Sermon Iv Of Holding Good Discourses Together
SERMON IV
OF HOLDING GOOD DISCOURSES TOGETHER
HERE there are two or three gathered together in My name: there am I in the midst of them, saith the Lord. Give heed, beloved brethren, to the presence of Christ in every place wheresoever you gather together, whether to pray or to labour; neither let one hinder another: or offend by a word or sign of levity. If there, leave given, it be permitted you at times to speak; let your discourse be of God and of devout matters from the holy scriptures: which may edify you in virtue, and comfort you in troubles. Thus did the holy fathers of old in Egypt: when they had come together for counsel and remedies unto the overcoming of temptations. But shun talking about the news of the world and the various conditions of men; nor rashly judge any secular: for God will judge all them that work iniquity. Let it be no interest to you then to think of temporal things, nor to converse about them: but only of spiritual progress in virtues, and the cures for your vices. Leave all exterior things and the business of the house to be ruled by God and arranged by your superiors: who will render an account in the judgement of the things committed to them. Be you contented and grateful for the service daily rendered you, satisfied with your wage in moderate food and clothing: seeking not fanciful things, nor superfluous, nor new, nor soft: but, as good simple sons of God living amid the brethren without complaint and dispute: out of humility think yourselves unworthy of all these blessings. Let your mind be fervent in desires of the heavenly kingdom: and in devout exercises let one strive to outstrip another; and take pleasure in knowing and thinking of nothing but Christ and Him crucified: so that for love and compassion of the Crucified all things of the world and the flesh may be turned into disgust; and the toil of penance seem short and easy to you: and the discipline of the regular life be changed into sweetness and the joy of a good conscience every day. For then Christ shall be in the midst of you praying and discoursing together; teaching you to despise earthly things and to love the heavenly: and manfully struggle against the temptations of the devil, and curb the passions of the flesh. For wherefore have you come from the world; if not that your whole hope should be in God, and your heart above in heaven? Since therefore you have chosen to renounce the world, and to serve Christ in the cloister: flee worldly men, forsake the friends of the flesh; for they may hinder you in your devotion, and by their speech draw you to hurtful desires: and bring no profit to your soul. The more seldom and the more briefly you speak to men: the safer is it for the guard of your heart and mouth. It is greatly to your honour and the good name of the Order, if out of respect for guests you appear modest and silent in their presence: for you will edify more by your good conduct: than by the polish of your speech. From one unguarded word they impute to you frivolity and indiscretion: and under the religious habit they conclude that a fox is hiding, and pretending to be a sheep.
Let your words therefore be few, profitable and prudent: for an idle word will not pass unpunished with God. To guard against this, silence is to be loved and kept: and therefore was it wholesomely instituted in religion by the holy fathers of old, and by our recent superiors. In fine, in no state or Order will peace and discipline abide: if there be no strictness of silence, the friend of quiet: which is the food of devotion, the closing of contention, the flight of vanity. In silence you may learn: how and to whom you should speak. By idle words the soul becomes dissipated and instable: scarcely able to return to its interior after long mourning and tears. But from godly discourses spring love of God, edification of the neighbour: hatred of the world, desire for the kingdom of Heaven: sorrow for sin, the heat of charity, the bridling of cupidity: and the renewal of the whole inward man in the mirror of the most holy life of our Saviour. For He deigns to be present to those that speak of Him: He is nigh unto all that call upon Him. By holy discourse He arouses the slothful, strengthens the feeble; aids them that fight manfully, crowns the conquerors: terrifies by punishments, exhorts by good examples: comforts by the promise of gifts, rejoices by grace freely bestowed in time: beatifies by the manifestation of the eternal glory of Heaven, as witnesses the psalmist: “I shall be satisfied,” he says, “when Thy glory shall appear.” So loving and merciful is Jesus: so sweet and mild is Christ; that if any man prepare a place for Him in his heart, without doubt he will freely show him the light of His grace: and will sup with him. If one is alone and reads or prays: Jesus desires to make a second. If two together read or chant: Jesus wishes to be a third. Nor will be the supplication of these gathered in the name of Jesus, who in good faith humbly and devoutly pray, be void; if, however, in everything which they beseech or desire, they seek His good pleasure, and renounce their own will: saying that most acceptable word of Christ: “Father, not my will: but Thine be ever done. Amen.”