Chapter IV (2)

_POINT III._ Consider how God is unceasingly working for you, as a loving father works for the support of his children. He causes the earth to produce whatever you need for food and raiment and lodging; in far distant climes He makes the fruits and the spices grow which are to refresh and to cheer you. Resolve, in return, to labor strenuously for whatever will promote the glory of God. The field of zealous labors for the honor of God and the good of souls, the children of God, is vast and varied. Christ bids us pray the Lord of the harvest that he may send laborers into His harvest (St. Luke x, 2). Offer yourself to be a devoted laborer, ask for toils and even hardships in this noble service. See what special efforts you can make in this matter, and offer your resolves to the Lord.

_POINT IV._ Every trait of goodness, whatever is amiable or admirable in any creature, is but a faint reflection of an infinite perfection in the Creator. A bright flower, a vast prospect, a noble deed, an affectionate heart and a thousand other charms found on earth are able, each of them, to raise our minds to the thought of the beauty, the grandeur, the infinite loveliness of our dear Lord. Thus the sight of a pretty flower sometimes threw St. Ignatius into an ecstasy of Divine love.

Resolve, that, whenever any charm on earth arouses your love or admiration, you will take occasion from it to raise your heart to God, and to elicit an act of love for Him who is the source and the pattern of all that can duly delight the human heart.

_Colloquy._ Finish this last meditation of the retreat with a generous consecration of yourself and of all you have to the love and service of your dear Lord and Master, either in your own words or in those of St. Ignatius quoted in the first point of this exercise, or in the loving renovation of your religious vows.

THE END OF THE EIGHT DAYS RETREAT.

SIX TRIDUUMS
In Preparation for the Semi-Annual Renovation of the Vows

TRIDUUM A

MEDITATION I
On the Desire of Perfection

_1st Prelude._ Hear Christ, in the Sermon on the Mount, saying to His disciples: “Be ye perfect as also your heavenly Father is perfect” (St. Matth. v, 48).

_2nd Prelude._ Beg for an earnest desire of perfection.

_POINT I._ _One great hindrance to attain perfection_ is the want of desire to attain it, a want of proper appreciation of this exalted privilege. This state of mind is:

1. _Very unreasonable, unwise._ It is like the deplorable disposition of many college boys, whom we blame and despise, because they have not sense enough to value their opportunity to acquire an education. Their fault is palliated by their youth; they will be sorry afterwards. There is no such excuse for religious. They ought to know better. Striving after perfection is the main duty of their state.

2. _Very inexpedient for their happiness even in this world._

“The heart of man is made for God! nothing but God can make it happy,” says St. Augustine. A lax religious is less happy than a fervent one; he does not enjoy that peace of mind which the world cannot give; he worries, frets at many things, unlike the fervent.

3. _Inexpedient for the next life_, causing immense loss of merit and future glory, exchanged for trifles.

4. _Injurious to our neighbor_, whose salvation depends to a great extent on our holiness.

_POINT II. A second hindrance to the attainment of perfection_ consists in a want of confidence of attaining it. Some imagine that perfection, desirable as it is in itself, is out of the question for them, they are unworthy of aspiring to it. Now distrust of self is excellent, but we must not distrust God, either His power or His love for us. God is not like the man condemned in the Gospel who began to build and could not carry the building to completion. He has invited us to aim at perfection; for that is the nature of the religious life. We have accepted His invitation; it is now for Him to furnish us copious means to attain perfection. The die is cast; we are pledged to strive after perfection, and God has pledged Himself to provide. Father Lallemant, so enlightened in spiritual matters, has left written that the holiness to which every Jesuit is called surpasses all imagination, and that, if any one could see the amount of grace that God has prepared for each of us, he would conclude they were destined for no less a Saint than an Ignatius or a Xavier (Spiritual Doctrine, page 29).

We ought confidently to say with St. Paul: “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me,” _Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat_ (Phil. iv, 13), and with the Psalmist: “If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear,” “_Si consistant adversum me castra, non timebit cor meum_” (Ps. 26).

_POINT III. Some religious say they know not how to attain perfection._ The way is plain enough, if only we make up our mind to follow it. It requires:

1. _The faithful observance of our rules_: whoever observes them perfectly is a real saint. We all observe most of them; let us observe all of them.

2. _Much good prayer_, performing our spiritual exercises faithfully and fervently. In particular let us perform this triduum to the best of our power.

What is required for this purpose?

a. Silence and recollection;

b. Earnest meditations;

c. Spiritual readings that speak to our hearts;

d. Careful examinations of our spiritual progress.

_Colloquy_ with our dear Lord, asking for a thorough renovation of Spirit.

MEDITATION II
In What Perfection Consists

_1st Prelude._ See God enthroned in Heaven, and all the Saints lovingly looking up to Him.

_2nd Prelude._ Beg grace to understand in what perfection really consists.

_POINT I._ A thing is good if it answers fairly well the purpose for which it is made; it is perfect if it answers that purpose as well as is desirable. Thus a pen is perfect if it is every way suitable to write with, a watch is perfect if it always keeps time. Now man is made to love God; he is therefore perfect if he devotes himself entirely to the love of God. That perfection consists formally in Charity is expressly stated by St. Paul, who writes to the Colossians: “Above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection” (iii, 14).

