A certain man had a great desire to go to Jerusalem. Not knowing the
right way, he inquired of one he hoped could direct him, and asked by what
path he could reach there in safety. The other said, "The journey there is
long and full of difficulties. There are several r that appear and
promise to lead there, but their dangers are too great. However, I know one
way which, if you will faithfully follow according to the mark's and
directions that I shall give you, will certainly lead you there. I cannot,
however, promise you security from many frights, beatings, and other
ill-usages and temptations of all kinds, yet if you only have courage and
patience enough to suffer them without quarreling, or resisting, or
troubling yourself about them, but pass on quietly, having this only in your
mind, and sometimes on you tongue, `I have naught, I am naught, I desire
naught but to be in Jerusalem,' my life for yours, in due time you will get
there in safety."
The pilgrim, full of joy at the news said, "If only I arrive at length
in safety at the place I desire so much, I care not what miseries I suffer
on the way; therefore, only let me know the course I am to take, and, God
willing, I shall not fail carefully to observe all your directions."--"Since
you have so good a will," said the guide, "though I myself was never so
happy as to be in Jerusalem, yet be assured that if you follow the
instructions I shall give, you will arrive safe at the end of your journey."
The advice is briefly this: Before taking the first step on the highway
that leads there you must be firmly grounded in the truths of the Catholic
faith. Moreover, whatever sins you find sullying your conscience you must
cleanse by hearty penance and absolution according to the laws of the
Church. Having done so begin your journey in God's name; but be sure to have
with you two necessary instruments, Humility and Charity. These are
contained in the words above mentioned, which must always be present to your
mind, "I am naught, I have naught, I desire only one thing and that is our
Lord Jesus, and to be with Him at peace in Jerusalem." The meaning and power
of these words you must have continually, at least in your thoughts either
expressly or virtually. Humility says, "I am nothing, I have nothing."
Charity says, "I desire nothing but Jesus." You must never lose these two
companions, neither will they consent to be separated from each other, for
they agree lovingly together, and the deeper you establish yourself in
humility the higher you will advance in charity, for the more you see and
feel yourself to be nothing the more ardently you will see and love Jesus,
that by Him who is All you may become something.
This humility is to be exercised not so much in considering your own
vileness and sinfulness, though in the beginning this consideration is good
and beneficial, but rather in a quiet consideration of the infinite being
and goodness of Jesus. You are to behold Him either through grace in
sensible devotional knowledge of Him, or, at least, in a full and firm faith
in Him. And such a contemplation of the infinite sanctity and goodness of
Jesus will operate in your mind a much more pure, spiritual, solid and
perfect humility, than the reflecting on your own nothingness, which
produces a humility much more gross, boisterous and imperfect. In this
mirror of sanctity you will behold yourself to be not only the most
wretched, filthy creature in the world, but also, in the very substance of
your soul, setting aside the foulness of sin, to be a mere nothing; for
really, in comparison with Jesus who is All, you are nothing. And until you
have and feel that you have the love of Jesus, although you think you have
done ever so many good deeds, spiritually and worldly, you have nothing, for
nothing but the love of Jesus will abide in and fill your soul. Therefore
cast aside and forget all other things in order that you may have that which
is the best of all. If you do this you will become a true pilgrim, who
leaves behind him house, wife, children, friends, and goods, and denies
himself all things in order that he may go on his journey lightly and
without hindrance.
If your desire for Jesus still continues and grows stronger, so that
you go on your way courageously, they will then tell you that you may become
ill, and perhaps with such a disease as will bring frightful dreads into
your mind; or perhaps you will become very poor and you will find no
charitable person to help you. Do not heed what they say, but if you should
happen to fall into sickness or poverty, still have faith in Jesus and say,
"I am naught, I have naught, I care for naught in this world, and I desire
naught but the love of Jesus, that I may see Him at peace in Jerusalem."
If it should ever happen that through some of these temptations and
your own weakness, you waver and perhaps fall into sin, and thus lose the
way for a time, return as soon as possible to the right path by using such
remedies as the Church ordains. Do not think of your past sins, for that
will harm you and favour your enemies; but make haste to go on your way as
if nothing happened. Think only of Jesus, and of your desire to gain His
love, and nothing will harm you.
Finally, when your enemies see that you are so determined that neither
sickness, fancies, poverty, life, death, nor sins discourage you, but that
you will continue to seek the love of Jesus and nothing else, by continuing
your prayer and other spiritual works, they will grow enraged and will not
spare you the most cruel abuse. They will make their most dangerous assault
by bringing before you all your good deeds and virtues, showing that all men
praise, love, and honour you for your sanctity. This they will do to make
you vain and proud. But if you offer your life to Jesus you will consider
all this flattery and falsehood as deadly poison to your soul, and will cast
it from you.
In order to shun such temptations renounce all vain thoughts and think
of Jesus only, resolving to know and love Him. After you have accustomed
yourself to think of Him alone, any thoughts not relating to Him will be
unwelcome and painful to you.
