Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/311

 nonsense, to  believe  that  felicity  consists  in  tears,  and that the  rich  are  unhappy.

3. The  Son  of  God  died  on  the  cross  that  he  might take possession  of  his  glory; the  saints  have  arrived at heaven  only  by  the  path  of  sufferings. Shall we, then, imagine  that  what  the  Son  of  God  and  the  saints have so  dearly  purchased,  shall  be  given  to  us  for nothing? No; the cross  is  the  distinctive  mark  and portion of  the  elect; a soul  which  suffers  nothing, and is  resolved  to  suffer  nothing,  bears  the  strongest character of  a reprobate. We must,  of  necessity, suffer either  in  this  world  or  in  the  next.

[Adore Christ crucified,  and  beg  of  him  the  grace  to  participate now in  his  suffering  life,  that  you  may  be  one  day  a partaker  in  his life of  glory.]

Whoever doth not  carry  his  cross  is  not  worthy  of  me.” — Luke xiv.

"What a shame, to  be  a delicate  member  of  a head  crowned  with thorns.” — St.  Bernard.

1. The  greatest  happiness  of  a rational  creature  is, to will  that  which  its  Creator  willeth. The saints are saints  only  because  their  will  corresponds  with the will  of  God. Whatever virtue  we  may  possess, if we  have  not  that  of  conformity  to  the  Divine  Will, we are  not  truly  virtuous.

2. A soul  that  is  not  satisfied  with  the  will  of  God seems to  doubt,  in  some  measure,  of  his  authority. To desire  that  what  he  ordains  and  permits  in  this world should  go  on  otherwise  than  it  does,  is  to desire  that  God  should  not  be  master. Everything that happens  to  us  happens  by  his  order; and  is  it not  just  to  acquiesce  in  whatever  is  ordained  by infinite  wisdom?