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Introduction
There are numerous virtues and nuanced offspring of those virtues. You could―somewhat tenuously―allocate certain virtues to certain season, though everyone would differ in their opinion of which virtue belonged where! However, since there are three chief feasts, with their resulting seasons, that occupy the Liturgical Year―namely, Christmas, Easter and Pentecost―we could justly allocate the three Theological Virtues, one to each season. This would be FAITH in the coming, incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ which we celebrate at Christmas; secondly, HOPE in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which we celebrate throughout Lent which is naturally joined to Easter, just as Christ’s death is linked to His resurrection; and, thirdly, CHARITY which is represented by God the Holy Ghost ― “God is charity” (1 John 4:8) ― who brings His fiery charity at Pentecost. Thus, we BELIEVE with FAITH that Christ is the Son of God, Who became incarnate for our redemption and salvation; we HOPE with CONFIDENCE in the merits of Passion and Death that potentially earn our own resurrection and salvation; and we ACCEPT the CHARITY of God sent to us by Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost: “When the Paraclete cometh, Whom I will send you from the Father … the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name” (John 15:26; 14:26).
The above division fall quite naturally―but the divisions of the other virtues is not always as easy as that! Nevertheless, the virtue of HUMILITY seems to span all the seasons, since it is said to be the foundation for all other virtues. Hence, humility can be seen all throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons―especially in the poverty of Mary and Joseph; the humiliating rejections at Bethlehem; the humble birth in a stable or cave; the humiliation of having to flee one’s own country to escape the murderous King Herod, etc.
Likewise, we clearly see humility from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday―from being smeared with a cross of ashes and being told: “Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return!” up to the humiliating tortures in the murderous killing of Jesus before and during the crucifixion. So, too, do we see humility in the Apostles, who had and abandoned and fled from Christ during the Passion, now being faced with Him after His resurrection―some “humble-pie” would have been eaten by the Apostles! Even more so for Peter, who had denied Christ three-times!
Humility also makes it appearance at Pentecost, when the cowardly Apostles, after the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven, were hiding behind locked doors in Jerusalem―until the Holy Ghost came and cast out all fear and sent them out with fortitude to preach and humbly die for Christ.
Thus, before treating of the virtues of Faith, Hope and Joy―which are traditionally, and quite rightly, associated with Easter and the resurrection―let us first speak of the virtue of humility, because only a humble man will listen to accept with Faith and Joy the Word of God. The proud man will, in his pride, doubt or even reject the teaching of God and will have no Faith and no Joy in it.
The above division fall quite naturally―but the divisions of the other virtues is not always as easy as that! Nevertheless, the virtue of HUMILITY seems to span all the seasons, since it is said to be the foundation for all other virtues. Hence, humility can be seen all throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons―especially in the poverty of Mary and Joseph; the humiliating rejections at Bethlehem; the humble birth in a stable or cave; the humiliation of having to flee one’s own country to escape the murderous King Herod, etc.
Likewise, we clearly see humility from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday―from being smeared with a cross of ashes and being told: “Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return!” up to the humiliating tortures in the murderous killing of Jesus before and during the crucifixion. So, too, do we see humility in the Apostles, who had and abandoned and fled from Christ during the Passion, now being faced with Him after His resurrection―some “humble-pie” would have been eaten by the Apostles! Even more so for Peter, who had denied Christ three-times!
Humility also makes it appearance at Pentecost, when the cowardly Apostles, after the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven, were hiding behind locked doors in Jerusalem―until the Holy Ghost came and cast out all fear and sent them out with fortitude to preach and humbly die for Christ.
Thus, before treating of the virtues of Faith, Hope and Joy―which are traditionally, and quite rightly, associated with Easter and the resurrection―let us first speak of the virtue of humility, because only a humble man will listen to accept with Faith and Joy the Word of God. The proud man will, in his pride, doubt or even reject the teaching of God and will have no Faith and no Joy in it.
Article 1
Humility Before Faith!
Humility Before Faith!
Know Your Roots―The Roots Come First
“God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations” (Ecclesiasticus 10:18). St. Augustine once said, “If you ask me: ‘What is the essential thing in the religion and discipline of Jesus Christ?’ I shall reply: ‘First, humility; second, humility, and third, humility!’” We know, of course, that the three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, are the greatest virtues because they are God-centered, God-focused, God-related―since they are our only means of communicating with and relating to God. Yet, without the foundation of humility―all tumbles and crashes to the ground, “God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations” (Ecclesiasticus 10:18) ... “for God resisteth the proud, but to the humble He giveth grace” (1 Peter 5:5) … “Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord!” (Proverbs 16:5) ... “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble!” (Luke 1:52) … “The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God” (Ecclesiasticus 3:20).
St. Thomas Aquinas explains why humility is pre-eminent: “Humility removes pride, whereby a man refuses to submit himself to the truth of Faith … By way of removing obstacles, humility holds the first place, inasmuch as it expels pride, which ‘God resisteth,’ and makes man submissive.” It takes humility to accept the Word of God, to believe unquestioningly the teachings of Christ, to make an Act of Faith and say: “My God, I believe in Thee and all that Thy Church does teach! Because Thou hast said it―and Thy Word is true!” It is not we ourselves that can obtain this required humility―it would be prideful to think so―but humility, like Faith, is a gift of God that counters the wounds of Original Sin, which include pride and disobedience. Thus Our Lord says: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart!” (Matthew 11:29). In case you cannot see it―there is an indirect connection between meekness and humility. What is meekness? Meekness is an absence of anger. What is anger? Anger is an irate emotion that arises when we cannot get what we want, or things are not happening as we would like them t happen, etc. All of that stems from an excessive self-love. What is excessive self-love? It is pride! What is pride, it is the opposite of humility. Hence anger and pride are “cousins” who are opposed to the “cousins” of meekness and humility.
St. Thomas Exalts and Extols Humility
St. Thomas Aquinas (in his Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 161, “On Humility”) states that humility is such an excellent and necessary a virtue, that it ranks first after the three Theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. St. Thomas writes: “As St. Isidore observes, ‘a humble man is so called because he is, as it were, “humo acclinis”‘ [which literally means, “bent to the ground”], i.e. inclined to the lowest place. This may happen in two ways. First, for instance, when one is cast down by another―humility is a punishment. Secondly, for instance, when a man, in considering his own failings, assumes the lowest place―as Abraham said to the Lord (Genesis 18:27): ‘I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.’ In this way humility is a virtue. Humility conveys the notion of a praiseworthy self-abasement to the lowest place. Now this is sometimes done merely by outward signs and pretense―this is ‘false humility,’ of which St. Augustine says that it is ‘grievous pride,’ since it would seem to aim at glory.
“Humility restrains the appetite from aiming at great things against right reason. It belongs properly to humility, that a man restrain himself from being carried towards that which is above him. But it does not follow from this that humility is essentially concerned only with knowledge. For this purpose he must know his disproportion to that which surpasses his capacity. Hence knowledge of one’s own deficiency belongs to humility.
“It is contrary to humility to aim at greater things through confiding in one’s own powers: but to aim at greater things through confidence in God’s help, is not contrary to humility; especially since the more one subjects oneself to God, the more is one exalted in God’s sight. Hence Augustine says: ‘It is one thing to raise oneself to God, and another to raise oneself up against God. He that abases himself before God, him God raiseth up; he that raises himself up against God, him God casteth down.’ … Wherefore humility would seem to denote, in the first place, man’s subjection to God … On the other hand, humility suppresses hope or confidence in self, more than it uses it; wherefore excessive self-confidence is more opposed to humility than lack of confidence is.
“It is written (Philippians 2:3): ‘In humility, let each esteem others better than themselves.’ We may consider two things in man, namely that which is God’s, and that which is man’s. Whatever pertains to defect is man’s: but whatever pertains to man’s welfare and perfection is God’s … We must not only revere God in Himself, but also that which is God’s in each one of us (His gifts), but not with the same measure of reverence as we revere God ... For those who have a share of God’s gifts know that they have them, according to 1 Corinthians 2:12: ‘That we may know the things that are given us from God’ … so as to refer all one’s sufficiency to God, according to 2 Corinthians 3:5, ‘Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.’
“The first step in the acquisition of virtue may be understood in two ways. First by way of removing obstacles: and thus humility holds the first place, inasmuch as it expels pride, which ‘God resisteth,’ and makes man submissive and ever open to receive the influx of Divine grace. Hence it is written (James 4:6): ‘God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.’ On this sense humility is said to be the foundation of the spiritual edifice. Secondly, a thing is first among virtues directly, because it is the first step towards God. Now the first step towards God is by Faith, according to Hebrews 11:6, ‘He that cometh to God must believe.’ On this sense faith is the foundation in a more excellent way than humility [yet, on the other hand, that belief in God requires humility].
“Aversion from God essentially belongs to pride, and to other sins … To fall off from God is said to be the beginning of pride … Pride is ‘the beginning of all sins,’ (Ecclesiasticus 10:15) … Pride is said to be ‘the beginning of all sin,’ not as though every sin originated from pride, but because any kind of sin is naturally liable to arise from pride … To fall off from God is said to be the beginning of pride … that pride scorns subjection to God, and, as a consequence, it also scorns being subject to a creature for God’s sake … Pride is said to be the most grievous of sins … Among the grievous sins, the first is pride, for it is the cause whereby other sins are rendered more grievous … Psalm 18:13 says, ‘I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin,’ namely from the sin of pride … Pope St. Gregory the Great, held pride to be the ‘queen and mother of all the vices.’ Hence he says: ‘Pride, the queen of vices, when it has vanquished and captured the heart, immediately delivers the heart into the hands of pride’s lieutenants―the seven principal vices, that they may despoil it and produce vices of all kinds!’” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 161, “On Humility”).
“God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations” (Ecclesiasticus 10:18). St. Augustine once said, “If you ask me: ‘What is the essential thing in the religion and discipline of Jesus Christ?’ I shall reply: ‘First, humility; second, humility, and third, humility!’” We know, of course, that the three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, are the greatest virtues because they are God-centered, God-focused, God-related―since they are our only means of communicating with and relating to God. Yet, without the foundation of humility―all tumbles and crashes to the ground, “God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations” (Ecclesiasticus 10:18) ... “for God resisteth the proud, but to the humble He giveth grace” (1 Peter 5:5) … “Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord!” (Proverbs 16:5) ... “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble!” (Luke 1:52) … “The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God” (Ecclesiasticus 3:20).
St. Thomas Aquinas explains why humility is pre-eminent: “Humility removes pride, whereby a man refuses to submit himself to the truth of Faith … By way of removing obstacles, humility holds the first place, inasmuch as it expels pride, which ‘God resisteth,’ and makes man submissive.” It takes humility to accept the Word of God, to believe unquestioningly the teachings of Christ, to make an Act of Faith and say: “My God, I believe in Thee and all that Thy Church does teach! Because Thou hast said it―and Thy Word is true!” It is not we ourselves that can obtain this required humility―it would be prideful to think so―but humility, like Faith, is a gift of God that counters the wounds of Original Sin, which include pride and disobedience. Thus Our Lord says: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart!” (Matthew 11:29). In case you cannot see it―there is an indirect connection between meekness and humility. What is meekness? Meekness is an absence of anger. What is anger? Anger is an irate emotion that arises when we cannot get what we want, or things are not happening as we would like them t happen, etc. All of that stems from an excessive self-love. What is excessive self-love? It is pride! What is pride, it is the opposite of humility. Hence anger and pride are “cousins” who are opposed to the “cousins” of meekness and humility.
St. Thomas Exalts and Extols Humility
St. Thomas Aquinas (in his Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 161, “On Humility”) states that humility is such an excellent and necessary a virtue, that it ranks first after the three Theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. St. Thomas writes: “As St. Isidore observes, ‘a humble man is so called because he is, as it were, “humo acclinis”‘ [which literally means, “bent to the ground”], i.e. inclined to the lowest place. This may happen in two ways. First, for instance, when one is cast down by another―humility is a punishment. Secondly, for instance, when a man, in considering his own failings, assumes the lowest place―as Abraham said to the Lord (Genesis 18:27): ‘I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.’ In this way humility is a virtue. Humility conveys the notion of a praiseworthy self-abasement to the lowest place. Now this is sometimes done merely by outward signs and pretense―this is ‘false humility,’ of which St. Augustine says that it is ‘grievous pride,’ since it would seem to aim at glory.
“Humility restrains the appetite from aiming at great things against right reason. It belongs properly to humility, that a man restrain himself from being carried towards that which is above him. But it does not follow from this that humility is essentially concerned only with knowledge. For this purpose he must know his disproportion to that which surpasses his capacity. Hence knowledge of one’s own deficiency belongs to humility.
“It is contrary to humility to aim at greater things through confiding in one’s own powers: but to aim at greater things through confidence in God’s help, is not contrary to humility; especially since the more one subjects oneself to God, the more is one exalted in God’s sight. Hence Augustine says: ‘It is one thing to raise oneself to God, and another to raise oneself up against God. He that abases himself before God, him God raiseth up; he that raises himself up against God, him God casteth down.’ … Wherefore humility would seem to denote, in the first place, man’s subjection to God … On the other hand, humility suppresses hope or confidence in self, more than it uses it; wherefore excessive self-confidence is more opposed to humility than lack of confidence is.
“It is written (Philippians 2:3): ‘In humility, let each esteem others better than themselves.’ We may consider two things in man, namely that which is God’s, and that which is man’s. Whatever pertains to defect is man’s: but whatever pertains to man’s welfare and perfection is God’s … We must not only revere God in Himself, but also that which is God’s in each one of us (His gifts), but not with the same measure of reverence as we revere God ... For those who have a share of God’s gifts know that they have them, according to 1 Corinthians 2:12: ‘That we may know the things that are given us from God’ … so as to refer all one’s sufficiency to God, according to 2 Corinthians 3:5, ‘Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.’
“The first step in the acquisition of virtue may be understood in two ways. First by way of removing obstacles: and thus humility holds the first place, inasmuch as it expels pride, which ‘God resisteth,’ and makes man submissive and ever open to receive the influx of Divine grace. Hence it is written (James 4:6): ‘God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.’ On this sense humility is said to be the foundation of the spiritual edifice. Secondly, a thing is first among virtues directly, because it is the first step towards God. Now the first step towards God is by Faith, according to Hebrews 11:6, ‘He that cometh to God must believe.’ On this sense faith is the foundation in a more excellent way than humility [yet, on the other hand, that belief in God requires humility].
“Aversion from God essentially belongs to pride, and to other sins … To fall off from God is said to be the beginning of pride … Pride is ‘the beginning of all sins,’ (Ecclesiasticus 10:15) … Pride is said to be ‘the beginning of all sin,’ not as though every sin originated from pride, but because any kind of sin is naturally liable to arise from pride … To fall off from God is said to be the beginning of pride … that pride scorns subjection to God, and, as a consequence, it also scorns being subject to a creature for God’s sake … Pride is said to be the most grievous of sins … Among the grievous sins, the first is pride, for it is the cause whereby other sins are rendered more grievous … Psalm 18:13 says, ‘I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin,’ namely from the sin of pride … Pope St. Gregory the Great, held pride to be the ‘queen and mother of all the vices.’ Hence he says: ‘Pride, the queen of vices, when it has vanquished and captured the heart, immediately delivers the heart into the hands of pride’s lieutenants―the seven principal vices, that they may despoil it and produce vices of all kinds!’” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, IIa-IIae, q. 161, “On Humility”).
What Does Your Life Revolve Around?
In his book, Humility and Patience, Fr. William Ullathorne (later to be Archbishop Ullathorne, 1806 –1889), writes: “There is no master so large‑minded, so generous, or so well acquainted with you and your requirements as God; no father so loving and bountiful; no friend so free from all jealousy; none who so completely loves you for your greater good. While, on the other hand, there is no tyrant so narrow-minded, so proud-hearted, so exacting, so suspicious, so utterly bent on keeping you to your own littleness, as the one we all know so well, of whose tyranny we have had such bitter experience, and who goes by the name of “Myself”. Yet it is either God or yourself that you must choose for your master.
“The whole design of God’s beneficent government of souls is to draw them out of themselves and to bring them to His truth and good. This ever-moving Earth is not only attracted to its own center, but it is held on its rapid course by the attraction of the Sun; and, as it turns toward the mighty Sun, it receives its image, and shares in its light, warmth, and fertilizing power. Yet the Sun’s rays are intercepted by the vapors which the Earth produces, and by the turbulence arising from their conflicts.
“And so, by His creative influence, does God hold the ever‑active soul, in which He has placed His image, in its dependence. But when it turns its face with desire to Him Who attracts it, then God sends forth the heavenly influence of His light, grace, and charity upon the soul, attracting it to move toward Him by Faith, Hope, and Charity, and the soul becomes a partaker of God’s goodness. But the soul is not necessitated like the Earth to revolve around the Sun, but is free to make its own choice what to revolve around. If it prefers its own central attraction―and the drawing to itself of the small things around it, instead of the divine attraction, and its own uneasy love, instead of divine love―then that soul is left to its own littleness, is clouded and darkened by its own vapors, and troubled in itself.
“Who can express the magnificence of the light of Faith when it is compared with the light of reason? In the things of God and the soul, reason merely gropes among the shadows reflected here below; while Faith, with its direct light from God, opens out the infinite and eternal prospect of divine truth, which, although obscurely seen, is yet surely seen by the humble mind, giving a breadth and firmness to the mind, that nothing can explain except the action of God in the soul. God and His angels are near to the man of Faith―so near that the gross veil of the body alone intervenes between our soul and the presence of God and our guardian angels.
“When virtue in all its perfection appeared in visible form to the eyes of men, that is to say when Christ was seen, and heard, and touched by men―the humble alone were drawn to Him. The sensual and the proud scorned and crucified Him. Something more than human eyes is required to love that virtue which descends from God. We cannot love that of which there is no element within us; and as the divine grace is the principle of Christian virtue, we first require the grace of humility to open our eyes to the divine beauty of that virtue which alone is worthy of God … When pride throws off obedience to God, humility dies. When the mind rebels against the authority of God as the revealer of truth, Faith dies together with humility.
“The least known among the virtues, and consequently the most misunderstood, is the virtue of humility, and yet it is the very groundwork of the Christian religion … Humility is a grace of the soul that cannot be expressed in words, and is known only by experience. It is an unspeakable treasure of God, and can only be called the gift of God. Our Lord said: ‘Learn of Me, because I am meek, and humble of heart; and you shall find rest to your souls!’ (Matthew 11:29). He did not say learn from angels, not from men, not from books — but learn from My presence, My light, and My action within you. The more we are subject to God, the nearer we are to Him. We are not our own God, nor are the things around or beneath us our God, however useful in their place and order, but God is our God, and whatever comes from God that is better than ourselves, helps us grow closer to Him. We have but the capacity for God, and the power of working with the good we receive. Pride is the practical denial of this truth. Humility is the acceptance of this truth” (Archbishop William Ullathorne, Patience & Humility).
Grounded in Humility
Archbishop Ullathorne then explains the foundations of humility upon which the virtue is grounded:
► The first ground of humility is our creation from nothing. We are of a short time; our beginning was feeble, as became our origin, and nothing was the womb of us all. Whence are we? From the creative will of God. What are we? An existence dependent on the will of God. Where are we going? Onwards, ever onwards the body to the dust, the soul to the judgment seat of God. God is the one, absolute, perfect being; we are but existences, the products of His will, dependent on Him for all we are and have; and all this great scene about us that fills our senses is of less value than the last soul that was created and born into this world. For the soul is for God, but this visible universe for the service and probation of the soul.
► The second ground of humility is our intellectual light. That light makes us reasonable creatures. In that light, we see the first principles of truth, order, and justice; it is the foundation of our mind and of our conscience. Man is variable and changeable, and one man differs from another; but the light of truth and justice shines one and the same to all, and the chief difference between one man and another is in the degree of his communion with that light.
► The third ground of humility is in our dependence on the Providence of God. Our life with all its conditions is in the hand of God.
► The fourth ground of humility is in our sins; by them we have deformed and denaturalized our nature, ungraced ourselves before God, and incurred His reprobation.
► The fifth ground of humility is in the weakness, the ignorance, and the concupiscence that we have inherited from Original Sin, and have increased by our actual sins.
► The sixth ground of humility is in the open perils and hidden snares with which we are surrounded. Error in all its forms, and unbelief in all its modes and varieties move in their motley shapes through nearly every grade of life, with the apparent unconsciousness that truth is one and comes from God. The widespread evil of modern life is the amazing indifference to the wellbeing of the soul. An intense activity outside the soul pursues its many ways in the name of progress, although the object or ultimate aim of that progress is neither thought of nor spoken of. It is chiefly a progress, not to, but from the soul; not to, but from God.
► The seventh ground of humility is in the special odiousness and deformity of pride, which is in direct opposition, beyond every other vice, to the order, reason, and truth of things. Pride turns all things from God; humility turns all things to God.
► The eighth ground of humility is in the consideration of what this virtue does for us. It opens the soul to the truth of Christ, and opens the heart to the grace of Christ.
► The ninth ground of humility is the knowledge of God and His divine perfections.
► The tenth ground of humility is the secure rest provided for the soul in the unspeakable benefits of our divine Redeemer.
► The eleventh ground of humility is in our distance in this vale of suffering and tears from the supreme object of our soul, and the risks we run in the meanwhile from our infirmities.
► The twelfth ground of humility is the holy fear of the judgments of God. For unless we shelter ourselves well in the humility of Christ, and do penance, and use the world as though we used it not, we are not safe. Unless, again, a humble dependence on God is the foundation of our life, and the love of God is our ruling affection, we know not in what state God will find us in the hour when we shall pass from this world.” (Archbishop William Ullathorne, Patience & Humility).
Weak as man is, it is humility that will make a foundation strong enough in him for God to build upon and raise the edifice of Faith, that shall last for eternity. The progress of humility is the progress of the soul. We may know the extent of the grace that is given to us by the strength of our humility. The higher a building is planned to be―the deeper must its foundations be in order to support it. The foundation of our perfection and holiness is humility. The deeper the humility, then the higher God can build―as in the case of Our Lady. The Fathers of the Church, the saints and theologians tell us that the gifts and prerogatives conferred on the Blessed Virgin were all given to her because she had the humility to withstand and uphold them.
The Apostasy of Pride
The underlying reason for the massive falling-away from the Faith today, is largely down to a lack of humility―which automatically means an increase in pride. The proud men of today have fallen into Satan’s ploy, which he used upon Adam and Eve, which is to make man a god unto himself: “Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: ‘No, you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods!’” (Genesis 3:1-5).
Today, man’s knowledge―we call it “science” (Latin “scientia” meaning “knowledge”)―has become a deity, a god, the ruler of the world, whom everyone adores―so much so that, during the current “Plannedemic”, we hear, not only scientists and politicians, but also bishops and priests, singing the praises of this modern-day god called “Science”, by continually proclaiming the Psalm: “Follow the Science! We must follow the Science!” Yet, just as there are false gods, there is also false science! Thus, in following false science, we end up following false truths―which, bluntly said, are LIES―and we all know who is the “Father of Lies”, don’t we? Yes, the devil―as Our Lord said: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth―because truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own―for he is a liar, and the father of lies!” (John 8:44). So, in following false science―the science of lies―we end up following the devil―the father of lies.
The same is true in the field of Faith. Today, the science or knowledge of the Faith―call it theology if you wish―has fallen into disuse and disrepair. Even elementary facts―that are taught in a child’s First Holy Communion Catechism―have been forgotten. Most Catholic adults can no longer give you all the Ten Commandments in their correct order, not even in any order―they may know some, but not all. Likewise with listing the Holy Days of Obligation within the year, nor can they tell you the three requirements for a sin to be a mortal sin (and their salvation could depend on this!), nor can they list the conditions required to make a good Holy Communion, nor the number and name of the conditions required to make a good confession (and their salvation could depend on this also!).
As the saying goes: “When you no longer believe in God, then you will believe anything!” Modern-man’s pride (or lack of humility) is clearly seen in Rationalism, Liberalism and Modernism. Rationalism believes that human reason is the chief and ultimate source and judge of knowledge and truth. The Rationalist insists that all opinions, beliefs and actions should be based on reason and knowledge, rather than on religious belief or emotional response. Christian Rationalism is the practice of treating human reason as the ultimate authority in all matters of religion. Liberalism is an extension of Rationalism into the practical field―Rationalism basically proudly says: “I will think what “I” want to think! I will believe what “I” want to believe!”―whereas Liberalism proudly proclaims: “I will do whatever “I” want to do! I will try whatever “I” want to try! I will go wherever “I” want to go!” Whereas Modernism is the imitation of Rationalism and Liberalism in the field of religion. All of this stems from a lack of humility, a refusal to submit oneself to higher authorities and better intelligences―whether they be divine or human. As the saying goes: “When you no longer believe in God, then you will believe anything!” Modern-man, by rejecting the teaching and wisdom of God and Holy Mother Church, believes what he wants to believe, he believes only what he can understand, and puts his stupidity above the intelligence of God and God’s chosen teachers―thus, “Stupid is as stupid does!” As Holy Scripture says: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: ‘I will catch the “wise” in their own craftiness!’” (1 Corinthians 3:19).
Serving the King of Pride
The results of all this pride in thinking (Rationalism), acting (Liberalism) and religious belief (Modernism) are all too clearly seen in today’s Church, Politics, Finance, Culture, and Family. God has said: “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts! Nor your ways My ways!’ saith the Lord. ‘For as the Heavens are exalted above the Earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts!’” (Isaias 55:8-9). Yet modern-man replies: “No! Not so! Not so fast! It is my thoughts that come be Your thoughts, O God! And my ways come before Your ways!” Hence it is that all governments of the world advocate, support, do not punish nor prevent, and even legislate for divorce, multiple marriages, same-sex marriages, cohabitation before marriage, cohabitation instead of marriage, contraception, abortion, immodest fashions, sinful television shows, pornography, alcohol and drug abuse, and many, many other sins―which they support, or say are not sins at all. This is all summed-up in the words of Satan towards God: “I will not serve!” ― and that is ultimately who all these proud rulers, legislators, media and fashion moguls, medical murderers support―Satan, either directly or indirectly. As Our Lord said: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies!” (John 8:44).
The result of all this is that Catholics―most of whom have embraced Rationalism (think and believe what you want) and Liberalism (say and do what you want)―have become today’s Modernists (think, believe, say and do what you want in matter of Faith and religion). Hence, the MAJORITY of Catholics today accept divorce, multiple marriages, same-sex marriages, cohabitation before marriage, cohabitation instead of marriage, contraception, abortion, immodest fashions, sinful television shows, pornography (40% look at it), alcohol and drug abuse, and many, many other sins. Most Catholics imagine you can still be a good Catholic even if you do not regularly attend Mass on Sundays! Only a tiny amount of Catholics go to Confession―yet of the mere 20% (now, after COVID lockdowns, only 10%) of Catholics who actually do attend Sunday Mass regularly, ALMOST EVERYONE goes to Holy Communion! They must all be saints then―never Confession, always Communion! On top of all that, one Pope after another―from the more traditional Pope Pius XII to the modernist Pope Francis―all complain Catholics have lost the sense of sin:
Already in 1946 Pope Pius XII lamented: “Perhaps the greatest sin in the world today is that men have begun to lose the sense of sin.” Pope John Paul II, in 2005, “We live in a society that seems to have lost the sense of God and of sin. Christ's invitation to conversion is all the more urgent!” In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said: “The word ‘sin’ is not accepted by many, because it presupposes a religious vision of the world and of man. In effect this is correct: If we eliminate God from the horizon of the world, we cannot speak of sin. Just as when the sun is hidden the shadows disappear and the shadows appear only if the sun is there, so, too, the eclipse of God necessarily brings the eclipse of sin.” In 2014, Pope Francis added: “When the Kingdom of God is forgotten, when the Kingdom of God diminishes, one of the signs is that the sense of sin is lost … When you lose the sense of sin, you also lose the sense of the Kingdom of God … When we lose the sense of sin, when we let the Kingdom of God crumble!” What makes us lose that “sense of sin”? It is a lack of humility and an abundance of pride―which thinks it knows and judges better that God, knows and judges better than God’s Church.
In his book, Humility and Patience, Fr. William Ullathorne (later to be Archbishop Ullathorne, 1806 –1889), writes: “There is no master so large‑minded, so generous, or so well acquainted with you and your requirements as God; no father so loving and bountiful; no friend so free from all jealousy; none who so completely loves you for your greater good. While, on the other hand, there is no tyrant so narrow-minded, so proud-hearted, so exacting, so suspicious, so utterly bent on keeping you to your own littleness, as the one we all know so well, of whose tyranny we have had such bitter experience, and who goes by the name of “Myself”. Yet it is either God or yourself that you must choose for your master.
“The whole design of God’s beneficent government of souls is to draw them out of themselves and to bring them to His truth and good. This ever-moving Earth is not only attracted to its own center, but it is held on its rapid course by the attraction of the Sun; and, as it turns toward the mighty Sun, it receives its image, and shares in its light, warmth, and fertilizing power. Yet the Sun’s rays are intercepted by the vapors which the Earth produces, and by the turbulence arising from their conflicts.
“And so, by His creative influence, does God hold the ever‑active soul, in which He has placed His image, in its dependence. But when it turns its face with desire to Him Who attracts it, then God sends forth the heavenly influence of His light, grace, and charity upon the soul, attracting it to move toward Him by Faith, Hope, and Charity, and the soul becomes a partaker of God’s goodness. But the soul is not necessitated like the Earth to revolve around the Sun, but is free to make its own choice what to revolve around. If it prefers its own central attraction―and the drawing to itself of the small things around it, instead of the divine attraction, and its own uneasy love, instead of divine love―then that soul is left to its own littleness, is clouded and darkened by its own vapors, and troubled in itself.
“Who can express the magnificence of the light of Faith when it is compared with the light of reason? In the things of God and the soul, reason merely gropes among the shadows reflected here below; while Faith, with its direct light from God, opens out the infinite and eternal prospect of divine truth, which, although obscurely seen, is yet surely seen by the humble mind, giving a breadth and firmness to the mind, that nothing can explain except the action of God in the soul. God and His angels are near to the man of Faith―so near that the gross veil of the body alone intervenes between our soul and the presence of God and our guardian angels.
“When virtue in all its perfection appeared in visible form to the eyes of men, that is to say when Christ was seen, and heard, and touched by men―the humble alone were drawn to Him. The sensual and the proud scorned and crucified Him. Something more than human eyes is required to love that virtue which descends from God. We cannot love that of which there is no element within us; and as the divine grace is the principle of Christian virtue, we first require the grace of humility to open our eyes to the divine beauty of that virtue which alone is worthy of God … When pride throws off obedience to God, humility dies. When the mind rebels against the authority of God as the revealer of truth, Faith dies together with humility.
“The least known among the virtues, and consequently the most misunderstood, is the virtue of humility, and yet it is the very groundwork of the Christian religion … Humility is a grace of the soul that cannot be expressed in words, and is known only by experience. It is an unspeakable treasure of God, and can only be called the gift of God. Our Lord said: ‘Learn of Me, because I am meek, and humble of heart; and you shall find rest to your souls!’ (Matthew 11:29). He did not say learn from angels, not from men, not from books — but learn from My presence, My light, and My action within you. The more we are subject to God, the nearer we are to Him. We are not our own God, nor are the things around or beneath us our God, however useful in their place and order, but God is our God, and whatever comes from God that is better than ourselves, helps us grow closer to Him. We have but the capacity for God, and the power of working with the good we receive. Pride is the practical denial of this truth. Humility is the acceptance of this truth” (Archbishop William Ullathorne, Patience & Humility).
Grounded in Humility
Archbishop Ullathorne then explains the foundations of humility upon which the virtue is grounded:
► The first ground of humility is our creation from nothing. We are of a short time; our beginning was feeble, as became our origin, and nothing was the womb of us all. Whence are we? From the creative will of God. What are we? An existence dependent on the will of God. Where are we going? Onwards, ever onwards the body to the dust, the soul to the judgment seat of God. God is the one, absolute, perfect being; we are but existences, the products of His will, dependent on Him for all we are and have; and all this great scene about us that fills our senses is of less value than the last soul that was created and born into this world. For the soul is for God, but this visible universe for the service and probation of the soul.
► The second ground of humility is our intellectual light. That light makes us reasonable creatures. In that light, we see the first principles of truth, order, and justice; it is the foundation of our mind and of our conscience. Man is variable and changeable, and one man differs from another; but the light of truth and justice shines one and the same to all, and the chief difference between one man and another is in the degree of his communion with that light.
► The third ground of humility is in our dependence on the Providence of God. Our life with all its conditions is in the hand of God.
► The fourth ground of humility is in our sins; by them we have deformed and denaturalized our nature, ungraced ourselves before God, and incurred His reprobation.
► The fifth ground of humility is in the weakness, the ignorance, and the concupiscence that we have inherited from Original Sin, and have increased by our actual sins.
► The sixth ground of humility is in the open perils and hidden snares with which we are surrounded. Error in all its forms, and unbelief in all its modes and varieties move in their motley shapes through nearly every grade of life, with the apparent unconsciousness that truth is one and comes from God. The widespread evil of modern life is the amazing indifference to the wellbeing of the soul. An intense activity outside the soul pursues its many ways in the name of progress, although the object or ultimate aim of that progress is neither thought of nor spoken of. It is chiefly a progress, not to, but from the soul; not to, but from God.
► The seventh ground of humility is in the special odiousness and deformity of pride, which is in direct opposition, beyond every other vice, to the order, reason, and truth of things. Pride turns all things from God; humility turns all things to God.
► The eighth ground of humility is in the consideration of what this virtue does for us. It opens the soul to the truth of Christ, and opens the heart to the grace of Christ.
► The ninth ground of humility is the knowledge of God and His divine perfections.
► The tenth ground of humility is the secure rest provided for the soul in the unspeakable benefits of our divine Redeemer.
► The eleventh ground of humility is in our distance in this vale of suffering and tears from the supreme object of our soul, and the risks we run in the meanwhile from our infirmities.
► The twelfth ground of humility is the holy fear of the judgments of God. For unless we shelter ourselves well in the humility of Christ, and do penance, and use the world as though we used it not, we are not safe. Unless, again, a humble dependence on God is the foundation of our life, and the love of God is our ruling affection, we know not in what state God will find us in the hour when we shall pass from this world.” (Archbishop William Ullathorne, Patience & Humility).
Weak as man is, it is humility that will make a foundation strong enough in him for God to build upon and raise the edifice of Faith, that shall last for eternity. The progress of humility is the progress of the soul. We may know the extent of the grace that is given to us by the strength of our humility. The higher a building is planned to be―the deeper must its foundations be in order to support it. The foundation of our perfection and holiness is humility. The deeper the humility, then the higher God can build―as in the case of Our Lady. The Fathers of the Church, the saints and theologians tell us that the gifts and prerogatives conferred on the Blessed Virgin were all given to her because she had the humility to withstand and uphold them.
The Apostasy of Pride
The underlying reason for the massive falling-away from the Faith today, is largely down to a lack of humility―which automatically means an increase in pride. The proud men of today have fallen into Satan’s ploy, which he used upon Adam and Eve, which is to make man a god unto himself: “Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: ‘No, you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods!’” (Genesis 3:1-5).
Today, man’s knowledge―we call it “science” (Latin “scientia” meaning “knowledge”)―has become a deity, a god, the ruler of the world, whom everyone adores―so much so that, during the current “Plannedemic”, we hear, not only scientists and politicians, but also bishops and priests, singing the praises of this modern-day god called “Science”, by continually proclaiming the Psalm: “Follow the Science! We must follow the Science!” Yet, just as there are false gods, there is also false science! Thus, in following false science, we end up following false truths―which, bluntly said, are LIES―and we all know who is the “Father of Lies”, don’t we? Yes, the devil―as Our Lord said: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth―because truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own―for he is a liar, and the father of lies!” (John 8:44). So, in following false science―the science of lies―we end up following the devil―the father of lies.
The same is true in the field of Faith. Today, the science or knowledge of the Faith―call it theology if you wish―has fallen into disuse and disrepair. Even elementary facts―that are taught in a child’s First Holy Communion Catechism―have been forgotten. Most Catholic adults can no longer give you all the Ten Commandments in their correct order, not even in any order―they may know some, but not all. Likewise with listing the Holy Days of Obligation within the year, nor can they tell you the three requirements for a sin to be a mortal sin (and their salvation could depend on this!), nor can they list the conditions required to make a good Holy Communion, nor the number and name of the conditions required to make a good confession (and their salvation could depend on this also!).
As the saying goes: “When you no longer believe in God, then you will believe anything!” Modern-man’s pride (or lack of humility) is clearly seen in Rationalism, Liberalism and Modernism. Rationalism believes that human reason is the chief and ultimate source and judge of knowledge and truth. The Rationalist insists that all opinions, beliefs and actions should be based on reason and knowledge, rather than on religious belief or emotional response. Christian Rationalism is the practice of treating human reason as the ultimate authority in all matters of religion. Liberalism is an extension of Rationalism into the practical field―Rationalism basically proudly says: “I will think what “I” want to think! I will believe what “I” want to believe!”―whereas Liberalism proudly proclaims: “I will do whatever “I” want to do! I will try whatever “I” want to try! I will go wherever “I” want to go!” Whereas Modernism is the imitation of Rationalism and Liberalism in the field of religion. All of this stems from a lack of humility, a refusal to submit oneself to higher authorities and better intelligences―whether they be divine or human. As the saying goes: “When you no longer believe in God, then you will believe anything!” Modern-man, by rejecting the teaching and wisdom of God and Holy Mother Church, believes what he wants to believe, he believes only what he can understand, and puts his stupidity above the intelligence of God and God’s chosen teachers―thus, “Stupid is as stupid does!” As Holy Scripture says: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: ‘I will catch the “wise” in their own craftiness!’” (1 Corinthians 3:19).
Serving the King of Pride
The results of all this pride in thinking (Rationalism), acting (Liberalism) and religious belief (Modernism) are all too clearly seen in today’s Church, Politics, Finance, Culture, and Family. God has said: “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts! Nor your ways My ways!’ saith the Lord. ‘For as the Heavens are exalted above the Earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts!’” (Isaias 55:8-9). Yet modern-man replies: “No! Not so! Not so fast! It is my thoughts that come be Your thoughts, O God! And my ways come before Your ways!” Hence it is that all governments of the world advocate, support, do not punish nor prevent, and even legislate for divorce, multiple marriages, same-sex marriages, cohabitation before marriage, cohabitation instead of marriage, contraception, abortion, immodest fashions, sinful television shows, pornography, alcohol and drug abuse, and many, many other sins―which they support, or say are not sins at all. This is all summed-up in the words of Satan towards God: “I will not serve!” ― and that is ultimately who all these proud rulers, legislators, media and fashion moguls, medical murderers support―Satan, either directly or indirectly. As Our Lord said: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he stood not in the truth; because truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies!” (John 8:44).
The result of all this is that Catholics―most of whom have embraced Rationalism (think and believe what you want) and Liberalism (say and do what you want)―have become today’s Modernists (think, believe, say and do what you want in matter of Faith and religion). Hence, the MAJORITY of Catholics today accept divorce, multiple marriages, same-sex marriages, cohabitation before marriage, cohabitation instead of marriage, contraception, abortion, immodest fashions, sinful television shows, pornography (40% look at it), alcohol and drug abuse, and many, many other sins. Most Catholics imagine you can still be a good Catholic even if you do not regularly attend Mass on Sundays! Only a tiny amount of Catholics go to Confession―yet of the mere 20% (now, after COVID lockdowns, only 10%) of Catholics who actually do attend Sunday Mass regularly, ALMOST EVERYONE goes to Holy Communion! They must all be saints then―never Confession, always Communion! On top of all that, one Pope after another―from the more traditional Pope Pius XII to the modernist Pope Francis―all complain Catholics have lost the sense of sin:
Already in 1946 Pope Pius XII lamented: “Perhaps the greatest sin in the world today is that men have begun to lose the sense of sin.” Pope John Paul II, in 2005, “We live in a society that seems to have lost the sense of God and of sin. Christ's invitation to conversion is all the more urgent!” In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said: “The word ‘sin’ is not accepted by many, because it presupposes a religious vision of the world and of man. In effect this is correct: If we eliminate God from the horizon of the world, we cannot speak of sin. Just as when the sun is hidden the shadows disappear and the shadows appear only if the sun is there, so, too, the eclipse of God necessarily brings the eclipse of sin.” In 2014, Pope Francis added: “When the Kingdom of God is forgotten, when the Kingdom of God diminishes, one of the signs is that the sense of sin is lost … When you lose the sense of sin, you also lose the sense of the Kingdom of God … When we lose the sense of sin, when we let the Kingdom of God crumble!” What makes us lose that “sense of sin”? It is a lack of humility and an abundance of pride―which thinks it knows and judges better that God, knows and judges better than God’s Church.
Article 2
Built On Faith!
Built On Faith!
No Faith―No Chance
A Protestant church once put out an advertizing poster containing the words: “Believing is not a condition for beloving or belonging here.” For the perpetually Bible-focused Protestants, this should be an embarrassment, for God says through Holy Scripture: “Without Faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and is a rewarder to them that seek Him!” (Hebrews 11:6)―and Our Lord laments: “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8), which is a so-called “rhetorical question”, meaning that it is not really asking a question, but is giving the answer. Through various prophecies we know that at the “End Times” or “Last Days” ―which Our Lady of Fatima indicated that we have already entered ― there will be two major apostasies from the Faith ― the so-called “Minor Apostasy” (which will not be “minor”, but is only called “minor” when compared to the other apostasy) and the “Greater Apostasy”.
This brings to mind a rare interview with Sister Lucia of Fatima by the Liberal and Modernist Italian Jesuit priest, Father Lombardi in 1954. It was recorded in the Vatican weekly “Osservatore della Domenica” on February 7th, 1954. Fr. Lombardi―true to his Liberal and Modernist leanings―had just written a book entitled: Salvation for Those Without Faith. This was the idea―salvation without the Faith―that he was pushing on Sister Lucia during the interview.
Fr. Lombardi: “Tell me, is the ‘Better World Movement’ a response of the Church to the words spoken to Our Lady?”
Lucia: “Father, there is certainly a great need for this renewal. If it is not done, and taking into account the present development of humanity, only a limited number of the human race will be saved.”
Fr. Lombardi: “Do you really believe that many will go to Hell? I hope that God will save the greater part of humanity.” [He had just written a book entitled: Salvation for Those Without Faith]
Lucia: “Father, many will be lost.”
Fr. Lombardi: “It is true that the world is full of evil, but there is always a hope of salvation.”
Lucia: “No Father, many, many will be lost.”
Father Lombardi remembered that Lucia had seen Hell and added: “Her words disturbed me. I returned to Italy with that grave warning impressed on my heart.” It is perplexing that the words of Sr. Lucia had more effect upon him than the words of Holy Scripture, which, as a priest, he must have come across and read many times: “Without Faith it is impossible to please God!” (Hebrews 11:6)―as well as the words of Our Lord, Who, in speaking of our “End Times” or “Last Days” warned with His rhetorical question: “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Those Scriptural words belong to DIVINE PUBLIC REVELATION (which we must accept and believe), and they are repeated in DIVINE PRIVATE REVELATION (which does not bind us in the same manner, but which it would be foolhardy to ignore or reject―especially when Private Revelation backs-up or reminds us of Public Revelation). Hence, Our Lady has warned us in Private Revelations about the threats to the Faith in our current times:
“From the end of the 19th century and especially in the 20th century, the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of morals, for Satan will reign almost completely by means of the Masonic sects [cf. “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go forth, and seduce the nations, which are over the four quarters of the Earth” (Apocalypse 20:7)] ... During this epoch the Church will find herself attacked by terrible assaults from the Masonic sect … These years, during which the evil sect of Masonry will take control of the civil government, will see a cruel persecution of all religious communities … All the civil governments will have one and the same plan, which will be to abolish and do away with every religious principle, to make way for materialism, atheism, spiritualism and vice of all kinds … Lucifer, together with a large number of demons, will be unloosed from Hell; they will put an end to Faith, little by little, even in those dedicated to God … The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God ... The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord ... The demon will try to persecute the Ministers of the Lord in every possible way and he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation, corrupting many of them … The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops … Churches will be locked up or desecrated … and altars sacked … Priests and religious orders will be hunted down, and made to die a cruel death. Several will abandon the Faith, and a great number of priests and members of religious orders will break away from the true religion; among these people there will even be bishops … The Christian spirit will rapidly decay, extinguishing the precious light of Faith, until it reaches the point that there will be an almost total and general corruption of morals … The spirits of darkness will spread everywhere a universal slackening of all that concerns the service of God ... as true Faith fades and false light will brighten the people … The true Faith to the Lord having been forgotten … disorder and the love of carnal pleasures will be spread all over the Earth. People will think of nothing but amusement … The small number of souls, who hidden, will preserve the treasures of the Faith and practice virtue will suffer a cruel, unspeakable and prolonged martyrdom!” (Our Lady of Good Success, at Quito in Ecuador, Our Lady of La Salette, France; Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal; Our Lady of Akita, Japan).
A Protestant church once put out an advertizing poster containing the words: “Believing is not a condition for beloving or belonging here.” For the perpetually Bible-focused Protestants, this should be an embarrassment, for God says through Holy Scripture: “Without Faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and is a rewarder to them that seek Him!” (Hebrews 11:6)―and Our Lord laments: “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8), which is a so-called “rhetorical question”, meaning that it is not really asking a question, but is giving the answer. Through various prophecies we know that at the “End Times” or “Last Days” ―which Our Lady of Fatima indicated that we have already entered ― there will be two major apostasies from the Faith ― the so-called “Minor Apostasy” (which will not be “minor”, but is only called “minor” when compared to the other apostasy) and the “Greater Apostasy”.
This brings to mind a rare interview with Sister Lucia of Fatima by the Liberal and Modernist Italian Jesuit priest, Father Lombardi in 1954. It was recorded in the Vatican weekly “Osservatore della Domenica” on February 7th, 1954. Fr. Lombardi―true to his Liberal and Modernist leanings―had just written a book entitled: Salvation for Those Without Faith. This was the idea―salvation without the Faith―that he was pushing on Sister Lucia during the interview.
Fr. Lombardi: “Tell me, is the ‘Better World Movement’ a response of the Church to the words spoken to Our Lady?”
Lucia: “Father, there is certainly a great need for this renewal. If it is not done, and taking into account the present development of humanity, only a limited number of the human race will be saved.”
Fr. Lombardi: “Do you really believe that many will go to Hell? I hope that God will save the greater part of humanity.” [He had just written a book entitled: Salvation for Those Without Faith]
Lucia: “Father, many will be lost.”
Fr. Lombardi: “It is true that the world is full of evil, but there is always a hope of salvation.”
Lucia: “No Father, many, many will be lost.”
Father Lombardi remembered that Lucia had seen Hell and added: “Her words disturbed me. I returned to Italy with that grave warning impressed on my heart.” It is perplexing that the words of Sr. Lucia had more effect upon him than the words of Holy Scripture, which, as a priest, he must have come across and read many times: “Without Faith it is impossible to please God!” (Hebrews 11:6)―as well as the words of Our Lord, Who, in speaking of our “End Times” or “Last Days” warned with His rhetorical question: “The Son of man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, Faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Those Scriptural words belong to DIVINE PUBLIC REVELATION (which we must accept and believe), and they are repeated in DIVINE PRIVATE REVELATION (which does not bind us in the same manner, but which it would be foolhardy to ignore or reject―especially when Private Revelation backs-up or reminds us of Public Revelation). Hence, Our Lady has warned us in Private Revelations about the threats to the Faith in our current times:
“From the end of the 19th century and especially in the 20th century, the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of morals, for Satan will reign almost completely by means of the Masonic sects [cf. “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go forth, and seduce the nations, which are over the four quarters of the Earth” (Apocalypse 20:7)] ... During this epoch the Church will find herself attacked by terrible assaults from the Masonic sect … These years, during which the evil sect of Masonry will take control of the civil government, will see a cruel persecution of all religious communities … All the civil governments will have one and the same plan, which will be to abolish and do away with every religious principle, to make way for materialism, atheism, spiritualism and vice of all kinds … Lucifer, together with a large number of demons, will be unloosed from Hell; they will put an end to Faith, little by little, even in those dedicated to God … The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God ... The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord ... The demon will try to persecute the Ministers of the Lord in every possible way and he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation, corrupting many of them … The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops … Churches will be locked up or desecrated … and altars sacked … Priests and religious orders will be hunted down, and made to die a cruel death. Several will abandon the Faith, and a great number of priests and members of religious orders will break away from the true religion; among these people there will even be bishops … The Christian spirit will rapidly decay, extinguishing the precious light of Faith, until it reaches the point that there will be an almost total and general corruption of morals … The spirits of darkness will spread everywhere a universal slackening of all that concerns the service of God ... as true Faith fades and false light will brighten the people … The true Faith to the Lord having been forgotten … disorder and the love of carnal pleasures will be spread all over the Earth. People will think of nothing but amusement … The small number of souls, who hidden, will preserve the treasures of the Faith and practice virtue will suffer a cruel, unspeakable and prolonged martyrdom!” (Our Lady of Good Success, at Quito in Ecuador, Our Lady of La Salette, France; Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal; Our Lady of Akita, Japan).
Article 3
Living in Joy!
Living in Joy!
Everyone seeks joy in life. Yet not everyone agrees on what joy is! There can be a true joy and also a false joy―a real joy or a mistaken joy. Just as we say: “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”―we could likewise say: “One man’s joy is another man’s misery!” The reverse of that would be: “One man’s misery is another man’s joy!” ― as in the German word “Schadenfreude” which is a word that combines “Schaden”, which means “damage, harm, injure, hurt,” and “Freude”, which means “joy.” It is the experience of joy, hapiness, pleasure, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, injuries, pains, damages, losses, or humiliations suffered by another person.
Speaking of the cross―which is supposed to be a joy to us―St. Augustine writes: “The same cross can lead one man to Heaven and another man to Hell!” We could add: “Joy leads one person to Heaven and another person to Hell.” It all depends upon whether or not our idea of “joy” is a true one or a false one. As St. Thomas writes, “Human Nature is not so completely corrupted by sin as to be totally lacking in natural goodness.” We have an impulse in us that seeks God and other impulses that pull us down to worldly pleasures. If we find joy in sin, then we will be led to the misery of Hell. If we find joy in virtue, then we will be led to the joys of Heaven. St. Thomas Aquinas says: “No man can live without joy. That is why someone who is deprived of spiritual joy, goes over to carnal pleasures.”
C.S. Lewis states: “Joy is the serious business of Heaven!” We had better take the matter of joy seriously, or it might cost us the joys of Heaven! Already in his Summa Contra Gentiles, St. Thomas Aquinas had taken a position similar to St. Augustine’s―which is that perfect happiness is not possible in this lifetime. St. Thomas is uncompromising in his view that our true happiness can only be found in knowledge of God―as he argues in the Summa Theologica: “It is impossible for any created good to constitute man’s happiness. For happiness is that perfect good which entirely satisfies one’s desire … This is to be found, not in any creature, but in God alone … Therefore, God alone constitutes man’s happiness.” (Summa Theologica IIa, q.1. Article 8). No other worldly good or pleasure can truly provide us with the ultimate good we seek. Today, St. Thomas would point to the experience of many rich people and celebrities as evidence for this truth. Despite having every worldly good—fine foods, cars, houses, vacations, friends, family—many of them remain deeply unhappy, even spiraling into the misery of drugs and even suicide. St. Thomas would explain this as follows: when every enjoyment is felt, the soul begins to crave for something more than mere enjoyment. But if one has no knowledge of this “something more” or doesn’t know how to go about finding it, then the enjoyment of worldly things turns to pain and suffering.
