Salesian Literature

INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE

Chapter 7:  Examination of one’s inclinations

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I have treated at great length of these points.  In their examination depends the knowledge of the spiritual progress you have made.  A mere examination of sins belongs to the confessions of those who do not think about making progress.  We must not set to work on each one of these points except very gently.  Let us reflect in what state our heart has been with regard to them, from the time since we made our Firm Resolution.  We are to note any outstanding faults we have committed.

 

To sum up the whole, you must reduce the examination to a scrutiny of your passions.  If it is troublesome to consider them so carefully in detail, as suggested, you can examine yourself with regard to what you have been and how you have behaved:

 

In your love of God, of you neighbour and of yourself.

In your hatred of the sin, which is in yourself, and that which is in others.  In both cases you should desire their destruction.

In your fear of the dangers of sinning and the fear of losing temporal goods: we fear the former too little and the latter too much.

In your hope, set perhaps too much upon the world and on created things, and too little on God and eternal things.

In your sadness, if it is too excessive over vain things.  In your joy, if it is excessive, and regarding unworthy things.

 

What inclinations obstruct your heart?  What passions possess it?  Where has it gone most astray?  For form the passions of the soul you may know its state examining them one after another.  A lute player, touching all the strings of his lute, tunes those which he finds out of tune, either tightening or loosening them.  In the same way, having examined the love, the hate, the desire, the fear, the hope, the sadness and the joy of your soul, should you find them out of tune to the air we wish to play, which is the glory of God, you may tune them by means of his grace and the advice of your spiritual father.

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