Volume II, Treatise I, Chapter XV

That We Must not Neglect the Mortifying Ourselves in Small Matters, and How Pleasing This Kind of Mortification Is unto God, and Useful Sor Our Advancement in Perfection

WE must so fix our eyes upon great things, as not to neglect those of less importance; and this admonition is addressed to those who neglect lesser mortifications and make no account of them, looking upon them as trifles, that help not to our spiritual advancement and perfection. This is a very great error, which the Son of God takes notice of, in the reprehension he gives to the scribes and pharisees. For he blames not the care they had taken of small things, but the neglect they had of greater and more essential. ‘ These,” says he, ‘¢ ought to have been done, and the others not to have been left undone.” —(Mat. xxxiii. 23.) Ihave already very often repeated how much it imports to make account of little things, and not to neglect them; and in truth it is a point of so great importance, that it deserves very often to be spoken of, lest through this door, laxity and disorder should enter, as happens but too frequently. But I shall now speak only of what regards our present subject, and for this reason shall explain two things; the one, of what advantage these sorts of mortifications are; the other, how dangerous a thing it is to neglect them. As to the first, how pleasing these kinds of mortifications, though but small, are unto God, and of how great merit they are unto us, may easily be comprehended, if we consider that the chief thing in mortification consists, not in the performance of the austerity, but in the casting off our own will, for that is properly the true mortification and renouncing of ourselves, that Jesus Christ requires of us in the gospel. But we may renounce our own wills no less in little than in great things, and sometimes even more, and with greater merit, if they be more contrary to our inclinations. We daily experience that such things as are very small in themselves, give us a great deal more pain, than those which are more considerable; because mortification consists not so much in the things themselves, as in the repugnance our will has to them. So that when we mortify ourselves in anything whatsoever, we offer a sacrifice of our wills unto God, striving with them, and overcoming them for the love of God. And as in this we offer the choicest thing we have, which is our will, so0 we may say, that in sacrificing that, we make an entire sacrifice of ourselves,

St. Ambrose upon this account, examines what the scripture says of David, when he was encamped in sight of the Philistines, and his whole army was in great want of water; “Oh,” says, the king, “that any one would get me some of the water of the fountain of Bethlem!” (1 Paralipomenon 11:17), which was beyond the enemies’ camp. Whereupon, three brave soldiers, hearing him say this, departed presently, twice passed the army of the Philistines, and brought to David the water of this fountain. But the scripture adds, “that he would not drink of it, but made a sacrifice of effusion to our Lord, by pouring it forth and offering it unto him.”

(1 Paralipomenon 5:18) Is it-therefore so great a sacrifice to offer a pot of water to our Lord? Yes, says St. Ambrose, it was a great sacrifice, and very pleasing unto God; and fully to convince us o this truth, it is enough that the scripture speaks of it, as one of David’s greatest exploits. But would you know, says St. Ambrose, in what the greatness of this action consists? ‘ He overcame nature by not drinking in extreme thirst, and thereby taught the whole army by his own example, how to support the thirst. they suffered.”—(Apol. de Dav. c. vii.) It was not only the pot of water he offered, but it was his own will; and therefore in the mortifying ourselves, though in ever small things, it is the will always that is sacrificed unto God, and consequently it is a sacrifice of great value that we offer unto him, which is always very pleasing to his Divine Majesty.

St. Gregory also relates another example of David to the same purpose as this, which St. Ambrose mentions. The scripture in the second book of Kings says, that David transported the ark of the covenant unto the city of Sion, with very great solemnity; and it is to be supposed that the people in those times were wont to dance before the ark of God, when they carried it from one place to another, as the Spaniards at present are wont to do, in the processions of the blessed sacrament. David, as great a prince as he was, altogether forgetting what became his gravity, and the greatness and majesty of his rank, cast off his royal robes, “and naked like a common dancer,” (2 Kings 6:20) (for which Michol reproached him), joining himself to the people, began to dance and play upon the harp. St. Gregory cannot forbear admiring this action of David, and speaking of it: “I know not,” says he, “what thoughts others may have of this action; for my part I stand more in admiration, to behold David dancing before the ark, as one of the common rank of men, than when he tore the lion in pieces, than when he killed Goliah, or when he defeated the Philistines. In all these occasions his glory was only in taming wild beasts, and in overcoming his enemies; but in.dancing before the ark, he became conqueror of himself;” (L. 27, de Moral.) and there is far greater pain and glory in overcoming ourselves, than in gaining the victory over others.

Wherefore, let us make great account of these sorts of mortification, and take care not to contemn or undervalue them, lest the same happen to us, which did to Michol; who, being so far displeased at this action as to contemn David, and reproach him for it, to his face, was chastised by God with a perpetual barrenness, If you disdain to mortify yourself in small matters; if you be ashamed exactly to subject yourself to little things, pretending they are beneath you, and that such a subjection as this, is only good for children and novices, be afraid lest this become the cause of your spiritual barrenness or sterility, either in prayer, or in your conferences with your neighbour; and be an occasion, also, that your.words make no impression, and produce no fruit in their hearts; and that thereby you be for ever deprived of the comfort of spiritual children. This is what, above all things, is to be feared by those who reproach others for their exact performance of all their duties, who treat them as weak persons, and scoff and jeer at them. There is scarce anything more dangerous, or of what we ought to have greater scruple than this; because at bottom it goes so far as to discourage and impede the practice of virtue. The answer which David gave Michol is admirable: “I will play before the Lord,” says he, “who has chosen and preferred me to your father, and will render myself yet more despicable than hitherto I have done, and will humble myself yet more and more.” (2 Kings 6:22) ‘¢ An excellent sport and diversion, indeed,” cries out St. Bernard, “‘ which pleases God and displeases Michol; which appears a ridiculous sight before men, and is a very pleasing spectacle to the angels.” —(Ep. Ixxxvii.) He who said, “we are become a spectacle to angels and men,” (1 Corinthians 4:9), was accustomed to this sport or diversion which we ought to render familiar without putting ourselves in pain at what they will say of us. “Let us play,” says St. Bernard, ‘that we may become the may-game of the world.” For by this means we shall indeed become a spectacle of contempt to the world, but of admiration to the angela, and of joy to God.

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