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

"160 THE CUR OF ARS.The door of the sacristy opened and shut alternately onthe penitents, who followed each other tothe holy priest.the tribunal ofI saw them go in with recollected, absorbed, or anxious countenances, and come out again witha calm, joyous, open expression on their faces. One, ayoung artisan, stopped suddenly as he passed me, andstruck his forehead, exclaiming to himself, I must speakto him again ; and he took up his position at the end ofthe to file, get a second turn, in the course of anotherday or two.More than two hours had thus passed rapidly away.I had forgotten to count the minutes ;so completely hadthe scene before me filledmy mind with divine and eternalthings, that it forgot time, which is but the succession ofthose which pass away. It was now night, nearly 8 o clock,but the church, far from becoming empty, was fuller thanever.I was told that it was the time for evening prayers, atwhich, as well as at the morning Mass, the villagers failednot to be present ;for the sanctity of their cur6 had broughtthem all back to the practice of their religious duties. Atthat moment M. Vianney appeared, and proceeded to thepulpit. The sight of him made me forget everythingelse. I had no eyes but for him. He wore his surplice,which he never lays aside. His whole exterior bore witness to his extraordinary sanctity. His face and his wholeperson were fearfully thin, betokening the sublime andawful work of mortification and asceticism, whence resultawhat Bossuet calls that dreadful annihilation of the wholeman, dreadful to nature, but beautiful in the order ofgrace ;for if it kills in the one, it gives life in the other.That bent and fragile form had an inexpressible majesty ofits own. He walked with his head bowed down, and hiseyes on the ground ; his long and flowing hair fell around