To attain perfection, therefore, we must accustom ourselves to be totally taken up with God and God’s interests, for God’s sake. This is the main purpose aimed at by Father Faber in his excellent book “All for Jesus.” Read for instance, pages 48, 49. Much of this may be in many men merely sentimental, or poetical. To make it actual in us, real in our conduct and the dispositions of our will, seeking God in all things, is true sanctity. At this we must steadily aim. It is in fact the motto of our Society: _Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam_, “To the Greater Glory of God.” A perfect man is a man of one idea, the idea of the greater glory of God.

_POINT II. Such devotedness to God requires detachment from all creatures_; this detachment is not itself perfection, but it is a necessary condition to attain this entire devotedness, in which perfection consists. We must act like the man who had found a treasure hidden in a field, who to secure it _went and sold all he had_ to buy that field; and like him who, to buy the precious pearl, _went and sold all he had_ (St. Matth. xiii, 44-46). We must be detached. Our hearts are so narrow that we cannot give a part of them to one object without detracting from our love for another, except only if we love the former solely for the sake of the latter. Thus we should love all for God. Therefore we start on the road to perfection by leaving all things to follow Him. It must not prevent us from taking interest in many things, else we become wooden saints. With a St. Ignatius, a St. Francis Xavier, a St. Catherine of Sienna, etc., we must cherish eager desires of many projects, but only in as much as they promote God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

_POINT III. In particular the study of perfection requires constant efforts_: 1. To adorn our soul with more and more virtue, 2. To correct our faults, 3. For this purpose, to labor earnestly at our particular examen, our confessions, 4. To direct our spiritual readings and meditations to the purposes of the illuminative way, returning to the purgative way if there arises some special need of it. Keep weeding, planting, binding. The chief point in this triduum is to see whether we have been of late seriously laboring at the acquisition of perfection as we now understand it: in particular whether we are attached to any creature so as to retard our progress, or habituated to commit any faults, which must be corrected; also how we profit by our Holy Communions, our meditations, etc., so as to promote steady progress in virtue.

_Colloquy._ Ask for the special graces of which you see a present need.

MEDITATION III
Christ the Model of Perfection

_1st Prelude._ See Christ carrying His cross, and saying: “_If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me_” (St. Matth. xvi, 24).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask for grace to follow Christ faithfully.

_POINT I._ Consider the consoling truth that _Christ has really made Himself our guide_. He is such by word and example. We could not have a nobler nor safer guide. He has led millions before us to the highest happiness. In this text _He invites us to follow Him_. Let us thank Him for this gracious offer and eagerly accept it. He is to us what the Angel Raphael was to Tobias. True, Tobias could see the Angel, but he did not know who he was; we cannot see Christ, but we know who He is and how He has acted. Our Society undertakes to follow Him in all the details of our lives. In this following consists perfection. We are actually following Him; but how earnestly? how generously? Can we not improve in many respects?

_POINT II._ Consider the words: “_Let him deny himself._” Christ denied Himself: His ease, His health and life, His honor. In trying to follow Him we made a good beginning when we left our parents and all earthly possessions; to crown the work we must leave ourselves: _1st. Our ease_, by hard work, without repining, with joy and perseverance. Many seculars work much harder than we do, but many do so grudgingly. Not so Christ; we must do like Him.

_2nd, Our health and life_, leaving all this in God’s hands, with proper care indeed, but no solicitude. Oh, if we could die in His service! It would be the greatest happiness. We may have that good fortune if we never shirk any duty. _3, Our honor._ Christ willingly made Himself “A worm and no man, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people” (Ps. 21). The lowest on earth at first, He is now the highest in Heaven, and He invites us to follow Him. When we experience loss of ease, of health, of honor, how do we take it?

_POINT III._ Consider the words: “_and take up his cross_.” What is our cross? It is not so heavy as Christ’s. Our cross is: _1st, Our daily tasks_. Perform them faithfully, zealously, cheerfully. _2nd, Our afflictions, sufferings, failures, disappointments._ Be patient, do not despond: “Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof” (St. Matth. vi, 34). Trust in God: “No one hath hoped in the Lord and hath been confounded” (Ecclus. ii, 11).

_3rd, Our passions_; we must keep them in check by unremitting efforts.

_4th, The conduct of others_: “Blessed are ye when they shall revile you—Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven” (St. Matth. v, 11). “The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us” (Rom. viii, 18).

_POINT IV._ Consider the words: “_And follow me_.” Keep your eyes on Jesus carrying His cross. Notice: 1. His exterior behavior. Do we properly observe our rules of modesty? 2. His interior sentiments. Like His Sacred Heart, is our heart at peace? Kind to all? Conformable to God’s will? “Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls” (St. Matth. xi, 29).

_Colloquy._ “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shall go” (St. Matth. viii, 19).

