LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ©|ap. ©qw^ !|a> UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ±3 APR 13 15!>5 A THOUGHT FOB EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME, The Golden Sands. A Collection of Little Counsels for the Sanctiification and Happiness of Daily Life. Translated from the French by Ella J. McMahon. One vol. 32mo, cloth, red edges . . $i oo Second Series, one vol. 32mo, cloth, red edges, uniform with the First Series i oo By the author of *' Golden Sands?"* The Young Girl in Vacation. Translated from the French by Ella J. McMahon. One vol. 32 mo, cloth, red edges, uniform with '•' Golden Sands " x 00 Flowers of Christian Wisdom. By Lucien Henry. One vol. 32mo, cloth, red edges. 75 Love of Jesus to Penitents. By His Eminence Henry Edward Manning. One vol. 32mo, cloth, red edges i 00 Little Crown of St. Joseph. Compiled and Translated from approved sources by a Sister of St. Joseph. One vol. 32mo, cloth, red edges i 00 *** Any of the above volumes will be sent, postage paid, to any address on receipt of the advertised price by the publishers. Address D. & J. SADLIER & CO., 31 Barclay Street, New York. A THOUGHT FOR EiCH MI OF THE Ml / B^ P. MAEIN DB :60YLESVE, S.J. TRANSLATED FROM TEE FRENCH. N'EW YORK : D. & J. Sadlier & Co., 81 Barclay Street. MONTREAL : 375 NOTRE DAME ST. 1880. % TflS Ldrart OP C0NGRBS8 WASHINGTOlf Copyright, D. & J. SADLIER& CO., 1885. PEEFAOE. Many Catholics abstain from medi- tating upon the truths of religion, under the plea that they have no time to spare. Books of meditation abound, but the subjects are too much developed ; and they say they have only a few- moments at their disposal after morn- ing prayer. It is proposed to offer a reading the length of v^hich can frighten no one. One or two moments will suflSce to read the subject, less than a quarter of an hour's reflection wall bring it home. Each day's reading will consist of a VI PREFACE. text from the Gospel of the Sunday, a thought upon the text, a prayer in- spired by that thought, and a practical resolution. Some of the reflections and resolu- tions are often repeated because they are repeated in the Gospels, and are so essential that they cannot be dwelt upon too often. O O 1^ T E ]SrT s . PASE Septuagesima Snnday ix Sexagesima SuDciav 5 Quinquagesima Sunday — 13 SSLmten STitie^ First Sunday in Lent 30 Secon I ^uuday in Lent 27 Third Suridny in Lent . . 34 Fourth. SUi- day in Lent 41 Jpassion STitie* Passion Sunday 48 Palm Sunday 55 3PascJ)al STitie* Easter Sunday 63 First Sunday aft-r Easter 70 Second Sunday after Easter 77 Third Sundav alter E ster 84 Fourth Su! day af er Easter 90 Fifth Suraay after Easrer 96 Ascens on Day 103 Sunday within the Ociave of the Ascension 109 JPentccoiSft* Pentecost Sunday 120 Trinity Suuday 127 Corpus Chrsti 131 Second Suuday after Pentecost 134 Feast of tue Sacred Heart 138 Third Sunday after Pentecost 140 vii Vlll CONTENTS, PAGE Fourth Sunday after Pentecost 146 Fifth Sunday after Penteco>t 153 Sixth Sunday alicr Pentecost 159 Seventh Sunday a ter Pentec )-t 165 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 171 Ninth Suuday after Pentecost 178 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 184 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. 191 Twelfth Sunday auer Pentecost 198 Thii teenth Suuday after P<-ntecost 2l5 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 212 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentt cost 218 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 225 Seventeenth Sunday arter Pentec )-t 232 Eighteenth Suiidny after Pentecost ..... 239 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost 246 Twentieth Sunday after Pei.tecost 252 Twenty-fi'Pt Sundny after Pentecost 258 Twenty-secoid Sunday after Pvnrecost 265 Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost 272 Twenty-fourth Sunday afier Pentecost 279 First Sunday of Advent 285 Second Sunday of Advent 295 Third Sunday of Advent 3"4 Fourth fcunday of Advent 313 €:j)tistmas Einu, Christmas Day 321 Sunday a^iei- Cnrist mas Day 3^30 Sunday a ler tLe Circumcision 338 Tae Epiphany 346 Sunday within the Octave of ihe Epiphany :. 3 4 Second Sunday aftet'The Epiphany 361 Third Sunday after the Epu hany 367 Fourth Sunday nfierihe Kpiphany 374 Fifth Sunday after the Epiphai y 381 Sixf h Sunday alter the Epiphany 387 A THOUGHT FOR EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. .Sejjtuagejstma SunTiag. " The kingdom of heaven is like to a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers in- to his vineyard.'*— ;S'^. Matthew xx. 1. Thought, — From the earliest days of my childhood, as soon as ever I came to the use of reason, God through His grace invited me to cultivate His vine — that is, to take care of the natural faculties and supernatural gifts con- fided to me on the day of my baptism. Hov^ have I answered this call ? Prayer, — Jesus, how much glory should I not have rendered to Thee, and how much merit should I not have acquired, if from the day when reason first dawned I had devoted all my strength, every grace I have re- ceived, every minute of my life, to Thy service. Oh ! irreparable loss. Practice. — Do not delay till ''to- X A THOUGHT FOR morrow," but reply at once to the call of divine grace. Monday. *' And having agreed with them for a penny a day, he Bent them into his vineyard. ''—St, Matthew xx. 3. Thought, — The day represents life, and payment is heaven, which is the possession of God for all eternity. The vine is the Church. We should spend our whole life in cultivating it — that is, in spreading about the know- ledge and love of God, and in sancti- fying and saving souls. Time spent otherwise is lost for all eterniiy. jPr^y^/'.— Jesus, I make Tiiee an offering of all my thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. Pi^actice, — Work for Jesus, and He shall be your reward. Tuesday. ** And going out about the third hour he pew others standing in the market-place idle/'— aS'^. Matthew XX. 3. Thought, — The market-place repre- sents the world. There one sees EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. XI men, who move about, and come and go, but yet do nothing. This one bestirs himself to gain a little money, that one is desirous of acquiring fame, a third rushes in pursuit of pleasure, which like a phantom escapes his grasp even when he thinks to hold it. Prayer. — Jesus, the day of my life is far advanced, yet I am still in the market-place, looking on at what is taking place, listening to what is said, but taking no active part myself. Come to me, O Jesus ! and speak to me. Another call from Thee will, perhaps, be more efficacious. Practice. — Avoid sloth, and, what is a great deal worse, slothful activity, which, on account of its very decep- tiveness, should be shunned and fear- ed. Wednesday. ** Go you also into ray vineyard."