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CHARACTERISTIC VIRTUES—SIMPLICITY
WORDS OF ST. VINCENT
I CANNOT tell you too often, my Sisters, that
as Sisters of Charity, you must beware of using any duplicity. Do
you know where Our Lord dwells, my child? In the hearts of the
simple. It is a maxim with worldlings never to open their hearts
freely, but with good souls to discover their thoughts simply, and
never speak in contradiction to their real sentiments. Worldlings
equivocate, and dissemble in order to deceive, while virtuous
persons act openly, and never make use of artifices; you must always
act thus.
We must seek and delight in those things that will cause others
to hold us in small repute without any fault on our side. In our
writings, we must avoid farfetched expressions, and should never
seek to attract notice by the utterance of finely conceived ideas,
etc. Our Divine Saviour's language was simple; no affected or
exaggerated terms were used by Him. Some persons study to write and
speak extremely well, evincing thereby that they retain a worldly
spirit, and are far from having imbibed that of Jesus Christ. We
need not be notably careless, but we should preserve a beautiful
simplicity, which will prevent any one's attending either to our
manner of speaking or writing.
There is nothing more discordant with the true hidden spirit,
than an inclination to speak often of one's self, relations,
country, talents, or of the good one does. Those who speak thus, are
like balloons that are ever striving to rise in the air, owing to
the light, gaseous nature of the matter that inflates them. Such
persons have no solid merit, and they lose all chance of' future
rewards. Again, there are many persons who seek to exalt themselves
before men; but they act in a refined, secret way.
NOTES
Simplicity, like humility, is a difficult virtues to acquire; and
unless it be our natural disposition or a special grace, we rarely
possess it in all its fullness.
It has almost disappeared from the world, and it is only in
communities that we find it again in all its charms. But there how
beautiful and attractive this virtue is! It gives the Religious all
the loveliness of a child, all the charms of infancy, all the
candour
of a heart which has never loved but God and its mother, and knows
not even the name of sin. Simplicity, says St. Francis de Sales,
makes us resemble children who think, speak, and act openly without
malice. They believe all they are told. They have no care or anxiety
for themselves,— are they not protected by their parents? They love
honestly, without dwelling upon their own satisfaction; they take
everything in good faith, rejoicing in all good nature, without
desire or curiosity to study its cause and effects. Simplicity is a
contagious virtue; it is so full of charm that one truly simple
soul in a house suffices to make all the others instinctively seek
to be like it.
The desire alone of simplicity supposes a beautiful soul and a
kind heart. In proportion as we become less kind we wish to be less
simple, and we ridicule simplicity. Apply yourself to the practice
of the acts which we will mention to you, and God will bless your
efforts.
MOTIVES
1. The Excellence of the Virtue.—It is the character of the children
of God and the disciples of Jesus, who are compared in Holy
Scripture to sheep and to doves, on account of their candour and
innocence.
2. The Merit of this Virtue.—It makes us pleasing in the sight of
God, who hates dissimulation, anathematizes a double heart, and
loves to converse with the simple. It makes us the beloved of Jesus,
who caressed little children, who preferred St. John to the other
apostles, on account of his purity and candour— virtues which never
dwell in a soul whence simplicity is banished. It makes us
pleasing to others; for a simple soul is never a burden to any one,
never troubles or interferes with any one, is useful and kind to
all, and does not know how to think evil of any one.
3. The Marks of this Virtue.—The simple soul is constantly the
same to every one and before every one; it is equally charitable to
all without exception, possessing always that cheerful air which
comes from the testimony of a good conscience; when it has committed
a fault it frankly acknowledges it, and calmly bears the punishment
or humiliation which follows; it proves itself everywhere and in
every thing, the enemy of duplicity; and has no intention but to
please God.
PRACTICES
Simplicity of Mind
Without pretension, never striving to excel others nor even to be
remarkable; but accomplishing to the best of one's ability the duty
which is imposed. Never comparing ourselves with others, or priding
ourselves upon the natural advantages or spiritual favours we have
received from God, and above all, never preferring ourselves to
others.
Simplicity of Heart
Towards God.—Entertaining a filial fear free from trouble and
disquietude; an affectionate confidence free from presumption; an
exact fidelity free from over-exactness and subtlety; a continual
desire to please God and do His will, like a child who tenderly
loves its mother and appreciates all her love for it.
Towards Our Neighbour.— Sincere and cordial affection, amiable but
discreet frankness, sweet, patient, considerate charity free from
trouble or silliness. Towards Oneself.—A spirit of order and peace,
patience with defects, mistakes and failures.
Simplicity of Disposition
Without whim or caprice; without ardour or indifference; without
vivacity or oddity; yielding without letting it appear that we
yield; sacrificing our will and opinion, without letting the effort
or the sacrifice be apparent; accommodating ourselves to all without
seeking to parade or make a merit of what we do.
Simplicity of Action
Without hurry or anxiety; without encumbering ourselves with several
duties at one time; solely occupying ourselves with the present duty
as if we had but that one to perform. Completely for God in prayer,
completely for our neighbour in our charitable relations, completely
for work when duty commands it, but always for God, according to the
spirit of God, in the presence of God.
Simplicity of Exterior
In Dress.—Modest, free from affectation, being neither painstaking
nor careless; in manner, natural and unstudied; in our walk, only
thinking of going where we have to go; in deportment, serious
without stiffness; in speech, free from malice, subtlety, particular
accent or affected expressions; in every thing, free from a desire
to please, no less than a fear of not pleasing.
Simplicity in Piety
Avoiding, equally, the eccentricities which disfigure it, the whims
which dishonour it, the narrowness which ridicules it, the illusions
which destroy it, the scruples which 'torment it and end by making
it odious. Avoiding the discouragement of pusillanimity, the
transports of presumption; desiring no other doctrine than that of
one's Director and Superiors; reading no other books than those
which we are counselled to read, and frequently asking God to retain
us in the common path. of perfection. |
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