This conference is a back up of this morning’s meditation

on the Call of Christ the King.

THREE CLASSES OF MEN

Let’s consider now the three classes of men.

One of the basic principles of the Spiritual life is that a

person's holiness is measured according to the degree of

his resemblance to Christ. The more a person resembles

Christ, the more holy he will be. For this reason, every

lover of Christ longs to follow Him in the hardest things—

even in actual poverty and humiliations, if He, so wills---

that he may truly resemble Him. "Amor aut pares invenit

aut facit".

How is it, then, that only a few realize in themselves

perfect similarity with Christ?

The answer to this is that we are inordinately attached to

some creatures or other, and we never manage to break

away from it and find God in peace.

The meditation on the three classes of men is meant to

enlighten our minds as to the danger of such an

attachment and to give us strength and generosity to

break away from it.

St. Ignatius says that at times the only way to tear from

our souls such attachment is an immediate rejection of its

object.

There are 3 preludes in this meditation

The FIRST PRELUDE is the history. READ pp.77

(Remind that in the mind of St. Ignatius this ten

thousand ducats signifies the obstacle to perfection)

Every one must find out what it is that prevents him from

finding God in peace - that is from going straight to God

and cleaving wholly to Him.

He may be attached to some pleasing creatures — money,

comforts, a particular way of thinking or acting, a person,

a place, or office that he holds, or desires to have.

He may fear that something hard and unpleasant may

befall him - a failure/or a repulse, sickness or removal

from some place or office, some difficult work, or some

extra claim on his time and energy.

Know that in all these cases, there is no question of

sinful attachment. But if you see them as obstacles to

your perfection, or in finding peace of soul, it is NOT due

to the fact that the creature which you like, or the

means by which you have attained to it, is sinful, but

solely to your INORDINATE attachment to it.

We must sincerely desire to know what prevents us from

finding God in peace. We must strive to discover the

obstacles to our perfection. How often we even refuse to

think about it?

St. Sebastian, the martyr, had assured Cromatius,

Prefect of Rome, that he would be cured of gout if he

believed in Christ and destroyed all his idols. Cromatius

broke to pieces more than 200 of then and yet he grew

worse. St. Sebastian found out that he had spared some

instruments which he used to use for astrological

superstitions and which he thought he could now look upon

as a mere curious. But when these were destroyed,

Cromatius was immediately healed.

Being humans, we are all like Cromatius, we have some

such idol, which we do not want indeed to set up as

ultimate in our life, but to keep, to purify, and to

consecrate to God. But, if we want to find God in peace,

we must destroy that idol.

The SECOND PRELUDE, according to St. Ignatius, is to

see yourself how you stand in the presence of God our

Lord and of all His Saints, that you may desire and know

which most is pleasing to His Divine Goodness.

The THIRD PRELUDE is to ask what I desire. Here it will

be to beg for grace, to choose that which is for the

greatest glory of His Divine Majesty, and for salvation of

our souls.

These two preludes bring out the attitude of a Christian

that seeks the Lord and seeks Him constantly. He walks

in the sight of God and of His saints, anxious to know

what is more pleasing to God, and begging for grace to do

it unhesitatingly.

I. THE FIRST CLASS

Now let us consider the first class.

All the 3 classes desire, somehow to get rid of the

affection that they have for the thing acquired, in order

to find our Lord in peace and thus save their souls.

But, mark this, the FIRST CLASS makes procrastination

the rule of their conduct. Though they do not positively

refuse to employ the means necessary for their

amendment, they indefinitely put off employing them?

Now, let us ask yourselves: Do I belong to this class?

Many a time God has urged me through the voice of my

conscience to detach myself from those persons,

particular place or things, which hinders me to become

holy and to find God in peace. And yet in spite of my

repeated promises to avoid them, I am still attached to

them. By disobeying the voice of God, I am endangering

my very salvation. I am fatally deceiving myself and

acting in a manner unworthy of a man of serious purpose.

Let us then ask our Lord to grant us the grace to know

ourselves well. ( Let us throw ourselves at the feet of our

Savior and cry with the blind man in gospel, “Lord that I

may see.”)

2. THE SECOND CLASS

Let us now examine the 2nd Class.

Their description – (read p.78)

There are two distinguishing marks of the 2nd class. The

first one is the IMAGINARY DETACHMENT AND REAL

ATTACHEMENT. The second is the WANT OF

STRAIGHT FORWARDNESS and a POLICY OF

COMPROMISE.

Like the first class, they wish to get rid of their

inordinate affection for the things acquired. But, unlike

the first class they are sincerely willing to do a deal for

this purpose, always provided that they are not required

to sacrifice what they have gained.

This class of men is like to a sick man who wants to regain

his health, but without labor, without suffering and

without taking unpleasant remedies, which are prescribed.

