But as for us, my brethren, we will adore Him in the integrity of our
souls. Not yet do we see in all its magnificence the revelation of His
wisdom, but our faith trusts Him with it all. Before His justice we are
humble, and in His mercy hopeful. With holy Tobias we know that because
we have sinned He has chastised us, but because He is merciful He will
save us.
It would perhaps be cruel to dwell upon our guilt now, when we are
paying so well and no nobly what we owe. But shall we not confess that
we have indeed something to expiate? He who has received much, from him
shall much be required. Now dare we say that the moral and religious
standard of our people has risen as its economic prosperity has risen?
The observance of Sunday rest, the Sunday mass, the reverence for
marriage, the restraints of modesty--what had you made of these?
What, even within Christian families, had become of the simplicity
practiced by our fathers, what of the spirit of penance, what of respect
for authority? And we, too, we priests, we religious, I, the Bishop, we
whose great mission it is to present in our lives, yet more than in our
speech, the Gospel of Christ, have we earned the right to speak to our
people the word spoken by the Apostle to the nations, "Be ye followers
of me, as I also am of Christ"?
We labor indeed, we pray indeed, but it is all too little.
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