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Outra do mesmo padre Jgnatio aos Jrmãos de Coimbra. 1548, Janeiro 14, Roma.
Transcription
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Outro domesmo padre Ignacio aos Irmãos de Coimbra — La gracia y paz de Iesu Christo, Deus e Senhor nosso, se sinta sempre e possua em nossas almas. Amen. Aunque das cousas necessárias bastaria o que ao Mestre Simão se escreve, e a pouca saúde minha e occupações sobradas facilmente me escusariam no não necessário; todavia, o muito amor com que nos tem Iesu Christo, Senhor nosso, posto dentro em minha alma, faz que não queira aproveitar-me de escusa alguma, sabendo que pela devoção de uma obediência vos consolais no Senhor nosso com as cartas que daqui se vos escrevem, assim como eu e todos os que aqui estamos nos consolamos muito no mesmo Senhor nosso com as boas novas que de vossa Senhoria — aproveitamento em doutrina e virtudes — aqui ouvimos. Espero em Deus nosso Criador e Senhor que antes acrecentará de dia em dia este nosso gozo, com acrecentar as causas dele, e que não permitirá diminuir-se com diminuição alguma dellas. E que sereis de agnatos de quem diz o Sábio: *Iustorum semita quasi lux splendens procedit & crescit usque ad perfectam diem*; e assim copio eu ao gozo Autor deste dia como sol de sabedoria e justiça, que por suas misericórdias o que em nós começou leve até à perfeição, até nos deixar calar e conhecer *Ubi pascat, ubi cubet in meridie*, glorificando-se em todos vós e demonstrando a riqueza de sua potente mão e magnificência infinita em seus iguais dons em nossas almas e por meio nosso nas de outros muitos. E a vós também, caríssimos irmãos, em Iesu Xpd, Deus e Senhor nosso, peço-vos, pelo mesmo, que vos façais capazes da visitaçam sua.
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[Page V] [Texto Principal] Y los tesoros spades con la puridad de corazón con la humildad verdadera, con un mesmo ser de todos y un mesmo querer, con la paz exterior y interior y es la que da morada en el alto y hace reinar en ella al que se dice Príncipe de la Paz y por abro- giar siendo todos una mesma cosa en el Señor nuestro Jesu Xpo. y porque tal unión entre muchos no puede mantenerse sin orden, ni la orden sin el vínculo debido de la obediencia de los inferio- res a los superiores, como nos enseña toda la naturaleza corporal, las Jerarquías de los Ángeles, las políticas bien regidas de los hombres y con la subordinación se unen, conservan y rigen. Encarecidamente os encargo esta obediencia, sabiendo que cada uno la guarde con sus Superiores en cuanto grado que le sean Superiores, como sería con los oficiales en aquello que toca a sus oficios, con los confesores en lo que es del foro de la conciencia, con el Rector en todas cosas, así como el mismo Rector igualmente con los demás debiera estar en todo sujeto al Propósito puntual, en especial ayudando Dios nuestro Señor usado del como de instrum.º para principiar esta su obra y el así mismo agente quiera que Dios nuestro Señor le diere por superior general, así como este tal al que es a todos supremo y quien todos superiores sin diferencia de personas reconociendo a Jesu Xpo Señor nuestro, pues a Él y por Él debe darse toda obediencia a quien quiera que se dé. Y esta obediencia para que la unión se haga por ella y se conserve no ha de consistir solamente en la disposición de las obras exteriores, pero aun de las interiores, como es de la Voluntad, que no llega al primer escalón de la obediencia, como dice Bernardo: «Quien no hace suya la voluntad del Superior». Así mismo del entendimiento; y no durará ni se podrá conservar la unión de voluntades si los pareceres se guardan diversos. Y aun que se haga y requiera lo que el superior ordenare, si todavía se siente lo contrario y se prefiere el propio juicio al del superior. Y es cierto que donde no se entra en esta, que pecado sea o de tal manera conocida por falsa, que comienza necesariamente a desfallecer.
