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Finding Peace in the Storm
Gerson 10 both say that persons who do not experience
the recollection they would like to have in their meditations
often serve God better than they would do if they
did have it; the reason is that lack of recollection keeps
them more diligent and humble; otherwise, they would
become puffed up with spiritual pride and grow tepid,
vainly believing they had reached the summit of sanctity.
What a gift those who tend to pride receive in
this withholding of spiritual consolations! What
a loving God, who knows we must be protected
from thinking that we are the cause of our spiritual
progress!
What has been said of dryness holds true of temptations
also. Certainly, we should strive to avoid temptations;
but if God wishes that we be tempted against faith,
purity, or any other virtue, we should not give in to
discouraging lamentations but should submit ourselves
with resignation to God’s holy will.
St. Paul asked to be freed from temptations to impurity
and our Lord answered him, saying: My grace is
sufficient for thee. So should we act when we find ourselves
victims of unrelenting temptations and God seemingly
10
Perhaps Jean Charlier de Gerson (1363–1429), who was a
French scholar, educator, reformer, and poet, chancellor of
the University of Paris, and a prominent theologian at the
Council of Constance.
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