POINT II. Whence comes strength of character?
1. It is of course, like every precious power, a gift of God: “Every best gift, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light” (St. James i, 17). Like all other gifts of God, it can be increased by earnest and persevering prayer. Many are fond of frequently repeating the petition: “Lord, grant me the grace of doing what Thou commandest, and then command what Thou wilt.”
2. But it is not all a gift of God. Our will is free; nothing is so truly our own as our will. Even God will not control it. Being an immaterial power, it is not affected by sickness nor old age, as is evident from the heroism of the Martyrs.
3. A person’s character may undergo great changes. Thus we read of St. Francis of Sales that his gentleness of temper was the result of strenuous and continuous efforts. In St. Ignatius “Unalterable calmness was the result of his vigorous perseverance in combatting the irascibility to which his constitution much inclined him” (Franciosi, Spir. of St. Ign., p. 149).
4. Often men of strong passions make most progress in virtue, as St. Ignatius found in Peter Ribadineira and Edmund Auger, who triumphed over great defects of character (Ib., p. 141).
POINT III. How is strength of character increased or diminished? This is chiefly effected by the successive acts of our free will. Every virtuous act strengthens our power of doing such virtuous acts again, and every yielding to our passions strengthens those passions, and in the same proportion weakens our power of resistance to their promptings. For habits are formed by the repetition of acts, and habits become like a second nature. We are all bundles of habits; the habits determine the cast of character.
It is proper for each one to examine during the triduum whether he is now different from what he was at former times; for instance, at the completion of his novitiate or his entrance on more active duties—better or worse. We cannot long remain just the same. The religious life is like rowing against the current of a river: if we cease rowing, we are carried back. What is my present condition of fidelity to duty, of zeal, charity, obedience, piety, etc.?
Colloquy, as the occasion suggests.
MEDITATION V
On Co-operation with Grace
1st Prelude. Imagine you see the thousands of happy souls in Heaven who worked out their salvation in our Society while on earth.