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.
IT is said that Mithridates, King of Pontus, who invented the poison called after him, mithridate, so thoroughly impregnated his system with it, that when eventually he tried to poison himself to avoid becoming the Romans’ slave, he never could succeed. The Saviour instituted the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, really containing His Body and His Blood, in order that they who eat it might live for ever. And therefore whosoever receives it frequently and devoutly, so strengthens the health and life of his soul, that it is hardly possible for him to be poisoned by any evil desires. We cannot be fed by that Living Flesh and hold to the affections of death; and just as our first parents could not die in Paradise, because of the Tree of Life which God had placed therein, so this Sacrament of Life makes spiritual death impossible. The most fragile, easily spoilt fruits, such as cherries, apricots, and strawberries, can be kept all the year by being preserved in sugar or honey; so what wonder if our hearts, frail and weakly as they are, are kept from the corruption of sin when they are preserved 117 in the sweetness (“sweeter than honey and the honeycomb”) of the Incorruptible Body and Blood of the Son of God. O my daughter, those Christians who are lost will indeed have no answer to give when the Just Judge sets before them that they have voluntarily died the spiritual death, since it was so easy for them to have preserved life and health, by eating His Body which He gave them for that very end. “Miserable men!” He will say, “wherefore would ye die, with the Bread of Life itself in your hands?”
As to daily Communion, I neither commend nor condemn it; but with respect to communicating every Sunday, I counsel and exhort every one to do so, providing the mind has no attachment to sin. So says S. Augustine, and with him I neither find fault nor unconditionally commend daily Communion, leaving that matter to the discretion of every person’s own spiritual Guide; as the requisite dispositions for such frequent Communion are too delicate for one to advise it indiscriminately. On the other hand, these very special dispositions may be found in sundry devout souls, and therefore it would not be well to discourage everybody. It is a subject which must be dealt with according to each individual mind; it were imprudent to advise such frequent Communion to all, while, on the other hand, it 118 would be presumptuous to blame any one for it, especially if he therein follows the advice of some wise director. Saint Catherine of Sienna, when blamed for her frequent Communions, under the plea that Saint Augustine neither commended nor condemned daily Communion, replied gently, “Well, then, since Saint Augustine does not condemn it, neither, I pray you, do you condemn it, and I shall be content.” But Saint Augustine earnestly exhorts all to communicate every Sunday. And as I presume, my daughter, that you have no attachment either to mortal or venial sins, you are in the condition which Saint Augustine requires; and if your spiritual Father approves, you may profitably communicate more frequently. Nevertheless, there are various hindrances which may arise, not so much from yourself, as from those among whom you live, which may lead a wise director to tell you not to communicate so often. For instance, if you are in a position of subjection, and those whom you are bound to obey should be so ignorant or so prejudiced, as to be uneasy at your frequent Communions, all things considered, it may be well to show consideration for their weakness, and to make your Communion fortnightly; only, of course, where there is no possible way of overcoming the difficulty otherwise. But one cannot give 119 any general rule on such a point, each person must follow the advice of their own spiritual Guide; only this much I will say, that monthly Communions are the very fewest which any one seeking to serve God devoutly can make.
If you are discreet, neither father nor mother, husband nor wife, will ever hinder you from communicating frequently, and that because on the day of your Communion you will give good heed always to be more than usually gentle and amiable towards them, doing all you can to please them, so that they are not likely to prevent your doing a thing which in nowise inconveniences themselves, unless they were most particularly unreasonable and perverse, in which case, as I have said, your Director might advise you to yield. There is nothing in the married life to hinder frequent Communion. Most certainly the Christians of the Primitive Church communicated daily, whether married or single. Neither is any malady a necessary impediment, except, indeed, anything producing constant sickness.
Those who communicate weekly must be free from mortal sin, and also from any attachment to venial sin, and they should feel a great desire for Communion; but for daily Communion people should furthermore have conquered most of their inclinations to evil, and no one 120 should practise it without the advice of their spiritual Guide.