ACQUIRING PATIENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
CONCUPISCENCE
THE DISCIPLE
PATIENCE, O Lord God, is very necessary for me, I see, because
there are many adversities in this life. No matter what plans I make
for my own peace, my life cannot be free from struggle and sorrow.
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
My child, you are right, yet My wish is not that you seek that
peace which is free from temptations or meets with no opposition, but
rather that you consider yourself as having found peace when you have
been tormented with many tribulations and tried with many adversities.
If you say that you cannot suffer much, how will you endure the
fire of purgatory? Of two evils, the lesser is always to be chosen.
Therefore, in order that you may escape the everlasting punishments to
come, try to bear present evils patiently for the sake of God.
Do you think that men of the world have no suffering, or
perhaps but little? Ask even those who enjoy the most delights and you
will learn otherwise. "But," you will say, "they enjoy many pleasures
and follow their own wishes; therefore they do not feel their troubles
very much." Granted that they do have whatever they wish, how long do
you think it will last? Behold, they who prosper in the world shall
perish as smoke, and there shall be no memory of their past joys. Even
in this life they do not find rest in these pleasures without
bitterness, weariness, and fear. For they often receive the penalty of
sorrow from the very thing whence they believe their happiness comes.
And it is just. Since they seek and follow after pleasures without
reason, they should not enjoy them without shame and bitterness.
How brief, how false, how unreasonable and shameful all these
pleasures are! Yet in their drunken blindness men do not understand
this, but like brute beasts incur death of soul for the miserly
enjoyment of a corruptible life.
Therefore, My child, do not pursue your lusts, but turn away
from your own will. "Seek thy pleasure in the Lord and He will give
thee thy heart's desires."[33] If you wish to be truly delighted and
more abundantly comforted by Me, behold, in contempt of all worldly
things and in the cutting off of all base pleasures shall your
blessing be, and great consolation shall be given you. Further, the
more you withdraw yourself from any solace of creatures, the sweeter
and stronger comfort will you find in Me.
At first you will not gain these blessings without sadness and
toil and conflict. Habit already formed will resist you, but it shall
be overcome by a better habit. The flesh will murmur against you, but
it will be bridled by fervor of spirit. The old serpent will sting and
trouble you, but prayer will put him to flight and by steadfast,
useful toil the way will be closed to him. |
Of the inward growth of patience, and of the
struggle against evil desires
O Lord God, I see that patience is very necessary
unto me; for many things in this life fall out contrary. For
howsoever I may have contrived for my peace, my life cannot go on
without strife and trouble.
2. "Thou speakest truly, My Son. For I will not
that thou seek such a peace as is without trials, and knoweth no
adversities; but rather that thou shouldest judge thyself to have
found peace, when thou art tried with manifold tribulations, and
proved by many adversities. If thou shalt say that thou art not able
to bear much, how then wilt thou sustain the fire hereafter? Of two
evils we should always choose the less. Therefore, that thou mayest
escape eternal torments hereafter, strive on God's behalf to endure
present evils bravely. Thinkest thou that the children of this world
suffer nought, or but little? Thou wilt not find it so, even though
thou find out the most prosperous.
3. "'But,' thou wilt say, 'they have many
delights, and they follow their own wills, and thus they bear lightly
their tribulations.'
4. "Be it so, grant that they have what they
list; but how long, thinkest thou, will it last? Behold, like the
smoke those who are rich in this world will pass away, and no record
shall remain of their past joys. Yea, even while they yet live, they
rest not without bitterness and weariness and fear. For from the very
same thing wherein they find delight, thence they oftentimes have the
punishment of sorrow. Justly it befalleth them, that because out of
measure they seek out and pursue pleasures, they enjoy them not
without confusion and bitterness. Oh how short, how false, how
inordinate and wicked are all these pleasures! Yet because of their
sottishness and blindness men do not understand; but like brute
beasts, for the sake of a little pleasure of this corruptible life,
they incur death of the soul. Thou therefore, my son, go not after
thy lusts, but refrain thyself from thine appetites.(1) Delight thou
in the Lord, and He shall give thee thy heart's desire.(2)
5. "For if thou wilt truly find delight, and be
abundantly comforted of Me, behold in the contempt of all worldly
things and in the avoidance of all worthless pleasures shall be thy
blessing, and fulness of consolation shall be given thee. And the
more thou withdrawest thyself from all solace of creatures, the more
sweet and powerful consolations shalt thou find. But at the first
thou shalt not attain to them, without some sorrow and hard striving.
Long-accustomed habit will oppose, but it shall be overcome by better
habit. The flesh will murmur again and again, but will be restrained
by fervour of spirit. The old serpent will urge and embitter thee,
but will be put to flight by prayer; moreover, by useful labour his
entrance will be greatly obstructed." |