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SECTION I
Our Threefold Obligation to Virtue
Having spoken at length of the sins which profane and
degrade the soul, let us now turn to the virtues
which elevate and adorn it with the spiritual
treasures of justice, It belongs to justice to render
to everyone his due: to God, to our neighbor, and to
ourselves. If we faithfully acquit ourselves of these
duties to God, to our neighbor, and to ourselves, we
fulfill the obligations of justice and thus become
truly virtuous. To accomplish this great work let your heart be that
of a son towards God, that of a brother towards your
neighbor, and that of a judge towards yourself. In
this, the prophet tells us, the virtue of man
consists: "I will show thee, O man, what is good and
what the Lord requireth of thee; Verily, to do
judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous
with thy God." (Mich. 6:8). The duty of judgment is
what man owes to himself; the duty of mercy what he
owes to his neighbor; and to walk carefully before
God is the duty he owes to his Creator.
SECTION II
The Reformation of the Body
Charity, it is truly said, begins at home. Let us,
therefore, begin with the first obligation mentioned
by the prophet � the duty of judgment which man must
exercise towards himself. Every just judge must
enforce order and discipline in the district over
which he exercises jurisdiction. Now, the kingdom
over which man rules is divided into two distinct
parts: the body with all its organs and senses, and
the soul with all its affections and powers. Over all
these he must establish the empire of virtue, if he
would faithfully perform his duty to himself.
To reform the body and bring it under the dominion of
virtue, the first thing to be acquired is a modest
and decorous bearing. "Let there be nothing in your
carriage, your deportment, or your dress," says St.
Augustine, "capable of scandalizing your neighbor,
but let everything about you be conformable to the
purity and sanctity of your profession." Hence a
servant of God should bear himself with gravity,
humility, and sweetness, that all who approach him
may profit by his example and be edified by his
virtues. The great Apostle would have us, like
fragrant plants, giving forth the sweet perfume of
piety and filling all about us with the odor of Jesus
Christ. (Cf. 2Cor. 2:15). Such, indeed, should be the effect of the words, the
actions, and the bearing of those who serve God, so
that none who draw near to them can resist the sweet
attraction of sanctity. This is one of the principal
fruits of a modest and recollected deportment. It is
a mute but eloquent teaching, which draws men to the
love of virtue and the service of God. Thus do we
fulfill the precept of Our Saviour: "So let your
light shine before men that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
(Matt. 5:16). The prophet Isaias also tells us that
God's servants should be plants bearing fruits of
righteousness and virtue, the beauty of which will
lead men to extol the power of their Creator. (Cf.
Is. 61:3). This does not mean that our good works
must be done to gain the applause of men, for, as St.
Gregory tells us, "a good work may be public only
while its intention remains a secret between God and
the soul. The example we thus afford our brethren
destroys neither the merit of humility nor the desire
to please only God." (Moral. 29,18). Another fruit which we derive from this exterior
modesty is a greater facility in preserving the
recollection, devotion, and purity of the soul. The
interior and the exterior man are so closely united
that good or evil in one is quickly communicated to
the other. If order reign in the soul, its effect is
experienced in the body; and the body, if disturbed,
renders the soul likewise restless. Each may in all
respects be considered a mirror of the other, for the
actions of one are faithfully represented in the
other. For this reason a composed and modest bearing
must contribute to interior recollection and modesty,
while a restless exterior must be incompatible with
peace of soul. Hence the Wise Man tells us: "He that
is hasty with his feet shall stumble." (Prov. 19:2).
Thus would he teach us that he whose exterior is
wanting in that calm gravity which is the distinctive
mark of God's servants must inevitably stumble and
frequently fall. A third effect of the virtue we are considering is to
communicate to man a composure and gravity befitting
any office he may fill. We behold an example of this
in Job, who tells us that the light (the dignity) of
his countenance never fell to the earth. (Cf. Job
29:24). And speaking of the authority of his bearing,
he says: "The young men saw me and hid themselves,
and the old men rose up and stood. The princes ceased
to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth. The
rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to
their throat." (Job 29:8-10). But the gravity and
dignity of this holy man were mingled with so much
sweetness and mercy that, as he tells us, when seated
as a king with his army about him he was a comforter
to them that mourned. (Cf. Job 25). Wise men condemn this want of modest gravity less as
a fault in itself than as a mark of levity; for, as
we have already observed, an unreserved and frivolous
exterior indicates an uncontrolled and ill-regulated
interior. Hence the author of Ecclesiasticus says:
"The attire of the body, and the laughter of the
teeth, and the gait of the man show what he is." (Ecclus.
