Temperance--Guardian Angels

In the 14th Arcanum of the Meditations, considerable effort is made to fully explain the role of Temperance in one's spiritual formation, the principle of maintaining balance in one's physical, spiritual, and mental aspirations of life.

Man is at the same time, a contemplative and an active being...that is--"faith without works is death"...and that, equally "works without faith are death". These postures in theory are as clear as a clear day.

However, Tomberg asserts--"With practice however, it is not so clear. Practice entails an arcanum--an intimate savior faire...and that, the Mystic states, is: Temperance." In describing our essential or inner self, which is the spark of the eternal--the writer calls one's monad...which is the Image or Likeness of God within each human being.

Temperance, as a spiritual exercise, signifies the task of knowing the relationship between the image or monad, the likeness of God within oneself, and one's "phenomenal personality"-singular to you, which either creates or lies stagnant.
Tomberg then adds a potent belief.
"This process is enhanced for each of us in that each of us has had a Guardian Angel assigned to support and enable himself as life presents its obstacles and difficulties. Tomberg goes on to describe Guardian Angels, agents of grace.
You see, my dear Unknown Friend, how it is in regard to the guardian Angel and the union of the soul with God. There is no reason to fear that the least hindrance to this union can ever arise on the part of the entities who are spiritual guardians of the human soul.
On the contrary, rather, it is they who make it all possible--and even beyond the possible--for the soul to be united with God in complete intimacy and with perfect authenticity and freedom. The friend of the wife only leads the wife to the husband--then she withdraws. Her joy is that of herself diminishing and seeing that of the wife increase."
This means to say that by divine grace, your Guardian Angel's work on your behalf, one should find the source, current, and direction of your inner life--in grasping its nature and role--and then work and live in confident conformity with this knowledge.

That, my friend, according to the Meditations, is Temperance.
Lord, help us by your grace to live this way.
Amen.

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