REFLECTIONS

"How to Be Pure Within”

Oh what need of a pure and humble mind has he who dedicates himself to be the place where the Holy Spirit works. Surely humility is ready to serve; it keeps far away all the arrogance of pride and it is eager to please the Holy Spirit through pureness of life. Since pride is the source of every sin and, on the contrary, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:10; Prv 1:7), a wise humility carefully sees to it that this remedy confronts that evil. Therefore a humble fear, since it opposes the movements of lofty pride, does not allow the soul to be befouled by sin. He who is without fear will not be justified, because when access to the heart is overlooked, pride is not kept away from the innermost parts of the soul.

The virtue of humility expels the heart's pride through the spirit of fear and equally wears down the arrogance of the flesh by the remedy of a holy temperance. Humility is indeed the friend of the Holy Spirit and always prepares for him a spotless dwelling place, but an impure heart does not hesitate to offend him. Upon whom, says the Lord, shall my spirit rest, but on one who is humble and peaceable and who fears my words (cf. Is 66:2)? Surely where there is humility there is peace, there is fear and reverence for the commandments.

Humility shows you, man, what you are, what you have been, and what you will be hereafter .... Why are you haughty, dust and ashes (Sir 10:9)? Why do you forget your own condition? Why do you not rather constantly remember that soon you will die? Why do you fix your gaze upon a world which is passing and which as it shakes and crashes constantly threatens its lovers with collapse? Deceitful indeed is its grace and worthless its beauty, for not only do these not bring a long-lived joy, but they fade quickly away into the torment of everlasting lamentation. The things which are transient are not to be loved, nor are the things which flee away to be embraced. Rather should devotion be given joyfully to those things which remain forever .... We should pant after the light of grace that the day of glory and honor may shine upon us.

Father Adam of Perseigne 
Father Adam of Perseigne ( ┼ c.1221) was an abbot in a monastery in France and a counselor to nuns, priests, and kings.