MEDITATION IV
The Need of Prayer to Attain Perfection

_1st Prelude._ See the Apostles around Christ, and saying: “Lord teach us to pray” (St. Luke xi, 1).

_2nd Prelude._ Beg earnestly to become a man of prayer.

_POINT I. No perfection is attainable without much fervent prayer._ For perfection consists in charity, the love of God, and this love is not natural to man. Men naturally view everything as related to themselves, to their earthly advantages of business, ease, pleasure, honor, etc. Perfection substitutes God for self. This, being altogether supernatural, requires much grace, and the ordinary means to obtain grace is prayer.

Those who enter on the way to perfection must be trained to the pursuit of it. All religious Orders use for this purpose a copious supply of prayer. Our Society in particular has constant recourse to this means: the long retreats, the yearly octiduums, the triduums, the daily meditations, holy masses, holy communions, daily litanies, examinations of conscience, the Divine Office, the beads, visits to the Blessed Sacraments, etc. Most of these exercises are to be continued during life.

By all this prayer we get to realize practically what worldlings know only in theory: God’s love, mercy, majesty, holiness, justice, eternity, providence, etc., His incarnation, the Blessed Sacrament, the power and love of Mary, etc.

_POINT II._ _When are we men of prayer?_ When we have learned to refer all things explicitly to God. Cardinal Bellarmin points out three degrees of prayer:

1st, Some speak to God, but hear no answer, like the populace in the street crying to a distant king.

2nd, Others receive some token that they are attended to, like men admitted to an audience and allowed to file a petition.

3rd, Others converse with God and He with them; they hear more than they say, and, like courtiers, can approach their Lord frequently. How is it with us? Are we accustomed to turn to God readily, confidently, lovingly? Some have the gift of prayer before they enter the novitiate, some get it during their early years of religious life and ever increase it, some partly lose it amid active duties, some get it at their ordination, some during their third year of probation, while others never acquire it to any great extent. It can be obtained by earnest petition and fidelity in the practice of devout prayer.

_POINT III._ _What difference does it make in a man?_ He may be a religious, but not a good one unless he becomes a man of prayer; nor is he safe meanwhile. For one cannot lead the life of a fervent and faithful religious unless he possess considerable command over his passions, and he cannot maintain this self-mastery without much good prayer. Yet he may do so without attaining the third degree of prayer. But when he reaches that, he becomes a different man, a special friend of God, enlightened, strengthened, not impeccable, yet pretty safe; a powerful means for the salvation of souls. Such have been all the models proposed by holy Church for our imitation.

_POINT IV._ _What chance have we Jesuits of becoming men of prayer?_ An excellent chance. The third degree of prayer is a common gift of God in our Society. It is the obvious tendency of our frequent retreats. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius aim directly to produce this fruit, and the Lord has entrusted the direction of them to our Fathers, whose duty it is to give them to priests and the laity, even to members of the most contemplative Orders. Many of our ascetic writers exhibit this gift in a conspicuous degree. Am I a man of prayer? What can I do to improve in this important matter?

_Colloquy._ Earnest petition for the gift of prayer, and for light and grace to take the proper measures to procure progress.

MEDITATION V
The Power of Prayer to Obtain Perfection

_1st Prelude._ Imagine you are listening to Christ at the Sermon on the Mount while He says: “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you” (St. Matth. vii, 7).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask earnestly to obtain great confidence in prayer.

_POINT I._ _Prayer is a spiritual gold mine._ When gold is discovered on a piece of arid land, the owners have at once at their disposal the means of becoming very rich. Similarly the soul that begins to understand the efficacy of prayer can obtain by its means a copious supply of actual graces, by which Heaven and perfection are easily secured. For Providence has so disposed that grace is readily obtained by prayer, and some holy Doctors therefore call it the key to the treasury of God. The riches of that treasury are inexhaustible. They are intended for us and put at our disposal. It was by prayer that a St. Aloysius, a St. Stanislaus and countless others became saints in their childhood, that St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier, etc., etc., were led from a worldly to a holy life. All of us have the same means at our disposal.

_POINT II._ _Listen to Christ’s own invitation and promises._

Read St. Matth. vii, 7-11, St. John xvi, 23, 24.

Notice that these promises do not suppose great virtue in him who prays. For Christ addresses them to sinners, saying: “If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (St. Matth. vii, 11). We are most readily heard when we ask for spiritual favors. This is clearly stated by the Saviour, for He says: “How much more will your Father from heaven give _the good Spirit to them_ that ask him?” (St. Luke xi, 13).

_POINT III._ Why are we not always heard in prayer? Because we do not fulfil the required conditions. 1. We must ask what is really good for us. For St. James writes: “You ask and receive not; because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your concupiscences” (iv, 3).

2. We must ask with great confidence. We go to draw the waters of grace from a rich fountain, but the vessel of our confidence may be so small that we can carry off but little. While the multitudes pressed upon Jesus on all sides, one afflicted woman was cured because she touched Him with great confidence; and He said: “Somebody hath touched me, for I know that virtue is gone out from me.... But He said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole” (St. Luke viii, 46-48).

