CHAPTER IX
Of The Want of All Consolation
In this chapter, good Thomas takes us out of our comfort zone by explaining how we love comfort, consolation, softness and the easy route. And while there is nothing intrinsically wrong with such comfort, that it is no comparison to divine comfort. And that, along the spiritual walk, we will encounter a great deal of discomfort, uneasiness, and challenges of all sorts in body, mind and spirit.
With Divine comfort, Thomas reminds us: "You ride at ease when you are carried by the grace of God." That God's Grace makes everything bearable. Thomas gives us two examples in St. Lawrence and St. Sixtus...worth a quick read. How these men dealt with the challenges to their faith and ultimately died for the faith is a remarkable story of self sacrifice.
With such examples, Thomas again tells us to over come our own self so we can grow closer to Christ. And when that takes place, he tells us, expect a "dry period" and much temptation. But prayer and reliance will see you through this tough time.
Thomas ends this chapter by warning us that in spiritual warfare, the devil does not sleep, And because you are alive, your flesh is subject to temptation. And therefore, you must continually ready yourself for this battle.
Until next time, thank you for reading and praying along with me.
Be imitators of Christ!
tim
It is not hard to despise human comfort when we have divine comfort. But it is a great thing, yes, very great, to be able to bear the loss both of human and divine comfort; and for the love of God be willing to bear the exile of your heart, and to seek yourself in nothing, nor to look to your own merits.
What great matter is it, if you are cheerful of heart and devout when grace comes to you? That is an hour wherein all rejoice. You ride at ease when you are carried by the grace of God.
And what wonder is it if you feel no burdens when you are carried by the Almighty, and led onwards by the Guide from on high?
2. We are willing to accept anything for comfort, and it is difficult for us to be freed from our self. The Martyr, St. Lawrence overcame the love of the world with guidance from his Prelate, because Laurence rejected everything in the world which seemed to be pleasant; and for the love of Christ he calmly suffered even God's chief priest, Sixtus, whom he dearly loved, to be taken from him.Thus by the love of the Creator he overcame the love of humans, and instead of human comfort Lawrence chose God's good pleasure instead.
You also need to learn to resign close and beloved friends for the love of God. When you have been deserted by a friend, do not take it to heart, knowing that we must all be parted from one another in the end.
3. You must go through a long and great conflict in yourself before you can learn fully to overcome yourself, and to draw your whole affection towards God. When you rely upon yourself, you easily slip away into human comforts. But a true lover of Christ, and a diligent seeker after virtue, does not fall back upon those comforts, nor seek such sweetness as may be tasted and handled, but desires rather difficult exercises, and to undertake severe labors for Christ.
Therefore, when God gives spiritual comfort, receive it with thanksgiving, but know that it is the gift of God, not by your merit.
4. Do not be lifted up, or rejoice too soon, nor foolishly presume, but rather be more humble for the gift, more wary and more careful in all your doings; for this hour will pass away, and temptation will follow.
When comfort is taken from you, do not immediately despair, but wait for the heavenly visitation with humility and patience, for God is able to restore to you greater favor and consolation (Joel 2:25). This is neither new nor strange to those who have experienced the ways of God, for with the great saints and the ancient prophets there was often this manner of change.
5. Hence one said when the favor of God was present with him, “In my abundance I shall never be moved,”(Ps 30:6) but he goes on to say what he felt within himself when the favor departed: “You turned Your face from me, and I was troubled.(Ps 30:8)”
In spite of this, the disciple in no way despairs, but more earnestly entreats God, and says, “Unto You, O Lord, will I cry, and will pray unto my God. (Ps 30:9);”
But where and in what manner? “You have turned my heaviness into joy, You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness (Ps 30:12).” If it was this way with the great saints, we who are poor and needy ought not to despair if we are sometimes in the warmth and sometimes in the cold, for the Spirit comes and goes according to the good pleasure of His will (Jn 3:8)). Wherefore holy Job says, “You observe your servant in the morning, and suddenly You do prove him.”( Job 7:18)
6. At what point then can I hope, or wherein may I trust, save only in the great mercy of God, and the hope of heavenly grace? For whether the good are with me, as godly, faithful friends, whether holy books or beautiful discourses, whether sweet hymns and songs, all these help but little, and have but little savor when I am deserted by God's favor and left to mine own poverty. There is no better remedy, then, than patience and denial of self, and an abiding in the will of God.
7. I have never found anyone so devout and godly that did not at times feel a withdrawal of divine favor, or feel a lack of fervor. No saint was ever so filled with rapture, so enlightened, who did not sooner or later suffer temptation. For such a person is not worthy of the great vision of God, who, for God's sake, has not been exercised by some temptation. For temptation tends to precede such as a sign of the comfort which shall follow, and heavenly comfort is promised to those who are proved by temptation. As it is written, “To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life (Rev 2:7).”
8. Divine consolation is given that you may be stronger in bearing adversities. And temptation follows this, as a means of subduing your pride.
The devil does not sleep; your flesh is not yet dead; therefore, continually ready yourself for this battle, for enemies stand on your right hand and on your left, and they are never at rest.
