S. Camilli de Lellis Confessoris.

Et ábiit Elías. Reversíque sunt núntii ad Ochozíam. Qui dixit eis: Quare revérsi estis? At illi respondérunt ei: Vir occúrrit nobis, et dixit ad nos: Ite, et revertímini ad regem qui misit vos, et dicétis ei: Hæc dicit Dóminus: Numquid, quia non erat Deus in Israël, mittis ut consulátur Beélzebub deus Accaron? Idcírco de léctulo, super quem ascendísti, non descéndes, sed morte moriéris.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And Elias went away. And the messengers turned back to Ochozias. And he said to them: Why are you come back? But they answered him: A man met us, and said to us: Go, and return to the king, that sent you, and you shall say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Is it because there was no God in Israel that thou sendest to Beelzebub the god of Accaron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou art gone up, but then shalt surely die.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Qui dixit eis: Cujus figúræ et hábitus est vir ille, qui occúrrit vobis, et locútus est verba hæc? At illi dixérunt: Vir pilósus, et zona pellícea accínctus rénibus. Qui ait: Elías Thesbítes est. Misítque ad eum quinquagenárium príncipem, et quinquagínta qui erant sub eo. Qui ascéndit ad eum: sedentíque in vértice montis ait: Homo Dei, rex præcépit ut descéndas. Respondénsque Elías, dixit quinquagenário: Si homo Dei sum, descéndat ignis de cœlo, et dévoret te, et quinquagínta tuos. Descéndit ítaque ignis de cœlo, et devorávit eum, et quinquagínta qui erant cum eo.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And he said to them: What manner of man was he who met you, and spoke these words? But they said: A hairy man with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said: It is Elias the Thesbite. And he sent to him a captain of fifty, and the fifty men that were under him. And he went up to him, and as he was sitting on the top of a hill, said to him: Man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down. And Elias answering, said to the captain of fifty: If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee, and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him, and the fifty that were with him.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Romam proféctus, in nosocomíum, quod Insanabílium dícitur, recéptus est: cujus étiam administratiónem, ob perspéctas ejus virtútes sibi demandátam, summa integritáte, ac sollicitúdine vere patérna perégit. Omnium ægrórum servum se réputans, eórum stérnere léctulos, sordes térgere, ulcéribus medéri, agoníque extrémo piis précibus et cohortatiónibus opem ferre solémne hábuit; quibus in munéribus præclára prǽbuit admirábilis patiéntiæ, invíctæ fortitúdinis, et heróicæ caritátis exémpla. Verum cum animárum in extrémis periclitántium, quod únice intendébat, levámini subsídium litterárum plúrimum conférre intellígeret, trigínta duos annos natus in primis grammáticæ eleméntis tyrocínium inter púeros íterum subíre non erúbuit. Sacerdótio póstea rite initiátus, nonnúllis sibi adjúnctis sóciis, prima jecit congregatiónis Clericórum Regulárium infírmis ministrántium fundaménta, írrito conátu obniténte humáni géneris hoste; nam Camíllus cœlésti voce e Christi crucifíxi, manus étiam de ligno avúlsas admirándo prodígio protendéntis, simulácro emíssa mirabíliter confirmátus, órdinem suum a Sede Apostólica approbári obtínuit, sodálibus quarto obstríctis máxime árduo voto, infírmis, quos étiam pestis infécerit, ministrándi. Quod institútum, quam foret Deo accéptum, et animárum salúti profícuum, sanctus Philíppus Nérius, qui Camíllo a sacris confessiónibus erat, comprobávit, dum ejus alúmnis decedéntium agóni opem feréntibus Angelos suggeréntes verba sǽpius se vidísse testátus est.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

He went to Rome and was received as an inmate in the Hospital for Incurables. In consequence of his eminent good qualities the administration of the Hospital was committed to his charge, and he discharged this office with the most thorough trustworthiness and with a tenderness like a father's. He counted himself the slave of all the patients, and made it a religious duty to make their beds, clean them, dress their sores, and help by godly prayers and exhortations such as were in their last agony. In doing these things he showed himself a bright example of wonderful patience, indomitable firmness, and heroic charity. He became persuaded that a knowledge of letters would make him much more useful as a comforter to the dying, who were his peculiar care, and therefore, at the age of thirty-two years, he humbly went to school again, among little boys learning the first rudiments. After a time he took Priests' orders, and, in company with some companions who joined him, he laid the first foundations of the Congregation of Regular Clerks for ministering to the sick a scheme against which the enemy of man made an unsuccessful struggle. Camillus heard a voice from heaven issue from an image of Christ Crucified, strengthening him, and saw the nailed hands stretched out from the Cross to protect him He obtained from the Apostolic see an approval of his Institute, the members of which, (besides the three vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience,) take a fourth and very stern one, by which they bind themselves to serve all sick persons, even those stricken with the plague. Holy Philip Neri, who was Confessor to Camillus, testified that he had often seen Angels prompting the members of this Congregation what they should speak when they were assisting the dying, a proof how well-pleasing in the sight of God, and how useful for the salvation of souls, is this Institution.