The nun sanctified by the virtues of her state
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| 2. Besides the instructions to which I have alluded, there are others peculiar to your office. The first is, to be discreet and not to require too much from yourig persons, who are but little advanced in spiritual life. You must endeavour to lead them to perfection by degrees, according to the strength which you perceive in them. You should not show partiality, as has been said: but holy prudence requires that all be not treated in the same way. One is timid, and must be treated with great kindness; another is haughty and obstinate, she must be treated with greater rigour. Another is very much under the influence of shame, and may be in danger of concealing a sin in confession: another is too affectionate, and is in danger of forming particular friendships. In these and similar occasions, be careful to remove each of the novices from the danger to which she may be exposed
SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 437 3. The second admonition is, not to permit the novices to be familiar with the religious, or with the postulants, much less with each other; be careful, then, not to allow them to wander about the monastery without a companion. Do not permit them to read profane books, or indulge in vanity of dress, or to write useless letters. Blessed Leonard of Port Maurice relates, that in a certain monastery, a young person, by an epistolary correspondence, contracted an intimacy with a young man, which led her into a mortal sin of thought. Through shame she concealed the sin in confession, and was guilty of many sacrileges. She was seized with a mortal disease, and died impenitent. After death she appeared to an uncle, and said to him: "Behold the niece whom you watched over with so much caution; I am damned for a sin of thought which I concealed from my confessor." Be also careful frequently to remind the novices of the eternal maxims, saying, for example: Sooner or later we must die. What shall become of us on the day of judgment ? Everything in this world shall have an end. Miserable the soul that is damned. Recommend them frequently to practice devotion to the passion of Jesus Christ, and to his divine mother, if they wish to become saints. 4. Above all, inculcate to the novices the observance of their rules, on which you are bound by your office to instruct them frequently; for, as has been already said, the observance of her rules is the only means by which a religious dan become a saint. Admonitions to the Bursar. 1. It is necessary for you to guard against two extremes, extravagance and excessive parsimony. With regard to the former, be careful not to violate justice, nor to injure the convent by spending more than you ought, in order to gain the esteem of the religious. With regard to the second, do not violate charity towards the nuns, by not attending sufficiently to their wants, in order to gain the name of a good economist, by saving a large sum of money during the time of your office. Be careful to provide for the nuns according to the best of your ability. 2. Be careful also not to omit your devotions, nor to live like a secular, through an excessive solicitude to save for the monastery. It is true that your office obliges you to treat with externs, to keep the accounts, to be sometimes absent from choir, and from the common exercises, but be careful to cut off useless discourses; and, when it can be done without inconvenience, put off till the next day the business which might interfere with meditation, com- 438 THE TRUE munion, examen of ionscience, or spiritual lecture. Tfoe monastery does not require that, in order to serve the community, you should lead a life of dissipation. 3. Take care also not to enter into disputes with seculars about the price of their goods, nor with workmen abowt their wages. You must do these things, not like a worldling, but like a religious. It would be still worse to appropriate to your own use anything which you save by excessive parsimony. Whatsoever you acquire is the property of the monastery; and all that you save by a culpable or blameless thrift, belongs not to you but to the convent. Admonitions to the Sacristan. 1. Entertain a great esteem for your office, all the duties of which remind you of your spouse. The hosts, the vestments, the sacred vessels, corporals, purificatories, candles, and flowers, remind you of him. You should discharge all your duties with devotion and recollection, frequently renewing your intention of honouring the most holy sacrament. And in passing before the holy Eucharist do not omit to bend the knee with reverence. 2. Be reserved with the chaplains, and still more reserved with persons who serve mass; speak to them only when necessary. 3. Treat your companion with great charity and respect. Be not disturbed when she does anything which you do not approve of; and be still more careful not to yield* to any word of anger or complaint. Do what is in your power; and when there is anything to be done which you are unable to do; ask her to assist you, but always in the language of meekness, saying: I pray you to help me, do this act of charity for me, have patience with me, and the like. 4. Be careful, above all things, not to expend, through vanity, more than others have ordinarily expended. I say ordinarily, for you should not follow the example of a person who has been extravagant; for such vanity she shall suffer many years in purgatory (if she escapes hell) ; and do you wish to be her companion in that place of suffering? I entreat you to read what has been said on this subject, in the chapter on poverty (Chap. 9, sec. 2, n. 1.) Be assured that you shall have to give a great account to God, if you introduce or continue such an abuse, which will be the cause of a thousand sins. Finally, I recommend you, as I have recommended the bursar, not to lead a life of dissipation, in consequence of attending too much to your office. Do all for God, and not for vanity, and everything will go on well. SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 439 Admonitions to the Attendant at the Turn^ and to the Portress. 1. Be not idle at the turn, or at the door; employ the little moments of time which you have in work, or in reading; or at least in recollection with God, looking occasionally at some sacred image. When you open the door cast down your eyes, if you wish not to expose yourself to a thousand defects and a thousand temptations. 2. Do not (I say) remain idle; but do not neglect the duty of opening the door, and give without delay, the messages to the nuns, as often as it may be necessary. You must, however, take care not to bring them inconvenient messages; nor to call them (without first speaking to the superior) to any person who may wish to speak to them. Offer the trouble and annoyance to God, and it will be more profitable to you than prayer. 3. Be careful to lock the inner as well as the outer doors at the hours prescribed. Admonitions to the Infirmarian. 1. Your office is one of great importance and of great merit, if you fulfil it as you ought. In order to fulfil your office well be careful to recognize in the sick the person of Jesus Christ, who says that he accepts the aid which we give the sick' as given to himself. "I was sick, and you visited me' 1 — Matt. xxv. 36. Hence, you require, in the first place, great charity, in assisting the sick, according to the utmost of your ability. Do not be uneasy if you sometimes lose the sermon, or if you are unable to hear the usual number of masses, or to attend at your other devotions; you will gain far greater merit by assisting one of your sisters in religion. Sympathize with her in her pains, and give her as many bodily comforts as you can; if you are obliged to refuse something, because it would be injurious to her, at least console her by your words. Repeat, from time to time, some spiritual maxim, remind her of the sorrows of Jesus Christ; and should it be agreeable to her, read some spiritual book for her. Be on your guard not to reproach her with being the cause of her illness, by eating to excess, or remaining too long in the garden or on the terrace. Do not show, by your manner or otherwise, that you feel weary of attending her; do not thus add to the pain of an afflicted sister. And when you see that she suffers from head-ache, tell the nuns in the cell to retire, or at least not to raise their voice. Be careful to give her, at the proper time, the medicines prescribed. Should she refuse them, remind her 440 THE TRUE of her obligation to obey the physician, and, should she still refuse, send for the superior, or for some of the religious, who will persuade her to obey. 2. Secondly, be careful to practice humility in attending your sisters in sickness, though they should be the meanest lay sisters in the convent; do not disdain to serve them in all their wants. These are the most nobie acts of a religious or of a Christian. Thirdly, you require great patience in attending the sick, during the whole time of their illness and convalescence. Tedious maladies weary the tepid infirmarian, but not the religious who has an ardent love of Jesus Christ. Fourthly, your require great meekness in bearing with a sick sister, who, instead of thanking you, complains of you, and appears incapable of being satisfied with all the services you render her; but you must bear with her, and pity her in her sufferings. There are certain infirmarians who cannot hear a word of complaint from the sick without resenting it. If this be your character, endeavour to give up your office; otherwise you will injure yourself and the sick. A brother of the Society of Jesus used to answer the complaints of the sick by saying: pardon me, for I am stupid; in spite of their complaints he would continue to assist them with the same attention and cheerfulness. You should act in this manner. 3. Be careful not to judge that any sick sister only pre* tends to be ill; and be still more careful not to say that her illness is only imaginary. On the other hand, when the malady is considered dangerous, do not deceive the sister, but speak plainly to her, and say: my sister, your recovery is not beyond hope, but your disease is mortal; it appears God wishes to call you to paradise. I know that you are prepared, but if you have any scruple do not lose time. I will send for the confessor. The holy sacraments are conducive to the health of the soul and body. We all pray for the restoration of your health: but in the end we must all conform to the will of God. Should your speaking in this manner disturb the sick sister, have patience with her; shall religious be treated like seculars, who are not warned of their danger until their recovery is past hope ? a deplorable abuse, which sends many souls to hell. As soon, then, as you hear from the physician that a sick sister is in danger, take care that she be fortified by the sacraments, particularly if you have any suspicion that her conscience is troubled. I say that the infirmarian who fulfils her office as she ought is a source of joy to the monastery, and renders herself the beloved of God. SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 441 Admonitions to the Discreets. 