However, unlike St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas goes on to maintain that we can achieve a kind of imperfect happiness or imperfect joy here on Earth. Aquinas takes seriously St. Paul’s assurances that “for now we see as through a glass darkly, but then we see face to face.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) … “For all seek the things that are their own―not the things that are Jesus Christ’s” (Philippians 2:21) ... “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him!” (1 Corinthians 2:9) … Therefore, “I rejoice in my sufferings!” (Colossians 1:24) … “We glory also in tribulations!” (Romans 5:3) … “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world!” (Galatians 6:14) ... “For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come―that shall be revealed in us!” (Romans 8:18).
Our Lord Himself indicated this: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” (Luke 12:31) … “You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Luke 16:13) … “For how is a man advantaged if he gains the whole world, but loses himself and casts away himself?” (Luke 9:25) … “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) … “You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Matthew 6:24) … “For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) … “Blessed [happy and joyful] are they that suffer persecution for the sake of justice―for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed [happy and joyful] are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for My sake! Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Heaven!” (Matthew 5:10-12). “Amen, amen I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice! And you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy; and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you!” (John 16:20-22) and Our Lady echoed the same idea to St. Bernadette at Lourdes: “I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next life!” “Give therefore your hearts and your souls to seeking the Lord your God!” (1 Paralipomenon 22:19).
This world is too plagued with unsatisfied desires to achieve that ultimate good which we all seek by nature. “The Lord hath looked down from Heaven to see if there be any that understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together! There is no fear of God before their eyes! They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways―there is none that doth good, no not one! They have not called upon God!” (Psalm 13:1-3; Psalm 52:1-6)―and that is why the world is unhappy deep down in their hearts, even though it tries to show a superficial and false happiness on its face. The world pretends and tries to live in a manner that shows it wants paradise on Earth―yet that is impossible. It is, at best a temporary, passing, very short-lived ‘paradise’ that is over before you know it―and often leads souls to Hell if it was a sinful ‘paradise’ on Earth. “The rich, like the flower of the grass, shall he pass away!” (James 1:10) … “Go now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you! Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days!” (James 5:1-3). “So is he that lays up a treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God!” says Our Lord (Luke 12:21).
Our Lord then gives us the parable about the rich man: “And Jesus spoke a similitude to them, saying: ‘The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought within himself, saying: “What shall I do, because I have no more room where to store my fruits?” And he said: “This will I do! I will pull down my barns, and will build greater barns; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and all my goods! And I will say to my soul: ‘Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many years! Take thy rest! Eat, drink, make good cheer!’” But God said to him: “Thou fool! This very night do they require thy soul of thee! And whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” So is he that lays up a treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God!’ And Jesus said to His disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life and what you shall eat; nor for your body and what you shall put on. Life is more than just the meat, and the body is more than the clothing! Seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high. For all these things do the nations of the world seek. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you! Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, and make for yourselves a treasure in Heaven which fails not! For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!’” (Luke 12:16-34). What are we primarily seeking? The joys of Earth or the joys of Heaven? Jesus said that we cannot love and serve God and the world: “No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other―or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Matthew 6:24).
Furthermore, God has basically created us with a desire to come to perfect knowledge of Him―but this is hidden from us while we still live in our mortal bodies. True knowledge of God would require being able to see him directly, but this is only possible by a completely purified soul. When this occurs, we will experience the ultimate joy—a pure and everlasting bliss that will be the satisfaction of every human desire and the obliteration of every sadness or worry.
No one who ever said to God, “Thy will be done!” ―not just with his lips, but really meant it with his heart, has ever failed to find joy—not just in Heaven, or even down the road in the future in this world, but in this world at that very moment, here and now. In the very act of self-surrender to God there is joy. It is an experiment that has been performed over and over again billions of times, always with the same result. It is as certain as gravity.
It sounds too good to be true. It sounds like pious exaggeration, a salesman’s pitch. Instant joy? All you have to do is surrender to God? What’s the catch? There is a catch. It’s a big one, but a simple one―you have to really do it, not just think about it. To do it completely requires something we dislike and fear very much―death. Not the death of the body. The body is not the obstacle to true joy. The ego is. Self-will is the obstacle to true joy. We fear giving up our self-will even more than we fear giving up our body to death—even though that ego―the thing St. Paul calls “the old man” in us, or the Adam in us―is the cause of all our misery.
That old self has sold itself to the devil. It’s his microphone. It sits there behind our ears chattering away. When we’re about to give ourselves to God, it instantly whispers to us: “Careful, now. Hold back. Don’t get too close to Him! He’s dangerous! He will make you suffer! He will load you with crosses! In fact, He’s a killer.” The voice speaks some truth. Even the devil has to begin with some truth in order to twist it into a lie. It’s true―God is a killer! He is the killer of sin! If you let Him, he will kill your old, selfish, self-centered, ever-complaining, dissatisfied, wretched, mistrusting, loveless, sinful self. But he will do it only if you want Him to do it―and He will do it only as much as you want Him to. God is a gentleman. He will not force you―He will only invite you.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa, Ia-IIae, q.31, art. 3) says “delights of the soul, which are also called joys, are distinct from bodily delights, which are not called otherwise than delights [pleasures].” In his book, The Spiritual Life, Fr. Tanquerey has several passages on the seeking of pleasures [delights]―which is lower level than joy and is primarily concerned with ‘joy’ or pleasure for the body.
Fr. Tanquerey writes: “Pleasure in itself is not evil. In the Divine Plan pleasure is not an end, but the means to an end. God allows it when directed toward a higher end, that is, toward moral good. The moderate enjoyment of pleasure―if referred to its end moral and supernatural good―is not an evil. In fact, it is a good act―for it tends towards a good end, which is ultimately God Himself. If God has attached pleasure to certain good acts, it is in order to facilitate their accomplishment and to draw us on to the fulfillment of duty. Hence, the enjoyment of pleasure in view of a more perfect acquittal of duty is not forbidden―it is rather in accordance with the order established by God. But to seek pleasure as an end in itself without any relation to duty, is at least dangerous, since it exposes one to slip from lawful to unlawful pleasure. To desire pleasure without any reference to the end that makes it lawful―that is, to desire pleasure as an end in itself and as an ultimate end―is a moral disorder, for it is going counter to the wisdom of a God-established order. Such disorder leads to further evil, because when one’s sole motive of action is pleasure, one is exposed to love pleasure to excess; one is no longer guided by an end which raises its barriers against that immoderate thirst for enjoyment which exists in all of us.”
“Thus, God in His wisdom willed to attach a certain enjoyment to the act of eating, to offer us an incentive towards sustaining our bodily forces. But ungrateful and sensual men use this enjoyment rather to serve their own bodies than to serve Almighty God. The pleasure of eating enslaves them, and, instead of eating in order to live, they rather live in order to eat. Even those who know how to curb their desires and who are guided in taking their meals by the needs of the body, are often deceived by pleasure and taken in by its allurement; they soon go beyond due measure; they gradually come to indulge their appetite and do not consider their needs satisfied, so long as food and drink gratify their palate. Hence, excesses in eating and drinking. Man so cherishes his body that he forgets his soul. Over-solicitous for his health, he is led to pamper the body at every turn. Even those enjoyments which we fancy the most innocent, will, unless we are ever on the alert, lead on to guilty pleasures. If we yield to pleasure in allowing ourselves all lawful joys―how shall we be able to resist when our senses―always hankering after new delights, dangerous or wrong―feel overpowered by the force of always giving in to desires for pleasure? What shall we say of the still more dangerous pleasures of lust, of that deep-rooted and unsightly sore of human nature, of that concupiscence that binds the soul to the body with ties so strong, so difficult to break; of that lust which brings down upon the human race such frightful disorders?” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §193-§194).
“The world―which worms its way into the heart of Christian families, even into religious communities―constitutes a great obstacle to the attainment of salvation and perfection. It stirs up and feeds the fire of concupiscence; it seduces and terrorizes us. The world seduces us with its maxims, with the show of its vanities and with its perverse examples. It holds up maxims which are directly opposed to those of the Gospel. It actually extols the happiness of the wealthy, of the powerful, of the ruthless, of the upstart, of the ambitious, of all those who know how to enjoy life. On the lips of worldlings is ever the cry : ‘Let us crown ourselves with roses before they wither! Must not youth have its day, must not each live his life to the full? Many others do this and Almighty God cannot damn all mankind. One has to make a living, and were one to be scrupulous in business one could never become wealthy.’
“The world seduces us with the show of its vanities and pleasures. Most worldly gatherings cater to curiosity, to sensuality, and even to lust. Vice is made attractive by being concealed beneath the guise of what are called innocent fashions and amusements, but which are none the less fraught with danger. Such are, for instance, immodest dress and immodest dances, especially such as seem to have no other purpose than to occasion, wanton looks and gestures. What must be said of most theatrical performances, of public entertainments, of the lewd literature that one encounters at every turn?” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §211-§212).
Speaking of the cross―which is supposed to be a joy to us―St. Augustine writes: “The same cross can lead one man to Heaven and another man to Hell!” We could add: “Joy leads one person to Heaven and another person to Hell.” It all depends upon whether or not our idea of “joy” is a true one or a false one. As St. Thomas writes, “Human Nature is not so completely corrupted by sin as to be totally lacking in natural goodness.” We have an impulse in us that seeks God and other impulses that pull us down to worldly pleasures. If we find joy in sin, then we will be led to the misery of Hell. If we find joy in virtue, then we will be led to the joys of Heaven. St. Thomas Aquinas says: “No man can live without joy. That is why someone who is deprived of spiritual joy, goes over to carnal pleasures.”
C.S. Lewis states: “Joy is the serious business of Heaven!” We had better take the matter of joy seriously, or it might cost us the joys of Heaven! Already in his Summa Contra Gentiles, St. Thomas Aquinas had taken a position similar to St. Augustine’s―which is that perfect happiness is not possible in this lifetime. St. Thomas is uncompromising in his view that our true happiness can only be found in knowledge of God―as he argues in the Summa Theologica: “It is impossible for any created good to constitute man’s happiness. For happiness is that perfect good which entirely satisfies one’s desire … This is to be found, not in any creature, but in God alone … Therefore, God alone constitutes man’s happiness.” (Summa Theologica IIa, q.1. Article 8). No other worldly good or pleasure can truly provide us with the ultimate good we seek. Today, St. Thomas would point to the experience of many rich people and celebrities as evidence for this truth. Despite having every worldly good—fine foods, cars, houses, vacations, friends, family—many of them remain deeply unhappy, even spiraling into the misery of drugs and even suicide. St. Thomas would explain this as follows: when every enjoyment is felt, the soul begins to crave for something more than mere enjoyment. But if one has no knowledge of this “something more” or doesn’t know how to go about finding it, then the enjoyment of worldly things turns to pain and suffering.
However, unlike St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas goes on to maintain that we can achieve a kind of imperfect happiness or imperfect joy here on Earth. Aquinas takes seriously St. Paul’s assurances that “for now we see as through a glass darkly, but then we see face to face.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) … “For all seek the things that are their own―not the things that are Jesus Christ’s” (Philippians 2:21) ... “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him!” (1 Corinthians 2:9) … Therefore, “I rejoice in my sufferings!” (Colossians 1:24) … “We glory also in tribulations!” (Romans 5:3) … “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world!” (Galatians 6:14) ... “For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come―that shall be revealed in us!” (Romans 8:18).
Our Lord Himself indicated this: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” (Luke 12:31) … “You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Luke 16:13) … “For how is a man advantaged if he gains the whole world, but loses himself and casts away himself?” (Luke 9:25) … “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) … “You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Matthew 6:24) … “For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) … “Blessed [happy and joyful] are they that suffer persecution for the sake of justice―for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed [happy and joyful] are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for My sake! Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Heaven!” (Matthew 5:10-12). “Amen, amen I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice! And you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy; and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you!” (John 16:20-22) and Our Lady echoed the same idea to St. Bernadette at Lourdes: “I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next life!” “Give therefore your hearts and your souls to seeking the Lord your God!” (1 Paralipomenon 22:19).
This world is too plagued with unsatisfied desires to achieve that ultimate good which we all seek by nature. “The Lord hath looked down from Heaven to see if there be any that understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together! There is no fear of God before their eyes! They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways―there is none that doth good, no not one! They have not called upon God!” (Psalm 13:1-3; Psalm 52:1-6)―and that is why the world is unhappy deep down in their hearts, even though it tries to show a superficial and false happiness on its face. The world pretends and tries to live in a manner that shows it wants paradise on Earth―yet that is impossible. It is, at best a temporary, passing, very short-lived ‘paradise’ that is over before you know it―and often leads souls to Hell if it was a sinful ‘paradise’ on Earth. “The rich, like the flower of the grass, shall he pass away!” (James 1:10) … “Go now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you! Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days!” (James 5:1-3). “So is he that lays up a treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God!” says Our Lord (Luke 12:21).
Our Lord then gives us the parable about the rich man: “And Jesus spoke a similitude to them, saying: ‘The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought within himself, saying: “What shall I do, because I have no more room where to store my fruits?” And he said: “This will I do! I will pull down my barns, and will build greater barns; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and all my goods! And I will say to my soul: ‘Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many years! Take thy rest! Eat, drink, make good cheer!’” But God said to him: “Thou fool! This very night do they require thy soul of thee! And whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” So is he that lays up a treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God!’ And Jesus said to His disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life and what you shall eat; nor for your body and what you shall put on. Life is more than just the meat, and the body is more than the clothing! Seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high. For all these things do the nations of the world seek. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you! Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, and make for yourselves a treasure in Heaven which fails not! For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!’” (Luke 12:16-34). What are we primarily seeking? The joys of Earth or the joys of Heaven? Jesus said that we cannot love and serve God and the world: “No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other―or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Matthew 6:24).
Furthermore, God has basically created us with a desire to come to perfect knowledge of Him―but this is hidden from us while we still live in our mortal bodies. True knowledge of God would require being able to see him directly, but this is only possible by a completely purified soul. When this occurs, we will experience the ultimate joy—a pure and everlasting bliss that will be the satisfaction of every human desire and the obliteration of every sadness or worry.
No one who ever said to God, “Thy will be done!” ―not just with his lips, but really meant it with his heart, has ever failed to find joy—not just in Heaven, or even down the road in the future in this world, but in this world at that very moment, here and now. In the very act of self-surrender to God there is joy. It is an experiment that has been performed over and over again billions of times, always with the same result. It is as certain as gravity.
It sounds too good to be true. It sounds like pious exaggeration, a salesman’s pitch. Instant joy? All you have to do is surrender to God? What’s the catch? There is a catch. It’s a big one, but a simple one―you have to really do it, not just think about it. To do it completely requires something we dislike and fear very much―death. Not the death of the body. The body is not the obstacle to true joy. The ego is. Self-will is the obstacle to true joy. We fear giving up our self-will even more than we fear giving up our body to death—even though that ego―the thing St. Paul calls “the old man” in us, or the Adam in us―is the cause of all our misery.
That old self has sold itself to the devil. It’s his microphone. It sits there behind our ears chattering away. When we’re about to give ourselves to God, it instantly whispers to us: “Careful, now. Hold back. Don’t get too close to Him! He’s dangerous! He will make you suffer! He will load you with crosses! In fact, He’s a killer.” The voice speaks some truth. Even the devil has to begin with some truth in order to twist it into a lie. It’s true―God is a killer! He is the killer of sin! If you let Him, he will kill your old, selfish, self-centered, ever-complaining, dissatisfied, wretched, mistrusting, loveless, sinful self. But he will do it only if you want Him to do it―and He will do it only as much as you want Him to. God is a gentleman. He will not force you―He will only invite you.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa, Ia-IIae, q.31, art. 3) says “delights of the soul, which are also called joys, are distinct from bodily delights, which are not called otherwise than delights [pleasures].” In his book, The Spiritual Life, Fr. Tanquerey has several passages on the seeking of pleasures [delights]―which is lower level than joy and is primarily concerned with ‘joy’ or pleasure for the body.
Fr. Tanquerey writes: “Pleasure in itself is not evil. In the Divine Plan pleasure is not an end, but the means to an end. God allows it when directed toward a higher end, that is, toward moral good. The moderate enjoyment of pleasure―if referred to its end moral and supernatural good―is not an evil. In fact, it is a good act―for it tends towards a good end, which is ultimately God Himself. If God has attached pleasure to certain good acts, it is in order to facilitate their accomplishment and to draw us on to the fulfillment of duty. Hence, the enjoyment of pleasure in view of a more perfect acquittal of duty is not forbidden―it is rather in accordance with the order established by God. But to seek pleasure as an end in itself without any relation to duty, is at least dangerous, since it exposes one to slip from lawful to unlawful pleasure. To desire pleasure without any reference to the end that makes it lawful―that is, to desire pleasure as an end in itself and as an ultimate end―is a moral disorder, for it is going counter to the wisdom of a God-established order. Such disorder leads to further evil, because when one’s sole motive of action is pleasure, one is exposed to love pleasure to excess; one is no longer guided by an end which raises its barriers against that immoderate thirst for enjoyment which exists in all of us.”
“Thus, God in His wisdom willed to attach a certain enjoyment to the act of eating, to offer us an incentive towards sustaining our bodily forces. But ungrateful and sensual men use this enjoyment rather to serve their own bodies than to serve Almighty God. The pleasure of eating enslaves them, and, instead of eating in order to live, they rather live in order to eat. Even those who know how to curb their desires and who are guided in taking their meals by the needs of the body, are often deceived by pleasure and taken in by its allurement; they soon go beyond due measure; they gradually come to indulge their appetite and do not consider their needs satisfied, so long as food and drink gratify their palate. Hence, excesses in eating and drinking. Man so cherishes his body that he forgets his soul. Over-solicitous for his health, he is led to pamper the body at every turn. Even those enjoyments which we fancy the most innocent, will, unless we are ever on the alert, lead on to guilty pleasures. If we yield to pleasure in allowing ourselves all lawful joys―how shall we be able to resist when our senses―always hankering after new delights, dangerous or wrong―feel overpowered by the force of always giving in to desires for pleasure? What shall we say of the still more dangerous pleasures of lust, of that deep-rooted and unsightly sore of human nature, of that concupiscence that binds the soul to the body with ties so strong, so difficult to break; of that lust which brings down upon the human race such frightful disorders?” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §193-§194).
“The world―which worms its way into the heart of Christian families, even into religious communities―constitutes a great obstacle to the attainment of salvation and perfection. It stirs up and feeds the fire of concupiscence; it seduces and terrorizes us. The world seduces us with its maxims, with the show of its vanities and with its perverse examples. It holds up maxims which are directly opposed to those of the Gospel. It actually extols the happiness of the wealthy, of the powerful, of the ruthless, of the upstart, of the ambitious, of all those who know how to enjoy life. On the lips of worldlings is ever the cry : ‘Let us crown ourselves with roses before they wither! Must not youth have its day, must not each live his life to the full? Many others do this and Almighty God cannot damn all mankind. One has to make a living, and were one to be scrupulous in business one could never become wealthy.’
“The world seduces us with the show of its vanities and pleasures. Most worldly gatherings cater to curiosity, to sensuality, and even to lust. Vice is made attractive by being concealed beneath the guise of what are called innocent fashions and amusements, but which are none the less fraught with danger. Such are, for instance, immodest dress and immodest dances, especially such as seem to have no other purpose than to occasion, wanton looks and gestures. What must be said of most theatrical performances, of public entertainments, of the lewd literature that one encounters at every turn?” (Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life, §211-§212).
Article 4
Seeking Perfection
Seeking Perfection
“Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
St. Francis de Sales would say: “Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: ‘Now I begin to love my God!’” It was in such a manner that the Apostle St. Paul acted; even though, after his conversion, he had become a vessel of election, filled with the spirit of Jesus Christ. Yet, to persevere and advance in the heavenly way, he made use of this means, for he said in his Epistle to the Philippians: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before, I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Thus the glorious Desert Father, St. Anthony the Great, went from day to day, stimulating himself to virtue. St. Anastasius said of him that he always looked upon himself as a beginner, as if every day were the first in which he was serving God, and as if in the past he had done nothing good and were but just setting foot in the way of the Lord and taking the first steps on the road to Heaven. And this was the very last admonition he left to his monks at his death: “My sons,” he said to them, “if you wish to advance in virtue and perfection, never give up the practice of considering each day that you are then beginning, and of conducting yourselves always as you did on the day you began.”
Thus also we find that St. Gregory, St. Bernard and St. Charles acted and advised others to act. They made use of two beautiful comparisons, saying that we must act in this like travelers, who do not regard the road they have gone over, but, rather, what remains for them to traverse―and this they keep always before their eyes what they still have to cover, even to their journey’s end. Or, like merchants, eager for riches, who make no account of what they have hitherto acquired, nor of the fatigue they have suffered, but put all their thought and care upon gaining new acquisitions, and upon daily multiplying their possessions, as if in the past they had made no profit at all.
One of the means for the acquisition of perfection which was chiefly inculcated and much practiced by St. Philip Neri was a frequent renewal of good resolutions. St. Francis de Sales made, from time to time, a spiritual renewal, and always conceived in it new desires to serve God better.
St. John Berchmans, at his very entrance into religion, planted in his heart a strong resolution to become a Saint, and then he not only remained constant in all the practices and resolutions which he took up for this end, but he went on daily gaining new vigor to his spiritual advantage.
When a holy religious was giving the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola at Torre di Specchi in Rome, a nun called Sr. Marie Bonaventura, who was living a very relaxed life, did not wish to be present. By many entreaties she was finally induced to attend. The first meditation, on the end of man, enkindled such fervor in her heart that the Father had scarcely finished when she called him to her, and said: “Father, I intend to be a Saint―and quickly!” She then withdrew to her cell, and, writing the same words on a scrap of paper, fastened them to the foot of her crucifix. From this moment, she applied herself with so much earnestness to the practice of perfection that a memoir of her was written at her death, which occurred eleven months later.
St. Teresa of Avila said: “The Lord chiefly desires of us that we should be completely perfect, that we may be wholly one with Him. Let us aim, therefore, at whatever we need to reach this!”
Father Peter Faber, a companion of St. Ignatius and highly esteemed by St. Francis de Sales, often dwelt on the thought that God greatly desires our advancement. And so he endeavored to grow constantly, and not to let a day pass without some progress in virtue, so that he gradually rose to great perfection and a high reputation for sanctity.
St. Francis de Sales would say: “Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: ‘Now I begin to love my God!’” It was in such a manner that the Apostle St. Paul acted; even though, after his conversion, he had become a vessel of election, filled with the spirit of Jesus Christ. Yet, to persevere and advance in the heavenly way, he made use of this means, for he said in his Epistle to the Philippians: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before, I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Thus the glorious Desert Father, St. Anthony the Great, went from day to day, stimulating himself to virtue. St. Anastasius said of him that he always looked upon himself as a beginner, as if every day were the first in which he was serving God, and as if in the past he had done nothing good and were but just setting foot in the way of the Lord and taking the first steps on the road to Heaven. And this was the very last admonition he left to his monks at his death: “My sons,” he said to them, “if you wish to advance in virtue and perfection, never give up the practice of considering each day that you are then beginning, and of conducting yourselves always as you did on the day you began.”
Thus also we find that St. Gregory, St. Bernard and St. Charles acted and advised others to act. They made use of two beautiful comparisons, saying that we must act in this like travelers, who do not regard the road they have gone over, but, rather, what remains for them to traverse―and this they keep always before their eyes what they still have to cover, even to their journey’s end. Or, like merchants, eager for riches, who make no account of what they have hitherto acquired, nor of the fatigue they have suffered, but put all their thought and care upon gaining new acquisitions, and upon daily multiplying their possessions, as if in the past they had made no profit at all.
One of the means for the acquisition of perfection which was chiefly inculcated and much practiced by St. Philip Neri was a frequent renewal of good resolutions. St. Francis de Sales made, from time to time, a spiritual renewal, and always conceived in it new desires to serve God better.
St. John Berchmans, at his very entrance into religion, planted in his heart a strong resolution to become a Saint, and then he not only remained constant in all the practices and resolutions which he took up for this end, but he went on daily gaining new vigor to his spiritual advantage.
When a holy religious was giving the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola at Torre di Specchi in Rome, a nun called Sr. Marie Bonaventura, who was living a very relaxed life, did not wish to be present. By many entreaties she was finally induced to attend. The first meditation, on the end of man, enkindled such fervor in her heart that the Father had scarcely finished when she called him to her, and said: “Father, I intend to be a Saint―and quickly!” She then withdrew to her cell, and, writing the same words on a scrap of paper, fastened them to the foot of her crucifix. From this moment, she applied herself with so much earnestness to the practice of perfection that a memoir of her was written at her death, which occurred eleven months later.
St. Teresa of Avila said: “The Lord chiefly desires of us that we should be completely perfect, that we may be wholly one with Him. Let us aim, therefore, at whatever we need to reach this!”
Father Peter Faber, a companion of St. Ignatius and highly esteemed by St. Francis de Sales, often dwelt on the thought that God greatly desires our advancement. And so he endeavored to grow constantly, and not to let a day pass without some progress in virtue, so that he gradually rose to great perfection and a high reputation for sanctity.
Article 5
Confidence
Confidence
St. Francis de Sales was filled with so much confidence in God that he was in perfect tranquility amid the greatest disasters; for he could not persuade himself, as he often said, that anyone who trusts in a Providence infinite in all respects, has not cause to hope for a good result from whatever it permits to happen to him.
St. Francis de Sales, knowing that all events succeed one another according to the disposal of Divine Providence, rested upon it more tranquilly than an infant upon its mother’s bosom. He said that the Lord had taught him this lesson even from his youth, and that if he were to begin life again, he would despise worldly prudence more than ever, and allow himself to be governed entirely by Divine Providence.
The Lord once appeared to St. Gertrude and said to her: “When anyone has complete confidence in Me and believes that I have the power, the wisdom, and the desire to aid him on all occasions, this ravishes My heart, and does Me such violence that I cannot help favoring such a soul, on account of the pleasure I experience in seeing it so dependent upon Me, and to satisfy the great love I bear to it.”
St. Augustine tells us: “God certainly desires our greatest good more than we ourselves desire it. He knows better than we by what way it can come to us; and the choice of ways is wholly in His hands, as it is He who governs and regulates all that occurs in the world. It is, then, most certain that in all chances that can befall, whatever may happen will always be best for us. Do you desire security? Here you have it. The Lord says to thee, ‘I will never abandon thee, I will always be with thee!’ If a good man made you such a promise, you would trust him. God makes it, and do you doubt? Do you seek a support more sure than the word of God, which is infallible? Surely, He has made the promise, He has written it, He has pledged His word for it, it is most certain”
It is related in the Life of St. Rose of Lima that she had inherited from her mother, who was very timorous and apprehensive of danger, such great timidity that she did not dare, in the night, to go from one room in the house to another without a candle, except for prayer, for the sake of which she conquered every terror. One evening she lingered longer than usual in the little arbor which had been built for her oratory in the garden. Her mother, afraid that some harm might have come to her, resolved to go in search of her; but not having courage to go alone, she asked her husband to accompany her. When Rose saw them, she immediately ended her prayer, and went to meet them; then excusing herself for her tardiness, she went back with them to the house. But on the way, she began to say to herself: “How is this? My mother, who is as timid as I, feels safe in the company of her husband. And am I afraid, accompanied by my Spouse, Jesus, Who without ever leaving me, is continually at my side and in my heart!” This reflection made such an impression on her mind that it banished every terror, so that from that time she was no longer afraid of anything; and in any appearance of danger, she would say: “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”
Surius relates of St. Hugo, Bishop of Lincoln, that he was one night grieved and disturbed by the thought of a disaster which he believed to be impending. Then recollecting himself, he smote his breast and said: “Wretch that thou art! God has promised to aid us in all tribulations, and art thou afraid of anything that may happen?”
St. Vincent de Paul chides us: “We are firmly convinced that the truths of Faith cannot deceive us―and yet we cannot bring ourselves to trust to them! Yet we are far more ready to trust to human reasonings and the deceitful appearance of this world. This, then, is the cause of our slight progress in virtue, and of our small success in what concerns the glory of God! Both for our own profit and the salvation of others, it is absolutely necessary to follow in everything the bright light of Faith, which is accompanied by a certain unction secretly diffused in our hearts. Truly, there is nothing but eternal truth capable of filling our hearts and leading us in a safe path! Believe me, it is enough to be well established upon this Divine foundation, to be sure of quickly reaching perfection, and being able to do great things!”
St. Teresa of Avila said she had known persons eminent in virtue and who had even attained to the prayer of union, who afterwards fell into the power of the demon because of their overweening self-confidence. For when the soul sees herself so near to God and perceives the vast difference between the good things of Heaven and those of earth, and experiences the great love the Lord manifests for her, there springs up from these favors such security of nevermore falling from the happiness she enjoys, that it seems to her impossible that so delightful a life should ever be exchanged for the baseness of sensual delights. With this confidence she begins to expose herself to labors and dangers, without discretion or regard to proportion, not considering that she is not yet in condition to leave the nest and fly, as her virtues are not confirmed and she has no experience of danger.
St. Vincent de Paul further adds: “To rely upon our own talents is a cause of great loss. For when a Superior, a preacher or a confessor places confidence in his own prudence, knowledge and intelligence, God, to make him know and see his insufficiency, withdraws from him His help, and leaves him to work by himself. Whence it happens that all his plans and labors produce little or no fruit. This is often the cause why our undertakings fail” This is clearly seen in the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites and the Egyptians. The former placed all their confidence in God, and crossed successfully. The latter placed theirs in their horses, and were drowned.
St. Francis de Sales, knowing that all events succeed one another according to the disposal of Divine Providence, rested upon it more tranquilly than an infant upon its mother’s bosom. He said that the Lord had taught him this lesson even from his youth, and that if he were to begin life again, he would despise worldly prudence more than ever, and allow himself to be governed entirely by Divine Providence.
The Lord once appeared to St. Gertrude and said to her: “When anyone has complete confidence in Me and believes that I have the power, the wisdom, and the desire to aid him on all occasions, this ravishes My heart, and does Me such violence that I cannot help favoring such a soul, on account of the pleasure I experience in seeing it so dependent upon Me, and to satisfy the great love I bear to it.”
St. Augustine tells us: “God certainly desires our greatest good more than we ourselves desire it. He knows better than we by what way it can come to us; and the choice of ways is wholly in His hands, as it is He who governs and regulates all that occurs in the world. It is, then, most certain that in all chances that can befall, whatever may happen will always be best for us. Do you desire security? Here you have it. The Lord says to thee, ‘I will never abandon thee, I will always be with thee!’ If a good man made you such a promise, you would trust him. God makes it, and do you doubt? Do you seek a support more sure than the word of God, which is infallible? Surely, He has made the promise, He has written it, He has pledged His word for it, it is most certain”
It is related in the Life of St. Rose of Lima that she had inherited from her mother, who was very timorous and apprehensive of danger, such great timidity that she did not dare, in the night, to go from one room in the house to another without a candle, except for prayer, for the sake of which she conquered every terror. One evening she lingered longer than usual in the little arbor which had been built for her oratory in the garden. Her mother, afraid that some harm might have come to her, resolved to go in search of her; but not having courage to go alone, she asked her husband to accompany her. When Rose saw them, she immediately ended her prayer, and went to meet them; then excusing herself for her tardiness, she went back with them to the house. But on the way, she began to say to herself: “How is this? My mother, who is as timid as I, feels safe in the company of her husband. And am I afraid, accompanied by my Spouse, Jesus, Who without ever leaving me, is continually at my side and in my heart!” This reflection made such an impression on her mind that it banished every terror, so that from that time she was no longer afraid of anything; and in any appearance of danger, she would say: “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”
Surius relates of St. Hugo, Bishop of Lincoln, that he was one night grieved and disturbed by the thought of a disaster which he believed to be impending. Then recollecting himself, he smote his breast and said: “Wretch that thou art! God has promised to aid us in all tribulations, and art thou afraid of anything that may happen?”
St. Vincent de Paul chides us: “We are firmly convinced that the truths of Faith cannot deceive us―and yet we cannot bring ourselves to trust to them! Yet we are far more ready to trust to human reasonings and the deceitful appearance of this world. This, then, is the cause of our slight progress in virtue, and of our small success in what concerns the glory of God! Both for our own profit and the salvation of others, it is absolutely necessary to follow in everything the bright light of Faith, which is accompanied by a certain unction secretly diffused in our hearts. Truly, there is nothing but eternal truth capable of filling our hearts and leading us in a safe path! Believe me, it is enough to be well established upon this Divine foundation, to be sure of quickly reaching perfection, and being able to do great things!”
St. Teresa of Avila said she had known persons eminent in virtue and who had even attained to the prayer of union, who afterwards fell into the power of the demon because of their overweening self-confidence. For when the soul sees herself so near to God and perceives the vast difference between the good things of Heaven and those of earth, and experiences the great love the Lord manifests for her, there springs up from these favors such security of nevermore falling from the happiness she enjoys, that it seems to her impossible that so delightful a life should ever be exchanged for the baseness of sensual delights. With this confidence she begins to expose herself to labors and dangers, without discretion or regard to proportion, not considering that she is not yet in condition to leave the nest and fly, as her virtues are not confirmed and she has no experience of danger.
St. Vincent de Paul further adds: “To rely upon our own talents is a cause of great loss. For when a Superior, a preacher or a confessor places confidence in his own prudence, knowledge and intelligence, God, to make him know and see his insufficiency, withdraws from him His help, and leaves him to work by himself. Whence it happens that all his plans and labors produce little or no fruit. This is often the cause why our undertakings fail” This is clearly seen in the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites and the Egyptians. The former placed all their confidence in God, and crossed successfully. The latter placed theirs in their horses, and were drowned.
Article 6
Hope
Hope
Hope, or trust (which has been called the flower of Hope), is the assurance that God will give us in His own good time what we ask from Him, or something equivalent or better—an assurance which is entirely based on God’s perfections.
Better to understand this virtue, we must distinguish pure, genuine trust from false and impure trust. Pure trust is founded only on the perfections of God, upon His power, His wisdom, His watchful Providence, His goodness, His supremely merciful love. It looks exclusively to God. The impurities that spoil our trust, making of it a vulgar counterfeit, are our human hope, our reliance upon our strength, our own talents, or other natural means, even our own virtues and righteousness. Instead of keeping our look fixed on God, we fix it on ourselves.
Pure, genuine trust is rare. It is like gold which, in its natural state, is usually not found in a pure state and has to be refined in the crucible. Precisely because our confidence is not pure, it is wavering and shaky. It can be compared to a barometer that goes up and down with the weather. When all goes well, when the sun is bright and human appearances are good, then we feel confident. But let clouds darken the sky, let trials, desolation visit us, then our trust is very low and we lose courage.
True confidence is not weakened by unfavorable appearances, difficulties, failures, or other changes in fortune. On the contrary, the souls that hope only in God, and not in self, know that when all our efforts have failed, when things look hopeless, then God’s hand is near. Man has shown that by himself he can do nothing. Now God’s turn has come. He will show that He can do all things.
We should apply these considerations to any trial or difficulty we may have, either physical or spiritual sickness, poverty, desolations, temptations, persecutions, failure in our apostolate or whatever else may be a trial to us. We should especially apply them to or offer them up for those two great things which we should desire before everything else:
(1) the attainment of holiness for ourselves and (2) the saving of other souls. We should have a firm trust, a real confidence and assurance, based on God’s perfections, that, in spite of all difficulties, we shall one day reach that sanctity or holiness, which is the goal of all our spiritual activity, and that we shall, at the same time, save many souls.
We should hope for all this, in spite of our faults and sins. Monseigneur Pie, a famous French prelate, used to say: “God is in need of our faults and sins. If we had none, how could He exercise His wonderful mercy and forgiveness?” Our faults do not change the love of God for us, as the Parable of the Prodigal Son shows so well. But He asks us to be sorry for them and to repair them by our acts of humility and repentant love.
After yielding to a fault or committing a sin, we should never sulk, never be irked at ourselves (this would be the effect of our self‑love and pride), but, like a loving child, we should humbly and trustfully embrace our heavenly Father, imitating these children, who have been naughty and make up for it by lovingly embracing their mothers. “I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
The well‑known story of St. Jerome should encourage us. Our Lord one day said to the saint: “Jerome, give Me something.” And the saint replied: “But, my Lord, I have given You my life, my writings, everything I had.” Yet Jesus insisted and finally said these beautiful words: “Jerome, give Me your sins.” And to Sister Benigna, Consolata Ferrero, the little “secretary” of Jesus, he said, “Benigna, please sell Me your sins”
St. Thérèse, that great heroine of confidence, whose mission it has been to enkindle in legions of “little souls” the hope of reaching sanctity, has a beautiful page (a page perhaps never equaled) to show that we should lose nothing of our confidence on account of our shortcomings.
“It is not,” she writes in her autobiography, “because I have been preserved from mortal sin, that I lift up my heart to God in trust and love. I feel that, even if I had on my conscience every crime one could commit, I should lose nothing of my confidence. My heart broken with sorrow, I would throw myself into the arms of my Savior. I know that He loves the Prodigal Son; I have heard His words to Mary Magdalen; to the woman taken in adultery; and to the woman of Samaria. No one could frighten me, for I know what to believe concerning His mercy and His love. And I know that all that multitude of sins would disappear in an instant, even as a drop of water cast into a flaming furnace.”
The objection may easily occur to us: “Are faults then not obstacles to grace and to our spiritual progress?” They are, indeed, but only when we do not repent of them and when we do not repair them as we should. For souls that have learned the great “art of profiting by one’s sins,” faults become, on the contrary, a great means of progress. Properly repaired, they are like a precious fertilizer for the flowers of our virtues. To them we may apply the words of the Apostle: “All things work together unto good, to those who love God.” Yes, everything says St. Paul, even our sins. St. Mary Magdalen, St. Augustine, St. Angela de Foligno, St. Margaret of Cortona, and many other repentant sinners are eloquent examples that confirm this truth.
We should also hope in spite of our lack of progress and our constant failure in keeping our resolutions. The thought will often come to us, as it came even to the saints: “What progress have I made after so many years? At this rate I shall never reach perfection.” This thought may be useful to arouse us to further efforts, but it should never make us lose confidence.
A prime reason for this is that after all we know so little about our real progress in the spiritual life. The action of God in our souls is often shrouded in mystery. For very good reasons and especially to prevent all secret self‑complacency on our part, he does not want us to know exactly where we stand on the ladder to perfection.
A second reason is that God in his merciful love permits our ills and our helplessness for our good. They are not only useful but necessary for the full development of all our virtues‑‑‑a deep and sincere humility, love of our own abjection, genuine trust based, not on self, but on God’s perfections and above all for the acquisition of a pure, self‑forgetting love of God.
Without those repeated shortcomings, which are as a rule involuntary in fervent souls, we would never become entirely detached from self, never acquire that sincere, deep disgust of self without which we cannot reach the pure love of God ‑‑‑and sanctity. The whole of the spiritual life consists in dying to self in order to live in God. When a generous soul has a thousand times tasted the bitterness of that hateful self, which it used to love often unconsciously in spite of all its defects, then at last, in sheer disgust, it turns away from it and gives all its love to the only object worthy of it: to the infinite lovableness of God.
We should not lose confidence, we have said, because of our ever‑recurring defects. We may add, though it may sound paradoxical, that on the contrary we should have confidence because of them. We are all beggars before God and badly in need of his grace and his help, and we should behave like clever beggars. These do not hide their ulcers and their deformities. Far from it, they expose them and rely on them to excite compassion. Well, we should do the same with God. Show him with great humility and confidence the deep ulcers of our self‑love, of our sensuality, of our pride and vanity; these are sure to excite the compassion of our heavenly Father and to obtain from him ample alms in the form of graces.
We must hope firmly in spite of desolation and aridity and even “mystical night.” When we are in desolation, we feel sad and depressed, unable to pray and, as it were, loveless. We easily imagine that we do not love any more, though perhaps a little while before our hearts seemed consumed with love. And we imagine also that Jesus has left us on account of our iniquities.
In reality our love has not disappeared, not even diminished, and though it is no longer sensible to us, it is quite sensible to Jesus. Our love is no longer warm and delightful, but a sad and suffering love. We are sad, because Jesus our beloved is gone.
Desolation is one of those spiritual seasons which are necessary for the growth of our spiritual life. It is the spiritual winter as compared with the spring and summer of consolation. In winter there are no flowers, no leaves, perhaps no sign even of growth. Yet winter is not death, and the imperceptible buds that slowly form with the first warmth of spring will burst into shining leaves and beautiful flowers.
The winter of desolation and aridity uncovers to us our inherent poverty and makes us experience all our wretchedness, so fostering a holy disgust and contempt for self. And the lights of consolation that follow sooner or later reveal something of the lovableness of God and enkindle in our hearts the fire of divine love. Both consolation and desolation, then, are necessary to lead us on to perfect union with God and to holiness.
Let us never become discouraged and disheartened in the midst of spiritual trials, however long they may last. If God chooses us to pass through the “mystical nights” and especially the “night of the spirit,” we may remain in darkness and strong desolation for years at a stretch. But these nights, which are in reality great though hidden favors, are the crucible in which God thoroughly purifies the virtues, chiefly those of Faith, Hope, and Charity, in the soul that he wants to lead to perfect union with him.
Let us then, in spite of all appearance and difficulties, keep always a firm and blind Hope, based on God’s perfections. In this way we may one day with his grace reach that perfection to which he has called us, and which must always remain the final goal of our spiritual life.
For encouragement let us often recall to mind that famous page of Thérèse about a lift to raise us to sanctity. “You know it has ever been my desire to become a saint, but I have always felt in comparing myself with the saints that I am so far removed from them as the grain of sand which the passerby tramples under foot is remote from the mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds.
“Instead of being discouraged, I concluded that God would not inspire desires which could not be realized, and that I might aspire to sanctity in spite of my littleness. I must bear with myself and my many imperfections. But I will seek out a means of getting to Heaven by a little way―very short and very straight, a little way that is wholly new. We live in an age of inventions; now the rich need not trouble to climb the stairs. They have lifts instead. Well, I mean to try and find a lift by which I may be raised to God, for I am too tiny to climb the steep stairway of perfection. . . . Thine arms then, O Jesus, are the lift which must raise me up even unto Heaven.”
Better to understand this virtue, we must distinguish pure, genuine trust from false and impure trust. Pure trust is founded only on the perfections of God, upon His power, His wisdom, His watchful Providence, His goodness, His supremely merciful love. It looks exclusively to God. The impurities that spoil our trust, making of it a vulgar counterfeit, are our human hope, our reliance upon our strength, our own talents, or other natural means, even our own virtues and righteousness. Instead of keeping our look fixed on God, we fix it on ourselves.
Pure, genuine trust is rare. It is like gold which, in its natural state, is usually not found in a pure state and has to be refined in the crucible. Precisely because our confidence is not pure, it is wavering and shaky. It can be compared to a barometer that goes up and down with the weather. When all goes well, when the sun is bright and human appearances are good, then we feel confident. But let clouds darken the sky, let trials, desolation visit us, then our trust is very low and we lose courage.
True confidence is not weakened by unfavorable appearances, difficulties, failures, or other changes in fortune. On the contrary, the souls that hope only in God, and not in self, know that when all our efforts have failed, when things look hopeless, then God’s hand is near. Man has shown that by himself he can do nothing. Now God’s turn has come. He will show that He can do all things.
We should apply these considerations to any trial or difficulty we may have, either physical or spiritual sickness, poverty, desolations, temptations, persecutions, failure in our apostolate or whatever else may be a trial to us. We should especially apply them to or offer them up for those two great things which we should desire before everything else:
(1) the attainment of holiness for ourselves and (2) the saving of other souls. We should have a firm trust, a real confidence and assurance, based on God’s perfections, that, in spite of all difficulties, we shall one day reach that sanctity or holiness, which is the goal of all our spiritual activity, and that we shall, at the same time, save many souls.
We should hope for all this, in spite of our faults and sins. Monseigneur Pie, a famous French prelate, used to say: “God is in need of our faults and sins. If we had none, how could He exercise His wonderful mercy and forgiveness?” Our faults do not change the love of God for us, as the Parable of the Prodigal Son shows so well. But He asks us to be sorry for them and to repair them by our acts of humility and repentant love.
After yielding to a fault or committing a sin, we should never sulk, never be irked at ourselves (this would be the effect of our self‑love and pride), but, like a loving child, we should humbly and trustfully embrace our heavenly Father, imitating these children, who have been naughty and make up for it by lovingly embracing their mothers. “I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
The well‑known story of St. Jerome should encourage us. Our Lord one day said to the saint: “Jerome, give Me something.” And the saint replied: “But, my Lord, I have given You my life, my writings, everything I had.” Yet Jesus insisted and finally said these beautiful words: “Jerome, give Me your sins.” And to Sister Benigna, Consolata Ferrero, the little “secretary” of Jesus, he said, “Benigna, please sell Me your sins”
St. Thérèse, that great heroine of confidence, whose mission it has been to enkindle in legions of “little souls” the hope of reaching sanctity, has a beautiful page (a page perhaps never equaled) to show that we should lose nothing of our confidence on account of our shortcomings.
“It is not,” she writes in her autobiography, “because I have been preserved from mortal sin, that I lift up my heart to God in trust and love. I feel that, even if I had on my conscience every crime one could commit, I should lose nothing of my confidence. My heart broken with sorrow, I would throw myself into the arms of my Savior. I know that He loves the Prodigal Son; I have heard His words to Mary Magdalen; to the woman taken in adultery; and to the woman of Samaria. No one could frighten me, for I know what to believe concerning His mercy and His love. And I know that all that multitude of sins would disappear in an instant, even as a drop of water cast into a flaming furnace.”
The objection may easily occur to us: “Are faults then not obstacles to grace and to our spiritual progress?” They are, indeed, but only when we do not repent of them and when we do not repair them as we should. For souls that have learned the great “art of profiting by one’s sins,” faults become, on the contrary, a great means of progress. Properly repaired, they are like a precious fertilizer for the flowers of our virtues. To them we may apply the words of the Apostle: “All things work together unto good, to those who love God.” Yes, everything says St. Paul, even our sins. St. Mary Magdalen, St. Augustine, St. Angela de Foligno, St. Margaret of Cortona, and many other repentant sinners are eloquent examples that confirm this truth.
We should also hope in spite of our lack of progress and our constant failure in keeping our resolutions. The thought will often come to us, as it came even to the saints: “What progress have I made after so many years? At this rate I shall never reach perfection.” This thought may be useful to arouse us to further efforts, but it should never make us lose confidence.
A prime reason for this is that after all we know so little about our real progress in the spiritual life. The action of God in our souls is often shrouded in mystery. For very good reasons and especially to prevent all secret self‑complacency on our part, he does not want us to know exactly where we stand on the ladder to perfection.
A second reason is that God in his merciful love permits our ills and our helplessness for our good. They are not only useful but necessary for the full development of all our virtues‑‑‑a deep and sincere humility, love of our own abjection, genuine trust based, not on self, but on God’s perfections and above all for the acquisition of a pure, self‑forgetting love of God.
Without those repeated shortcomings, which are as a rule involuntary in fervent souls, we would never become entirely detached from self, never acquire that sincere, deep disgust of self without which we cannot reach the pure love of God ‑‑‑and sanctity. The whole of the spiritual life consists in dying to self in order to live in God. When a generous soul has a thousand times tasted the bitterness of that hateful self, which it used to love often unconsciously in spite of all its defects, then at last, in sheer disgust, it turns away from it and gives all its love to the only object worthy of it: to the infinite lovableness of God.
We should not lose confidence, we have said, because of our ever‑recurring defects. We may add, though it may sound paradoxical, that on the contrary we should have confidence because of them. We are all beggars before God and badly in need of his grace and his help, and we should behave like clever beggars. These do not hide their ulcers and their deformities. Far from it, they expose them and rely on them to excite compassion. Well, we should do the same with God. Show him with great humility and confidence the deep ulcers of our self‑love, of our sensuality, of our pride and vanity; these are sure to excite the compassion of our heavenly Father and to obtain from him ample alms in the form of graces.
We must hope firmly in spite of desolation and aridity and even “mystical night.” When we are in desolation, we feel sad and depressed, unable to pray and, as it were, loveless. We easily imagine that we do not love any more, though perhaps a little while before our hearts seemed consumed with love. And we imagine also that Jesus has left us on account of our iniquities.
In reality our love has not disappeared, not even diminished, and though it is no longer sensible to us, it is quite sensible to Jesus. Our love is no longer warm and delightful, but a sad and suffering love. We are sad, because Jesus our beloved is gone.
Desolation is one of those spiritual seasons which are necessary for the growth of our spiritual life. It is the spiritual winter as compared with the spring and summer of consolation. In winter there are no flowers, no leaves, perhaps no sign even of growth. Yet winter is not death, and the imperceptible buds that slowly form with the first warmth of spring will burst into shining leaves and beautiful flowers.
The winter of desolation and aridity uncovers to us our inherent poverty and makes us experience all our wretchedness, so fostering a holy disgust and contempt for self. And the lights of consolation that follow sooner or later reveal something of the lovableness of God and enkindle in our hearts the fire of divine love. Both consolation and desolation, then, are necessary to lead us on to perfect union with God and to holiness.
Let us never become discouraged and disheartened in the midst of spiritual trials, however long they may last. If God chooses us to pass through the “mystical nights” and especially the “night of the spirit,” we may remain in darkness and strong desolation for years at a stretch. But these nights, which are in reality great though hidden favors, are the crucible in which God thoroughly purifies the virtues, chiefly those of Faith, Hope, and Charity, in the soul that he wants to lead to perfect union with him.
Let us then, in spite of all appearance and difficulties, keep always a firm and blind Hope, based on God’s perfections. In this way we may one day with his grace reach that perfection to which he has called us, and which must always remain the final goal of our spiritual life.
For encouragement let us often recall to mind that famous page of Thérèse about a lift to raise us to sanctity. “You know it has ever been my desire to become a saint, but I have always felt in comparing myself with the saints that I am so far removed from them as the grain of sand which the passerby tramples under foot is remote from the mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds.
“Instead of being discouraged, I concluded that God would not inspire desires which could not be realized, and that I might aspire to sanctity in spite of my littleness. I must bear with myself and my many imperfections. But I will seek out a means of getting to Heaven by a little way―very short and very straight, a little way that is wholly new. We live in an age of inventions; now the rich need not trouble to climb the stairs. They have lifts instead. Well, I mean to try and find a lift by which I may be raised to God, for I am too tiny to climb the steep stairway of perfection. . . . Thine arms then, O Jesus, are the lift which must raise me up even unto Heaven.”
