An Example Of Solitude
SERMON XIII
OF A CAREFUL WATCH OVER THE HEART, AND THE GRACE OF INTERIOR DEVOTION
WITH all watchfulness keep thy heart: because life issueth out from it. Beloved brethren, carefully ponder the admonition of the most wise king Solomon: and anxiously watch over the keeping of your heart: lest the devil find an opening to enter. He does not seek aught but to deceive you: and guilefully to draw you away from God. For when the heart of man is withdrawn from the sovereign good; then it seems to be delighted in the lowest: and is driven hither and thither by various desires. And he who does not withstand betimes: is taken captive and overcome. Nothing is more toilsome than to guard the heart from wandering and from vicious imaginations: gathered from the things of sense. The heart of man is perverse and unsearchable; and prone to evil from his youth. And who can know it; and reckon all its motions every day? Certainly God alone, Who beholds all things before they happen: of Whom it is said in the Psalm: “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men: that they are vain.” The heart is never at rest from occupation in something: whether it be good or evil. In good the heart is comforted: in evil it is troubled. If any man desire to keep his heart and to restrain it from wandering; let him endeavour to take up a good meditation; and gather honeycomb from the words of Holy Writ, whereby to nourish his soul: let him dismiss light words, not seek curious things; not uplift himself in prosperity; in adversity keep patience: and freely commit to God all things that are to come upon him. Let him also especially ponder this, how he can possess union with God: Who seeks a dwelling-place in a reposeful heart. Therefore with all his strength let him separate himself from lower cares: and by inflamed prayers and frequent sighs raise up his heart wont to wander, and say: “My eyes are ever towards the Lord.” And as often as from frailty, or some need he be hindered from the supreme good: let him begin afresh, and speedily rise by prayer; repent with groans and sorrow that for a moment he neglected the Creator for the creature: to Whom according to his powers he ought to aspire with all his affections and constantly cleave. For from holy reading is drawn a good meditation about God: from a good meditation proceeds devout affection and ready raising of the mind to God. Thence arises fervent and interior prayer piercing the heavens: forsaking all creatures, and longing to cleave to God alone: in Whom are all good things that can be desired. For God alone it is Who fills the whole desire of the soul, pacifies, and rejoices; to Whom every religious should aspire and fly, loving secrecy: and shunning occasions of discourse. For he who seeks places to wander abroad, and neglects to watch over his heart: either does not relish this grace of union: or tasting it but little speedily loses it. And, alas, hardly with great labour and sorrow shall he recover the sweetness of devotion: because he did not keep it with sufficient care. It remains then, leaving aside all trifles, earnestly to flee to Christ and to be united in friendship chiefly with Him: and to cast away and reject all things that withdraw from His love. Whatever does not make a good conscience, or give or increase the heat of the love of Christ; is utterly to be shunned and refused by every cloistered man and religious monk: whose heart ought to be in Heaven, not wandering in the world. O brother monk, who bearest the appearance of holiness in habit and name: close the door of thy mouth and show not the secret of thy heart to all. Open the chamber of thy heart to Jesus Christ the most loving comforter and the most faithful protector of thy life; so that the blessed Jesus before all and above all in Heaven and on earth beloved of thee, long desired and awaited: may deign to come to thee, and take up His abode. Earnestly beseech that He often visit thee and illumine: teach thy ignorance, strengthen thy cowardice; upraise thy heart, drive away distrust: strengthen thy faith, pour in love, and increase fervour. O how well he is guarded and armed against the snares of the devil and evil thoughts and impure imaginations, who has the image of the Crucified fixed in his heart, penetrating all his interior: and always and everywhere urging to the thought and performance of every good. Then inwardly consoled with wondrous sweetness of heart from the presence of Christ shall he be able justly to say: what holy David with great joy sang to God: “I have run the way of Thy commandments: when Thou didst enlarge my heart.” Let nothing then come between thee and Jesus, the lover of