19:27). "As the faces of them that look therein shine
in the water," says Solomon, "so the hearts of men
are laid open to the wise" by their exterior acts. (Prov.
27:19). Such are the benefits which result from a grave and
modest deportment. We cannot but deplore the conduct
of those who, through human respect, laugh and jest
with a freedom unbecoming their profession, and allow
themselves indulgences which deprive them of many of
the fruits of virtue. "A religious," says St. John
Climachus, "should not abandon his fasts through fear
of falling into the sin of vainglory." Neither should
fear of the world's displeasure cause us to lose the
advantages of gravity and modesty in our conduct; for
it is as unreasonable to sacrifice a virtue through
fear of offending men as it would be to seek to
overcome one vice by another. The preceding remarks apply to our manners in
general. We shall next treat of the modesty and
sobriety which we should observe at table.
SECTION III
Temperance
The first thing to be done for the reformation of the
body is to put a rigorous curb on the appetites and
to refrain from immoderate indulgence of any of the
senses. As myrrh, which is an exceedingly bitter
substance, preserves the body from corruption after
death, so mortification preserves it during life from
the corruption of vice. For this reason we shall
consider the efficacy of sobriety, or temperance � a
virtue upon which all the others depend, but which is
very difficult to attain because of the resistance of
our corrupt nature. Read, then, the words in which the Holy Spirit deigns
to instruct us in this respect: "Use as a frugal man
the things that are set before thee, lest if thou
eatest much thou be hated. Leave off first for
manners' sake, and exceed not lest thou offend. And
if thou sittest among many, reach not thy hand out
first of all, and be not the first to ask for drink."
(Ecclus. 31:19-21). Here are rules worthy of the
Sovereign Master, who wills that we should imitate in
our actions the decorum and order which reign in all
His works. St. Bernard teaches us the same lesson in
these words: "In regard to eating there are four
things to be regulated: the time, the manner, the
quantity, and the quality. The time should be limited
to the usual hours of our repast; the manner should
be free from that eagerness which makes us appear
absorbed in what is set before us; the quantity and
quality should not exceed what is granted others,
except when a condition of health manifestly requires
delicacies." (Ep. ad Fratres de Monte Dei.). In forcible words, supported by appropriate examples,
St. Gregory declares the same sentiments: "It belongs
to abstinence not to anticipate the ordinary time of
meals, as Jonathan did when he ate the honeycomb (Cf.
1Kg. 14:27); not to desire the greatest delicacies,
as the Israelites did in the desert when they longed
for the fleshpots of Egypt (Cf. Exod. 16:3); not to
wish for the choicest preparation of food, as the
people of Sodom (Cf. Gen. 19); and not to yield to
greediness, as Esau did (Cf. Gen. 25:33) when he sold
his birthright for a mess of pottage." (Moral.
30,27). Hugh of St. Victor tells us we must be very attentive
to our deportment at table, always observing a
certain modesty of the eyes and a reserve of speech.
There are some, he says, who are no sooner seated at
table than their uncontrolled appetite is manifested
by their bearing: Their eyes eagerly scan the whole
board; they rudely help themselves before others, and
seize upon the nearest dish, regardless of all save
self. They approach the table as a general approaches
a fort which he is to assail, as if they were
considering how they can most quickly consume all
that lies before them. (Discip. Monast.). Control
these disgraceful indications of a degrading vice,
and overcome the vice itself by restricting the
quantity and quality of your food. Bear these wise
counsels in mind at all times, but particularly when
the appetite is stimulated by hunger, or by rare and
sumptuous viands which prove strong incentives to
gluttony. Beware of the illusions of this vice, which St. John
Climachus tells us is most deceptive. At the
beginning of a repast it is so clamorous that it
would seem that no amount could satisfy our hunger;
but if we are firm in resisting its unruly demands,
we shall see that a moderate portion is sufficient
for nature. An excellent remedy against gluttony is to bear in
mind when we go to table that there are, as a pagan
philosopher says, two guests to be provided for: the
body, to which we must furnish the food which its
necessity craves; and our soul, which we must
maintain by the virtues of self-denial and
temperance. A no less efficacious remedy is to
compare the happy fruits of abstinence with the gross
pleasures of gluttony, which will enable us to
appreciate the folly of sacrificing such lasting
advantages for such pernicious and fleeting
gratifications. Remember, moreover, that of all the pleasures of the
senses those of taste and feeling are the lowest. We
have them in common with all animals, even the most
imperfect, while there are many which lack the other
three, seeing, hearing, and smelling. These former
senses, tasting and feeling, are not only the basest,
but their pleasures are the least enduring, for they
vanish with the object which produced them. Add to these considerations the thought of the
sufferings of the martyrs, and the fasts and
mortifications of the saints, Think, too, of your
many sins which must be expiated; of the pains of
Purgatory; of the torments of Hell. Each of these
things will tell you how necessary it is to take up
the cross, to overcome your appetites, and to do
penance for the sinful gratifications of the past.
