Hear the warning that St. Paul gives: “Judge not before the time, until the Lord come,”[1] wait till the work of God is completed. If many things now seem inconsistent and incomprehensible to you, remember that the work of this world is not by any means finished; there is still much to be done on it, as if it were a piece of tapestry or a painting. Since you cannot and should not now understand the design of the Almighty Artist, wait till the last day of the world, on which God will show in public in the valley of Josaphat the whole work of His Providence, and will allow everyone to see how admirably and wisely everything has been done; then we shall all see to our great admiration what a beautiful work it is.
Conclusion and exhortation to resign ourselves and all belonging to us to God’s Providence and to do His will in all things. Let us then, my dear brethren, ascribe everything that happens in the world, sin alone excepted, to the Providence of God, arid since we cannot understand His decrees submit humbly to them without further question or doubt, and resign ourselves and all belonging to us with contented minds to the divine will. In this respect we should imitate King David, who speaks thus to his God: “I am become as a beast before Thee. Thou hast held me by my right hand: and by Thy will Thou hast conducted me.”[2] In the same sense we should say: O Lord, I am just as a beast of burden before Thee, that allows its master to place on it what load he pleases, and then goes wherever he leads it. Our only care in this life should be to know the will of God and to fulfil it exactly in all circumstances, as Christ Our Lord has taught us by His example, for He says of Himself: “In the head of the book it is written of Me that I should do Thy will. O my God, I have desired it, and Thy law in the midst of My heart.”[3] Here we should profit by the beautiful words of St. Augustine when examining and speaking in the person of Adam of the command not to eat the forbidden fruit. He says: if the tree is good, why may I not eat of its fruit? But if it is bad, why is it in paradise? God might answer both these questions by saying: the tree is in paradise because I have chosen to place it there; but I do not wish you to eat its fruit, because I desire to have in you an obedient and not a disobedient servant. But why so? Because you are the servant and I am your Lord; this sole reason should
- ↑ Nolite ante tempus judicare, quoadusque veniat Dominus.—I. Cor. iv. 5.
- ↑ Ut jumentum factus sum apud te. Tenuisti manum dexteram meam, et in voluntate tua deduxisti me.—Ps. lxxii. 23, 24.
- ↑ In capite libri scriptum est de me, ut facerem voluntatem tuam. Deus meus, volui, et legem tuam in medio cordis mei.—Ibid. xxxix. 8, 9.