Article 7
Fortitude
Fortitude
When it comes to doing good, we find enormous difficulties in ourselves: the disordered inclination to evil and to the things of this world; the attraction of creatures called, in Holy Scripture, the “witchery of paltry things” (Wisdom 4:12). We need the Holy Spirit to moderate our affections, to regulate our lives, and to unite us more intimately with God, so that no earthly attraction, no worldly enchantment, can pull us away from His loving embrace. The Holy Spirit accomplishes this by means of the Gift of Fear. Prior to the resurrection of Our Lord, the Apostles were more fearful than courageous. The post-resurrection period required a transition from fear to fortitude. This fortitude would be perfected in them 50 days after the Resurrection with the coming of Holy Ghost at Pentecost―bringing to them the perfection of fortitude as one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost.
According to one translation of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon the Wise has said: “All things are hard” (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Experience teaches us the meaning of his words, and how true they are for human nature. The more noble and generous the undertakings, the greater the difficulties. How many obstacles have to be overcome before we reach eternal happiness! We may recognize our duty with precision and exactitude; we may have a desire to fulfill it and to take the paths God has marked out for us — but our nature finds it so hard! We need such strength and sacrifice; we fail so many times; and knowing that, we may abandon the right road, we give up the undertaking because it seems too painful.
In the spiritual life, there are difficulties and there are also dangers: occasions of sin and obstacles to good. Job said that human life is temptation. St. Peter said that the devil goes about like a roaring lion, looking for a chance to devour us. Dangers come from our associates, from the depths of our own being, and also from the infernal powers that plot against us and keep us from traveling a straight and direct path to perfection and happiness.
We need extraordinary strength to help us bear these difficulties, avoid these dangers, strive toward the accomplishment of the will of God, and finally reach the end for which we were made. Heaven belongs to the strong, and for this reason there are relatively few saints: for few have the fortitude to make the efforts and sacrifices required by perfection.
That we may overcome the difficulties and escape the dangers, God has provided us with a set of virtues grouped around the cardinal virtue of fortitude. These are patience, perseverance, fidelity, magnanimity, and a number of others which, like an army in battle array, stand ready to help us. They are very efficacious, yet they are not sufficient; for virtues, as already explained, although they are supernatural, receive in our practice of them our own stamp: the human character, narrow, limited, and very weak.
Therefore does Holy Scripture say that “the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans” (Wisdom 9:14). Our acts have the seal of weakness and deficiency. If we are to attain salvation, fortitude with its companion virtues is not enough. A gift is needed, the Gift of the Holy Spirit that bears the same name as the virtue of fortitude: the Gift of Fortitude. The Holy Spirit moves us by this Gift so that we are able to overcome difficulties, to avoid dangers, and to have confidence. “I can do all things,” exclaimed the Apostle St. Paul, “in Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Let us now analyze the reasons why the virtue of fortitude must be completed by the corresponding Gift. The virtues have a norm distinct from the Gifts. The virtue of fortitude encourages us in laborious works and fills us with the strength to overcome difficulties; but as it functions according to the measure of our human strength, it cannot encourage us to do anything above that strength. All virtue, theologians say, consists in the middle course; any deviation of our will to the right or to the left removes us from virtue. Fortitude, the virtue, certainly does not permit irrational timidity, but neither can it prompt us to undertake with assurance and boldness anything superior to our human strength. We find this prudent counsel in Holy Scripture: “With what is too much for you, meddle not” (Ecclesiasticus 3:22).
Now, is it not too much for human strength to complete every work and avoid every danger? Where is the man strong, great, persevering enough to finish every labor he undertakes and to escape from every peril he finds in his path? The work which the Christian has to achieve, the sanctification of his soul, the winning of eternal salvation, is the greatest and most arduous work known on Earth. Can man, by his own strength — though assisted by divine aids yet still by his own strength — do this tremendous work and avoid all the dangers of a lifetime? Undoubtedly he cannot. He needs some aid that is superior to the virtues; he needs the Gift of Fortitude.
The measure and norm of the Gift of Fortitude is infinite strength, the strength of God. By means of this Gift the Holy Spirit prompts us to do all that the strength of God can do. In the supernatural order, under the movement of the Holy Spirit, creatures are actually clothed with the strength of God. St. Paul does not exaggerate when he says: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). The words may seem boastful and proud: I can do everything.
How can St. Paul say this when the ability to do everything is proper to God alone? What he means is: I can do everything because I depend on God, because I possess His strength, because I am clothed in His divine Fortitude. Such is the norm of the Gift of Fortitude, the infinite strength of God. With this strength we can conquer every difficulty; in fact, we often observe how obstacles become a means to some good end in the all-powerful hands of God. And with this same strength we can overcome all dangers, for none is so grave as to withstand the power of the Most High.
Not only does the Gift of Fortitude help us overcome difficulties and avoid dangers, but it also gives us a confidence like that which the Apostle Paul describes in the passage just cited; a confidence, a security, that produces peace in our souls in the midst of dangers, in struggles, in all our tribulations. There is nothing so glorious as the spectacle offered by the lives of the saints: in the midst of difficulties, in their struggles against the powers of Earth and Hell, they preserved peace and happiness, for they were ruled by the Holy Spirit and worked under the efficacious and omnipotent force of the Gift of Fortitude. Let us take a few examples.
By means of the Gift of Fortitude the saints have attained the incredible perfection that makes them take joy in suffering. It is hardly possible for us to understand how happiness can spring from the very depths of pain, but it is true. St. Francis of Assisi and his companion, on a certain journey, stopped that the saint might explain in what perfect happiness consists. I shall not dwell on the well-known story except to remind you of the conclusion which the Seraph of Assisi gave to it: “O Brother Leo, perfect happiness consists in suffering for Christ, who willed to suffer so much for us.” These are not the words of a scholar trying to impress his audience: they spring from one who had the sincerity of a child. Francis truly means that the greatest happiness, the most perfect happiness, is the celestial happiness of suffering. This he could only say under the influence of the Gift of Fortitude.
St. Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch, while being taken to Rome to his martyrdom, gave another example of what the Gift of Fortitude does for the soul. He addressed an amazing letter to the Roman Christians, the purpose of which was to entreat them, in the heart of Christ, not to prevent his martyrdom: “ ... If the wild beasts do not throw themselves upon me, as has happened with some martyrs, I shall incite them to do so. Forgive me, my children, but I know what is good for me; for I am the wheat of Christ and I must be crushed by the teeth of wild beasts so that I may be converted into immaculate bread.” These are the words and the attitude of a very wise man, a man under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who enjoys the efficacious strength of the Gift of Fortitude.
In other saints we find the Gift of Fortitude having an influence on acts that are not so extraordinary and heroic. Pope Gregory VII is an example of it in his gigantic struggle against the enemies of the Church. The superhuman strength shown by St. Teresa, in the reform of the Carmelite Order, likewise manifests the working of the Gift of Fortitude. She endured enormous difficulties in her contacts with all kinds of people, while, at the same time suffering a tremendous desolation of soul. Could she have accomplished her work without the Gift of Fortitude?
It is necessary even in ordinary life. Every Christian finds himself, at some time or other, in a difficult situation, in which he needs the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Fortitude is also indispensable to perseverance in virtue, to the efforts that must be made to attain Heaven. Without it, the heart is lacking in peace and confidence.
Thanks be to God, we received the Gift of Fortitude on the day of our Baptism. We keep it as long as we have grace in our soul. The Holy Spirit is within us, and we can receive His efficacious aid whenever it is needed.
The Degrees of the Gift of Fortitude
(1) In the first degree we can do all that is absolutely necessary for the salvation of our soul; all that God commands us, even extraordinary and heroic things.
(2) In the second degree our spirit acquires a superior strength, not only that we may accomplish what is absolutely necessary, what is of precept, but also that we may do the things of Counsel, according to the duties and the spirit of each soul in the state in which God has placed it.
(3) In the third degree the Gift of Fortitude elevates us above every created good; it makes us conquer ourselves, and places us in the very heart of God, where boundless confidence and unchanging peace reign.
If only we knew the Gift of God; if only we knew what a marvelous world we carry within our soul! If only we realized the incomparable and divine beauty of the supernatural world! In the exterior world there are marvelous things. Who is not delighted with the sweet fragrance of spring? Who has not experienced the mysterious charm of the dewy woods? Who does not feel the grandeur of the ocean when he hears its mighty voice, when he sees the surge and beat of its great waves? Who does not experience a delicious peace while contemplating on a tranquil night the stars that sparkle so mysteriously in the heavens? Yet all this is nothing in comparison with the supernatural world.
Or if we pass to the realm of science and art, to all the marvelous works that man has produced, this is still nothing in comparison with our interior world, because there we have God. His graces and Gifts are found in the sanctuary of our soul, and so we carry a divine world within us. Yet, for the most part, the greater majority of people are blind to this! Jesus said: “Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). And as Holy Scripture adds: “But our God is in Heaven. The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them” (Psalm 113:11-16).
According to one translation of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon the Wise has said: “All things are hard” (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Experience teaches us the meaning of his words, and how true they are for human nature. The more noble and generous the undertakings, the greater the difficulties. How many obstacles have to be overcome before we reach eternal happiness! We may recognize our duty with precision and exactitude; we may have a desire to fulfill it and to take the paths God has marked out for us — but our nature finds it so hard! We need such strength and sacrifice; we fail so many times; and knowing that, we may abandon the right road, we give up the undertaking because it seems too painful.
In the spiritual life, there are difficulties and there are also dangers: occasions of sin and obstacles to good. Job said that human life is temptation. St. Peter said that the devil goes about like a roaring lion, looking for a chance to devour us. Dangers come from our associates, from the depths of our own being, and also from the infernal powers that plot against us and keep us from traveling a straight and direct path to perfection and happiness.
We need extraordinary strength to help us bear these difficulties, avoid these dangers, strive toward the accomplishment of the will of God, and finally reach the end for which we were made. Heaven belongs to the strong, and for this reason there are relatively few saints: for few have the fortitude to make the efforts and sacrifices required by perfection.
That we may overcome the difficulties and escape the dangers, God has provided us with a set of virtues grouped around the cardinal virtue of fortitude. These are patience, perseverance, fidelity, magnanimity, and a number of others which, like an army in battle array, stand ready to help us. They are very efficacious, yet they are not sufficient; for virtues, as already explained, although they are supernatural, receive in our practice of them our own stamp: the human character, narrow, limited, and very weak.
Therefore does Holy Scripture say that “the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans” (Wisdom 9:14). Our acts have the seal of weakness and deficiency. If we are to attain salvation, fortitude with its companion virtues is not enough. A gift is needed, the Gift of the Holy Spirit that bears the same name as the virtue of fortitude: the Gift of Fortitude. The Holy Spirit moves us by this Gift so that we are able to overcome difficulties, to avoid dangers, and to have confidence. “I can do all things,” exclaimed the Apostle St. Paul, “in Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Let us now analyze the reasons why the virtue of fortitude must be completed by the corresponding Gift. The virtues have a norm distinct from the Gifts. The virtue of fortitude encourages us in laborious works and fills us with the strength to overcome difficulties; but as it functions according to the measure of our human strength, it cannot encourage us to do anything above that strength. All virtue, theologians say, consists in the middle course; any deviation of our will to the right or to the left removes us from virtue. Fortitude, the virtue, certainly does not permit irrational timidity, but neither can it prompt us to undertake with assurance and boldness anything superior to our human strength. We find this prudent counsel in Holy Scripture: “With what is too much for you, meddle not” (Ecclesiasticus 3:22).
Now, is it not too much for human strength to complete every work and avoid every danger? Where is the man strong, great, persevering enough to finish every labor he undertakes and to escape from every peril he finds in his path? The work which the Christian has to achieve, the sanctification of his soul, the winning of eternal salvation, is the greatest and most arduous work known on Earth. Can man, by his own strength — though assisted by divine aids yet still by his own strength — do this tremendous work and avoid all the dangers of a lifetime? Undoubtedly he cannot. He needs some aid that is superior to the virtues; he needs the Gift of Fortitude.
The measure and norm of the Gift of Fortitude is infinite strength, the strength of God. By means of this Gift the Holy Spirit prompts us to do all that the strength of God can do. In the supernatural order, under the movement of the Holy Spirit, creatures are actually clothed with the strength of God. St. Paul does not exaggerate when he says: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). The words may seem boastful and proud: I can do everything.
How can St. Paul say this when the ability to do everything is proper to God alone? What he means is: I can do everything because I depend on God, because I possess His strength, because I am clothed in His divine Fortitude. Such is the norm of the Gift of Fortitude, the infinite strength of God. With this strength we can conquer every difficulty; in fact, we often observe how obstacles become a means to some good end in the all-powerful hands of God. And with this same strength we can overcome all dangers, for none is so grave as to withstand the power of the Most High.
Not only does the Gift of Fortitude help us overcome difficulties and avoid dangers, but it also gives us a confidence like that which the Apostle Paul describes in the passage just cited; a confidence, a security, that produces peace in our souls in the midst of dangers, in struggles, in all our tribulations. There is nothing so glorious as the spectacle offered by the lives of the saints: in the midst of difficulties, in their struggles against the powers of Earth and Hell, they preserved peace and happiness, for they were ruled by the Holy Spirit and worked under the efficacious and omnipotent force of the Gift of Fortitude. Let us take a few examples.
By means of the Gift of Fortitude the saints have attained the incredible perfection that makes them take joy in suffering. It is hardly possible for us to understand how happiness can spring from the very depths of pain, but it is true. St. Francis of Assisi and his companion, on a certain journey, stopped that the saint might explain in what perfect happiness consists. I shall not dwell on the well-known story except to remind you of the conclusion which the Seraph of Assisi gave to it: “O Brother Leo, perfect happiness consists in suffering for Christ, who willed to suffer so much for us.” These are not the words of a scholar trying to impress his audience: they spring from one who had the sincerity of a child. Francis truly means that the greatest happiness, the most perfect happiness, is the celestial happiness of suffering. This he could only say under the influence of the Gift of Fortitude.
St. Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch, while being taken to Rome to his martyrdom, gave another example of what the Gift of Fortitude does for the soul. He addressed an amazing letter to the Roman Christians, the purpose of which was to entreat them, in the heart of Christ, not to prevent his martyrdom: “ ... If the wild beasts do not throw themselves upon me, as has happened with some martyrs, I shall incite them to do so. Forgive me, my children, but I know what is good for me; for I am the wheat of Christ and I must be crushed by the teeth of wild beasts so that I may be converted into immaculate bread.” These are the words and the attitude of a very wise man, a man under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who enjoys the efficacious strength of the Gift of Fortitude.
In other saints we find the Gift of Fortitude having an influence on acts that are not so extraordinary and heroic. Pope Gregory VII is an example of it in his gigantic struggle against the enemies of the Church. The superhuman strength shown by St. Teresa, in the reform of the Carmelite Order, likewise manifests the working of the Gift of Fortitude. She endured enormous difficulties in her contacts with all kinds of people, while, at the same time suffering a tremendous desolation of soul. Could she have accomplished her work without the Gift of Fortitude?
It is necessary even in ordinary life. Every Christian finds himself, at some time or other, in a difficult situation, in which he needs the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Fortitude is also indispensable to perseverance in virtue, to the efforts that must be made to attain Heaven. Without it, the heart is lacking in peace and confidence.
Thanks be to God, we received the Gift of Fortitude on the day of our Baptism. We keep it as long as we have grace in our soul. The Holy Spirit is within us, and we can receive His efficacious aid whenever it is needed.
The Degrees of the Gift of Fortitude
(1) In the first degree we can do all that is absolutely necessary for the salvation of our soul; all that God commands us, even extraordinary and heroic things.
(2) In the second degree our spirit acquires a superior strength, not only that we may accomplish what is absolutely necessary, what is of precept, but also that we may do the things of Counsel, according to the duties and the spirit of each soul in the state in which God has placed it.
(3) In the third degree the Gift of Fortitude elevates us above every created good; it makes us conquer ourselves, and places us in the very heart of God, where boundless confidence and unchanging peace reign.
If only we knew the Gift of God; if only we knew what a marvelous world we carry within our soul! If only we realized the incomparable and divine beauty of the supernatural world! In the exterior world there are marvelous things. Who is not delighted with the sweet fragrance of spring? Who has not experienced the mysterious charm of the dewy woods? Who does not feel the grandeur of the ocean when he hears its mighty voice, when he sees the surge and beat of its great waves? Who does not experience a delicious peace while contemplating on a tranquil night the stars that sparkle so mysteriously in the heavens? Yet all this is nothing in comparison with the supernatural world.
Or if we pass to the realm of science and art, to all the marvelous works that man has produced, this is still nothing in comparison with our interior world, because there we have God. His graces and Gifts are found in the sanctuary of our soul, and so we carry a divine world within us. Yet, for the most part, the greater majority of people are blind to this! Jesus said: “Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). And as Holy Scripture adds: “But our God is in Heaven. The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them” (Psalm 113:11-16).
Article 8
Mercy
Mercy
NEITHER STONE NOR CONDONE!
In Holy Scripture we see an event that epitomizes what Jesus is “all about”—as He Himself says elsewhere: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!” (Luke 19:10).
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that in everything that God does, justice and mercy work together. God is never just without being merciful and He is never merciful without being just. Our puny human minds and our narrow-minded human attitudes can only grasp an “either-or” situation—we are either just or we are merciful. If we show mercy, we imagine we robbing justice; or if we show justice then we imagine are stealing from mercy.
We ought to remember the words of God: “My thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts!” (Isaias 55:8-9). “For He saith to Moses: ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy!’” (Romans 9:15). There were not many who were prepared to show mercy to the woman caught in adultery—and let us not forget, they were simply following the law of God, which stated:
“Because she hath done a wicked thing in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house, they shall cast her out of the doors of her father’s house, and the men of the city shall stone her to death, and she shall die, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee. If a man lie with another man’s wife, they shall both die, that is to say, the adulterer and the adulteress: and thou shalt take away the evil out of Israel. If a man have espoused a damsel that is a virgin, and some one find her in the city, and lie with her, thou shalt bring them both out to the gate of that city, and they shall be stoned” (Deuteronomy 22:21-24).
When we look at the Old Testament and the New Testament, we could say that the Old Testament was a time when the justice of God was to the fore, whereas the New Testament is a time where the mercy of God is more prominent—due to the merciful arrival and personal sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to lay down His life on Calvary so that sinners might find mercy.
We see Our Lord insist upon this mercy and show this mercy many times in both His words and actions—at times rebuking those who were overly focused upon the “justice” side of things, to the extent that they ignored or even refused to apply the “merciful” side.
When the inhabitants of a Samaritan town refused to accept Jesus in their town, because they realized that He was a Jew on His way to Jerusalem (the Jews and Samaritans were sworn enemies of each other), Our Lord’s Apostles, James and John, wanted to bring fire down from Heaven as a vengeful and just punishment:
“And it came to pass, when the days of His assumption were accomplishing, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers before His face; and going, they entered into a city of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. And they received Him not, because His face was of one going to Jerusalem. And when His disciples, James and John, had seen this, they said: ‘Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?’ And turning, He rebuked them, saying: ‘You know not of what spirit you are! The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save!’ And they went into another town” (Luke 9:51-56).
“Then came Peter unto Him and said: ‘Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?’ Jesus saith to him: ‘I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times! Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all! And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.
“But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: ‘Pay what thou owest!’ And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all!’ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.
“Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him; and said to him: ‘Thou wicked servant! I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me! Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?’ And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts!’” (Matthew 18:21-35).
Mercy is the forgiveness of what need not or ought not to be forgiven. Indeed, mercy follows after, not before, both forgiveness and punishment. Mercy was never designed to minimize the heinousness of sins or to eliminate their possibility. It was meant to affirm their disorder. But their disorder did not prevent God from forgetting them to allow us to begin anew.
Thus, God does not just “forgive” sins because He is merciful. He forgives them in the context of our realizing and acknowledging their disorder. Mercy is designed to encourage virtue, not to undermine it.
If we want to be shown the mercy of God—and who doesn’t?—then we had better show mercy unto others! “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy!” (Matthew 5:7). “Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy!” (James 2:13).
Our Lord showed mercy to the woman caught in adultery―whereas the Scribes and Pharisees were ready to stone her to death. “And the Scribes and the Pharisees brought unto Jesus a woman taken in adultery and they set her in the midst, and said to Him: ‘Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery! Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one! But what sayest Thou?’ And this they said tempting Him, that they might accuse Him.
“But Jesus, bowing himself down, wrote with His finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said to them: ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her!’ And again stooping down, He wrote on the ground.
“But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up Himself, said to her: ‘Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?’
Who said: ‘No man, Lord!’
And Jesus said: ‘Neither will I condemn thee! Go, and now sin no more!’” (John 8:1-11).
OUR LADY ON THE LACK OF MERCY
Our Lady made the following disclosures when speaking to the Venerable Mary of Agreda:
“I wish on this occasion to reveal to thee the just reproach and indignation of the Most High against mortals … The cause of this reproach, which the Lord and I have to make against men, is the inhuman perversity of men in persisting to treat each other with so much lack of humility and love. In this they commit three faults, which displease the Most High very much and which cause the Almighty and me to withhold many mercies.
“The first fault is, that men, knowing that they are all children of the same Father in Heaven, works of His hands, formed of the same nature, graciously nourished and kept alive by His Providence, reared at the same table of divine mysteries and Sacraments, especially of His own body and blood, nevertheless forget and despise all these advantages, concentrating all their interest upon earthly and trivial affairs, exciting themselves without reason, swelling with indignation, creating discords, quarrels, indulging in detractions and harsh words, sometimes rising up to most wicked and inhuman vengeance or mortal hate of one another.
“The second fault is, that, when through human frailty and want of mortification, incited by the temptation of the devil, they happen to fall into one of these faults, they do not at once seek to rid themselves of it nor strive to be again reconciled, as should be done by brothers in the presence of a just judge. Thus they deny Him as their merciful Father and force Him to become the severe and rigid Judge of their sins; for no faults excite Him sooner to exercise His severity than the sins of revenge and hate.
“The third offense, which causes His great indignation, is, that sometimes, when a brother comes in order to be reconciled, he, that deems himself offended, will not receive him and asks a greater satisfaction than that which he knows would be accepted by the Lord, and which he himself offers as satisfaction to God’s Majesty.
“For all of them wish that God, who is most grievously offended, should receive and pardon them, whenever they approach Him with humility and contrition; while those that are but dust and ashes, ask to be revenged upon their brothers and will not content themselves with the satisfaction, which the Most High himself readily accepts for their own sins.
“Of all the sins, which the sons of the Church commit, none is more horrible than these in the eyes of the Most High. This thou wilt readily understand by the divine light and in the vigor of God’s law, which commands men to pardon their brethren, although they may have offended seventy times seven. And if a brother offend many times every day, as soon as he says that he is sorry for it, the Lord commands us to forgive the offending brother as many times without counting the number.
“And those that are not willing to forgive, He threatens with severest punishment on account of the scandal, which they cause by not forgiving. This can be gathered from the threatening words of God himself: “Woe to him from whom scandal comes and through whom scandal is caused! It were better for him, if he fell into the depths of the sea with a heavy millstone around his neck. This was said in order to indicate the danger of this sin and the difficulty of obtaining deliverance therefrom, which must be compared to that of a man dropping into the sea with a grinding-stone around his neck. It also points out that the punishment is the abyss of eternal pains” (Matthew 18:9). Therefore the command of my most holy Son is good advice to the faithful, that they rather permit their eyes to be torn out and their hands chopped off, than allow themselves to fall into this crime of scandalizing the little ones by not being forgiving.”
In Holy Scripture we see an event that epitomizes what Jesus is “all about”—as He Himself says elsewhere: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!” (Luke 19:10).
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that in everything that God does, justice and mercy work together. God is never just without being merciful and He is never merciful without being just. Our puny human minds and our narrow-minded human attitudes can only grasp an “either-or” situation—we are either just or we are merciful. If we show mercy, we imagine we robbing justice; or if we show justice then we imagine are stealing from mercy.
We ought to remember the words of God: “My thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts!” (Isaias 55:8-9). “For He saith to Moses: ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy!’” (Romans 9:15). There were not many who were prepared to show mercy to the woman caught in adultery—and let us not forget, they were simply following the law of God, which stated:
“Because she hath done a wicked thing in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house, they shall cast her out of the doors of her father’s house, and the men of the city shall stone her to death, and she shall die, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee. If a man lie with another man’s wife, they shall both die, that is to say, the adulterer and the adulteress: and thou shalt take away the evil out of Israel. If a man have espoused a damsel that is a virgin, and some one find her in the city, and lie with her, thou shalt bring them both out to the gate of that city, and they shall be stoned” (Deuteronomy 22:21-24).
When we look at the Old Testament and the New Testament, we could say that the Old Testament was a time when the justice of God was to the fore, whereas the New Testament is a time where the mercy of God is more prominent—due to the merciful arrival and personal sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to lay down His life on Calvary so that sinners might find mercy.
We see Our Lord insist upon this mercy and show this mercy many times in both His words and actions—at times rebuking those who were overly focused upon the “justice” side of things, to the extent that they ignored or even refused to apply the “merciful” side.
When the inhabitants of a Samaritan town refused to accept Jesus in their town, because they realized that He was a Jew on His way to Jerusalem (the Jews and Samaritans were sworn enemies of each other), Our Lord’s Apostles, James and John, wanted to bring fire down from Heaven as a vengeful and just punishment:
“And it came to pass, when the days of His assumption were accomplishing, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers before His face; and going, they entered into a city of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. And they received Him not, because His face was of one going to Jerusalem. And when His disciples, James and John, had seen this, they said: ‘Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?’ And turning, He rebuked them, saying: ‘You know not of what spirit you are! The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save!’ And they went into another town” (Luke 9:51-56).
“Then came Peter unto Him and said: ‘Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?’ Jesus saith to him: ‘I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times! Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all! And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.
“But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: ‘Pay what thou owest!’ And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all!’ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.
“Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him; and said to him: ‘Thou wicked servant! I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me! Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?’ And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts!’” (Matthew 18:21-35).
Mercy is the forgiveness of what need not or ought not to be forgiven. Indeed, mercy follows after, not before, both forgiveness and punishment. Mercy was never designed to minimize the heinousness of sins or to eliminate their possibility. It was meant to affirm their disorder. But their disorder did not prevent God from forgetting them to allow us to begin anew.
Thus, God does not just “forgive” sins because He is merciful. He forgives them in the context of our realizing and acknowledging their disorder. Mercy is designed to encourage virtue, not to undermine it.
If we want to be shown the mercy of God—and who doesn’t?—then we had better show mercy unto others! “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy!” (Matthew 5:7). “Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy!” (James 2:13).
Our Lord showed mercy to the woman caught in adultery―whereas the Scribes and Pharisees were ready to stone her to death. “And the Scribes and the Pharisees brought unto Jesus a woman taken in adultery and they set her in the midst, and said to Him: ‘Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery! Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one! But what sayest Thou?’ And this they said tempting Him, that they might accuse Him.
“But Jesus, bowing himself down, wrote with His finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said to them: ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her!’ And again stooping down, He wrote on the ground.
“But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up Himself, said to her: ‘Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?’
Who said: ‘No man, Lord!’
And Jesus said: ‘Neither will I condemn thee! Go, and now sin no more!’” (John 8:1-11).
OUR LADY ON THE LACK OF MERCY
Our Lady made the following disclosures when speaking to the Venerable Mary of Agreda:
“I wish on this occasion to reveal to thee the just reproach and indignation of the Most High against mortals … The cause of this reproach, which the Lord and I have to make against men, is the inhuman perversity of men in persisting to treat each other with so much lack of humility and love. In this they commit three faults, which displease the Most High very much and which cause the Almighty and me to withhold many mercies.
“The first fault is, that men, knowing that they are all children of the same Father in Heaven, works of His hands, formed of the same nature, graciously nourished and kept alive by His Providence, reared at the same table of divine mysteries and Sacraments, especially of His own body and blood, nevertheless forget and despise all these advantages, concentrating all their interest upon earthly and trivial affairs, exciting themselves without reason, swelling with indignation, creating discords, quarrels, indulging in detractions and harsh words, sometimes rising up to most wicked and inhuman vengeance or mortal hate of one another.
“The second fault is, that, when through human frailty and want of mortification, incited by the temptation of the devil, they happen to fall into one of these faults, they do not at once seek to rid themselves of it nor strive to be again reconciled, as should be done by brothers in the presence of a just judge. Thus they deny Him as their merciful Father and force Him to become the severe and rigid Judge of their sins; for no faults excite Him sooner to exercise His severity than the sins of revenge and hate.
“The third offense, which causes His great indignation, is, that sometimes, when a brother comes in order to be reconciled, he, that deems himself offended, will not receive him and asks a greater satisfaction than that which he knows would be accepted by the Lord, and which he himself offers as satisfaction to God’s Majesty.
“For all of them wish that God, who is most grievously offended, should receive and pardon them, whenever they approach Him with humility and contrition; while those that are but dust and ashes, ask to be revenged upon their brothers and will not content themselves with the satisfaction, which the Most High himself readily accepts for their own sins.
“Of all the sins, which the sons of the Church commit, none is more horrible than these in the eyes of the Most High. This thou wilt readily understand by the divine light and in the vigor of God’s law, which commands men to pardon their brethren, although they may have offended seventy times seven. And if a brother offend many times every day, as soon as he says that he is sorry for it, the Lord commands us to forgive the offending brother as many times without counting the number.
“And those that are not willing to forgive, He threatens with severest punishment on account of the scandal, which they cause by not forgiving. This can be gathered from the threatening words of God himself: “Woe to him from whom scandal comes and through whom scandal is caused! It were better for him, if he fell into the depths of the sea with a heavy millstone around his neck. This was said in order to indicate the danger of this sin and the difficulty of obtaining deliverance therefrom, which must be compared to that of a man dropping into the sea with a grinding-stone around his neck. It also points out that the punishment is the abyss of eternal pains” (Matthew 18:9). Therefore the command of my most holy Son is good advice to the faithful, that they rather permit their eyes to be torn out and their hands chopped off, than allow themselves to fall into this crime of scandalizing the little ones by not being forgiving.”
Article 9
Justice
This article is currently being written. Sections will be posted as they are written. Please check back later.
Justice
This article is currently being written. Sections will be posted as they are written. Please check back later.
With many people, the subject of the previous article, mercy, is a very likeable thought―for we all want mercy. Justice, however, is not quite so popular―for we usually link justice with punishment. Yet that is not the case. Justice is not one-sided, but two-sided―for it not only concerns itself with punishing, but also with rewarding. All of this will unfold as we go along.
St. Thomas Aquinas ranked justice as the second of the four Cardinal Virtues, behind prudence, but before fortitude and temperance. Prudence (“right reason applied to practice”) is the perfection of the intellect, while justice (“habitual inclination of the will”) perfects our will. Justice is the constant and permanent determination to give everyone his or her rightful due―whether it be God or man. Charity may rise above justice, to give someone more than he is rightfully due―but justice always requires perfect precision in rendering to each person what he is due.
Justice, then, respects the rights of others, whether those rights are natural (the right to life and limb, the rights that arise because of our natural obligations to family and kin, the most fundamental property rights, the right to worship God and to do what is necessary to save our souls) or legal (contract rights, constitutional rights, civil rights).
Should legal rights ever come into conflict with natural rights, then natural rights take precedence, and justice demands that natural rights be respected. Thus, law cannot take away the natural right of parents to educate their children in the way that is best for the children. Nor can justice allow the granting of legal rights to one person (such as the “right to an abortion”) at the expense of the natural rights of another (in that case, the right to life and limb). To do so is to fail “to give everyone his or her rightful due.”
Justice is the virtue that seeks to promote fair play. It’s the desire and resolve to give each person his due―in the positive and negative sense. It demands that you reward goodness and punish evil. Justice can be one of three different types:
● Commutative justice is based on the principle of quid pro quo, which is Latin for this for that. Commutative justice requires, for example, that a customer pay a fair price for worthwhile goods.
● Distributive justice involves the relationship between one and many — between an individual and a group — a person and the government, for example.
● Social justice concerns the relationships between individuals and groups between one another and everyone. The common good and equal treatments are the cornerstones of social justice.
Justice disposes us to give everyone what belongs to him. It teaches us to give what is due to God and to man. It makes us willing to live according to the commandments. Justice perfects the will and safeguards the rights of man: his right to life, freedom, honor, good name, sanctity of the home, and external possessions.
The Parts of Justice
The Cardinal Virtues―Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance―are called “cardinal” because other virtues hinge upon them. Our word cardinal goes back to the Latin adjective “cardinalis”, which meant “serving as a hinge.” Thus the Justice has several parts, or subsections, or sub-virtues, each of which are opposed by various vices:
(1) The Virtue of Religion
(2) The Virtue of Obedience/Piety
(3) The Virtue of Observance/Courtesy
(4) The Virtue of Gratitude
(5) The Virtue of Vindication
(6) The Virtue of Truthfulness/Honesty
(7) The Virtue of Fraternity/Affability
(8) The Virtue of Generosity/Liberality
(9) The Virtue of Kindness
(10) The Virtue of Responsibility/Duty
(11) The Virtue of Defense/Protection
The Virtue of Religion
Religion is the good habit of a man to continually praise and worship God, recognizing that he can never give or repay God for all God has done for a man. The habitual acts of the virtue of Religion are carried out consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church through the sub-virtues (good habits) of Prayer, Devotion (reception of the Sacraments, pious acts, adoration) and various forms of Sacrifice (oaths, tithes, alms, fasts, service, self-offering to God). The man who practices the virtue of Religion keeps a daily routine (or, rule) which integrates his priority on seeking God with his worldly responsibilities and follows recognized devotions of the Church. The virtue of Religion is also often revered to as Piety.
The opposing vices of Religion include the bad habits of False Worship (practicing false religions, superstition, idolatry, simony, witchcraft, devil worship) and Irreligion (rejection of God and the duty to praise, worship and honor Him). The man who practices False Worship or Irreligion lives without the blessings of the Sacraments and without the sure grace of the Holy Spirit in his life to guide and strengthen him, and leaves himself vulnerable to the temptations and attacks of Satan and his demons; False Worship and Irreligion inevitably lead to unhappiness and discontent.
The Virtue of Obedience/Piety
Obedience is the good habit of a man who consistently renders people and institutions superior to him their rightful due, including honoring and acts of charity to one’s parents, being loyal to one’s friends and mentors, willingly abiding by the just and moral laws and institutions of one’s country and having a loyalty to one’s country (patriotism). The man of Obedience/Piety has stability in his life, for he willingly belongs, knows his place in society and receives spiritual blessings which come to those who live with appreciation of others.
The opposing vices of Obedience/Piety include the bad habits of Dishonoring Parents, Disloyalty to one’s friends, mentors and country, and Disobedience to rightful authority and just laws. The man who rejects Piety/Obedience arrogantly lives the life of a bitter or uncaring outsider and experiences the suffering of chaos, loneliness and rejection that comes to those who refuse to belong and rebel against the just authority of others.
The Virtue of Observance/Courtesy
Observance/Courtesy is the good habit of a man who recognizes the inherent dignity of every soul and treats others with respect by being cordial, polite, chivalrous, and practicing good manners which seeks not to offend the rightful peace of others. The man who lives with Observance/Courtesy experiences happiness as he seeks to make others comfortable and receives many positive responses from others in return.
The opposing vices of Observance/Courtesy include the bad habit of Rudeness which disregards and disrespects others acts by callous words and behaviors which purposefully or ignorantly rejects the accepted customs of manners and behaviors of society. The Rude man is small and bitter, experiencing life as constant conflict, perhaps even taking perverse pleasure in agitating others.
The Virtue of Gratitude
Gratitude is the good habit of a man which cultivates a continual recognition of the blessings from God and others and responds with words and acts of thanks to express his appreciation of another’s kindness. The Grateful man experiences sustaining joy as he searches for, finds, and gives thanks for the numerous blessings from God and others in his daily life.
The opposing vices of Gratitude include the bad habit of Ingratitude in which a man cultivates a self-centered lack of recognition of the blessings from God and others, a sense of entitlement and often a malformed attitude of being a false victim or misplaced beliefs of persecution. The Ungrateful man lives a life of resentment, anger and isolation, losing the grace of God and the friendship of those who grow weary of extending favors and love to one who is not grateful.
The Virtue of Vindication
Vindication is the good habit of a man who seeks to uphold Justice by recognizing just and unjust acts, defending and encouraging the innocent and those who do good against unjust attack and charitably confronting those who do evil, supporting the rule of law/justice by holding evil-doers to account and ensuring just punishment (Vengeance) when necessary and defending the innocent and weak. The man who charitably exercises the virtue of Vindication helps maintain peace and seeks to call sinners to conversion by holding them to account for their evil against other.
The opposing vices of Vindication include the vice of False Mercy which excuses evil and fails to promote Justice, and the vice of Cruelty/Brutality by which punishment exceeds the crime in amount or type, often with a sadistic and perverse pleasure at the suffering of others or self-righteousness. The man who fails in Vindication may experience false self-righteous pleasure but gravely sins against others by under or over responding to evil.
The Virtue of Truthfulness/Honesty
Truthfulness/Honesty is the good habit of a man who grasps the reality of God and His Truth as preserved in its fullness in the Catholic Church and strives to always form and conform his thoughts, words and deeds to the reality of God’s Truth, particularly in confronting confusion and lies in the world so as to proclaim Christ. The man of Truth courageously speaks the fullness of Truth even when persecution or martyrdom is likely.
The opposing vice of Dishonesty by which man seeks to gain advantage or avoid personal discomfort or persecution by willingly lying or cheating to deceive another and lead them into error, or to deprive them of their rightful reputation or possessions. The Dishonest man experiences the discomfort of being found out because he lives by lies and sins (Slander, Deception), failing to speak the fullness of truth, manipulating others by his words and by what he does and does not do.
The Virtue of Fraternity/Affability
Fraternity/Affability is the good habit of a man who cheerfully seeks to build friendship and brotherhood with others which helps support a healthy and happy social order, deters conflict and is often the first step in evangelization. The man who practices Fraternity experiences the pleasure of good relations with many and the profound joy of building brotherhood with men who hold to the Catholic faith.
The opposing vices of Fraternity/Affability include the bad habits of Indifference by which a selfish man coldly disregards others and Meanness in which a man derives pleasure or perverse joy by causing discomfort or suffering to others. The man who lacks the virtue of Fraternity/Affability experiences the sorrow of isolation and loneliness or the constant turmoil of conflict, and will suffer greatly when his hour of need comes and he has no one to whom to turn.
The Virtue of Generosity/Liberality
Generosity/Liberality is the good habit of a man by which a man uses the treasures God has given him to justly give to those who are truly in need in the right proportion, not counting the cost, and being willing to err by giving to the unworthy so as to never miss a chance to give to those truly in need. The Generous man experiences the joy and satisfaction of imitating Christ and the experience of seeing tangible impact of making another’s life better.
The opposing vice of Generosity is the vice of Greed/Avarice/Covetousness through which the unjust man hordes the treasures God has given him for his own selfish pleasure and allows the needy to suffer. The vice of Greed causes a man to be in constant agitation and can drive some men to commit various crimes including Theft, Robbery, Extortion, and Murder.
The Virtue of Kindness
Kindness is the good habit of a man who has concern for the well-being of others, takes concrete action to relieve the suffering of others, and finds joy in another’s success when consistent with justice. The Kind man has a genuine empathy to suffering and concerns of others, responding with charity to alleviate suffering, encourage and, when called to do so, to admonish and correct those who have strayed from God.
The opposing vices of Kindness include the vice of Envy through which a man has sorrow or anger over the good fortune, reputation, the virtues, or the possessions of another. The Envious man may simmer in hatred or engage in acts to sabotage or diminish the success of others, often feeling perverse joy at the misfortune of another.
The Virtue of Responsibility/Duty
Responsibility/Duty is the good habit of a man by which he strives to justly to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of his core identity and vocation as a Catholic Son/Father and his occupation/work in society and accepting the just consequences for his actions or failure to act. The Dutiful man does his best to live up to the expectations and requirements of his vocation and enjoys the self-mastery of personal excellence and the satisfaction of living up to his noble purpose.
The opposing vice of Responsibility/Duty is primary the vice of Unreliability, the habit of not living up to his commitments and responsibilities, unjustly depriving others what he owes to him by his vocation and being unwilling to make reparations when he fails another. The Unreliable man, who is indifferent to others, experiences the lack of close relationships with those he lets down and, longer term, will face the anxiety and shame as he and others recognize his failures as a man.
The Virtue of Defense/Protection
Defense/Protection is the good habit of a man who responds to unjust attacks upon himself, his family and friends, his country or when he witnesses aggression on the weak by anticipating and preparing himself to be effective when various foreseeable attacks occur. The man who is a Protector enjoys the satisfaction of being well-prepared to stand up against evil and that others can and do count on his protection.
The opposing vices of Defense/Protection include the bad habits of Unjust Aggression by which a man attacks others unjustly out of malice or desire to possess another’s goods (Verbal or Physical Assault, Murder) and Unjust Pacifism by which a man holds to a false pacifism, is cowardly, indifferent or apathetic, causing him to fail to justly protect those in his care or the weak when they are unjustly attacked. The man who fails to build the virtue of Defense/Protection experiences anxiety of a lack of preparedness and ultimately the guilt and shame of his failure to defend those whom he might have protected.
St. Thomas Aquinas ranked justice as the second of the four Cardinal Virtues, behind prudence, but before fortitude and temperance. Prudence (“right reason applied to practice”) is the perfection of the intellect, while justice (“habitual inclination of the will”) perfects our will. Justice is the constant and permanent determination to give everyone his or her rightful due―whether it be God or man. Charity may rise above justice, to give someone more than he is rightfully due―but justice always requires perfect precision in rendering to each person what he is due.
Justice, then, respects the rights of others, whether those rights are natural (the right to life and limb, the rights that arise because of our natural obligations to family and kin, the most fundamental property rights, the right to worship God and to do what is necessary to save our souls) or legal (contract rights, constitutional rights, civil rights).
Should legal rights ever come into conflict with natural rights, then natural rights take precedence, and justice demands that natural rights be respected. Thus, law cannot take away the natural right of parents to educate their children in the way that is best for the children. Nor can justice allow the granting of legal rights to one person (such as the “right to an abortion”) at the expense of the natural rights of another (in that case, the right to life and limb). To do so is to fail “to give everyone his or her rightful due.”
Justice is the virtue that seeks to promote fair play. It’s the desire and resolve to give each person his due―in the positive and negative sense. It demands that you reward goodness and punish evil. Justice can be one of three different types:
● Commutative justice is based on the principle of quid pro quo, which is Latin for this for that. Commutative justice requires, for example, that a customer pay a fair price for worthwhile goods.
● Distributive justice involves the relationship between one and many — between an individual and a group — a person and the government, for example.
● Social justice concerns the relationships between individuals and groups between one another and everyone. The common good and equal treatments are the cornerstones of social justice.
Justice disposes us to give everyone what belongs to him. It teaches us to give what is due to God and to man. It makes us willing to live according to the commandments. Justice perfects the will and safeguards the rights of man: his right to life, freedom, honor, good name, sanctity of the home, and external possessions.
The Parts of Justice
The Cardinal Virtues―Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance―are called “cardinal” because other virtues hinge upon them. Our word cardinal goes back to the Latin adjective “cardinalis”, which meant “serving as a hinge.” Thus the Justice has several parts, or subsections, or sub-virtues, each of which are opposed by various vices:
(1) The Virtue of Religion
(2) The Virtue of Obedience/Piety
(3) The Virtue of Observance/Courtesy
(4) The Virtue of Gratitude
(5) The Virtue of Vindication
(6) The Virtue of Truthfulness/Honesty
(7) The Virtue of Fraternity/Affability
(8) The Virtue of Generosity/Liberality
(9) The Virtue of Kindness
(10) The Virtue of Responsibility/Duty
(11) The Virtue of Defense/Protection
The Virtue of Religion
Religion is the good habit of a man to continually praise and worship God, recognizing that he can never give or repay God for all God has done for a man. The habitual acts of the virtue of Religion are carried out consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church through the sub-virtues (good habits) of Prayer, Devotion (reception of the Sacraments, pious acts, adoration) and various forms of Sacrifice (oaths, tithes, alms, fasts, service, self-offering to God). The man who practices the virtue of Religion keeps a daily routine (or, rule) which integrates his priority on seeking God with his worldly responsibilities and follows recognized devotions of the Church. The virtue of Religion is also often revered to as Piety.
The opposing vices of Religion include the bad habits of False Worship (practicing false religions, superstition, idolatry, simony, witchcraft, devil worship) and Irreligion (rejection of God and the duty to praise, worship and honor Him). The man who practices False Worship or Irreligion lives without the blessings of the Sacraments and without the sure grace of the Holy Spirit in his life to guide and strengthen him, and leaves himself vulnerable to the temptations and attacks of Satan and his demons; False Worship and Irreligion inevitably lead to unhappiness and discontent.
The Virtue of Obedience/Piety
Obedience is the good habit of a man who consistently renders people and institutions superior to him their rightful due, including honoring and acts of charity to one’s parents, being loyal to one’s friends and mentors, willingly abiding by the just and moral laws and institutions of one’s country and having a loyalty to one’s country (patriotism). The man of Obedience/Piety has stability in his life, for he willingly belongs, knows his place in society and receives spiritual blessings which come to those who live with appreciation of others.
The opposing vices of Obedience/Piety include the bad habits of Dishonoring Parents, Disloyalty to one’s friends, mentors and country, and Disobedience to rightful authority and just laws. The man who rejects Piety/Obedience arrogantly lives the life of a bitter or uncaring outsider and experiences the suffering of chaos, loneliness and rejection that comes to those who refuse to belong and rebel against the just authority of others.
The Virtue of Observance/Courtesy
Observance/Courtesy is the good habit of a man who recognizes the inherent dignity of every soul and treats others with respect by being cordial, polite, chivalrous, and practicing good manners which seeks not to offend the rightful peace of others. The man who lives with Observance/Courtesy experiences happiness as he seeks to make others comfortable and receives many positive responses from others in return.
The opposing vices of Observance/Courtesy include the bad habit of Rudeness which disregards and disrespects others acts by callous words and behaviors which purposefully or ignorantly rejects the accepted customs of manners and behaviors of society. The Rude man is small and bitter, experiencing life as constant conflict, perhaps even taking perverse pleasure in agitating others.
The Virtue of Gratitude
Gratitude is the good habit of a man which cultivates a continual recognition of the blessings from God and others and responds with words and acts of thanks to express his appreciation of another’s kindness. The Grateful man experiences sustaining joy as he searches for, finds, and gives thanks for the numerous blessings from God and others in his daily life.
The opposing vices of Gratitude include the bad habit of Ingratitude in which a man cultivates a self-centered lack of recognition of the blessings from God and others, a sense of entitlement and often a malformed attitude of being a false victim or misplaced beliefs of persecution. The Ungrateful man lives a life of resentment, anger and isolation, losing the grace of God and the friendship of those who grow weary of extending favors and love to one who is not grateful.
The Virtue of Vindication
Vindication is the good habit of a man who seeks to uphold Justice by recognizing just and unjust acts, defending and encouraging the innocent and those who do good against unjust attack and charitably confronting those who do evil, supporting the rule of law/justice by holding evil-doers to account and ensuring just punishment (Vengeance) when necessary and defending the innocent and weak. The man who charitably exercises the virtue of Vindication helps maintain peace and seeks to call sinners to conversion by holding them to account for their evil against other.
The opposing vices of Vindication include the vice of False Mercy which excuses evil and fails to promote Justice, and the vice of Cruelty/Brutality by which punishment exceeds the crime in amount or type, often with a sadistic and perverse pleasure at the suffering of others or self-righteousness. The man who fails in Vindication may experience false self-righteous pleasure but gravely sins against others by under or over responding to evil.
The Virtue of Truthfulness/Honesty
Truthfulness/Honesty is the good habit of a man who grasps the reality of God and His Truth as preserved in its fullness in the Catholic Church and strives to always form and conform his thoughts, words and deeds to the reality of God’s Truth, particularly in confronting confusion and lies in the world so as to proclaim Christ. The man of Truth courageously speaks the fullness of Truth even when persecution or martyrdom is likely.
The opposing vice of Dishonesty by which man seeks to gain advantage or avoid personal discomfort or persecution by willingly lying or cheating to deceive another and lead them into error, or to deprive them of their rightful reputation or possessions. The Dishonest man experiences the discomfort of being found out because he lives by lies and sins (Slander, Deception), failing to speak the fullness of truth, manipulating others by his words and by what he does and does not do.
The Virtue of Fraternity/Affability
Fraternity/Affability is the good habit of a man who cheerfully seeks to build friendship and brotherhood with others which helps support a healthy and happy social order, deters conflict and is often the first step in evangelization. The man who practices Fraternity experiences the pleasure of good relations with many and the profound joy of building brotherhood with men who hold to the Catholic faith.
The opposing vices of Fraternity/Affability include the bad habits of Indifference by which a selfish man coldly disregards others and Meanness in which a man derives pleasure or perverse joy by causing discomfort or suffering to others. The man who lacks the virtue of Fraternity/Affability experiences the sorrow of isolation and loneliness or the constant turmoil of conflict, and will suffer greatly when his hour of need comes and he has no one to whom to turn.
The Virtue of Generosity/Liberality
Generosity/Liberality is the good habit of a man by which a man uses the treasures God has given him to justly give to those who are truly in need in the right proportion, not counting the cost, and being willing to err by giving to the unworthy so as to never miss a chance to give to those truly in need. The Generous man experiences the joy and satisfaction of imitating Christ and the experience of seeing tangible impact of making another’s life better.
The opposing vice of Generosity is the vice of Greed/Avarice/Covetousness through which the unjust man hordes the treasures God has given him for his own selfish pleasure and allows the needy to suffer. The vice of Greed causes a man to be in constant agitation and can drive some men to commit various crimes including Theft, Robbery, Extortion, and Murder.
The Virtue of Kindness
Kindness is the good habit of a man who has concern for the well-being of others, takes concrete action to relieve the suffering of others, and finds joy in another’s success when consistent with justice. The Kind man has a genuine empathy to suffering and concerns of others, responding with charity to alleviate suffering, encourage and, when called to do so, to admonish and correct those who have strayed from God.
The opposing vices of Kindness include the vice of Envy through which a man has sorrow or anger over the good fortune, reputation, the virtues, or the possessions of another. The Envious man may simmer in hatred or engage in acts to sabotage or diminish the success of others, often feeling perverse joy at the misfortune of another.
The Virtue of Responsibility/Duty
Responsibility/Duty is the good habit of a man by which he strives to justly to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of his core identity and vocation as a Catholic Son/Father and his occupation/work in society and accepting the just consequences for his actions or failure to act. The Dutiful man does his best to live up to the expectations and requirements of his vocation and enjoys the self-mastery of personal excellence and the satisfaction of living up to his noble purpose.
The opposing vice of Responsibility/Duty is primary the vice of Unreliability, the habit of not living up to his commitments and responsibilities, unjustly depriving others what he owes to him by his vocation and being unwilling to make reparations when he fails another. The Unreliable man, who is indifferent to others, experiences the lack of close relationships with those he lets down and, longer term, will face the anxiety and shame as he and others recognize his failures as a man.
