Thought for the Day – 3 February – Of the Acts to be Performed in order to Acquire Habits of Virtue (Part THREE)

Thought for the Day – 3 February – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

The Third Weapon
of the Spiritual Combat

XIII: … Of the Way to Resist the Impulses of Sense
and of the Acts to be Performed by the Will,
in order to Acquire Habits of Virtue (Part Three)

“Lastly — to adorn and perfect your soul in the habit of all the virtues, exercise yourself in the inward practices directly opposed to all your disorderly passions.

Would you attain, for instance, to the perfection of patience?
On receiving any insult which tempts you to impatience, it will not be enough to exercise yourself in the three modes of warfare above described [see Part One link below], you must do more — even willingly accept and love the indignity you have endured; desiring to submit to it again, from the same person and in the same manner — expecting and disposing yourself to bear, still more difficult things.

These contrary acts are needful to our perfection in all the virtues, because, the exercises of which we have been speaking, manifold and efficacious as they are — will not suffice to eradicate the roots of sin.

Hence (to pursue the same example) although, when we receive an insult, we do not yield to the impulse of impatience but, on the contrary, resist it by the three methods above described, yet, unless we accustom ourselves, by many and repeated acts of the will, to love contempt and rejoice to be despised, we shall never overcome the sin of impatience which springs from a regard for our own reputation and a shrinking from contempt. …

I would add to all that has been said, that if the virtue in which you are exercising yourself, so requires, you must also practice exterior acts conformable to the interior — as, for instance, words of love and meekness and lowly services rendered to those who have, in any way, thwarted or slighted you.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/01/25/thought-for-the-day-25-january-of-the-way-to-resist-the-impulses-of-sense-part-one/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/02/thought-for-the-day-2-february-of-the-way-to-resist-the-impulses-of-sense-part-two/