Untitled - Saints' Books

140 Material for Sermons. [PART i
the Jews shed his blood, the first is
much more cruel to
J
his heart ?"
But if in all, even in seculars, the sin of scandal is so
detestable, how much greater must be its malice in a
priest, whom God has placed on earth to save souls and
to conduct them to heaven ! The
priest is called the
salt of the earth and the light of the world. 2
The office
of salt is to preserve soundness and prevent putrefaction,
and the office of the priest is to preserve souls in the
grace of God. What, says St. Augustine, shall become
of the people if the priest does not perform the office of
salt. 3 Then the saint proceeds to say, this salt shall be
fit
only to be cast away by the Church, and to be trod
den by all. 4 But what, if, instead of being a preservative,
this salt be employed in producing and promoting cor
ruption ? If instead of bringing souls to God, a priest
is
occupied in leading them to perdition, whast punish
ment shall he deserve?
The priest is also the light of the world. 5 Hence, says
St. John Chrysostom, he should shine with the splendor
of his sanctity so as to enlighten all others to imitate
his virtues. But should this light be changed into
darkness, what must become of the world ?
Shall it not
"
Si (Dominus) proprium sanguinem dedit in pretium redemptionis
animarum, non tibi videtur graviorem sustinere persecutionem ab illo
qui, scandali occasione avertit ab eo animas quas redemit, quam a
Judseo, qui sanguinem suum fudit ?" In Conv. S. Pauli, s. i.
2
Vos "
estis-sal terrae?" Matt. v. 13.
3 "
Itaque, si sal infatuatum fuerit, in quo salietur? Qui erunt
homines per quos a vobis error auferatur, cum vos elegerit Deus, per
quos errorem auferat caeterorum ?"
4 "
Ergo ad nihilum valet sal infatuatum, nisi ut mittatur foras, et
calcetur ab hominibus." De Sertn. Dom. in monte, 1. I, c. C.
5 "Vos estis lux mundi." Matt. v. 14.
6 "
Splendore vitae totum illuminantis orbem splendere debet animus
Sacerdotis." De Sacerd. 1. 6.