— >S'^. Matthew xx. 4. Thought. — Tins vine, as 1 said be- fore, is the Church. Do not waste I, mi A THOUGHT FOR your intelligence, your energies, your time, or your fortune in this market- place, so truly typical of that world which neither pays nor gives back what is lent — of that world ever un- grateful, ever forgetful of favors re- ceived ; rather consecrate yourself en- tirely to the service of the Church. You will be rewarded in proportion to your devotion to its interests. Prayer, — Jesus, employ me in Thy vineyard. Grant me the only favor that I ask of Thee, viz., to work in thy service. Practice, ^ — Pray for the Church of Jesus Christ. Work in its service, and sufier for it, Thuksday. *' Why stand you here all t.hf day idle ? ''—St. Matthew XX. 6. Thought. — Do not allow your whole life to pass in idleness. Do not be always on the point of making a start, of doing something, and yet EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. XIU fulfilling nothing. It is not the in- tention, but the action, that is re- quired of you. Take a resolution and keep it — work. All the evils of society owe their origin to the lovers of idleness. Idleness lulls to sleep the minds of the good, and strength- ens the minds of the wicked to com- mit evil with impunity and success. Prayer, — Jesas, give me great strength of will. Tell me what Thou wouldst have me to do, and give me strength and will to accomplish it. Practice, — Do your duty, and cease to think of what you ought to be doing, yet never do, Friday. " Is it not lawftil for me to do as I will V—St. Mat- thew XX. 15. Thought. — God is master of His gifts. If it pleases Him to give to others the same graces, or even more graces, than those which He thinks fit to bestow on me, after having given me XIV A THOUGHT FOR what he promised, what right have I to complain or murmur? Besides, if I receive less than this or that person, have I not received more than many others? In any case, I have received a great deal more than I deserved, since in the begin- ning I was nothing^ and therefore deserved nothing. Prayer, — Jesus, I admire Thee in others as well as in myself, and thus partaking of otliers' joy as well as of my own, I shall be doubly happy. My happiness will increase according to the number of those who are happy like myself, and according to their degree of happiness. Practice. — Despise jealousy in yourself, as you despise it in others. Saturday. "So shall the last he first, and the first last."— ^S^i?. Matthew xx. 16. Thought. — When it is the ques- EACH DAY OF THE YEAB. XV tion of serving God, never say, Oh ! it is too late. If yon have an hour to live, you can do as much to serve God and deserve heaven as this or that person v^ho has been serving God all his lifetime. Very often it happens that those who from the first accustom them- selves to do good end by looking upon it as a duty, and peiform it habitually, like any other actions of their life, and are easily dis- tanced by those souls whose fervor is greater, bat who have not been so long in the service of God. And again, Jesus bestows His grace according to our good-will ; for He is master of all grace, and can bestow more upon the work- man who only entered his service at the eleventh hour. Prayer, — Jesus, during this day, or this hour, which may perhaps be my last, give me grace to atone for XVI A THOUGHT FOR all tlie lU-spent hours, days, and years of my past life. Practice, — Do what you have to do, and lose not a moment. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR, "And when a very great multitude was gathered to- gether, and hastened out of the cities unto Him, He spoke by a aimilitude,"— /Sif. Luke viii. 4. Thought. — Let us gather round Jesus Christ, and He will instruct us ; and in our turn let us teach those who come to us to be in- structed in the word of Christ. Let us be simple towards the sim- ple, and, like our Divine Master, let us choose comparisons that strike the understanding of our hearers. Sensible things too often tend to lower and darken the intelligence ; we should show how, on the con- trary, they are capable of raising and enlightening it. 6 A THOrGHT FOR Pra/yer. — Jesus, draw me near to Thee bj Thy words ; give me courage to leave everything be- hind to follow Thee, and hear Thy word. Permit me to gather round Thee those who forget or ignore Thy divine word, that they may hear and be overjoyed at Thy preaching. Practice. — Be docile to the in- terior and exterior voice of God. Monday. *' The sower went out to sow his seed."— /S'i^. Luhe viii. 5. Thought, — The sower is Jesus Christ, who, bidding adieu to His hidden life, comes down from heaven, and goes out to sow His seed — ^^^., His divine word. Semen est verbum Dei — The seed is the word of God. And Jesus sends out into the world EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 7 other sowers — ^viz., the Apostles, Popes, Bishops, Priests, and Doctors. Let us also sow the word of God, and spread it by preaching and by dis- coursing, by means of good books and good conversation, by learned and by simple instruction ; in fine, let us sow everywhere, and at all times. As the sun throws out its light on places which the human eye has never seen, so let us throw out the light of God. He who would only sow the seed that yields for certainty would never sow at all. You must risk ten grains, or even more, to obtain one that will yield you fiftyfold. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that of all the good seed and light and inspira- tion which Thou castest into my heart, some at least may fall on good ground, and turn to Thy glory. Practice, — Profit by the word of God, and spread it about. 8 A THOrGHT FOR Tuesday. **Andsome (of the seed) fell by the roadside."— /S^. Luke viii. 5. Thought, — There are some persons whose souls are like the roadside. Everybody passes by it. It is an odd succession of thoughts, desires, impres- sions, and sentiments, which end by hardening the soul just as pedestrians harden the road on which they con- tinually tread. So when the word of God falls on these souls it cannot penetrate, but remains upon the sur- face; and as seed falling by the way- side is soon trodden down by the passers-by or eaten by the birds, so the seed of God, falling upon dissi- pated and impure minds, is lost, or carried away, or trodden under foot, by the heavy weight of worldly inte- rest, or by the malice and influence of the devil. