Salesian Literature

Chapter 2:  We must have great courage

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Though light is beautiful and pleasant, it dazzles our eyes if we have been in darkness for long.  Before we grow familiar with the inhabitants of any country, however courteous and gracious they are, we feel somewhat ill at ease.  It may well happen, my dear Philothea, that at this change of life there will be many feelings of disgust within you.  You experience some sadness and discouragement in bidding complete farewell to the follies and vanities of the world.  Should this happen, please have a little patience, for it will come to nothing.  It is only a little uneasiness caused by change.

 

Perhaps you may regret at first for giving up the glory which fools and flatterers gave you for your vanities.  Would you lose the eternal glory which go will certainly give you?  The futile amusements and pastimes of the previous years may return to you heart to entice it and draw it back to them.  Would you dare to renounce this happy eternity for the sake of such deceitful trifles?  I assure you, if you persevere, you will receive without delay very pleasant and delightful consolations of the heart.  Thus you will admit that the pleasures of the world are but gall in comparison with this honey, and a single day of devotion, is better than a thousand years of worldly life (Ps. 83:11).

 

But you understand that the mountain of Christian perfection is very lofty.  You say, “How shall I be able to ascend it?”  courage, Philothea! When the little bees are formed they are called nymphs; at this stage they are not yet able to fly to the flowers nor to the mountains, nor to the neighbouring hills to gather honey.  But little by little feeding on the honey which the bees have prepared, they grow wings and get strong to fly in search of honey all over the countryside.  It is true, we are still little bees in devotion.  We are not able to ascend according to our purpose, which is to reach the summit of Christian perfection.  But if we begin to form ourselves by means of our desires and resolutions, our wings will begin to grow, and we can hope that one day we shall be spiritual bees able to fly.  And meanwhile, let us live on the honey of the teachings left by the devout persons of the past.  And let us pray to God to give us wings like a dove, so that we may be able not only to fly in this life but also to find rest (Ps. 54:7) in the eternity to come.

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