examination of the heart 244 is Christ, into the sheepfold of Christ, which is the Church, or a religious institute or a sodality, will be undoubtedly saved. Also, the entrance through this gate is gained by pondering [f.60r] the teachings of the Savior, and especially by meditating on His Most Holy Passion and imitating His life.104 Nonetheless, there are many who, while openly professing Christ, cherishing His truths of faith, and constantly reflecting upon them, yet draw away from the gate of salvation because they do not combine their reflections with practice. For only blessed are those who “hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk 11:28). As for you, proceed to the sacred table with the intention both of hearing and imitating, and you will find the most certain pastures there. 3. “will go in and out” (Jn 10:9). Assuming that your religious community is that gate of Christ, consider that both are saved: those who enter through it, and those who go out. This means to say that not only those religious enter into life eternal, who, being once admitted within the walls of a monastery, give themselves to continuous solitude, prayer, penance and to the exercises of other virtues there, never appearing in public, never going outside. But indeed, everlasting life is also promised to those, who, compelled by obedience or charity, go out into the world to bring help either to their religious institute or to their neighbor, although they are thus prevented from adequately satisfying at the same time the duties of their religious community. Staying among the people, they do not have the same opportunities for praying, meditating, applying themselves to pious reading, conducting spiritual conversations, and doing other things of this kind that are required of them as religious, as are preached by those who constantly remain in a religious house. But because they went out from there through the gate of charity or obediEncyclopedia, vol. II, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1967, p. 909 (s.v. Busaeus (De Buys), Johannes). [Hereafter New Catholic Encyclopedia will be abbreviated as NCE.] 104 Cf. Busaeus, p. 66.
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