GCG1: X Lời Vô Ích
§ Lm Lê Bá Tư
Nói ít
Bạn hãy hết sức lánh xa những đám đông người. Vì dù con không có ý xấu, nhưng bàn soạn việc đời bao giờ cũng tai hại lắm.
Nó làm cho linh hồn ta chóng dơ nhớp và nô lệ tính phô trương.
Thà nín lặng những khi phải gặp người đời và đừng xen vào giữa đám đông là hơn.
Đã biết rằng chả mấy khi từ đám chuyện gẫu ra về mà lương tâm không cắn rứt, thế sao còn cứ ngứa ngáy muốn nói, muốn bàn ?
Thường ta thích nói là vì nhờ trao đổi cảm tình, ta có thể yên ủi lẫn nhau và trút cho lòng trí khỏi những tư tưởng bực dọc.
Những lúc đó ta thường hay nói về mình, về những cái ta ưa thích và ước ao, hoặc những điều làm ta khó chịu.
Nói cho khôn
Nhưng thường ta không được toại ý ! Vì chính những cái bên ngoài ấy, làm cho ta mất rất nhiều ơn Chúa yên ủi bên trong.
Vì thế ta phải tỉnh táo và cầu nguyện đừng để thì giờ qua đi vô ích.
Nếu được phép nói hay nói có lợi, bạn cũng chỉ nên nói những cái có thể giúp bạn tiến đức hơn.
Tập quán xấu, tính ươn hèn trong đường tiến đức ngăn trở ta rất nhiều trong việc giữ miệng lưỡi.
Lời nói đạo đức về những vấn đề thiêng liêng bao giờ cũng giúp ta tiến bộ rất nhiều trong đường đạo đức, nhất là giữa những người đồng tâm nhất trí đoàn kết trong Chúa.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Đừng Suồng Sã
GCG1: VIII Đừng Suồng Sã
§ Lm Lê Bá Tư
Chọn bạn mà chơi
"Đừng thổ lộ tâm tình với bất cứ ai" (Giảng viên 8, 22). Việc bạn, bạn hãy đem bàn với những người khôn ngoan và kính sợ Chúa.
Đừng thường xuyên đi lại với những người trẻ và những người ham thế tục.
Đừng nịnh người giàu cũng đừng luôn tới lui với người quyền quý.
Hãy quen thân những người khiêm nhượng, đơn sơ, những người có đời sống đạo hạnh, ngay thẳng, chỉ nên nói, nên bàn những chuyện hữu ích.
Đừng kết thân với người khác phái. Bạn hãy phú thác cho Chúa tất cả các anh chị em đạo đức.
Hãy ước mong kết thân với một mình Chúa và các Thiên Thần và hãy tránh đừng để người đời biết đến Bạn.
Bác ái
Phải bác ái đối với mọi người, nhưng đừng vì đấy mà suồng sã.
Có người, khi còn xa ta khen lấy khen để, mà vừa giáp mặt đã ghét cay ghét đắng.
Có lúc ta nghĩ kết thân với người khác như thế là vừa ý họ lắm, nhưng ngờ đâu chính lúc ấy lại là lúc họ bắt đầu chán ta, vì gần ta, họ đã khám phá ra những khuyết điểm của ta.
§ Lm Lê Bá Tư
Chọn bạn mà chơi
"Đừng thổ lộ tâm tình với bất cứ ai" (Giảng viên 8, 22). Việc bạn, bạn hãy đem bàn với những người khôn ngoan và kính sợ Chúa.
Đừng thường xuyên đi lại với những người trẻ và những người ham thế tục.
Đừng nịnh người giàu cũng đừng luôn tới lui với người quyền quý.
Hãy quen thân những người khiêm nhượng, đơn sơ, những người có đời sống đạo hạnh, ngay thẳng, chỉ nên nói, nên bàn những chuyện hữu ích.
Đừng kết thân với người khác phái. Bạn hãy phú thác cho Chúa tất cả các anh chị em đạo đức.
Hãy ước mong kết thân với một mình Chúa và các Thiên Thần và hãy tránh đừng để người đời biết đến Bạn.
Bác ái
Phải bác ái đối với mọi người, nhưng đừng vì đấy mà suồng sã.
Có người, khi còn xa ta khen lấy khen để, mà vừa giáp mặt đã ghét cay ghét đắng.
Có lúc ta nghĩ kết thân với người khác như thế là vừa ý họ lắm, nhưng ngờ đâu chính lúc ấy lại là lúc họ bắt đầu chán ta, vì gần ta, họ đã khám phá ra những khuyết điểm của ta.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Theo Gương Chúa Và Khinh Thường Thế Tục
Quyển I: Những Nguyên Tắc Hướng Dẫn Đời Sống Tâm Linh
I. Theo Gương Chúa Và Khinh Thường Thế Tục
Con đường sáng
Lời Chúa Giêsu : "Ai theo Ta, người ấy không đi trong u tối" (Gioan 8,12).
