Volume II, Treatise III, Chapter XXIX

Humility Compatible with the Desire of Reputation

A poust which ordinarily occurs concerning humility, and which is of great importance to solve, that we may hereupon know how to behave ourselves, is whether, according to the common opinion of all the holy fathers, we ought to wish to be contemned? The objection against it, is, how, if we are despised, shall we be able to bring forth fruit for the good of souls? For to make an impression by what we say, and to gain credit with our audience, we must be in esteem with them; so that upon this account it seems even necessary to desire the esteem of men. St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Bernard thoroughly and solidly discuss this question, and the solution they give to it is, that though the great danger we run by being honoured and esteemed by men, ought to oblige us to avoid such honour: and though when we regard only ourselves we ought to wish always to be despised; yet we may nevertheless, with a view to God’s greater glory and service, desire their approbation, and seek their esteem. Wherefore St. Bernard says, it is true, that in regard to ourselves, we should always be willing to have others know us to be what we are, and that we should know ourselves too, that is to say, how full of weakness and defects we are; but that in respect of others, it is not convenient it should be so; and thus we may be sometimes permitted to wish, that they may not know our faults, fur fear they may be scandatized thereby, and 30 hindered in their spiritual proficiency. But we must understand this with simplicity of spirit, and not practise it, but with.great

, and with aa eye still upon God. For these truths are subject to great abuse and inconvenience, when they are not understood as they ought to be. The same holy fathers further explain this doctrine to us, to take away all pretence of making ill ase of it. “It happens ‘sometimes,’ says St. Gregory, “that good people rejoice at the good opinion which others have of them; but that is, when they believe they can thereby do more good to their souls 5 and then they do not.so much rejoice st the esteem is had for themselves, as at ‘the benefit of their neighbour.”—(Lib. 22. Moral. c. 5.) For there is.a great difference between secking she applause of men, and rejoicing at the salvation of souls. It is:one thing to love the esteem of the world for its own sake, and te regard nothing therein but one’s own satisfaction, and the pleasure of glory, which is always criminal; and another thing, to seek this esteem upon account of a good motive, as that of the advantage and salvation of your neighbour; for that cannot but be very commendable. It is‘therefore permitted to desire the esteem of men, provided it be for the greater glory of God and their edification, and thereby be able to work the more.good in their.souls; because it is not then to love one’s own reputation; but the advantage only of our neighbour and the greater glory of God. In this manner, when a man has an aversion to physic, and takes a potion for his health, it is his own health which he loves, and not the potion; so he, who at the same time that he despises the esteem of the world in his heart, seeks it as advantageous to the service of God, and the good of souls; seeks the glory of God, and not his own se putation..

Let us now see how it may be made known, whether, when one rejoices at the esteem of men, it is purely for the glory of God, and the advantage of his neighbour, or whether vanity or -self-love have-not a great share in it; for this is a very nice point, in which all the difficulty of this affair consists. St. Gregory teaches us how to solve it, and says that, “when one rejoices at the esteem of man, it must be with such a regard only to God, that at the very same moment, that this esteem serves no further for God’s glory and the salvation of our neighbour, it ought rather to be a pain than a joy to us.”—(Lib. 22. Moral.) So that if we look no farther than ourselves, we ought to desire always to be despised, ead receive with joy all occasions to that purpose, as having met with 288 what we sought for; for it is never permitted to desire the appro batiom of men, or to be glad to have it, except with a viow to Goc, and the advantage of our neighbour. We read in the life of St. Ignatius, that he used to say, if he had but given way to his fervour, he should have ran about the streets naked, and all over dirty, whereby to pees for a fool; but the exceas of his charity, and the ardent desire he had to be useful in the conversion of souls, repressed those motions; and obliged him, still to behave himself with such gravity and decency, as was proper for bim. His inclination was nevertheless to be despised; mor did he only embrace all occasions with pleasure that he might Ibe so, but he even sought them with great earnestuess. Now it is this, will shew upon what motive, you are glad to be esteemed and valued by men; whether it is for the love of yourself, and for your awa glory; or for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls For if you do cheerfully embrace humiliations and contempt, upon all occasions, and if all those occasions are heartily welcome to you, it is a sign, that when you have succeeded either in a sermon or any other such like function, and that you have thereby gained credit and esteem, you do not then rejoice for your own interest, but for that of Almighty God, and for the benefit which your neighbour may get thereby. But if, when any occasion is offered, to humble and depress you, you reject it, or receive it not as you ought; if you sock the praise of men, and take pleasure therein, even when it brings no good to your neighbour; it is a sign that the joy you feel, springs from the consideration you have for yoursalt, and not for God, and that you regard not his glory, but your owe. It is true therefore to say, that the esteem and praise of the world have nothing of harm in themselves, when we know how to make good use of them, and therefore, that one may with a good conscience seek and desire them, as St. Xaverius did, when accompanied by a namerous and splendid retinue, he went to wait upon the king of Congo; nay, it may be even sanctity to praise one’s self, provided it be done in the spirit it ought to be; and thus St. Paul also did, who writing to the Corinthians, praises himself, and glories in the favours God had done him; saying, he had laboured more than all the other apostles; and he relates the revelations he had had; and his being rapt to the third heaven. But he did this, because then it was proper for the glory of God, and the good of those to whom he wrote. It was that they should the more easily acknowledge him for a true apostle of Jesus Christ, receive his doctrine, and thereby profit the more. He said these things too with a spirit, which not only despised the glory of the world, but embraced contempt and reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ. For he knew when it was necessary for the salvation of others, to give so advantageous an account of himself, as also when and how to humble and make himself of no reputation; saying, “that he was not worthy to be called an apostle, because he had persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9) He called himself, “one born out of due time, a blasphemer, a violent persecutor;” (1 Timothy 1:13), and when any occasion of being despised offered, he was delighted therewith. Wherefore, for those who are thus disposed, there is no fear, when they accept any honour, or even speak to their own advantage; for they never do it, but when they judge it necessary for the glory of God; and as it is not their own, but the glory and the good of souls, they seek; so the honours they receive, and the praises they assume to themselves, leaves not the least impression of vanity upon their heart.

