Volume I, Treatise II, Chapter II

Perfection Consists in Such Easy Matters, that We Ought to be Extremely Encouraged to Labour to Attain Tt

Wuen Father Natalis, who, in the Society of Jesus, was distinguished for learning and virtue, visited the provinces of Spain, the principal thing recommended by him was, that this truth should be perpetually inculcated, viz., that all our advancement and perfection consist not in the performance of very extraordinary things, or in the being employed in the highest and most laborious offices of religion, but only in doing our ordinary actions well, and in acquitting ourselves well of whatsoever obedience employs us in, be it ever so mean or easy. For it is this that God requires of us, and consequently it is upon this alone we are to fix our eyes, if we desire to please him, and to attain perfection. Let us now see and examine at what little expense we can render ourselves perfect. In fact, nothing more 18 requisite on our part than what we daily perform—a consideration which should be at once a great comfort and encouragement to us. If, indeed, we could not attain perfection but by the exercise of some great employments, by extraordinary elevations of the soul and by sublime meditations, we might have something to plead for our excuse—we might allege our incapacity and inability to soar so high. Were it exacted of you to discipline yourself daily to blood, to fast on bread and water; to go barefoot, and to wear a perpetual haircloth; you might answer that you have not strength sufficient to undergo these mortifications. But it is not this that is asked of you; it is not this upon which your perfection depends: but it consists only in the performing well the very actions you are doing. By this you may render yourself perfect if you please. All the expenses are already incurred; there is no necessity of adding any other actions than those youdo.: Who will not therefore encourage himself to acquire perfection, since it is thus within our reach, and consists only in such ordinary and easy things? God, the better to excite his people to serve him, and to fulfil his law, spoke to them in this manner:—“The commandment which I give you to-day, consists not in anything above yourreach, nor is it far from you; it ‘is not in heaven, whereby you might excuse yourself, saying, who is able to ascend to heaven to bring it from thence, to the end that we may hear and fulfil it? Nor is it anything beyond the sea, so that one may complain and say, who of us is able to cross the seas, to go to bring it, to the end that we may hear and perform what is required of us? But it is a thing very near you, a precept with which you often entertain yourselves, which you have often in your mouth, of which the execution depends upon no other than your own heart.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) We may say the same of the perfection we speak of; and this is likewise the same means that St. Anthony used to exhort his disciples thereunto. The Greeks, says he, who devoted themselves to the study ‘of wisdom, undertook great voyages, both by sea and land, underwent great labours and hardships, and exposed themselves to very great dangers to attain it. But you, to acquire virtue, which is true wisdom, are not obliged to go so far, nor to expose yourselves to so great danger; you need not even to go out of your cells, for there you will find it, or rather, “The kingdom of God is within yourselves” (Luke 17:21); it is in such things as are most familiar to you, and that you do every day, in which your perfection consists.

When those’times approach that are more particularly consecrated to devotion, as for example, Advent, Lent, Pentecost, and renovation of vows, it is then that ordinarily, in our spiritual conferences, we ask what means we may best make use of to prepare ourselves to be born again with Jesus Christ, to die and rise with him, to receive the Holy Ghost, and to renew our vows; and then our directors fail not to suggest an infinity of most wholesome and proper means, to attain these ends. But the most important of all, and that in which we ought most to confide, is, what we speak of at present; that is, the perfecting ourselves in those things we are accustomed to perform. Correct. every day those faults and imperfections you commit in doing these things, and daily apply yourself to do them better and better; and this will be an excellent preparation to compass all you desire. In fine, apply yourself chiefly to this, and look upon all other things as means only to help you to perform it.

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