together, and
ruled, and inspired by him alone. Therefore he is rightly called
the Rock of living waters; for in him are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge, and from him they flow forth freely to all who
cry to him in their thirst after truth and holiness. Yes, my
friends, by Christ all things live; and therefore, most of all, by
Christ our souls live. To be parted from Christ is death. To be
joined to Christ and the body of Christ is life.

But what life? The life of the soul. And what is the life of the
soul? Holiness, righteousness, sanctification, virtue,--call it
what pleases you best. I shall call it goodness. That is the only
life of the soul. And why? Because it is the life of Christ. That
is the only wisdom of the soul. And why? Because it is the mind of
Christ. That is the living water. And why? Because it flows
eternally from Christ.

For who is Christ, but the likeness of God, and the glory of God?
And what is the likeness of God, but goodness; and what is the glory
of God, but goodness? Therefore Christ is goodness itself, as it is
written, 'Now the Lord is that Spirit.' Yes, if you will believe
it, Christ, the only-begotten Son, co-equal and co-eternal, is the
very and essential goodness of the Father, coming out everlastingly
in action and in life, in himself, and in his people, who are his
mystical body, filled with the Spirit of him and his Father; who is
the Holy Spirit, the spirit of goodness. From Christ, and not from
any created being, comes all goodness in man or angel. Comes from
Christ? It were more right, and more according to St. Paul's own
words, to say, that all goodness _is_ Christ; Christ dwelling in a
man, Christ forming himself in a man, little by little, step by
step, as he grows in grace, in purity, in self-control, in
experience, in knowledge, in wisdom, in strength, in patience, in
love, in charity; till he comes to the stature of a perfect man, to
the measure of the fulness of Christ.

Meanwhile, let the good which a man does be much, or be it little,
he must say, 'The good which I do, _I_ do not, but Christ who
dwelleth in me.'

For in every age of man, it is Christ who is awakening in him the
hunger and thirst after righteousness, and then satisfying it with
the only thing which can satisfy them, namely, his most blessed
self.

Yes, believe it. It is Christ in the child which makes it speak the
truth; Christ in the child which makes it shri