The Desire of Perfection

X. Corollaries concerning aspiration and preparation for the more eminent gifts of God, first of all contemplation and mystical life.¹⁵ - From all that has been set forth above, the following conclusions are easily understood:

¹⁵ Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange in the periodical La Vie spirituelle, t. V.

1. Special and miraculous liberalities or communications, which are said to draw away from faith because they consist in distinct pieces of knowledge, are not to be desired, because they are extraordinary and therefore provide a handle for vain glory, curiosity, and illusion, and because they are not necessary for perfection nor do they sanctify. Hence they are most constantly to be rejected, "yet always with a spirit of humility and without any contempt, and always protesting before God that one wishes to serve Him in pure faith."¹⁶ For one act of charity is worth more than all visions.

¹⁶ St. Alphonsus, Pr. conf., n. 143.

2. The more eminent graces of the mystical life, as being uniform with faith and sanctifying, such as confused knowledges and divine touches which unite to God, are not to be rejected; hence of themselves it is licit to desire them and humbly seek them, especially by those persons who are already endowed with them, so that union with God may be perfected and love may receive new increases. For it is good for man and desirable to God, the ultimate end, to adhere to Him by the intellect through contemplation, and by the affection through excellent love. Hence he can also prepare and dispose himself for it, both by the progressive practice of affective prayer and recollection, and by the exercise of moral virtues by which the obstacles of contemplation are removed;¹⁷ yet he cannot merit nor effect it.

¹⁷ St. Thomas, II-II, q. 180, a. 2.

3. Nevertheless, for those persons who are not sufficiently prepared, it is safer only to desire perfection in general, and conformity to God's will; because they tend only altogether remotely to contemplation, but are not yet able to attain it.

4. Let the aspiration be pure, humble, discreet. Practically, it will be better to obey the Holy Spirit generously, to sweat with God's help in the works of perfection, never to judge oneself worthy of the grace of contemplation, so that if God should wish to raise one to contemplation, He may not find one unprepared.

5. The dispositions ordinarily required are enumerated: some at least confused and general knowledge of the contemplative life; - a strong soul; - silence and withdrawal; - mortification of body and spirit; - purity of heart; - simplicity of mind; - profound humility; - meditation; - study of acquiring the presence of God; - fervent charity.

6. Therefore very many moderns err who hold the graces of the contemplative and mystical life as extraordinary gifts, and consequently apply to them the rules which authors of the spiritual life hand down concerning these things. There is one spiritual life which begins from the purgative way, grows through the illuminative way, and is terminated in mystical union with God. To this all are called by a general and remote vocation; but by a proximate and individual vocation those who are found sufficiently disposed. Therefore that distrust which many nourish toward the mystical life is not legitimate.