Meekness
The virtue of meekness as exemplified by Moses ("the meekest of all mortals") and proposed as essential for effective pastoral governance — overcoming adversaries through gentle kindness rather than force. Van der Burch's serene courtesy drew all hearts; his people called him "our angel."
Preliminaries
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Scripture's praise of Moses as the meekest of all mortals; Basil vanquished his adversaries by steady kindness.
"Holy Scripture bestows this praise upon Moses: that he was the meekest of all mortals. Saint Basil, the Christian Moses, vanquished his adversaries by his steady kindness"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch's courtesy and serene manner drew hearts to love him; his people called him "our angel." His governance imitates divine providence which "orders all things sweetly."
"Your courtesy, Most Illustrious Lord, is marvelled at by all — the courtesy with which you receive everyone graciously, greet them honourably, and show to all a serene face, a ready word, and a generous spirit."
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— St. Lietbert of Cambrai: "most cautiously avoided injuries, bore them most equably, and brought them to an end most swiftly."
"most cautiously avoided injuries," says the author of his Life, "bore them most equably, and brought them to an end most swiftly"
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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Moses's Humility and Meekness
— God celebrates Moses: "Moses was the meekest man upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). His meekness came from dwelling magnanimously in heaven and despising earthly reproaches.
"For Moses was the meekest man upon the face of the earth." Whence so meek? Because, dwelling magnanimously in heaven, he despised all the reproaches and injuries of men as earthly and trifling things."
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Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study
— From humility follows gentleness and peace of mind, most receptive of all wisdom; the mind free from passions sees with acuteness and perceives truth undisturbed.
"From this humility follows gentleness and peace of mind, most receptive of all wisdom; for just as waters, if they are stirred by no blast of wind or air, but remain motionless, are most limpid"
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Moses and the Beatific Vision
— On account of this meekness, many hold Moses was granted the beatific vision.
"On account of this meekness, many hold that Moses was granted in this life the vision of the divine essence"