innocence and purity, nor lie concealed within, nor endure: yea not even touch as in passing, nor caress with vain praises lest it infect: for the pure and tender heart offered to God in religion: does not suffer with Him anyone outside of Jesus to be joined or converse with it. For all things comforting and beautiful for a time in creatures do not suffice for the full joy of the soul: but Jesus alone is able to satisfy every desire. All things out of Jesus crucified beget weariness and fall short: and as absinthe and most bitter gall torment the soul occupied with various desires. The source therefore of all good and the honeyed stream of all consolation: is Jesus Christ, the true comforter of souls. He who wishes to be comforted by God, let him choose Jesus as his companion: with Whom to speak and walk until he arrive in Heaven. Strive to live in the love of Jesus, to die to the whole world: and to glory in the cross of Christ, not in thyself, or in men. That hour is to be often considered by thee: when thou shalt not be able to utter another word, or move a limb. And although the religious be deprived of earthly goods and friends: he has nevertheless a heavenly treasure locked up in the casket of his heart, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He has also a most faithful friend of his soul and a most wise guide of his life: the very King of angels and Creator of all things. Wilt thou then have peace and tranquillity of heart: and merit the grace of Christ and the friendship of the angels? Despise thyself for Christ: and as much as is possible aim to have a heart pure, cut off from the world: fervent to things divine and uplifted to heavenly things. For he who seeks no earthly solace without: loves naught in creatures unduly: shall speedily experience interior peace and the love of Christ: and shall most easily bear with the comfort and aid of Christ within all burdens whencesoever they come. For he cuts off many occasions of trouble: he escapes and overcomes many snares of temptations: who for Christ’s sake perfectly strips and separates himself from all earthly desires. This man, oppressed by no weight of earthly things, can freely fly to heavenly things: as often as he shall be mindful of his dear lover, Who is in Heaven: or shall hear or read His words. Sadness indeed for the absence of Jesus sharply pierces; but love from the presence of His grace soothes the languishing soul: consoles the sorrowful, and enkindles the lukewarm. He who cannot so quickly attain this grace of devotion and height of contemplation: let him not lose courage, nor cease to labour: let him groan, pray, sit apart: be silent and recollect himself, await with longanimity, hope with confidence: and he shall be abundantly consoled beyond all that can be thought. For Jesus is loving towards all His saints: and He abandons not them that hope in Him. He frequently proves, He lovingly corrects, He wisely instructs; He calls incessantly, He knocks loudly, He opens freely, He receives joyously: He pardons tenderly, He gives abundantly, He crowns gloriously. Let not therefore the loving blows of Jesus crush thee; and disdain not to listen to His sacred words: by whomsoever or wheresoever they be read. Let not the inconstancy of thy heart cast thee down, nor sickness of body: nor aching of head, incurred in the service of Christ. He Who created thee and called thee to His service: will not be wanting to thee in thy suffering for His name. For all the ills which thou endurest, and whatever good thou shalt do in this house to the honour of God persevering in discipline; shall be written in the book of eternal life: and shall be accounted to thee for a very great reward in the kingdom of Heaven. Turn thee then away from vain things, return to the interior of the mind; think over the benefits of thy dear Lover often vouchsafed to thee: and the still greater to be made known in the time to come. Let His boundless loving-kindness draw thee gratefully to serve the most gentle Saviour: His infinite goodness to love Him: His charity, enduring unto all time, to hope in His mercy: promised to the truly penitent in the end, to be rendered to them that persevere. All things pass away except the love of God; all things perish without Christ: all things become bitter without Jesus incarnate, suffering, crucified, risen, and glorified for the salvation of the world. Let this be your wisdom, brethren, choose this as your study in preference to all study of letters: to meditate day and night on Jesus crucified, sacrificed for us all on the cross, and exalted in Heaven: so that your whole hope tend upwards unto Him lovable and praiseworthy above all. Therefore to suffer for