bryan sherwood

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:: Thursday, February 16, 2006 ::
Spiritus Lenitatis

St. Bernard termed the atmosphere of genuine humility the spiritus lenitatis ("spirit of kindness, gentleness"). In The Waters of Siloe, Merton helps explain what the spiritus lenitatis is and gives an example that I find helpful. The trouble with reading this is I am brought face to face with how many times I fail at this very thing.

Thomas Merton writes:
The spiritus lenitatis is a tenderness born of the experience of suffering, and it expands and reaches out to embrace all other men, filling our hearts with a delicate and Christian considerateness for their sufferings. When you have a broken leg, you are careful of your movements; if you have any natural sympathy, you will be just as careful of other people when you see them in the same kind of trouble. In the same way, Cistercian humility makes you very circumspect in your actions when you know your will to be weak and wounded and your intellect to be often blinded by selfishness and passion. Once you have experienced the pain of your own infirmity (and to feel the pain is the first step on the way to a cure), you soon learn compassion and a corresponding tenderness toward other people.

The truth is my will is often weak and wounded and my intellect is often blinded by selfishness and passion. Here's the good thing though: once I really grab a hold of that idea, I can more easily extend compassion and tenderness toward others who are struggling with some of those very same issues. Whether I live in a monastery with monks or in a church community, this is such an important part of learning to be together and loving one another.

:: Bryan :: 1:51 PM ::
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