There is also another practice which will tend greatly to your progress in spiritual perfection, and will aid you to gain purity of soul and tranquil rest in God. Whatever men say or think of you, bring it before the tribunal of your own conscience. Enter within yourself, and there, turning a deaf ear to all else, set yourself to learn the truth. Then will you see clearly that the praise and honour of men bring you no profit, but rather loss, if you know that you are guilty and worthy of condemnation in the sight of truth. And, just as it is useless to be honoured outwardly by men if your conscience accuse you within, so in like manner is it no loss to you if men despise, blame, or persecute you without, if within you are innocent and free from reproach or blame. Nay, rather, you have then great reason to rejoice in the Lord in patience, silence, and peace.
Adversity is powerless to harm where sin has no dominion; and just as there is no evil which goes unpunished, so is there no good without recompense.
Seek not with the hypocrites your reward and crown from men, but rather from the hand of God, not now, but hereafter; not for a passing moment, but for eternity.
You can, therefore, do nothing higher nor better in every tribulation or occurrence than enter into the sanctuary of your soul, and there call upon the Lord Jesus Christ, your helper in temptation and affliction. There should you humble yourself, confessing your sins, and praising your God and Father, Who both chastises and consoles.
There dispose yourself to accept with unruffled peace, readiness, and confidence from the hands of God's unfailing Providence and marvellous wisdom all that is sent you of prosperity or adversity, whether touching yourself or others. Then will you obtain remission of your sins; bitterness will be driven from your soul, sweetness and confidence will penetrate it, grace and mercy will descend upon it. Then a sweet familiarity will draw you on and strengthen you, abundant consolation will flow to you from the bosom of God. Then you will adhere to Him and form an indissoluble union with Him.
But beware of imitating hypocrites who, like the Pharisees, try to appear outwardly before men more holy than they know themselves in truth to be. Is it not utter folly to seek or desire human praise and glory for oneself or others, while within we are filled with shameful and grievous sins? Assuredly he who pursues such vanities can hope for no share in the good things of which we spoke just now, but shame will infallibly be his lot.
Keep your worthlessness and your sins ever before your eyes, and learn to know yourself that you may grow in humility.
Shrink not from being regarded by all the world as filthy mud, vile and abject, on account of your grievous sins and defects. Esteem yourself among others as dross in the midst of gold, as tares in the wheat, straw among the grain, as a wolf among the sheep, as Satan among the children of God.
Neither should you desire to be respected by others, or preferred to anyone whatsoever. Fly rather with all your strength of heart and soul from that pestilential poison, the venom of praise, from a reputation founded on boasting and ostentation, lest, as the Prophet says, "The sinner is praised in the desires of his soul."
Again, in Isaias, we read: "They that call you blessed, the same deceive you, and destroy the way of your steps." Also the Lord says: "Woe to you when men shall bless you!"
- text taken from On Union with God, by Saint Albert the Great, translated by a Benedictine of Princethorpe Priory; it has the Imprimatur of Edmund Surmont, Vicar General, Westminster, 7 December 1911