The Virtue of Defense/Protection
Defense/Protection is the good habit of a man who responds to unjust attacks upon himself, his family and friends, his country or when he witnesses aggression on the weak by anticipating and preparing himself to be effective when various foreseeable attacks occur. The man who is a Protector enjoys the satisfaction of being well-prepared to stand up against evil and that others can and do count on his protection.
The opposing vices of Defense/Protection include the bad habits of Unjust Aggression by which a man attacks others unjustly out of malice or desire to possess another’s goods (Verbal or Physical Assault, Murder) and Unjust Pacifism by which a man holds to a false pacifism, is cowardly, indifferent or apathetic, causing him to fail to justly protect those in his care or the weak when they are unjustly attacked. The man who fails to build the virtue of Defense/Protection experiences anxiety of a lack of preparedness and ultimately the guilt and shame of his failure to defend those whom he might have protected.
Article 10
Charity
Part 1: Love of God
This article is currently being written. Sections will be posted as they are written. Please check back later.
Charity
Part 1: Love of God
This article is currently being written. Sections will be posted as they are written. Please check back later.
St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “Essentially the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity, first and foremost in the love of God, then in the love of neighbor.” Those words are merely an echo of what Our Lord had already said over a thousand years before: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the greatest and the first commandment! And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these!” (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:30-31).
St. Augustine comments: “All is contained in these brief words: ‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with thy soul, and with all thy strength: and love thy neighbor as thyself.’” St. Bernard adds: “God must be loved first, in order that one’s neighbor, too, may be loved in God.” And St. Alphonsus Liguori warns: “He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin merely through fear of chastisement.” Whereas St. Thérèse of Lisieux points out: “If the greatest sinner on Earth should repent at the moment of death, and draw his last breath in an act of love; neither the many graces he had abused, nor the many sins he had committed would stand in his way. Our Lord would receive him into His mercy.”
However, the love of God cannot be practiced without renouncing inordinate self-love. Our excessive love of self gets in the way of practicing a true love of God. St. Peter Claver says: “To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love. We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake.”
Here are some extracts from a book by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, entitled On Loving God:
St. Bernard on the Love of God
Here are some extracts from a book by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, entitled On Loving God:
You want me to tell you why God is to be loved and how much. I answer, the reason for loving God is God Himself; and the measure of love due to Him is immeasurable love. Is this plain? Without doubt to a thoughtful man! A word to the wise is sufficient―but not everyone is thoughtful and wise! Therefore I set myself joyfully to explain more in detail what is meant above and I will address a word to the unwise also.
We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable. When one asks, “Why should I love God?” ―he may mean, “What is loveable in God?” or “What shall I gain by loving God?” In either case, the same sufficient cause of love exists, namely, God Himself.
And first, of His title to our love. Could any title be greater than this, that He gave Himself for us unworthy wretches? And being God, what better gift could He offer than Himself? Hence, if one seeks for God’s claim upon our love here is the chiefest: “Because He first loved us” (1 John 4.19).
Ought He not to be loved in return, when we think who loved, whom He loved, and how much He loved? For who is He that loved? The same of whom every spirit testifies: “Thou art my God! My goods are nothing unto Thee!” (Psalm 16:2, Vulg.). And is not His love that wonderful charity which “seeks not her own”? (1 Corinthians 13.5). But for whom was such unutterable love made manifest? The Apostle tells us: “When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5.10). So it was God who loved us, loved us freely, and loved us while yet we were enemies.
And how great was this love of His? St. John answers: “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3.16). St. Paul adds: “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8.32); and the son says of Himself: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13).
This is the claim which God the holy, the supreme, the omnipotent, has upon men, defiled and base and weak. Someone may urge that this is true of mankind, but not of angels. True, since for angels it was not needful. He who succored men in their time of need, preserved angels from such need; and even as His love for sinful men wrought wondrously in them so that they should not remain sinful, so that same love which in equal measure He poured out upon angels kept them altogether free from sin.
St. Augustine comments: “All is contained in these brief words: ‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with thy soul, and with all thy strength: and love thy neighbor as thyself.’” St. Bernard adds: “God must be loved first, in order that one’s neighbor, too, may be loved in God.” And St. Alphonsus Liguori warns: “He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin merely through fear of chastisement.” Whereas St. Thérèse of Lisieux points out: “If the greatest sinner on Earth should repent at the moment of death, and draw his last breath in an act of love; neither the many graces he had abused, nor the many sins he had committed would stand in his way. Our Lord would receive him into His mercy.”
However, the love of God cannot be practiced without renouncing inordinate self-love. Our excessive love of self gets in the way of practicing a true love of God. St. Peter Claver says: “To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love. We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake.”
Here are some extracts from a book by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, entitled On Loving God:
St. Bernard on the Love of God
Here are some extracts from a book by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, entitled On Loving God:
You want me to tell you why God is to be loved and how much. I answer, the reason for loving God is God Himself; and the measure of love due to Him is immeasurable love. Is this plain? Without doubt to a thoughtful man! A word to the wise is sufficient―but not everyone is thoughtful and wise! Therefore I set myself joyfully to explain more in detail what is meant above and I will address a word to the unwise also.
We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable. When one asks, “Why should I love God?” ―he may mean, “What is loveable in God?” or “What shall I gain by loving God?” In either case, the same sufficient cause of love exists, namely, God Himself.
And first, of His title to our love. Could any title be greater than this, that He gave Himself for us unworthy wretches? And being God, what better gift could He offer than Himself? Hence, if one seeks for God’s claim upon our love here is the chiefest: “Because He first loved us” (1 John 4.19).
Ought He not to be loved in return, when we think who loved, whom He loved, and how much He loved? For who is He that loved? The same of whom every spirit testifies: “Thou art my God! My goods are nothing unto Thee!” (Psalm 16:2, Vulg.). And is not His love that wonderful charity which “seeks not her own”? (1 Corinthians 13.5). But for whom was such unutterable love made manifest? The Apostle tells us: “When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5.10). So it was God who loved us, loved us freely, and loved us while yet we were enemies.
And how great was this love of His? St. John answers: “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3.16). St. Paul adds: “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8.32); and the son says of Himself: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13).
This is the claim which God the holy, the supreme, the omnipotent, has upon men, defiled and base and weak. Someone may urge that this is true of mankind, but not of angels. True, since for angels it was not needful. He who succored men in their time of need, preserved angels from such need; and even as His love for sinful men wrought wondrously in them so that they should not remain sinful, so that same love which in equal measure He poured out upon angels kept them altogether free from sin.
Article 11
Charity
Part 2: Love of Neighbor
Charity
Part 2: Love of Neighbor
The Sinner’s Guide
Venerable Louis of Granada
Chapter 41: Man’s Duty to his Neighbor
Man’s duty towards his neighbor is embraced in the practice of charity and mercy. Read Holy Scriptures and you will appreciate the importance of these virtues. The writings of the prophets, Apostles, and evangelists abound with counsels concerning them.
God teaches us in Isaias that one of the duties of justice is charity to our neighbor. Thus when the Jews exclaimed: “Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded; have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice?” God answers: “In the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. You fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Is this such a fast as I have chosen? Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen ― loosen the bands of wickedness; undo the bundles that oppress; let them that are broken go free; and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and homeless into thy house. When thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear, and give thee rest continually, and fill thy soul with brightness.” (Isaias 58). The prophet continues to the end of the chapter to declare the blessings with which God will reward this charity to our neighbor.
Behold how highly the great Apostle extols the virtue of charity; how strongly he recommends it; how minutely he enumerates its advantages. He gives it the first place among the virtues, and tells us that it is the bond of perfection, the end of the commandments, and the fulfillment of the law, (Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13; Colossian 3:14; 1 Timothy 1:5; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14).
It would be difficult to say more in praise of charity. Certainly these words of the Apostle must suffice to make you love and practice this virtue, if you desire to be pleasing to God.
Charity was also a favorite virtue with the beloved disciple. He frequently mentions it in his epistles, with the highest praise and commendation. And not only in his writings but in his discourse did he display the same devotedness to this virtue. So frequently did he repeat to his disciples the touching words, “My little children, love one another,” that at last, as St. Jerome tells us, they became somewhat weary of always hearing the same, and asked him: “Good master, why do you always give us this one command?” His answer, says St. Jerome, was worthy of John: “Because it is the command of the Lord; and if you do this alone it will suffice.” (De Scriptoribus Eccles.).
Without doubt, therefore, he who desires to please God must fulfill this great precept of charity, not only in word but also in deed, “He that hath the substance of this world,” says St. John, “and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him, how doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18).
Among the works comprised in charity to our neighbor the following are the most important: advice, counsel, succor, forbearance, pardon, edification. These are so strongly linked with charity that the practice of them indicates the progress we have made in the practice of charity.
There are Christians who pretend to love their neighbor, but their charity goes no further than words. Others are willing to give advice, but no more substantial proof of their charity. Others will perform both these duties, but will not refrain from resenting an injury, or will refuse to bear with the infirmities of their neighbor, forgetting that the Apostle tells us: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians. 6:2).
Others, again, while not resenting an injury, continue to harbor it in their hearts and will not freely pardon it. Finally, many fulfill all these obligations, yet in their words or conduct they fail to give their neighbor that edification which is the most important duty of charity. Let us diligently examine our hearts and our actions, and learn how far we fulfill the precepts of this virtue.
It may be said that he who simply loves his neighbor possesses the first degree of charity; he who gives him good counsel possesses the second; he who assists him in poverty or distress possesses the third; he who patiently bears an injury possesses the fourth; he who freely pardons it, the fifth; and he who in addition to all these fulfills the duty of edification to his neighbor has attained the highest degree of charity.
The works of which we have just been treating are what are called positive acts of charity, which teach us what we ought to do for our neighbor. Besides these there are others, called negative duties, which indicate what we must avoid in our intercourse with our neighbor. Such are judging rashly, speaking evil, using abusive or insulting language, injuring his honor or reputation, and giving scandal by words or evil counsel. If you would fulfill the law of charity, avoid all these.
To reduce to practice what we have said, let your love for your neighbor be like that of a mother for her child. See with what devotion a good mother cares for her child; how prudently she counsels him in danger; how faithfully she assists him in his necessities; how ingenious she is in regard to his faults, sometimes patiently bearing them, at other times justly punishing them, or again prudently ignoring them. How earnestly she rejoices in his prosperity; how deeply she grieves at his misfortune as if it were her own! How zealous she is for his honor and advancement; how fervently she prays for him; how cheerfully she denies herself to give to him; how utterly she forgets herself in her care of him! Your charity would be perfect did it resemble this. Though you may not attain this degree, you must nevertheless aspire to it, for the higher you aim the more noble will be your conduct.
You will doubtless urge that you cannot feel such affection for one who is a stranger to you. But you should not regard your neighbor as a stranger. Behold in him rather the image of God, the work of His Divine hands, and a living member of Christ. (Cf. Romans 12:5). Hence St. Paul tells us that when we sin against our neighbor we sin against Christ. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 8:12). Look on your neighbor, therefore, not as a man but as Christ Himself, or one of His living members; for though he is not so in body, he is truly so by participation in the spirit of Christ, and by the reward which is promised to us, for Christ assures us that He will consider as done to Himself all that we do to our neighbor.
Think of the affection which ties of blood establish between creatures, and blush to let nature influence you more powerfully than grace. You will doubtless urge that your relatives are descended with you from the same ancestor, and that the same blood flows in your veins. Remember, however, that there are closer and stronger bonds uniting us as brethren in Christ. In God we have one Father; in the Church one mother; and in Jesus Christ one Lord and Savior. One faith springs from the same source which enlightens all Christians and distinguishes them from the rest of men.
The object of our hope is the same kingdom, where we shall have but one heart and one soul. Baptism has made us children of the same Father, brothers and heirs of the same inheritance. Our souls are nourished with the same Food, the adorable Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us one with Himself. Finally, we are united in a participation of the same Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by Faith alone, or by the union of Faith and grace, communicating to us life and strength. Behold the union which exists between the members of the same body, however diverse their functions, because they are animated by one soul! How much greater should be the union between the faithful who are animated by the same Divine Spirit, the Holy Ghost Himself!
But, above all, ever keep before your eyes the incomparable example of Our Savior’s love for us. Why did He love us with so much tenderness, devotion, and generosity, if not to encourage us by His example, and oblige us by His benefits faithfully to fulfill the precept which He has imposed upon us? “A new commandment I give unto you,” were His parting words to His Apostles on the night before He suffered; “that you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 13:34).
Venerable Louis of Granada
Chapter 41: Man’s Duty to his Neighbor
Man’s duty towards his neighbor is embraced in the practice of charity and mercy. Read Holy Scriptures and you will appreciate the importance of these virtues. The writings of the prophets, Apostles, and evangelists abound with counsels concerning them.
God teaches us in Isaias that one of the duties of justice is charity to our neighbor. Thus when the Jews exclaimed: “Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded; have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice?” God answers: “In the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. You fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Is this such a fast as I have chosen? Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen ― loosen the bands of wickedness; undo the bundles that oppress; let them that are broken go free; and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and homeless into thy house. When thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear, and give thee rest continually, and fill thy soul with brightness.” (Isaias 58). The prophet continues to the end of the chapter to declare the blessings with which God will reward this charity to our neighbor.
Behold how highly the great Apostle extols the virtue of charity; how strongly he recommends it; how minutely he enumerates its advantages. He gives it the first place among the virtues, and tells us that it is the bond of perfection, the end of the commandments, and the fulfillment of the law, (Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13; Colossian 3:14; 1 Timothy 1:5; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14).
It would be difficult to say more in praise of charity. Certainly these words of the Apostle must suffice to make you love and practice this virtue, if you desire to be pleasing to God.
Charity was also a favorite virtue with the beloved disciple. He frequently mentions it in his epistles, with the highest praise and commendation. And not only in his writings but in his discourse did he display the same devotedness to this virtue. So frequently did he repeat to his disciples the touching words, “My little children, love one another,” that at last, as St. Jerome tells us, they became somewhat weary of always hearing the same, and asked him: “Good master, why do you always give us this one command?” His answer, says St. Jerome, was worthy of John: “Because it is the command of the Lord; and if you do this alone it will suffice.” (De Scriptoribus Eccles.).
Without doubt, therefore, he who desires to please God must fulfill this great precept of charity, not only in word but also in deed, “He that hath the substance of this world,” says St. John, “and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him, how doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18).
Among the works comprised in charity to our neighbor the following are the most important: advice, counsel, succor, forbearance, pardon, edification. These are so strongly linked with charity that the practice of them indicates the progress we have made in the practice of charity.
There are Christians who pretend to love their neighbor, but their charity goes no further than words. Others are willing to give advice, but no more substantial proof of their charity. Others will perform both these duties, but will not refrain from resenting an injury, or will refuse to bear with the infirmities of their neighbor, forgetting that the Apostle tells us: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians. 6:2).
Others, again, while not resenting an injury, continue to harbor it in their hearts and will not freely pardon it. Finally, many fulfill all these obligations, yet in their words or conduct they fail to give their neighbor that edification which is the most important duty of charity. Let us diligently examine our hearts and our actions, and learn how far we fulfill the precepts of this virtue.
It may be said that he who simply loves his neighbor possesses the first degree of charity; he who gives him good counsel possesses the second; he who assists him in poverty or distress possesses the third; he who patiently bears an injury possesses the fourth; he who freely pardons it, the fifth; and he who in addition to all these fulfills the duty of edification to his neighbor has attained the highest degree of charity.
The works of which we have just been treating are what are called positive acts of charity, which teach us what we ought to do for our neighbor. Besides these there are others, called negative duties, which indicate what we must avoid in our intercourse with our neighbor. Such are judging rashly, speaking evil, using abusive or insulting language, injuring his honor or reputation, and giving scandal by words or evil counsel. If you would fulfill the law of charity, avoid all these.
To reduce to practice what we have said, let your love for your neighbor be like that of a mother for her child. See with what devotion a good mother cares for her child; how prudently she counsels him in danger; how faithfully she assists him in his necessities; how ingenious she is in regard to his faults, sometimes patiently bearing them, at other times justly punishing them, or again prudently ignoring them. How earnestly she rejoices in his prosperity; how deeply she grieves at his misfortune as if it were her own! How zealous she is for his honor and advancement; how fervently she prays for him; how cheerfully she denies herself to give to him; how utterly she forgets herself in her care of him! Your charity would be perfect did it resemble this. Though you may not attain this degree, you must nevertheless aspire to it, for the higher you aim the more noble will be your conduct.
You will doubtless urge that you cannot feel such affection for one who is a stranger to you. But you should not regard your neighbor as a stranger. Behold in him rather the image of God, the work of His Divine hands, and a living member of Christ. (Cf. Romans 12:5). Hence St. Paul tells us that when we sin against our neighbor we sin against Christ. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 8:12). Look on your neighbor, therefore, not as a man but as Christ Himself, or one of His living members; for though he is not so in body, he is truly so by participation in the spirit of Christ, and by the reward which is promised to us, for Christ assures us that He will consider as done to Himself all that we do to our neighbor.
Think of the affection which ties of blood establish between creatures, and blush to let nature influence you more powerfully than grace. You will doubtless urge that your relatives are descended with you from the same ancestor, and that the same blood flows in your veins. Remember, however, that there are closer and stronger bonds uniting us as brethren in Christ. In God we have one Father; in the Church one mother; and in Jesus Christ one Lord and Savior. One faith springs from the same source which enlightens all Christians and distinguishes them from the rest of men.
The object of our hope is the same kingdom, where we shall have but one heart and one soul. Baptism has made us children of the same Father, brothers and heirs of the same inheritance. Our souls are nourished with the same Food, the adorable Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us one with Himself. Finally, we are united in a participation of the same Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by Faith alone, or by the union of Faith and grace, communicating to us life and strength. Behold the union which exists between the members of the same body, however diverse their functions, because they are animated by one soul! How much greater should be the union between the faithful who are animated by the same Divine Spirit, the Holy Ghost Himself!
But, above all, ever keep before your eyes the incomparable example of Our Savior’s love for us. Why did He love us with so much tenderness, devotion, and generosity, if not to encourage us by His example, and oblige us by His benefits faithfully to fulfill the precept which He has imposed upon us? “A new commandment I give unto you,” were His parting words to His Apostles on the night before He suffered; “that you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 13:34).
Article 12
Fidelity
Fidelity
The U.S. Marine Corps famously uses the Latin Semper Fidelis (usually rendered as “Semper Fi”) to express fidelity to the Corps.
Fidelity to one’s word, to one’s promises, and to one’s vows to God is not something that can be taken for granted. This should be obvious, for we live in a time of massive infidelity. Contracts are broken, infidelity in marriage is not only practiced but even praised in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Playboy (not to mention worse publications), divorce is edging up to almost one for every two marriages. Many religious men and women have abandoned their solemn lifetime commitment to God in order to embrace some kind of social or political work.
Fidelity is a virtue closely allied to truthfulness. Its function is to incline a person to the fulfillment of his promises. Truthfulness inclines one to conform his speech to the judgment of his mind, while fidelity disposes him to conform his deeds to his promises and vows.
Even in the natural order, fidelity is a virtue, since it is truth in action. We are by nature social beings. This means in practice that we are dependent one upon the other. Since we are dependent, we need to trust each other in order to be able to build necessary social units, such as the family, local community, state, church, etc. If individuals are not truthful, not trustworthy, not faithful to what they say and promise, then the whole social system begins to crack. Because of the lack of fidelity in our society, many of our most important institutions are breaking down rapidly. And the breakdown is affecting not only civil society, but also the Church herself. When Catholics are unfaithful in marriage, unfaithful in business, unfaithful in the religious life, unfaithful in the priesthood, then the whole Church suffers. Today, infidelity, rather than being the rare exception that one hears about in some distant place, is our permanent neighbor and, all too often, a visitor in our own home.
In the Old Testament, one of the essential attributes of the Lord is his faithfulness (cf. Exodus 34:6; Psalm 89). He is called the “rock” of Israel because of the truth of his words and the solidity of his promises (Deuteronomy 32:4). The fidelity of God surpasses the heavens and the clouds (Psalm 36:5). The fidelity of the Lord contrasts sharply with the infidelity of his chosen people (cf. Psalm 78).
Abraham and Moses are models of fidelity, but even they had their faults. Perfect fidelity on this earth is found only in Jesus Christ, the faithful Servant who remains constant and endures to the very end (2 Timothy 2:13).
My thoughts turn to the importance and need of fidelity precisely at this time when the Church is being tested, both from within and from without. Fidelity in the “faithful” cannot be assumed. It demands a constant struggle against the Evil One (“Lead us not into temptation”)—a struggle which requires watchfulness and prayer (Matthew 26:41). Witnessing others fall into sins of infidelity, should not give rise to feelings of superiority. Rather, we should pray for them, humbly thank God for the grace he has given us, and strive, with St. Paul, to work out our “salvation in fear and trembling” lest we too become castaways (Philippians 2:12).
In the profile Montfort designs for the Christian consecrated to Christ through Mary, a long list would be needed to describe the qualities he includes. Among them, however, faithfulness is quite prominent. Its radical character gives it priority over all the others. Faithfulness is so basic, it must permeate everything. Nothing can be valid without it. This is why from the very start of his commitment, aware of his infidelity (“ungrateful and unfaithful as I am”), the Christian puts himself in Mary’s hands in order to guarantee his faithfulness: “Unfaithful sinner that I am, I renew . . . in your hands the vows of my baptism; . . . and I give myself totally to Jesus Christ, Incarnate Wisdom, so I may take up my cross and follow Him every day of my life so that I might be more faithful to Him than I have been up till now” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 225). Yet Montfort does not define here or elsewhere what faithfulness is, for his aim is not to give a theoretical explanation. He gives, rather, a description of the behavior of a faithful soul. Thus, “taking up my cross and following Him all the days of my life” is one element of faithfulness, even though the word itself is not used. Continued faithfulness is perseverance.
WHAT IS FAITHFULNESS?
Relating faithfulness and perseverance reveals both their uniqueness and what they have in common.
1. Human faithfulness
By itself, even if it does not exclude it, the word “faithfulness” does not contain the idea of duration or continuance.1 Endurance itself is not faithfulness. One does not speak of the faithfulness of a halogen lamp, even though it might last for 2000 hours. Material things are alien to faithfulness, since it essentially contains a cognitive element. It can be found with animals who know their master and feel affection for him. Yet it is with human beings that faithfulness assumes its full meaning, because they are endowed with knowledge and freedom. It is with human beings that the duration-continuance element comes in, even if faithfulness cannot be limited to it. “Faithfulness is only understood as part of a starting option that can take on various appearances, depending upon the context. We are faithful to a promise, to a plan, to a commitment, to our word. Faithfulness, then, appears, in one sense, as steadfastness, as staying permanently with a choice that has been made.”2
2. Divine faithfulness
Father de Montfort speaks several times of the “faithful” God: “God infinitely faithful” (L 7), “Faithful to all His promises” (H 7:3), “faithful to His word” (H 7; 77), and we should therefore “hope in God so faithful” (H 28:8). Although in Saint Louis Marie’s writings the explicit term “faithfulness” is not used in connection with God, it is implied throughout his works and most especially in relation to Mary: “Because God has decided to begin and accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He created her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His way of acting” (True Devotion to Mary 15).
“A God of faithfulness” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Over and over again the Bible calls God faithful; without number are the proofs of His faithfulness. He cannot be unfaithful without denying His very nature. All His attributes converge in this faithfulness by the very reason of His simplicity.
God cannot make a promise and then not keep it. God’s faithfulness, then, is the foundation of our hope. “I draw all my riches / From a God full of truth / Faithful to all His promises / In time and in eternity” (H 7:3). Montfort repeats the thought of Hosea: “I will betroth you to me in faithfulness” (Osee 2:21).
THE PATH FROM INFIDELITY TO FAITHFULNESS
Montfort is vitally interested in the Christian’s transition from infidelity to faithfulness. The knowledge he had of human beings and his vocation as an itinerant preacher permitted him to draw a realistic portrait of human infidelity, the terminus a quo of the journey into the faithfulness of God.
1. Our essential infidelity
The third of the basic truths of devotion to the Blessed Virgin is set forth in this way: “The sin of Adam has almost entirely spoiled and soured us, filling us with pride and corrupting every one of us, just as leaven sours, swells and corrupts the dough in which it is placed. The actual sins we have committed, whether mortal or venial, even though forgiven, have intensified our base desires, our weakness, our inconsistency and our evil tendencies, and have left a sediment of evil in our soul” (True Devotion to Mary 79). In speaking thus of weakness and inconsistency, Montfort shows how our frail faithfulness actually is making it very difficult “to keep the graces and treasures we have received from God. We carry this treasure, which is worth more than heaven and earth, in fragile vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7], that is, in a corruptible body and in a weak and wavering soul which requires very little to depress and disturb it” (True Devotion to Mary 87). For all these reasons, “it is difficult to persevere in holiness” (True Devotion to Mary 89). This is why devotion to Mary is a safeguard against this weakness and inconstancy, provided we meet all the conditions of genuine devotion. For, being devout “in fits and starts” means joining the number of those fake devotees unworthy of being counted “among the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary’s servants” (True Devotion to Mary 101).
2. What Montfort requires
What is required is contained in a very tightly knit passage: “As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God’s creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus” (True Devotion to Mary 120). There are three main conclusions that can be deduced from this statement.
a. Baptismal promises
The whole Christian life is built on this initial, fundamental act, which St. Justin calls a “bath of conversion,” in which sinful man encounters Christ his Savior, who meets him with the power of his Resurrection, possessing him irrevocably. The baptized person must be faithful to this first Consecration and its constant deepening and maturing. As a practical preacher, Montfort asks himself: “Does anyone keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfill the promises of baptism faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal failure come from, if not from man’s habitual forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract made with God through his sponsors?” (True Devotion to Mary 127). The enlightened zeal of the missionary touches on an essential point of every Christian renewal. It will be a new start based on the very foundations of the Faith and the most authentic tradition, “since the Councils, the Fathers of the Church, and many authors both past and present, speak of consecration to Our Lord or renewal of baptismal vows as something going back to ancient times and recommended to all the faithful” (True Devotion to Mary 131). When faced with this infidelity, the formula of his “consecration of oneself to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, through the hands of Mary” explicitly leads to: “I, an unfaithful sinner, renew and ratify today through you my baptismal promises. I renounce forever Satan, his empty promises, and his evil designs, and I give myself completely to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 225).
b. Mary, the path of faithfulness
Giving oneself to the Blessed Virgin has for its purpose a greater faithfulness to the Lord. “The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus.” (True Devotion to Mary 120) Marian devotion taught by Montfort consists, then, “in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her” (True Devotion to Mary 121). Among the numerous reasons he mentions for consecrating oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary, the eighth and last is that it “is a wonderful means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining steadfast.” Referring to what was said about Mary’s faithfulness to her servants by watching over what they entrusted to her, Montfort repeats: “By this devotion we entrust all we possess to Mary, the faithful Virgin. We choose her as the guardian of all our possessions in the natural and supernatural sphere. We trust her because she is faithful, we rely on her strength, we count on her mercy and charity to preserve and increase our virtues and merits in spite of the efforts of the devil, the world, and the flesh to rob us of them” (True Devotion to Mary 173). In a long hymn describing the moral code “of a man converted in a mission” and the man’s everyday new life and social relationships, the missionary has his convert sing: “I am a devotee of Mary, / She is my help and my support, / She is the glory of my life, / After God she is all I possess. / So I may be faithful to God, / I make everything depend on her” (H 139:60). He often repeats this same thought: devotion to Mary assures fidelity to God. “If someone wishes to be faithful, / Let him come to the Mother of gifts” (H 151:1); “Mary is my good Mother, / To whom I always run for help, / To support my wretchedness, / To placate God my Father, / It is through her that I hope / Ever to persevere” (H 94:9).
c. The life of a consecrated person
Our Lady is the one who makes us faithful to our perfect baptismal Consecration. We need not always look for the terms “faithfulness” and “perseverance” themselves. “Let us, so to speak, bring Mary into our abode by consecrating ourselves unreservedly to her as servants and slaves. Let us surrender into her hands all we possess, even what we value most highly, keeping nothing for ourselves. This good Mistress . . . will give herself to us in a real but indefinable manner” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 211). Mary’s devotee has nothing to fear. “Mary is faithful: she will not permit anything we give her to be lost or wasted. She stands alone as the Virgin most faithful to God and to man. She faithfully guarded and kept all that God entrusted to her, never allowing the least bit to be lost; and she still keeps watch every day, with a special care, over all those who have placed themselves entirely under her protection and guidance. Let us, then, confide everything to the faithful Virgin Mary, binding ourselves to her as to a pillar that cannot be moved, as to an anchor that cannot slip, or better still, as to Mount Zion which cannot be shaken” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 222). To show this faithfulness of Mary, Montfort turns to biblical images in which God’s faithfulness is symbolized, like Mount Sion, and “the rock” (Psalm 92:15). The true devotee of Mary is identical with the devout faithful Christian. The terms are interchangeable.
The life of a consecrated person is fidelity. Consecration is the absolute gift that goes as far as the Cross. It must not be forgotten that in the very act of Consecration, the one who hands himself over to Jesus through Mary includes the Cross: “to follow Him by carrying my cross and to be more faithful to Him than I have been up to this point.”
Mary, Faithful Virgin
The basis of Mary’s faithfulness is her sharing in the life of God. While He is faithful by nature, Mary, as a creature, can only be so by grace. God made her so perfectly in His image that she shares in His faithfulness. Montfort points this out in an expression that may never have been heard with this meaning but which states the idea very well, “Mary is the wonderful echo of God” (Secret of Mary 21), or in a even more admirable way: “Mary is entirely relative to God. Indeed I would say that she is relative only to God, because she exists uniquely in reference to Him. She is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God” (True Devotion to Mary 225).
1. Faithfulness to God
In a sentence that in principle contains all the further developments that he will add about Mary’s faithfulness to God, Montfort studies the initial period of her life up to the Incarnation: “During the first fourteen years of her life the most holy Virgin Mary grew so marvelously in the grace and wisdom of God and responded so faithfully to His love that the angels and even God Himself were filled with rapturous admiration for her” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 107). As the Immaculate Conception, faithfulness is a constituent element of her personality. Not only do we say Mary is virginal but we call her the Virgin or the Blessed Virgin, a personification of this quality to a unique degree. We are also prompted to say that Mary is not only faithful, but the faithful one, just as we say of Christ, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Apocalypse 1:5), using the word not only as a designation but also as a personification of the name: “Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! its rider is called Faithful and True” (Apocalypse 19:11). Montfort develops this idea of faithfulness by introducing into it the notion of “deposit” in order to illustrate its application. This deposit is a contract entered into by two physical or moral persons. One, the deponent, entrusts to the second, a faithful guardian or agent, something that he must watch over and give back on demand. God does not entrust Mary with a deposit because she is faithful. He makes her faithful in order for her to keep His deposit. It is in this sense that we should understand Montfort’s assertion “It is impossible on the one hand to put into words the gifts with which the Blessed Trinity endowed this most fair creature, or on the other hand to describe the faithful care with which she corresponded to the graces of her Creator” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 105).
a. Complete obedience
This response is an obedience to the will of God. It is the meaning of the faithful servant found in many Scripture passages. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:20-29), the servants are praised for their faithfulness and not for what their faithfulness produced. Without further specifying her faithfulness, Montfort calls Mary many times “the faithful spouse” in speaking of her relationship to the Holy Spirit (True Devotion to Mary 4, 5, 34, 36, 164, 269). In True Devotion to Mary 53 she is called “perfectly faithful to God.”
b. Motivated by love
Faithfulness is quite different from merely doing what has to be done along the lines of a scrupulous personal accounting. It is, rather, a flowering of charity that from the outset knows no limits. It is the Beatitudes’ insatiable hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is called generosity and magnanimity, and according to St. Thomas it “tends to a certain excellence.”3 Just as, by definition, virtue always consists of something difficult, that excellence which is the property of magnanimity aims at things that are still more difficult. Persevering in these endeavors brings the virtue of fortitude particularly to the fore.4 In the Annunciation’s fiat, the fullness of the gift of self and the commitment to the divine will were already present. As Vatican II states: “By full-heartedly espousing the divine will of salvation without any sin holding her back, Mary handed herself over completely, as the handmaid of the Lord, to the person and the work of her Son” (Lumen Gentium 56).
2. Mary’s faithfulness toward her servants
It is especially with her servants that Montfort develops the theme of the many-sided faithfulness of Mary. He sums it up in this prayer of praise: “Advocate ever near us in life and in death, we praise you” (MP 12). It is an echo of the Hail Mary: “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” Vatican II expresses the same idea when it says that the motherhood of Mary “continues without interruption until the final consummation of all the elect. . . . Her motherly love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not yet over . . . until they reach the homeland of the blest. This is why the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of advocate, helper, mediatrix” (LG 62). We find the same ideas and words in Montfort: “They will experience her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix” (True Devotion to Mary 55). The term “mediatrix,” and not only the description of her mediation, occurs often, for example in MP 11, Love of Eternal Wisdom 223, and True Devotion to Mary 86.
a. Safeguarding the deposit
The total Consecration of oneself is likened to a deposit entrusted to Mary. “In adopting this devotion, we put our graces, merits and virtues into safe keeping by making Mary the depository of them. It is as if we said to her, ‘See, my dear Mother, here is the good that I have done through the grace of your dear Son. I am not capable of keeping it. . . . But, most powerful Queen, . . . keep a guard on all my possessions lest I be robbed of them. I entrust all I have to you, for I know who you are, and that is why I confide myself to you. You are faithful to God and man” (Secret of Mary 40). The same idea appears in a different form in True Devotion to Mary 87, where Montfort shows that, given our weakness and frailty, it is very hard for us to keep the treasures received from God; and as for those who have trusted only in themselves: “If they had only known of the wonderful devotion that I shall later explain, they would have entrusted their treasure to Mary, the powerful and faithful Virgin. She would have kept it for them as if it were her own possession and even have considered that trust an obligation of justice” (True Devotion to Mary 88).
b. Always ready to help
Mary is not merely an occasional help, in times of calamities and extremes. Her aid is constant, like that of a mother, and even more so, for her children and their needs could never escape either her attention or her capabilities. In a paraphrase of the second part of the Hail Mary, Montfort sings: “You are our Mother, / O worthy Mother of God, / Help our wretchedness / At all times and everywhere, / Pray for us, sinners. / Hide us under your wing, / Be now our support, / Give us a good death, / And everlasting glory” (H 109:40). And in his “New Song of Our Lady of Gifts”: “Mary possesses in her domain, / The fullness of all goods. / Near to her we have no cares, / Fellow Christians, / She overflows with good / For her own” (H 151:3).Everything comes through her hands: “She is the Mother of grace, / She is its wondrous channel, / It is through her that all good comes, / here on earth, / That everything ascends and returns / To paradise” (H 151:4). And then: “In her we find all things, / Possessions, pleasures, honors and good health. / all these things for God alone she bestows / With kindness. / Upon her care the universe relies, / in truth” (H 151:5). The couplets that follow enumerate the petitions of certain kinds of devotees: the vine grower, that his vine abound in grapes, the plowman for his fields, the afflicted, the needy. “You will receive her assistance / Through your petitions, / Or else the gift of patience. / One or the other” (H 151:8). The devotee of Mary can in all confidence speak to her: “In your bounty / Comfort me in my wretchedness. / In your bounty, / Give me long-suffering or good health. / In you alone do I hope, / Show me that you are my Mother, 5 / In your bounty” (H 145:4).
c. Unceasing presence
Mary’s presence can be looked at from two points of view: either from that of Mary herself, or from that of her devotee. That Mary is present to her children means that no one escapes her constant motherly attention. Some find this truth hard to grasp because they liken the role of Mary to that of an earthly mother who cannot follow her children about or cater to all their needs. A moment of distraction is enough for a baby to be in danger on the edge of a swimming pool or in the street. But Mary’s mode of knowledge is that of the elect in heaven. In the contemplation of the Divine Essence, they know everything that concerns them in accordance with the degree of perfection proper to each one.6 Now Mary, mother of all the redeemed, knows the needs of all her children. Mary is present to us in this sense, and we are present to her even before we bring her our prayers and our wants. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Mt 6,8). There is no passage in his work where Montfort shows this motherly presence better than in True Devotion to Mary 201 to 213, when he explains “the services which the Virgin Mary . . . lovingly renders to her loyal servants” (True Devotion to Mary 201). “She loves them tenderly, more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. . . . She loves them not only affectively but effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good” (True Devotion to Mary 202). Paraphrasing the story of Rebecca and Jacob, he multiplies the ever watchful attentions of Mary. “Like Rebecca she looks out for favorable opportunities to promote their interests, to ennoble and enrich them.” And he gives the theological reason mentioned above: “Since she sees clearly in God all that is good and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God’s sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to the end” (True Devotion to Mary 203).
But Mary’s presence still has a subjective sense. It is the devotee’s awareness and acceptance of Mary’s action in him. Montfort writes of the hardships presented by the spiritual life: “It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virginal road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights” (True Devotion to Mary 152). Mary’s faithful presence will be the strength of the apostles of the end times, who “will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as their perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them” (True Devotion to Mary 46). This presence of Mary can attain a mystical degree. “Should you not savor immediately the sweet presence of the Blessed Virgin within you, take great care not to torment yourself. For this is a grace not given to everyone, and even when God in His great mercy favors a soul with this grace, it remains none the less very easy to lose it, except when the soul has become permanently aware of it through the habit of recollection” (Secret of Mary 52).
CURRENT RELEVANCE
1. Faithfulness in crisis
All agree in admitting that today’s world is going through a crisis of fidelity.7 The most sacred commitments, like priesthood and especially marriage, have experienced massive infidelity. Common-law unions, even if they are sometimes lasting, are on the increase out of fear of a stable commitment. Because faithfulness is excluded from the outset, they are merely an open door to camouflaged infidelity. Today an aberrant definition of faithfulness is prevalent: “faithfulness to oneself,” which is strangely thought to justify all sorts of deviations of thought and behavior. Such an attitude forgets that faithfulness also carries with it an altruistic relationship with a “Thou,” a very noble value that imposes the moral obligation of keeping one’s promises.
Still more serious is the fact that infidelity can be seen in basic values that up to now had always been considered to be beyond question. This is not only happening on the social level but even in the realm of the Faith. The profound reason for infidelity is clearly a crisis of Faith. When Faith disintegrates and becomes ephemeral, it no longer has sufficient dynamism to motivate faithfulness. Conscience has reached a state of vagueness and indifference, and makes choices in opposition to the Faith. The language of Faith is eroded, piety disappears, devotions are relegated to the archival dust heap. Mary no longer has her place. She is dragged into the global process of the de-christianization of our age, where a twofold phenomenon is being manifested.8 On the one hand, acedia, which is the lack of interest in the spiritual when faced with the appeal of the new values of science and technology; and on the other, anomia which is the rejection of established laws and systems, where each person looks for an absolute autonomy of thought and social behavior.
2. The path of faithfulness put forward by Montfort
It is as a realist, and without any pessimism, that Montfort treats of faithfulness. What he requires of a person who wishes truly to live his Marian devotion is motivated by his human and pastoral experience, which is never content with superficial enthusiasm. “It is not enough to give ourselves just once as a slave to Jesus through Mary; nor is it enough to renew that consecration once a month or once a week. That alone would make it just a passing devotion,” hence one that is unfaithful. It is not only repetitive acts that must be performed. A spirit has to be created. “The chief difficulty is to enter into its spirit, which requires an interior dependence on Mary, and effectively becoming her slave and the slave of Jesus through her.” As an experienced spiritual director, he is well acquainted with the spiritual life and its frailties. “I have met many people who with admirable zeal have set about practicing exteriorly this holy slavery of Jesus and Mary, but I have met only a few who have caught its interior spirit, and fewer still who have persevered in it” (Secret of Mary 44).
Fidelity to one’s word, to one’s promises, and to one’s vows to God is not something that can be taken for granted. This should be obvious, for we live in a time of massive infidelity. Contracts are broken, infidelity in marriage is not only practiced but even praised in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Playboy (not to mention worse publications), divorce is edging up to almost one for every two marriages. Many religious men and women have abandoned their solemn lifetime commitment to God in order to embrace some kind of social or political work.
Fidelity is a virtue closely allied to truthfulness. Its function is to incline a person to the fulfillment of his promises. Truthfulness inclines one to conform his speech to the judgment of his mind, while fidelity disposes him to conform his deeds to his promises and vows.
Even in the natural order, fidelity is a virtue, since it is truth in action. We are by nature social beings. This means in practice that we are dependent one upon the other. Since we are dependent, we need to trust each other in order to be able to build necessary social units, such as the family, local community, state, church, etc. If individuals are not truthful, not trustworthy, not faithful to what they say and promise, then the whole social system begins to crack. Because of the lack of fidelity in our society, many of our most important institutions are breaking down rapidly. And the breakdown is affecting not only civil society, but also the Church herself. When Catholics are unfaithful in marriage, unfaithful in business, unfaithful in the religious life, unfaithful in the priesthood, then the whole Church suffers. Today, infidelity, rather than being the rare exception that one hears about in some distant place, is our permanent neighbor and, all too often, a visitor in our own home.
In the Old Testament, one of the essential attributes of the Lord is his faithfulness (cf. Exodus 34:6; Psalm 89). He is called the “rock” of Israel because of the truth of his words and the solidity of his promises (Deuteronomy 32:4). The fidelity of God surpasses the heavens and the clouds (Psalm 36:5). The fidelity of the Lord contrasts sharply with the infidelity of his chosen people (cf. Psalm 78).
Abraham and Moses are models of fidelity, but even they had their faults. Perfect fidelity on this earth is found only in Jesus Christ, the faithful Servant who remains constant and endures to the very end (2 Timothy 2:13).
My thoughts turn to the importance and need of fidelity precisely at this time when the Church is being tested, both from within and from without. Fidelity in the “faithful” cannot be assumed. It demands a constant struggle against the Evil One (“Lead us not into temptation”)—a struggle which requires watchfulness and prayer (Matthew 26:41). Witnessing others fall into sins of infidelity, should not give rise to feelings of superiority. Rather, we should pray for them, humbly thank God for the grace he has given us, and strive, with St. Paul, to work out our “salvation in fear and trembling” lest we too become castaways (Philippians 2:12).
In the profile Montfort designs for the Christian consecrated to Christ through Mary, a long list would be needed to describe the qualities he includes. Among them, however, faithfulness is quite prominent. Its radical character gives it priority over all the others. Faithfulness is so basic, it must permeate everything. Nothing can be valid without it. This is why from the very start of his commitment, aware of his infidelity (“ungrateful and unfaithful as I am”), the Christian puts himself in Mary’s hands in order to guarantee his faithfulness: “Unfaithful sinner that I am, I renew . . . in your hands the vows of my baptism; . . . and I give myself totally to Jesus Christ, Incarnate Wisdom, so I may take up my cross and follow Him every day of my life so that I might be more faithful to Him than I have been up till now” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 225). Yet Montfort does not define here or elsewhere what faithfulness is, for his aim is not to give a theoretical explanation. He gives, rather, a description of the behavior of a faithful soul. Thus, “taking up my cross and following Him all the days of my life” is one element of faithfulness, even though the word itself is not used. Continued faithfulness is perseverance.
WHAT IS FAITHFULNESS?
Relating faithfulness and perseverance reveals both their uniqueness and what they have in common.
1. Human faithfulness
By itself, even if it does not exclude it, the word “faithfulness” does not contain the idea of duration or continuance.1 Endurance itself is not faithfulness. One does not speak of the faithfulness of a halogen lamp, even though it might last for 2000 hours. Material things are alien to faithfulness, since it essentially contains a cognitive element. It can be found with animals who know their master and feel affection for him. Yet it is with human beings that faithfulness assumes its full meaning, because they are endowed with knowledge and freedom. It is with human beings that the duration-continuance element comes in, even if faithfulness cannot be limited to it. “Faithfulness is only understood as part of a starting option that can take on various appearances, depending upon the context. We are faithful to a promise, to a plan, to a commitment, to our word. Faithfulness, then, appears, in one sense, as steadfastness, as staying permanently with a choice that has been made.”2
2. Divine faithfulness
Father de Montfort speaks several times of the “faithful” God: “God infinitely faithful” (L 7), “Faithful to all His promises” (H 7:3), “faithful to His word” (H 7; 77), and we should therefore “hope in God so faithful” (H 28:8). Although in Saint Louis Marie’s writings the explicit term “faithfulness” is not used in connection with God, it is implied throughout his works and most especially in relation to Mary: “Because God has decided to begin and accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He created her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His way of acting” (True Devotion to Mary 15).
“A God of faithfulness” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Over and over again the Bible calls God faithful; without number are the proofs of His faithfulness. He cannot be unfaithful without denying His very nature. All His attributes converge in this faithfulness by the very reason of His simplicity.
God cannot make a promise and then not keep it. God’s faithfulness, then, is the foundation of our hope. “I draw all my riches / From a God full of truth / Faithful to all His promises / In time and in eternity” (H 7:3). Montfort repeats the thought of Hosea: “I will betroth you to me in faithfulness” (Osee 2:21).
THE PATH FROM INFIDELITY TO FAITHFULNESS
Montfort is vitally interested in the Christian’s transition from infidelity to faithfulness. The knowledge he had of human beings and his vocation as an itinerant preacher permitted him to draw a realistic portrait of human infidelity, the terminus a quo of the journey into the faithfulness of God.
1. Our essential infidelity
The third of the basic truths of devotion to the Blessed Virgin is set forth in this way: “The sin of Adam has almost entirely spoiled and soured us, filling us with pride and corrupting every one of us, just as leaven sours, swells and corrupts the dough in which it is placed. The actual sins we have committed, whether mortal or venial, even though forgiven, have intensified our base desires, our weakness, our inconsistency and our evil tendencies, and have left a sediment of evil in our soul” (True Devotion to Mary 79). In speaking thus of weakness and inconsistency, Montfort shows how our frail faithfulness actually is making it very difficult “to keep the graces and treasures we have received from God. We carry this treasure, which is worth more than heaven and earth, in fragile vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7], that is, in a corruptible body and in a weak and wavering soul which requires very little to depress and disturb it” (True Devotion to Mary 87). For all these reasons, “it is difficult to persevere in holiness” (True Devotion to Mary 89). This is why devotion to Mary is a safeguard against this weakness and inconstancy, provided we meet all the conditions of genuine devotion. For, being devout “in fits and starts” means joining the number of those fake devotees unworthy of being counted “among the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary’s servants” (True Devotion to Mary 101).
2. What Montfort requires
What is required is contained in a very tightly knit passage: “As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God’s creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus” (True Devotion to Mary 120). There are three main conclusions that can be deduced from this statement.
a. Baptismal promises
The whole Christian life is built on this initial, fundamental act, which St. Justin calls a “bath of conversion,” in which sinful man encounters Christ his Savior, who meets him with the power of his Resurrection, possessing him irrevocably. The baptized person must be faithful to this first Consecration and its constant deepening and maturing. As a practical preacher, Montfort asks himself: “Does anyone keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfill the promises of baptism faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal failure come from, if not from man’s habitual forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract made with God through his sponsors?” (True Devotion to Mary 127). The enlightened zeal of the missionary touches on an essential point of every Christian renewal. It will be a new start based on the very foundations of the Faith and the most authentic tradition, “since the Councils, the Fathers of the Church, and many authors both past and present, speak of consecration to Our Lord or renewal of baptismal vows as something going back to ancient times and recommended to all the faithful” (True Devotion to Mary 131). When faced with this infidelity, the formula of his “consecration of oneself to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, through the hands of Mary” explicitly leads to: “I, an unfaithful sinner, renew and ratify today through you my baptismal promises. I renounce forever Satan, his empty promises, and his evil designs, and I give myself completely to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 225).
b. Mary, the path of faithfulness
Giving oneself to the Blessed Virgin has for its purpose a greater faithfulness to the Lord. “The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus.” (True Devotion to Mary 120) Marian devotion taught by Montfort consists, then, “in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her” (True Devotion to Mary 121). Among the numerous reasons he mentions for consecrating oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary, the eighth and last is that it “is a wonderful means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining steadfast.” Referring to what was said about Mary’s faithfulness to her servants by watching over what they entrusted to her, Montfort repeats: “By this devotion we entrust all we possess to Mary, the faithful Virgin. We choose her as the guardian of all our possessions in the natural and supernatural sphere. We trust her because she is faithful, we rely on her strength, we count on her mercy and charity to preserve and increase our virtues and merits in spite of the efforts of the devil, the world, and the flesh to rob us of them” (True Devotion to Mary 173). In a long hymn describing the moral code “of a man converted in a mission” and the man’s everyday new life and social relationships, the missionary has his convert sing: “I am a devotee of Mary, / She is my help and my support, / She is the glory of my life, / After God she is all I possess. / So I may be faithful to God, / I make everything depend on her” (H 139:60). He often repeats this same thought: devotion to Mary assures fidelity to God. “If someone wishes to be faithful, / Let him come to the Mother of gifts” (H 151:1); “Mary is my good Mother, / To whom I always run for help, / To support my wretchedness, / To placate God my Father, / It is through her that I hope / Ever to persevere” (H 94:9).
c. The life of a consecrated person
Our Lady is the one who makes us faithful to our perfect baptismal Consecration. We need not always look for the terms “faithfulness” and “perseverance” themselves. “Let us, so to speak, bring Mary into our abode by consecrating ourselves unreservedly to her as servants and slaves. Let us surrender into her hands all we possess, even what we value most highly, keeping nothing for ourselves. This good Mistress . . . will give herself to us in a real but indefinable manner” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 211). Mary’s devotee has nothing to fear. “Mary is faithful: she will not permit anything we give her to be lost or wasted. She stands alone as the Virgin most faithful to God and to man. She faithfully guarded and kept all that God entrusted to her, never allowing the least bit to be lost; and she still keeps watch every day, with a special care, over all those who have placed themselves entirely under her protection and guidance. Let us, then, confide everything to the faithful Virgin Mary, binding ourselves to her as to a pillar that cannot be moved, as to an anchor that cannot slip, or better still, as to Mount Zion which cannot be shaken” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 222). To show this faithfulness of Mary, Montfort turns to biblical images in which God’s faithfulness is symbolized, like Mount Sion, and “the rock” (Psalm 92:15). The true devotee of Mary is identical with the devout faithful Christian. The terms are interchangeable.
The life of a consecrated person is fidelity. Consecration is the absolute gift that goes as far as the Cross. It must not be forgotten that in the very act of Consecration, the one who hands himself over to Jesus through Mary includes the Cross: “to follow Him by carrying my cross and to be more faithful to Him than I have been up to this point.”
Mary, Faithful Virgin
The basis of Mary’s faithfulness is her sharing in the life of God. While He is faithful by nature, Mary, as a creature, can only be so by grace. God made her so perfectly in His image that she shares in His faithfulness. Montfort points this out in an expression that may never have been heard with this meaning but which states the idea very well, “Mary is the wonderful echo of God” (Secret of Mary 21), or in a even more admirable way: “Mary is entirely relative to God. Indeed I would say that she is relative only to God, because she exists uniquely in reference to Him. She is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God” (True Devotion to Mary 225).
