373 part ii: meditations for more solemn feasts After Holy Communion 1. “Woe to the world because of scandals” (Mt 18:7) [DRB]. Weigh carefully, which scandals the Lord means here, or rather points to: those, of course, by which we scandalize others. Sometimes, these disgraces secretly cling to us and, although we do not realize it, because of them we still offend many people. Hence, we are similar to the numb soil that conceals the lost nails and innate thorns, not knowing that many [f.118r] are wounded and injured by them. There are scandals of another kind, which, while remaining in us, are as harmful to us as stones to a field. As to them, the Savior rebukes us, saying that they must be removed: “if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it from you” for “it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire” (Mt 18:9). 2. “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Mt 18:1). Please turn now your attention to the apostles’ audacity, due to which it so happened that they asked their Master about such a subtle and downright difficult matter. With that audacity, or with a similar confidence, you could also inquire from the same Lord at the sacred table not about the place where He would put you in His Kingdom, but about which of your faults displease Himmost. But if you were not so prudently audacious, know nevertheless that, compared with other faults, pride displeases God in the highest degree and hinders your salvation very much. It is the divine word and decree that only the humble who are like little children shall enter Heaven. 3. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones” (Mt 18:10). Consider that you never have a just enough cause for despising somebody, although he may be utterly unfit. Even if you may have many endowments, are they really yours? Could their Giver not take them away from you at any moment? It often happens that after pouring wine out of vessels, the same are then filled with water.
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