3. We must ask with proper reverence and attention.

For how could we expect God to mind our petitions if we do not attend to them ourselves? If we pray thus He may say: “This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (St. Matth. xv, 8).

4. We must pray with perseverance, as Christ teaches by the parable of the importunate man who came to ask for aid during the night, and obtained it because he persevered in his importunity (St. Luke xi, 5-8).

5. We must pray with resignation to God’s will, as Christ Himself did in His agony, saying: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (St. Matth. xxvi, 39). We must be full of confidence that no good prayer ever goes up to Heaven which does not obtain a grace; but God knows best what grace will benefit us most, and He deals with us as a loving father with his children.

_Colloquy._ Ask eagerly for great confidence in the power of prayer.

MEDITATION VI
The Aid of Mary to Attain Perfection

_1st Prelude._ See the Blessed Virgin Mary in Heaven, surrounded by the Saints of our Society.

_2nd Prelude._ Ask for a fervent devotion to her.

_POINT I. Consider what part God has assigned to her, in the salvation and sanctification of mankind._

The first promise of the Redeemer referred to her as destined to crush the serpent’s head. The work of the redemption began with her at the Annunciation. At her voice Elizabeth and her child were filled with the Holy Ghost. As through Mary Jesus was given to the world, so through her He is given to His servants individually. As she was with Jesus all through His life on earth, so Mary is ever ready to aid each one of us all through our earthly pilgrimage. On Calvary all of us were committed to her care in the person of St. John. In her company the disciples received the Holy Ghost. She has been bodily taken up to Heaven to intercede for us with the Lord, and to beckon us on to follow her. She is daily co-operating for the sanctification of numberless souls through her multifarious religious Orders and Congregations, her Rosary and Scapular Societies and divers other Confraternities, etc., St. Liguori and various other Doctors say that every grace given to men passes through her hands and that a true child of Mary is never lost.

_POINT II._ _Consider what the Blessed Virgin Mary has been to our Society in particular._ She appeared to St. Ignatius at Loyola, set the seal on his conversion and freed him once for all from temptations of the flesh; she made him her devoted Knight at Mont-Serrat; she aided him in composing his Spiritual Exercises at Manresa; she received the first vows of the little band at Montmartre on the feast of her Assumption. She figures most conspicuously in the lives of all our Saints; of St. Stanislaus, St. Aloysius, St. John Berchmans, St. Alphonsus, Blessed Baldinucci, etc., etc. She has given us the direction of her Sodalities, and by its means has helped us to promote piety and purity among countless numbers of her clients. Thank her warmly for all she has done in our favor, and ask an increase of sanctity for yourself and for all your religious brethren.

_POINT III._ _Let each one consider what favors he personally owes to the Blessed Virgin._ Retrace in mind your practices of devotion to her from your early childhood to the present day. Offer once more all you have ever done in her honor. Think of the protection she has afforded you with a mother’s love, her probable influence on your vocation to the Society, on your novice fervor, on all your religious life up to the present day. Is there any devotion which you ever practised in her honor and which you have since discontinued? With what fervor do you daily honor her? Could you do more to honor or to please her? either by your own conduct or by your influence over others?

_Colloquy._ Speak to Mary confidently and lovingly, asking for light and grace to improve further in your zeal for her glory.

TRIDUUM B

MEDITATION I
On the Vows

_1st Prelude._ Imagine the scene of your first vows.

_2nd Prelude._ Ask light and grace to prepare for a fervent renovation.

_POINT I._ What did we do when we first took our vows?

We offered ourselves to God as a holocaust—with parents, home, possessions, prospects—body and soul—understanding and will,—to belong to God alone, to devote our entire life to His service and glory. If we had died then, what would have been our reward? Life everlasting (St. Matth. xix, 29). That reward is still due us; it cannot be forfeited or even diminished except by mortal sin. And if thus lost, it is regained by penance in its entirety. Thank the Lord warmly for such a treasure, ask grace to be ever faithful, and to profit by this triduum to increase your fervor.

_POINT II._ _What has been our life ever since?_ The gradual consummation of the great sacrifice, the accomplishment of our spiritual martyrdom. Then we entered the prison, the exile; now we are leading the martyr’s life, dying the martyr’s death. If we do not find it hard, it is because grace supports us: “_Facile equitat quem gratia Dei portat_”, “He rides along with ease who is borne up by the grace of God,” says Thomas à Kempis. Still our life may be at times unsatisfactory; it is a martyr’s life, above the power of mere human nature, full of merit, doing honor to God, hated by the enemies of God, salutary to ourselves and to the neighbor. This life is never at a standstill, but ever moving onward and upward; therefore it is up-hill work. And because it is a combat against sensual inclinations, it has its alterations of successes and reverses; its progress heavenward is not represented by a straight but by a curved line. When it gets below a certain level, or tends downwards at all, we must beware.

_Facilis descensus Averni_, “The descent to Hell is easy.” This is the very reason for the need of such triduums as the present. Thank God, ask pardon, resolve.

