Lord easily consoled them, and in no other way than by simply reminding them of the future glory of heaven: “So also you now indeed have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.”[1] Be satisfied, My dear disciples! It is true we are to be separated from one another; but after a few days of sorrow we shall be united again, and that forever in the kingdom where there is no sorrow; then your hearts shall be filled with joy; you shall be fully satisfied and no trouble shall ever come near you! Nay, on that very account He calls them blessed when they are tried here below in various ways: “Blessed are ye when they shall revile you and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you.” Blessed are you when you have to suffer poverty, hunger, and thirst, ay, when you have to weep and mourn: “Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.”[2] If you only remember this all your trials will be sweetened.
The saints used this means. Shown from the Old Testament. Before the time of Our Lord the same recollection lightened the burden of poverty for the elder Tobias. Be comforted, he said; “Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things” hereafter in heaven, if only here in our poverty “we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.”[3] Was there ever a man in the world who had such pain and affliction to endure as Job on the dung-hill? All possible misfortunes seem to have conspired against him; the devil put forth every effort to crush him, but all he said was: “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”[4] The mere hope and remembrance of the vision of God that awaited him was the medicine that gave him that wonderful courage and constancy. “In my flesh I shall see my God.”[5] Hardly can one refrain from shedding tears when reading the history of the heroic mother of the Machabees, consoling and encouraging her seven sons in their painful martyrdom. “I beseech thee, my son,” said she to the youngest, who was the only one now left her, “look upon heaven;…so thou shalt not fear this tormentor.”
- ↑ Nunc quidem tristitiam habetis, iterum autem videbo vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum: et gaudium vestrum nemo tollet a vobis.—John xvi. 22.
- ↑ Beati estis cum maledixerint vobis, et persecuti vos fuerint, et dixerint omne malum adversum vos; gaudete, et exsultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in cœlis.—Matt. v. 11, 12.
- ↑ Noli timere, fili mi; pauperem quidem vitam gerimus, sed multa bona habebimus, si timuerimus Deum, et recesserimus ab omni peccato, et fecerimus bene.—Tob. iv. 23.
- ↑ Sit nomen Domini benedictum.—Job i. 21.
- ↑ In carne mea videbo Deum meum.—Ibid. xix. 26.