Lời ấy, Chúa dùng để khuyên nhủ ta bắt chước tính hạnh và hành vi Chúa, nếu ta muốn được sáng suốt và thoát khỏi mọi tối tăm nội tâm.
Bài học chính của ta sẽ là suy gẫm về tính hạnh Chúa Kitô.
Tinh thần Chúa
Học thuyết Kitô trổi vượt trên học thuyết các thánh. Ai thấu nhập được tinh thần Chúa Giêsu, người ấy gặp được kho lương thực tiềm tàng.
Sở dĩ nhiều người nghe giảng Phúc Âm luôn mà vẫn không xúc động, là vì họ không có tinh thần Chúa Kitô.
Muốn hiểu tỏ và nếm thử thi vị của Lời Chúa, cần phải tập sống đời sống của Chúa.
Sự thông giỏi thế tục
Lý luận cao kỳ về Chúa Ba Ngôi có ích chi, một khi lòng đầy kiêu hãnh. Vì đó bạn sẽ phụ lòng chính Chúa Ba Ngôi.
Không phải hễ lý luận cao mà nên được người lành người thánh, trái lại chỉ có đời sống đạo đức mới là bạn thiết của Chúa !
Thà biết sám hối còn hơn biết giải thích nghĩa sám hối là gì.
Thuộc lòng toàn pho Thánh Kinh và danh ngôn các triết gia, mà không có đức ái và ân tình với Chúa : tất cả chỉ là vô ích.
"Phù hoa nối tiếp phù hoa,
Của đời hết thảy chỉ là phù hoa" (Giảng viên 1, 2)
trừ kính ái và phụng thờ một Chúa.
Khôn ngoan nhất là người biết từ cái đẹp trần gian vươn lên Nước Trời.
Của đời, của chóng qua
Không gì phù phiếm bằng tích góp cho nhiều của mau qua và để hết lòng trí vào đó !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng ham hố danh vọng và ưa tìm ăn trên ngồi trước !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng bê tha nhục dục và đam mê những thứ làm cho đời mai sau của mình bị nghiêm phạt !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng thích sống lâu mà không cố gắng sống cho thánh thiện !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng chỉ để tâm đến của hiện tại mà không màng gì của tương lai !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng chỉ mải miết đuổi theo của mau qua mà không màng đến điều sẽ làm cho mình được hạnh phúc muôn đời !
Của vô hình
Hãy luôn tâm niệm lời này của Đấng Khôn ngoan : "Mắt không bao giờ no, tai không bao giờ thỏa" (Giảng viên 1,8)
Bạn, bạn hãy cố gắng giữ lòng khỏi quyến luyến của hữu hình và hãy chuyên lo tìm của vô hình.
Ai sống theo nhục dục, người ấy làm nhọ lương tâm mình và mất ơn Chúa.
I. Theo Gương Chúa Và Khinh Thường Thế Tục
Con đường sáng
Lời Chúa Giêsu : "Ai theo Ta, người ấy không đi trong u tối" (Gioan 8,12).
Lời ấy, Chúa dùng để khuyên nhủ ta bắt chước tính hạnh và hành vi Chúa, nếu ta muốn được sáng suốt và thoát khỏi mọi tối tăm nội tâm.
Bài học chính của ta sẽ là suy gẫm về tính hạnh Chúa Kitô.
Tinh thần Chúa
Học thuyết Kitô trổi vượt trên học thuyết các thánh. Ai thấu nhập được tinh thần Chúa Giêsu, người ấy gặp được kho lương thực tiềm tàng.
Sở dĩ nhiều người nghe giảng Phúc Âm luôn mà vẫn không xúc động, là vì họ không có tinh thần Chúa Kitô.
Muốn hiểu tỏ và nếm thử thi vị của Lời Chúa, cần phải tập sống đời sống của Chúa.
Sự thông giỏi thế tục
Lý luận cao kỳ về Chúa Ba Ngôi có ích chi, một khi lòng đầy kiêu hãnh. Vì đó bạn sẽ phụ lòng chính Chúa Ba Ngôi.
Không phải hễ lý luận cao mà nên được người lành người thánh, trái lại chỉ có đời sống đạo đức mới là bạn thiết của Chúa !
Thà biết sám hối còn hơn biết giải thích nghĩa sám hối là gì.
Thuộc lòng toàn pho Thánh Kinh và danh ngôn các triết gia, mà không có đức ái và ân tình với Chúa : tất cả chỉ là vô ích.
"Phù hoa nối tiếp phù hoa,
Của đời hết thảy chỉ là phù hoa" (Giảng viên 1, 2)
trừ kính ái và phụng thờ một Chúa.
Khôn ngoan nhất là người biết từ cái đẹp trần gian vươn lên Nước Trời.