_POINT III._ _Compare your former with your present dispositions_ regarding your general spirit of fervor, your faithful observance of rules, even the most minute, your obedience, even of will and judgment, your earnestness in prayer, your self-distrust, your charity to the neighbor, your unworldliness, your zeal for souls, your patience. Above all avoid all wilful faults.

_Colloquy._ Ask earnestly for a thorough renovation of spirit, and offer your resolutions to the Lord.

MEDITATION II
On Renovation of the Vows

_1st Prelude._ Imagine God says to you: “My son, give me thy heart” (Prov. xxiii, 26).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask grace to do so most earnestly.

_POINT I._ _Consider the origin of this renovation._

It was begun by St. Ignatius and his first companions while they were students at Paris, where they met every year in the Church of Montmartre, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the anniversary of their first vows, to quit all things and live for God alone. The practice was afterwards incorporated in the Constitution of our Society, and has been adopted by numerous religious Congregations. It has been found so productive of good results that it ought to encourage all to perform the same most fervently.

_POINT II._ _What are the purposes of this renovation?_

1. It confirms and reasserts the total dedication of ourselves to the service of God; as Holy Church invites her children, when they have attained the age of discretion, to renew by their own act the promises made in their name by their sponsors at Baptism. If any hindrance interfered with the validity of our first vows, the obstacle being now removed, the renovation of the vows gives them permanent force.

2. It may often be more meritorious than the first vows had been, since it is made after the hardships of the religious life have been experienced and are therefore more fully realized than before. As the soldier who reenlists in an army shows more devotedness to its cause than he did by first joining the ranks of the army.

3. Since the vows act as a second Baptism, removing all sin and all punishment due to sin, and this precious effect is ascribed by St. Thomas Aquinas to the perfect charity which the vows imply, the same results may naturally be expected whenever the vows are renewed with the same good will. And this same good will is most apt to be present at the semi-annual renovation of the vows.

4. As the religious vows entitle the soul to a rich supply of actual graces that it may be faithful to their observance, so the earnest renovation of the same secures a new supply of such Divine aid to advance steadily in the pursuit of sanctity.

5. Every act of virtue increases the measure of our eternal happiness, especially acts of heroic virtue; the loving renovation of the vows is sure to add each time a rich jewel to our heavenly crown. Taking the religious vows generously has always a touch of the heroic about it.

6. Each renovation of the vows strengthens our resolves, and clamps us more firmly to God. It often takes many a blow to drive in a nail and make it stick with firmness, so with our virtuous resolutions.

_POINT III._ _What are we expected to do during this triduum?_

We must aim at a thorough renovation of the religious spirit; and for this purpose generous souls will devise various means. But to a certain extent our Society undertakes to direct our efforts by describing certain definite practices, which must be faithfully used by all. They are clearly marked out in the Letter of Father Vincent Caraffa: 1. Avoiding all unnecessary intercourse with the outside world; 2. Observing a strict silence, even during the times of the ordinary recreations; 3. Half an hour’s reading daily of a practical spiritual book. 4. Making two earnest meditations daily, one of them before the Blessed Sacrament exposed; 5. Examining one’s spiritual progress for half an hour every day; 6. A general confession of the last six months; 7. A public self-accusation of faults in the refectory; 8. A clear account of conscience to the superior. If all this is observed and performed in the right spirit, much profit will result.

_Colloquy._ Offer good resolutions, and ask further light and grace to correct all faults.

MEDITATION III
What Kind of Men Does Our Vocation Require?

_1st Prelude._ Imagine Christ says to you: “I have given you an example” (St. John xiii, 15).

_2nd Prelude._ Pray to understand this great truth and to imitate that glorious model.

_POINT I._ _Consider that the men required by our vocation are to be like to Christ_: “Whom God foreknew he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son” (Rom. viii, 29). A parable will explain this. A very rich man had an only son, a model of every virtue and adorned with every human accomplishment. He devoted a large portion of his fortune to educate a number of other boys that should be fit companions for that son as like to him as possible. Thus God is treating all His elect, and in particular the members of the Society of Jesus. That is the very purpose for which St. Ignatius was inspired to found our Society and to give us his Constitution. We are destined to be perfect images of Christ.

_POINT II._ _Consider some special points of resemblance that the Lord requires of us._ We must be: 1. _Like Christ in our outward behavior_, so that He may appear reflected or reproduced in each one of us. That is the purpose of our Rules of Modesty, to which St. Ignatius was taught by the Holy Ghost to attach more than usual importance. Do we observe them faithfully? If we do not, it is because we fail to realize fully the ideal of our founder, which was nothing less than the image of the Son of God.

2. _Like Christ in our inner sentiments_, in compliance with His own invitation: There is so much meaning in His words inviting us to this special manner of imitation: “Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart” (St. Matth. xi, 29). These two virtues are so conspicuous in our Divine model.

