MEDITATION I On the Desire of Perfection
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint and Coppens, Charles
1st Prelude. Hear Christ, in the Sermon on the Mount, saying to His disciples: “Be ye perfect as also your heavenly Father is perfect” (St. Matth. v, 48).
2nd Prelude. Beg for an earnest desire of perfection.
POINT I.One great hindrance to attain perfection is the want of desire to attain it, a want of proper appreciation of this exalted privilege. This state of mind is:
1. Very unreasonable, unwise. It is like the deplorable disposition of many college boys, whom we blame and despise, because they have not sense enough to value their opportunity to acquire an education. Their fault is palliated by their youth; they will be sorry afterwards. There is no such excuse for religious. They ought to know better. Striving after perfection is the main duty of their state.
2. Very inexpedient for their happiness even in this world.
“The heart of man is made for God! nothing but God can make it happy,” says St. Augustine. A lax religious is less happy than a fervent one; he does not enjoy that peace of mind which the world cannot give; he worries, frets at many things, unlike the fervent.
3. Inexpedient for the next life, causing immense loss of merit and future glory, exchanged for trifles.
4. Injurious to our neighbor, whose salvation depends to a great extent on our holiness.
POINT II. A second hindrance to the attainment of perfection consists in a want of confidence of attaining it. Some imagine that perfection, desirable as it is in itself, is out of the question for them, they are unworthy of aspiring to it. Now distrust of self is excellent, but we must not distrust God, either His power or His love for us. God is not like the man condemned in the Gospel who began to build and could not carry the building to completion. He has invited us to aim at perfection; for that is the nature of the religious life. We have accepted His invitation; it is now for Him to furnish us copious means to attain perfection. The die is cast; we are pledged to strive after perfection, and God has pledged Himself to provide. Father Lallemant, so enlightened in spiritual matters, has left written that the holiness to which every Jesuit is called surpasses all imagination, and that, if any one could see the amount of grace that God has prepared for each of us, he would conclude they were destined for no less a Saint than an Ignatius or a Xavier (Spiritual Doctrine, page 29).
We ought confidently to say with St. Paul: “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me,” Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat (Phil. iv, 13), and with the Psalmist: “If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear,” “Si consistant adversum me castra, non timebit cor meum” (Ps. 26).
POINT III. Some religious say they know not how to attain perfection. The way is plain enough, if only we make up our mind to follow it. It requires:
1. The faithful observance of our rules: whoever observes them perfectly is a real saint. We all observe most of them; let us observe all of them.
2. Much good prayer, performing our spiritual exercises faithfully and fervently. In particular let us perform this triduum to the best of our power.
What is required for this purpose?
a. Silence and recollection;
b. Earnest meditations;
c. Spiritual readings that speak to our hearts;
d. Careful examinations of our spiritual progress.
Colloquy with our dear Lord, asking for a thorough renovation of Spirit.