1. Faithfulness to God
In a sentence that in principle contains all the further developments that he will add about Mary’s faithfulness to God, Montfort studies the initial period of her life up to the Incarnation: “During the first fourteen years of her life the most holy Virgin Mary grew so marvelously in the grace and wisdom of God and responded so faithfully to His love that the angels and even God Himself were filled with rapturous admiration for her” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 107). As the Immaculate Conception, faithfulness is a constituent element of her personality. Not only do we say Mary is virginal but we call her the Virgin or the Blessed Virgin, a personification of this quality to a unique degree. We are also prompted to say that Mary is not only faithful, but the faithful one, just as we say of Christ, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Apocalypse 1:5), using the word not only as a designation but also as a personification of the name: “Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! its rider is called Faithful and True” (Apocalypse 19:11). Montfort develops this idea of faithfulness by introducing into it the notion of “deposit” in order to illustrate its application. This deposit is a contract entered into by two physical or moral persons. One, the deponent, entrusts to the second, a faithful guardian or agent, something that he must watch over and give back on demand. God does not entrust Mary with a deposit because she is faithful. He makes her faithful in order for her to keep His deposit. It is in this sense that we should understand Montfort’s assertion “It is impossible on the one hand to put into words the gifts with which the Blessed Trinity endowed this most fair creature, or on the other hand to describe the faithful care with which she corresponded to the graces of her Creator” (Love of Eternal Wisdom 105).
a. Complete obedience
This response is an obedience to the will of God. It is the meaning of the faithful servant found in many Scripture passages. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:20-29), the servants are praised for their faithfulness and not for what their faithfulness produced. Without further specifying her faithfulness, Montfort calls Mary many times “the faithful spouse” in speaking of her relationship to the Holy Spirit (True Devotion to Mary 4, 5, 34, 36, 164, 269). In True Devotion to Mary 53 she is called “perfectly faithful to God.”
b. Motivated by love
Faithfulness is quite different from merely doing what has to be done along the lines of a scrupulous personal accounting. It is, rather, a flowering of charity that from the outset knows no limits. It is the Beatitudes’ insatiable hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is called generosity and magnanimity, and according to St. Thomas it “tends to a certain excellence.”3 Just as, by definition, virtue always consists of something difficult, that excellence which is the property of magnanimity aims at things that are still more difficult. Persevering in these endeavors brings the virtue of fortitude particularly to the fore.4 In the Annunciation’s fiat, the fullness of the gift of self and the commitment to the divine will were already present. As Vatican II states: “By full-heartedly espousing the divine will of salvation without any sin holding her back, Mary handed herself over completely, as the handmaid of the Lord, to the person and the work of her Son” (Lumen Gentium 56).
2. Mary’s faithfulness toward her servants
It is especially with her servants that Montfort develops the theme of the many-sided faithfulness of Mary. He sums it up in this prayer of praise: “Advocate ever near us in life and in death, we praise you” (MP 12). It is an echo of the Hail Mary: “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” Vatican II expresses the same idea when it says that the motherhood of Mary “continues without interruption until the final consummation of all the elect. . . . Her motherly love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not yet over . . . until they reach the homeland of the blest. This is why the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of advocate, helper, mediatrix” (LG 62). We find the same ideas and words in Montfort: “They will experience her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix” (True Devotion to Mary 55). The term “mediatrix,” and not only the description of her mediation, occurs often, for example in MP 11, Love of Eternal Wisdom 223, and True Devotion to Mary 86.
a. Safeguarding the deposit
The total Consecration of oneself is likened to a deposit entrusted to Mary. “In adopting this devotion, we put our graces, merits and virtues into safe keeping by making Mary the depository of them. It is as if we said to her, ‘See, my dear Mother, here is the good that I have done through the grace of your dear Son. I am not capable of keeping it. . . . But, most powerful Queen, . . . keep a guard on all my possessions lest I be robbed of them. I entrust all I have to you, for I know who you are, and that is why I confide myself to you. You are faithful to God and man” (Secret of Mary 40). The same idea appears in a different form in True Devotion to Mary 87, where Montfort shows that, given our weakness and frailty, it is very hard for us to keep the treasures received from God; and as for those who have trusted only in themselves: “If they had only known of the wonderful devotion that I shall later explain, they would have entrusted their treasure to Mary, the powerful and faithful Virgin. She would have kept it for them as if it were her own possession and even have considered that trust an obligation of justice” (True Devotion to Mary 88).
b. Always ready to help
Mary is not merely an occasional help, in times of calamities and extremes. Her aid is constant, like that of a mother, and even more so, for her children and their needs could never escape either her attention or her capabilities. In a paraphrase of the second part of the Hail Mary, Montfort sings: “You are our Mother, / O worthy Mother of God, / Help our wretchedness / At all times and everywhere, / Pray for us, sinners. / Hide us under your wing, / Be now our support, / Give us a good death, / And everlasting glory” (H 109:40). And in his “New Song of Our Lady of Gifts”: “Mary possesses in her domain, / The fullness of all goods. / Near to her we have no cares, / Fellow Christians, / She overflows with good / For her own” (H 151:3).Everything comes through her hands: “She is the Mother of grace, / She is its wondrous channel, / It is through her that all good comes, / here on earth, / That everything ascends and returns / To paradise” (H 151:4). And then: “In her we find all things, / Possessions, pleasures, honors and good health. / all these things for God alone she bestows / With kindness. / Upon her care the universe relies, / in truth” (H 151:5). The couplets that follow enumerate the petitions of certain kinds of devotees: the vine grower, that his vine abound in grapes, the plowman for his fields, the afflicted, the needy. “You will receive her assistance / Through your petitions, / Or else the gift of patience. / One or the other” (H 151:8). The devotee of Mary can in all confidence speak to her: “In your bounty / Comfort me in my wretchedness. / In your bounty, / Give me long-suffering or good health. / In you alone do I hope, / Show me that you are my Mother, 5 / In your bounty” (H 145:4).
c. Unceasing presence
Mary’s presence can be looked at from two points of view: either from that of Mary herself, or from that of her devotee. That Mary is present to her children means that no one escapes her constant motherly attention. Some find this truth hard to grasp because they liken the role of Mary to that of an earthly mother who cannot follow her children about or cater to all their needs. A moment of distraction is enough for a baby to be in danger on the edge of a swimming pool or in the street. But Mary’s mode of knowledge is that of the elect in heaven. In the contemplation of the Divine Essence, they know everything that concerns them in accordance with the degree of perfection proper to each one.6 Now Mary, mother of all the redeemed, knows the needs of all her children. Mary is present to us in this sense, and we are present to her even before we bring her our prayers and our wants. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Mt 6,8). There is no passage in his work where Montfort shows this motherly presence better than in True Devotion to Mary 201 to 213, when he explains “the services which the Virgin Mary . . . lovingly renders to her loyal servants” (True Devotion to Mary 201). “She loves them tenderly, more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. . . . She loves them not only affectively but effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good” (True Devotion to Mary 202). Paraphrasing the story of Rebecca and Jacob, he multiplies the ever watchful attentions of Mary. “Like Rebecca she looks out for favorable opportunities to promote their interests, to ennoble and enrich them.” And he gives the theological reason mentioned above: “Since she sees clearly in God all that is good and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God’s sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to the end” (True Devotion to Mary 203).
But Mary’s presence still has a subjective sense. It is the devotee’s awareness and acceptance of Mary’s action in him. Montfort writes of the hardships presented by the spiritual life: “It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virginal road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights” (True Devotion to Mary 152). Mary’s faithful presence will be the strength of the apostles of the end times, who “will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as their perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them” (True Devotion to Mary 46). This presence of Mary can attain a mystical degree. “Should you not savor immediately the sweet presence of the Blessed Virgin within you, take great care not to torment yourself. For this is a grace not given to everyone, and even when God in His great mercy favors a soul with this grace, it remains none the less very easy to lose it, except when the soul has become permanently aware of it through the habit of recollection” (Secret of Mary 52).
CURRENT RELEVANCE
1. Faithfulness in crisis
All agree in admitting that today’s world is going through a crisis of fidelity.7 The most sacred commitments, like priesthood and especially marriage, have experienced massive infidelity. Common-law unions, even if they are sometimes lasting, are on the increase out of fear of a stable commitment. Because faithfulness is excluded from the outset, they are merely an open door to camouflaged infidelity. Today an aberrant definition of faithfulness is prevalent: “faithfulness to oneself,” which is strangely thought to justify all sorts of deviations of thought and behavior. Such an attitude forgets that faithfulness also carries with it an altruistic relationship with a “Thou,” a very noble value that imposes the moral obligation of keeping one’s promises.
Still more serious is the fact that infidelity can be seen in basic values that up to now had always been considered to be beyond question. This is not only happening on the social level but even in the realm of the Faith. The profound reason for infidelity is clearly a crisis of Faith. When Faith disintegrates and becomes ephemeral, it no longer has sufficient dynamism to motivate faithfulness. Conscience has reached a state of vagueness and indifference, and makes choices in opposition to the Faith. The language of Faith is eroded, piety disappears, devotions are relegated to the archival dust heap. Mary no longer has her place. She is dragged into the global process of the de-christianization of our age, where a twofold phenomenon is being manifested.8 On the one hand, acedia, which is the lack of interest in the spiritual when faced with the appeal of the new values of science and technology; and on the other, anomia which is the rejection of established laws and systems, where each person looks for an absolute autonomy of thought and social behavior.
2. The path of faithfulness put forward by Montfort
It is as a realist, and without any pessimism, that Montfort treats of faithfulness. What he requires of a person who wishes truly to live his Marian devotion is motivated by his human and pastoral experience, which is never content with superficial enthusiasm. “It is not enough to give ourselves just once as a slave to Jesus through Mary; nor is it enough to renew that consecration once a month or once a week. That alone would make it just a passing devotion,” hence one that is unfaithful. It is not only repetitive acts that must be performed. A spirit has to be created. “The chief difficulty is to enter into its spirit, which requires an interior dependence on Mary, and effectively becoming her slave and the slave of Jesus through her.” As an experienced spiritual director, he is well acquainted with the spiritual life and its frailties. “I have met many people who with admirable zeal have set about practicing exteriorly this holy slavery of Jesus and Mary, but I have met only a few who have caught its interior spirit, and fewer still who have persevered in it” (Secret of Mary 44).
Article 13
Fear
Fear
Fear—a Great Enemy & a Great Friend
Have you ever thought of fear? Perhaps you were afraid to! Fear is a powerful tool—in both a positive and negative way. An American president is reputed to have said: “There is nothing to fear except fear!” Today, we see a rise in popularity of the “NO FEAR” T-shirts! Well, St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that a person without fear is a reckless fool, an idiot, insane! Fear is a passion that God has placed within us for a purpose. We are meant to have fear, but the right kind of fear. There is a good kind of fear and bad kind of fear. Holy Scripture often speaks of both kinds of fear—the good and the bad.
The Passion of Fear
Fear is a passion of the soul. The word “passion” means an undergoing or enduring or experiencing. All that we can ever experience, undergo or endure can be placed into two categories: GOOD or EVIL. The passions of the soul are our different reaction to what we are experiencing, undergoing or enduring: depending on whether they are GOOD or EVIL.
Fear has various forms. Laziness fears the trouble of toil. Shamefacedness dreads the doing of a disgraceful thing. Shame fears the disgrace of a thing already done. Amazement shrinks from the enormity of impending evil. Stupefaction dreads great and altogether unusual evils impending. Anxiety dreads possible evils that are not clearly foreseen.
What Do We Fear?
It is held by some that we have five basic fears―which could be debated, but for simplification’s sake we will reduce it to five chief fears. Just as we say that are seven cardinal sins upon which all other sins hinge and hang, so, too, could we perhaps coin the phrase of “five cardinal fears”? These “five cardinal fears” could be applied to both the natural life and the supernatural life; and to persons, places and things.
1. FEAR OF EXTINCTION: fear of annihilation, of ceasing to exist. This is a more fundamental way to express it than just simply calling it the "fear of death". The idea of no longer being, arouses a primary existential anxiety in all normal humans. Consider that panicky feeling you get when you look over the edge of a high building, or lose control of the car while driving, or receive a severe wound. “For there was the fear of death in every city” (1 Kings 5:12).
2. FEAR OF MUTILATION: fear of losing any part of our precious bodily structure; or the thought of having our body's boundaries invaded; or of losing the integrity of any organ, body part, or natural function. For example, anxiety about animals, such as bugs, spiders, snakes, and other creepy things arises from fear of mutilation.
3. FEAR OF LOSING AUTHORITY, AUTONOMY OR FREEDOM: fear of being immobilized, paralyzed, restricted, enveloped, overwhelmed, entrapped, imprisoned, smothered, or controlled by circumstances. In a physical form, it's sometimes known as claustrophobia, but it also extends to social interactions and relationships.
“And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David's enemy continually” (1 Kings 18:29). Similarly, the Pharisees feared losing their authority to Jesus: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves: ‘Do you see that we prevail nothing? Behold, the whole world is gone after Him!’” (John 12:19)
4. FEAR OF SEPARATION: fear of abandonment, rejection, and loss of connectedness—of becoming a ‘non-person’—not being wanted, not respected, not appreciated, or not valued by anyone else. The "silent treatment," when imposed by a group or an individual, can have a devastating psychological effect on the targeted person. Pontius Pilate was driven by this fear, and, because of it, condemned Jesus to death. Pilate was told that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God: “When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more … Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: ‘If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend! For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar!’” (John 19:8-12)
5. FEAR OF ‘EGO-DEATH’ OR HUMILIATION: fear of humiliation, shame, or any other mechanism of profound self-disapproval that threatens the loss of integrity of the “Self”; fear of the shattering or disintegration of one's constructed sense of lovability, capability, and worthiness.
That’s all—just those five fears, the “five cardinal fears” upon which hang and hinge all our other subordinate or subsidiary fears. Now, as we said these can be applied to the natural or spiritual life. They can refer to persons, places or things.
Why Do We Fear?
Why are we unnecessarily afraid? We are afraid, when there is no reason to be afraid, because of insufficient knowledge and/or a lack of availability of means to be able to overcome an obstacle or difficulty that we encounter or to be able to extricate ourselves from an unwanted or threatening situation. This is true both on the natural level and the supernatural level. A lack of confidence or lack of faith in self or others, ultimately comes down to a lack of knowledge on the part of self, or a lack of knowledge of others. If I do not know God well enough and all that He is capable of, then my confidence in God will be lessened in proportion to my lack of knowledge as to what He can do. If I am given a Swiss-Army knife for a survival exercise, but my knowledge as to what each different blade or accessory can achieve is very limited or non-existent, then my confidence in passing the test will be proportionately less and my fear of failure greater. The same would apply to a student's lack of knowledge of the course material in relation to the final exams.
How Do We Fear?
Our fear translates itself into one of the following responses:
(1) FIGHT, (2) PARALYSIS, (3) FLEE. Some use the classic phrase “fight or flee”, but upon reflection, I think we have to add the “deer-in-the-headlights” effect also, which is the middle path between fight and flee. For those who like to split hairs and go deeper into things, I guess you could make deeper or finer distinctions and come up with something more or less like:
(1) AGGRESSIVE FIGHTING where you attack first and seek to either destroy, eliminate or incapacitate the threatening object or person;
(2) DEFENSIVE FIGHTING where you do the minimal to stop, neutralize and ward off the attack or threat;
(3) POSITIVE PARALYSIS where you suffer the attack in positive merit gaining, yet passive manner, e.g. “if they strike you on one cheek, show them the other”;
(4) NEGATIVE PARALYSIS where you attack negatively, complaining, or feeling sorry for yourself and perhaps angry at God for allowing this to happen;
(5) POSITIVE FLIGHT where you would fight if it was prudent and you had the means to overcome the obstacle or the enemy, but wisdom rules that it is better to retreat in order to preserve oneself to be able “to live to fight another day”;
(6) NEGATIVE FLIGHT where the you should fight, for you have the means to overcome the obstacle or threat, but out of excessive, irrational fear, or fear of the effort involved, or some other selfish motive, you choose avoid the encounter and run away.
Each Reaction of Fear Can Be Wise or Foolish
(1) AGGRESSIVE FIGHTING is good if you have the knowledge and the means together with a reasonable chance of success. So prudence dictates that we should use our minds, and not follow our feelings, in reasoning out whether something is likely to succeed or not: “Which of you, having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit down, and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it” (Luke 14:28). It may be that things are stacked in our favor, “Fear not: for there are more with us than with them” (4 Kings 6:16). However, if you have little knowledge or meager means of overcoming the difficulty, obstacle or enemy, then to pick a fight, with someone far more powerful than you, or to take on more than we can handle, can be suicidal. “What king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down, and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him? Or else, whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:31-32); or “Lest, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him, saying: ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish!’” (Luke 14:29-30).
However, all of this can be turned on its head by the intervention of God and His grace, which can miraculously change everything. “He despiseth fear, he turneth not his back to the sword” (Job 29:32). Then the opposite can happen, as in the case of Our Lord whipping the money-lenders and money-changers out of the Temple (one-versus-many); or St. Peter and his sword trying to protect Our Lord from a hoard of soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane (one-versus-many); or David and Goliath (small-versus-great); or Gedeon’s ‘300’ soldiers defeating the many thousands of the Madianite army (few-versus-many). “I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me” (Psalm 3:7). In each of these cases, we have the subject outnumbered or greatly disadvantaged in face of the threat, yet, with and by the grace of God (except in the case of Peter), they were pushed by God to do so. Peter acted foolishly and Our Lord told him so. In Gethsemane, God wanted passive resistance rather than aggressive resistance or aggressive fighting.
(2) DEFENSIVE FIGHTING where you do the minimal to stop, neutralize and ward off the attack or threat; look at Our Lord in face of the verbal attacks of the Scribes and the Pharisees: He uses His wisdom and quick wit to reply to them and disarm the attack. Sometimes He becomes scathing in His defensive attack (Matthew chapter 23); sometimes it is a milder defensive reaction (Mark 11:27-33). St. Stephen shows similar traits before being stoned to death.
Yet, through fear and timidity, we sometimes do less than we should have done. We say less than we should have done. We content ourselves with half-measures, token measures. We know we should do what is right, but we are afraid to “rock-the-boat” and upset our family, friends or colleagues. So we apply half-the-dose! Health rarely comes back on half-dosages! Half-hearted athletes rarely win the race! St. Paul commands: "So run that you may obtain!" (1 Cor. 9:24).
(3) POSITIVE PARALYSIS where you suffer the attack in a positive, merit gaining, yet passive manner, e.g. “if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other” (Matthew 5:39). We see Our Lord do this during His Passion, when being struck by the soldier on His cheek, He does not strike back in any way, but simply says: “If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou Me?” (John 18:23); “I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear” (Job 9:35); likewise many martyrs of the Church. Sometimes, when a greater good demands it, we have to tolerate and suffer an evil that we know we cannot overcome, or that we know that has been sent as a punishment for our past sins. We have to accept this from the hand of God, as King David accepted being cursed and insulted by Semei, and forbade his soldiers to kill Semei for this, saying: “Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath He done so?” (2 Kings 16:10).
(4) NEGATIVE PARALYSIS where you attack negatively by complaining, or in feeling sorry for yourself, or perhaps being angry at God for allowing this to happen to you; “And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right!” (Ezechiel 18:29). “I am made pensive with fear” (Job 23:15); “the heart of the people was struck with fear, and melted like water” (Josue 7:5). St. Peter thrice denies Christ being negatively paralyzed through fear: “Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: ‘I know not what thou sayest!’…another maid saw him, and she saith to them that were there: ‘This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth!’ And again he denied with an oath, ‘I know not the man!’ And after a little while they came that stood by, and said to Peter: ‘Surely thou also art one of them; for even thy speech doth discover thee!’ Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew” (Matthew 26:69-74).
(5) POSITIVE FLIGHT where you would fight if it was prudent and you had the means to overcome the obstacle or the enemy, but wisdom rules that it is better to retreat in order to preserve oneself to be able to live to fight another day. We see this reasoning amongst the soldiers of the army of Judas Machabees: “And they saw the multitude of the army that they were many, and they were seized with great fear: and many withdrew themselves out of the camp, and there remained of them no more than eight hundred men. And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and the battle pressed upon him, and his heart was cast down: because he had not time to gather them together, and he was discouraged. Then he said to them that remained: ‘Let us arise, and go against our enemies, if we may be able to fight against them!’ But they dissuaded him, saying: ‘We shall not be able, but let us save our lives now, and return to our brethren, and then we will fight against them: for we are but few!’” (1 Machabees 9:6-9).
(6) NEGATIVE FLIGHT where you should fight, for you have the means to overcome the obstacle or threat, but, out of excessive, irrational fear, “there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear” (Psalm 13:5); or fear of the effort involved “their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun” (Job 5:12); or some other selfish motive “they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come” (Luke 14:18-20), you choose to avoid the encounter and run away. “When all the army heard that Holofernes was beheaded, courage and counsel fled from them, and, being seized with trembling and fear, they thought only to save themselves by flight” (Judith 15:1).
Fear of God
Just as fear is an integral and essential part of the natural life of human being, so too is it an essential part of the supernatural or spiritual life of every human being. Holy Scripture is teeming with references to all kinds of aspects of fear. “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord!” (Leviticus 19:14). “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him only” (Deuteronomy 6:13). “Let all the earth fear the Lord” (Psalm 32:8). “Serve ye the Lord with fear” (Psalm 2:11). “Fear the Lord, and serve Him with a perfect and most sincere heart” (Josue 24:14). “They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well pleasing to him” (Ecclesiasticus 2:19). “The fear of the Lord is holy” (Psalm 18:10).
“The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 22:4). “The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord” (Ecclesiasticus 1:25). “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27). “The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge” (Ecclesiasticus 1:17). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). “To fear God is the fullness of wisdom” (Ecclesiasticus 1:20). “The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom” (Ecclesiasticus 1:22). “The fear of God is the beginning of His love” (Ecclesiasticus 25:16). “Ye that fear the Lord, believe Him … Ye that fear the Lord, hope in Him … Ye that fear the Lord, love Him” (Ecclesiasticus 2:8-10).
Servile Fear versus Filial Fear
“The fear of God is the beginning of His love” (Ecclesiasticus 25:16). “They that fear Thee, shall be great with Thee in all things” (Judith 16:19). Servile fear is described as a “fearful fear” like a fear of a slave in relation to the slave-master. A filial fear is described as a “loving fear” like a child would have towards its parents. Of course, the most perfect is the filial fear. God wants us have a filial fear towards Him—to be afraid of offending Him, not because of His ‘thunderbolts’ and punishments, but because He is, as the act of contrition puts it, “all good and deserving of all our love!” However, sometimes we need the servile fear to keep us in check, especially if we have become lukewarm and thus fallen out of love with God―“because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Apocalypse 3:16). Servile fear should give way to filial fear. “The rest of his life was in joy, and with great increase of the fear of God” (Tobias 14:4).
If You Keep the Law of God, There is No Reason to Fear
“Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve Him only” (Deuteronomy 6:13). “Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good” (Tobias 4:23). “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways, and love Him, and serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12). “Learn to fear the Lord … and keep his words … that are commanded in the law” (Deuteronomy 17:19). “Do My precepts, and keep My judgments, and fulfill them: that you may dwell in the land without any fear” (Leviticus 25:18). “If you walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments, and do them … I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters. You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you” (Leviticus 26:3; 26:6-7).
Have No Fear, God Is With You
If God is with us, who can stand against us? Our Lord would often rebuke the fearfulness of His Apostles. They were afraid several times in the storms on the lake; they were afraid of Christ’s enemies at the start of the Passion; they were afraid after His death as they huddled together in the Upper Room; they were afraid to see the resurrected Christ; they were afraid after His Ascension into Heaven and return to the huddle of the Upper Room. St. Peter fled from Rome and martyrdom until he encountered Christ on the road, and then was encouraged to return to Rome to die.
A Lack of Faith Fuels Fear
Our Lord would put these fears down to A LACK OF FAITH! “Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). “Why are you fearful? Have you not faith yet?” (Mark 4:40). “Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: ‘Peace be to you; it is I, fear not!’” (Luke 24:36). “Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not” (Matthew 14:27).
Of course, we are consoled in our weakness and fearfulness by the fact that the Apostles were also fearful, but that does not make it right! God wants us to be confident in Him. As the angel said to Mary: “Because no word shall be impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37). If we are in His grace, He is by our side! In fact, I imagine that He would be offended to witness our fearfulness despite His presence! It manifests our lack of faith and confidence!
“The word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector!’” (Genesis 15:1). “Take courage, and be strong. Fear not and be not dismayed: because the Lord thy God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go” (Josue 1:9). “I will send My fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come: and will turn the backs of all thy enemies before thee” (Exodus 23:27). “Thou shalt not fear them, because the Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a God mighty and terrible” (Deuteronomy 7:21). “Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God's” (2 Paralipomenon 20:15). “Fear them not: for the Lord your God will fight for you!” (Deuteronomy 3:22). “Fear not, but remember what the Lord thy God did to Pharaoh and to all the Egyptians” (Deuteronomy 7:18). “Fear not, neither be ye afraid of them! The Lord God, Who is your Leader, Himself will fight for you, as He did in Egypt in the sight of all” (Deuteronomy 1:29-30). “Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage and be strong: for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight” (Josue 10:25). “And the Lord said to Josue: ‘Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee!’” (Josue 10:8). “I will fear no evils, for Thou art with me” (Psalm 22:4)
Fear Breaking the Laws and Commands of God
“If you despise My laws, and contemn My judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by Me…I will quickly visit you with poverty … You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set My face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies, and shall be made subject to them that hate you, you shall flee when no man pursueth you. But if you will not yet for all this obey Me: I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and I will break the pride of your stubbornness, and I will make to you the Heaven above as iron, and the earth as brass” (Leviticus 26:15; 26:16-19).
“If you walk contrary to Me, and will not hearken to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you for your sins: And I will send in upon you the beasts of the held, to destroy you and your cattle, and make you few in number, and that your highways may be desolate. And if even so you will not amend, but will walk contrary to Me: I also will walk contrary to you, and will strike you seven times for your sins. And I will bring in upon you the sword that shall avenge my covenant. And when you shall flee into the cities, I will send the pestilence in the midst of you, and you shall be delivered into the hands of your enemies” (Leviticus 26:21-25).
“But if you will not for all this hearken to Me, but will walk against Me: I will also go against you with opposite fury, and I will chastise you with seven plagues for your sins, so that you shall eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and break your idols. You shall fall among the ruins of your idols, and My soul shall abhor you. I will bring your cities to be a wilderness, and I will make your sanctuaries desolate. I will destroy your land, and your enemies shall be astonished at it, when they shall be the inhabitants thereof. And I will scatter you among the Gentiles, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be desert, and your cities destroyed. You shall perish among the Gentiles, and an enemy's land shall consume you. And if of them also some remain, they shall pine away in their iniquities, in the land of their enemies, and they shall be afflicted for the sins of their fathers, and their own: until they confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their ancestors, whereby they have transgressed Me, and walked contrary unto Me.” (Leviticus 26:27-40).
Fear is a Great Gift
“Isaias says in reference to the Messias: ‘And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness, and He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord’” (Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life).
Fear is a great gift—we even call it a “Gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is a gift that helps us flee from sin and hate sin. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange says: “The gift of fear is the first manifestation of the influence of the Holy Ghost in a soul that leaves off sin and is converted to God. It supplies for the imperfection of the virtues of temperance and of chastity; it helps us to struggle against the fascination of forbidden pleasures and against the impulses of the heart.
“This holy fear of God is the inverse of worldly fear, often called human respect. It is superior also to servile fear which; although it has a salutary effect on the sinner, has not the dignity of a gift of the Holy Ghost. Servile fear is that which trembles at the punishments of God; it diminishes with charity, which makes us consider God rather as a loving Father than as a judge to be feared.
“Filial fear, or the gift of fear, dreads sin especially, more than the punishments due it. It makes us tremble with a holy respect before the majesty of God. At times the soul experiences this holy fear of offending God; occasionally the experience is so vivid that no meditation, no reading, could produce a like sentiment. It is the Holy Ghost who touches the soul. This holy fear of sin is ‘the beginning of wisdom,’ for it leads us to obey the divine law in everything, which is wisdom itself. Filial fear increases with charity, like the horror of sin; in Heaven, though the saints no longer have the fear of offending God, they still have the reverential fear which makes the angels themselves tremble before the infinite majesty of God, ‘Powers tremble before Thee’ in the words of the preface of the Mass. This fear was even in the soul of Christ and still remains there.
“This fear of sin, which inspired the great mortifications of the saints, corresponds to the beatitude of the poor: blessed are they who through fear of the Lord detach their hearts from the pleasures of the world, from honors; in their poverty they are supernaturally rich, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life).
Have you ever thought of fear? Perhaps you were afraid to! Fear is a powerful tool—in both a positive and negative way. An American president is reputed to have said: “There is nothing to fear except fear!” Today, we see a rise in popularity of the “NO FEAR” T-shirts! Well, St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that a person without fear is a reckless fool, an idiot, insane! Fear is a passion that God has placed within us for a purpose. We are meant to have fear, but the right kind of fear. There is a good kind of fear and bad kind of fear. Holy Scripture often speaks of both kinds of fear—the good and the bad.
The Passion of Fear
Fear is a passion of the soul. The word “passion” means an undergoing or enduring or experiencing. All that we can ever experience, undergo or endure can be placed into two categories: GOOD or EVIL. The passions of the soul are our different reaction to what we are experiencing, undergoing or enduring: depending on whether they are GOOD or EVIL.
Fear has various forms. Laziness fears the trouble of toil. Shamefacedness dreads the doing of a disgraceful thing. Shame fears the disgrace of a thing already done. Amazement shrinks from the enormity of impending evil. Stupefaction dreads great and altogether unusual evils impending. Anxiety dreads possible evils that are not clearly foreseen.
What Do We Fear?
It is held by some that we have five basic fears―which could be debated, but for simplification’s sake we will reduce it to five chief fears. Just as we say that are seven cardinal sins upon which all other sins hinge and hang, so, too, could we perhaps coin the phrase of “five cardinal fears”? These “five cardinal fears” could be applied to both the natural life and the supernatural life; and to persons, places and things.
1. FEAR OF EXTINCTION: fear of annihilation, of ceasing to exist. This is a more fundamental way to express it than just simply calling it the "fear of death". The idea of no longer being, arouses a primary existential anxiety in all normal humans. Consider that panicky feeling you get when you look over the edge of a high building, or lose control of the car while driving, or receive a severe wound. “For there was the fear of death in every city” (1 Kings 5:12).
2. FEAR OF MUTILATION: fear of losing any part of our precious bodily structure; or the thought of having our body's boundaries invaded; or of losing the integrity of any organ, body part, or natural function. For example, anxiety about animals, such as bugs, spiders, snakes, and other creepy things arises from fear of mutilation.
3. FEAR OF LOSING AUTHORITY, AUTONOMY OR FREEDOM: fear of being immobilized, paralyzed, restricted, enveloped, overwhelmed, entrapped, imprisoned, smothered, or controlled by circumstances. In a physical form, it's sometimes known as claustrophobia, but it also extends to social interactions and relationships.
“And Saul began to fear David more: and Saul became David's enemy continually” (1 Kings 18:29). Similarly, the Pharisees feared losing their authority to Jesus: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves: ‘Do you see that we prevail nothing? Behold, the whole world is gone after Him!’” (John 12:19)
4. FEAR OF SEPARATION: fear of abandonment, rejection, and loss of connectedness—of becoming a ‘non-person’—not being wanted, not respected, not appreciated, or not valued by anyone else. The "silent treatment," when imposed by a group or an individual, can have a devastating psychological effect on the targeted person. Pontius Pilate was driven by this fear, and, because of it, condemned Jesus to death. Pilate was told that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God: “When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more … Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: ‘If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend! For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar!’” (John 19:8-12)
5. FEAR OF ‘EGO-DEATH’ OR HUMILIATION: fear of humiliation, shame, or any other mechanism of profound self-disapproval that threatens the loss of integrity of the “Self”; fear of the shattering or disintegration of one's constructed sense of lovability, capability, and worthiness.
That’s all—just those five fears, the “five cardinal fears” upon which hang and hinge all our other subordinate or subsidiary fears. Now, as we said these can be applied to the natural or spiritual life. They can refer to persons, places or things.
Why Do We Fear?
Why are we unnecessarily afraid? We are afraid, when there is no reason to be afraid, because of insufficient knowledge and/or a lack of availability of means to be able to overcome an obstacle or difficulty that we encounter or to be able to extricate ourselves from an unwanted or threatening situation. This is true both on the natural level and the supernatural level. A lack of confidence or lack of faith in self or others, ultimately comes down to a lack of knowledge on the part of self, or a lack of knowledge of others. If I do not know God well enough and all that He is capable of, then my confidence in God will be lessened in proportion to my lack of knowledge as to what He can do. If I am given a Swiss-Army knife for a survival exercise, but my knowledge as to what each different blade or accessory can achieve is very limited or non-existent, then my confidence in passing the test will be proportionately less and my fear of failure greater. The same would apply to a student's lack of knowledge of the course material in relation to the final exams.
How Do We Fear?
Our fear translates itself into one of the following responses:
(1) FIGHT, (2) PARALYSIS, (3) FLEE. Some use the classic phrase “fight or flee”, but upon reflection, I think we have to add the “deer-in-the-headlights” effect also, which is the middle path between fight and flee. For those who like to split hairs and go deeper into things, I guess you could make deeper or finer distinctions and come up with something more or less like:
(1) AGGRESSIVE FIGHTING where you attack first and seek to either destroy, eliminate or incapacitate the threatening object or person;
(2) DEFENSIVE FIGHTING where you do the minimal to stop, neutralize and ward off the attack or threat;
(3) POSITIVE PARALYSIS where you suffer the attack in positive merit gaining, yet passive manner, e.g. “if they strike you on one cheek, show them the other”;
(4) NEGATIVE PARALYSIS where you attack negatively, complaining, or feeling sorry for yourself and perhaps angry at God for allowing this to happen;
(5) POSITIVE FLIGHT where you would fight if it was prudent and you had the means to overcome the obstacle or the enemy, but wisdom rules that it is better to retreat in order to preserve oneself to be able “to live to fight another day”;
(6) NEGATIVE FLIGHT where the you should fight, for you have the means to overcome the obstacle or threat, but out of excessive, irrational fear, or fear of the effort involved, or some other selfish motive, you choose avoid the encounter and run away.
Each Reaction of Fear Can Be Wise or Foolish
(1) AGGRESSIVE FIGHTING is good if you have the knowledge and the means together with a reasonable chance of success. So prudence dictates that we should use our minds, and not follow our feelings, in reasoning out whether something is likely to succeed or not: “Which of you, having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit down, and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it” (Luke 14:28). It may be that things are stacked in our favor, “Fear not: for there are more with us than with them” (4 Kings 6:16). However, if you have little knowledge or meager means of overcoming the difficulty, obstacle or enemy, then to pick a fight, with someone far more powerful than you, or to take on more than we can handle, can be suicidal. “What king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down, and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him? Or else, whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:31-32); or “Lest, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him, saying: ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish!’” (Luke 14:29-30).
However, all of this can be turned on its head by the intervention of God and His grace, which can miraculously change everything. “He despiseth fear, he turneth not his back to the sword” (Job 29:32). Then the opposite can happen, as in the case of Our Lord whipping the money-lenders and money-changers out of the Temple (one-versus-many); or St. Peter and his sword trying to protect Our Lord from a hoard of soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane (one-versus-many); or David and Goliath (small-versus-great); or Gedeon’s ‘300’ soldiers defeating the many thousands of the Madianite army (few-versus-many). “I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me” (Psalm 3:7). In each of these cases, we have the subject outnumbered or greatly disadvantaged in face of the threat, yet, with and by the grace of God (except in the case of Peter), they were pushed by God to do so. Peter acted foolishly and Our Lord told him so. In Gethsemane, God wanted passive resistance rather than aggressive resistance or aggressive fighting.
(2) DEFENSIVE FIGHTING where you do the minimal to stop, neutralize and ward off the attack or threat; look at Our Lord in face of the verbal attacks of the Scribes and the Pharisees: He uses His wisdom and quick wit to reply to them and disarm the attack. Sometimes He becomes scathing in His defensive attack (Matthew chapter 23); sometimes it is a milder defensive reaction (Mark 11:27-33). St. Stephen shows similar traits before being stoned to death.
Yet, through fear and timidity, we sometimes do less than we should have done. We say less than we should have done. We content ourselves with half-measures, token measures. We know we should do what is right, but we are afraid to “rock-the-boat” and upset our family, friends or colleagues. So we apply half-the-dose! Health rarely comes back on half-dosages! Half-hearted athletes rarely win the race! St. Paul commands: "So run that you may obtain!" (1 Cor. 9:24).
(3) POSITIVE PARALYSIS where you suffer the attack in a positive, merit gaining, yet passive manner, e.g. “if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other” (Matthew 5:39). We see Our Lord do this during His Passion, when being struck by the soldier on His cheek, He does not strike back in any way, but simply says: “If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou Me?” (John 18:23); “I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear” (Job 9:35); likewise many martyrs of the Church. Sometimes, when a greater good demands it, we have to tolerate and suffer an evil that we know we cannot overcome, or that we know that has been sent as a punishment for our past sins. We have to accept this from the hand of God, as King David accepted being cursed and insulted by Semei, and forbade his soldiers to kill Semei for this, saying: “Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath He done so?” (2 Kings 16:10).
(4) NEGATIVE PARALYSIS where you attack negatively by complaining, or in feeling sorry for yourself, or perhaps being angry at God for allowing this to happen to you; “And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right!” (Ezechiel 18:29). “I am made pensive with fear” (Job 23:15); “the heart of the people was struck with fear, and melted like water” (Josue 7:5). St. Peter thrice denies Christ being negatively paralyzed through fear: “Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: ‘I know not what thou sayest!’…another maid saw him, and she saith to them that were there: ‘This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth!’ And again he denied with an oath, ‘I know not the man!’ And after a little while they came that stood by, and said to Peter: ‘Surely thou also art one of them; for even thy speech doth discover thee!’ Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew” (Matthew 26:69-74).
(5) POSITIVE FLIGHT where you would fight if it was prudent and you had the means to overcome the obstacle or the enemy, but wisdom rules that it is better to retreat in order to preserve oneself to be able to live to fight another day. We see this reasoning amongst the soldiers of the army of Judas Machabees: “And they saw the multitude of the army that they were many, and they were seized with great fear: and many withdrew themselves out of the camp, and there remained of them no more than eight hundred men. And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and the battle pressed upon him, and his heart was cast down: because he had not time to gather them together, and he was discouraged. Then he said to them that remained: ‘Let us arise, and go against our enemies, if we may be able to fight against them!’ But they dissuaded him, saying: ‘We shall not be able, but let us save our lives now, and return to our brethren, and then we will fight against them: for we are but few!’” (1 Machabees 9:6-9).
(6) NEGATIVE FLIGHT where you should fight, for you have the means to overcome the obstacle or threat, but, out of excessive, irrational fear, “there have they trembled for fear, where there was no fear” (Psalm 13:5); or fear of the effort involved “their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun” (Job 5:12); or some other selfish motive “they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come” (Luke 14:18-20), you choose to avoid the encounter and run away. “When all the army heard that Holofernes was beheaded, courage and counsel fled from them, and, being seized with trembling and fear, they thought only to save themselves by flight” (Judith 15:1).
Fear of God
Just as fear is an integral and essential part of the natural life of human being, so too is it an essential part of the supernatural or spiritual life of every human being. Holy Scripture is teeming with references to all kinds of aspects of fear. “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord!” (Leviticus 19:14). “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him only” (Deuteronomy 6:13). “Let all the earth fear the Lord” (Psalm 32:8). “Serve ye the Lord with fear” (Psalm 2:11). “Fear the Lord, and serve Him with a perfect and most sincere heart” (Josue 24:14). “They that fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well pleasing to him” (Ecclesiasticus 2:19). “The fear of the Lord is holy” (Psalm 18:10).
“The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 22:4). “The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord” (Ecclesiasticus 1:25). “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27). “The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge” (Ecclesiasticus 1:17). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). “To fear God is the fullness of wisdom” (Ecclesiasticus 1:20). “The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom” (Ecclesiasticus 1:22). “The fear of God is the beginning of His love” (Ecclesiasticus 25:16). “Ye that fear the Lord, believe Him … Ye that fear the Lord, hope in Him … Ye that fear the Lord, love Him” (Ecclesiasticus 2:8-10).
Servile Fear versus Filial Fear
“The fear of God is the beginning of His love” (Ecclesiasticus 25:16). “They that fear Thee, shall be great with Thee in all things” (Judith 16:19). Servile fear is described as a “fearful fear” like a fear of a slave in relation to the slave-master. A filial fear is described as a “loving fear” like a child would have towards its parents. Of course, the most perfect is the filial fear. God wants us have a filial fear towards Him—to be afraid of offending Him, not because of His ‘thunderbolts’ and punishments, but because He is, as the act of contrition puts it, “all good and deserving of all our love!” However, sometimes we need the servile fear to keep us in check, especially if we have become lukewarm and thus fallen out of love with God―“because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Apocalypse 3:16). Servile fear should give way to filial fear. “The rest of his life was in joy, and with great increase of the fear of God” (Tobias 14:4).
If You Keep the Law of God, There is No Reason to Fear
“Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve Him only” (Deuteronomy 6:13). “Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good” (Tobias 4:23). “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways, and love Him, and serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12). “Learn to fear the Lord … and keep his words … that are commanded in the law” (Deuteronomy 17:19). “Do My precepts, and keep My judgments, and fulfill them: that you may dwell in the land without any fear” (Leviticus 25:18). “If you walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments, and do them … I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters. You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you” (Leviticus 26:3; 26:6-7).
Have No Fear, God Is With You
If God is with us, who can stand against us? Our Lord would often rebuke the fearfulness of His Apostles. They were afraid several times in the storms on the lake; they were afraid of Christ’s enemies at the start of the Passion; they were afraid after His death as they huddled together in the Upper Room; they were afraid to see the resurrected Christ; they were afraid after His Ascension into Heaven and return to the huddle of the Upper Room. St. Peter fled from Rome and martyrdom until he encountered Christ on the road, and then was encouraged to return to Rome to die.
A Lack of Faith Fuels Fear
Our Lord would put these fears down to A LACK OF FAITH! “Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). “Why are you fearful? Have you not faith yet?” (Mark 4:40). “Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: ‘Peace be to you; it is I, fear not!’” (Luke 24:36). “Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not” (Matthew 14:27).
Of course, we are consoled in our weakness and fearfulness by the fact that the Apostles were also fearful, but that does not make it right! God wants us to be confident in Him. As the angel said to Mary: “Because no word shall be impossible with God!” (Luke 1:37). If we are in His grace, He is by our side! In fact, I imagine that He would be offended to witness our fearfulness despite His presence! It manifests our lack of faith and confidence!
“The word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector!’” (Genesis 15:1). “Take courage, and be strong. Fear not and be not dismayed: because the Lord thy God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go” (Josue 1:9). “I will send My fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come: and will turn the backs of all thy enemies before thee” (Exodus 23:27). “Thou shalt not fear them, because the Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a God mighty and terrible” (Deuteronomy 7:21). “Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God's” (2 Paralipomenon 20:15). “Fear them not: for the Lord your God will fight for you!” (Deuteronomy 3:22). “Fear not, but remember what the Lord thy God did to Pharaoh and to all the Egyptians” (Deuteronomy 7:18). “Fear not, neither be ye afraid of them! The Lord God, Who is your Leader, Himself will fight for you, as He did in Egypt in the sight of all” (Deuteronomy 1:29-30). “Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage and be strong: for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight” (Josue 10:25). “And the Lord said to Josue: ‘Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee!’” (Josue 10:8). “I will fear no evils, for Thou art with me” (Psalm 22:4)
Fear Breaking the Laws and Commands of God
“If you despise My laws, and contemn My judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by Me…I will quickly visit you with poverty … You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies. I will set My face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies, and shall be made subject to them that hate you, you shall flee when no man pursueth you. But if you will not yet for all this obey Me: I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and I will break the pride of your stubbornness, and I will make to you the Heaven above as iron, and the earth as brass” (Leviticus 26:15; 26:16-19).
“If you walk contrary to Me, and will not hearken to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you for your sins: And I will send in upon you the beasts of the held, to destroy you and your cattle, and make you few in number, and that your highways may be desolate. And if even so you will not amend, but will walk contrary to Me: I also will walk contrary to you, and will strike you seven times for your sins. And I will bring in upon you the sword that shall avenge my covenant. And when you shall flee into the cities, I will send the pestilence in the midst of you, and you shall be delivered into the hands of your enemies” (Leviticus 26:21-25).
“But if you will not for all this hearken to Me, but will walk against Me: I will also go against you with opposite fury, and I will chastise you with seven plagues for your sins, so that you shall eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and break your idols. You shall fall among the ruins of your idols, and My soul shall abhor you. I will bring your cities to be a wilderness, and I will make your sanctuaries desolate. I will destroy your land, and your enemies shall be astonished at it, when they shall be the inhabitants thereof. And I will scatter you among the Gentiles, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be desert, and your cities destroyed. You shall perish among the Gentiles, and an enemy's land shall consume you. And if of them also some remain, they shall pine away in their iniquities, in the land of their enemies, and they shall be afflicted for the sins of their fathers, and their own: until they confess their iniquities and the iniquities of their ancestors, whereby they have transgressed Me, and walked contrary unto Me.” (Leviticus 26:27-40).
Fear is a Great Gift
“Isaias says in reference to the Messias: ‘And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness, and He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord’” (Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life).
Fear is a great gift—we even call it a “Gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is a gift that helps us flee from sin and hate sin. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange says: “The gift of fear is the first manifestation of the influence of the Holy Ghost in a soul that leaves off sin and is converted to God. It supplies for the imperfection of the virtues of temperance and of chastity; it helps us to struggle against the fascination of forbidden pleasures and against the impulses of the heart.
“This holy fear of God is the inverse of worldly fear, often called human respect. It is superior also to servile fear which; although it has a salutary effect on the sinner, has not the dignity of a gift of the Holy Ghost. Servile fear is that which trembles at the punishments of God; it diminishes with charity, which makes us consider God rather as a loving Father than as a judge to be feared.
“Filial fear, or the gift of fear, dreads sin especially, more than the punishments due it. It makes us tremble with a holy respect before the majesty of God. At times the soul experiences this holy fear of offending God; occasionally the experience is so vivid that no meditation, no reading, could produce a like sentiment. It is the Holy Ghost who touches the soul. This holy fear of sin is ‘the beginning of wisdom,’ for it leads us to obey the divine law in everything, which is wisdom itself. Filial fear increases with charity, like the horror of sin; in Heaven, though the saints no longer have the fear of offending God, they still have the reverential fear which makes the angels themselves tremble before the infinite majesty of God, ‘Powers tremble before Thee’ in the words of the preface of the Mass. This fear was even in the soul of Christ and still remains there.
“This fear of sin, which inspired the great mortifications of the saints, corresponds to the beatitude of the poor: blessed are they who through fear of the Lord detach their hearts from the pleasures of the world, from honors; in their poverty they are supernaturally rich, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life).
Article 14
Prayerfulness
Prayerfulness
After the Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead and His Ascension into Heaven, Holy Scripture tells us that “All the disciples were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” (Acts 1:14). Our Lord had commanded “that we ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
St. Augustine says: “What more excellent than prayer? What more useful and profitable? What sweeter and more delicious? What higher and more exalted in the whole scheme of our Christian religion?”
St. Bernard says that the angels receive our prayers and present them before God—as the angel said to Tobias: “When thou didst pray with tears, I offered thy prayer to God” (Tobias 12:12). St. Hilary says the same: “The angels preside over the prayers of the saints and offer them each day to God.”
When we pray, we enter into the presence of the majesty of God. St. John Chrysostom warns us: “Consider the height, dignity and glory to which the Lord has raised you.”
Pope Celestine, in a decree dealing with prayer says: “I know nothing better to say to you than what my predecessor Zozimus said: ‘What time is there in which we have no need of God?’ None. Therefore at all times, and in all cases, in all affairs we need to have recourse to Him by prayer and crave His favor. For it is a great pride for a weak and miserable man to presume anything by himself.”
St. Thomas, writing of prayer, says that what God decided from all eternity to grant us by His Divine Providence, He will give it to us by means of prayer, and on this depends the deliverance, salvation, conversion and cure of many souls and the progress and perfection of others. God has ruled that Matrimony begets children. Plowing and sowing brings an abundance of crops. Prayer brings abundant gifts and graces to the world.
“Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and the door shall be opened to him that knocked” (Matthew 7:7).
St. Augustine says that prayer is the key of Heaven that fits all the gates of Heaven and all the treasure chests of God. Elsewhere he says that what bread is to the body, prayer is to the soul. And “He knows how to live well, who knows how to pray well.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori says that “He who prays most receives most.”
THE INGREDIENT OF PRAYER
The Need to Seek and Ask for Grace
Prayer is perhaps the most important ingredient of our cure for sin. If it is true that we can do nothing without God’s help—“Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5)—then we have to ask for His help in all things. Even though “your Father knows what is needful for you, before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8), this does not mean that God will give what is needful WITHOUT our asking Him: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you!” (Matthew 7:7). “And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive!” (Matthew 21:22).
Gems from Our Lady on Prayer
This reminds us of what Our Lady said to St. Catherine Labouré when she showed her the Miraculous Medal. Our Lady had beams of light streaming from the jeweled rings on her fingers. However, some of the rings gave off no rays of light. As St. Catherine was wondering why some jewels gave off no light, the Blessed Virgin turned her eyes on her and made her understand with what generosity and great joy she dispensed grace. But she indicated that there are graces for which she is not asked, and it is for this reason that some of the gemstones did not send forth rays of light: “These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The gems, from which rays do not fall, are the graces for which souls neglect to ask.” It is through prayer that we ask—those who neglect to pray, neglect to ask. St. Alphonsus Liguori says that “He who prays most receives most.”
Prayer Vital for Life
St. Augustine tells us that “As our body cannot live without nourishment, so our soul cannot spiritually be kept alive without prayer,” while St. John Chrysostom says “It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.” We sin so much because we pray so little—if we would only pray much more, we would sin much less. St. John Climacus calls it “the bridge over temptations” and St. Ephraem points out that “Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.”
Prayer & Sin
“When prayer is poured forth, sins are covered” says St. Ambrose. Holy Scripture confirms this: “My son, have you sinned? Do so no more! But for your former sins, also pray that they may be forgiven!” (Ecclesiasticus 21:1). If we have sinned, we need to pray for forgiveness. “Make your prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less!” (Ecclesiasticus 17:22). “He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins” (Ecclesiasticus 39:7). “He that loves God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them” (Ecclesiasticus 3:4). “Then shall they pray for their sins” (Leviticus 26:41) ... “I have sinned very much in what I have done! But I pray Thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of Thy servant!” (2 Kings 24:10). “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15).
