St. Alonso as an Author

How St. Alonso, though a lay-Brother of the Society, came to compose works on spiritual matters, has been told in the preceding pages. It is very true that his writings have no pretensions to style, but just for that reason they are the better reflections of his mind, and deserve some place in his biography. There is in them a frankness which is almost homely, an employment of familiar illustrations drawn from the things of daily life, such a total absence of any effort at fine writing, that they claim our credence and confidence. “Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum.” The thought comes warm and living from his heart, all on fire with love of God. He wrote as he spoke; and he spoke as he thought, and as he felt. What was wanting to him of positive education was made up for by his close union with God. He drank at the very fountain-head of all wisdom.

Notwithstanding the constant recurrence of very extraordinary favours, and of revelations from on high, was Alonso in anyway a visionary or a ready believer in the marvellous. On the contrary, he was always in doubt about the marvels which he himself saw and heard. Nor, with all his charity, was he ever too ready to believe such marvels of others. A Father of his Province wrote to ask his opinion about the ecstasies and wondrous gifts of a Beata—a woman who, like the Saint’s sisters, was leading the life of a religious in the world. St. Alonso’s reply was as brief as it was positive. “As to the Beata of whom your Reverence speaks, she will soon be under an illusion, as will be seen by the trouble into which she will fall, if she is not under one at present. God grant us humility!” Some time after, this woman was arrested by the Inquisition. Nor was this the only case in which, under like circumstances, he manifested suspicions which after-events fully justified.¹1Boissieu, p. 558.

Beside his Memorial, of which so much use has been made in these pages²2Preface and passim.—we take his writings in the order in which Father Nonell has published them³3Obras Espir.—our Saint has left us a brief treatise on prayer, with a series of meditations on the Passion, and advice as to the manner of approaching the Sacraments, and of making the Examination of Conscience, both General and Particular. Following these are some most interesting resolutions of the Saint, and a number of suggestions “How to gain great merit.” The first volume concludes with a series of spiritual jottings of over two hundred pages, under the title of “Suggestions of how to follow Christ. For yourself, Alonso!”

The second volume of his published works opens with an explanation of the “Our Father,” and a treatise on “Union with Christ, and how the soul is transformed into Him.” These are followed by five little spiritual essays on various subjects, four sermons and twelve letters of the Saint.

The remainder of this volume, and the whole of the third and last is occupied by a work entitled “The spiritual road to Christian Perfection,” extending to over one thousand pages. It is divided into the three stages of spiritual life, and is an exhaustive and valuable treatise on the subject.⁴4It would be beyond the scope of a biography to do more than give a few extracts from the writings of our Saint; but it is to be hoped that these volumes, so full of beautiful and valuable matter, may soon appear in an English dress.

Perhaps the most practical way to make the writings of St. Alonso subserve the purposes of a biography, will be to select as illustrations some passages on the value of trials and on humility. So constantly did he revert to this last point, so constantly did he preach it, that he might be called the Apostle of Suffering. His whole religious life, especially as he drew nearer to his goal, was so signed by the cross, that what he teaches in his writings, as indeed is the case all through, is only what he had first learned in the school of faithful practice.

It would be necessary to quote the Memorial at length, to give anything like a fair idea of the deep undercurrent of humility, from which all the other virtues of our Saint gained their excellence and merit. Lowliness of heart, or rather an almost savage contempt of himself, a desire to be treated by all according to what he was convinced were his deserts, a thirst to be, like his Lord, “a worm and no man,” is perhaps the most prominent truth in the pages of his works.

St. Alonso calls trials “spiritual nourishment of the soul; mines of gold and silver.” Just as the body is kept alive by food, so the soul is kept alive by the practice of virtues; and this practice is acquired by a number of trials sent us by God, and by earnest interior acts, accepting, and thus profiting by, these trials for the love of God. And just as we should starve in the midst of plenty if we refused to eat, so the soul, if it is to draw profit from trials, must accept them willingly; and then, the more it has, the stronger it grows and the more quickly. “Its food and life then are trials, and affronts, and injuries, contempt and rebukes, and ill-health, and every trial that can come from the Hands of God. But if one endeavours to resist by showing ill-will to those who give him this food, if he pays them back in their own coin, then he cannot live. But if he has strength to swallow this food which comes to him from the Hand of God, then will his soul live by that grace of God which is its life.”⁵5“Spiritual Lessons. How to merit greatly.” Obras Espirit., T. I., p. 478.