Remember, then, the duty of self-denial; prepare for
your necessary meals with such reflections before
your mind, and you will see how easy it will be to
observe the rules of moderation and sobriety. Though this great prudence is necessary in eating,
how much more is required in drinking! There is
nothing more injurious to chastity than the excessive
use of wine, in which, as the Apostle says, there is
luxury. (Cf. Eph. 5:18), It is at all times the
capital enemy of this angelic virtue; but it is
particularly in youth that such indulgence is most
fatal. . Hence St. Jerome says that wine and youth
are two incentives to impurity. (Ad Eustoch, de Cust.
Virg.). Wine is to youth what fuel is to fire. As oil
poured upon the flames only increases their
intensity, so wine, like a violent conflagration,
heats the blood, enkindling and exciting the passions
to the highest pitch of folly and madness. Witness
the excesses into which man is led by hatred, love,
revenge, and other passions, when stimulated by
intoxicating liquors. The natural effect of this
fatal indulgence is to counteract all the results of
the moral virtues. These subdue and control the baser
passions, but wine excites and urges them to the
wildest licentiousness. Judge, therefore, with what
vigilance you should guard against the attacks of
such an enemy. Remember, too, that by wine is meant every kind of
drink capable of robbing man of the use of his reason
or his senses. A philosopher has wisely said that the
vine bears three kinds of grapes: one for necessity,
one for pleasure, and one for folly. In other words,
wine taken with moderation supports our weakness;
beyond this limit it only flatters the senses; and
drunk to excess it produces a species of madness.
Heed no inspiration or thought which you have reason
to think is excited by wine, the worst of evil
counselors. Avoid with equal care all disputes or arguments at
table, for they are often the beginning of grave
quarrels. Be no less moderate in speech than in the
indulgence of your appetite; for, as Holy Scripture
tells us, "there is no secret where drunkenness
reigneth." (Prov. 31:4). We shall find rather
unbridled tongues, immoderate laughter, vulgar jokes,
violent disputes, the revelation of secrets, and many
other unhappy consequences of intemperance. Another evil against which I would warn you is
dwelling upon the merits of certain dishes, and
condemning others because they are not so delicate.
How unworthy it is of man to fix his mind and heart
on eating and drinking with such eagerness that the
burden of his conversation is on the excellent fish
of such a river, the luscious fruit of such a
country, and the fine wines of such a region! This is
a clear proof that he has lost sight of the true end
of eating, which is to support nature, and that,
instead of devoting to this work the senses destined
for it, he debases his heart and his intelligence to
make them also slaves of his gluttony. Avoid with especial care all attacks upon your
neighbor's character. The malicious rapacity which
prompts us to tear our neighbor's reputation in
pieces was justly condemned by St. John Chrysostom as
a species of cannibalism: "Will you not be satisfied
with eating the flesh of animals? Must you devour
human flesh by robbing another of his good name?" St.
Augustine had so great a horror for this vice, from
which so few tables are free, that he inscribed on
the walls of his dining room the following lines:
"This board allows no vile detractor place
Whose tongue will charge the absent with disgrace."
- Vita Aug; c. 22 -
Still another point to which I wish to direct your
attention is the warning given by St. Jerome, that it
is better to eat moderately every day than to fast
for several days and then to eat to excess. A gentle
rain, he says, in proper season benefits the earth,
but violent floods only devastate it. (Ep, 7 ad Loec.). Finally, let necessity, not pleasure, govern you in
eating and drinking. I do not say that you must allow
your body to want for nourishment. Oh, no; like any
animal destined for the service of man, your body
must be supported. All that is required is to control
it, and never to eat solely for pleasure, We must
conquer, not destroy, the flesh, says St. Bernard; we
must keep it in subjection, that it may not grow
proud, for it belongs to it to obey, not to govern. (Ep.
ad FF, de Monte Dei.).
This will suffice to show the importance of this
virtue. But he who would learn more of the happy
fruits of temperance, and its salutary effects not
only upon the soul but even upon health, life, honor,
and happiness, may read a special treatise on this
subject which we have added to our book on meditation
and prayer.
