Introduction to the Devout Life
CHAPTER I. What true Devotion is. CHAPTER I. What true Devotion is.
CHAPTER IX. FIRST MEDITATION. CHAPTER IX. FIRST MEDITATION.
CHAPTER X. SECOND MEDITATION CHAPTER X. SECOND MEDITATION
CHAPTER XI. THIRD MEDITATION. CHAPTER XI. THIRD MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XII. FOURTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XII. FOURTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIII. FIFTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XIII. FIFTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIV. SIXTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XIV. SIXTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XV. SEVENTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XV. SEVENTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVI. EIGHTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVI. EIGHTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVII. NINTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVII. NINTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVIII. TENTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVIII. TENTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIX. How to make a General Confession. CHAPTER XIX. How to make a General Confession.
CHAPTER I. The Necessity of Prayer. CHAPTER I. The Necessity of Prayer.
CHAPTER VIII. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation. CHAPTER VIII. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation.
CHAPTER IX. Concerning Dryness in Meditation. CHAPTER IX. Concerning Dryness in Meditation.
CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer. CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer.
CHAPTER XII. On Spiritual Retirement. CHAPTER XII. On Spiritual Retirement.
CHAPTER XVI. How the Saints are united to us. CHAPTER XVI. How the Saints are united to us.
CHAPTER XVII. How to Hear and Read God's Word. CHAPTER XVII. How to Hear and Read God’s Word.
CHAPTER XVIII. How to receive Inspirations. CHAPTER XVIII. How to receive Inspirations.
CHAPTER XIX. On Confession. CHAPTER XIX. On Confession.
CHAPTER XX. Of Frequent Communion. CHAPTER XX. Of Frequent Communion.
CHAPTER XXI. How to Communicate. CHAPTER XXI. How to Communicate.
PART III. CONTAINING COUNSELS CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE.
CHAPTER II. The same Subject continued. CHAPTER II. The same Subject continued.
CHAPTER III. On Patience. CHAPTER III. On Patience.
CHAPTER IV. On Greater Humility. CHAPTER IV. On Greater Humility.
CHAPTER V. On Interior Humility. CHAPTER V. On Interior Humility.
CHAPTER IX. On Gentleness towards Ourselves. CHAPTER IX. On Gentleness towards Ourselves.
CHAPTER XI. On Obedience. CHAPTER XI. On Obedience.
CHAPTER XII. On Purity. CHAPTER XII. On Purity.
CHAPTER XIII. How to maintain Purity. CHAPTER XIII. How to maintain Purity.
CHAPTER XIV. On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches. CHAPTER XIV. On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches.
CHAPTER XVIII. On Frivolous Attachments. CHAPTER XVIII. On Frivolous Attachments.
CHAPTER XIX. Of Real Friendship. CHAPTER XIX. Of Real Friendship.
CHAPTER XXI. Remedies against Evil Friendships. CHAPTER XXI. Remedies against Evil Friendships.
CHAPTER XXIV. Of Society and Solitude. CHAPTER XXIV. Of Society and Solitude.
CHAPTER XXV. On Modesty in Dress. CHAPTER XXV. On Modesty in Dress.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Of Hasty Judgments. CHAPTER XXVIII. Of Hasty Judgments.
CHAPTER XXIX. On Slander. CHAPTER XXIX. On Slander.
CHAPTER XXX. Further Counsels as to Conversation. CHAPTER XXX. Further Counsels as to Conversation.
CHAPTER XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements. CHAPTER XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements.
CHAPTER XXXVII. Of Wishes. CHAPTER XXXVII. Of Wishes.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Counsels to Married People. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Counsels to Married People.
CHAPTER XXXIX. The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed. CHAPTER XXXIX. The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed.
CHAPTER XL. Counsels to Widows. CHAPTER XL. Counsels to Widows.
CHAPTER XLI. One Word to Maidens. CHAPTER XLI. One Word to Maidens.
PART IV. CONTAINING NEEDFUL COUNSELS CONCERNING SOME ORDINARY TEMPTATIONS.
CHAPTER II. The need of a Good Courage. CHAPTER II. The need of a Good Courage.
CHAPTER V. Encouragement for the Tempted Soul. CHAPTER V. Encouragement for the Tempted Soul.
CHAPTER VII. Remedies for Great Occasions. CHAPTER VII. Remedies for Great Occasions.
CHAPTER VIII. How to resist Minor Temptations. CHAPTER VIII. How to resist Minor Temptations.
