Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/182



176 THE RIGHT ORDERING OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.

priests have a ready and generous zeal for the salvation of others, and without this they cannot properly secure their own. "One thing only shall they seek and rejoice at in those subject to them, in one thing only shall they glory â€” to make of them, if possible, a perfect people. For this they will strive in every way, with great labor of mind and body, in toil and suffering, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness." ^ Frequent meditation upon the things of heaven wonderfully nourishes and strengthens virtue of this kind, and makes it always ready and fearless of the greatest difficulties for the good of others. The more pains they take in such meditation, the more clearly will priests understand the greatness, the excellence, the holiness of their office. They will see how sad it is that so many men, redeemed by Jesus Christ, should run headlong to eternal ruin; and by meditation upon the divine nature they will themselves be more strongly moved, and will more effectually excite others to the love of God.

Such, then, is the surest way to secure the general wel- fare. But let us not be frightened by the greatness of our difficulties, or despair of cure by reason of the long continuance of evil. The impartial and unchangeable justice of God reserves due reward for good deeds and fitting punishment for sin. But since the life of peoples and nations does not outlast this world, these necessarily receive their retribution upon this earth. Indeed, it is not a new thing for prosperity to have place in a sinful nation; and this by the just designs of God, who from time to time rewards good deeds with prosperity, for no people is altogether without worth. This St. Augustine considered to have been the case with the Roman people. The law, nevertheless, remains clear: that nations may prosper, it is to the interest of all that virtueâ€” and espe- cially justice, the mother of all virtues â€” should be pub- licly practised. Justice exalteth a nation; but sin inaketh

' St. Bern., De Consid., iv. 2.