Summary of the Morrow's Meditation
We will continue tomorrow to meditate upon zeal for the salvation of souls, and we shall see: 1st, that to labor to save souls is in itself a wholly divine work; 2nd, that to neglect to labor at it is to be wanting towards Jesus Christ. We will then make the resolution: 1st, to make use of all the means in our power in order to convert sinners; 2nd, never to be discouraged in regard to this work, and never to despair of the salvation of any one. We will retain as our spiritual nosegay the words of St. Paul: "We are God's coadjutors" in the great work of the conversion of souls (I. Cor. iii. 9).
Meditation for the Morning
Let us adore Jesus Christ on the cross, adjuring us to help Him to save the souls for which He died. Let us bless Him for permitting us to help Him in so great, so divine a work, and let us offer Him our aid with all our heart.
FIRST POINT
To Labor to Save Souls is a wholly Divine Work.
To withdraw a soul from sin and to gain it for God is more than to render liberty to whole provinces; it is more than to conquer the universe; it is an essentially divine work; it is the work of Jesus Christ, who came to earth for its sake alone. In order to perform it He divided it into two parts, one of which He took upon Himself and the other He imposed on us. As His share of it, He ascended the cross, and there shed the whole of His blood; there He closed hell, opened heaven, merited for the world faith to know the truth, grace to do what is right, and He instituted the sacraments in order to communicate to all men the fruits of His death. As to the other share, He reserved it for men, whom He thus called to the distinguished honor of being His helps, His coadjutors, and, together with Him, of being the saviours of the world. The blood shed upon the cross can save the world, but it will be only in so far as other men will make the value of it to be felt by the faithful, and will apply the merits of it to them. Through Him heaven has become accessible to all men, but they will only enter into it in so far as other men will show them the way thither and will open to them the gates of it. Through Him faith was brought to earth, but the present will be of use only in so far as other men teach it to those who are ignorant. Through Him grace was given to the world to do what is right; but what is right will be done only in so far as other men will deliver the doctrines to make it known, the exhortations to make it loved. The sacraments are an inexhaustible source of riches and spiritual blessings, but this treasure will profit the world only in so far as other men will induce sinners to receive it. It is thus that man has been established to be the helper and coadjutor of Jesus Christ in the great work of salvation. What a glory for us! and could God do us a greater honor? It is for us to appreciate it and show ourselves worthy of it by seizing upon all the means in our power for laboring for the salvation of our brethren and bringing their hearts to God.
SECOND POINT
To Neglect to Labor for the Salvation of Souls, in so far as is Possible to each one of us, is to be Wanting to Jesus Christ.
If God has established us as His helpers in the work of the salvation of souls, it is doubtless in order that we should labor with Him. In proportion as we refuse or give Him our help, it will be decided by us whether such or such souls, with which we have relations, shall be saved or damned; that is to say, whether for them the blood of Jesus Christ shall have been shed utterly in vain, His labors rendered useless, His sacraments sterile, His graces of no avail, heaven lost, redemption a failure. Now, to cause a work which cost the Son of God so dear to be lost through our negligence, and in spite of His love to allow souls so dear to Him to perish, when by means of a little good will and zeal we might save them, is a terrible responsibility for us. Ah! all the wounds of Christ cry out to us: Be zealous; it will be in vain for us to have been opened for this soul, if you have no zeal. All His blood cries out to us: Be zealous; it will have been in vain that I shall have been shed for this soul, if you have no zeal. The whole of His heart cries out to us: Be zealous; it will have been in vain that I shall have loved this soul, if you have no zeal. O Lord, all these cries go to my heart. I would not refuse an enemy who might ask of me a service on his death-bed; how could I refuse Thee, who art the best of friends, who from the summit of Thy cross, as though it were Thy death-bed, adjures me to help Thee to save the world? I hear Thy apostle calling out to me on his side: "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ hath died? Now, when you sin thus against the brethren, you sin against Christ" (I. Cor. viii. 11, 12); and at the last day He will demand of you an account of His blood, which has remained useless through your fault. O unfaithful steward of the blood of a God, what a chastisement will fall upon your head! But, Lord, I will not draw upon myself this reproach. I will endeavor to gain souls by my counsels, my example, and my prayers.
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.