bearing blog: Elisabeth Leseur's "A Little Essay on the Christian Life" for her nephew: II, getting through the adolescent crisis with help, prayer, and work.

Last time I wrote about the beginning of this essay, the theme of which is "Orare et laborare." Just as a quick recap:

I want to say in a few words how prayer and work ought to exist together in your life and never be separated, and how spirituality and work ought to be combined together during the three major stages of your career.

The three stages of life that Elisabeth outlines are these:

the time of adolescent crises, intellectual and moral;
the time of adulthood, of seeking and living out one's vocation;
the time of venerable old age.

In the last post I showed how Elisabeth described the adolescent crisis of faith. She comments that the crisis is difficult and many don't survive as intact Christians, but that it's perhaps necessary to temper and harden strong Christians.

I find this to be a very interesting opinion to hold, one that is directly related to the problem of free will. The problem of free will, in a nutshell, is that authentic love requires an environment in which we have the freedom to reject love and to do evil. Here Elisabeth posits that authentic growth requires a hardening-off stage that some may not survive; a weeding-out, so to speak. It is a stumbling block to many that God allows evil in the world. A similar obstacle is raised by the idea that God throws up dangers in our path, risking that we will not pass through them.

But of course Elisabeth is working from the observation that some people "become depressed and irremediably disturbed" -- an observation we must, after all, grapple with -- and proposing that these are foreseeable casualties in a necessary struggle. They are the cadets who are struck down in the training exercises that make soldiers for Christ.

In this post I'll begin by showing her advice about how to navigate the weeds so as to emerge safely on the other side as a "strong apostle." Here we go:

But before you can reach this goal, you must face the struggle, (and we must discuss the methods to be used) if you are to pass through this crisis unharmed. This accomplishment will make your faith conscious and mature.

Elisabeth's first advice to her nephew is to seek help in times when the intellect and the faith appear to conflict.

I find it very interesting that Elisabeth names the boy's mother, and herself, as mentors. Recall that Elisabeth framed her nephew's most important privilege of birth as being "son and grandson of Christian women." Along the way she gives us a glimpse into her own concept of identity.

Above all, never forget that you have a mother to whom you can always unburden your heart; do not hesitate to tell her about ... ideas... doubts... difficulties... and all that affects your moral and spiritual life.

Do not forget that I, too, can help you on the basis of my experience, the fruits of long, interior effort, and the grace God has done in me with no merit of mine. He refused me a son like you, but I think he intended me to be your spiritual mother and perhaps of others as well. He prepared me for this task by giving me experience of spiritual things and bringing me into contact with people of all sorts who either deny the faith or are hostile or indifferent to it. By his grace the world within and the world without have made my faith indestructible...

I ask you, therefore, to come to me any time that intellect and faith appear to conflict.

Here Elisabeth interjects a little discourse on faith and reason:

You have no idea how easy it sometimes is to disperse the clouds that confuse the mind. It is quite possible for a beautiful harmony to exist among all the powers of our being... Nothing on earth is as beautiful as this union of human reason and faith, of earthly and divine knowledge, of an intense spiritual life and a very active outer life, entirely dedicated to the good. A man who has achieved this excquisite unity of his entire being is truly strong... he is an apostle...

Elisabeth's second piece of advice, after seeking help from others to resolve apparent conflicts between faith and intellect, is to make use of "the two means" at his disposal: prayer and work. It's orare et laborare again!

First, prayer, particularly interior prayer, which Elisabeth calls "all-powerful":

When you face temptation, doubt, or cowardice, you must not argue or hesitate, or give in to the enemy, but throw yourself into God's arms...

[T]he life of reason and the spiritual life do not have the same methods and are not nourished by the same food. The soul lives by prayer, just as the intellect absorbs intellectual nourishment and the body material substances; the soul dies when it lacks divine warmth, just as the body dies for lack of food and the mind for lack of an education... [P]rayer is the soul's breathing in God. Never lose this breath by abandoning interior prayer, which is called grace in us and which gives us life.

Second, work, "which draws its efficacy from" prayer and which is "most useful:"

Work, serious work, prepared for and sustained by prayer, will help you to pass happily through those early years...

Begin to prepare for your future career by means of rigorous study. It does not matter so much that you achieve brilliant success, for this is often due to innate ability and does not always involve sustained effort and energy.

I like Elisabeth's "no excuses" attitude towards a lack of innate ability. After all, this is an essay on the Christian life, not the particularly-smart-and-talented-Christian life.

Work conscientiously, doing what you can do... Be convinced that this is your absolute duty. Christianity needs men of solid worth to represent it. In the world few people are able to form a personal opinion about doctrine. They look to its representatives for guidance, and the best way to make others appreciate and love Catholicism is, perhaps, to show simply by one's example what a Catholic is.

You will demonstrate once more that a man may be learned and highly cultured while remaining a humble, fervent Christian.

Elisabeth is, remember, writing to a specific person whom she expects to excel in the educated class. But I think we can extend this with a sort of implied permission, since Elisabeth made the point about innate talent not being as important as self-application.

In general, the Christian who works conscientiously can demonstrate that a man may be learned and highly cultured -- or an honest producer of quality work -- or interesting and engaging, kind and friendly -- or a successful and respected businessman -- or any manner of success in worldly endeavors -- while remaining a humble, fervent Christian.

The strength of your convictions joined to a delicate respect of for the consciences of others will, perhaps, contribute toward breaking down the absurd prejudice cultivated against us, and you will show successfully that all human knowledge collectively cannot obscure the pure light of God but, on the contrary, can only become more resplendent from its radiance.

But she is not only, or not primarily, talking about setting a good example in career-oriented work. She means service as well:

By work, dear child, I mean the activities your age and studies allow you to do. Persons of good will always have some spare moments that may become means of saving others. I know no more touching sight than that of young people... who give their free time and their Sundays to visit poor families, to look after young apprentices, or to organize popular lectures and meetings that will bring them into personal contact with their less fortunate brothers and sisters.

Thes young men work for social peace and true charity... These are not merely political pipe dreams... rather, they are real reconstructions, built up on the cornerstone, which is Christ.

Last, Elisabeth encourages her nephew to appreciate how an environment that is full of positive influences will help him thrive:

You will be surrounded by affection, which will protect you from evil;

you will be sustained by prayer and... the sacraments, too.

You will be prevented from frequenting bad places of amusement and harmful acquaintances by serious activities and... good works.

So, to sum up, we have the following implicit advice for the turbulent adolescent years:

When troubled by apparent conflict between intellect and faith, ask for help from wise mentors.
Constantly pray interiorly, especially when assailed by temptation, doubt, or cowardice, and to prepare for and sustain the duties of your work.
Work conscientiously, doing what you can do, at studies or a career and in service of others.
Fill your life and your time with affection, prayer, the sacraments, serious activities, and good works.

In conclusion:

Consequently, I hope that you will happily navigate this period of youth and reach the age when your active life begins, not without having encountered evil (for you must learn to recognize it), but without its ever making you alter your route, and without your giving it anything but a glance of pity, reserving your heart for your future life and work.

I like how Elisabeth acknowledges what all young, eager people feel, that "real life" has not started yet, that what is "real" is the life to be lived in the future as a grown man or woman. But Elisabeth identifies it with a more precise term, "your active life."

At the same time everything that has gone into her essay so far demonstrates that Elisabeth takes the lives of young people quite seriously, and that the struggle of adolescence can only be won by manly courage. It's obvious that she doesn't think of adolescence as an inactive life, or a dormant one. I think the metaphor of the military training ground is apt; one does one's time there before entering "active" duty, and yet it is not a place free from peril.