The Spiritual Life (Christian Perfection)

I. Nature of the obligation. The pursuit of acquiring perfection, or tendency toward perfection, consists in this, that someone: 1st, observes the means which oblige under grave sin; 2nd, does not contemn any means annexed to his state, even if not imposed under grave sin; 3rd, habitually observes the means which do not oblige under grave sin, but nevertheless are annexed to the state by force either of vows, or of rules and constitutions, or of ecclesiastical precept (St. Alphonsus IV, 9-11; cf. St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, article 9).

II. The existence of the obligation is deduced both from can. 488, 1st (n. 1212) and 593 (n. 1215), and from the fact that a religious "by force of profession is held to advance in some way in the way of perfection. Because by force of profession he is held to will to preserve his state, which is of perfection or of those tending to perfection, although according to itself it is not of precept but of counsel; but this is intrinsically to will to tend toward perfection" (St. Alphonsus IV, 9; cf. St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, articles 1 and 2).

Corollary I. A religious sins gravely against the obligation of tending toward perfection: 1st, who does not observe a means which obliges under grave sin; 2nd, who from contempt neglects a means annexed to his state, even if it is not imposed under grave sin (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, articles 2 and 9; St. Alphonsus IV, 10).

Corollary II. He sins lightly against the obligation of tending toward perfection who habitually neglects means which are annexed to the state, but do not oblige under grave sin (St. Alphonsus IV, 11).

Corollary III. He does not sin against the obligation of tending toward perfection: 1st, who is not yet actually perfect (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, article 1, ad 3; St. Alphonsus IV, 9); 2nd, who now and then does not observe a means which is annexed to the state but does not oblige under grave sin; 3rd, who neglects means not annexed to his state (St. Alphonsus IV, 9).

641. Rule I. - Before all things, let the Confessor strive to perceive the intimate movements and condition of the souls of penitents, so that he may be able to accommodate instruction to their capacity and nature; for not all are to be led by the same spirit, nor are all to be governed in one manner. - See St. Ligorius, Practice of the Confessor, no. 99 and following.

Rule II. Let him lead penitents to perfection by degrees and in an orderly manner, so that they first strive to attain the first degree of virtue before they contend for the highest; for example, let them first learn to act with a right intention ¹ and to perform ordinary actions rightly before they think upon higher things; let them first learn to bear light things patiently before they desire grave things; let them first learn to suffer with an even mind before they wish to rejoice in adversities ².

¹ Understand a right intention negatively, that is, that they not add a disordered end to actions good from their object. For if you understand a right end, that the action may please God, be done for the love of God, etc., you have not the first or lowest degree of virtue but the highest, which resides in the exercise of perfect charity.

² Observe nevertheless that saying: The Spirit breathes where he wills; moreover, some, God thus permitting, are infected with defects while otherwise they abound in great gifts of God and solid fruit of virtues.

Rule III. Let him teach all that the perfection of each consists in this: that they perform ordinary works well; for example, that they pray well, assist at Mass, exercise themselves in labors, take bodily refreshment in the manner which is fitting, converse blamelessly with their neighbor, and finally rightly discharge all the things incumbent upon them from their office and state.

548. Since there are many penitents who, with God's help, avoid mortal sins and tend to spiritual perfection, confessors ought to devote themselves to the study of Ascetical and Mystical Theology, that they may wisely direct these in the way of God; otherwise, they will either have no care for pious persons, or will lead them into the way of error, illusion, and hallucination. Here we can note only a few things, referring the confessor for the rest to approved authors.²

² Cf. St. Thomas, in the second part of the Sum. theolog.; Alvarez de Paz, De Vita spirituali et ejus perfectione; Philip of the Most Holy Trinity, Summa Theologiae Mysticae; St. François de Sales, Introd. à la Vie Dévote and Traité de l'Amour de Dieu; Schram, Instit. Theologiae Mysticae; Scaramelli, Direttorio ascetico; Direttorio mistico; Msgr. Gay, De la Vie et des Vertus chrétiennes; Ribet, La Mystique divine; L'Ascétique chrétienne; Faber, All for Jesus; Growth in Holiness; Saudreau, Méthode pour diriger les âmes, Paris, Vic et Amat.

549. (A) Preliminary Remarks. (a) Let the confessor not try to lead all pious persons living in the world to the highest degree of perfection: for there are those who are truly devout and rightly perform ordinary good works, without nevertheless being called to a higher perfection.

(b) Not all the devout are to be directed in the same way, but attention must be given to their character and condition, and also to the inspirations which they receive from the Holy Spirit.

As to character, those endowed with a different temperament must be treated differently. The phlegmatic must be stirred up, lest they become asleep, tepid, and lax; the choleric and nervous must be moderated, lest they suddenly wish to attain a higher degree and afterward fall; the melancholic need consolation, lest they be oppressed by sadness and a broken spirit; the sanguine must be persuaded that they do all things deliberately and constantly, lest, moved by sudden ardor, they undertake something above their strength, and afterward, cast down, fall into desperation.¹

¹ These temperaments are treated in the Treatise on Human Acts, n. 120.

With regard to condition of life, married persons and celibates are not to be directed in the same way, nor those who are bound to labor assiduously and those who enjoy much leisure, etc. Nothing must ever be counseled which can obstruct fulfillment of the duties of one's state.

Since the Spirit of God is manifold in His gifts, and inspires various souls variously, let the confessor carefully inquire whether and how each devout person is drawn by grace to this or that virtue; likewise let him ask light from God: for he ought not to go before divine inspirations, but rather to follow them.

550. (B) Method to be Followed. (a) First of all, the devout are to be taught that perfection is not properly situated in spiritual exercises, or in the practice of mortification, or in this or that devotion, but in the love of God for Himself, and in the love of neighbor for God: "Of itself and essentially, the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity, principally indeed according to the love of God, but secondarily according to the love of neighbor." This love indeed is not to be placed in sensible affection, but in the prompt and generous will of doing and suffering all things for God, and therefore of willing all things which God wills, because He wills them, in the way He wills, and as long as He wills. From this it follows that perfection is to be sought not in a few heroic acts, but in individual and ordinary actions performed for God with a prompt and fervent mind.²

² St. Thomas, 2. 2., q. 184, a. 3.

But since, in the present state, we cannot love God and neighbor as we ought unless we deny ourselves, mortification of the external and internal senses, and also of the passions, is a necessary means for attaining perfection: "But those who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences."³ - Moreover, since we have been redeemed and sanctified through Christ, we cannot attain Christian perfection except through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ: hence, in the present order, no one can be perfect except by intimate union with Christ. Therefore the greatest devotion must be inculcated toward Christ the Redeemer, and the various mysteries of Him, especially the Passion; and toward Christ hidden in the Eucharist, whose hidden life pious persons should strive to contemplate and imitate by devout visits.

³ Galat., V, 24. - Recall to memory what was said concerning the four wounds of human nature in the Treatise on God the Creator, n. 198.

But since Christ came to us through Mary, we can approach Him more promptly and safely through Mary: to Jesus through Mary. Nor indeed must devotion toward the Saints be omitted, who, since they have imitated Christ, can by examples and intercession lead us to the Lord. Yet let the confessor take care that this devotion be regarded only as a means for promoting imitation and love of Christ.

551. (b) Let the confessor keep before his eyes that there are three degrees or states of perfection, according to the diverse degrees of charity, namely the state of beginners, of those progressing, and of the perfect; to which correspond the three spiritual ways: purgative, illuminative, and unitive.

Beginners are those who are not only retarded by concupiscences and passions, but also are in danger of sometimes falling into mortal sin. These are in the purgative way, because they purge themselves from sins by mortifying the passions and at the same time fostering charity. - Those progressing, their passions now calmed, more easily devote themselves to the operation of the virtues, especially the moral virtues, and to the increase of charity; hence they are in the illuminative way, because, since they are more immune from vices and concupiscences, they are more often illuminated by God. - But the perfect, their passions having been subdued, become accustomed to the exercise not only of moral virtues, but also theological virtues, and promptly and delightfully devote themselves to the love of God; hence they walk in the unitive way, because they are united to God more intimately and more frequently. - In practice, however, these degrees are not so clearly distinct; and there is no state or degree which does not in some way participate in another degree; therefore in any state one must unceasingly devote oneself to mortification, to the moral virtues, and to the theological virtues; but in the first degree one must insist more on mortification; in the second, on the moral virtues; and in the third, on the theological virtues.

552. (c) The general means by which the degrees of perfection are climbed step by step are spiritual exercises and frequent reception of the sacraments.

Among pious exercises, three are especially profitable, besides frequent assistance at Mass and visitation of the Most Holy Sacrament: meditation, frequent remembrance of the presence of God, and sincere examination of conscience. 1. According to St. Alphonsus,¹ the confessor ought before all else to dispose the devout to make mental prayer, because prayer and sin cannot dwell together; and moreover by meditation divine love is enkindled. Most persons, even the rude, can make some meditation if, after pious reading, they think seriously about the things which they have read and ask these three things of themselves: how can these things be brought into practice by me? - whether and how far I have done this before? - what can I do today concerning this matter? Then let them pray that they put into execution the things they have proposed to themselves.

¹ Praxis, n. 122; cf. n. 217 sq., where the practice of mental prayer is explained; St. François de Sales, Introd. à la Vie dévote, 2nd part, ch. 1-8; Faber, Growth in Holiness, ch. 15.

2. Let them frequently have the presence of God before their eyes, according to that saying:¹ "Walk before me, and be perfect"; and let them offer their acts to God not only in the morning, but several times in the day, and recite pious ejaculatory prayers; for thus they will not only flee sin, but also daily progress in the practice of virtues.

¹ Gen. XVII, 1.

3. In examining their conscience, let them recall not only in a general way their principal delicts, but let them seriously examine themselves concerning one vice or one virtue in species, so that they may see not only whether they have offended, but whether and how far they have progressed: for they will progress more promptly and safely if they apply all their strength to cultivating one virtue or extirpating one vice for some notable time.

As to frequency of Communion, read the rules which are handed down in Syn. Theol. Dogm., De Eucharist., n. 150-152, and the decree of Pius X.

553. (d) Particular means are diverse according to the diverse degrees which pious persons have attained, and their character, condition, and supernatural inclinations. For although the principal virtues ought to be cultivated by all, those especially are to be inculcated which are opposed to the predominant vice, or better correspond to the duties of one's state or to the motions of grace. Certain ones nevertheless seem more necessary: in the first degree, mortification of curiosity, vanity, and sensual love; in the second, the practice of prudence, justice, fortitude, humility, meekness, and sincerity; in the third, the spirit of faith, filial trust in God, and fervent love of God. Concerning these, see the Treatise on Virtues, in which all these things are described more fully.

554. (C) On the Temptations of the Devout. The devout are attacked by special temptations, for overcoming which more efficaciously they need the counsel of a prudent confessor.

(a) Beginners, after they have experienced tender devotion, are gradually deprived of spiritual delights, because God wishes to nourish them with more solid food: from this anxieties and dejection of soul are born. Therefore the confessor will teach them that true virtue and true progress consist in spiritual combat, not in delights; that the business of perfection is completed not in one day, but by a slow step, after the manner of plants which grow in a way scarcely sensible; that God looks upon the heart, and rewards efforts rather than apparent progress; that in the work of salvation invincible constancy profits more than efforts made with interruption², etc.

² "But he who shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved" (Matt., X, 22).

(b) Those progressing, after some time wearied by spiritual combat, often look back¹, and wish to stop where they are; from this it happens that they gradually decline; namely, spiritual exercises are omitted or performed negligently; esteem of perfection decreases, and love of the world and of pleasures increases; hence venial sins are committed deliberately and frequently, and when grave temptation urges, they easily slip into mortal sin. - These should be taught that those who do not progress in the way of God, by that very fact go back; that tepidity is often more dangerous than mortal sin: "Would that you were cold or hot! But because you are tepid, ... I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth"²; that loss of time and grace are very grave evils and are punished by severe penalties: "For the earth often drinking in the rain coming upon it ... but bringing forth thorns and briars, is reprobate, and very near to a curse; whose end is to be burned"³; that those who are heaped with more abundant graces are bound to greater perfection, and therefore that those are not to be imitated who, helped by lesser graces, lead a common life quietly. Let them be induced, if it can be done, to make the sacred exercises in retreat; then let them resume the neglected exercises of devotion and perform them fervently, especially meditation and examination of conscience; and let them direct all their efforts, for a long time, to cultivating one virtue. By these and other similar means they will return to better things.⁴

¹ "No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luc., IX, 62).

² Apoc. III, 15-16.

³ Hebr., VI, 7-8.

⁴ You will find means for avoiding or correcting tepidity in Pratique progressive de la Confession, and in the other works cited above.

(c) Even those more advanced, or the perfect, can fall into the snare of the devil; for sometimes they indulge pride, vain glory, and presumption; from this it happens that they rashly cast themselves into certain occasions of sinning, and are deceived by various illusions: anger is judged zeal, pertinacity is held for constancy, prodigality for liberality, self-love for divine love, sensual and impure love for charity. Hence they can also slip into grave sins. - The consideration of their own fragility, frequent remembrance of sins, and the intimate persuasion that no good is to be attributed to us⁵ will profit these persons. To avoid illusions, let them do nothing extraordinary without consulting the confessor; as to the practice of virtues, let them take his counsel. If they have fallen into mortal sin, let the confessor receive them kindly, without any sign of admiration or indignation; yet let them seize this occasion for humbling themselves under the powerful hand of God, acknowledging their unworthiness, impotence, and perfidy, so that thereafter they may serve God with greater humility and fervor, and compensate the injury by doubled homage.

⁵ "But what do you have that you have not received? And if you have received, why do you glory as if you had not received?" I Cor., IV, 7.

555. (D) On the Desolations of the Devout. Sometimes even the devout are afflicted with various desolations, temptations against faith, confidence, or chastity, by which they are affected with great sorrow and can become despondent.

