, — to God, wor- ship by religion — to those who are placed over us, piety if they are our parents, obedience if they are our superiors, gratitude if they are our benefactors, kindness if they are our friends, respect if they are our elders. — To those, who are our equals, justice pays the tribute of charity in the heart, affability in words, mercy in deeds, simplicity in action, 276 truth in speech, strict justice in paying* debts, liberality in gifts. (Science of the Spiritual Life.) § 4. The Virtue of Temperance. Temperance subordinates the concupisci- ble appetite to the obedience of reason and faith. This subordination, if it affects one's esteem of oneself, is called humility; if food, it is called abstinence; if drink, sobriety; if carnal pleasures, chastity; if look, speech or touch, modesty; if voluntary defilement, virginity; if ang*er, meekness; if the desire of knowledge, studiousness; if talkativeness, silence; if levity, gravity; if love of ease, austerity. (Ibid.) § 5. The Virtue of Fortitude. Fortitude subordinates the irascible ap- petite and stimulates it to overcome fatig-ue, trouble and dang-er. If this relates to difficulty in the substance of the action, it is called mag-nanimity; if in the cost or expense of the action, it is called munifi- cence; if in the result of the action, it is called peace of mind or equanimity; if in the nature of the trial, it is cslled patience; if in its long- continuance, it is called constancy. (Ibid. ) 277 § 6. The Virtue of Simplicity. Simplicity is a virtue, which excludes all fraud, deception, hypocrisy and flattery from our external conduct and makes us appear before others as we really are before God and ourselves. It does not, therefore, consist in a dull- ness of intellect or a want of prudence. It does not make us simpletons, but sincere. True simplicity is pleasing- to God and man: His (God's) communication is with the simple. (Pro v. 3, 32.) / know my God, that Thou provest hearts, and lovest simplicity. (I. Paralip. 29, 17.) Without this virtue religious houses would be dens of artful schemers, hypocrites and in- triguers. Hence: 1. In speaking, avoid all words of double meaning and use no mental restric- tions, but speak your mind candidly. 2. Ask no questions to catch another in his own words, or to elicit a secret from him should he answer in an unguarded, off-hand manner. 3. Never praise or flatter another to his face, and speak not evil of any person in his absence. 4. Do not elicit censorious remarks from others, in order to make them known to those about whom they are made. 5. Do not promise your influence to another in securing a position of honor 278 or trust, with the intention of placing* obstacles to the position in his way. 6. Do not assent to everything* that others say, simply because you desire to ofain or retain their favor. § 7. The Virtue of Meekness. Meekness is a moral virtue, wluch moderates anger. It does not do away with all anger, but it keeps our anger within reason, so that we do not become angry without cause, or more angry than we should be, or from some wicked passion. Anger itself is sometimes very good. Be ye angry and sin not. (Ps. 4, 5.) Christ Himself was angry when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple. S. Gregory sa}^s: If we are commanded to love others as ourselves, it fallows that we should be as angry at their faults as at our own. Meekness is a most necessary virtue, because it is directly opposed to anger, a passion, which is apt to break out most suddenly and violently. We may have learned from experience how many evils and great scandals spring from anger. Religious are not always exempt from provocations to anger. They too are often crossed in their opinions and desires, and called upon to do things that are most distasteful to nature, and unless 279 the}' are well grounded in meekness, their anger will often be aroused and they will not be inclined to suppress it. There are many inducements that should commend this virtue to us and make us fervent in its practice. First of all it endears us to God and man. My son, do thy work in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men. (Eccli. 3, 19.) The prayer of the humble and the meek hath always pleased Thee. (Judith 9, 16.) Another fruit of meekness is peace and tranquillity of mind and soul. The meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace. (Ps. 36, 11.) Learn of Me because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. (Matt. 11, 29.) Nothing is so conducive to peace and serenity of soul as meekness and modesty. (S. Chrysostom.) Meekness makes others lovers of peace. A mild answer b?'eaketh wrath, but a harsh word stirreth up fury. (Prov. 15, 1.) This virtue of meekness is particularly useful and necessary to superiors in religious communities, to pastors and teachers. S. Paul sa}^s: Brethren, and if any man be overtaken in any fault, you -who are spiritual instruct such a one in the spirit of mildness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Gal. 6, 1.) S. Lawrence Justinian earnestly exhorts pas- 280 tors of souls to control their temper and to correct the erring- in a fatherly way, otherwise, wound will be added to wound and passion will be heaped upon passion. But we must not allow our meekness to degenerate in to over-indulgence. When the honor of God is at stake let us not be afraid to correct abuses, and, if we are superiors, to punish those, who deserve punishment. The Lord complains of the priests and prophets of Israel and says by the mouth of Isaias: "His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleep- ing and loving dreams". (Is. 56, 10.) Let us observe what S.' Benedict prescribes to the abbot: /;/ reproving, let him copy the model famished by the Apostle when he says: "Reprove, entreat, rebuke," and mingling mildness with severity, change his mode of dealing as time requires: now a hard master, and again a loving father, that is to say, he should be more severe in correcting the restless and headstrong, and induce the humble and patient to advance more and more in the path of virtue. (Holy Rule chap. 2.) The means of developing the virtue of meekness have been g-iven in a general way in the treatise on the stage of illum- mination. (Pag-e 244.) S. Gregory suggests a good rule when he says: When we see the faults of others, let us think of the 281 faults which we om'selves have committed in other things. The thought of our own infirmity will * lead us to excuse the fail- ings of others. Practice: 1. When 3^our anger is suddenly aroused, subdue it, and do not show it outwardly bj^ any word or other sign. 2. Do not entertain thoughts of resent- ment, and do not dwell upon the injuries you may have received, but banish them from your mind and engage your imagina- tion with some other subject. 3. Do not act or speak under an im- pulse of passion, but always keep cool; take time to think before you act or speak. 4. Speak kindly to all, no difference how lowly their condition may be. Hear them and answer their questions oblig- ingly, even when they take away your time or are otherwise annoying you. 5. Do not enter into angry disputes . with others. Speak your mind quietly and then yield to others, when duty does not require you to insist. 6. Never accuse another of ignorance or of telling the untruth, but cover up his mistakes before others and correct him kindly and privately afterwards. 7. Foster peace and harmony in the 282 community and when they have been disturbed, do your utmost to restore them. § 8. Religious Friendship and Affability. Religious friendship is the mutual love existing- between the members of a religi- ous community. Numberless passag-es of Holy Scripture attest the necessity of loving* those with whom we associate. This mutual love is particularly necessary in religious families, because the members of such a community are not only brethren throug-h Baptism, but they are bound tog-ether by a much closer bond — the bond of religious profession. Without mutual love, monasteries and convents would be worse than dens of thieves. This love manifests itself by a cheerful readiness to eng-ag-e in friendly and courteous conversation with others. Those who are habituall}^ morose and sullen in their conduct towards others, who shun the company of their confreres, who seldom have a kind word for others, who are bitter and snappish in speech — these are a pest to their community, because their hearts are devoid of love towards their brethren. This moroseness may be a natural fault, but it renders a person utterly unfit for community life, unless it is corrected by strenuous and persevering- effort. 283 True friendship and love in religious families must be supernatural, and com- prise all members of the community. Private or particular friendships are spuri- ous and should not be found amongst Religious. They exist only among- tepid, lazy, discontented and disagreeable men or women. They are the causes of insin- cerity, murmurings, detractions, factions and endless quarrels. Lest we be deceived by appearances we will mention a few indications of this spurious friendship. 1. Those who cherish a private and particular friendship, frequently meet in places, where they are not likely to be observed, or at forbidden times; 2. the}^ come together to talk against their confreres, to criticise the superior, to murmur against his manner of action, to tell each other how they were ill- treated etc., etc.; 3. they secretly tell their friends what others may have said about them. They are tattlers, who destroy the peace of the family and excite discord, rancor and spite; they are the devil's willing tools of mischief; 4. they form cliques, have little to say to others, shun their company, but always form a coterie of their own. 284 III. STAGE OF UNION. The 27. versicle of the 36. Psalm reads as follows: Decline from evil, and do good, and dwell forever and ever. Decline from evil belongs to the way or stage of purgation; and do good belongs to the stage of illumination ; and dwell for ever and ever belongs to the stage of union. The end for which man was created is to dwell with God, to be united with God. In- the stage of -purgation we re- move the obstacles to this union, sins, vices, bad habits, etc.; in the stage of illumination we dispose and fit the soul for this union, by developing the infused habits of virtue, and in the stage of union the soul begins to enjoy, in this life al- ready, a loving union with God. He who adhereth to the Lo?'d, is one spirit. (I. Cor. 6, 17.) :o:- CHAPTER I. § 1. Union of the Memory with God. This union consists in a habitual and loving remembrance of God's presence, which all masters in the spiritual life 2S5 recommend as a most efficacious means to a union with God through charity. The remembrance of the presence of God implies three things: 1. Frequent, positive acts, by which we call to mind the presence of God by simple acts of faith, without trying- to represent Him to the mind by any material form. To picture God to ourselves fatigues the mind and is the source of many delusions. 