Untitled - Saints' Books

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76 Material for Sermons. [PART i.
The poor husbandman suffers toils and sweats in sow
ing and cultivating the ground, and in reaping the crop;
but all his labors are superabundantly compensated by
the joy of the harvest. Going, they went and wept, casting
their seeds; but coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carry
ing their sheaves. 1 It is true that in the work of bringing
souls to God many pains and labors are endured; but
the laborer shall be recompensed with immense super
abundance by the joy that he shall feel in presenting to
Jesus Christ in the valley of Josaphat all the souls he
had saved.
Nor should the
priest who labors without success to
bring souls to God be disheartened, nor turned away
from so noble a work. Beloved priest, says St. Bernard,
be not discouraged by your want of success, but rest
secure of the reward that awaits you. God does not
require of you to save souls: labor for their salvation,
and he will reward you, not in proportion to your suc
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cess, but according to the toils you have endured. St.
Bonaventure confirms this doctrine, and says that a
priest shall not merit less for those that draw little or
no profit from his labors, than from the souls that reap
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great benefit from them. The same saint adds, that the
husbandman who cultivates the barren and rocky soil
merits a greater reward though he 4
reaps less fruit. He
Euntes ibant et flebant, mittentes semina sua; venientes autem
venient cum exsultatione, portantes manipulos
suos." Ps. cxxv. 6.
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Noli diffidere; curam exigeris, non curationem. Denique audisti*
Curam illius habe (Luke, x. 35); et non: Cura, vel Sana ilium; quia
unusquisque secundum suum laborem accipiet (i Cor. iii. 8), et non
secundum proventum; reddet Deus mercedem laborum (Wisd. x. 17)
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sanctorum suorum." De Cons. 1. 4, c. 2.
Non minus meretur in illis qui deficiunt vel modicum proficiunt,
quam in his qui maxime proficiunt; non enim dixit Apostolus (i Cor.
iii. 8) : Unusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundum suum profectum;
sed, secundum suum laborem."
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In terra sterili et saxosa, etsi fructus paucior, sed pretium majus."
De Sex Alls Ser. c. 5.