I am not going to write more on this great saint for a while, but I wanted to share with you
these past few days some of the excellence of his thought. Those of you
who have read the perfection series, and who also know that one
of the themes of this blog is reason--how to think like a Catholic, will
recognize the importance here of a clear, Catholic mind.
Follow the tags for more posts connected to this theme.
CHAPTER XXXVI. Of a Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind.
REASON is the special characteristic of man, and yet it is a rare thing
to find really reasonable men, all the more that self-love hinders
reason, and beguiles us insensibly into all manner of trifling, but yet
dangerous acts of injustice and untruth, which, like the little foxes
in the Canticles, [158] spoil our vines, while, just because they are
trifling, people pay no attention to them, and because they are
numerous, they do infinite harm. Let me give some instances of what I
mean.
We find fault with our neighbour very readily for a small matter, while
we pass over great things in ourselves. We strive to sell dear and buy
cheap. We are eager to deal out strict justice to others, but to obtain
indulgence for ourselves. We expect a good construction to be put on
all we say, but we are sensitive and critical as to our neighbour's
words. We expect him to let us have whatever we want for money, when it
would be more reasonable to let him keep that which is his, if he
desires to do so, and leave us to keep our gold. We are vexed with him
because he will not accommodate us, while perhaps he has better reason
to be vexed with us for wanting to disturb him. If we have a liking for
any one particular thing, we despise all else, and reject whatever does
not precisely suit our taste. If some inferior is unacceptable to us,
or we have once caught him in error, he is sure to be wrong in our eyes
whatever he may do, and we are for ever thwarting, or looking coldly on
him, while, on the other hand, some one who happens to please us is
sure to be right. Sometimes even parents show unfair preference for a
child endowed with personal gifts over one afflicted with some physical
imperfection. We put the rich before the poor, although they may have
less claim, and be less worthy; we even give preference to well-dressed
people. We are strict in exacting our own rights, but expect others to
be yielding as to theirs;--we complain freely of our neighbours, but we
do not like them to make any complaints of us. Whatever we do for them
appears very great in our sight, but what they do for us counts as
nothing. In a word, we are like the Paphlagonian partridge, which has
two hearts; for we have a very tender, pitiful, easy heart towards
ourselves, and one which is hard, harsh and strict towards our
neighbour. We have two scales, one wherein to measure our own goods to
the best advantage, and the other to weigh our neighbours' to the
worst. Holy Scripture tells us that lying lips are an abomination unto
the Lord, [159] and the double heart, with one measure whereby to
receive, and another to give, is also abominable in His Sight.
Be just and fair in all you do. Always put yourself in your neighbour's
place, and put him into yours, and then you will judge fairly. Sell as
you would buy, and buy as you would sell, and your buying and selling
will alike be honest. These little dishonesties seem unimportant,
because we are not obliged to make restitution, and we have, after all,
only taken that which we might demand according to the strict letter of
the law; but, nevertheless, they are sins against right and charity,
and are mere trickery, greatly needing correction--nor does any one
ever lose by being generous, noble-hearted and courteous. Be sure then
often to examine your dealings with your neighbour, whether your heart
is right towards him, as you would have his towards you, were things
reversed--this is the true test of reason. When Trajan was blamed by
his confidential friends for making the Imperial presence too
accessible, he replied, "Does it not behove me to strive to be such an
emperor towards my subjects as I should wish to meet with were I a
subject?"
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[158] Cant. ii. 15.
[159] Prov. xii. 22.