But because it is very hard that the honour which is done us, should not puff us up, and raise in us a vain satisfaction, hence it is that several saints, knowing the danger which usually accompanies great reputation, dignities, and high employments, endeavoured to avoid those rocks, by retiring from the world, and employing themselves in mean and despicable offices; and they found that to be the most profitable way for their spiritual progress, which was the most proper to keep them humble, and the surest for their salvation. I am not a true religious, says St. Francis, if I receive not the scorn of men with greater joy than their praise. For if, when I preach or do any other good action which is for their advantage, I rejoice at the praises which the interest of their salvation obliges them to give me, and which put my own in danger; how much more ought I to rejoice at their scorn, in which I find a far greater advantage for my own salvation? Certain it is, that we ought to be much more concerned for our own salvation, than for that of another, because well ordained charity begins at home. If, then, you rejoice at the advantage of your neighbour, when you have had success in a sermon, or in a business of charity, and are praised for it; why rejoice you not at your own advantage, when having done on your part as you ought, you receive only scorn, since this is the safest way for you to walk in? If you are glad to find you have a talent for the great employments which relate to the salvation of souls, why, if you are not fit for them, do you not rejoice at the benefit which you may derive from the sense of your own unworthiness, by humbling yourself before God? If you are pleased with vigorous health, that you may be the better able to labour more profitably in the service of your neighbour, why are not you as much pleased with being weak, infirm, and useless, as if you were employed in the greatest offices of charity; because you may turn it to your own profit, make use thereof to become humble, and so render yourself more agreeable to God, who wishes you to be in that state?

From all this, it may easily be perceived, how much they deceive themselves who have an eye continually upon the esteem and reputation of the world, on pretence that it is a necessary means for the doing good to souls, and under that cloak seek honourable employment, and whatever has an air of dignity; and on the contrary avoid mean and humble offices, as things which degrade them in the opinion of men. There is another mistake also in acting thus. For it often happens that what a man believes ought to ensure him the esteem of the world, makes him lose it, and that which he believes may make him lose it, is the very thing that makes him gain it.

Some imagine, that if they were coarsely clad, and employed in mean offices, they would not be held in that esteem which is requisite, to labour successfully for the good of their neighbour. But it is their pride that deceives them. Because those very circumstances will ensure them respect; and the contrary will make them lose the esteem they expected. St. Ignatius was deeply convinced of this—He says, that an humble, simple, and kind way of acting, contributes more to the conversion of souls, than one that is grave and supercilious; in which appears still some tincture of a worldly spirit. And he not only practised this himself, but when he sent forth labourers into the Lord’s vineyard, he always counselled them to walk in the path of humility; because whatever they should do, would be firm and sure, when they built upon so solid a foundation; and that God was wont to make use of such means, to work the greatest things. Wherefore in all occasions he acted according to this principle; for when he sent St. Xaverius and Father Simon Rodriguez into Portugal, he enjoined them to beg alms, as soon as they should arrive there, in order that through poverty and humility they might make way for themselves to every thing else. He also directed Father Salmeron, and Mgther Pascasius, when they Went afterwards, as apostolical nuncios into Ireland, to catechise the children and common people.—And when ‘the same Salmeron and Father Laynez, were sent the first time by Paul the Ill. to the council of Trent, as his holiness’s divines, the instruction which our holy founder gave them, was that every day before they gave their opinion in the council, they should go and serve the sick in the hospital; and teach children the principles of the Catholic ‘faith 5 and that after that preparation, they might give it freely; and that it would then be.sure to be received with greater advantage; aa-by the mercy of God, it indeed was. And shall we after all this, amuse ourselves in examining by the false rules of human prudence, whether.or not it may be prejudicial to us to practise the same things? No, no, let us not fear, that by teaching the catechism, that by making exhortations in public places, in hospitals, or prisons, we detract from the dignity of the ministry of the gospel. Let us not fear to be less esteemed, for having been ‘seen to hear the confessions of poor people, or for wearing a habit suitable to the poverty of.a religious. We shall on the contrary be the more esteemed for this, and by these means do more good to souls; for God is pleased to exalt the humble,and it is by them that‘he usually accomplishes the greatest designs of his providence.

