These inclinations, my daughter, are in direct opposition to devotion, just as inclinations to mortal sin are to love. They weaken one’s mental power, hinder divine consolations, and open the door to temptations. And although they may not destroy the soul, they still bring on very serious disease. “Dead flies cause the ointment to send forth a stinking odor,” says the wise man (Eccles 10:1). He means that the flies which settle on and eat the ointment only damage it temporarily, leaving the mass intact, but if they fall into it and die there, they spoil and corrupt it. Even so, venial sins that pass over a devout soul without being harbored do not permanently injure it, but if such sins are fostered and cherished, they destroy the sweet savor of that soul — namely, its devotion. The spider cannot kill bees, but it can spoil their honey and so encumber their combs with its webs over time that it hinders the bees materially. Just so, though venial sins may not cause the soul to be lost, if they are harbored in the conscience because the soul delights in them, they will spoil its devotion and weigh down its faculties with bad habits and evil inclinations, depriving it of that cheerful readiness which is the very essence of true devotion. A trifling inaccuracy, a little hastiness in word or action, some small excess in mirth, in dress, in gaiety, may not be very important, if these are noticed right away and swept out like spiritual cobwebs. But if they are permitted to linger in the heart — or, worse still, if we take pleasure in them and indulge them — our honey will soon be spoiled, and the hive of our conscience will be cumbered and damaged. But I ask again, how can a generous heart take delight in anything it knows to be displeasing to its God, or wish to do what offends him?
Chapter 23
The Need to Remove All Inclination to Useless and Dangerous Things
Sports, balls, plays, festivities, pomps are not in themselves evil, but rather indifferent matters, capable of being used for good or ill. Nevertheless, they are dangerous, and it is still more dangerous to take great delight in them. Therefore, my daughter, I say that although it is lawful to amuse yourself, to dance, dress, feast, and see seemly plays — at the same time, if you are much addicted to these things, they will hinder your devotion and become extremely hurtful and dangerous to you. The harm lies, not in doing them, but in the degree to which you care for them. It is a pity to sow the seed of vain and foolish tastes in the soil of your heart, taking up the place of better things, and hindering the soul from cultivating good dispositions. It was thus that the Nazarites of old abstained not merely from all intoxicating drink, but from grapes fresh or dried, and from vinegar, not because these were intoxicating, but because they might excite the desire for fermented drinks.
Just so, while I do not forbid the use of these dangerous pleasures, I say that you cannot take an excessive delight in them without their telling upon your devotion. When the stag has waxed fat he hides himself in the thicket, conscious that his fleetness is impaired should he need to fly. In the same way, the human heart that is cumbered with useless, superfluous, dangerous clingings becomes incapacitated for that earnest following after God which is the true life of devotion. No one blames children for running after butterflies, because they are children, but it is ridiculous and pitiful to see full-grown men eager for such worthless trifles as the worldly amusements before named, which are likely to throw them off their balance and disturb their spiritual life. Therefore, dear child, I would have you cleanse your heart from all such tastes, remembering that while the acts themselves are not necessarily incompatible with a devout life, all delight in them must be harmful.
Chapter 24
All Evil Inclinations Must Be Purged Away
Furthermore, my daughter, we have certain natural inclinations that are not, strictly speaking, either mortal or venial sins, but imperfections, and the acts in which they take shape are failings and deficiencies. Thus Saint Jerome says that Saint Paula had so strong a tendency to excessive sorrow, that when she lost her husband and children she nearly died of grief. That was not a sin, but an imperfection since it did not depend upon her wish and will. Some people are naturally easy, some argumentative; some are not disposed to accept another’s opinions; some naturally disposed to be cross, some to be affectionate — in short, there is hardly anyone in whom some such imperfections do not exist. Now, although they are natural and instinctive in each person, they may be remedied and corrected, or even eradicated, by cultivating the reverse disposition. And this, my child, must be done. Gardeners have found how to make the bitter almond tree bear sweet fruit, by grafting the juice of the latter upon it; why should we not purge our perverse dispositions and infuse good ones? There is no disposition so good that it cannot be made bad through bad habits, and neither is there any natural disposition so perverse that it cannot be conquered and overcome by God’s grace primarily, and then by our earnest, diligent work.
So I will now proceed to give you counsels and suggest practices by which you may purify your soul from all dangerous affections and imperfections, and from all tendencies to venial sin, thereby strengthening yourself more and more against mortal sin. May God give you grace to use them.
Part II
Containing Various Counsels for Lifting Up the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments
Chapter 1
The Necessity of Prayer
1. Prayer opens the understanding to the brightness of divine light, and the will to the warmth of heavenly love. Nothing can so effectively purify the mind from its ignorance, or the will from its perverse affections. It is like a healing water that causes the roots of our good desires to send forth fresh shoots, washing away the soul’s imperfections and soothing the thirst of passion.
2. But I especially recommend earnest mental prayer to you, particularly that which bears on the life and passion of Our Lord. If you contemplate him frequently in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with him, you will grow in his likeness, and your actions will be molded on his. He is the light of the world; therefore, in him, by him, and for him we shall be enlightened and illuminated. He is the tree of life, beneath the shadow of which we will find rest. He is the living fountain of Jacob’s well, in which we may wash away every stain. Children learn to speak by hearing their mother talk, and stammering their childish sounds in imitation; in the same way, if we cling to the Savior in meditation, listening to his words, watching his actions and intentions, we will learn in time, through his grace, to speak, act, and will like him. Believe me, my daughter, there is no way to God except through this door. Just as the glass of a mirror would give no reflection except for the metal behind it, so neither could we here below contemplate divinity if it were not united to the sacred humanity of our Savior, whose life and death are the best, sweetest, and most profitable subjects that we can possibly select for meditation. It is not without meaning that the Savior calls himself the bread come down from heaven. Just as we eat bread with many other foods, so we need to meditate and feed upon our dear Lord in every prayer and action. His life has been meditated and written about by various authors. I should specially commend to you the writings of Saint Bonaventura, Bellintani, Bruno, Capilla, Grenada and Da Ponte.
3. Give an hour every day to meditation before dinner. If you can, let it be early in the morning, when your mind will be less cumbered and fresh after the night’s rest. Do not spend more than