Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/88

 knowledge of  God,  and  of  his  goodness  and  infinite  majesty,  discovers to  us  the  depth  of  our  own  misery;  and  it  is  by  the beams of  this  divine  light,  that  we  best  perceive  the  many  atoms of our  imperfections,  and  how  much  we  still  want  of  being  perfect But  he  who  is  yet  but  a  beginner  in  the  practice  of  virtue, by not  knowing  how  many  things  are  still  requisite  for  its attainment, is  apt  to  fancy  that  he  is  already,  in  a  very  high degree, become  master  of  it. It many  times  happens  with  a man,  who  has  little  or  no  skill  in  painting,  that  when  he  sees  a picture,  he  presently  admires  it,  and  discovers  no  fault;  but  if an  excellent  painter  happens  to  view1  it,  and  to  consider  it attentively,  he  will  observe  many  defects. The same  occurs  in spiritual  matters. He who  has  not  attained  to  the  art  of  self-knowledge,  cannot  perceive  the  faults  which  lie  concealed  in the  tablet  of  his  own  soul;  whereas  another  man,  who  is  better skilled in  that  art,  would  quickly  discover  them.

Let this,  therefore,  serve  to  augment  in  us  daily  a  desire  of acquiring  the  virtue  still  wanting  to  us;  for,  "  Blessed  are  those who  hunger  and  thirst  after  justice"  (Matt.  v.  6);  that  is  to  say, as St. Jerom explains  it,  such  as  never  think  themselves  perfect enough,  but  always  labour  to  improve  in  virtue. Thus did the Royal  Prophet,  when  he  said  to  Almighty  God:  li  Wash  me still  more  and  more  from  my  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my sin"  (Ps.  1.  4),  as  if  he  would  have  said:  It  is  not  enough,  6 Lord!  that  I  should  be  washed,  an  ordinary  washing  and  cleansing is  not  sufficient  for  me,  "  But  I  beseech  thee  to  wash  me, so as  I  may  become  whiter  than  snow."  (Ib.  1.  9-)  Let  us  cry to  Almighty  God  in  the  same  manner:  "  Wash  me,  O  Lord! still more  and  more."  Give  me  more  humility,  patience  and charity;  more  mortification,  and  a  more  perfect  and  absolute resignation  to  your  holy  will  in  all  things.

St. Austin, explaining  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  "  No  one  is crowned,  but  he  who  lawfully  fights  (2  Tim.  ii.  5),  says,  that  to fight  lawfully,  is  to  fight  with  perseverance  to  the  end,  and  that only  those  who  fight  ill  this  manner  deserve  a  crown.  And upon  this  occasion  he  alleges,  what  St.  Jerom  also  says,  that