Thought for the Day – 3 April– The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
XXXIX: … How to Avail Ourselves of Occasions
for the Exercise of a Single Virtue
“We have already seen that it is more profitable to exercise ourselves, for a time, in a single virtue than in many at once and that, we should use, with this view, the occasions we meet with, however diverse they may be.
Now learn how to accomplish this, with tolerable success.
It may happen that in the same day, or even in the same hour, we are approved for something in which we have done well, or blamed on some other account; we may be harshly refused some favour we have asked, it maybe a mere trifle; we may be unjustly suspected; or, we may be called upon to endure some bodily pain, or some petty annoyance, such as a dish badly cooked; or some more heavy affliction and more difficult to be borne, may befall us, such as this wretched life is full of!
Although, in the variety of these or similar occurrences, we may perform various acts of virtue, yet, if we would keep to the rule laid down, we shall continue to exercise ourselves in acts wholly conformable to the virtue we have at the time in hand; as for example:
+++If, when these occasions present themselves, we are exercising ourselves in patience, we shall endure them all willingly and with a joyful heart.
+++If our exercise be of humility, we shall, in all these little crosses, acknowledge ourselves to be deserving of every possible ill.
+++If of obedience, we shall submit ourselves at once to the Almighty Hand of God, as well as, to all created things, whether rational or even inanimate which may have caused us these annoyances and this, to please Him because He has so willed it.
+++If of poverty, we shall be well content to be stripped and robbed of all earthly consolations, whether great or small.
+++If of charity, we shall produce acts of love towards our neighbour as the instrument of good to us and towards our Lord God, as the first and loving cause whence these annoyances proceed, or by Whom they are permitted for our spiritual exercise and improvement.
From what has been said of the various accidents which may befall us daily, we may also learn how, during a single trial of long duration, such as sickness or other like affliction, we may yet continue to produce acts of that virtue in which we are at the time exercising ourselves.
Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
AnaStpaul 