2. Acts of the will or holy affections, suggested by the remembrance of the presence of God and varied according- to the different perfections, which we con- sider in God. When we think of the infinite majesty of God, before which the Angels of heaven tremble, we should make an act of adoration; when we think of the infinite goodness of God we should elicit acts of confidence and hope; when we recall to mind the many favors we have received from God, we should thank Him, etc. By thus varying the acts of virtue we will not tire, on the contrary we will find pleasure in them. 3. Knowing that God is always present to us, observing every movement and action, we should perform all our duties perfectly in every detail. This is the main object of the remembrance of the presence of God. 286 The fruits of this loving* remembrance are great and manifold. a) We overcome temptations more easily, because the thoug-ht of the presence of God removes bad thoug-hts, it instills a salutary fear and causes us to take our recourse to God in all dang-ers and difficulties. The holy Susanna said: It is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord. (Dan. 13, 23,) The thoug-ht of God's presence preserved her in the hour of temptation. On the other hand, those who tried to seduce her perverted their own mind, and turning away their eyes, that they might not look into heaven nor remember just judgment. (Dan. 13, 9.) They tried to forg-et God that they mig-ht have no restraint in the commission of sin. b) We strive after perfection more earnestly, because the remembrance of God's presence purifies the intention and intensifies the fervor in serving- God. The Lord said to Abraham: Walk before Me and be perfect. (Gen. 17, 1.) c) We pray without intermission and fulfill the words of Christ: We ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18, 1.) d) We acquire a holy familiarity with God and obtain from Him an abundance of peace and consolation. Many a visit 2-7 does He make to the interior man* sweet is His communication with Him. delightful His consolation, great His peace and His familiarity exceedingly amazing. (Imit. of Chr. b. 2. c. 1.) The Psalmist says: My soul refused to be comforted : I remem- bered God and was delighted. (Ps. 76, 3. 4.) e We imitate the Angels and Saints, who look upon the face of God and are inflamed with rapturous love by the vision of God. The Guardian Angels, who are always at our side during the time of this earthly pilgrimage, carry heaven with them, because they ever contemplate the majesty of God by the light of glory; so also the spiritual man, who keeps God before the eves of the soul, will enjoy ineffable peace and consolation, no difference what the nature of his duties or employment may be. The means of acquiring a habitual remembrance of the -presence of God are: 1. " The custody of one's cell. If thou wouldst find compunction in thy heart, enter into thy chamber and shut out the tumults of the world Thou wilt find in thy cell, what thou wilt often lose abroad. 'Thy cell, if thou continue in it. grows sweet; but, if thou keep not to it. it becomes wearisome. If in the beginning of thy conversation thou didst well in- habit and keep thy cell, it will be to thee 288 ever after a dear friend and a most wel- come solace. (Imit. of Chr. b. 1. c 20.) 2. Silence. In silence and quiet the devout soul goes fo?"iva?'d and learns the hidden things of the Scriptures. There she finds floods of tears, with which she may wash and cleanse herself every night, that so she may become the more familiar xuith her Creator, the further she lives from all worldly tumult. For God with the holy Angels zvill draw nigh to him, who with- draws himself from his acquaintance and friends. (Imit. of Chr. Ibid.) 3. Exclusion of news and rumors. If thou hadst not gone abroad and heard aught that was said, thou wouldst have kept thyself better in good peace; but since thou takest pleasure sometimes in hearing news thou must thence suffer disturbance of heart. (Ibid.) 4. Caution not to engage in too many or useless things and in things that do not concern you. The intei'ior man puts the care of himself before all other cares; and he who diligently attends to himself is easily silent with regard to others. (Imit* of Chr. b. 2. c. 5.) 5. Humble prayer. 6. Mortification of inordinate passions* For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12, 34.) Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5, 8.) 289 Let us therefore think of God who is so present to us that S. Paul could say: /;/ Him zl'C live, and we move and zve are. (Acts 17, 28.) Let us think of Him at the beginning- of our prayers and labors, when we are assailed by temptations, when we see the cross or crucifix, when the clock strikes, etc., and let us address ourseves to God in a childlike, familiar manner by means of ejaculator} r prayers adapted to our present needs and circumstances. But let us not seek sensible devotion and pleasure in the practice of the remembrance of God's presence; its whole object is to make us do our duties perfect^ in the presence of our divine Master, Who says to us also: Walk before me and be perfect. § 2. Union of the Intellect with God through Faith. Faith is a theolog-ical virtue inclining* man to believe firmly on the authority of God all truths revealed by Him and pro- posed by the Church to our belief. When faith is joined with the habit of charity and manifests itself in corresponding- g-ood works, it is called a living-, active faith, otherwise it is dead. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith with- out good works is dead. (James 2, 26.) Faith alone is of no avail. Thou believest 19 290 that there is one God. Thou dost well; the devils also believe and tremble. (James 2 > 19 ') True faith is that which does not gain- say in action what it -professes in words. (S. Gregory.) Let us not forget that this is the only infallible criterion of our faith. The necessity of faith is again and again asserted and inculcated by the Holy Scripture. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned. (Mark 16, 16.) With- out faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God must believe that He is and is Rewarder to them that seek Him. (Heb. 11, 6.) This faith must be firm, and we must believe all things that God has revealed. In many things they, (the Donatists) agree with me, in a few they difer; the many things in which they agree will avail them nothing. (S. Augustine.) Our faith must be a living and active faith, and work through charity, for Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of My Father, Who is in heaven, he shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 7. 21.) The impediments to active faith are: 1. Negligence in our spiritual exercises, which are the ordinary channels of grace 291 and heavenly enlightenment. If we make our meditation, spiritual reading-, etc. from mere routine, they make little or no impression upon the soul. . 2. Want of good will. We are afraid to discover the evil, which we are not inclined to correct; hence we do not apply the remedies and excuse or even defend our slothful lives by fallacious reasoning's. 3. Pride; S. Paul finds fault with the Gentiles and says they are inexcusable. Because, that when they had known God, they have not glorified Him as God, nor given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts and their foolish heart became darkened. For -professing themselves to be wise they became foolish Wherefore God gave them tip to the desire of their heart. (Rom. 1, 21. 24.) All heresies and apostasies have their beginning- in pride. 4. Curiosity, which entices us to read books written by the enemies of our faith. The reading of such works is always dangerous to those who are not well versed in Theology, and therefore the Church wisely forbids her children to read them. 5. Frequent and unguarded intercourse with heretics, sceptics, indifferentisls and all others who speak lightly of religion. S. John says: If any man come to you 292 and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into the house, nor say to him: God speed yon. (II. 10.) When we know the impediments to faith, the means will readily suggest themselves. § 3. Union of the Will with God through Charity. The virtue of charity is inseparable from sanctifying* grace, and, since charity is a bond of union between God and man, it follows that God unites Himself with all who are in the state of grace. But there is another and more perfect union of which Christ saj^s: If anyone love Me he will keep My word and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. (John 14, 23.) This is the actual union by which God moves us to acts of fervent charit}^ and to other acts of virtue, spring-ing- from charity. If this union is frequently interrupted and even destroyed by sins, it is only transient and inter- mittent; whereas if it causes us to adhere steadfastly to God, keep control of all our faculties and employ them without intermission in the service of God, sub- jecting* the lower man to the hig*her, and the hig-her without reserve to God — 293 then it is the result of perfect and unitive charity of which we speak in this chapter. The characteristics of unitive charity are: 1. It is unselfish. Friends have all things in common. It renounces its own judgment, denies its self-will, in all its actions and desires it has only one object in view, only one incentive — to please God. 2. It is faithful in the smallest thing's; it studiously avoids the least imperfec- tions, not to speak of sins. 3. It burns with a holy zeal for the spreading* of God's glory; it desires all to love Him and grieves at seeing- Him offended. 4. It loves to think of God, for where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. (Matt. 6, 21,) 5. It strives to imitate Christ as closely as possible. 6. In the exercise of virtue and of heroic acts it finds no difficulty, but great joy and delig-ht. The means of obtaining- and developing- unitive charity are: 1. The rememberance of the presence of God; 2. mental prayer; 3. all kinds of trials and difficulties, for g-old is purified by fire; 294 4. to do our ordinarv dail}^ duties perfectly, with a supernatural intention, and then to perform works of supereroga- tion with the consent and advice of the spiritual director; 5. perseverance. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and immovable; always abounding in the wo?'k of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not vain in the Lo?'d. (I. Cor. 15, 58.) PART FIFTH. The Religious Vows. A vow is a deliberate, voluntary promise made to God to do something- that is agreeable to Him, althoug-h there be no oblig-ation to do it. In the world we find three dominant passions, namely, an inordinate tendency to gratify the unlawful desires of the flesh; an inordinate pursuit of material riches, and an inordinate striving- after honors and preferments. This is what S. John teaches, when he says: All that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life. (John I. 2, 16.)" These three passions are great obstacles to per- fection and their three counterparts are the three essential vows of the religious life — Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. -:o: 296 CHAPTER I. The Vow of Poverty. § 1. Essence of the Vow of Poverty. The solemn vow of religious poverty is a voluntary, act, by which a member of a religious order, approved of by the Church, out of love to God and a desire for perfection oblig*es himself under pain of mortal sin to foreg*o forever the right to own or possess in his own name any temporal g-oods. Persons living* in the world may embrace a life of voluntary poverty, they may even make a vow of poverty as the earliest Christians probably did, but the religious vow of poverty is found only in orders approved of by the Church. By the simple vow of poverty the Religious does not divest himself of the right to own and possess temporal g-oods, but he deprives himself of the rig-ht of using* them or disposing* of them without the permission of his superior. Pag-an philosophers have also professed and practiced voluntary poverty, but their motives were not exalted and virtuous, and hence their poverty was not pleasing* to God. The value of poverty depends principally upon the motives which prompt 297 it, and as there can be no more exalted and ennobling* motive then the love of God and the desire of perfection, there can be no more acceptable voluntary poverty, than that of Religious, who are 'actuated by these motives in making- their vows. In religious communities we find some, who have made simple vows for a definite time only. At the expiration of this time they are perfectly free, and can ag-ain acquire, use, and dispose of property as they please. There is also a simple vow, which is perpetual on the part of the Religious who makes it, but not on the part of the community of which he is a member. But the solemn religious profession is perpetual also on the part of the order and carries with it the oblig-ation of providing* for such a member during- the time of his natural life. There is a difference between the vow of poverty and the virtue of poverty. The vow of poverty has reference only to external acts implying- ownership; but the virtue of poverty extends itself also to the internal acts and implies a detach- ment of the heart from the g-oods of this world. The vow of poverty is only a means of reaching- perfection in the virtue of poverty. The virtue of poverty has a wider sphere than the vow of poverty; 298 every violation of the vow of poverty is also an offense against the virtue of poverty but not vice versa. However the vow of poverty may sometimes be violated by internal acts, when, namely, they imply a desire of acting- outwardly against the vow; for, a desire, even when there is no intention of putting it into effect, invests itself with the specific malice of the ex- ternal act. § 2. Excellence of Religious Poverty. Our Saviour Himself bestowed the highest encomium upon voluntary poverty by placing it at the head of the eight beati- tudes. Blessed, said He, are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5, 3.) To the young man who had asked Him what good he should do that he might have life everlasting, He said: If thou wilt be -peifect, go sell what thou hast and give to the poor and thou shall have treasure in .heaven and come follow Me. (Matt. 19, 21.) Surely we can find no path, which will more securely lead us to evangelical perfection, than that which was consecrated by the example of Christ Himself and of the first Christains. All they that believed, were together, and had all things common. Their possessions and goods they sold and divided them all^ 299 according as everyone had need. (Acts 2, 44. 