COLLOQUY XII.
All the Virtues of the Saints come from God, and are to be Referred to Him.
Blessed Massed, one of the disciples of the holy Father, wondered within himself, and was anxious to know, whether the man of God was not a little puffed up with all the honour shown him both by princes and people. In order to try his humility once, when the Saint came forth from a wood in which he had been praying for several days, and was surrounded, by a great crowd, he cried out to him in a loud voice, as if astonished, ‘Why is this to thee } why is this to thee T The blessed Father asked, ‘ What ?’ ‘ Why,’ replied Brother Masseo, ‘does every one honour thee, seek thee, follow thee, and imitate thee ? All desire to hear thee, wish to see thee, and hasten to obey thee. Why is this ? Thou art not handsome nor elegant ; thou hast very little wisdom or science ; thou art not of noble birth. Why then does all the world come to thee, and run after thee ?’ When the most humble servant of God heard these words, he remained some time with his eyes raised to heaven, and his mind fixed on God. Then coming to himself he knelt down, and again looking up to heaven, he gave thanks to the most liberal Giver of all good, and with great fervour and impetuosity of spirit he said to his disciple : ‘Dost thou wish to know why this is to me ? Dost thou wish to know why this is to me ? This happens to me through the will of the Omnipotent God, who sees alike the good and the bad. The most holy eyes of God saw that there was no greater sinner on earth than myself, no one more foolish among men, no one viler among creatures, and therefore He chose me above others as His instrument to undertake and accomplish His wonderful work upon earth. For God always chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the vilest, weakest, and most contemptible things of the world, to destroy the strongest, and to confound the greatest and most noble ; that all may know that the sublimity of virtue comes from God, and not from creatures, so that he who glories may glory in the Lord, and that God alone may be glorified for ever.’ When he heard these words, the disciple threw himself at the feet of his master, and from the humility of his words he understood the lowliness of his soul.