(a) Let them keep before their mind that there is no safer and shorter way to perfection than patience in tribulations: the greater things we suffer for God, the more perfectly are we detached from creatures and the more intimately united to God; therefore in no desolation let them despond in soul, but let them hand themselves wholly over into the hands of divine mercy, saying with Christ¹: "My Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou"; for the chalice accepted patiently passes more quickly.

¹ Matth., XXVI, 39.

(b) With the help of divine light, let inquiry be made from what cause this spiritual desolation arises. If from voluntary defect, let sorrow be sincerely had for the fault, pardon be humbly sought, and the former fervor be renewed. If from weariness of body or natural disposition, let strength be restored to the body by honest recreation and bodily exercise, and, if there is need, let a physician be approached who may prescribe proper remedies. If from God, who wishes to render the soul purer, let it be gladly accepted as a means of more intimate union with the Crucified: "With Christ I am fastened to the cross."²

² Galat., II, 19.

(c) In time of desolation let no exercise of devotion be omitted or performed negligently: for then exercises of this kind are more pleasing to God and more meritorious.

(d) Let the state of the soul be candidly opened to the confessor, who can suggest more useful counsels.

556. (F) On the Extraordinary Graces of the Devout. Sometimes also God illumines the devout by a special light or vision, or consoles them with extraordinary consolations. But since in this matter illusions and hallucinations easily occur, let the confessor examine all these things diligently, not indeed with an unbelieving mind, but with a sober one, so that he may discern whether they proceed from the Spirit of God, or from a fervid imagination or the devil.³

³ On discernment of spirits, cf. De Imitatione Christi, lib. III, c. 54; St. Ignatius, Exercitia Spirit., Rules for discerning the movements of the soul; Bona, De Discretione spirituum; Poulain, Des Grâces d'oraison.

(a) The good Spirit does not inspire things which are repugnant to revealed truth or to doctrine received in the Church; therefore novelties must carefully be rejected.

(b) The good Spirit moves to self-denial, obedience, humility, contempt of the world, flight from honors, etc.; things contrary to these virtues proceed from nature or from the evil spirit.

(c) The Spirit of God is discreet; hence generally He moves only to ordinary things and those accommodated to one's own strength; if sometimes He inspires extraordinary things, at the same time He infuses a sense of obedience and humility: therefore those are deceived who pant after extraordinary things, if they make much of themselves and despise others, if they glory in the grace of devotion, or if, when despised, they are cast down in soul.

(d) A divine motion is good from every part, in the beginning, in progress, and in the end; the illusion of the demon, although it may seem to begin rightly, shortly ends in something depraved, either by drawing back from a better good, or by insinuating something evil, or by disturbing the soul.

(e) Nevertheless, a temptation of the devil or a natural movement of the soul, for example, of pride, can afterward be joined to a divine motion. Therefore one must beware lest that which in the beginning was divine afterward become diabolical through some fault.

(f) Since obedience is the best trial of virtue, let the confessor sometimes command something contrary to the proper judgment of the penitent; if he obeys constantly and humbly, it is a good sign; but otherwise, if he is unwilling to obey.

See the rest in the cited authors.

b) Contemplation⁴³ or effective prayer is the final act (actus completivus) of meditation, by which the soul flies straightway into the presence of God and beholds Him directly,⁴⁴—not by intuition, as the pure spirits behold Him in Heaven, but discursively, i. e., by means of the truths and principles suggested by the preceding meditation. Hence the three stages of cogitation, meditation, and contemplation.⁴⁵

⁴³ St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 2a 2ae, qu. 179 sq.—For the literature of the subject see Readings, infra, p. 54 sq.

⁴⁴ Rom. I, 20; cfr. St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 2a 2ae, qu. 179, art. 1, ad 3.

⁴⁵ Op. cit., qu. 180, art. 3.

Contemplation is called ordinary or acquired (ordinaria sive acquisita) if it is the result of one’s own endeavor, aided by divine grace; infused, passive or extraordinary (infusa sive passiva) when directly infused by God. Extraordinary (passive or infused) contemplation is a charism which God usually gives as a reward to those who cultivate the interior life. It is identical with the mystic state. In its higher forms it is sometimes accompanied by extraordinary manifestations of divine grace, such as ecstasies, visions, and revelations,⁴⁶ and culminates in the mystic union of the soul with God (also called mystic betrothal, spiritual marriage, mystic death or annihilation). These form the subject matter of Mystical Theology.⁴⁷ They represent a higher stage, being more perfect than the ordinary prayer, either mental or vocal, first, because they proceed from a higher principle i. e., a mind directly enlightened by God; secondly, because acts of prayer performed in these states are more intensive, and, thirdly, because they result in a more intimate union with God.

⁴⁶ Matt. V, 8.—St. Thomas, Summa Theol., 2a 2ae, qu. 180, art. 2: “Something can pertain to the contemplative life in two ways: in one way essentially, in another way dispositively. Indeed, the moral virtues do not pertain essentially to the contemplative life, because the end of the contemplative life is the consideration of truth. . . . But the moral virtues pertain dispositively to the contemplative life. For the act of contemplation, in which the contemplative life essentially consists, is impeded both by the vehemence of the passions, by which the intention of the soul is drawn away from intelligible things to sensible things, and by exterior disturbances. But the moral virtues impede the vehemence of the passions and calm the disturbances of exterior occupations. And therefore the moral virtues pertain dispositively to the contemplative life.”—IDEM, ibid., art. 3: “The virtue of chastity especially renders man fit for contemplation, insofar as venereal pleasures most greatly depress the mind toward sensible things.”—IDEM, ibid., art. 5: “The highest degree of contemplation in the present life is that which Paul had in rapture, according to which he was in an intermediate condition between the state of the present life and the future life.”—Cfr. ibid., qu. 173, art. 3 (visio prophetica); qu. 175 (raptus).—Tillmann, Das Gebet, II, 423 sqq.—For other literature on the extraordinary phenomena of the higher spiritual life see Readings, infra.

⁴⁷ Gal. II, 20.—Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer, pp. 59 sqq., 200 sqq. On the literature of mystical theology see Readings, infra.

Visions and revelations are not without danger and unless accompanied by suffering and humiliation are apt to lead not to God but to self-exaltation. St. Paul, one of the greatest masters of the spiritual life, has expressed this truth in clear terms. Compelled to defend himself against attacks upon His Apostolic dignity, he calls attention to the ecstasies and visions accorded to him, but immediately adds: “Lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me.” After he had thrice besought the Lord to take this burden from him, he was told: “My grace is sufficient for thee, for power is made perfect in infirmity,” whereupon he exclaimed: “Gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.”⁴⁸ The ways of salvation have not changed since the days of St. Paul, no more than human nature has changed, or the destiny of the soul.

⁴⁸ 2 Cor. XII, 7 sqq.—Cfr. V. Weber, Der Galaterbrief, Ravensburg 1901, pp. 255 sqq.—The Vulgate rendition “stimulus carnis” for σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί is obscure and inexact, and, in the words of Father F. Prat, S.J., “a fini par accréditer une opinion sans grande probabilité intrinsèque, inconnue à toute l’anti- quité et peu conciliable avec le texte original. Le σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ‘l’épine dans la chair’ ou ‘l’aiguillon pour la chair’ désignerait un penchant aux voluptés charnelles, source de pénibles et humiliants combats. Ni la vieillesse dont il approchait, ni le don de continence qu’il dit avoir reçu ne le mettaient absolument à l’abri de la tentation, et il est impossible de prouver qu’il ait été exempt de cette épreuve. Mais on peut affirmer sans crainte que rien dans ses paroles n’autorise cette explication. Supposé même que σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί pût avoir ce sens, Paul ne ferait-il pas le jeu de ses adversaires en leur révélant l’existence d’une pareille lutte connue de lui seul et de Dieu? Comment pourrait-il s’y complaire et la mettre au nombre des infirmités dont il se fait gloire? Laissant de côté les tentations charnelles, nous nous trouvons en présence de deux interprétations qui partagent les commentateurs anciens: les persécutions et les maladies. Mais il est difficile de comprendre que les persécutions extérieures puissent s’appeler une épine dans la chair, et on conçoit moins encore que l’Apôtre s’en trouve humilié. Ces persécutions sont tellement le lot du chrétien, elles sont si expressément annoncées à quiconque veut vivre pieusement dans le Christ Jésus, qu’on ne voit pas à quel titre il les regarderait comme un préservatif personnel, surtout contre les tentations d’orgueil. Et arrivera-t-on à se persuader que Paul en ait demandé trois fois la délivrance? Reste la maladie: ‘On dit qu’une douleur physique le faisait cruellement souffrir; les douleurs du corps sont très souvent dues aux anges de Satan, mais non pas sans la permission divine.’ Ainsi parle saint Augustin, et presque tous les modernes sont de son avis. De quelle maladie s’agit-il? On a nommé la migraine, la podagre, l’ophtalmie, le haut mal, diverses espèces de fièvre. Cette variété d’opinions prouve qu’un diagnostic sûr est impossible. Supposé que, dans l’Épître aux Galates, Paul fasse allusion à la même infirmité [Gal. IV, 13 Paul appelle la maladie qui l’oblige à rester parmi les Galates contre son dessein ἀσθένεια τῆς σαρκός, πειρασμὸς ἐν τῇ σαρκί. Il félicite les Galates de ne l’avoir pas repoussé (non sprevistis, neque respuistis, οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε): de là certains critiques ont conclu qu’il était attaqué du haut mal, la coutume étant de cracher sur les épileptiques par dégoût ou par superstition. Il les remercie de s’être intéressés à sa guérison au point d’être prêts à lui donner jusqu’à leurs yeux: d’où la conclusion tirée par d’autres critiques encore plus subtils qu’il souffrait d’une ophtalmie] nous obtenons les symptômes suivants: 1. Le mal dont souffrait l’Apôtre devait être aigu et cuisant puisqu’il le désigne métaphoriquement par une épine ou un aiguillon enfoncé dans la chair. 2. Il devait avoir quelque chose de répugnant, car il remercie les Galates de ne pas s’être détournés de lui avec horreur. 3. Il devait être humiliant, car il le considère comme un antidote à la vaine gloire et comme un soufflet de Satan. 4. Enfin, il devait sembler faire obstacle à son apostolat puisque à trois reprises il supplia Dieu de l’en délivrer et ne cessa pas que sur cette assurance: ‘Ma grâce te suffit.’ Ulcère des yeux, malaria ou attaques nerveuses, le terme pathologique nous importe assez peu. Cf. Menzies Alexander, St. Paul’s Infirmity dans The Expository Times, juillet et sept. 1904. Après avoir critiqué les hypothèses de ses prédécesseurs: 1. Ophtalmie aiguë (Howson, Lewin, Farrar, Plumptre, etc.); 2. épilepsie (Holsten, Ewald, Klöpper, Lightfoot, Schmiedel, etc.); 3. malaria (Ramsay), l’auteur propose la sienne. Il s’agirait de la fièvre de Malte, connue à Gibraltar, à Naples, à Constantinople et répandue un peu partout sur le littoral méditerranéen. Les preuves ne sont pas très fortes, mais la critique des diverses opinions est intéressante.” (La Théologie de Saint Paul, Vol. I, Paris 1908, pp. 216 sqq.).

“Whoever tries to reach the summit of perfection,” says St. Gregory the Great, “and wishes to stand upon the peak of contemplation, must first prove his mettle by practicing good works.”⁴⁹

⁴⁹ Moral., l. VI, c. 37, n. 59: “Those who strive to apprehend the summit of perfection, when they desire to hold the citadel of contemplation, must first prove themselves in the field of works through exercise.”—IDEM, ibid., n. 60: “For the time of action is first, the time of contemplation last. Hence it is necessary that every perfect man first exercise his mind in virtues and afterward store it in the granary of rest.” (Migne, P. L., LXXV, 763).

Richard of St. Victor says that good works, meditation, and prayer are the three means by which man may attain to contemplation.⁵⁰

⁵⁰ De Praeparatione Animi ad Contemplationem, c. 79 (Migne, P. L., CXCVI, 56).

Seneca⁵¹ writes: “We are wont to say that the highest good is to live according to nature. Nature has adapted us to both meditation and action. . . . Nature desires that I should do both—be active⁵² and devote myself to contemplation.⁵³ I do both, because even meditation is not without action.”

⁵¹ De Otio, V, 1, 8.—Cfr. St. Gregory the Great, Moral., l. VI, c. 37, n. 61: “What is expressed by Mary, who sat hearing the words of the Lord, if not the contemplative life? What is signified by Martha occupied with exterior services, if not the active life? But Martha’s care is not rebuked, while Mary is even praised, because the merits of the active life are great, but those of the contemplative life more excellent.” (Migne, P. L., LXXV, 764).

⁵² Agere.

⁵³ Contemplationi vacare.

Father Poulain summarizes the teaching of the most prudent ascetics by laying down seven rules for spiritual directors in regard to revelations and visions, and six rules for those who believe that they have received such extraordinary favors. The rules for the spiritual director are briefly:

(1) To resign himself to slow progress and be on his guard against his own precipitation and that of his penitent in judging of extraordinary occurrences.

(2) Not to display admiration for visions and revelations, even if they appear to him to be real.

(3) To be gentle in his treatment of the person. If the visions appear to him suspicious, not to show his distrust harshly, but strive with prudence to enlighten the supposed visionary.

(4) To bear in mind the end to which the visions, and especially the revelations, tend, exhibiting a proportionately stronger mistrust if it is a matter having consequences of greater magnitude.

(5) To strive after supernatural aims, always coming back to the question: What spiritual profit have you derived from the words you think you have heard or the things you imagine you have seen?

(6) To avoid the danger of allowing himself to be dominated by some one else or being carried away by sentimentality.

(7) To pray much and to make the person directed pray, in order to obtain the necessary illumination.

The rules for those who believe that they have received or are receiving revelations and visions are the following:

(1) Submit everything to a prudent spiritual director and be guided by his advice.

