|
To peace and sweetness of heart is inseparably joined
most holy humility. But I do not term humility, that
ceremonious profusion of words, gestures, and
kissings of the ground, obeisances, inclinations, -
when they are made, as often happens, without any
inward sense of our own abjection and of just esteem
of our neighbour: for all this is but a vain
occupation of weak brains, and is rather to be termed
a phantom of humility, than humility. I speak of a
noble, real, productive and solid humility, which
makes us supple to correction, pliable and prompt to
obedience.
While the incomparable Simeon Stylites was yet a
novice at Teleda, he made himself indocile to the
advice of his superiors, who wished to hinder him
from practising so many strange austerities, which he
did with an inordinate cruelty to himself; so that at
length he was on this account turned out of the
monastery, as being too little capable of the
mortification of the heart, and too much addicted to
that of the body.
But having entered into himself and become more
devout, and more prudent in the spiritual life, he
behaved quite differently, as he showed in the
following action. When the hermits who were dispersed
through the deserts near Antioch knew the
extraordinary life which he led upon the pillar, in
which he seemed to be either an earthly angel or a
heavenly man, they despatched a messenger whom they
ordered to speak thus to him from them: Why dost
thou, Simeon, leaving the highway trodden by so many
great and holy predecessors, follow another, unknown
of men, and so different from all that has been seen
or heard to this day? Simeon, quit this pillar, and
come amongst other men to live, after the manner of
life and way of serving God used by the good Fathers
who have gone before us.
In case Simeon, yielding to their advice and
giving in to their will, should show himself ready to
descend, they had charged the deputy to leave him
free to persevere in the manner of life he had begun,
because by his obedience, said those good Fathers, it
could well be known that he had undertaken this kind
of life by the divine inspiration: but in case he
should resist, and, despising their exhortations,
follow his own will, it would be necessary to
withdraw him thence by violence, and force him to
forsake his pillar.
The deputy then, being come to the pillar, had no
sooner delivered his message, than the great Simeon,
without delay, without reservation, without any
reply, began to descend with an obedience and
humility worthy of his rare sanctity. Which when the
deputy saw: stay, said he, O Simeon! remain there,
persevere with constancy, take courage, pursue thy
enterprise valiantly; thy abiding upon this pillar is
from God.
But mark, I pray you, Theotimus, how these ancient
and holy anchorites in their general meeting, found
no surer mark of a heavenly inspiration in so
extraordinary a matter as was the life of this holy
Stylite, than to find him simple, gentle, and
tractable, under the laws of holy obedience; and God,
blessing the submission of this great man, gave him
the grace to persevere thirty whole years upon the
top of a pillar thirty-six cubits high, having
previously passed seven years upon others of six,
twelve, and twenty feet, and having before that been
ten years on the peak of a little rock in the place
called the Mandra. Thus this bird of paradise, living
above in airy and not touching earth, was a spectacle
of love to the angels, and of admiration to mortals.
In obedience all is secure, out of it all is to be
suspected.
When God puts inspirations into a heart, the first
he gives is obedience. Was there ever a more
illustrious and unmistakable inspiration than that
which was given to the glorious S. Paul? And the
principal point of it was, that he should repair to
the city, where he should learn from the mouth of
Ananias what he was to do, and this Ananias, a very
famous man, was, as S. Dorotheua says, the Bishop of
Damascus.
Whosoever says he is inspired, and yet refuses to
obey his superiors and follow their counsel, is an
impostor. All the Prophets and Preachers that ever
were inspired by God, always loved the Church, always
adhered to her doctrine, always were approved by her,
nor did they ever announce anything so distinctly as
this truth, that the lips of the priest shall keep
wisdom, and they shall seek the law at his mouth.(1)
So that extraordinary missions are diabolical
illusions, not heavenly inspirations, unless they be
acknowledged and approved by the pastors who have the
ordinary mission.
For thus Moses and the prophets are reconciled. S.
Francis, S. Dominic, and the other Fathers of
Religious Orders, were called to the service of souls
by an extraordinary inspiration, but they did so much
the more humbly and heartily submit themselves to the
sacred Hierarchy of the Church.
In conclusion, the three best and most assured
marks of lawful inspirations, are perseverance,
against inconstancy and levity; peace and gentleness
of heart, against disquiet and solicitude; humble
obedience, against obstinacy and extravagance.
And to conclude all that we have said touching the
union of our will with that will of God which is
called signified; - almost all the herbs which bear
yellow flowers, yea, the chicory also which bears
blue ones, ever turn them towards the sun, and thus
follow its course: but the sunflower turns not only
its flowers but also all its leaves, after the
movements of this great luminary.
In the same way all the elect turn the flower of
their heart, which is obedience to the commandments,
towards the Divine will, but souls entirely taken
with holy love not only look towards this Divine
goodness by obedience to the commandments, but also
by the union of all their affections, following this
heavenly sun in his round, in all that he commands,
counsels and inspires, without reserve or exception
whatever; whence they can say with the sacred
Psalmist: Lord, I am become as a beast before thee:
and I am always with thee. Thou hast held me by my
right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me,
and with thy glory thou hast received me.(2)
For as a well-broken horse is easily, gently and
exactly managed by his rider, in any way that is
required, so the loving soul is so pliable to God's
will that he does with her what he pleases.
|