"A person who rails at God in adversity, suffers without merit; moreover by his lack of resignation he adds to his punishment in the next life and experiences greater disquietude of mind in this life."
St Alphonsus de Liguori via Garrigou-Lagrange.
St Alphonsus de Liguori via Garrigou-Lagrange.
In my life, one fifth which has been lived in England, I have noticed that the English and Irish complain much more than Americans about everything. This negativity seems to be a cultural phenomenon and indicates a lack of faith, hope and charity. Complaining is a truly evil sin. It is called "murmuring" in the monastery and destroys communities. It is a habit which must be broken if one wants to enter the road to perfection.
I do not want to be around "whiners" or "wingers". I want to be with joyful, faith-filled and growing Catholics. Women seem to be the worst for this, and when I gently try to steer a conversation away from complaining, I seem to fail in the attempt. Now, I am to the point where I must just remove myself from the company of complainers. I may even have to drop old friends who have persisted in this for years. The atmosphere created by complainers is poisonous to the soul. If one has a habit of complaining, one will not enter heaven on death. Here is a good sermon on it from years ago. St. Benedict saw that it destroyed love and obedience, which are the two virtues which grow in the pursuit of perfection.
Complaining stops grace, unless one repents and begs God to change one. Complaining kills holiness.
Complaining stops grace, unless one repents and begs God to change one. Complaining kills holiness.
Moses had to correct the murmurers, and some died. Here is St. Paul on the point and how he lists murmuring with other great sins.
1 Corinthians 10
Douay-Rheims
10 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
2 And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea:
3 And did all eat the same spiritual food,
4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.)
5 But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert.
6 Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things as they also coveted.
7 Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents.
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| God sent poisonous snakes to kill the complainers. |
10 Neither do you murmur: as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.
13 Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.
15 I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.
16 The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord ?
17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.
18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar ?
19 What then ? Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is any thing ? Or, that the idol is any thing ?
20 But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.
21 You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify.
24 Let no man seek his own, but that which is another's.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat; asking no question for conscience' sake.
26 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you will be willing to go; eat of any thing that is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it for his sake that told it, and for conscience' sake.
29 Conscience, I say, not thy own, but the other's. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience ?
30 If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks ?
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Be without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:
33 As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that may be saved.
Complaining was the great sin of the Israelites when they left Egypt, experienced the great miracle of deliverance from slavery and the parting of the Red Sea. These people lacked gratitude.
Gratitude is being thankful for all things and all situations, seeing the Hand of God in all and seeing the plan or destiny which marks our lives.
The Israelites blew it. The trip would have taken from two weeks to a month, even with goats and children, but it took forty years. Here are some possible routes. Catholic scholars have other routes, marking the sea crossing on the bit higher up. But, the point here is that it does not take forty years to get across Sinai.
Complaining indicates a lack of trust in Providence. We all talk too much, as I noted in post earlier this week. Silence stops sinning with the tongue.
Numbers 11
ERV
1And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of the LORD: and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp. 2And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto the LORD, and the fire abated. 3And the name of that place was called Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
4And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all: we have nought save this manna to look to.
7And the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium. 8The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. 11And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou evil entreated thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
To be continued...
To be continued...
