At the hour of our death, it is final perseverance that consummates all virtues. Read the wisdom of St. Bonaventure on this most necessary virtue for our salvation.
Final Perseverance
It is not enough to be virtuous. To be firmly rooted in virtue, to possess virtuous habits, does not render us glorious in God’s sight. Something else is still wanting. To be an object of glory to the eye of God we must possess the culminating virtue, the crown and consummation of all virtues: perseverance. No mortal being whatever, no matter how perfect He may seem, should be praised while he is still living. Let a man be praised not because he has begun a good work but because he has brought it to a good and happy completion. “Perseverance is the end, acme and crown of the virtues. It nurtures and fits one for merit; it leads to and culminates in reward” (S. Bern. Ep. cxxix, 2.)
Hence St. Bernard says, “Take away perseverance and nothing remains. For the fulfilment of duty, the performance of good deeds and the exercise of fortitude will not procure the grace sufficient to obtain eternal praise” (Ibid.) It will avail a man little to have been a religious, to have been patient and humble, devout and chaste, to have loved God and to have exercised himself in all the virtues, if he continues not to the end. He must persevere to win the crown. In the race of the spiritual life all the virtues run, but only perseverance “receives the prize” (1 Cor. ix, 24.) It is not the beginner in virtue but “he that shall persevere unto the end that shall be saved” (Matt. x, 22.) “What is the use of seeds sprouting if afterwards they wither and die?” asks St. Chrysostom (S. Chrys., Hom. xxxiii, 5.) None whatever!
How to Persevere in Virtue
If then, dear spouse of Jesus Christ, your virtues are productive of good works—and I assume that this is so—be sure to continue in your good practices. Persevere in your virtuous habits. Make it a practice ever and constantly to increase in the performance of good works. Wage the war of Christ with all your might. Practice and increase in virtue up to the very moment of death. Then, when your last moment comes and your life is brought to a close, God will give you the crown of honour and glory as the prize and reward of your labour.
Your Best Beloved Lord Jesus Christ has assured you of this. These are His words, written for your instruction by the inspired author of the Apocalypse: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life” (Apoc. ii, 10.)
Our Heavenly Reward
What is this crown if not the reward of eternal life? The heart of every Christian ought to burn with the desire of winning this reward. In value there is nothing comparable to it; it is priceless. It surpasses the mathematician’s power, says St. Gregory, to count its varying parts and manifold possibilities (Cf. S. Greg. II Hom. on Gospels xxxvii, I.) There is no limit to its duration. It is to be enjoyed eternally. It can never cease.
Your Beloved Spouse Jesus Christ invites you to win this prize, to gain this crown. Listen to what He says to you in the Canticle of Canticles: “Come from Libanus, my Spouse, come my friend from Libanus, come and thou shalt be crowned” (Cant, iv, 8.) “Arise at once,” you who call yourself “the friend” of God, the spouse of Jesus Christ, the best beloved of the Eternal King, “come, make haste” (Cant, ii, 10) to the marriage feast of the Son of God (Cf. Apoc. xix, 9.) “Everything is prepared” (Matt, xxii, 4); the whole court of Heaven awaits you (Cf. S. Bonav. Soliloq.)
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This article is taken from a chapter in Holiness of Life by St. Bonaventure which is available from TAN Books.
