L'assalto della vanagloria
Defeating the Trap of Vainglory
The author warns against self-satisfaction, urging the soul to find its strength and merit solely in God's grace and protection.
The third attack comes from vainglory and presumption. In this struggle, never let yourself be led by any conceivable means into taking even the slightest satisfaction in yourself or in your own works. Instead, let your satisfaction rest entirely in the Lord: in his goodness and in the works of his life and Passion. Humble yourself more and more in your own eyes until your last breath, and acknowledge God alone as the source of every good you can remember having done. Turn to him for help, but don't expect that help based on your own merits, even after winning many great battles. And always remain in holy fear, sincerely acknowledging that all your preparations for battle would be useless unless your God gathered you under the shadow of his wings; trust in his protection alone.
The Path to Victory
By maintaining this humble reliance on God, the soul secures victory over its enemies and prepares for its eternal reward.
If you follow this advice, your enemies won't be able to overcome you. In this way, you'll open a path for yourself to enter joyfully into the heavenly Jerusalem. (See Revelation 21:1 and following.)1
Read the original Latin
Il terzo assalto è quello della vanagloria e della presunzione.
In questo non ti lasciare mai per nessuna via immaginabile indurre sia pure a una minima compiacenza di te stessa né delle tue opere. Ma il tuo compiacimento sia puramente nel Signore, nella sua pietà, nelle opere della sua vita e della sua passione.
Umiliati sempre più agli occhi tuoi fino all'ultimo respiro e riconosci Dio solo come autore di ogni bene che ti ricordi d'avere compiuto. Ricorri al suo aiuto, ma non lo aspettare per i tuoi meriti, pur avendo superato molte e grandi battaglie. E sta sempre in un santo timore confessando sinceramente che tutti i tuoi preparativi di guerra sarebbero vani, se sotto l'ombra delle sue ali non ti raccogliesse il tuo Dio, nella cui protezione unicamente confiderai.
Seguendo questi avvisi, i tuoi nemici non potranno prevalere contro di te. E così ti aprirai la strada, per passare lietamente alla Gerusalemme celeste (cfr. Ap 2 1, 1ss).
Notes
- 1 ↩The printed form “Ap 2 1, 1ss” has been normalized as “Rev. 21:1ff.”; the spacing in the source appears corrupt or typographical.
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