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The title of this post comes from the words of Psalm 45:11, “vacate et videte quoniam ego sum Deus exaltabor in gentibus exaltabor in terra”; Joseph Pieper places these words at the beginning of his essay on leisure as the basis of culture. Pope Benedict XVI seems to have been thinking along the lines of this verse during this past Sunday’s Angelus address, in which he “cautioned against constant activism, saying that an excessively busy schedule can lead to ‘hardness of heart.’”
An “excessively busy schedule” isn’t quite the point, though, as much as is the need for and the primacy of prayer and contemplation in our daily lives. The report from CWNews continues:
The temptation to lose perspective is particularly dangerous for those who serve the Church, the Holy Father said. He stressed that the “primacy of prayer and contemplation” must be maintained, especially by those who feel the pull of “important and complex missions of service to the Church.”
This reminded me of the Prologue in Thomas Merton’s The Ascent to Truth (1951). Merton writes and quotes from Pius XII’s Menti Nostrae: “It is certainly not possible, or even desirable, that every Christian should leave the world and enter a Trappist monastery. Nevertheless, the sudden interest of Americans in the contemplative life seems to prove one thing quite clearly: that contemplation, asceticism, mental prayer, and unworldliness are elements that most need to be rediscovered by Christians of our time. There is little danger that we will neglect apostolic labour and exterior activity. Pope Pius XII in a recent Exhortation drew attention to the fact that external activity had perhaps been overstressed in some quarters, and reminded Catholics that their personal sanctity and union with Christ in a deep interior life were the most important things of all. His Holiness writes:
We cannot abstain from expressing our pre-occupation and our anxiety for those who on account of the special circumstances of the moment have become so engulfed in the vortex of external activity that they neglect the chief duty [of the Christian], his own sanctification. We have already stated publicly in writing that those who presume that the world can be saved by what has been rightly called “the heresy of action” must be made to exercise better judgment.
The exhortation actually says “of the priest”, but the point is the same, only Pius XII is emphasizing the need for priests especially to give priority to the interior life.
Ah, the good old days, when the pontiffs could say things like “must be made to exercise better judgment.” I’m pretty sure doing that would violate a clause in Dignitatis Humanae, but maybe John Boy can help me on that one.
At any rate, since Merton drew my attention to Menti Nostrae of Pius XII, I haven’t forgotten about that “heresy of action.” Doubtless, my friends can tell you that I’ve never particularly evinced symptoms of this heresy in my own life, but being free from it, I’m able to condemn it with all the more acuity in others. (That was said tongue in cheek, in case my readers have missed the sarcasm.)
Finally, a few words on this same point from The Sinner’s Guide by the Venerable Louis of Granada:
It is also the duty of prudence to introduce moderation into all our works, even the holiest, and to preserve us from exhausting the spirit by indiscreet labor. . . . Our exterior labors should never cause us to lose sight of interior duties, nor should devotion to our neighbor make us forget what we owe to God. If the Apostles, who possessed such abundant grace, deemed it expedient to renounce the care of temporal things in order to devote themselves to the great work of preaching and other spiritual functions, it is presumption in us to suppose that we have strength and virtue capable of undertaking many arduous labors at one time.
From the Acts of the Apostles, the passage to which Venerable Louis alludes:
Then the twelve calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
So, my friends, beware the Heresy of Action! One might even say that the Cornell Society for a Good Time was founded for the explicit purpose of combating a nasty strain of this heresy which had grown up among the good Catholic children at Cornell University. Far be it from our noble president, Ambrosius, to let any heresy go unextirpated and straight away, our Society came into existence. I don’t know how many we were able to save, but some entered the Church, some drank for the first time with us, some were forced to listen to us discuss poetry, a very polished air piano was played and so forth.
St. Louis-Marie de Montfort,
Pope St. Pius X,
St. Joseph,
St. Ambrose of Milan,
St. Thomas Aquinas,
St. Francis (and St. Clare),
St. Catherine of Siena,
St. Alphonsus Ligouri,
St. John Chrysostom,
I thought the Society came into existence to spread knowledge and devotion to the Mass of all ages?
A good monk (the porter actually) once asked me what I was up to ‘these days.’ I told him that I was very busy with classes, and schoolwork and my job and such. He said to me, “you know, it is very important to have plenty of free time,” and then gave me a brief lecture on its importance. I was quite shocked and puzzled really hearing this from a Benedictine monk, whose order places a large emphasis on labor! But if you look at their daily horarium, it allows for quite a bit of time for reading and contemplation and such. I only wish I could adopt such a schedule!
2:25 AM Vigils (breakfast)
6:00 AM Lauds & Mass (meditation)
7:15 AM Terce (beginning of work)
10:30 AM end of work
11:15 AM Sext (dinner - optional siesta)
1:05 PM None (beginning of work)
3:30 PM end of work
4:30 PM Vespers (supper)
6:35 PM Compline
7:00 PM Retire
I don’t remember the saint’s name (could it have been Cardinal Bellarmine?), anyway, one day while he was shooting a game of pool, one of his novices asked him what he would do if he knew the end of the World was in 30 minutes.