(2) Mistrust revelations, in general, and remember that this way is subject to illusions of the imagination or the devil. Even if a vision appears to be divine, mistrust the interpretation that is given.

(3) Do not ask or desire this kind of grace because it is very conducive to illusions.

(4) In the beginning, at any rate, gently do your utmost to repel the revelations and turn your thoughts away from them.

(5) If you believe a corporeal apparition of Our Lord or of the saints to be the work of the devil, do not go to the length of insulting or treating it with contempt, any more than you would a sacred picture that had been painted by a scoundrel.

(6) If, in spite of yourself, you have visions, be chiefly concerned in making them serve your progress in virtue; for if they come of God, you will thus have attained the sole end that is desired, whereas in the contrary case they cannot harm you.⁵⁴

⁵⁴ Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer, pp. 380 sqq.

Concerning Mystical Prayer. 1. Notion. Mystical prayer denotes contemplation of God or of heavenly things, full of affection, extraordinary and ineffable, with a certain sense of the divine presence, and indeed an intimate one. Although not all require this sense as essential, nevertheless in that sense by which mystics are said to experience divine things, we think there is a specific note by which mystical contemplation is proved to differ from common contemplation.

It is commonly known that mystical contemplation itself is distinguished by various degrees, of which the supreme is spiritual marriage. Moreover, mystical facts or phenomena which accompany that contemplation are called, some exdeic, insofar as they have as term something created, such as visions themselves, revelations, ecstasies; others are endeic, which attain God Himself or a closer conjunction with Him. The former pertain to graces gratuitously given, which are neither the object of merit nor contribute to sanctity; while the latter, in some degree, are offered as a sufficiently common reward of peculiar fidelity and are very useful for sanctity. Therefore the former are neither to be sought nor desired, but rather humbly to be fled. Nor must one strive indiscreetly for perfect contemplation ¹; yet for this a man can laudably dispose himself by great purity of heart, profound humility, and ardent charity.

Every mystical state indeed is the fruit of its own grace, distinct from the grace which effects a supernatural and salutary act; but a remote general aptitude, not to say universal, for obtaining that state in some degree seems rather to be admitted.

Let it be enough to have intimated these things concerning prayer; for more, cf., for example, in Quaestiones De virtute religionis et pietatis.

¹ Alvarez de Paz, De inquisitione pacis, b. 5, p. 2, c. 13.

— He who must profess a state must at the same time profess the things which the truth of the state requires. But by his profession the religious is obliged to his state, which is one of pursuing perfection.

Therefore by an obligation formally distinct from the vows, the religious must tend toward the perfection of Christian charity.

But materially, positively, it is enough that the professed pursue perfection through the vows which are joined to profession and through toleration of the governance of his Institute.

Negatively, however, from this the religious is prohibited under grave sin: a. positively to contemn or cast away perfection; b. frequently to break vows or other grave precepts, for this is repugnant to a habitual effort toward charity; c. by contempt of the rule or of the power of the Superior, or by a manner of acting by which grave danger of expulsion is induced, virtually to cast away the yoke of religion or the state.

— Pious penitents must prudently but zealously be brought to following more perfect things, and to exercising the apostolic mission entrusted to every Christian already in these divine words: "That they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (St. Matt. 5:16).

Wherefore:

1. Let the confessor not always, after hearing confession, absolve such persons without any exhortation; nor let this be only about the time or feast occurring, but also about amending such or such a defect, about applying such or such an effort.

Yet lest the confessor anticipate the action of interior grace, but rather prepare and then follow that action, he will abstain from untimely suggestions which beget weariness or less confidence in the penitent. Wherefore it is necessary that he himself know how to discern the various spirits. By opportune praise let him add courage to souls, with the temptation of vainglory or worse pride at the same time avoided. Let him instill a greater esteem of virtue and of the fulfilled office of state than of exterior exercises which, under the appearance of devotion, can foster self-love itself. Let him strive to make the will firmer, with dependence on sensible fervor removed, so that they become accustomed to act more from deliberation than from a sudden impulse of soul. Let him induce the penitent himself to propose more perfect things to be approved or moderated by the confessor, rather than merely execute things indicated by the confessor. In works of exterior mortification, let him rather subtract something from the exercises proposed by the penitent than increase them in quantity, so that the penitent may perform them with a more joyful will and bear a consciousness of relatively complete liberality and fortitude. Let him direct each one according to each one's own state, character, grace, but not according to the confessor's own pleasures. Let him dissuade vows taken without counsel or without the judgment of the confessor having first been asked. Let him effect that penitents with due reverence and contrition accuse past or present venial faults, yet in such a way that they are not scrupulously troubled about the number but rather disclose their habitual disposition. Let him carefully abstain from every command which he has no right to make, and from matters which do not pertain to the use of the sacrament or to spiritual direction. Especially with women let him avoid more prolonged conversations; and, occasion being given, let him always declare that it will be pleasing to him if they should prefer to approach another confessor also (yet to the scrupulous he will commend unity of confessor).

2. Let him exhort nuns and Sisters that they bring every zeal to preserving vows and rules, cultivate due obedience toward Superiors, especially foster mutual charity, removed from every envy and jealousy. Let him not furnish easy ears to complaints, nor rashly carp at the manner of acting of others. Let him carefully unteach whatever things can favor vanity or self-love, yet let him break no effort toward more sublime virtue. Let him hear patiently one reporting portentous or marvelous things, nor show himself moved and curious as about a thing not customary. Let him neither prohibit an extraordinary way of prayer, nor immediately approve it.

But rather let him explore in a discreet manner the solid virtues of the one praying, and, without excessive attention given to extraordinary causes, foster the fervor of true reason. Let him also remember that it easily happens that a confessor, by his very questions, renders persons of this kind persuaded either about marvelous things or about sins. Let him in no way show himself eager for food or drink, but constantly superior to these lowest things. And in all his conversation let him preserve for himself holy authority, such as conciliates fruitful confidence and prevents familiarity.

3. There are men who attempt as it were to redeem suspect arts of conducting business by exercises of piety. It is necessary that the confessor in no way connive at them.

1840. Since it rarely happens that men are vexed by the demon in a sensible manner, there is no reason why we should dwell much on the present argument.

Before all things, the confessor must be warned that in this matter he should recede equally from excessive incredulity and from excessive credulity. "Let the confessor not be so incredulous," says St. Alphonsus,¹² "that he judges all invasions or infestations of demons to be fantasies or bodily infirmities; because it must not be denied that true possessed persons are found even among Christians." Therefore let him prove all things according to those things which we said concerning divination (n. 558 and n. 622 and following).

These things being premised, it will be sufficient to have noted the following from St. Alphonsus: 1. Some possessed persons are vexed by evil spirits with horrible specters, or bodily torments. The care of these is easy: prayer, patience, and above all perfect conformity with the divine will are to be insinuated to them. 2. Those who usually trouble confessors more are those who are vexed by the demon with filthy visions, motions, and even touches... etc. But let the confessor take care that the penitent subject such acts to the keys of the Sacrament, if perhaps he fails in anything, either because of imperfect advertence, or because of some deficiency of resistance.¹³

The REMEDIES are: that the penitent, in so horrible a conflict, pray perseveringly and insistently, commending himself a hundred and a thousand times to God, groaning, and asking mercy at the feet of the Crucified and of the Mother of God; that he apply himself much and constantly to mortification, diligently turning the mind away from the pleasures of the senses and frequently protesting that he does not wish to consent to the operations of the demon. - Then to prayer and mortification humility with unshaken confidence must be joined; the use of the Sacraments, of the most sacred sign of the Cross, of blessed water, of private exorcism, of holy Relics, and of the book of the Gospels.¹⁴

But if someone falls miserably in these temptations, the care of him is very difficult. Let the confessor prescribe for him the remedies just recounted, and especially let him employ exorcism, at least private exorcism. - Let him delay absolving him and exhort him to return often, nor let him absolve him except after a long trial; for such conversions are rarely true, and very rarely persevering.¹⁵ See more, if you wish, in St. Alphonsus.

Note. Scaramelli¹⁶ warns that exorcism profits nothing or little with persons who are in the state of contemplation; because God Himself wills their purgation through the infestation of demons.

1841. "It is a work very acceptable to God to adorn spouses for Him, that is, to cultivate spiritual souls, so that they may give and hand themselves over wholly to Him. One perfect soul is more acceptable in His eyes than a THOUSAND imperfect ones. Hence, when the confessor sees a penitent living immune from mortal faults, he must apply every care to introduce him into the way of perfection and divine love."²

Now, so that the confessor may truly consult the spiritual utility of these souls, behold what RULES OF GOVERNMENT St. Alphonsus prescribes to him:

1. Before all things, let him take care that he instill into them a great DESIRE of Christian perfection, and a most firm PURPOSE of attaining this perfection, "by representing to them the merit which God has that He be loved, and the gratitude which we owe to Jesus Christ, who loved us even unto dying for us; and also the danger in which all souls are placed who, called by God to a more perfect life, resist Him."³

2. Let him take care that they progress ORDERLY and GRADUALLY in perfection.⁴ - Hence they are to be taught: 1. To beware of the least deliberate defect, or one admitted with open eyes, yet in such a way that, after some light fault has been admitted, they do not fall in spirit, but rise from the fall by acts of humility, sorrow, and purpose, and this even if they were to fall a hundred times in a day. 2. To perform ordinary actions well, or prayers, the duties of their state, etc., and to have a right intention in all things. - 3. First to strive for patience, then only for joy in adversities. - 4. Let them learn to bear light things before they desire grave things. - Nor meanwhile should the confessor be unmindful of the saying of the Lord, saying: "The Spirit breathes where He wills"; nor should he forget that this usually happens: that even souls enriched with great gifts of God and abounding in the fruit of solid virtues are seen to be infected with various defects and imperfections, God so permitting.

3. Let him take care that he introduce them into the custom of MENTAL PRAYER. - Hence let him establish for them the time to be expended on this most holy exercise; let him himself assign to them the truths to be meditated; let him teach them the method of meditating fruitfully; and now and then, for example each month, let him ask an account of this method. - Moreover, let him watch with open eyes that they pass no day without some consideration of truths; that they frequently think of God always present to us; that they pour forth frequent and fervid ejaculatory prayers; and that, insofar as it can be done, on individual days they read something attentively and piously from a spiritual book prudently chosen (cf. n. 535).

4. Let him take care that he effectively teach them the exercise of Christian MORTIFICATION. "To assert absolutely," says St. Alphonsus,⁵ "that external mortifications profit nothing or little, is a very great error." Yet let the director take care that he not be excessive in conceding them, especially in the first fervor of devotion; nor generally should he concede them except when asked, and let him concede less than is requested. - But let him watch that they exercise themselves constantly rather in negative mortification: for example, that they abstain from curious looking, that they speak sparingly, that they be content even with unpleasant foods, that in wintertime they do not approach the fire, that they command their passions, etc.⁶ Moreover, the particular Examination will serve excellently as a singular aid to this exercise.

5. As regards the reception of the SACRAMENTS: 1. Let him advise general confession for those who are not scrupulous and who have not yet made it (cf. n. 1711). - 2. Let them confess once, or at most twice, in a week. But one who has fallen into a venial sin and lacks an opportune occasion of confessing should not on that account abstain from Communion, since venial sins are remitted also by other remedies. Indeed, some timorous persons will often more usefully dispose themselves for Communion by their own acts, as being those which then are wont to be more fervent, than by confession. - Concerning frequent Communion, recall what was said at nn. 1575-1582.

1842. IT IS ASKED. How ought the confessor conduct himself with penitents who bring only IMPERFECTIONS or VENIAL sins?⁷

Resp. 1. "If they confess imperfections which do not reach faults certainly venial, Bonacina says that they can be absolved under condition; but I judge that this is not to be admitted except very rarely, and when they themselves could not assign certain matter from past life, or not without great trouble. For the rest I say that if the penitent does not present certain matter, the confessor must not inquire into it in order to absolve him; and in the case in which he had inquired and had not found it, he is not bound to impart conditional absolution to him" (cf. n. 1658 and 1663, qu. 5, Reg. 24).

2. "If the penitent confesses certain venial sins, but usual or daily ones, for example concerning impatiences, intemperances, distractions in the Office, in prayer, and similar things, so that absolution can be given to him, it must be considered whether he has at any time imposed force upon himself, as much as he could, in order to overcome the passion; because then it can be judged that his faults proceeded rather from human frailty than from defect of sorrow or purpose. - Conversely, if he has relapsed frequently, and without resistance, into faults of this kind, then he must be dealt with as with a recidivist," according to what was said at n. 1829; and therefore it must be obtained either that he truly grieve over at least some one of those sins, or that he present for matter some graver sin of past life.⁸ - Recall what was said at n. 340 and following.⁹

1843. Preliminary Remarks. "When some soul is gifted by God with the grace of contemplation, it is necessary that the confessor know very well the mode by which he ought to direct it and free it from all illusions; otherwise he will bring the greatest harm, and, as St. John of the Cross says, he himself will have to render a great account to God." These things are from St. Alphonsus.¹⁰

Wherefore, if any penitent is raised to such a state, it is necessary that the confessor, ignorant of mystical matters, send him to a suitable moderator; or, if he judges that he is not to be sent, that he himself at least have docile recourse to learned books and experienced men, by whom he can be taught.¹¹

Meanwhile, it will profit a confessor of this kind not a little to receive at least the NOTION here sketched of those supernatural states; for, imbued with such a notion, he will be occupied more easily and more safely in the study of such sublime things.

