GOODNESS AND PEACE IN MAN
FIRST keep peace with yourself; then you will be able to bring
peace to others. A peaceful man does more good than a learned man.
Whereas a passionate man turns even good to evil and is quick to
believe evil, the peaceful man, being good himself, turns all things
to good.
The man who is at perfect ease is never suspicious, but the
disturbed and discontented spirit is upset by many a suspicion. He
neither rests himself nor permits others to do so. He often says what
ought not to be said and leaves undone what ought to be done. He is
concerned with the duties of others but neglects his own.
Direct your zeal, therefore, first upon yourself; then you may
with justice exercise it upon those about you. You are well versed in
coloring your own actions with excuses which you will not accept from
others, though it would be more just to accuse yourself and excuse
your brother. If you wish men to bear with you, you must bear with
them. Behold, how far you are from true charity and humility which
does not know how to be angry with anyone, or to be indignant save
only against self!
It is no great thing to associate with the good and gentle, for
such association is naturally pleasing. Everyone enjoys a peaceful
life and prefers persons of congenial habits. But to be able to live
at peace with harsh and perverse men, or with the undisciplined and
those who irritate us, is a great grace, a praiseworthy and manly
thing.
Some people live at peace with themselves and with their fellow
men, but others are never at peace with themselves nor do they bring
it to anyone else. These latter are a burden to everyone, but they are
more of a burden to themselves. A few, finally, live at peace with
themselves and try to restore it to others.
Now, all our peace in this miserable life is found in humbly
enduring suffering rather than in being free from it. He who knows
best how to suffer will enjoy the greater peace, because he is the
conqueror of himself, the master of the world, a friend of Christ, and
an heir of heaven. |
Of the good, peaceable man
First keep thyself in peace, and then shalt thou
be able to be a peacemaker towards others. A peaceable man doth more
good than a well-learned. A passionate man turneth even good into
evil and easily believeth evil; a good, peaceable man converteth all
things into good. He who dwelleth in peace is suspicious of none, but
he who is discontented and restless is tossed with many suspicions,
and is neither quiet himself nor suffereth others to be quiet. He
often saith what he ought not to say, and omitteth what it were more
expedient for him to do. He considereth to what duties others are
bound, and neglecteth those to which he is bound himself. Therefore
be zealous first over thyself, and then mayest thou righteously be
zealous concerning thy neighbour.
2. Thou knowest well how to excuse and to colour
thine own deeds, but thou wilt not accept the excuses of others. It
would be more just to accuse thyself and excuse thy brother. If thou
wilt that others bear with thee, bear thou with others. Behold how
far thou art as yet from the true charity and humility which knows not
how to be angry or indignant against any save self alone. It is no
great thing to mingle with the good and the meek, for this is
naturally pleasing to all, and every one of us willingly enjoyeth
peace and liketh best those who think with us: but to be able to live
peaceably with the hard and perverse, or with the disorderly, or those
who oppose us, this is a great grace and a thing much to be commended
and most worthy of a man.
3. There are who keep themselves in peace and
keep peace also with others, and there are who neither have peace nor
suffer others to have peace; they are troublesome to others, but
always more troublesome to themselves. And there are who hold
themselves in peace, and study to bring others unto peace;
nevertheless, all our peace in this sad life lieth in humble suffering
rather than in not feeling adversities. He who best knoweth how to
suffer shall possess the most peace; that man is conqueror of himself
and lord of the world, the friend of Christ, and the inheritor of
heaven. |