The Harmony of the Religious Life

The author writes: "I have often looked upon the rows of religious at prayer or at instruction in their stalls, devoutly thoughtful, and sometimes with that sight arose the image of a grand instrument of musical harp, or better, an organ-uttering sweet harmony through the silent spheres, caught up by angelic choirs in heaven and sending back its charming echoes to the whole communion of saints on earth. "And so in truth it is. A religious community, if it be as God designed it, resembles a grand instrument of music, a harp of which the individual members are the strings, or an organ of which they represent the separate keys which are touched by the Divine Hand, to give forth sweet harmony of a heavenly music, according to the will of God, who is the master artist controlling the instrument. The melodious chords of His play vary as He expresses His pleasure, caressing the grateful and docile soul, or manifesting His glory, or sweetly attracting with loving invitation the wayward heart in danger of straying. Let those of my readers who have chosen to be members of a religious institute which He has fashioned into an instrument whose melodies might soothe and attract souls unto Himself, enter briefly into this view of the religious life."