Part IV, Chapter XII

Of Sadness

“The sadness that is according to God,” says St. Paul, “worketh penance steadfast unto salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10), “but the sadness of the world worketh death.” Sadness, then, may be good or evil, according to its different effects. It is true it produces more evil effects than good, for it has only two that are good, compassion and repentance; but it has six that are evil, viz., anxiety, sloth, indignation, jealousy, envy, and impatience, which caused the wise man to say, “Sadness kills many, and there is no profit in it” (Ecclesiasticus 30:25); because, for two good streams which flow from the source of sadness, there are six very evil.

The enemy makes use of sadness and temptation against the just; for, as he endeavors to make the wicked to rejoice in their sins, so he strives to make the good grieve in their good works; and as he cannot procure the commission of evils but by making it appear agreeable, so he cannot divert us from good but by making it appear disagreeable. The prince of darkness is pleased with sadness and melancholy, because he is and will be sad and melancholy to all eternity; therefore he desires that every one should be like himself.

The sadness which is evil troubles and perplexes the soul, excites inordinate fears, creates a disgust for prayer, stupefies and oppresses the brain, deprives the mind of counsel, resolution, judgment, and courage, and destroys her strength. In a word, it is like a severe winter, which demolishes all the beauty of the country, and devours every living creature; for it takes away all sweetness from the soul, and renders her disabled in all her faculties. If you should at any time be seized with the evil of sadness, Philothea, apply the following remedies.

“Is any one sad,” says St. James (James 5:13), “let him pray.” Prayer is a sovereign remedy, for it lifts up the soul to God, our only joy and consolation. But, in praying, let your words and affections, whether interior or exterior, always tend to a lively confidence in the divine goodness, such as, “O God of mercy! O infinite goodness! O my sweet Saviour! O God of my heart, my joy and my hope! O my divine Spouse, the well-beloved of my soul!” etc

Oppose vigorously the least inclination to sadness, and, although it may seem that all your actions are at that time performed with tepidity and sloth, you must, nevertheless, persevere; for the enemy, who seeks by sadness to make us weary of good works, seeing that we cease not on that account to perform them, and that, being performed in spite of his opposition, they become more meritorious, will cease to trouble us any longer.

Sing spiritual canticles, for the devil by this means has often desisted from his operations: witness the evil spirit with which Saul was afflicted, whose violence was repressed by such music. It is also necessarily serviceable to employ ourselves in exterior works, and to vary them as much as possible, in order to divert the soul from the melancholy object, and to purify and warm the spirits, sadness being a passion of a cold and dry complexion.

Perform external actions of fervor, although you may perform them without the least relish; such as embracing the crucifix, clasping it to your breast, kissing the feet and the hands, lifting up your eyes and your hands to heaven, raising your voice to God by words of love and confidence like these: “My beloved is mine, and I am his. My beloved is to me a posy of myrrh, he shall dwell between my breasts. My eyes have fainted after thee, O my God!” Say also: “When wilt thou comfort me? O Jesus, be thou a Jesus to me! Live, sweet Jesus, and my soul shall live! Who shall ever separate me from the love of God?” etc.

The moderate use of the discipline is also good against sadness, because this voluntary exterior affliction begets interior consolation, and the soul, feeling pain without, diverts herself from the pains which are within. But frequently the holy communion is the best remedy, because this heavenly bread strengthens the heart, and rejoices the spirit.

Disclose to your confessor, with humility and sincerity, all the feelings, affections, and suggestions which proceed from your sadness. Seek the conversation of spiritual persons, and frequent their company as much as you can. In a word, resign yourself into the hands of God, preparing yourself to suffer this troublesome sadness with patience, as a just punishment of your vain joys; and doubt not but that God, after he has tried you, will deliver you from this evil.

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