Again; “Trials are a gold mine, and the more one works this mine the more gold he gets, and the richer he grows. And the way to work it is to mortify and conquer oneself in the sight of God by interior acts of the heart, speaking with Him, and saying to Him: ‘Lord, my God, dispose of me and of these trials, which I am now suffering, to Thy greater glory, and that I may serve Thee the better.’ Then from the bottom of your heart make acts of the love of these trials, and declare that you wish to bear them for God’s love; and great treasures and wealth will you gather up from this mine, both for soul and body.”⁶6Id., p. 439. The gold fever, which was devouring Spain, at the time of our Saint, owing to the conquest of Peru, gave special point to his illustration. “The possessor of a great gold or silver mine, if he wants to get rich, must set to work at once and get out the precious ore; and in proportion as he labours, so will he grow rich. The way by which a soul is to get rich in virtue and holiness, and the mine whence it is to draw the gold and silver of virtue are the trials, temptations, and troubles which God sends it, provided it labours by prayer and mortification, and fights and conquers itself for God, doing violence to itself under these trials.”⁷7Id., p. 489.

“So great and precious a thing it is to suffer for Christ, that if there had been in the world anything nobler, more precious, or more profitable than tribulation, God would have bestowed it on His Son. And nevertheless to Him, though His only Son, He gave more suffering in this life than he has given to any other creature, or to all joined together. It is clear then, that tribulation is of all things the most noble, the most precious, and most fruitful in merit. More than this. If there had been a man without stain of sin, as Adam was in his state of innocence, and he could exist without bodily food; and if God were to grant to him to communicate with the angels, as He did to Mary Magdalen, he would not by that means gain as much merit as he would acquire by the smallest contradiction endured for the love of God. More than this. If all the Saints in Heaven together, were to intercede for anyone, they could not gain for him as much merit as he would gain by one trial borne with patience for the love of God. By this way of enduring troubles for God, by fighting and conquering oneself, the soul clears out all self and love of self, to make place for Christ in its heart.”

“These trials give us the opportunity of practising virtue. By their means the soul arrives at great holiness and at a close imitation of the Crucified Son of God. Thence arises true peace of soul and a continual prayer. Thence a genuine union of the soul with God, the perpetual presence of God, and purity and stainlessness of soul. Thence humble familiarity with God. Thence perfect charity, the love of God and one’s neighbour. Thence the Seraphim’s crown of glory. Thence great spiritual treasures and riches, which God is wont to bestow in abundance on souls in trials; and favours, and heavenly secrets which God discloses to them—favours such and so great as are known only to God and to the soul which receives them; for such and so great are they that they may be tasted, but not told, for they take place between God and the soul alone. Who shall tell those intimate colloquies, and the affection, the tender embraces which pass between them; and how the soul is so enamoured of its God that no other thought reigns in it but only that of pleasing Him Whom it so values; of despising thoroughly itself and everything in the world; so that, wholly engaged in pleasing God and doing His will, it forgets itself and all earthly and personal matters to keep its heart ever with God, ever seeking His glory, and filled with zeal for the salvation of souls?”

“All these blessings come to the soul by the way of precious tribulation and trouble, if only the soul knows how to turn them to account by bearing them for the love of God. ‘By many tribulations we are to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.’”

“The two persons in the world whom God best loved were Jesus and Mary, and the advantages which they possessed over all creatures on account of their virtue, were, that they suffered more than all. No two persons were ever so tried as they. Let us console ourselves then in sorrow, for the more of it we have, the more like shall we be to Jesus and to His Blessed Mother. Let us console ourselves; for there is no sacrifice more pleasing to God than an afflicted heart, and, upon those whom God most loves and whom he wishes to raise to the highest holiness, He lays the heaviest troubles, that so by inflaming their hearts with love for Him, they may come to obtain greater sanctity and greater crowns of glory.”⁸8Id., pp. 499, seq.

“So precious a thing it is in the eyes of God to suffer for love of Him, that, if it were possible for the angels to be envious of men who suffer trials for God, they would surely be so, such is the value of these trials in His sight. So great and infinite is the beauty of God that it enamours one with such force, that if for an instant He should unveil His face to the very demons who are burning in Hell, they would love him most ardently. For they could not do otherwise, even in the midst of their tortures; and these tortures in fact would become delightful to them. This shows us how much we ought to desire to suffer trials here for God, in order to enjoy for all eternity such great glory.”⁹9Id., p. 501.

