That We Must Not Be Discouraged nor Lose Heart, Though We See Little Fruit Produced by Our Labors among Our Neighbors

OE is me, that I am become as one who goes to gather grapes in autumn, and finds not one bunch to eat (Mich. vii. 1). The Prophet Micheas complains in these words of the little fruit that he produced in the people of Israel by his discourses. Woe is me, he says, because that has befallen me which is wont to befall those who go gleaning grapes in the autumn after the vintage is over, thinking to find something, and find not one single bunch. Isaias makes the like complaint: The city is made a desert, and her gates shail be stricken with solitude: for tt shall be in the midst of the land and in the midst of the people as the few berries that fall by shaking an olive tree that has already been beaten, and the gleanings that remain when the vintage is over: so shall be the number of the good (Isaias xxiv. 12-13).. One of the things that are apt greatly to discourage and take the heart out of those whose business it is to aid and improve their neighbor is to see the little good that is done by their sermons and the other means that they take to that end. How few are converted, how few are improved and amended, and how few persevere! Since this is a very common complaint and temptation, we will meet it here and make use of a very good remedy to give us courage and comfort in our ministries. St. Augustine treats this point very well, and answers and satisfies this complaint by the example of Christ our Redeemer and Master. Think you, he says, that the Son of God preached only to His disciples, or only to the people that were sure to believe in Him? Do we not see that He preached also to His enemies, who came to tempt Him and find matter of misrepresentation in Him? Or perhaps He preached only when He had a crowd and a great many listeners? Do we not see Him preaching to one single woman, of low rank, a Samaritan woman, a watercarrier, and with her He dealt with the question of prayer, whether it was to be in the Temple, or might be made outside its walls? But, you will say, He knew that she was destined to believe and profit by His conversation and discourse. True, says St. Augustine; but what will you say to the many times that He spoke and preached to the Jews, Pharisees, and Sadducees, who not only were not going to believe, but were going to calumniate and persecute Him? Sometimes He asked them questions in order to convince them by their own answers; at other times He answers their questions, although He knew that they put them only to try Him. We do not read of any of them being converted thereby. He knew well that so it was to be; but to give us an example, He would preach to those who He knew never would be converted or profit by His preaching, but perhaps be the worse for it, to teach us, who do not know whether those whom we address will be converted or not, not to give over preaching and hearing confessions and doing what rests with us, without being discouraged at not seeing or hearing of any immediate fruit. Perhaps some soul is predestined to be converted by means of this preaching, and the Lord will touch his heart by means of this your talk or sermon; and though at present it seems to you that they are not being converted or improved, possibly they will be converted afterwards, and that seed of the word of God which fell in their heart will afterwards germinate, as not unfrequently happens. Thus we should never leave off doing what it rests with us to do for the help of our neighbor.

Gerson, in a treatise which he wrote “On Drawing Little Ones to Christ,” speaks well on this point against those who lose courage and have no heart to deal with a certain class of people and hear their confessions because they think that they do not persevere, but go back at once to their sins, and that labor spent on them is time wasted, like throwing goods into a rotten sack. Gerson there animates and exhorts confessors to apply themselves to hearing boys’ confessions, and says that great good may be done thereby; because these boys are at a parting of the waters, between two ways, and will follow that course on which they shall be set, and take his side who first gets-hold of them. If they are first got hold of on the part of the devil and the world, they will go that way; and in like manner if they are got hold of on the part of God. Thus it is very important to show them the way of virtue and start them well on it at the outset, because in that way they will remain. And he answers the objection and excuse of those who refuse to hear these young folk’s confessions, saying it is lost time and labor thrown away upon them because they have no capacity to understand what is said to them, and as soon as their confession is done, at once they go back to their old ways, frolicking and fighting with one another as if you had said nothing to them at all. Gerson goes on to say: If you refuse to hear their confessions because they go back at once to their old pranks and evil ways, at that rate you should not hear the confessions of grown-up people either, for they also, as soon as their confession is over, go back to their vomit and to sins very different from those that boys are apt to commit, for they often do not amount to mortal sins, and those others do. A fine thing, forsooth, it would be, if we cast off our penitents and ceased to hear their confessions because they straightway relapsed into the same sins! Not on that account, says Gerson, are we to leave off hearing confessions either of grown-up or little folk, in so far as they have a real purpose not to return to their sins. He brings two good comparisons to illustrate this. When a ship is leaking, does the man at the pump cease pumping because as much water keeps coming in as goes out? Nor again do we give over washing our hands, though they must presently get dirty again. We must keep to the pump, though we see that the water comes in as fast as it goes out; otherwise the ship would founder, whereas, as it is, it does not founder. We must wash our hands time after time, though they are sure quickly to get dirty again, lest otherwise the dirt might settle on them, and then be difficult to get off. In like manner we must not leave off hearing confessions and helping penitents, however clearly we foresee their straightway returning to the same sins; for if we gave them up, they would go all lengths to perdition; while, as it is, they hold back and do not give such full rein to their vices as they otherwise would do—and in the end, when all is said and done, there is hope of their salvation.