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Arctióribus hisce vínculis ægrotántium ministério mancipátus, mirum est qua alacritáte, nullis fractus labóribus, nullis detérritus vitæ perículis, diu noctúque ad suprémum usque spíritum, eórum cómmodis vigiláverit. Omnibus ómnia factus, vilíssima quæque offícia demissíssimo obséquio, flexísque plerúmque génibus, véluti Christum ipsum cérneret in infírmis, hílari promptóque ánimo arripiébat: utque ómnium indigéntiis præsto esset, generálem órdinis præfectúram, cœlíque delícias, quibus in contemplatióne defíxus affluébat, sponte dimísit. Patérnus vero illíus erga míseros amor tum máxime effúlsit, dum et Urbs contagióso morbo primum, deínde extréma annónæ laboráret inópia, et Nolæ in Campánia dira pestis grassarétur. Tanta dénique in Deum et próximum caritáte exársit, ut Angelus nuncupári, et Angelórum opem in vário itínerum discrímine experíri promererétur. Prophetíæ dono, et grátia sanitátum prǽditus, arcána quoque córdium inspéxit; ejúsque précibus nunc cibária multiplicáta sunt, nunc aqua in vinum convérsa. Tandem vigíliis, jejúniis, et assíduis attrítus labóribus, cum pelle tantum et óssibus constáre viderétur, quinque moléstis æque ac diútinis morbis, quos misericórdias Dómini appellábat, fórtiter tolerátis, sacraméntis munítus, Romæ inter suavíssima Jesu et Maríæ nómina, ad ea verba: Mitis atque festívus Christi Jesu tibi aspéctus appáreat: qua prædíxerat hora, obdormívit in Dómino, prídie Idus Júlii, anno salútis millésimo sexcentésimo décimo quarto, ætátis suæ sexagésimo quinto: quem plúribus illústrem miráculis Benedíctus decimusquártus solémni ritu sanctórum fastis adscrípsit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Then he had thus given himself entirely over by these strict ties to the service of the sick, it was wonderful to see with what earnestness Camillus, broken by no weariness, and scared by no danger to himself, watched over their comfort by day and by night as long as life lasted. Becoming all things to all men, he took with cheerful readiness the most repulsive duties, discharging them with the most humble attention, and oftentimes on his knees, as though he saw Christ Himself in His suffering members. That he might be the readier to serve every one's need, he resigned the general government of his own Institute, and denied himself the indulgence in the heavenly refreshment which abundantly poured upon him, when he fixed his mind solely upon God. His tender, fatherly love toward the wretched had its brightest manifestations when Rome was stricken first by a contagious sickness, and then by famine, and Nola in Campagna suffered from a frightful plague. His love to God and to his neighbour was so glorious that he earned the nickname of Angel, and found Angels helping him in the difficulties of his diverse journeyings. He had the gifts of prophecy and healing, and could read the secret thoughts of men's hearts. At his prayer, food was multiplied, and water turned into wine. His want of sleep, fasting, and unceasing work wore him down till he seemed nothing but skin and bones. He suffered from a complication of five different painful and incurable diseases, which he was accustomed to call the Lord's mercies to him, and which he bore bravely. He died at Rome on the day which he had himself foretold, the fourteenth of July, in the year of salvation 1614, and of his own age the 65th. He had received the Sacraments, and fell asleep in the Lord in an attempt to utter the sweet names of Jesus and Mary, while the Priest was reciting the words of the Ritual: "Gentle and joyous may the Countenance of Christ Jesus appear to thee." He was famous for many miracles, and Benedict XIV solemnly enrolled him in the Kalendar of the Saints.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Ubi ergo cáritas est, quid est, quod possit deésse? Ubi autem non est, quid est, quod possit prodésse? Dæmon credit, nec díligit: nemo díligit, qui non credit. Frustra quidem, sed tamen potest speráre véniam qui non díligit: nemo autem potest desperáre qui díligit. Itaque ubi diléctio est, ibi necessário fides, et spes; et ubi diléctio próximi, ibi necessário étiam diléctio Dei. Qui enim non díligit Deum, quómodo díligit próximum tamquam se ipsum? Quandóquidem non díligit et se ipsum? Est quippe ímpius, et iníquus: qui autem díligit iniquitátem, non plane díligit, sed odit ánimam suam. ¶ Hoc ergo præcéptum Dómini teneámus, ut nos ínvicem diligámus, et quidquid áliud præcépit, faciémus: quóniam quiquid est áliud, hic habémus. Discérnitur quippe ista diléctio ab illa dilectióne, qua se ínvicem díligunt hómines: nam ut discernerétur, adjúnctum est: Sicut diléxi vos. Ut quid enim díligit nos Christus, nisi ut regnáre possímus cum Christo? Ad hoc ergo et nos ínvicem diligámus, ut dilectiónem nostram discernámus a céteris, qui non ad hoc se ínvicem díligunt, quia nec díligunt. Qui autem se propter habéndum Deum díligunt, ipsi se díligunt; ergo ut se díligant, Deum díligunt. Non est hæc diléctio in ómnibus homínibus: pauci se proptérea díligunt, ut sit Deus ómnia in ómnibus.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Where therefore, Charity is, what can be lacking or where Charity is not, what can there be availing? The devil believeth and loveth not, but there is no one that loveth and believeth not. Useless though it be, it is still possible for one that loveth not, to hope to be forgiven but for one that loveth it is impossible to give up hope. Therefore, where love is, there also must faith and hope needs be, and where there is love toward our neighbour there also must there needs be love toward God. For one that loveth not God, how can he love his neighbour as himself, seeing he hateth himself, for he is a blasphemous, wicked wretch, and the lover of wickedness is not the lover, but the deadly enemy of his own self. ¶ Let us, therefore, be holding fast to this precept of the Lord, to love one another; and then all else that is commanded we shall do, for all else we have contained in this. But this love is distinguished from that which men bear to one another as such; for in order to mark the distinction, it is added, as I have loved you. And wherefore is it that Christ loves us, but that we may be fitted to reign with Christ? With this aim, therefore, let us also be loving one another, that we may manifest the difference of our love from that of others, who have no such motive in loving one another, because the love itself is wanting. But those whose mutual love has the possession of God Himself for its object, will truly love one another; and, therefore, even for the very purpose of loving one another, they love God. There is no such love as this in all men; for few have this motive for their love one to another, that God may be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:28)
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.