Của đời, của chóng qua
Không gì phù phiếm bằng tích góp cho nhiều của mau qua và để hết lòng trí vào đó !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng ham hố danh vọng và ưa tìm ăn trên ngồi trước !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng bê tha nhục dục và đam mê những thứ làm cho đời mai sau của mình bị nghiêm phạt !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng thích sống lâu mà không cố gắng sống cho thánh thiện !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng chỉ để tâm đến của hiện tại mà không màng gì của tương lai !
Không gì phù phiếm bằng chỉ mải miết đuổi theo của mau qua mà không màng đến điều sẽ làm cho mình được hạnh phúc muôn đời !
Của vô hình
Hãy luôn tâm niệm lời này của Đấng Khôn ngoan : "Mắt không bao giờ no, tai không bao giờ thỏa" (Giảng viên 1,8)
Bạn, bạn hãy cố gắng giữ lòng khỏi quyến luyến của hữu hình và hãy chuyên lo tìm của vô hình.
Ai sống theo nhục dục, người ấy làm nhọ lương tâm mình và mất ơn Chúa.
Of Man's Last End
Of Man’s End
Firʃt Point. Man was created to ʃerve God
Second Point. Man was created to ʃave himʃelfe in ʃerving God
Firʃt Point.
Conʃider that we came not into the world by chance, God had an end in drawing us out of nothing, and that end was no other then his own glory: he created us only to know, love & ʃerve him; we glorify him by knowing and loving him, we ʃhew our love by ʃerving him, and we ʃerve him when we keep his Commandments.
This was his End & deʃign in our Creation, he could have not created us, but he could not create us for another End: the diʃorders of our Lives may indeed make us forget our duty but it cannot change our ultimate End. Let us be never so diʃʃolute it will ʃtill be true, that we are not ʃent into the world to heap up Riches, to acquire honours, to enjoy a multitude of pleaʃures & become great, we are ʃent into the world only to ʃerve God. Kings and their people, the learn’d & the ignorant, the Rich and the poor are in the World only for this End. Tho there be a great difference in mens conditions and a ʃubordination among them, tho some are born Masters and others ʃubjects, they are all made for the same ultimate End, & all agree in this point that they are created only to know, to love & to ʃerve God.
The fire is not more created to give heat, and the ʃun light, then man is to love and ʃerve God, who has made that almost infinite number of Creatures only to help us in attaining this End, there being not one among them all which in its ʃelfe do’s not fourniʃh us with a means to know God, a motive to love, and a way to ʃerve him.
We need only conʃult our own hearts on this ʃubject, and we shall find that the extreme deʃire to be happy which is implanted in our natures, and the abʃolute impoʃʃibility of being ʃo in this Life are a ʃensible proof that man was not made for any created object. He must elevate his heart to God, & he will immediately find a full and perfect peace which alone fixes all his deʃires; he feels a ʃweetness which he never felt any where elʃe, & which is an evident mark that God alone is his End, and the Center of his Reʃt.
We are then in the world only to ʃerve God, this is the End of all Men; but do all men live for that End? This is the only thing neceʃʃary of which the ʃon of God ʃpeaks in Goʃpel, do we look upon it as ʃuch?
How earneʃt are we to accompliʃh our deʃigns? To acquit ourʃelves, well of our employments, and to ʃerve our Princes? Are we as earneʃt to ʃerve God? Do not men generally act as if they valued every thing but him? How often is the title of a man of the Gown or of the ʃword, prefer’d to that of God’s ʃervant? How often do the Maxims of the World get the better of the Duty’s of a Chriʃtian? Every one has his deʃigns and ʃeeks his own Ends, ʃurely we are not perʃuaded that God is our End ʃeeing we take so little pains to ʃeek him as ʃuch.
This Truth of God being our End is one of the firʃt Truths we learn, yet it is that which we think leaʃt of, and are leaʃt affected with when we do think of it. We are uʃed from our Cradles to hear that we are created only to ʃerve God, but we are not at all touch’d with the meaning of thoʃe words, which in all probability we never truly underʃtood much leʃs foreʃaw their conʃequences. For if it be true that I live in this World only to ʃerve God, then every one of my actions ought to be directed to him, and it may be I have not in all my Life done any one ʃinge action only for him.
This is the fundamental Verity of our Religion, do we live up to this important Truth? The whole Goʃpel is founded on this as its chief maxime, but who that examines our manner & maxims can think that God is our ultimate End? We think of every thing but God, as if we thought him nothing.
We find time for every thing except for loving and ʃerving God, we are delighted with riches, honours, and pleaʃures, God alone hath no charms for us: And yet where can we find any true pleaʃure but in him only? Thou Lord hast created for thy ʃelfe ʃaith ʃaint Auguʃtine, and our hearts will be allwayes uneaʃy and unquiet till they reʃt in thee.
