CHAPTER V: COUNSELS AND PRACTICES OF DISCRETION.
COUNSELS AND PRACTICES OF DISCRETION.
§ 1. Singularity is to be avoided.
§ 2. And also the excess of austerity.
§ 3. God is to be the end of our actions.
§ 4. The assistance of grace.
§ 5. The merits of Christ. __________________________________________________________________
§ 1. The avoiding of Singularity.
IN all thy works and exercises be discreet, prudent, thoughtful, and earnest, and be careful to preserve thy tranquillity and liberty of spirit. Worship God and serve Him, not in a negligent and perfunctory manner, but devoutly and zealously. Diligently avoid all faulty singularity. This vice of singularity is especially to be shunned by those who dwell in monasteries, and are bound to live according to a common and approved rule. There are some who take a strange delight in doing anything that is not done by others. They are better pleased if they have once fasted while their companions were eating, than if they had fasted ten times with others. But they miserably deceive themselves. __________________________________________________________________
§ 2. And of Austerity.
Although thou mayest read or hear of many holy men who have led very severe lives, and although thou mayest perchance be impelled by the first fervour of thy conversion to embrace unusual austerities; thou shouldst not inconsiderately follow the dictates of this fervour, but take counsel of the wise. For what has been clone by holy and perfect men, they did by the evident guidance and attraction of the Holy Spirit. Evil passions must be mortified, but the weak body must not be oppressed, nor must nature be destroyed. The crosses and afflictions which God lays upon a man are much more safely borne, than those which a man takes upon himself by his own will. __________________________________________________________________
§ 3. Let God be the End of our Actions.
Whatsoever thou doest or omittest, let it be done or omitted for the honour and glory of God: so that in all things thou mayest look simply to God by a pure intention, and be bound to Him by the glorious bond of good will, never knowingly or willingly seeking thyself. The moment thou discoverest in thyself any inordinate self-seeking, repudiate it, and deny thyself; for self-seeking and self-will corrupt and spoil our good works. True self-denial assuredly sounds sweetly in the ear of God, and marvellously delights His Majesty. If thou sayest only one Hail Mary to the perpetual praise of God, with self-denial, it will be more pleasing to God, and of more advantage to thyself, than if thou wert often to recite the whole Psalter of thy own accord or out of self-will.
There is no action so insignificant that it may not be of great advantage to the soul if it be purely referred to God. Wherefore, he who for the sake of God places even one little flower on the altar, or adorns the image of any Saint with a sincere and devout intention, will doubtless receive a great reward. Moreover, he will not lose his reward who only bows the head or bends the knee in honour of God. Seek and ask of God, that the utmost praise of the Creator may result from each of thy words, from each step of thy feet, from every movement of thy body, and from every morsel that thou eatest; seek and ask that every breath thou takest day and night may honour and glorify God, and show thy love of Him; then, indeed, will come to pass what thou rightly and piously desirest and seekest. __________________________________________________________________
§ 4. The Assistance of Grace.
When thou art going to undertake anything, raise thy heart to God, ask counsel of Him, and call upon Him; knowing that unless He help thee with His grace, thou canst neither do nor say anything accept able in His sight.
Observe diligently what God may speak to thy heart, and whether it be reasonable and agreeable to Him that thou shouldst do this or that. If thou art uncertain whether thy inclination be from God, observe whether thou wouldst be ready to follow the will of God, if it were made clear to thee. And if thou findest thyself wholly disposed to follow the will of God, and humbly beseechest Him to enlighten and to teach thee; then thou mayest trust that what thou art most drawn to is from God, provided it be in accordance with Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Church.
It is, nevertheless, advisable that thou shouldst seek to ascertain the will of God from some one who is enlightened and fears God; and that chiefly in difficult affairs, on account of the wiles of Satan, who sometimes transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. xi. 14). __________________________________________________________________
§ 5. The Merits of Christ.
If thou dost combine and unite thy good works and exercises with the actions and exercises of Christ, and offer them to God to His eternal praise; this offering will he highly acceptable to the Lord, and thy works will receive an ineffable glory and dignity from the actions of Christ with which they are united. Thy lead (so to speak) will be changed into fine gold, and thy water into most excellent wine. Let Jesus and Mary be thy beloved refuge and hope; and do thou commend to them by devout prayer all thy necessities and all thy affairs. __________________________________________________________________