03-01-2021, 02:31 PM
Chapter X
Rules to be observed in regard to sleep, watching, study and choir (page 30-36)
We must endeavor not to fall into excess touching the matter of sleep and watching. It is difficult, I admit, to observe a just measure in this; for both body and soul are in great peril when they exceed the limits of discretion, either by too great an abstinence, or by excessive watching. It is not so in the exercise of other virtues where excess is not so much to be feared. The reason is, that when the devil perceives a person in great fervor of spirit, he uses all his craft to induce him to watch much and to practice great abstinence. He thereby causes him to fall into such a state of bodily weakness, as to be unfit for anything, and in the end, it is necessary, as I have already observed, that he should eat and sleep more than others. Now, no such person will ever venture to return again to the exercises of fasting and watching, knowing that these have occasioned his illness; and the devil unites in persuading him to avoid them, and inspires him with the notion that there is no other cause of the malady, although it may not be precisely the result of either fasting or watching, but of the excess to which they have been pushed.
An inexperienced person, who knows not the deceits of the devil, is ever in great danger of being surprised; for, under the false garb of piety, the tempter says to him: “Thou who art guilty of so many sins, how wilt thou be able to make satisfaction for them without extraordinary penance?” Or if he be not conscious of serious faults, he will represent to him the excessive austerities and mortifications which the Fathers of the Desert have undergone. This inexperienced person is incapable of persuading himself that such thoughts, clothed with the appearance of good, could not but come from God. Thus he is under a serious misapprehension when he fails to have recourse to God, by fervent prayer accompanied with a humble fear; for, if he prayed, the Lord would hear him, and would himself guide him when there is no one to whom he can apply for direction. He who lives under the rule of holy obedience, and is constantly instructed by a director, is free from all such illusions, even should the director himself be mistaken, by not observing the rules of prudence. God will in that case give him grace, by reason of his obedience, that all may turn to his profit. We might instance this by many authorities and examples.
This, then, is what may be observed, with regard to sleep and watching. In summer, when the bell gives the signal for silence after dinner, it is well to repose awhile, for one is less disposed at that time to attend to the exercises of piety, and more inclined to watch at night, having rested at that hour. But, as a rule, on all occasions, when you go to rest, endeavor to have a psalm or some pious thought in your mind, which may be present to the imagination when sleep is broken. Be also careful to retire to bed at night in good time, since sitting up late interferes much with devotion and attention at the Office of Matins; being oppressed with sleep, we are unable to fix the mind on the Office, and sometimes even obliged to absent ourselves therefrom.
Habituate yourself before going to rest to say some short prayers, to read some spiritual book or pious meditation. Among the meditations that you may make, I should prefer before all others those that relate to the Passion of our Lord, should devotion incline you thereto. Dwell especially on what Jesus suffered during those hours wherein you take your repose. Such is the advice of St. Bernard. It is needful, however, to follow in this the inspiration of God, for devotion is not the same in everyone, but is stirred up in some persons by one thing, in others by something else. It is sufficient for some, in their simplicity, to dwell in the holes of the rock, which are the wounds of Christ, as the Scripture saith. But whatever be the superiority of mind with which they are endowed, they ought never to omit what will conduce to devotion; and while they read and study, they should from time to time address themselves to Jesus Christ, entertain themselves with Him, and ask of Him the light and intelligence of which they have need.
It will be well sometimes top put aside your book, to close your eyes in holy recollection, to hide yourself for a time in the wounds of Jesus Christ, and then resume the thread of your study. Be careful also, when you leave off study, to kneel down and say some short and fervent prayer. Do the same when you go from your cell to the church, into the cloisters, to the chapter-room, or into any other space. Follow in this the movements of God’s Spirit; and with ejaculatory prayer invoke the Name of the Lord, pour out your soul in His presence, offer Him your desires, and implore the help of the saints on what you are about to do. This holy intercourse may be carried on at times without the aid of psalms or pronouncing a single word; at other times, by using certain versicles of the psalms, or passages from Scripture or the Fathers; God interiorly inspiring us at such moments with what we believe to be the work of our own thoughts and desires.
