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

""""How"HIS MINGLED OPENNESS AND RESERVE. 29A religious once said to him, with great simplicity:Father, people believe generally that you are very ignorant."They are quite right, mychild. But it mattersnot. I can teach you more than you will practise."Notwithstanding his decided taste for solitude, heloved to open his heart to those whom he loved andtrusted. He seldom, indeed, spoke of himself; but whenhe did, it was with simplicity and openness, and alwaysof such matters as were most humiliating to him. Of thegifts and graces with which he was favoured he spoke to"MO one. Thus, M. Mormin tells us that he never revealedhimself entirely; he led you to the threshold of his soul,and stopped youthere."often,"adds he, "havewe said to ourselves, when we left him after those eveningconversations, which it was the privilege of the missionaries to enjoy, How blessed must it be in Paradise, if thecompany of the Saints is thus sweet upon earth!At the close of his day of heavy, wearisome labour,standing before his little table, or at the chimney-corner,that his chilled and cramped limbs might feel the warmthof the fire, the innocence and joy of his heart found utterance in a thousand bright plays of fancy, and in thoughtsand images full of grace and sweetness. According tothe counsel of St. Paul, he avoided vain and profane discourses, and idle questions, which minister strife ratherthan edification. If any trifling debate arose in his presence, he kept a modest silence, as if he feared, by givingan opinion, to disoblige one of the parties. If appealedto, he intervened by some gracious and conciliating word,or by the enunciation of some of those great principleswhich cannot be disputed, and which restore peace between adversaries by bringing them off the ground of divi-