1. "When your advice is asked, be careful, before you give an answer, to understand well the question proposed: and should you ever find that because it was founded on error, the counsel which you gave was unjust, you are obliged to retract it. 2. Tell freely what you think before God; and in giving your opinion, be not influenced by the consideration that the superior or any other religious who is your friend, thinks the contrary. The rule requires that consultations should be held on matters of importance; that in these consultations each sister may speak her sentiments freely, and that thus the best counsel may be adopted. If you are influenced by human respect, disadvantageous contracts, useless expenditure, unjust punishments, and other evils will be permitted. 3. When you see any serious irregularity in the convent you should inform the superior of it, that she may apply a remedy. -But in doing this attend to two things; first, after having done your duty, be not disturbed if the superior does not do what you think ought to be done; secondly, be not too importunate in speaking to the superior on the affairs of the community; you should speak to her only on matters of some importance. Admonitions to the Lay Sisters. What is said for the lay sisters may be also useful to those who have the care of instructing and admonishing them. I wish first to say a word to the choir nuns on their conduct towards the lay sisters. You, O choir sister, complain that some of the lay sisters are arrogant, disobedient, indevout, that they injure the property of the monastery, and sometimes give it away to externs. But who, I ask, is the cause of their misdeeds? You are the cause of it. You keep them at work the whole day; you do not give them sufficient time to make mental prayer, to frequent the sacraments, to visit Jesus Christ on the altar, to read or hear a spiritual lecture, or to assist at Mass on week-days; and afterwards you complain that they are imperfect and indevout. How can you expect that they will be fervent ia the exercises of piety, if you deprive them of the means of acquiring devotion? Such the manner in which lay sisters are sometimes treated; for such treatment certain nuns will have to give a great account to God. I shall now address the lay sisters. 1. My sister, you should understand that your state is a state of humility, and that it is particularly by humility 442 THE TRUE that you are to become a saint. You should be humble towards all, even your companions, but particularly towards the choir nuns, by endeavouring always to speak to them with great respect, and to serve them as much as you can without neglecting the duties you owe to the community. And should they ever say a disagreeable word, bear it with patience, and be careful not to answer them as if you were their equal. Had you remained in the world, would you dare to answer your mistress as you now answer the nuns ? You certainly would not; and why should you, now that you are a religious, forget what you are ? You should not oe puffed up with vanity because the nuns call you sister, v>r because you sit at the same table with them; you have -jome to be a servant, and as such you have been professed; you must then serve, and serve with humility, for to serve with pride is not to serve. 2. Be obedient in the office in which you are placed, and 3. Be careful, if the superior does not appoint it for you, to ask a little time for mental prayer, for communion, for hearing mass, and visiting the blessed sacrament, etc. And when time is given you for these exercises, be careful not to spend it in idle chat, or, as some do, in going about the monastery. You who are a lay sister must be very avaricious of the time which you are allowed, you must be careful not to lose a single moment of it, for you are obliged to attend to the service of the community. If you do not serve the community, whom will you serve ? But, during your work, who can hinder you to be recollected with God ? Make frequent acts of love and fervent petitions, saying: my Jesus, mercy: my God, assist me; give me thy love, etc. At least repeat the Hail Mary, or other vocal prayers. Do not say any more that you are abandoned. Seek God and you shall find him. But you must love silence; speak when your business requires to speak, but avoid contention, and cut short all useless discourses. And for that purpose SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 443 keep at a distance from those who are prone to talk. Avoid particularly the discontented, who sometimes express their discontent in uncharitable language. 4. I recommend to you the practice of holy poverty. I fear that some lay sisters go to hell on account of the violation of the vow of poverty; they are entrusted with the care of the goods of the monastery; if, then, they give them to externs, or neglect to preserve them, how can they expect salvation ? Be careful to preserve with the greatest care the things which are given to you in charge; and should others ask them of you, answer with firmness that they are not yours, and that you cannot damn yourself for their sake. If you wish to assist any one through charity, do it with the permission of the superior. Do not make your entrance into religion an occasion of your own damnation. CHAPTER XXIV. RULE OP LIFE FOR A RELIGIOUS WHO DESIRES TO BECOME A SAINT. — On rising in the morning. 1. As soon as you hear the signal for rising, imitate the infants who, as soon as they awake, instantly look for milk; the moment you awake, raise your heart to Go'd by an act of love, offer him the actions of the day, and beg of him to assist you. You must, then, according to the advice of St. Teresa, not remain turning in bed, but rise immediately, as if the bed were on fire; otherwise you shall, as I have said in another place, lose the flower of merit. While you are dressing, do not lose your time, but employ it in repeating some ejaculation or prayer, for example: " My God, I wish for vou alone, and nothing more. I offer you all that I shall do and suffer during this day. My Jesus, mercy. Lord, assist me always, and make me do your will," etc You will do well to use such ejaculations in the intervals between your actions, such as in going to choir, or to the refectory, or in the occupations which do not require application of mind. These moments employed in this manner produce great fruit in the course of time. 2. As soon as you are dressed, place yourself before the crucifix, and make the morning acts of thanksgiving, of love, of oblation, of all your actions, and prayers during the day. And, above all, ask with fervour help from Jesus and Mary, to serve him well during the day. 444 J HE TRUE 2. — On Mental Prayer. With regard to mental prayer, I do not intend \,o repeat here what has been already said on this subject in chapter 15 I will x nly say a few words on the manner of making it. After tae three acts — of faith, of the presence of God, of humility, and petition to God for light — always read the point, or listen to another reading it, and then stop to reflect on the sentiment which has made the greatest impression upon you. Af terwards make pious affections towards God, such as acts of thanksgiving, of humiliation, of confidence, and, above all, of contrition and of love, and petitions to God for light and help, for resignation to his will, and for the gift of his love. And when you feel aridity, employ yourself then particularly in praying for God's graces. It will be enough to say and repeat: My Jesus, mercy. My God, assist me. Give, in fine, a glance at your conscience, and see if there is anything in it displeasing to God; remove whatever you find to be offensive to him, and make a particular resolution to correct the fault. Be careful always to make meditation as well in the morning as in the evening. Should you on any day be unable to make your usual meditation, make at least a part of it. Be persuaded that you will never make progress in perfection unless you have a great love for mental prayer. 3. — On the Divine Office. 1. It is necessary to say something on the divine omce, as it had not been treated in the body of the work. All men should be continually employed on this earth in thanking the Lord for his benefits, and in asking the graces necessary for the attainment of salvation. But because seculars live in the midst of the distractions arising from worldly concerns, the holy Church wishes that in her name, and in the name of all Christians, ecclesiastics and religious should praise God, and pray for the whole world, by reciting the divine office, which is nothing more than a memorial or petition composed by God himself, that he may the more readily hear our prayers, and relieve our wants. Hence, a hundred private prayers have not as much efficacy as a single petition offered in the divine office. St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi used to say, that, in comparison of th& divine office, all other prayers are of little merit. Hence, when she heard the bell for the office, she exulted with joy, and giving up every occupation, she ran to the choir, thinking that she was going to perform the office of the angels in praising God, and imploring graces for poor sinners* SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 445 St. Catherine felt such joy in reciting the office, that she desired to end her life in chanting the Psalms; and she would say that a nun who persevered till death in reciting the office in the choir, might be ranked among the saints. 2. But it is not enough to say the office; it is necessary to say it as it ought to be said, with reverence and attention. If you say it with distraction, rolling the eyes about on dissipating objects, or what is worse, occasionally smiling and speaking without necessity, know that a severe purgatory is prepared for you in the next life. It is related of two nuns, that for inattention of this kind, they were condemned to severe torments. A Cistercian nun called Gertrude, appeared after death to a companion, and said that she was suffering in purgatory for not having observed silence in reciting the office. St. Antonine relates that a holy father once saw a devil in the choir putting several things into a bag. Being asked what he was doing, the evil spirit answered, that he was laying up all the words and syllables omitted or badly pronounced by the religious, in order to charge them with their inattention at the judgment seat of God. In the life of St. Lutgarde we read, that God sent a plague into a convent of nuns in punishment of the negligent manner in which they recited the office. 3. Prayer made with attention is an odoriferous incense which is very pleasing to God, and obtains treasures of graces. But, on the other hand, prayer made without devotion and with distraction is a fetid smoke, which provokes the divine wrath; for God himself said to St. Bridget, that they who recite the divine office negligently, dishonour him more than they glorify him. Hence, St. Thomas says, that he who prays with voluntary distraction (though the prayer be not of obligation,) is not exempt from sin, for he appears to treat God with contempt, just as a person who speaks to others without attending to what he says, is guilty of disrespect towards them — (2, 2, q. 83, a. 12.) 