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F you  wish  to  raise  a  lofty  edifice  of  perfection, take humility  for  your  foundation. — St.  Thomas Aquinas: Sermon  X.

ast thy  heart  firmly  on  the  Lord,  and  fear  not the judgment  of  man,  when  thy  conscience gives testimony  of  thy  piety  and  innocence.

Though St.  Paul  endeavored  to  please  all  in  the Lord and  made  himself  all  unto  all;  though  he  labored for the  edification  and  salvation  of  others  as  much  as he  could  —  nevertheless,  he  could  not  prevent  his being sometimes  judged  or  despised  by  others;  yet he made  little  account  of  his  being  judged  by  the judgment of  men  (i  Cor.  iv.  3). He committed  all to God,  Who  knows  all,  and  defended  himself  by patience  and  humility  against  the  tongues  of  those who spoke  evil,  or  that  thought  and  gave  out  at  pleasure vain  and  faulty  things  of  him;  however,  he  answered them  sometimes,  lest  his  silence  might  give occasion of  scandal  to  the  weak.

"Who art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a mortal  man?" (Is. li.  12). To-day he  is  and  tomorrow he  appears  no  more  (i  Mach.  ii.  63). Fear God, and  thou  shalt  have  no  need  of  being  afraid  of man. Look up  to  Me  (to  the  Lord  thy  God)  in heaven,  Who  am  able  to  deliver  thee  from  all  confusion and  wrongs,  and  to  repay  every  one  according to his  works  (Matt.  xvi.  27). — Thomas  d  Kempis: Book III,  Ch. XXXVI.