Autor: Sertillanges A. D. (Gilbert)

Buch: The Intellectual Life

Titel: The Intellectual Life

Stichwort: Kreative Arbeit; Schreiben 6, Freuden, Früchte d. intellektuellen Lebens; Lohn geistiger Anstrengung

Kurzinhalt: Give out all that is in you, and if you are faithful to yourself, and faithful up to the end, you may be sure of attaining the perfection of your work— your work, I say, the work that God expects from you and that corresponds to His graces...

Textausschnitt: V
Looking Forward to the Fruits (eü)

37/9 This brings us to the last words we have to say to him who has listened to our theory, short and yet too long, of the intellectual life. "If you follow this course," says St. Thomas to his disciple, "you will bear in the Lord's vineyard foliage and fruit that will be useful all the time of your life. If you put these counsels into practice, you will attain what you desire. Adieu." (257; Fs)

Is it not a noble farewell that pledges the honor of truth to him who labors hard and faithfully, assuring whoever fulfils the conditions that he will attain the results he desires? One cannot promise anything to one who has not the necessary gifts. But presupposing the vocation, we have the right to say that cultivation of the mind is not principally the result of genius; it springs from work-properly so-called, organized, and sustained, as we have tried to describe it. (257; Fs)

Work creates its instrument for itself. Like the blacksmith who tempers his tools, it forms our character and gives us solidity and therefore confidence. (257; Fs)

38/9 This confidence which is founded on a natural law is attached to the work rather than to the worker; however the worker also must have faith in himself. Has he not with him the God who said: He that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened? We all have Truth behind us, and it drives us on through our intelligence; we have it before us, beckoning; above us, inspiring. (257f; Fs)

The soul is equal in all men; the Spirit breathes in all; what differs, besides degrees of courage, is the brain-structure, with its elements more or less free and active, more or less trammelled; now we know that with our earthly and heavenly helps, we can overcome many deficiencies. The light can trickle in through cracks that our effort widens; when it is there, of itself it extends and intensifies its sway. (258; Fs)

39/9 We must not lean on ourselves; but to God within us we cannot accord too much trust. We never have too high an idea of the self, if it is the divine self. Besides we may expect a permanent contribution to our resources from those who initiate us into intellectual work, from our friends, and from our fellow-workers. We have the men of genius on our side. Great men are not great for themselves alone; they bear us up; our confidence is implicitly grounded on their existence. With their help, we can make for ourselves a life as great as theirs, except for the disproportion between our powers and theirs. The true intellectual need not fear sterility, inutility: it is enough that a tree be a tree to bear its seed. Results sometimes come late, but they come. The soul gives a return; events give a return. If we cannot rise to the height of what we admire, we can always rise to our own height, and we must say it once again, that is our only goal. (258f; Fs)

Every individual is unique: therefore every fruit of the spirit is unique also. What is unique is always precious, always necessary. Let us not fail God, and God's success will in part be ours. That can console us for our inferiority, and if we produce anything, encourage us in face of the deluge of books. (259; Fs)

40/9 Give out all that is in you, and if you are faithful to yourself, and faithful up to the end, you may be sure of attaining the perfection of your work— your work, I say, the work that God expects from you and that corresponds to His graces, interior and exterior. At that moment you will have to say to yourself that many works and many lives are finer than yours, but you will be able to add: none is finer for me, and there is no other similar. (259; Fs) (notabene)

I add this also, which is among our motives for confidence: when fidelity is asked of us, and persistent and well-ordered work, this is not meant completely to exclude every lapse; promises made under such a condition would be a mockery. To err is human; but if we hold habitually to what is essential in the prescriptions laid down, that is the sum total about which we are told that it is enough; but that it is indispensable. (259; Fs)

41/9 It would be desirable that our life should be a flame without smoke or ashes, that no part of it should be lost, that nothing in it should be impure. That cannot be; but what is possible is a fine achievement and its fruits are fair and of rich savor. (259f; Fs)

Having made up your mind to pay the price, engrave your firm resolution, today if you have not done so already, on the tablets of your heart. I advise you also to write it down in black and white, legibly, and to put the words before your eyes. When you sit down to work, and after praying, you will renew your resolve each day. You will take care to note down especially what is least natural and most necessary for you—for you, as you are. If need be, you will repeat the formula aloud, so that your word may be more explicitly given to yourself.

Then add, and repeat with full certainty: "If you do that, you will bear fruit and you will attain what you desire." Adieu. (260; E04, 25-03-2004)