Lest You Remain

Second, your desires: have you not desired to possess things which, by the decision of the Superiors, were given to someone else? Or, have you let go of things you had, that were lost or taken from you, reluctantly or with murmuring or pain? Third, your will: haven’t you wanted to buy and possess things which are men- tioned and described in the Constitutions and the canonical law as opposing pover- ty? Or rather, whenever you could and were in a position to do so, have you instilled in others love for Christ, who became poor for you? Have you freed yourself from any desire to possess? ( Inspectio Cordis ) 7 The deeper [in your heart, lie] hidden greed and the desire to possess, the more carefully they should be traced, uncovered and removed. So check whether you are not emotionally attached to any thing, even though you may have permission to possess it. And while large and numerous material possessions, obtained legally, do not do any harm to many, it may be quite the opposite with you. Even the tiniest thing, if you desire it too emotionally, or are attached to it, may harm you. For many people, it is a source of pride to have a lot of possessions but you, bound by the vow of poverty, should restrain and restrict your will from possessing even necessary things, such as clothes. As for the things you yourself recognize as irreconcilable with the virtue of pover- ty, consider them poisonous snakes, which will soon bring both you and the Congre- gation to ruin. Get rid of them immediately, and remove them from your cell, so that the precious pearl of Evangelical poverty would not lose its value or dim its luster. ( Inspectio Cordis ) 8 Judge for yourself whether you are not emotionally attached to anything which you could not part with; or, if you were to give it away, you would do it with regret and the shattering of your inner peace. That would be much more serious and neg- ative than possessing the entire world, without any emotional attachment to it. Examine also whether you have not provided an opportunity for someone else to violate or disregard poverty, either by letting him keep something, or by bring- L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 152