4. In the Cistercian chronicles we find an account of the celebrated vision which St. Bernard had one night while he chanted the Psalms in choir along with his monks. At the right hand of each monk he saw an angel writing: some of the angels wrote in letters of gold, others in letters of silver; some wrote with ink, others with water; others, in fine, held the pen in the hand without writing at all. Our Lord afterwards gave the saint to understand, that the letters of gold signified the fervour with which some of the monks recited the office; the letters of silver represented prayers said with devotion, but with less fer- THE TRUE vour; the letters of ink denoted attention to the pronunciation of the words, without devotion; and the letters of water indicated the negligence of those who were distracted, and paid but little attention to the words which they pronounced with the tongue. Finally, the angels who were not writing at all, denoted the irreverence of those who were voluntarily distracted. 5. I hope, blessed sister, that you are not one of those who, in saying the office, are voluntarily distracted. A person is understood to be voluntarily distracted when, after adverting to the thought which distracts him, he attends to it, although he sees that it takes away his attention from the office. Be careful henceforth to recite the office with proper attention. You go through the labour of reciting the office, and will you, for the sake of avoiding the little trouble or exertion necessary to say it with due attention, voluntarily lose the merit of it, and render yourself deserving of punishment ? Adopt, then, the following method: when you enter the choir, after blessing yourself with holy water, first adore the most holy sacrament, offer to the honour of Jesus Christ the office you are going to recite, ask his assistance, and then go to your place, and imagine that the Lord is looking at you from heaven, that his ears are attentive to the prayers you recite, and that the angels are present to offer your petitions to God. While the religious were one day reciting matins, blessed Ermani saw a multitude of angels with golden thuribles in their hands, offering to God the prayers of the religious. 6. Be not disturbed at the distractions you suffer in the office; as long as they are not voluntary they are not sinful. God compassionates the misery of our nature. Thoughts frequently enter the mind without being wilful, and when not wilful, they are not displeasing to God. St. Thomas says that even souls wrapt in contemplation cannot remain long on high, but are drawn down by the weight of human misery to involuntary distraction. Endeavour not only in the beginning, but also during the course of the office, to renew your attention from time to time, such as at the beginning of each psalm. You already know that, according to St. Thomas and the generality of divines, there are three kinds of attention to the office: to the words, to the sense, and to God. To the words, by endeavouring to pronounce them distinctly. To the sense, by attending to the signification of the words. To God, by adoring him, loving him, and asking his graces. Any of the three is sufficient for the fulfilment of the obligation of saying the office; but he who recites it merely with attention to the SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 447 words, without attention to the sense or to God, will never say it with devotion or fruit. Endeavour, then, to excite in your heart the sentiments you read. It is true that many passages of the Psalms are obscure, but many of them are also clear, and are full of petitions, of affections Jof love, of confidence, and contrition. 7. The most perfect kind of attention is attention to God; and in order to practice this kind of attention, it will be particularly useful to meditate, during the different parts of the office, on different circumstances of the passion. For example, during the first nocturn, you can meditate on the washing of the feet; during the second, on the institution of the most holy sacrament; and during the third, on the prayer of our Lord in the garden. During lauds, on his capture, and on the maltreatment which he received in the house of Caiphas; during prime, on his scourging; during terce, on the crowning with thorns; during sext, on the journey to Calvary; at none, on the three hours which Jesus remained hanging on the cross; at vespers, on his death; and during complin, on his burial. But the meditations should not be so profound, nor be made with such application of the mind as to fatigue the head. They should be made with sweetness, so that the mind may be assisted with holy thoughts, and may at the same time attend in some manner to the words recited by the other side of choir. Every time you say the Pater noster, apply the heart in a special manner to the words, sanctificetur nomen tuum, by which you mean to say, Lord, make thyself known and loved by all. Adve?iiat regnum tuum; Fiat voluntas tua sicut in ccelo et in terra; grant that thy will may be done on earth as the saints do it in heaven. In saying the Gloria Patri, you can make different affections; of faith, of thanksgiving, of complacency in the felicity of God, and of desire to honour him, and to suffer for his glory. St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, in saying the Gloria Patri, always bowed down her head, intending to offer it to the executioner in honour of the faith; and she sometimes made this act with such fervour, that she became pale, as if she felt that her head was about to be cut off. In repeating the Ave Maria so often in the office, you can obtain many graces through this divine Mother. Behold the manner of reciting the divine praises with devotion, and with great advantage to yourself. 8. Some nuns esteem and call the divine office a great burden, and I say that they who say it without devotion, and with an anxious desire to finish it soon, have reason to call it so. For they have to toil for two hours, or at least 448 THE TRUE for an hour and a-half, in reciting it without relish, and with great pain. But to good religious, who say the office with devotion, offering to God holy affections, and petitions, it gives spiritual delight; and if it be called a burden, it is, as has been said in another place, the burden of the wings which raise the soul to God, and unite her more closely to him. 9. For the instruction of nuns, and to relieve them from uneasiness of conscience, I will here subjoin the privileges which have been granted to them by the Sovereign Pontiffs. First, Clement VII. granted to all religious who are sick, and to the infirmarians, the privilege of being able to satisfy the obligation of the divine office by saying six or seven Psalms assigned by the superior, along with seven Paters and two Credos. Martin V. granted to religious who are in a state of convalescence the privilege of fulfilling the obligation of the office by reciting that part of it which their confessor may assign. Observe that by the sick I mean those who labour under an infirmity, which of itself would not excuse them from the office. Observe also that privileges granted to religious of the male sex are also granted to nuns; for what is granted to the former is understood to be granted to the latter, in all that is accommodated to them,and reciprocally. Secondly,Leo X. granted permission to religious to anticipate the long offices, and to reserve the short offices for days on which they shall be more busily employed. Thirdly, Innocent IV. granted to the nuns of St. Clare (and through them to all nuns who have enclosure, for they all partake of each other's privileges,) permission to comply with the divine office by reciting the office of lay sisters when there is any reasonable cause, such as when they are tormented with scruples, or greatly fatigued, or when they were employed for the greater part of the day in useful occupations, or when, in the opinion of the superior or confessor, they are not as yet well instructed in the office of the choir nuns; and nuns can avail themselves of privilege without permission of the superior, because it was granted absolutely and without any condition. 4. — On hearing Mass. 1. In order to hear mass with devotion, it is necessary to know that the sacrifice of the altar is the same as that which was once offered on Calvary, with this difference, that on Calvary the blood Jesus Christ was really shed, but on the altar it is shed only in a mystical manner. Had you been present on CaWary, with what devotion and ten- SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 449 derness would you have assisted at that great sacrifice ! Enliven your faith, then, and consider that the same action is performed on the altar, and that the same sacrifice is offered not only by the priest, but also by all who assist at mass. Thus, all perform, in a certain manner, the office of priest during the celebration of the mass, in which the merits of the passion of our Saviour are applied to us in a particular manner. 2. It is, moreover, necessary to know that the sacrifice of the mass has been instituted for four ends. First, to honour God; secondly, to satisfy for our sins; thirdly, to thank God for His benefits; fourthly, to obtain the divine graces. Behold, then, a method of hearing mass with great fruit. First, by the oblation of the person of Jesus Christ, God and man, to the Eternal Father, we give to God infinite honour — we give him greater honour than he would receive from the oblation of the lives of all men and all angels. Secondly, by the oblation of Jesus Christ in the mass, we offer to God a complete satisfaction for all the sins of men, and especially for the sins of those who assist at mass; to whom is applied the same divine blood by which the human race was redeemed on Calvary. Thus, by each mass more satisfaction is made to God than by any other expiatory work. But although the mass is of infinite value, God accepts it only in a finite manner, according to the dispositions of those who assist at the holy sacrifice; and, therefore, it is usual to hear several masses. Thirdly, in the mass we render to God an adequate thanksgiving for all the benefits he has bestowed upon us. Fourthly, during the mass we can obtain all the graces we desire for ourselves and for others. We are unworthy of receiving any grace from God, but Jesus Christ has given us the means of obtaining all graces, if, while we offer him to God in the mass, we ask them of the eternal Father in his name, for then Jesus himself unites with us in prayer. If you knew that while you pray to the Lord, the divine Mother, along with all paradise, united with you, with what confidence would you pray ? Now, when you ask of God any grace during the mass, Jesus (whose prayers are more efficacious than the prayers of all heaven together) prays for you, and offers in your behalf the merits of his passion. 