Thought for the Day – 19 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month
Humility and Impulsive Action
Actions done on impulse and without reflection, proceed from nature, not from grace. A generous nature acts from generous impulses. A selfish nature acts from the ever-present impulses to provide for the interests of self. Such actions do not obtain grace from God or deserve a reward in Heaven. They mark the direction of the stream but do not assist it on its way.
Ask yourself, “Do I in general act from impulse? In what direction does impulse carry me?”
What has impulsive action to do with humility?
A good deal! It always has pride at its root, like most other faults.
The humble man avoids impulsive action with the greatest care. Impulsive action springs from self and fails to recognise our dependence upon God — and dependence upon God, is of the essence of humility!
Even though, my impulses may be good, yet I must never allow myself to act merely from impulse,but, must try to raise my heart to God and so, supernaturalise even those actions in which there is no time for careful deliberation and prayer.
How dangerous is impulse!
How often I have bitterly regretted actions done on the impulse of
the moment! I knew I had better wait before speaking or acting but I was not willing to resist the desire to gratify my impulsive nature. I was not held back by the secret consciousness that what I was doing was sinful, imperfect and ill judged!
How many imprudent words, how many foolish actions and how many actual sins, have proceeded from my forgetting or refusing to acknowledge, my continual dependence upon God!
AnaStpaul 