Neither may they carry themselves proudly because they are become fellow-companions of those into whose society they durst not have presumed to enter in the world ; but let them lift up their hearts to heaven, and not seek vain earthly things. For if this be not observed, the convent will be profitable to the rich and not to the poor, if therein the rich become humble and the poor are puffed up with pride.
To carry the head high is a mark of pride. If heaven itself was of no benefit to the proud angels, it stands to reason that the cloister will not be beneficial to proud man. And though the place be holy, and the habit holy, and the round of occupations seems to be holy, everything will prove to be useless through the vice of pride. Pride will have its fall. That is why holy David prayed to the Lord : ” Let not the foot of pride come to me: … There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out and could not stand ” (Ps. xxxv. 12, 13). On the other hand, how full
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of blessing is the convent to the humble! For these are docile under God, who, as it is written, “will teach the meek his ways” (Ps. xxiv. 9), “who sends forth springs in the vales” (Ps. ciii. 10), that is to say, God gives His grace to the humble.
They suffer no loss of the good works they perform, for they never give up humility, the guardian of all virtues. And because, following the Gospel precept, they sit down in the last place, and, according to the prophet, choose to be outcasts in the house of the Lord, therefore they merit to be heard by Him, for “every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke xviii. 14). And again: “God resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace” (1 Peter v. 5).
But again, such as were of distinguished rank in the world must not despise their sisters who came from a poor or lowly condition into holy religion. For they ought rather more to glory in the society of their poor sisters than in the rank or riches to which they themselves were born.
They who enter into the holy companionship and common life of religion must, with all possible vigilance, beware that none of them nurture any dislike for another, even though one be gifted more than another in wealth or rank or knowledge. For, as the Apostle says : ” The weak and the base things of the world, and the things that are
contemptible hath God chosen that no flesh shall glory, in his sight” (i Cor. i. 27, 29), neither the powerful in his strength, nor the wise in his wisdom, nor the rich man in his wealth. ” There is no respect of persons with God” (Col. iii. 25). For the same Lord is bountiful unto all that call upon Him. With good reason are we admonished to glory rather in the company of our poor companions than in the dignity of distinguished rank, because He who was rich in His glory made Himself poor for our sakes. He was pleased to associate not with the rich but with the poor, so that we may be drawn to render ourselves poor for His sake, since the Kingdom of Heaven is promised to the poor. It is part of the vanity of the world to take pride in wealth : to glory in poverty belongs to the state of those blessed in God’s sight.
Neither shall they be elated if they have brought much wealth to the community; nor be proud of what they have bestowed upon the convent any more than if they had enjoyed it in the world.
In this and the following passages two kinds of pride are indicated. One is of a carnal nature, the other spiritual. To look down upon the poor and to boast of one’s high rank are a kind of pride that is frequently met with in seculars. To feel self-complacency in deeds of virtue is spiritual pride — a form that is liable to assault those that
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live in religion. Now spiritual pride is more to be feared than the carnal, for to be elated because of good deeds or virtues is like falling from a height ; and the higher the ascent of virtue the more dangerous proves the fall. Our Lord says in the Gospel : ” When thou dost alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth ; that thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee” (Matt. vi. 3, 4). Welldoing is signified by the right hand ; and by the left the favour of the world and self-complacency. So that in these words we are counselled to hide our good works from our own vain thoughts, otherwise we shall have no reward from our Father.
Next St Augustine shows how great a vice pride is, when he says : —
For every other vice tends to make us do evil works, but pride lies lurking in ambush for good works, to destroy them.
Here it is shown that pride is the worst of all vices, because it attacks the soul through its virtues as well as through its evil habits. Pride is hateful to God and men. It is called in Holy Writ “the beginning of all sin” (Eccles. x. 15). It is the first prompting in the committing of sin ; it remains the last in the struggle against sin. Indeed when the servant of God has overcome other vices and has reached the heights of virtue, she still has to face the battle against pride, and if she do not
engage in the struggle her labour in other directions will be in vain. Whilst thus we perform our good works outwardly, let us guard our heart from vanity within, seeing that no action tainted with pride can give God pleasure. So the sacred Scripture admonishes us, saying : ” With all watchfulness, keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it ” (Prov. iv. 23).
What, then, does it avail to give away all freely to the poor and become poor, if the wretched soul becomes more proud by forsaking riches than by possessing them ?
