Salesian Literature

Chapter 3  :  How we turn from loving God to loving creatures

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This is how the misfortune of giving up God for the sake of something created comes about …

 

Our love for God is intermittent – for the simple reason that charity, in this life, is a plain, straightforward habit; something that we use, so the philosophers tell us, only when we feel like it, never unwillingly.  But if we allow it to remain inactive; if, instead of loving God, our hearts are taken up with other things, or are simply sluggish, indifferent – they can be impressed by something evil and surprised by temptation.  Although charity is still at work deep down in the soul, inclining us to reject the bad suggestion, it will only nudge us into actual resistance if we lend our own efforts; which is how habits work.  Since charity leaves us free, evil can wrap its attractive folds tightly round our hearts, awakening such exquisitely pleasurable sensations that it becomes extremely difficult for us to break away; like the briers of which our Lord spoke (cf. Mt. 13:22; Lk. 8:11), sin will eventually smother the seed of grace, of charity.

 

God will allow temptations to assault us, so that we can make greater acts of charity in resisting them, be victorious in the battle, and win a reward for our victory.  If we feel pleasantly attracted by temptation, that is only natural.  We are made in such a way that anything good irresistibly attracts us, be its goodness real or only apparent; so temptation always uses something of the sort for bait.  Holy Scripture teaches us that there is a worldly type of honour to excite us to the empty pomp of living, or a delightful physical sensation to induce us to the gratification of corrupt nature, or an apparent source of wealth to incite us to avarice and gratification of the eye (1 Jn. 2:16).

 

Faith, if kept on the alert, is charity’s surest safeguard: it can separate truth from falsehood; it can show what things to make for, what to avoid.  Faith would raise the alarm at the approach of evil under the pretence of good; then charity could immediately drive it back.  But, because our faith is usually dormant, or not sufficiently on the alert to safeguard charity, temptation often takes us by surprise; it seduces our sense and they, in their turn, incite the lower part of the soul to rebellion.  The outcome, very often, is that the higher rational part yields under pressure, and loses charity by mortal sin.

 

Charity leaves two important virtues – the gift of faith to show us the eternal truths, and the gift of hope.  Both those virtues are in a sorry state; all the same, they preserve in our souls the character and title of Christian given us through baptism.

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