The Rule of Perfection: Part I - Chapter 2 Of the Mode Whereby this Will of God is Known and Brought into Practice

Excerpt from the book The Holy Will of God: A Short Rule of Perfection

We are continuing to read through this short work on The Holy Will of God: A Short Rule of Perfection by Reverend Father Benedict Canfield (Thomas Richardson and Sons, 1878, pages 20-26).

It would do us well to begin in the middle of the writers main point which is thus, “the chief business lies in searching out what is the Will of God in all things. The profit does not consist in knowing it, but in doing it…” We do God’s will by doing that which we know he would want us to do and not in doing the thing which we most wish to do. We must seek the profit of God and not the profit of self.

I hope my coverage of this recurrent theme of doing the Will of God and looking at it from a number of different perspectives is helping you to better understand how you can serve God in your own life.

Yours in Jesus and Mary.

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Chapter 2: Of the Mode Whereby this Will of God is Known and Brought into Practice

Section I

All things that have to be done or suffered, admitted or rejected, whether they be bodily or ghostly, are of three kinds, viz. things commanded, things forbidden, or things indifferent. Nothing can chance which is not contained under one of these headings.

As regards the first, if what is commanded is such as we have debated about, the Will of God is most clearly evident, to wit, that it should be done. We ought therefore to perform it, and that according to the foresaid general rule, namely, because God so wills , putting aside every other end.

For the second, if a thing he forbidden, the Will of God is no less plain: to wit, that it must not be done. It is therefore to be left undone, simply because such is the Divine Will. Other motives, of what sort soever; are to be rejected, and so far as can be, blotted clean out of the mind.

As regards the third sort, things indifferent, they may be divided into three kinds. Some are agreeable to nature or to the senses, such as to talk of curious things, to hear news, to see beautiful sights, and the like. Nature dislikes other things, such as silence, keeping fasts that are not commanded, etc. Other things, again, nature is indifferent about; as, for instance, to go in by this road or that, to sit or to walk, and all things the contrary of which would be equally agreeable.

Now, of the first sort of things, when those who would fulfil God’s Will meet with anything pleasant to the senses and likeable, they should reject it. If it belongs to the second sort, and is disagreeable to the senses, they should embrace it. These maxims are borne out by Holy Writ, which in almost every page exhorts us to put to death the old Adam. So, Colossians 3:5: “Mortify your members that are upon the earth.” Romans 8:13: “But if by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.”

This caution must meanwhile however be given, that watch be kept, whether discretion, true or feigned, does not require the contrary, either for health's sake, or because of the person, the time, place, and other like things. Now, if such circumstances exist, and doubtful reasons on both sides, so that it is not known which side to take, to do or to leave undone, to resist or to consent, then it is best to take up with one side or other without more ado, always however keeping to the forenamed intention of the Will of God. This is to be done, because it is not possible to make lengthy deliberation without much distraction, confusion of the brain, and loss of time, unless, which rarely happens, the case be of such importance as to deserve it. In this case recourse is to be had, both to the prayers of devout souls and to the counsel of learned and judicious men.

If the thing belong to the third class, that is, be simply indifferent, and to do it or leave it be neither agreeable nor disagreeable to the senses, then it will be lawful to turn either this way or that, always however presupposing the Will of God. We may then use these or other like words: I will do or leave this undone; I will accept or refuse this, because it is Thy Will . When this has been done, then what was indifferent becomes the Will of God, just as much as the doing or not doing things because commanded or forbidden. The reason is, because the intention gives its character to the work, so that things, neither commanded nor forbidden, receive their goodness or badness from the quality of the intention.

Section II

But in order to bring into practice this rule, we must not suppose that the chief business lies in searching out what is the Will of God in all things. The profit does not consist in knowing it, but in doing it; not in nicely discussing it in every doubtful matter, but in the faithful performance of it in cases plain and evident. Of this sort are such things as hang on our own judgment and will, which are every moment occurring; things that we do or leave undone simply through some passion or affection, contrary to the Will of God plainly evidenced to the soul. In these things we must strive, with might and main, to show ourselves faithful to the practice of this rule.

In this point lies the whole gist of our spiritual advancement.

It must further be noted that, when we speak of things commanded or forbidden, we do not mean any weighty matters, the doing or leaving undone of which would be a mortal sin. We intend only such lighter things, the doing or neglecting of which would be a venial fault or imperfection. For our speech is here not only of the keeping of God’s commandments, but of the path of perfection, which chiefly consists in the eschewing of imperfections. For he would grievously err, whoever, under pretext of spirituality or contemplation, should neglect any of the forementioned things, commanded or forbidden by the decrees, constitutions, orders, intentions, and laws of Superiors, however trivial the matter might be. For how can it be that that should tend to perfection, which turns from obedience, and nurses self-love, the root of all imperfection ? Or how will that ever make increase of perfection, which lessens the fulfilment of one’s profession. As, however, it happens that things are commanded which seem agreeable to nature and the senses, such as eating, drinking, play and recreation, etc., and things unpleasant to the senses and to our taste are forbidden, such as fasting, labor, and other toilsome, hard, rude, and disagreeable things; it is of all importance in such like cases that the intention be firmly kept from the defiling stain of sensuality, or from being wounded and weakened by the violence and impetuosity of uncurbed affections. This may be brought about by making contrary acts, that is, by renouncing the pleasure felt, and by drawing the mind off another way; by closing all the entrances of the spiritual powers against the like pleasure, and by darting in opposition all their force into God. Thus the soul offers herself to God as a vessel by which He may accomplish the work she does for His own honor only, and for His will, without respect to any advantage the creature may get thereby. It comes to pass, by this means, that the soul, which would otherwise be seeking her delights rather from the sensual and pleasing nature of the thing done than from God’s Will, does now, on the contrary, after a spiritual act made in this wise, place all her delight in the only Will of God.

But if, after all, in these things which are commanded, or in other things done with true discretion, the soul feels still some delight or pleasure, little or much, contrary to reason and the purity of this intention, and the rebellions movement remains, even when she resists it by making acts the opposite way, let her not lose heart, or be discouraged, or fancy, as many do, that all is lost, or that she cannot have resisted firmly enough; she ought rather to remain stout-hearted, being most surely persuaded that she has never been overcome, unless she so willed it herself, by the consent of the higher and more spiritual part of the soul.

Such conflicts as these within her let the soul take as from God’s hand, that is, as being His Will, and the cross of Christ. For she must not veil from sight that the cross is to be found, not only in injuries sustained from without, but in combats also within. He well knew this who said (Job 7:20): “I am become burdensome to myself;” as also he who says (Romans 7:23): “I see another law in my members , warring against the law of my mind , and captivating me in the law of sin.”