[B.] St. IGNATIUS of LOYOLA Presentation: The ... - St. Gaspar Bertoni

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let up from crucifying in every manner his flesh with its desires, so that he would be all the more
similar to his Crucified Lord out of love for Him.
1821: What would he do After listening to Christ Who would offer the persuasion that to
decline from the pride of life, he would need the abnegation of his own will, by submitting it
docilely to others, in order to humiliate himself: Whoever would come after me, let him deny
himself. Mt 16:24. Blessed are the meek. Mt 5:4. And immediately, Francis would be
subservient to all, would serve all others, subject himself to many. He placed himself among the
leprous as his duty in order to medicate them, to kiss them, and to suck their wounds. He would
refer to himself as the General Minister of his Religious Community, even though he was its
illustrious Founder. He renounced the Generalate, in order to depend in all things on a Guardian
who was assigned to him at his own request. He promised obedience to his companion on the
journey, considering it to be the greatest grace among all those he received from God, if he could
obey a novice, even for a single hour.
1822: And so, to confess his wretchedness, his defects in the presence of his own subjects;
and he would command them under obedience to repeat the words of supreme humiliation for
him and embarrassment, which he would bring up about himself.
Therefore, the making known his own defects, his imperfections, he would note these
also in public, along the streets, in the squares, gathering the people round to listen to him.
In a few words, there was nothing which could contribute to his greater humiliation and
most profound confusion, that he would not immediately embrace. He was disposed in
everything to contradict, to bring displeasure to himself. He was so capable in drawing upon
himself in the most vivid manner, the obedience of Jesus Christ, and the love for His ignominies.
He was made obedient … Ph 2:8. He shall be filled with reproaches… Lm 3:30.
[b. The Second Part of Perfection:] 17
1823: The second part of evangelical perfection consists in two aspects:
The second part of perfection consists in the supererogatory pursuit of goods, which,
according to a two-fold manner of live, namely, active and contemplative, consists in two
possibilities: the first in a condescendence toward one’s neighbor, and the other in raising up
toward God by the activity of the mind.
The first: in a condescendence toward one’s neighbor. This supererogatory
condescendence of charity toward one’s neighbor consists in this, that according to the laws of
justice and mercy, signs of love and benefits are extended, not only toward one’s friends, but
even toward one’s enemies, by means of a very broad benignity. Mt 5:44, ff.: Love your
enemies: do good to them that hurt you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate
you. …be you, therefore, perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect… [ v. 48].
1824: Secondly, through this manner of directing the supererogatory action of the mind upward
toward God, there is awaited in this, that according to the law of mental cleanliness and peace,
through ecstatic love for the divine splendor and ardor, the devout mind experiences the sacred
and suffers the excess. 2 Co 5:13, f.: For whether we be transported in mind, it is God; or
whether we be sober, it is for you. - Heb 5:14: But strong meat is for the perfect; for them
who by custom have their senses exercised to the discerning of good and evil.
1825: In witness to this matter, the Blessed Patriarch of the Poor, Francis, in the beginning of
his Rule, proposes three values to be vowed as fundamental: the Rule and the Life of the Minor
Friars is this, i.e., to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, by living in obedience,
without having anything of their own, and in chastity.
17 NB: Here Fr. Bertoni’s text returns to Latin.