Hi, all. I started the 15 prayers of Saint Bridget devotion. One of the promises/benefits is that the person who adheres to the devotion will achieve the first level of perfection. I tried looking that up, but I did not understand what I was reading. Can anyone please explain what this is? And then what the second and third levels entail? Many thanks!
LUKE 18:9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Wow, Luan. Not sure how you took my honest question about what the first level of perfection is to be a sign that I am a Pharisee? I have no idea what that means. I am saying the prayers so that my children return to the faith. BTW, I learned of these prayers and their benefit from reading the MOG forum. I was elated that there was something I could do to maybe help my kids. Time is so short. Perhaps you should read a little about Matthew 7:3-5 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. That is why I posted the question in questions and answers. Pretty quick to assume the worst - very Christlike. If you cannot tell, your quick judgement and words hurt me.
no; you got it wrong, I posted the passage because I think it answers your question: the first step to perfection is recognizing yourself small before God and how much we need divine grace no matter how much we practice many gospel virtues.
If that is the case, then I am sorry. Upon re-reading, can you see how I took that as a message only to me and not a response to my question? I needed context to understand that.
yes, I understand, but my view on this passage has always been that we should only follow the model of the publican crying out for God's mercy at all times even if we fulfill 99% of the biblical commandments.
I think it means that there are three Levels of Perfection and that it might lead us through the Dark Night of the senses to Contemplative Prayer. 1 Purgative Dark Night of the Senses 2 Illuminative Dark Night of the Soul 3 Unitive https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14254a.htm The purgative way The purgative way is the way, or state, of those who are beginners, that is, those who have obtained justification, but have not their passions and evil inclinations in such a state of subjugation that they can easily overcome temptations, and who, in order to preserve and exercise charity and the other virtues have to keep up a continual warfare within themselves. It is so called because the chief concern of the soul in this state is to resist and to overcome the passions by nourishing, strengthening, and cherishing the virtue of charity. This can and ought to be done not only by keeping the Commandments, but by foreseeing the occasions in which the precepts oblige, so as to be ready by a prompt and well disposed will to resist and avoid any sins opposed to them. This state, although, in one sense, it is imperfect, in another sense may be called a state of perfection, because the soul remains united to God by grace and charity so long as it is free from the stain of mortal sin. Purity of soul may be said to be the proper end of the purgative way, and the forms of prayer suitable for this way or state are meditations on sin and its consequences, and on death, judgment, hell, and heaven. The acts which aid toward uprooting the remnants and habits of former sins, and preventing one from ever returning to them, are corporal austerities, mortification of the appetite, abnegation of one's own will, and conformity to the will of God. In a word, the distinctive notes of this state are war against those temptations which entice the soul to sin by the attraction of pleasures of the senses and the natural shrinking from pain; and repugnance to acts known to be contrary to the will of God. The characteristic virtue of this state is humility, by which the soul is made sensible of its own weakness and its dependence upon the succours of the grace of God. What mystical writers describe as the active and passive purifications of the spiritual life may be brought under, and arranged according to, their three states of perfection, though not confined to any one of them. The active purification consists of all the holy efforts, mortifications, labors, and sufferings by which the soul, aided by the grace of God endeavors to reform the mind, heart, and the sensitive appetite. This is the characteristic work of the purgative way. The passive purifications are the means which God employs to purify the soul from its stains and vices, and to prepare it for the exceptional graces of the supernatural life. In the works of St. John of the Cross these purifications are called nights, and he divides them into two classes, the night of the senses and the night of the spirits. In the state of beginners the soul is often favored by God with what are called "sensible consolations" because they have their beginning and are felt chiefly in the senses or sensible faculties. They consist in sensible devotion and a feeling of fervour arising from the consideration of God's goodness vividly represented to the mind and heart; or, from external aids, such as the ceremonies of the Church. These consolations are often withdrawn, and a state of desolation ensues, and then the passive purification of the senses begins.
But maybe not. There are a variety of Models for prayer and the one to which I referred is a more modern one, post Medieval. St Bridget lived way back in the 14th century and may have been referring to a Medieval prayer model I am not familiar with maybe something to do with St Bernard of Clairvaux. This may be more likely, St Bernard speaks of Four Degrees of Love: https://renovare.org/articles/four-degrees-of-love In which case the First Degree of Perfection might be: 2. The First Degree of Love: Love of Self for Self’s Sake Love is a natural human affection. It comes from God. Hence the first and greatest commandment is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.” But human nature is weak and therefore compelled to love itself and serve itself first. In the human realm people love themselves for their own sake. This is planted within us for who ever hated his own self? But if this love of ourselves becomes too lavish, it will overflow its natural boundaries through excessive love of pleasure. People can easily become slaves to the soul’s enemy: lust. This love of self is held in check by the command to love our neighbor. If we cannot love our neighbor because of our love of self, then we must restrain our lusts and give to our neighbor’s needs. Your love will then be temperate when you take from yourself and give to your neighbor. … In order to love our neighbor we must see that God is the cause of our love. How can we have a pure love for our neighbor if we do not love him in God? And you cannot love your neighbor unless you love God. God must be loved first in order that we may love our neighbor in God.
You might then say that the first level of Perfection is the , 'Right ordering of the affections'? Or to put it another way, getting your own house in order? Or to put it another way being a really good Catholic.
People get nervous when they hear about, 'Perfection', which sounds very elitist or, 'Holier than thou'.. But I don't think they meant it that way. It was just an expression to describe progress in the Spiritual Life.