When this fervor of spirit, which ordinarily lass but a short time, shall have passed away, you will the better remember what you have shortly before studied; and it is then that the Spirit of God will more dearly enlighten you. After this return again to study, and finally to prayer. Do these alternately, for by thus varying your exercises you will be more fervent during prayer, and your intelligence keener at study. But although this devotional fervor may indifferently occur at any time, according to the pleasure of Him who “disposeth all things sweetly,” it will, nevertheless, be more ordinarily felt after Matins than at any other time. Hence sit not up at night, if this can be avoided, in order to be in a fitter state to apply yourself to prayer and study after Matins.
When in the night you hear the clock strike, or any other signal give for Matins, shaking off all sloth, leave your bed with as much promptitude as you would if it were on fire. Then cast yourself on your knees, and offer up a short and fervent prayer, say at least an Ave Maria, or some other prayer calculated to stir up your spirit of fervor. You will not only rise with facility, but even with delight, if you repose on a hard bed and in your habit.
The servant of God should carefully avoid all softness and whatever conduces to bodily ease, without, however, exceeding the limits of discretion. Use, therefore, a straw mattress, and the harder it is, so much the more agreeable let it seems to you. Make use of one or two coverlets, according as the season or necessity may require; let straw serve you for a pillow, regardless of any inconvenience to the ears. Avoid placing the sheets close to your face or round the neck, unless it be in the summer nights on account of perspiration. Man has no need of all these precautions, which luxurious habits have introduced.
Sleep attired as in the day; put off your shoes and loosen the girdle. If you observe what I have said, so far from it being painful to rise, you will, on the contrary do it with pleasure.
When the Office of the Blessed Virgin if of obligation, (It is a custom in the Order of St. Dominic for the religious to recite Matins and Lauds of the Blessed Virgin in the dormitory when this Office is a choral obligation.) remain at the door of your cell to say it, without leaning upon anything, but standing erect on your feet. Then recite the Office with great attention, with a distinct voice, and with as much fervor as though the Blessed Virgin herself were visibly present. When the Office is finished, and you have nothing further to do in your cell, go to the church, or into the cloister, or to some place most favorable to devotion. It is not becoming a servant of God to be interiorly unoccupied when leaving or returning to his cell; but he should always revolve in his mind some psalms or pious thought. You may, nevertheless, enter the choir before the commencement of the Office and forecast what is to be said, in order to join in the chant more attentively and with greater devotion.
(To be continued...)
Rules to be observed in regard to sleep, watching, study and choir (page 30-36)
We must endeavor not to fall into excess touching the matter of sleep and watching. It is difficult, I admit, to observe a just measure in this; for both body and soul are in great peril when they exceed the limits of discretion, either by too great an abstinence, or by excessive watching. It is not so in the exercise of other virtues where excess is not so much to be feared. The reason is, that when the devil perceives a person in great fervor of spirit, he uses all his craft to induce him to watch much and to practice great abstinence. He thereby causes him to fall into such a state of bodily weakness, as to be unfit for anything, and in the end, it is necessary, as I have already observed, that he should eat and sleep more than others. Now, no such person will ever venture to return again to the exercises of fasting and watching, knowing that these have occasioned his illness; and the devil unites in persuading him to avoid them, and inspires him with the notion that there is no other cause of the malady, although it may not be precisely the result of either fasting or watching, but of the excess to which they have been pushed.
An inexperienced person, who knows not the deceits of the devil, is ever in great danger of being surprised; for, under the false garb of piety, the tempter says to him: “Thou who art guilty of so many sins, how wilt thou be able to make satisfaction for them without extraordinary penance?” Or if he be not conscious of serious faults, he will represent to him the excessive austerities and mortifications which the Fathers of the Desert have undergone. This inexperienced person is incapable of persuading himself that such thoughts, clothed with the appearance of good, could not but come from God. Thus he is under a serious misapprehension when he fails to have recourse to God, by fervent prayer accompanied with a humble fear; for, if he prayed, the Lord would hear him, and would himself guide him when there is no one to whom he can apply for direction. He who lives under the rule of holy obedience, and is constantly instructed by a director, is free from all such illusions, even should the director himself be mistaken, by not observing the rules of prudence. God will in that case give him grace, by reason of his obedience, that all may turn to his profit. We might instance this by many authorities and examples.