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[Page 7] [Texto Principal] A verdadeira obediência não sujeita ao superior somente as obras, mas ainda as vontades; e não só as vontades, mas ainda os pareceres; e então a união se faz firme e durável, e a paz e quietude neste sítio, e o jugo suave, em certo modo, quanto o estado presente e mísera condição comporta e importuna. Daqui poderão ver os que contra a intenção do superior fazem coisas, ainda que de seu gênero seriam louváveis e boas, como as mortificações e contemplações outras, quão pouca parte de obediência tenham; pois nas obras vão contra o que lhes é mandado, e nas vontades seguem a própria contra a do seu Superior, e nos pareceres preferem o seu ao do que rege. Oh! quão pouco aceito sacrifício faz a Deus quem lhe oferece o querer ato aquele que não é obrigado, a um que seja de si mesmo de perfeição contra a mente do Superior. Haveriam de entender os tais, e como Bernardo diz: «não se oferece coisa que seja grata ao Ihs santo, se se deixa de fazer aquela a que cada um é obrigado, como é o súdito de obedecer ao seu Superior, de quem Deus omnipotente diz: *Qui me audit, me audit; qui vos spernit, me spernit*.» Tal como estas parece era o sacrifício de Saul contra a obediência de Deus nosso Senhor proposta por Samuel profeta. *Pepercit* (diz), *populus melioribus ovis? Et armeths ut immolaret Domino Deo suo*. Mas a ele responde o Profeta: *Quare non audisti vocem Domini? Effectisti malum in oculis Domini*. E depois, alegando Saul seus sacrifícios: *Nunquid vult Dominus holocausta et victimas, magis quam ut obediatis voci Domini? Melior est enim obediencia quam victimae, et auscultare quam offerre adipem arietis. Sicut peccati apriolandi est repugnare, et quasi scelus idololatriae nolle acquiescere*. Tal era assim mesmo o sacrifício de Caim dos frutos da terra de pouco valor, e não mereceu que Deus os mirasse. Pois tais são os trabalhos ou afetivos do corpo e avon da alma e igles quaisquer outras obras, se se oferecem sem a obediência e caridade devida. Ao contrário: *Respexit Dominus ad Abel et ad munera eius*, porque ofereceu dos primogênitos das suas ovelhas e da gordura delas. Tal é o nobre sacrifício da vontade própria e entendimento, e com devoção de obediência se oferece à Divina Majestade. [Anotações marginais] [No lado esquerdo, ao nível da linha "Quare non audisti.
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] por sus ministros in odorem suavitatis. No tiene la sal genel leui- tico se manda offerer en todo sacrificio; quien cobra obediencia, ofrece su cuerpo en afflictiones o de otra manera. No es esta aquella hastia viva y conforme a razón y agradable a Dios, mi Criador y Señor, que encomienda S. Pablo. Querría se entendiese bien aquélla y tuviese en la memoria aquella verdad. Y S. Ber- nardo diz: «Quod si quid sine voluntate & consensu patris spiritualis fit, imputabitur vanæ gloriæ, non mercedi.» Pues ¿cuánto más si contra voluntad? ¿Qué mayor soberbia puede ser que per- ferir su querer y sentir al de aquel que ha reconocido el lugar de Jesu Christo, Señor Nuestro, por superior? Y así es cierto que los tales, comunmente la experiencia muestra, son soberbios y merecen para la causa los remedios mismos y medicinas (como son las mortifi- caciones dichas, cuando con voluntad del superior y conforme- mente a razón se toman) volverseles en ponzoña y causa de muerte. Grande es el gozo que tiene el enemigo de nuestra natura cuando ve una ánima caminar incautamente y sin seno de quien sepa regir y gobernar a uno por vías altas y sublimes, pues tanto o más ocasión tiene de esperar su ruina y más grande precipicio; y el celo que sería santo, sola obediencia le endereçase, viene a ser arma y máquina efficacissima del demonio para quitar la verdadera caridad del corazón y desquiciarle la spíritu viva. Mirad y aun a la tierra de promisión: queriendo entrar contra la obediencia, los hijos de Israel fueron desus enemigos vencidos. Por Hemias, contra obediencia, aun en cosas muy spíri- tuales, desmandáronse. Mirad y cómo poco, cuando iban por obe- diencia, solían vencer muchos enemigos; así al Edom, cuando iban contra ella, muchos eran vencidos de pocos.
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[Page 7] [Texto Principal] sêio dela obediência persuadindo-vos no Senhor, meu padre, entõces caminais dereitamente e vos conformais à Divina Vontade, que, posta a vossa própria vontade debaixo dos pés, tereis sobre a cabeça e entre os olhos a de vossos Superiores, crendo que a Divina Providência por tal meio vos há de reger e guiar para que à maior perfeição váis chegar e à ajuda de vossos próximos; e assim praza de fazê-lo a sua Divina Majestade, para que mais em todos se honre e glorifique o seu santo nome para sempre.
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Another letter from the same Father Ignatius to the Brothers of Coimbra
The grace and peace of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, be ever felt within and dwell in our souls. Amen.
