<<<home page index>>>

 

Brookline Carmel Bulletin                         J M J T

January 3, 1960

 

 

Cogitatio Sancta

(Holy Meditation)

 

The Struggle for Perfection

 

The Institution of the First Monks, an ancient Carmelite writing, states that the goal of the Carmelite is “to purify the heart of all stain of sin” and “to taste, in some manner, within one’s heart, to experience in one’s soul the strength of the divine presence and the sweetness of the glory of heaven, not only after death, but even in this mortal life.” The purification of the heart (which is achieved partly by one’s own effort and partly by the purifying aridities into which God plunges the soul) prepares the way for the tasting or experiencing of the divine presence and the sweetness of heaven in the state known as contemplation.  Contemplation is a free gift of God – He may grant it or not to the soul at His own discretion, according to the unfathomable designs of His infinite Wisdom.  But it is certain that He does not grant the fullness of contemplation to a soul until the work of purification is completed.  St. Teresa declares emphatically that God does not give Himself completely to a soul until that soul has given itself completely to Him.  St. John of the Cross echoes her thought when he states that “God does not permit anything to dwell with Him (in the soul)… He only permits and wills that there should be one desire where He is, which is to keep the law of God perfectly, and to bear upon oneself the cross of Christ.”  It is true enough that God does, from time to time, grant spiritual consolations to souls, even while they are in the earlier stages of development, but these are only temporary aids to encourage them to face the struggle ahead.   Soon enough He will take away these passing favors and replace them with the more wholesome diet of sufferings.  (We should note, incidentally, that the soul who mistakes such passing spiritual consolations for a high state of contemplation is dangerously deluded.  The inevitable disappointment when these favors are subsequently taken away may result in severe discouragement and even in the abandonment of all efforts to seek perfection.  The devil probably has a hand in this deception, realizing what harm he can do thereby.  The safest course, ordinarily, is to take God’s graces as they come, without being unduly preoccupied with discovering what stage of the spiritual life one is in at the moment.)

 

Although contemplation is a free gift of God, which we cannot merit nor acquire by our own efforts, we must not fall into the error of thinking that we need not prepare for it.  We must do what we can “to purify the heart of all stain of sin.”  First of all, we must strive to observe the commandments of God and the precepts of His Church as faithfully as possible.  This is the very minimum requirement.  In addition, there are the various obligations of one’s particular state in life, which must be fulfilled.  Beyond this, the Tertiary has the added obligations of his Rule.  If it seems that the burden of all these obligations is great, we should remember that goal we are seeking is the possession of God Himself.  No sacrifice is too great to achieve this unique goal.  Nor did God ever promise that it would be easy!  One the contrary, Our Lord says, “If any one will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”  (Mt. 16:34) and again, “How narrow the gate and close the way that leads to life!  And few there are who find it” (Mt. 7:14), “for many are called, but few are chosen”  (Mt. 20:16).  St. Paul stresses that the road to perfection is not an easy one, as he exhorts us, “Do you not know that those who run in a race, all indeed run, but one receives the prize?  So run as to obtain it”  (I Cor. 9:24).  It requires effort on our part to travel this road.  “Therefore mortify your members,” says St. Paul, “which are on earth: immorality, uncleanness, lust, evil desires and covetousness (which is a form of idol worship)… But now do you also put them all away:  anger, wrath, malice, abusive language and foul-mouthed utterances.  Do not lie to one another.  Strip off the old man with his deeds and put on the new, one that is being renewed unto perfect knowledge ‘according to their image of his Creator’… Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  Bear with one another and forgive one another, if anyone has a grievance against any other, even as the Lord has forgiven you, so also do you forgive.  But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection.  And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts… Whatever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him:”  (Col. 3:5-17).  Such is the difficult but rewarding program of Christian perfection.  If we devote ourselves wholeheartedly to this program, Our Lord will do the rest.

 

 

<<<home page

* * * * * * * * * *

MISSION STATEMENT: This web site was created for the purpose of completing the work of Fr. Bruno Cocuzzi, O.C.D These conferences may be reproduced for private use only. Publication of this material is forbidden without permission of the Father Provincial for the Discalced Carmelites, Holy Hill, 1525 Carmel Rd., Hubertus, WI 53033-9770.