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that I may carefully preserve all seed that Thou EACH DAY OF THE YEAB. \) sowest in me, that, like Mary, I may keep all Thy sayings in my heart. Practice, — Do not lose one good thought. Wednesday. "And other some fell upon a rock."— >S^^. Luke viii. 6. Thought . — Of what use are good thoughts and intentions unless carried out % Or what will they profit if they are just begun and then left unfinish- ed ? Tou wish to do good, then pre- pare to encounter much resistance and many obstacles. You will meet with opposition — cecidit super pe- tram. Unless you are determined to do good, you will never succeed. Prayer. — Jesus, I confide in Thee, and in Thee alone. I will deposit in Thy heart all the good intentions with which T\\j grace may inspire me. Practice. — Be constant in your good resolutions. 10 a thought for Thursday. "And other Bome fell among thorns."— >Sif. Luke viii. 7. Thought. — The thorns represent worldly care. How can the word of God ever be heard in a heart that is always full of passion, w^orldly thoughts and desires? If it were heard, it would soon be suffocated in this forest of useless and even guilty thoughts and desires. Prayer. — Jesus, may the fire of Thy love burn these thorns which stand so much in my way ; grant that I may have but one care — viz., Thee and Thy glory. Practice. — Burden yourself with no unnecessary care. Friday. "And other some fell upon good ground."— ^^. Xw*« viii. 8. Thought. — The good ground is not liardened like wnto the roadside, but EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 11 is soft and yielding ; the good ground is not arid like the rocky soil, it is humid and fertile; the good ground may be covered with thorns — for thorns, like vice and vicious men, are to be found everywhere — but the husbandman will take care to root them out. Extirpate, likewise, from your soul all perverse thoughts and affections ; water and cultivate it by prayer and frequenting of the sacra- ments, which are channels of grace ; open wide your heart to divine inspi- ration, and this being done, the seed — i.e,^ the divine word and grace — will bring forth an abundant harvest. Prayer, — Jesus, surround my heart with a hedge that will preserve me against all false maxims and bad ex- ample, water it with Thy blood, root out from it all vices and dishonest affec- tions, and sow in it Thy divine word. Practice, — Be docile, but at the same time be firm and resolute. 12 a thought for Saturday. ** But that on the good ground are they who in a good and very good heart, hearing the woi d, keep it, and bring forth Iruit in patience."— /S^^J. Luke viii. 15. Thought, — The seed that falls on good ground takes firm hold, and grows up gradually. A good heart receives the inspirations of grace, and holds them firmly ; little by little the light appears, the resolution is formed, and the fruit comes forth. One does not, however, become good all in a day. Patience is necessary, not only for the furtherance of holy enterprise inspired by the love of God and neigh- bor, but also for the perfection of self. This is a lifelong work. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art Thyself the seed, the word ; grant that I may receive Thee and guard Thee ; grant that I may sustain myself as Thou hast sustained me. Practice, — Do not be discouraged at the sight of your own faults. EACH DAT OF THE TEAE. 13 (•Biufniittaflestma Suntras. *' Behold we go up to Jeruaalim and all things shall be accomplish, d which wire vMitien by the pro- phets couceriiiiig the Sou of man." — St. LuTU xviii. 31. Thought. — Jesus knows what He will have to suffer in Jerusalem, but nothing stops Him. Let us not turn back at the sight of the Cross. In spite of all that we may have to suffer, let us proceed obediently and submissive- ly, accomplishing our duty. What merit shall we not acquire? What glory do we not render to God by being faithful and constant in little things ? Prayer, — Jesus, give me invinci- ble courage to do Thy holy will. Practice, — Do your duty, and leave the rest to God. He will arrange all things. 14: a thought for Monday. *' They will put Bim to death, and the third day He shall rise again."— aS^. Luke xviii. 33. Thought, — It is to no purpose that you turn your back upon the Cross. The world has its cross as well as religion. The cross of the world is but a faint shadow of that of hell. What are the sufferings and humi- liations of the libertine when com- pared to those of the Christian ? What are they in comparison to eternal ignominy and everlasting punish- ment ? Prayer. — Jesus, I wish to die upon the Cross with Thee, that with Thee I may also rise a^^ain. Tliy Cross raises man above earth, and above himself, is borne but for a short while, and brings after it eternal glory and eter- nal happiness. Practice, — Carry the cross which each day brings with it. each day of the year. 15 Tuesday. **And they (the Apostlee^) understood nothiDg of these things."— /S'^. Luke xviii. 34. Thought. — The language of the Cross is difficult to understand. Hu- miliation and suffering are things dis- tasteful and repugnant to nature. The soul refuses humiliation, and the body rejects suffering. We do not understand that glory is bought by disgrace, that happiness is purchased by grief; and yet does not real glory principally consist in despising the contempt and the esteem of the world ? To experience real happiness, should we not feel strength and liberty enough to suffer anything rather than lose the sole supreme good, which is God Himself? Prayer. — Jesus, give me to under- stand the happiness and greatness that is to be found in despising the contempt of the world, and the sor- rows and griefs that are in it. Such 16 A THOUGHT FOB contempt is superhuman. It is an- gelic ; it is divine. Practice, — Contempt of humilia- tion and suffering. Wednesday. *'But He cried out much more."— aS'^. Luke xviii. 39. Thought. — You must persevere in prayer, and ask and pray until you receive. Jesus wills to be beseeched, that He may prove the sincerit}' of your desires and the constancy of your will. When man stands in the way of your good works, do not lose cou- rage ; continue to pray, but address your prayers to God, not to man. Man is not to be relied upon. Prayer, — Jesns, I am blind, and cannot see my way. I am unable to walk. I can do nothing for Thee. Restore my sight, O Jesus ; raise me up, that I may walk in Thy paths, and work in Thy service. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 17 Prayer, — ^Pray until your prayer is granted. Thuksday. ** And Jesus standing, commanded him to be "bronght unto Him."— ;^^. Luke xviii. 