Page:Faoistin naoṁ-Ṗadraig (1906).djvu/85

Rh things? And me, indeed, who am detested by this world did He inspire beyond others, if such I were, only that with fear and reverence and without murmur I should faithfully serve the nation to whom the love of Christ transferred and presented me, during my life, if I should be worthy; in fine, that I should serve them with humility and in truth.

14. Therefore, according to the measure of faith in the Trinity, it is fitting to determine without dread of danger to make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, to spread the name of God everywhere faithfully without fear, so that even after my demise I may leave a legacy to my brethren and sons whom I baptized in the Lord—so many thousand souls!

15. And I was not worthy, nor such an one as that the Lord should grant this to His servant, that, after cares and such great obstacles, after captivity, after many years, He should endow me with such a great grace with regard to that nation, what formerly in my youth I never hoped for nor dreamt of.

16. But after I had come to Ireland, I tended flocks daily, and frequently in the day did I pray. The love of God and the fear of Him increased more and more, and faith grew and the spirit was roused, so that in a single day I prayed as often as a hundred times, and by night almost as frequently, even while I was sojourning in the woods and on the mountain. Before daybreak I used to be awakened to prayer in snow, frost, and rain, and I felt no hurt, and there was no sloth in me, as I now perceive, because the spirit then was fervent in me.

17. And there, indeed, on a certain night I heard in my sleep a voice saying to me: "Well dost thou fast; thou who art soon to go to thy native country." And again, after a little time, I heard a response saying to me: "Lo, thy ship is ready." And it was not near,