45.) Hence we are not surprised to find that the Holy Fathers, as well as all founders of religious orders, have at all times considered and inculcated voluntary poverty as the very basis of religious life. And, indeed, how many sins of pride, haughti- ness, avarice, debauchery, drunkenness, etc. would not be committed, if money did not supply the occasions! But the vow of povert}^ removes all these dangers to sin. .4 man who is truly poor in spirit is not disquieted by the care of perishable things; his thoughts and desires are centered upon God. He minds the things that are above, not the things that are' upon earth. (Col. 3, 2.) St. Gregory compares the riches of this world to cumbersome garments, and says: If a man, bundled up in clothing, wrestles with another, who had thrown off all superfluous apparel, he will be easily downed, because his clothes offer a good hold to his adversary. What are the riches of the world but habiliments of the body? Whosoever, therefore, enters into conflict with the devil, let him cast off his trap- pings, that he may not succumb. (32. horn.) § 3. Advantages of Religious Poverty. The hundredfold promised by our Saviour to those, who leave all for His 300 sake, belongs to this life as well as to the next. Hence religious poverty offers advantages to its votaries for time as well as for eternity. They will receive a hundred times as much now, in this present life, and in the world to come, life everlasting. (Mark 10, 30.) They receive spiritual riches in this life. S. Jerome says: He that renounces carnal things out of love to the Savior, will receive spiritual thing's, which, in their intrinsic value and consequence, hold the same proportion to each other, as one hundred to a very small number. (1. 3. in Matt. c. 19.) The truly poor in spirit enjoys an im- perturbable serenity of mind. Who can imagine anything better, more secure, more desirable than voluntary poverty! We see those, who seek the goods of this world, grozv dejected, we hear their groans, we perceive their anxiety ; but this poverty is ever cheerful, never emits a sigh, always is free of cares. It expecis to gain a t?'easure in heaven and has nothing to lose on earth! (S. Law. Just, in Lig. Vitae c. 4. de Paup.) Think of the cares, fatigues and sleep- less nights, to which the children of the world subject themselves, in gathering and preserving the riches of the world! Whereas the Religious, without seeking it, receives a hundredfold even of the 301 material goods of this life. What S. Paul says of himself and the other Apos- tles, is verified in him. As having nothing, and possessing all things. (II. Cor. 6, 10.) We see this accomplished every day, and Cassian already called attention to it when he said: We have left one house and ho?ne, and instead we now have as many as there are monasteries or convents belonging to the Order, of which we have beco?ne members. We have said farewell to one father and one mother and now zve have as many fathers as there are superiors in the community in which we live, who love us more dearly and are more solici- tous for our temporal and spiritual wel- fare, than our parents could have been. We have left brothers and have found many 7nore in religion, who love us with a purer and holier love. In like manner are we indemnified for everything else that zve have forsaken. (Col. ult.) S. Bernard says: The avaricious man hungers for the things of this world like a beggar, the man of faith shows his mastery over them by despising them\ the former hoards them up and remains a mendicant, the latter spurns them and lives in plenty. But the greatest worth of religious poverty consists in the good things, which Christ has promised to bestow upon the truly poor, in the life to come. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs 302 is the Kingdom of heaven. O, what blessedness is this, to receive great things for trifles, eternal riches for perishable goods, to have God our debtor. (S. Jerome ep. 150.) Amen, I say to you, that you who (having- left all thing's) have follozved Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of His majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matt. 19, 28.) According- to the Holy Fathers, this promise of Christ is to be understood of all those Christians and particularly of Religious, who have fol- lowed • the example of the Apostles in leaving- all thing's for God's sake, and profess and practice voluntary poverty. Such will receive a special reward in heaven, in which those who have possess- ed and enjoyed the g*oods of this world even in a lawful way, will have no share. § 4. Obligations Resulting from the Solemn Vow of Poverty. A Religiotis, who has bound himself by the solemn vow of poverty, is oblig-ed to foreg-o every rig-lit and act implying* pro- prietorship in reg-ard to all temporal g*oods, whether movable or immovable, unless the Holy See expressl} 7 grants a dispensation or at least a relaxation from the strict oblig-ation of the vow. Such a Religious 303 has the right of using- things belonging to the community under the direction of his superior, and nothing more. . The laws of the Church have made the solemn vow of poverty an impediment to proprietorship in the same way as they have made the solemn vow of chastity an impediment to Matrimony. No Religious of cither sex shall possess or hold as personal property, or even in the name of the community, movable or immovable goods of whatever kind, no difference how they may have been acquired; but all such goods must at once be handed over to the superior and made part of the community property. Henceforth no superior shall grant to any Religious the usufruct, use or commendation of any real estate. The administration of the possessions of monas- teries or convents shall belong exclusively to the officials of the communities, who hold office only so long as the superior 7nay desire them to do so. The superior shall permit the use of movable things in such a way, that everything be in keeping with the state of poverty, which all have professed ; they should have nothing super- fluous, and what is necessary should not be withheld fro?n them. Should anyone be found guilty of a violation of this regulation, he shall be deprived of his active and passive vote for two years, and be punished according to the rule and 304 statutes of his oi'der. (Trid. sess. 25', c. 2, de Reg*, et Mon.) What our holy Rule prescribes in this matter, chap. 23, should be read and carefully noted. That the vow of poverty binds under mortal sin, is apparent not only from the decrees of Pontiffs and Councils, but also from the severe punishment laid down in the rules of all Religious Orders for the violation of this vow. The inability to own property has refer- ence only to the individual Religious, not to the entire community as the Council of Trent (sess 25, c. 8, de Reg. et Mon.) has expressly declared. However, even religi- ous communities have not the rig-lit of absolute ownership of temporal g-oods; they can use such g-oods onl}^ for the proper sustenance of themselves, and for pious purposes. Hence, they cannot sell or otherwise dispose of real estate, lands, houses, etc., or of valuable movable property without the permission of the Holy See. It migiit be said that such ownership of temporal thing's is an impediment to perfection in religious communities, that it implies much care for earthly g-oods, that Religious migiit become attached to the thing's, which they- possess, that riches are a source of distractions, etc. The answer to this objection is simple; that care of temporal thing's, which is 305 necessary, which, moreover, springs from a love of God and our neighbor is not excessive; and again, it is limited to a few, namely to the superiors and officials of communities. Excesses and abuses will indeed creep in, but it is morally impossible to avoid them entirely. Inferences:. 1. Without the permission of his superior, no Religious can accept, retain, consume, destroy, exchange, lend, sell, donate or apply to his own use anything upon which a price can be set. 2. Every transfer of any such temporal thing, made by a private Religious on his own responsibility, is null and void, and carries with it the obligation to re- stitute. 3. A Religious, who often and advert- ently receives, gives or uses little things without permission, exposes himself to the greatest danger of committing mortal sin, because he will by and by transgress his vows in things great enough to constitute the matter of a grievous sin. 4. In virtue of this vow the Religious must be ready at all times to give up the possession and use of anything and every- thing that may have been given to him; he is therefore not allowed to hide any- 20 306 thing- from his superiors, or to murmur should anything* be taken from him by the superior. 5. When a Religious receives anything- to be used for a certain specified purpose, he cannot use it for any other purpose, because the permission which he has, does not imply a choice of object, no matter how g-ood the object may be. 6. A Religious cannot dispose of thing's, which are the results of his own abstemi- ousness or economy; whatever is gained by a Religious even by living- sparingly, belong-s to the community of which he is a member. 7. Every Religious is oblig-ed to take g-ood care of all thing-s given to him for use. Articles of clothing- are given only for necessary use, hence a Religious would violate poverty by using- his best clothes for every day wear. 8. The procurator and others, who ha^e charge of the business affairs of the community, cannot give, expend, and dis- burse as they please, but only in accord- ance with the monastic rule and and the direction of their superiors, and within the sphere of the power conferred upon them. 9. Abbots and other superiors sin ag-ainst the vow of poverty and the virtue . of justice, if they dispose of the tempor- alities of their communities in violation 307 of their rule or an established custom, or against the will of higher superiors, because the}' are not the owners, but only the administrators of goods, which are the common property of all members of fhe religious family. Even with the con- sent of the chapter the}' cannot expend the revenues of the community for things that are not necessary or of no benefit to religion. § 5. What things a Religious may posses in his own right and name without violating the Vow of Poverty. The vow of poverty excludes the owner- ship of those things only, upon which a money price can be set. Hence we rightl}' infer: 1. A Religious has a right to his good name; he can therefore defend it without the consent, but not against the will of his superior, because even spiritual rights are subject to the will of the superior in virtue of the vow of obedience, when the rule or religious discipline demands it. But we must not forget that whilst a Religious retains the right of vindicating his good name, true humility and religi- ous perfection often prompt or even require us to forego our right and permit our- selves to be misjudged or even maligned by others. 