Courage and Humility Defeat Death Isidore said: ‘The one who is faithful to God ought not to trust in God’s own faithfulness: nor should the one who sins against God despair of God’s mercy. In the heart of both are hope and fear side by side: hope of forgiveness which inspires courage, and fear of punishment which rouses humility. ‘It is necessary that the penitent never feel secure with regard to their sin, because such
Fresh for the New Day The life of the body is one of flux and change. The human being cannot exist except in ceaseless motion like the flow of a river. To relax tension we have sleep. When we wake up, the motion starts up again. Neither of the two states lasts very long. But it is thanks to their alternation that we are refreshed. A constant tension would provoke a collapse: a continuing relaxation
A Flood of Alcohol When the ground has been watered enough it produces good grain abundance. If, on the other hand, it is sodden through a flood, it sprouts only thorns and thistles. It is the same with the ground of our soul. If we use wine with frugality, alcohol helps the soul to make what the Holy Spirit has sown in it grow luxuriantly. Instead, a bout of unrestrained drinking makes the ground of
Sister Flesh and Brother Wine Many people eat plenty and grow fat on it. Others abstain from some kinds of food in order to practice asceticism, and condemn those who eat. Put shortly, they have only hazy ideas why they should eat or why they should abstain. We, on the other hand, when we fast, give up wine and meat, not because we detest them, as though using them were a crime, but because we
The Stomach’s Hypocrisy I doubt if anyone will achieve freedom from gluttony this side of the grave. Gluttony is the hypocrisy of the stomach which complains of being empty when it is well fed, and bellows that it is hungry when it is full almost to bursting. If a person swallows too much food, he is inviting impure thoughts. If he mortifies the stomach, he is creating pure thoughts. Often a lion if it is
The Right Use of Doctors Medicine is a gift from God even if some people do not make the right use of it. Granted, it would be stupid to put all hope of a cure in the hands of doctors, yet there are people who stubbornly refuse their help altogether. Not infrequently, illness is an opportunity to correct one’s faults. Their correction, though, is an image and symbol of the improvements due to the soul.
Sport is Good for You But Digging is Better Physical exercise is good for the health. But not only that: while it stimulates the desire to care for bodily vigour, it stimulates the same desire for vigour of soul. Exercise is extremely useful therefore, assuming it does not distract us from more important activities. Some enjoy wrestling, others like to play ball in the sunshine. For some it is enough to go for a walk
Our Mind is like a Flute The Creator has bestowed divine beauty on us by adding, to his own image in us, the likeness of the qualities he himself possesses. This beauty brings with it other benefits with which God has generously enriched our human nature. For instance we ought to consider our minds as far more than a gift. They are a way of sharing the mind of God. But the mind by itself,
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