messenger of the queen of arts 104 Jerome, Gregory, Ambrose, Basil, Chrysostom; do you not know, how strongly the light of wisdom shines from them? Think about it, that all of them were not only bishops, but also religious, and those whom you admire, who enlighten you, who give you such joy and satisfaction, have the rays of their wisdom from the hidden nooks of religious solitude. Since it is so, dear students, do not have any doubts that on account of a vocation, you should break from studying in school; do not doubt in this — I repeat — that God will give you all kinds of knowledge, and at least —what is most desired of all —He will grant you the greatest of help, that you might attain perfection in all the scientific disciplines. And if I have not yet succeeded in convincing you in this regard, that on account of a vocation you ought to break from school, then think about this one thing: that you ought to value eternal life more highly than temporal learning. As a matter of fact, what the heavenly Teacher, Christ, concerning something else, stated: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mt 16:26). One can, with certain changes, accommodate it and state: what advantage does a man gain with the knowledge of all the scientific disciplines, if on this account he is deprived of eternal life? What kind of gain is there to be the best grammarian, chemist, geometer, the most perfect philosopher or the best theologian, if these exalted arts and scientific disciplines are conducted in an unworthymanner, deserving the punishment of condemnation, the deprivation of the sight of God, the loss of the heavenly kingdom? Pay attention with your ears, dear students, to the story of the fate of Udo, once greatly learned, and now presently pouring forth tears and accusing himself in the infernal swamp: hear the pitiful voice of this unhappy man, listen to his wailing. O how pitiful! — cries that condemned Udo — woe is me, the most unhappy of all people! The ignorance of one, who was accompanied by devotion, raised him to Heaven, this infused knowledge, joined with lust, lost in the depths of hell.
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