Although what has already been written to Master Simão suffices for matters of necessity—and although my own poor health and manifold duties would readily excuse me from writing on matters not strictly required—nevertheless, the profound love with which Jesus Christ, our Lord, has imbued my soul compels me not to avail myself of any such excuse. I know that, through the devotion attendant upon obedience, you draw spiritual consolation in our Lord from the letters dispatched to you from here; just as I, and all who are with me, derive deep consolation in the same Lord from the edifying news we receive concerning Your Lordship—namely, your advancement in doctrine and virtue.
I place my hope in God, our Creator and Lord, that He will daily augment this joy of ours by increasing its causes, and that He will not permit it to diminish in any way through diminution of those same causes. Moreover, I trust that you shall prove yourselves *agnati*—spiritual kin—of those whom the Wise Man describes: *‘The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines ever more brightly until full day’* (Proverbs 4:18). Thus do I, too, rejoice in the Author of this day—as the sun of wisdom and justice—who, in His mercies, will bring to perfection all that He has begun in us, even to the point where we may rest and discern *‘Where He feeds, where He rests at noon’* (Song of Solomon 1:7), glorifying Himself in you all and manifesting the riches of His mighty hand and infinite magnificence through the equal gifts bestowed upon our souls—and, through us, upon the souls of many others.
And to you also, most beloved brothers, in Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, I earnestly entreat—by Him—that you prepare yourselves to receive His visitation.
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And the treasures—spades—[i.e., spiritual instruments or means of grace]—are wielded with purity of heart, with true humility, with a shared identity and a common purpose among all, and with peace both external and internal. It is this peace that enables the Divine to dwell in the highest place, establishing there the One proclaimed ‘Prince of Peace’, and effecting, through abrogation of self, the unity of all in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Since such unity among many cannot be sustained without order, nor order maintained without the proper bond of obedience—whereby inferiors submit to superiors—this principle is confirmed by the entire order of corporeal nature, by the angelic hierarchies, by well-governed human polities, and by all legitimate systems of subordination: it is through such subordination that communities are united, preserved, and rightly governed.
I earnestly enjoin upon you this obedience, fully aware that each person must observe it towards their respective Superiors, according to the degree in which those Superiors hold authority over them: thus, towards Officers in matters pertaining to their official duties; towards Confessors in all matters falling within the internal forum of conscience; and towards the Rector in all things whatsoever. Likewise, the Rector himself must, in all respects, remain subject to the Provincial Superior [Propósito puntual], especially as our Lord God—using him as His instrument—has inaugurated this divine work. And just as the Provincial Superior, in turn, is subject to the Superior General appointed by our Lord God, so too is the Superior General subject to Christ Jesus Himself—the Supreme Sovereign, to whom all Superiors, without distinction of person, owe their ultimate allegiance. For all obedience is due to Him, and only through Him, regardless of the human intermediary through whom it is mediated.
Moreover, for obedience to serve as the foundation and safeguard of unity, it must extend beyond mere external compliance with prescribed actions; it must embrace the interior dispositions also—particularly the will. As St Bernard observes, ‘He who does not make the Superior’s will his own has not yet attained the first degree of obedience.’ Equally, the intellect must be brought into conformity; for unity of will cannot endure or be preserved where private judgments remain divergent. Even if one outwardly performs what the Superior commands, obedience remains incomplete—and unity imperilled—if one inwardly resists, or continues to prefer one’s own judgment over that of the Superior. Indeed, where this interior submission is lacking—even when no formal sin is committed, or where error is not manifestly grave—the bond of unity necessarily begins to weaken and falter.