308 2. He retains all his spiritual rights and privileges, e. g\, his right of casting or receiving votes, the right to absolve, etc. 3. He can receive and keep relics of the Saints, because no mone}^ price can be set upon them; but if the reliquaries are valuable he cannot retain them. Medals, holy pictures, roasaries, etc. fall under the vow and can therefore not be owned by the Religious. The manuscripts, etc. of a Religious are not a subject matter of the vow and he can therefore lawfully claim them as his own, but he cannot dispose of them at will if the material has been furnished bj^ the com- munity. 4. The natural and supernatural acts of a Religious, e. g., praying, preaching, saying Mass, etc. do not fall under the vow of poverty, but under the vow of obedience. § 6. On the Permission required that a Religi- ous may receive or dispose of temporal goods without violating the Vow of Poverty. When permission is granted, the Religi- ous does not act of his own accord.' Permission is sometimes given in words or some other outward sign, and then it is 309 called express. It may also be inferred from some act or insinuation of the superior, or from his silence, or some established usage. With regard to a superior the exiom, silence gives consent, holds good, provided he knows what is done and can readily refuse his consent. Such a permission is called tacit. There is also a presumed permission, when we reasonably presuppose that the superior would surely grant it if he were asked. Any permission, in order that it may be valid and licit before God, must not exceed the authority of him, who grants it. It must not be forced from the superior by fear or undue pressure; it must not be obtained fraudulently, by advancing false reasons, nor surreptiti- ously, by with-holding the truth from the superior. No permission can be given for anything- that is sinful in itself. We must be exceedingly careful not to extend the tacit permission of our superior beyond all reasonable bounds. In commu- nities, observant of religious discipline, such permission is granted only in small matters of frequent recurrence. Customs are often destructive to the monastic spirit; hence they do not always excuse or justify our actions. A tacit permission is rightly inferred, when the permission to do one thing is implied in the permission or command to 310 do something* else; e. g\ the permission to make a trip implies everything- that is necessary to make that trip. That permission may be legitimately presumed, it is not sufficient to know that the permission would be granted if asked for, otherwise it would scarcely ever be necessan^ to ask it, nor can a superior expressly or otherwise give his subjects to understand that they may always presume his permission in matters not in them- selves sinful, because such a proceeding* on the part of the superior and the com- munity would necessarily be subversive of all religious discipline. Permission may be presumed only 1. when it cannot be asked for; 2. in matters of minor importance; 3. when an action cannot be deferred; 4. when it is morally certain that the superior would give permission. Should a Religious acquire anything- on the streng-th of a presumed permission, he must report the fact to his superior without unnecessary delay, for the vow of poverty not only forbids him to receive, but also to retain temporal g-oods. If in the judg-ment of a Religious the superior should grant the permission if it could be asked for, yet would not give it, he can not presume it, because inferiors would too easily persuade themselves that the 311 superior is acting* imprudently in denying them permission, and hence they could presume permission for almost anything-, to the great detriment of monastic rule. § 7. Superfluous Things. We call those thing's superfluous, which are not necessary to our state or station in life. A Religious is bound in virtue of the vow of poverty, as explained by the council of Trent, to put away and to keep away everything superfluous, and even the superior cannot give a valid permission to the contrary. Should the Religious be in doubt as to whether something given to him be really necessary, he may use it if the superior who gave it is commonly considered a conscientious person. A Religious can not be excused from sin, if he is not content with the diet or clothing furnished to the rest of the com- munity; if he finds fault with the economy of his superior, if he secretly procures for himself wines and delicacies, silk cinctures, fine or costly habits or other clothing, etc., or if his cell resembles a store-room of little curiosities, chests, pictures, boxes orna- ments, fancy books and other what-nots. Whole communities, but particularly the superiors, become guilty of violations of poverty, if they appropriate the revenues 312 of the monastery or convent to useless purposes, palatial buildings, etc. § 8. Degrees of Poverty. The first or lowest degree of poverty is found in the Religious, who accepts, retains or disposes of nothing temporal without the permission of superiors and keeps for his private use nothing that is not necessary. S. Bernard I ep. 341. • deplores the folly of many Religious, who, after leaving behind them comfortable homes and great riches, seriously violate the vow of poverty in their monasteries, by allowing their hearts to grow attached to trifles, such as particular pictures. books, clocks, etc.. and thus expose them- selves to the danger of eternal perdition. They have heroically broken the strong ropes by which they were bound to kindred, home, fame and fortune and now they foolishly bind themselves to the world by spiders' threads. Our -profession requires us to seek poverty^ and not only to remove from ourselves the goods of this worlds but also to root out from our hearts every attachment or desire for them. (Euseb. horn. 4. ad Monach.) Exactly so. for religious poverty is poverty of spirit; its aim is to remove everything that might estrange us from God. and nothing turns us away from Him so quickly as 313 the inordinate attachment which we have to creatures. The second degree of poverty is found in him, who not only carefully wards off from himself everything* superfluous, but also cheerfully bears the privations and hardships inseparably connected with genuine poverty. Some would like to be poor, so however, that they may still have everything they want. (S. Bernard serm. 4. de Advent.) Religious have entered monasteries and convents in order to crucify their flesh with its concupis- cences, and to make atonement for their own and others' sins, and yet we find them sometimes to be more intent upon delicacies and comforts than the rich of the world. This is the poverty which so frequently is a source of scandal to seculars! The third degree of poverty consists in not only patiently bearing- its discomforts, but in even seeking them, and in cheer- fully availing ourselves of the occasions of practicing religious poverty. Then we fulfill to the letter what S. Benedict says in his Rule: A monk should be content with whatever is mean and most humilia- ting. (Omni vilitate et extremitate con- tentus sit monachus.) Cap. 7. gr. 6. This is the poverty which Christ, the Apostles and early Christians practiced. This is the poverty, to which a hundredfold is 314 promised, because it alone leaves every- thing- for the love of God. This is the poverty, which leads those, who sincerely cultivate it % to the heights of evangelical perfection, because it removes them from every inordinate attachment to the things of this world. § 9. Practice of Poverty in Dress. 1. Let holy simplicity and religious modesty characterize your dress, and re- move from it everything- that savors of worldly vanity. Ven. Blosius says: Do not imitate those vain Religions, who are ashamed of their state of poverty, but not of their irreligiotis spirit. When they are to appear before seculars, we see them dress up in exquisite style. Their clothes must be of the best 7naterial and made sh'ictly in accordance with the latest fashion. They are asha7ned of a garment in keeping with their rule and the regulations laid down by the Fathers. They appear not as hmnble monks but rather as dainty, fastidi- ous courtiers. They show by their dress that their interior is full of pride, effeminacy and vain glory, and excite a feeling of sadness and indignation in sensi- ble men, and provoke the devil Jmnself to ridicule and derision. (Spec. Monach.) . 2. Let the form or cut of your dress be in keeping- with the usage of your 315 community. Be content with the quality of the material procured by the officials, and when you must select it yourself, choose that which is cheaper and coarser, and let there be nothing- superfluous or unnecessary in your wardrobe. In the dress of God^s servants there should be nothing new-fashioned, nothing unnecessary \ nothing savoring of pride or vain glory. (S. Bern. serm. 3. ad Sor.) The rule of S. Benedict says: "The brethren should find no fault with the color or quality of their clothes, but be satisfied with that which can be obtained at the cheapest price in the place where they live" (chap. 55.) But we must remember that cheapness is not synonymous with uncleanliness. Our dress must be respectable and not repulsive. Even S. Benedict requires that when we appear in public we should be dressed a little better than usual, (chap. 55.) § 10. Practice of Poverty in Diet. 1. A Religious must never forget that he is poor; hence he should thankfully accept what the superiors and officials provide for his corporal refection. 2. He should content himself with ordinary diet; he should not hanker after delicacies or expensive dishes, nor procure them for himself secretly or with the extorted permission of his superior. Let 316 him be on his guard lest iniquity lie to itself. (Ps. 26, 12.) We are so apt to consider necessary what is nothing* but an inordinate appetite of the sensual man. 3. Let him beware of imitating* those, who, whilst when they were in the world, had scarcely sufficient to still their hunger, yet now when they have entered the monastery or convent, where thej should crucify the flesh with its evil tendencies, are found to complain of the incompetency of the cooks, the careless- ness of officials, the stinginess of super- iors, the want of spices and the monotony of their diet. To such a Religious the words of S. Jerome ma}^ be well applied: I was born in a hut, tinder a roof of straw, and, as I grew up, had scarcely enough millet and coarse bread to satisfy my hunger; but now I grow tired of the finest wheat- bread and honey; I can tell the various kind oj fishes and can call them by their proper names; when I eat clams I can tell you on what shore they were taken, and by the tastes of meats I can tell the province whence they come, (ad Nepotianum,) So it is; at one time he was a beggar, now he is a fastidious, poor monk! 4. Let him be very careful to be moderate in eating but particularly in drinking. Intemperance in food and drink is not only a violation of poverty but also dangerous to chastity. When the stomach 317 is surfeited lustful desires are excited. (S. Gregory.) § 11. Practice of Poverty in Cell and Furniture. 1. The Religious should not desire to occupy one of the larger or more com- modious cells; let him content himself with the one that has been assigned to him by his superiors. 2. He should from time to time care- fully examine his cell, and remove every- thing that is superfluous or in any way opposed to the poverty which he has vowed. 3. His cell should be neither gorgeous nor filty. 