Chojun Miyagi Sensei
Book 2, CHAPTER 9: The Want of All Consolation
Comment: Over the years, I studied Gōjū-ryū,Karate’. This word, Gōjū-ryū, is Okinawan Japanese for “hard-soft.” This traditional Okinawan karate features a combination of hard and soft defensive fighting principles. Imagine the hardness of a knuckle and the softness of the palm of your hand.
In learning to master the basics of the style, “karateka” (students) learn to walk, align their bones and muscles, and even breathe differently than what their body is accustomed. The karateka memorizes movements and steps which at first are at least awkward and uncomfortable, and sometimes painful, but later the student’s body adjusts to this new way of positioning the body.
The methods are effective. The strength and endurance built up with simple combinations of movements over thousands of times builds “muscle memory.” The pain and discomfort subside as the student brings the body into a disciplined force of body, mind, and yes, spirit. And no one can do it for you. Still, no matter how proficient you become, there is always someone who is faster, stronger or more agile. So you keep practicing: a lot.
Similarly, good Thomas makes us uncomfortable at times. He pushes us into the awkward and uncomfortable position of confronting our greatest enemy, which is ourselves. In this chapter, he explains how our bodies love comfort, consolation, softness and ease. And even under discipline, and even while pursuing holiness, we are subject to temptation. Along this faith journey, we will encounter a great deal of discomfort, difficulty, and challenges to body, mind, and spirit. We will face many questions, such as the questions Thomas brings up in this chapter.
Two examples are given in St. Lawrence and St. Sixtus. These saints dealt with challenges to their faith and ultimately they died for their faith. With such examples, Thomas reminds us to deny the passing pleasures of our own self so we can grow closer to Christ. And when that goal is achieved, expect a “dry period” and an increase in temptations. Only turning to our Lord with pleading prayer will see you through.
Jesus Christ Sensei
There is good news, though, as Thomas reminds us that with Divine comfort: “You ride at ease when you are carried by the grace of God.” God’s grace makes everything bearable. In other words, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with such things as rest and comfort, but nothing on earth compares with divine comfort.
This chapter ends with a warning: When it comes to spiritual warfare, Satan does not sleep. Because you are alive, your flesh is subject to temptation. Therefore, you must continually ready yourself for this battle, through discipline, practice, and dealing with a little discomfort.
Chapter 9, In Short.
1. When you are carried by the grace of God, you ride at ease.
2. It is difficult for us to be freed from our self.
3. When you rely on yourself, you easily slip away into human comforts.
4. When God gives spiritual comfort, receive it with thanksgiving.
5. The disciple does not despair, but earnestly pleads with God.
6. There is no more hopeful remedy than patience, self-denial and an abiding in the will of God.
7. I have never found anyone so saintly that at times did not feel a withdrawal of divine favor.
8. Divine consolation is given to make you stronger in bearing up under adversities: the devil does not sleep.
Question: Is Your Ride Hard, or Soft, or a Little of Both?
Book 2, Chapter 9: The Want of All Consolation
It is not hard to despise human comfort when we have divine comfort. But it is a great thing, yes, very great, to be able to bear the loss of both human and divine comfort. Be willing to bear the exile of your heart for the love of God, and to seek yourself in nothing. Similarly, do not look to your own merits. If you are cheerful of heart and devout when Grace arrives, what great matter is this to you? That is an hour when all will rejoice. You ride at ease when you are carried by the grace of God. And what a wonder it is if you feel no burdens when you are carried by the Almighty and led onwards by the Guide from on high?
St. Sixtus Sensei, at the Start of Seyunchi Kata
2. We are willing to accept anything for comfort, and it is difficult for us to be freed from our self. The Martyr, St. Lawrence overcame the love of the world with guidance from his Prelate because Laurence rejected everything in the world which seemed to be pleasant. For the love of Christ, he calmly suffered even God’s chief priest, Sixtus, whom he dearly loved, to be taken from him.
Thus by the love of the Creator, he overcame the love of humans, and instead of human comfort, Lawrence chose God’s good pleasure instead. You also need to learn to resign close and beloved friends for the love of God. Do not take it to heart when you have been deserted by a friend, knowing that we must all be parted from one another in the end.
3. You must go through a long and great conflict in yourself before you can learn fully to overcome yourself and to draw your whole affection towards God. When you rely on yourself, you easily slip away into human comforts.
But a true lover of Christ, and a diligent seeker after virtue, does not fall back upon human comforts, nor seek such sweetness as may be tasted, but rather desires difficult exercises, and undertakes severe labors for Christ.
4. When God gives spiritual comfort receive it with thanksgiving, but know that it is a gift from God, and not attributable to your own merits. Do not be lifted up, rejoice too soon, or foolishly presume, but rather be more humble for the gift, and be more wary and more careful in all your doings; for this hour will pass away, and temptation will follow.
When comfort is taken from you, do not immediately despair, but wait for the heavenly visitation with humility and patience, for God is able to restore to you even greater favor and consolation (Jl 2:25). This is neither new nor strange to those who have experienced the ways of God, for with the great saints and the ancient prophets there was often this manner of change.
5. Once there was one who, when the favor of God was present exclaimed, “In my abundance, I shall never be moved(Ps 30:6).” But when that grace was withdrawn, he shares his internal experience by saying: “You turned Your face from me, and I was troubled(Ps 30:8).”
In spite of this, a disciple should not despair, but more earnestly plead with God, and say, “Unto You, O Lord, will I cry, and will pray to my God(Ps 30:9).”
But where and when and in what manner should I plead? “You have turned my heaviness into joy, You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness(Ps 30:12).” If it was this way with the great saints, we who are poor and needy ought not to despair if sometimes we are in the warmth and sometimes in the cold, for the Spirit comes and goes according to the good pleasure of His will (Jn 3:8). Thus, holy Job says, “You observe your servant in the morning, and suddenly You prove him(Jb 7:18).”
6. At what point, then, can I hope? Or when may I trust, except in God’s great mercy and the hope of heavenly grace? For whether the good are with me, as godly faithful friends, whether holy books or beautiful discourses, whether sweet hymns and songs, all these help only a little, and have only a little delight when I am deserted by God’s favor and left to my own poverty. There is no better remedy, then, than patience and self denial, and abiding in the will of God.
7. I have never found anyone so devout and godly that at times did not feel a withdrawal of divine favor, or feel a lack of fervor. No saint was ever so filled with rapture or so enlightened, who did not sooner or later suffer temptation. For such a person is not worthy of the great vision of God, who, for God’s sake, has not been exercised by some temptation. For temptation tends to precede such as a sign of the comfort which shall follow, and heavenly comfort is promised to those who are proved by temptation. As it is written, “To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life(Rv 2:7).”
8. Divine consolation is given to you so that you may be stronger in bearing adversities. And temptation follows this, as a means of subduing your pride. The devil does not sleep and your flesh is not yet dead. Therefore, continually ready yourself for this battle, for enemies stand on your right hand and on your left, and they are never at rest.