Have we not found this by frequent experience in thoʃe very things whereof we have been most fond? Were we ʃatiʃfied when we had obtain’d them? Has not the very poʃʃeʃʃion been ʃufficient to diʃguʃt us with them, and make us ʃlight them? ‘tis to no purpoʃe to deceive our ʃelves that we may ʃin with leʃs fear, theʃe very diʃguʃts, theʃe continual diʃquiets, are a ʃecret voice which admoniʃhes us that we are not made for the Creatures, that every thing in the world is but vanity, amuʃement, and vexation of ʃpirit, and that we are made only for God.
We cannot chooʃe or make any other End to our ʃelves, he who gave us our being hath put us under an indiʃpensable neceʃʃity of returning to him; If he had left us at Liberty to make choice of God the infinite good for our laʃt End, could we have thought of any other? And now that he has ʃubjected us to the happy neceʃʃity of having no other, we are very little concerned to attain it.
Ingrateful men! Are you not well enough provided for to have God for your laʃt End? How long will you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him: why will you be divided between God and the World? If God be your only maʃter, why do you not ʃerve him alone?
My God! What do I ʃtay for? Am I too young? Have I too much health? Am I afraid to ʃerve thee to long if I begin ʃo ʃoon, I whom am left in the world only to ʃerve thee.
Alas! I made no difficulty of ʃpending the beʃt part of my Life in unprofitable amuʃements in the ʃervice of the World, and now that I am diʃabus’d and convinc’d of my folly, ʃhall I refuʃe thee the reʃt of my Life? ʃhall I balance one moment to love thee?
‘Tis ʃtrange that I ʃtand in need of ʃo many reaʃons & reflections to reʃolve upon a thing of this importance, & of which I am fully convinc’d, but it is yet ʃtranger that all theʃe reflections do not make me reʃolve.
Do I ʃtall till I am at last Extremity? Till I am told that I have but a few days left to think ʃeriously of my Converʃion?
No my God! It is reʃolv’d; thou haʃt made me only for thy ʃelfe, and for the future I will be wholly thine: ‘tis true I begin late to ʃerve thee, but I am reʃolv’d to have this ʃatiʃfaction in Death whenever it comes, that I did begin to ʃerve thee.
Second Point.
Conʃider that God who has created us only to ʃerve him, is pleaʃ’d by a ʃingular goodneʃs ʃo to order it, that we cannot ʃerve him without ʃerving our ʃelves. He did from the beginning deʃign our Eternal happineʃs in creating us for his Glory; & ʃeeing that Eternal happineʃs is no otherwiʃe propoʃ’d then as a reward, our whole life is given us only that we may deʃerve it by obedience to thoʃe Laws and Commandments which he hath made for that End. And the deʃire of happineʃs which is natural to every man do’s as it were by inʃtinct advertiʃe us in the midʃt of our diʃorders that we are plac’d in the world only to work out our Eternal ʃalvation in Heaven.
The Checks of our Conʃciences which are hardly ever quite ʃtifled, cry loud to us that we put our ʃelves in danger of being loʃt when we get our end never ʃo little. And are not the fears of hell, and of the dreadful judgments of God, which ʃhake the most hardened ʃinners, a ʃufficient monitor telling us inceʃʃantly that we are in the world only to be ʃaved?
This is the only buʃineʃs of all the world, this is our laʃt end. We are not here to obtain great Employments or dignity’s, to render ourʃelves excellent in this or that profeʃʃion, nor to eʃtablish a reputation by our good qualities; You are raiʃ’d to that dignity, you are put in that dignity, you are put in that ʃtation, God has given you those qualitys, & made you ʃucceʃʃful only that theʃe may be helps to your ʃalvation, may be the means to bring you more eaʃily to him your laʃt End.
We are then created only that we may be ʃaved, that we may avoid an Eternity of woe in Hell, and obtain a happineʃs in Paradiʃe which ʃhall never end. We are made only for Heaven, we are but baniʃh’d men here, or at beʃt but travelers who ʃhould rejoice when they find themʃelves near the End of their journey and of their baniʃhment.
But do we look upon ourʃelves as ʃuch? Have we theʃe thoughts of Heaven? Would any one that examines our conduct think that we believe our ʃalvation to be our laʃt End? Men eaʃily find means to attain their ends, ʃurely there are but few who make heaven their great deʃign ʃince there are ʃo few who take the right methods to obtain it.
The End of a Merchant in his Trade, of a ʃcholar in his ʃtudy’s, of a courtier in his carriage, of a ʃoldier in the midʃt of dangers is eaʃily known; but it is as viʃible that every man in his ʃtation and employment ʃeeks only God, and the ʃalvation of his ʃoul as his laʃt End.
Yet what do’s it profit a man to raiʃe a great fortune to gain the whole world and looʃe his ʃoul? What is there in all the world that can make him amends for the loʃs of that? It would have been much better for him not to have been born, then not to be ʃaved.
Let us remember that if we do not make God our ʃovereign happiness, he will be our sovereign misery; we may be without every thing elʃe but we cannot be without this good; tho a man be poor, forʃaken, deʃpiʃ’d or forgotten, if he ʃave his ʃoul he will be happy to all Eternity and want nothing; but let him be never ʃo rich, happy, and eʃteem’d in the world, if he be damn’d he is miʃerable forever.