They also resemble a spiritual person, who would like to

have perfect humility, but without bearing contempt.

They would like to have perfect charity and meekness but

without undergoing ill treatment. In other words, they

want to become holy without suffering.

IS NOT THIS A DIRECT OPPOSITION to the will of

the Eternal Father, the doctrine and example of Jesus,

and the designed and interior inspirations of the Holy

Ghost?

THEY DO NOT THINK that there has NOT BEEN

ANYONE BEFORE THEM nor would there be anyone

afterwards who became holy without suffering and

without following the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.

REMEMBER THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO

SUFFER, TO DIE TO SELF, TO GIVE UP ALL USELESS

AND SELFISH PURSUITS, if one wants to acquire

perfection. This is the doctrine of Jesus, the road that

leads to holiness.
Now, reflect and see whether you find yourself in this

class of men.

The ATTITUDE of the 2nd class is the cancer/bane of the

spiritual life

and the ruin of souls without number. If the 1st class is

made up of idlers and pious wishers, the 2nd is full of

weaklings and self-seekers.

During your meditation, ask God to enlighten you and to

make you know and see what until now you have not seen

or known.

Let us now examine the 3rd Class.

Their description – (read p.78)

The DISTINGUISHING MARK of the 3rd class is

STRAIGHT FORWARDNESS and EARNESTNESS.

They really want to get rid of their inordinate affection

and to find GOD in peace, at whatever cost. Possibly, God

may not ask them to sacrifice actually the ten thousand

ducats, but merely to purify their attachment to it.

But how can they be sure that God’s love alone moves

them to keep the money, and not the love of self, under

the disguise of God’s honor and glory?

As far as lies in their power, they first give up the money,

then proceed to consider whether for the sole reason of

serving Him better, it is God’s will that they should take

it back.

Such souls are firmly and solidly established in God and in

His holy will, and completely enjoy FREEDOM and PEACE.

They are fit instruments in God’s hands. They generously

follow Christ wherever He calls them, even in poverty and

humiliations. They choose in everything that which is

more for the glory of His Divine majesty and for the

salvation of their souls. Far from being sad, THEIR LIFE

IS ONE OF CONSTANT JOY. No matter whether it is

the joy of possessing things for God, or the even greater

joy of sacrificing them for his love – for instance, leaving

one’s parents to follow Christ. IN GIVING UP ALL

THINGS, THEY SOON REALIZE THEY HAVE FOUND

THE ALL GOD.

There are three main advantages, which a soul, who

belongs to this class enjoys:

I. This soul infallibly arrives at perfection.

According to St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic Carmelite. The

measure with which God gives Himself to a man is exactly

the same as that with which the man gives himself to God.

Therefore, when the soul surrenders itself entirely and

without reserve to God in this state of which speak, so

that it is ready to do and suffer all that pleases God, God

also, on His part, communicates Himself totally and

without reserve to the soul. And, He raises this soul in a

very short time to this perfection.

II. The soul that has this disposition certainly

reaches union with God

Know that union and intimate familiarity with God is the

reward promised for perfect charity. Our Lord says, “if

anyone love me, my Father will love Him, and we will come

to Him and we will make our abode with him.” (Jn. 14:23).

Now who is it that has perfect charity, to which is

attached the promise of such an outstanding grace? IT

IS BEYOND DOUBT, ONE WHO SURRENDERS

HIMSELF ENTIRELY TO GOD.

III. This soul infallibly obtains from God many other

very sublime graces.

If God is infinitely generous, He will not fail to pour down

His Graces super-abundantly and will pour them assuredly

on the heart, which submits completely to Him. These

graces consist in a very sweet, quiet peace and joy of

heart. In a very tender devotion and affection for God

and in other gifts which are properly from the Holy

Ghost. This is that very blessed hundred-fold, which

Jesus Christ promised those who, for love of Him, deny

themselves and entirely surrender to Him without holding

back.

AS AN ADVICE

LET us force ourselves to work hard to implant in our soul

the generous disposition of this third class.

We must make complete donations to God of whatever

hinders the peace of our souls.

DO WE NOT DESIRE TO DO IN ALL THINGS GOD’S

HOLY WILL AND TO PROMOTE HIS GREATER GLORY?

So, why should we fear to leave in God’s keeping

everything to which our hearts is attached?

WE MUST OFFER OURSELVES GENEROUSLY TO

ANYTHING UNPLEASANT AND HUMILIATING THAT

GOD MAY HAVE IN STORE FOR US.

Our Lord says, “Yes, the very hair of your head is

numbered.” Though our whole nature rebels at the

thought of such a sacrifice, in our colloquies to God, we

should offer ourselves for it; we should even desire it,

beg and supplicate for it, for the service ad praise of His

Divine Goodness.