3. You will do well, then, to divide the mass into four parts. In the first, that is, from the beginning to the Gospel, offer the sacrifice of the mass to honour God, saying: My God, I adore Thy Majesty; I would wish to honour thee as much as thou deservest; but what honour can I, a miserable sinner, give thee? I offer thee the 450 THE TRUE honour which Jesus renders to you on this altar. In the second part, from the Gospel to the Elevation, offer the sacrifice in satisfaction for your sins, saying: Lord, I detest above every evil all the offences I have given thee; I am sorry for them above all things, and in satisfaction for them I offer thy Son, who sacrifices himself for us on this altar, and through his merits I pray thee to pardon me, and to give me holy perseverance In the third part, from the Elevation to the Communion, offer Jesus to the Eternal Father in thanksgiving for all the graces which he has bestowed upon you, saying: Lord, lam unable to thank thee; I offer thee the blood of Jesus Christ in this mass, and in all the masses which are at this moment celebrated throughout the world. In the fourth part, from the Communion to the end, you will ask with confidence the graces which you stand in need of, and particularly sorrow for your sins, the gift of perseverance, and of the divine love; and you will recommend to God, in a special manner, your sisters in religion, poor sinners, and the souls in purgatory. Every mass heard in this manner will obtain for you a treasure of merits. Should you be permitted to lay out any money, procure masses to be celebrated in your church, as well for your own benefit as to give the nuns an opportunity of hearing them. With regard to confession and communion, enough has been said in chapter 18. 5. — On the Refectory. 1. Would to God that some nuns did not, by their intemperance and want of reserve in the refectory, lose all they had gained in their spiritual exercises. You can practice many virtues in the refectory. First, obedience, by going to meals the instant you hear the signal, in order to be present at the benediction. Secondly, purity of intention, by intending to take your meals, not for your own satisfaction, but to do the will of God, who wishes you to support the body, that it may help you to serve him on this earth. But before you begin to take food beg of God the grace not to exceed the bounds of necessity. Thirdly, mortification, by abstaining from something, or leaving a part of what pleases you most, or at least by contenting yourself with what you receive from the community, and not seeking for anything particular, nor complaining that what you get is not well dressed, or not properly seasoned. Endeavour also to perform some mortification at table, Earticularly during novenas, and on Fridays and Saturdays, j eating on your knees, or sitting on the floor; be not dis- SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 451 turbed if others laugh at you, for then your merit shall be increased. Fourthly, modesty of the eyes, by keeping them cast down, not looking about to observe what your companions are doing or eating. Fifthly, silence, which is so necessary in the refectory. Be careful, then, to attend to vhat is vog/L ^ ^ a delightful thing to nourish the soul with tne pious sentiments which are read, while the body is nourished with food. By attending to the lecture you will also avoid the faults which are committed by the indulgence of the appetite. Read chapter 8, section 2, on the mortification of the taste. 6. — On Recreation, 1. It is the will of God that they who love him should take recreation from time to time, in order to unbend the bow. "Be glad in the Lord," said David: "and rejoice ye just" — Ps. xxx. 11. But he says, in the Lord; which implies, that in recreation there should be moderation and modesty. Moderation, because when too long recreation will not be free from defects; hence, the moment the time fixed by rule is expired you should be silent, and retire. Do not imitate some, who wish to finish the discourse which has been introduced, and thus spend time unprofitably. St. Jane Chantal used to say: "If I threw away a moment of time I would consider myself a robber before God. Perhaps the time is mine, so that I can spend it as I please? God has given to me in measure, and will demand an account of every moment." Recreation must also be modest; which implies, first, that you abstain from self-praise, from detraction, and from certain jests which are painful to your companions, and also from interrupting others when they speak. Secondly, modesty implies that you abstain from speaking in a very loud tone, and also from immoderate laughter. I say immoderate laughter; for, as St. Francis de Sales writes, as it is an irregularity^to laugh during serious occupation, so it is very painful never to laugh at recreation. Hence, his disciple, St. Jane Chantal, used to say: "When I am among our young religious I laugh, in order to encourage them to enjoy the recreation; for this is necessary." Thirdly, modesty implies that you abstain from contending with any one, from speakink of things of the world, such as marriages, festivities, splendid dresses, etc. St. John of the Cross used to say, that to speak of these worldly trifles cannot be free from all fault. 2. I do not say that during recreation you should always speak on serious topics. Laugh, amuse yourself, speak even on entertaining subjects, but preserve recollection, by 452 THE TRUE interiorly making occasional acts of the love of God, or petitions for his graces. Frequently introduce discourses on God, endeavouring to draw spiritual good from conversations which are indifferent. Imitate St. Lewis Gonzaga, who thus converted the recreation hall into a sanctuary; for the students sometimes went from recreation more fervent than from meditation. I pray you read on this *jubjeet what I have written in chapter 8, section 1, on modesty. Abstain also from all particular attention to those for whom you may feel a preference; if you do not, you will give displeasure to others, and derange the whole recreation. Be equally free with all, even with those whose dispositions may be least pleasing to you, and imitate St. Teresa, by conversing more with them than with the others. 3. But what shall we say of recreations which are practiced in certain monasteries during the carnival, when some of the common exercises are allowed to be performed in private, the good order of the community and the rule of silence are not observed, and the nuns spend a part of the day and night in dancing, singing profane songs, and other worldly amusements ? I know not how the superior can permit such irregularities without grievous scruples of conscience. O God, instead of thinking of worldly amusements, religious should then more than ever remain before Jesus Christ in the blessed sacrament, or in their cell, at the foot of the crucifix, to bewail the many offences with which seculars insult him. Religious who seek such amusements do not love Jesus Christ. During the carnival, St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi watched entire nights, praying for sinners. How pleasing to Jesus Christ are the prayers of his spouses, who seek to console him at the time when he is most abandoned by the world ! Our Lord gave St. Gertrude to understand that he rewards with special graces the acts of virtue which are offered to him during the carnival. And while St. Catherine of Sienna was praying to him during the carnival, our Lord called her his spouse, in return for the homage which she offered to him at a time when so many insults were offered to him. 4. But if, during that time, you wish to indulge in amusement, amuse yourself in a manner becoming a religious. If you wish to sing, ring spiritual songs; but take care never on any account to dance. If you are invited to take part in any little opera, avoid it as much as possible; for it will at least cause a loss of time and great dissipation; and refuse absolutely unless the opera be altogether sacred; or if it should be necessary to put on a secular dress, refuse, STOUSE OF CHRIST. 453 even though you should be upbraided with incivility, with a want of education, or hypocrisy. Others may reproach Y ou but God will praise you. " Maledicent illi et tu benediees"— Ps cviii. 28. Be careful not to omit your spiritual lecture on any day. Enough has been said on this subject in chapter 17. Make your visit to the most holy sacrament ; read chapter 18, section 2, n. 22, etc Attend also to your work; see chapter 16, section 2. You should never omit to say at least five decades of the Rosary. Read chapter 21, n. 12. 1,— 07i the Examen of Conscience, along with other instructions. 1 A religious should make two examens in the day: the general and particular examen. The general examen is made in the evening, the particular is made in the morning before dinner, on some particular defect into which a person falls more frequently. Worldly spouses remain for several hours before the glass; the spouse of Jesus Christ should, at least twice in the day place herself in the presence of God, in order to cleanse the soul. With regard to the practice of these examens, the particular is short for in it a person only gives a glance at the predominant failing, and makes a short act of sorrow. The general examen should be longer. In making it, first ask light of Goo; to enable you to discover the faults you have committed. Then call to mind the actions of the day, and examine whether you have fallen into any defect such as sloth in rising in the morning, or in obeying any of the calls of the bell; impatience, vanity, in wishing to be seen by others, words of disrespect to companions, idle or uncharitable words, lies of excuse, intemperance in eating, voluntary distractions at prayer, or at the office, looks of curiosity, loss of time, omission of good works, little detractions, want of respect to superiors, defects against poverty, etc. But when you commit any fault, do not wait till evening to make an act of contrition; make it immediate y, and then remain in peace. Be comforted when you feel punctures of remorse for your faults, for they are a good sign; they are a sign that you have a horror of your defects. Woe to the nun that is not afraid of light faults; she is in danger of falling into grievous transgressions. 2 After the examen make acts of faith, hope, and charity. I here subjoin short acts of these virtues for your convenience: My God, because thou hast revealed them to thy holy Church, I believe all the truths which she proposes to our belief . I believe that thou art a just remunerator, that 454 THE TRUE thou dost reward the saints with heaven, and punish the wicked in hell. I believe the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. I believe the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ, and all the other articles which the Church believes. Trusting in thy promises, I hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to' obtain from thee, because thou art powerful, faithful, and merciful, the pardon of my sins, holy perseverance, and the glory of paradise. And because thou art infinite goodness, I love thee above all things, and I repent of all the offences which I have offered to thee. With the aid of thy grace, which I ask for this moment and for my whole life, I purpose to die rather than ever more offend thee. I also purpose to receive the holy sacraments during life and at my death. You should know that Benedict XIV. has granted an indulgence of many years to all the faithful as often as they say these acts, and a plenary indulgence to those who continue to say them every day for a month. 