St Francis de Sales is sweeping me away with his penetrating insight. For those fortifying the interior, he advances introspection to a sublime degree of scrutiny through a unique and poetic thought pattern. Turning the mirror upon one’s self through brutal honesty, unafraid of ugliness, while avoiding self-absorption, the cleansing aspect of knowing ourselves only leads to a greater love of that which is truly Holy. Holy, holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory,
The virtue of simplicity is contrary to subtlety, a vice which is the source of contrivances, artifices, and duplicities ; and it is by means of this vice that we invent tricks to deceive our neighbour, and to make him suppose we have in our heart no other sentiments but those which we manifest to him by words; and this is infinitely contrary to simplicity, requires that we should have our exterior conformable to our interior.
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You are quite right: a person who is in God’s hands ought never to disquiet himself about his reputation. Let God do what He will with our life and our character and our honour, since it is all His own. If our humiliation serves for His glory, ought we not to glory in being despised I Gladly, therefore, said the Apostle, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Cor. xii. 9.) What virtue is this! Humility and the acquiescing in humiliation. May we sincerely love those crosses we meet with in our road, and may God bless us in the love of His holy cross!
The final quote is the most challenging, placed after the first, out of order of intended authorship, for the purpose of shining light upon the dark nuance of a dedicated spiritual life attempting to establish a deepening of faith through social activity. A challenge to myself as I attempt to broaden my faith-based community life. I am determined not to define my own spirituality through the critical evaluation of others. My love of Christ, the passionate lover relationship I have been enamored with over the last week or so, is not strengthened by finding fault in others. I recognize that to continuously conflict is a statement within itself on two levels. First it pejoratively declares the immature mindset of being a malcontent. I admire Abbot William’s coming into his own, forming the Maronite Monks of Adoration, through dissimulation and estrangement with previous religious vocational experiences. Comprehending he did not become bitter. Rather, he utilized abrasiveness to greater define who he was, allowing him to become more dependent and grounded within prayer and the contemplative life. God, and his discernment, led him to a life able to provide the nurturing necessary to flower within his personal way. God blessed his unique walk upon an authentic path for he was authentic, allowing his interior and exterior life to mature. He was a man with a purpose, forced to rely upon patience. The second way continual critical conflict–a debating, competitive, and judgmental spiritual life–deteriorates is the fact one is unable to grow, to move forward in life, revealing those mature in faith. If we cannot leave behind those dragging us down we cannot move forward to those able to support and inspire. AA is the obvious example of an approach in which individuals become stuck, never able to advance, continuing to battle and immerse themselves in negativity, gossip, and demeaning relationships. Making really good points, saying witnessed extremely intelligent things, expressing cleverness within a crowd, delights as an end itself–continual talking in support groups becomes a dead end. On the other hand, Ann comes to mind for if we are continuously pursuing new people, becoming attached to different people in the same destructive ways, constantly using and seeking new faces, we are not moving forward. Such a singles mindset, modern in reflection upon the proliferation of divorce and destruction of the family, promotes selfishness and immaturity. An inability to commit and deepen within community and familial relationships, to need people yet to be unable to form mature, intelligent, emotionally stable relationships, is a statement about one’s lacking of a healthy interior life. Discovering new people to exercise delusion upon is not growth. It is nothing more than complex distraction. Obviously those are generalizations for within both realities is a fidelity to the understanding that within all things is goodness. However the pursuit is not about remaining stagnate, advancement is the call. Honoring the call of God, a vocation, demands clear recognition of His voice. That recognition cannot occur until distracting voices have been silenced. St Teresa of Avila’s commenting on moving beyond the fourth chamber proves relevant as she stresses the importance that advancement is dependent upon not looking back. The pleasantries of the third chamber cannot fascinate and charm one into sentimental attachment. Unemotional–lacking bitterness, pride, or sorrow, detachment is demanded in order to progress. To become enamored with one’s reputation, or even more subtle one’s rejection of a reputation for that is a reputation in itself, forces one to remain stagnant. The Unitive Way becomes unreachable. Again distressing myself, I will focus upon others, identifying my avoiding, always hiding, from the traditionalist populating the world of the Tridentine mass and the pro-life crowd. There becomes such an energy drain concentrated upon one’s activity and reputation amidst those perceived as Church elite that it appears as nonsense to myself. An extremely loud righteous voice drowning the small quiet voice of God. We must avoid falling in love with our reputation amongst those whose reputation we admire. It is a delicate and severe judgement, for I keep in mind John the Hermit levying such criticism toward my Hospice activity, yet I am confident in my assessment. I am not afraid to make determinations. Being right or wrong is not the point, rather growth and a greater love of Christ centers as a mission. “For the glory of God and the salvation of souls’.
I must go, expression brought to a conclusion.