_Meekness_ is emblemized by the gentlest of animals, the tender lamb; and Christ was figured in the Old Testament by the sacrifice of the lamb, and proclaimed in the New Testament by St. John the Baptist with the words: “Behold the Lamb of God” (St. John i, 29). This is not the characteristic virtue of a warrior, such as St. Ignatius had been; but he had laid aside that garment of his youth and instead had put on Christ, as St. Paul teaches us to do, saying:

“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. xiii, 14). We must do the same. _Humility_ is most conspicuous throughout the life of Christ; it must be the foundation of all our spiritual life: “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil. ii, 7).

3. _Like Christ in our practical reason_, taking God’s view of all things, in opposition to the views of the world. The whole outlook on life of a good religious is very different from the outlook of the worldling. Therefore the world hates us: “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (St. John xv, 19). How can we acquire this unworldly spirit, which is the spirit of Christ? By meditation, spiritual reading, all manner of prayer, recollection, spiritual conversation, etc. Are we making earnest efforts on these lines? Do we avoid profane reading as far as our labors allow? Novels and newspapers are full of the spirit of the world, and so is unnecessary conversation with most seculars.

4. _Like Christ in our wills_, which should be ever intent on promoting the glory of God and ever zealous to procure the salvation of souls. Our zeal should cause us to labor hard, wherever an opportunity can be found to further the great purpose of our Society, the greater glory of God.

_Colloquy_ with our dear Lord, asking for light and grace to make ourselves more like unto Himself.

MEDITATION IV
Christ Is Here to Help Us

_1st Prelude._ Realize the fact that Christ is present on the altar, and hear Him say: “Behold, I am with you all days” (St. Matth. xxviii, 20).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask for a lively faith in Christ’s presence in our midst, and a firm confidence in His loving assistance.

_POINT I._ _In what sense is Christ present on the altar?_

1st. _Substantially_, personally, body and soul, God and Man. Make a firm act of faith, adore Him, lovingly thank Him.

2nd. _As our helper_: “Come to me, all ye that labor and are burthened, and I will refresh you” (St. Matth. xi, 28). He will help us in attaining the purpose for which He has brought us to the Society, to perfect our souls and to save others; in particular to bless the work of this renovation of spirit. In Him we can do all things: “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me” (Phil. iv, 13). Ask eagerly for a thorough renovation. Examine whether your visits are fervent enough.

_POINT II._ _What treasure do we possess in the holy Mass?_

No one but God could have conceived the blessing granted to the faithful of being present in their successive generations at the mystical renovation of the sacrifice of the cross. There, before us, day after day, the same Redeemer of the world who made Himself the victim of expiation of our sins on Calvary, makes Himself a victim again in the same sacrifice, and offers Himself to His eternal Father, as truly as He did then, to obtain for those present in particular the graces they desire from His liberality. No prayer could be more powerful than the holy Mass. If only we duly enter into the spirit of it, a spirit of deep reverence, of eager supplication, of lively confidence, the daily Mass cannot fail to be for us a copious source of the choicest blessings. Whenever we find ourselves in some special need of God’s assistance, let us offer or hear Mass for that purpose. The result will not always be visible, but it will probably often be so, and it will always be very real.

How do we profit daily by this wondrous grace? It will be an important gain towards the renewing of spirit if we improve our manner of attendance at holy Mass.

_POINT III._ _What do we receive in Holy Communion?_

We receive God Himself, no greater gift is possible. And we receive Him as our food; that is, coming to do for our soul what food does for the body, giving it strength and growth, and keeping it from corruption. Each worthy Communion increases in us sanctifying grace, gives us an additional supply of actual grace to lead holy lives, and, as the Council of Trent declares, it frees us from venial sins and preserves us from falling into mortal sins.

But the amount of grace received in Holy Communion depends in great part on our own dispositions. We can greatly increase it by making careful preparation for the reception of our Lord, by fervor at the moment of reception, reciting firm acts of faith in the Divine presence, humble acts of adoration, acts of ardent love and of eager desire and petitions for Divine graces. The time of thanksgiving after Holy Communion contains some of the most precious moments of the day. How do I profit by this golden opportunity to enrich my poor soul? Can I improve my ways in this respect? We read in the Life of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez written by a lay brother (pp. 81, 82), that on All Saints’ Day, 1612, after he had received Holy Communion amid the Scholastics and Brothers of the community, Christ “showed him in a sensible manner His presence in the hearts of all those who had just received Him, so that he perceived the Saviour resplendent with glory whole and entire in each religious.” Thus Christ is really present in each of us during those precious moments. Can we not give Him a more loving and honorable reception than we often do?

_Colloquy_ with our dear Lord, asking eagerly for light and grace, and laying before Him special resolutions and earnest supplications that we may improve.

MEDITATION V
The Holy Ghost Sanctifies Us

_1st Prelude._ Listen to the words of Christ: “I will ask the Father and he shall give you another Paraclete” (St. John xiv, 16).

_2nd Prelude._ “Come, O Holy Ghost, replenish the hearts of Thy faithful.”

_POINT I._ It is a great consolation to us to remember that we are not expected to work out our perfection by our own power.