3. After these acts say your usual prayers to St. Joseph, to your angel guardian, to your holy advocates, along with the Litany of most holy Mary, which you should never omit. Go, then, to take the necessary repose. The devil tempts some nuns to spend a part of the night in prayer, in order to deprive them of the entire of the following day. One day St. Francis could not sleep, but after making the sign of the cross on his pillow, he saw the tempter going away. He then said to his companion: "Brother, this devil wished to prevent me from sleeping, that I might be unable to pray on to-morrow." Take, then, the repose that is necessary for you. In taking off the habits, kiss them; and, in undressing, be careful to practice the greatest possible modesty. Sprinkle the bed with holy water. Before going to sleep say: "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;" intending that every breath you draw during your repose may be an act of divine love; let your last words be: "My Jesus, I wish for thee, and for nothing else." 4. Be careful to make all your novenas with devotion, such as the novenas of Christmas, of Pentecost, of the seven festivals of Mary, of your holy advocate, along with the devout exercises and the mortifications which your confessor will prescribe. But during these novenas endeavour to employ yourself in acts of love and in visits to the blessed sacrament, and to an image of the blessed mother, more than in vocal prayers. Be careful, also, to make, every month, a day's retreat, spending the entire day in mental prayer, thanksgiving after communion, spiritual SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 45ft lectures, etc., and rigorous silence. A day's retreat contributes greatly to preserve and increase fervour. I also recommend you, in addition to the spiritual exercises which are made in common, to make the spiritual exercises for eight or ten days in private. For this purpose you may use the meditations which I have published in a volume on the Eternal Maxims; they are very short and useful. 5. The virtues which you should be most careful to practice in the monastery, are meekness and obedience. Meekness in bearing affronts; a person living in a community who is unwilling to bear affronts, can never advance in the way of God. Obedience, in promptly executing what the rules prescribe, and what the superiors direct. Do not listen to any one who proposes a maxim which savours little of obedience. St. Teresa used to say: If principles opposed to obedience are to be instilled into religious, it would be better there were neither nuns nor convents. Do not begin to examine whether the superior, in giving you any direction, was influenced by passion; it is the will of God that you obey; or if you are unwilling to obey, do not speak either of perfection, or of the love of God. You already know that all sanctity consists in submitting your will to the will of your superiors. 8. — A religious should banish melancholy. What ought a person to do who finds that she has become a nun against her inclination f 1. It is necessary to avoid melancholy, which is the pest of devotion, and the source of a thousand faults. As long as you are disturbed you will always fall into many defects, you will do no good, and almost all your prayers, meditations, communions, lectures, and other exercises, will be unprofitable, because they will be performed badly, and with a thousand distractions. Remember that all your inquietude and troubles arise from not accepting crosses with resignation from the hand of God. The will of God renders all tribulations sweet and amiable. Read what has been said in the fourteenth chapter, n. 8, etc. You complain that you are infirm, despised, persecuted, and in aridity; unite yourself to the divine will, and these sufferings will be no longer painful to you. If you tell me that you are not so much tormented by these external crosses as by the interior scruples of conscience, and by fears of being in enmity with God, I answer that your confessor has (as I suppose) already ordered you to speak no more of your past life. By the grace of God you abhor your past sins; you are resolved to die rather than commit even a deliber- 456 THE TRUE ate venial sin; you frequent the sacraments, and seek to belong entirely to God. All these are signs that you enjoy his grace and friendship. Why, then, are you disturbed? Why do you say — Who knows how I stand before God ? How shall I die ? Have I confessed all my sins ? Is my confessor deceived? The devil tells hie I shall be damned. Behold the usual tales of scrupulous nuns. Ah ! abandon yourself into the arms of divine mercy, and say in peace: Lord, I obey thy minister, and thus I hope in thy blood to be saved, and never to lose thy grace. 2. With regard to the present, I hope, if you are troubled in mind, that you have no attachment to the venial faults which you daily commit, and that they are not fully deliberate; detest them as soon as you perceive them, and then remain tranquil. But, Father, my greatest troubles arise from doubts of consenting to grievous sins, when I am assailed by bad thoughts. I have already spoken on this subject, in the 18th chapter, sec. 2. I here briefly repeat that of a timorous conscience, when he is not certain of having fallen into mortal sin, should remain certain of being in a state of grace; because it is impossible for him, whose will is confirmed in good purposes, to revolt against God without having a clear knowledge of his consent. When your confessor tells you to disregard these fears, and to go to communion without confession, obey him blindly, and do not listen to the devil, who seeks to disturb you with scruples, in order to make you abandon the way of perfection. When you feel agitated, say to the Lord: My Father, I leave my soul in thy hand : if it please thee that this cross should continue till death, I am content; do not permit me to offend thee, make me to love thee, and I do not refuse to suffer as much as thou pleasest. St. Francis de Sales says, that God loves with a tender love the souls that thus abandon themselves to his paternal bosom, leaving themselves to be governed by his divine providence; for he will make all things co-operate to their good, helping these chosen souls to follow him with the will, without any other support than that of his divine pleasure. 3. But, perhaps you will tell me you can never have peace because you find that you have entered religion to please your parents, and against your own will. I answer thus: If, at the time of your profession, you had not a vocation, I would not have advised you to make the vows of religious; but I have entreated you to suspend your resolution of going back to the world, and casting yourself into the many dangers of perdition which are found in the SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 457 World. I now see you placed in the house of God, and made (either voluntarily or unwillingly) the spouse of Jesus Christ. For my part, I cannot pity you more than I could pity a person who had been transported (even against his will) from a place infected with pestilence, and surrounded by enemies, to a healthful country, to be placed there for life, secure against every foe. 5. I add: grant that what you state is true: now that you are professed in a convent, and that it is impossible for you to leave it, tell me what do you wish to do ? If you entered religion against your inclinations, you must now remain with cheerfulness. If you abandon yourself to melancholy, you will lead a life of misery, and will expose yourself to great danger of suffering a hell here, and another hereafter. You must, then, make a virtue of necessity. And if the devil has brought you into religion for your destruction, let it be your care to avail yourself of your holy state for your salvation, and to become a saint. Give yourself to God from the heart, and I assure you that by so doing you will become more content than all the princesses and queens of this world. Being asked his opinion regarding a person who had become a nun against her will, St. Francis de Sales answered: It is true that this child, if she had not been obliged by her parents, would not have left the world; but this is of little importance, provided she knows that the force employed by her parents is more useful to her than the permission to follow her own will. For now she can say: If I had not lost such liberty, I would have lost true liberty. The saint meant to say, that had she not been compelled by her parents to become a nun, her liberty, which would have induced her to remain in the world, would have robbed her of the true liberty of fche cnildren of God, which consists in freedom from the chains and dangers of the world. 5. You may say in reply: but how can I be content, if I have not been called to religion ? But what does it matter that you have not had a vocation from the beginning ? Although you have not become a nun in obedience to a divine call, it is certain that God has permitted your profession for your welfare: and if he did not call you then, he certainly calls you now to be his without reserve. St. Paul, the first hermit, went into the desert, not to remain in it, but to fly from the persecution which was then carried on against the Church; but he was afterwards called by God to remain in the desert: he remained, and became a saint. When St. Teresa first entered into a monastery, she entered not without reluctance; she said that in leav- 458 THE TRUE ing her father's house, the pain which she felt was so great that she thought it equal to the pain which she should suffer at death; and in her life it is related that she took the habit, as it were by force. But after all she becaznp ». great saint, and the reformer of the Carmelite Order 6. Blessed Hyacintha Marescotti, a religious of the convent of St. Clare in Viterbo, was also induced to take the sacred veil against her inclination, and for ten years led a very imperfect life. But being one day illuminated with a divine light, she gave herself entirely to God, and persevered till death, for the space of twenty-four years, in a life of holiness, so that she has deserved to be venerated on the altar. Likewise sister Mary Bonaventure, a nun in the convent of the Torre Dei Specchi, entered against her will; but after a life of tepidity and dissipation, she went during the first meditation of the spiritual exercises, and threw herself at the feet of Father Lancizio, of the Society of Jesus, and courageously said to him: Father, I have learned what G od wishes for me. " I wish to be a saint, and a great saint, and I wish to be one immediately." And by the divine aid she executed her purpose: so abundant were her tears that she could say no more; but she went to her cell, and at the foot of the crucifix wrote the following protestation. I, Mary Bonaventure, this day, in the beginning of the spiritual exercises, offer myself entirely to thee, O my Jesus. Accept, O most loving Redeemer, this paper bathed in my tears, which I consecrate to thee as the pledge of my love. I leave it in the wound of thy side, that through the merits of thy blood thou mayest pardon my sin, and establish me in thy love, so that I may be no longer mine, and may be all thine. It is in this manner you must act: resolve this moment to belong entirely to God, and make the same protestation before the blessed sacrament, or at the foot of the crucifix, and doubt not but if you are resolute in your determination the Lord will stretch forth his hand to raise you to a high degree of sanctity. Thus your misfortune (as you call it) will be a source of the greatest happiness, as it was to sister Bonaventure, who, in a short time, became a saint. She survived her conversion only a year, but she died rich in merits; for during that year all her time was spent in meditations and works of penance; and she expired in celestial peace, and immediately after death there were manifest signs of her admission to glory. Have courage, then, and rejoice, now that God calls you to his perfect love, and say, I know, O Lord, that thou dost wish me entirely for thyself : love which is divided is not true love. SPOUSE OP CHRIST. 