The practice of the love of Jesus Christ - 071

XXXVI.–HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST IS NEVER ANGRY WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR

I. But there are moments when it seems absolutely necessary to check insolence with severe words. David said: Be angry, and sin not–(Ps. iv. 5). Occasions do exist, therefore, when we may be lawfully angry, provided it be without sin. But here is just the difficulty: speculatively speaking, it seems expedient at times to speak and reply to some people in terms of severity, in order to make an impression on them; but in practice it is very difficult to do this without some fault on our part; so that the sure way is always to admonish, or to reply, with gentleness, and to scrupulously guard against all resentment. St. Francis de Sales said: “I have never been angry without afterwards repenting of it.” And when, for some reason or other, we still feel angered, the safest way, as I said before, is to keep silence, and reserve the remonstrance till a more convenient moment, when the heart is cooled down.

We ought particularly to observe this meekness when we are corrected by our superiors or friends. St. Francis de Sales again writes: “To receive a reprimand willingly, shows that we love the virtue opposed to the fault for which we are corrected; and consequently this is a great sign of progress in perfection.”

Ah, my Jesus, grant that all my thoughts may be occupied in avoiding whatever may offend Thee, and in promoting whatever may contribute to Thy good pleasure. Ward off every occasion that may draw me from Thy love. I strip myself of my liberty, and consecrate it entirely to Thy good will. I love Thee, O Infinite Goodness! I love Thee, O my Delight! O Word Incarnate, I love Thee more than myself! Take pity on me, and heal whatever wounds remain in my poor soul from her past disloyalties towards Thee. I resign myself wholly into Thy arms, O my Jesus; I will be wholly Thine; I will suffer everything for love of Thee; and I ask of Thee nothing but Thyself! O Holy Virgin and my Mother Mary, I love thee, and I rely on thee; succour me by thy powerful intercession!

II. We must besides practise meekness towards ourselves. It is a delusion of the devil to make us consider it a virtue to be angry with ourselves for committing some fault; far from it, it is a trick of the enemy to keep us in a state of trouble, that so we may be unfit for the performance of any good. St. Francis de Sales said: “Hold for certain that all such thoughts as create disquiet are not from God, Who is the Prince of peace, but proceed either from the devil, or from self-love, or from the good opinion we have of ourselves. These are the three sources from which all our troubles spring. When, therefore, any thoughts arise which throw us into trouble, we must immediately reject and despise them.”

Meekness is also more especially necessary when we have to correct others. Corrections made with a bitter zeal often do more harm than good, especially when he who must be corrected is himself excited; in such cases the correction should be put off, and we must wait until he is cool. And we ourselves ought no less to refrain from correcting while we are under the influence of ill-temper; for then our admonition will always be accompanied with harshness; and the person in fault, when he sees that he is corrected in such away, will take no heed of the admonition, considering it the mere effect of passion. This holds good as far as concerns the good of our neighbor; as concerns our personal advantage, let us show how dearly we love Jesus Christ, by patiently and gladly supporting every ill-treatment, injury, and contempt.

O my despised Jesus, O Love, O Joy of my soul, Thou hast by Thy example made contempt most acceptable to Thy lovers! I promise Thee, from this day forward, to submit to every affront for the love of Thee, Who for love of me didst submit on earth to every species of revilement from men. Do Thou grant me strength to keep this promise. Enable me to know and to perform whatever Thou desirest at my hands. My God and my All, I crave no other good than Thyself, Who art Infinite Good! O Thou Who takest my interests so much to heart, grant that my only care may be to gratify Thee!