DEFINITION. Contemplation is defined by Guigo the Carthusian:¹² "An elevation of the mind suspended in God, tasting the joys of eternal sweetness." It differs much from meditation: for in the latter God is sought by the labor of discourse, and the soul operates by acts of its own powers; but in the former, without labor of this kind, it contemplates God already found: for God Himself then operates, and the soul only suffers, since the very light and divine love with which it is then wholly filled render it sweetly attentive to contemplating the goodness of its God.¹³

DIVISION. - "Contemplation is either affirmative or negative. - 1. It is affirmative when the soul, by benefit of divine light without any work of its own, beholds some truth either created, such as the unhappiness of hell, the happiness of paradise, etc., or uncreated, such as divine mercy, love, power, goodness. - 2. It is negative when it recognizes the divine perfections not in particular, but in general, with a certain confused knowledge, but one which introduces a far greater concept of the divine greatness."¹⁴ This latter is more perfect and is called by the Mystics the prayer of darkness, clear darkness, sublime knowledge of God through ignorance, pure contemplation, etc.; in it all the interior powers of the soul are suspended, and sometimes also the exterior senses.¹⁵

1844. Principles. I. Infused contemplation, IN THE ACTIVE STATE, is usually preceded both by the prayer of natural recollection, or of contemplative leisure, and by purgation of soul through aridity of sense. We say it is usually preceded; for "the Spirit breathes where He wills" (John 3:8); nor are there lacking examples of souls which have been immediately raised to the last grade of contemplation without having passed through the preceding grades.

Moreover: 1. The PRAYER OF NATURAL RECOLLECTION is said to be granted to the soul "when the intellect does not need, with labor, as it were to go outside the soul in order to consider some mystery or eternal truth; but, drawn away from external things and gathered as it were within the soul itself, without labor, indeed with great sweetness, it attends to that truth or mystery, whatever it may be. - Contemplative leisure is almost the same, except that in recollection the soul attends to some particular devout thought; but in leisure, with a certain general knowledge of God, it feels itself gathered within itself and sweetly drawn by God."¹⁶

2. SPIRITUAL PURGATION consists not only in natural aridity, by which souls proceeding even by the ordinary way often labor, but in supernatural aridity, which is a drawing of grace and a certain light bringing punishment and obscurity. - This is twofold: namely aridity of sense and aridity of spirit:

1. Aridity of sense is a most troublesome subtraction of sensible devotion, through which the soul is led to a certain alienation from all sensible pleasures, both earthly and spiritual. It endures until, the senses having been purified, the soul is rendered apt for the first grades of contemplation.¹⁷ 2) "Aridity of spirit, or substantial aridity, is a certain divine light by which God causes the soul to recognize its own nothingness." In this state, although more attentive to pleasing God, it sees itself in a certain more terrible agony, believes all things done by itself worthy of punishments, and itself hateful to God; indeed, it sometimes experiences a thousand temptations, the punishments of the damned, and divine dereliction. God is wont through this purgation to prepare the soul for the last grade of contemplation, i.e., for passive union, in which there are ecstasies, raptures, etc.¹⁸

1845. II. The GRADES OF CONTEMPLATION are indeed various and many; yet among them three principal ones are numbered, namely supernatural recollection, quiet, and union. Now:

1. SUPERNATURAL RECOLLECTION is had "when the gathering of the powers does not come about by the work of the soul itself, but by benefit of the light which God infuses, and through which a great and sensible divine love is excited in it." The soul is placed, through this infused recollection, in the PASSIVE STATE, in which "it must not investigate more curiously what that interior recollection of spirit is; but let it permit itself to be directed by God to consider those things and to make those acts toward which it knows itself to be more borne by God."¹⁹

2. QUIET differs from the preceding grade in this, that "in recollection the force of divine love is communicated immediately to the external senses, which God Himself causes to be gathered within the soul; but in quiet love is communicated immediately to the spirit, in the very center of the soul: and the love itself is more ardent," and sometimes is diffused to the senses themselves. Then, in quiet, "the will indeed is suspended, which remains as it were bound, because then it can love no other object besides God, who draws it to Himself; but the intellect and memory or imagination sometimes remain free and run here and there." Nor, truly, should the soul be saddened about this, but neither should it strive to gather its thoughts; for it would attempt this in vain and would lose quiet: but let it elicit only those acts toward which it feels itself sweetly impelled by God.²⁰ - There is usually a following:

3. UNION, namely passive union, by which God offers Himself to be seen by the soul not only as near (as in the preceding grades), but as present: and the soul experiences Him joined to itself by a certain sweet contact; whence it can no longer doubt concerning the truth of that presence. See St. Alphonsus.²¹

1846. III. Often certain GRACES are granted with the gift of contemplation, such as visions, locutions, and revelations, which it is of great interest to distinguish from false ones. - Now:

1. VISIONS (whether external, or imaginary, or even intellectual) can be caused by the devil. - But the probable signs from which their divine origin is recognized are these: 1) if they are rare, sudden, passing like lightning, yet immovably fixed in the mind; - 2) if in the beginning they bring confusion and terror, but in the end leave the soul in the greatest peace and in living knowledge of its misery, with a great desire of perfection. For such things ordinarily proceed neither from the devil nor from nature, although they can also proceed from the devil, who "transforms himself into an angel of light"; but "by their fruits you shall know them," i.e., demons and false prophets.²²

2. LOCUTIONS, for example for imposing works, for instructing, are: either successive, when someone, meditating, feels as though he is answered by his own spirit, but as if it were an external person; or formal, when the soul hears (by the ears, imagination, or intellect) some formed words, but outside itself; or substantial, when they quickly operate that which they express: as, for example, if the soul were to hear: Do not fear, and immediately becomes intrepid. - These last are safer than all the others; the first are very uncertain, and the second very suspect. - Hence the director, if he observes that the things commanded are contrary to Christian prudence, must prohibit them altogether. But if they are not contrary, it is expedient that he suspend execution until greater certainty is acquired.²³

3. REVELATIONS of hidden or future things, for example of mysteries of faith, states of consciences, etc., can be had in three ways, namely through visions, through locutions (as above), and through understandings of naked truths. - In these one must proceed most cautiously, especially when there is question of certifying someone because of knowledge received in revelation.²⁴

Note. "When God speaks and operates, it is necessary that the soul be silent and cease from its own operations; but when He does not speak, it is necessary that the soul help itself in that mode in which it can, in order to join itself to God, namely by meditations (when these are necessary), affections, prayers," etc., as in the active state.²⁵

1847. Questions. QUAER. 1. What is the OFFICE OF THE CONFESSOR toward a soul which walks by the ways of contemplation?

Resp. Two things in this office of his are principal: 1. He must PRESERVE IT IN HUMILITY while it is gifted with graces. For no grade of contemplation confers impeccability; "and therefore, the more it sees itself gifted by God with graces of this kind, so much the more it must be humble and alienated from all things, loving the cross alone, and living wholly conformed to the divine dispositions, with continual fear that its infidelities from that time will be punished more bitterly, on account of the greater ingratitude with which they will be committed."²⁶ Therefore let him impose on it "that it faithfully narrate all the communications which it has in prayer. Yet let him show no appetite for knowing them (nor have it write them, unless this is necessary); nor let him ever manifest to another the supernatural graces conceded to his penitent." Nor let him show to it "a sign of esteem, and much less send other penitents to ask counsel from it, or to seek solace or direction. Rather let him show that he makes less of it than of other souls which walk by the way of faith"; let him not spare its faults and defects, etc.; "because souls adorned with these favors, regularly speaking, are always and much to be humbled." - Especially, "when there is question of external graces, such as visions, locutions, and revelations, regularly speaking, it is safer that the director show that he makes little of them (because there are more false visions than true ones);²⁷ and the more avidly they are sought and held in value, so much the more the person will stray from faith and humility, which is the safer way that God has placed. - Wherefore, let him give it the counsel that it pray God to concede true ecstasy, namely total alienation from earthly things and from itself, without which it will never be able to arrive at perfection."²⁸

2. He must COMFORT and HELP the soul when it is placed in doubts, aridities, and temptations, which are wont to abound in these ways. To this end let him not show himself fearful, or in any way hesitating, but let him manfully comfort it to fear nothing. Let him say to it that all those suggestions of blasphemies, unbelief, impurities, and despair are not consents, but punishments which, if they are tolerated with resignation, join the mind more and more to God. "Let him exhort it to be of strong soul, and to expect great things manfully from God, while He leads it by the safer way, namely by the way of the cross. Let him also warn it that first it humble itself, as being worthy to be treated thus by God on account of the defects of past life; secondly, that it wholly resign itself to the divine will, presenting itself most ready to bear all these things, indeed even greater things for every time for which it shall please God; thirdly, let it cast itself as dead into the arms of divine mercy, and commit itself to the protection of Most Holy Mary, who is rightly called Mother of mercy and consoler of the afflicted."²⁹

QUAER. 2. Must the favors of divine contemplation be SOUGHT?

Resp. Distinguish. 1. If there is question of souls which have not yet been gifted with these favors, it is safer to desire and seek only active union, i.e., perfect uniformity with the divine will; for in it certainly consists the whole perfection of divine love, and a faithful soul can, without the gift of contemplation, but with only the benefit of ordinary grace, arrive at annihilation of its own will and at transforming it into God.³⁰

2. If there is question of those which have already rejoiced in extraordinary graces in the passive state, again one must distinguish: 1) The graces which are called uniform with faith, such as confused and general knowledges and divine touches which unite the soul to God, are not to be rejected; and therefore they can be humbly sought and desired, so that union with God may thus be perfected and divine love take new increases. - 2) But graces which remove from faith, because they consist in certain distinct knowledges (such as visions, locutions, and revelations), are to be most constantly rejected, "yet always in the spirit of humility, and without any contempt, as would be to spit, to laugh in the face, etc. (which is not licit, as several assert); and by protesting before God that one wishes to serve Him in pure faith."³¹ See more among the mystical authors.³²

2152. • Principles. I. A Religious is held, UNDER GRAVE obligation, to tend to perfection. - For by force of his profession he is bound to wish to preserve his State, which is a state of perfection, or a state of those tending to perfection; although this perfection, of itself, is not of precept but of counsel.¹⁸

2153. • II. A Religious is bound to strive toward perfection: - 1) through ESSENTIAL means, which are the exercise of virtues, assiduity in prayer, and frequentation of the Sacraments; - 2) through the GENERAL means of regular life, i.e. through observance of the vows, for by these the roots of worldly life are cut away; - 3) through the SPECIAL means of his Order, i.e. through at least imperfect observation of the rules, which are not only as it were the outer wall of the vows, but also means necessary for attaining the special end which each Religion has proposed to itself for serving God and perfecting its own members.¹⁹

Hence, a Religious sins gravely against the obligation of tending to perfection: 1. If he casts aside all the means of perfection; for then he is not in the way of salvation. 2. If he frequently infringes the vows in a grave matter; because the vows are to be observed not only by reason of themselves, but also insofar as they are essential means of perfection. - 3. If he violates the rules of the Order from contempt, or with grave detriment to common discipline, as will be explained below (cf. n. 2170).

2154. IT IS ASKED. Does a Religious sin gravely who wishes to observe only those rules which oblige UNDER MORTAL sin, and to neglect the others?

Resp. St. Alphonsus: "Many excuse him; but many do not. But Sanchez says knowingly that it will happen with difficulty that such a one be excused from mortal sin, at least from other heads, namely on account of the danger to which he exposes himself, either of offending against the vows or of inducing relaxation of the rule in the Community"²⁰ (cf. n. 343).

1179. Principle. - A religious is held, not indeed to be perfect, but to tend in some way to perfection.

I say: 1° He is not held to be perfect, as a Bishop, who by force of his duty is obliged to acts of perfection, for example to laying down life for the sheep, since a religious per se, or by force of his state, is not held to acts of this kind.

I say: 2° He is held in some way to tend to perfection. For obligation to the evangelical counsels implies obligation of tending to perfection, since once these are observed, by that very fact you tend to this. For by exercising himself in these counsels, on the one hand he removes from himself the obstacles of charity or perfection, namely the threefold concupiscence, of the eyes by poverty, of the flesh by chastity, and the pride of life by the exercise of humble obedience; but on the other hand the observance of the same counsels disposes man so that he may become wholly God's, by handing over to Him all the things which he has, namely the goods of fortune by poverty, the body by chastity, the soul by obedience.

1180. Questions. - Query 1° By what means is a religious held to tend to perfection?

Resp. 1° He is held to tend primarily through the essential means of the religious state, namely through the observation of the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Resp. 2° He is held to tend secondarily also through accidental means, namely through the proper rules of the Order, at least by not contemning those helps. But then the religious is judged to omit the rules from contempt when he transgresses them with the mind of not subjecting himself to them or to his Prelates; or if he holds them as empty.¹

1181. • Query 2° When does a religious sin gravely against the precept of tending to perfection?

Resp. In this he offends gravely: 1° If he infringes the vows very often in a grave matter, as is clear; because he omits means essential and consequently altogether necessary for preserving this obligation. - Thus all. 2° If he generally transgresses the rules from contempt, as has just been said. But otherwise, if he violates them led by concupiscence, or because he thinks they are not necessary for him for salvation, or if he thinks that they are not prescribed under grave obligation. For to transgress rules in matters of slight moment, even from custom, contempt being set aside, does not exceed venial sin. - Thus expressly St. Alphonsus.²

1182. • Query 3° Whether a religious sins gravely who intends to observe only the mandates obliging under grave obligation, and to care in no way concerning the rest?

Resp. The denying opinion is the more common, and to St. Alphonsus³ the more probable. The reason is that by the very fact that the religious wishes to fulfill those several things which oblige under grave obligation, he already tends to perfection, since he wishes to fulfill several things which with respect to others do not oblige, but are of mere counsel.

Moreover the Holy Doctor rightly notes that a religious so disposed can be living in grave danger of sinning mortally under other heads, for example by reason of danger of transgressing the vows, or of inflicting grave damage on Religion as to discipline, etc.

1486. - Penitents who live free from mortal faults are to be led to perfection, but

1° In order and by degrees. - Hence let them be taught: a) "To beware of the smallest deliberate defect, or one admitted with eyes open," yet in such a way that after some light fault has been admitted they do not fall in soul, but rise from the fall by acts of humility, sorrow, and purpose, and this even if they fell a hundred times in the day. b) To perform well ordinary actions, or prayers, the duties of their state, etc., and to have a right intention in all things. c) First to strive for patience, and only afterward for joy in adversities. d) Let them learn to bear light things before they desire grave things.

