As it may be better for the sick to take less food so as not to overburden nature, so after sickness they ought to be treated in such a way that they may soon recover their strength ; and this is to be observed even in regard to such as came from a humble position in the world, since sickness has brought them to the same weakness as former ill-health or delicate treatment had brought the rich.
In certain kinds of illness, extra food would be harmful rather than helpful, and then the sick have need of less food so as not to overburden nature. But when the sickness is past, they must be treated in such a way that they may recover as quickly as possible. In this convalescence of the sisters there must be no distinction of persons. The lowliest poverty must not be despised when it is a matter of the needs of our common nature. The recent illness should then be regarded as placing the poor in the position in which the wealthy are by their former manner of life. God is merciful to them who show mercy to their neighbour.
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Wherefore He says : ” Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. v. 7).
St John also says : ” He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need and shall put up his bowels from him, how doth the charity of God abide in him?” (1 John iii. 17).
If, then, we would possess the charity of God we must exercise the works of mercy towards every member of the community. And in so doing, beyond all doubt we serve Him who will say to His Elect in the judgment : ” I was sick and you visited me ; I was hungry and you gave me to eat” (Matt. xxv. 35, 36). Then the reward will be assigned in these words : ” Possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. xxv. 34). Thus when we serve our sisters for God’s sake, we establish our claim to the Kingdom of Heaven. Though our deeds of kindness are transitory, the reward remains for ever.
But when the sick have recovered their former strength, let them return to their happier condition of life.
It is a happy condition of life to be engaged in cutting away the desires of the flesh that war against the soul. It is a happy condition to practise abstinence, to chastise the body, and bring it into subjection.
For this happy state of life is the more becoming in the Servants of God in proportion
as their needs are fewer. And so let them not be held back when once they are well, by gratification in the food of which they had need, whilst in sickness, to restore them to health.
To remove sickness it is necessary to have special care of the body. But when the body has again grown strong such care must cease, lest the pleasure occasioned by the use of delicate nourishment take hold of the servants of God and make them pander to sensual appetite when they ought to be working for the welfare of the soul. Therefore the less they want, the better do they live in accordance with their state : that they give way to no gratification in eating, and allow not the vice of gluttony to destroy the virtues of the soul.
No one wins the palm in the spiritual combat who has not first overcome the incentives to sensuality by mortifying the desires of the lower appetite. And there is no rising to the actual conflict of the spiritual warfare until the enemy of gluttony or sensual appetite that is within us has been subdued. Because if we do not first break down these evils that are so near to us, fruitlessly shall we move forward to attack those that are further removed. Hence many, mistaking the order of the spiritual battle, pay no heed to the suppression of gluttony and set out upon more spiritual warfare. Not unfrequently they even achieve victories of great bravery. But
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when, through the allurement of the flesh, the vice of gluttony gains sway, they lose all that they had courageously won, and, as the flesh is not restrained, through its concupiscence all other virtues perish.
As the chief cook destroyed the walls of Jerusalem,1 so the pleasure of eating and drinking, when not repressed, destroys the virtues of the soul. The people of Israel went out of Egypt and succumbed in the desert, because they despised the manna and hankered after the fleshpots they had left behind them. Esau forfeited the honour due to the first-born because he burned with the desire of so poor a repast as a mess of pottage. For indeed the evil is not in the food but rather in our desires. So that we may often partake of sumptuous food without any fault, whilst at other times we offend our conscience by taking simple fare. Consequently we must allow ourselves those things which the need of nature requires, and leave aside those that are suggested by the mere desire of eating.
Let those think themselves the richer who are the stronger in enduring privation.
The vices of the flesh are suppressed by courage in bearing privation, and out of the mortification of vices spring the various virtues that form the real riches of chaste souls. Whence the rule adds : —
It is better to need less than to have more.
1 This reference is obscure. — Tr.
It is better to endure some want for God’s sake than to abound in plenty. For the want that is borne for God begets humility, the source of all good. Whereas abundance produces pride, the root of all evils. Therefore that the servant of God may repress carnal will and appetite, she must at least aim at contenting herself with less food and clothing than is usually deemed necessary. Indeed we may find a helper of our good desire in the flesh that we bear externally ; because whilst it possesses evil tendencies, it is also endowed with the capability of executing our good works. Therefore it is for the interior spirit to preside as a just judge between itself and the exterior, to the end that the body may always have strength enough to contribute the service due from it, without ever arrogantly setting in opposition its own evil inclination.
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