WANTING NO SHARE IN COMFORT
IT IS not hard to spurn human consolation when we have the
divine. It is, however, a very great thing indeed to be able to live
without either divine or human comforting and for the honor of God
willingly to endure this exile of heart, not to seek oneself in
anything, and to think nothing of one's own merit.
Does it matter much, if at the coming of grace, you are
cheerful and devout? This is an hour desired by all, for he whom the
grace of God sustains travels easily enough. What wonder if he feel no
burden when borne up by the Almighty and led on by the Supreme Guide!
For we are always glad to have something to comfort us, and only with
difficulty does a man divest himself of self.
The holy martyr, Lawrence, with his priest, conquered the world
because he despised everything in it that seemed pleasing to him, and
for love of Christ patiently suffered the great high priest of God,
Sixtus, whom he loved dearly, to be taken from him. Thus, by his love
for the Creator he overcame the love of man, and chose instead of
human consolation the good pleasure of God. So you, too, must learn to
part with an intimate and much-needed friend for the love of God. Do
not take it to heart when you are deserted by a friend, knowing that
in the end we must all be parted from one another.
A man must fight long and bravely against himself before he
learns to master himself fully and to direct all his affections toward
God. When he trusts in himself, he easily takes to human consolation.
The true lover of Christ, however, who sincerely pursues virtue, does
not fall back upon consolations nor seek such pleasures of sense, but
prefers severe trials and hard labors for the sake of Christ.
When, therefore, spiritual consolation is given by God, receive
it gratefully, but understand that it is His gift and not your
meriting. Do not exult, do not be overjoyed, do not be presumptuous,
but be the humbler for the gift, more careful and wary in all your
actions, for this hour will pass and temptation will come in its wake.
When consolation is taken away, do not at once despair but wait
humbly and patiently for the heavenly visit, since God can restore to
you more abundant solace.
This is neither new nor strange to one who knows God's ways,
for such change of fortune often visited the great saints and prophets
of old. Thus there was one who, when grace was with him, declared: "In
my prosperity I said: 'I shall never be moved.'" But when grace was
taken away, he adds what he experienced in himself: "Thou didst hide
Thy face, and I was troubled." Meanwhile he does not despair; rather
he prays more earnestly to the Lord, saying: "To Thee, O Lord, will I
cry; and I will make supplication to my God." At length, he receives
the fruit of his prayer, and testifying that he was heard, says "The
Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper."
And how was he helped? "Thou hast turned," he says, "my mourning into
joy, and hast surrounded me with gladness."[14]
If this is the case with great saints, we who are weak and poor
ought not to despair because we are fervent at times and at other
times cold, for the spirit comes and goes according to His will. Of
this the blessed Job declared: "Thou visitest him early in the
morning, and Thou provest him suddenly."[15]
In what can I hope, then, or in whom ought I trust, save only
in the great mercy of God and the hope of heavenly grace? For though I
have with me good men, devout brethren, faithful friends, holy books,
beautiful treatises, sweet songs and hymns, all these help and please
but little when I am abandoned by grace and left to my poverty. At
such times there is no better remedy than patience and resignation of
self to the will of God.
I have never met a man so religious and devout that he has not
experienced at some time a withdrawal of grace and felt a lessening of
fervor. No saint was so sublimely rapt and enlightened as not to be
tempted before and after. He, indeed, is not worthy of the sublime
contemplation of God who has not been tried by some tribulation for
the sake of God. For temptation is usually the sign preceding the
consolation that is to follow, and heavenly consolation is promised to
all those proved by temptation. "To him that overcometh," says Christ,
"I will give to eat of the Tree of Life."[16] Divine consolation,
then, is given in order to make a man braver in enduring adversity,
and temptation follows in order that he may not pride himself on the
good he has done.