The saint continued his shot, and said, “I’d finish this game of pool.”
He was doing exactly what he was suppose to be doing at the right time of the day dedicated to recreation, and his soul was prepared through frequent confessions and fervent communions.
It’s one of my old FSSP pastor’s favorite stories about staying in the state of grace and doing what God intends you to be doing.
Hi good friends!
It was a kid and he was playing hopscotch (spelling?).
St. Francis de Sales (one of the saints for whom I chose my Confirmation name) reported a legend about St. John the Evangelist. A Christian disciple discovered him sitting on a rock by the side of the road, petting a partridge. The uppity disciple said something along the lines of, “Don’t you have something better to do?” St. John, if I recall, replied, “If it’s not forbidden, it is allowed. It does no harm, and brings me some solace.” I hope I got that right.
I believe that story is of St. Alphonsus Liguori, not St. Robert Bellarmine. St. Alphonsus kept a horarium and placed great importance in it and the Rule of his order in general, whereas Bellarmine was a Jesuit and so had no community life.
Lucia, what Benedictine monks do you know who rise at 2:25AM for Vigils? I’ve never heard of that. Carthusians, maybe, but not Benedictines.
LofM, the Society came into existence for a number of reasons, I suppose, and perhaps even before the Mass of All Ages and All Times and All Places (because it’s also the best one out there), it was really the Rosary, each weekday night, which caused us to form a society.
But drinking and carousing soon followed on the heels of the Rosary, as it’s wont to do, according to the rhyme of Hilaire Belloc: “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there’s always laughter and good red wine . . . .”
No offense Ambrosius. Have you not found it odd I’ve been rather critical of your Society?
It is too right leaning. This is ironic, as I met Ambrosius via the nonsense at Cornell…because of the too-left leaning you know who…
Sorry. Perhaps maybe She sent me to this blog through your Rosaries ;).
John Boy, the only thing too is your too rich commentary.
You should know, we’ve always said our Rosaries with the especial intention of rescuing lost souls like yours, ill, almost beyond help, with the Nervous Disorder.
But no case is beyond the power of Our Lady. We shall prayer with all the more fervor having been privy on this blog to so many of your thoughts.
rescuing lost souls like yours, ill, almost beyond help, with the Nervous Disorder–Iosephus
If that came from Ambrosius, it’d be pretty surprising…
And logically, your “privy” must condemn the Popes since John XXIII.
I don’t know how my “privy”, whatever that means, could condemn the popes since John XXIII, but if you haven’t noticed by now, all of the writers for this blog have serious questions about the prudential choices of the pontiffs since that great rolly-polly man (he was much revered by liberals for this trait, you know) was inspired to call the Council which nearly sunk the Barque of Peter.
Even your beloved Ambrosius feels this way, John Boy, painful as that may be for you. You see, after you left Cornell, there was no one from the New Order left to protect him, and he fell into our cruel clutches. Leveling our malign gaze upon him, we seduced his soul with the sweet whisperings of Latin Rosaries and Latin Masses. In time, he learned to know the power of the Dark Side of the Force . . . and he became an Evil Traditionalist!
ACtually, no. Ambrosius was trying to seduce me when I was at COrnell ;).
I think he just found others like himself…
privy (noun) –> One of the parties having an interest in the same matter.
In time, he learned to know the power of the Dark Side of the Force . . . and he became an Evil Traditionalist–Iosephus
Actually, I do not mind traditionalism. I like the Latin Mass in many respects. It would be appropriate for me to say that I love it.
In any case, I just don’t think the Novus Ordo is EVIL…
Ok, that’s enough rattling up folks.
Speaking of John XXIII, he is a Beatus now. So Blessed John XXIII. Not that we always refer to Pius X as St. Pius X, but I think we should. The failure of traditionalists to refer to Blessed John XXIII and St. Josemaria Escriva with their due titles is something I’ve been following.
Not that I fault anyone in this discussion.
No problem.
Thanks, but I forgot he was Blessed.
Plus I’m not off for vacation but at work. Sorry for the speedy posts…..
Concerning Bl. John XXIII’s plumpness, I read in a biography of him that he used to belittle himself to his doctors for it. He tried to keep it in check, but (if I remember correctly) some disorder prevented him from losing much weight.
Once again, I am not trying to “correct” anyone by writing this.
I mentioned it because I was so tickled by the National Catholic Reporter, in its run down of papabile before the conclave, mentioned as one of the primary recommendations of Dionigi Cardinal Tettamanzi his resemblance, in rolly-polly stature, to Blessed John XXIII. I think that this was serious: the fat, plumpy look would recommend him to the crowds and make people think, I guess, that he was a jolly, liberal-hearted man.
The monks are of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Genesee. Do a google search for “Abbey of the Genesee” and it should come up. They are in Piffard, NY, just 5 minutes from Geneseo and 30-40 from Rochester.