Untitled - Saints' Books

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INSTR. vi.]
Humility. 3 1 3
How many priests
have fallen into precipices because
they were not humble! Montanus rought wr miracles,
and he afterwards through ambition became a heresiarch.
Tatian wrote at great length and with great suc
cess against the pagans, and through pride he fell into
heresy. Brother Justin, a Franciscan, attained the high
est degree of contemplation, and he afterwards died an
apostate from religion, and was lost. In the life of Palemon
we read that a certain monk walked on fire and
boasted of it, saying to his companions, Which of you
can walk on red-hot coals without being burnt? St.
Palemon corrected him, but the unhappy man, being full
of himself, fell into sin, and died in
that miserable state.
A proud spiritual man is the worst of robbers; because
he usurps not earthly goods, but the glory of God.
Hence, St. Francis was accustomed to say: Lord! if Thou
givest any good, watch over it; otherwise I will steal it
from Thee. Thus we priests must pray, and say with
St, Paul: By the grace of God I am what la///. 1 For of
ourselves we are incapable not only of doing good
works, but of even having a good thought: Not that we
are sufficient to thinking anything of ourselves?
Hence the Lord says to us: When you shall have done
all these things that are commanded you, say: IVe are unprofit
able servants: we have done that which we ought
to do? Of
what use can all our works be to God ? What need can
he have of our possessions
? / have said to the Lord, said
David, Thou art my God, for Thou hast no need of my goods?
And Job said: If thou do justly, . . . what sJiall Jic receive
Gratia autem Dei sum id quod
sum." i Cor, xv. 10.
2 "
Non quod sufficientes simus cogitare aliquid a nobis." 2. Cor.
iii. 5-
3 "Cum feceritis omnia quae praecepta sunt vobis, dicite: Servi inutiles
sumus; quod debuimus facere, fecimus." Luke, xvii. 10.
4
Deus meus es "
tu, quoniam bonorum meorum non eges."
Ps.
xv. 2.