Untitled - Saints' Books

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44 Material for Sermons. [PART i.
belongs not to himself, but to God. The 1 Lord sepa
rates his priests from the rest of his people in order to
unite them entirely to himself. Is it a small thing unto
you that the God of Israel hath separated you from all the
people, and joined you to Himself?
If, said the Redeemer, any man minister unto Me, let
him follow Me. 3 Let him follow Me ; he should follow
Jesus Christ by shunning the world, by assisting souls,
by promoting the love of God, and extirpating vice.
The reproaches of them that reproached thee have fallen upon
Me." The priest, who is a true follower of Jesus Christ,
regards injuries done to God as offered to himself.
Seculars, devoted to the world, cannot render to God
the veneration and the gratitude that are due to him:
hence, says a learned author, Father Frassen, it has
been necessary to select certain persons, that by the ful
filment of their peculiar office and obligations they may
5
give due honor to the Lord. In every government ministers are appointed to en
force the observance of the laws, to remove scandals, to
repress the seditious, and to defend the honor of the
king. For all these ends the Lord has constituted
priests the officers of his court. Hence St. Paul has
said: Let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God. 6
Ministers of state always endeavor to procure
the re
spect due to their sovereign, and to extend his glories;
they always speak of him in terms of praise, and should
they hear a word against their master, with what zeal
1 "
Verus minister altaris Deo, non sibi, natus est." In Ps. 118, s. 8.
2 "
Separavit vos Deus Israel ab omni populo, et junxit sibi."
Num. xvi. 9.
3 "
4
5 "
Si quis mihi ministrat, me sequatur." xii.
John, 26.
Opprobria exprobrantium tibi ceciderunt super me. Ps. Ixviii. 10.
Fuit necessarium aliquos e populo seligi ac destinari, qui ad
impendendum debitum Deo cultum, et
sui status obligatione et institutione,
intenderent." Scotus acad. De Ord. d. I, a. I, q. i.
6 "
Exhlbeamus nosmetipsos sicut Dei ministros." 2 Cor. vi. 4.