Exercises of External Mortification.
Naturalists assure us that if one writes a word upon a whole almond, and puts it back into its shell, carefully folding and fastening it, and then plants it thus, all the fruit of the tree that grows from it will be inscribed and engraved with the same word. For my part, Philothea, I have never been able to approve the method of those who, in order to reform a person, begin with the exterior—with demeanour, clothing, and hair.
It seems to me, on the contrary, that we must begin within: _Turn ye unto Me_, saith God, _with all your heart. My son, give Me thy heart._ For indeed, since the heart is the source of our actions, they are such as it is itself. The divine Bridegroom, inviting the soul, addresses her in these words: _Set Me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm._ Yes, indeed; for whosoever hath Jesus Christ in his heart will soon have Him also in all his outward actions. Therefore, dear Philothea, I have wished, before all things, to engrave upon your heart this holy and sacred word: Live Jesus! being assured that thereafter your life, which comes from the heart as the almond tree comes from its kernel, will yield all its fruits—that is, all its actions imprinted and engraved with the same word of salvation; and that, as this sweet Jesus shall live in your heart, He shall live also in all your conduct, and shall appear in your eyes, in your mouth, in your hands, yea, even in your hair, so that you may say, after the example of Saint Paul: _I live; or rather, it is no longer I that live, but Jesus Christ liveth in me._ In short, he who hath gained the heart of man hath gained the whole man. But this very heart, with which we would begin, needs to be taught to govern all that is outward, so that therein may be seen not only holy devotion, but also great discretion and wisdom. To this end, I shall give you several counsels in a few words.
Naturalists assure us that if one writes a word upon a whole almond, and puts it back into its shell, carefully folding and fastening it, and then plants it thus, all the fruit of the tree that grows from it will be inscribed and engraved with the same word. For my part, Philothea, I have never been able to approve the method of those who, in order to reform a person, begin with the exterior—with demeanour, clothing, and hair.
It seems to me, on the contrary, that we must begin within: _Turn ye unto Me_, saith God, _with all your heart. My son, give Me thy heart._ For indeed, since the heart is the source of our actions, they are such as it is itself. The divine Bridegroom, inviting the soul, addresses her in these words: _Set Me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm._ Yes, indeed; for whosoever hath Jesus Christ in his heart will soon have Him also in all his outward actions. Therefore, dear Philothea, I have wished, before all things, to engrave upon your heart this holy and sacred word: Live Jesus! being assured that thereafter your life, which comes from the heart as the almond tree comes from its kernel, will yield all its fruits—that is, all its actions imprinted and engraved with the same word of salvation; and that, as this sweet Jesus shall live in your heart, He shall live also in all your conduct, and shall appear in your eyes, in your mouth, in your hands, yea, even in your hair, so that you may say, after the example of Saint Paul: _I live; or rather, it is no longer I that live, but Jesus Christ liveth in me._ In short, he who hath gained the heart of man hath gained the whole man. But this very heart, with which we would begin, needs to be taught to govern all that is outward, so that therein may be seen not only holy devotion, but also great discretion and wisdom. To this end, I shall give you several counsels in a few words.
If you can bear fasting, you will do well to fast for a few days, in addition to the fasts commanded by the Church; for, besides the ordinary effect of fasting, which is to raise the spirit, subdue the flesh, make virtue easier, and gain a greater reward in Heaven, it is also a very great good to keep oneself in possession of the power to chastise gluttony itself, and to hold the body and the senses subject to the law of the spirit: and although one does not fast much, the enemy nevertheless fears us more when he sees that we know how to fast. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are the days on which the Christians of old most exercised themselves in abstinence. Choose some of these days, therefore, for fasting, according to your devotion and the wise counsel of your director.
I would willingly say, as Saint Jerome said to the good lady Leta: _Long and immoderate fasts are very displeasing to me, especially in those who are still of tender age._ I have learned by experience that little donkeys, when weary on the road, seek to stray from it; that is to say, young people who have become infirm through excessive fasting are readily led to delicacies. Stags run poorly in two conditions: when they are too heavily laden with venison, and when they are too thin. In like manner, we are greatly exposed to temptations when our body is too well nourished, and when it is too weakened; for in the former state it becomes insolent and rebellious, and in the latter it becomes fainthearted and despairing; and just as we cannot bear it when it is too fat, so it cannot bear us when it is too thin. This lack of moderation in fasting, discipline, and the other exercises of penance renders the best years of many useless for works of charity; as happened even to Saint Bernard, who repented of having used too much austerity. Thus, after ill-treating their flesh at the beginning, they are constrained to indulge it at the end. Would it not have been much better for them from the outset to impose upon themselves moderate, steady mortifications, proportionate to the labors and duties imposed upon them by their station?