We read a very good precedent for this in the Life of our blessed Father Ignatius. Among other holy works in which he occupied himself, he engaged in the conversion of women of evil life. He got set up in Rome a new house for such as wished to leave off their shameful and wretched life. There was in the city a monastery of penitents, but they received there only such as wished to enter as nuns; and many of these poor women, though they desired to rise from their unhappy state, did not feel in themselves strength for such perfection; while others, being married, could not though they wished. To the end, therefore, that the one and the other might find a place of retreat, he caused a house to be opened for them under the name of the Monastery of St. Martha. And because nobody would begin so holy a work, though many offered to contribute to it, our holy Father began it himself out of his poverty with a hundred ducats, which he got for some jewels that he bade his procurator sell, though at the time he was in great want for the needs of the Society. His office of General hindered him not from taking this work so much to heart that, when there were any that wished to change their life, he himself accompanied them through the streets of Rome and conducted them to this Monastery of St.

Martha, or to some other decent home where he collected them. Some took upon themselves to tell him that he was losing his time in laboring to convert such creatures as these, who, as they were hardened in vice, would easily fall back into their former disorders. But he answered: “T do not count this labor lost; rather I say that if with all the labors and cares of a lifetime I could make sure of one of these women passing one single night without sin, I would take all my pains as well spent at that price, that the majesty of my Creator and Lord should not be offended for that short time, though I knew for certain that after that she would go back to her foul and wretched ways.” ‘Thus, though we knew for certain that our penitents were to return at once to their sins, we should count the labor of our whole life well employed to secure their going one hour at least without sin, or avoiding one mortal sin. This is true zeal for the honor and glory of God. He who digs in search of treasure first throws up much earth, and reckons all that labor well spent to find a little gold.

But let us go farther and put the case that no one is converted, nor leaves off his sin even for an hour; still, I say, we ought not to leave off preaching and doing whatsoever depends upon us for the help of souls. St. Bernard in a letter to Pope Eugenius III, who had been a monk and disciple of his, exhorts him to reform the people and court of Rome; and, having dwelt at length on that topic, he goes on: “But perhaps you will laugh at me, and tell me that you have broken off finally with the Roman people, a froward and proud sort, lovers of tumults, wars, and dissensions, an intractable and untameable lot, who can never be at peace or subject to anyone except when they have no power to resist; a people from whom no good is to be expected, and to labor for whom is to labor in vain.” The saint gives this marvelous reply: “Do not lose heart; care, not cure, is what is asked of you. You have been established for their governor, says the Wise Man; take care of them (Eccles. xxxii. 1-2). And take notice that he says not, ‘Cure them.’”’ The superior is not bound to find an effectual cure and remedy for the faults of his subjects; it does not rest with him to do so. The verse says well: Non est in medico semper relevetur ut aeger—“The patient’s recovery does not rest always with the physician.” A man’s being a good physician, and doing well what belongs to his office, does not depend on that.

But let us leave alone, says St. Bernard, the witness of externs, since we have better witness of our own. The Apostle St. Paul says: I have labored more than all (I Cor. xv. 10). He does not say: “I have produced more fruit than all,” because he knew well, as he had been taught by God, that everyone shall receive reward and recompense according to his labor (I Cor. iii. 8), not according to the success and fruit that he has gained; and therefore the Apostle glories in his labors, and not in the fruit thereof. And so he says elsewhere: J have seen myself in more labors than them (II Cor. xi. 23). Do, then, what belongs to your part; plant, water, labor, and cultivate the vineyard of the Lord, and thereby you will have accomplished all that can be laid to your charge. The increase and fruit does not stand to your account. The Lord will give it when He pleases; and if, perchance, He is not pleased to give it, you will lose nothing by that, since the Scripture says: The Lord will give the just the reward of their labors (Wisdom x. 17) ; for God pays and gives the reward and recompense to each according to his works and labors, and not according to the success and fruit that follows from them. O happy and secure labor, the reward of which is not diminished or impaired by any issue that befalls! Though there be no fruit, though nobody be converted or amended, you shall have your reward as full and complete as though there had been numbers of conversions and great fruit gained.

This be said, says St. Bernard, without prejudice to the goodness and omnipotence of God, because, however hardened the heart of the people, God can make out of stones, and hearts as hard as stone, children of Abraham (Matt. iii. 9). And who knows but that He will do it? Who knoweth but that God will turn those eyes of mercy, and forgive, and leave us his blessing? (Joel ii. 14). But, says the saint, I am not dealing now with what God is to do, for it does not become us to scrutinize His high judgments; what I am aiming at is to persuade those whose office it is to come to their neighbor’s aid, not to fail to do all that they can in this respect under the idea that they are doing no good, since our merit and reward do not depend on that, but on doing our duty in our office, and doing it with all due diligence and care.