4. In the use of necessary things, he should practice economy; e. g. it is a praiseworth}^ act of poverty not to use a lamp or candle when it is not necessary. The truly poor takes conscientious care even of trifling things. He should be solicitous about everything that has been given to his use, and not allow am^thing to be soiled, destroyed or permaturely consumed through his neglect. Whoever handles the goods of the monastery in a careless and slovenly manner, shall receive a reprimand, but if this avails not, he must endure the punishment which the Rule provides. (Holy Rule chap. 32.) "Let him consider all the furniture and 318 goods of the monastery, as vessels con- secrated to the altar" (Ibid. chap. 31.) -:o:- CHAPTER II. The Vow of Chastity. § 1. Nature of Religious Chastity. Chastity is a virtue, which restains the inordinate desire of an indulgence in sexual pleasures, and excludes all sinful thoughts, words and actions contrary to purity. We distinguish a threefold chastity, that of virgins, that of widows and widowers, and that of married persons. Virginal chastity in its less strict sense is a firm and effective resolve of the will to abstain forever from every willful venereal act, whether internal or external, whether in the married or the single state. This resolve sealed by a solomn promise, in an Order approved of by the Church, constitutes religious chastity in its strict sense, and supposes a perfect im- munity from every willful venereal con- tamination of the body. The solemn vow of religious chastity is an impediment to the validity of any matrimonial contract, which a Religious might attempt to enter. 319 It annuls all antecedent promises of mar- riage and even dissolves the marriage tie, if it has not }^et been consummated. Holy Scripture, and the works of the Fathers are so replete with the praises of chastity, that it is unnecessary to particu- larize them here. § 2. Obligations assumed through the Vow of Chastity. Ever}^ Religious, in virtue of his vow of Chastit}% be it simple or solemn, is obliged to be chaste in mind and bod}\ It is the common opinion of Theologians that all sins directly against chastity are mortal, if committed with full delibera- tion and full consent. Hence, even interior complacency and unchaste desires are mortally sinful, if fully deliberate and voluntary, and in a Religious they are also sacrileges. There are some sins which are more or less opposed to purity, and which neverthe- less are only venial sins, because they are committed without any complacency, e. g. unchaste words spoken out of levity, looks upon persons of the other sex, which spring from curiosity, etc.; but even these sins may become mortal on account of scandal or some other circumstance. 320 § 3. Principal Dangers to Chastity. 1. Intemperanee in eating and drinking. Gluttony and drunkenness are prolific sources of concupiscence, which resides in and spring's from the flesh. Behold this was the iniquity of Sodo?n, thy sister, -pride, fullness of bread and abundance, and the idleness of her and her daughters, (Ezech. 16, 44.) Be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury. (Eph. 5, 18.) Midst surfeiting' and drunkenness concupiscence gains the ascendency \ (S. Jerome, 1. I. in Ep. ad Tit.) Experience also teaches that most sins of impurity are committed after excessive eating- and drinking-. 2. Idleness. Idleness has taught much evil. (Eccli. 33, 29.) Let us shun idle- ness as the most dangerous pitfall of chastity. We are not holier than David, not wiser than Solomon nor stronger than Samson. (S. Aug-, ser. 12. ad Fratres in Eremo.) Daily experience teaches that many sins ag-ainst chastity have their sources in idleness. By our very nature we are so constituted that we continually desire something- wherewith to occupy ourselves, and hence, if our time is not taken up with lawful and useful occupations, we will very soon turn to unlawful thing's, and very likely we will direct our atten- tention to those thing's, towards which 321 we are most vehemently drawn b}- our weak nature. Then, too, the devil is ever ready with his temptations; hence the wise admonition of S. Jerome: Always be doing something that the devil may ulways find you occupied, (ep. 4.) 3. Pride. God permits the proud to fall into the most shameful sins, that they may open their ej^es to their own vileness and misery. Everyone that exalteth himself, shall be humbled. (Luke 18, 14.) Of the Gentiles it is said: They became vain in their thoughts and their foolish heart was darkened Wherefore God gave them up to the desire of their heart, unto uncleanness ; to dishonor their own bodies among themselves. (Rom. 1, 21. 24.) The lives of those, who apostatize from religion, confirm the truth of what has been said. They do not fall into the depths of wickedness all at once, but gradually. The beginning of their decline is usually found in pride and self-will. They refuse to be subject to others, they want to be free and independent, they trust in -their own sufficiency, they expose themselves recklessly to all kinds of occa- sions to sin, and, because God resists the proud, they throw themselves headlong into the mire of impurities, and then, because they cannot and will not bear the consequent shame and confusion with a 21 322 tranquil and repentant heart, they fall into despair and leave the monastery or convent. 4. Ungarded senses, especially the eyes. Wanton eyes, says Yen Bede, betray an unchaste heart. And, indeed, unless we mortify our eyes by keeping' a careful watch over them, they will occasion or recall dangerous thoughts and representa- tions, which excite the passions, like a spark starts a conflagration, and often expose us to the proximate danger of sin. (David.) Scripture tells us that it is dangerous to look fixedly into the face of persons of the opposite sex. Gaze not upon a maiden, lest her beauty be a stumbling- block to thee. (Kccli. 9, 5.) The gazing upon a woman is an arrow steepetl in poison, which pierces the soul and instills poison: and the longer it continues the more the wound will fester. (S. Nilus or. 2. Adv.) Hence Job (31, 1.) made a covenant with his eyes that he might not so much as think upon a virgin. Other Saints have done the same thing, how much more does it behoove us to use the same caution. 5. Unguarded conversations with persons of the opposite sex. If it is so dangerous to chastity to gaze upon a woman, it is still more perilous to engage in frivolous conversation with her, particularly if she 323 be 3'oung* and beautiful. Women make wise men fall off. (Eccli. 19, 2.) To be ahvays with a woman and not sin with a woman, is it not more than to raise the dead to life? What is less you cannot do, and you ask me to believe that yon can do that which is greater .... you wish to be considered continent? It may be that you are, but I have my suspicions. You are a scandal to me; remove the cause of the scandal and make good your boast that you are a follower of the Gospel. (S. Bern, in Cant. serm. 66.) Even with pious women we should not be on terms of familiarity. Such famil- iarities usually have their origin in some kind of piety, but they gradually degener- ate. By degrees, says Blosius,. the hearts are ensnared and wounded by a sense of pleasure, they begin to feel temptations, and at last that, which in the beginning they seem to do well and from spiritual motives, degenerates into passion and sensuality. Even in the confessional great care is required, for there such colloquies may become dangerous on account of the near- ness of the person, and, frequently, also on account .of the matter of confession. Let us put our zeal to a test whether it be truly from God. We have cause to suspect ourselves if we find that we are more ready to hear the confessions of 324 women than of men, or that we keep women longer in the confessional than men. For the same reason we should avoid that dangerous familiarity and intimacy, which sometimes springs up between persons of the same sex, especially between older persons and handsome or comely children. With good reason S. Ephrem, (de Vita Spir. n. 11.) recommends a watchful care over the eyes, when we speak to persons, in whom youth and beauty are combined. Unguarded looks on such occa- sions cause even sturdy and masculine minds to become soft and effeminate. S. Pachomius dictated severe punishments for those who were caught laughing and playing with boys. 6. Cariosity. As the eyes become a source of dangerous representations and temptations, if we allow them to rest upon objects fraught with peril to holy purity, so also the curious reading of books treat- ing on similar subjects is very prejudicial to the virtue and vow of chastity. We are apt to justify such reading with the excuse that we have no other object in view than -to gain information. But is it prudent to gain such knowledge at such a risk? For priests such knowledge is indispensa- ble in the confessional; but experience teaches how dangerous, even for them, is the reading of cases which involve matter 325 against holy purity. Let them, therefore, be on their guard and not read such treatises from morbid curiosity, rather than from an honest desire of fitting themselves for their high calling. Let them fortify themselves with prayer before thej^ read such things or listen to them in the confessional, and disown and resist impure thoughts and representations before they arise. There are some passages even in Holy Scripture, which are dangerous, especially to those who are assaulted by violent temptations against purity. (Holy Rule chap. 42.) § 4. Means of Preserving Chastity. 1. Humble prayer joined with a great distrust of oneself and childlike confidence in God. And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was: I went to the Lord and besought Him, (Wis. 8, 21.) Man, by nature prone to evil and still more corrupt in consequence of his own sins, cannot withstand a violent, tempta- tion, especially against chastity, without the grace of God. This grace is given in response to humble prayer. Hence our Lord taught us to pray: And lead us not into temptation, and distrust of oneself 326 and unlimited confidence in God are necessary conditions of prayer. Our prayers will also be more efficacious if seconded by the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin, our Guardian Angel, S. Joseph, S. Benedict, S. Aloysius and other holy patrons. 2. Avoidance of occasions. He that loveth danger shall -perish in it. (Eccli. 3, 27.) To such presumptious persons God is wont to deny His grace, and justly so. For those who voluntarily expose themselves to such dang-ers, either put their trust in themselves or they do not. If they do, then God will demolish their pride and presumption and let them feel their weakness; if they place no confidence in themselves, then the very fact that they expose themselves to the dang*er of com- mitting- a grievous sin is already sinful. Thing's that are far away, if they are pictured to us by the imagination, often call forth most violent temptations, should we then not fear their presence? We should carefully avoid not only those occasions, which are apt to excite lustful desires in us, but also those, which tend to enkindle an inordinate or sensual affection for others in our hearts. 3. .4 moderate use of the discipline. We have no more dang-erous enemy than our own flesh. Therefore, just as the flesh continually lusts ag^ainst the spirit, 327 so the spirit should wage a continual war against the flesh. (Gal. 5, 17.) The more you pamper to the flesh the more it will rebel against you. * By a moderate use of the discipline you will make atonement to God for your sins, you will acquire the habit of over- coming- yourself manfully, and if you of your own volition punish the flesh, you will more readily deny it unlawful gratifica- tions. If thy right hand scandalize thee y cut it off. (Matt. 5, 20.) So the Saints have done. As means of practicing this mortifica- tion of the flesh we may mention: a) Moderate fasting. This kind (of devils) is not cast out, but by -prayer, and fasting. (Matt. 17, 20.) b) A hard bed, the use of hair shirts and the discipline. In this way should we trample in the dust and humble our proud flesh and the angel of satan who buffets us, and when we are assailed by some violent temptation we should at once extinguish the incipient flame of voluptuousness by inflicting some sensible pain upon the flesh. We have the heroic examples of S. Benedict, S. Bernard and many other Saints. But in all such mortifications we should allow ourselves to be guided by our spiritual director, lest we go beyond the bounds of prudence. 