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"The Lord seeth them that are toiling in the sea, albeit He be Himself on the land. Although He seem for a moment to tarry in succouring the distressed, nevertheless the look of His love is strengthening them, all the while, lest they should faint and sometimes [(aliquando)] He setteth them free, even by an open deliverance [(manifesto adjutorio)], conquering all their adversaries for them, as when He walked upon the swelling of the waves, and stilled them."
St. Bede, Homily on Mark 6:45 ff., as translated in the Tridentine Breviary at Matins on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday. Latin from PL 93, col. 196C-D (I haven't checked the critical edition somewhere in CCSL 118-123 (1953 ff.)). The two sentences immediately preceding:
Verily, He forgetteth not the prayer of the poor, neither turneth He His face away from any that putteth his trust in Him; yea, rather, to him whosoever is striving with the enemy, He giveth help to conquer, and, whosoever conquereth, to him He giveth an everlasting crown. For the which reason also it is here said plainly He saw them toiling in rowing.
"This book has been written out of a deep sorrow at witnessing the emergence of false prophets within the City of God. It is sad enough when people lose their faith and leave the Church. But it is much worse when those who in reality have lost their faith remain within the Church and try—like termites—to undermine Christian faith with their claim that they are giving to Christian revelation the interpretation that suits 'modern man.'"
Dietrich von Hildebrand, Trojan horse in the city of God (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1967), Epilogue, p. 223. Cf. C. S. Lewis. From p. 265 of the editorially modified Sophia Institute Press edition of 1993:
This book has been written out of a deep sorrow at witnessing the emergence of false prophets within the City of God. It is sad enough when people lose their faith and leave the Church; but it is much worse when those who in reality have lost their faith remain within the Church and try—like termites—to undermine Christian faith with their claim that they are giving to Christian revelation the interpretation that suits 'modern man.'
I was put onto this passage by Kendall Harmon.
"The Lord seeth them that are toiling in the sea, albeit He be Himself on the land. Although He seem for a moment to tarry in succouring the distressed, nevertheless the look of His love is strengthening them, all the while, lest they should faint and sometimes [(aliquando)] He setteth them free, even by an open deliverance [(manifesto adjutorio)], conquering all their adversaries for them, as when He walked upon the swelling of the waves, and stilled them."
