Garrigou-Lagrange's long definition of the Beatitudes, which I put on this blog yesterday or the day before, clearly shows that the second set of the Beatitudes lived out are the sign of the Illuminative State.
No one can really live the Beatitudes without the period of purgation. All efforts are tainted by the ego and most of the virtues are blocked by venial sin.
The Person Who shows us how to live out the Beatitude is Jesus Christ Himself. Another person is Our Lady Mary.
Do not deceive yourselves into thinking that all those who are doing ministries are in the Illuminative State. In fact, few are.
I have met a handful of people in the Illuminative State, which I have shared on this blog before.
Most are young, under forty.
Interesting.
Let us go back to Garrigou-Lagrange and look at the three categories more in depth in light of the Illuminative State. He notes that the first are those of purgation from sin.
The beatitudes of the deliverance from sin correspond to the purgative way, which is proper to beginners and which is prolonged in the way the proficients and the perfect ought to follow. Whereas the world declares that happiness is in the abundance of exterior goods, of riches, and in honors, Christ states without any other preamble, with the calm assurance of absolute truth: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
He points out in this section that the Beatitudes on poverty of spirit, meekness, and mourning are those of purgation, when one learns humility.
The meekness we are discussing is not that which does not offend anyone because it is afraid of everything; rather, it is a virtue which presupposes a great love of God and of one's neighbor, the flower of charity, as St. Francis de Sales says.
And,
Blessed are they who, like the beggar Lazarus, suffer patiently without consolation from men, for their tears are seen by God. More blessed still are those who weep for their sins, and through an inspiration of the gift of knowledge know experimentally that sin is the greatest of evils, and by their tears obtain its pardon. Lastly, more blessed, says St. Catherine of Siena,(14), are those who weep for love at the sight of the infinite mercy, of the goodness of the Savior, of the tenderness of the Good Shepherd, who sacrifices Himself for His sheep. These receive even here on earth consolation infinitely superior to that which the world can give.
I have experienced these types of mourning in the past nine months in an intense manner. Tears of non-consolation are not as severe as tears concerning one's sins. I am moving towards the deeper awareness of sin and the great love of God, which I have seen as from afar, and in minutes. The Goodness of the Lord in His Love for all people has been an experience of mine.
One must mourn. One must. Only God can take away sin and the tendencies, the habits of sin.
One God can destroy the predominant fault in the Dark Night. The moments of clarity come and go, and until that state of light is permanent, I know I am still being purged.
When the light comes, one knows it.
The next set of Beatitudes are those of the Illuminative State, when one is working freely and moving in the life of the virtues. Here is part of that section again from Garrigou-Lagrange.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE ACTIVE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN
There are other holy joys which the just man finds when, freed from evil, he seeks the good with his whole heart. The man of action, who allows himself to be carried away by pride, declares that happy is that man who lives and acts as he pleases, who is not subject to anyone, and who imposes his will on others. Christ says: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill." Justice, in the broad sense of the word, consists in rendering to God what is due Him, and then for the love of God giving also to the creature what is due him. In recompense, the Lord gives Himself to us. This is the perfect order, in perfect obedience that is inspired by love which enlarges the heart. Blessed are they who desire this justice, even to the extent of hungering and thirsting for it. In a certain sense, they will be filled even in this life by becoming more just and more holy. This is a blessed thirst, for Christ says: "If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture saith: Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (15) That we may keep this thirst when sensible enthusiasm falls away, and preserve this hunger and thirst for justice in the midst of contradictions, hindrances, and disillusions, we must receive with docility the inspirations of the gift of fortitude. This gift prevents us from weakening, from letting ourselves be disheartened, and it lifts up our courage in the midst of difficulties. St. Thomas says: "The Lord wishes to see us hunger and thirst for this justice to such an extent that we can never be satiated in this life, as the miser never has enough gold." These hungering souls "will be satiated only in the eternal vision, and on this earth in spiritual goods. . . . When men are in the state of sin, they do not experience this spiritual hunger: when they are free from all sin, then they experience it." (16)
The two Beatitudes on mercy and justice are those of the Illuminative State.
I have met a few people in this State. Very few, too few to make the Church strong as She should be in this world.
Think about your own examples of those in the Illuminative State.
By the way, all the passages are from the Douay-Rheims and I am not going to repeat DR from now on.
[6] Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. [7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Here is the great Dominican again on the second part of this set of Beatitudes:
In our life, as also in that of God, justice and mercy should be united. We cannot be perfect without going to the help of the afflicted, of the sick, as the good Samaritan did. The Lord will give the hundredfold to those who give a glass of water for love of Him, to those inviting to their table the poor, the crippled, the blind, who are mentioned in the parable of the guests. The Christian should be happier to give than to receive. He ought to pardon offenses, that is, to give to those who have offended him more than is due them; he ought to forget insults and, before offering his gift at the altar, go and be reconciled with his brother. The gift of counsel inclines us to mercy, makes us attentive to the sufferings of others, makes us find the true remedy, the word that consoles and uplifts.
to be continued...
