Page:HalfHoursWithTheSaints.djvu/38



Pere Nepveu, Massillon,  and St.  Augustine

—Matthew vi. 10.

[Father F.  Nepveu,  born  at  St.  Malo  in  the  year  1639,  embraced the Society  of  the  Jesuits  in  1654. He was  at  the  head  of  the  College at Rennes,  where  he  died  in  the  year  1708. All the  works  of  this learned Jesuit  are  replete  with  earnest  piety. A list  of  his  numerous  works  may  be  found  in  Moreri's  Dictionary.]

Is there  any  evil  in  the  city,  says  the  prophet,  that  God has not  made?

Sin, the  only  evil  that  God  does  not  will,  He  simply permits, but  the  consequences  of  sin  He  wills. He condemns the  envy  of  Joseph's  brethren,  but  He  wills  the effect, which  was  the  slavery  of  Joseph. He had  a  horror of the  rage  of  the  Jews,  but  He  willed  and  ordained  the death of  our  Lord,  which  was  the  consequence."  He  will punish  the  injury  which  is  done  to  you,  but  He  wills  the loss  or  affliction  it  causes  you.

Why not  complain  of  these  evils  when  looked  at  in themselves? but wherefore  murmur  when  we  look  upon them as  the  will  of  God? God wills  it! Ah, that  has  a great  weight  with  a  man  who  has  faith,  who  knows  and loves God. A good  Christian,  would  he  dare  to  say,  God wills it,  but  I  wish  it  not?

Our perfection  consists  in  doing  the  will  of  God,  and  it is  for  us  to  submit. The will  of  God  is  infinitely  holy. If this be  the  rule  of  all  sanctity,  we  are  then  holy  in  proportion to  our  conformity  to  His  will.