And besides, for two other reasons it greatly befits us, though there be nobody to convert and no fruit to be produced, none the less to persevere and not cease to preach and labor and do all that is in our power for the help of our neighbor, just as though there were many conversions and much improvement effected. In the first place, this befits the mercy and greatness of God. St. Chrysostom says: Fountains do not cease to run though none come to draw the water; it is part of the greatness of a city that the water should overflow and be spilled and lost for its abundance. In like manner preachers, through whom the water of Gospel teaching has to flow, must not give over preaching and shedding the word of God, whether men come many or few to draw this water. This is the magnificence and greatness of the goodness and mercy of God, that there is such abundance of doctrine in the Church that its fountains are ever welling forth and running for anyone who is thirsty and desires to drink. All ye who are thirsty, come to the waters and drink; and ye who have no money, hasten to buy and eat: come and buy without money and without any exchange wine and milk (Isaias lv. 1).

In the second place, this befits also the justice of God; for if men are not amended and converted by so many warnings, talks, and sermons, at least it will serve further to justify God’s cause; that thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged (Psalm l. 6), coming out victorious over the accusations of men. God wishes fully to justify His cause with men, that they may see that their condemnation rests not with Him, but with themselves, so that they have left no excuse nor ground of complaint but of themselves, seeing the many means and helps that they had. And even when they would not come to hear the sermon, preachers went out to preach in the streets. So God addresses Himself to giving reason and satisfaction to His people, alleging what He has done for them, saying by Isaias (v. 4): What more could I have done for my vineyard, and have not done it? I planted it, I walied it in, I built a tower in the midst of it for its defense, and instead of grapes, that I looked for from it, it hath given me wild berries. Judge ye, then, between me and my vineyard, and see whose fault it is that it fails to bear fruit. It is not a little but a great thing that you should serve to take God’s part and to justify His cause with sinners at the day of judgment. Your sermons and admonitions will accuse, convict, and condemn the wicked, so that they shall not have a word to say.

Thus any way we take the thing, it befits us never to cease doing all that is in our power in aid of our neighbor, whether he be converted and improved or not. St. Augustine on that parable of the guests, speaking of the servant who by order of his lord went out to invite them to supper, and some of them refused to come, writes very well: “Think you that that servant will be reckoned among the slothful because those people would not come to the supper? No, certainly not; he shall be reckoned among the diligent and careful because he has done what he was commanded. He invited them, he asked them, and did what was in his power to get them to come to supper. They refused to come; they shall be the persons punished, while the servant shall only be rewarded for his ready diligence as fully as if they had all come.” What God will ask us as part of our account is if we have done all that we could and ought for the improvement of our neighbor. That the said neighbor should actually have been improved is a good thing, a thing we should all desire and greatly rejoice at, as we read in the holy Gospel (Luke x. 21) that Christ our Redeemer rejoiced in spirit when the apostles had been to preach and had gathered great fruit. But, after all, that does not go to our account, but to someone else’s. Everyone will have to give to God an account of what regards himself: the question we shall be asked will be whether we have done our duty well in all that it was in our power to do for the improvement of our neighbor; and our neighbor will give an account, and a very strict one, of how he benefited thereby.

Thus our merit and the perfection of our work do not depend on our neighbor’s benefiting by it or not. We add another thing for our consolation—or rather, to console us in our desolation; it is that not only our merit, reward, and recompense do not depend on our neighbor’s being converted and much good done, but in some sort we may say that we do more and merit more when nothing comes of it than when there is visible fruit. In the same way, speaking of prayer, we are wont to say that he does more who keeps to his prayer, having no devotion, but only distraction and dryness, than he who prays with devotion and consolation. For a preacher to see that he has a great hearing, and is followed by a crowd, and that there are many conversions on occasion of his sermons, is a very great gratification and comfort, so encouraging that he feels not the labor, as St. Gregory observes. On the contrary, to see that there is no improvement in the audience, and no good done, is in itself very disheartening and a great grief. For a preacher not to have his wings broken by such a come-down, but to go on with his work as if all the world were listening to him and benefiting, is a thing of high perfection, and shows well that what he does is done purely for God.

With this purity and perfection, then, we should manage to do our ministries, not setting our eyes chiefly on the fruit and good success of our works, but on doing in them the will of God, and on doing them with the greatest perfection we can to please God, for that is what His Divine Majesty asks and requires of us. And in this way the labor will be no obstacle to us, nor will the little fruit or the ill success discourage us, nor trouble us, nor rob us of our peace and contentment, as is apt to befall those who fix their eyes on the fruit and good success of their work.

Holy Scripture relates that Anna, wife of Elcana, felt very sad and disconsolate at not having children. Her husband, who cherished her greatly, said to her: Anna, why weepest thou and art so afflicted? Is it not enough for thee that thou hast me? Am I not better to thee than ten children? (I Kings i. 8). So we may say to these persons: Be not sad or disheartened; suffice it for you to cling to God, suffice it for you to give satisfaction to God, for that is worth more than the having of many spiritual children. This will be a great source of comfort in all labors.