Caput XLVI. Quod eleemosynae genus a monialibus impendi decet.
Embracing the World in Love
The recluse is called to embrace the whole world in love, rejoicing with the good and mourning with the evil.
So embrace the whole world in the single bosom of love: consider and rejoice together with all who are good, and look with compassion and mourn with all who are evil.
The Catalogue of Suffering
A vivid enumeration of the miseries of the poor, orphans, widows, pilgrims, and all who suffer.
Let the misery of the poor come to mind there, the groaning of orphans, the desolation of widows, the sadness of those who are sorrowful, the necessities of pilgrims, the dangers of those at sea, the vows of virgins, the temptations of monks, the anxiety of those in authority, the struggles of those who labor in the spiritual fight.
Tears and Prayers as Almsgiving
The recluse is urged to pour out tears and prayers for all who suffer as a form of almsgiving.
Open the heart of your love to all of them: spend your tears on them, pour out your prayers for them.
The Almsgiving Most Pleasing to God
This form of kindness is declared more pleasing to God, more acceptable to Christ, and more fitting for the monastic profession.
This is the almsgiving more pleasing to God, more acceptable to Christ, more fitting for your profession, and more fruitful for those on whom it is bestowed.
Charity That Strengthens Resolve
Such kindness strengthens resolve, increases love of neighbor, and guards the peace of the mind.
The gift of this kindness strengthens your resolve; it does not disturb love for your neighbor — it increases it, not diminishes it; it guards the peace of your mind and does not get in its way.
Having Nothing as Perfection
Nothing should be sought in order to give it away, for to have nothing is what is perfect.
Nothing, then, should be sought after just so you have something to give away, since to have nothing is what is perfect.
The Example of the Holy Ones
The holy ones of this world strove to have nothing or to possess nothing with desire in order to love their neighbors perfectly.
What more should we say about these things? When the holy ones, in order to love their neighbors perfectly, strove in this world to have nothing, or to possess nothing with desire.
Blessed Gregory's Witness
The author identifies blessed Gregory as the source of this teaching.
You recognize the words of blessed Gregory.
The Error of Seeking to Have
Many wrongly seek possessions in order to give alms, attributing perfection to themselves rather than embracing holy poverty.
See how many think the opposite: to fulfill the law of love, they seek to have something to give away, since they attribute its perfection to themselves — those who judge that nothing is to be had, or nothing to be possessed without desire.
Read the original Latin
Itaque totum mundum uno dilectionis sinu complectere, ubi simul omnes, qui boni sunt, considera, congratulare; ubi mali, intuere et luge. Ibi occurrant animo miseria pauperum, orphanorum gemitus, viduarum desolatio, tristium moestitudo, necessitates peregrinantium, pericula navigantium, vota virginum, tentationes monachorum, praelatorum sollicitudo, labor militantium. Omnibus pectus tuae dilectionis aperias: his tuas impende lacrymas, pro his tuas preces fundas. Haec eleemosyna Deo gratiosior, Christo acceptior, tuae professioni aptior, his quibus impenditur fructuosior. Hujus munus beneficii tuum propositum adjuvat, non perturbat dilectionem proximi; auget, non minuit; mentis quietem servat, non impedit. Quod nihil est appetendum, ut habeatur ad largiendum; cum nihil habere sit perfectum. Quid his plura dicamus? Cum sancti, ut perfecte possent proximos diligere, studuerunt in hoc mundo nihil habere, nihil vel sine appetitu possidere.
Agnoscis verba beati Gregorii. Vide quam contra multi sapiunt: ut enim charitatis impleant legem, quaerunt ut habeant quod erogent; cum ejus perfectionem ipsis adscribat, qui nihil habendum, nihi vel sine appetitu possidendum arbitrantur.
De institutione inclusarum (A Rule of Life for a Recluse) companion
A rule only lives if you keep it daily
Chosen Portion gives your new rule its anchor: one free devotional portion every day.
Aelred built his sister's day around fixed times of prayer and meditation; Chosen Portion supplies the fixed daily portion that makes a modern rule of life keepable.
- Anchor your rule with a fixed 10-minute daily portion
- Practice Aelred's threefold meditation with guided daily prompts
- Review and adjust your one-page rule after 30 days of tracked practice