The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-16
BEGINNI

all arts, this is truest in that of holt
ness; for our Lords life is Gods own
perfection, and yet he insists: Il have
given you an example" John xiii, 15),
When We aim at devout life we must
neither despise little virtues nor
despair of the greater ones. Aim at
the centre of the target" says st.
Francis de Sales, but be We not
troubled if you do not always hit it,
Conferences, iv). Fervor should not
boil up into frenzy, nor deliberateness
degenerate into cowardice. Very little
knowledge and much practice is neces-
sary. 1t is not, therefore, the motives
of beginners that we are now CRITICS
ing-for the goodwill of our first ven
ture to be quite entirely Gods may be
and remain the supreme virtue of our
whole career; but we shall consider
principally the hindrances.
The beginnings of true life are
often hindered by lack of holy fear.
The absence, or feebleness, of this
gift of the Holy Ghost is shown in
various ways, but mostly by want of
reverence. One has the faith, indeed,
but without reverence, which in this
regard is the lowly worship of those
truths which are revealed to faith
worship of them for the sake of the
Revealer. Do you sometimes talk
jokingly about the last Judgment and
hell? Then, at best, you are still hest
tating before the gate of a fervent life
Again, first steps in solid piety are
hobbled by lack of reverence in ones
obedience to authority. Submission in
stead of obedience is sometimes given,
and this is mere conformity. Low
views of Gods authority in His Church
or in the family betoken weakness of
spiritual purpose. Obedience without
reverence is training with the Lord S
army for the sake of the parade and
the pay.
A yet further mark of a sluggish
heart is its fixing itself upon the hitler
religious observances as ones main in
tention in religion, often associated
with anxious longing for miracles. Yet
mark how an anxious mother plays
checkers with her children, and it
rests her nerves and soothes her
spirits. But anxious mother she never
ceases to be, whether in work or play;
not absorbed by checkers, but by her
child's immortal destiny. So does the
Altar of the Living God ever pre-
occupy the spirit of one actually en-
barked in holiness, however this little
devotion or that little shrine soothes
, and recreates his passing moments.
Little actions? God is very fond of
them. Little motives? God is not
satisfied. Pennies may be a royal gift
to Him, if the heart gives them; mil
lions are vile if given only with the
hand. Bigness is not greatness in the
things of love.
The world cramps beginners. Who
is a worldly person? One whose
thoughts are mainly bent on the things
that come and go with this world.
The utter abstraction of the saints
from all this may not be ours, but yet
something of their appreciation of di-
vine things surely should be ours.
Especially should we be above the
criticism of worldly people, and their
rules of common sense" about long
prayers, frequent communions, and
their affectionate misgivings lest we
shall make pious fools of ourselves.
To heed them is, in the language of St.
Francis Xavier, "a disgraceful apos-
tacy from our purpose of irrevocably
pursuing what is most pleasing to
Cod (Coleridge's Life, VOL ii, p. 46S).
A disgraceful apostacy!
Another and very subtle hindrance
to making the venture of devout life,
is the dread of being led on to saint
hood. We are proud of our saints,
and yet ashamed to look like them.
But consider. 1t is trait of saint
hood to do for God and souls things
which involve the risk of death. Now,
it not seldom happens that a parish
priest must make sick call with his
life in his hand-a smallpox patient
has a divine right over him. And it
commonly enough happens that par
ents must risk breathing in death at
the bedside of their child stricken with
a contagious disease. Sainthood' s
paths cross every state of life A
school teacher often can make head
way with a child as dull as he is
thankless only by heroic efforts. Why
not make these efforts expressly for
the love of God and in imitation of
our Saviour? Then they are sanity.
Why should we not be heroes of di-
vine love? Away with routine piety!
The age of mediocrity must pass
away if we are to convert America.
The world can be saved only by
heroes. The rule of the Gospel is COM
United to lofty spirits. 1t is the just
who shall judge nations, and rule over
people, and their Lord shall reign for
ever" (Wisd. iii, y. Shall our times
be noted only for big steamers and
speeding airships? Shall there be no
godlike men? Everything about us
necessarily goes onward. The bulky
earth flies swiftly onward into farther
and farther space. The deep sea rolls
and losses blindly in its abysses. The
air rushes screaming on its stormy
flight. The restless heart of man is
in the most untiring activity day and