Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/91

 It will  be  particularly  useful  to  read  the  Lives  of  those who, after  being  great  sinners,  became  eminent  saints; such as  the  Lives  of  St. Mary Magdalene,  St.  Augustine, St. Pelagia, St. Mary of  Egypt,  and  especially  of  St. Margaret  of  Cortona,  who  was  for  many  years  in  a  state of damnation,  but  even  then  cherished  a  desire  of  sanctity; and  who,  after  her  conversion,  flew  to  perfection with such  rapidity,  that  she  merited  to  learn  by  revelation, even  in  this  life,  not  only  that  she  was  predestined to glory,  but  also  that  a  place  was  prepared  for  her among the  seraphim.

St. Teresa  says  that  the  devil  seeks  to  persuade  us that  it  would  be  pride  in  us  to  desire  a  high  degree  of perfection,  or  to  wish  to  imitate  the  saints. She adds, that it  is  a  great  delusion  to  regard  strong  desires  of sanctity  as  the  offspring  of  pride;  for  it  is  not  pride  in  a soul  diffident  of  herself  and  trusting  only  in  the  power  of God,  to  resolve  to  walk  courageously  in  the  way  of  perfection, saying  with  the  Apostle:  I  can  do  all  things  in  him who  strengthened  me.  Of  myself  I  can  do  nothing;  but, by his  aid  I  shall  be  able  to  do  all  things,  and  therefore I resolve,  with  his  grace,  to  desire  to  love  him  as  the saints have  loved  him.

It is  very  profitable  frequently  to  aspire  after  the  most exalted virtue,  and  to  desire  it;  such  as  to  love  God more than  all  the  saints;  to  suffer  for  the  love  of  him more than  all  the  martyrs;  to  bear  and  to  pardon  all injuries; to  embrace  every  sort  of  fatigue  and  suffering, for the  sake  of  saving  a  single  soul;  and  to  perform similar acts  of  perfect  charity. Because these  holy aspirations and  desires,  though  their  object  shall  never be attained,  are,  in  the  first  place,  very  meritorious  in the  sight  of  God,  who  glories  in  men  of  good  will,  as he  abominates  a  perverse  heart  and  evil  inclinations. Secondly, because  the  habit  of  aspiring  to  heroic  sanc-