Quod in hac vita ceterae virtutes charitati famulentur; et post istam vitam in charitatis plenitudinem transeundae sint.
All Virtues Serve Love
Temperance, prudence, and fortitude are genuine virtues only when ordered entirely toward attaining and preserving love, not when they serve greed, cunning, or worldly ambition.
Since the role of temperance is to restrain and blunt the enticements of flesh and soul, so that the mind, seduced by pleasure, doesn't prefer the sweetness of harmful desire to the sweetness of genuine love; and since the sleepless work of prudence is to discern between what should be pursued and what shouldn't, so that greed, disguised in love's colors, doesn't overtake an unsuspecting heart; and since the strength of fortitude stands against the hardships of this world for no other reason than that a mind pressed by adversity shouldn't break love's law when things fall short of its desires, or even when harsh troubles rush in all at once — it's clear, then, that these three, classed under the name of virtues, should be judged this way: only when their practice is entirely directed toward attaining or preserving love. Otherwise, temperance isn't considered a virtue at all; for even if it covers or restrains the itch of the flesh, as long as the mind, under the name of purity, abuses itself toward greed for shameful profit, it doesn't restrain that destructive lust of the inner person. But that's not genuine prudence either, by which a clever person, well-practiced in deception, discerns not between what should be pursued and what shouldn't, but between present gains and losses, and — without any regard for love — strives to secure some advantage for himself at others' expense. God forbid that the fortitude of Catiline should be counted among the virtues; for though he could endure all hardships with incredible endurance, yet for this strength of his — seeking nothing but worldly power, or at the very least the price of his own pleasure — he defrauded himself of the reward virtue was owed. So then, however temperate someone may seem to himself in his thirst for popular glory, however prudent, wealthy, and shrewd anyone is judged by the crowd; even a philosopher, hardened into an enormous stun, unmoved by any adversity — whatever hasn't sprouted from the root of love, our philosophers have judged must be separated from the fruits of the virtues; and whatever isn't guided, by a straight line, to that one true measure, they have subtly observed must be measured outside the building of the spiritual ark.
The Warlike Virtues at Rest
In the kingdom of perfect love, all warlike virtues will be absorbed into love's own fullness, needing neither to resist temptation, error, nor adversity.
True temperance acts so that true prudence isn't seduced, true fortitude isn't deceived, and the rational mind, when oppressed, doesn't overstep love's standard. But when perfect love has brought its followers into the kingdom of its own peace — all the enticements of the flesh now consumed along with the flesh's very mortality, all the shadows of error dispelled by the contemplation of divine light, and a sure security replacing the troubles of this world — having laid down, so to speak, the weapons used in this time of war, it will refresh its victors with nothing but its own sweetness. For then all the other virtues will pour themselves into the fullness of love, so that in that blessed state temperance, prudence, and fortitude will be thought of as nothing other than love itself — so pure that it won't be tempted by any enticement, so clear that it won't be interrupted by any error, so strong that it won't be shaken by any adversity at all.
Into God's Sabbath Rest
Scripture promises that when the fierce beasts of passion are removed, believers will enter the perfect, perpetual Sabbath of love foretold by Isaiah.
The Lord, promising us this state of tranquility in mystical speech, says: "I will remove the evil beasts from the land, and I will make you sleep confidently" (Levit. xxvi). For when the most fierce beasts of the passions — that is, those of the flesh, which we carry with us — have been removed from our land, he will lull us to sleep in a heavenly rest, when, absorbed into the immense sea of that divine brightness and ineffably carried out beyond ourselves, we will be perfectly free and will see that the Lord himself is God, celebrating that perpetual Sabbath of love, which the prophet Isaiah describes: "And there will be," he says, "month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath" (Isai.✦ lxvi); when, namely, from this Sabbath in which, tasting certain beginnings of love, we rest from busy activities as far as the wickedness of the day allows, we will have been introduced into that perfect one, where, with no troubling interruption and no misery hindering our cares, we will love the Lord our God with our whole soul, and with our whole strength, and with all our powers, and our neighbors as ourselves (Deut.✦ vi).
The Inseparable bond of justice and love
Justice, rightly understood, is nothing other than love rightly ordered—loving God above all and neighbor as self—and finds its perfection only in the perfection of love.