I would willingly say, as Saint Jerome said to the good lady Leta: _Long and immoderate fasts are very displeasing to me, especially in those who are still of tender age._ I have learned by experience that little donkeys, when weary on the road, seek to stray from it; that is to say, young people who have become infirm through excessive fasting are readily led to delicacies. Stags run poorly in two conditions: when they are too heavily laden with venison, and when they are too thin. In like manner, we are greatly exposed to temptations when our body is too well nourished, and when it is too weakened; for in the former state it becomes insolent and rebellious, and in the latter it becomes fainthearted and despairing; and just as we cannot bear it when it is too fat, so it cannot bear us when it is too thin. This lack of moderation in fasting, discipline, and the other exercises of penance renders the best years of many useless for works of charity; as happened even to Saint Bernard, who repented of having used too much austerity. Thus, after ill-treating their flesh at the beginning, they are constrained to indulge it at the end. Would it not have been much better for them from the outset to impose upon themselves moderate, steady mortifications, proportionate to the labors and duties imposed upon them by their station?
Fasting and labour subdue and weaken the flesh. If the work you do is necessary to you, or greatly useful to the glory of God, I would rather that you suffer the hardship of work than that of fasting. This is the Church’s judgment, which exempts those who undertake works useful to the service of God and their neighbour from the very fast that is commanded. One finds it hard to fast, another to serve the sick, visit prisoners, hear confessions, preach, relieve the poor, pray, and do other such things; this hardship is better than the other, for, besides subduing the flesh just as much, it bears fruits far more desirable; and so, generally speaking, it is better to keep more bodily strength than is needful than to diminish it too much; for one can always weaken it if one wishes, but one cannot always restore it when one has need of it.
It seems to me that we ought to hold in great esteem the saying which our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples: _Eat what is set before you._ I believe it is a greater virtue to eat without choice whatever is offered to you, whether you like it or not, than always to choose the worst; for although this latter way of living seems more austere, the other nevertheless shows greater resignation; for by it one renounces not only one’s taste, but also one’s choice; and assuredly it is no small austerity to turn one’s taste in every direction and bend it to every circumstance. Add to this that this sort of mortification is not seen, inconveniences no one, and is altogether suited to the customs of civil life. To refuse one dish in order to take another, to inspect and handle all the meats, never to find anything well prepared or clean enough, to make a fuss over every morsel—all this bespeaks a soft heart, enslaved to its mouth. I esteem Saint Bernard more for having drunk oil in place of water and wine than if he had drunk wormwood water on purpose; for this was a sign that he was not thinking about what he drank. And in this indifference in eating and drinking lies truly the perfection of this saying: _Eat what is set before you._ I except, however, foods that are harmful to health or even to the functions of the mind, such as, for many people, hot and spiced foods; nor do I mean certain occasions when nature needs to be helped and restored, so that one may be able to endure some labour for the glory of God. In a word, moderate and constant sobriety is better than violent abstinences practised from time to time and interspersed with great indulgences.
Moderate use of the discipline is wonderfully efficacious in reviving devotion. The hair shirt powerfully mortifies the body; but its use is ordinarily not well suited to married people, to delicate constitutions, or to those who have to bear other great hardships. It may, however, be used, with the help of a wise confessor, on days more specially devoted to penance.
At night, each must take as much sleep as his constitution requires, so that he may keep watch well and profitably by day; and since Holy Scripture, in a hundred ways, the example of the saints, reason, and experience greatly commend the morning hours as the most precious and fruitful time of our days; since Our Lord Himself is called the rising sun, and His holy Mother the dawn of day, I think it a praiseworthy custom to retire early in the evening, so that one may then wake and rise early in the morning. Surely this is the most agreeable and pleasant time, and the one in which there is the least disturbance; the very birds seem to invite us to bless and praise God. Early rising is therefore wholly conducive both to health and to holiness.
At night, each must take as much sleep as his constitution requires, so that he may keep watch well and profitably by day; and since Holy Scripture, in a hundred ways, the example of the saints, reason, and experience greatly commend the morning hours as the most precious and fruitful time of our days; since Our Lord Himself is called the rising sun, and His holy Mother the dawn of day, I think it a praiseworthy custom to retire early in the evening, so that one may then wake and rise early in the morning. Surely this is the most agreeable and pleasant time, and the one in which there is the least disturbance; the very birds seem to invite us to bless and praise God. Early rising is therefore wholly conducive both to health and to holiness.
