Salesian Literature

Chapter 14  :  Putting the previous chapter into practice

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It is up to us, Theotimus, to have unmixed motives as far as we can.  Since we can inspire every virtuous action with the sacred motive of divine love, why not do so?

 

When necessary, we need to set aside all unworthy motives, such as vainglory or self-interest; we need to reflect on every possible good motive for doing what we are faced with – then we shall choose charity, the best motive of all; then we shall bathe or steep in it all the others.

 

According to Aristotle[1], the man who steals in order to get drunk is more of a drunkard than a thief. Therefore, if a man is valiant, obedient, patriotic and magnanimous in order to please God, then he shows more love for God than courage, obedience, patriotism or magnanimity.  Such a man’s will has come to be utterly absorbed in the love of God, using all other motives solely as means to achieve this goal.  If we God to Lyons in order to reach Paris, then Paris, not Lyons, is our goal; if we happen to sing only in order to serve God, then the service of God, not singing, is the end in view.

 

If at times a particular motive fires us – as, for example, if we chance to love chastity on account of its radiantly attractive purity – we should immediately clothe this motive in charity: “How lovable is the noble, delightful spotlessness of chastity, since God loves it so much!”  Turning, then, towards the Creator: “Lord, one request I make of you, let me claim it through chastity: to see and fulfil in it your permissive will, to enjoy the content it brings you.” (cf. Ps. 26:4)

 

Whenever we begin to practise virtue, we should often say with all our hearts: “Be it so, eternal Father; I shall practise it, since this finds favour in thy sight (Mt. 11:26) eternally.”  In this way we are to enliven all our actions with the will of heaven, loving the nobility and beauty of virtue chiefly because God finds it attractive.

 

Some men fall desperately in love with the beauty of a particular virtue; yet, not only do they fail to love charity, they even have no regard for it.  Who has not heard of those poor men of Lyons[2] who turned heretics through extravagant praise of the mendicant way of life, and from bona fide beggars became lazy loafers?  Who does not remember the folly of the Enthusiasts[3], the Messalians[4], the Euchites[5], who forsook charity to extol prayer?  Who is unaware that there have been heretics who lessened love for God in order to exalt love for the poor, who made salvation (according to St. Augustine[6]) depends on almsgiving – in spite of the fact that St. Paul exclaims: I may give away all I have to feed the poor … if I lack charity it goes for nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).

 

It is for us, then, to bring all the virtues under charity’s obedience.  Love certain virtues, yes; but chiefly because they are pleasing to God. let us have greater love for the greater virtues, not because they are great, but because God’s love of them is great.  Thus charity will give life to all our virtues, making them beloved, lovable and beyond compare.

 

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[1]  The Nicomachean Ethics, 5.2.

[2]  Members of a Waldensian sect (Canton de Vaud, Switzerland) which originated in Lyons in the 12th century.

[3]  A generic name for sects of Illuminati.

[4]  A small dissident sect in Russia.

[5]  An ancient sect which held that prayer alone was necessary for salvation.

[6]  City of God, 21.27.

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