Volume II, Treatise VI, Chapter VII

That There Is a Laudable and Holy Sadness

But some will say, must we then always be in joy? Must we never be afflicted? Is there no kind of sadness which is profitable and advantageous to the soul? Yes, says St. Basil, without doubt there is; because Jesus Christ himself declares it to us in these words:—“Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:5) Cassian, as well as this saint, and also St. Leo Pope, established two sorts of sadness, the one purely human, and according to the spirit of the world; the other spiritual, and according to the Spirit of God. Sadness, according to the world, is to afflict one’s self for bad success, or some such like misfortune, from which sadness the servant of God ought entirely be exempted. The true servants of God, says St. Apollo to his disciples, to whom the kingdom of heaven is promised, ought never be sad; for if those of the world, rejoice in the possession of vain and transitory goods, what a sense of joy ought the hope which we have of possessing God eternally in heaven, and of partaking with him of his glory, excite in our souls? It is for Jews, for gentiles and sinners, continually to weep and afflict themselves; but for the just, who have a lively faith, and a firm hope of everlasting goods, they ought to follow the royal prophet’s advice—“rejoice in the Lord, and exult you just, and glorify him all you of a right heart.”—-(Psalms 31:14). The apostle St. Paul also teaches us that we are not to afflict ourselves very much for the death of our parents and friends. “I would not have you, my brethren,” says he, “be ignorant of what you ought to know concerning those who sleep in death, lest you afflict yourselves for their death, as they do who have no hope.”— (1 Thes. iv. 13.) He does not absolutely forbid us to afflict ourselves for the death of our friends and parents, for it is not an ill thing to be touched thereat—this is a just and natural feeling, and a sign of the affection we have for them. Jesus Christ himself was touched at the death of Lazarus; and therefore the Jews cried out when they saw him weep, “behold how he loved him.’”’” What the apostle here forbids, is the afflicting ourselves as infidels do, who have no knowledge of the resurrection. We should have our sadness moderated by the hope we have, to see soon again in heaven, those we have lost upon earth; and if we cannot as men hinder the accidents of this life from making some impression upon us, yet we should endeavour that they make at least but a weak and transient one. “Let those who weep, be like those who weep not, and those that rejoice, like those that do not rejoice.” (1 Corinthians 7:30)

As to what concerns spiritual sadness according to God, it is good and profitable, and the servants of God may oftentimes feel it. St. Basil and Cassian say there may be four causes of it. First, it may proceed from a sight of our sins, according to the words of the apostle: “1 rejoice at present,” says he, “not for the sorrow which you have felt, but for that sorrow which has moved you to repentance; for you are afflicted, according to God, and such a sadness as this produces penance, and a firm repentance, which is profitable to salvation.” (2 Corinthians 7:9) That sadness, therefore, that causes us to weep for our sins, and which proceeds from a regret for having offended God, is holy, and according to God. St. Chrysostom makes a remark hereupon worthy of himself. Of all the losses, says he, which can happen to a man, it is only those occasioned by sin, which can be repaired by sorrow and regret, and therefore in all other things except sin, sorrow is unprofitable, because it rather augments than diminishes our loss; but the losses caused by sin are entirely repaired by sorrow for it, and therefore it is for sin only that we ought to afflict ourselves.

Secondly, this sadness may arise from a consideration of the many sins, daily committed in the world; and then it is also very holy, because it proceeds from an ardent desire of God’s glory, and the salvation of souls. It was such sorrow as this, with which the heart of David was penetrated, when he cried out to God, “my heart failed me, when I thought of sinners that have left thy law.” (Psalms 118:53) “Zeal has dried me up, because thy enemies, have forgot thy commandments.”—(Ps. exviii. 189.) “I beheld the wicked, and I pined away, to behold that they so little regarded thy words.” (Psalms 118:158) The prophet Jeremiah was also filled with the same sentiments, and this sort of sadness becomes very well servants of God, but more particularly us, since the end of our institution is to render God’s name glorified throughout the whole world; and therefore we ought to feel the deepest sorrow, when instead of its being glorified, we see the contrary happen to it.

