INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE

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PART III, Chapter 2: Further Advice On Selecting Virtues

St. Augustine says very well that beginners in devotion commit certain faults which are blameworthy according to the strict laws of perfection. All the same they are praiseworthy as they give a good indication of the future excellence of piety to which these mistakes themselves serve as a disposition. For instance, a mean and servile fear which produces excessive scruples in persons who have lately forsaken the path of sin is a recommendable virtue in beginners and a sign of future purity of conscience. The same fear would be blameworthy in those who are well-advanced; in their hearts love ought to reign which little by little chases away such servile fear.

In the beginning, St. Bernard was full of severity and harshness towards those who placed themselves under his guidance. He told them that first of all they should leave the body behind and come to him only with the spirit. When he heard their confessions, he expressed horror for any of their failures, even the smallest, with unusual severity and urged these poor beginners in perfection so much that by pushing them too far, he was in fact drawing them back. For they lost courage and eagerness at seeing themselves driven, forcibly and at once, up such a straight and step climb. You see, Philothea, it was the ardent zeal for perfect purity which compelled this great Saint to adopt this kind of method. This zeal was a great virtue but a virtue which did not cease to be blameworthy. God himself corrected him in a holy vision infusing into him a gentle, kind, amiable and tender spirit. Through it he was completely changed. He accused himself very much of having been too exacting and severe. He became so considerate and kind that he made himself all to all to gain all (1 Cor. 9:22).

St. Jerome tells us that his spiritual daughter, St. Paula, was so excessive and stubborn in the practice of bodily mortifications that she was unwilling to accept the contrary advice of her Bishop St. Epiphanius. Moreover she allowed herself to be carried away by such grief at the death of her dear ones that she was always in danger of dying. Finally he concludes:

Some may say that instead of writing the praises of this saint, I am writing criticisms and reproaches. I call Jesus to witness whom she served and whom I desire to serve, that I am not lying on one side or the other. Rather I simply relate about her as one Christian of another, that is, I am writing her history and not a panegyric and her vices are the virtues of others.

He wants to say that the failures and mistakes of St. Paula would be held as virtue in a less perfect person since there are, in fact, actions which are considered imperfections in those who are perfect. Nevertheless these would be held as great perfections in those are imperfect. It is a good sign that a sick person as he recovers has swelling on his legs. For it is a sign that nature, already strengthened, rejects superfluous fluids. But the same sign would be bad in one who is not sick as it shows that nature has not enough strength to scatter and dissolve the unhealthy fluids.

Dear Philothea, we must have a good opinion of those who practise virtue although with imperfections because the Saints themselves often practised them in this way. But concerning us, we are to be careful to exercise ourselves in virtues not only faithfully but also prudently. For this, we must strictly follow the counsel of the Wise Man not to rely on our own insight (Prov. 3:5) but rather on the judgement of those whom God has given us as our guides.

There are certain things which may consider as virtues but are not such at all. I must say a word about them: these are ecstasies or raptures, experiences of insensibility, impassability, deific unions, levitations, transformations and other such perfections treated in some books. They promise to raise the soul to purely intellectual contemplation, to a total concentration of the spirit and to a supereminent life. You see, Philothea, such perfections are not virtues. Rather they are rewards which God gives for virtues. Better still, they are a foretaste of the happiness of the life to come given sometimes to men to make them long for its fullness in Paradise. But for all that we must not seek such graces since they are in no way necessary for serving and loving God well, who ought to be our sole aim.

Often these are not graces which can be acquired by one’s own effort and skill since they are more passive than active. We can receive them but not create them in us. I add that we have only undertaken to make ourselves good persons, persons committed to devotion, devout men and women. Therefore we must work hard for it. If it pleases God to elevate us to such angelic perfection, we shall be also good angels.

While awaiting, let us simply, humbly and devoutly exercise ourselves in small virtues the conquest of which Our Lord has entrusted to our care and toil: such as patience, good-natruedness, mortifications of the heart, humility, obedience, poverty, chastity, tenderness towards our neighbour, bearing their imperfections, diligence and holy fervour.

Let us willingly leave lofty heights to the exalted. We do not deserve such a high rank in the service of God. We shall be extremely happy to serve him in his kitchen, in his pantry, to be his servants, porters or attendants. Later, if it pleases him, it is for him to take us into his Cabinet and Privy Council. Yes, Philothea, this King of Glory does not reward his servants according to the dignity of their office but according to the love and humility with which they carry them out. Saul searching for the asses of his father found the kingdom of Israel (1 Sam. 9-10); Rebecca watering the camels of Abraham became the spouse of his son (Gen. 24:44); Ruth gleaning after the harvesters of Boaz and laying herself down at his feet was taken up to his side and became his wife (Ruth 2-4).

Certainly, very high and lofty desires for extraordinary graces are greatly subject to illusions, deceptions and errors. Sometimes it happens that those who esteem themselves to be angels are not even good men and in fact there is more of greatness in the words and terms they use than in their sentiments and deeds. All the same, we must not rashly condemn or blame anything. While blessing God for the supereminence of others, let us be firm on our way: lower but safer, less excellent but more suited to our insufficiency and littleness. If we continue in it, humbly and faithfully, God will raise us to great heights which are great indeed.