olic man. Good
Jesus, _how great things_ thy warrior _suffered for Thy name's
sake_[335] from _crime-stained children_.[336] How great things he
endured for Thee from those very men to whom, and on whose behalf, he
spoke good things. Who can worthily express with how great vexations he
was harassed, with what insults he was assailed, with what unrighteous
acts provoked,[337] how often he was faint with hunger, how often
afflicted _with cold and nakedness_?[338] Yet _with them that hated
peace he was a peacemaker,[339] instant_, nevertheless, _in season, out
of season_.[340] _Being defamed he intreated_;[341] when he was dealt
with unrighteously he defended himself with the shield of patience and
_overcame evil with good_.[342] Why should he not overcome? _He
continued knocking_,[343] and according to the promise, at length,
sometimes, _to him that knocked it was opened_.[344] How could that not
follow which _the Truth_[345] had declared beforehand should follow?
_The right hand of the Lord brought mighty things to pass_,[346] because
the _mouth of the Lord spoke_[347] the truth. Hardness vanished,
barbarity ceased; the _rebellious house_[348] began gradually to be
appeased, gradually to admit reproof, _to receive discipline_.[349]
Barbarous laws disappear, Roman laws are introduced; everywhere the
ecclesiastical customs are received, their opposites are rejected;
churches[350] are rebuilt, a clergy is appointed in them; the
solemnities of the sacraments are duly celebrated; confessions are made;
congregations[351] come to the church; the celebration of marriage
graces those who live together.[352] In fine, all things are so changed
for the better that to-day the word which the Lord speaks by the prophet
is applicable to that nation; _those who_ before _were not my people are
now my people_.[353]

[Sidenote: 1127]

18. (12). It happened after some years that the city[354] was destroyed
by the king of the northern part of Ireland;[355] for _out of the north_
all _evil breaks forth_.[356] And perhaps that evil was good for those
who used it well. For who knows that God did not wish to destroy by such
a scourge the ancient evils of His people? By a necessity so dire
Malachy was compelled, and he retired with a crowd of his disciples. Nor
was his retirement spent in idleness. It gave opportunity for building
the monastery of Iveragh,[357] Malachy going there with his brothers,
in number one hundred and twenty.[358] There K