Difficulties come from those who create and exaggerate them, from those who trust in themselves without the help of Heaven, from those who give in vilely, fearful of the mocking and derision of the world. From this it must be concluded, that in our days more than ever the greatest strength of evil men is the cowardice and weakness of those who are good, and all the backbone of the kingdom of Satan lies in the weakness of Christians.
Oh! if I were allowed, as the prophet Zechariah did in spirit, to ask the divine Redeemer: What are these wounds are in the middle of your hands: quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum Tuarum? The answer would not be doubtful: 'These have been given to Me in the house of those who loved me: his plagatus sum in medio eorum qui diligebant Me. I was wounded by my friends, who have done nothing to defend Me and who in every meeting have become the accomplices of my adversaries.
And this reproach, which can be leveled at the infamous and fearful Christians of all countries, one cannot exempt many Christians of France.
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