This, then, is what may be observed, with regard to sleep and watching. In summer, when the bell gives the signal for silence after dinner, it is well to repose awhile, for one is less disposed at that time to attend to the exercises of piety, and more inclined to watch at night, having rested at that hour. But, as a rule, on all occasions, when you go to rest, endeavor to have a psalm or some pious thought in your mind, which may be present to the imagination when sleep is broken. Be also careful to retire to bed at night in good time, since sitting up late interferes much with devotion and attention at the Office of Matins; being oppressed with sleep, we are unable to fix the mind on the Office, and sometimes even obliged to absent ourselves therefrom.
Habituate yourself before going to rest to say some short prayers, to read some spiritual book or pious meditation. Among the meditations that you may make, I should prefer before all others those that relate to the Passion of our Lord, should devotion incline you thereto. Dwell especially on what Jesus suffered during those hours wherein you take your repose. Such is the advice of St. Bernard. It is needful, however, to follow in this the inspiration of God, for devotion is not the same in everyone, but is stirred up in some persons by one thing, in others by something else. It is sufficient for some, in their simplicity, to dwell in the holes of the rock, which are the wounds of Christ, as the Scripture saith. But whatever be the superiority of mind with which they are endowed, they ought never to omit what will conduce to devotion; and while they read and study, they should from time to time address themselves to Jesus Christ, entertain themselves with Him, and ask of Him the light and intelligence of which they have need.
It will be well sometimes top put aside your book, to close your eyes in holy recollection, to hide yourself for a time in the wounds of Jesus Christ, and then resume the thread of your study. Be careful also, when you leave off study, to kneel down and say some short and fervent prayer. Do the same when you go from your cell to the church, into the cloisters, to the chapter-room, or into any other space. Follow in this the movements of God’s Spirit; and with ejaculatory prayer invoke the Name of the Lord, pour out your soul in His presence, offer Him your desires, and implore the help of the saints on what you are about to do. This holy intercourse may be carried on at times without the aid of psalms or pronouncing a single word; at other times, by using certain versicles of the psalms, or passages from Scripture or the Fathers; God interiorly inspiring us at such moments with what we believe to be the work of our own thoughts and desires.
When this fervor of spirit, which ordinarily lass but a short time, shall have passed away, you will the better remember what you have shortly before studied; and it is then that the Spirit of God will more dearly enlighten you. After this return again to study, and finally to prayer. Do these alternately, for by thus varying your exercises you will be more fervent during prayer, and your intelligence keener at study. But although this devotional fervor may indifferently occur at any time, according to the pleasure of Him who “disposeth all things sweetly,” it will, nevertheless, be more ordinarily felt after Matins than at any other time. Hence sit not up at night, if this can be avoided, in order to be in a fitter state to apply yourself to prayer and study after Matins.
When in the night you hear the clock strike, or any other signal give for Matins, shaking off all sloth, leave your bed with as much promptitude as you would if it were on fire. Then cast yourself on your knees, and offer up a short and fervent prayer, say at least an Ave Maria, or some other prayer calculated to stir up your spirit of fervor. You will not only rise with facility, but even with delight, if you repose on a hard bed and in your habit.
The servant of God should carefully avoid all softness and whatever conduces to bodily ease, without, however, exceeding the limits of discretion. Use, therefore, a straw mattress, and the harder it is, so much the more agreeable let it seems to you. Make use of one or two coverlets, according as the season or necessity may require; let straw serve you for a pillow, regardless of any inconvenience to the ears. Avoid placing the sheets close to your face or round the neck, unless it be in the summer nights on account of perspiration. Man has no need of all these precautions, which luxurious habits have introduced.
Sleep attired as in the day; put off your shoes and loosen the girdle. If you observe what I have said, so far from it being painful to rise, you will, on the contrary do it with pleasure.
When the Office of the Blessed Virgin if of obligation, (It is a custom in the Order of St. Dominic for the religious to recite Matins and Lauds of the Blessed Virgin in the dormitory when this Office is a choral obligation.) remain at the door of your cell to say it, without leaning upon anything, but standing erect on your feet. Then recite the Office with great attention, with a distinct voice, and with as much fervor as though the Blessed Virgin herself were visibly present. When the Office is finished, and you have nothing further to do in your cell, go to the church, or into the cloister, or to some place most favorable to devotion. It is not becoming a servant of God to be interiorly unoccupied when leaving or returning to his cell; but he should always revolve in his mind some psalms or pious thought. You may, nevertheless, enter the choir before the commencement of the Office and forecast what is to be said, in order to join in the chant more attentively and with greater devotion.
(To be continued...)