459 7. But remember that to become a saint, desires are not sufficient; it is necessary to put the hand to the work. Begin to make a little more mental prayer, make a spiritual lecture every day, a visit to the holy sacrament, and to an image of Mary. When reproved, be humble; when despised, be silent; cut off all correspondence; begin to mortify the appetite, curiosity, and self-will. Be not diffident, but begin the work, and by degrees you will succeed. Self-love will live in us as long as we shall have life, and, therefore, we must constantly endeavour to cut down the noxious plants which spring up in our garden. To become a saint without trouble is impossible. Abstract of the Virtues which the Religious that wishes to become a saint should practice. It would be useful for religious to read this abstract on the day of retreat, in order to see in what virtue they fail. 1. To desire always to advancein the love of Jesus Christ. Holy desires are the wings with which souls fly to God. Hence, it is necessary to meditate frequently on the passion of our Lord. To make frequent acts of the love of Jesus Christ during the day, beginning as soon as you awake in the morning, and endeavouring to fall asleep, making an act of love. And always to ask of Jesus Christ his holy love. 2. To go to communion as often as possible, with the permission of your director. And during the day to make several spiritual communions — at least three. 3. To visit the most holy sacrament at least once in the day; and in the visit to ask perseverance and holy love, after the acts of faith, thanksgiving, and love. And when you meet with troubles, losses, affronts, or any other cross, have recourse to the most holy sacrament, from the place in which you find yourself at the time. 4. Every morning, at rising, to offer yourself to suffer in peace all the crosses which shall happen during the day, and when they happen, always to say: Lord, thy will be always done. 5. To rejoice in the infinite happiness of God. She that loves God more than herself, ought to rejoice in his felicity more than in her own. 6. To desire paradise, and, therefore, to desire death, in order to be delivered from the danger of losing God, and to go to love him for eternity, and with all your strength. 7. To desire, and to labour that all may love Jesus Christ; and, therefore, to speak frequently to the sisters of the love of Jesus Christ. 460 THE TRUE 8. To treat God without reserve, not refusing him anything which you know to be pleasing to him, and even to choose what is most pleasing to him. 9. To pray every day for the souls in purgatory, and for poor sinners. 10. To perform all your actions through the sole motive of giving pleasure to Jesus Christ, saying, at the beginning of each action, Lord, may this may be entirely for thee. 1 1. To offer yourself several times in the day to suffer every pain for his sake, saying: My Jesus, I give myself entirely to thee: here I am, do with me whatsoever thou pleasest. 12. To resolve to die rather than commit a deliberate venial sin. 13. To abstain from even lawful gratifications, at least two or three times in the day. 14. To spend two hours, or at least an hour every day, in mental prayer. 15. To love solitude and silence, in order to converse alone with God: hence, it is necessary to love the choir and the cell, and to shun the grate, the door, and the terrace. 16. To perform all the exterior mortifications which you are allowed by obedience, but to attend particularly to interior mortifications; such as not to indulge curiosity, to be silent when you receive an affront, and never to do anything through self-satisfaction. 17. To perform every spiritual exercise as if it were the last time you would perform it; and on that account to think frequently on death in your meditations. And when you are in bed, consider that there you shall one day breathe your last. 18. Not to abandon your usual devotions, or any other good work, through human respect, through aridity, or tediousness. 19. Not to complain in sickness of the inattention of the physicians, or of the sisters, and to endeavour to conceal your pains, except when it is necessary to mention them to the physician. 20. To banish melancholy, preserving tranquillity, and a uniform serenity of countenance in all crosses. He who wishes what God wishes, should never be afflicted. 21. In temptations to have recourse instantly, and with confidence, to Jesus and Mary, and to continue constantly to repeat the names of Jesus and Mary as long as the temptation lasts. 22. To place all your confidence, first, in the passion of Christ, and then, in the intercession of Mary, and to ask every day this confidence from God. SPOUSE OP CHRIST. 461 23. After a fault, never to give way to disturbance of mind, or to diffidence, even though you should relapse several times into the same fault; but instantly to repent of it, and trusting in God, to renew your resolution to correct it. 24. To render good to all who treat you badly, at least by praying to God for them. 25. To answer with meekness all who offend you by acts or words, and thus to gain them to God. 26. When you are disturbed, you will do well to remain silent until the mind is composed; otherwise you will commit a thousand faults without perceiving them. 27. In correcting others, endeavour to select a time when neither you, nor the person to be corrected, are disturbed ; otherwise the correction will do more harm than good. 28. Always to speak well of others, and to excuse the intention when you cannot excuse the action. 29. To assist others to the best of your ability, and particularly those who are opposed to you. 30. Neither to say nor to do anything disagreeable to others, unless when it is more pleasing to God that you should say or do it. And when you sometimes fail in charity to your neighbour, to ask pardon, or at least to speak to the persons with kindness, and always to speak with meekness, and in a low tone. 31. To offer to God the affronts which you receive, and not to complain of them to others. 32. To observe punctually the rule of the monastery. St. Francis de Sales used to say that the most austere penance of a religious is to deny self-will, and to be content that the observance of rule 'by the priest that every moment offers such a sacrifice to God. He would frequently say that the predestination of religious is annexed to the love of their rules. And to superiors he used to say, that to fulfil their office, they should do nothing else than observe the rule, and make it be observed by others. 33. To regard every superior as the person of Jesus Christ, and therefore to obey them punctually and without reply. 34. To love the most lowly offices. To select the poorest things. To humble yourself even to inferior sisters. Not to speak of yourself either well or ill: for speaking ill of yourself sometimes foments pride. Not to excuse yourself when reproved, nor even when you are calumniated, unless it is absolutely necessary to excuse yourself, in order to prevent scandal to others. 462 THE TRUE 35. To visit the sick, and to assist them according to the best of your ability, particularly those who are abandoned. 36. To say frequently to yourself: I have come to the convent, not to indulge in pleasure, but to suffer: not to lead a life of comfort, but of poverty; not to be honoured, but to be despised; not to do my own will, but the will of others. 37. To renew always the purpose to become a saint, and not to lose courage in any state of tepidity in which you may find yourself. 38. To renew every day the vows of your profession. 39. To conform to the divine will in all things opposed to the senses in sorrows, infirmities, affronts, contradiction, losses of property, death of relatives or of persons who are dear to you. And to direct all your actions, communions, and other prayers to that end, always asking of God to make you love him, and fulfil his holy will in all things. 40. To recommend yourself to the prayers of other devout persons; but to recommend yourself more to the saints in heaven, and particularly to most holy Mary, setting a great value on the devotion of this divine mother, and endeavouring to infuse it into others. FAMILIAR DISCOURSE TO A YOUNG PERSON TAKING THE RELIGIOUS HABIT. BY ST. ALPHONSUS. Devout sister, of this day on which you have the happiness of being espoused to Jesus Christ, you should preserve a continual remembrance, in order to thank him unceasingly for so great a favour. Do not imagine that Jesus Christ should be under any obligation to you for having left the world for the love of him; you ought to feel an eternal obligation to him for the grace by which he has called you to forsake the world. You, this day, renounce the world; perhaps you think that in quitting it you make a great sacrifice ? What is the world ? A land of thorns, and tears, and of pains. It promises great things to its followers, it promises amusements, pleasures, and peace; but they are illusions, bitterness, and vanities. Its very riches, honours, and amusements in the end become an occasion of pain and mourning. "Mourning taketh hold of the end of joy" — Prov. xix. 13. God grant that for so many blind Christians, who love the world, this mourning may not be eternal; in the world there are many great and inevitable dangers of losing our souls, heavers, nnd God. SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 463 How deplorable the condition of those who, deluded byits false promises, forsake Jesus Christ, and go into the world ! They expect to find pleasures and happiness, but unhappy souls, they find nothing there, as experience demonstrates, but gall and thorns. The subjection to husbands, the care of children and servants, human respects, the wants of the family, and the control to which all seculars are subject, form a tempest so full of anguish, fears, and discontent, as to render the life of many almost a continual martyrdom. Ask married women, and try how many can you find happy and content. How many have I found discontented and full of woes ! On the other hand ask nuns who have left the world for God, and who wish for nothing but God, if they are