Furthermore, justice — by which to each is rendered what is his own — according to that word of the Apostle: "Render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor" (Rom.✦ xiii), I would call it a certain incentive of fraternal love, whose beginning, indeed, is to harm no one; its progress, to show itself to all without complaint. It will matter greatly if one wins over the minds of others by the sweetness of goodwill — one who by a quiet manner of life offends no one, complying with elders, accommodating equals, and condescending to juniors; showing fear and reverence to those first in rank, honor and grace to those in the middle, and humble compassion to those below. In financial matters as well, this virtue stirs those who practice it toward the good of love. Following the Apostle's instruction already cited, it does not withhold what is owed until a demanding creditor presses for it, but rather, with a certain gladness, it anticipates the one who will ask.✦ If, then, this virtue embraces only the stewardship of temporal things, I do not fear that it detracts from the peace of that most blessed state. In that supreme stillness, as each person is dealt with according to their merits—whether by rewards or by punishments—some are struck by the irrevocable sentence of damnation, while others are honored with the reward of eternal blessedness, so that where eternity reigns on both sides, there can be no variation of temporal things. But if you contemplate the principles of justice at a deeper level, no one gives to each person what is theirs more perfectly than the one who loves what ought to be loved, and loves it precisely as much as it ought to be loved: God above self, the neighbor as self; loving God for God's own sake, and self and neighbor only for God's sake.✦ You see, unless I am mistaken, that the perfection of justice depends on the perfection of love, so that justice seems to be nothing other than love rightly ordered. And the more each person advances in this love, the more that person also finds rest.
Read the original Latin
Cum enim sit temperantiae, ut illecebrosos carnis animive motus cohibeat ac retundat, ne scilicet noxiae voluptatis dulcedinem germanae dilectionis suavitati mens illecta praeponat, prudentiaeque pervigil cura inter amanda et non amanda discernat, ne cor incautum charitatis colore cupiditas palliata praeveniat, roburque fortitudinis non ob aliud se mundi hujus adversis opponat, nisi ut rebus minus pro voto cedentibus, vel etiam asperis quibusque conglobatim irruentibus, nequaquam legem charitatis animus oppressus excedat, patet profecto haec tria virtutum vocabulo sic esse censenda, si eorum usus ad charitatem obtinendam vel conservandam omnimodis dirigatur. Alioqui nec virtus temperantia aestimatur; quae etsi carnis pruritum contegat vel refrenet, dum tamen mens nomine castitatis in avaritiam turpis quaestus abutitur, tam perniciosam interioris hominis lasciviam non coercet. Sed nec virtus ea est prudentia judicanda, qua quisque fallere doctus, non inter amanda et non amanda, sed inter lucra temporalia damnaque discernit, ac charitatis sine reliquo, aliorum pernicie sibi commodi quidpiam comparare contendit. Absit autem ut fortitudo Catilinae inter virtutes numeretur; quia, licet omnia adversa incredibili modo ferre sufficeret; pro hac tamen fortitudine nonnisi potentiae mundialis, vel certe propriae voluptatis pretium captans, semetipsum debito virtuti praemio defraudavit. Proinde quantumcunque sibi temperans popularis gloriae cupidus videatur, quantumlibet prudens pecuniosus quispiam et astutus vulgi judicio aestimetur; quanquam etiam immani stupore durescens philosophus quis nullis adversitatibus moveatur: quidquid de radice charitatis non pullulaverit, a virtutum fructibus sequestrandum nostri philosophi censuerunt; quidquid structurae recta linea ad cubitum illum unum non dirigitur, extra spiritualis arcae fabricam metiendum subtiliter perviderunt. Agit itaque vera temperantia, ne illecta vera prudentia, ne decepta vera fortitudo, ne oppressa mens rationalis normam charitatis excedat. Verum ut sui sectatores in regnum suae tranquillitatis charitas perfecta transtulerit, cunctis jam carnis illecebris cum ipsa carnis mortalitate consumptis, cunctis errorum tenebris divinae lucis contemplatione decussis, certaque securitate mundi hujus succedente molestiis, depositis, ut ita dixerim, quibus hoc belli tempore utitur armis, sola sui suavitate reficiet ipsa victores. Ita enim tunc ceterae virtutes in charitatis plenitudinem sese refundent, ut in illa felicitate nihil aliud temperantia, prudentia, fortitudine putetur quam charitas; tam casta, ut nullis tentetur illecebris; tam lucida, ut nullis interpoletur erroribus; tam valida, ut nullis omnino appetatur adversis.