40. Thought, — How powerful is prayer ! By a single word Josue stayed the sun in its course, and by one prayer the poor blind man stopped the Cre- ator of this sun. If you are unable to go to Jesus, pray to Him incessantly, and Jesus will wait for you, or will send a guide to conduct you to Him. Prayer, — Jesus, call me to Thee; if my fellow-creatures refuse to re- ceive me, Thou, at least, O God, wilt receive me. Practice, — Confidence and con- stancy in prayer. Friday. "Lord, that I may see."— /.y^. Jmke xviii. 41. Thought — Why have I not the 18 A THOUGHT FOR same zeal and constancy in seeking spiritual light as this blind man had in trying to ])rocure bodily sight ? If Jesus so easily grants a demand for corporal blessings, how much more easily will He not hear our prayers when we beg spiritual blessings? But, alas ! with regard to spiritual things, I do not even perceive that I am blind. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that I may see all that is wanting in me towards truly serving and pleasing Thee, that I may see the vanity of passing things, and the truth of those which are last- ing. Practice. — Consult Jesus incessant- ly by means of prayer. Saturday. ** Keceiye thy sight ; thy faith hath made thee whole." Thought, — When reason is blinded by passion, it can hardly distinguish EACH DAY OF THE YEAE. 19 good from evil. Faith restores to us our intelligence and the use of reason. Faith triumphs over every obstacle. God takes pleasure in granting the requests of those who persist in their belief, and confide in Him. Prayer, — Jesus, I too would imi- tate the example of the blind man, who, when cured, immediately follow- ed Thee. I desire to see, that I may follow Thee, and bring my soul to Thee. Cured myself, I would gladly teach others to follow Thee. Practice. — Follow Jesus by faith. 20 A THOUGHT FOB LENT. ^' Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil."— /S'^. Matthew iv. 1. Thought— The Holy Ghost leads us into the desert, away from the world and its glory. The spirit of the world teaches us to show our- selves, and to seek for admiration; but even in the desert we are liable to be tempted by the devil. We can never meet with repose and security in this world. Prayer, — Jesus, sustain me, and do not permit me to be tempted above my feeble strength. Practice. — Fly from the world, and seek solitude. each day of the year. 21 Monday. *• And when He had faeted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry."— /S^if. Matthew iv. 2. Thought, — You should prepare for the combat by fasting. Begin by conquering yourself. When the soul has once triumphed over the senses and the flesh, you will then be pre- pared to attack the enemy without. Feebleness of body very often gives strength to the soul. Prayer, — Jesus, give me to under- stand the efficacy of mortification, of which Thou liast given me the exam- ple by Thy forty days' fast ; grant that I may practise this mortification. Practice. — Mortify yourself con- tinually. Tuesday. **Not in bread alone shall man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.'*— > St. Matthew iv. 4. Thought, — As bread is the nourish- 22 A THOUGHT FOR ment of the body, so is the word of God the nourishment of the soul. But the bread becomes part of our flesh and blood ; the word of God, on the contrary, transforms the soul. If we have faith in the divine word, our thoughts become divine. " How happy and glorious our life would be if we could only think as God thinks, and have no other will than God's will ! _ Prayer.— Zems, Thou art the di- vine word, the word made flesh, the word made visible. To whom, then, shall we go « Thou, and Thou alone, hast the word of eternal life. PractiGe.—LvfQ by faith, and by the word of Jesus Christ. "Wednesday. ..Thon Bhalt not ^^^^^^^^^^^ '"^^ «°^-"-^'- Thought— y^Q need not do any- . thing wonderful or extraordinary ; let us follow the beaten track, and do EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 23 as others do, only doing better. Let us distinguish ourselves by our retire ment and love of solitude. True beauty is the rare assemblage of all ordinary perfections in one person. So it is with sanctity, which is the greatest beauty one can have. A saint only does what others do, but he does that well, and for God alone. Prayer. — Jesus, give me that pure and upright simplicity which never swerves from right to left, which is never raised, but which is never low- ered, which, in fine, draws as to Thee, and to Thee alone. Practice, — Perform your ordinary actions well. Thursday. "All these will I give Thee, if falling down Thou wilt adore me."— aS'^. Matthew iv. 9. Thought, — We must fall down to obtain worldly power. The world gives its favors, honor, and applause 24 A THOUGHT FOR to those only who cringe and beg and flatter. Who is more crafty, servile, and stooping than the ambitious man ? and what does one gain by such base- ness? The world promises what it has not power to give. Honor and power are not at her command. God and man are the only dispensers of these gifts. Men have nothing but contempt for the ambitious, and God seems to delight in frustrating the hopes of this wretched class of people. Prayer. — Jesus, give me strength to resist the promises of the world and snares of the devil. Pra6'25^(^^.— Despise servility and ambition. Friday. '^ Beffono. Fatan, for It is written, Tlie Lord thy God fha^t thou adore, and Him only Bhalt thou serve." —St. Matthew iv. 10. Thought— Qq hard and severe to- wards Satan. Consider as coming EACH DAY OF THE TEAE. 25 from him all thoughts, actions, or say- ings of the world which are contrary to God. -^ Prayer.— 3Q&m, Thou art mv Sa- viour, my God! Thou art my Mas- ter. I will obey only Thee, and those who take Tliy place here on earth. I will serve none other than Thee, for Thou hast given me all I possess, and Thou only canst complete in me Thy work, and procure my salvation. Practice.— ^ee^ God, and God alone. Sattjedat. "Then the devil left Him, and behold aneela cam^ and mmiBtered to Hm'."_S<. ifo^L^fv! U? "^ Thought— Mter the fight comes gloi^y, so after the departure of the devil the good Angel comes. Such is life here on eartli, a continual fluctua- tion from good to evil thoughts, a perpetual combat between the good and bad spirits. Stand firm in the 26 A THOTiaHT FOR hour of trial and the hour of comfort will soon draw near. Prayer. — Jesus, sustain my cou- rage during this fight with hope of victory. Practice.