CHAPTER IX. How remedy Minor Temptations. CHAPTER IX. How remedy Minor Temptations.
CHAPTER XI. Anxiety of Mind. CHAPTER XI. Anxiety of Mind.
CHAPTER XII. Of Sadness and Sorrow. CHAPTER XII. Of Sadness and Sorrow.
CHAPTER XIV. Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness. CHAPTER XIV. Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness.
CHAPTER XV. An Illustration. CHAPTER XV. An Illustration.
PART V. CONTAINING COUNSELS AND PRACTICES FOR RENEWING AND CONFIRMING THE SOUL IN DEVOTION.
CHAPTER XII. The Example of the Saints. CHAPTER XII. The Example of the Saints.
CHAPTER XIV. The Eternal Love of God for us. CHAPTER XIV. The Eternal Love of God for us.
LOVE alone leads to perfection, but the three chief means for acquiring it are obedience, chastity, and poverty. Obedience is a consecration of the heart, chastity of the body, and poverty of all worldly goods to the Love and Service of God. These are the three members of the Spiritual Cross, and all three must be raised upon the fourth, which is humility. I am not going here to speak of these three virtues as solemn vows, which only concern religious, nor even as ordinary vows, although when sought under the shelter of a vow all virtues receive an enhanced grace and merit; but it is not necessary for perfection that they should be undertaken as vows, so long as they 177 are practised diligently. The three vows solemnly taken put a man into the state of perfection, whereas a diligent observance thereof brings him to perfection. For, observe, there is a great difference between the state of perfection and perfection itself, inasmuch as all prelates and religious are in the former, although unfortunately it is too obvious that by no means all attain to the latter. Let us then endeavour to practise these three virtues, according to our several vocations, for although we are not thereby called to a state of perfection, we may attain through them to perfection itself, and of a truth we are all bound to practise them, although not all after the same manner.
There are two kinds of obedience, one necessary, the other voluntary. The first includes a humble obedience to your ecclesiastical superiors, whether Pope, Bishop, Curate, or those commissioned by them. You are likewise bound to obey your civil superiors, king and magistrates; as also your domestic superiors, father, mother, master or mistress. Such obedience is called necessary, because no one can free himself from the duty of obeying these superiors, God having appointed them severally to bear rule over us. Therefore do you obey their commands as of right, but if you would be perfect, follow their counsels, and even 178 their wishes as far as charity and prudence will allow: obey as to things acceptable; as when they bid you eat, or take recreation, for although there may be no great virtue in obedience in such a case, there is great harm in disobedience. Obey in things indifferent, as concerning questions of dress, coming and going, singing or keeping silence, for herein is a very laudable obedience. Obey in things hard, disagreeable and inconvenient, and therein lies a very perfect obedience. Moreover, obey quietly, without answering again, promptly, without delay, cheerfully, without reluctance; and, above all, render a loving obedience for His Sake Who became obedient even to the death of the Cross for our sake; Who, as Saint Bernard says, chose rather to resign His Life than His Obedience.
If you would acquire a ready obedience to superiors, accustom yourself to yield to your equals, giving way to their opinions where nothing wrong is involved, without arguing or peevishness; and adapt yourself easily to the wishes of your inferiors as far as you reasonably can, and forbear the exercise of stern authority so long as they do well.
It is a mistake for those who find it hard to pay a willing obedience to their natural superiors to suppose that if they were professed religious they would find it easy to obey. 179
Voluntary obedience is such as we undertake by our own choice, and which is not imposed by others. Persons do not choose their own King or Bishop, or parents—often not even their husband; but most people choose their confessor or director. And whether a person takes a vow of obedience to him (as Saint Theresa, beyond her formal vow to the Superior of her Order, bound herself by a simple vow to obey Father Gratian), or without any vow they resolve to obey their chosen spiritual guide, all such obedience is voluntary, because it depends upon our own will.
Obedience to lawful superiors is regulated by their official claims. Thus, in all public and legal matters, we are bound to obey our King; in ecclesiastical matters, our Bishop; in domestic matters, our father, master or husband; and in personal matters which concern the soul, our confessor or spiritual guide.
Seek to be directed in your religious exercises by your spiritual father, because thereby they will have double grace and virtue;—that which is inherent in that they are devout, and that which comes by reason of the spirit of obedience in which they are performed. Blessed indeed are the obedient, for God will never permit them to go astray.