2° Let them exercise themselves especially in obedience toward the confessor, parents, and husband; in charity toward the neighbor, especially toward domestics; in patience, in the exercise of the presence of God, in special devotion toward the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the Guardian Angel, and the Patron Saint.

3° a) Let them apply themselves daily for some time to mental prayer according to their capacity, and never omit it, or other exercises of piety or mortification, because of dryness of spirit. b) Let them apply themselves to Christian mortification in such a way that they prefer internal to external, but not neglect this latter. But in external positive mortification, for example fasts, disciplines, etc., let them do nothing without the counsel of the confessor. But he in general should concede less than is asked; he should especially intend to restrain gluttony and sensuality; he should be discreet in conceding mortification of sleep; and above all he should exhort to negative mortifications, such as to deprive oneself of the sight or hearing of curious things, etc.

4° As regards the frequentation of the Sacraments: 1) Let him advise general Confession to those who are not scrupulous and have not yet made it. 2) Let them confess once, or at most twice in the week. But he who has fallen into venial sin and lacks a suitable occasion of confessing should not on that account abstain from Communion, since venial sins are remitted also by other means. - Indeed certain timorous persons often dispose themselves more usefully for Communion by their own acts, since these are then accustomed to be more fervent, than by Confession. Concerning the contrition required for the Confession of venial sins, see n. 1340. q. 7°, 1350. q. 4°, 1355. q. 4°; concerning the absolution of those who confess only doubtfully venial sins, n. 1344. q. 8°; concerning the frequency of Communion, n. 1313; concerning the direction of those who are endowed with the gift of higher prayer, or Contemplation, Prax. Conf.

Recall also what was said concerning the manner of acting with women (n. 1484), and concerning not preventing penitents of this kind (unless they are scrupulous) from sometimes going to another confessor (n. 1483. 4°), whom they must also sometimes be commanded to approach.

I. The obligation of the confessor to direct penitents in the way of Christian virtue and perfection. - The confessor ought not only to tear vices out of his penitents, but also to insert virtues in them; he is bound not only to take care that penitents return to the grace of God and that the just persevere in the same, but also that these advance in virtue and sanctity, and this as the minister of Christ, who came that they may have life and have it more abundantly, John X, 10. "It is a work very acceptable to God," says St. Alphonsus, Pr. conf., n. 121, "to adorn brides for Him, namely to cultivate spiritual souls, that they may give and hand themselves over wholly to Him. Hence when the confessor sees a penitent living immune from mortal faults, he ought to employ every care that he introduce him into the life of perfection and divine love."

Since, therefore, everywhere there are not a few penitents to be directed who can tend to spiritual perfection, it is necessary that the confessor also be versed, theoretically and practically, in ascetical theology, or even mystical theology; or, applying himself to the study of it, that he be found at least not altogether a stranger in this matter. For this let him implore divine light by prayer and read spiritual books of sound character.¹

¹ The following can usefully be consulted: St. Alphonsus, Praxis conf., nn. 99-101, 121-125, 145-171, 217-226; Reuter, Neo-conf., nn. 245-253; Marc, Th. M., II, nn. 1841-1842; Aertnijs, Th. P., nn. 215-244; Tanquerey, de Poen., nn. 548-556; Precis de Theologie ascetique et mystique; Theol. Mechl., de Poen. (4), n. 65, pp. 192-194; de Virt., nn. 88-90, pp. 220-223; Frassinetti, Th. M., diss. 15, § 5; Berardi, Praxis conf., nn. 1136-1138; Lehmkuhl, Th. M., II, nn. 633-638; and other treatises on spiritual or ascetical life, several of which are indicated on p. 126, note 2.

II. General principles of direction. - That the confessor may truly consult the spiritual utility of these penitents, let him place before his eyes these general principles as rules of government. He must namely take care of three things:

1. Before all things let him take care both to present to them a right idea of sanctity, which does not consist in long prayers and particular devotions, or in long delay in church, or in sensible piety, nor in fasts and austerities, external works, spiritual consolations, or extraordinary visions, but in a right intention and a life conformed to the will of God, and in a prompt and generous will of doing all things for God; and to excite and foster in them a great and constant desire of perfection, indeed of the greatest perfection, at which even they are not going to arrive, and a firm purpose of reaching it, "representing to them the merit which God has that He be loved, and the gratitude which we owe to Jesus Christ, who loved us even to dying for us; and also the danger in which all souls are placed who, called by God to a more perfect life, resist Him."²

² St. Alphonsus, o. c., n. 121.

The intention of the end, because it is the principle in things to be done, is naturally fitted to exercise the greatest influence on our whole activity. Hence it is necessary that we set before ourselves a lofty end of perfection, and indeed constantly; by this it will happen that we order all acts and the whole life to it, having been made indifferent to all the rest, and judging whatever does not conduct to it as lost.

2. Let him take care that all are not led in the same way: namely, let him not attempt to lead all pious persons living in the world to the highest degree of perfection. For there are those who, having obtained a good disposition, decline from evil and do ordinary good things, but do not seem capable of higher perfection. And there are others who are not truly devout, but whose devotion is illusion or hypocrisy; hence let him carefully separate the truly pious from the falsely devout. - Nor let him direct all in the same way or spirit, but let him attend to their condition, natural disposition, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

a) To condition: the married and the unmarried, seculars and religious, those who are held by assiduous labor and those who enjoy much leisure, are not to be governed in the same manner; for nothing is to be counseled which could obstruct the fulfillment of the duties of state.

b) To natural disposition: for those who are furnished with different temperaments must be treated differently.³ Sanguine persons, prone to loves and pleasures, are to be restrained, lest they be moved by inordinate affection, or, moved by a sudden ardor, assume something above their strength and afterward, cast down, fall into desperation; and they are to be induced to accomplish all things deliberately and constantly. Choleric persons, by nature bold and spirited, but at the same time impatient and proud, are to be checked lest they exceed and wish suddenly to reach a higher grade and afterward fall; hence they are to be humbled, though with discretion, and admonished to distrust themselves, and yet at the same time to turn passions to a good end and direct them to nobler and higher things in the service of God. Phlegmatic persons, inclined to tepidity and pusillanimity, are to be excited more and constantly lest, lulled to sleep, they become tepid and lax; but on the contrary, that they proceed strongly in all things, yet in such a way that works are somewhat tempered, so that, considering their inborn inertia and languor, they are able to exercise them. Finally melancholic persons, inclined to sadness and suspicion, are to be treated more kindly and consoled, lest they be oppressed by sadness and a broken spirit and be driven into dejection; they are to be turned away from solitude and idleness, and occupied with useful labors, but not subjected to a heavier burden.

³ See already above, p. 65, note 2.

c) To the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which the confessor ought to investigate and follow, not anticipate, lest by his own counsels he overturn the work of God. The Holy Spirit is manifold in gifts and leads souls in various ways by various inspirations. Hence one must not strive higher than God calls, nor hold back from that to which He impels.

3. Let him take care that they proceed in perfection in an ordered way and by degrees, beginning from smaller and easier things. Therefore let them be taught

a) to beware of the least deliberate defect, yet in such a way that, when a light fault has been admitted, they not be cast down in spirit, but immediately rise from the fall by acts of humility, sorrow, and purpose, even if they should fall a hundred times in a day;

b) to perform ordinary actions, and prayers, meditations or readings, hearing of Mass, use of the Sacraments, small mortifications, conversation with the neighbor, duties of state, precepts of God and of the Church, common devotions, e.g., visits to the Most Holy Sacrament and the rosary of the Blessed Virgin, etc., well and with every solicitude, and to have a right intention in all things, but to avoid extraordinary things;

c) to bear light things before they desire grave things;

d) first to strive for patience, and only then for joy in adversities;

e) first to mortify curiosity, vanity, and sensual love; then to exercise the moral virtues, especially prudence, rectitude and sincerity, fortitude, meekness, etc.; finally to walk more in the spirit of faith, filial confidence toward God, and fervent love of Him;

f) yet before all things to foster humility, obedience, and love of the cross together with one's own abjection: for if spiritual exercises do not conduce to this end, let devotion be held suspect.

III. The means of advancing in the pious and devout life are some general and common, others particular.

The particular means are diverse according to the different grade which the pious have reached, and according to the inclination of grace, their condition, and their disposition; so that especially those virtues are inculcated to them which are opposed to the predominant vice, or better correspond to the duties of state or the motions of grace.

The general means common to all are spiritual exercises, namely the practice of mental prayer, frequent remembrance of the divine presence, mortification, and discussion of conscience. To these external means can be added: the direction of the confessor together with reading of books which treat of the spiritual life, a definite rule or good ordering of life, reception of the sacraments, and sanctification of the social relations which we have with others.

IV. Mental prayer, although it is not necessary for salvation, is nevertheless the most apt means for sanctifying the soul by divine love; for, as St. Alphonsus testifies, Pr. conf., n. 122, "prayer and sin cannot dwell together; but the soul will either leave prayer or sin," cf. Eccli. VIII, 40; Jer. XII, 11. Hence let the confessor induce the pious into the habit of mental prayer, establish for them the time to be spent on this exercise, e.g., half an hour morning and evening, assign to them the truths to be meditated upon, teach them the method of meditating fruitfully, and sometimes, e.g., each month, require an account of this method. - And let him watch that they pass no day without some consideration of truths, that they frequently pour forth pious affections and fervent ejaculatory prayers, and, as far as they can, read attentively and piously in a spiritual book.

Now mental prayer consists of three parts: preparation, meditation, and conclusion.

1. Preparation is contained in three acts, to be elicited briefly: namely an act of faith concerning the presence of God, an act of humility on account of sins committed, and an act of supplication for divine light.

2. Meditation or reconsideration itself, which ordinarily, and always by beginners, is to be instituted from a spiritual book, and concerning matter which seems more profitable to each one, namely with a greater affection of devotion, fruit of virtue, and utility in avoiding defects, such as the last things, the goodness or benefits of God, the malice of sin, and before the rest the life and Passion of Christ. - Moreover the principal part and end of meditation is not the speculative consideration itself of truths by the intellect, but rather is in eliciting affections, making petitions, and strengthening purposes through the appetitive faculties: the meditation itself ought to tend to these fruits and ought to be left behind for their sake when a man perceives himself to be moved in soul. Hence:

a) Affections constitute the fitting response by which the soul addresses God after God has illuminated it and intimately addressed it. In view of various circumstances, acts of faith, confidence, gratitude, adoration, praise, humility, contrition, and especially charity are to be elicited, by which the soul offers itself wholly to God and conforms itself to His holy will, and which it cannot exercise repeatedly enough. Thus it should wish, affectively and effectively, to be led by God and to be submitted to Him.

b) It is helpful to repeat petitions in prayer: for God is not accustomed to grant helps except to those asking, and no time is more opportune for asking than the time of mental prayer. Therefore in this, with humility and confidence, let light, remission of sin, perseverance, etc., be asked for, first of all the gift of holy love; yet all through the merits and Passion of Christ.

c) Purpose is necessary so that the fruit of prayer may endure and the light granted by God may be applied to the directing of life. But purpose, that it may be efficacious, should not be general, e.g., of avoiding any defect whatever or giving oneself wholly to God, but concretely determined and particular, e.g., of avoiding such a defect in such a manner or on such an occasion, of better exercising some virtue by this special means, of tolerating such an annoyance, of obeying such a superior or such a rule, of mortifying oneself in such a thing and at this moment, etc.

3. The conclusion is completed by three acts: a) thanksgiving for the lights received in meditation; b) determination of standing firmly by the purposes formed, and of immediately executing them; and of remembering them rather often during the day, just as the sentence which more strongly moved the soul; c) urgent petition from God for help, to be obtained through Christ and Mary, for executing the purposes.⁴

⁴ Garrigou-Lagrange, L'Oraison commune, in the periodical La Vie spirituelle, t. VIII, can also be compared.

V. Frequent remembrance of the divine presence, from which we several times offer our acts to God, break forth into pious ejaculatory prayers, renew the supernatural intention rather often, and thus avoid sins because of fear and reverence toward God present, and from love of Him advance daily in the practice of virtue, according to that: Walk before me and be perfect, Gen. XVII, 1.

It is namely a frequent and habitual elevation of mind and heart into God present, a loving attention of the soul to God, whom it beholds in every thing, in every event, and especially in itself; a simple gaze, but full of love, directed toward God, by which the soul, without any force or more intense effort, but as if by a connatural tendency, is borne into God, whom it knows to be present. Thus the soul is vividly conscious of the presence of God; it feels itself under His eye, searching all things, and under His operative activity; and rather often it recollects itself within itself for finding God in an act of loving sweetness.

For God truly is: 1) in all things by essence, presence, and power, that He may have care for all, especially for those who invoke Him with confidence, for the Lord is near to all who invoke Him;

2. in all events, because all are ruled by His wise providence, and they are not judged rightly unless they are considered according to the intention of the first cause;

3. specifically in the soul of the just: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come to them and remain with them, that they may have divine life and rejoice in the joy of the divine presence and love, John XIV, 23.

Remembrance of the divine presence contributes much:

a) to avoiding sin, from fear and reverence toward the supreme and infinite majesty present;

b) to advancing in virtue and spiritual life, from the fact that we sustain the struggle and effort while our God sees and, as it were, applauds;

c) to stimulating confidence and charity toward God, who from mere benevolence toward us, with His knowledge, wisdom, love, counsel, and omnipotence is in us for our good;

d) to supernatural consolation and spiritual joy of fruition concerning the presence of God and His highest goodness.

For this exercise in practice it helps:⁵ 1) to carry some special sign or have it within one's room; 2) often to elevate the mind and heart to God present everywhere, or even inhabiting the soul, and to repeat an act of love, yet without any force or desire of sensible consolation: for he who truly loves never forgets the person loved; 3) to love solitude and seek it as far as possible, for enjoying the presence of God and His love; 4) and to ask this love and the memory of His presence from God. "Every evil," says St. Teresa, "comes from this, that we do not consider God present... Let us not think that even a single lifting of the eyes in remembrance of Him is left unrewarded by God."

