The Way of Perfection · 13 of 46

Chapter 13: She speaks on true humility and mortification, and shows how religious ought to avoid honours and al

I OFTEN tell you, sisters, and now I wish to leave it here in writing, lest you might forget it, that not only those belonging to this house, but even every one who wishes to be perfect must fly a thousand leagues from saying, “I had reason – I was injured – he who thus treated me had no reason for what he did:” may God deliver us from such miserable reasoning. Do you think it was reasonable, that our good Jesus should suffer so many injuries, and that these should be committed so much against reason? She who is unwilling to bear any cross, but that for which they who impose it have very good reasons, had better leave the house, for I cannot understand why she should remain in the monastery – let her return to the world again, where none of these “reasons” are observed. Can you suffer so much, that you ought not to suffer more? What reason is there in this? I do not indeed understand it. When people show us any honour, or do us any favour, or treat us kindly, let us produce these reasons – for it is really against reason that we should be made much of in this life – but when we receive injuries or wrongs (for so we call them without any injury being done), I know not why they should be mentioned. Either we are spouses of so great a king, or we are not; if we are, what respectable lady is there, who does not share in the disgrace and affronts which are cast upon her husband, though she herself may not desire it. In a word, both of them share in honour or dishonour. For us to desire, then, to share in the kingdom of our Lord, and yet refuse to take any part in labours and affronts, is unreasonable. May God preserve us from desiring such a thing. But let her who thinks she is esteemed the meanest of all, account herself the happiest of all the sisters, and truly she is so, if she bear it as she ought, for honour will not be wanting to her, either in this life or in the next – let them believe in this case. But what a foolish thing have I uttered in saying, “let them believe me,” when true Wisdom itself has said the same thing.

Let us, my daughters, imitate the great humility of the most Sacred Virgin, whose habit we wear; for it is a shame we should be numbered among her nuns, since however much we may seem to humble ourselves, we fall far short of being daughters of such a mother, and spouses of such a Spouse. Hence, if what I have mentioned above be not carefully prevented, that which today seems nothing, will to-morrow prove a venial sin; and it is so difficult to digest, that if you neglect it, it will not remain alone, since it is an evil very dangerous to communities. We who live in communities must carefully attend to this point, viz., that we do no harm to those who labour to benefit us, and to give us good example.

If we knew what great harm is done in beginning a bad custom, we should prefer death rather than be the cause of it; for the one is only a corporal death, but the loss of souls is a great loss; and this in my opinion never has an end, because when some die, others succeed them, and all perhaps retain more of one bad custom which we may have introduced, than of many virtues. The devil also does not allow such customs to die away; but natural infirmity roots out virtue, if a person do not keep a strict watch, and beg assistance from God.

O! what a most precious act of charity, and what a great service to God would that nun perform, who seeing she was unable to observe the rules of this house, would acknowledge it, and depart before she made her profession, and so leave the rest in peace. And even in all monasteries (at least, if they will believe me), they should not retain her, or give her leave to be “professed,” till after a trial of many years, in order to see whether she will amend. I speak not of faults relating to penance and fasts, for though they are faults, they are not matters which do so much harm. But I speak of certain humours, peculiar to persons who love to be esteemed and respected; who spy out the defects of others, and never acknowledge their own, and so with regard to other similar things, which certainly arise from want of humility. Unless God be favourable to such a person, by granting her abundance of the gifts of His Holy Spirit, so that after many years her amendment appears, may our Lord deliver you from keeping her in your society. Know that she will neither rest herself, nor let you rest, but she will continue to disturb every one.

On this account I pity those monasteries, which, in order to avoid the repayment of the money or dowry received, oftentimes retain a thief that robs them of their chief treasure. In this house, you have already hazarded and even lost all prospects of worldly honour (for poor people are not honoured); seek not, therefore, other honours, which cost you so much. Our honour, sisters, ought to consist in serving God. Whoever thinks you are to be disturbed in this, let her remain at home with her honour, for this object it was that our Fathers appointed a year’s probation, and here it is my wish, that no one might be allowed to make their profession under ten years’ probation; for an humble Religious will be little troubled at not being “professed,” knowing well that if she be good, she will not be sent away; if she be not good, why should she desire to hurt this community of Christ? By not being good, I mean not loving vanity, which, by God’s grace is far, I hope, from this house, but not being mortified, and being attached to the things of this world, or to one’s self in matters which I have mentioned before. And she who finds not in herself great mortification, let her believe me, and not make her profession, if she would not suffer a hell in this world, and God grant there may not be another in the next, for there are many things in her, which tend that way; and perhaps neither she nor the rest will understand this matter so well as I do. Herein let them believe me, otherwise time will convince them of it; for the object we aim at is not only that of being nuns, but hermits also, as were our holy Fathers, our predecessors; and thus must we disengage ourselves from all created things – and whomsoever our Lord has chosen for this house, we see in a special manner that He confers this favour upon her; and though as yet it be not in all perfection, it is evident that she already tends to perfection, by the great pleasure and satisfaction she takes, in seeing that she is to have no more to do with the concerns of this life, and also by the delight she finds in all the exercises of religion.

I say again, if any one feels an inclination for the things of this world, and perceives that she does not go on improving, she is not fit for this house; she may go to some other, if she wish to be a nun; or if not, let her mark what follows. And let her not complain of me (who began this) – for not having warned her. This house is a heaven, if such can be on earth, to one whose sole delight is to please God, and who regards not her own pleasure; here, she may lead a very good life; if she grasp at any anything more she will lose all, because she cannot keep it. And a discontented soul is like one who has a great loathing; for however good the food may be, she casts it up; and that which persons in health can eat, with great delight, makes her stomach loathe. In another place, she may have better opportunities of being saved; and by little and little she may possibly attain to that perfection, which here cannot be reached – because it is to be acquired all at once; for though as to the interior, time is to be allowed for entirely disengaging and mortifying one’s self, yet as to the exterior, it should be done speedily, on account of the harm it may do to others. And if here one does not make any progress in a year, though she sees all the others do, and though she is in such good company, I fear that such a person will not improve even during many years. I say not, that the improvement must be so complete in her – as in the others: but it is to be understood she goes on still recovering her health; and this is soon discerned, if the malady be not mortal.