— ^Q confident in time of trial. EACH DAY OF THE TEAE. 27 Secontr SutiTras in %mt, ** Jesus ' taketh unto Him Peter and James and John," — St. Matthew xvii. 1. Thought, — Word and example are given to all, but special manifestations are reserved for the chosen few. Do not aim at celebrity, nor wish to be known by everybody. Jesus shows Himself in secret, and in solitude on a high mountain. You must walk out of the common paths if you would aspire to elevation of thought and de- sire, which are rays of the glory of Jesus. Prayer, — Jesus, raise my thoughts and desires above worldly care and in- terest ; grant that I may dwell in heaven, by the elevation of my heart and my intelligence. Practice, — Love of solitude. 28 a thought for Monday. "And He was tranefigured before them."— /8'i^. Mat- thew xvii. 2. Thought, — As light precedes dark- ness, so consolation iw oflfered to us be- fore our trials. Jesus is transfigured before the three apostles whom He has chosen to witness His sufferings and His agony. In tliis mouient of glory He speaks of the ignominious death that awaits Him, and of the sufferings of His passion ; in the midst of His sufferings and His most bitter passion Ho spealvs of the glory that awaits Him, wlien, clothed in power and majesty, He will descend upon a cloud to judge the judges of this world. Prayer. — Jesus, when Thou raisest me by consolation, let me call to mind my past destitution ; let me think of wliat I may have to suffer in future time ; but when Thou thinkest lit to humble me by affliction, discover to me Thy glory and power. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 29 Practice. — Be hopeful in time of trial and fearful in time of success. Tuesday. " And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him.'*— xS^. Matthew xvii. 3. Thought, — Moses represents the law, Elias the prophets. All bears reference to Jesus Christ. The law is the road which leads to Him, and prophecy is the voice that tells of Him. Our actions are conformed to His will according to the law, and through the prophets our word is lik- ened to His thought. If we keep the law, we shall be just through His jus- tice ; if we believe the prophecies and the inspired writings, we shall be wise with His wisdom. Prayer, — Jesus, speak to me in the depths of my heart ; recall Thy law and Thy faith continually to my mind ; give me grace to believe what Thou 30 A THOUGHT FOB commandest and to practise what I believe. Practice. — Regularity and faithful- ness. Wednesday. **Lord, it is good for us to be here."— /S^. Matthew xvii. 4. Thought — It seems good for us to be upon Mount Thabor ; but it seems less good to be upon Calvary. It is easy to stay with Jesus when all is smooth and tranquil, but it is less easy to persevere in times of afflic- tion and sadness. Let us prove our love for Jesus Christ by standing firm iu time of trial. Herein true love is proved. Prayer. — Jesus, one ray of Thy glory is enough to make me forget the whole world. Give me from time to time a ray of this light to sustain me on the cross. Canary would be insurmountable if it were not situated between Thabor and Mount Olivet. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 31 Practice. — From Thabor look to- wards Calvary, from Calvary look towards Thabor. Thursday. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleas- ed."— /S^. Matthew xvii. 5. Thought, — Jesus sometimes speaks to me Himself; at other times He speaks by His messengers, or by the inspirations of divine grace ; or, again, by the mouth of the preacher ; some- times, too, by events demonstrative of His divine will in my regard; and, finally, by means of those whom He has placed over me to direct my con- duct. In whatever way he speaks to me, He is always the same; He is ever the beloved Son of God the Father. Let us listen to His word, believe its teaching, and act accord- ing to its precepts. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou shalt be my light and my guide, for Thou only hast the word of eternal life. 32 A THOUGHT FOR Practice. — Be docile to the call of Jesus. Friday. *' Arise, and fear x^Q\,P—St. Matthew xvii. 7. Thought. — We should prepare our- selves for action by contemplation ; consolation disposes us for the combat. You cannot always be on Mount Thabor. Arise, go forth coura- geously, and combat the world. Jesus sends you, you need not fear. Prayer, — ^Jesus, I will go, but on one condition, that Thou also enter the field of battle with me. Practice. — Confide in God alone: Saturday. *' TeU the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead."— aS'^. Matthew xvii. 9. Thought. — We should not make known what favors we receive, for the world cannot understand them. On the contrary, we should hide our- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 33 selves and all our tliouglits, actions, and desires. All we have in view is the glory and service of God ; our own glory will not suffer by our silence, for it will all be acknow- ledged on that final and decisive day of judgment. Prayer, — Jesus, I wish to be ig- nored as Thou wast ignored ; is not Thy esteem and Thy approval enough for me? Practice, — Desire to be thought little of. 34 A THOUGHT FOR 2ri)ira Sun^ag in 'S.tnt. "And He was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb."— >S^. Lukexi. 14. Thought. — This dumb devil is typical of human respect, for he is master and tyrant when our courage fails us, when we feel ashamed to de- clare ourselves Christians, when we are too cowardly to defend Christ and His Church, when, in fine, we are ashamed to denounce the blasphemy of the impious or the baseness of the libertine. It is this same devil who frightens the penitent from the con- fessional, and makes him feel ashamed of his sins. You are ashamed to con- fess your sins ; then Satan will re- main master of vour heart, and will lead you to perdition. Prayer. — Jesus, cast out from my heart all cowardly fear and all false shame ; let me never more be guilty of such injustice to Thy greatness and Thy goodness. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 35 Practice. — Profess your faith open- ly, confess your faults humbly. Monday. "The dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in ad- miration at it."— aS'^. LuJce xxi. 14. Thought, — Such is the effect of human respect upon the mind that once having fallen to its power we feel unable to regain our liberty. How can we ever dare to show our- selves and speak our mind freely? The world will be amazed, what will it say of us ? We have but to speak, to openly declare our sentiments, and this same world, whose very look was enough to make us tremble and turn pale — this very world, I say, will be entirely disconcerted, and will admire where we expect it to find fault. Prayer. — Jesus, never let it be said that I am ashamed of Thee. Practice. — Never be guilty of hu- man respect. 