A wise general, in order to excite the ardor of his soldiers, and to render them forgetful of the dangers to which they are exposed, pictures to them on the eve of battle the spoils and glory to be acquired, if they fight bravely. In like manner, our Lord, in order to cheer up and console his disciples, who began to be dismayed at the prospect of that death He was about to suffer, imparted to them a foretaste of the joys of paradise, and a "vision" of the splendor of his divinity. "He was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun; and his garments became white as snow." Peter, as soon as he recovered from his ecstasy of delight, exclaimed: "Lord, It is good for us to be here."
But, to prepare His disciples for this anticipation of heaven, He brought them into a high mountain apart; indicating thereby that such privileges can only be obtained by separation from the world in solitude. This is not only true relative to these high and special favors, but equally true in order to persevere in the practice of a Christian life. Separation from the world is an indispensable duty of a Christian. This truth, so plain in Holy Writ, is nevertheless liable to be misconceived, for which reason we must make the following distinction:
There is a world we are not required as Christians to separate from. There is a world we are under the strictest obligations to separate from.
The condemnation of the world by our Lord and his apostles is too plain and frequent not to have met the eye of any one who has the slightest acquaintance with the New Testament. "You are from beneath," said the Saviour to the Jews, "I am from above. You are of this world: I am not of this world," [Footnote 51] "Love not the world," says the beloved disciple and apostle, "nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world the charity of the Father is not in him." [Footnote 52] St. Paul, teaching the Romans, says: "Be not conformed to the world." [Footnote 53] "The friendship of the world," says St. James, "is enmity with God." [Footnote 54] "The whole world," says St. John, "is seated in wickedness." [Footnote 55]
[Footnote 51: St. John viii., 23.]
[Footnote 52: 1 John ii., 15.]
[Footnote 53: Romans xii., 2.]
[Footnote 54: St. James iv., 4. ]
[Footnote 55: 1 John v., 19.]
These declarations of the sacred Scriptures are plain and to the point. To be a disciple of Christ is to have nothing to do with the world. If any further proof were needed of so plain a fact, we may find it in the baptismal service, where the catechumen is engaged by the most solemn promises to turn his back upon the world. But what this world is, that we are so strictly engaged to renounce, is not at first sight so clear.
Is it the visible world, called nature, so full of instruction and rich in beauty, that we are to turn our backs upon? Are we called upon in our character as Christians to close our eyes to the flowers, the mountains, the rivers, the glowing sunsets, and the stars of heaven? Are we bound to shut our ears to the murmuring winds, the music of the rivulet, and the songs of the birds? Are we to be counted Christians on the condition only of our shutting out from our senses that beauty, which surrounds us on all hands, of the visible world? What is there profane in nature when Holy Writ assures us that, "The Lord is holy in all his works." [Footnote 56] and that "all things serve Him?" [Footnote 57]
[Footnote 56: Psalm cxliv., 13.]
[Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is Psalm cxlv., 13.]
[Footnote 57: Psalm cxviii., 91.]
[Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is Psalm cxix., 91.]
The royal prophet David was accustomed to open all the avenues of his soul to the beauty of nature, and, filled with admiration, he seems hardly able to contain his praise of Him by whom all things were made. "O Lord our Lord, how admirable," he exclaims, "is thy name in the whole earth." [Footnote 58] "How great are thy works, O Lord! thou hast made all things in wisdom; the earth is filled with thy riches." [Footnote 59]
[Footnote 58: Psalm viii., 2.]
[Footnote 59: Psalm ciii., 24.]
[Transcriber's note: The USCCB reference is Psalm civ., 24.]