Thirdly, this sadness may proceed from a great desire of perfec- ‘tion, which happens when this desire is very ardent: for then we afflict ourselves, perceiving we make so little progress in virtue. This sentiment is according to God’s spirit; because Jesus Christ assures us that “blessed are those that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled.”—(Mat. v. 6.)

Lastly, the consideration of the eternal goods we are deprived of in this life, and our impatience to enjoy them in the next, is another legitimate cause and subject of the sadness, with which the true servants of God are filled. It was the thought of the beauty and wonders of Sion, that afflicted the children of Israel, during their banishment in Babylon. It was also upon this account, that the royal prophet cried out,— alas! why is my exile so much prolonged?” (Psalms 119:5) These words also addressed to our blessed Lady by the church, “we cry out, we sigh, weep, and lament, in this valley of tears,” are words that make a sweet and pleasing harmony in the ears of God.

Cassian gives us certain signs, to discern the sadness which is according to God, from that which is not. He says that the first is obedient, affable, humble, sweet, and patient; and lastly, since it proceeds from the love of God, it preserves in us the fruits of the Holy Ghost, of which St. Paul speaks to the Galatians, viz.— “charity, joy, peace, patience, bounty, faith, modesty and continency.” But the other sorrow is rude, impatient, and fall of disquiet and bitterness; it hinders us from what is good, and causes in us discouragement and despair. Moreover this, says he, is mixed with no consolation at all, or sweetness; but the other is in a manner joyful. It carries its comfort along with it, and it gives courage and strength to perform what is good; wherefore it may easily be known, by running over these four sorts of sadness, of which I have just spoken. For first how great a sorrow soever they feel themselves penetrated with, when they truly weep for their sins, yet the weeping for them, as we should do, carries a sweetness and comfort along with it; and when this happens, do we not find by experience, that it leaves a satisfaction behind? One of the things also whereby we know how far this spiritual life of God’s servants is preferable to the sensual life of worldlings, is, that the tears which the servants of God shed for their sins, leave so very great and real joy behind them, that all the pleasures of the world leave not the like, to those that enjoy them most. St. Austin makes this reflection, and says, if those who begin to serve God, find so much sweetness in the first thing they perform, which is, in weeping for their sins, what satisfaction will they not experience, when God shall shower down his comforts upon them in time of prayer, and heap upon them those spiritual delights with which he favours his elect; and when, according to these words of the Apocalypse, “he shall dry up all tears from their eyes, when there shall be no more death, nor lamentations, nor cries, and when sadness shall be no more?” (Apocalypse 20:4) It is in like manner easy to judge, that those who lament the sins of their neighbour, find also a great deal of interior sweetness. For it belongs to well educated children to be jealous of the glory and honour of their father; and zeal for God’s glory, can never be without sweetness. And now as to the sadness, which proceeds from an ardent desire of advancing in virtue, or from a holy impatience of visiting our celestial country, it is impossible, but thoughts of this nature, must be very pleasing to a true Christian. For what is more beautiful, or what is sweeter, says St. Austin, amidst the darkness and bitterness of this life, than to have our thoughts taken up with celestial objects, and to be always in imagination in the eternal mansions of true joy?

We may easily also comprehend, by what I have said, that the joy required in the servants of God, is not a vain and frivolous one; it is not a joy that makes us break out into loud laughter, or to say witty things, or to join in conversation with every one we meet. For this would not be a joy becoming God’s servants, but would be a dissipation of mind, immodesty and irregularity. The joy we require, is a prudent one, that comes from within; and is visible in our countenances without; for as sadness of mind makes an impression upon the body, according to the expression of Scripture, “a sad mind dries up the bones;” (Proverbs 17:22); so the interior joy appears exteriorly, according to this other passage of Scripture, “a joyful heart gives a cheerful countenance.” (Proverbs 15:15) We read also of divers saints, that had such a joy and serenity in their looks, that it gave testimony of the peace and satisfaction they inwardly enjoyed in their heart. And this is properly the joy which, jt is to he wished, we should have,,

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