36 a thought for Tuesday. '*He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils." — St Luke xi. 15. Thought, — No matter what you do, the world will have its say. You perform good works — the world puts them down as performed out of pride ; you are silent, spend much time in solitude — the world will say that you are disdainful, or think yourself above society. Do not mind, Jesus was accused of being in league with the prince of devils. The disciple is not greater than fiis master. Prayer, — rJesus, grant that I may despise the contempt shown me by the world, which is so foolish in its judgments. Practice. — Despise public opinion. Wednesday. "Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation.' —/S^ Luke xi. 17. Thought, — The wicked hate the Church, and in this alone they are of EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 37 one mind. See liow they fight one against the other ! They despise one another, and not without good reason, for they know the baseness of each other's minds. They hate one an- other, because each is covetous of his neighbor's goods. They are impedi- ments to each other's progress, and are therefore enemies. And how they fight ! You have but to enter the lists, and victory is certain. Prayer. — -Jesus, Thou alone art able to establish and maintain unity among men. Thou alone art truth. Thou alone art Charity. Practice. — Be united to Christ by faith and charity. Thursday. " When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth."— /S'^. Luht xi. 21. Thought. — This strong-armed man is the devil, and the court he keepeth is the soul when iu a state of mortal 38 A THOUGHT FOR sin. Satan reigns in triumph over those who have rendered him allegi- ance by sin nntil by His grace Jesns drives out the usurper from this king- dom. Prayer, — Jesus, it will avail me little if, after driving the devil from my heart, Thou dost not close the entry to it, and keep watch, for Satan is roving about like a hungry lion seeking for admittance. Practice, — Be ever on the watch, for Jesus, thougli He is willing to reign over all free hearts, will not protect your heart unless you watch also. Friday. *' He that is not with me is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me scaitereth."— /S'^. Luke xi. 23. Thought, — Avaunt, you who would serve two masters, who would light for Chi'ist and tor Belial ! Avaunt, you smooth-faced, ever-smiUng world- lings, who look with pleasure on EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 39 Mother Church and smile benignant- ly at the prospect of a revohition ! You are afraid to declare yourself for Christ ; then you declare against Him. Tou are ashamed to decry the impious and the wicked ; then by this very shame you become a friend and confederate of the impious and wioked. You cannot call yourself a follower, friend, or brother, member of body of Jesus Christ, for the hand protects the head, and the arm de- fends the heart. Prayer, — Jesus, give me to under- stand that all my thoughts, words, and actions that are not offered up to Thee by grace and by intention are lost for all eternity. Practice, — Declare yourself one of Christ's followers. Saturday. J of that man \s rst.''—St. Luke Thought, — A bad Christian is worse And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."— /S'if. Luke xi. 26. 40 A THOUGHT FOR than a bad pagan, a bad Catholic is worse than a bad Protestant, and a bad priest is worse than any one, ex- cept, perhaps, an apostate monk such as Martin Luther ; and he who abuses the great grace of conversion falls much deeper into sin tiian before, be- cause he falls from a higher eminence. Prayer, — Jesns, strengthen me in my weakness, bear me up with Thy grace ; Thou alone canst hold Thy own in me against Satan. Practice, — Make good use of grace. EACH BAY OF THE YEAR. 41 iFourtJ) Sitntras in %tnt *• And a great multitude followed mm.''— St, John vi. 2. Thought, — If you wish the multi- tude to follow you, work wonders — that is, perform wondrous acts of kind- ness, for such is the secret of the suc- cess of our Lord and the Church. People are attracted by prodigies of goodness and virtue, such as relieving the necessitous and the poor ; but di- rectly Jesus attempted to raise the peo- ple's minds from the thought of tem- poral J)le3sings to that of spiritual, by promising them bread from heaven in place of that which was perishable, they at once cried out, '' Durus est hie sermo." This language is hard, and who can listen to it? Prayer, — Jesus, may I follow Tliee, not for Thy benefits and Thy goodness, 42 A THOUGHT FOR but for Thyself alone. Thou art my only love. Practice. — Be united to Jesus only. Monday. "Jesus therefore went up into a mountain,"— iS'if. Johrb vi. 3. Thought. — Jesus does not seek the crowd; He contents Himself with do- ing good, preaching truth and con- ferring His favors on those w^ho ap- proach Him. In tliis way He gains a reputation for wisdom and bounty, and is soon followed by an admiring crowd. He withdraws Himself as much as possible ; He raises Himself above the affairs and men of this world. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou shalt be the mountain where I will take refuge against the multitude of thoughts, pas- sions, and desires which are ever sur- rounding me, and which distract my attention from Thee, and stop me in my search after Thee, my only good. EACH DAY OF THE YEAE. 43 Practice. — Make a sanctuary for yourself in the heart of Jesus, and unite your prayers with His. Tuesday. " Whence shall we buv b-ead, that these may eat ?" —St, John\\.b. Thought. — When you feel it impos- sible to proceed, do not lose courage, continue to hope. Acknowledge your helplessness, and God will come to your assistance. If you confide in your own strength, you are sure to fail. And why should we have such confi- dence in self? Have we not scores of times experienced how powerless are our efforts? Why should we so dis- trust our Lord, when He invites us to confide in Him ? Has He not pro- mised us His help? and have we not already had proofs of His power and kindness? Prayer. — Jesus, I acknowledge my weakness. Without Thee I can find no means of saving souls. 44: A THOUGHT FOB Practice, — Despise yourK^elf, but trust in God. Wednesday. •* Make the men sit down. ''''—St. John vi. 10. Thought, — If you only do your best, God will do the rest. Begin your work and God w^ll consummate it. Be prudent, but do not mistrust. Never undertake on your own re- sponsibility anything chat is impos sible ; but if God commands you to do what may seem impossible, even if it be to feed five thousand persons with five loaves, be obedient to His word, and do as you are bid. ' ' Make the men sit down." It is in your power to do this much. Prayer, — Jesus, I will be docile and obedient, and will trust to Thee for success. Practice, — Do well all that you have to do. each day of the year. 45 Thursday. " And Jesus took the loaves."