_The Holy Ghost is to be the principal agent in this work of sanctification_; for St. Paul wrote: “The charity of God (and this is sanctity) is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us” (Rom. v, 5). See what He did in the Apostles, in the early Christians generally, what he has done in all the Saints, in the faithful throughout the ages, and in particular in religious, whom He has selected and separated from the world to make them masterpieces of holiness. Conceive eager desires of His gifts and a firm confidence in His assistance. Beg earnestly for His light and grace to advance in virtue.

_POINT II._ _How does the Holy Ghost sanctify us?_ Not in a miraculous way, in which He sanctified the Apostles, but by a gradual process: 1. By the Sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance He has been working in our souls from our early infancy. Make earnest acts of thanksgiving, for these Divine graces already received. 2. By our spiritual exercises, our meditations, attendance at Mass, examinations of conscience, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, spiritual readings, vocal prayers of various kinds; during which the Spirit of God enlightens us, suggests holy resolutions, encourages and strengthens us to make generous sacrifices.

Thus we have gradually been formed, to some extent, into spiritual men. If we are not yet more spiritual, it is because we did not sufficiently comply with the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, but resisted His efforts to sanctify us further, like those to whom St. Stephen said: “You always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so you do also” (Acts vii, 51). 3. The Spirit of God sanctifies us by assisting all our efforts to advance in virtue, aiding us to believe, to hope, to love God, to practise charity to the neighbor, humility, prudence, mortification, etc.

_POINT III._ _All this influence of the Holy Ghost requires our cooperation._ The best teacher cannot make a scholar of a careless boy. Cardinal Manning in his Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost has a passage explaining this point very forcibly. He says: “No grace that God gives ever fails of its effect, except through our fault. The seed that falls upon the barren sand can bear no fruit; that which is cast upon the sea cannot cast a root; that which falls upon a mind which is like the troubled sea, or upon a heart which is like the barren sand, will bear no spiritual fruit. Nevertheless the grace of God in itself is always fruitful; it never fails of its effect unless we mar it. Are you then corresponding with the exuberant graces which God is always bestowing upon you?... Learn then to have a delicate conscience, to understand promptly, and to correspond, if you can, proportionately; not to receive great graces languidly, and squander one-half of them, and correspond faintly with the rest. Try with your whole soul and strength to rise up and to obey, when the grace of God calls you to any higher state or to any better action” (Pages 32 and 33). Yet, whatever our natural disposition may be, by the aid of the Holy Ghost we may become diligent and fervent in the pursuit of every virtue; for, as St. Paul says: “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings” (Rom. viii, 26). Let us carefully consider what we must improve on this occasion.

_Colloquy_ with the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, begging for light and grace to advance rapidly in holiness.

MEDITATION VI
Effects Produced by the Holy Ghost

_1st Prelude._ Imagine you behold the scene of the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles, as narrated in Acts ii, 1-4.

_2nd Prelude._ Ask for a liberal infusion of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. We will consider the principal effects produced by the Holy Ghost in the soul as they are expressed in four verses of the _Veni Creator_.

_POINT I._ _Accende lumen sensibus_, “Enlighten our minds.” See what a change the Holy Ghost produced in the minds of the Apostles. They had failed to understand the teaching of the Blessed Saviour. He had said to them: “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged and spit upon. And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again.” And St. Luke adds: “And they understood none of those things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said” (xviii, 31-34). And a little while before Christ’s ascension into Heaven the Apostles asked Him: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” (Acts i, 6). They were still so blinded that they only looked for earthly power. But the Holy Ghost came down upon them, and at once they understood all the meaning of Christ’s doctrine.

Ever since that day the same Divine Spirit has been teaching the Church, enlightening the minds of its members, enabling them, not only to give a mental assent to the doctrines proposed, but habitually to take God’s view of things. This is done by the faithful generally, even very simple souls, “Thou hast revealed them to little ones” (St. Luke x, 21). This should be done by us, religious, especially, and it should characterize our teaching and the tone of our conversations; while on the other hand, “The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him and he cannot understand” (I Cor. ii, 14).

_POINT II._ _Infunde amorem cordibus_, “Infuse Thy love into our hearts.” The Love of God is sanctity, and it is a gift of the Spirit of God. “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given to us” (Rom. v, 5). It is the most precious of all gifts and, like every good gift, it is to be obtained by fervent and constant prayer. For “Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (St. James i, 17). We are especially encouraged to ask this gift from God, by the fact that Christ Himself assures us that the Lord loves to bestow this treasure on those who eagerly ask for it; for he says:

“How much more will your Father from heaven give the Good Spirit to them that ask him?” (St. Luke xi, 13). Pray for it fervently, on this occasion in particular.

_POINT III._ _Infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti_, “Strengthen the weakness of our bodies with lasting power.” Give us the virtue of fortitude, an abiding willingness to do and to suffer whatever the service of God may require. This willingness is the test of our love for Him and the chief means of our sanctification. We exercise this willingness by patiently toiling along, suffering checks and contradictions, meeting with disappointments without being disheartened by them, enduring fatigue, pain, regret, shame, etc. We may meet all these trials in the sacred ministry, in the classroom, in humble labor, anywhere; and that not occasionally, but daily, hourly, yet without fretting or murmuring, but cheerfully, joyously, buoyantly, scarcely noticing them, but treating them as matters of course in a life of generous sacrifice. St. Augustine points out three degrees of patience. In the lowest degree are those who would rather endure their sufferings than commit sin to escape from them. Those are in the second degree who accept willingly what God sends, simply because God wills it. We ascend to the third degree when we desire to suffer that we may more closely resemble our suffering Lord. This is a special gift of the Holy Ghost, our third degree of humility.

