The Way of Perfection

Cover......Page 1
About this book......Page 2
Table of Contents......Page 3
Title Page......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
Introduction......Page 11
Translator's note......Page 17
Prologue......Page 21
Of the reason which moved me to found this convent in such strict observance......Page 23
Treats of how the necessities of the body should be disregarded and of the good that comes from poverty......Page 24
Continues the subject begun in the first chapter and persuades the sisters to busy themselves constantly in beseeching God to help those who work for the Church. Ends with an exclamatory prayer......Page 27
Exhorts the nuns to keep their Rule and names three things which are important for the spiritual life. Describes the first of these three things, which is love of one's neighbour, and speaks of the harm which can be done by individual friendships......Page 31
Appendix to chapter 4......Page 35
Continues speaking of confessors. Explains why it is important that they should be learned men......Page 36
Returns to the subject of perfect love, already begun......Page 38
Treats of the same subject of spiritual love and gives certain counsels for gaining it......Page 41
Treats of the great benefit of self-detachment, both interior and exterior, from all things created......Page 45
Treats of the great blessing that shunning their relatives brings to those who have left the world and shows how by doing so they will find truer friends......Page 46
Teaches that detachment from the things aforementioned is insufficient if we are not detached from our own selves and that this virtue and humility go together......Page 48
Continues to treat of mortification and describes how it may be attained in times of sickness......Page 51
Teaches that the true lover of God must care little for life and honour......Page 52
Continues to treat of mortification and explains how one must renounce the world's standards of wisdom in order to attain to true wisdom......Page 55
Treats of the great importance of not professing anyone whose spirit is contrary to the things aforementioned......Page 58
Treats of the great advantage which comes from our not excusing ourselves, even though we find we are unjustly condemned......Page 59
Describes the difference between perfection in the lives of contemplatives and in the lives of those who are content with mental prayer. Explains how it is sometimes possible for God to raise a distracted soul to perfect contemplation and the reason for this. This chapter and that which comes next are to be noted carefully......Page 62
How not all souls are fitted for contemplation and how some take long to attain it. True humility will walk happily along the road by which the Lord leads it......Page 66
Continues the same subject and shows how much greater are the trials of contemplatives than those of actives. This chapter offers great consolation to actives.......Page 68
Begins to treat of prayer. Addresses souls who cannot reason with the understanding.......Page 71
Describes how, in one way or another, we never lack consolation on the road of prayer. Counsels the sisters to include this subject continually in their conversation.......Page 77
Describes the great importance of setting out upon the practice of prayer with firm resolution and of heeding no difficulties put in the way by the devil......Page 79
Explains the meaning of mental prayer......Page 82
Describes the importance of not turning back when one has set out upon the way of prayer. Repeats how necessary it is to be resolute.......Page 85
Describes how vocal prayer may be practised with perfection and how closely allied it is to mental prayer......Page 87
Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural.......Page 89
Continues the description of a method for recollecting the thoughts. Describes means of doing this. This chapter is very profitable for those who are beginning prayer.......Page 90
Describes the great love shown us by the Lord in the first words of the Paternoster and the great importance of our making no account of good birth if we truly desire to be the daughters of God.......Page 93
Describes the nature of the Prayer of Recollection and sets down some of the means by which we can make it a habit.......Page 95
Continues to describe methods for achieving this Prayer of Recollection. Says what little account we should make of being favoured by our superiors.......Page 99
Describes the importance of understanding what we ask for in prayer. Treats of these words in the Paternoster: 'Sanctificetur nomen tuum, adveniat regnum tuum.' Applies them to the Prayer of Quiet, and begins the explanation of them.......Page 102
Continues the same subject. Explains what is meant by the Prayer of Quiet. Gives several counsels to those who experience it. This chapter is very noteworthy.......Page 104
Expounds these words of the Paternoster: 'Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo et in terra.' Describes how much is accomplished by those who repeat these words with full resolution and how well the Lord rewards them for it.......Page 109
Treats of our great need that the Lord should give us what we ask in these words of the Paternoster: 'Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.'......Page 113
Continues the same subject. This is very suitable for reading after the reception of the Most Holy Sacrament.......Page 115
Describes the recollection which should be practised after Communion. Concludes this subject with an exclamatory prayer to the Eternal Father.......Page 120
Treats of these words in the Paternoster: 'Dimitte nobis debita nostra.'......Page 122
Describes the excellence of this prayer called the Paternoster, and the many ways in which we shall find consolation in it.......Page 126
Treats of the great need which we have to beseech the Eternal Father to grant us what we ask in these words: 'Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.'......Page 128
Continues the same subject and gives counsels concerning different kinds of temptation. Suggests two remedies by which we may be freed from temptations.......Page 132
Describes how, by striving always to walk in the love and fear of God, we shall travel safely amid all these temptations.......Page 134
Speaks of the fear of God and of how we must keep ourselves from venial sins.......Page 137
Treats of these last words of the Paternoster: 'Sed libera nos a malo. Amen.' 'But deliver us from evil. Amen.'......Page 140