Re: (IVAN): JUSTICIA y RECTITUD
IVAN VALAREZO
by this help.
532. Scripture has provided passages of consolation and of warning for all
conditions.
Nature seems to have done the same thing by her two infinities, natural and
moral; for we shall always have the higher and the lower, the more clever
and the less clever, the most exalted and the meanest, in order to humble
our pride and exalt our humility.
533. Comminutum cor (Saint Paul).[89] This is the Christian character. Alba
has named you, I know you no more (Corneille). That is the inhuman
character. The human character is the opposite.
534. There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who believe themselves
sinners; the rest, sinners, who believe themselves righteous.
535. We owe a great debt to those who point out faults. For they mortify us.
They teach us that we have been despised. They do not prevent our being so
in the future; for we have many other faults for which we may be despised.
They prepare for us the exercise of correction and freedom from fault.
536. Man is so made that by continually telling him he is a fool he believes
it, and by continually telling it to himself he makes himself believe it.
For man holds an inward talk with his self alone, which it behoves him to
regulate well: Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia prava.90 We must keep silent
as much as possible and talk with ourselves only of God, whom we know to be
true; and thus we convince ourselves of the truth.
537. Christianity is strange. It bids man recognise that he is vile, even
abominable, and bids him desire to be like God. Without such a counterpoise,
this dignity would make him horribly vain, or this humiliation would make
him terribly abject.
538. With how little pride does a Christian believe himself united to God!
With how little humiliation does he place himself on a level with the worms
of earth!
A glorious manner to welcome life a