Untitled - Saints' Books

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152 Material for Sermons. [PART i.
out His vineyard to other husbandmen, that shall render Him
tJie fruit in due season? Alas! what shall become of the
scandalous priest on the day of judgment? I will, says
the Lord, meet them as the b-:ar that is robbed of her whelps?
With what rage does the bear rush on the sportsman
that has killed or stolen her !
whelps It is thus God has
declared that he will meet on the day of judgment the
priest that has destroyed instead of saving souls. And
if, says St. Augustine, we shall scarcely be able to give
an account of ourselves, what shall become of the priest
that shall have to render an account of the souls he has
sent to hell? And 3
St. John Chrysostom says, If priests
sin, all the people are led to sin. Hence every one must
render an account of his own sins; but the priests are
also responsible for the sins of Oh! how others."
many
seculars, how many peasants, how many weak and tender
women, shall cover the priest with shame and confusion
in the valley of !
Josaphat The layman," says St. John
Chrysostom, will on the day of judgment receive the
priestly stole, but the sinful priest, stripped of his dig
nity, will have to take his place among infidels and
heretics."
Let us, then, dearly beloved priests, guard against
bringing to hell by our bad example the souls for whose
salvation God has placed us in the world. And for this
1 "
Malos male perdet, et vineam suam locabit aliis agricolis, qui
reddant ei fructum temporibus suis." Matt. xxi. 41.
2 "
3 "
Occurram eis quasi ursa, raptis
catulis." Os. xiii. 8.
Si pro se unusquisque vix poterit in die judicii rationem reddere,
quid de Sacerdotibus futurum est, a quibus sunt omnium animse requirendae?"
Serm. 287, E. B. app.
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4
Si Sacerdotes fuerint in peccatis, totus populus convertitur ad
peccandum; ideo, unusquisque pro suo peccato reddet rationem, Sa
cerdotes autem pro omnium peccatis." Horn. 38.
Laicus, in die judicii, stolam sacerdotalem accipiet; Sacerdos
b
autem peccator spoliabitur sacerdotii dignitate quam habuit, et erit
inter infideles et hypocritas." Horn. 40.