⁵ St. Alphonsus, o. c., n. 168.

VI. Mortification, in the present order, is altogether necessary for removing the impediments of perfection, specifically⁶ a) for the progressive healing of the wounds of original sin; b) for the destruction of personal sin and its consequences; c) for the perfect subordination of natural activity to the life of grace, Gal. V, 24. For it is necessary that we live not only as rational beings, under the guidance of reason, but also as sons of God, under the guidance of faith and the Holy Spirit; and therefore it is necessary to restrain merely natural activity and even to repress the first inordinate movements, lest this natural activity grow too much and distract us, to the detriment of the higher activity of grace. But the impediments of perfection to be removed are internal and external; the internal arise either from inordinate internal senses or from unmortified passions; the external are from riches, honor and glory, delightful things, or persons loved too much or pleasurably.

⁶ Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange in the journal Vie Spirituelle, t. XI and XII.

In this matter, however, the confessor must proceed moderately according to Christian prudence, by which he should beware of every excess and defect. For just as it is a harmful error to place perfection in fasts, vigils, hair-shirts, scourgings, etc., so it is the greatest error to contemn mortification as useless to spiritual progress, or absolutely to assert that external mortifications profit nothing or little.⁷ For although internal mortifications of the passions and appetites of the soul are rather to be exercised, such as: not responding to injuries, yielding in contentions, following the will of others, not seeking oneself, etc., nevertheless external and bodily mortifications help the internal ones and are necessary for restraining the senses; hence they were also frequent among all the Saints.

⁷ St. Alphonsus, o. c., n. 145.

624. 1. St. Paul admonishes: "Above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection";¹⁵³ for charity is the form of all the virtues, orders them to the supernatural end, and gives to them their proper notion of meriting eternal life. On account of this reason also our spiritual perfection depends upon the habit of charity, and the more perfect the degree of charity in a man is, the greater is his spiritual perfection. Wherefore St. Augustine says fittingly: "Charity begun is justice begun, charity advanced is justice advanced, great charity is great justice, perfect charity is perfect justice."¹⁵⁴ According to St. Thomas, the perfection of charity in this earthly life is exercised by man in two ways, namely in the first way, "that he appoint his zeal to having leisure for God and divine things, other things being passed over, except so far as the necessity of the present life requires; and this is the perfection of charity which is possible in the way; nevertheless it is not common to all having charity. In another way so that someone habitually places his whole heart in God, namely in such a way that he thinks or wills nothing which is contrary to divine love; and this is the perfection common to all having charity."¹⁵⁵ Therefore according to St. Thomas there are two grades of charity: the first common to all having sanctifying grace; the second belongs only to those who pass over all worldly things, insofar as is possible, and with all their powers devote themselves to divine things.

2. Charity, as an infused virtue, cannot be increased from our acts except through an increase of sanctifying grace, which we merit by our acts. Nevertheless, by our acts we can also remove impediments of charity and thus increase it indirectly. This indeed happens in this way. Manifold disordered cupidity prevents man from adhering to God with all his powers. Hence man is bound by repeated acts gradually to restrain that cupidity, and the more disordered cupidity has been subdued, the greater is the perfection of charity. Hence St. Thomas¹⁵⁶ says: "Perfection is considered as to this, that those things are excluded which are repugnant to the movement of love into God, as Augustine says in the book 83 Questions, q. 36, that the poison of charity is cupidity, perfection is no cupidity." But the acts by which passions are mortified and virtues are exercised pertain to the perfection of charity, not because they constitute it formally, but because they are commanded by charity and eliminate all opposed impediments. Therefore it cannot be concluded absolutely that those saints who exercised greater mortifications had greater charity and sanctity.

3. Whoever has a permanent disposition of loving God above all things and of committing no mortal sin can rightly be said to be in the state of perfection, because every permanent and stable disposition can be called a state. Nevertheless, under the state of perfection theologians are accustomed to understand something else, namely a certain kind of life in which the three evangelical counsels and a certain Rule approved by the Supreme Pontiffs are observed. But first of all it must be noted that the state of perfection accepted in this sense is not the same as perfection itself; for someone living outside that state can be most perfect; and conversely someone living in the state of perfection can be most imperfect, indeed even dwell in the state of mortal sin. Nevertheless this state is deservedly called the state of perfection, because a) its members are bound by profession to tend toward perfection and because b) they ought to employ the best means for attaining this perfection. For the obstacles of charity are disordered cupidity 1. of one's own excellence, 2. of carnal delights, and 3. of material goods. Furthermore this threefold cupidity is most efficaciously mortified by the vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty; and these three vows are perfectly observed in the state of religion according to Rules approved by the Supreme Pontiffs. Hence also the history of all ages proves that the most splendid examples of sanctity have shone forth in religious orders.

¹⁵³ Col. 3, 14.

¹⁵⁴ De nat. et grat. c. 70 (Migne, Patr. lat. 44, 290).

¹⁵⁵ S. theol. 2, 2, q. 24, a. 8.

¹⁵⁶ S. theol. 2, 2, q. 184, a. 2.

IT IS CERTAIN, as the holy Doctor says dist. 17, last question, that there are some perfect in Charity, even in the wayfaring state. That perfection is twofold, as D. Bonaventure teaches 3. dist. 30, question 2. One is of necessity, which excludes mortal sin, by observing the law: the other of supererogation, of which Matth. 19. If thou wilt be perfect, go, etc. But the perfection of this life is that in Charity of which the latter speaks, Ioan. 3, not one that excludes even venial sins; for this is the perfection of the fatherland, while this other is that of the way, of Christ, and of his sweetest mother, as S. Bonaventure indicates loco cit. and the Council of Milevis defines cap. 6, 7, and 8. and the Council of Trent session 6, cap. 11 and can. 13. Hence D. Augustine Lib. 1. de doct. Christ. cap. 39. concludes that there is no perfection in the way equal to the perfection of some blessed soul. Therefore in this life there is perfect charity, as D. Augustine says above, and D. Bernard serm. 2. de S. Michaële, when, the passions having been tamed, the soul is found expedite for the acts of the virtues. The Charity of the way is divided into the Charity of Beginners, of the Proficient, and of the Perfect. See D. Thom. art. 8.

IT IS PROVED by D. Bonaventure primo, dist. 27. part. 2. quaest. 2. Forms are intensified by approach to their term and by the removal of the admixture of the contrary, from Aristotle 3. Top. cap. 4. and 3. Phys. text 19. but as concupiscence diminishes, Charity in the way is increased and perfected, from D. Augustine Lib. 83. qq. question 36. and in Enchir. last chapter; which is 121. For the fervor of Charity is intensified, which leads to perfection, although the degrees of Charity themselves would also be increased even if concupiscence were not present, as is evident in the Angels, and in Adam innocent, in whom Charity would have been increased confess. cap. 29. He loves thee less who loves something with thee which he does not love for thy sake.

[Page 104 of the 1676 edition is missing from the only scan of this volume available to us, and therefore from this text. It held the end of Question XIII and the heading and beginning of Question XIV; the heading is supplied from the printed index.]

PERFECTION consists in Charity, which is the bond of perfection, as is said: Colossians 3.

The Seraphic Doctor notes five kinds of perfections.

THE FIRST is necessary, of which Matt. 5: Be you perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect, as Bellarmine also notes, on monks, chapter 9.

THE SECOND perfection is of counsel, which keeps the Evangelical Counsels, of which Matt. 19: If you will be perfect, go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor.

THE THIRD is the perfection of prelacy, or due from the office of Prelate. Of this Luke 6: Every one shall be perfect, if he be as his master.

THE FOURTH is the perfection due from good example, enjoined upon us. Of this Genesis 6: Noë was a just and perfect man in his generations. To avoid scandal.

THE FIFTH is the perfection of tranquillity, by which the best works are chosen. Such is that of which it is said, 1 John 4: Perfect Charity casts out fear, and by which Blessed Teresa vowed always to do those things which she understood to be more perfect.

Therefore a man perfect in the first perfection is bound to the precepts. Thus Matt. 19: If you will enter into life, keep the commandments. By which he shows that by the sole observance of the commandments one arrives at eternal life. But in this he is not bound to that perfection of guarding every single word, of which James 3: He who offends not in word: the same is a perfect man.

But one perfect by reason of the obligation of a vow is bound to the promises.

Likewise a Prelate to the works of his office to be executed, etc. See St. Bonaventure.

THAT a Religious is bound to perfection, not indeed to have it in act, but to pursue it, the Doctors commonly grant with D. Bonaventure lib. 1. de professio religiosi, cap. 1. and in the questions on the Rule, quest. 16. and p. p. de Eccl. Hierarch. cap. 2. 3. and 4. and part. 4. cap. 4. Thus D. Thom. 2. 2. quest. 184. art. 5. ad 2. and quest. 186. art. 2. and 9. and there Cajetan, Abul. quest. 144. on cap. 9 of Matthew: Astensis sum. 2. part. tit. 47. art. 1. quest. 3. Carthus. de reform. claustr. lib. 1. art. 1. D. Antonin. 3. part. tit. 16. cap. 1. §. 1. Angelus verb. Religiosus, num. 27. Sylvester ibi 1. quest. 3. Armilla n. 5. Tabiena quest. 4. Navarro com. 1. de Regular. num. 10. disto 10. Corduba in reg. S. Francisci, cap. 1. quest. 3. disto 2. Viguer. lib. Instit. cap. 7. §. 1. Azor lib. 11. tract. 1. Instit. cap. ult. question 11. Valentia disp. 10. quest. 4. puncto 4. Bannes prima secundae, quest. 33. art. 3. dub. 3. Manuel qq. regul. tract. 3. quest. 48. art. 1. Beltram. tract. de voto paupert. cap. 3. Sanchez in Decal. Tom. 2. lib. 6. cap. 5. The reason of D. Bonaventure is, because this is the School of virtues. Therefore Christ says, Matth. 19. If you will, etc. This opinion is terrible to many Religious, as Balleus says V. obed. num. 17. with Navarro com. 1. de Reg. num. 10.

Yet all are not bound to pursue every perfection, but according to the condition of their rule. Thus D. Bonaventure in the epistle to the Provincials, and Custodes, and in the places adduced, and D. Thom. quest. 186. art. 2. and the rest with the Holy Doctors.

The REASON of D. Bonaventure, in the places adduced, is, because religions are instituted by the mind of their Founder, and with the confirmation of the Apostolic See, like ranks arrayed for attaining some end by the use of certain means: Therefore one must insist only on these; otherwise there will never be a firm exercise of virtues in any religious.

But there is a difficulty: Whether this is enjoined upon us by a particular precept.

I ASSERT that it is not a particular precept. This is the opinion of D. Bonaventure, who in the places cited, and everywhere enjoins and declares perfection through the observance of the rule. Therefore Cajetan also quest. 186. art. 6. Corduba cap. 1. of the Rule, quest. 3. dict. 3. — who seem to assert that it is a particular precept — conclude that contempt of the rule, and of this obligation of tending to perfection, are inseparable.

It is proven first by D. Bonav. de profess. relig. cap. 1. for Apoc. 2. Christ, rebuking that Prelate who had already become tepid, says: I have a few things against you: because you have left your first charity: wherefore do penance, and do the first works.

There nothing else is enjoined than that he resume the first works of virtue, especially charity, and retrace the interrupted way through the byways: Therefore those works of charity suffice for attaining the end. For thus also it is said in Eccles. 9.: Whatsoever your hand is able to do, work it earnestly; and this is said even to seculars, to whom nevertheless no one would say that perfection has been enjoined by a distinct precept: Otherwise all mortal sins would have to be doubled, which not even the most fearful would say. Thus also a religious, as often as he violates the vows or precepts, would commit twin mortal sins, which is unheard of, nor are sins to be so multiplied without cause, as Sanchez warns, num 5.

But the question is, when exactly is one at fault against this obligation?

D. Thomas quest. 186. art. 2. and 9. and Cajetan on that art. 2. and 9. D. Antoninus, Angelus, Armilla, Valentia, adduced num. 1. say that one contravenes it when there is contempt of the counsels, by which perfection is attained; and Valentia disp. 10. quest. 4. puncto 5. col. penult. with Cajetan explain this contempt to be when a Religious transgresses the rules because he is unwilling to subject himself to them. But Cajetan speaks of religious and seculars, as Azor notes, tract. 1. lib. 11. cap. ult. question 11.

BUT Sylvester verb. religio 1. quest. 3. Tabien. quest. 4. Corduba in Reg. cap. 1. quest. 3. dicto 3. say that to despise is not to esteem; and therefore that religious despises perfection who has no intention of tending toward it; Even if such a one does not sin out of contempt, but out of negligence, or cupidity. In the same manner speak D. Antoninus, Angel. and Sylvest. n. 1. adduced, with D. Thom. quest. 184. art. 5. ad 2., that religious are liars as often as they turn their mind away from the perfection they profess. Where Cajetan at the end, and Navarro Commentar. 1. de regular. num. 10. judge that D. Thomas in this place holds this to be a mortal sin; otherwise there would be no difference between religious and seculars; for these too sin mortally by despising the counsels, and thus the question about the obligation of the Religious by reason of his state, which is the school of perfection, would be empty.