What are those great & extraordinary men who fill’d the world with their brave actions, what are they the better for all the honour they gain’d, if they are damn’d? ʃuppose you ʃaw the richeʃt man in the world on his Deathbed, one who had enjoy’d all ʃorts of pleaʃures, who had arriv’d to the higheʃt pitch of Glory and greatneʃs, who had been succeʃʃful in all his undertakings, and had only neglected his ʃoul; aʃk him, what do all your wealth, your greatneʃs, and your pleaʃures avail you? All theʃe are paʃʃ’d and gone as if they had never been, but your ʃoul which you have loʃt, & thoʃe pains which are the ʃad conʃequences, of that loʃs, will never paʃs away.
Let us conʃider what thoughts we ʃhall have in thoʃe laʃt moments: what ʃhall we then think of everything that is now an obʃtacle to our ʃalvation? How will all our great deʃigns and projects which took us up entirely appear then?
We venture our ʃouls rather than diʃoblige a friend, then looʃe an opportunity of enriching our Children, or of diʃtinguiʃhing our ʃelves in the world. What will our opinion of all this be when Death comes? Will the remembrance of all paʃt greatneʃs comfort a man who knows he is falling into Hell? Will thoʃe pretended friends be much oblig’d to us for having ruin’d our ʃelves to pleaʃe them? ʃhall we be much oblig’d to them who are the cauʃe of our damnation, and for whose ʃakes we are loʃt?
Wretched Father! That labours and ʃweats that ruins his health and ʃhortens his Life to get an Eʃtate for his Children, and is damn’d for his pains; who will thank him for it?
Who would not be rich if an earneʃt deʃire to be ʃo were ʃufficient, we may be ʃaints if we will by the help of grace which is never wanting, & yet we are unwilling to be ʃo: And indeed if we are not ʃaints it is because we will not.
‘Tis ʃurprising that men who love themʃelves ʃo much ʃhould reflect ʃo little on a matter of this conʃequence: that men who in all other things are wiʃe and prudent, ʃhould yet every day go out of the world without having once ʃeriouʃly conʃidered why they were ʃent into it, whence they came, and whither they are to go after Death. And yet cheat themʃelves at laʃt with an appearance of converʃion.
O Divine ʃavior! Where is that paʃʃionate deʃire of our ʃalvation which mov’d thee to do ʃuch great things? How long wilt thou ʃuffer ʃo many ʃouls to be loʃt, for whom thou haʃt paid ʃo great a price? Art not thou ʃtill our God, and are not we thy people? Canʃt thou ever forget that thou art my ʃavior? I have not indeed made a right uʃe of my happineʃs in being deʃign’d only for thee, I have forgot thee to place my affections upon the Creatures. I have wander’d out of the way that leads to my laʃt End, and refuʃ’d to obey the voyce of the good ʃhepherd who call’d me. Bu now I ʃee and repent of my wandering; however unfaithful I have been, the ʃenʃe thou haʃt given me of my unfaithfulneʃs, makes me hope that thou wilt have mercy on me: thou lovedʃt me when I did not love thee, and when I did all that I could to make thee hate me thou ʃought’ʃt even when I fled moʃt from thee. O my God! Wilt thou refuʃe me now that I am reʃolv’d to love thee? Wilt thou hide thy ʃelfe from me now that I ʃeek thee? I cannot fear this from ʃo infinitely good and merciful a God.
I acknowledge that I was made only to love and ʃerve thee, and I am reʃolv’d O my God by the aʃʃiʃtance of thy Grace that I will both love and ʃerve thee. And I hope in thy mercy that ʃince thou haʃt patiently born with my diʃobedience ʃo long thou wilt now be ʃo gracious as to pardon and forgive it.
from A Meditation for Each Day in the Month by Fr. Jean Croiset
Firʃt Point. Man was created to ʃerve God
Second Point. Man was created to ʃave himʃelfe in ʃerving God
Firʃt Point.
Conʃider that we came not into the world by chance, God had an end in drawing us out of nothing, and that end was no other then his own glory: he created us only to know, love & ʃerve him; we glorify him by knowing and loving him, we ʃhew our love by ʃerving him, and we ʃerve him when we keep his Commandments.
This was his End & deʃign in our Creation, he could have not created us, but he could not create us for another End: the diʃorders of our Lives may indeed make us forget our duty but it cannot change our ultimate End. Let us be never so diʃʃolute it will ʃtill be true, that we are not ʃent into the world to heap up Riches, to acquire honours, to enjoy a multitude of pleaʃures & become great, we are ʃent into the world only to ʃerve God. Kings and their people, the learn’d & the ignorant, the Rich and the poor are in the World only for this End. Tho there be a great difference in mens conditions and a ʃubordination among them, tho some are born Masters and others ʃubjects, they are all made for the same ultimate End, & all agree in this point that they are created only to know, to love & to ʃerve God.
