SUGGESTIONS FOR AN INTERIOR LIFE AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

(from Constitutiones Clericorum Regularium Congregationis Somaschae, 1626, 1.II. c.1, nn. 353-380)

Reasons of the Proposed Suggestions.

353. All of us who has joined the militia of the Somascan Congregation, from the very beginning have set for ourselves this goal: to uproot the shortcomings which disfigure and deface one's soul; to avoid the occasions of sin which in the world present themselves numerous at every step; and to ascend together to the apex of perfection by going along the way of virtues. We must keep this end before our spirit in such a way that we will never take away our interior eyes from it. In this way, full of solicitude to obtain it, with joy we will welcome what is offered as a valid aid in our Constitutions. Therefore, here are the main suggestions for the development of an interior life.   Those who are eager for spiritual progress will welcome them as commands of the Lord and will observe them diligently.

Returning Love with Love

354. We are to think that the Lord has called us from the land of Egypt, that is the world, to a land that exudes milk and honey, that is the Congregation, to be a holy nation, a chosen and favored people, among which He is delighted to dwell. Therefore, without delay we are to let us do away with what may displease His eyes. We are to return love and, by loving God, we are to consider all the rest as nothing.

The Glory of God, Our Salvation and Our Brothers'

355. In everything we think, we say or do, either in private or in public, even in the smallest things, we are always to take sight of the glory of God and the spiritual usefulness of both our neighbor and ourselves.

Life in the Presence of God

356. As there is no moment in which we do not enjoy the goodness and mercy of God, there should be no moment in which with our interior sight we do not see Him present as a witness and a judge of our deeds, words and thoughts. Nothing is, in fact, more effective than this commendable memory of the divine presence if we want to avoid evil and reach perfection.

Joyful Acceptance of Trials in Communion with Christ's Suffering

357. Trials of every nature, degree and origin, even the obstacles which seem to slow down our spiritual progress, except sin, are to be welcomed with serenity as from the hand of God, Father of great goodness. To Him we are to offer all of them in unity with the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, to His glory and praise.

Tepidity

358. Tepidity must be immediately and totally uprooted from the soul, otherwise, as tuberculosis, it will debilitate every strength and energy of the spirit.

Trust in God, Father of Infinite Love

359. When we face serious difficulties which may lead us away from service to God and from search for perfection, when the fear for the sins committed and the severity of the just judge compel us to mistrust, we are to confidently take refuge in God and think of Him as Father of great love. May the certainty that those who hope in the Lord never are disappointed support us. On the contrary, as St. Bernard maintains as our consolation, nothing makes the power of the Word brighter than the fact that He makes powerful those who hope in Him. In this way, they are able to obtain everything they wish and ask in prayer.

Avoid Evil and Do Good

360. We are to avoid what we blame in others or what we heard others blame. On the contrary, we are to imitate and attain what is worthy of praise.

Love for the Congregation, as for Our Mother

361. We are to consider our Congregation as a mother. We are to love her and, as far as it is in our power, we are to do our best so that everybody may appreciate her. We are, however, to eliminate any exclusive feelings.

The Fervor of Our First Conversion

362. The habits we have brought from the world into religious life must be completely uprooted with zeal, with the help of our superiors and spiritual directors. We are, then, to do our best so that, with time, our initial fervor may not grow weak. In the beginning of our conversion, it used to inflame us to serve God in sanctity and justice.

Monthly Exercise of One Virtue

363. At the beginning of every month, everyone is to choose a virtue in which he will train himself for all the month. In the same time, he is to wage a particular war against the vice opposed to that same virtue. Everyone is to choose by lot one of the Saints celebrated in the month as his patron, to recite every day an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" in his/her honor, and to ask that by his/her intercession he may obtain from God the help necessary to conquer that virtue and uproot that vice.

Attention to Even the Small Shortcomings

364. Nobody is to overlook the seemingly small evils of the soul or petty shortcomings, since a small sparkle often can cause a big fire.

Freedom from Disorderly Loves and Fellowship of the Crucified Lord

365. If love for parents, relatives, friends, goods and similar things we have given up to follow naked the naked Crucified, takes up all our soul and owns it, we will be judged unworthy of the vision of Christ and, therefore, of the Kingdom of Heavens.

