The truths of salvation ...

Front matter

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Preface

There are few who reap permanent fruit from a retreat. The cause is twofold. First, during this time they do not enter seriously into a thorough consideration of the eternal truths. These truths being only superficially reflected on, exert, consequently, but little influence upon their lives. Secondly, they do not fully examine the state of their souls, and therefore not knowing their defects leave them uncorrected. Self-knowledge is the first step to amendment of life. Father Lallemant, in " The Spiritual Doctrine," says: "The heart recoils from nothing so much as this search and scrutiny which make it see and feel its own miseries. All the powers of our soul are disordered beyond measure, and this we do not wish to know, because the knowledge is humiliating to us. Our soul does not enter into itself except with pain, seeing nothing but sins, miseries, and confusion. So that, to avoid this distressing and humiliating sight, it hurries instantly out again, and goes to seek its consolation in creatures, unless we keep it carefully to its duty." In the " Lives of the Saints/' the Rev. Dr. Alban Butler remarks: "A true penitent must apply himself to the difficult work of self-examination in order to discover every latent inordinate affection or passion. Sin must be pursued home to its roots, and the evil tendencies of the soul dislodged thence, otherwise all will be to no purpose. By earnest prayer, mortification, alms, and holy meditation, penitential sorrow must be improved till it has forced its way into the innermost recesses of the soul, shaken all the powers of sin, and formed the new man, so little understood among Christians, though it is the very essence of a Christian life."

The present little work is offered to those who earnestly desire to consider the truths of salvation and to acquire self-knowledge. They must, however, bear in mind, that the thorough consideration of divine things and of themselves must be their own work and not that of others. It rests with themselves to elicit particular resolutions and affections. St. Ignatius says: "Should one happen to discover, whether through his own reasoning or through a light from heaven, anything which helps, in the least degree, to throw light on the subject, he derives from this a far more pleasant relish and much richer fruit than from the fuller statement and explanation of another. For it is not the quantity of knowledge, but the internal perception and relish of the objects of knowledge which satisfy the desires of the soul."

But some are unaccustomed to meditate; others are incapable, from weakness or indisposition, of mental application: both classes will be aided by this little work. They should read, however, the meditations and self-examinations very slowly so as to be able to evolve from their own minds the affections they see suggested therein. Those who wish to use with advantage " The Truths of Salvation" must peruse them often after the retreat, till they have so far imbibed them that their lives may be modelled thereon.

The success of a retreat must be attributed to grace more than to our own efforts: "Thou wilt never attain to this unless thou be prevented and drawn by His grace, that so thou mayest be united to Him alone, when thou hast cast out and dismissed all others." (Following of Christ, i. 8. 5.)

If we would become fit instruments in the hands of God, we could perform wonders. This retreat, though limited to eight days, contains the four weeks of the spiritual exercises in an abridged form. To have a full knowledge of these four weeks, let us hear the words of his Eminence, Cardinal Wiseman:

"The reader will observe that the Exercises are divided into four weeks; and each of these has a specific object to advance the exercitant an additional step towards perfect virtue. If the work of each week be thoroughly done, this is actually accomplished.

" The first week has for its aim the cleansing of the conscience from past sin and of the affections from their future dangers. For this purpose, the soul is made to convince itself deeply of the true end of its being — to serve God and be saved; and of the real worth of all else. This consideration has been justly called by St. Ignatius, the principle or foundation of the entire system.

" No limits are put to the time that may be spent upon this subject; it ought not to be left till the mind is made up that nothing is worth aiming at but God and salvation, and that to all other things we must be indifferent. They are but instruments or hindrances in the acquisition of these, and accordingly they must be treated. It is clear that the person, who has brought himself to this state of mind, has fully prepared himself for submitting to whatever he may be required to do by God for attaining his end.

" Upon this groundwork is raised the duty of the first week. Considerations of the punishment of sin which lead us gradually to an abhorrence of it in itself, make the sinner sift and thoroughly unburden his conscience. The fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, is thus the first agent in the great work of change; a change not prospective or mental, but real. Sin is abandoned, hated, loathed.

"At the conclusion of the painful task, the soul finds itself prostrate and full of anxieties. The past is remedied; but what is to be done for the future ? A rule to guide us, an example to encourage us, high motives to animate us, are now wanting; and the three following weeks secure us these.

"In the second, the life of Christ is made our model. By a series of contemplations of it we become familiar with His virtues, enamored of His perfections; we learn, by copying Him, to be obedient to God and man, meek, humble, affectionate, zealous, charitable, forgiving; men of only one wish and one thought — that of doing ever God's holy will alone, discreet, devout, observant of every law, scrupulous performers of every duty. Every meditation on these subjects shows us how to do all this — in fact, makes us really do it.

