Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/73

 St. Bernard declares, that at first  when  he  entered  into religion, the very sight of some religious who were  full  of  zeal and charity, nay,  even  the  remembrance  of  them  when  they were absent  or  dead,  imparted  so  much  comfort  and  joy  to  him, and so  deeply  impressed  him  with  sentiments  of  tenderness  for God, that  oftentimes  tears  fell  from  his  eyes  in  great  abundance. " The  memory  of  Josias,"  says  holy  Scripture,  "  is like  the  composition  of  a  sweet  smell  made  by  the  art  of  a  perfumer." (Ecclus. xiix.  1.)  Such  were  the  good  religious  of whom  St.  Bernard  speaks,  and  such  ought  we  endeavour  to become,  according  to  the  words  of  the  apostle:  "  We  are  the good  odour  of  Jesus  Christ." (2 Cor.ii.  15  )  Let  us  then  be  in effect  like  unto  a  box  of  perfumes,  which  freely  communicates its odour,  and  delights  and  fortifies  all  who  touch  it. Above all, let us  be  exceedingly  careful  never  to  give  occasion  of  scandal, or bad  example  to  any  of  our  brethren. A religious  of  an  exemplary life  does  a  great  deal  of  good  in  a  community. He may edify the  rest  and  induce  them  to  copy  his  virtues. But a  bad religious is  the  author  of  incalculable  mischief;  he  alone  is capable  of  destroying  an  entire  community,  and  will  the  more easily plunge  it  into  disorder,  because  our  inclinations  being much more  prone  to  vice  than  to  virtue,  example  urges  us  more forcibly to  evil,  than  to  good.

We read  in  Deuteronomy,  that  when  the  people  of  Israel  were drawn up  in  order  of  battle,  Almighty  God  commanded  the captains to  have  it  proclaimed  throughout  the  whole  army,  "  that whosoever  was  fearful  or  faint-hearted  should  depart  and  return home,  lest  he  make  the  heart  of  his  brethren  to  fear  as  he  himself was  possessed  of  fear." (Deu. xx.  8.)  The  example  of  a  tepid and slothful  religious  produces  similar  bad  effects  in  religion. He communicates  his  negligence  to  the  rest,  and  renders  them feeble in  all  their  efforts  to  attain  perfection. It is  therefore very  justly  remarked  by  Eusebius,  6i  that  whoever  has  chosen to live  in  a  community  either  does  good  to  a  great  many  by sanctity,  or  injures  them  by  his  laxity  of  manners."

To those  already  mentioned,  we  can  add  a  third  means  which is very  conducive  to  our  spiritual  advancement. This is  the obligation we  lie  under  of  giving  good  example  not  only  to  our brethren with  whom  we  daily  converse,  but  likewise  to  ail others in  general,  lest  through  the  scandal  given  by  an  individual