Volume I, Treatise IV, Chapter X

That We Ought to Abstain from All Kind of Raillery, that May Offend Our Brother, or Give Him Any Displeasure

WE ought first to abstain from all sharp words, such as are used by those, who animadvert upon the neighbour’s person, capacity, or anything else belonging to him; for words of this kind are entirely contrary to charity. Sometimes we utter them in a refined and witty way, to recreate and please ourselves; and then they become more prejudicial than otherwise they would be; because the more wit and grace they are said with, the deeper impression they make, and the longer they live in the memories of those that hear them. And that which is still worse, it often happens, that he who speaks them is very much pleased with himself; thinking he has met with a good opportunity to shew his wit, when, in reality, he very much deceives himself, and instead of shewing his wit he only evinces his bad inclinations; because the wit given him for. God’s service, he employs in speaking such fine things as wound and scandalize his brethren, and annoy peace and charity.

Albertus Magnus says, That asa stinking breath is a sign of a disordered stomach; so sharp words are a sign of a corrupted heart. But what would St. Bernard say of a religious, that should offend his neighbour by railleries? For if all sorts of pleasantry appeared to him as so many blasphemies and sacrileges, in the mouth of a religious, what name would he give such jests as offend? Nothing is more opposite to the spirit of religion, than such discourses as these. Everything, therefore, of this kind is to be avoided:—As for example, the inventing ridiculous comparisons, scoffing, playing the mimic; and in fine, bantering of every kind. All this ought to be so far from the practice of any religious person, that he ought not, either in jest or any other way, to assume to himself any such liberties as these. Let every man judge of himself. Would you be content to be compared to something fantastical, which, on their seeing the likeness between itself and you, would make every one laugh that heard of it? Since, therefore, you would take no pleasure therein, do not that to another, you would not have done to yourself; because this is the unerring rule of charity. Would you be content, suppose you said anything unhandsomely, that it should be presently repeated, and be divulged also in public? Certainly you would not: wherefore would you then that another suffers that from you which you would not be content to suffer from another, and which you would conceive highly injurious to yourself? The very names also that they use in such sort of jesting and pleasantry sound harshly in the mouth of a religious. Let us then avoid all such kinds of railleries, and exactly observe St. Paul’s precept: ‘“‘ Lead such a civil life as become saints to do; let none hear out of your mouth such words as fornication or any other kind of impurity, or dishonest actions are explained by, nor in fine, any other foolish speeches or scurrility unbecoming your profession.” (Ephesians 5:3) All which agree not with a religious profession; and if-at the day of judgment we must give an account of all the idle and unprofitable words of our past life, what an account will be required of other words? What will be required of those whereby we have offended our brother, or any way done him any injury or prejudice?

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