Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/514

 Reflection III. — To enter  at  once  into  our  subject,  without losing sight  of  the  consequence  of  the  Gospel,  the  first  motive which our  Saviour  seems  to  have,  in  the  resurrection  of  Lazarus, is that  of  drying  up  the  tears,  and  rewarding  the  prayers  and the piety  of  his  sisters. Lord, said  they  to  him,  he  whom  thou lovest is  sick:  and  behold  the  first  motive  which  often  determines Jesus Christ  to  operate  the  conversion  of  a  great  sinner, — the  tears and the  prayers  of  those  just  souls  who  entreat  it.

Yes, my  brethren,  whether  it  be  that  the  Lord  thereby  wish  to render  virtue  more  respectable  to  sinners,  by  according  favours  to them  only  through  the  mediation  of  just  souls;  whether  it  be  that he intended  more  closely  to  knit  together  his  members,  and  to perfect  them  in  unity  and  in  charity,  by  rendering  the  ministry  of the  one  useful  and  requisite  to  the  other;  it  is  certain  that  it  is through  the  prayers  of  the  good,  and  in  their  intercession,  that the source  of  the  conversion  of  the  greatest  sinners  springs  up. As all  is  done  for  the  just  in  the  church,  says  the  apostle,  so  it may  be  said  that  every  thing  is  done  through  them;  and,  as  sinners are  only  endured  in  it  to  exercise  their  virtue,  or  to  animate their vigilance,  they  are  also  recalled  from  their  errors  only  to  console their  faith  and  to  reward  their  groanings  and  prayers.

To love  just  souls  is  a  beginning,  then,  of  righteousness  to  the greatest sinners:  it  is  a  presage  of  virtue  to  respect  it  in  those who practise  it:  it  is  a  prospect  of  conversion  to  seek  the  society of the  good,  to  esteem  their  acquaintance,  and  to  interest  them  in our  salvation;  and,  even  admitting  that  our  heart  still  groan  under iniquitous bonds,  and  that  attachment  to  the  world  and  to  pleasures still  separate  us  from  God,  yet  from  the  moment  that  we  begin to love  his  servants,  we  accomplish,  as  it  were,  the  first  step  in  his service. It seems  as  if  our  heart  already  becomes  tired  of  its  passions, from  the  moment  that  we  take  pleasure  in  the  society  of those  who  condemn  them;  and  that  a  relish  for  virtue  is  on  the eve of  springing  up  in  us,  from  the  moment  that  we  take  delight in those  whom  virtue  alone  renders  amiable.

Besides, the  just,  instructed  by  ourselves  with  regard  to  our weaknesses, keep  them  continually  present  before  the  Lord:  they lament, before  him,  over  those  chains  which  still  bind  us  to  the world and  to  its  amusements;  they  offer  up  to  him  some  weak desires of  virtue,  which  we  have  entrusted  to  their  charge,  in  order to induce  his  goodness  to  grant  more  fervent  and  more  efficacious ones; they  carry,  even  to  the  foot  of  the  throne,  some  feeble essays toward  good  which  they  have  noted  in  us,  in  order  to  obtain for us  the  perfection  and  plenitude  of  his  mercy. More affected with our  evils  than  for  their  own  wants,  they  piously  forget  themselves, in  order  to  snatch  from  destruction  their  brethren  who  are on the  point  of  perishing  before  their  eyes:  they  alone  love  us  for ourselves, because  they  alone  love  in  us  but  our  salvation:  the world may  furnish  sycophants,  flatterers,  social  companions  in dissipation,  but  virtue  alone  gives  us  friends.

And it  is  here  that  you  who  now  listen  to  me,  who,  perhaps  like