Lamentations 4:1

Let us implore the tears of Jeremiah; let him consider our death, and lamenting say: "How is the gold become dim, the most fine color is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered at the head of every street." For the gold has become dim, because the life of priests, once bright through the glory of virtues, is now shown to be reprobate through the basest actions. The most fine color is changed, because that habit of holiness has come to the disgrace of contempt through earthly and abject works. But the stones of the sanctuary were kept within, nor were they placed on the body of the high priest except when, entering the holy of holies, he appeared in the secret place of his Creator. We therefore, dearest brothers, we are the stones of the sanctuary who ought always to appear in the secret place of God; whom it is never necessary to be seen outside, that is, never to be seen in external affairs. But the stones of the sanctuary are scattered at the head of every street, because those who through their life and prayer ought always to have been within, through their reprobate life are occupied outside.

With what conscience can the overseer of souls avail himself among other people of his pastoral dignity, while engaged himself in the earthly cares that it was his duty to reprehend in others? And this indeed is what the Lord, in the wrath of just retribution, menaced through the prophet, saying, "And there shall be like people, like priest." For the priest is as the people when one who bears a spiritual office acts as do others who are still under judgment with regard to their carnal pursuits. And this indeed the prophet Jeremiah, in the great sorrow of his charity, deplores under the image of the destruction of the temple, saying, "How is the gold become dim! The most excellent color is changed; the stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street." For what is expressed by gold, which surpasses all other metals, but the excellence of holiness? What by the most excellent color but the reverence that is about religion, to all people lovely? What are signified by the stones of the sanctuary but persons in sacred orders? What is figured under the name of streets but the latitude of this present life? For, because in Greek speech the word for latitude is platos, streets (plateoe) have been so called from their breadth, or latitude. But the Truth in person says, "Broad and spacious is the way that leads to destruction." Gold, therefore, becomes dim when a life of holiness is polluted by earthly doings; the most excellent color is changed when the previous reputation of persons who were believed to be living religiously is diminished. For, when anyone after a habit of holiness mixes himself up with earthly doings, it is as though his color were changed, and the reverence that surrounded him grew pale and disregarded before the eyes of people. The stones of the sanctuary also are poured out into the streets, when those who, for the ornament of the church, should have been free to penetrate internal mysteries as it were in the secret places of the tabernacle seek out the broadways of secular causes outside. For indeed to this end they were made stones of the sanctuary that they might appear in the vestment of the high priest within the Holy of Holies. But when ministers of religion exact not the Redeemer's honor from those that are under them by the merit of their life, they are not stones of the sanctuary in the ornament of the pontiff. And…