One Hundred and Seventy-Second Subject. Causes of Lukewarmness

Brother Philippe, Subjects for Particular Examen, 1870, pp. 273–275

I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered, because I forgot to eat my bread.—Ps. ci. 5.
To deprive our body of the nourishment of which it has need; to neglect to procure for it the food necessary to sustain it; to refuse it suitable remedies when it experiences sickness, is assuredly to expose it to fall into weakness, exhaustion, and even death. Our soul, in like manner, is subject to a continual waste; she has need, then, of nourishment to sustain her strength; she is subject to a thousand infirmities, she has need of remedies, of precautions, to preserve her health and her life.
This nourishment, necessary to the soul, and which she cannot dispense with, is, in the first place, the good use of the sacraments, next, vocal prayer, meditation, to assist at the Holy Mass, examination, and the exercises of piety prescribed by the rules. The precautions which we ought to take are vigilance over the senses, silence, modesty in looks, the presence of God, and submission to the advice given to us. The remedies of which the soul has need are: the manifestation of conscience, confessions well made, holy communion received with fervor, etc. If deprived of these succors, of these cares, of these remedies, the soul will before long become weak, relaxed, and fall into a fatal lukewarmness.
Let us examine, now, if we do not find in ourselves these causes of lukewarmness. What is our ordinary conduct in this respect? How do we acquit ourselves of our exercises? Do we not omit some of them through indolence, from indifference to our perfection? How do we receive the sacraments, and what profit do we draw from them? Do we observe silence; and when we are permitted to talk, to what tend our conversations? Are we faithful to preserve a modest deportment? Do not the pomps of the world make unhappy impressions on us, because we are frivolous, and wish to see everything, to hear everything, to investigate everything?
Is it not through these infidelities that our soul falls, little by little, into lukewarmness? Have we not already taken fatal steps in the way of relaxation? Ah! let it be no longer so, henceforth! Let us remember the days of our noviciate, let us not again look back, after having put our hand to the plough; you began in the spirit, you would now be made perfect in the flesh; and let us not forget that deep calleth unto deep; that what things a man shall sow, also shall he reap; and that an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
—PROV. xix. 15.
Pause.
ACT OF CONTRITION.—O my God! Deign to pardon the negligence with which I have served Thee until this day, and permit not that, in punishment for my numerous omissions, I fall into lukewarmness, that fatal malady which will force Thee to cast me off from Thee, to close Thy fatherly heart, and deliver me a prey to the enemies of my salvation. I ask of Thee this grace through the merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of Mary.
I make the resolution to......