The fire is not more created to give heat, and the ʃun light, then man is to love and ʃerve God, who has made that almost infinite number of Creatures only to help us in attaining this End, there being not one among them all which in its ʃelfe do’s not fourniʃh us with a means to know God, a motive to love, and a way to ʃerve him.
We need only conʃult our own hearts on this ʃubject, and we shall find that the extreme deʃire to be happy which is implanted in our natures, and the abʃolute impoʃʃibility of being ʃo in this Life are a ʃensible proof that man was not made for any created object. He must elevate his heart to God, & he will immediately find a full and perfect peace which alone fixes all his deʃires; he feels a ʃweetness which he never felt any where elʃe, & which is an evident mark that God alone is his End, and the Center of his Reʃt.
We are then in the world only to ʃerve God, this is the End of all Men; but do all men live for that End? This is the only thing neceʃʃary of which the ʃon of God ʃpeaks in Goʃpel, do we look upon it as ʃuch?
How earneʃt are we to accompliʃh our deʃigns? To acquit ourʃelves, well of our employments, and to ʃerve our Princes? Are we as earneʃt to ʃerve God? Do not men generally act as if they valued every thing but him? How often is the title of a man of the Gown or of the ʃword, prefer’d to that of God’s ʃervant? How often do the Maxims of the World get the better of the Duty’s of a Chriʃtian? Every one has his deʃigns and ʃeeks his own Ends, ʃurely we are not perʃuaded that God is our End ʃeeing we take so little pains to ʃeek him as ʃuch.
This Truth of God being our End is one of the firʃt Truths we learn, yet it is that which we think leaʃt of, and are leaʃt affected with when we do think of it. We are uʃed from our Cradles to hear that we are created only to ʃerve God, but we are not at all touch’d with the meaning of thoʃe words, which in all probability we never truly underʃtood much leʃs foreʃaw their conʃequences. For if it be true that I live in this World only to ʃerve God, then every one of my actions ought to be directed to him, and it may be I have not in all my Life done any one ʃinge action only for him.
This is the fundamental Verity of our Religion, do we live up to this important Truth? The whole Goʃpel is founded on this as its chief maxime, but who that examines our manner & maxims can think that God is our ultimate End? We think of every thing but God, as if we thought him nothing.
We find time for every thing except for loving and ʃerving God, we are delighted with riches, honours, and pleaʃures, God alone hath no charms for us: And yet where can we find any true pleaʃure but in him only? Thou Lord hast created for thy ʃelfe ʃaith ʃaint Auguʃtine, and our hearts will be allwayes uneaʃy and unquiet till they reʃt in thee.
Have we not found this by frequent experience in thoʃe very things whereof we have been most fond? Were we ʃatiʃfied when we had obtain’d them? Has not the very poʃʃeʃʃion been ʃufficient to diʃguʃt us with them, and make us ʃlight them? ‘tis to no purpoʃe to deceive our ʃelves that we may ʃin with leʃs fear, theʃe very diʃguʃts, theʃe continual diʃquiets, are a ʃecret voice which admoniʃhes us that we are not made for the Creatures, that every thing in the world is but vanity, amuʃement, and vexation of ʃpirit, and that we are made only for God.
We cannot chooʃe or make any other End to our ʃelves, he who gave us our being hath put us under an indiʃpensable neceʃʃity of returning to him; If he had left us at Liberty to make choice of God the infinite good for our laʃt End, could we have thought of any other? And now that he has ʃubjected us to the happy neceʃʃity of having no other, we are very little concerned to attain it.
Ingrateful men! Are you not well enough provided for to have God for your laʃt End? How long will you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him: why will you be divided between God and the World? If God be your only maʃter, why do you not ʃerve him alone?
My God! What do I ʃtay for? Am I too young? Have I too much health? Am I afraid to ʃerve thee to long if I begin ʃo ʃoon, I whom am left in the world only to ʃerve thee.
Alas! I made no difficulty of ʃpending the beʃt part of my Life in unprofitable amuʃements in the ʃervice of the World, and now that I am diʃabus’d and convinc’d of my folly, ʃhall I refuʃe thee the reʃt of my Life? ʃhall I balance one moment to love thee?
‘Tis ʃtrange that I ʃtand in need of ʃo many reaʃons & reflections to reʃolve upon a thing of this importance, & of which I am fully convinc’d, but it is yet ʃtranger that all theʃe reflections do not make me reʃolve.
Do I ʃtall till I am at last Extremity? Till I am told that I have but a few days left to think ʃeriously of my Converʃion?
No my God! It is reʃolv’d; thou haʃt made me only for thy ʃelfe, and for the future I will be wholly thine: ‘tis true I begin late to ʃerve thee, but I am reʃolv’d to have this ʃatiʃfaction in Death whenever it comes, that I did begin to ʃerve thee.
Second Point.