If there is any work you are obliged to do for yourself or neighbour
fail not to do it as soon and as well as you can, lest by delay it may
distract your thoughts from Jesus. If it is unnecessary work do not think
about it, but dismiss it from your thoughts saying, "I am naught, I can do
naught, I have naught, and I desire naught but Jesus and His love."
It will be necessary for you, as for all other pilgrims, to take, on
the way, sleep and refreshments and sometimes innocent recreation; but if
you use discretion in these things, although they seem to delay you, they
will give you strength and courage to continue on your journey.
To conclude, remember that your principal aim, and indeed only
business, is to give your thoughts to the desire of Jesus, and to strengthen
this desire by daily prayer and other spiritual works. And whatever you find
suitable to increase that desire, be it praying or reading, speaking or
being silent, working or resting, make use of it as long as your soul finds
delight in it, and as long as it increases the desire of having and enjoying
nothing but the love of Jesus and the blessed sight of Jesus in true peace
in Jerusalem. Be assured that this good desire, thus cherished and
continually increased, will bring you safely to the end of your pilgrimage.
Observing these instructions, you are in the right path to Jerusalem.
To proceed on this journey, it is necessary to do, inwardly and outwardly,
such works as are suitable to your condition, and such as will help to
increase in you the gracious desire that you have to love Jesus only. No
matter what your works are, whether thinking, reading, preaching, labouring,
etc., if you find that they draw your mind from worldly vanity and
strengthen your heart and will more to the love of Jesus, it is good and
profitable for you to pursue them. But if through custom, you find such
works in time lose their power and virtue to increase this love, cast them
aside and try some other works which you think will gain for you more grace
and sanctity; for, although the inclination and desire of your heart for
Jesus should never change, nevertheless the spiritual works you practice,
such as prayer, reading, etc., in order to feed and strengthen this desire,
may well be changed, according as you feel your spiritual welfare will be
benefited by this change. Therefore, lest you hinder the freedom of your
heart to love Jesus, do not think that because you have accustomed yourself
to a certain form of devotion, that you cannot change it for the better.
Before you have journeyed far, you must expect enemies of all kinds,
who will surround you and busily endeavour to hinder you from going forward.
Indeed, if they can by any means, they will, wither by persuasions,
flatteries, or violence, force you to return to your former habits of
sinfulness. For there is nothing annoys them so much as to see a resolute
desire to love Jesus and to labour to find him. Consequently, they will
conspire to drive out of your heart that good desire and love in which all
virtues are comprised. The first enemies that will assault you will be the
desires of the flesh, and vain fears of your corrupt heart. Joined with
these will be unclean spirits, which, with sights and temptations, will seek
to entice you to them, and draw you from Jesus. But do not believe anything
they say, but betake yourself to your old and only secure remedy,
answering--"I am naught, I have naught, and I desire naught but only the
love of Jesus."
If they endeavour to put dreads and doubts into your mind, and try to
make you believe you have not done necessary penance to atone for your sins,
do not believe them. Neither believe them if they say you have not
sufficiently confessed your sins, and that you should return home to do
penance better, before you have the boldness to go to Jesus. You are
sufficiently acquitted of your sins, and there is no need at all that you
should delay in order to ransack your conscience, for this will now but harm
you, and either put you entirely out of your way, or at least unprofitably
delay your toil.
If they tell you that you are not worthy to have the love of Jesus, or
to see Jesus, and that on that account you ought not to be so presumptuous
as to desire and seek it, do not believe them, but go on, saying, "It is not
because I am worthy, but because I am unworthy, that I desire to have the
love of Jesus; for, once having that, I should become worthy. Therefore, I
will never cease desiring it until I have obtained it. I was created for
this love alone, and so, say and do what you will, I will desire it
continually, and never cease to pray for it, and thus endeavour to obtain
it."
If you meet with any who seem to be your friends, and who in kindness
would hinder your progress by entertaining you and seeking to draw you to
sensual mirth by vain discourses and carnal pleasures, whereby you will be
in danger of forgetting your pilgrimage, turn a deaf ear to them, answer
them not; think only of this, that you would fain be at Jerusalem. If they
offer you gifts and attractions, heed them not, but think ever of Jerusalem.
If men despise you, lay false charges against you, defraud and rob you,
or even beat and use you cruelly, for your life take no notice of them, but
meekly content yourself with the injury received, and proceed as if nothing
had happened to hinder you. This punishment, or even more, is as nothing if
you can only arrive at Jerusalem, where you shall be recompensed for all you
have endured.
If your enemies see that you grow courageous, and that you will neither
be seduced by flatteries nor disheartened by the pains and trials of your
journey, but rather are contented with them, they will then be afraid of
you. Notwithstanding all this, they will still pursue you on your way and
seek every advantage against you, now and then endeavouring, either by
flatteries or alarms, to stop and drive you back. Fear them not, but
continue on your way thinking of nothing but Jerusalem and Jesus, whom you
will find there.
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