328 c) A strict custody over our senses, especially the eyes, of which we have spoken above. 4. Earnest consideration of the four last things. The death of the wicked is very evil. When, therefore, the devil tempts us to sin ag-ainst holy purity, let us ask ourselves whether we desire to die this very evil death of the wicked, and if not, let us avoid that which would expose us to the dang-er of dying* such a death. What shame and confusion for a Religi- ous when he shall see his hidden sins exposed to the light! There is a sense of shame in us which would deter us from the commission of such sins in the presence of any human being", and yet we know for certain that on the great day all our secret sins will be exposed to view before the whole world! When assailed by such temptations, let us look down into the depths of hell and say with the prophet: "Which of you can dwell with devouring fire; which of you shall dwell with everlasting burning" (Is. 33, 14.) A certain holy man, to over- come such temptations, was in the habit of putting- his fing*er into the flame of a burning" candle, and when he felt the the heat, he would say to himself: Tou cannot endure the heat of this little fire for a moment; how shall you endure the heat of hell-fire? Well does Holy Scrip- 329 ture admonish us: "Remember thy last end and thou s/ia/t never sin." (Eccli. 7, 40.) 5. A candid manifestation. The rule of S. Benedict directs us to break all evil 'thoughts that arise, against the rock, which is Christ, and to manifest them to our spiritual director, (chap. 4, inst. 50. and chap. 46.) Experience teaches that this is a most efficacious means against all illusions of the devil. § 5. How to behave when actually assailed by Temptations against Chastity. It is certainly not sinful to have bad thoughts or to suffer inordinate move- ments of the flesh; we must only not yield our consent to them or take willful pleasure in them, or cause them either directly or indirectly. God often permits the holiest men to experience the most violent temptations of the flesh. (S. Paul.) When we feel our inclination to that which is evil, and our own weakness, then we remain humble, we are kept on our guard and flee from danger, when it is still remote; we seek refuge with God, we gain merits for ourselves and learn to sympathize with the fallen and help them to rise. But the following rules will be found serviceable: 330 1. Do not in any way give occasion to the temptation. 2. As soon as you notice an impure thought or impure movement of the flesh, turn away your mind from the object which excites you; shake of the impure thought as you would a fiery coal falling upon your garment. Turn your mind upon something that is apt to distract you from the bad thought. 3. Should the temptation still continue, take your recourse to prayer, and make a most positive act of resistance. In such temptations it is not sufficient to be merely passive, i. e. neither to assent nor dissent; such passiveness looks very much like consent and is at best very danger- ous. 4. Should the temptation become more violent, pray more fervently, invoke the Blessed Virgin and other Saints, and do not give up in despair. God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with temptation issue that you may be able to bear it, (I. Cor. 10, 13.) The more fierce the battle, the more glorious the victory. 5. Be not over-anxious, beware of scruples and do not manifest your interior struggle by outward signs, such as shak- ing the head, etc. Only one thing is necessary; if you can say with your whole heart: I would rather die than be denied by s«», all hell becomes powerless. But if you gain the victory be careful not to ascribe it to yourself, but give glory to God Whose mighty arm supported you in the conflict. If. however, you should have suffered defeat then 1 do not give way to dejection or despair, but have confidence in the infinite goodness of God. Who Hoes not desire the death of the sinner but thet he be con- verted and live. 2 Beg-in at once to do penance, and without a moment's delay make an act of perfect contrition: humble yourself before God and rise manfully from your fall. 3. Make good use of the sad experience you have gained, and resolve to avoid more carefully the occasions of sin and to apply the means of preserving chastity more diligently. 4. Impose some vindictive punishment upon yourself. 5. Pray more earnestly for the gift of perseverance. -:o:- 332 CHAPTER III. The Vow of Obedience. § 1. Nature of Religious Obedience. By Religious obedience we understand that vow, by which a Relgious obliges himself to obey his superior as the repre- sentative of Christ, in all things that are not evidently sinful and that are in accord- ance with the rule, on which he makes his religious profession. Faith is, therefore, the basis of religi-. ous obedience. He that heareth you hear- eth Me. (Luke 10, 16.) It is all the same whether God Himself or man as the repre- sentative of God commands; in either case we must obey with the sa?ne alacrity and reverence, (S. Bern, de Praecep. et Dis. c. 9. n. 19. S. Paul expresses the same idea when he says: Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart as to the Lord, and not to men. (Col. 3, 23.) If we are deeply conscious of the fact that our superiors are vested with divine authority, then it will be an easy matter for us to obey them even in things that are in themselves very difficult. We must obey for God's sake, and not allow human respect or fear, selfishness or any other improper motive to tarnish our obedience. 333 § 2. Excellence of the Vow of Obedience. S. Thomas advances three reasons to show that the vow of obedience is the greatest of all religious vows. 1. By it we make a greater offering to God than by any other vow. 2. It includes all the others. Hence in the Benedictine formula of profession the vows of poverty and chastity are not even mentioned. 3. It offers us greater assistance in attaining the end of the religious life. S. Gregory (1. 35, Mor.) says that obedience develops and preserves all the other vir- tues. Obedience is better than sacrifices. (I. Kings 15, 22.) S. Augustine says: Tou may fast and fray day and night, you may put on sackcloth and ashes, but if you are not obedient you have lost all other virtues. Your obedience is worth more than all the rest put together. (De Obed. et Humil.) Christ Himself is the great model of obedience, for He was obedient even unto death. § 3. Efficacy of Eeligious Obedience. Religious obedience renders all our works, even the most insignificant and indifferent, most pleasing to God and highly meritorious to ourselves, Ven. 334 Blosius says: // is better to deny one's own will and to weed out briars, than to follow one's own will and engage in the most exalted contemplation. The oblation of one's own will is a sacrifice most agreeable to God, and we can never be more certain that we are doing- the will of God, than when we execute the legitimate behests of our superior. He that heareth you heareth me. O, how many are the meritorious actions of on obedient Religious, whose every act throughout the day is dictated and sea- soned by obedience! § 4. Security and Peace of Soul Resulting from Religious Obedience. The superior ma}^ be actuated bj- unworthy motives, or he may sin against prudence in giving- his commands, but the simple Religious can never go amiss in obeying* him in everything* that is not evidently sinful. Experience teaches that in reg-ard to the other virtues, satan often transforms himself into an angel of light, in order to deceive the good, but it is impossible to deceive those who do the will of God. But that it is exactly what the obedient Religious does at all times. Hence that wonderful security and peace of soul for which good Religious have always been noted. 335 Would it were so with f/ice, and that thou wert come so far that thou wert no longer a lover of thyself but didst stand wholly at My beck and that of the father, 'whom I have set over thee; then wouldst thou be greatly -pleasing to Me, and thy whole life would pass in joy and peace. (Imit. b. 3. chap. 32.) § 5. To what things Religious Obedience Extends. In virtue of the vow of obedience the Religious is obliged to obey his superior in all thing's appertaining to the rule or statutes of his order, whether expressed or implied. If the superior commands under obedience, or in the name of Christ, or in any other way indicating his inten- tion of commanding something under pain of mortal sin, the Religious must obey sub gravi even if the rule or statute cover- ing the pomt under command does not oblige under any sin. So also if an in- ferior should refuse obedience to his superior out of contempt, saying: / will not obey, I will not do it, to spite him I will not do it, he would make himself guilty of a mortal sin, because such words express contempt of legislative authority and irreverence towards superiors — it is rebellion. 336 The superior cannot command us under obedience to do thing's that are contrary to the rule, or above it or beneath it, because we promise to obey accoj'ding to the rule on which we make our profession. However, if the reason why he commands such things is founded upon some general principle, which is in conformity with the rule, then he can impose the obligation of obeying* in virtue of the vow of obedi- ence. For instance, a Religious can be commanded to nurse his sick confreres during* a pestilence, because the good of religion requires such acts of charity. When there is reason to doubt, whether an action commanded by the superior is also prescribed by the rule, or whether it be licit, the superior must receive the benefit of the doubt, and the Religious must obey, because the superior is vested with authority, and he is justly supposed to know the extent of his power and not to abuse it. The Religious superior has also a power, which resembles that of the father of a family. He is the head of the religi- ous family, and as such he has the power of regulating the affairs of his household, which includes the Novices. The Fourth Commandment requires us to obey him in the regulations which he may make for the proper government of his community. He has also ecclesiastical jurisdiction 337 like that of a Bishop over his subjects, and this jurisdiction also extends to the entire household including- the Novices, who are not yet bound by religious vows. (Antoine, p. 8., de Oblig. Relig.) A Religious should understand that his obedience is imperfect when restricted to those things in which his vow exacts obedience. Perfect obedience knows no law, has no limit, is not content within the narrow confines of religious profession, it extends itself to everything that is enjoined. (S. Bern, de Praecep. et Disp.) The truly obedient Religious does not niggardly inquire what the superior can command, but generously obeys in all thing's that the superior does command. § 6. Whom we must obey in Virtue of the Vow of Obedience. We must obey our religious superiors. The highest superior of all Religious is the Pope, hence his commands take pre- cedence over the commands of all other superiors. We owe obedience not only to superiors, who are gentle, pious and dis- creet, but also to those, who are harsh, inconsiderate and domineering. Servants^ be stibject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (I. Pet. 2, 18.) This is a g-eneral command intended for 338 all Christians, but it applies with special force to Religious. Christ Himself gave us the example, for He was obedient, even to heathens clothed with authority. To subject one's judgment and will to that of an indiscreet, or even malicious superior is an act of perfect obedience, difficult, it is true, but nevertheless neces- sary. For if subordination or obedience in a community, or under any govern- ment, were made dependent upon the objective justice of all commands and enactments of superiors