1. D. BONAVENTURE in Compend. Theol. verit. lib. 5. cap. 6. says that a Religious is bound to perfection, because all things are renounced: but seculars to the precepts, without which Charity is not had. He has nearly the same in Apolog. Paup. cap. 3. resp. prima, where he says that the perfection of a religious consists in the observance of the counsels of the Gospel. And he explains this thus: as perfection, necessary to all, is the observance of the commandments, so the Gospel perfection of a religious consists in avoiding also those things which are occasions of sins, which are enumerated by D. John, epist. 1. cap. 2. Whatever is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh, or the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life. But the incentives of the concupiscence of the flesh are avoided by the Vow of chastity, Matth. 19. There are Eunuchs, etc. The incentives of the concupiscence of the eyes, by the counsel of Christ, Matth. 19. If you will be perfect, etc. The pride of life, by the counsel of the same Christ, Matth. 16. Whoever wills to come after me, let him deny himself, etc. By the Vow of obedience, which is not extended to all the objects of the will, as I showed at length with D. Bonav. Tract. de voto, disp. 2. sect. 2. quest. 2. And in this threefold declination from evil, and from its origin, the first part of Gospel perfection consists, as Sacred Scripture intimates and the Holy Fathers, Founders of Religions, affirm.

THEREFORE in these declinations from evil, and from its occasions, he places the first part of Gospel perfection.

The SECOND, however, consists in the supererogatory pursuit of good through the active and contemplative life toward God; through vehement charity toward one's neighbor, through great beneficence toward enemies, concerning which Matth. 5. Do good to those who hate you, Be you perfect, etc.

The THIRD in the supererogation of undergoing adversities, by bearing them with a joyful mind, as it is said in James 1. Count it all joy, when you fall into various temptations.

He says that indeed the first three fall under vow. Therefore the Holy Father Francis hands down the rule: The rule of the Friars Minor is this: to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord, living in obedience, without property, and in chastity.

BUT he places the other three as things to be desired admonishingly, commending them: Let the brothers attend that above all they ought to desire to have the spirit of the Lord and His holy operation, to pray always to God with a pure heart, and to have humility and patience in infirmity and tribulation, and to love those who persecute us.

He SUBJOINS, however, that religious are bound to perfection by vow, and some by reason of state, that is, Bishops, who are bound to the acts of perfection.

And he places this perfection in the observance of the vows and precepts of the rule, and concludes: From all these it clearly appears that the vow of religion places one in the state of perfection.

From these I deduce those two assertions which follow.

FIRST I assert that perfection, sufficient for Christians, is to keep the Precepts.

It is proven from the Holy Doctor, 1. from Matth. 19. If you will enter into life, keep the commandments. The Holy Doctor says this is the ladder, on the Graduale of the Mass.

Then he proves it in the cited place from D. Prospero de vita contemplativa, lib. 1. cap. 15. They are perfect, who, willing what God wills, sin in no way by which God is offended, acquiesce.

He brings the same testimony from the Seven Itineraries, itinere 4. dist 4. art. 3.

He adds that passage of Deuter. 18. You shall be perfect, and without spot before the Lord your God, where the Gloss has without criminal spot.

Yet if he proposes that not to carry out the counsels is only venial, assert Sanchez lib. 6. cap 5. num. 8. with Cajetan quest. 186. art. 2. Corduba ad Reg. cap. 1. quest. 3. disp. ult. Valentia disp. 10. quest. 4. puncto 4. Azor lib. 11. Instit. cap. ult. quaesito 11.

As to Religious.

I SUPPOSE, from D. Bonavent. lib. 5. Compend. Theol. verit. cap. 69. and 70. that this perfection adds the observance of the counsels, which differ from the precepts by their nature, because a counsel is a persuasion of a better good of supererogation.

IV. Question II. In what does the spirit of Christian perfection chiefly consist? Answer: In charity and humility. Of the first now; of the latter, below. The fire of divine love, when the pitch of worldly and carnal affections has been consumed, kindles a heavenly flame, and makes us like to God and observers of his whole law, as Christ himself teaches in Matthew 22: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, etc. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets. Him whom you love, you do not injure, you do not visit with wrongs; you do not steal what is his; you do not blaspheme his name; you do not circumvent him with deceits or frauds; you carry out what pleases him; you do not rashly bring lawsuits against him; you abstain from the things that displease him. Behold how true is the saying of the Apostle: love is the fulfilling of the law.

IV. All those books, therefore, which neglect the aforesaid evangelical doctrine and the rules which Christ our Savior himself established for the curing of our diseases, which do not inculcate them, which swarm with definitions, petty distinctions, petty questions, and disputations devised by the wit of men, are unfit for instructing Pastors in the government of souls. You, therefore, Ministers of Christ, if the salvation of others and your own is dear to your heart, first of all bend your soul, your powers, and your studies upon the Gospels of Jesus Christ and the Pauline Epistles. Unless the doctrine of Christ is thoroughly known to you, how can you detect the falsity of human opinions? The evangelical doctrine is simple: it teaches not to cavil, nor to wrangle, nor to dispute, but to execute the divine law with a humble and docile soul; it inflames the heart and kindles the fire of divine love; it begets contempt of the world and of earthly things.

I. QUESTION I. What is the religious state? ANSWER. It is a way of arriving more easily at evangelical perfection. From the virtue of Religion, which is eminent among the moral virtues, this sacred state draws its name; and therefore it is called religious. It brings with it stability and immobility. That it may be such, it requires an approbation made by the Church, as is had from the Fourth Lateran Council, chapter Nimia. Necessary also is the profession of three vows according to some one of the rules approved by the Apostolic See. Hence individual Orders have their own proper rule and constitutions, to whose norm they compose the religious state.

II. QUESTION II. Whether Religious are bound under a grave precept to tend to perfection? ANSWER. This question needs perspicuous explication. All Christians, whether lay or ecclesiastical, whether secular or cloistered, are bound by a precept of aspiring to perfection. Perhaps to the unskilled this truth will be impassable. Let them know therefore that this perfection of which our discourse now is, is set in charity, as the Gospel and all the Fathers teach. Hence St. Thomas, II-II, q. 186, art. 2, describes the religious state as being a certain discipline or exercise of arriving at perfection. For that Religious might more easily and expeditiously attain this goal, they vow the three evangelical counsels, to which the rest are reduced. These three vows are instruments and as it were the wheels of the chariot which pave the way for attaining this prize. All the evangelical precepts are necessary means; the counsels are free instruments ordained to the precept of charity. This precept is the end and goal of all the precepts and counsels. Neither in the counsels therefore, nor in the other mandates, but in charity alone is evangelical perfection set, to which under precept all, both Christians and religious men, are bound to aspire. When Christ said Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect, Matthew 5, he intoned this not to monks, not to the cloistered, but addressed utterly the whole human race, since then there were neither monks nor cloistered.

III. With a gross error therefore are those Christians wrapped about who, reckoning this evangelical perfection to be something of supererogation and of counsel, and to belong only to religious men, attempt nothing for the attaining of it. Charity here separates the soul from the love of the world and of those things which are in the world, and joins it to God. And the more the soul is separated from the concupiscence of the flesh, from the concupiscence of the eyes, and from the pride of life, as St. John says, 1 epistle, chapter 2, the more intimately is it coupled to God. To this union with God all Christians are bound by precept. Therefore all Christians are obliged to tend to the perfection of charity. This only is the difference, that Christians are bound to run to perfection by the way of the precepts alone; but religious men, that they might more easily address that same goal, have embraced also the evangelical counsels, and by three solemn vows have imposed the same upon themselves to be observed.

IV. Christians therefore must needs be vigilant in observing the precepts, which enjoin a study of prayer, custody of the senses, compression of the flesh, equity, and purity of heart: because these and all the other mandates are, as has been said, necessary instruments for arriving at the perfection of charity, or union with God. And because this union is greater and more intense in one and less in another, therefore one becomes more perfect than another.

V. On the contrary religious men, besides these precepts, are bound to observe the three vows and their own rule and constitutions, which the holy Patriarchs, the divine Godhead breathing upon them, prescribed as means which help and more easily conduce to the goal set before them.

VI. Whence, you will say, can we gather that men, whether Christians or religious, fulfil this precept of aspiring to perfection? Christians who vigilantly abstain from vain pomps, from luxury, from display, from the occasions of violating the precepts of the Decalogue; who apply themselves to the study of prayer; who preserve justice and equity, and attribute to each what is his; who do to others what they would wish done to themselves; who fulfil the duties of their own state: these give signs that they walk by the way of evangelical perfection.

VII. If Christians themselves must fulfil the duties of their own state and the offices of ruling a family, of educating sons, of providing necessaries for their household, and all the rest; how much more are religious men bound to execute the duties, vows, rites, statutes, and laws of their own Religion? But whence can it be gathered that religious men bestow their labour with a sincere mind upon the study of perfection? Perhaps from the observance of silence, from assiduity of prayer, from the compression of the senses, of the flesh, and of the appetitions, from the execution of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience? Assuredly all these are signs. These are probable enough, but sometimes fallacious. For all these can be the fruits of hypocrisy. That a man may prepare himself a way to government, to prefectures, that he may procure for himself the estimation of a religious man and of an observer of his own institute, he can execute all the aforesaid, and under the cloak of sacred Religion become a martyr of the devil. What then are the arguments of a soul aspiring to Christian perfection? The exercises of charity; love toward all; patience and tolerance of injuries; candour of soul; sincerity of tongue; docility of mind; contempt of worldly things; the trampling down of political respects; the fortitude of an evangelical breast; a study of professing openly the discourses of Christ, hostile and adverse to flesh and blood; a neglect of one's own estimation and of worldly things. These are the indications which show a soul running in the stadium of Christian perfection. Since indeed means can be found without an end; but an end cannot subsist without means. Ceremonies therefore and observances of vows, constitutions, and other rites can appear outwardly destitute of the nuptial garment and covered with the mask of hypocrisy. But the exercises of charity, which are their end, cannot stand without the same.

VIII. Hence you may gather that those superiors of Regulars do not sufficiently satisfy their own office who in their Chapters continually cry out against certain transgressions of ceremonies, and scarcely inculcate anything else upon their subjects than the custody of silence, frequency of choir, and the observance of fasts and of certain genuflexions. I praise all these things; but I grieve at this, that they omit to exhort, persuade, and urge to the exercises of charity. For this flame being kindled in the souls of Religious, all the rest flow of their own accord. Charity indeed is a most fruitful plant bearing fruits ripe for eternity. Charity is kind, is patient, envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, beareth all things, endureth all things, seeketh not the things that are her own but the things which are Jesus Christ's, dreads not the power of the age, fears not the calumnies of adversaries; but with undaunted breast in word and work fulfils exactly the law of Christ and the duties of her own profession. That heavenly fire always burns where it is present, and continually emits flames. If it burned in the hearts of Superiors, beyond doubt it would send its sparks into the souls of subjects. Let those therefore who, the preaching of charity being neglected, inculcate only the observation of ceremonies, fill themselves with charity, that, pouring this into others, they may procure for themselves the best subjects.

IX. Charity joins souls with the sweetest covenant of benevolence, and makes them one heart and one soul. In that community in which aversions, dissensions, and contrary factions boil; in which Superiors put on the mask of prudence with craft and cunning, a double heart and an amphibological tongue, candour, sincerity, and affability being driven out — there assuredly the flame of charity does not burn, but a lying and worldly spirit, and that knowledge which St. James calls diabolical, dominates. If superiors play with words, tergiversate in deeds, deny, answer, delude, trim their sails, and set themselves against, as the reckonings of times bear, between subjects and the superiors themselves, their craftiness being detected, no sincerity, no candour of soul, no charity flourishes. But on the contrary murmurs, dissensions, aversions, and perpetual wars are carried on. Superiors who with open soul, sincere heart, and ingenuous tongue gather and embrace their subjects bind them to themselves and oblige them at that very time at which they deny favours, when they cannot impart them with the law safe. But let us return to the path from a digression otherwise opportune.

X. Those Religious therefore who, the exercise of prayer, mortification, penance, abstinence, and of their own rule and constitutions being neglected, perform only those things which they cannot omit; who indulge in games, storytelling, idleness, solaces, and diversions; who, taking up cape or cloak, go about the cities and follow after curious things; who, if the table be not furnished to their palate, murmur; who deride the exhortations and mandates of superiors, and jest, tell tales, and dispute about them — these run not the way of evangelical perfection, but of eternal damnation.

XI. That I may contract many things into few: all Christians, whether lay or religious, are bound to aspire to evangelical perfection by force of a precept binding under mortal sin, but by various means, which all lead by one and a narrow way to the same goal. Lay Christians by the exact observation of the precepts alone; Religious add to the execution of the precepts the observance of the three vows and of their own constitutions. These vows, these constitutions and rules are not, say the Fathers, packs and weights which oppress, but are wings which lighten the journey and raise upward. Wherefore the religious state is named a school of arriving more easily at the perfection of charity, to which all Christians are bound to tend. More gravely assuredly and more wickedly do Religious sin who violate this precept than lay Christians. Since religious men, instructed by God with a richer store of graces and gifts, can more easily and conveniently tread the narrow evangelical path. Therefore these are held sacrilegious, ungrateful, and most worthless servants of God, when they squander and dilapidate so many talents received from God. Since indeed, segregated from the cares of the world and from the dangers of the world to which wretched Christians are obnoxious, compelled to think nothing of food and clothing, they can most easily be free for God alone and for the observance of their own institute. Wherefore they will be beaten doubly, if they omit, much more if they contemn, the attaining of evangelical perfection.

XII. Theologians are wont to dispute whether the observance of the three vows suffice, the other laws being neglected which do not oblige to grave fault; and again they debate whether a continued transgression of those laws induce a virtual and interpretative contempt. But I settle the matter in few words. The three vows are common to all sacred Orders. Every religious Order is distinguished from another by its own peculiar statutes, rules, and constitutions. Therefore besides the three vows common to all, the observance of one's own institute is necessary; otherwise that Religious would be of no determinate Order who kept only the three vows. Necessary therefore is the observance of one's own rule and constitutions, that a man may be said to be free for the study of evangelical perfection.