Balaam, mounted upon his she-ass, went to meet Balac; but because his intention was not upright, an angel awaited him on the way, with a sword in his hand, to slay him. The she-ass, who saw the angel, stopped three times and balked; and each time Balaam cruelly struck her with his staff to make her go forward, until at last, having lain down altogether beneath the prophet, she said to him, by a great miracle: _What have I done to thee? Why hast thou already struck me three times?_ And immediately, when the eyes of Balaam had been opened, he saw the angel, who said to him: _Why hast thou beaten thy she-ass? If she had not turned aside from before me, I would have slain thee, and spared her._ Then Balaam said to the angel: _Lord, I have sinned; I knew not that Thou wast opposing my journey._
Do you see, Philothea, Balaam is the cause of the evil; and yet he strikes the poor she-ass, who has no part in it. This is what often happens in our affairs: this woman sees her husband or her child ill, and immediately she hastens to fasting, hair shirts, and the discipline, as David did on a like occasion. Alas! dear friend, you beat the poor ass, you afflict your body, and yet it is not the cause of your evil, nor of God’s having drawn His sword against you. Correct your heart, which is idolatrous of this husband, which indulges this child in everything, and destines him to a thousand schemes of pride and ambition: there is the true source of the evil. This man sees that he often falls heavily into sin: at once his conscience comes to pierce his heart with inward reproaches, which he fears; then, coming to himself, he cries: Ah! accursed flesh, ah! treacherous body, thou hast betrayed me! And at once he lays heavy blows upon this flesh, takes to immoderate fasting, unending disciplines, and unbearable hair shirts. O poor soul! if Thy flesh could speak like Balaam’s she-ass, it would say to Thee: Why dost thou beat me, wretched one? It is against thee, O my soul, that God arms His vengeance; thou art the guilty one. Why dost Thou lead me into evil gatherings? Why dost Thou expose me to harsh temptations? Be sober in thy thoughts, and I shall be sober in my senses. See none but honest people, and I shall know nothing of such excesses. Alas! it is Thou who castest me into the fire, and yet dost not wish me to burn! Thou fillest my eyes with smoke, and yet dost not wish them to grow inflamed! And God doubtless says to you then: Strike, break, cleave, and shatter your hearts above all; for against them is My wrath kindled. Indeed, to cure the itch, it is not so much by bathing and washing the body as by purifying the blood and cooling the bile; so, to heal us of our vices, though it is good to mortify our flesh, it is above all good to purify our affections well and to cool our hearts. Remember, moreover, that in all things and everywhere you must undertake no bodily austerity except by the counsel of your spiritual director.
Do you see, Philothea, Balaam is the cause of the evil; and yet he strikes the poor she-ass, who has no part in it. This is what often happens in our affairs: this woman sees her husband or her child ill, and immediately she hastens to fasting, hair shirts, and the discipline, as David did on a like occasion. Alas! dear friend, you beat the poor ass, you afflict your body, and yet it is not the cause of your evil, nor of God’s having drawn His sword against you. Correct your heart, which is idolatrous of this husband, which indulges this child in everything, and destines him to a thousand schemes of pride and ambition: there is the true source of the evil. This man sees that he often falls heavily into sin: at once his conscience comes to pierce his heart with inward reproaches, which he fears; then, coming to himself, he cries: Ah! accursed flesh, ah! treacherous body, thou hast betrayed me! And at once he lays heavy blows upon this flesh, takes to immoderate fasting, unending disciplines, and unbearable hair shirts. O poor soul! if Thy flesh could speak like Balaam’s she-ass, it would say to Thee: Why dost thou beat me, wretched one? It is against thee, O my soul, that God arms His vengeance; thou art the guilty one. Why dost Thou lead me into evil gatherings? Why dost Thou expose me to harsh temptations? Be sober in thy thoughts, and I shall be sober in my senses. See none but honest people, and I shall know nothing of such excesses. Alas! it is Thou who castest me into the fire, and yet dost not wish me to burn! Thou fillest my eyes with smoke, and yet dost not wish them to grow inflamed! And God doubtless says to you then: Strike, break, cleave, and shatter your hearts above all; for against them is My wrath kindled. Indeed, to cure the itch, it is not so much by bathing and washing the body as by purifying the blood and cooling the bile; so, to heal us of our vices, though it is good to mortify our flesh, it is above all good to purify our affections well and to cool our hearts. Remember, moreover, that in all things and everywhere you must undertake no bodily austerity except by the counsel of your spiritual director.