them, and at the same time exhorting them to remember His words that they may not be disturbed: “These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized;…that when the hour shall come you may remember that I told you of them”[1]—when I remember all this, and at the same time see by experience that those words are literally fulfilled, for as a general rule I find that the just are afflicted, while the wicked live in prosperity, then indeed I fear nothing as long as I serve God zealously; and even if I should be overwhelmed with afflictions I should not therefore lose hope, but rather comfort myself all the more in the, thought of eternal life and a glorious resurrection. For I think to myself: the same Son of God who has said to the just, “You shall lament and weep,” says immediately after: “But your sorrow shall be turned into joy…I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice: and your joy no man shall take from you.”[2] The same Son of God who has said to the just, “You shall weep,” says also: “Blessed are ye that weep now, for you shall laugh.”[3] The same Son of God who says, “You shall be hated by all men for My name’s sake,”[4] says also: “Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice: for behold, your reward is great in heaven.”[5] Now the Son of God is in all cases infallible, and as His prophecy concerning the trials of the just is true, so also must be that regarding the eternal joys reserved for them. Therefore as experience tells us that what He said about the trials of His servants is fulfilled to the letter, we shall with equal certainty experience the truth of His words concerning the reward in the next life. Therefore in future I shall say in affliction with St. Paul: It is true that I suffer and groan and weep, yet I am not disturbed, nor do I complain or lose hope: “I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to keep that which I
- ↑ Hæc locutus sum vobis, ut non scandalizemini; ut cum venerit hora eorum, reminiscamini quia ego dixi vobis.—John xvi. 1, 4.
- ↑ Tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium; iterum autem videbo vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum; et gaudium vestrum nemo tollet a vobis.—Ibid. 20, 22.
- ↑ Beati qui nunc fletis, quia ridebitis.—Luke vi. 31.
- ↑ Eritis odio omnibus propter nomen meum.—Ibid. xxi. 17.
- ↑ Beati eritis, cum vos oderint homines, et cum separaverint vos, et exprobraverint, et ejecerint nomen vestrum tanquam malum propter Filium hominis. Gaudete in ilia die, et exsultate, ecce enim merces vestra multa est in cœlo.—Ibid. vi. 22, 23.
