Volume I, Treatise IV, Chapter VI

Of Two Other Things that Charity Still Requires of Us

“CHARITY is not envious,” says the apostle; but on the contrary, he who truly loves another wishes him as much good as himself, and rejoices as much at the good fortune and preferment of his friend as at his own. St. Austin confirms this by the example of Jonathas, who loved David in such a manner, as the Scripture says, “‘ That his soul seemed to be glued to the soul of David. and that Jonathas loved him as his own soul.” (1 Kings,- xviii. 1.) Whence also it happened that though he was the son of Saul, yet he rather desired to see the crown upon David’s head than upon his own. ‘“You shall reign,” says he to David, “and I will be first after you in the kingdom.” (Ibid. 23:17)

This effect of charity is still more particularly explained by the example cf the blessed, proposed to us by many holy men. In heaven, say they, those who enjoy a less degree of beatitude envy not the happiness of the others: but on the contrary, each one of them desires to see, if it were possible, the felicity of the others increased, and would even give them part of their own; and this in such a manner, that they desire that the least of all were in as great, if not more elevated glory than they themselves.

So that every blessed soul feels as great joy at another’s glory as at its own. And this is not hard to comprehend; for if love in this miserable world makes us as much interested in the good of our children as in our own, ought we not, with greater reason, suppose similar feelings to exist in the blessed, whose love is incomparably more perfect and more purified than that of nature? Charity, says St. Austin, ought to work the same effect in us: and to encourage us to practise it he says, it is peculiar to charity, that without robbing another of what belongs to him, and by rejoicing only in the good the neighbour does, she makes all his merits, and all the good actions he performs, her own. Nor is there anything in this to be wondered at; forifit be true, that we become guilty of the sin of another when we rejoice at it, it is not strange that the joy we take at the good of our neighbour should make us participate in his merit; and this chiefly because God is more disposed to reward than to punish. Let us then consider, on the one hand, how excellent charity is, and what advantage we may derive from it; since by its means, and by the joy alone we shall take in the good actions of our brethren, we may appropriate all of them to ourselves; with so much the greater certainty, by how much more we are freed from all occasions of vainglory, which here can have no place. And on the other hand, let us take notice, how detestable and pernicious envy is; since it makes the prosperity of another our own punishment. Influenced, then, by these different motives, let us be as careful in flying the one, as we are zealous in embracing the other.

From what we have said, it necessarily follows, as the apostle adds, that “charity is not ambitious, and seeks not its own advantage” (1 Corinthians 13:5); so that though it makes the advantage of another its own, it is yet far from entertaining any thought of self-interest or ambition. Nothing is more contrary to charity and union than self-love, and that attachment we naturally have to ourselves, and to our ease. Wherefore St. Ignatius calls self-love the mortal enemy of all] kind of order and union; and the learned Humbertus calls it the plague of a religious life, and the bane of all communities. It also infects and ruins all things—and though it is true that it is the common enemy of all virtues in general, yet it is also very often the particular enemy of charity. The very name of self-love gives us to understand this; because the word self imports a formal exclusion of all kind of communication, and consequently renders self-love entirely opposite to charity; which seeks nothing more than to communicate itself. Self-love wraps itself up totally within itself, and introduces division everywhere else; it thinks of nothing but itself, and endeavours always to turn all things to Its own particular interest—all which is directly contrary to charity and union.

The holy Scripture relates, that Abraham and Lot had such numerous flocks of sheep, that the land in which they were not being able to furnish sufficient pasture for them, and their shepherds daily quarrelling on this head, it was necessary at last, for the preservation of peace, that they should separate one from the other. The reason of this, says St. Chrysostom, is, that wheresoever we make the distinction of mine and thine, there also arises a continual source of quarrels, and a perpetual occasion of disputes. But where all is in common, there reigns a constant peace, and an inviolable concord. (Hom. xxxiii. sup. Gen.) Thus, in the primitive Church, there was so great an union amongst them, that they had but one heart and one soul: and this happened, adds the saint, “because no one of them possessed anything to himself; but all things were in common amongst them.” (Acts 4:32) All religious societies likewise, instituted and inspired by God, and founded upon the holy Scripture, have laid poverty for their foundation; and it is of this we make our first vow, that as we have nothing amongst us, which any particular person can say is his own, self-love will find nothing to unite itself unto, and we shall all of us have but one heart and one soul.

There is no doubt but, for the conservation of charity and union amongst us, it is a very great point entirely to divest ourselves of all property in temporal things. But it is not suffisient that we have no property in these alone; we must with respect to everything else do the same, without which it will be impossible that union and charity should flourish amongst us. For if you desire to attract esteem to yourself, if you desire to be honoured, if you aspire to great employments, if you seek your own ease and convenience, you will thereby detach yourself from your brethren. It is this, which ordinarily annoys charity; it is from this springs that sort of envy we feel, because another displays the talents he has received, and because he is esteemed and praised for them. For we would rather attract and appropriate this esteem and praise to ourselves, and look upon that which another receives asa theft. It is from this Proceeds that malignant and base joy, or at least that secret

satisfaction we feel in our souls, on another’s not succeeding in his affair. For then we imagine that this will humble him, and his humiliation will add to our reputation. In fine, it is on account of this that we sometimes endeavour to lower our brother’s character, by striving either to confound him in some argument, or to mortify him by some expression which our heart, full of envy, prompts us to utter unawares. Now all this is the irregularity of self-love, which ambition, pride, and envy make use of to destroy utterly union and charity. Because “charity,” says the apostle, “rejoices not at evil, but is overjoyed at good” (1 Corinthians 13:6); it rejoices not at the humiliation of our neighbour, but on the contrary, wishes his prosperity; and the greater this is, the greater also is its joy. “You are our brother, prosper therefore, and let your increase amount unto millions” (Genesis 24:60); increase in virtue, in reputation, and in honour—your increase and your success are so much mine, that it is impossible I should not always feel a most sensible pleasure in them. When a man enters into partnership with others, their talents for business and their profits, so far from being a cause of sorrow, are a cause of joy to him; because all goes to the common stock, on which he draws for his own part. It is in this manner we ought to act, and rejoice as much at the virtues, good qualities, and advancement of our brethren; because all turns to the advantage of that society whereof we are members, and in whose prosperity we individually participate.

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