Ardor
by VP
Posted on Sunday February 24, 2019 at 01:01AM in Books
Blessed are those servants who have had nothing else in view but that through their ministry every knee should bend at the name of Jesus and every tongue should confess His divinity.
Blessed are those servants who, wholly intent upon the word and prayer, have esteemed all things else as dross, so long as they obtained the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
But you indolent servants, useless servants, blush and be confounded. Far from being zealous you flee from labor.
You love a bountiful recompense but not the labors of the ministry, a well-furnished table but not the altar, reading but not the tribunal of penance, conversation but not prayer, walking but not study, amusement but not the care of the flock.
You are ever ready to take part in worldly affairs, but every spiritual duty finds you lukewarm and indolent.
I excavate the walls of your hearts and I find written thereon: Oh, that I did not have to pray! Of, that I did not have to teach catechism! Of, that I did not have to preach! Of, that nobody would come to confession!
Wretched men! How can you call yourselves priests? How can you call yourselves the ministers of God? You do not build up but destroy: You do not heal but kill: You do not save but ruin my sheep.
Source: An Epitome of the Priestly Life, Fr. CLaude Arvisenet