But though we should not attend to this reason, which never- - theless is the principal one, and should look upon things only according to the true rules of human prudence, yet we can ‘do nothing more proper for gaining the esteem and favour of men, and working successfully for the salvation of souls, than ‘by being employed in mean and humble offices; and the ‘more capable we shall be of great things, it will be the more advantageous for our reputation, and the edification of our neighbour, to stoop to little ones. The reason of this is, that the world makes so great aA account of marks of honour, esteem, and of great employments, that it admires nothing more, than to see any one make no account thereof; and to behold a man who is capable of the highest things, stoop to the lowest; and hence, it looks on persons of this description, as saints; and receives their instructions as doctrine that comes from heaven.

We read in the life of St. Kaverinus, that being ready:to embark for the Indies, he would take no provisions ‘with -him for so longs voyage; and when the earl of Castagnede, who was then intendant of sea affairs for those parts, pressed him to ‘take at least somebody along with him, to serve dim on shipboard; and urged among other things, that he would have less credit, with these for whose instruction he undertook the voyage, if they should see him wash his: own linen, and dress his own meat. He answered,. “Sir, that which has reduced the church. of God, and its prelates to the condition they are in at this day, is the esteem and authority they endeavour to acquire by pomp and parade; and the true. means which I must use to make myself be esteemed, is: to wash my old rags,.and to dress my meat myself, without. giving any one elas that trouble; and besides all this, to. be continually busied m instructing and precuring the salvation of my neighbour.” The eat] was so surprised, and edified at the same time, at this. answer, that he knew not what to reply. It is therefore: by the practice of humility that. we obtain the esteem of men, and gain souls to God; and indeed how many did this holy man gain in the Indies, by teaching the catechism: to little children; by ringing the bell in the night for the souls in purgatory; by serving and comforting the sick, and by exercising himself continually in the meanest and humblest offices of charity? By these means he acquired so great credit and reputation, that he won the hearts of all, and was called by no other name than that of the holy man. It is this sort “reputation we want, for the advancement and good of souls; reputation of humility, sanctity, and zeal in the ministry of the gospel; and we are only to endeavour and seek after such a reputation as this. For, as to the esteem we may pretend to gain by dignities and great.employments, where something of the spirit of the world enters, it is more prejudicial than profitable, and scandalises, rather than edifies our neighbour.

A pious and learned anthor makes an excellent reflection upon these words of our Saviour: “and I seek not my own glory, there is one that seeks and judges.” (John 8:50). If our heavenly Father, says he, takes care himself to seek and procure our glory; it is to no purpose that we should seek it. Let. us take care. to humble ourselves, and to. be what we ought to be, and leave to Ged the care of our reputation, so far as he sees. it necessary for the good of souls, The very things we do for our humiliation, are those which he will make: serviceable to acquire an esteem for us, beyond that which we ourselves could have acquired by human ways,

And let us not imagine that the glory of our erder is ab stake; for this is another kind of illusion, that serves only to give a colour to: self-love and vanity, which chiefly move us. I do not care at all for myself, you will say, but only for my order, for which it is bat just in me te have respect. Fear nothing, your order will never be in better repute, than when you are humble, reserved, and patient; for what renders an order truly considerable, is to have those who belong to it humble, modest, mortified, and wholly weaned from all worldly things.

Father Maffeus, in his history of the Indies, tells us, that when one of the Fathers of the Society was preaching upon a certain day the Christian faith in a public piazza of Firando, a city of Japan, one of the idolaters of that place, who was passing by, fell laughing both at him, and at what he said; and then spat full in his face. The preacher, without shewing the least alteration, or saying any thing, wiped it off with his handkerchief, and wenton with his sermon, as if nothing had happened to him; which one of his auditors observing, began to reflect, that a doctrine which taught us to be so patient, so humble, and so composed, could not but come from heaven; and this affair made so strong an impression upon him, that as soon as ever the good father had concluded his sermon, he went to him, and most earnestly begged of him, to instruct and baptize him.

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