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[Page 7] [Main Text] True obedience subjects not only one’s actions to the superior, but also one’s will—and not only the will, but even one’s judgments and opinions. Only then is unity rendered firm and enduring, and peace and tranquillity established in this place; only then does the yoke become ‘easy’, insofar as the present state and our wretched condition permit and require. From this, those who—contrary to the superior’s intention—undertake actions which, considered in themselves, might be praiseworthy and good (such as mortifications or other forms of contemplative practice) may discern how little genuine obedience they possess: for in their actions they contravene what has been commanded them; in their wills they follow their own inclination rather than that of their superior; and in their judgments they prefer their own opinion to that of the one entrusted with governance. O! How unacceptable is the sacrifice offered to God by one who presents as an act of devotion that which he is not obliged to perform—especially when such an act, though seemingly perfect in itself, is undertaken against the express judgment of his superior. Such persons ought to reflect upon this, as St Bernard observes: ‘Nothing is acceptable to the Holy Jesus unless one fulfils that to which one is bound; for the subject is bound to obey his superior, of whom Almighty God declares: *Qui me audit, me audit; qui vos spernit, me spernit* (“He who hears you hears me; he who rejects you rejects me”).’ Just such was the sacrifice of Saul, which contravened the divine command laid down by the prophet Samuel: *‘Pepercit populus melioribus ovis? Et armeths ut immolaret Domino Deo suo’* (“Did the people spare the best of the sheep? And did they take them to offer as a burnt offering to the Lord your God?”). Yet the prophet replies: *‘Quare non audisti vocem Domini? Effectisti malum in oculis Domini’* (“Why have you not obeyed the voice of the Lord? You have done evil in the sight of the Lord”). When Saul then pleads the merit of his sacrifices, Samuel retorts: *‘Nunquid vult Dominus holocausta et victimas, magis quam ut obediatis voci Domini? Melior est enim obediencia quam victimae, et auscultare quam offerre adipem arietis. Sicut peccati apriolandi est repugnare, et quasi scelus idololatriae nolle acquiescere’* (“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices more than in obedience to His voice? For obedience is better than sacrifice, and to heed than to offer the fat of rams. To rebel is as the sin of divination, and to refuse consent is as the iniquity of idolatry”). Similarly, the offering of Cain—the fruits of the earth, of little worth—was unworthy of God’s regard. For any bodily labours, affections of the soul, or other works whatsoever lack merit before God if offered without due obedience and charity. By contrast: *‘Respexit Dominus ad Abel et ad munera eius’* (“The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering”), because he offered ‘of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat’. Thus, the noblest sacrifice is that of one’s own will and intellect—offered to the Divine Majesty with reverence and in the spirit of obedient devotion.
[Marginal Annotations]
[Left-hand margin, aligned with the line *‘Quare non audisti…’*]
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‘Through His ministers, as a fragrance of sweetness.’ Salt—though not possessing the Levitical purity required for ritual offerings—is nevertheless commanded to be included in every sacrifice. Likewise, he who renders obedience offers his body in afflictions, or otherwise submits it to discipline. Yet this is not the ‘living sacrifice’—rational, pleasing to God, and consonant with right reason—that our Creator and Lord commends through Saint Paul (Romans 12:1). I earnestly wish this distinction to be clearly understood and firmly held in memory.
Saint Bernard writes: *‘Quod si quid sine voluntate et consensu patris spiritualis fit, imputabitur vanæ gloriæ, non mercedi’* — ‘For if anything is done without the will and consent of one’s spiritual father, it shall be imputed to vain glory, not to merit.’ How much more gravely, then, must such action be judged when undertaken *against* his will? What greater pride could there be than to prefer one’s own will and judgment to that of the spiritual superior—whom one has acknowledged as holding, by divine appointment, the place of Jesus Christ our Lord?
It is therefore certain—and confirmed by common experience—that such individuals are prone to spiritual pride; and the very remedies and medicines prescribed for their healing—namely, the mortifications described above—when undertaken without the superior’s consent or contrary to right reason, become, instead, poison and a cause of spiritual death.
Great indeed is the joy of our enemy—the devil—when he beholds a soul advancing heedlessly, unsheltered by the guidance of one qualified to govern and direct it along the high and sublime ways of perfection. For here he finds no less—and often greater—occasion to anticipate its ruin and precipitous fall. Moreover, zeal which, if rightly ordered by obedience, would be truly holy, becomes instead a most efficacious weapon and instrument of the demon: it undermines genuine charity in the heart and deranges the living spirit.
Consider the example of the Promised Land: when the Israelites sought to enter it against the commandment of obedience, they were routed by their enemies (Numbers 14:40–45). Similarly, the people of Judah under Nehemiah fell into disorder—even in matters profoundly spiritual—when they acted contrary to obedience (Nehemiah 13:15–22). Observe, too, how frequently they prevailed over many adversaries when acting in obedience; whereas, when they transgressed it—as in the case of Edom—they were defeated by far fewer opponents (2 Chronicles 25:20–24).
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…obedience to her, persuading you, my father, in the Lord; for then you walk uprightly and conform yourselves to the Divine Will—having placed your own will beneath your feet, you shall bear the will of your Superiors upon your head and before your eyes. You are to believe that Divine Providence will govern and guide you through this means, leading you towards ever greater perfection and enabling you to assist your neighbours. And so may it please His Divine Majesty to bring this about, that His holy Name may be honoured and glorified ever more abundantly in all things, for evermore.