_Colloquy._ Ask earnestly that the Divine Spirit may increase in you all these precious effects.

TRIDUUM C

MEDITATION I
On the Need of Frequent Renovations of Spirit

_1st Prelude._ St. Paul writes to the Ephesians: “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (iv, 23).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask grace to increase greatly your spirit of fervor.

_POINT I._ It is one of the infirmities of our fallen nature that we are constantly drawn down to sensual and other selfish gratifications; and, to rise heavenward in our desires, we need the exertion of ever renewed efforts. As truly as the clock needs repeated winding up, so the soul needs frequent remindings of the vital truths which cause our lives to be supernatural. For this purpose, St. Ignatius has wisely provided these semi-annual renovations of spirit. If we did not care to renew our spirit of fervor at the proper time, the Lord might do it for us by means far more painful than we imagine. Bitter afflictions brought on individual persons or upon entire bodies of men, even such as are favorites of God, are often intended by Him to purify them from moral stains. Thus, some years before the suppression of our Society, Father Paradiso was instructed by the Lord to inform Father Ricci, then our Father General, that the calamities which were going to overwhelm us were intended to renew the spirit of humility, of faith and piety in the whole Church. (See B. N.’s “The Jesuits and Their History,” Vol. II, Page 179.)

_POINT II._ Another reason for this semi-annual renovation of the spirit of fervor is that our life calls for men of uncommon virtue. The whole history of our Order proves this truth. Every generation of our members has had numerous heroes, conspicuous for their spirit of self-sacrifice. Every generation has had much need of solid virtue on the part of all its members to perform the difficult tasks imposed on them. For the present we are passing through a crisis in the world’s history, which calls for the most patient endurance of ills, and the most generous spirit of sacrifice, that can be expected from brave and faithful men supported by the grace of God. Such virtue as you shall need during your lifetime, if you do not want to disgrace the name you bear, can only be acquired by leading a life of prayer, and by the ever faithful performance of your duties, no matter what sacrifices they may require.

_POINT III._ The purpose for which we have entered on this career is well worthy of all the sacrifices it may demand of us. No grander purpose can be conceived. God Himself never holds out a higher aim than that which we are vowed to labor for, namely most perfect happiness for ourselves and for a countless multitude of other souls. In fact, the aim of our lives is identical with that for which the Son of God came down from Heaven, and toiled and suffered upon earth, namely the procuring of the greater glory of God; _Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam_.

We could not have entered upon this grand career if the Lord had not given us extraordinary graces to do so. He has deigned to make the sacrifices implied in it comparatively easy and full of consolations; and if only we keep up our trust in Him, He will make the rest of our lives flow on in the same even current of loving worship. They will not be lives of ease and earthly comforts; far from it. They will be successions of sacrifices, as was the life of Christ. But he rides smoothly along whom the grace of God carries onward, _facile equitat quem gratia Dei portat_; and we shall be cheered on at every step by the prospect of eternal bliss: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves” (Ps. 125).

_Colloquy._ Ask earnestly for a thorough renovation of the spirit of generous service, which is to be the fruit of this triduum.

MEDITATION II
Sin the Chief Hindrance to Our Progress

_1st Prelude._ Imagine Christ speaks to you from the tabernacle and says: “You are my friends if you do the things that I command you” (St. John xv, 14).

_2nd Prelude._ Ask for copious light and grace to observe God’s commandments perfectly.

_POINT I. Consider how much we ought to hate even the smallest sin._

In our first meditation we considered the grand purpose for which we live, the attainment of eternal bliss for ourselves and others and the greater glory of God. Now sin is the greatest obstacle in our way; it bars our road to Heaven and directly insults our Lord. The condition of Christ’s friendship is the observance of His commandments: “You are my friends if you do the things that I command you.” To sin is to break those commandments. If it does not always turn us against God, it at least displeases Him. Even a venial sin is a greater evil than any temporal loss. We should rather die than wilfully commit one.

This disposition is the second degree of humility, on which we resolve to live in every good retreat. To it Christ lovingly invites us, saying: “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.... If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my word” (St. John xiv, 21-24).

_POINT II. Consider the principal causes of sins._

1. One general cause is our thoughtlessness; we are unmindful of the great truths of religion, the supernatural light of which is allowed to grow dim amid the distractions of a busy or a frivolous life. Ecclesiasticus warns us, saying: “In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin” (vii, 40). Now the remedy of this thoughtlessness is provided for us in our spiritual exercises: our meditations, examinations of conscience, spiritual readings, etc. The religious who is accustomed to perform these faithfully and fervently is not likely to commit many sins, and he will gradually become more and more virtuous.