comforts, of a fickle health, of a mortal body? All these things are “momentary and light;”[1] they will be restored to us hereafter in far greater perfection with the assurance of never losing them for eternity. “In all things we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed: we are straitened, but are not destitute; we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we perish not;” we are wearied out with labor, with dangers, persecutions, hunger, thirst, imprisonment; but we are not distressed, nor disturbed at heart: “Always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus.” But all this does not disturb or annoy us. Why, holy Apostle? What medicine do you use to sweeten such bitter trials? “Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus.”[2] There is the reason why I reckon as nothing all that I can suffer here; for what is it all compared to the future glory that awaits me in eternity?
The holy martyrs. Consider the many martyrs of Jesus Christ; nor do I speak now of adult, strong, able-bodied men, but of weak, delicate maidens, little children who ran joyfully to the cross that was held out to them, and who in the midst of torments and flames, and under the very hands of the executioner, mocked at their torments and defied the tyrant; what thought gave them such strength and courage, and heroic constancy? None other than the certain hope that their bodies, which they were about to lose for a time by the sword, by water, or by fire, would be restored to them in a far happier life: and therefore they acted up to Our Lord’s teaching: “Fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul.”[3]
Even in the Old Testament. What an agreeable sight it must have been before heaven to behold the seven Machabees, maimed in hands, feet, ears, and tongue, joyfully offering their mutilated bodies to be roasted alive! You cut my tongue out, cried the first, and cut off my arms and legs; do so; I give them to you with pleasure; for you must know that I shall get them again from my God. The second, as he lay maimed in the frying-pan, exclaimed: “Thou indeed, O most wicked man, destroyest us out of this present life: but the King of the world will raise us up who die for His laws, in
- ↑ Momentaneum et leve.—II. Cor. iv. 17.
- ↑ In omnibus tribulationem patimur, sed non angustiamur; aporiamur, sed non destituimur; persecutionem patimur, sed non derelinquimur; dejicimur, sed non perimus; semper mortificationem Jesu in corpore nostro circumferentes. Scientes quoniam qui suscitavit Jesum, et nos cum Jesu suscitabit.—Ibid. 8, 9, 10, 14.
- ↑ Nolite timere eos, qui occidunt corpus, animam autem non possunt occidere.—Matt. x. 28.
