Part III, Chapter XXXIV

At What Time You May Play or Dance

In order that playing and dancing may be lawful we must use them as a recreation, without having any affection for them; we may use them for a short time, but we should not continue till we are wearied or stupefied with them; and we must use them but seldom, lest we should otherwise turn a recreation into an occupation. But on what occasions may we lawfully play and dance? Just occasions of innocent games are frequent, whilst those of hazard are rare, on account of their being more blamable and dangerous: wherefore, in one word, dance and play as your own prudence and discretion may direct you, to comply with the civil request of the company in which you are engaged: for condescension is a branch of charity which makes indifferent things good, and dangerous things allowable; it even takes away the hand from those things that are in some measure evil; and therefore games of hazard, which otherwise would be reprehensible, are not so if we use them sometimes, through a just condescension.

I was very much pleased to read, in the life of St. Charles Borromeo, how he condescended to the Swiss in certain things, in which otherwise he was very strict; and that St. Ignatius, of Loyola, being invited to play, did not refuse. As to St. Elizabeth, of Hungary, she played and danced sometimes, when she was present at assemblies of recreation, without any prejudice to her devotion; for devotion was so deeply rooted in her soul, that as the rocks about the lake of Rietta grow larger by the beating of the waves, so her devotion increased among the pomps and vanities to which her condition exposed her. Great fires increase by the wind; but little ones are soon blown out, if we carry them uncovered.

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