In the ardour of his love for sufferings he sings their praises as a soldier chaunts his deeds of war. “Oh, sweetest Jesus, love of my soul, centre of my heart! How is it that I do not desire with stronger desire to endure pains and tortures for love of Thee, when Thou, my God, hast suffered so many for me? O, sufferings! how I hope that you will come to me and make your stay within my heart, for in you do I find my repose; and I will go to the Heart of my Crucified Jesus, there to dwell in It with you. Oh, torments! how is it that you do not come upon me, who await you with open arms, that in you I may rejoice with my Jesus in torture? O, dishonour! why do you forget me, who never forget you, because I love you so much, in order that I may behold myself debased by you, and humbled with Jesus? O, ignominious deaths! why do not you come upon me in thousands, when I desire so much and wish so continually to sacrifice myself to my Jesus? Come, then, every sort of trial in the world, for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus. This is my joy, to follow my Saviour, and to find my consolation with my Consoler on the Cross. This is my pleasure, this my delight, to live with Jesus, to walk with Jesus, to converse with Jesus; to suffer with and for Him, this is my treasure.”

“So let every creature give me pleasure by persecuting me, for this is my pleasure. There is none to have pity upon me who will aid me to find the cross pure and without consolation with my Saviour in desolation, that I may live and die on the cross with Him, and so suffering may end in love of Him, dying for Him. Amen.”¹⁰10Obras Espirit., Tom. II., pp. 149, seq.

As regards humility, St. Alonso has left us, besides the numerous passages on the subject in his Memorial, and two letters entirely on this virtue, a complete treatise of some one hundred and twenty pages, and two chapters on the same in his treatise on the mysteries, or hidden sanctuaries—inner recesses and upper heights—of the virtues.

The treatise on humility is a development of one of the letters just mentioned, which is an admirable summary of his whole teaching on the subject. One can see how thoroughly the holy Brother has understood and made his own the lessons of the Exercises. The necessity of convincing one’s understanding, and the still harder task of bringing our will to carry out its conclusions, are taught by him in his own vivid, earnest way, which shows how he had learned by constant practice the doctrines he inculcates. To learn one’s own nothing, and not to be willing to be treated as we deserve, is, in his language, merely to know the road, yet never to undertake the journey;¹¹11Tom. II., p. 615. it is to have in one’s own head a grand scheme of a house, with its plan and elevation, all the details of its rooms, its offices, its garden, its exterior; as yet a mere air-bubble, to realise which calls for much hard work and toil and expenditure. But still the design must needs be more or less complete before the work can be carried out. All this is admirably put in one of the letters just mentioned, which is worth giving at full length.¹²12Letter to a Novice, March 12th, 1593. Obras Espir., Tom. II., p. 303.

“Take heed,” he says, “that neither this virtue, nor any other, consists in mere talk, or saying high things about humility; for many know a great deal about it, who yet have no humility at all. But it consists in having it deeply planted and fixed in the heart, and that is why our Lord said: ‘Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.’ Thus he gives us to understand that humility, as every virtue, has its dwelling, its throne, in the heart, and not in the tongue. So that it is not to be acquired by saying marvellous things about it, which is easy enough, but by fixing and planting it deep in the heart by blows of the hammer of mortification, by victories over self, and by casting out all pride and high thoughts so completely as to come to relish all contempt and dishonour, a thing which costs us dear.”

“The road,” he goes on to say, “to this self-knowledge is by meditating on various truths, natural and revealed, which shows us what we really are.” These he enumerates as follows:

“First—Our absolute nothing. ‘He who thinks himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, deceives himself,’ Gal. vi., 3. We now are, as far as ourselves are concerned, no more than we were a century back—as incapable of any good now as we were then, if God did not come to our aid. Our soul is nothing, knows nothing, can do nothing, is capable of nothing, is worth nothing.”

“And this shows us clearly that we have our being, not in order to work, or to do anything merely for itself, because God alone is a Being uncreated and self-existing, and who therefore alone can work for Himself. A secondary cause can do nothing save by the first—which is God. ‘All things are made by Him, and without Him there is nothing,’ John i., 3.”

