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 this knowledge  it  sees  its  shame,  its  baseness;  this  shame produces the  grief  for  having  offended  God,  and  this  sorrow brings forth  the  resolution  of  a  change  of  life.

What is  the  reason  of  this  wonder,  if  it  be  not  the  Word of God?

The force  and  energy  of  the  Word  of  God  is  such  that one could  say  that  it  was  all-powerful:  Vox  Domini  in virtute  in  magnificentia. It is  found  in  the  nothingness  of the  ears  who  have  listened  to  its  voice. " It  calls  those which  are  not,  as  well  as  those  which  are."

It has  subdued  the  world,  overturned  idolatry,  converted whole nations. It has  brought  kings,  wise  men,  ministers of state,  under  the  subjection  of  the  Gospel. It has  done more than  this:  throughout  the  universe  the  most  barbarous and  savage  of  people  have  been  civilised. In short, we owe  to  this  Divine  Word  the  conversion  of  the  whole world and  the  extirpation  of  idolatry.

Le Pere Antoine  de  la  Porte

(Carmelite).

However enlightened  and  clever  we  may  be,  we  must not, on  account  of  that,  neglect  the  assistance  of  holy instructions; however  bright  may  be  our  intellect,  we  can easily go  astray;  however  learned  and  scientific,  we  can always learn  something  from  hearing  the  Word  of  God. If your  understanding  learns  of  nothing  new,  your  heart will, at  least,  feel  that  you  know  nothing,  if  you  do  not know Jesus  and  Him  crucified. If you  are  sinners,  what more capable  of  bringing  you  to  a  sense  of  your  own unworthiness than  by  listening  to  the  voice  of  the  missionary sent  by  God? If you  are  good,  what  sweeter consolation than  hearing  truths  explained,  truths  you  love and practise,  and  which  become  more  beneficial  the  oftener you hear  them?