Conʃider that God who has created us only to ʃerve him, is pleaʃ’d by a ʃingular goodneʃs ʃo to order it, that we cannot ʃerve him without ʃerving our ʃelves. He did from the beginning deʃign our Eternal happineʃs in creating us for his Glory; & ʃeeing that Eternal happineʃs is no otherwiʃe propoʃ’d then as a reward, our whole life is given us only that we may deʃerve it by obedience to thoʃe Laws and Commandments which he hath made for that End. And the deʃire of happineʃs which is natural to every man do’s as it were by inʃtinct advertiʃe us in the midʃt of our diʃorders that we are plac’d in the world only to work out our Eternal ʃalvation in Heaven.
The Checks of our Conʃciences which are hardly ever quite ʃtifled, cry loud to us that we put our ʃelves in danger of being loʃt when we get our end never ʃo little. And are not the fears of hell, and of the dreadful judgments of God, which ʃhake the most hardened ʃinners, a ʃufficient monitor telling us inceʃʃantly that we are in the world only to be ʃaved?
This is the only buʃineʃs of all the world, this is our laʃt end. We are not here to obtain great Employments or dignity’s, to render ourʃelves excellent in this or that profeʃʃion, nor to eʃtablish a reputation by our good qualities; You are raiʃ’d to that dignity, you are put in that dignity, you are put in that ʃtation, God has given you those qualitys, & made you ʃucceʃʃful only that theʃe may be helps to your ʃalvation, may be the means to bring you more eaʃily to him your laʃt End.
We are then created only that we may be ʃaved, that we may avoid an Eternity of woe in Hell, and obtain a happineʃs in Paradiʃe which ʃhall never end. We are made only for Heaven, we are but baniʃh’d men here, or at beʃt but travelers who ʃhould rejoice when they find themʃelves near the End of their journey and of their baniʃhment.
But do we look upon ourʃelves as ʃuch? Have we theʃe thoughts of Heaven? Would any one that examines our conduct think that we believe our ʃalvation to be our laʃt End? Men eaʃily find means to attain their ends, ʃurely there are but few who make heaven their great deʃign ʃince there are ʃo few who take the right methods to obtain it.
The End of a Merchant in his Trade, of a ʃcholar in his ʃtudy’s, of a courtier in his carriage, of a ʃoldier in the midʃt of dangers is eaʃily known; but it is as viʃible that every man in his ʃtation and employment ʃeeks only God, and the ʃalvation of his ʃoul as his laʃt End.
Yet what do’s it profit a man to raiʃe a great fortune to gain the whole world and looʃe his ʃoul? What is there in all the world that can make him amends for the loʃs of that? It would have been much better for him not to have been born, then not to be ʃaved.
Let us remember that if we do not make God our ʃovereign happiness, he will be our sovereign misery; we may be without every thing elʃe but we cannot be without this good; tho a man be poor, forʃaken, deʃpiʃ’d or forgotten, if he ʃave his ʃoul he will be happy to all Eternity and want nothing; but let him be never ʃo rich, happy, and eʃteem’d in the world, if he be damn’d he is miʃerable forever.
What are those great & extraordinary men who fill’d the world with their brave actions, what are they the better for all the honour they gain’d, if they are damn’d? ʃuppose you ʃaw the richeʃt man in the world on his Deathbed, one who had enjoy’d all ʃorts of pleaʃures, who had arriv’d to the higheʃt pitch of Glory and greatneʃs, who had been succeʃʃful in all his undertakings, and had only neglected his ʃoul; aʃk him, what do all your wealth, your greatneʃs, and your pleaʃures avail you? All theʃe are paʃʃ’d and gone as if they had never been, but your ʃoul which you have loʃt, & thoʃe pains which are the ʃad conʃequences, of that loʃs, will never paʃs away.
Let us conʃider what thoughts we ʃhall have in thoʃe laʃt moments: what ʃhall we then think of everything that is now an obʃtacle to our ʃalvation? How will all our great deʃigns and projects which took us up entirely appear then?
We venture our ʃouls rather than diʃoblige a friend, then looʃe an opportunity of enriching our Children, or of diʃtinguiʃhing our ʃelves in the world. What will our opinion of all this be when Death comes? Will the remembrance of all paʃt greatneʃs comfort a man who knows he is falling into Hell? Will thoʃe pretended friends be much oblig’d to us for having ruin’d our ʃelves to pleaʃe them? ʃhall we be much oblig’d to them who are the cauʃe of our damnation, and for whose ʃakes we are loʃt?
Wretched Father! That labours and ʃweats that ruins his health and ʃhortens his Life to get an Eʃtate for his Children, and is damn’d for his pains; who will thank him for it?
Who would not be rich if an earneʃt deʃire to be ʃo were ʃufficient, we may be ʃaints if we will by the help of grace which is never wanting, & yet we are unwilling to be ʃo: And indeed if we are not ʃaints it is because we will not.