and rulers, what confusion and litigation would result! How often, would our blinded self-love prompt us to misjudge the actions and motives of our superiors, and offer an excuse for not obeying them! Let us not sit in judgment over the doings of our superiors; we are often mistaken. Let us correct our own mistakes, for which alone we are accountable to God. We should manifest a spirit of obedience towards all members of the community; our vow does not exact this, but charity demands it. Hence S. Benedict says in his Rule: 7/ is not the abbot only, all the brethren ought to obey, for they are to obey one another likewise, and let them rest assured that by doing this they shall gain admittance to the Kingdom of Heaven. (chap. 71.) This obedience we can show by yielding graciously to the judgment of 339 others, by showing* them honor and respect, by following* their will, rather than our own, in things that are good or are at least not sinful. § 7. Degrees of Obedience. The -first or lowest degree of obedience requires us to execute the commands of our superiors with the greatest exactness, even in their minutest details. An act that is in itself good, may be marred or entirely ruined by a single defect. Religious, who habituall}^ try to elude the directions of their superiors, by know- ingly misinterpreting them, or distorting them, or explaining them away, must not flatter themselves that they possess even this lowest degree of obedience. The second degree of obedience requires a conformity of the will with that of our superior, whilst we execute his command. A mere external obedience without an internal acquiescence is hypocrisy. There are some who, when directed under obedience to fill some onerous posi- tion, to perform some hard labor or dis- agreeable work of any kind, obey out- wardly, and materially do what they are told to do; but their obedience is based upon contemptible human fear or human respect; inwardly they pout and murmur behind the back of their superior, but in 340 the presence of their confreres they criticise the superior for giving- such com- mands. They become a scandal to their brethren and a veritable pest to the com- munity. They will have no reward for their obedience. But if on the other hand the disci fie submit with reluctance and murmuring, not only in ivord, but even in the heart, it is all in vain: for although he exteriorly -performs what was enjoined* God, Who sees the interior disposition of the heart, accepts not his obedience. (Rule of S. Benedict, chap. 6.) Such Religious cannot be happy. Obedience becomes an unbearable burden to them, deprived of all its sweetness. — The third degree requires us to submit our judgment to that of the superior, whenever it is not clearly apparent that he is doing- wrong- or commanding- some- thing- sinful. This is the obedience which S. Benedict's Rule exacts, (chap. 5.) when it requires us to commit ourselves to the g-uidance and authority of another, and to entertain no other wish than to submit in a monastery to the direction of an abbot. "Without this surrender of our judg-ment, our obedience is not a complete burnt-offering, for we reserve one faculty, the intellect. Pride destroys this third degree of obedience; for the proud refuse to be governed by their superiors, but always 341 endeavor to rule them and contradict them. Like the Sarabaites, they propose to themselves no other rule of life, than the gratification of their own desires; they believe everything* they approve of to be holy, and everything- they condemn, to be impious. They are a pest to the entire community, for they invariably try to induce others to follow their example. The fourth degree of obedience is found in those, who not only fulfill the strict commands of their superiors,- but also follow their advice, and cheerfully execute what they know to be pleasing to them. This is the obedience of dutiful children; it lightens the burden of superiors and is acceptable to God and man. Religious who do only that which they are strictly bound to do, are entirely devoid of this degree of obedience; they are stingy towards God and make themselves unworthy of His generosity towards them. The fifth and highest degree of obedience requires us to obey even in thing's that are most repugnant to nature, extremely difficult or morally impossible. S. Benedict in the 68 chap, of his Rule says: If a brother is commanded to do things that are too hard, or even impossible, he ought to receive the order with all mildness and obedience. But if he sees they surpass his strength * let hi?n represent to his superior with calmness and circumspection the cause 342 of his inability, and exhibit no sign of pride, contradiction or resistance. But if the superior insists, in spite of his remon- strance, the brother should believe that it is expedient for him. and reiving on the assistance of God, obex from a motive of charity. If he cannot effectually execute the command of his superior, let him show at least a good will, which has often been so pleasing- to God, that He has wrought miracles to show His ap- proval of it. We fail against this degree, if we obey promptly only in those things which are according to our liking, easy, or fraught with honor to ourselves: also if we plead sickness or inability in order to escape the injunctions of superiors, or receive them with disgust and execute them carelesslv. § 8. Qualities of Religous Obedience. That our obedience may be pleasing to God it must be pronpt, without delay: fervent, without coldness: willing, without murmuring: orderly, without deviation: cheerful, without moroseness: resolute, with- out faintheartedness. (S. Bonaventure.) We must therefore obey: 1. Promptly; genuine obedience brooks no delay or procrastination. 2. Cheerfully : God loves the cheerful giver, (II. Cor. 9. 7.) A pleasant counten- 343 ance and a cheerful word lend much grace to obedience; for external signs indicate the interior dispositions of the heart and •mind. No one likes to give commands to one whose face is always clouded. 3. With holy simplicity. Perfect obedi- ence* especially in the beginner, is very uninquisitive; it does not ask why the superior gives such or such commands, but only endeavors to execute faithfully what has been enjoined. (S. Bern, de Voto Sol.) We see many, z.'ho. on receiving' some command from the superior, ask many questions: why? what for? whence this notion? who suggested "this? Hence they murmur, they seek excuses, they plead inability, they call upon their friends to aid them to escape doing what is com- manded. This is not the obedience of Abraham. (S. Bern. serm. 41 de Divers.) Such blind obedience, like that of Abra- ham, is most pleasing- to God and confirmed by miracles; it is indispensable in every religious family. When subjects take the liberty of ques- tioning, criticising and censuring the the commands of their superiors, then authority amounts to nothing, there is no peace, no subordination, no obedience. 4. Without choice; it should be a matter of absolute indifference to us what we are told to do. S. Basil explains this quality of obedience as follows: fust as a mason 344 or any other tradesman uses his tools as he pleases, so the Religious should strive to become a willing tool in religion, and allow his superior to use him at will in erecting the spiritual edifice; and as the tool does nothing in the absence of its owner, because its every movement is dependent upon him, so the Religious should not act independently of his super- tor, but should permit himself to be directed and governed by him in all things. (S. Basil in Constit. Moti.) 5. With Humility ; only the humble can be truly obedient. 6. Courageously ; by manfully putting- out the hand to strong- thing's, (Prow 31, 19.) and not shrinking* from difficulties. 7. Religiously ; with a g-ood and super- natural intention, believing* that God makes known His will through the superior. 8. Carefully; not superficially, direct- ing- all our energies upon the work enjoined, and trying- to perform it as per- fectly as possible in every detail. 9. Per s ever ingly ; He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved. (Matt. 10, 22.) § 9. Murmuring. The pestilential vice of murmuring- requires special mention, because there is 345 nothing* so destructive of obedience, and nothing- more common in religions com- munities. Above all things let not the least murmuring, be the provocation what it 7)i ay, appear either by word or example. (Rule" of S. Benedict chap. 34.) The evils resulting- from this vice are unspeakably great, to the individual as well as to the entire community. Mur- murers cannot possess peace of soul; impatience, scorn, suspicion, hatred, and vindictiveness, harrass their souls day and nig-ht. The numberless spiritual evils are so apparent that they need not be enumerated. Still greater are the ravag-es of this vice, when we consider its effects upon the entire religious family. Surely the greatest blessing's a community can enjoy, flow from the harmony existing- between superiors and their subjects, and from the mutual love which the members bear to one another. But the vice of murmuring is destructive of both. It drives filial love towards the superior out of the hearts of the subjects, it engenders factions and cliques. Such murmurers may think them- selves persecuted by their superiors, or the superiors may be faulty in the administra- tion of their respective offices, but that does not justify their murmurings, by which the evil, if it exists, is not corrected but only magnified. 346 If there be just cause for complaint, our rule, statutes or constitutions direct us what to do. To vanquish this foe let us apply the following- rules: 1. Let us curb our pride, and not yield to presumption, these are prolific sources of murmuring-. 2. Let us not be hast)' in our judge- ments. The superior often has reasons unknown to us, and whilst we criticise and censure him uncharitably, he may be doing* what is best and most prudent under the circumstances. 3. Let us bear in mind that our super- iors are also human, and let us not do to them what we would not wish others do unto us. 4. Reason and charity demand that mistakes be corrected, or, if they cannot be corrected, that we cover them with the mantle of charity rather than divulg*e them, lest we disturb the peace of the community by useless or even sinful mur- muring-s. -:o:- 347 CHAPTER IV. The Vow of Stability. The three vows which we have so far considered, are essential to the religious state. They are therefore made by all Religious. Benedictines make two additional vows — Stability and Conversion of Morals. § 1. Nature of the Vow of Sability. The vow of Benedictine stability is a deliberate ^promise made to God, to remain in the monastery or convent for which w^e have made our profession, in the observ- ance of religious discipline according- to the Rule of S. Benedict. This is the signification of stability as explained by our Holy Founder himself in the 58. chap, of the Holy Rule, where he says of the Novice admitted to profession: Let him (the Novice) understand that henceforth he is bound by the Ride and not -permitted to quit the monastery or shake of the yoke of the Ride. These words express both local stability and perseverance in the observ- ance of the Rule. The turbulent times in which S. Benedict lived and the fact that many, who called themselves monks, were going- about from place to place, (Holy 348 Rule, chap. 1.) doubtlessly suggested the vow of stability as a chect to the roam- ing* habits of the Gyrovagi and as a means of promoting* religious discipline. S. Bernard (de Praecep. et Disp.) says: Let the promise of stability -preclude every subsequent return to the world, every con- tentious departure from the monastery ', all roaming about from sheer curiosity, finally, all fickleness and inconstancy, Hildemar says: If anyone does not per- severe in what he has undertaken, he may seem to have stability, because he remains in the monastery, but before God he does not stand, he has no stability. This vow, therefore, calls for stability of mind (a resolve to live up to the Rule) as well as of body, and the former is the more important. The vow of stability binds the Benedictine to the . monastery of his profession, so that without weighty reasons he cannot desire or ask to join any other community, even though it be of the same Order or Congregation. The superior may, . for good reason^ send his subject to some other monastery, but only temporarily, and even during his absence such a subject retains his rights and privileges, he remains a member of the chapter, his monastery remains his home. 349 § 2. Obligations assumed through the Vow of Stability. • The vow of stability obliges under mor- tal sin; but where it is violated in minor matters only, the sin is venial. Stability does not impose strict inclosure. In the 67. chap, of his Rule S. Benedict lays down regulations for the brethren, who go on a journey. But by this vow we promise not to leave the monastery or convent with- out permission. A Religious, who is away from his monastery by the direction or permission of his superior is, morally speaking, always at home, because he is always ready to return at the call of his superior. The vow of stability is violated: 1. By returning to the world, or by entering a less strict Order. 