THE PERFECT STRIPPING OF THE SOUL UNITED TO GOD’S WILL
Let us imagine ourselves, Theotimus, the gentle Jesus, in Pilot’s house. There, for love of us, he was stripped of his garments one after the other by the soldiers, the executioners of his death. Not satisfied with that they tore his skin from him, tearing it off with blows of rods and whips. Later his soul was as if stripped of its body and his body of its life by the death he suffered on the cross. But after three days, by his most holy resurrection, his soul reassumed its glorious body, while his body regained immortal skin and clothed itself in different garments. For these garments were those of a gardener or a pilgrim, or of some other kind depending upon what the salvation of humankind and the glory of his Father demanded. All this was the work of love, Theotimus. And it is also love that, entering a person, makes it happy die to itself and come alive in God. It is love that strips it of all human desires and of all self-esteem which is not less attached to the spirit than to flesh. Finally, it lays bare that soul of its dearest emotions, such as fondness for spiritual consolations, to practices of piety and to the perfection of virtue which seemed to be the very life of a devout person.
At such times Theotimus, the soul has good reason for crying out: I had put offmy garments; how could I put it on again? I have weighed my feet, of all kinds of attachments, then how could I soil them again? (Song 5:3). Naked I came out from the hand of God and naked I shall return there. The Lord had given me many desires, the Lord has taken them away from me. May his holy name be blessed (Job 1: 21).
Yes, Theotimus, that same Lord who makes us desire those virtues at the beginning of our spiritual life and makes us practice them amidst all vicissitudes of life, it is he who takes away any attachment to virtue or to spiritual practices. Thus he wants us to grow in peace, purity and simplicity, in order to become detached to all but to the permissive will of his divine majesty.
Judith, the beautiful or fair and chaste, kept many of her costly festive robes stored in her wardrobe. Yet she was not attached to them and never wore them during her widowhood except when, inspired by God, she went to destroy Holoferness (Judith 10:3). Thus, though we have learned the practice of virtues and pious devout exercises, we must not have any affection for them. Nor fill our hearts with them except that we are aware that such is what God wants of us. Judith always remained in the mourning dress except on the occasion when God willed that she be dressed with pomp. We too are to remain at peace in the garment of our misery and wretchedness amidst our imperfections and infirmities until God raises us to the practice of excellent activities.
We cannot remain long in such nakedness, stripped of all kinds of attachments. That is why, according to the warning of the holy Apostle [St. Paul], after we have removed the garments of the old Adam, we must put on the clothing of the new man, that is Jesus Christ (Col 3:9-10). For we have to give up all things, yes even fondness for virtue, so as to have no desire for this or for anything except what God desires to send us. Hence we must clothe ourselves anew with various affections, perhaps with the ones we have already renounced and given up. But we are to reclothe ourselves no longer because they are attractive, useful, and honourable and suited to satisfy our self-love, but because they are pleasing to God and they are useful to his honour and destined for his glory. Eliezer carried ear-rings, bracelets and new garments for the bride whom God had destined for his master’s son. In fact he presented them to the virgin Rebecca the moment he knew that it was she (Gen 24:25,53). There must be new garments for the spouse of the Savour. If out of love for him she has stripped herself of her former attachments to parents, country, house and friends, she must now take on a completely new affection. She is to love all these in due order, no longer according to human consideration. It is because of the fact that the heavenly spouse wills, commands and intends it so and has established such an order in charity (Song 2:4). If we have been stripped off our former attachment to spiritual consolation, devout exercises, practice of virtues, and even our own progress in perfection, then we should put them on again with a completely new affection. This leads us to love all those graces and heavenly favours not because they perfect and adorn our spirit but because our Lord’s name is sanctified in them, his kingdom spread through them and his permissive will glorified by them (Mt 6:9,10).
So it was that St. Peter puts on his clothes in prison, not by his own choice but at the angel’s command. He girded himself, put on his sandals and other garments (Acts 12:8). Stripped in a moment of all affections, the glorious St. Paul asked: Lord what do you wish me do? " That is: “What do you want me to love, now that you have thrown me to the ground and have made my own will to die ?" Ah! Lord, set your own permissive will in its place, and teach me to do your will, for you are my God (Ps 142:10). Theotimus, the man who has given up everything for God must take back nothing except as God wants it. He does not nourish his body except as God wills, so that it may serve the spirit. He does not study any more except to serve his neighbour and his own soul in accordance with God’s intention. He practises the virtues not as they are pleasing to him any longer according to his own preference but according to what God desires.
God commanded the prophet Isaiah to strip himself completely naked (Is 20:23). He did so, and went about and preached this for three whole days, as some say, or for three years, as others think. Then he put on his garments when the time God had fixed for him was over. In the same way, we are to strip ourselves of all attachments, both little and great. We should often make a frequent examination of our heart to see if it is ready, as Isaiah was, to strip itself of all its garments. Then we too, when the proper time comes, are to take up again such inclinations suitable to the service of love. We are to die entirely naked upon the cross with our divine Saviour and rise again with him soon after in the newness of life with him (Rom 6:4-6). Love is strong as death (Song 8:6) to enable us to give up all things. Love is sublime as the resurrection to adorn us with glory and honour.
END OF BOOK NINE