Leo as a Worker

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 16 July 1903, Page 2

Leo as a Worker

We read in the life of the great painter-sculptor-architect Michelangelo that ' he was the most indefatigable of workers. A little bread and wine were all he required for the chief part of the day, when employed at his work, and very frequently he rose in the middle of the night to resume his labors. . . . Sometames he slept in his clothes, ready to spring to his work as soon as refreshed by sleep.' Such an enthusiast for work is the aged and venerable Pontiff Leo XIII. Like Michelangelo he is a model of plain living and high thinking. Many a time the wee, sma' hours have seen his frail form bending over the desk, and the thin, bony hand guiding the flying pen. He has lived a life of crowded hours, and his motto seems to be : ' And still be doing, never done.' His love of work manifested itself in a pathetic way when, during the course of last week, he rose from what he felt was his death-bed to transact the business of the Universal Church, when, two or three days later, though apparently in extremis, he carried on a lengthy interview with his Cardinal Secretary of State, and when, later still, he expressed his dotermination to die on his feet. Acting on St. Paul's advice, he wearies not in doing good. While time is left to him, he works good to all men, ' but especially to those who are of the househould of the faith."

The following extract from a httle poem seems to have a special application to Leo XIII. :—: — 'If some great angel spoke to me to-night In awful language of the unknown land. Bidding me choose fiom treasures minute, From goodly gilts and glories in his hand, The tiling 1 co\eted, what should I take > . . . I would choose work and ne\ er-iail ing pow 'r To work without weak hindrance by the way, Without recuri ence of the weni\ hour W ; hen tired tuiint nature holds it,s sway Over the brain and toiling hand Ah ! if an aruel came to me to-night. Speaking m language' of the unknown land, So would 1 choose lrom treasures infinite But well 1 Know the blessed gilt I era"W\ The tireless ptiength for nc\ ci -ending tnsk, Is not for this life , but bo\ond the gia\e, It may be. I shall mid the (hum I ask ; For T belie\e there is a better land, Where will, and st length and work go hand in hand ' 'My Father worketh hitherto ' (that is, unceasingly) ; ' and I woi k ' So the S,i\ior spol c \\ hen His blessed ones were upon the earth, they were his assistants and laborers for cine another. r I hey were ' faithful m a few things ' hei c , in hea\en they are ' placed en er many things.' They do not laze and do/c and flitter the shining hours away. Like their Cieator, they work ununceasingly — worshipping Hun with nc\ er-endmg hosnnn^s of praise, and — being still bound to us by a bond of affection — lo\ ing us and prating for u.s with n. gi eater power than when they were clothed in the imperfections of the flesh.