Prayer With Faith
Our Lord placed a great deal of importance on the faith of those who asked anything of Him—faith as in the sense of confidence: “And when Jesus had come to the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them: ‘Do you believe, that I can do this unto you?’” (Matthew 9:28) … Jesus said to the father of the possessed boy, who wanted Jesus to cast the devil out of his son: “‘If you can believe, then all things are possible to him that believes.’ And immediately the father of the boy, crying out with tears said: ‘I do believe, Lord! Help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:23-24). Elsewhere Jesus says: “And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive!” (Matthew 21:22).
Therefore, we are encouraged to go God and ask through prayer: “You shall pray to Him, and He will hear you!” (Job 22:27). “Pray to the Lord, and He shall heal you!” (Ecclesiasticus 38:9). “And you shall pray to Me, and I will hear you!” (Jeremias 29:12). As Jesus points out: “If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, then how much more will your Father Who is in Heaven, give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11). So let us go with confidence to God: “And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting” (Daniel 9:3). “Let my prayer come in before Thee! Incline Thy ear to my petition!” (Psalm 87:3). “Let my prayer be directed as incense in Thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2).
Pray Much and Pray Constantly
“And Jesus spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Holy Scripture adds: “Pray without ceasing!” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “I desire therefore that men pray in every place!” (1 Timothy 2:8). “I will praise Thy Name continually!” (Ecclesiasticus 51:15). “We will give ourselves continually to prayer!” (Acts 6:4). “Prayer was made without ceasing!” (Acts 12:5). “By all prayer and supplication praying at all time!” (Ephesians 6:18). “The continual prayer of a just man avails much!” (James 5:16).
The Angel of Portugal, at Fatima, even told little children to pray much—they were busy playing and he rebuked them, telling them to cease playing and to pray without ceasing: “What are you doing? Pray! Pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices continually to the Most High” (Angel of Portugal, Fatima, summer of 1916). Our Lady reiterated this during her apparitions at Fatima, in 1917: “Pray! Pray very much!” At Akita in 1973, Our Lady echoes this: “Continue to pray very much...very much! … Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father’s anger … Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary.” Yet, according to research done in 2008, less than 4% of Catholics pray the Rosary once a day—never mind more than once a day! It looks like the jeweled rings on Our Lady’s fingers are exuding less and less rays of grace as the years go by! Both the quantity and quality of prayer today, take as a whole, is probably pretty abysmal.
We Need to Be in a State of Grace
However, we need to be in a state of sanctifying grace for our prayers to be powerful and truly effective—especially if we are praying for others. If we are in a state of mortal sin, then our prayers for others are powerless and useless—they will be redirected or re-channeled towards our own conversion and a return to the state of sanctifying grace. “Now we know that God does not hear sinners! But if a man be a server of God, and does His will, him He hears” (John 9:31). “The Lord is far from the wicked―but He will hear the prayers of the just!” (Proverbs 15:29). “Be converted therefore, ye sinners, and do justice before God [go to confession and do penance], believing that He will show His mercy to you” (Tobias 13:8).
The people of Nineve prayed that Nineve might be spared (Jonas 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineve as He had threatened—but it was because the Ninevites did penance by fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes. They ceased to sin and repented—therefore God heard and granted their prayer. If prayer is a vital ingredient of our cure, we must use good quality prayer—not prayer that is diseased or rotten, due to the infection of sin. The purer the prayer, the more powerful it will be. If we persist in leading a life of sin, then we greatly handicap the chances of having our prayers heard. “He who turns his ears from hearing the law, his prayer is an abomination!” (Proverbs 28:9).
Good Quality Prayer
St. Augustine, speaking on the reason why our prayers are not answered by God, says that there are three chief reasons for this: (1) we are bad, (2) we pray badly, and (3) we ask for what is bad. St. Louis de Montfort writes: “A single Hail Mary, said properly, is worth more than a hundred and fifty said badly” (Secret of the Rosary, “Forty-First Rose”).
Examples of Good and Bad Prayer in Scripture
“And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by men! Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But you when you shall pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret: and your Father Who sees in secret, will repay you!” (Matthew 6:5-6).
Our Lord further illustrates the above in His Parable about the Pharisee and the Publican: “Two men went up into the temple to pray―the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: ‘O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week; I give tithes of all that I possess!’ And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards Heaven; but struck his breast, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other―because everyone that exalts himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted!” (Luke 18:10-14).
Our Lord would remove Himself from distractions as much as possible when He wanted to pray: “And having dismissed the multitude, He went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, He was there alone” (Matthew 14:23). “And when He had dismissed them, He went up to the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). “And it came to pass, that He passed the whole night in the prayer of God” (Luke 6:12).
Half-Hearted Sleepy Prayer
Our Lord rebuked His Apostles for failing to pray: “And Jesus said to them: ‘Why are you sleeping? Arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation!” (Luke 22:46). “Take ye heed, watch and pray!” (Mark 13:33). “Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation! The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!” (Matthew 26:41). The never failing principle of sowing and reaping applies here also: “For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap” (Galatians 6:8). St. Louis de Montfort writes: “It is not so much the length of a prayer as the fervor with which it is said which pleases God and touches His Heart. A single Hail Mary, said properly, is worth more than a hundred and fifty said badly. Most Catholics say the Rosary, either the whole fifteen mysteries, or five of them, or at least a few decades. Why is it then that so few of them give up their sins and make progress in virtue? It is because they are not saying them as they should” (Secret of the Rosary, “Forty-First Rose”).
This is exactly what Our Lord complains about: “This people honor Me with their lips: but their hearts are far from Me” (Matthew 15:8)—which is an echo of what His Father said through Isaias: “The Lord said: ‘Forasmuch as this people draw near to Me with their mouth, and with their lips they glorify Me, but their hearts are far from Me!” (Isaias 29:13).
Spinning Wheels—Going Nowhere Fast
“It happens to some souls that, when they have recited many formulas, they realize that they have said nothing to God from the bottom of their hearts. Our mind may be far distant from the words that fall from our lips ... In our prayer, we must give up to God our whole heart and our whole mind .... Just as the sanctuary light burns itself up without reserving anything, so our soul, in its conversation with God, must be entirely dedicated to the Almighty. We must free ourselves from preoccupations and from vain thoughts, which tie the soul down to earth and prevent it from being entirely given over to the Lord” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
“Prayer always requires a certain effort, even from those who find in it their delight, because a certain strain is involved in the concentration necessary to speak to God; it is always more or less difficult to maintain the soul in an atmosphere which is above its usual level. That is why prayer can serve as a sacramental penance. We must not be surprised at this difficulty in applying ourselves to prayer: for to raise ourselves towards God, even in the smallest degree, is to exceed our natural powers” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
Is There Room For God?
Too many people limit prayer to an isolated part of the day—first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Yet God should be part of our whole day, not just a mere ten minutes. This is what is meant by loving God with our whole mind, our whole heart, our whole soul and our whole strength. God is so badly ‘short-changed’ and given ‘short-shrift’ by so, so, so many people—who nevertheless feel smug about their ‘prayer-life’!
“Prayer in our life must not be limited to a number of isolated, passing incidents. We must cultivate a spirit of prayer. What must we understand by this? A spirit of prayer is an habitual disposition of soul whereby, in our troubles and discouragements, as well as in our joys and successes, our hearts turn towards Our Lady and Our Lord, as to our best friends and most intimate confidants of our feelings. And it is not only in the morning and in the evening that the soul should be raised heavenwards, but always: ‘My eyes are ever towards the Lord’ (Psalm 24:15)” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
St. Augustine says: “What more excellent than prayer? What more useful and profitable? What sweeter and more delicious? What higher and more exalted in the whole scheme of our Christian religion?”
St. Bernard says that the angels receive our prayers and present them before God—as the angel said to Tobias: “When thou didst pray with tears, I offered thy prayer to God” (Tobias 12:12). St. Hilary says the same: “The angels preside over the prayers of the saints and offer them each day to God.”
When we pray, we enter into the presence of the majesty of God. St. John Chrysostom warns us: “Consider the height, dignity and glory to which the Lord has raised you.”
Pope Celestine, in a decree dealing with prayer says: “I know nothing better to say to you than what my predecessor Zozimus said: ‘What time is there in which we have no need of God?’ None. Therefore at all times, and in all cases, in all affairs we need to have recourse to Him by prayer and crave His favor. For it is a great pride for a weak and miserable man to presume anything by himself.”
St. Thomas, writing of prayer, says that what God decided from all eternity to grant us by His Divine Providence, He will give it to us by means of prayer, and on this depends the deliverance, salvation, conversion and cure of many souls and the progress and perfection of others. God has ruled that Matrimony begets children. Plowing and sowing brings an abundance of crops. Prayer brings abundant gifts and graces to the world.
“Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and the door shall be opened to him that knocked” (Matthew 7:7).
St. Augustine says that prayer is the key of Heaven that fits all the gates of Heaven and all the treasure chests of God. Elsewhere he says that what bread is to the body, prayer is to the soul. And “He knows how to live well, who knows how to pray well.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori says that “He who prays most receives most.”
THE INGREDIENT OF PRAYER
The Need to Seek and Ask for Grace
Prayer is perhaps the most important ingredient of our cure for sin. If it is true that we can do nothing without God’s help—“Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5)—then we have to ask for His help in all things. Even though “your Father knows what is needful for you, before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8), this does not mean that God will give what is needful WITHOUT our asking Him: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you!” (Matthew 7:7). “And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive!” (Matthew 21:22).
Gems from Our Lady on Prayer
This reminds us of what Our Lady said to St. Catherine Labouré when she showed her the Miraculous Medal. Our Lady had beams of light streaming from the jeweled rings on her fingers. However, some of the rings gave off no rays of light. As St. Catherine was wondering why some jewels gave off no light, the Blessed Virgin turned her eyes on her and made her understand with what generosity and great joy she dispensed grace. But she indicated that there are graces for which she is not asked, and it is for this reason that some of the gemstones did not send forth rays of light: “These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The gems, from which rays do not fall, are the graces for which souls neglect to ask.” It is through prayer that we ask—those who neglect to pray, neglect to ask. St. Alphonsus Liguori says that “He who prays most receives most.”
Prayer Vital for Life
St. Augustine tells us that “As our body cannot live without nourishment, so our soul cannot spiritually be kept alive without prayer,” while St. John Chrysostom says “It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.” We sin so much because we pray so little—if we would only pray much more, we would sin much less. St. John Climacus calls it “the bridge over temptations” and St. Ephraem points out that “Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.”
Prayer & Sin
“When prayer is poured forth, sins are covered” says St. Ambrose. Holy Scripture confirms this: “My son, have you sinned? Do so no more! But for your former sins, also pray that they may be forgiven!” (Ecclesiasticus 21:1). If we have sinned, we need to pray for forgiveness. “Make your prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less!” (Ecclesiasticus 17:22). “He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins” (Ecclesiasticus 39:7). “He that loves God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them” (Ecclesiasticus 3:4). “Then shall they pray for their sins” (Leviticus 26:41) ... “I have sinned very much in what I have done! But I pray Thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of Thy servant!” (2 Kings 24:10). “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15).
Prayer With Faith
Our Lord placed a great deal of importance on the faith of those who asked anything of Him—faith as in the sense of confidence: “And when Jesus had come to the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them: ‘Do you believe, that I can do this unto you?’” (Matthew 9:28) … Jesus said to the father of the possessed boy, who wanted Jesus to cast the devil out of his son: “‘If you can believe, then all things are possible to him that believes.’ And immediately the father of the boy, crying out with tears said: ‘I do believe, Lord! Help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:23-24). Elsewhere Jesus says: “And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive!” (Matthew 21:22).
Therefore, we are encouraged to go God and ask through prayer: “You shall pray to Him, and He will hear you!” (Job 22:27). “Pray to the Lord, and He shall heal you!” (Ecclesiasticus 38:9). “And you shall pray to Me, and I will hear you!” (Jeremias 29:12). As Jesus points out: “If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, then how much more will your Father Who is in Heaven, give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11). So let us go with confidence to God: “And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray and make supplication with fasting” (Daniel 9:3). “Let my prayer come in before Thee! Incline Thy ear to my petition!” (Psalm 87:3). “Let my prayer be directed as incense in Thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2).
Pray Much and Pray Constantly
“And Jesus spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Holy Scripture adds: “Pray without ceasing!” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “I desire therefore that men pray in every place!” (1 Timothy 2:8). “I will praise Thy Name continually!” (Ecclesiasticus 51:15). “We will give ourselves continually to prayer!” (Acts 6:4). “Prayer was made without ceasing!” (Acts 12:5). “By all prayer and supplication praying at all time!” (Ephesians 6:18). “The continual prayer of a just man avails much!” (James 5:16).
The Angel of Portugal, at Fatima, even told little children to pray much—they were busy playing and he rebuked them, telling them to cease playing and to pray without ceasing: “What are you doing? Pray! Pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices continually to the Most High” (Angel of Portugal, Fatima, summer of 1916). Our Lady reiterated this during her apparitions at Fatima, in 1917: “Pray! Pray very much!” At Akita in 1973, Our Lady echoes this: “Continue to pray very much...very much! … Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father’s anger … Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary.” Yet, according to research done in 2008, less than 4% of Catholics pray the Rosary once a day—never mind more than once a day! It looks like the jeweled rings on Our Lady’s fingers are exuding less and less rays of grace as the years go by! Both the quantity and quality of prayer today, take as a whole, is probably pretty abysmal.
We Need to Be in a State of Grace
However, we need to be in a state of sanctifying grace for our prayers to be powerful and truly effective—especially if we are praying for others. If we are in a state of mortal sin, then our prayers for others are powerless and useless—they will be redirected or re-channeled towards our own conversion and a return to the state of sanctifying grace. “Now we know that God does not hear sinners! But if a man be a server of God, and does His will, him He hears” (John 9:31). “The Lord is far from the wicked―but He will hear the prayers of the just!” (Proverbs 15:29). “Be converted therefore, ye sinners, and do justice before God [go to confession and do penance], believing that He will show His mercy to you” (Tobias 13:8).
The people of Nineve prayed that Nineve might be spared (Jonas 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineve as He had threatened—but it was because the Ninevites did penance by fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes. They ceased to sin and repented—therefore God heard and granted their prayer. If prayer is a vital ingredient of our cure, we must use good quality prayer—not prayer that is diseased or rotten, due to the infection of sin. The purer the prayer, the more powerful it will be. If we persist in leading a life of sin, then we greatly handicap the chances of having our prayers heard. “He who turns his ears from hearing the law, his prayer is an abomination!” (Proverbs 28:9).
Good Quality Prayer
St. Augustine, speaking on the reason why our prayers are not answered by God, says that there are three chief reasons for this: (1) we are bad, (2) we pray badly, and (3) we ask for what is bad. St. Louis de Montfort writes: “A single Hail Mary, said properly, is worth more than a hundred and fifty said badly” (Secret of the Rosary, “Forty-First Rose”).
Examples of Good and Bad Prayer in Scripture
“And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by men! Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But you when you shall pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret: and your Father Who sees in secret, will repay you!” (Matthew 6:5-6).
Our Lord further illustrates the above in His Parable about the Pharisee and the Publican: “Two men went up into the temple to pray―the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: ‘O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week; I give tithes of all that I possess!’ And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards Heaven; but struck his breast, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other―because everyone that exalts himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted!” (Luke 18:10-14).
Our Lord would remove Himself from distractions as much as possible when He wanted to pray: “And having dismissed the multitude, He went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, He was there alone” (Matthew 14:23). “And when He had dismissed them, He went up to the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). “And it came to pass, that He passed the whole night in the prayer of God” (Luke 6:12).
Half-Hearted Sleepy Prayer
Our Lord rebuked His Apostles for failing to pray: “And Jesus said to them: ‘Why are you sleeping? Arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation!” (Luke 22:46). “Take ye heed, watch and pray!” (Mark 13:33). “Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation! The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!” (Matthew 26:41). The never failing principle of sowing and reaping applies here also: “For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap” (Galatians 6:8). St. Louis de Montfort writes: “It is not so much the length of a prayer as the fervor with which it is said which pleases God and touches His Heart. A single Hail Mary, said properly, is worth more than a hundred and fifty said badly. Most Catholics say the Rosary, either the whole fifteen mysteries, or five of them, or at least a few decades. Why is it then that so few of them give up their sins and make progress in virtue? It is because they are not saying them as they should” (Secret of the Rosary, “Forty-First Rose”).
This is exactly what Our Lord complains about: “This people honor Me with their lips: but their hearts are far from Me” (Matthew 15:8)—which is an echo of what His Father said through Isaias: “The Lord said: ‘Forasmuch as this people draw near to Me with their mouth, and with their lips they glorify Me, but their hearts are far from Me!” (Isaias 29:13).
Spinning Wheels—Going Nowhere Fast
“It happens to some souls that, when they have recited many formulas, they realize that they have said nothing to God from the bottom of their hearts. Our mind may be far distant from the words that fall from our lips ... In our prayer, we must give up to God our whole heart and our whole mind .... Just as the sanctuary light burns itself up without reserving anything, so our soul, in its conversation with God, must be entirely dedicated to the Almighty. We must free ourselves from preoccupations and from vain thoughts, which tie the soul down to earth and prevent it from being entirely given over to the Lord” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
“Prayer always requires a certain effort, even from those who find in it their delight, because a certain strain is involved in the concentration necessary to speak to God; it is always more or less difficult to maintain the soul in an atmosphere which is above its usual level. That is why prayer can serve as a sacramental penance. We must not be surprised at this difficulty in applying ourselves to prayer: for to raise ourselves towards God, even in the smallest degree, is to exceed our natural powers” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
Is There Room For God?
Too many people limit prayer to an isolated part of the day—first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Yet God should be part of our whole day, not just a mere ten minutes. This is what is meant by loving God with our whole mind, our whole heart, our whole soul and our whole strength. God is so badly ‘short-changed’ and given ‘short-shrift’ by so, so, so many people—who nevertheless feel smug about their ‘prayer-life’!
“Prayer in our life must not be limited to a number of isolated, passing incidents. We must cultivate a spirit of prayer. What must we understand by this? A spirit of prayer is an habitual disposition of soul whereby, in our troubles and discouragements, as well as in our joys and successes, our hearts turn towards Our Lady and Our Lord, as to our best friends and most intimate confidants of our feelings. And it is not only in the morning and in the evening that the soul should be raised heavenwards, but always: ‘My eyes are ever towards the Lord’ (Psalm 24:15)” (Dom Marmion, Christ—The Ideal of the Priest, chapter 15).
Article 15
Godliness
Godliness
When was the last time you heard someone talk about godliness? We frequently hear people talk about being more faithful, loving, or active in Church. But you probably cannot remember the last time you heard someone say: “I want to be more godly!!” Why is there so little interest in godliness? Perhaps it’s because we don’t understand what it is. Maybe it’s because we have an aversion to things that sound legalistic, puritanical, or culturally irrelevant. Maybe it’s indicative of how worldly we’ve become. Our indifference towards godliness is alarming, especially when we consider the promises that the Bible associates with it.
When was the last time you heard someone talk about godliness? We frequently hear people talk about being more faithful, loving, or active in Church. But you probably cannot remember the last time you heard someone say: “I want to be more godly!!” Why is there so little interest in godliness? Perhaps it’s because we don’t understand what it is. Maybe it’s because we have an aversion to things that sound legalistic, puritanical, or culturally irrelevant. Maybe it’s indicative of how worldly we’ve become. Our indifference towards godliness is alarming, especially when we consider the promises that the Bible associates with it.
Being "godly" or manifesting “godliness” means living in a way that reflects the character of God―conforming our thoughts, actions, and desires to divine will, and living in holiness. It is not mere outward behavior but an interior state of the heart of being devoted to God: “Hypocrites! Well has Isaias prophesied of you, saying: ‘These people honor Me with their lips―but their heart is far from Me!’” (Matthew 15:7-8). “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the greatest and the first commandment!” (Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37-38). A godly life is not a “minimalist” life. A godly life manifests itself in devotion to God, in charity, and striving for holiness through prayer, penance, mortification, obedience to God’s will, and the virtues of the Gospel.
“Men who are corrupted in mind, and who are destitute of the truth, suppose gain to be godliness! But godliness with contentment is great gain! For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out! For they that will become rich, fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition! For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the Faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows! Flee these things and pursue godliness!” (1 Timothy 6:5-11). “Be nourished with the words of Faith and of the good doctrine! Avoid foolish talk and old wives’ fables and exercise yourself in godliness! For bodily exercise is profitable to little―but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come!” (1 Timothy 4:6-8).
As Our Lord: “‘Take heed and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses!’ And He spoke a similitude to them, saying: ‘The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought within himself, saying: “What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?” And he said: “This will I do! I will pull down my barns, and will build bigger barns; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods! And I will say to my soul: ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years! Take thy rest; eat, drink, make good cheer!” But God said to him: “You fool, this night do they require your soul of you―and whose shall those things be which you have provided?” So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God! Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on! Life is more than the meat, and the body is more than the clothing! Consider the ravens―for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them! Consider the lilies, how they grow―they labor not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! Now if God clothes the grass that is today in the field in this manner, and tomorrow the grass cast into the oven―then how much more you, O you of little faith? Seek not you what you shall eat, nor what you shall drink! For all these things do the nations of the world seek! But your Father knows that you have need of these things. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 12:15-31).
When was the last time you heard someone talk about godliness? We frequently hear people talk about being more faithful, loving, or active in Church. But you probably cannot remember the last time you heard someone say: “I want to be more godly!!” Why is there so little interest in godliness? Perhaps it’s because we don’t understand what it is. Maybe it’s because we have an aversion to things that sound legalistic, puritanical, or culturally irrelevant. Maybe it’s indicative of how worldly we’ve become. Our indifference towards godliness is alarming, especially when we consider the promises that the Bible associates with it.
Being "godly" or manifesting “godliness” means living in a way that reflects the character of God―conforming our thoughts, actions, and desires to divine will, and living in holiness. It is not mere outward behavior but an interior state of the heart of being devoted to God: “Hypocrites! Well has Isaias prophesied of you, saying: ‘These people honor Me with their lips―but their heart is far from Me!’” (Matthew 15:7-8). “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the greatest and the first commandment!” (Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37-38). A godly life is not a “minimalist” life. A godly life manifests itself in devotion to God, in charity, and striving for holiness through prayer, penance, mortification, obedience to God’s will, and the virtues of the Gospel.
“Men who are corrupted in mind, and who are destitute of the truth, suppose gain to be godliness! But godliness with contentment is great gain! For we brought nothing into this world: and certainly we can carry nothing out! For they that will become rich, fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition! For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the Faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows! Flee these things and pursue godliness!” (1 Timothy 6:5-11). “Be nourished with the words of Faith and of the good doctrine! Avoid foolish talk and old wives’ fables and exercise yourself in godliness! For bodily exercise is profitable to little―but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come!” (1 Timothy 4:6-8).
As Our Lord: “‘Take heed and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life doth not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses!’ And He spoke a similitude to them, saying: ‘The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought within himself, saying: “What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?” And he said: “This will I do! I will pull down my barns, and will build bigger barns; and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my goods! And I will say to my soul: ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years! Take thy rest; eat, drink, make good cheer!” But God said to him: “You fool, this night do they require your soul of you―and whose shall those things be which you have provided?” So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God! Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on! Life is more than the meat, and the body is more than the clothing! Consider the ravens―for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them! Consider the lilies, how they grow―they labor not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! Now if God clothes the grass that is today in the field in this manner, and tomorrow the grass cast into the oven―then how much more you, O you of little faith? Seek not you what you shall eat, nor what you shall drink! For all these things do the nations of the world seek! But your Father knows that you have need of these things. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 12:15-31).
Article 16
Holiness of Life
Holiness of Life
What Holiness Is and Is Not
If personal holiness is thought of as being a name at the top of a list, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as something that merits a feast in the Church’s calendar, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as something to which is attached the power of working miracles, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as mooning about in a state of pious contentment (or sweet ecstasy or noble and aloof virtue), it is understood wrong. There is nothing “superior” — in the sense of being one up on everybody else — about it.
The way to think of sanctity is as something that, by being generous and faithful to grace, gives back to God the love He has given to the soul. So it is for God’s sake, more than for our own, that we should want to be saints. We work away at holiness, not because we are ambitious and want to be experts in a particular kind of lofty career, but because God wants us to be saints and is praised by our striving after sanctity.
Anyone can be holy, or rather act holy, so long as others are saying: “There’s a saint for you!” but sooner or later this sort of holiness wears off. Either the person sees the trap, becomes humble, and goes ahead toward real holiness, or keeping up the act becomes too much of a strain and there’s a swing toward worldliness and perhaps to a lasting unholiness. The whole secret of sanctity is that it is a thing of grace, and so cannot be switched on as a part to be played.
This means that however determined you are to be a saint, you will not become one if you rely on your own strength of mind. The only thing that can get you to sanctity is God’s grace. You will need all the strength of mind you have just to work together with God’s grace, but if you imagine that making good, strong resolutions will carry you the whole way, you are wrong. About the first thing to happen will be that God lets you break some of those good, strong resolutions before you get properly started. This will be to put you in your place, and show you that you can do nothing without Him.
Once you are decently humbled, knowing that left to yourself you cannot even carry out the things that you very much want to carry out, you are getting ready to be used. You are being softened up like a steak. When all the toughness and pride and glamorized ideas of holiness have been beaten out of you by the down-to-earth action of truth, then God has got something there on which He can work. Without false notions and fancy plans, you can now begin to fall in with the true notions of holiness and with the plan God has in mind for you.
It stands to reason. God is not going to reward anyone else’s work but His own. You cannot expect Him to recognize a holiness that He has done nothing to bring about. When you get right down to it, there is only one real goodness, one perfection, one sanctity, and that is God’s. When man invents a holiness of his own, God lets him look for it but does not help him find it, because a holiness of one’s own does not exist, and it is a waste of time searching for it. It is as if someone were to look for moonlight without the moon. Once you admit that all moonlight is bound to come from one particular place, and that it is a thing you cannot make yourself, you have learned something.
Another thing to notice right at the beginning about holiness is that there is no cut-and-dried pattern about it. It is what God wants out of you, and because you are not exactly the same as anyone else, the holiness that is to be yours will not be exactly like anyone else’s. The model of all holiness is Our Lord, and unless you grow to be like Him, you will never get anywhere in holiness, but this does not mean that all, who follow Him, will end up exactly alike. Our Lord appeals to us in His way, and we answer Him in our way.
If twenty artists are told to paint a picture of the Crucifixion, they will all show the same thing, but in twenty different ways. There will be twenty quite separate pictures, no two alike. This is how God wants our response to be: each one his own. Now, just as it would show a weakness in one of those twenty artists to copy as closely as possible the painting of the artist next to him, so it would be a weakness for one follower of Our Lord to copy as closely as possible the particular holiness of another follower. He should make it his first job to follow Our Lord. The ways by which others have followed Our Lord can be a tremendous help, just as the ways other people paint can be a tremendous help to painting, but Our Lord, who is Himself “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6), wants something out of you that is your own to give and is not just a copy. The saints produce masterpieces because of each one’s likeness to Our Lord, not because of each one’s likeness to another. By all means, let us imitate the way in which the saints went about it, but by no means let us copy the results. God wants an original reproduction of Himself, not a forgery.
All right then, what is it that the saints do that makes them into saints? The answer is that they do two things: on the one side they keep clear of anything that they think is going to get in the way of grace, and on the other they head directly for Our Lord. The only thing to be added to this is that they do it for the glory of God and not for what they can get out of it. They are the ones who “seek first the kingdom of God,” and for the King’s sake rather than for their own, and who are ready to wait as long as God likes for the day when “all these things” shall be added to them (Mathew 6:33).
So it is not that the saints do particularly “saintly” things (like fierce penances, whole nights spent on their knees, miracles, prophecies, or raptures in prayer); it is more that they do all things in a particularly saintly way, in exactly the way that they feel God wants. To them the only thing in the world that matters is God’s will. They know that by doing God’s will as perfectly as they can, they are imitating Our Lord, they are expressing Charity, and they are being true to the best that is in them.
All this should be a great encouragement to us because it shows that our service of God does not depend upon how we feel about it, but upon how God looks at it; not upon acts that are seen to be heroic, but upon how ready we are to let God draw heroism out of us; not upon battling our way to a certain point that will give us the title of “saint,” but upon following blindly the course that is set by God’s will.
What Holiness Does
You will see from what has just been said that sanctity, like everything else in life, should be looked at from God’s point of view rather than from man’s. We have come from God and we exist for Him; our holiness must come from God and must exist for Him. We believe that the purpose of man, of life, of creation, of everything, is the glory of God. Does this mean anything to us? What is glory anyway?
St. Augustine says that glory is “clear knowledge joined to praise” — which actually tells us more than just what glory is, because it shows what we have to do about it. It shows how we give glory. Praise of God in prayer gives glory; service of one another in Charity gives glory; desire to follow Our Lord gives glory; willingness to do God’s will gives glory. So the whole point of sanctity, then, is that it gives glory to God.
Our Lord, who is sanctity itself, shows us how, while He was on Earth, He gave glory to the Father. “I have glorified You on Earth; I have finished the work which You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). What was that “work”? Quite simply it was the Father’s will. This, of course, meant doing a lot of particular things — such as preaching, working miracles, founding a Church, suffering the Passion — but all was summed up in faithfully fulfilling the Father’s will. When, right at the end, He said from the Cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), Our Lord did not only mean that His life was finished, but that the work the Father had given Him to do, the task of fulfilling the divine will, was now completely rounded off and that there was nothing more to be done.
In being “obedient unto death” (Philippians 2:8) to the Father’s will, Our Lord was giving us a lesson in glory. It was the day-to-day obedience—in things not noticed by anyone except His mother and the closest of His friends—that gave glory to the Father, just as much as the miracles, prayers, and teaching gave glory. Now, if our chief duty as Christians is to be reliving Our Lord’s life in our own world, then it is not going to be in performing the great works of Christ, but in performing the little ones. And just as the little works He did were not little in the eyes of the Father, because they were being done perfectly by the Son, so the little ones we do are not little to the Father, because we are trying to do them perfectly with the Son.
A quite ordinary duty, such as writing a letter of thanks, or getting up at the right time in the morning, can give great glory to God. It is answering to His will. The ordinariness of the actual job is raised, so that it shares in the obedience of Christ. From the tip of the pen (if we are writing that letter), glory is flowing out to God; from the effort to throw off the sheets (if it is that duty of getting up), there is an immediate output of glory to God. At every instant of the day, doing what we have to do because God wills us to do it, we are handling glory.
Breathing the air of God’s glory, we only have to breathe it in His direction and we are there. As the fish swimming in the sea and the birds flying in the sky, we are moving about in what might be called “glory-space.” It is not as though we had to get onto another planet to find sanctity and give glory to God, or even alter the position we are in on this one (provided that we are where God wants us to be), because God’s presence is everywhere and all we have to do is to live in it and praise Him in it.
God is glorified in all His creation, and not only in human beings who can use their minds to speak His praises. Nature praises Him, because it gets its existence from Him and works according to His laws. It is fairly easy to see how God is glorified by sunsets and roses and snow-capped mountains, because these things reflect something of divine beauty, but He is also glorified by dull things, like stones and cabbage and rain. Moving one step higher, we find little difficulty in seeing God glorified in puppies and small chickens and friendly polar bears at the zoo, because these things are lovable and nice, but He is also glorified by snakes and toads and rats. Each separate piece of God’s creation, by existing in the kind of existence God means it to have, gives glory to God.
This idea of everything having on it the glow of God’s look — like the warmth of the sun showing in a haze of heat over the water — seems clear enough when we take the trouble to think about it. To the saints, such a view of creation is a settled state of mind. Outward objects are seen and loved as being reflections of Him who made them. That is why St. Paul said that the visible things were there to draw our minds to a knowledge of the invisible Creator (Romans 1:20). That is why St. Francis of Assisi called natural things, like the sky and the sun, by the title of “brother” and “sister.” They were all in the family. They all bore on them the Father’s likeness.
You can imagine what a difference it would make, to your life, if you saw all around you signposts pointing to the presence of God. Not only would nature and human beings proclaim the glory of God, but even in the ordinary happenings, from hour to hour and from day to day, you would welcome God’s will. You would be drawn at once to show gratitude for the pleasant things that happened, knowing that God had provided them, and the unpleasant ones you would accept as part of your share in the Passion. So it would mean that you could live out your life under what St. Augustine described as the canopy or firmament of God’s will.
So that is what sanctity does. First it glorifies God, from whom all sanctity comes. And second it discovers more and more material with which to express this glory. Where the ordinary “Sunday-Mass-and-nothing-more” kind of Catholic sees the service of God as a tiresome duty to be gotten through somehow, the saint sees the service of God as a marvelous opportunity. To the one there seem to be few signs of God’s love in a world of muddle and unfairness; to the other there are signs of His love on every side, even in confusion and disappointment. To the one there are just people, nice ones and nasty ones; to the other there are souls, all of them somehow lovable and all of them reflecting the love of God. To the one there are earthly needs and trials to worry about; to the other there is nothing to worry about because earthly needs and trials are handed over to God. The one dreads lots of things as evil; the other dreads only one evil — sin.
If personal holiness is thought of as being a name at the top of a list, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as something that merits a feast in the Church’s calendar, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as something to which is attached the power of working miracles, it is understood wrong. If it is thought of as mooning about in a state of pious contentment (or sweet ecstasy or noble and aloof virtue), it is understood wrong. There is nothing “superior” — in the sense of being one up on everybody else — about it.
The way to think of sanctity is as something that, by being generous and faithful to grace, gives back to God the love He has given to the soul. So it is for God’s sake, more than for our own, that we should want to be saints. We work away at holiness, not because we are ambitious and want to be experts in a particular kind of lofty career, but because God wants us to be saints and is praised by our striving after sanctity.
Anyone can be holy, or rather act holy, so long as others are saying: “There’s a saint for you!” but sooner or later this sort of holiness wears off. Either the person sees the trap, becomes humble, and goes ahead toward real holiness, or keeping up the act becomes too much of a strain and there’s a swing toward worldliness and perhaps to a lasting unholiness. The whole secret of sanctity is that it is a thing of grace, and so cannot be switched on as a part to be played.
This means that however determined you are to be a saint, you will not become one if you rely on your own strength of mind. The only thing that can get you to sanctity is God’s grace. You will need all the strength of mind you have just to work together with God’s grace, but if you imagine that making good, strong resolutions will carry you the whole way, you are wrong. About the first thing to happen will be that God lets you break some of those good, strong resolutions before you get properly started. This will be to put you in your place, and show you that you can do nothing without Him.
Once you are decently humbled, knowing that left to yourself you cannot even carry out the things that you very much want to carry out, you are getting ready to be used. You are being softened up like a steak. When all the toughness and pride and glamorized ideas of holiness have been beaten out of you by the down-to-earth action of truth, then God has got something there on which He can work. Without false notions and fancy plans, you can now begin to fall in with the true notions of holiness and with the plan God has in mind for you.
It stands to reason. God is not going to reward anyone else’s work but His own. You cannot expect Him to recognize a holiness that He has done nothing to bring about. When you get right down to it, there is only one real goodness, one perfection, one sanctity, and that is God’s. When man invents a holiness of his own, God lets him look for it but does not help him find it, because a holiness of one’s own does not exist, and it is a waste of time searching for it. It is as if someone were to look for moonlight without the moon. Once you admit that all moonlight is bound to come from one particular place, and that it is a thing you cannot make yourself, you have learned something.
Another thing to notice right at the beginning about holiness is that there is no cut-and-dried pattern about it. It is what God wants out of you, and because you are not exactly the same as anyone else, the holiness that is to be yours will not be exactly like anyone else’s. The model of all holiness is Our Lord, and unless you grow to be like Him, you will never get anywhere in holiness, but this does not mean that all, who follow Him, will end up exactly alike. Our Lord appeals to us in His way, and we answer Him in our way.
If twenty artists are told to paint a picture of the Crucifixion, they will all show the same thing, but in twenty different ways. There will be twenty quite separate pictures, no two alike. This is how God wants our response to be: each one his own. Now, just as it would show a weakness in one of those twenty artists to copy as closely as possible the painting of the artist next to him, so it would be a weakness for one follower of Our Lord to copy as closely as possible the particular holiness of another follower. He should make it his first job to follow Our Lord. The ways by which others have followed Our Lord can be a tremendous help, just as the ways other people paint can be a tremendous help to painting, but Our Lord, who is Himself “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6), wants something out of you that is your own to give and is not just a copy. The saints produce masterpieces because of each one’s likeness to Our Lord, not because of each one’s likeness to another. By all means, let us imitate the way in which the saints went about it, but by no means let us copy the results. God wants an original reproduction of Himself, not a forgery.
All right then, what is it that the saints do that makes them into saints? The answer is that they do two things: on the one side they keep clear of anything that they think is going to get in the way of grace, and on the other they head directly for Our Lord. The only thing to be added to this is that they do it for the glory of God and not for what they can get out of it. They are the ones who “seek first the kingdom of God,” and for the King’s sake rather than for their own, and who are ready to wait as long as God likes for the day when “all these things” shall be added to them (Mathew 6:33).
So it is not that the saints do particularly “saintly” things (like fierce penances, whole nights spent on their knees, miracles, prophecies, or raptures in prayer); it is more that they do all things in a particularly saintly way, in exactly the way that they feel God wants. To them the only thing in the world that matters is God’s will. They know that by doing God’s will as perfectly as they can, they are imitating Our Lord, they are expressing Charity, and they are being true to the best that is in them.
All this should be a great encouragement to us because it shows that our service of God does not depend upon how we feel about it, but upon how God looks at it; not upon acts that are seen to be heroic, but upon how ready we are to let God draw heroism out of us; not upon battling our way to a certain point that will give us the title of “saint,” but upon following blindly the course that is set by God’s will.
What Holiness Does
You will see from what has just been said that sanctity, like everything else in life, should be looked at from God’s point of view rather than from man’s. We have come from God and we exist for Him; our holiness must come from God and must exist for Him. We believe that the purpose of man, of life, of creation, of everything, is the glory of God. Does this mean anything to us? What is glory anyway?
St. Augustine says that glory is “clear knowledge joined to praise” — which actually tells us more than just what glory is, because it shows what we have to do about it. It shows how we give glory. Praise of God in prayer gives glory; service of one another in Charity gives glory; desire to follow Our Lord gives glory; willingness to do God’s will gives glory. So the whole point of sanctity, then, is that it gives glory to God.
Our Lord, who is sanctity itself, shows us how, while He was on Earth, He gave glory to the Father. “I have glorified You on Earth; I have finished the work which You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). What was that “work”? Quite simply it was the Father’s will. This, of course, meant doing a lot of particular things — such as preaching, working miracles, founding a Church, suffering the Passion — but all was summed up in faithfully fulfilling the Father’s will. When, right at the end, He said from the Cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), Our Lord did not only mean that His life was finished, but that the work the Father had given Him to do, the task of fulfilling the divine will, was now completely rounded off and that there was nothing more to be done.
In being “obedient unto death” (Philippians 2:8) to the Father’s will, Our Lord was giving us a lesson in glory. It was the day-to-day obedience—in things not noticed by anyone except His mother and the closest of His friends—that gave glory to the Father, just as much as the miracles, prayers, and teaching gave glory. Now, if our chief duty as Christians is to be reliving Our Lord’s life in our own world, then it is not going to be in performing the great works of Christ, but in performing the little ones. And just as the little works He did were not little in the eyes of the Father, because they were being done perfectly by the Son, so the little ones we do are not little to the Father, because we are trying to do them perfectly with the Son.
A quite ordinary duty, such as writing a letter of thanks, or getting up at the right time in the morning, can give great glory to God. It is answering to His will. The ordinariness of the actual job is raised, so that it shares in the obedience of Christ. From the tip of the pen (if we are writing that letter), glory is flowing out to God; from the effort to throw off the sheets (if it is that duty of getting up), there is an immediate output of glory to God. At every instant of the day, doing what we have to do because God wills us to do it, we are handling glory.
Breathing the air of God’s glory, we only have to breathe it in His direction and we are there. As the fish swimming in the sea and the birds flying in the sky, we are moving about in what might be called “glory-space.” It is not as though we had to get onto another planet to find sanctity and give glory to God, or even alter the position we are in on this one (provided that we are where God wants us to be), because God’s presence is everywhere and all we have to do is to live in it and praise Him in it.
God is glorified in all His creation, and not only in human beings who can use their minds to speak His praises. Nature praises Him, because it gets its existence from Him and works according to His laws. It is fairly easy to see how God is glorified by sunsets and roses and snow-capped mountains, because these things reflect something of divine beauty, but He is also glorified by dull things, like stones and cabbage and rain. Moving one step higher, we find little difficulty in seeing God glorified in puppies and small chickens and friendly polar bears at the zoo, because these things are lovable and nice, but He is also glorified by snakes and toads and rats. Each separate piece of God’s creation, by existing in the kind of existence God means it to have, gives glory to God.
This idea of everything having on it the glow of God’s look — like the warmth of the sun showing in a haze of heat over the water — seems clear enough when we take the trouble to think about it. To the saints, such a view of creation is a settled state of mind. Outward objects are seen and loved as being reflections of Him who made them. That is why St. Paul said that the visible things were there to draw our minds to a knowledge of the invisible Creator (Romans 1:20). That is why St. Francis of Assisi called natural things, like the sky and the sun, by the title of “brother” and “sister.” They were all in the family. They all bore on them the Father’s likeness.
You can imagine what a difference it would make, to your life, if you saw all around you signposts pointing to the presence of God. Not only would nature and human beings proclaim the glory of God, but even in the ordinary happenings, from hour to hour and from day to day, you would welcome God’s will. You would be drawn at once to show gratitude for the pleasant things that happened, knowing that God had provided them, and the unpleasant ones you would accept as part of your share in the Passion. So it would mean that you could live out your life under what St. Augustine described as the canopy or firmament of God’s will.
So that is what sanctity does. First it glorifies God, from whom all sanctity comes. And second it discovers more and more material with which to express this glory. Where the ordinary “Sunday-Mass-and-nothing-more” kind of Catholic sees the service of God as a tiresome duty to be gotten through somehow, the saint sees the service of God as a marvelous opportunity. To the one there seem to be few signs of God’s love in a world of muddle and unfairness; to the other there are signs of His love on every side, even in confusion and disappointment. To the one there are just people, nice ones and nasty ones; to the other there are souls, all of them somehow lovable and all of them reflecting the love of God. To the one there are earthly needs and trials to worry about; to the other there is nothing to worry about because earthly needs and trials are handed over to God. The one dreads lots of things as evil; the other dreads only one evil — sin.
Article 17
Detachment from the World
Detachment from the World
We cannot have two masters. We cannot serve God and the world. We cannot love God and the world. Our Lord said: “I am not of this world! … My kingdom is not of this world! … The world hates Me because I give testimony of it, that the works of the world are evil!” (John 8:23; 18:36; 7:7). “Lay not up to yourselves treasures on Earth! But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven! For where your treasure is, there is your heart also! No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!” ― “mammon” being the pleasures, treasures, teachings and spirit of the world, whose prince is the devil (Matthew 6:19-24).
When it comes to detachment the saints are our teachers.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his still very popular Spiritual Exercises, developed a “Principle and Foundation” that helps us understand the spirit of Christian detachment. He starts with the most fundamental of questions: “Why were we created?” We were created to “praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this to save our soul.” To attain this, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things. How do we do that?
St. Ignatius wrote that, “In everyday life we must hold ourselves in balance before all created gifts,” insofar as we have a choice and are not bound by some responsibility―like earning money to pay the bills. Consequently, on our own part “we ought not to seek health rather than sickness, wealth rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long life rather than a short one,” and so on to all other matters. Rather, “we ought to desire and choose only that which is more conducive to the end for which we are created.” Said another way, and I love this wisdom, “our only desire…should be this: I want, and I choose what better leads to God’s deepening life in me.”
That is the Christian world view in a nutshell. The greatest good of everything we see and experience in this world is how it helps us to strive to draw closer to Jesus, who is the narrow gate.
Maybe no mere human demonstrated this world view better than St. Francis of Assisi. His detachment from possessions and ego are legendary. In a certain sense, St. Francis was the most powerful man in his day, for no one could cause him distress. If someone took his shirt, he would give them his pants too. If they insulted him, he would agree with them, and went one up them, by insulting himself even more. His detachment from his ego and his material possessions freed him to love Jesus and neighbor. Was he a lesser man from such radical detachment? No. We still admire him, study his life, put his statue in our gardens, and seek his prayers eight hundred years after his death.
St. Teresa of Avila, in her book, Way of Perfection, emphasizes, “three essential virtues that are the foundation of the Prayer of the Heart; humility, love of one another, and detachment.” She said that love of neighbor is enabled by our detachment from all material goods and makes us free for the service of the Kingdom. She was echoing Jesus when He said in the Gospel, “Every one of you that does not renounce all that he possesses, cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).
Holy Scripture further exhorts us: “Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him!” (1 John 2:15). “Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becomes an enemy of God!” (James 4:4) ... “The whole world is seated in wickedness!” (1 John 5:19) ... “Keep yourself unspotted from this world!” (James 1:27) … “Be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) … “That we be not condemned with this world!” (1 Corinthians 11:32).
“Bear not the yoke with unbelievers! What fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part do the faithful have with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God! As God says: ‘I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people!’ Wherefore, ‘Go out from among them, and be ye separate!’ says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
When it comes to detachment the saints are our teachers.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his still very popular Spiritual Exercises, developed a “Principle and Foundation” that helps us understand the spirit of Christian detachment. He starts with the most fundamental of questions: “Why were we created?” We were created to “praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this to save our soul.” To attain this, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things. How do we do that?
St. Ignatius wrote that, “In everyday life we must hold ourselves in balance before all created gifts,” insofar as we have a choice and are not bound by some responsibility―like earning money to pay the bills. Consequently, on our own part “we ought not to seek health rather than sickness, wealth rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long life rather than a short one,” and so on to all other matters. Rather, “we ought to desire and choose only that which is more conducive to the end for which we are created.” Said another way, and I love this wisdom, “our only desire…should be this: I want, and I choose what better leads to God’s deepening life in me.”
That is the Christian world view in a nutshell. The greatest good of everything we see and experience in this world is how it helps us to strive to draw closer to Jesus, who is the narrow gate.
Maybe no mere human demonstrated this world view better than St. Francis of Assisi. His detachment from possessions and ego are legendary. In a certain sense, St. Francis was the most powerful man in his day, for no one could cause him distress. If someone took his shirt, he would give them his pants too. If they insulted him, he would agree with them, and went one up them, by insulting himself even more. His detachment from his ego and his material possessions freed him to love Jesus and neighbor. Was he a lesser man from such radical detachment? No. We still admire him, study his life, put his statue in our gardens, and seek his prayers eight hundred years after his death.
St. Teresa of Avila, in her book, Way of Perfection, emphasizes, “three essential virtues that are the foundation of the Prayer of the Heart; humility, love of one another, and detachment.” She said that love of neighbor is enabled by our detachment from all material goods and makes us free for the service of the Kingdom. She was echoing Jesus when He said in the Gospel, “Every one of you that does not renounce all that he possesses, cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).
Holy Scripture further exhorts us: “Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him!” (1 John 2:15). “Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becomes an enemy of God!” (James 4:4) ... “The whole world is seated in wickedness!” (1 John 5:19) ... “Keep yourself unspotted from this world!” (James 1:27) … “Be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) … “That we be not condemned with this world!” (1 Corinthians 11:32).
“Bear not the yoke with unbelievers! What fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part do the faithful have with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God! As God says: ‘I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people!’ Wherefore, ‘Go out from among them, and be ye separate!’ says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
Article 18
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 1 of 4)
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 1 of 4)
Let’s Get This Straight!
For a Catholic, every day is—in a sense—“Thanksgiving Day.” The word “Eucharistia” is Greek for “thanksgiving”! The Holy Eucharist—or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—is celebrated thousands of times each day throughout the world. The Holy Eucharist is God’s gift to man—in fact the greatest Gift that God could give man—because it is both God Himself, and also the Sacrifice of God for our sins and our salvation! The very gift of the Eucharist and the receiving of the Eucharist, should lead to a thanksgiving for the Eucharist—as is implied by its very name: “Holy Eucharist” meaning “Holy Thanksgiving”!
Our Lord and Thanksgiving
Jesus frequently gave us the example of thanksgiving throughout His life—that is to say, a thanksgiving to God His Father.
As a prefiguration of the Holy Eucharist, Our Lord performed, several times, the miracle of the multiplication of loaves—and we notice that on these occasions He always gave thanks to God before performing the miracle. “And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the people” (Matthew 15:36). “And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people” (Mark 8:6). “And Jesus took the loaves: and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were set down” (John 6:11).
When Our Lord performed the stupendous miracle of raising Lazarus, after commanding that the stone of the tomb be rolled away and before commanding Lazarus to arise and come forth, Our Lord again first gives thanks to God: “They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus, lifting up His eyes, said: ‘Father, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast heard Me!’” (John 11:41).
At the Last Supper, when He instituted the Holy Eucharist (Holy Thanksgiving), He is reported by the Evangelists as once again giving thanks to God. “And taking bread, He gave thanks, and broke; and gave to them, saying: ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of Me!’” (Luke 22:19). “And having taken the chalice, He gave thanks, and said: ‘Take, and divide it among you!’” (Luke 22:17). “And taking the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: ‘Drink ye all of this!’” (Matthew 26:27). “And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, He gave it to them. And they all drank of it” (Mark 14:23).
Our Lord Condemns Ingratitude
The chief and most striking incident whereby Our Lord condemned in gratitude was His encounter with the Ten Lepers, where only one was found to come back and give thanks. “And as Jesus entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; and lifted up their voice, saying: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ To whom, when He saw, He said: ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests!’ And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before Jesus’ feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, ‘Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory [and thanks] to God, but this stranger!’” (Luke 17:12-18).
Today, it is not even one-in-ten that gives the thanks to God that ought to be given! It might not even be one-in-a-hundred-thousand! Many may think they give thanks, but, as you will read further below, it is mere lip service thanks, but not heart service thanks.
An Ungrateful Time, an Age of Ingratitude
Ingratitude has always been around, but St. Paul makes especial mention of it as a trait that will be seen in the End Times in particular: “Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God! Having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). These kinds of persons have simply forgotten Our Lord’s incontestable truth: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5). They have decided that they will do many things without Him, they will “do their own thing” and He will not be a part of it.
In these last days, Our Lady also asks for reparation for ungrateful sinners. Our Lady of Good Success speaks of “the grandeur of this restoring and life-giving Sacrament of Penance, so forgotten and even scorned by ungrateful men, who in their foolish madness, do not realize that it is the only sure means of salvation after one has lost his baptismal innocence” and how “the Host, is exposed to the sacrilegious profanations of His ungrateful sons.”
At Fatima, the Angel took the Chalice and Host. He gave Lucia the Sacred Host on the tongue. Then while giving the Precious Blood from the Chalice to Francisco and Jacinta, he said: “Eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.”
Some years after the 1917 Fatima apparitions, on Thursday, December 10th, 1925, the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by the Child Jesus, appeared to Lucia in her cell. Lucia recounted that Mary showed her a Heart encircled by thorns in her hand. The Child Jesus spoke first, saying: “Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.” Then Mary said: “My daughter, look at my Heart surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me.”
