Can we be over zealous in protecting tradition?

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JReducation:
John of the Cross used the term to refer to those who invested time and energy worrying about everyone else’s salvation. While he agreed that the salvation of souls is the mission of the Church, his ecclesiology was very different from our own. The first duty is to save one’s soul, then one’s spouse and one’s children. John couldn’t fathom that anyone with a family would have the energy or the time to focus on the neighbor beyond his family, other than for the corporal works of mercy. The rest was to be consigned to prayer and acts of reparation. Those who made it their mission to worry about the spiritual weaknesses of others he considered to be over zealous, because their intention was good, but their drive was questionable. Were they driven by pride? Were they driven by a wrongful understanding of the spiritual life? Were they driven by a desire to control? Were they driven obsession?
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Very good points, Brother, and I can particularly relate to St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa, whose teachings are studied by all Carmelites. To add to your comment from St. John, here is one by St. Teresa in Her Life, Chapter XIII that she calls a “temptation.”
  1. There is another temptation—we ought to be aware of it, and be cautious in our conduct: persons are carried away by a zeal for virtue, through the pain which the sight of the sins and failings of others occasions them. Satan tells them that this pain arises only out of their desire that God may not be offended, and out of their anxiety about His honour; so they immediately seek to remedy the evil. This so disturbs them, that they cannot pray. The greatest evil of all is their thinking this an act of virtue, of perfection, and of a great zeal for God. (skip) The security, therefore, of that soul which would apply itself to prayer lies in casting away from itself all anxiety about persons and things, in taking care of itself, and in pleasing God. This is the most profitable course.
  2. If I were to speak of the mistakes which I have seen people make, in reliance on their own good intentions, I should never come to an end. Let us labour, therefore, always to consider the virtues and the good qualities which we discern in others, and with our own great sins cover our eyes, so that we may see none of their failings. This is one way of doing our work; and though we may not be perfect in it at once, we shall acquire one great virtue—we shall look upon all men as better than ourselves; and begin to acquire that virtue in this way, by the grace of God, which is necessary in all things—for when we have it not, all our endeavours are in vain—and by imploring Him to give us this virtue; for He never fails us, if we do what we can.
 
Br. Jay & Sirach, your last 2 posts in this thread have given me much to ponder in regards my own personal journey right now- thank you!! :harp:

Blessing to you both and Happy Birthday Br. Jay! :grouphug: 🍰
 
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