— /S'l^. John vi. 11. Thought. — Whatever you possess, you should make good use of it. You have a little ; turn that little to good account. You possess but little ; give little, but at least give something. You have perhaps received but one talent ; do not bury it in the ground. Make use of the intellect, knowledge, will, power, health, wealth, and graces that are given to you. The little you have, if taken care of, will increase through the bounty of the Almighty. Prayer. — Jesus, take Thou posses- sion of all I have. In Thy hands the little I have will seem great. Practice, — Give yourself up en- tirely to Jesus Christ. Friday. ments that 7i.l2. Thought. — You should not allow "Gather up the fragments that remain."— /S^. John 7i.l2. 46 A THOUGHT FOR any portion of God's gifts to be lost. Do not lose one moment of that time allotted to you b}^ God, time so pre- cious that God only gives it to us in small portions, so afraid is He lest we should wantonly squander it. Lose not a single thought, word, or action. If God keeps count of the pieces of bread that were over, how much more will He demand an account of each idle word. Prayer, — Jesus, give me to under- stand that all is lost which cannot be referred to Thee or to Thy Fathers glory ; yes, lost for all eternity. Practice, — Never waste your time. Saturday. *' Jesus fled again into the mountain Himself alone." ^St. John vi. 15. Thought, — The people wish to make Jesus king, and Jesus flies to the mountains. So when the w^orld w^ould wish to bestow praises npon you, you EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 47 should take refuge in flight, with the good and pure intention of seeking only God, and God's service and His glory, in searching after souls and striving for their salvation, not in seeking for their esteem and aflfection. Raise yourself above the power of this world by raising your heart in prayer. This will render you great and power- ful before God, and in God's name. Prayer, Se^M^^ why should I seek for worldly power and glory ? That I may glorify Thee, and save souls? No ; for Thou, O Jesus, didst refuse worldly glory and worldly power, and we should follow Thy example. Practice, — Seek not for reputation or worldly honor. 48 A THOUGHT FOR PASSION TIDE, Passion Suntras* ** But if I say the truth, why do y^u not believe me ?" —St. Jolm viii. 46. Thought. — You can reproach me with no sin, and therefore with no lie. I only tell you the truth ; w^hy, then, do you not believe mo ? If Jesus could have spoken thus to the Jews, who did not believe in His divinity, what could He not say to the Chris- tians who know that He is God and yet refuse lo believe His word ; or, if they believe, refuse to conform their conduct to their belief? Prayer, — Jesus, I believe ; but I do not act 'upon my belief. I know that my life sliould be one of poverty, humility, and docility. Grant that EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 49 for the future my conduct in life may coincide with my profession of faith and doctrine. Practice, — Let your faith be entire, sincere, and practical. Monday. " He that is of God hearpth the word of God/'— iS^^. Jokn viii 47. Thought. — Fidelity to grace implies preventing grace. God gives suffici- ent grace to all men ; but v^oe to him who resists the first impulse! He deserves the withdrawal of all those graces that are to follow, and he ex- poses himself to the danger of becom- ing insensible to the very graces that God in His bounty designs to send him. Prayer. — Jesus, without Thy aid I cannot make use of grace, but, un- happily, have power to resist it. Grant that I may never misuse this liberty, this power which Thou hast given me to serve Thee with and to 50 A THOUGHT FOR save my soul, but not to offend Thee and to cause my own damnation. Practice. — Be docile to grace. TrESDAT. " 3ntl seek not my own glory/'— >S'^, John viii. 50. Thought. — You must forget awhile all self-interests and all self-glory, and think only of God's interest and glory ; and if you do, you will find that sooner or later, in spite of every obstacle, you will succeed in your undertakings ; and God, who never allows any one to outdo him in gene- rosity, will surely not be forgetful of your interests. The world itself, so severe towards tliose who push them- selves forward and demand notice, will hasten to acknowledge those who sink all thought of self in their desire of doing good to others. Prayer, — Jesus, I only seek for Thy glory. My sole aim is that Thou shouldst be known and loved and EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 51 served. Grant that all my thonglits, words, and actions may ever take their origin from this one desire. Practice, — Have God always in view. Wednesday. '* If any man keep my « ord, he shall not see death for ever."— >S'iJ. John viii. 51. Thought, — Jesus is the life, and why ? Because He is the Word and the Truth. Truth is life, inasmuch as it is the intellectual life — that is, the life of the soul. Keep the word of Jesus. Think as Jesus thought and speak as Jesus spoke ; act in ac- cordance with His word and you shall live for ever. The death of the soul separates us from God. Keep the word of God by faith and charity. Faith makes j^our thought and intelli- gence conformable to the divine word, and charity makes your action and your will likewise conformable to it, so that you will live eternally. Prayer. — Jesus, be to me the life ; 52 A THOUGH^r FOR never let me forget Thy word ; may I follow its precepts in everything. Practice, — Keep before you some saying of Jesus Christ. Thuesday. " Whom dost Thou make Thyself V—St. John viii. 53. Thought. — Do not be afraid to show yourself as your are. Incline less to the multitude and to public opinion, and incline more to Holy Church. Our Mother Church has condemned certain doctrines which public opinion still upholds. You are then wiser than tlie infallible Doctor; and you think it imprudent to condemn what the Pope condemns? ^^Whom dost thou make thyself?" Quern te ip- sumfacis ? Are you Christian ? Are you Catholic ? Prayer, — Jesus, grant that I may never feel ashamed to declare myself Thy follower, an obedient and faithful disciple of Thy Vicar here on earth. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 53 Practice. — Proclaim the doctrine of the Church, and loudly protest against error. Friday. " Before Abraham was made I am."