" The unlearned arise and seize heaven," says the same saint. How many ignorant peasants there are who, knowing not how to read, yet know how to love God, and to save themselves. How many learned of the world who lose themselves! But the former, not the latter, are truly wise. How truly wise have those been who, leaving the world, have embraced the cloistered life. How truly wise the many martyrs and virgins who renounced the nuptials of the great to go and die for Jesus Christ. And this truth even the worldly recognise; and they do not fail to say of any one who has given himself to God, " Blessed is he who understands, and who saves his soul." In short, they who leave the things of the world to give themselves to God are called " the undeceived." What, then, should those be called who leave God for the things of this world? Deceived men.
My brother, to which of these classes do you wish to belong? S. Chrysostom advises you to go to the graveyards to learn to choose well; they are a good school in which to learn the vanity of worldly goods, and. the science of the saints. S. Chrysostom says, " Tell me if you can distinguish there who has been a prince, a noble, a man of letters? For my part, I see nothing, save rottenness, bones, worms. Everything is a fable, a dream, a shadow." All the things of the world in a short time will end and vanish away like a play, a dream, a shadow. But my fellow Christian, if you wish to become wise, it is not sufficient to know the importance of your end; you must seize the means of obtaining salvation. All wish to be saved, and to become saints; but since they do not adopt the means, they not only do not become saints, but they are lost. We must avoid the occasions of sin, frequent the Sacrament, pray, and, before all, ground the heart in the precepts of the Gospel. " What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (S. Matt. xvi. 26.) " He that loveth his life shall lose it." (S. John xii. 25.) That is to say, we must even sacrifice the life, to save the soul. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself." (S. Matt. xvi. 24.) That is, to follow Him we must deny our self-love the gratification which it seeks. " In His pleasure is life." (Ps. xxx. 5.) Our salvation consists in fulfilling the Divine will, in these and in many like precepts.
