whole day as far as the practice of virtue and the divine service is concerned; all your thoughts, words, and actions are directed to yourself, to your own profit, comfort, and pleasure; you do nothing for heaven, for your last end. Was it for that that God called you to His service? Do you think that He will give you the eternal joys of heaven as a reward for such a life?
We must labor for it by good works. Shown by a simile from Scripture. Or do you imagine that heaven will come to you of its own accord if you do not run away from it? For instance, you think of travelling to Coblentz; now sit down where you are, or remain standing, if you choose; be very careful not to go a step farther for Coblentz, and of course in that way you will at last arrive at the end of your journey; is that not so? No, you acknowledge; that will not do; I must stir myself and set out for Coblentz. To live in mortal sin is indeed to go away from heaven and to travel towards hell; and that you are careful to avoid, as you say; but more than that is required to gain heaven. “Decline from evil;” that is one thing but not all, for besides that, “do good;” travel bravely forward to the heavenly country, “and dwell forever and ever.”[1] “Why stand you looking up to heaven”[2] thus idly? said the angel to the disciples after the ascension of Christ. This is not the time for standing; go at once and follow the example of your divine Master if you wish to follow Him into heaven. In Holy Writ heaven is described as the wages that the workmen receive in the evening after having toiled during the day: “Call the laborers,” says the householder to his steward, as we read in the Gospel of St. Matthew, “and pay them their hire.”[3] The Wise Man likens it to a treasure hidden in the ground: “If thou shalt seek her as money and shalt dig for her as for a treasure.”[4] St. Paul speaks of it as a crown of victory: “He also that striveth for the mastery is not crowned except he strive lawfully.”[5] It is likened to the crops reaped in harvest-time: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Going they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves;”[6] and to a kingdom conquered with great violence: “The kingdom of heaven
- ↑ Declina a malo, et fac bonum, et inbabita In’sæculum’sæculi.—Ps. xxxvi. 27.
- ↑ Quid statis aspicientes in cœlum?—Acts i. 11.
- ↑ Voca operarios, et redde illis mercedem.—Matt. xx. 8.
- ↑ Si quæsieris eam, quasi pecuniam, et sicut thesauros effoderis illam.—Prov. ii. 4.
- ↑ Qui certat in agone, non coronatur, nisi legitime certaverit.—II. Tim. ii. 5.
- ↑ Qui seminant In lachrymis, in exultatione metent. Euntes ibant et flebant mittentes semina sua. Venientes autem venient cum exultatione, portantes manipulos suos.—Ps. cxxv. 5-7.