Love for Every Person and Place

366. For the servant of Christ every country is his homeland, or better, the whole world is exile and his homeland is only the heavenly Jerusalem for which he longs. Therefore, for us there should not be difference of places and peoples. Since we have one Father, who is God, one mother, who is the Congregation, a one homeland, that is paradise, we are to embrace with equal benevolence and love every person and place, and we are to prefer to live in those places and with those people where we find more frequent and greater opportunities to give up our will.

Trials as Opportunity to Imitate Christ Carrying the Cross

367. During temptations, by which the consecrated to the service of the Lord must be tested in some ways and even hardly, we need to avoid and carefully anticipate the soul's weakness and frailty, the excessive fear, sadness without reason, the scruples of conscience which slow down our interior freedom and spiritual growth. On the contrary, we must recall the great reward promised to those who fight the good fight, and imitate Him who endured the weight of the cross in order to reach the promised joy. It will be very useful to completely open up to one's superior or spiritual director with confidence, and live according their advice.

Spiritual Reading as Nourishment of the Soul

368. Every day our religious are to imprint in their mind a passage of a spiritual book until they would read it entirely, and they are to do their best to learn from it for their interior progress.

Trust Only in God, Source of Our Peace

369. Our interior peace must not depend on the words and judgments of men, but on the witness of our conscience and the trust we have to put in God, either in adversity or in prosperity.

Custody of Tongue to Preserve Peace

370. If out of our weakness and fragility we feel provoked by one of our brothers to impatience and indignation, and if we want not to disturb peace, we are to guard our tongue diligently, so that we may let not escape words dictated by an upset and embittered state, which we will regret once we settle down. We are to remember that we are blessed when we endure offenses and insults for the love of Jesus Christ.

Imitation of Jesus Christ's Humility and Meekness

371. Nobody on this earth is happier than a truly humble religious. By considering himself and the earthly goods as nothing, he rejoices when ridiculed, he is joyful when put down, he takes responsibility when reprehended, he forgives right away when offended. Therefore, everyone is to make an effort to imitate Jesus Christ's humility and meekness, and to prefer to be the last in the house of the Lord, busy in the humblest duties, to obey rather than to give orders, to be taught rather than to teach, considered meaningless rather than humble. In this way, he will enjoy tranquil life in this world and full joy in the future one.

Pleasing God Only

372. Happy only because of the love and kindness of God, we are not to look for being loved by men, except the good ones, because God does not like those who long to please men.

Abstaining from Judgment

373. We will be easily upset, suspicious, prone to anger, and forgetful of ourselves if we want to pry around others' words and business. Therefore, if we are not urged by our ministry or charity, when it is a matter of others' shortcomings, we are to be silent or prudently stop talking, and to redirect our conversation to more useful topics.

Sorrow for the Sins of Others rather than Ill Thinking

374. We are to carefully avoid to pass rash judgments, not to easily consent with the suspicion that worms into our souls, and we are not to right away think that there are not virtuous people where we see many live wrongly. We are to feel sorrow for the sins of others. With insistent prayers we are to ask God their conversion and never despair of the true conversion and penance of any sinner.

Being Good to All

375. All of us, especially our Superiors, are to show on their faces modesty and religious serenity rather than austere seriousness. We are to be good to all, not to refuse anyone the marks of charity, not to envy anyone, to do good, especially to those who have offended us, and to use a greater meekness and benevolence especially with them.

Incomparable Worthiness of the Human Person

376. In order to love our neighbor in deeds and truth, as it is our duty, and in order to help him/her to progress in the service of God according to our vocation, we must not consider in man the exterior poverty but the incomparable nobility and beauty of soul, that the Son of God loved so much that He became flesh for it, till death on a cross. In this way, we will feel pain if we see it disfigured by sins and shortcomings, we will rejoice if it progresses in the way of salvation, and we will take advantage of any opportunity to be helpful.

Only in God Our Joy

377. We are not to look for consolation and comfort in the exterior things, but only in God and divine things.

Endeavor in Meditation

378. We surely will reach perfection of virtue with great joy and happiness if, besides the morning and evening meditations in common, we add another half-hour privately.

Avoiding Excessive Effort in Spiritual Endeavor

379. We are to avoid that spirit and mind be overexerted in the exercises of the interior life, so that we may persevere in God's service sound in mind and body, as well as intact in spirit.

Service to the Neighbor in Order to Please God