The devil does not sleep, nor is the flesh yet dead; therefore,
you must never cease your preparation for battle, because on the right
and on the left are enemies who never rest. |
Of the lack of all comfort
It is no hard thing to despise human comfort when
divine is present. It is a great thing, yea very great, to be able to
bear the loss both of human and divine comfort; and for the love of
God willingly to bear exile of heart, and in nought to seek oneself,
nor to look to one's own merit. What great matter is it, if thou be
cheerful of heart and devout when favour cometh to thee? That is an
hour wherein all rejoice. Pleasantly enough doth he ride whom the
grace of God carrieth. And what marvel, if he feeleth no burden who
is carried by the Almighty, and is led onwards by the Guide from on
high?
2. We are willing to accept anything for comfort,
and it is difficult for a man to be freed from himself. The holy
martyr Laurence overcame the love of the world and even of his
priestly master, because he despised everything in the world which
seemed to be pleasant; and for the love of Christ he calmly suffered
even God's chief priest, Sixtus, whom he dearly loved, to be taken
from him. Thus by the love of the Creator he overcame the love of
man, and instead of human comfort he chose rather God's good
pleasure. So also learn thou to resign any near and beloved friend
for the love of God. Nor take it amiss when thou hast been deserted
by a friend, knowing that we must all be parted from one another at
last.
3. Mightily and long must a man strive within
himself before he learn altogether to overcome himself, and to draw
his whole affection towards God. When a man resteth upon himself, he
easily slippeth away unto human comforts. But a true lover of Christ,
and a diligent seeker after virtue, falleth not back upon those
comforts, nor seeketh such sweetness as may be tasted and handled, but
desireth rather hard exercises, and to undertake severe labours for
Christ.
4. When, therefore, spiritual comfort is given by
God, receive it with giving of thanks, and know that it is the gift of
God, not thy desert. Be not lifted up, rejoice not overmuch nor
foolishly presume, but rather be more humble for the gift, more wary
and more careful in all thy doings; for that hour will pass away, and
temptation will follow. When comfort is taken from thee, do not
straightway despair, but wait for the heavenly visitation with
humility and patience, for God is able to give thee back greater
favour and consolation. This is not new nor strange to those who have
made trial of the way of God, for with the great saints and the
ancient prophets there was often this manner of change.
5. Wherefore one said when the favour of God was
present with him, I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved,(1)
but he goeth on to say what he felt within himself when the favour
departed: Thou didst turn Thy face from me, and I was troubled. In
spite whereof he in no wise despaireth, but the more instantly
entreateth God, and saith, Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, and will
pray unto my God; and then he receiveth the fruit of his prayer, and
testifieth how he hath been heard, saying, The Lord heard me and had
mercy upon me, the Lord was my helper. But wherein? Thou hast turned
my heaviness into joy, Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me
with gladness. If it was thus with the great saints, we who are poor
and needy ought not to despair if we are sometimes in the warmth and
sometimes in the cold, for the Spirit cometh and goeth according to
the good pleasure of His will. Wherefore holy Job saith, Thou dost
visit him in the morning, and suddenly Thou dost prove him.(2)
6. Whereupon then can I hope, or wherein may I
trust, save only in the great mercy of God, and the hope of heavenly
grace? For whether good men are with me, godly brethren or faithful
friends, whether holy books or beautiful discourses, whether sweet
hymns and songs, all these help but little, and have but little savour
when I am deserted by God's favour and left to mine own poverty. There
is no better remedy, then, than patience and denial of self, and an
abiding in the will of God.
7. I have never found any man so religious and
godly, but that he felt sometimes a withdrawal of the divine favour,
and lack of fervour. No saint was ever so filled with rapture, so
enlightened, but that sooner or later he was tempted. For he is not
worthy of the great vision of God, who, for God's sake, hath not been
exercised by some temptation. For temptation is wont to go before as
a sign of the comfort which shall follow, and heavenly comfort is
promised to those who are proved by temptation. As it is written, To
him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life.(3)
8. Divine comfort is given that a man may be
stronger to bear adversities. And temptation followeth, lest he be
lifted up because of the benefit. The devil sleepeth not; thy flesh
is not yet dead; therefore, cease thou not to make thyself ready unto
the battle, for enemies stand on thy right hand and on thy left, and
they are never at rest. |