XIII. Does the transgression of this or that monastic constitution intercept the way of Christian perfection? A constant and firm mind of fulfilling one's own profession is to be distinguished from the transgression of this or that law proceeding from a subreption of soul and from weakness. Daily we all fall. Those who from infirmity violate some law not obliging to fault, at least grave, stumble and in some manner limp on the way; but they rise again at once, and restore their mind and strength that they may run more swiftly; and because we are weak and infirm, we limp anew, and at the same time anew take up wings, more or less, according as the fire of charity burns more or less in the heart. Those therefore who from common infirmity violate some constitution are not outside the way of perfection, provided they keep a firm and constant mind of observing their own profession. On the contrary those who everywhere violate the peculiar laws of their own institute, caring nothing for the transgressions of the same, and persevering in the same corruption, are outside the narrow path, and run the broad and spacious way of perdition. Nor does it avail them at all that they dwell in Convents where the observance of the laws, at least for the greater part, has passed into desuetude, since no corruption prescribes against a law. In brief, the vows and the constitutions are joined by a reciprocal knot. The constitutions are the safeguards of the vows; the vows are the bulwark of charity. Charity, the vows, and the constitutions hold out mutual hands to one another. This knot being gravely injured and broken, the whole edifice must needs fall. Those who with deliberate mind violate their own constitutions indiscriminately lie, if they boast either the observance of the vows or the exercise of charity.

XIV. Three vows are necessary for constituting the religious state, and indeed emitted with a solemn rite in the face of the Church: for that state includes firmness and stability. These three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience denounce perpetual war upon the three evils of the world which St. John describes, 1 epistle, chapter 2: All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life. Of these three vows the discourse will presently return. Meanwhile if you desire more on this matter, read St. Thomas, II-II, q. 186, articles 6 and 8.

1. There are many persons, especially women endeavoring to lead a holy life, who occupy themselves a great deal with so-called revelations made to pious persons, even to the exclusion of all other spiritual reading matter. Sometimes such persons study the revelations made to some particular saint, drawing all their spiritual nourishment from them; then having their appetite whetted by the perusal of one book of this kind, they eagerly devour anything of the same nature that they are able to lay hold of. They believe in these revelations as firmly as they believe in the Gospels and are strongly disposed to brand as heretics, or at least as suspects, all who do not put the same faith in them as they do themselves. This disposition alone is sufficient to prove that the perusal of these private revelations is not a healthy, spiritual exercise for all indiscriminately, and it becomes necessary from time to time to instruct the faithful on this head.

2. That there may be, that there have been, and that there are at present revelations made to private individuals is beyond question. We are speaking, of course, of revelations made to holy and devout persons, which have been investigated by the Church and declared to contain nothing against faith or good morals. No positive ecclesiastical approbation is ever given to such revelations.

3. When the Church revises and approves revelations and visions in this sense, all she does is to certify that these visions and revelations contain nothing against the "rule of faith," the "regula fidei"; so that the faithful may believe them without injury to their faith (pie creditur) and use them as a guide to conduct without fear of believing or doing anything unauthorized by the Church. Where the Church has thus given her approval to any particular private revelation, it is no longer permitted to ridicule or to despise it. “It is not lawful,” says Card. Franzelin, “to despise such revelations” (de div. trad. 22). To do so were to fail in the respect due to the Church. But not to believe the revelation is no sin against the obedience we owe the Church. For the Church, by her approval or quasi-approval of these revelations, has no intention of obliging the faithful to believe them. Whoever believes in them, does so "fide humana," and not "fide divina," at least not "fide divina Catholica."

"In spiritual things," says Catherine Emmerich, "I never believed anything except what was revealed by God and proposed formy belief by the Catholic Church. What I saw in visions I never believed in this way."

4. The body of revealed truth, necessary to salvation and bearing the seal of infallibility, was completed and closed, once for all, by the teachings of Christ and the apostles. When the Church defines a new dogma, she simply declares authoritatively that it is contained in the teachings of Our Lord and the apostles. Just as private revelations do not bear the seal of infallibility, so neither do they bear the mark of inerrancy. There is no divine inspiration guaranteeing the correct recording of private revelations, as is the case with the Holy Scriptures, even though the fact of the revelations has been established.

Private revelations are exposed to a threefold danger. The understanding may err in receiving the revelation. The memory may fail in recording orally or in writing the contents of the revelation. The tongue may err in its effort to clothe the revelation in human words.

Moreover, as Bened. XIV remarks, notions and ideas acquired previous to the revelation may be confounded by the person receiving the revelation with the things learned in the revelation, and thus the saints have sometimes considered things to have been revealed to them which were in nowise revealed. Hence the contradictions in different revelations.

5. The supernatural communication, therefore, as well in its reception as in its transmission, may be unwittingly falsified. The Holy Scriptures alone are preserved from such falsifications. And thus it happens that the private revelations of different holy persons contradict one another openly, and in many things.

6. All that the Church says, therefore, when she lends her approval to the private revelations of the saints or other holy persons, is that these revelations may be believed "fide humana," and that they are adapted and may be used for the edification of the faithful.

The declaration of Bened. XIV does not contradict this: "When the Church has examined and approved these visions, no one may any longer doubt their supernatural and divine origin." The Pope speaks only of their origin, and not at all of their contents, nor of their correct reproduction. And even a refusal to believe in their divine origin would not be a sin against Catholic faith.

7. After these theoretical remarks let us add a few words of a practical nature. The reading of these visions and private revelations is in nowise adapted to the needs of ordinary people, even though they may have correct notions about the credibility of private revelations. Many of these revelations are beyond the needs and the intelligence even of persons already far advanced in the spiritual life, and are often clothed in language quite unintelligible. And herein precisely lies a new source of anxiety, because a new danger, namely, the danger of understanding the revelation in a wrong sense, which may easily lead to positive error and sin against the "rule of faith."

8. Besides the danger just mentioned there is another, namely, the danger of a one-sided and an imperfect direction in holiness, and of laying great stress on trifles and things of secondary importance. But what is worst of all is that the reading of these revelations gives rise to secret spiritual pride and makes silly pious people, for it is such persons that are most addicted to this kind of reading, that imagine themselves farther advanced in the ways of perfection than others and think that they know more about matters of faith and morals than most other people, even more than the priests themselves.

9. It may cause some surprise if we add a warning for members of religious orders, especially of women. As a general rule, it is not advisable to make use of histories of private revelations, made to pious and holy persons, for general community reading. And those in authority in religious communities should be very slow to allow individual members of the community to make use of the same for their private reading. Women in religious orders who are endeavoring to lead holy lives are more apt to evince a weakness for what is extraordinary than for what is ordinary in their quest of perfection, than their sisters in the world. They prefer the revelations of St. Brigitta or of St. Gertrude to an ordinary introduction to the spiritual life. And it is precisely those who are by no means firmly grounded in the spiritual life who hanker after what is higher before they understand or put into practice the most ordinary and necessary requirements of spiritual growth. In the case of religious the evil effects of this kind of reading are more pronounced and more disastrous than in the case of lay people, and they sometimes create disturbance and division in an entire convent.

10. Some may think these remarks and warnings too severe and even exaggerated. And such indeed were the case did we apply them, a priori, to all private revelations. They hold good only for those who read indiscriminately, and without selecting, especially revelations made to holy persons in times long gone by, and which are profoundly mystic, not to say apocalyptic in their presentation.

Simple books, and books that may be readily understood, like the visions of Catherine Emmerich concerning the life and sufferings of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, are much to be preferred to others, and we would even recommend them.

Case.—Anna has a great desire for Christian perfection. Accordingly she goes to confession every week, and receives Holy Communion daily, whenever possible, hoping thus to attain by sacramental graces a steadily increasing purity of heart. The results, however, do not meet her expectations, she is conscious of still possessing many faults, hence she loses courage and weakens in her efforts.

Question.—How should a confessor treat his penitent in order to encourage her faithful adherence to the practice of daily Communion?

Solution.—In the well-known decree of December 20, 1905, hope is expressed that Communicants who receive daily, with the right dispositions and in the state of grace, may also gradually avoid venial sins. Anna desires to be freed of her faults, hence her zeal in receiving the Sacraments. She had hoped to draw this fruit quickly from daily Communion, but she is disappointed in her expectations. The confessor, as a wise physician of the soul, must, before all things, inquire into the causes of this disappointment. Possibly it is brought about by the fact that her expectations were exaggerated, or even presumptuous. Anna believed that she would be freed not only from all sins, but even from all imperfections. As imperfections, the moralists designate either acts or omissions contrary, not to a positive commandment, but to a counsel; another definition classes them as violations of the moral law which are quite involuntary, such as distraction in prayer, involuntary emotions of anger, envy, etc., and, in general, all faults that proceed from guiltless ignorance or inattention. This latter definition, where there is discussion of the difference between imperfections and venial sins, is to be preferred to the former, since imperfections in the first sense are not always free from real sin, while, as defined in the other sense, they never include guilt. To free one’s self by degrees from such imperfections, in as far as this is possible to human beings, should be the endeavor of every Christian, but he should not forget that he can never achieve this perfectly in this life. Perfect purity is exclusively the privilege of the spirits dwelling in Heaven; on earth even the just have always occasion to accuse themselves of moral shortcomings, and to lament with the Apostle: “Who will deliver me from the body of this death?”

It would be presumptuous to insist on the gift of angelic purity, and it would surely lead to various errors. To a penitent with such aspirations St. Francis of Sales gave the admonition, “Often we take pains to become good angels, and in our zeal we neglect to be good men and good women.” He pointed out the importance of being patient with oneself: “Patience is that virtue which most assures us perfection. We must practice it in dealing with others, but it is equally necessary to exercise it with ourselves. Those who aspire to a perfect charity, must have more patience with themselves than with others. We must endure our imperfections in order to gain perfection.”

With venial sins it is different. These are more or less voluntary violations of the moral law, for this reason they offend God, and in this aspect they are to be abhorred as a positive evil. While in this life it is not possible to avoid always even the least of venial sins, yet it is possible to lessen their number, or to keep oneself entirely free from a certain species of them. That the penitent may never become lax in this endeavor, should be the special solicitude of the confessor. He will, in order to avoid the rock of extreme severity, and in order to discourage neither himself nor his penitent, clearly distinguish between sins of frailty and sins that result from a perversity of the will, or from bad habits. Even the saints were not wholly free from sins of frailty; they, too, had to confess with St. James: “In many things we all offend.” Such faults enter only too easily into our minds, actions and omissions; they can, however, be just as easily wiped out again, especially through prayer, as St. Augustine teaches: “For the daily, brief, and light sins without which this life is not led, the daily prayer of the faithful makes satisfaction... this prayer completely wipes away slight and daily sins,” Ench. 71. As a matter of fact these very faults of weakness work for the good of those who truly love God; for as they are thus continually reminded of their frailty, they are more firmly imbued with an humble self-knowledge. P. Scupoli tell us how advantageous is this knowledge of our faults: “O happy knowledge (of our frailty) which sanctifies us in this world, and uplifts us to the glory of Heaven! O splendid light, proceeding from the darkness and flooding the soul with celestial clarity! O hidden pearl, shining forth from our obscurity! O nothingness that uplifts us to the possession of all things!” If the saints received extraordinary graces from God, not a little of this was due to the fact that they chose to give themselves up to the contemplation of their own nothingness, and fostered within themselves the spirit of humility and contrition.

Upon this important point Anna must be enlightened so that what should really inspire confidence and courage may not become a cause for discouragement.

When, however, there is question of faults arising from perversity of will, and deliberately committed, then the case assumes another aspect. A spiritual condition of this kind requires careful treatment on the part of the confessor.

How harmful such faults are to our striving for virtue is aptly told by P. Lancicius. He writes, in the introduction to an exhaustive treatise upon venial sins: “During the forty-seven years of my priesthood, I have been at different times the spiritual director of lay persons and of Religious. In this work I was made aware that many persons received great graces from the Lord, but with the greater number I saw that they received lesser graces than the Divine bounty would have poured out upon them if they had been more diligent in avoiding numerous venial sins, especially those committed with deliberation.”

Should the confessor perceive that Anna is enmeshed in faults of this kind, that she commits certain faults from habit, then he will, first of all, prescribe the remedies needed against her shortcomings, and impress upon her the conscientious use of the same. Some pious, but little instructed, persons fall into the error that sacramental grace will do all and that it will suffice to receive Communion frequently in order to attain the heights of Christian perfection. If Anna sincerely desires to be cured of moral ills she will assuredly show her good will by a diligent use of the prescribed remedies, and thus gradually attain the desired goal. Should Anna, however, manifest a lack of good intention, by neglecting to cooperate with sacramental grace by her own suitable effort, then the prudent confessor will regard her case as critical, and, if necessary, treat her with warranted severity. Such souls are frequently in grave danger of straying afar from the path of virtue. In the case of such persons the question arises: Have they, indeed, the pious disposition, which is before all things requisite for daily Communion? Are they, indeed, in the state of grace? Admittedly they will not commit any sin which they regard as a grievous sin. Yet, what security is there, in their deplorable condition, that their supposedly venial sins are not really mortal sins, or at least will not soon lead to such? In judging sinful acts, which Moralists hold to be grievous sins ex genere suo, which, however, may be slight on account of parvitas materiae, it is often very difficult to define the borderline that divides venial sins and grievous ones, and, since even the most skilled Casuists often admit their inability to distinguish in this matter, how can a person, less well-informed, without conscious self-deception claim that this borderline has not been overstepped, when she has over and over again sinned deliberately against charity, justice, etc.? Moreover the neglected grace is gradually withdrawn from the tepid soul, and the Divine warning is being fulfilled which was pronounced upon the Bishop of Ephesus: “Because thou art tepid I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.” There is, finally a particular point to be taken into consideration regarding such persons. Not infrequently the habitual faults of those avowing the aspiration to a devout life are yielding scandal. Their lack of charity, of fidelity to duty, of humility, meekness, etc., casts not seldom a dark shadow upon piety itself and brings it into discredit. The scandal which the world takes at the devout is surely often a pharisaical scandal-taking, their malice gleefully making small faults the occasion for vilification of all religion. Unfortunately, however, there is sometimes real scandal of this sort which the confessor must combat with energy. Should all his endeavors fail, then he must not hesitate to keep such persons, who evidently misuse the sacraments, from approaching them until they are induced to make a better use of the same.