MONASTIC LIFE
IF YOU wish peace and concord with others, you
must learn to break your will in many things. To live in monasteries
or religious communities, to remain there without complaint, and to
persevere faithfully till death is no small matter. Blessed indeed is
he who there lives a good life and there ends his days in happiness.
If you would persevere in seeking perfection,
you must consider yourself a pilgrim, an exile on earth. If you would
become a religious, you must be content to seem a fool for the sake of
Christ. Habit and tonsure change a man but little; it is the change of
life, the complete mortification of passions that endow a true
religious.
He who seeks anything but God alone and the
salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who
does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at
peace for long.
You have come to serve, not to rule. You must
understand, too, that you have been called to suffer and to work, not
to idle and gossip away your time. Here men are tried as gold in a
furnace. Here no man can remain unless he desires with all his heart
to humble himself before God. |
Of a religious life
It behoveth thee to learn to
mortify thyself in many things, if thou wilt live in amity and concord
with other men. It is no small thing to dwell in a religious
community or congregation, and to live there without complaint, and
therein to remain faithful even unto death. Blessed is he who hath
lived a good life in such a body, and brought it to a happy end. If
thou wilt stand fast and wilt profit as thou oughtest, hold thyself as
an exile and a pilgrim upon the earth. Thou wilt have to be counted
as a fool for Christ, if thou wilt lead a religious life.
2. The clothing and outward
appearance are of small account; it is change of character and entire
mortification of the affections which make a truly religious man. He
who seeketh aught save God and the health of his soul, shall find only
tribulation and sorrow. Nor can he stand long in peace, who striveth
not to be least of all and servant of all.
3. Thou art called to endure and
to labour, not to a life of ease and trifling talk. Here therefore
are men tried as gold in the furnace. No man can stand, unless with
all his heart he will humble himself for God's sake. |