De provida locutione et fraterna compassione
The Prudence of Speech
True wisdom is found in governing one's own tongue and heart rather than rushing to correct others.
Physician, heal yourself. Always keep this in mind before you speak or correct anyone, so you don't end up sinning more by criticizing someone else thoughtlessly or unjustly. The mouth of a just and prudent person knows the right time and way to speak; they consider the person and their nature first, so they don't accidentally ruin or hurt the very one they were meant to heal. A well-taught and discreet mouth is like a solid vessel adorned with gold, full of ointment, fragrant with balsam, and worthy of every honor. Through your good words and religious conduct, the worldly are edified; the lazy are stirred, the negligent are rebuked, the dissolute are moved to compunction, the ignorant are instructed, and the devout are set on fire. People are drawn more to contempt of the world and to changing their lives by vivid examples than by many words of worldly knowledge. It's no great art or virtue to want to teach and correct others, but to govern yourself well, to accept correction humbly, and to work fervently at your own improvement—this is great wisdom before God and men. Learn to interpret doubtful things in the best light, not to judge what is unknown, to avoid obvious evils, to hide your own scandal, to bear with the habits and failings of the weak, and to commit to God what you cannot fix.
Patience and Humility in Community
We must bear with the failings of others as God bears with us, avoiding the traps of pride and vainglory.
Consider how God has put up with you in many things and still puts up with you every day; yet you don't change your ways as you often say and intend to do, but He patiently tolerates you and waits for you, so that you might repent, know your own weakness better, humbly ask for mercy, and neither despise anyone nor judge them rashly. Therefore, put up with your brother in small things, just as God puts up with you in many. A devout and humble person uses few words, so that they aren't distracted within by excess. The proud person speaks harshly; the irritable person disturbs others and is themselves disturbed when corrected. The gentle person, when corrected, bears it patiently; they plead rather than scold, feel for the one who sins, and prove themselves a friend by their actions. Whoever desires to be over others exposes themselves to danger and loses their worth. A lover of empty glory doesn't know how to stay silent for long, for fear of appearing ignorant. They are ashamed to do lowly and menial work, or to stand behind others and sit in the lowest place.
The Wisdom of Silence and Service
Following Christ's example of service, the wise person learns the discipline of silence and humble obedience.
And yet, the greatest honor is to show humility in all things, to feel that you are lower than others, and to be willing to serve everyone freely for the sake of Christ, who says: “I am among you as one who serves.” Learn, young person, to be silent before you speak, so that you aren't embarrassed in front of your elders. It's safer to be silent than to speak foolishly. It's a great art to know how to be silent when you're corrected, and it's great wisdom to speak modestly at the right time about what is just and fitting in the presence of the learned. The foolish person doesn't know how to keep time, measure, and order; therefore, many evils befall them, and they are justly reproved. A bold young person who is quick to speak is like a fool and is close to a fall. If a person is instructed and listens, and when corrected remains silent and obeys, there is hope for great progress, and they'll flourish in virtues like a lily.
The Path of Interior Peace
Surrendering one's own will and seeking solitude allows the soul to focus on God.
It's a great pride to stand by your own will, which is contrary to God, and to refuse to yield to the advice and words of your elders. But because it's difficult for a person to keep their balance and guard themselves in every word and action, religious people choose and seek to remain in secret and to be silent: to flee from crowds and to be free to focus on God in prayer.
Read the original Latin
Medice cura te ipsum. Istud in mente semper habeas antequam loquaris et aliquem corripias: ne forte amplius pecces indiscrete vel iniuste aliquem arguendo. Os iusti et prudentis servat tempus et modum loquendi; et personam ac naturam hominis prius attendit: ne forte perdat aut laedat quem sanare debuerat. Os bene eruditum et discretum est quasi vas solidum auro ornatum, unguento plenum: balsamo odoriferum et omni honore dignum. Ex bonis verbis tuis et religiosis moribus saeculares aedificantur; pigri excitantur, neglegentes arguuntur, dissoluti compunguntur: ignari instruuntur, devoti inflammantur. Magis enim per vivida exempla homines trahuntur ad contemptum saeculi et emendationem vitae: quam per multa verba saecularis scientiae. Non est magna ars et virtus velle alios docere et corripere sed se ipsum bene regeres et correptiones pie suscipere et ferventer se in istis emendare: haec magna est sapientia apud Deum et homines. Disce dubiosa ad meliora trahere, ignota non iudicare: aperta mala cavere, proprium scandalum tegere; mores et defectus infirmorum supportare: et quae non potes emendare Deo committe.
Cogita quia Deus in multis te portavit et adhuc cotidie portat; nec tamen te emendas sicut saepe dicis et proponis: sed pie te tolerat et expectat; ut paeniteas et infirmitatem tuam magis cognoscas, et veniam humiliter petas: et neminem spernas, nec temere iudices. Porta ergo fratrem tuum in paucis: sicut te Deus portat in multis. Paucis verbis devotus et humilis utitur: ne per excessum intus distrahitur. Superbus rigide loquitur: iracundus alios perturbat et correptus turbatur. Mitis correptus patienter sustinet; obsecrat magis quam increpat: peccanti condolet et amicum factis se probat. Qui praeesse aliis appetit: periculis se exponit et vilescit. Amator vanae gloriae nescit diu tacere: ne videatur ignarus esse. Erubescit vilia et servilia opera facere: et post alios stare et in infimo loco sedere.
Et tamen honor maximus est in omnibus humilitatem ostendere; et aliis inferiorem se sentire: set omnibus libenter velle propter Christum servire qui ait. Ego in medio vestrum sum: sicut qui ministrat. Disce iuvenis prius tacere antequam loquaris: ne coram senibus confundaris. Tutius est tacere: quam insipienter loqui. Magna ars scire tacere cum fueris correptus: et magna sapientia loqui modeste in tempore suo quod iustum est et decet coram eruditis. Insipiens nescit servare tempus et moidum et ordinem: ideo multa mala sibi occurrunt et iuste reprobatur. Iuvenis audax et ad loquendum velox; insipienti similis: et casui proximus. Si instructus audit et correptus tacet et oboedit; spes magni profectus erit: et in virtutibus quasi lilium florebit.
Grandis superbia stare in propria voluntate Deo contraria: et nolle acquiescere seniorum consiliis et verbis. Sed quia difficile est homini in omnibus verbis et factis modum tenere et se custodire; ideo religiosi eligunt et quaerunt in secreto manere et tacere: turbas fugere et Deo in oratione vacare.
The Little Garden of Roses & The Valley of Lilies companion
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