Not a real essay
2. THE LEGION MUST DIRECT ITSELF TO THE
INDIVIDUAL SOUL
“We must not allow the crowded altar-rails at the morning’s
Mass to blind us to the existence of horrible contrasts: entire families where things are wrong, or even whole neighbourhoods corrupted and abominable, where evil is, as it were, enthroned with its court all around it. Second, we should remember that although sin is in such places congested and doubly repulsive, it is none the less vile where it is more spread out. Third, though we see there the matured fruit — the Dead Sea fruit of evil — the roots lie in the soil of CHAPTER 40 GO PREACH THE GOSPEL 309 every corner of the country. Wherever neglect is creeping in or venial sin putting up its head, there is a preparation for abominations. Wheresoever the worker may be, there is work to hand to do. Were it nothing else, speak words of consolation to some poor old body in an infirmary, or teach little children to bless themselves and lisp the answer to: ‘Who made the world?’ and, little though you realise it, you strike a fierce blow at the whole machinery of evil. Fourth, and this is a message of hope to the apostolic worker who is overmuch inclined to lose heart in the presence of formidable evil, even such a riot of disorder as we have pictured is not incurable. There is a remedy — and there is only the one — and it lies in the intense and patient application of the religious system of the Church Under all that crusted depravity, the bare outline of which makes one shudder, there is a faith which in better moments longs for goodness. If, then there is someone at hand to coax and encourage and speak of better things and hold out hope that all can be repaired, the worst victim of that depravity can be brought to priest and sacraments. With these received, a renovation has taken place which can never be completely undone. Frequently, the great power which goes out from Christ in his sacraments is manifested, and we are left marvelling to find that
INDIVIDUAL SOUL
“We must not allow the crowded altar-rails at the morning’s
Mass to blind us to the existence of horrible contrasts: entire families where things are wrong, or even whole neighbourhoods corrupted and abominable, where evil is, as it were, enthroned with its court all around it. Second, we should remember that although sin is in such places congested and doubly repulsive, it is none the less vile where it is more spread out. Third, though we see there the matured fruit — the Dead Sea fruit of evil — the roots lie in the soil of CHAPTER 40 GO PREACH THE GOSPEL 309 every corner of the country. Wherever neglect is creeping in or venial sin putting up its head, there is a preparation for abominations. Wheresoever the worker may be, there is work to hand to do. Were it nothing else, speak words of consolation to some poor old body in an infirmary, or teach little children to bless themselves and lisp the answer to: ‘Who made the world?’ and, little though you realise it, you strike a fierce blow at the whole machinery of evil. Fourth, and this is a message of hope to the apostolic worker who is overmuch inclined to lose heart in the presence of formidable evil, even such a riot of disorder as we have pictured is not incurable. There is a remedy — and there is only the one — and it lies in the intense and patient application of the religious system of the Church Under all that crusted depravity, the bare outline of which makes one shudder, there is a faith which in better moments longs for goodness. If, then there is someone at hand to coax and encourage and speak of better things and hold out hope that all can be repaired, the worst victim of that depravity can be brought to priest and sacraments. With these received, a renovation has taken place which can never be completely undone. Frequently, the great power which goes out from Christ in his sacraments is manifested, and we are left marvelling to find that