Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/27

 vancement, our  chief  business,  and  to  apply  ourselves  to  all  our other affairs,  even  to  those  which  regard  the  edification  of  our neighbour, with  the  same  spirit  as  these  holy  Fathers  did  to making  their  baskets,  that  is,  without  weakening,  in  the  slightest degree,  our  obligations  of  working  out  our  salvation  and aspiring to  perfection. We must  then  proceed  upon  this  ground, and hold  it  an  infallible  maxim,  that  the  spiritual  exercises  conducive to  our  advancement  in  piety  must  ever  be  preferred  to all  other  things,  and  that  none  of  these  duties  must  ever  do omitted  or  neglected  on  any  account  whatever. For it  is  that which maintains  us  and  advances  us  in  virtue:  and  if  we  are once negligent  therein,  we  shall  soon  feel  our  neglect  prejudicial to us. We have  but  too  often  experienced,  that  the  derangement of  our  interior  proceeds  from  our  growing  cold  in  spiritual exercises. "My heart  is  withered  within  me,"  says  the Psalmist, "  because  I  have  forgotten  to  eat  my  bread." (Ps. ci. 5.)    If  the  food  of  our  souls  is  wanting,,  it  is  certain,  we shall  become  very  feeble  and  languishing. St. Ignatius earnestly recommends  this  point,  and  often  insists  upon  it. " The study,"  says  he,  in  one  place,  "  of  novices  and  of  all  others ought  to  be  that  of  self-denial,  and  of  the  most  proper  means  of advancing  in  virtue  and  perfection." (III. p.  1.  §  28.  and  R. 1 2.  Sum.  Const.  &amp;c.)   And  in  another  place  he  says,  "Let  all devote  sufficient  time  to  their  spiritual  exercises,  and  endeavour to  advance  daily  in  virtue,  according  to  the  measure  of grace  God  has  given  them." And elsewhere  he  adds,  "Let every  one  be  as  exact  as  possible  in  spending  well  the  time  allotted for  prayer,  meditation,  and  spiritual  reading." And these words, "as  exact  as  possible,"  deserve,  no  doubt,  particular attention.

Here we  can  readily  perceive,  that  in  whatever  business  we are  engaged,  whether  in  discharging  the  duties  of  the  trust  reposed in  us,  or  in  obeying  our  superiors,  it  is  by  no  means  their intention, that,  on  this  account,  we  omit  our  usual  spiritual  exercises. For it  cannot  be  the  intention  of  any  superior,  that  we should  fail  in  the  observance  of  our  rules,  and  particularly  of rules  so  important  and  indispensable. Let no  one,  therefore,  attempt to  excuse  the  neglect  of  his  spiritual  exercises,  under  the specious pretext  of  obedience,  alleging,  that  he  could  not  attend to prayer,  the  examination  of  conscience,  or  to  spiritual  reading, because  he  was  obliged  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  obedience. For after  all,  it  is  not  obedience,  but  it  is  our  own  tepidity  and