SECTION IV
The Government of the Senses
The next step in the reformation of the body is the
government of the senses. These are the avenues which
a Christian should guard with special care,
particularly the eyes, which, in the language of Holy
Scripture, are the windows through which death enters
to rob us of life. Persons desirous of making
progress in prayer should be very vigilant in
guarding this sense, for this watchfulness not only
promotes recollection, but is a most efficacious
means of preserving chastity. Without this guard they
are a prey to all the vanities which surround them,
and which take such possession of the imagination
that it is impossible to banish them during prayer.
This is the reason of the modesty of the eyes which
devout souls observe. Not only do they avoid images
which could tarnish the purity of their hearts, but
they resolutely turn their eyes from curious objects
and worldly vanities, that their mind and heart may
be free to converse with God without distraction, and
to advance in the knowledge of spiritual things.
Prayer is so delicate an exercise that it is impeded
not only by sinful images, but also by the
representation of objects otherwise harmless in
themselves. The sense of hearing requires a no less vigilant
guard, for through it we learn a multitude of things
which weary, distract, and even defile the soul. We
should protect our ears not only from evil words, but
from frivolous conversations, worldly gossip, and
idle discourses. During meditation we suffer from a
want of vigilance in this respect, for these things
are great obstacles to recollection, and persistently
interpose between God and the soul in time of prayer. Little need be said of the sense of smell, for an
inordinate love of perfumes and sweet essences is so
sensual and so effeminate that most men are ashamed
of it, for this is a gratification in which few but
women indulge.
SECTION IV
The Government of the Tongue
Here is a subject upon which there is much to be
said, for we are told in Holy Scripture that "death
and life are in the power of the tongue." (Prov.
18:21). From this we can understand that the
happiness or misery of every man depends upon the use
he makes of this organ.
St. James asserts this truth no less strongly when he
says, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a
perfect man, He is able also with a bridle to lead
about the whole body, We put bits into the mouths of
horses that they may obey us, and we turn about their
whole body. Behold also ships, whereas they are great
and are driven by strong winds, yet are they turned
about with a small helm whithersoever the force of
the governor willeth. So the tongue also is, indeed,
a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how
small a fire kindleth a great wood. And the tongue is
a fire, a world of iniquity." (James 3:2-6). To
govern this great instrument for good we must bear in
mind, when we speak, four things: of what we speak,
how we speak, the time we speak, and the object for
which we speak. In regard to the first point, what we speak, remember
the counsel of the Apostle: "Let no evil speech
proceed from your mouth, but that which is good to
the edification of faith, that it may administer
grace to the hearers. All uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be so much as named among
you, as becometh saints, or obscenity, or foolish
talking, or scurrility." (Eph. 4:29 and 5:3-4). As
the sailor always bears with him a chart indicating
the shoals and rocks which could wreck his vessel, so
should the Christian bear with him these counsels of
the Apostle indicating the shoals of speech which
could wreck him in his voyage to eternity. Be no less
careful in guarding a secret which has been confided
to you, for the betrayal of a trust is one of the
vilest faults into which the tongue can lead us. In regard to the second point, how we are to speak,
let us observe a just medium between silence and
talkativeness, between timidity and self-sufficiency,
between frivolity and pomposity; always speaking with
becoming gravity, moderation, sweetness, and
simplicity. Beware of haughtily asserting and
obstinately persisting in your statements, for this
fault gives rise to disputes which wound charity and
destroy the peace of the soul. It is the part of a
generous nature to yield in such contentions, and a
prudent man will follow the counsel of the inspired
writer: "In many things be as if thou wert ignorant,
and hear in silence and withal seeking." (Ecclus.
32:12). Consider also the necessity of observing when you
speak, and always endeavor to select a suitable time:
"A parable coming out of a fool's mouth shall be
rejected, for he doth not speak it in due season." (Ecclus.
20:22). Finally, we must consider the end for which we speak.
There are some whose only purpose is to appear
learned. Others desire to parade their wit and
conversational powers. The first are thus led into
hypocrisy and deceit, and the second become the sport
of self-love and vanity. It does not suffice,
therefore, that our conversation be good in itself �
it must be directed to some good end, such as the
glory of God or the profit of our neighbor. In addition to this we must also consider the persons
to whom we speak. For example, it does not become the
young to engross the conversation in the presence of
their elders, nor the ignorant in the presence of the
learned, nor lay persons in the presence of
ecclesiastics or religious. When you have reason to
think that your words may be untimely or
presumptuous, be silent. All persons are not capable
of judging correctly in these points, and therefore,
in doubt, the wisest course is a prudent silence. We
shall thus conform to all the rules we have been
considering; for, as the Wise Man says, "Even a fool,
if he will hold his peace, shall be counted wise; and
if he close his lips, a man of understanding." (Prov.
17:28).
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