Life of St John Vianney.pdf - the Catholic Kingdom!

""""J42 THE CUfi OF ARS."Alas, I have always led an evil life.I led the samelife then that I do now. I have never been good for anything."In saying this," adds M. Monnin,he was unconscious of the testimony he was bearing to himself, for thelife he was then leading was before our eyes.That marvellous,supernatural life he had, then, always led.""I should be sorry,"added he, that God should beoffended ; but, on the other hand, I rejoice in the Lordat all that can be said against me, because the condemnations of the world are the benedictions of God. I wasafraid of being a hypocrite when people were makingsome account of me, and I am very glad to see that unfounded estimation changed into contempt."To a priest who came to him one day, to complain offtwearisome and vexatious opposition which he was enduring, My friend," said he, do as I do ; let themsay all they have to say. When they have said all,there will be no more to say, and they will be silent."M. Monnin anticipates a suspicion which may ariseon hearing of the atrocious calumnies heaped on thisholy priest, that perhaps the very innocence and simplicity of his character might have made him less circumspect in his demeanour than prudence requires."Nothing," he tells us, could be farther from thetruth. He regarded every indication of that oversensibility,inwhich some persons indulge towards theirdirector, as a dangerous snare, an injury to humility,and a hindrance to that sweet and uniform simplicitywhich goes straight to God, without a thought of self,or of those who lead us to Him. With him, nothinghuman, however innocent and lawful, was suffered tointermingle with direction. Thus, while he endured