HARSH MORTIFICATION FOR SINS OF THE TONGUE

I've had something of an ache in my soul as regards my lack of charity; it is hard to tell a hard truth to myself and to others while at the same time being charitable. I find there is a pressure to collapse charity into merely smarmy talk, compliments, avoidance of offense; which can be charity's antithesis, even its enemy, but it is hard to render a proper account of a difficult situation without getting details wrong, which can be destructive even in small ways. Less is more; too much talking risks getting it wrong. 

Sometimes you can use a joke to get a point across. Yet I'd never have said this rejoinder to the face of the troubled chap I dated only once. He might have thought I was serious. But also someone wanting to be thought of as funny can sacrifice charity in their speech. 

This was is in my thoughts when I read about a Dominican, Durand, who was a very good priest, but also gregarious and he talked excessively. He became known for humor which breached charity, and while he was cautioned about this by his Abbot, still he gave himself free reign to talk as he liked to the point he lacked charity for his listeners and perhaps for the people who were the butt of his jokes. He was a far cry from the famed Dominican Lacordaire who was prolific in speech but always fair. 

Sure enough, after he died, he appeared to one of his friends, a fellow religious and sought their prayers. The book I read on this does not state if the religious was a priest or a sister. Durand was being harshly mortified in Purgatory for the way he had mortified others with his incessant banter. When the community learned of Durand's plight, they entered silence for 8 days and offered charitable deeds for the benefit of Durand. Some time later Durand appeared and made known he had done his time and was going to Heaven. 

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This post was informed by Schouppe's Purgatory, TAN BOOKS, 1986, page 142 -143. The classic painting of Lacordaire was executed by Théodore Chassériau.