Maxim-ising Our Spiritual Life (4)
St Philip’s sayings and teachings were originally delivered in Italian, and perhaps a few in Latin, and so when translated into English — by Fr Faber and by others — difference have sometimes crept in. Each translator has to decide how to translate a particular word or phrase. One of this week’s maxims (August 6) has come down to us in two slightly different versions:
There is no time for sleep, for Paradise is not made for sluggards.
and
We have no time to go to sleep here, for Paradise is not made for poltroons.
A “sluggard” is a lazy or slothful person; a “poltroon” is an old-fashioned word for “coward”. Both versions display the simple, practical and effective common-sense of our Saint, and both are perhaps strong medicine for some us who might be looking forward to rest, recreation and laziness over the summer holidays.
St Philip began his ministry among the young men of Rome, who had too much money to need to work for a living, and not enough to keep them occupied. To keep them out of mischief, Philip gathered them for holy recreation, the sacraments, prayer, visiting churches, spiritual conferences, sacred concerts, works of mercy, picnics in the Roman hills. He was even known to run races with them — anything to keep them busy and away from sin, knowing that when we don’t have anything good to do, we often end up doing bad things instead.
Sloth is a dangerous vice that “crushes all the virtues”. We can put in much time and effort developing the virtues but if we neglect to preserve them through laziness then what good has that effort done us? The virtues are like muscles: the more we exercise them the stronger they become. The more we practice kindness, patience, charity, prayer, the more we become kind, patient, charitable and prayerful. Rest and recreation are necessary for our physical and mental health — and therefore our spiritual health — but when we waste precious time sleeping-in, slouched on the sofa or doom-scrolling on our mobile phones, our acquired virtues grow weak and flabby. An early disciple of St Philip’s, Fr Giovanni Matteo Ancina, brother of the more famous Blessed Juvenal Ancina, advised that in order to avoid idleness, “we should read a little, pray a little, and labour a little, that so the hours may pass happily”.
Often it takes more than just effort to get up and do something good — it takes some courage. The “heroic virtue” to which we are called as potential saints does not only mean martyrdom or giving up all we have or preaching the Gospel to the ends of the earth. It takes real courage to tackle a bad habit or besetting sin we might have. It is not easy to visit or call someone we find a bit difficult, or stop and talk to the beggar on the street. There is bravery in deciding to give more in charity when we don’t have very much to spare. Setting the alarm clock a few minutes earlier and actually getting out of bed when it rings to start the day in prayer might not seem that impressive, but it can be truly heroic on a cold, dark morning.
Not wasting the time we have been given, and having the courage to do good even when it is difficult, these are essential elements of our growth in holiness. We are not saved by our efforts and good works: we are saved through faith in Christ by the free gift of a loving God — but as St James reminds us, our faith is shown by our works.
We are celebrating the launch of our new edition of St Philip’s Maxims this summer by exploring some of those maxims together each week.