satisfied with their state, and they will tell you that they continually thank God for having drawn them away from the world. True, indeed, are the words of Cardinal Petrucci, that the delights of the lovers of the world have the appearance of joys, and are only torments; and on the other hand, the sufferings of them who love God appear to be torments, but they are joys. So much for the present life; but in the next life, what will be the lot of those who have left the world, and of those who remain in it and love it? Can we not, you will say, become saints, even in the world ? My child, attend to what I say, that the devil may not hereafter disturb your peace of mind. To become a saint, it is not enough to say that you will become a saint, nor to desire to become a saint; it is necessary to adopt the means of becoming a saint. It is necessary to make mental prayer every day, because they who do not think often of God "scarcely love God. It is necessary to frequent the sacraments, by which God communicates himself to our souls, tt is necessary to be perfectly detached from earthly affections, and from all worldly vanities. But how much mental prayer can mothers of a family make, when their beads are full of cares and anxiety about their children, Servants, and the necessities of the house? They scarcely have time to say the rosary. How can they frequent the sacraments, when it is almost with difficulty that some of them can go to church to hear mass on festivals? How can they live in perfect disengagement from worldly affections, when they live in the midst of the world ? Then I may be asked, is it not possible for a married woman to become a saint ? Yes, a married woman may, even in the midst of the world, may become a saint, provided she endeavours, to the best of her ability, to practice the devout 464 THE TRUE exercises mentioned above. But it is, above all — necessary to provide herself with great patience, for it is only with great difficulty and labour that she can become a saint. I say that married persons, who become saints, though they be ladies of rank, princesses, or queens, must be martyrs of patience. But, on the other hand, how many helps and facilities to lead a regular and saintly life has the religious who leaves the world and gives herself to. God ? If she did only the little which the rule prescribes and the community practices, by making meditation every day, by going to communion several times in the week, assisting at mass every morning, hearing frequently the word of God, performing the spiritual exercises for eight days every year, and so many other devotions which are practiced in the convent, she will do enough to make her a saint. Listen to me, my child : whenever the devil shall tempt you to abandon your vocation to the religious state, call to mind what I now tell you: that in the world the number of females who are saved is small; but in convents the number of those who are damned is small, and very small. In fine, had you remained in the world, you could expect no better spouse than a grandee, a nobleman, or a monarch. But now you take for your spouse the King of heaven and of all the kingdoms of the earth ! How many holy virgins have renounced the nuptials of the first monarchs of the earth, in order to be the spouses of Jesus Christ ? Blessed Agnes refused the hand of the Emperor Ferdinand the Second, and shut herself up in a monastery. Other holy virgins have chosen to lose their lives rather than cease to be the spouses of Jesus Christ. St. Agnes was sought after by many Roman nobles; but she was content to be beheaded sooner than forsake Jesus Christ. St. Domittilla refused to be the spouse of the Count Aurelian; in punishment of her refusal, she was burnt alive and died a martyr. To St. Susanna was offered the hand of the emperor Maximin; but, in order to preserve her fidelity to Jesus Christ, she preferred to lose her life by the hand of the executioner, and received the crown of martyrdom. Leave, then, my child, leave to those young ladies who love the world, all their amusements, vanities, splendid dresses, comedies, banquets, and festivities, and rejoice in Jesus Christ. In your cell he will give you more happiness than you could receive from all the pleasures, pomps, and riches possessed by all the queens of the earth. In your solitary cell you shall enjoy a paradise and a continual peace. If you love Jesus Christ, you will love the solitude SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 465 which you shall find in your cell. There our crucified spouse will speak familiarly to your heart: from that cross he shall send forth rays of light to your understanding, and burning darts of holy love to your heart. And in the solitude of your cell you will disclose to him the love which you bear him, and will continually make oblations of yourself and of all you possess to him; you will ask him for the graces which you stand in need of; you will communicate to him all the difficulties and fears which trouble you, and he will console you. Doubt not but the divine spouse will always console you during life, and much more at death, when, instead of being obliged to die in a secular house, surrounded by children, relatives, servants, and friends, none of whom would say to you a single word for the good of your soul, you shall have the happiness of dying in the house of God, surrounded by your holy sisters in religion, who will comfort you by holy discourses, and will encourage you to appear with great confidence before your spouse, who will come to meet you with a crown in his hand, to make you a queen in his blessed kingdom, in return for the love which you have borne him. I have said that religious who give themselves to God enjoy a continual peace; I mean that peace which can be had on this earth, which is called a valley of tears. In heaven, God prepares for us that full and perfect peace, which is exempt from all trouble. But this earth is for us a place of merit, and consequently it is a place of suffering, where, by patiently carrying the cross, the joys of paradise are gained. The spouse, blessed sister, which you take this morning, though he is the most noble, the richest, and the greatest you can find, is called, and really is a bloody spouse. "A bloody spouse thou art tome." A bloody spouse, who has shed all his blood by dint of scourges, thorns, and nails, that thus he might save your soul and the souls of all men. Behold, your loving Jesus goes before you, and invites you to follow him as a spouse. Look at him, then, and see how he goes, not crowned with flowers, but with thorns; not clothed with gold and gems, but with blood and wounds: look at the royal throne on which he lies; it is a hard cross on which he agonizes, and on which, for the love of you, he dies in a sea of pains and ignominies. Listen to the words in which he invites you to follow him: "If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" — Mark viii. 34. The first thing he demands of you is to deny yourself: let him deny himself. In a word, he wishes you, in the first 466 THE'T R U E place, to take away your affections from all creatures. Your spouse will never be satisfied with you, unless he sees you entirely his own. And to belong entirely to him, you must divest yourself of all earthly affections to vanity, property, relatives, to self-esteem, or self-will. Above all, it is necessary to watch over your heart, and not to allow an attachment to any person to enter it. When any creature wishes to rob Jesus Christ of a part of the love which you owe him, and which he desires entirely for himself, say, with St. Agnes: "Depart from me, food of death, I am prevented by another lover." Begone, food of death, Jesus, my God and my spouse, has been the first to love me, he has won my whole heart: depart, begone, for in my heart there is no place for you. And, my child, to preserve the remembrance of this sentiment, keep in mind what will be said to you when you shall receive the veil, which represents the care with which you should hide yourself from the eyes of the world, that you may never admit any other love, or any other lover than Jesus Christ. After receiving the veil, you shall say: "He has placed his seal on my forehead, that I may admit no lover but him." Hence, you, this morning, change your habit and your name: you change your habit: you lay aside the dress of the world, and put on that of religion, that you may entirely forget the world and all worldly vanities. You also change your name, that the* world may forget you, and that, as if dead to the world, you maybe so separated from it that all shall regard you as no longer in the world. The second thing which Jesus Christ demands of you is, to carry with resignation the crosses which shall be laid upon you: "let him take up his cross." Your cross shall be the observance of the rules of the monastery, and the fulfilment of the directions of your superior. It is impossible for a nun to be a good religious, unless she practice perfect obedience to the rules of the community, and to the commands of her superiors. Your cross also shall be to suffer with meekness all the contradictions, mortifications, and humiliations which shall happen to you: the religious who refuses to submit to humiliation's shows that she is not humble, and the nun who is not humble will not become a saint, and is in great danger of being lost. In a word, there is no other way to heaven than that of the cross, and of patience in carrying it; and for the souls whom he wishes to be saints, God finds in all places crosses to afflict them, and make them his true spouses. I entreat you, after having received the holy habit, to renew, every day, the promise you have made to be faith- SPOUSE OF CHRIST. ful to Jesus Christ. Love and fidelity are the principal virtues of a spouse. Hence, you shall receive the ring as a mark of the fidelity with which you ought to preserve the love you have promised to Jesus Christ. But if you wish to be faithful do not trust in your promise: you must continually pray to Jesus Christ for holy perseverance, and must implore his holy mother to obtain it for you. Be careful to place great confidence in the intercession of Mary, who is called the mother of perseverance. And when you feel cold in divine love, and inclined to love any creature, ask yourself the following questions: Why have I left the world, my family, and relatives? Is it to bring myself to damnation ? This thought encouraged St. Bernard, when he felt his fervour cooling, to resume the way of perfection. "Bernarde ad quid venisti." Bernard, he would say, why have you left the world, and entered into a monastery ? Is it not to become a saint ? Why, then, do you not labour to become a saint ? By this means St. Bernard lived and died a saint. My 6ister, I hope that you will imitate him, and that I shall see you a saint and a queen in heaven, among so many virgins who reign in that kingdom of bliss. I must terminate my discourse, your spouse commands me: he eagerly desires to see you soon in his own house. Behold with what gladness he expects you, and listen to his loving invitation to enter this monastery — his royal palace. Go, then, and enter with joy: for the welcome with which your spouse shall receive