Christianus. The Form of the Catholic Person by Vonier Dom Anscar

Author:Vonier, Dom Anscar [Vonier, Dom Anscar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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Christianus Vigilans

Christian Vigilance

Alertness is a quality easily detected both in man and beast. We all are familiar with the most common type of animal alertness in the watch-dog; the quickness to perceive the unusual possessed by that useful species of the canine order is an inexhaustible source of interest to the observer. But certain men, too, have a great gift of awareness which makes them into admirable protectors for their fellow-men. They scent danger and have a flair for coming perils. Now these striking provisions of nature for the security of man may be taken as a not inappropriate introduction to the description of the supernatural gift of vigilance which is a distinctly permanent and universal feature in every Christian. Watchfulness and vigilance in the things of the unseen world are predicated of the Christian as among his unmistakable attributes.

It is true, of course, that Christian watchfulness is usually spoken of by way of precept. Christians are commanded to watch by Christ Himself as they are also ordered by Him to pray. But in this matter, as in all other realities of the spiritual life, the command supposes the gift, and the precept has as its prerequisite a special grace. We are told by the Son of God to make constant use of the gift of prudent awareness which His Spirit has put into all of us; otherwise the command would be impossible of fulfillment. So we may consider Christian vigilance as a quality of the baptized man, as a talent, as an instinct he has to scent danger and the approach of evil.

We may then speak of the Christianus vigilans, the watchful Christian, indiscriminately from the point of view of precept and from the point of view of endowment: to be watchful is for him the fulfillment of an office as well as the exertion of a marvelous power of perception. The simple metaphor of the watchdog could not be a levity, as the Holy Ghost has not hesitated to make use of it in the Scriptures, though in a disparaging sense. The prophet has the following sarcasm concerning the unworthy ministers of religion:

His watchmen are all blind. They are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping, and loving dreams (Isa 56:10).

There is, then, in the faithful Christian soul a temperament which seems to be the result of all the other refinements of spirit: the soul is sensitive and fearful, easily alarmed and stirred up. This is more than prudence, as it moves so quickly and acts more by impression than by a slow procedure of thought.

The Christian is the very opposite of that character so vividly described in the passage of Isaiah just quoted. It is to be admitted, no doubt, that God has put into the Christian a very special sensitiveness which is his first weapon against the innumerable dangers that beset his salvation. Prudence alone would be too slow. Danger is perceived, not by prudence, but by instinct. In this the

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