2. By leaving one Order to enter another equally strict or even stricter, but without consulting the superior, whose permission must be asked. 3. By useless excursions from the monastery from mere curiosity. S. Bernard of Cassino says: / call those excursions useless, which serve no purpose, which are not under obedience which have no defined destination. They are actuated by curiosity when they are made simply to see the sights, to indulge in eating and drinking, 350 or to hear the news; such a man has no love for his monastery, and in his mind rims all over the world. Experience teaches what evils are caused in monas- teries and convents by Religious of many travels. By relating* what the}^ have seen and heard, they bring- the spirit of the world into the community. Hence S, Benedict says: Let no one presume to relate what lie had seen or heard outside. (Holy Rule chap. 67.) 4. By fickleness and inconstancy. There are many who cannot, or rather do not want to remain long in the same place. They are spiritually sick, and their peri- grinations only intensify the malady of their souls; wherever the}^ g*o they find the source of all their troubles — they find themselves. Run here or there, they will Jind no rest, but in humble subjection under the rule of a superior. The fancying and changing of places have deceived many. (Imit. of Ch. b. I. c. 9.) Patience is necessary everywhere, for everywhere we find superiors who are human. Unnecessary visits to parents or friends in the world are also violations of stabil- ity and show that we are not yet dead to flesh and blood. Let us remember the words of Christ: No man putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9, 62.) 351 Such visits are injurious, because they occasion many distractions and cares. Someone has said: As often as I have been amongst men I have returned less a man. (Imit. of Ch. b. I. c. 20.) On such occasions we are apt to be less guarded in our conversations, we descend to the level of those with whom we con- verse, we become worldly with the worldly and often scandalize them. Among* those who violate stability we must also number those, who leave the monastic inclosure without necessity; those who visit the homes of seculars to gossip; those who ask or desire a change of climate for trifling reasons; those who find no rest in their own cells and visit the rooms of others to while away the time. § 3. Reasons that may Excuse from Local Stability. 1. Betterment for sonl or body. As it is not prejudicial to one's profession to leave one order to join a stricter order, so it is no violation of stability to go from one monastery to another of the same order, when we are actuated by a sincere desire and quest of perfection. But we must be on our guard against deception. Satan often transforms him- self into an angel of light. Hence we 352 should pray fervently to know the will of God, and take counsel with pious and prudent men before we take a step of such importance. When the physician orders a permanent change of climate to restore health or at least to prolong" life, the vow of stability may be transferred to some other monas- tery. 2. Endangered salvation. If the dis- cipline has fallen so low that it is morally impossible to keep one's vows, and there is no prospect for its improvement, then a Religious may, and must go elsewhere, so that he may pay to God the vows which his* lips have uttered, (Ps. 65, 13.) and thus save his soul. 3. Hatred, enmity, -persecutions, which a Religious may have to bear in his monastery may also afford a valid reason for asking* a chang-e. Also if a Religious has committed some great crime, on account of which he has lost his g-ood name in the communit} T , and, althougii he has sincerely repented of his fault, it is neither forgiven or forgotten, but is con- tinually cast up to him, causing* sadness and dejection — for such a Religious it is better to seek other confreres and other surroundings. 4. Obedience. There is no violation of stability under obedience. The Abbot may send his subject to render assistance 353 in some other monastery. Examples of this are frequently met with in the history of the Order. The Abbot may permit some of his subjects to g*o elsewhere to found a new monastery. He may allow them to so- journ in some other monastery on account of the poverty of his own. He may send them to some monastery to do penance for some grievous crime or scandalous offense. Finally he may send them to other monasteries to introduce a reform, at the request of such monasteries or at the command of the Pope. That it may not be difficult for us to live in peace and harmony with our con- freres and under all kinds of superiors, we should observe the following* rules: 1. Let us mortify our own judgrnent and self-will. 3. Let us be humble, g-entle and kind towards others. Among the proud there are always contentions. (Prov. 13, 10.) 3. Let us bear patiently with the faults and defects of others. Study to be -patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of what kind soever, because thou also hast matey things which others must bear. (Imit. of Ch. b. I. c. 16.) 4. Let us watch ourselves, not others, and let us g*uard against all suspicious and rash judg-ment ag-ainst confreres or superiors. 23 354 5. Let us avoid particular friendships, factions and talebearing* as the very pests of community life. In this way, and only in this way, will we have peace and contentment in our monasteries or convents; then only will we truly endear ourselves to all the mem- bers of our spiritual family. If we do not observe these rules, the vow of stability will soon become an un- bearable burden. § 4. Some Regulations for such as are sta- tioned outside the Monastery. 1. No difference where we may be, we must always be good Religious and keep our Holy Rule to the best of our ability. 2. Let us never, even when we are travelling, omit our spiritual exercises — meditation, pious reading and examina- tion of conscience. They are absolutely necessary to the fulfillment of our solemn promise to advance from day to day in perfection. 3. Let us avoid all unnecessary and dangerous visits. Let us be on our guard against everything that may savor of vanity in dress, of surfeiting in eating and drinking, of worldliness in conduct or speech. Let us always observe the rules of religious modesty. Only then will we 355 deserve and receive the love and esteem of our fellow-men — only then will we gain that desirable popularity, which helps us to work effectually in the vineyard of the Lord. -:o: CHAPTER V. The Vow of Conversion of Morals. § 1. Nature of the Vow of Conversion of Morals. This vow is a deliberate promise made to God to conform our lives to the require- ments of our Rule and Statutes, to lay aside our evil habits and to advance from virtue to virtue to ascend the heights of perfection in divine charity. In virtue of this vow the Benedictine is not required to be perfect, but he is oblig-ed to strive earnestly and persever- ing-1}' after perfection. If he, therefore, from time to time commits venial sins and imperfections, he does not thereby violate his vow, for such faults are not incompatible with an earnest desire and quest of perfection. 356 This vow is not essentially different from that of obedience, in which it is included, and Benedictines do not promise anything- by this vow, which other Religi- ous are not required to do — all must strive after perfection, all must work at the conversion of their morals; but S. Benedict exacted the vow in order to accentuate his opposition to the manner of life, which the Sarabaites of his time had adopted, (see Holy Rule, chap. 1.) § 2. Impediments to a thorough Conversion of Morals. 1. Bad habits contracted in the world. The perverse are hard to be corrected. (Eccles. 1, 15.) 2. Lax monastic discipline. When young- Religious fresh from the Novitiate, see the carelessness and indifference of their elder brethren, they will soon lose their first fervor unless they determine to stand like a wall of brass ag-ainst the current. 3. Frequent intercourse with the world. As the Jews, when they were mingled with the heathens, soon learned their works, (Ps. 105, 35.) so the Religious, who ming-les freely with the world, will soon put on worldly habits and manners. 4. Over- occupation in external things, 357 and consequent neglect of spiritual ex- ercises. 5. Want of good will. A good will and the grace of God are all that is neces- sary to lead a good life. (S. Bernard.) ON THE OBSERVANCE OF THE RULE, The Rule is the norm according- to which the Religious must regulate his life. We are true Religious only in so far as we observe the Rule. But the obligation of observing the Rule does not spring directly from the Rule itself, but from the vows we have made. In our religious profession we promise to obey, to be chaste and poor, not in any general or indefinite way, but according to the Rule, Hence the Rule specifies in detail how we are to observe our vows. Bearing in mind that the whole obliga- tion of keeping the Rule has its source in the religious profession or vows, we may lay down the following principles: 1. In those things, which appertain to the vows, we are obliged to observe the Rule under pain of sin — mortal or venial according to the matter — because we 358 have vowed poverty, chastit} 7 and obedi- ence, (stability and conversion of morals) according- to the Rule. 2. In those things, which are essential to the religious life and discipline, we are obliged under pain of sin to observe the Rule, because ' we have assumed the obligation of striving- after religious per- fection. 3. In thing's that are not essential to the attainment of religious perfection, as well as in those which are only counsels, we are not oblig-ed under sin to observe the Rule. 4. The superior can command under obedience and under sin whatever is con- tained in the Rule, even in thing's that are only counselled, because we have vowed to obey him in all thing's that are according- to the Rule. 5. To violate the Rule from contempt is always sinful. 6. To violate the Rule in such a way as to give scandal is also sinful. A g-ood Religious will not content him- self with that observance of the Rule, which borders on sin. He will be g-ener- ous in his service of God, and endeavor to conform his life as closely as possible to his Rule, knowing- that it is the expres- sion of the divine will in his reg-ard. It is hy performing- works of supererog-ation that we attest the intensity of our love 359 to God and add lustre to our crown in heaven. Let us conclude with the words of •Bernard of Cassino: Let us observe our Holy Rule even in its minutest details, and being eve?' mindful of our salvation, let its consider nothing as trivial or do anything from mere routine. For whosoever is negligent in little things, renders himself utterly unworthy of God^s higher gifts; whereas he that is faithful in little things, will receive a superabundance of spiritual gifts and graces. & U. I. 0. G. D. j|j»