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

""HIS INTERIOR TRIALS. 145as they had arisen rather from misconception than frommalice ; and during the later years of his life M. Vianneywas regarded by his brethren in general with the mostcordial and unvarying respect and admiration.CHAPTER X.The sufferings inflicted on him by God."A CHRISTIAN," says St. Augustine,must suffer morethan another man, and a saint more than an ordinaryChristian." It was God s purpose to make M. Vianneya saint ; and therefore, in addition to the sufferings inflicted upon him by himself, by the devil, and by men,his Divine Master gave him to drink of that bitterestdraught of His own chalice, which wrung from Him theexceeding bitter cry, My G-od, my God, why hast Thouforsaken Me ?" The light which had gilded the cloudsthat rose around him from earth and hell was withdrawn,and he entered into that thick darkness, which Divinelove never suffers to overshadow any soul, but such as ithas gifted with special strength to endure it. TheAbbe Baux, who was formany years the confessor of theCure"of Ars, affirms that his soul was habitually subjectto the bitterest desolation. Our Lord hid from him theimmense good which He was working by his means.Hebelieved himself to be an utterly useless being, devoid ofpiety, understanding, knowledge, discernment, or virtue.He was good for nothing but to injure and ruin everything to disedify everybody to be a hindrance inthe way of all good. In the humility of his heart, heshed tears over his sins, indevotion, and ignorance, whileat the same time the generosity of his courage led him toL