It avails us little to relinquish our goods unless we also relinquish ourselves. Our Lord says not ” Blessed are the poor in external goods,” but ” Blessed are the poor in spirit — theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” In having left all things one should find an increase of humility rather than of pride. Indeed it would be better to have retained possession of them in the world than give them up to pride oneself in the cloister on the act of renunciation. As a soul is blessed in distributing her goods to the poor for God’s sake — in order to become humble — so that one is full of misery that becomes proud through having done the same. Most unhappy is the one that sets out upon the road of virtue only to reach vice : who incurs penalties where she should win reward. Every proud person sinks so much the lower as she tries to exalt herself by pride, and falls all
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the more deeply as she aims at lifting herself up higher.
After the instruction for the removal of these evils, the rule returns to that unity which it has already commended : —
All therefore live together in unity and concord, and honour in one another that God whose temples you have become.
We live together in unity when we have one soul in God, just as in the early Church there was one heart and one soul in God. When the rule tells us to dwell in unity it refers to our state of will : and when its adds ” and in concord ” it is speaking of our external duties. This is the true order of our life — to have first the same will or intention, and then outwardly a concordant method of action. The religious who intends to live in concord must first set aside all evil habits ; must not be self-willed, disorderly, or undisciplined. She must not be a cause of trouble to others. She must so balance her manner of acting and the whole tenor of her life that she may maintain concord in God with those with whom she has to live.
Now there are some who, after having forsaken the world, seek to follow their own wills, and others who by their external deeds would wish to make an appearance in the eyes of seculars. Therefore does the rule say : ” All live together in unity and concord.” And we honour God in one another if
we love one another for His sake, diligently keep His commandments, and become His temple by the indwelling of His spirit within us.
We must give honour to God, and God will come to dwell in us and enlighten us by His grace.
[Another instruction on the last four points of the rule.]
Neither shall they be elated if they have brought much wealth to the community, nor be proud of what they have bestowed upon the convent any more than if they had enjoyed it in the world.
Better is it to keep one’s belongings in the world than to part with them from a motive of vainglory. For those that exalt themselves in this way are always cast down. Indeed, whosoever takes pride in the thought of her well-doing, stumbles all the more as she seems to progress, since a good deed springing from pride does not elevate, but rather weighs one down.
Blessed, then, is the soul that is able to say with the prophet : ” Lord, my heart is not exalted : nor are my eyes lofty : neither have I walked in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me ” (Ps. cxxx. i).
Clearly she is a happy religious who conceals no pride in the heart nor shows it in demeanour; neither in look, nor in dress, nor in word, nor in deed, nor in any external movement. Happy is the one that ” walks not in great matters ” — or, in
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other words, that does not reckon herself among the great either because of noble birth or influence, or because she has bestowed her wealth or rendered a service to the community. Happy she who “walks not in wonderful things above her” so as not to pose as remarkable or praiseworthy on account of the religious spirit or the holy state bestowed by God from on high. Yet seldom is any one found to be quite free from trouble in these matters. But that the servant of God may get the better of such forms of pride, she must ever cherish a lowly opinion of herself, never allow her mind to be lifted up with vain ideas, but by humility repress every such thought in accordance with the words : ” The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things” (Eccles. iii. 20). Then must we always bear in mind with salutary fear the truth that follows : —
Every other vice tends to make us do evil works, but pride lies lurking in ambush for good works, to destroy them.
Thus covetousness and sensuality are kept alive only by wrong deeds, and so with the other vices. Pride alone lies lurking in good works to destroy them. Therefore did the Pharisee forfeit the fruit of his pious actions because he made proud boast of what he had accomplished. So they are the more foolishly vain as they feed their pride on complacency in their contempt of vanity. In like manner, too, those are foolishly vain who are §*
elated with the thought that they have spurned riches. Concerning these the rule continues : —
What, then, does it avail to give away all freely to the poor, and become poor, if the wretched soul becomes more proud by forsaking riches than by possessing them ?
This is as much as to say plainly : Of what use is poverty with pride ? Better be rich and humble than poor and proud ; better a humble contrite sinner than a proud man who may otherwise be just. Therefore the true servant of God must in all things use foresight and circumspection, first, that he may do no wrong, then that he may neglect no opportunity of doing good, and finally that he may not suffer himself to be puffed up with vanity at the good he is able to perform. For only those acts of ours are truly meritorious which we always preserve by humility. Then, in truth, are we the poor of Christ if we are humble for the sake of Christ. ” Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ” (Matt. v. 3).
Hence with reason is it added : —
Live therefore in concord and unity together, and honour Almighty God in one another, whose temples you have become.
For poverty and humility beget charity : charity fosters unity, and unity and concord make us the temples of God. Then truly do we honour God when we live in unity and agreement. For thus
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we show that we are the disciples of Christ, holding fast to the unity that has its bond in the charity of Christ. For this reason our Lord says : ” By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” (John xiii. 35).
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