GRACE MUST BE HIDDEN UNDER THE MANTLE OF HUMILITY
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
IT IS better and safer for you to conceal the grace of
devotion, not to be elated by it, not to speak or think much of it,
and instead to humble yourself and fear lest it is being given to one
unworthy of it. Do not cling too closely to this affection, for it may
quickly be changed to its opposite. When you are in grace, think how
miserable and needy you are without it. Your progress in spiritual
life does not consist in having the grace of consolation, but in
enduring its withdrawal with humility, resignation, and patience, so
that you neither become listless in prayer nor neglect your other
duties in the least; but on the contrary do what you can do as well as
you know how, and do not neglect yourself completely because of your
dryness or anxiety of mind.
There are many, indeed, who immediately become impatient and
lazy when things do not go well with them. The way of man, however,
does not always lie in his own power. It is God's prerogative to give
grace and to console when He wishes, as much as He wishes, and whom He
wishes, as it shall please Him and no more.
Some careless persons, misusing the grace of devotion, have
destroyed themselves because they wished to do more than they were
able. They failed to take account of their own weakness, and followed
the desire of their heart rather than the judgment of their reason.
Then, because they presumed to greater things than pleased God they
quickly lost His grace. They who had built their homes in heaven
became helpless, vile outcasts, humbled and impoverished, that they
might learn not to fly with their own wings but to trust in Mine.
They who are still new and inexperienced in the way of the Lord
may easily be deceived and overthrown unless they guide themselves by
the advice of discreet persons. But if they wish to follow their own
notions rather than to trust in others who are more experienced, they
will be in danger of a sorry end, at least if they are unwilling to be
drawn from their vanity. Seldom do they who are wise in their own
conceits bear humbly the guidance of others. Yet a little knowledge
humbly and meekly pursued is better than great treasures of learning
sought in vain complacency. It is better for you to have little than
to have much which may become the source of pride.
He who gives himself up entirely to enjoyment acts very
unwisely, for he forgets his former helplessness and that chastened
fear of the Lord which dreads to lose a proffered grace. Nor is he
very brave or wise who becomes too despondent in times of adversity
and difficulty and thinks less confidently of Me than he should. He
who wishes to be too secure in time of peace will often become too
dejected and fearful in time of trial.
If you were wise enough to remain always humble and small in
your own eyes, and to restrain and rule your spirit well, you would
not fall so quickly into danger and offense.
When a spirit of fervor is enkindled within you, you may well
meditate on how you will feel when the fervor leaves. Then, when this
happens, remember that the light which I have withdrawn for a time as
a warning to you and for My own glory may again return. Such trials
are often more beneficial than if you had things always as you wish.
For a man's merits are not measured by many visions or consolations,
or by knowledge of the Scriptures, or by his being in a higher
position than others, but by the truth of his humility, by his
capacity for divine charity, by his constancy in seeking purely and
entirely the honor of God, by his disregard and positive contempt of
self, and more, by preferring to be despised and humiliated rather
than honored by others. |
Of hiding our grace under the guard of humility
"My Son, it is better and safer for thee to hide
the grace of devotion, and not to lift thyself up on high, nor to
speak much thereof, nor to value it greatly; but rather to despise
thyself, and to fear as though this grace were given to one unworthy
thereof. Nor must thou depend too much upon this feeling, for it can
very quickly be turned into its opposite. Think when thou art in a
state of grace how miserable and poor thou art wont to be without
grace. Nor is there advance in spiritual life in this alone, that
thou hast the grace of consolation, but that thou humbly and
unselfishly and patiently takest the withdrawal thereof; so that thou
cease not from the exercise of prayer, nor suffer thy other common
duties to be in anywise neglected; rather do thy task more readily, as
though thou hadst gained more strength and knowledge; and do not
altogether neglect thyself because of the dearth and anxiety of spirit
which thou feelest.
2. "For there are many who, when things have not
gone prosperous with them, become forthwith impatient or slothful.
For the way of a man is not in himself,(1) but it is God's to give and
to console, when He will, and as much as He will, and whom He will, as
it shall please Him, and no further. Some who were presumptuous
because of the grace of devotion within them, have destroyed
themselves, because they would do more than they were able, not
considering the measure of their own littleness, but rather following
the impulse of the heart than the judgment of the reason. And because
they presumed beyond what was well-pleasing unto God, therefore they
quickly lost grace. They became poor and were left vile, who had
built for themselves their nest in heaven; so that being humbled and
stricken with poverty, they might learn not to fly with their own
wings, but to put their trust under My feathers. They who are as yet
new and unskilled in the way of the Lord, unless they rule themselves
after the counsel of the wise, may easily be deceived and led away.
3. "But if they wish to follow their own fancies
rather than trust the experience of others, the result will be very
dangerous to them if they still refuse to be drawn away from their own
notion. Those who are wise in their own conceits, seldom patiently
endure to be ruled by others. It is better to have a small portion of
wisdom with humility, and a slender understanding, than great
treasures of sciences with vain self-esteem. It is better for thee to
have less than much of what may make thee proud. He doeth not very
discreetly who giveth up himself entirely to joy, forgetting his
former helplessness and the chaste fear of the Lord, which feareth to
lose the grace offered. Nor is he very wise, after a manly sort, who
in time of adversity, or any trouble whatsoever, beareth himself too
despairingly, and feeleth concerning Me less trustfully than he ought.
4. "He who in time of peace willeth to be
oversecure shall be often found in time of war overdispirited and full
of fears. If thou knewest always how to continue humble and moderate
in thyself, and to guide and rule thine own spirit well, thou wouldest
not so quickly fall into danger and mischief. It is good counsel that
when fervour of spirit is kindled, thou shouldest meditate how it will
be with thee when the light is taken away. Which when it doth happen,
remember that still the light may return again, which I have taken
away for a time for a warning to thee, and also for mine own glory.
Such a trial is often more useful than if thou hadst always things
prosperous according to thine own will.
5. "For merits are not to be reckoned by this,
that a man hath many visions or consolations, or that he is skilled in
the Scriptures, or that he is placed in a high situation; but that he
is grounded upon true humility and filled with divine charity, that he
always purely and uprightly seeketh the honour of God, that he setteth
not by himself, but unfeignedly despiseth himself, and even rejoiceth
to be despised and humbled by others more than to be honoured." |