Page 290 - 聖母軍團員手冊（英文版，2014年5月-2022年1月更新版）

Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 285

CHAPTER 39 CARDINAL POINTS OF THE LEGION APOSTOLATE 285
Realising this, the Legion must set itself to a deliberate
campaign against the operation in its members of the spirit of
human respect. Firstly, by opposing to its action the force of a
sound discipline. Secondly, by educating its legionaries to look
upon human respect as a soldier would upon cowardice. They
must be taught to act in the teeth of its impulses, and brought
to realise that love and loyalty and discipline are after all poor
things if they do not bring forth sacrifice and courage.
A legionary without courage! What can we say about such
except to apply the expression of St. Bernard: “What a shame
to be the delicate member of a thorn-crowned Head!”
“If you fought only when you felt ready for the fray, where would
be your merit? What does it matter even if you have no courage,
provided you behave as though you were really brave? If you feel too
lazy to pick up a bit of thread, and yet do so for the love of Jesus, you
gain more merit than for a much nobler action done on an impulse
of fervour. Instead of grieving, be glad that, by allowing you to feel
your own weakness, our Lord is furnishing you with an occasion of
saving a greater number of souls.” (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

4. SYMBOLIC ACTION
It is a fundamental Legion principle that into every work
should be thrown the best that we can give. Simple or
difficult, it must be done in the spirit of Mary.
There is another reason which is important. In spiritual
enter prises there is no telling how much effort is required. In
dealing with a soul, at what point can one say “enough”? And,
of course, this applies with particular force to the more
difficult works. In the face of these we find ourselves exaggerat -
ing the difficulty and whirling around the word “impossible.”
Most of the “impossibles” are not impossible at all. Few things
are impossible to diligence and skill. But we imagine them to
be impossible, and then by our attitude we render them so.
But sometimes we are faced with works which are really im -
possible, that is to say, beyond human effort. Obviously, if left
to our own devices, we will refrain from what we would
regard as useless action in those cases of imagined or real
impossibility. Perhaps that might mean that we would leave
untouched three-quarters of the more important work which
is waiting to be done — which would amount to reducing to a