Some 43 years later, Our Lady said at Akita (August 1973): “Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and the ungrateful.”
Give Thanks Always, Everywhere and for Everything!
This is why St. Paul commands that we should be “giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father” (Ephesians 5:20). Again, elsewhere, he writes that should be “giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12) and that “All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him!” (Colossians 3:17).
The Eucharistic Sacrifice echoes these sentiments in every single one of its Prefaces, that precede the Canon of the Mass: “…we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord.”
This means giving thanks, not only for the pleasant things in life, but also the unpleasant. Not only for things that God gives, but also when God takes away things—like health, wealth, possessions, benefits, jobs, friends, etc. Speaking of jobs, let us remind ourselves of Job’s famous words when God had taken from him his health, his wealth, his children and his livestock: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither! The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away! As it hath pleased the Lord so is it done! Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21).
For a Catholic, every day is—in a sense—“Thanksgiving Day.” The word “Eucharistia” is Greek for “thanksgiving”! The Holy Eucharist—or the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—is celebrated thousands of times each day throughout the world. The Holy Eucharist is God’s gift to man—in fact the greatest Gift that God could give man—because it is both God Himself, and also the Sacrifice of God for our sins and our salvation! The very gift of the Eucharist and the receiving of the Eucharist, should lead to a thanksgiving for the Eucharist—as is implied by its very name: “Holy Eucharist” meaning “Holy Thanksgiving”!
Our Lord and Thanksgiving
Jesus frequently gave us the example of thanksgiving throughout His life—that is to say, a thanksgiving to God His Father.
As a prefiguration of the Holy Eucharist, Our Lord performed, several times, the miracle of the multiplication of loaves—and we notice that on these occasions He always gave thanks to God before performing the miracle. “And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the people” (Matthew 15:36). “And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people” (Mark 8:6). “And Jesus took the loaves: and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were set down” (John 6:11).
When Our Lord performed the stupendous miracle of raising Lazarus, after commanding that the stone of the tomb be rolled away and before commanding Lazarus to arise and come forth, Our Lord again first gives thanks to God: “They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus, lifting up His eyes, said: ‘Father, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast heard Me!’” (John 11:41).
At the Last Supper, when He instituted the Holy Eucharist (Holy Thanksgiving), He is reported by the Evangelists as once again giving thanks to God. “And taking bread, He gave thanks, and broke; and gave to them, saying: ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of Me!’” (Luke 22:19). “And having taken the chalice, He gave thanks, and said: ‘Take, and divide it among you!’” (Luke 22:17). “And taking the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: ‘Drink ye all of this!’” (Matthew 26:27). “And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, He gave it to them. And they all drank of it” (Mark 14:23).
Our Lord Condemns Ingratitude
The chief and most striking incident whereby Our Lord condemned in gratitude was His encounter with the Ten Lepers, where only one was found to come back and give thanks. “And as Jesus entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; and lifted up their voice, saying: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ To whom, when He saw, He said: ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests!’ And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before Jesus’ feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, ‘Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory [and thanks] to God, but this stranger!’” (Luke 17:12-18).
Today, it is not even one-in-ten that gives the thanks to God that ought to be given! It might not even be one-in-a-hundred-thousand! Many may think they give thanks, but, as you will read further below, it is mere lip service thanks, but not heart service thanks.
An Ungrateful Time, an Age of Ingratitude
Ingratitude has always been around, but St. Paul makes especial mention of it as a trait that will be seen in the End Times in particular: “Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God! Having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). These kinds of persons have simply forgotten Our Lord’s incontestable truth: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5). They have decided that they will do many things without Him, they will “do their own thing” and He will not be a part of it.
In these last days, Our Lady also asks for reparation for ungrateful sinners. Our Lady of Good Success speaks of “the grandeur of this restoring and life-giving Sacrament of Penance, so forgotten and even scorned by ungrateful men, who in their foolish madness, do not realize that it is the only sure means of salvation after one has lost his baptismal innocence” and how “the Host, is exposed to the sacrilegious profanations of His ungrateful sons.”
At Fatima, the Angel took the Chalice and Host. He gave Lucia the Sacred Host on the tongue. Then while giving the Precious Blood from the Chalice to Francisco and Jacinta, he said: “Eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.”
Some years after the 1917 Fatima apparitions, on Thursday, December 10th, 1925, the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by the Child Jesus, appeared to Lucia in her cell. Lucia recounted that Mary showed her a Heart encircled by thorns in her hand. The Child Jesus spoke first, saying: “Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.” Then Mary said: “My daughter, look at my Heart surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me.”
Some 43 years later, Our Lady said at Akita (August 1973): “Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and the ungrateful.”
Give Thanks Always, Everywhere and for Everything!
This is why St. Paul commands that we should be “giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father” (Ephesians 5:20). Again, elsewhere, he writes that should be “giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12) and that “All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him!” (Colossians 3:17).
The Eucharistic Sacrifice echoes these sentiments in every single one of its Prefaces, that precede the Canon of the Mass: “…we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord.”
This means giving thanks, not only for the pleasant things in life, but also the unpleasant. Not only for things that God gives, but also when God takes away things—like health, wealth, possessions, benefits, jobs, friends, etc. Speaking of jobs, let us remind ourselves of Job’s famous words when God had taken from him his health, his wealth, his children and his livestock: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither! The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away! As it hath pleased the Lord so is it done! Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21).
Article 19
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 2 of 4)
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 2 of 4)
Gratitude or Thankfulness is Not an Option!
We all remember being forcefully told by our parents to say “Thank you!” to someone who had just given us something or helped us some way! Even though we begrudgingly and sourly squeezed those words from our mouth, it cannot be said that we truly thankful or genuinely grateful—it was more a case of a “Shotgun-Thank-You!” whereby a metaphorical ‘gun’ was held to our head (a slap or a whack) to ‘encourage’ us to give thanks. But, as St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “thanksgiving is less thankful when compelled” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 1). He goes on to say that “thankfulness a special part of justice”—meaning that it is owed in justice—and that “when there is greater favor on the part of the giver, greater thanks are due on the part of the recipient.”
In commenting upon the words of St. Paul, “in all things give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), St. Thomas Aquinas points out that our greatest thanks are due to God, for He is the first principle or ultimate cause of all our goods. Our Lord laid the foundation for this truth with His own words, when He said: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5).
Gratitude for Mercy!
Talking of ‘great gifts’—what greater gift is there than mercy? Holy Scripture tells us: “The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all: and His tender mercies are over all his works!” (Psalm 144:8-9). God’s mercy is above all His works! What kind of gratitude should not be shown to someone who gives us the greatest gift possible? St. Thomas Aquinas says: “The penitent is more bound to give thanks than the innocent, because what he receives from God is more gratuitously given: since, whereas he was deserving of punishment, he has received grace” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2).
How much mercy have you received in your life? How much thanks is due from you in justice, in gratitude for the greatest gift of God—given time and time again? The 1st century Roman philosopher, Seneca, said that “Among all our many and great vices, none is as common as ingratitude … and the most ungrateful of all is the man who has forgotten a benefit.”
Blind to the Benefits of God!
How blind, indifferent, presumptuous and abusive we are to our greatest benefactor—the Good Lord. The One who gets thanked the least and gets taken for granted the most, is the Good Lord. Every day He gives us blessings beyond all counting through His Divine Providence. There is no provider like God. We breathe His air; we drink His water; we need His light and sunshine; we cultivate His soil; we eat His fruits and crops; we eat His fish and animals; we make medicines from his creation; we clothe ourselves with His materials; we depend upon His seasons; we build our homes with his materials; we depend upon His protection against animals, men and devils; it is He that gives us life by creating our soul; it is He that gives us health by His protective Providence; it is He who calls time, and brings death and final judgment.
Most of all He gave His only Son, Who remains living amongst us in the Blessed Sacrament. He gave us a share in His life through the sanctifying grace received at Baptism. He increased that supernatural life by the coming of his Holy Spirit, with His Gifts, into our souls at Confirmation. He has given us the treasure of the Sacrifice of the Mass—the greatest action that can possible take place anywhere in the world on any given day. To crown all that, He offers us eternal joys in Heaven. And how we take Him for granted! How we fail to say “thank you” to the One from Whom all good gifts come! It is a mystery, a tragedy, an injustice, a blindness, a neglect that should be punished; that has to be punished; and one that will be punished.
We should be spending the whole day, counting our blessings and thanking the One Who grants those blessings—the Almighty, All-Merciful, All-Providing God. As the Preface of the Mass so truly says: ”…we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord.”
God is Owed Gratitude and Love!
St. Thomas points out that “a man owes love to his benefactor, just as he owes him gratitude” and that “to whom more is forgiven, he loveth more” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2). And St. John tells us: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us!” (1 John 1:10). Therefore, we owe God much gratitude and great love, because “the Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all: and His tender mercies are over all his works!” (Psalm 144:8-9).
Nobody Excused From Thanksgiving—Neither Sinner, nor Just
“Now a favor is something bestowed freely without obligation [“gratis”]. Therefore, on the part of the giver, the favor may be greater on two counts. First, it may be great owing to the quantity of the thing given—and in this way the innocent person owes greater thanksgiving, because he receives a greater gift from God, also, absolutely speaking, a more continuous gift, other things being equal. Secondly, a favor may be said to be greater, because it is given more gratuitously; and in this sense the penitent is more bound to give thanks than the innocent, because what he receives from God is more gratuitously given—since, whereas the sinner was deserving of punishment, he has received grace. Wherefore, although the gift bestowed on the innocent is, considered absolutely, greater, yet the gift bestowed on the penitent is greater in relation to him—just as a small gift, given to a poor man, is greater to the poor man, than a great gift is to a rich man” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2).
Degree of Thankfulness
The degree of thankfulness in the recipient should correspond to the degree of favor in the giver — when there is greater favor on the part of the giver, greater thanks are due on the part of the recipient. In judging the magnitude of a favor two things are to be considered, namely, the affection of the heart and the gift itself.
St. Thomas quotes Seneca, who says “We are sometimes under a greater obligation to one who has given little with a large heart, and has bestowed a small favor, yet willingly.”
Holy Scripture bears this out, when Our Lord says: “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”
The more we thank God, the more inclined He is to give us more—we operate the same way, don’t we? Let us then think of the incredible mercies—and other graces too—that God has bestowed upon us, and let these thoughts trigger profuse sentiments of thanksgiving within us!
Two Pillars of Thanksgiving!
Have you ever read about the Two Pillars in St. John Bosco’s vision (click here)? One of the chief things we learn from those Two Pillars is thanksgiving! The word “Eucharistia” is Greek for “thanksgiving”! The very gift of the Eucharist and the receiving of the Eucharist, should lead to a thanksgiving for the Eucharist—as is implied by its very name: “Holy Eucharist” meaning “Holy Thanksgiving”!
Under the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the other pillar, was the inscription “Auxilium Christianorum” which means “Help of Christians”. Again, the “Help of Christians” should lead to a “Thanksgiving by Christians” for that help.
Finally, the very outcome of the battle seen by St. John Bosco, should again lead to a thanksgiving for the victory when all seemed lost. As was stated above, the more a person give thanks in gratitude, the more God seems to give; to those who thank but little, little is given.
Nobody was as grateful to God as Our Lady, and nobody received more from God than Our Lady. Her eyes were fully open to all the wonderful things God did for her, and she thanked Him for it—her canticle, the Magnificat, is an indication of this attitude: “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is His Name. He hath shown might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away” (Luke 1:46-53).
Oh if we could learn how to thank God like He deserves to be thanked! Yet we fail to see that He “hath done great things to me” ― for we take those “great things” for granted!
We all remember being forcefully told by our parents to say “Thank you!” to someone who had just given us something or helped us some way! Even though we begrudgingly and sourly squeezed those words from our mouth, it cannot be said that we truly thankful or genuinely grateful—it was more a case of a “Shotgun-Thank-You!” whereby a metaphorical ‘gun’ was held to our head (a slap or a whack) to ‘encourage’ us to give thanks. But, as St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “thanksgiving is less thankful when compelled” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 1). He goes on to say that “thankfulness a special part of justice”—meaning that it is owed in justice—and that “when there is greater favor on the part of the giver, greater thanks are due on the part of the recipient.”
In commenting upon the words of St. Paul, “in all things give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), St. Thomas Aquinas points out that our greatest thanks are due to God, for He is the first principle or ultimate cause of all our goods. Our Lord laid the foundation for this truth with His own words, when He said: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5).
Gratitude for Mercy!
Talking of ‘great gifts’—what greater gift is there than mercy? Holy Scripture tells us: “The Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all: and His tender mercies are over all his works!” (Psalm 144:8-9). God’s mercy is above all His works! What kind of gratitude should not be shown to someone who gives us the greatest gift possible? St. Thomas Aquinas says: “The penitent is more bound to give thanks than the innocent, because what he receives from God is more gratuitously given: since, whereas he was deserving of punishment, he has received grace” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2).
How much mercy have you received in your life? How much thanks is due from you in justice, in gratitude for the greatest gift of God—given time and time again? The 1st century Roman philosopher, Seneca, said that “Among all our many and great vices, none is as common as ingratitude … and the most ungrateful of all is the man who has forgotten a benefit.”
Blind to the Benefits of God!
How blind, indifferent, presumptuous and abusive we are to our greatest benefactor—the Good Lord. The One who gets thanked the least and gets taken for granted the most, is the Good Lord. Every day He gives us blessings beyond all counting through His Divine Providence. There is no provider like God. We breathe His air; we drink His water; we need His light and sunshine; we cultivate His soil; we eat His fruits and crops; we eat His fish and animals; we make medicines from his creation; we clothe ourselves with His materials; we depend upon His seasons; we build our homes with his materials; we depend upon His protection against animals, men and devils; it is He that gives us life by creating our soul; it is He that gives us health by His protective Providence; it is He who calls time, and brings death and final judgment.
Most of all He gave His only Son, Who remains living amongst us in the Blessed Sacrament. He gave us a share in His life through the sanctifying grace received at Baptism. He increased that supernatural life by the coming of his Holy Spirit, with His Gifts, into our souls at Confirmation. He has given us the treasure of the Sacrifice of the Mass—the greatest action that can possible take place anywhere in the world on any given day. To crown all that, He offers us eternal joys in Heaven. And how we take Him for granted! How we fail to say “thank you” to the One from Whom all good gifts come! It is a mystery, a tragedy, an injustice, a blindness, a neglect that should be punished; that has to be punished; and one that will be punished.
We should be spending the whole day, counting our blessings and thanking the One Who grants those blessings—the Almighty, All-Merciful, All-Providing God. As the Preface of the Mass so truly says: ”…we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord.”
God is Owed Gratitude and Love!
St. Thomas points out that “a man owes love to his benefactor, just as he owes him gratitude” and that “to whom more is forgiven, he loveth more” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2). And St. John tells us: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us!” (1 John 1:10). Therefore, we owe God much gratitude and great love, because “the Lord is gracious and merciful: patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all: and His tender mercies are over all his works!” (Psalm 144:8-9).
Nobody Excused From Thanksgiving—Neither Sinner, nor Just
“Now a favor is something bestowed freely without obligation [“gratis”]. Therefore, on the part of the giver, the favor may be greater on two counts. First, it may be great owing to the quantity of the thing given—and in this way the innocent person owes greater thanksgiving, because he receives a greater gift from God, also, absolutely speaking, a more continuous gift, other things being equal. Secondly, a favor may be said to be greater, because it is given more gratuitously; and in this sense the penitent is more bound to give thanks than the innocent, because what he receives from God is more gratuitously given—since, whereas the sinner was deserving of punishment, he has received grace. Wherefore, although the gift bestowed on the innocent is, considered absolutely, greater, yet the gift bestowed on the penitent is greater in relation to him—just as a small gift, given to a poor man, is greater to the poor man, than a great gift is to a rich man” (Summa, IIa-IIae, q. 106, art. 2).
Degree of Thankfulness
The degree of thankfulness in the recipient should correspond to the degree of favor in the giver — when there is greater favor on the part of the giver, greater thanks are due on the part of the recipient. In judging the magnitude of a favor two things are to be considered, namely, the affection of the heart and the gift itself.
St. Thomas quotes Seneca, who says “We are sometimes under a greater obligation to one who has given little with a large heart, and has bestowed a small favor, yet willingly.”
Holy Scripture bears this out, when Our Lord says: “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”
The more we thank God, the more inclined He is to give us more—we operate the same way, don’t we? Let us then think of the incredible mercies—and other graces too—that God has bestowed upon us, and let these thoughts trigger profuse sentiments of thanksgiving within us!
Two Pillars of Thanksgiving!
Have you ever read about the Two Pillars in St. John Bosco’s vision (click here)? One of the chief things we learn from those Two Pillars is thanksgiving! The word “Eucharistia” is Greek for “thanksgiving”! The very gift of the Eucharist and the receiving of the Eucharist, should lead to a thanksgiving for the Eucharist—as is implied by its very name: “Holy Eucharist” meaning “Holy Thanksgiving”!
Under the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the other pillar, was the inscription “Auxilium Christianorum” which means “Help of Christians”. Again, the “Help of Christians” should lead to a “Thanksgiving by Christians” for that help.
Finally, the very outcome of the battle seen by St. John Bosco, should again lead to a thanksgiving for the victory when all seemed lost. As was stated above, the more a person give thanks in gratitude, the more God seems to give; to those who thank but little, little is given.
Nobody was as grateful to God as Our Lady, and nobody received more from God than Our Lady. Her eyes were fully open to all the wonderful things God did for her, and she thanked Him for it—her canticle, the Magnificat, is an indication of this attitude: “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is His Name. He hath shown might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away” (Luke 1:46-53).
Oh if we could learn how to thank God like He deserves to be thanked! Yet we fail to see that He “hath done great things to me” ― for we take those “great things” for granted!
Article 20
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 3 of 4)
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 3 of 4)
Our Lady Speaks on Gratitude
How many times do you thank God daily? With what fervor and sincerity of heart do you thank Him? How many different things do you thank Him for? If you can count the number of times you thank Him on both hands and both sets of toes (20 for the normal person) then you are a miserly miser! If you thank Him as many times as you have hairs on your head (bald men excluded), then you are still a miser! Our Lady says to the Venerable Mary of Agreda:
Our Lady’s Own Gratitude
“Every day, at beginning of dawn, I prostrated myself in the presence of the Most High and gave Him thanks and praise for his immutable Being, his infinite perfections, and for having created me out of nothing; acknowledging myself as His creature and the work of His hands, I blessed Him and adored Him, giving Him honor, magnificence and Divinity, as the supreme Lord and Creator of myself and of all that exists. I raised up my spirit to place it into His hands, offering myself with profound humility and resignation to Him and asking Him to dispose of me according to His will during that day and during all the days of my life, and to teach me to fulfill whatever would be to His greater pleasure. This I repeated many times during the external works of the day …
“I gave thanks to the Author of all things, acknowledging His works as benefits freely bestowed upon me, and not as dues, which He owed to me. Therefore, when anything was wanting of the necessaries of life, I remained in peace and contentedness and deemed it all perfectly reasonable and proper in my regard, since I had merited none of the gifts and could justly be deprived of all of them” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Our Lady Complains of Our Ingratitude
“Ponder upon the small return given by mortals for the love of my Son and Lord, and how forgetful of thanks even His faithful continue to be ... Let mortals inquire what treasures and riches they did possess before they came into life? What services had they rendered unto God, in order to merit them? And if out of nothing there cannot arise anything, and if they could not merit the being which they have received, what obligation is there on the part of God to preserve, out of justice, what was given to them entirely gratuitously?
“That God created man, was of no benefit to Himself; but to man it was a benefit, and one as great as the being given to him, and as high as the object for which it was given. And if, in His creation, man becomes indebted so much, that he never can pay his debt, tell me, what right can he invoke at present for his preservation? Has he not received his being without merit and many times forfeited it? What an execrable disorder and what a despicable blindness of mortals is this? For that, which the Lord gives them gratuitously, they do not thank Him, or even give Him acknowledgment, and for that which He denies them justly, and sometimes most mercifully, they are restless and proudly desirous, and they try to procure it by unjust and forbidden means, throwing themselves into the very destruction which flies from them” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
He Who Receives More Should Be More Grateful
“He that received more ought to consider himself more needy, since his debt becomes so much the greater. All should humiliate themselves since of themselves they are nothing, nor can they do anything or possess ought. On this account they, that are raised up by the hand of the Almighty, should humiliate themselves as mere dust. For, left to themselves and to their nothingness and unworthiness, they should esteem themselves so much the more indebted and bound to thankfulness, for that which, by themselves, they can never repay!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Those Who Give Thanks, Give Poor Thanks
“If some of them do render it, it is so coarse, inattentive and discourteous, that they do not merit reward, but chastisement. They revere and adore profoundly the princes and magnates of the Earth; they ask favors and seek to obtain them with the utmost diligence; they are effusive in their thanks, when they succeed, protesting their lifelong gratitude. But the supreme Lord, Who gives them being, life and activity, Who preserves and sustains them, Who has redeemed them and raised them to the dignity of sons,Who wishes to confer upon them His own glory, Who is in Himself the infinite and the highest Good; Him, the highest Majesty, they forget, because they cannot see Him with their corporal eyes. As if not all good came from Him, they return, at the highest, merely a sluggish remembrance and a hasty thanksgiving” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Ingratitude Will Be Punished
“Meditate much, and weigh over and over again, how exactly mortals ought to correspond to this immense kindness of God and to His eagerness to assist them. Compare at the same time the heartless obduracy of the children of Adam. I wish that thy heart be softened in affectionate thankfulness toward the Lord, and melted in sorrow at these unhappy proceedings of men. I assure thee, that on the day of the general judgment, the cause of the greatest wrath of the just Judge shall be man’s most ungrateful forgetfulness of this truth; and the confusion of men, on account of this wrath, shall be such, that, on that day, they would of their own accord cast themselves into the abyss of pain, if there were no ministers of divine justice to visit this retribution upon them ... Weep ceaselessly over the terrible loss sustained by so many insane and thankless souls, who are forgetful of God, of their duty and of their own selves!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Our Lady Encourages Gratitude
“By incessant praise and acknowledgment, show thyself thankful for the favor which God vouchsafed thee in appointing angels to assist thee, teach thee, and guide thee through the tribulations and sorrows. Mortals, in their abominable ingratitude and grossness, ordinarily forget this blessing ... Acknowledge these blessings and give Him thanks with all thy heart ... Raise thyself above thyself and give Him thanks for the special blessings conferred upon thee and for those conferred upon the human race ... . Thank Him for the benefits, which He has conferred and confers on all, whether they know Him or not, whether they confess or repudiate Him!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
How many times do you thank God daily? With what fervor and sincerity of heart do you thank Him? How many different things do you thank Him for? If you can count the number of times you thank Him on both hands and both sets of toes (20 for the normal person) then you are a miserly miser! If you thank Him as many times as you have hairs on your head (bald men excluded), then you are still a miser! Our Lady says to the Venerable Mary of Agreda:
Our Lady’s Own Gratitude
“Every day, at beginning of dawn, I prostrated myself in the presence of the Most High and gave Him thanks and praise for his immutable Being, his infinite perfections, and for having created me out of nothing; acknowledging myself as His creature and the work of His hands, I blessed Him and adored Him, giving Him honor, magnificence and Divinity, as the supreme Lord and Creator of myself and of all that exists. I raised up my spirit to place it into His hands, offering myself with profound humility and resignation to Him and asking Him to dispose of me according to His will during that day and during all the days of my life, and to teach me to fulfill whatever would be to His greater pleasure. This I repeated many times during the external works of the day …
“I gave thanks to the Author of all things, acknowledging His works as benefits freely bestowed upon me, and not as dues, which He owed to me. Therefore, when anything was wanting of the necessaries of life, I remained in peace and contentedness and deemed it all perfectly reasonable and proper in my regard, since I had merited none of the gifts and could justly be deprived of all of them” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Our Lady Complains of Our Ingratitude
“Ponder upon the small return given by mortals for the love of my Son and Lord, and how forgetful of thanks even His faithful continue to be ... Let mortals inquire what treasures and riches they did possess before they came into life? What services had they rendered unto God, in order to merit them? And if out of nothing there cannot arise anything, and if they could not merit the being which they have received, what obligation is there on the part of God to preserve, out of justice, what was given to them entirely gratuitously?
“That God created man, was of no benefit to Himself; but to man it was a benefit, and one as great as the being given to him, and as high as the object for which it was given. And if, in His creation, man becomes indebted so much, that he never can pay his debt, tell me, what right can he invoke at present for his preservation? Has he not received his being without merit and many times forfeited it? What an execrable disorder and what a despicable blindness of mortals is this? For that, which the Lord gives them gratuitously, they do not thank Him, or even give Him acknowledgment, and for that which He denies them justly, and sometimes most mercifully, they are restless and proudly desirous, and they try to procure it by unjust and forbidden means, throwing themselves into the very destruction which flies from them” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
He Who Receives More Should Be More Grateful
“He that received more ought to consider himself more needy, since his debt becomes so much the greater. All should humiliate themselves since of themselves they are nothing, nor can they do anything or possess ought. On this account they, that are raised up by the hand of the Almighty, should humiliate themselves as mere dust. For, left to themselves and to their nothingness and unworthiness, they should esteem themselves so much the more indebted and bound to thankfulness, for that which, by themselves, they can never repay!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Those Who Give Thanks, Give Poor Thanks
“If some of them do render it, it is so coarse, inattentive and discourteous, that they do not merit reward, but chastisement. They revere and adore profoundly the princes and magnates of the Earth; they ask favors and seek to obtain them with the utmost diligence; they are effusive in their thanks, when they succeed, protesting their lifelong gratitude. But the supreme Lord, Who gives them being, life and activity, Who preserves and sustains them, Who has redeemed them and raised them to the dignity of sons,Who wishes to confer upon them His own glory, Who is in Himself the infinite and the highest Good; Him, the highest Majesty, they forget, because they cannot see Him with their corporal eyes. As if not all good came from Him, they return, at the highest, merely a sluggish remembrance and a hasty thanksgiving” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Ingratitude Will Be Punished
“Meditate much, and weigh over and over again, how exactly mortals ought to correspond to this immense kindness of God and to His eagerness to assist them. Compare at the same time the heartless obduracy of the children of Adam. I wish that thy heart be softened in affectionate thankfulness toward the Lord, and melted in sorrow at these unhappy proceedings of men. I assure thee, that on the day of the general judgment, the cause of the greatest wrath of the just Judge shall be man’s most ungrateful forgetfulness of this truth; and the confusion of men, on account of this wrath, shall be such, that, on that day, they would of their own accord cast themselves into the abyss of pain, if there were no ministers of divine justice to visit this retribution upon them ... Weep ceaselessly over the terrible loss sustained by so many insane and thankless souls, who are forgetful of God, of their duty and of their own selves!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Our Lady Encourages Gratitude
“By incessant praise and acknowledgment, show thyself thankful for the favor which God vouchsafed thee in appointing angels to assist thee, teach thee, and guide thee through the tribulations and sorrows. Mortals, in their abominable ingratitude and grossness, ordinarily forget this blessing ... Acknowledge these blessings and give Him thanks with all thy heart ... Raise thyself above thyself and give Him thanks for the special blessings conferred upon thee and for those conferred upon the human race ... . Thank Him for the benefits, which He has conferred and confers on all, whether they know Him or not, whether they confess or repudiate Him!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Article 21
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 4 of 4)
Thanksgiving & Gratitude
(Part 4 of 4)
Humble Gratitude
“Accustom thyself to humble thanksgiving for the benefits which thou receivest … Do not deceive thyself with the pretext of being humble; for there is a great difference between thankful humility and humble thanklessness. Remember that the Lord very often shows great favors to the unworthy, in order to manifest His goodness and munificence. On the contrary let no one become inflated, but let everyone acknowledge so much the more his unworthiness, using it as a medicine against the poison of presumption. But gratitude will agree with this humble opinion of self, since we must acknowledge, that every good gift comes from the Father of lights ... Let then thy thanks be greater than that of all the creatures!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Gratitude Leads to Love, Love Gains More Favors
“Renew many times a day the memory of His blessings, always giving thanks to the Lord with humble and loving affection. Especially memorable among His benefits are that He has called thee, waited for thee, and excused thy faults, and added thereto such often repeated favors. This remembrance will cause in thee sweet and strong movements of love; and thou wilt find new grace and favor before the Lord, since He is so much pleased by a faithful and thankful heart” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Time for Thanksgiving that Will Spark Our Love
“Now, therefore, our God, we give thanks to Thee and we praise Thy glorious name!” (1 Paralipomenon 29:13).
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities. Who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction. Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. Who satisfieth thy desire with good things” (Psalm 102:1-5). “For all these things bless the Lord” (Ecclesiasticus 32:17). “Therefore will I give thanks to Thee, O Lord!” (2 Kings 22:50). “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be always in my mouth” (Psalm 33:2). “I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me understanding” (Psalm 15:7). “I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth: and in the midst of many I will praise Him!” (Psalm 108:30). And, as Our Lady said: “Thou wilt find new grace and favor before the Lord, since He is so much pleased by a faithful and thankful heart.”
Loving and Thanking Our Lady and Our Lord More Than Anyone Else
So, yes, let there be someone whom we love more than our spouse, more than our children, more than our parents or anyone else. What was said in humor at the start of the article, let it be said seriously now—let it be said openly—let it be said often—let it be said as often as it needs to be said until the fact sinks into the minds of the family—not just in theory, for the theory is already there, but IN PRACTICE. Let it be seen and experienced by all that Jesus and Mary are your first loves. Let your actions speak louder than your words! Let your sacrifices speak louder than your prayers! Let everyone see that you attend to the needs and requests of Jesus and Mary, before those of any others.
Then they will start to grasp the reality of the commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength” (Mark 12:30). Then they will begin to understand Our Lord’s warning: “Everyone therefore that shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father Who is in Heaven. But he that shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father Who is in Heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33) and His insistence that: “He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).
Heaven is Expensive
Heaven is expensive—any and every soul that has passed through Purgatory will tell you that. Let that be said in capital letters—EXPENSIVE! As St. Paul tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). However, before we are let loose in Heaven, St. Paul also tells us that we have to “Fight the good fight of Faith: lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called” (1 Timothy 6:12). For “the life of man upon Earth is a warfare” (Job 7:1) and “the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away” (Matthew 11:12). That is why Christ gives us the mark of a soldier in the Sacrament of Confirmation, so that we might be soldiers of Christ who fight to defend and obtain this heavenly Kingdom.
“Accustom thyself to humble thanksgiving for the benefits which thou receivest … Do not deceive thyself with the pretext of being humble; for there is a great difference between thankful humility and humble thanklessness. Remember that the Lord very often shows great favors to the unworthy, in order to manifest His goodness and munificence. On the contrary let no one become inflated, but let everyone acknowledge so much the more his unworthiness, using it as a medicine against the poison of presumption. But gratitude will agree with this humble opinion of self, since we must acknowledge, that every good gift comes from the Father of lights ... Let then thy thanks be greater than that of all the creatures!” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Gratitude Leads to Love, Love Gains More Favors
“Renew many times a day the memory of His blessings, always giving thanks to the Lord with humble and loving affection. Especially memorable among His benefits are that He has called thee, waited for thee, and excused thy faults, and added thereto such often repeated favors. This remembrance will cause in thee sweet and strong movements of love; and thou wilt find new grace and favor before the Lord, since He is so much pleased by a faithful and thankful heart” (Our Lady to the Venerable Mary of Agreda).
Time for Thanksgiving that Will Spark Our Love
“Now, therefore, our God, we give thanks to Thee and we praise Thy glorious name!” (1 Paralipomenon 29:13).
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities. Who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction. Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. Who satisfieth thy desire with good things” (Psalm 102:1-5). “For all these things bless the Lord” (Ecclesiasticus 32:17). “Therefore will I give thanks to Thee, O Lord!” (2 Kings 22:50). “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be always in my mouth” (Psalm 33:2). “I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me understanding” (Psalm 15:7). “I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth: and in the midst of many I will praise Him!” (Psalm 108:30). And, as Our Lady said: “Thou wilt find new grace and favor before the Lord, since He is so much pleased by a faithful and thankful heart.”
Loving and Thanking Our Lady and Our Lord More Than Anyone Else
So, yes, let there be someone whom we love more than our spouse, more than our children, more than our parents or anyone else. What was said in humor at the start of the article, let it be said seriously now—let it be said openly—let it be said often—let it be said as often as it needs to be said until the fact sinks into the minds of the family—not just in theory, for the theory is already there, but IN PRACTICE. Let it be seen and experienced by all that Jesus and Mary are your first loves. Let your actions speak louder than your words! Let your sacrifices speak louder than your prayers! Let everyone see that you attend to the needs and requests of Jesus and Mary, before those of any others.
Then they will start to grasp the reality of the commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength” (Mark 12:30). Then they will begin to understand Our Lord’s warning: “Everyone therefore that shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father Who is in Heaven. But he that shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father Who is in Heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33) and His insistence that: “He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).
Heaven is Expensive
Heaven is expensive—any and every soul that has passed through Purgatory will tell you that. Let that be said in capital letters—EXPENSIVE! As St. Paul tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). However, before we are let loose in Heaven, St. Paul also tells us that we have to “Fight the good fight of Faith: lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called” (1 Timothy 6:12). For “the life of man upon Earth is a warfare” (Job 7:1) and “the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away” (Matthew 11:12). That is why Christ gives us the mark of a soldier in the Sacrament of Confirmation, so that we might be soldiers of Christ who fight to defend and obtain this heavenly Kingdom.
Article 22
Faithfulness
(Part 1 of 4)
Faithfulness
(Part 1 of 4)
WHAT IS FAITHFULNESS?
Relating faithfulness and perseverance reveals both their uniqueness and what they have in common.
Human faithfulness
By itself, even if it does not exclude it, the word “faithfulness” does not contain the idea of duration or continuance. Endurance itself is not faithfulness. One does not speak of the faithfulness of a halogen lamp, even though it might last for 2000 hours. Material things are alien to faithfulness, since it essentially contains a cognitive element. It can be found with animals who know their master and feel affection for him. Yet it is with human beings that faithfulness assumes its full meaning, because they are endowed with knowledge and freedom. It is with human beings that the duration-continuance element comes in, even if faithfulness cannot be limited to it. “Faithfulness is only understood as part of a starting option that can take on various appearances, depending upon the context. We are faithful to a promise, to a plan, to a commitment, to our word. Faithfulness, then, appears, in one sense, as steadfastness, as staying permanently with a choice that has been made.”
Divine faithfulness
Father de Montfort speaks several times of the “faithful” God: “God infinitely faithful”, “Faithful to all His promises”, “faithful to His word,” and we should therefore “hope in God so faithful”. Although in Saint Louis de Montfort’s writings the explicit term “faithfulness” is not used in connection with God, it is implied throughout his works and most especially in relation to Mary: “Because God has decided to begin and accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He created her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His way of acting” (True Devotion to Mary, §15).
“A God of faithfulness” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Over and over again the Bible calls God faithful; without number are the proofs of His faithfulness. He cannot be unfaithful without denying His very nature. All His attributes converge in this faithfulness by the very reason of His simplicity.
God cannot make a promise and then not keep it. God’s faithfulness, then, is the foundation of our hope. “I draw all my riches / From a God full of truth / Faithful to all His promises / In time and in eternity” (H 7:3). Montfort repeats the thought of Hosea: “I will betroth you to me in faithfulness” (Osee 2:21).
THE PATH FROM INFIDELITY TO FAITHFULNESS
Montfort is vitally interested in the Christian’s transition from infidelity to faithfulness. The knowledge he had of human beings and his vocation as an itinerant preacher permitted him to draw a realistic portrait of human infidelity, the terminus a quo of the journey into the faithfulness of God.
The third of the basic truths of devotion to the Blessed Virgin is set forth in this way: “The sin of Adam has almost entirely spoiled and soured us, filling us with pride and corrupting every one of us, just as leaven sours, swells and corrupts the dough in which it is placed. The actual sins we have committed, whether mortal or venial, even though forgiven, have intensified our base desires, our weakness, our inconsistency and our evil tendencies, and have left a sediment of evil in our soul” (True Devotion to Mary, §79).
In speaking thus of weakness and inconsistency, Montfort shows how our frail faithfulness actually is making it very difficult “to keep the graces and treasures we have received from God. We carry this treasure, which is worth more than heaven and earth, in fragile vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7], that is, in a corruptible body and in a weak and wavering soul which requires very little to depress and disturb it” (True Devotion to Mary 87). For all these reasons, “it is difficult to persevere in holiness” (True Devotion to Mary 89). This is why devotion to Mary is a safeguard against this weakness and inconstancy, provided we meet all the conditions of genuine devotion. For, being devout “in fits and starts” means joining the number of those fake devotees unworthy of being counted “among the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary’s servants” (True Devotion to Mary, §101).
What is required is contained in a very tightly knit passage: “As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God’s creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus” (True Devotion to Mary, §120). There are three main conclusions that can be deduced from this statement.
The whole Christian life is built on this initial, fundamental act, which St. Justin calls a “bath of conversion,” in which sinful man encounters Christ his Savior, who meets him with the power of his Resurrection, possessing him irrevocably. The baptized person must be faithful to this first Consecration and its constant deepening and maturing. As a practical preacher, Montfort asks himself: “Does anyone keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfill the promises of baptism faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal failure come from, if not from man’s habitual forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract made with God through his sponsors?” (True Devotion to Mary, §127).
The enlightened zeal of the missionary touches on an essential point of every Christian renewal. It will be a new start based on the very foundations of the Faith and the most authentic tradition, “since the Councils, the Fathers of the Church, and many authors both past and present, speak of consecration to Our Lord or renewal of baptismal vows as something going back to ancient times and recommended to all the faithful” (True Devotion to Mary, §131). When faced with this infidelity, the formula of his “consecration of oneself to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, through the hands of Mary” explicitly leads to: “I, an unfaithful sinner, renew and ratify today through you my baptismal promises. I renounce forever Satan, his empty promises, and his evil designs, and I give myself completely to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §225).
Relating faithfulness and perseverance reveals both their uniqueness and what they have in common.
Human faithfulness
By itself, even if it does not exclude it, the word “faithfulness” does not contain the idea of duration or continuance. Endurance itself is not faithfulness. One does not speak of the faithfulness of a halogen lamp, even though it might last for 2000 hours. Material things are alien to faithfulness, since it essentially contains a cognitive element. It can be found with animals who know their master and feel affection for him. Yet it is with human beings that faithfulness assumes its full meaning, because they are endowed with knowledge and freedom. It is with human beings that the duration-continuance element comes in, even if faithfulness cannot be limited to it. “Faithfulness is only understood as part of a starting option that can take on various appearances, depending upon the context. We are faithful to a promise, to a plan, to a commitment, to our word. Faithfulness, then, appears, in one sense, as steadfastness, as staying permanently with a choice that has been made.”
Divine faithfulness
Father de Montfort speaks several times of the “faithful” God: “God infinitely faithful”, “Faithful to all His promises”, “faithful to His word,” and we should therefore “hope in God so faithful”. Although in Saint Louis de Montfort’s writings the explicit term “faithfulness” is not used in connection with God, it is implied throughout his works and most especially in relation to Mary: “Because God has decided to begin and accomplish His greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since He created her, we can safely believe that He will not change His plan in the time to come, for He is God and therefore does not change in His thoughts or His way of acting” (True Devotion to Mary, §15).
“A God of faithfulness” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Over and over again the Bible calls God faithful; without number are the proofs of His faithfulness. He cannot be unfaithful without denying His very nature. All His attributes converge in this faithfulness by the very reason of His simplicity.
God cannot make a promise and then not keep it. God’s faithfulness, then, is the foundation of our hope. “I draw all my riches / From a God full of truth / Faithful to all His promises / In time and in eternity” (H 7:3). Montfort repeats the thought of Hosea: “I will betroth you to me in faithfulness” (Osee 2:21).
THE PATH FROM INFIDELITY TO FAITHFULNESS
Montfort is vitally interested in the Christian’s transition from infidelity to faithfulness. The knowledge he had of human beings and his vocation as an itinerant preacher permitted him to draw a realistic portrait of human infidelity, the terminus a quo of the journey into the faithfulness of God.
The third of the basic truths of devotion to the Blessed Virgin is set forth in this way: “The sin of Adam has almost entirely spoiled and soured us, filling us with pride and corrupting every one of us, just as leaven sours, swells and corrupts the dough in which it is placed. The actual sins we have committed, whether mortal or venial, even though forgiven, have intensified our base desires, our weakness, our inconsistency and our evil tendencies, and have left a sediment of evil in our soul” (True Devotion to Mary, §79).
In speaking thus of weakness and inconsistency, Montfort shows how our frail faithfulness actually is making it very difficult “to keep the graces and treasures we have received from God. We carry this treasure, which is worth more than heaven and earth, in fragile vessels [2 Corinthians 4:7], that is, in a corruptible body and in a weak and wavering soul which requires very little to depress and disturb it” (True Devotion to Mary 87). For all these reasons, “it is difficult to persevere in holiness” (True Devotion to Mary 89). This is why devotion to Mary is a safeguard against this weakness and inconstancy, provided we meet all the conditions of genuine devotion. For, being devout “in fits and starts” means joining the number of those fake devotees unworthy of being counted “among the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary’s servants” (True Devotion to Mary, §101).
What is required is contained in a very tightly knit passage: “As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God’s creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus” (True Devotion to Mary, §120). There are three main conclusions that can be deduced from this statement.
The whole Christian life is built on this initial, fundamental act, which St. Justin calls a “bath of conversion,” in which sinful man encounters Christ his Savior, who meets him with the power of his Resurrection, possessing him irrevocably. The baptized person must be faithful to this first Consecration and its constant deepening and maturing. As a practical preacher, Montfort asks himself: “Does anyone keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfill the promises of baptism faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal failure come from, if not from man’s habitual forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract made with God through his sponsors?” (True Devotion to Mary, §127).
The enlightened zeal of the missionary touches on an essential point of every Christian renewal. It will be a new start based on the very foundations of the Faith and the most authentic tradition, “since the Councils, the Fathers of the Church, and many authors both past and present, speak of consecration to Our Lord or renewal of baptismal vows as something going back to ancient times and recommended to all the faithful” (True Devotion to Mary, §131). When faced with this infidelity, the formula of his “consecration of oneself to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, through the hands of Mary” explicitly leads to: “I, an unfaithful sinner, renew and ratify today through you my baptismal promises. I renounce forever Satan, his empty promises, and his evil designs, and I give myself completely to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §225).
Article 23
Faithfulness
(Part 2 of 4)
Faithfulness
(Part 2 of 4)
Mary, the Path of Faithfulness
Giving oneself to the Blessed Virgin has for its purpose a greater faithfulness to the Lord. “The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus.” (True Devotion to Mary, §120) Marian devotion taught by Montfort consists, then, “in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her” (True Devotion to Mary, §121). Among the numerous reasons he mentions for consecrating oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary, the eighth and last is that it “is a wonderful means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining steadfast.”
Referring to what was said about Mary’s faithfulness to her servants by watching over what they entrusted to her, Montfort repeats: “By this devotion we entrust all we possess to Mary, the faithful Virgin. We choose her as the guardian of all our possessions in the natural and supernatural sphere. We trust her because she is faithful, we rely on her strength, we count on her mercy and charity to preserve and increase our virtues and merits in spite of the efforts of the devil, the world, and the flesh to rob us of them” (True Devotion to Mary, §173).
In a long hymn describing the moral code “of a man converted in a mission” and the man’s everyday new life and social relationships, the missionary has his convert sing: “I am a devotee of Mary, / She is my help and my support, / She is the glory of my life, / After God she is all I possess. / So I may be faithful to God, / I make everything depend on her.” He often repeats this same thought: devotion to Mary assures fidelity to God. “If someone wishes to be faithful, / Let him come to the Mother of gifts.” “Mary is my good Mother, / To whom I always run for help, / To support my wretchedness, / To placate God my Father, / It is through her that I hope / Ever to persevere.”
The Life of a Consecrated Person
Our Lady is the one who makes us faithful to our perfect baptismal Consecration. We need not always look for the terms “faithfulness” and “perseverance” themselves. “Let us, so to speak, bring Mary into our abode by consecrating ourselves unreservedly to her as servants and slaves. Let us surrender into her hands all we possess, even what we value most highly, keeping nothing for ourselves. This good Mistress . . . will give herself to us in a real but indefinable manner” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §211).
Mary’s devotee has nothing to fear. “Mary is faithful: she will not permit anything we give her to be lost or wasted. She stands alone as the Virgin most faithful to God and to man. She faithfully guarded and kept all that God entrusted to her, never allowing the least bit to be lost; and she still keeps watch every day, with a special care, over all those who have placed themselves entirely under her protection and guidance. Let us, then, confide everything to the faithful Virgin Mary, binding ourselves to her as to a pillar that cannot be moved, as to an anchor that cannot slip, or better still, as to Mount Zion which cannot be shaken” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §222). To show this faithfulness of Mary, Montfort turns to biblical images in which God’s faithfulness is symbolized, like Mount Sion, and “the rock” (Psalm 92:15). The true devotee of Mary is identical with the devout faithful Christian. The terms are interchangeable.
The life of a consecrated person is fidelity. Consecration is the absolute gift that goes as far as the Cross. It must not be forgotten that in the very act of Consecration, the one who hands himself over to Jesus through Mary includes the Cross: “to follow Him by carrying my cross and to be more faithful to Him than I have been up to this point.”
Mary, Faithful Virgin
The basis of Mary’s faithfulness is her sharing in the life of God. While He is faithful by nature, Mary, as a creature, can only be so by grace. God made her so perfectly in His image that she shares in His faithfulness. Montfort points this out in an expression that may never have been heard with this meaning but which states the idea very well, “Mary is the wonderful echo of God” (Secret of Mary, §21), or in a even more admirable way: “Mary is entirely relative to God. Indeed I would say that she is relative only to God, because she exists uniquely in reference to Him. She is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God” (True Devotion to Mary, §225).
Faithfulness to God
In a sentence that in principle contains all the further developments that he will add about Mary’s faithfulness to God, Montfort studies the initial period of her life up to the Incarnation: “During the first fourteen years of her life the most holy Virgin Mary grew so marvelously in the grace and wisdom of God and responded so faithfully to His love that the angels and even God Himself were filled with rapturous admiration for her” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §107).
As the Immaculate Conception, faithfulness is a constituent element of her personality. Not only do we say Mary is virginal but we call her the Virgin or the Blessed Virgin, a personification of this quality to a unique degree. We are also prompted to say that Mary is not only faithful, but the faithful one, just as we say of Christ, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Apocalypse 1:5), using the word not only as a designation but also as a personification of the name: “Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! its rider is called Faithful and True” (Apocalypse 19:11).
Montfort develops this idea of faithfulness by introducing into it the notion of “deposit” in order to illustrate its application. This deposit is a contract entered into by two physical or moral persons. One, the deponent, entrusts to the second, a faithful guardian or agent, something that he must watch over and give back on demand. God does not entrust Mary with a deposit because she is faithful. He makes her faithful in order for her to keep His deposit. It is in this sense that we should understand Montfort’s assertion “It is impossible on the one hand to put into words the gifts with which the Blessed Trinity endowed this most fair creature, or on the other hand to describe the faithful care with which she corresponded to the graces of her Creator” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §105).
Complete Obedience
This response is an obedience to the will of God. It is the meaning of the faithful servant found in many Scripture passages. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:20-29), the servants are praised for their faithfulness and not for what their faithfulness produced. Without further specifying her faithfulness, Montfort calls Mary many times “the faithful spouse” in speaking of her relationship to the Holy Spirit (True Devotion to Mary §4, §5, §34, §36, §164, §269). In True Devotion to Mary 53 she is called “perfectly faithful to God.”
Giving oneself to the Blessed Virgin has for its purpose a greater faithfulness to the Lord. “The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus.” (True Devotion to Mary, §120) Marian devotion taught by Montfort consists, then, “in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her” (True Devotion to Mary, §121). Among the numerous reasons he mentions for consecrating oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary, the eighth and last is that it “is a wonderful means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining steadfast.”
Referring to what was said about Mary’s faithfulness to her servants by watching over what they entrusted to her, Montfort repeats: “By this devotion we entrust all we possess to Mary, the faithful Virgin. We choose her as the guardian of all our possessions in the natural and supernatural sphere. We trust her because she is faithful, we rely on her strength, we count on her mercy and charity to preserve and increase our virtues and merits in spite of the efforts of the devil, the world, and the flesh to rob us of them” (True Devotion to Mary, §173).
In a long hymn describing the moral code “of a man converted in a mission” and the man’s everyday new life and social relationships, the missionary has his convert sing: “I am a devotee of Mary, / She is my help and my support, / She is the glory of my life, / After God she is all I possess. / So I may be faithful to God, / I make everything depend on her.” He often repeats this same thought: devotion to Mary assures fidelity to God. “If someone wishes to be faithful, / Let him come to the Mother of gifts.” “Mary is my good Mother, / To whom I always run for help, / To support my wretchedness, / To placate God my Father, / It is through her that I hope / Ever to persevere.”
The Life of a Consecrated Person
Our Lady is the one who makes us faithful to our perfect baptismal Consecration. We need not always look for the terms “faithfulness” and “perseverance” themselves. “Let us, so to speak, bring Mary into our abode by consecrating ourselves unreservedly to her as servants and slaves. Let us surrender into her hands all we possess, even what we value most highly, keeping nothing for ourselves. This good Mistress . . . will give herself to us in a real but indefinable manner” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §211).
Mary’s devotee has nothing to fear. “Mary is faithful: she will not permit anything we give her to be lost or wasted. She stands alone as the Virgin most faithful to God and to man. She faithfully guarded and kept all that God entrusted to her, never allowing the least bit to be lost; and she still keeps watch every day, with a special care, over all those who have placed themselves entirely under her protection and guidance. Let us, then, confide everything to the faithful Virgin Mary, binding ourselves to her as to a pillar that cannot be moved, as to an anchor that cannot slip, or better still, as to Mount Zion which cannot be shaken” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §222). To show this faithfulness of Mary, Montfort turns to biblical images in which God’s faithfulness is symbolized, like Mount Sion, and “the rock” (Psalm 92:15). The true devotee of Mary is identical with the devout faithful Christian. The terms are interchangeable.
The life of a consecrated person is fidelity. Consecration is the absolute gift that goes as far as the Cross. It must not be forgotten that in the very act of Consecration, the one who hands himself over to Jesus through Mary includes the Cross: “to follow Him by carrying my cross and to be more faithful to Him than I have been up to this point.”
Mary, Faithful Virgin
The basis of Mary’s faithfulness is her sharing in the life of God. While He is faithful by nature, Mary, as a creature, can only be so by grace. God made her so perfectly in His image that she shares in His faithfulness. Montfort points this out in an expression that may never have been heard with this meaning but which states the idea very well, “Mary is the wonderful echo of God” (Secret of Mary, §21), or in a even more admirable way: “Mary is entirely relative to God. Indeed I would say that she is relative only to God, because she exists uniquely in reference to Him. She is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God” (True Devotion to Mary, §225).
