may one day have the happiness of associating with the elect. Such amongst other points of doctrine shall be the conclusion.
Give us Thy grace hereto, Christ Jesus: we ask it of Thee through the merits of Mary, of St. John, and of our holy guardian angels.
There is no true pleasure without company. Of all the lawful pleasures that men can enjoy in this world with each other, the best is agreeable company; when, namely, true and well-known friends, who understand each other and love each other truly, meet in order to rejoice in the Lord. Nay, there is hardly any pleasure without society, and with reason has the philosopher Seneca said that there is no real joy or delight to be found in anything without a companion. Good food and drink taste well; but what of that if I have to sit down alone to table, without a soul near me? I can say that I have eaten and drunk well, but I cannot say that I have enjoyed myself. Put a man quite alone in a royal palace that is abundantly provided with everything; shut him up in it by himself; he will soon grow tired of life and make his escape in order to be again amongst men.
Shown from Scripture. That disposition man has, so to speak, inherited from natare; he is naturally fond of society. Although Adam had in paradise all that he could desire, he would not have been satisfied there long if he had remained alone, as God Himself said of him: " And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself,”[1] that he may have some one to keep him company. The only complaint that the brother of the prodigal son had to make to his father was that the latter never gave him an opportunity of meeting his friends: “Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends.” Be satisfied, my son, said the father, in order to console him: “Thou art always with me, and all I have is thine.”[2] But that was not enough; the son was so displeased that he was unwilling to enter the room in which the other was being entertained. So it is with us too, my dear brethren; he who wishes to amuse himself and spend a pleasant day, either goes out in search of company or invites a few friends to his own house; and even holy