Cujus tranquillitatis statum Dominus mystico nobis sermone promittens, et auferam, inquit, malas bestias de terra, et dormire vos faciam fiducialiter (Levit. xxvi). Atrocissimis namque passionum bestiis a terra nostra, carne scilicet, quam gestamus, ablatis, coelesti nos faciet somno soporari, cum immenso illius divinae claritatis pelago absorpti, ac ineffabiliter extra nosmetipsos elati, perfecte vacabimus, et videbimus, quoniam Dominus ipse est Deus, perenne illud charitatis Sabbatum celebrantes, quod S. Isaias propheta describit: Et erit, inquiens, mensis ex mense, et Sabbatum de Sabbato (Isai. lxvi); cum scilicet ex hoc Sabbato, quo quaedam charitatis initia degustantes, quantum diei sinit malitia, a negotiosis actibus feriamur, in illud perfectum fuerimus introducti, ubi nulla interpellente molestia, nulla curis praepediente miseria, diligemus Dominum Deum nostrum ex tota anima nostra, et ex tota virtute nostra, et ex omnibus viribus nostris, et proximos nostros tanquam nosmetipsos (Deut. vi). Porro justitiam, quae cuique quod suum est tribuitur, secundum illud Apostoli: Reddite omnibus debita; cui tributum, tributum; cui timorem, timorem; cui honorem, honorem (Rom. xiii), fraternae dilectionis quoddam dixerim incentivum, cujus quidem initium est, nulli nocere; profectus, sine querela se omnibus exhibere. Plurimum erit, si aliorum mentes benevolentiae suavitate conciliat; qui quieta sui conversatione offendit neminem, obtemperans senioribus, contemperans aequalibus, junioribus condescendens; primis timorem et reverentiam, mediis honorem et gratiam, posterioribus humilem exhibens compassionem.
In re quoque pecuniaria haec virtus ad charitatis bonum provocat intuentes; quae secundum praemissum Apostoli praeceptum non differt debitum, donec exigat importunus exactor, sed cum quadam potius hilaritate praevenit repetentem. Si ergo haec virtus temporalium tantum dispensationes amplectitur, nec ipsam tranquillitati illius felicissimi status vereor abrogare: quo summa illa quiete, singulis secundum merita vel praemiis, vel suppliciis dispensante, illi irrevocabili damnationis sententia feriuntur; illi aeternae beatitudinis praemio munerantur, ut, cum fuerit utrobique aeternitas, nulla temporalium possit esse varietas. Verum si altius ipsius justitiae regulas contempleris, nemo melius, nemo perfectius unicuique quod suum est tribuit, quam is qui diligit diligenda, et tantum diligit, quantum sunt diligenda; Deum scilicet supra seipsum, proximum tanquam seipsum; Deum nonnisi propter ipsum, se et proximum nonnisi propter Deum. Vides, ni fallor, ex charitatis perfectione perfectionem pendere justitiae, ut nihil aliud videatur esse justitia, quam charitas ordinata: in qua quantum quisque profecerit, tantum et requiescit.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Isa.66.23 — And it shall be, from new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD.
- ↩Deut.6.5 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
- ↩Rom.13.7 — Pay to all what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
- ↩Rom.13.7 — Pay to all what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
- ↩Deut.6.5;Matt.22.37-Matt.22.39 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Matt.22.37 — And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Matt.22.38 — This is the great and first commandment. Matt.22.39 — And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Speculum caritatis (The Mirror of Charity) companion
Reorder one love at a time, daily
Use the study map with the free Chosen Portion app's daily readings to work through Aelred at a sustainable pace.
Aelred wrote the Mirror as a rule for daily interior discipline in community, and Chosen Portion carries that discipline forward as a short ordered reading each day.
- All 3 books and 102 chapters mapped into 4 weekly themes with page-level pointers
- Aelred's choice-motion-fruit test, turned into a one-page self-examination worksheet
- 16 discussion questions ready for personal journaling or a 4-session small group