De pugna contra propria vitia
The Narrow Path of Self-Conquest
The spiritual life requires a difficult, intentional struggle against the self to attain true virtue.
The kingdom of heaven suffers violence. Many begin, few make progress, and very few reach perfection. We either slip too far into the flesh, get puffed up with pride, or are broken by adversity. Sadly, it's rare to find someone here who seeks God with a pure heart, conquers themselves completely, and leaves everything behind. A certain devout person once said: Perfection is a rare bird; it's extremely difficult to conquer oneself. Anyone who doesn't labor for virtue won't be satisfied by its sweetness. Every virtue has a good attached to it, and it refreshes the one who works well.
The Guarded Heart
Purity of heart is maintained through silence, discipline, and the careful guarding of the senses.
Whoever acts viciously creates a bad end for himself; he loses honor, destroys his peace, finds sorrow, increases sadness, and loses the taste for what is good. But whoever abstains from what is permitted is safer from what is forbidden. Whoever restrains a dog's tongue won't fear its bite, and whoever strictly keeps silence doesn't offend with his lips. He who gladly stays hidden and silent is far from lying, strife, detraction, cursing, anger, and grumbling. Whoever does not listen to evil things and does not look at vain things avoids them more easily, and neglects to dwell on such things in his mind. For guarding the senses is the cause of purity; discipline is the cause of peace; and silence is the chamber of devotion. When anger comes to the mind, wisdom departs from the prudent person. Whoever speaks in anger is like a barking dog.
Cultivating the Garden of the Soul
By responding to anger with gentleness and engaging in devout exercises, the soul prepares for heavenly joy.
Whoever responds with gentleness breaks the impulse of anger, and offers roses to the afflicted instead of thorns. Blessed is the tongue of the prudent, for it heals the wounds of the angry. Whoever resists vices as soon as they arise and appear small, will more easily cast them out before they become harder to handle. Whoever relies on devout exercises—praying and meditating on heavenly things—is like a wise gardener planting roses and lilies in his own field. Such a person will rejoice greatly in the future, when they are with the holy angels in the heavenly paradise. Whoever guards the purity of mind and body is like the angels. Whoever consents to vices and takes pleasure in wicked thoughts is a servant of demons. It's a hard struggle to resist temptation, but the future punishment of being tormented in eternal fires will be harder still.
The Vanity of Earthly Things
When the love of God fills the heart, the fleeting nature of earthly power and status becomes clear in light of eternity.
One fire is overcome by another; one nail drives out another; laughter is chased away by sorrow. When the love of God enters, all fleeting things depart from the heart. Wise is the one who scorns a thousand thousand things. Everything is nothing: king, pope, a leaden seal. The end of all things: death, the worm, the grave, the ash. No matter how much someone exalts himself, he is nothing; death takes everything away. Happy is the pilgrim who has a home in heaven.
Read the original Latin
Regnum caelorum vim patitur. Multorum est incipere; paucorum proficere: paucissimorum ad perfectionem pervenire. Aut enim ad carnem nimis labimur; aut in superbiam erigimur: aut adversis frangimur. Heu raro hic invenitur qui Deum pure quaerit et se ipsum perfecte vincit: et funditus relinquit. Dixit quidam devotus. Rara avis perfectio: arduum nimis vincere se ipsum. Qui non laborat pro virtute: non satiabitur eius dulcedine. Omnis virtus bonum habet sibi annexum: et recreat bene operantem.
Qui vitiose agit generat sibi malum finem; perdit honorem, destruit quietem, invenit dolorem, auget tristitiam, tollit boni saporem. Qui autem abstinet a licitis: securior est ab illicitis. Qui canis linguam restringit: morsum non timebit; et qui silentium stricte servat, labiis suis non offendit. Longe est a mendacio, a lite, a detractione, a maledictione, ab ira et murmuratione: qui libenter latet et tacet. Qui non audit mala, nec videt vana, facilius ea vitat: et neglegit similia recogitare. Sensuum enim custodia puritatis est causa; pacis disciplina: devotionis camera. Quando ira venit ad mentem: sapientia recedit a prudente. Qui iracunde loquitur: latranti cani assimilatur.
Qui autem mansuete respondet motum irae frangit: et pro spinis rosas praebet afflicto. Benedicta lingua prudentis: quae sanat vulnera irascentis. Qui resistit vitiis quam cito oriuntur et parva videntur: facilius ea expellit antequam duriora fiant. Qui innititur devotis exercitiis orando et meditando quae caelestia sunt: assimilatur sapienti hortulano plantanti rosas et lilia in agro suo. Hic valde gaudebit in futuro: cum sanctis angelis in caelesti paradiso. Angelis est similis: qui puritatem custodit mentis et corporis. Daemonum est servus qui consentit vitiis: et delectatur in cogitationibus pravis. Dura est pugna delectationi resistere sed durior erit poena futura: in aeternis ignibus cruciari.
Ardor ardore vincitur; clavus clavo expellitur: risus maerore fugatur. Cum amor Dei intrat: cuncta transitoria de corde recedunt. Sapiens est ille: qui spernit milia mille. Omnia sunt nulla: rex papa plumbea bulla. Cunctorum finis: mors vermis fovea cinis. Quantumcumque enim quis se extollit: nil est, mors omnia tollit. Felix peregrinus qui habet hospitium in caelis.
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