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St. Joseph Marello - 1893

Yet man is a pilgrim here-below and a guest for a few years in
the house he dwells in. He is often disappointed in his most
beautiful plans, in his most pleasant dreams of happiness. The
example of all times shows that the world has never been able to
render happy any of its followers. Besides, which of the worldly
today, if they were questioned, could answer that they are fully
satisfied with their fate and truly happy? Pleasures are not
always accompanied by health of body, and never, if they are
illicit, by peace of heart; riches are not accumulated nor
conserved without much care and worry, and they are not lost by
those who are their slaves without much bitterness. For one
desire that is fulfilled, there are a thousand others that escape,
and even if they could all be granted, not even then would we be
happy. Solomon himself teaches us this fact. He, the wisest and
most powerful and fortunate of all monarchs, confesses that
after having tasted everything that the heart of man can taste
here-below, he was forced to exclaim: vanity of vanities,
everything is vanity and affliction of spirit; vanitas vanitatum et
omnia vanitas et afflictio spiritus (Eccl. 1.2.). Indeed, how can
we enjoy with a tranquil soul all the riches, pleasures and honors
of life when we think that each one of us will be deprived and
stripped of these earthly things by death?
How will death, which may be delayed but never avoided,
find the miserable slaves of human respect? Will it find them
well disposed to present themselves for judgment? Yes, if they
had to render an account of their conduct, not to Jesus their God
but to the world which they adore and serve; but the world does
not judge, but it will be judged; and since it is contrary to God,
spoiled and scandalous in all its maxims and ways, it will be
condemned. Since the world must be reproved, its slaves and
adorers cannot be saved. That is your end, o miserable slaves of
human respect. You fear the world and not God! Well, that
God which you now despise to please the world, He and not the
world will examine you and finding you as you are, worldly and

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