“We learn this clearly in time of temptation, for we find we have not a particle of strength, except what comes from Heaven. When they told St. Francis that he was holy and did holy actions, his answer was: ‘I do nothing that is good;’ for he attributed all good to God, Who gives us even the will to do good, and we are merely the instruments with which God does what He pleases, and without Whom we could do nothing—just as it is the scribe, and not the pen, who writes; but he writes with the pen—for an instrument never does anything by itself, neither can it. So, neither more nor less, can we do anything good, except through God, nor can we bear anything so as to please him, for He is what He is, and we are what we are. And this was why, when Judith cut off the head of Holophernes, she said: ‘God has cut off the head of Holophernes by the hand of a woman.’ St. Paul and St. Catherine of Siena thoroughly realized this our weakness, when tempted; but the Lord gave them strength by speaking to them; and Elias felt it too, when fleeing from Jezebel.”

“The second consideration must be to think before God how wicked the soul has been against a Lord so good as is its Creator, from whom it has received its very being, and favours without number. So that it may know how little it is worth, because of the multitude and gravity of its sins. At the sight of them it should always be filled with a humble fear, despising and detesting itself for its treasons and crimes against its God, Whom it has repaid with such wrongs for favours so great and so grand which it has received from His Divine Majesty.”

“The third consideration is to see how destitute is the soul as if it were not, for it has nothing good in itself, but all is from God. For God alone is good, God alone is holy, and not man, except so far as God gives him to be so.”

Then St. Alonso reminds us of our ignorance so absolute that it knows not whither to go, if God does not instruct it.

The fifth thought—a true master of humility—is the comparison of ourselves with God, as in the second Exercise on sin.

The sixth help is prayer, for this knowledge of self is generally the answer to prayer, asking like St. Augustin, ‘Noverim me, noverim Te,’ and with St. Francis, ‘Who am I, and Who art Thou?’

“And the last, and a most important aid, is when God leads the soul by the road of trials and of these the most searching are temptations, by which He gives the soul great light and experimental knowledge of itself. This it is that gives the finishing touch to humility, confirming it by all that experience and light which leave the soul thoroughly undeceived about itself, and makes it really despise itself.”

“All this is humility of the understanding. But there is also the humility of the heart, solid, firm, and perfect, and which Our Lord recommends to us. The first stops at the mere knowledge; but this goes further and stamps, as with a seal, this virtue in the heart, so that the heart feels a pleasure in all the affronts which it suffers, and a great pain at being esteemed and well treated; for it knows it truly deserves every outrage and affront, and all sorts of persecution.”

And this our Saint expounds at length, in another place.¹³13Camino Espiritual., c. xxi. V. Obras Espirit., Tom. II., p. 664. “In what,” he asks, “does that solid and perfect humility of the heart consist, which Our Lord wishes us to learn from him? I reply, in having a dead heart. For the heart of a dead man, however much he is dishonoured, affronted, despised, outraged and derided, does not feel it, because it is dead. It is not lifted up nor filled with presumption at any honour or reverence which is paid to it. So the servant of God, who reaches, with God’s grace, this state of self denial—that is to say, whose heart is dead, and feels nothing—will ‘be humble of heart.’ If he were a great preacher and converted the whole world to the faith of Christ, and worked all the miracles ever worked by all the Saints, and possessed all the gifts which God gave to them, he would no more be elated by all this than would a corpse; for such a one has arrived at so exalted a degree by God’s aid, that he sees clearly that all these marvellous things are not his own, but God’s. The humble soul, because it humbles itself so much, is exalted by God to the knowledge of itself, and of His Divine love; and this love, like a fire, enlightens the soul and unveils to it the truth, that this love of God and all other good things are in God, while it shows that of itself it has no good at all.”

“This knowledge is a gift of God, but a gift given in return for great efforts on our part, and for great conquests over any inclination to judge others; for it is the Hand of God alone that prevents us from falling, just as that of a mother who holds up her child that it may not tumble, and as long as it is so held up, it can walk, because she helps it; but the moment she ceases to do so, at once it falls to the ground, and cannot walk, for it has not the strength to do so. The mirror of this virtue, the school where we are to learn it, is the life of Our Lord, His sublime and profound humiliation all through life and even in death. And this humiliation was to Him, as it was to Mary, the cause of His sublime exaltation.”

“When a ship has sprung a leak, what they do is to take to the pumps, that it may not be swamped, and to pump out the water; and this is only done by hard work. In order that our soul may not be swamped and lost by pride and presumption, we must take to the pumps, working hard, by self-denial, to cast out pride from our heart, and to plant there (sic) the humility of heart which Christ our Lord wishes us to learn from Him.”