The psychology of the saints.

  • Joly, Henri, 1839-1925.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The psychology of the saints. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    82/216 (page 62)
    Theresa caught up their words and improvised three more charming verses, which are given in the original account. Their prayers were evidently heard, and from that day to this all Carmelite con- vents, no matter how coarse the nuns’ habits may be, are, by a special privilege, exempt from the attacks of these particular insects.1 What a contrast to St Benedict Labre, and how are we to defend his ways ? We are not bound to believe that he was canonised because he treasured up what was so strongly objected to by the Carmelites of Avila. He had been disappointed in his early desire of becoming a monk of the Chartreuse, and he made up for the lack of a life of discipline and rule by treating his body with a contempt which may have been part of his natural character. If so, he turned it into a means of mortification, and, his motives being so high, he was thereby enabled to practise virtues which lent a value to that kind of resignation and ascetism which, in themselves, they certainly do not possess.2 St John Chrysostom tells us that “ the actions of the saints 1 See Life of St Theresa by a Carmelite, I. 334. 2 We must not, however, suppose that St Benedict Labre was altogether singular in this method of mortification, though he seems to have been eminent in it. The like is recorded of St Thomas of Canterbury and many another. We can only say that wisdom is justified in all her children, and that the same spirit may be embodied in very contrary manifestations. Still, though the spirit is from God, its expression need not be ; nor are we bound to approve it any more than we are the style and diction of an inspired prophet whose literary taste may be very question- able.—Editor's Note.