The Blessedness of the Meek
1. Charity, as St. Thomas says,
is the source of all the virtues. (S. Th., 11-11, q. 157, a. 2) This
includes meekness, or that quality of moderation by which a Christian
ought to govern his passions, especially anger, and keep them subject to
the control of reason. This virtue is opposed to pride and to vanity in
that these passions, when wounded, culminate in outbursts of anger and
in quests for revenge.
Meekness is not simply a form of apathy or
of good-natured affability. On the contrary, it is based both on
humility and on fortitude. It feels insult and ingratitude, and does not
remove the suffering which accompanies them, but it demands the heroism
of silence and of charitable behaviour towards those who hurt us. For
this reason it is not identical with weakness, but requires spiritual
fortitude because it makes a man complete master of himself. (Cf. S.
Th., 11-11, q. 157, a. 4) Anger is not always sinful, as the Holy Spirit
indicates. (Ps. 4:5) If it remains subject to the control of reason and
of charity, indeed, it is only a reaction against evil and can exist
alongside Christian meekness. It is fatal, however, to allow anger to
become blind and tyrannical, for it will then betray a man into hatred
and vengefulness. It will grow noisy and vulgar, give scandal to others,
and leave in the soul a sense of restlessness and of vexation." (Cf.
"Philothca," Bk. III, c. 9) “If the Holy Spirit may be called the peace
of the soul, uncontrolled anger may be called its disturber. Nothing is
more hostile than anger to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us.”
(St. John Climacus, "Scala Paradisi," P. 286)
Let us resolve never to allow ourselves to be led away by immoderate anger, but to preserve at all times our peace of soul.
2. “Learn from me,” said Jesus when He proposed Himself to us as our
model, “for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt. 11:30) “By
your patience,” He said on another occasion, “you will win your souls.”
(Luke 21:19) “Love your enemies,” He said also, “do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you, so that
you may be children of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to rise
on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”
(Mt. 5:44)
If we obey this lofty teaching, we shall have peace of
soul. We shall not be easily annoyed, but shall rather regret the
misdeeds and unhappiness of those who unjustly offend us. Moreover, we
shall be able to persuade our fellow-men to follow the path of virtue.
This is why the Psalmist says that “the meek shall possess the land,
they shall delight in abounding peace.” (Ps. 36:11) “Blessed are the
meek,” Jesus repeats in the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall possess
the earth.” (Mt. 5: 4)
What is meant by this promise? Tyrants,
persecutors, and evil-doers have passed away and are remembered with
bitterness and execration. But the Saints still hold sway over the world
and dominate the minds and hearts of millions, winning universal love
and veneration. We should imitate the gentleness which can give such
peace and exert such influence.
3. St. John Climacus notes that
there are three levels of meekness. (Scala Paradisi, pp. 296-298) The
first grade, he says, consists in enduring with difficulty the injuries
done to us. The second consists in enduring them without displeasure,
and the third in regarding them as an honour. Those who reach the first
level are to be congratulated, those who reach the second are to be
applauded, but those in the third and highest category are really
blessed by God. "One day," he says, "I saw three monks receiving the
same insult. The first was offended but said nothing; the second was not
displeased on his own account, but regretted the offence against
Almighty God; the third wept for the fault of his neighbour." The first
monk, the Saint comments, feared God; the second loved God; and the
third loved both God and his fellow-man.
At what stage of
perfection in this virtue can we claim to have arrived? If we desire to
be sincere Christians, we must realise that we ought to have achieved at
least the first level and should hope to advance eventually as far as
the third and most perfect grade.
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