Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/360

 hatred to  God  and  to  men,  and  even  to   those  who  for their own  amusement   applaud  and  encourage  his  slanderous language. Even  they  shall  shun   him;  because they justly   fear   that  as   in   their  presence   he  has  detracted others,   so   before  others  he  will   slander  them. St. Jerome  says   that  some  who  have  renounced  other vices cannot   abstain  from  detraction. "They who  have abandoned  other  sins   continue  to  fall  into  the  sin  of  detraction." Would   to   God    that  even  in  the  cloister there were  not  to  be  found  religious  whose  tongues  are so sharp   that  they  cannot  speak  without  wounding  the character of  a  neighbor! Such persons  should  be  banished from  all  monasteries,  or  should  at  least  be  separated from   the  society  of  their  sisters. For they  disturb the  recollection,  silence,  devotion,  and  peace  of  the whole Community. In a  word,  they  are  the  ruin  of  religious houses. God grant  that  such  uncharitable  nuns may not  meet  the  fate  of  a  certain  slanderer,  who,  according to  Thomas  Cantipratensis,  died  in  a  fit  of  rage, and in  the  act  of  lacerating  his  tongue  with  his  teeth. St. Bernard   speaks  of  another  slanderer  who  attempted to defame  the  character  of  St. Malachy; his  tongue  instantly swelled  and  became  filled  with  worms. In this miserable state  the  unhappy  man  died  after  seven  days. But  how  dear   to   God   and    to  men   is   the   nun  who speaks well  of  all! St. Mary  Magdalene  de  Pazzi  used  to say,  that   if   she   knew  any  one   who   had    never  in    his whole life   spoken  ill  of  a  neighbor,  she  would  have  him canonized. Be careful  never  to  utter  a  word  that  savors of detraction;   be  particularly  careful   to  avoid  all  uncharitableness  towards    your  sisters    in    religion. But, above all,  be  on  your  guard  against  every  expression