|
"Up to the present, I have taught you how a man may
serve his neighbor, and manifest, by that service,
the love which he has towards Me.
"Now I wish to tell you further, that a man proves
his patience on his neighbor, when he receives
injuries from him.
"Similarly, he proves his humility on a proud man,
his faith on an infidel, his true hope on one who
despairs, his justice on the unjust, his kindness on
the cruel, his gentleness and benignity on the
irascible. Good men produce and prove all their
virtues on their neighbor, just as perverse men all
their vices; thus, if you consider well, humility is
proved on pride in this way.
"The humble man extinguishes pride, because a proud
man can do no harm to a humble one; neither can the
infidelity of a wicked man, who neither loves Me, nor
hopes in Me, when brought forth against one who is
faithful to Me, do him any harm; his infidelity does
not diminish the faith or the hope of him who has
conceived his faith and hope through love of Me, it
rather fortifies it, and proves it in the love he
feels for his neighbor. For, he sees that the infidel
is unfaithful, because he is without hope in Me, and
in My servant, because he does not love Me, placing
his faith and hope rather in his own sensuality,
which is all that he loves.
"My faithful servant does not leave him because he
does not faithfully love Me, or because he does not
constantly seek, with hope in Me, for his salvation,
inasmuch as he sees clearly the causes of his
infidelity and lack of hope. The virtue of faith is
proved in these and other ways. Wherefore, to those,
who need the proof of it, My servant proves his faith
in himself and in his neighbor, and so, justice is
not diminished by the wicked man's injustice, but is
rather proved, that is to say, the justice of a just
man.
"Similarly, the virtues of patience, benignity, and
kindness manifest themselves in a time of wrath by
the same sweet patience in My servants, and envy,
vexation, and hatred demonstrate their love, and
hunger and desire for the salvation of souls. I say,
also, to you, that, not only is virtue proved in
those who render good for evil, but, that many times
a good man gives back fiery coals of love, which
dispel the hatred and rancor of heart of the angry,
and so from hatred often comes benevolence, and that
this is by virtue of the love and perfect patience
which is in him, who sustains the anger of the
wicked, bearing and supporting his defects.
"If you will observe the virtues of fortitude and
perseverance, these virtues are proved by the long
endurance of the injuries and detractions of wicked
men, who, whether by injuries or by flattery,
constantly endeavor to turn a man aside from
following the road and the doctrine of truth.
Wherefore, in all these things, the virtue of
fortitude conceived within the soul, perseveres with
strength, and, in addition proves itself externally
upon the neighbor, as I have said to you; and, if
fortitude were not able to make that good proof of
itself, being tested by many contrarieties, it would
not be a serious virtue founded in truth."
|