Him and to be wearied in His service: reckon a very great treasure found in the field of the holy cross. Meditation on the divine works and words of Christ begets sweetness and joy: strengthens faith, raises hope, and enkindles charity in the heart: which He has promised that He will give to His faithful. But the devil in envy, who dared to tempt Christ, and has often aroused persecutions in the Church, and afflicted many of the saints: still does not cease molesting the devout: inducing weariness of good, and dissuading from the severity of the cloister. Alas, with his cunning suggestion he beguiles many by softness and caresses: he terrifies by hardships and austerities. However with the help of Christ his most wicked darts shall not harm: but they shall be to them that fight bravely and resist manfully unto praise and glory: and to the devil unto everlasting shame and punishment. From whose snares and frauds may Jesus Christ ever defend us: Who is at the right hand of the Father above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
RELIGIOUS, NOTE
Said a certain devout lover of solitude. “Blessed is the lonely monk: to whom the world is an exile, Heaven a fatherland: the cell Paradise. Blessed the religious, devout to God, unknown to the world: to whom the town is a prison, the cloister a place of refreshment: toil repose, solitude solace: mourning joy, silence the asylum of peace. Blessed he to whom sacred reading is food: prayer drink, psalmody recreation: meditation Christ, contemplation God. Blessed the religious who directs all his pursuits and exercises to virtue and the good-pleasure of God: and aims at nothing singular and showy in word or deed: everywhere careful not to give offence to God or the neighbour. Blessed he who takes it in good part when one corrects him and teaches him aright: lest he abide in error and perish miserably. Blessed he who strictly guards his mouth: that he utter not an idle or hurtful word. Such a one shall have great peace, a good conscience and repute: and shall gain a special grace of devotion. He makes many quarrels cease: who is patient and holds his peace. The religious abiding in retirement: is as a lamp in the night safely burning. Winds have blown: and they shall not harm him who takes leisure in God and prays. There is truly a great treasure in the mouth of the wise man: but not a less in the heart of him that is silent and prays.” A certain man of experience said: “Whatever good I gather by silence: I scatter it nearly all by talking with men.” Because Samson told his secret to a woman, and did not conceal the parable of the honey: afterwards he was captured by the enemy and mocked. It is good therefore for a religious to keep silence: and carefully to weigh his words. For he who keeps silence well: as it were carries with him a bag full of money to the home of his mind.
AN EXAMPLE OF SILENCE
There was in the up-country a certain monk of the Cistercian Order, a diligent warden of his mouth: and a careful observer of cloistral discipline. He, on fire with the zeal of devotion, scarcely spoke a single word in a week. To whom the Abbot said by way of solace: “Brother, I give thee leave to speak sometimes with the brethren:” Who replied: “Reverend Father, I do not wish to have such a leave.” Hearing which the Abbot was edified in the answer of the brother who so willingly kept silence.
AN EXAMPLE OF SOLITUDE
A certain brother of the Order of Regulars having been sent abroad, when he had finished his business strove to return quickly and with eagerness: that he might take leisure in God more freely in silence. But while on the way, he met a certain traveller, a friend and acquaintance of his: who stated that he had visited different holy places and monasteries. Questioned therefore concerning religious houses: he also said that he had been in the holy cloister of Chartreux. And when he had spoken much in praise of the situation of that place on a high mountain and in a lonely wilderness, and of the austerity of the brethren dwelling there: finally he narrated this: “I found there a brother, with whom it gave me great pleasure to speak: and I questioned him with curiosity, saying: ‘How long hast thou dwelt here?’ Who answered: ‘Forty years have passed, and meanwhile I have not seen the front gate: by which I entered.’ ” Hearing this the aforesaid brother wondered: and related these things to his other brothers as a good example of the love of solitude. O how rare and strange is such conduct in many religious of these days; who would look on it as the penalty of a gaol: if within a year they should not go forth for the sake of travelling outside the monastic bounds, or beyond the gate.