LET not your habit be in any way remarkable, and do not affect to please by your dress but by your religious behaviour.
That holy man, St Augustine, practised what he here lays down. For it is written of him that his clothes and shoes were neither too neat nor too poor, but far from either excess and befitting his state. We also read that he said of himself: ” I confess that I should be ashamed to wear a rich garment : it is not in keeping with my profession or with my teaching ; it does not become these members, and these grey hairs.” Hence our Lord says in the Gospel : ” Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately are in the houses of kings” (Luke vii. 25). In the same place He speaks of such apparel as soft because it softens the soul. In the king’s palace delight is taken in soft garments, but the Church of Christ glories in rough and lowly vesture. And such must be the clothing of clergy and religious that neither novelty nor pride nor vainglory may be seen in them. It is not delicate clothing but
innocence of soul that forms the adornment of the priest and the religious. Let us then adorn ourselves with spiritual ornaments, that is to say, with chastity, humility, meekness, obedience, patience, and charity. These form the clothing in which the soul will be pleasing in the sight of the Heavenly King. For this Spouse, whom we see not, expects to find in us not external but inward beauty, as it is written: “All the glory of the king’s daughter is within” (Ps. xliv. 14).
Our wealth, then, and our adornment, are our virtues. And blessed is the soul to which the words of the Canticle of Canticles can be addressed : ” Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee ” (Cant. iv. 7). Let us study, then, to give pleasure to our unseen Master, not by our dress, but by our deeds, so as to fulfil in ourselves that which the Apostle enjoins : ” Be not conformed to this world : but be reformed in the newness of your mind” (Rom. xii. 2). ” For though our outward man is corrupted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. iv. 16). Next the rule gives instruction concerning walking, standing, and other gestures, saying : —
When you go abroad, walk together : and when you come to the place you are going to, remain together. In walking, standing, and in all your movements let there be nothing to offend the eyes of any one, but let all be done in a manner that befits your holy profession.
Of Interior and Exterior Deportment 45
Holy Church, in her more perfect members, not only shines out before the world by the innate dignity of religion, but she gains beauty also by the outward splendour of virtue. And in this sense the words of Ecclesiasticus may be applied : ” My flowers are the fruit of honour and riches ” (Eccles. xxiv. 23). It is in accordance with the spirit of holy religion and of virtue that they who dwell together, when going abroad, should remain together. It is the advice of the Apostle, too, that “all things be done decently, and according to order” (1 Cor. xiv. 40). We can also give a spiritual meaning to this outward union. For the company of the saints is described as terrible against enemies like an army in battle array. The army, when preparing for battle, unites and ranges itself in compact order so that it be not divided or broken through by the enemy. Just so our spiritual battle line, under the command to stand or move together in perfect order, daily offers a strong front against the Evil One. And thus our unity strikes terror into our old enemy, who fears nothing more in the servants of God than this unity of concord.
But we must also take serious note of what the rule next says : —
In all your movements let there be nothing to offend the eyes of any one, but let all be done in a manner that befits your holy profession.
Our religious must live in such a manner that
they may not deservedly incur the blame of any one. It would be deplorable indeed if they, whose order requires that they exhibit to others a true pattern of holiness, should instead deserve to be reprehended by them. These words of God have application in our case: “Be ye holy because I, the Lord, your God, am holy” (Lev. xix. 2). We are bound to be holy because we have taken on ourselves the name and the garb of religion and of sanctity ; because we are dedicated to the service of God, and consecrated to live before the altar of Christ, and to assist at the divine mysteries.
“Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. iv. 1). We may note that the Apostle does not merely tell us what we should be, but bids us live so that men may account us for what we profess to be. For it is not enough for our lives to be sinless, but our reputation must also be in accordance with our profession. Our good life is needed to satisfy our own conscience ; our good name must serve for the edification of our neighbour. Hence the Apostle says again : ” We must have a good testimony from those who are without” (1 Tim. iii. 7). We must so live, then, that our life may answer to our name that our profession may be carried out in deed, that whilst our congregation bears the reputation of sanctity, the tenor of our individual lives shall be holy, and as good is spoken of us we shall bear