Reflection #6
On the Science of the Saints
On the Science of the Saints
There are two kinds of knowledge upon earth, one heavenly, the other worldly. The heavenly is that which teaches us to please God and to become great in Heaven. The worldly is that which moves us to please ourselves and to become great in this world. But this world knowledge is folly and real madness in the sight of God. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." (I Corinthians 3:19). It is folly, for such wisdom makes fools of those who cultivate it. It makes them fools and like the brutes, for it teaches them to gratify their sensual appetites like the brute beasts.
St. John Chrysostom writes: "We call him a man who preserves unimpaired the likeness of man," namely, that which distinguishes him from a brute. "What is that likeness? The gift of reason." From this it follows that as we should say of a brute which always acted according to reason, that it behaved like a man, so on the contrary, we ought to say of a man who acts according to his sensual appetites and in opposition to reason, that he behaves like a brute beast.
But even speaking of human and natural knowledge of earthly things, what do men know of them, however much they have studied? What are we but so many blind moles, who besides the truths which we know by faith, know all the rest only by means of our senses, or by conjecture, so that everything is for us uncertain and liable to error? What writer on such subjects, however applauded by many, has escaped the criticism of others? Bit the evil is that, as St. Paul says, "Knowledge" (that is to say, worldly science) "puffs up," and makes men proud and prone to despise others. (Cf. I Corinthians 8:1). And this is a defect most injurious to the soul, for as St. James says, "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (James 4:6).
"Oh that they would be wise and would understand and would provide for their last end!" (Deuteronomy 32:29). Oh if men would act by reason and the Divine Law--and thus would learn to provide, not so much for a temporal life, which speedily ends, as for eternity--they would certainly not occupy themselves in the attainment of any other knowledge, except such as aids them in obtaining eternal happiness and avoiding eternal torments!
St. John Chrysostom advises us to go to the tombs of the dead in order to learn the science of salvation. Oh what admirable schools of truth are the sepulchers to make us know the vanity of the world! "Let us go to the tombs; there," said the Saint, "there I see nothing but corruption, bones and worms." Among all these skeletons which I see, I cannot tell which belong to the ignorant and which to the learned; I only see that, with death, all the glories of the world were ended for them. What has remained of a Cicero, a Demosthenes, an Ulpian? "They have slept their sleep, and . . . have found nothing in their hands." (Psalms 75:6).
Blessed is he who has received from God the science of the Saints. The science of the Saints is to know how to love God. How many in the world are well-versed in literature, in mathematics, in foreign and ancient languages! But what will all this profit them if they know not how to love God? "Blessed is he," said St. Augustine, "who knows God, even if he knows nothing else." He that knows God and loves Him, though he be ignorant of what others know, is more learned than all the learned who know not how to love God.
"The unlearned arise and seize upon Heaven!" cried out the same Saint. How learned were a St. Francis of Assisi, a St. Pascal, a St. John of God! Ignorant in worldly science, but well-skilled in that which is divine. "Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones." (Matthew 11:25). By the wise, we are here to understand the worldly-wise, who labor for the possessions and glories of the world and make little account of eternal goods. And by little ones, we are to understand simple souls (like children), who know little of worldly wisdom, but devote all their care to pleasing God.
Oh, let us not then envy those who know many things; let us only envy those who know how to love Jesus Christ; and let us imitate St. Paul, who desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; for he says: "I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (I Corinthians 2:2). Happy are we if we attain to the knowledge of the love which Jesus crucified has borne us and from this book of divine love learn to love Him!
O my True and Perfect Lover, where shall I find one who has loved me as much as Thou hast loved me? In the past I have lost my time in learning many things which have profited my soul nothing; and I have thought little of knowing how to love Thee. I see that my life has been lost. I hear Thee calling me to Thy love; behold me here; I leave all; from this day forth, my one, only thought shall be to please Thee, my Supreme Good. I give myself wholly to Thee; do Thou accept me; give me help to be faithful to Thee; I resolve to be no longer my own, but all, all Thine.
O Mother of God, do thou also succor me by thy prayers.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
St. John Chrysostom writes: "We call him a man who preserves unimpaired the likeness of man," namely, that which distinguishes him from a brute. "What is that likeness? The gift of reason." From this it follows that as we should say of a brute which always acted according to reason, that it behaved like a man, so on the contrary, we ought to say of a man who acts according to his sensual appetites and in opposition to reason, that he behaves like a brute beast.
But even speaking of human and natural knowledge of earthly things, what do men know of them, however much they have studied? What are we but so many blind moles, who besides the truths which we know by faith, know all the rest only by means of our senses, or by conjecture, so that everything is for us uncertain and liable to error? What writer on such subjects, however applauded by many, has escaped the criticism of others? Bit the evil is that, as St. Paul says, "Knowledge" (that is to say, worldly science) "puffs up," and makes men proud and prone to despise others. (Cf. I Corinthians 8:1). And this is a defect most injurious to the soul, for as St. James says, "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (James 4:6).
"Oh that they would be wise and would understand and would provide for their last end!" (Deuteronomy 32:29). Oh if men would act by reason and the Divine Law--and thus would learn to provide, not so much for a temporal life, which speedily ends, as for eternity--they would certainly not occupy themselves in the attainment of any other knowledge, except such as aids them in obtaining eternal happiness and avoiding eternal torments!
St. John Chrysostom advises us to go to the tombs of the dead in order to learn the science of salvation. Oh what admirable schools of truth are the sepulchers to make us know the vanity of the world! "Let us go to the tombs; there," said the Saint, "there I see nothing but corruption, bones and worms." Among all these skeletons which I see, I cannot tell which belong to the ignorant and which to the learned; I only see that, with death, all the glories of the world were ended for them. What has remained of a Cicero, a Demosthenes, an Ulpian? "They have slept their sleep, and . . . have found nothing in their hands." (Psalms 75:6).
Blessed is he who has received from God the science of the Saints. The science of the Saints is to know how to love God. How many in the world are well-versed in literature, in mathematics, in foreign and ancient languages! But what will all this profit them if they know not how to love God? "Blessed is he," said St. Augustine, "who knows God, even if he knows nothing else." He that knows God and loves Him, though he be ignorant of what others know, is more learned than all the learned who know not how to love God.
"The unlearned arise and seize upon Heaven!" cried out the same Saint. How learned were a St. Francis of Assisi, a St. Pascal, a St. John of God! Ignorant in worldly science, but well-skilled in that which is divine. "Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones." (Matthew 11:25). By the wise, we are here to understand the worldly-wise, who labor for the possessions and glories of the world and make little account of eternal goods. And by little ones, we are to understand simple souls (like children), who know little of worldly wisdom, but devote all their care to pleasing God.
Oh, let us not then envy those who know many things; let us only envy those who know how to love Jesus Christ; and let us imitate St. Paul, who desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; for he says: "I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (I Corinthians 2:2). Happy are we if we attain to the knowledge of the love which Jesus crucified has borne us and from this book of divine love learn to love Him!
O my True and Perfect Lover, where shall I find one who has loved me as much as Thou hast loved me? In the past I have lost my time in learning many things which have profited my soul nothing; and I have thought little of knowing how to love Thee. I see that my life has been lost. I hear Thee calling me to Thy love; behold me here; I leave all; from this day forth, my one, only thought shall be to please Thee, my Supreme Good. I give myself wholly to Thee; do Thou accept me; give me help to be faithful to Thee; I resolve to be no longer my own, but all, all Thine.
O Mother of God, do thou also succor me by thy prayers.
[Excepted from 'Devout Reflections and Meditations' by St. Alphonsus Liguori] (Public domain)
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