July 20

On Prudence Or Discretion

Preparation. - St Vincent de Paul, whose charity we have admired, excelled in discretion and prudence. Wherefore we shall consider, first, the necessity of Christian prudence, and secondly, the contrary defects, and then we shall resolve to repress our levity, heedlessness and want of foresight by recalling to our mind this saying of the Holy Ghost: “Blessed is the man that aboundeth in prudence” (Prov. 3. 13).

I. Discretion Is Necessary For Our Sanctification

According tho the ancient Fathers of the Desert the virtue which is the most indispensable for those who tend to perfection is, beyond all doubt, prudence or discretion. And, indeed, we need this virtue in our relations with the world, in order to escape its influence; also in our relations with our neighbor, in order not to hurt his feelings, or estrange or scandalize him; and likewise with our own self, if we wish to avoid what may excite or foster our evil inclinations. All our sins proceed from a want of discernment, which prevents us from understanding and choosing our real good.

The very virtues, without discretion, are defective, and for want of a wise direction, fail through either excess or defect. According to St. Basil, “prudence is the pilot of the vessel of perfection.” Without it we run into many shoals and risk being shipwrecked. With it, on the contrary, we keep the middle course required for true holiness, and, as St. Vincent de Paul says, “ we judge of things, as Jesus did, and act also as He acted, and thus we make use of the most suitable means, and follow the most secure road to reach God.” Moreover, we are then careful to moderate fear with confidence, to temper justice with clemency, and so to make our intentions, regulate our affections, and establish harmony, among all the virtues, as never to interfere with any by exceeding in some other virtue.

Does not prudence, in fact, teach us to live recollected without being forgetful of the duties of our state, to think on God, without being wanting in due attention to our neighbor, to love solitude without neglecting to satisfy the obligations of obedience, charity and Christian propriety. Those who are truly prudent according to God, devote themselves to works of zeal without forgetting their interior, for they recruit themselves spiritually by means of pious practices. They especially guard against the extreme imprudence of living in tepidity and indifference, lest they should gradually slip into the abyss of mortal sin and miserably perish therein.

O my God, how often am I wanting in foresight in what pertains to my salvation! And yet my honor, my health, my temporal interests are the object of all my solicitude. Deign to fill me with the most ardent desire of my sanctification and the courage to mortify my senses and perverse inclination. Enable me always to act in a spirit of faith, watchfulness and prayer with the persuasion that, as St. Bernard says, ”our security cannot be too great, when our eternity is at stake.”

II. Defects Opposed To Prudence

That we may the better practice this indispensable virtue, we should carefully avoid, first, a natural overeagerness which disturbs our reason and agitates our heart. A feverish desire, fear or apprehension hinders all calm reasoning and deliberation, prevents us from discerning between truth and falsehood, between the instincts of nature and the inspirations of grace, between what is useful and what is hurtful to ourselves or to our neighbor. This is often the cause of those indiscreet words or acts that unintentionally wound charity of the loss of so much precious time on account of an ill-regulated activity, whereby we act uselessly or without spiritual profit.

From this defect, so opposed to prudence, proceeds another which St Thomas calls heedlessness. The heedless soul, by allowing itself to be influences by the senses, the imagination, feeling, desires and fears, joys and pains, follows the first impulse, and often falls in to faults and exaggeration which may prove fatal to herself at to others. Her interior life is shaken thereby; for such an evil disposition hinders recollection, and a soul in this state examines nothing thoroughly, not even the things pertaining to salvation.

From this arises a third defect indicated by St Thomas, and called inconstancy. It does no indeed prevent us from making good resolutions, but exposes us to deplore later our levity in forgetting or breaking them. the saints acted quite otherwise. “ When I have once seriously resolved ton something, “ says St Alphonsus, “ I abide by it.” Do we not act differently? Do we easily make and give up the generous projects?

We can remedy all these three defects by using our natural instinct of acting with care, reflection and attention when we believe that we are watched. Faith shows us that God’s eyes are ever upon us. What truth is better calculated to compel us to perform our duties sedately, cautiously and without inconstancy? Let us, then, every morning, and from time to time during the day, say to our ourselves: “the God of majesty and holiness, my Judge and Father is here present; He constantly beholds and considers me. How powerful a motive have I then to be irreproachable in my intentions, words and conduct!”

My well-beloved Lord, I am henceforth resolved to be always calm, recollected and faithful to Thy grace in all my works, so that I may in all things, be directed and governed by Thy wisdom and counsel, may always act without faltering according to all the rules of Christian prudence. This favor I ask of Thee through the merits of the Incarnate Word and His holy Mother.