Verba virginis Matris ad filiam de reuolucione Dei amicorum in hoc mundo, nunc in tribulacionibus spiritualibus, nunc in consolacionibus; et quid sit tribulacio spiritualis et consolacio; et qualiter amici Dei debent gaudere et consolari temporaliter.
The Rhythm of Spiritual Life
The Mother explains that the friends of God must navigate both spiritual consolation and tribulation as part of their earthly journey.
The Mother says, "The friends of God must be willing to live in this world, sometimes in spiritual tribulation, and sometimes in spiritual consolation." Spiritual consolation, however, is the infusion of the Holy Spirit, the contemplation of God’s great works, the admiration of His patience, and the moment when all these things are delightfully fulfilled in action. Spiritual tribulation happens when unclean and intrusive thoughts disturb your mind against your will, when your heart is distressed by the dishonor shown to God and the ruin of souls, or when your spirit is forced by reasonable necessity to become entangled in worldly cares. In the same way, the friends of God can sometimes be comforted by temporal consolation—such as through edifying conversation, honest recreation, or other activities in which there is nothing disparaging or dishonorable, as you'll be able to understand from the example.1
The Necessity of Balance
God permits alternating states of struggle and peace to prevent pride and cultivate the fruits of righteousness.
If you kept your fist clenched all the time, your tendons would cramp or your hand would grow weak. It’s the same with spiritual matters. For if the soul were to remain always in contemplation, it would either vanish into pride by forgetting itself, or the crown of its glory would be diminished.2 That’s why God’s friends are sometimes comforted by the infusion of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes troubled by God’s permission; for through these troubles, the roots of sin are pulled out, and the fruit of righteousness is planted. Nevertheless, God, who sees the heart and understands all things, moderates the temptations of His friends so that they may lead to their progress, because He does and permits all things justly, in weight and in measure.3
Drawn by the Shepherd
God draws the soul into His care, transforming past burdens into a life of delight in Him.
Since you have been called into the Spirit of God, don't be anxious about God's patience, for it is written that no one comes to God unless the Father draws him.✦ Just as a shepherd uses a bunch of flowers to draw and entice the sheep into the fold, and then carefully shuts them in—so that even if the sheep run about inside the enclosure, they still cannot get out— Because the house is fortified with walls, the roof is high, and the doors are kept closed, the sheep grow accustomed to eating hay—to the point that, having become tame, they even eat hay from the shepherd's hand; it has happened just the same with you. The things that once seemed unbearable and difficult to you have now become light, to the point that nothing now delights you like God.
Read the original Latin
Mater loquitur: "Amici Dei debent volui in mundo nunc in tribulacione spirituali, nunc consolacione spirituali. Consolacio vero spiritualis est infusio Spiritus sancti, consideracio magnalium operum Dei, admiracio paciencie eius et quando hec omnia delectabiliter opere adimplentur.
Tribulacio vero spiritualis est illa, quando contra voluntatem cogitaciones immunde et importune conturbant mentem, quando mens angustiatur de inhonoracione Dei et de dispendio animarum, quando animus ex racionabili causa cogitur temporalibus sollicitudinibus implicari.
Sic eciam amici Dei quandoque possunt consolari consolacione temporali, sicut de verbis edificatoriis, de ludo honesto seu de aliis operibus, in quibus nichil detractorium sit aut inhonestum, sicut per exemplum intelligere poteris.
Si enim pugnus semper teneretur clausus, aut contraherentur nerui aut manus debilitaretur. Sic est eciam in spiritualibus. Si enim animus staret semper in contemplacione, aut obliuiscens seipsum euanesceret superbia, aut minueretur corona glorie eius.
Ideo amici Dei quandoque consolantur Spiritus sancti infusione, quandoque tribulantur Dei permissione, quia per tribulaciones extirpantur radices peccatorum et fructus iusticie radicatur.
Verumptamen Deus, qui videt corda et intelligit omnia, moderatur temptaciones amicorum suorum, ut sint eis ad profectum, quia omnia facit et permittit iuste in pondere et mensura.
Ergo, quia tu vocata es in spiritum Dei, noli sollicitari de longanimitate Dei, quia scriptum est, quod nemo venit ad Deum nisi Pater traxerit eum.
Sicut enim pastor cum fasciculo florum attrahit et allicit oues in domum, postea diligenter claudens domum, licet oues discurrant per ambitum, non tamen habebunt egressum,
quia domus munita est parietibus, tectum altum, ianue quoque clause, propter quod oues assuescunt comedere fenum, in tantum quod facte mansuete eciam comedunt fenum de manu pastoris, sic eciam est factum tecum.
Illa enim que tibi antea videbantur importabilia et difficilia, iam facta sunt leuia, in tantum quod nichil iam delectat sicut Deus."
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.6.44 — No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Notes
- 1 ↩The term 'ludo honesto' refers to wholesome or innocent recreation, distinct from frivolous or sinful pastimes.
- 2 ↩The Latin 'animus' is rendered as 'soul' here to maintain consistency with the interior-life topic, though it specifically denotes the mind or spirit in this context.
- 3 ↩The phrase 'in weight and in measure' is a clear allusion to Wisdom 11:20 (Vulgate: 'sed omnia in mensura et numero et pondere disposuisti').
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