Faithfulness to God
In a sentence that in principle contains all the further developments that he will add about Mary’s faithfulness to God, Montfort studies the initial period of her life up to the Incarnation: “During the first fourteen years of her life the most holy Virgin Mary grew so marvelously in the grace and wisdom of God and responded so faithfully to His love that the angels and even God Himself were filled with rapturous admiration for her” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §107).
As the Immaculate Conception, faithfulness is a constituent element of her personality. Not only do we say Mary is virginal but we call her the Virgin or the Blessed Virgin, a personification of this quality to a unique degree. We are also prompted to say that Mary is not only faithful, but the faithful one, just as we say of Christ, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Apocalypse 1:5), using the word not only as a designation but also as a personification of the name: “Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! its rider is called Faithful and True” (Apocalypse 19:11).
Montfort develops this idea of faithfulness by introducing into it the notion of “deposit” in order to illustrate its application. This deposit is a contract entered into by two physical or moral persons. One, the deponent, entrusts to the second, a faithful guardian or agent, something that he must watch over and give back on demand. God does not entrust Mary with a deposit because she is faithful. He makes her faithful in order for her to keep His deposit. It is in this sense that we should understand Montfort’s assertion “It is impossible on the one hand to put into words the gifts with which the Blessed Trinity endowed this most fair creature, or on the other hand to describe the faithful care with which she corresponded to the graces of her Creator” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, §105).
Complete Obedience
This response is an obedience to the will of God. It is the meaning of the faithful servant found in many Scripture passages. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:20-29), the servants are praised for their faithfulness and not for what their faithfulness produced. Without further specifying her faithfulness, Montfort calls Mary many times “the faithful spouse” in speaking of her relationship to the Holy Spirit (True Devotion to Mary §4, §5, §34, §36, §164, §269). In True Devotion to Mary 53 she is called “perfectly faithful to God.”
Article 24
Faithfulness
(Part 3 of 4)
Faithfulness
(Part 3 of 4)
Motivated by Love
Faithfulness is quite different from merely doing what has to be done along the lines of a scrupulous personal accounting. It is, rather, a flowering of charity that from the outset knows no limits. It is the Beatitudes’ insatiable hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is called generosity and magnanimity, and according to St. Thomas it “tends to a certain excellence.”
Just as, by definition, virtue always consists of something difficult, that excellence which is the property of magnanimity aims at things that are still more difficult. Persevering in these endeavors brings the virtue of fortitude particularly to the fore. In the Annunciation’s fiat, the fullness of the gift of self and the commitment to the divine will were already present. By full-heartedly espousing the divine will of salvation without any sin holding her back, Mary handed herself over completely, as the handmaid of the Lord, to the person and the work of her Son.
Mary’s Faithfulness Toward Her Servants
It is especially with her servants that Montfort develops the theme of the many-sided faithfulness of Mary. He sums it up in this prayer of praise: “Advocate ever near us in life and in death, we praise you.” It is an echo of the Hail Mary: “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” Vatican II expresses the same idea when it says that the motherhood of Mary “continues without interruption until the final consummation of all the elect. . . . Her motherly love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not yet over . . . until they reach the homeland of the blest. This is why the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of advocate, helper, mediatrix.”
We find the same ideas and words in Montfort: “They will experience her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix” (True Devotion to Mary, §55). The term “mediatrix,” and not only the description of her mediation, occurs often, for example in Love of Eternal Wisdom, §223, and True Devotion to Mary, §86.
Safeguarding the Deposit
The total Consecration of oneself is likened to a deposit entrusted to Mary. “In adopting this devotion, we put our graces, merits and virtues into safe keeping by making Mary the depository of them. It is as if we said to her, ‘See, my dear Mother, here is the good that I have done through the grace of your dear Son. I am not capable of keeping it. . . . But, most powerful Queen, . . . keep a guard on all my possessions lest I be robbed of them. I entrust all I have to you, for I know who you are, and that is why I confide myself to you. You are faithful to God and man” (Secret of Mary, §40).
The same idea appears in a different form in True Devotion to Mary, §87, where Montfort shows that, given our weakness and frailty, it is very hard for us to keep the treasures received from God; and as for those who have trusted only in themselves: “If they had only known of the wonderful devotion that I shall later explain, they would have entrusted their treasure to Mary, the powerful and faithful Virgin. She would have kept it for them as if it were her own possession and even have considered that trust an obligation of justice” (True Devotion to Mary, §88).
Always Ready to Help
Mary is not merely an occasional help, in times of calamities and extremes. Her aid is constant, like that of a mother, and even more so, for her children and their needs could never escape either her attention or her capabilities. In a paraphrase of the second part of the Hail Mary, Montfort sings: “You are our Mother, / O worthy Mother of God, / Help our wretchedness / At all times and everywhere, / Pray for us, sinners. / Hide us under your wing, / Be now our support, / Give us a good death, / And everlasting glory.”
And in his “New Song of Our Lady of Gifts”: “Mary possesses in her domain, / The fullness of all goods. / Near to her we have no cares, / Fellow Christians, / She overflows with good / For her own.”
Everything comes through her hands: “She is the Mother of grace, / She is its wondrous channel, / It is through her that all good comes, / here on earth, / That everything ascends and returns / To paradise.” And then: “In her we find all things, / Possessions, pleasures, honors and good health. / all these things for God alone she bestows / With kindness. / Upon her care the universe relies, / in truth.”
The couplets that follow enumerate the petitions of certain kinds of devotees: the vine grower, that his vine abound in grapes, the plowman for his fields, the afflicted, the needy. “You will receive her assistance / Through your petitions, / Or else the gift of patience. / One or the other.” The devotee of Mary can in all confidence speak to her: “In your bounty / Comfort me in my wretchedness. / In your bounty, / Give me long-suffering or good health. / In you alone do I hope, / Show me that you are my Mother, / In your bounty.”
Faithfulness is quite different from merely doing what has to be done along the lines of a scrupulous personal accounting. It is, rather, a flowering of charity that from the outset knows no limits. It is the Beatitudes’ insatiable hunger and thirst for righteousness. It is called generosity and magnanimity, and according to St. Thomas it “tends to a certain excellence.”
Just as, by definition, virtue always consists of something difficult, that excellence which is the property of magnanimity aims at things that are still more difficult. Persevering in these endeavors brings the virtue of fortitude particularly to the fore. In the Annunciation’s fiat, the fullness of the gift of self and the commitment to the divine will were already present. By full-heartedly espousing the divine will of salvation without any sin holding her back, Mary handed herself over completely, as the handmaid of the Lord, to the person and the work of her Son.
Mary’s Faithfulness Toward Her Servants
It is especially with her servants that Montfort develops the theme of the many-sided faithfulness of Mary. He sums it up in this prayer of praise: “Advocate ever near us in life and in death, we praise you.” It is an echo of the Hail Mary: “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.” Vatican II expresses the same idea when it says that the motherhood of Mary “continues without interruption until the final consummation of all the elect. . . . Her motherly love makes her attentive to the brothers of her Son whose pilgrimage is not yet over . . . until they reach the homeland of the blest. This is why the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of advocate, helper, mediatrix.”
We find the same ideas and words in Montfort: “They will experience her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix” (True Devotion to Mary, §55). The term “mediatrix,” and not only the description of her mediation, occurs often, for example in Love of Eternal Wisdom, §223, and True Devotion to Mary, §86.
Safeguarding the Deposit
The total Consecration of oneself is likened to a deposit entrusted to Mary. “In adopting this devotion, we put our graces, merits and virtues into safe keeping by making Mary the depository of them. It is as if we said to her, ‘See, my dear Mother, here is the good that I have done through the grace of your dear Son. I am not capable of keeping it. . . . But, most powerful Queen, . . . keep a guard on all my possessions lest I be robbed of them. I entrust all I have to you, for I know who you are, and that is why I confide myself to you. You are faithful to God and man” (Secret of Mary, §40).
The same idea appears in a different form in True Devotion to Mary, §87, where Montfort shows that, given our weakness and frailty, it is very hard for us to keep the treasures received from God; and as for those who have trusted only in themselves: “If they had only known of the wonderful devotion that I shall later explain, they would have entrusted their treasure to Mary, the powerful and faithful Virgin. She would have kept it for them as if it were her own possession and even have considered that trust an obligation of justice” (True Devotion to Mary, §88).
Always Ready to Help
Mary is not merely an occasional help, in times of calamities and extremes. Her aid is constant, like that of a mother, and even more so, for her children and their needs could never escape either her attention or her capabilities. In a paraphrase of the second part of the Hail Mary, Montfort sings: “You are our Mother, / O worthy Mother of God, / Help our wretchedness / At all times and everywhere, / Pray for us, sinners. / Hide us under your wing, / Be now our support, / Give us a good death, / And everlasting glory.”
And in his “New Song of Our Lady of Gifts”: “Mary possesses in her domain, / The fullness of all goods. / Near to her we have no cares, / Fellow Christians, / She overflows with good / For her own.”
Everything comes through her hands: “She is the Mother of grace, / She is its wondrous channel, / It is through her that all good comes, / here on earth, / That everything ascends and returns / To paradise.” And then: “In her we find all things, / Possessions, pleasures, honors and good health. / all these things for God alone she bestows / With kindness. / Upon her care the universe relies, / in truth.”
The couplets that follow enumerate the petitions of certain kinds of devotees: the vine grower, that his vine abound in grapes, the plowman for his fields, the afflicted, the needy. “You will receive her assistance / Through your petitions, / Or else the gift of patience. / One or the other.” The devotee of Mary can in all confidence speak to her: “In your bounty / Comfort me in my wretchedness. / In your bounty, / Give me long-suffering or good health. / In you alone do I hope, / Show me that you are my Mother, / In your bounty.”
Article 25
Faithfulness
(Part 4 of 4)
Faithfulness
(Part 4 of 4)
Unceasing Presence
Mary’s presence can be looked at from two points of view: either from that of Mary herself, or from that of her devotee. That Mary is present to her children means that no one escapes her constant motherly attention. Some find this truth hard to grasp because they liken the role of Mary to that of an earthly mother who cannot follow her children about or cater to all their needs. A moment of distraction is enough for a baby to be in danger on the edge of a swimming pool or in the street.
But Mary’s mode of knowledge is that of the elect in heaven. In the contemplation of the Divine Essence, they know everything that concerns them in accordance with the degree of perfection proper to each one.6 Now Mary, mother of all the redeemed, knows the needs of all her children. Mary is present to us in this sense, and we are present to her even before we bring her our prayers and our wants. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).
There is no passage in his work where Montfort shows this motherly presence better than in True Devotion to Mary, §201 to §213, when he explains “the services which the Virgin Mary . . . lovingly renders to her loyal servants” (True Devotion to Mary, §201). “She loves them tenderly, more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. . . . She loves them not only affectively but effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good” (True Devotion to Mary, §202).
Paraphrasing the story of Rebecca and Jacob, he multiplies the ever watchful attentions of Mary. “Like Rebecca she looks out for favorable opportunities to promote their interests, to ennoble and enrich them.” And he gives the theological reason mentioned above: “Since she sees clearly in God all that is good and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God’s sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to the end” (True Devotion to Mary, §203).
But Mary’s presence still has a subjective sense. It is the devotee’s awareness and acceptance of Mary’s action in him. Montfort writes of the hardships presented by the spiritual life: “It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virginal road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights” (True Devotion to Mary, §152).
Mary’s faithful presence will be the strength of the apostles of the end times, who “will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as their perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them” (True Devotion to Mary, §46). This presence of Mary can attain a mystical degree. “Should you not savor immediately the sweet presence of the Blessed Virgin within you, take great care not to torment yourself. For this is a grace not given to everyone, and even when God in His great mercy favors a soul with this grace, it remains none the less very easy to lose it, except when the soul has become permanently aware of it through the habit of recollection” (Secret of Mary, §52).
CURRENT RELEVANCE
Faithfulness in Crisis
All agree in admitting that today’s world is going through a crisis of fidelity. The most sacred commitments, like priesthood and especially marriage, have experienced massive infidelity. Common-law unions, even if they are sometimes lasting, are on the increase out of fear of a stable commitment. Because faithfulness is excluded from the outset, they are merely an open door to camouflaged infidelity. Today an aberrant definition of faithfulness is prevalent: “faithfulness to oneself,” which is strangely thought to justify all sorts of deviations of thought and behavior. Such an attitude forgets that faithfulness also carries with it an altruistic relationship with a “Thou,” a very noble value that imposes the moral obligation of keeping one’s promises.
Still more serious is the fact that infidelity can be seen in basic values that up to now had always been considered to be beyond question. This is not only happening on the social level but even in the realm of the Faith. The profound reason for infidelity is clearly a crisis of Faith. When Faith disintegrates and becomes ephemeral, it no longer has sufficient dynamism to motivate faithfulness. Conscience has reached a state of vagueness and indifference, and makes choices in opposition to the Faith. The language of Faith is eroded, piety disappears, devotions are relegated to the archival dust heap. Mary no longer has her place. She is dragged into the global process of the de-christianization of our age, where a twofold phenomenon is being manifested. On the one hand, acedia, which is the lack of interest in the spiritual when faced with the appeal of the new values of science and technology; and on the other, anomia which is the rejection of established laws and systems, where each person looks for an absolute autonomy of thought and social behavior.
The Path of Faithfulness put Forward by Montfort
It is as a realist, and without any pessimism, that Montfort treats of faithfulness. What he requires of a person who wishes truly to live his Marian devotion is motivated by his human and pastoral experience, which is never content with superficial enthusiasm. “It is not enough to give ourselves just once as a slave to Jesus through Mary; nor is it enough to renew that consecration once a month or once a week. That alone would make it just a passing devotion,” hence one that is unfaithful.
It is not only repetitive acts that must be performed. A spirit has to be created. “The chief difficulty is to enter into its spirit, which requires an interior dependence on Mary, and effectively becoming her slave and the slave of Jesus through her.” As an experienced spiritual director, he is well acquainted with the spiritual life and its frailties. “I have met many people who with admirable zeal have set about practicing exteriorly this holy slavery of Jesus and Mary, but I have met only a few who have caught its interior spirit, and fewer still who have persevered in it” (Secret of Mary, §44).
Mary’s presence can be looked at from two points of view: either from that of Mary herself, or from that of her devotee. That Mary is present to her children means that no one escapes her constant motherly attention. Some find this truth hard to grasp because they liken the role of Mary to that of an earthly mother who cannot follow her children about or cater to all their needs. A moment of distraction is enough for a baby to be in danger on the edge of a swimming pool or in the street.
But Mary’s mode of knowledge is that of the elect in heaven. In the contemplation of the Divine Essence, they know everything that concerns them in accordance with the degree of perfection proper to each one.6 Now Mary, mother of all the redeemed, knows the needs of all her children. Mary is present to us in this sense, and we are present to her even before we bring her our prayers and our wants. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).
There is no passage in his work where Montfort shows this motherly presence better than in True Devotion to Mary, §201 to §213, when he explains “the services which the Virgin Mary . . . lovingly renders to her loyal servants” (True Devotion to Mary, §201). “She loves them tenderly, more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. . . . She loves them not only affectively but effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good” (True Devotion to Mary, §202).
Paraphrasing the story of Rebecca and Jacob, he multiplies the ever watchful attentions of Mary. “Like Rebecca she looks out for favorable opportunities to promote their interests, to ennoble and enrich them.” And he gives the theological reason mentioned above: “Since she sees clearly in God all that is good and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God’s sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to the end” (True Devotion to Mary, §203).
But Mary’s presence still has a subjective sense. It is the devotee’s awareness and acceptance of Mary’s action in him. Montfort writes of the hardships presented by the spiritual life: “It is true that on our way we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome, but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants. She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this virginal road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights” (True Devotion to Mary, §152).
Mary’s faithful presence will be the strength of the apostles of the end times, who “will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as their perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them” (True Devotion to Mary, §46). This presence of Mary can attain a mystical degree. “Should you not savor immediately the sweet presence of the Blessed Virgin within you, take great care not to torment yourself. For this is a grace not given to everyone, and even when God in His great mercy favors a soul with this grace, it remains none the less very easy to lose it, except when the soul has become permanently aware of it through the habit of recollection” (Secret of Mary, §52).
CURRENT RELEVANCE
Faithfulness in Crisis
All agree in admitting that today’s world is going through a crisis of fidelity. The most sacred commitments, like priesthood and especially marriage, have experienced massive infidelity. Common-law unions, even if they are sometimes lasting, are on the increase out of fear of a stable commitment. Because faithfulness is excluded from the outset, they are merely an open door to camouflaged infidelity. Today an aberrant definition of faithfulness is prevalent: “faithfulness to oneself,” which is strangely thought to justify all sorts of deviations of thought and behavior. Such an attitude forgets that faithfulness also carries with it an altruistic relationship with a “Thou,” a very noble value that imposes the moral obligation of keeping one’s promises.
Still more serious is the fact that infidelity can be seen in basic values that up to now had always been considered to be beyond question. This is not only happening on the social level but even in the realm of the Faith. The profound reason for infidelity is clearly a crisis of Faith. When Faith disintegrates and becomes ephemeral, it no longer has sufficient dynamism to motivate faithfulness. Conscience has reached a state of vagueness and indifference, and makes choices in opposition to the Faith. The language of Faith is eroded, piety disappears, devotions are relegated to the archival dust heap. Mary no longer has her place. She is dragged into the global process of the de-christianization of our age, where a twofold phenomenon is being manifested. On the one hand, acedia, which is the lack of interest in the spiritual when faced with the appeal of the new values of science and technology; and on the other, anomia which is the rejection of established laws and systems, where each person looks for an absolute autonomy of thought and social behavior.
The Path of Faithfulness put Forward by Montfort
It is as a realist, and without any pessimism, that Montfort treats of faithfulness. What he requires of a person who wishes truly to live his Marian devotion is motivated by his human and pastoral experience, which is never content with superficial enthusiasm. “It is not enough to give ourselves just once as a slave to Jesus through Mary; nor is it enough to renew that consecration once a month or once a week. That alone would make it just a passing devotion,” hence one that is unfaithful.
It is not only repetitive acts that must be performed. A spirit has to be created. “The chief difficulty is to enter into its spirit, which requires an interior dependence on Mary, and effectively becoming her slave and the slave of Jesus through her.” As an experienced spiritual director, he is well acquainted with the spiritual life and its frailties. “I have met many people who with admirable zeal have set about practicing exteriorly this holy slavery of Jesus and Mary, but I have met only a few who have caught its interior spirit, and fewer still who have persevered in it” (Secret of Mary, §44).
Article 26
Perseverance
(Part 1)
Perseverance
(Part 1)
To become a saint, it is not enough to be courageous and patient and to practice the other virtues for a few days or a few months, or even for a few years. We must persevere in these dispositions to the end of our life―never yielding to fatigue, discouragement, or laxity. This is the crucial point for, as St. Thomas says, “to apply oneself for a long time to a difficult task—and virtue is almost always difficult—constitutes a special difficulty” (Summa Theologica IIa IIae, q.137, a.1, co.); and it is only by overcoming this difficulty that we shall be able to reach perfection. We are not angels, we are human beings.
The angel, a pure spirit, is stable by nature; if he makes a resolution, he holds to it―but this is not the case with us. We, being composed of spirit and matter, must suffer the consequences of the instability and fluctuations of the latter―the soul must suffer the ever changing desires and weakness of the body. As Our Lord said: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!” (Matthew 26:41). As stability is characteristic of spirit, so instability is characteristic of matter; hence it becomes so difficult for us to be perfectly constant in the good.
Although we have formed good resolutions in our mind, we always feel handicapped by the weakness of the sensible part of our nature (our body with its passions) which rebels against the weariness of sustained effort, and seeks to free itself from it, or at least to reduce it to a minimum. Our bodies are subject to fatigue; our minds are disturbed by emotions which are always fluctuating. That which at one moment fills us with enthusiasm may, at the next moment, become distasteful and annoying to such a point that we think we can no longer endure it. This is our state while on Earth and no one can escape it.
However, God calls us all to sanctity, and since sanctity requires a continual practice of virtue, He, who never asks the impossible, has provided a remedy for the instability of our nature by giving us the virtue of perseverance, the special object of perseverance is the sustaining of our efforts. Though fickle by nature, we can by the help of grace become steadfast.
When a chick pecks its way out of an egg, it is performing an action that is much more than a break for freedom. The process of pecking at the shell begins weeks before and will have much bearing on the chick’s life outside its ovoid prison. Over the weeks that it pecks away; the chicken grows and gets stronger. When and if, it is strong enough to survive in the outside world, it will break through. If however the egg is cracked by an outside agent, such as a hen or a farmer, the chick will be too weak to survive in the outside world and will die.
Like a chick we too are trapped in a prison, a prison of sin and suffering. The Christian life allows us to break out and to know and love God. Like the chick, perseverance is essential to this breakout. Every day we meet difficulties, obstacles and hindrances to our Christian journey. These barriers are both internal and external. Perseverance allows us to stay focused on the good during difficult times. It allows us to continue in the virtuous life when times are tough. When we persevere we are strengthened by God’s gifts of habitual grace. The example of the chick is only helpful to a point. The chick can achieve liberty by his own action.
For a Christian the perfect act of perseverance is persevering in Faith, Hope and Charity until death. The act of persevering is accomplished at death; but we need more than habitual grace in this instance because it is not in the power of our freewill to abide in goodness unchangeably. St. Thomas points out that final perseverance requires the “gratuitous help of God sustaining the human being in the good until the end of life”. Humans, on their own, can only fall into sin. The death and resurrection of Christ repairs the rift between God and humanity. By the grace of Christ we are lifted and raised up: we are set free! As St. Augustine says we “receive not only the possibility of persevering, but perseverance itself”.
The angel, a pure spirit, is stable by nature; if he makes a resolution, he holds to it―but this is not the case with us. We, being composed of spirit and matter, must suffer the consequences of the instability and fluctuations of the latter―the soul must suffer the ever changing desires and weakness of the body. As Our Lord said: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!” (Matthew 26:41). As stability is characteristic of spirit, so instability is characteristic of matter; hence it becomes so difficult for us to be perfectly constant in the good.
Although we have formed good resolutions in our mind, we always feel handicapped by the weakness of the sensible part of our nature (our body with its passions) which rebels against the weariness of sustained effort, and seeks to free itself from it, or at least to reduce it to a minimum. Our bodies are subject to fatigue; our minds are disturbed by emotions which are always fluctuating. That which at one moment fills us with enthusiasm may, at the next moment, become distasteful and annoying to such a point that we think we can no longer endure it. This is our state while on Earth and no one can escape it.
However, God calls us all to sanctity, and since sanctity requires a continual practice of virtue, He, who never asks the impossible, has provided a remedy for the instability of our nature by giving us the virtue of perseverance, the special object of perseverance is the sustaining of our efforts. Though fickle by nature, we can by the help of grace become steadfast.
When a chick pecks its way out of an egg, it is performing an action that is much more than a break for freedom. The process of pecking at the shell begins weeks before and will have much bearing on the chick’s life outside its ovoid prison. Over the weeks that it pecks away; the chicken grows and gets stronger. When and if, it is strong enough to survive in the outside world, it will break through. If however the egg is cracked by an outside agent, such as a hen or a farmer, the chick will be too weak to survive in the outside world and will die.
Like a chick we too are trapped in a prison, a prison of sin and suffering. The Christian life allows us to break out and to know and love God. Like the chick, perseverance is essential to this breakout. Every day we meet difficulties, obstacles and hindrances to our Christian journey. These barriers are both internal and external. Perseverance allows us to stay focused on the good during difficult times. It allows us to continue in the virtuous life when times are tough. When we persevere we are strengthened by God’s gifts of habitual grace. The example of the chick is only helpful to a point. The chick can achieve liberty by his own action.
For a Christian the perfect act of perseverance is persevering in Faith, Hope and Charity until death. The act of persevering is accomplished at death; but we need more than habitual grace in this instance because it is not in the power of our freewill to abide in goodness unchangeably. St. Thomas points out that final perseverance requires the “gratuitous help of God sustaining the human being in the good until the end of life”. Humans, on their own, can only fall into sin. The death and resurrection of Christ repairs the rift between God and humanity. By the grace of Christ we are lifted and raised up: we are set free! As St. Augustine says we “receive not only the possibility of persevering, but perseverance itself”.
Article 27
Perseverance
(Part 2)
Perseverance
(Part 2)
Final perseverance is the preservation of the state of sanctifying grace until the end of life. The expression is taken from Matthew 10:22, “He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.” A temporary continuance in grace, be it ever so long, evidently falls short of the obvious meaning of the above phrase, if it fails to reach the hour of death.
On the other hand the saying of St. Matthew does not necessarily imply a lifelong and unbroken continuance in grace, since it is of Faith that lost grace can be recovered. Between the temporary continuance or imperfect perseverance and the lifelong continuance or most perfect perseverance there is room for final perseverance as commonly understood, i.e., the preservation of grace from the last conversion till death.
The Church teaches that it is impossible, without the special help of God, to persevere in the state of grace to the end. Thus the Second Council of Orange, in A.D. 529, teaches, in opposition to the Semi-Pelagians, that the justified also must constantly pray for the help of God so that they may attain to a good end (Denzinger, 380). And the Council of Trent in 1547 calls perseverance “a great gift” and says that those in the state of grace cannot persist in God’s friendship without special divine aid (Denzinger 1572).
Final perseverance cannot be strictly merited, as though a person had a claim on dying in grace because he or she had been faithful all through life. Nevertheless it can, with unfailing success, be achieved by proper prayer, offered regularly and earnestly, in the state of grace. The certainty of the prayer being heard is based on the promise of Jesus (John 16:23). since, however, the possibility of a fall always remains, one cannot know with infallible certainty whether one will, in fact, persevere unless one receives a special revelation to that effect (Council of Trent, Denzinger, 1566).
The Council of Trent, using an expression coined by St. Augustine, calls it (magnum usque in finem perseverantiae donum) the great gift of final perseverance. “It consists”, says Newman, “In an ever watchful superintendence of us on the part of our All-Merciful Lord, removing temptations which He sees will be fatal to us, helping us at those times when we are in particular peril, whether from our negligence or other cause, and ordering the course of our life so that we may die at a time when He sees that we are in the state of grace.”
The supernatural character of such a gift is clearly asserted by Christ: “Holy Father, keep them in Thy Name whom Thou has given” (John 17:11); by St. Paul: “He who has begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6); and by St. Peter: “But the God of all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will Himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you!” (1 Peter 5:10). The extreme preciousness of that supernatural gift places it alike beyond our certain knowledge and meriting power.
That we can never in this life be certain of our final perseverance is defined by the Council of Trent (Sess. VI, can. xvi): “Si quis magnum illud usque in finem perseverantiae donum se certo habiturum, absoluta et infallibili certitudine dixerit, nisi hoc ex speciali revelatione dedicerit, anathema sit”.
What places it beyond our meriting power is the obvious fact that revelation nowhere offers final perseverance, with its retinue of efficacious graces and its crown of a good death, as a reward for our actions, but, on the contrary, constantly reminds us that, as the Council of Trent puts it, “the gift of perseverance can come only from Him who has the power to confirm the standing and to raise the fallen”. However, from our incapacity to certainly know and to strictly merit the great gift, we should not infer that nothing can be done towards it.
Theologians unite in saying that final perseverance comes under the power of prayer and St. Alphonsus Liguori would make it the dominant note and burden of our daily petitions. The sometimes distressing presentation of the present matter in the pulpit is due to the many sides of the problem, the impossibility of viewing them all in one sermon, and the idiosyncrasies of the speakers.
Nor should the timorousness of the saints, graphically described by Newman, be so construed as to contradict the admonition of the Council of Trent, that “all should place the firmest hope in the help of God.” Singularly comforting is the teaching of such saints as St. Francis de Sales (Camus, “The Spirit of St. Francis de Sales”, III, xiii) and St. Catherine of Genoa (Treatise of Purgatory, iv). They dwell on God’s great mercy in granting final perseverance, and even in the case of notorious sinners they do not lose hope. God suffuses the sinners’ dying hour with an extraordinary light and, showing them the hideousness of sin contrasting with His own infinite beauty, He makes a final appeal to them. For those only who, even then, obstinately cling to their sin, does the saying of Ecclesiasticus 5:7, assume a somber meaning “mercy and wrath quickly come from Him, and His wrath looks upon sinners”.
On the other hand the saying of St. Matthew does not necessarily imply a lifelong and unbroken continuance in grace, since it is of Faith that lost grace can be recovered. Between the temporary continuance or imperfect perseverance and the lifelong continuance or most perfect perseverance there is room for final perseverance as commonly understood, i.e., the preservation of grace from the last conversion till death.
The Church teaches that it is impossible, without the special help of God, to persevere in the state of grace to the end. Thus the Second Council of Orange, in A.D. 529, teaches, in opposition to the Semi-Pelagians, that the justified also must constantly pray for the help of God so that they may attain to a good end (Denzinger, 380). And the Council of Trent in 1547 calls perseverance “a great gift” and says that those in the state of grace cannot persist in God’s friendship without special divine aid (Denzinger 1572).
Final perseverance cannot be strictly merited, as though a person had a claim on dying in grace because he or she had been faithful all through life. Nevertheless it can, with unfailing success, be achieved by proper prayer, offered regularly and earnestly, in the state of grace. The certainty of the prayer being heard is based on the promise of Jesus (John 16:23). since, however, the possibility of a fall always remains, one cannot know with infallible certainty whether one will, in fact, persevere unless one receives a special revelation to that effect (Council of Trent, Denzinger, 1566).
The Council of Trent, using an expression coined by St. Augustine, calls it (magnum usque in finem perseverantiae donum) the great gift of final perseverance. “It consists”, says Newman, “In an ever watchful superintendence of us on the part of our All-Merciful Lord, removing temptations which He sees will be fatal to us, helping us at those times when we are in particular peril, whether from our negligence or other cause, and ordering the course of our life so that we may die at a time when He sees that we are in the state of grace.”
The supernatural character of such a gift is clearly asserted by Christ: “Holy Father, keep them in Thy Name whom Thou has given” (John 17:11); by St. Paul: “He who has begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6); and by St. Peter: “But the God of all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will Himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you!” (1 Peter 5:10). The extreme preciousness of that supernatural gift places it alike beyond our certain knowledge and meriting power.
That we can never in this life be certain of our final perseverance is defined by the Council of Trent (Sess. VI, can. xvi): “Si quis magnum illud usque in finem perseverantiae donum se certo habiturum, absoluta et infallibili certitudine dixerit, nisi hoc ex speciali revelatione dedicerit, anathema sit”.
What places it beyond our meriting power is the obvious fact that revelation nowhere offers final perseverance, with its retinue of efficacious graces and its crown of a good death, as a reward for our actions, but, on the contrary, constantly reminds us that, as the Council of Trent puts it, “the gift of perseverance can come only from Him who has the power to confirm the standing and to raise the fallen”. However, from our incapacity to certainly know and to strictly merit the great gift, we should not infer that nothing can be done towards it.
Theologians unite in saying that final perseverance comes under the power of prayer and St. Alphonsus Liguori would make it the dominant note and burden of our daily petitions. The sometimes distressing presentation of the present matter in the pulpit is due to the many sides of the problem, the impossibility of viewing them all in one sermon, and the idiosyncrasies of the speakers.
Nor should the timorousness of the saints, graphically described by Newman, be so construed as to contradict the admonition of the Council of Trent, that “all should place the firmest hope in the help of God.” Singularly comforting is the teaching of such saints as St. Francis de Sales (Camus, “The Spirit of St. Francis de Sales”, III, xiii) and St. Catherine of Genoa (Treatise of Purgatory, iv). They dwell on God’s great mercy in granting final perseverance, and even in the case of notorious sinners they do not lose hope. God suffuses the sinners’ dying hour with an extraordinary light and, showing them the hideousness of sin contrasting with His own infinite beauty, He makes a final appeal to them. For those only who, even then, obstinately cling to their sin, does the saying of Ecclesiasticus 5:7, assume a somber meaning “mercy and wrath quickly come from Him, and His wrath looks upon sinners”.
Article 28
Perseverance
(Part 3)
Perseverance
(Part 3)
What then, exactly, is perseverance and why is it so crucial? “True perseverance is a trait that is often developed over a lifetime. In fact, sometimes it is known as “Final Perseverance” and for good reason.
The Council of Trent states that perseverance is hopefully remaining in the state of Sanctifying Grace until the end of life. The Church teaches that it is impossible, without the special help of God to persevere in the state of Sanctifying Grace to the end. Final perseverance cannot be strictly merited, as though a person had a claim on dying in grace because he or she had been faithful through life. The reason for this is that the possibility of a fall into mortal sin always remains, and one cannot know with infallible certainty whether one will, preserve unless one receives a special revelation to that effect.
Like so many other mysteries of our Faith, we only get what we need by letting go of what we think we have. I believe it is a safe assumption that the three Catholic Saints mentioned at some point in their life had a conversion experience, a sure knowledge of God, an ever-deepening gift of love, and a desire to serve God, to do His will for the rest of their lives, a total giving of self and a letting go of all human desires. They realized that their lives were not about themselves but about doing God’s will, crafted for each of them in a unique and special way. They set their minds and hearts on a goal and would not be distracted from that goal until it was reached through virtuous, heroic perseverance.
Reviewing the type of commitment mentioned above may seem a bit daunting to the average Catholic. On top of that we may even recall, in the recesses of our memory, something about Christ’s words in the Gospel regarding the “lukewarm”. Well, we sure don’t want to fall into that category. But, what is there to do? How can you become better at and more aware of the need for perseverance in your life?
There are at least two main areas where we can develop incrementally and without too much difficulty, especially after we make these areas habitual. They are Perseverance in Faith and Perseverance in Prayer. You can even do it at home.
Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. . . To live, grow and persevere in the Faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our Faith; it must be working through Charity. Abounding in Hope, and rooted in the Faith of the Church.
Notice the appearance of the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. It may well be that we are beginning or have begun the process already! The children of Holy Mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father for the good works accomplished with His grace in communion with Jesus. So we know there is an important relationship between perseverance and Faith. That seems reasonable enough and something about which you should be mindful.
What about perseverance and prayer? Well, the brings in the concept of love or charity, too. Saint Paul exhorts us to “Pray constantly… always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father! He adds that it has been laid down that we are to” pray without ceasing.” This tireless fervor in prayer can come only from love. Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love.
This love opens our hearts to three enlightening and life-giving facts of Faith about prayer. It is always possible to pray, Prayer is a vital necessity, and Prayer and Christian life are inseparable. Finally, we are reminded of Jesus’ words that, “Whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you! … This I command you, to love one another” (John 14:13]; 15:16; 13:34).
Let us commit then, to seek the salvation of our souls and those of our fellow Christians, with God’s good help, by persevering in all good things. Persevere in Prayer, persevere in Faith, persevere in love, persevere in compassion, and persevere in Charity. The list goes on and on but as many roads lead to the same destination, may the roads we travel lead us to God, God is Love!
The Council of Trent states that perseverance is hopefully remaining in the state of Sanctifying Grace until the end of life. The Church teaches that it is impossible, without the special help of God to persevere in the state of Sanctifying Grace to the end. Final perseverance cannot be strictly merited, as though a person had a claim on dying in grace because he or she had been faithful through life. The reason for this is that the possibility of a fall into mortal sin always remains, and one cannot know with infallible certainty whether one will, preserve unless one receives a special revelation to that effect.
Like so many other mysteries of our Faith, we only get what we need by letting go of what we think we have. I believe it is a safe assumption that the three Catholic Saints mentioned at some point in their life had a conversion experience, a sure knowledge of God, an ever-deepening gift of love, and a desire to serve God, to do His will for the rest of their lives, a total giving of self and a letting go of all human desires. They realized that their lives were not about themselves but about doing God’s will, crafted for each of them in a unique and special way. They set their minds and hearts on a goal and would not be distracted from that goal until it was reached through virtuous, heroic perseverance.
Reviewing the type of commitment mentioned above may seem a bit daunting to the average Catholic. On top of that we may even recall, in the recesses of our memory, something about Christ’s words in the Gospel regarding the “lukewarm”. Well, we sure don’t want to fall into that category. But, what is there to do? How can you become better at and more aware of the need for perseverance in your life?
There are at least two main areas where we can develop incrementally and without too much difficulty, especially after we make these areas habitual. They are Perseverance in Faith and Perseverance in Prayer. You can even do it at home.
Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. . . To live, grow and persevere in the Faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our Faith; it must be working through Charity. Abounding in Hope, and rooted in the Faith of the Church.
Notice the appearance of the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. It may well be that we are beginning or have begun the process already! The children of Holy Mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father for the good works accomplished with His grace in communion with Jesus. So we know there is an important relationship between perseverance and Faith. That seems reasonable enough and something about which you should be mindful.
What about perseverance and prayer? Well, the brings in the concept of love or charity, too. Saint Paul exhorts us to “Pray constantly… always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father! He adds that it has been laid down that we are to” pray without ceasing.” This tireless fervor in prayer can come only from love. Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love.
This love opens our hearts to three enlightening and life-giving facts of Faith about prayer. It is always possible to pray, Prayer is a vital necessity, and Prayer and Christian life are inseparable. Finally, we are reminded of Jesus’ words that, “Whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you! … This I command you, to love one another” (John 14:13]; 15:16; 13:34).
Let us commit then, to seek the salvation of our souls and those of our fellow Christians, with God’s good help, by persevering in all good things. Persevere in Prayer, persevere in Faith, persevere in love, persevere in compassion, and persevere in Charity. The list goes on and on but as many roads lead to the same destination, may the roads we travel lead us to God, God is Love!
Article 29
Perseverance
(Part 4)
Perseverance
(Part 4)
Fervent fidelity to the Lord, at one stage in life, does not guarantee permanent fidelity. Devout couples, once on fire to begin their Catholic marriages, can disintegrate in bitter divorce. Priests, once exuberant to serve the Lord at their ordinations, can lose confidence in their vocations and leave the priesthood. Too many stories describe once prominent Catholics who left the Church for some other religion, or no religion at all.
These are large-scale dramatic examples of a reality that we all have likely seen on a smaller scale, and against which each of us must be on guard lest we, too, follow suit: that we can allow the light of faith to be diminished ― or, worse, extinguished ― in our souls as we wind along the pilgrimage of life.
How can we account for spiritual dissolution of any degree when a person once eagerly partook of the sacraments and the spiritual life? Shouldn’t all of those graces have preserved the soul safe for the rest of this life into eternal life? In the Sermon on the Mount, it appears that Jesus had in mind souls who would labor to remain faithful:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
It would seem, contrary to modern expectations, that Jesus predicts that few, rather than many, will be saved. This is not because He is a stingy miser selfishly keeping His kingdom for Himself and a small number of favored friends. It’s because we fallen human beings prefer the path of least resistance, which, our Lord warns us, is decidedly not the path to Him. The downward path seems easy since it offers tangible, material allurements of the world and the flesh that smother our spiritual inclinations.
Yet it leads to destruction, eternal death without God, who, mysteriously, does not compel anyone to choose the better path. Men and women choose it freely for themselves. Or not.
The way to salvation, by contrast, is narrow, said St. Augustine, because men “do not put their true trust in the Lord when He cries, ‘Come to Me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest! ...For My yoke is easy and my burden light.’” Since only few will take up the Lord’s yoke, the gate is narrow; there is no need for a wide path to accommodate them.
Yet some people who at first enthusiastically assume the Lord’s yoke and zealously cover innumerable miles eventually struggle to keep their balance on such a hard road where the gate ahead seems to being narrowing, not broadening, with each forward step. They begin to sway and stumble. They grow discouraged and frustrated. They consider giving up. A portion of them do.
Why? Certain members of this group, as St. Jerome starkly put it, “after they have found the way of truth, caught by the pleasures of the world, desert midway.” Others resemble St. Peter walking on the water: buffeted by the trials of life, they take their eyes off the Lord as they walk. Peter sank; these fall off the road, turn around, and seek another road to travel instead.
Their plight issues a sobering warning to the few who labor to enter the narrow gate at life’s end. Navigating the hard road for 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 years is daunting and demanding, with daily and weekly repetition of the same actions necessary for success. If we are to complete the journey, we can’t do it alone. We will need God’s help, which comes in a virtue we rarely hear about but so deeply need: perseverance.
The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, teaches that since the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity have as their goal the end of life, the virtue of perseverance, a derivative of fortitude, allows us to persist in those higher virtues. But perseverance as a virtue cannot succeed with human effort alone. It “needs not only habitual grace, but also the gratuitous help of God sustaining man in good until the end of life.”
The Angelic Doctor’s explanation of perseverance reminds us not only that Faith is a gift that we did not deserve, but that remaining in God’s love is also an unmerited gift. We work out our salvation in fear and trembling―in part because any day we are capable of turning away from God.
That rarely occurs as a sudden act of rebellion; it typically happens slowly – we skip prayers, yield to small temptations, elevate something worldly over divine prerogatives. Negative momentum gradually turns us away from God and into ourselves. Eventually the gift of faith God has given us becomes stale, brittle, insipid. Had we called upon the Lord, He would have answered. But we grew impatient and squandered His gift in the process
These are large-scale dramatic examples of a reality that we all have likely seen on a smaller scale, and against which each of us must be on guard lest we, too, follow suit: that we can allow the light of faith to be diminished ― or, worse, extinguished ― in our souls as we wind along the pilgrimage of life.
How can we account for spiritual dissolution of any degree when a person once eagerly partook of the sacraments and the spiritual life? Shouldn’t all of those graces have preserved the soul safe for the rest of this life into eternal life? In the Sermon on the Mount, it appears that Jesus had in mind souls who would labor to remain faithful:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
It would seem, contrary to modern expectations, that Jesus predicts that few, rather than many, will be saved. This is not because He is a stingy miser selfishly keeping His kingdom for Himself and a small number of favored friends. It’s because we fallen human beings prefer the path of least resistance, which, our Lord warns us, is decidedly not the path to Him. The downward path seems easy since it offers tangible, material allurements of the world and the flesh that smother our spiritual inclinations.
Yet it leads to destruction, eternal death without God, who, mysteriously, does not compel anyone to choose the better path. Men and women choose it freely for themselves. Or not.
The way to salvation, by contrast, is narrow, said St. Augustine, because men “do not put their true trust in the Lord when He cries, ‘Come to Me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest! ...For My yoke is easy and my burden light.’” Since only few will take up the Lord’s yoke, the gate is narrow; there is no need for a wide path to accommodate them.
Yet some people who at first enthusiastically assume the Lord’s yoke and zealously cover innumerable miles eventually struggle to keep their balance on such a hard road where the gate ahead seems to being narrowing, not broadening, with each forward step. They begin to sway and stumble. They grow discouraged and frustrated. They consider giving up. A portion of them do.
Why? Certain members of this group, as St. Jerome starkly put it, “after they have found the way of truth, caught by the pleasures of the world, desert midway.” Others resemble St. Peter walking on the water: buffeted by the trials of life, they take their eyes off the Lord as they walk. Peter sank; these fall off the road, turn around, and seek another road to travel instead.
Their plight issues a sobering warning to the few who labor to enter the narrow gate at life’s end. Navigating the hard road for 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 years is daunting and demanding, with daily and weekly repetition of the same actions necessary for success. If we are to complete the journey, we can’t do it alone. We will need God’s help, which comes in a virtue we rarely hear about but so deeply need: perseverance.
The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, teaches that since the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity have as their goal the end of life, the virtue of perseverance, a derivative of fortitude, allows us to persist in those higher virtues. But perseverance as a virtue cannot succeed with human effort alone. It “needs not only habitual grace, but also the gratuitous help of God sustaining man in good until the end of life.”
The Angelic Doctor’s explanation of perseverance reminds us not only that Faith is a gift that we did not deserve, but that remaining in God’s love is also an unmerited gift. We work out our salvation in fear and trembling―in part because any day we are capable of turning away from God.
That rarely occurs as a sudden act of rebellion; it typically happens slowly – we skip prayers, yield to small temptations, elevate something worldly over divine prerogatives. Negative momentum gradually turns us away from God and into ourselves. Eventually the gift of faith God has given us becomes stale, brittle, insipid. Had we called upon the Lord, He would have answered. But we grew impatient and squandered His gift in the process
Article 30
Perseverance
(Part 5)
Perseverance
(Part 5)
St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica (IIa-IIae, Questions 137 & 138), deals with the virtue of perseverance. Here are some extracts of his writings on the subject.
Perseverance is a part of fortitude. Fortitude is a principal virtue, because it observes firmness in matters wherein it is most difficult to stand firm, namely in dangers of death. Properly speaking it belongs to perseverance to persevere to the end of the virtuous work, for instance that a soldier persevere to the end of the fight. There are, however, some virtues whose acts must endure throughout the whole of life, such as Faith, Hope, and Charity, since they regard the last end of the entire life of man.
Wherefore it follows of necessity that every virtue which has a title to praise for the firm endurance of something difficult must be annexed to fortitude as secondary to principal virtue. Now the endurance of difficulty arising from delay in accomplishing a good work gives perseverance its claim to praise: nor is this so difficult as to endure dangers of death. Therefore perseverance is annexed to fortitude, as secondary to principal virtue.
Perseverance is a habit regarding things to which we ought to stand, and those to which we ought not to stand, as well as those that are indifferent. Now a habit that directs us to do something well, or to omit something, is a virtue. Therefore perseverance is a virtue.
Virtue is about the difficult and the good; and so where there is a special kind of difficulty or goodness, there is a special virtue. Now a virtuous deed may involve goodness or difficulty from the length of time, since to persist long in something difficult involves a special difficulty. Hence to persist long in something good until it is accomplished belongs to a special virtue. So perseverance is a special virtue, since it consists in enduring delays in the above or other virtuous deeds, so far as necessity requires. The virtue of perseverance properly makes man persist firmly in good, against the difficulty that arises from the very continuance of the act.
The lack of food and the like, which at times call for long endurance. Now it is not difficult to endure these things for a long time for one who grieves not much at them, nor delights much in the contrary goods; as in the case of the temperate man, in whom these passions are not violent. But they are most difficult to bear for one who is strongly affected by such things, through lacking the perfect virtue that moderates these passions.
The habit of perseverance, needs the gift of habitual grace, it needs not only habitual grace, but also the gratuitous help of God sustaining man in good until the end of life, for it is often in our power to choose yet not to accomplish. Perseverance is a gift of God, whereby we persevere unto the end, in Christ.
The persevering man is opposed to the effeminate man. Perseverance is deserving of praise because thereby a man does not forsake a good on account of long endurance of difficulties and toils: and it is directly opposed to this, seemingly, for a man to be ready to forsake a good on account of difficulties which he cannot endure. This is what we understand by effeminacy, because a thing is said to be “soft” if it readily yields to the touch.
Now a thing is not declared to be soft through yielding to a heavy blow. Wherefore a man is not said to be effeminate if he yields to heavy blows. If a person is overcome by strong and overwhelming pleasures or sorrows; but he is to be pardoned if he struggles against them.” Fear of danger is more impelling than the desire of pleasure: wherefore an effeminate man is one who withdraws from good on account of sorrow caused by lack of pleasure, yielding as it were to a weak motion.
This effeminacy is caused in two ways. On one way, by custom: for where a man is accustomed to enjoy pleasures, it is more difficult for him to endure the lack of them. On another way, by natural disposition, because, to wit, his mind is less persevering through the frailty of his temperament. Toil is opposed to bodily pleasure: wherefore it is only toilsome things that are a hindrance to pleasures. Now the delicate are those who cannot endure toils, nor anything that diminishes pleasure. Thus delicacy is a kind of effeminacy. But properly speaking effeminacy regards lack of pleasures.
Just as it belongs to effeminacy to be unable to endure toilsome things, so too it belongs thereto to desire play or any other relaxation inordinately.
Perseverance is a part of fortitude. Fortitude is a principal virtue, because it observes firmness in matters wherein it is most difficult to stand firm, namely in dangers of death. Properly speaking it belongs to perseverance to persevere to the end of the virtuous work, for instance that a soldier persevere to the end of the fight. There are, however, some virtues whose acts must endure throughout the whole of life, such as Faith, Hope, and Charity, since they regard the last end of the entire life of man.
Wherefore it follows of necessity that every virtue which has a title to praise for the firm endurance of something difficult must be annexed to fortitude as secondary to principal virtue. Now the endurance of difficulty arising from delay in accomplishing a good work gives perseverance its claim to praise: nor is this so difficult as to endure dangers of death. Therefore perseverance is annexed to fortitude, as secondary to principal virtue.
Perseverance is a habit regarding things to which we ought to stand, and those to which we ought not to stand, as well as those that are indifferent. Now a habit that directs us to do something well, or to omit something, is a virtue. Therefore perseverance is a virtue.
Virtue is about the difficult and the good; and so where there is a special kind of difficulty or goodness, there is a special virtue. Now a virtuous deed may involve goodness or difficulty from the length of time, since to persist long in something difficult involves a special difficulty. Hence to persist long in something good until it is accomplished belongs to a special virtue. So perseverance is a special virtue, since it consists in enduring delays in the above or other virtuous deeds, so far as necessity requires. The virtue of perseverance properly makes man persist firmly in good, against the difficulty that arises from the very continuance of the act.
The lack of food and the like, which at times call for long endurance. Now it is not difficult to endure these things for a long time for one who grieves not much at them, nor delights much in the contrary goods; as in the case of the temperate man, in whom these passions are not violent. But they are most difficult to bear for one who is strongly affected by such things, through lacking the perfect virtue that moderates these passions.
The habit of perseverance, needs the gift of habitual grace, it needs not only habitual grace, but also the gratuitous help of God sustaining man in good until the end of life, for it is often in our power to choose yet not to accomplish. Perseverance is a gift of God, whereby we persevere unto the end, in Christ.
The persevering man is opposed to the effeminate man. Perseverance is deserving of praise because thereby a man does not forsake a good on account of long endurance of difficulties and toils: and it is directly opposed to this, seemingly, for a man to be ready to forsake a good on account of difficulties which he cannot endure. This is what we understand by effeminacy, because a thing is said to be “soft” if it readily yields to the touch.
Now a thing is not declared to be soft through yielding to a heavy blow. Wherefore a man is not said to be effeminate if he yields to heavy blows. If a person is overcome by strong and overwhelming pleasures or sorrows; but he is to be pardoned if he struggles against them.” Fear of danger is more impelling than the desire of pleasure: wherefore an effeminate man is one who withdraws from good on account of sorrow caused by lack of pleasure, yielding as it were to a weak motion.
This effeminacy is caused in two ways. On one way, by custom: for where a man is accustomed to enjoy pleasures, it is more difficult for him to endure the lack of them. On another way, by natural disposition, because, to wit, his mind is less persevering through the frailty of his temperament. Toil is opposed to bodily pleasure: wherefore it is only toilsome things that are a hindrance to pleasures. Now the delicate are those who cannot endure toils, nor anything that diminishes pleasure. Thus delicacy is a kind of effeminacy. But properly speaking effeminacy regards lack of pleasures.
Just as it belongs to effeminacy to be unable to endure toilsome things, so too it belongs thereto to desire play or any other relaxation inordinately.