That We Ought Not to Omit Mortifications in Small Things, and How Profitable and Pleasing to God These Mortifications Are

WE should set our eyes on greater things in such a way as not to leave smaller things unattended to. This admonition is directed against some who drop small mortifications and take no account of them, thinking that they are trifles and that progress and perfection do not lie there. That is a very great mistake. Christ our Redeemer also warns us of it in that very reproof which He gave to the scribes and Pharisees. He did not reprove them for taking care of those trifles, but for leaving the weightier things of the law undone. Nay, He adds at once that it is needful to do also those little things. Little things, He says, must be done, but greater things not omitted (Matt. xxiii. 23). We often dwell on the importance of taking account of minute and small things and not neglecting them; and in truth it is a point of such importance that it deserves to be often spoken of, that such great evil may not gain entrance to us as commonly does come in by these small openings. For the present we will only say what makes for our purpose, which shall be to declare two things: first, the great good there is in these small mortifications; secondly, the great evil and loss that may accrue to us if we neglect them.

To start with the first point, how pleasing these mortifications are to God though they be in small things, and of what value and merit they are before Him, that may be well understood from this consideration. In mortification there is not so much to be regarded the thing that we do as the denying and curbing therein of our own will. This is properly that self-mortification and self-denial which Christ our Redeemer asks for in the holy Gospel (Matt. xvi. 24). Now this self-will is as well denied and curbed in small things as in great things, and sometimes more so when they go more against the grain. We experience this many times, that we feel more difficulty over little things than we felt over others that were greater; for, as they say and say very truly, mortification is not so much in the things as in the repugnance of our own will. Thus in every mortification, even in small things, we offer and sacrifice to God our own will, denying it and curbing it for His love and giving Him the most precious and most cherished and best-loved thing that we have got; for we have nothing of greater value or that we cherish and prize more than our own will; and giving that, we give all.

St. Ambrose weighs to this effect that action of David when, being in the field against the Philistines, as Holy Writ tells he desired and said: Oh, that someone would give me a little water of the cistern of Bethlehem (I Chron. xi. 17), which was in the rear of the enemy. Hearing this, three gallant knights broke through the midst of the army of the Philistines and brought back a vessel of water from that cistern. And Holy Scripture says: He would not drink, but sacrificed and offered it to the Lord, pouring it on the ground (I Chron. xi. 19). A great thing, forsooth, and a great sacrifice, to offer to God a pitcher of water! St. Ambrose says it was a great sacrifice and very agreeable to God; and enough that Holy Scripture relates it for an exploit of David to understand that it was great. But why was it great? Do you know why? says St. Ambrose. He overcame nature, curbed his will in not drinking when he was thirsty, and gave an example to the whole army to endure the thirst. It was not the mere pitcher of water that he offered. It was his will that he offered and sacrificed to God, though in small things; and therefore it was a sacrifice of great value and very agreeable in the sight of His Divine Majesty.

St. Gregory, and St. Ambrose also, gives another example of the same David to this purpose. Holy Scripture relates (II Kings vi.; I Chron. xv.) how David brought the Ark of the Covenant to his city of Sion with a grand procession and solemnity; and as when here [in Spain, A.D. 1606] the procession takes place on Corpus Christi Day, the peasants and common people go before the Blessed Sacrament with their dances and reels, so it is to be believed, says St. Gregory, that on that occasion the multitude and common people danced before the Ark of God. Then the most potent and mighty King David, forgetful of his authority and grandeur, divested himself of his royal robes and joined the dancers, and began to dance, curvet, and play on a musical instrument, stripping himself bare as a strolling player, as his wife Michol said, just as if he were a common jester out to give amusement.

St. Gregory can never cease wondering at this deed of David, and says: “I know not what others may think of the deeds and exploits of David—let them think what they like; but as for me, I admire more David dancing reels before the Ark, like a man of vulgar and base condition, than when I hear of his tearing in pieces bears and rending lions or of his felling the giant Goliath with one small stone and vanquishing the Philistines; because there he overcame others, but here he overcame himself;” and it is more to overcome oneself than to overcome others.

Let us, then, set great value on these mortifications and beware of despising them, lest that befall us which befell Michol, who was shocked and indignant at this behavior of David and despised him in her heart for it and afterwards reproached him for it to his face, for which God afflicted her with barrenness, so that she never had a son all her life long. See if this be not the cause of your barrenness and dryness as well in prayer as in dealing with your neighbor —the fact being that people do not catch on with you and your words do not catch on with them, and thus you have no spiritual children—that you are ashamed to do little mortifications and disdain to go to the superior with small things, thinking that to be an affair for babes and novices and that the like is not for you. Much more ought they to fear this chastisement who make game of others whom they see very observant, mark them as scrupulous and pettyminded persons, and make jokes and witticisms at their expense. This is a thing that may do much harm, and we ought to make great scruple of doing it, for it is doing what in us lies to withdraw others from virtue. Oh, what a good answer David gave Michol: J will play before the Lord who has chosen and preferred me before thy father, I will sport and dance and demean myself more and more (II Kings vi. 22); and no mockery or murmuring at me shall make me desist from it. “Fine sport is that,” says St. Bernard, “at which Michol is angry and God is pleased; fine sport which is ridiculous to men but a fair spectacle to angels! This is the sport which he followed who said: We are made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men (I Cor. iv. 9). Let us, then, also follow this sport, and make no account of what they say; Ludamus et illudamur.” In this way we shall be a spectacle to astonish the world, and win the admiration of angels and greatly please God.