‘Tis ʃurprising that men who love themʃelves ʃo much ʃhould reflect ʃo little on a matter of this conʃequence: that men who in all other things are wiʃe and prudent, ʃhould yet every day go out of the world without having once ʃeriouʃly conʃidered why they were ʃent into it, whence they came, and whither they are to go after Death. And yet cheat themʃelves at laʃt with an appearance of converʃion.
O Divine ʃavior! Where is that paʃʃionate deʃire of our ʃalvation which mov’d thee to do ʃuch great things? How long wilt thou ʃuffer ʃo many ʃouls to be loʃt, for whom thou haʃt paid ʃo great a price? Art not thou ʃtill our God, and are not we thy people? Canʃt thou ever forget that thou art my ʃavior? I have not indeed made a right uʃe of my happineʃs in being deʃign’d only for thee, I have forgot thee to place my affections upon the Creatures. I have wander’d out of the way that leads to my laʃt End, and refuʃ’d to obey the voyce of the good ʃhepherd who call’d me. Bu now I ʃee and repent of my wandering; however unfaithful I have been, the ʃenʃe thou haʃt given me of my unfaithfulneʃs, makes me hope that thou wilt have mercy on me: thou lovedʃt me when I did not love thee, and when I did all that I could to make thee hate me thou ʃought’ʃt even when I fled moʃt from thee. O my God! Wilt thou refuʃe me now that I am reʃolv’d to love thee? Wilt thou hide thy ʃelfe from me now that I ʃeek thee? I cannot fear this from ʃo infinitely good and merciful a God.
I acknowledge that I was made only to love and ʃerve thee, and I am reʃolv’d O my God by the aʃʃiʃtance of thy Grace that I will both love and ʃerve thee. And I hope in thy mercy that ʃince thou haʃt patiently born with my diʃobedience ʃo long thou wilt now be ʃo gracious as to pardon and forgive it.
from A Meditation for Each Day in the Month by Fr. Jean Croiset
Friday, September 10, 2010
Of the little progress we make in Virtue
We should be very much asham'd to own our selves or to be thought as ignorant after ten and twenty years study of the sciences, as we were the first half year; and much more asham'd to have it thought that we are contented to be so. And yet how many who make profession of piety, whose great business it is to become perfect, are not asham'd to confess, and to have it believe, that they would think themselves happy if after as many years study in the sublime science of Salvation, they were but as fervent, as mortifyed, and as near being Saints, as when they were but six months converted? they do indeed strive to banish those thoughts by giving themselves up to the insipid pleasures of a careless Life, but sooner or later Death will come, and what will their thoughts be then?
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
Of the importance of Salvation
What is this Salvation of which we talk so much? this soul? this Eternity? Is it true that I am sent into the world onely to secure it? is it true that I am undone if I do not secure it, though I should gain the whole world? is it true and do I indeed believe that the business of my Salvation is the greatest business I can have? That is is indeed my only business? That nothing else deserves my care? that this requires all my application, and alone depends on it? if I do not believe this I am lost forever; and if I do believe it, do not I deserve to be severely punish'd for my indifference, which degenerates into a downright contempt of Salvation?
Do I apply my selfe to this great business? am I much concern'd about it? And what ground have I to hope for sucess while I take so little pains? should not I conclude a man ruin'd if he minded his temporal business no more than I do this difficult, this important business of Salvation?
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
Do I apply my selfe to this great business? am I much concern'd about it? And what ground have I to hope for sucess while I take so little pains? should not I conclude a man ruin'd if he minded his temporal business no more than I do this difficult, this important business of Salvation?
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
Of the Source of our Imperfections
Though the greatest part of Christians pretend to aspire to Perfection yet very few attain it, because they are not really willing to be perfect; they readily believe the Doctrines of the Gospel, and the important maximes upon which all true Piety is grounded, but they are not sincere in the application of them. They do not dispute the necessity of doing violence to our inclinations in order to obtain heaven, but they find out specious Reasons to excuse themselves from that violence in certain occasions which require much pains: they own themselves bound to subdue their passions, and they fight with them, and frequently gain a kind of victory over them, but they do not meddle with their reigning passions, and this is the cause that all their other victory's signify nothing, for they should have begun with this.
We must set a continual watch upon our selves and upon every motion of our hearts that we may suppress all our carnal desires, that many almost imperceptible but continual selfish designs, which make us seek only, though secretly, to advance our interests, and a thousand other insinuations of selfe Love which surprise the most virtuous, and mingling themselves with their best actions take away all their merit, or at least diminish their Perfection.
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
We must set a continual watch upon our selves and upon every motion of our hearts that we may suppress all our carnal desires, that many almost imperceptible but continual selfish designs, which make us seek only, though secretly, to advance our interests, and a thousand other insinuations of selfe Love which surprise the most virtuous, and mingling themselves with their best actions take away all their merit, or at least diminish their Perfection.
from Christian Reflections by Fr. Jean Croiset
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