you this morning into his own house, is a pledge of the welcome with which he will receive you after death into the kingdom of paradise. Live, Jesus, our hope, and Mary, our hope. ADVICE TO A YOUNG LADY IN DOUBT ABOUT THE STATE OF LIFE WHICH SHE OUGHT TO EMBRACE. Blessed sister, you are deliberating about the choice of a state of life. I see that you are agitated because the world wishes you to belong to itself, and to enter the married state; and, on the other hand, Jesus Christ wishes you to give yourself to him by becoming a nun in some convent of exact observance. Remember that on the choice which you shall make your eternal salvation depends. Hence, I recommend you, as soon as you read this advice, to implore the Lord every day to give you light and strength to embrace that state which will be most conducive to your salvation; that thus you may not afterwards, when 468 THE TRUE your error shall be irreparable, have to repent of the choice you have made for your whole life and for all eternity. Examine whether you will be more happy in having for your spouse a man of the world, or Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the king of heaven ; see which of them appears to be the better spouse, and then make your choice. At the age of thirteen the holy virgin St. Agnes, was, on account of her extraordinary beauty, sought after by many. Among the rest, the son of the Roman Prefect asked her for his spouse; but looking at Jesus Christ, who wished her to belong to him, she said : I have found a spouse better than you, and than all the monarchs of this world; therefore I cannot exchange him for any other. And rather than exchange him she was 1 content to lose her life, and cheerfully suffered martyrdom for Jesus Christ. The holy virgin Domitilla gave a similar answer to the Count Aurelian; she, too, died a martyr, and was burned alive, because she would not forsake Jesus Christ. Oh ! how happy do these holy virgins now feel in heaven; how happy will they feel for all eternity at having made so good a choice The same happy lot awaits you, and will await all young females who renounce the world in order to give themselves to Jesus Christ. In the next place, examine the consequences of the state of the person who chooses the world, and of the person who makes choice of Jesus Christ. The world offers earthly goods, riches, honours, amusements, and pleasures. On the other hand, Jesus Christ presents to you scourges, thorns, opprobrium, and crosses; for these were the goods which he chose for himself all the days of his mortal life. But, then, he offers you two immense goods which the world cannot give — peace of soul in this life, and paradise in the next. Moreover, before you decide on embracing any state, you must reflect that your soul is immortal ; that is, that after the present life, which shall soon end, you must pass into eternity, in which you shall receive that place of punishment or of reward, which you shall have merited by your works during life. Thus you must remain for all eternity in the house either of eternal life or of eternal death, in which, after your departure from this world, it will be your lot first to dwell: you shall be either for ever saved and happy amid the joys of paradise, or for ever lost and in despair in the torments of hell. In the meantime, consider that everything in this world must soon end. Happy all that are saved; miserable the soul that is damned. Keep always in mind that great maxim of Jesus Christ: "What SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 469 will it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he lose his own soul ?" This maxim has sent so many from the world to shut themselves up in the cloister, or to live in the deserts; it has inspired so many young females with courage to forsake the world in order to give themselves to God, and to die a holy death. On the other hand, consider the unhappy lot of so many ladies of fortune, so many princesses and queens, who in the world have been attended, praised, honoured, and almost adored; but if they are damned, what do they now find in hell of so much riches, of so many pleasures, of so many honours enjoyed in this life, but pains and remorses of conscience, which shall torment them for ever, as long as God shall be God, without any hope of remedy for their eternal ruin. But let us now give a glance at the goods which the world gives in this life to its followers, and to the goods which God gives to her who loves him and forsakes the world for his sake. The world makes great promises, but do we not all see that the world is a traitor which promises what it never performs ? But though it should fulfil all its promises, what does it give ? It gives earthly goods, but does it give the peace and the life of happiness which it promises ? All its goods delight the senses and the flesh, but do not content the heart and the soul. Our souls have been created by God for the sole purpose of loving him in this life, and of enjoying him in the next. Hence, all the goods of the earth, all its delights, and all its grandeurs, are outside the heart: they enter not into the soul which God alone can content. Solomon has even called all worldly goods vanities and lies, which do not content but afflict the soul. " Vanitas vanitatum et afflictio spiritus." Vanity of vanities and affliction of spirit. This we know also from experience, for we see that the more a person abounds in these goods the greater her anguish and misery of mind. If by its goods the world gave content to the soul, great indeed would be the happiness of princesses and queens, who want neither amusements, nor comedies, nor festivities, nor banquets, nor splendid palaces, nor beautiful carriages, nor costly dresses, nor precious jewels, nor servants, nor ladies of honour to attend and pay homage to them. But no : they who imagine them to be happy are deceived. Ask them if they enjoy perfect peace, if they are perfectly content, and they will answer: What peace? what content ? They will tell you that they lead a life of misery, and that they know not what peace is. The maltreatment which they receive from their husbands, 470 THE TRUE the displeasure caused by their children, the wants of the house, the jealousies and fears to which they are subject, make them live in the midst of continual anguish and bitterness. Married women may be called martyrs of patience, if they bear all with resignation; but unless they are patient and resigned they will suffer a martyrdom in this world, and a more painful martyrdom in the next. The remorses of conscience, though they had nothing else to suffer, keep married persons in continual torment. Being attached to earthly goods, they reflect but little on spiritual things: they seldom approach the sacraments, and seldom recommend themselves to God; and being deprived of these helps to a good life, they will scarcely be able to live without sin and without continual remorses of conscience. Behold, then, how all the joys promised by the world become to married persons sources of bitterness, of fears, and of damnation. How many of them shall say: Unhappy me, what will become of me after so many sins, after the life which I led, at a distance from God,always going from bad to worse ? I would wish for retirement in order to spend a little time in mental prayer, but the affairs of the family and of the house, which is always in confusion, do not permit it. I would wish to hear sermons, to go to confession, to communicate often; I would wish to go often to the church, but my husband does not wish it. My unceasing occupations, the care of children, the frequent visits of friends, keep me confined to the house; and thus it is not without some difficulty that I can hear mass at a late hour on festivals. How great was my folly in entering the married state, when I could become a saint in a convent ! But all these lamentations only serve to increase their pain, because they see that it is no longer in their power to change the unhappy choice they have made of living in the world. And if their life is unhappy, their death shall be much more miserable. At that awful hour they shall be surrounded by servants, by their husbands, and children bathed in tears; but instead of giving them relief, all these will be to them an occasion of greater affliction. And thus afflicted, poor in merits, and full of fears for their eternal salvation, they must go to present themselves to Jesus Christ to be judged by him. But on the other hand, how great will be the happiness which a nun, who has left the world for Jesus Christ, shall enjoy, living amongst so many spouses of God, and in a solitary cell, at a distance from the turmoils of the world and from the proximate danger of losing God, to which seculars are exposed. How much greater shall be her consolation at SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 471 death, after having spent her years in meditation, mortifications, and spiritual exercises; in visits to the holy sacrament, in confessions, communions, ^cts of humility, of hope, and love of Jesus Christ. And though the devil should endeavour to terrify her by the faults committed in younger days, her spouse, for whom she has left the world, will console her, and thus, full of confidence, she will die in the embraces of her crucified Redeemer, who will conduct her to heaven, there to enjoy eternal happiness. Thus, blessed sister, since you must make choice of a state of life, make the choice now which you will wish at death to have made. At death, every one who sees that for her the world is about to end, says: Oh ! that I had led the life of a saint. Oh ! that I had left the world and given myself to God. But what is then done is done, and nothing remains for her but to breathe forth her soul, and to go to hear from Jesus Christ: Come, blessed soul, and rejoice with me for eternity; or, Begone for ever to hell at a distance from me. You, then, must choose the world or Jesus Christ. If you choose the world, you will probably repent of the choice; hence, you ought to reflect well upon it. In the world the number of females who are lost is very great; in religion, the number of those damned is very small. Recommend yourself to Jesus crucified, and to most holy Mary, that they may make you choose the state most conducive to your eternal salvation. If you wish to become a nun, resolve to become a saint; if you intend to lead a loose and imperfect life, like some religious, it is useless for you to enter a convent; you would then only lead an unhappy life and die an unhappy death. But if you are resolved not to become a religious, I cannot advise you to enter the married state, for St. Paul does not counsel that state to any one, except in case of necessity, which I hope does not exist for you. At least remain in your own house, and endeavour to become a saint. I entreat you to say the, following prayer for nine days. My Lord Jesus Christ, who hast died for my salvation, I implore thee through the merits of thy passion, to give me light and strength to choose that state which is best for my salvation. And do thou, O my Mother, Mary, obtain this grace for me by thy powerful intercession. Amen. THE END. www.Catholic-Saints.net Free DVDs and Books |