" Still, up to this point we have been dealt with kindly, as the Apostles were treated by their good Master. He told them not of these things — that is, of His sufferings — at first, lest sorrow should fill their hearts (John xvi. 5, 6). The milk of consolation and encouragement rnust precede the strong food of patience and conformity. The third week brings us to this. Having desired and tried to be like Christ in action, we are brought to wish and endeavor to be like unto Him in suffering. For this purpose His sacred Passion becomes the engrossing subject of the Exercises. The soul which has been brought near Him in admiration now clings to Him in loving sympathy— nay, finds her admiration redoubled at His divine bearing in sorrow, ignominy, and pain. Having already made up her mind to be like Him in all things, she is not now to be scared from resemblance by the bitterness of suffering or disgrace. On the contrary, she wishes to suffer for Him, for the very love's sake, which made Him so suffer. Every meditation on the Passion strengthens, deepens, matures this feeling, and renders it a new power and affection of the soul. She has become a martyr in resolution and desire; she would go forth from this holy work of meditation to the realization of her earnest desire to suffer with Jesus. She is prepared for mortifications, for tribulations, persecutions, for death, for anything whereby she may be likened to her Lord and God.

" But she must be convinced and feel that if she suffers, she shall also be glorified with Him; and hence the fourth and concluding week raises the soul to the consideration of those glories which crowned the humiliations and sufferings of our Lord. As throughout He is represented to us in His blessed Humanity as being our model, so here are our thoughts directed to Him, triumphant over death, but still conversing among men — those now who love Him, that so our love may be likewise with Him, in holy conversation and familiar intercourse, and so He may draw up our hearts with Him when He ascends to His Father; and there they may ever abide where our treasure is. Thus have we been gradually raised from fear to love, which henceforward is the ' informing principle' (to borrow a phrase from the Schools) of our lives and being.

" It is clear that if these various principles and feelings have been really infused into us, if they have been worked into our hearts, so as to form a part of their real practical influences, we shall come from the Exercises, duly performed, completely changed, and fitted for our future course. Many indeed have experienced this. They have entered the place appointed for them, like a vessel shattered by the storms, bruised, and crippled, and useless; they have come forth with every breach repaired, every disfigurement removed; and what is of more importance, furnished with rudder and compass, sails and anchor, all that can direct and guide, impel and secure them. What wonder if their songs of gratitude and joy resound along the main?

" It will be seen that the Weeks of the Exercises do not mean necessarily a period of seven days. The original duration of their performance was certainly a month; but, even so, more or less time was allotted to each week's work, according to the discretion of the Director. Now, except in very particular circumstances, the entire period is abridged to ten days; sometimes it is still further reduced. But even so the form and distribution of the Exercises must be strictly kept, and no anticipations or inversions must be permitted. It is impossible to make the slightest change in this respect without injury.

"What has been said will perhaps explain, though inadequately, the wonderful power and efficacy of the i Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius ' in thoroughly reforming the soul, and bringing it from sin to steady virtue. But the grand secret maybe said to consist in two points:

" First, the entire work is performed by principles, not by emotions which pass away. Conviction of the truth and reality of all that is inculcated is aimed at and secured; reason is enlisted on the side of conscience, and whatever use is made of the feelings in the course of the Exercises, is but as scaffolding to assist in the erection of a solid structure of virtue, which will stand and weather the storm after it has been removed.

" Secondly, the mind is made to act throughout, and to work out its own resolutions. Nothing is imposed on us by others, either through persuasion or by authority; we are made to think, to conclude, to determine, and to act by a process essentially our own, so that there is no escape, and no danger from the reaction of self-love. No influence has been used, further than to guide rightly the exercise of our own powers; and even that direction has been given to us with our eyes open, and under the full conviction that we cannot shrink from a single step without going against reason and conscience. ,,

Father Joseph Pergmayr, the author of " The Truths of Salvation," was born in Bavaria in 1713; in 1733 he entered the Society of Jesus. This holy man preached during many years at Munich, and guided several religious communities in the path of perfection. Being palsied in his hands he was obliged to use them both in order to write legibly; he was the author of various pious works full of the unction of the Holy Ghost. He died a holy death at Munich on the 23d of March, 1765. The "Truths of Salvation"

will be found very useful to all Religious, but lay-persons desirous of laboring at their salvation will not find them less profitable.

May this little work contribute to the greater glory of God and to the salvation and perfection of souls!

In your charity pray for the

Translator.