Avoiding Snares

Quisquis ergo in procintu caelestis militiae positus ad supernae patriae municipium properet, studeat male blandientis mundi promissa respuere, abhorreat se sub qualibet specie actionum saecularium laqueis irretire. Habet deputatum sibi propriae servitutis officium: sufficere sibi credat, si indictae sibi obedientiae praescriptum munus possit implere. Illud ad memoriam revocet quo scriptum est: Cave ne in multis sint actus tui. Saecularibus relinquatur saecularia jura componere. Satis sit servis Dei perituro huic mundo se mortuos exhibere. Sicut enim absurdum est, bonis mall praeferre; ita etiam fatuum, optimum bono inferius judicare. Maria, quia optimam partem elegit, sufficere sibi credidit; nec se ad bona Marthae, frequens videlicet ministerium, reclinavit. Moyses, quia ab humana conversatione remotus, his quadragenerio dierum numero jejunavit, his etiam legem Domini digito scriptam suscipere meruit; Aaron autem, qui ad custodiam populi derelictus est, cognoscitur idola fabricatus. Sic nimirum, sic plerumque contingit, ut qui propria non contentus, alienae progreditur saluti consulere, sui potius cogatur periculum sustinere; cumque alii, velut inter procellosa naufragria palpanti, manum porrigit, ipsum quoque praecipitem vorax fluctus involvit. Tutius ergo est sub hujus vitae nocturna caligine, nos in litttore positos naufragantibus lumen ingerere, quam ad eos compassionis gratia cum propriae vitae periculo pernatare; quatenus ipsi per nos dato recti cursus indicio, sinum tuti portus attingant, non autem nos ad eos transfretantes vorago spumosi maris absorbeat. Sanctus Peter Damianus, De Contemptu Saeculi,Caput XXVII Source: Migne PL 145.280a-c

Whoever, therefore, placed in the battle ready heavenly army would hasten to the city of the heavenly fatherland, let him be eager to scorn the promises of this wickedly charming world, and let it be abhorrent to him to be snared in its traps in whatever type of deed. He who has been appointed to his own office of service, let him trust it to be sufficient for himself if he is able to fulfill the gift of obedience that has been given to him. Let him recall to his mind what has been written: 'Beware, lest your deeds be in many things.' 1 Be done with worldly affairs, as with worldly vows. Enough it is for the servants of God to exhibit themselves as dead to this perishing world. As it is absurd to prefer evils to goods, so indeed it is foolish to judge the best inferior to some other good. Mary, who chose the best part, believed it enough for herself, and did not turn to the good of Martha who was busy serving. 2 Moses, because he was remote from human affairs, fasted for forty days, and so was worthy to receive the law written by the finger of the Lord. 3 Aaron, however, who was left to guard the people, is known for the making of an idol.4 So without doubt, so most often it happens, that he who is not content with his own things, having taken counsel to go off to other goods, is driven rather to suffer perils other than his own; as when one offers a hand to others who are being buffeted on a storm tossed wreck, and by that one is embroiled in the same descent into the devouring waves. Therefore it is safer in the dark night of this life to bear a light to the shipwrecked while standing on the shore, than by the grace of compassion, to swim with our own life through the dangers to them, since by the former they are given a sign by us of the right way that they might attain the haven of safety, and we are not, while swimming out to them, dragged down into the depths of the foaming seas. Saint Peter Damian, On Contempt For The World, Chapter 27 1 Sirach 11.10 2 Lk 10.38-42 3 Exod 24 4 Exod 32