— /S'^. John viii. 58. Thought, — Let us serve Him who is before Abraham. Here below man is born and dies, man passes away ; God alone has no beginning and no end ; He passeth not away. Jesus does not say "I was^" but "I am." Jesus is not of the past nor of the future. All our thoughts, words, and actions — all that we do for Jesus, partake in some degree of His eternity. We perform a passing act of goodness, and are rewarded for ever and ever. The grace with which it was perform- ed stamps it with God's seal, and it bears fruit for ever. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou alone dost live for ever ; man is ever passing away in death. I will belong to Thee, and Thee only. 54 A THOUGHT FOR Practice. — Unite all your inten- tions to those of Jesus Christ. Saturday. "They took up stones therefore to cast at Him ; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple." —St. John viii. 59. Thought, — This is th6 only answer that passion makes to reason, heresy to faith — viz., violence. Ye sophists, you are so certain of the triumph of your own ideas ? If this it be, allow the Church the liberty of teaching and instructing. What fear you? Besides, violence is powerless. The Church escapes your fury, and in spite of all prevention she pursues her ob- ject in secret when she cannot pursue it in public. Prayer, — -Jesus, grant that I may seek safety from the violence of ene- mies of faith and goodness in retreat. Practice, — Unite prudence to firm- ness in all your actions. EACH DAT OF THE YEAK. 55 Palin Suntrag. "And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Beihphage, unto Mount OhweV— St. Matthew xxi. 1. Thought — What a contrast on this Mount Olivet to-day ! This, a day of triumph for our Lord, will soon be followed by His Sacred Passion, which begins with His agony and the disturbance in the garden, and which is finally consummated by His death — and after death there is His triumph of the Ascension. Such is our life too. We taste the sweetness of success to- day, to-morrow w^e shall drink the bit- ter cup of disappointment. Yester- day we were praised and spoken well of, to-day we are blamed and reviled. We are filled with consolation now, but, and in a short while, we shall taste desolation. And it is by these suc- cessions of light and darkness that we 56 A THOUGHT FOS obtain eternal light, and finally enjoy the certain triumph of the Ascension. Prayer. — Jesus, sustain and console me in times of spiritual darkness ; whether Thou are hidden or visible it matters not, so long as Thou art present unto me. Practice, — Be tranquil and even- minded in the midst of present troub- les and difficulties. Monday. ** you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her ; loose thmi and hriDg them to aa^y—St, Matthew xx'. 2. Thought, — The ass here represents the ancient people of God, tied by the law of God. The colt, which is free, and not yet broken in, is typical of the Gentiles. It is the duty of the Apostles to bring both to Jesus. The ass reminds us of those habitual vices which chain us fast within their do- main. The colt tells us of those sud- den outbursts which carry us from EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 57 the path of good. Again, the ass re- presents those persons of the world who perform everything by routine, and give themselves up to idleness, and are neglectful of their duty ; w^hile the colt is emblematical of those persons who are ruled by a spirit of pride, anger, or impatience. If you are desirous that Jesus ghould enter into your heart, submit yourself whol- ly to His guidance, make Him an offering of you habits -and your pas- sions. Prayer. — Jesus, here am I before Thee with all my inclinations and all my imperfections, dispose of me ac- cording to Thy pleasure. Practice, — Fight against your faults, and more especially against those to which you are most subject. Tuesday. ** Say ye that the Lord hath need of them."— *S'^ Matthew'sx.U 3. Thought, — Everything gives way 58 A THOUGHT FOR before those words, " The Lord hath need." When God wills anything, it must be done, in spite of the opposi- tion of the world ; no matter how reasonable this opposition may appear, it will give way to the will of God. When, therefore, our Lord commands, go you and obey His summons. How unprecedented is this command. Go loosen and bring with you an animal the property of another, and do this in the presence of the owner, without even asking his permission ! The Master of masters has spoken ; obey, and all will happen as He desires, as He has foretold. Prayer, — Jesus, if Thou didst com- mand me to do that which seems im- possible, I would obey. Da quod jubes^ et jube quod vis — I will do what Thou commandest, but com- mand wliat Thou pleasest. Practice. — Obey at once, and with- out reasoning. each day of the year. 59 Wednesday. "Tell ye the daughter of Si on: Behold thy King Cometh to thee, meek."— /S'^. Matthew xxi. 5. Thought. — The daughter of Sioii is the soul. Jesus, in order to take pos- session of our souls, rides triumphant- ly first upon the ass, and tlien upon the colt — that is, He becomes the King of our hearts, after having cor- rected us of our bad habits and our passions, which are here represented by the ass and the colt. How easily will He not effect His entry into our soul, now that it is no longer open \o revolt and insubordination ! Prayer. — Jesus, conquer my pride and my inertness. One word from Thee could work wonders in me. Practice. — Give yourself up to the government of Jesus. Thursday. s poingr did as *—St. Matthew 3 Thought. — The power of man lies And the disciples poingr did as Jepns commanded them."— /S'^. Matthew xxi. 6. 60 A THOUGHT FOR in obedience. God speaks, let us act ; God commands, let us do as we are commanded. This straightforward, open simplicity is of itself strong enough to overturn all obstacles. It is simply heroic; this entire forgetful- ness of self is superhuman — yes, it is supernatural. It is no longer man who acts, judges, performs; but it is God who judges, acts, performs in him. Man acts according to the will of God ; he does all things according to God's will and through His power. Prayer. — Jesus, be Thou my wis- dom, my goodness, my power. When shall I become as a simple tool, obedi- ent to Thv hand ? Practice, — Yield an upright, sim- ple, prompt, and blind obedience. Friday. " And a very great mjaltitude spread their garments in the way.*'— /S'^. Matthew xxi. 8. Thought. — Let us, by spreading our EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 61 inclinations before the feet of Jesus, and submitting them to Him, welcome Him in His entry into onr hearts. Let all our intentions and desires be under His directions. Let us also throw before Him branches of trees, palms, and leaves, typical of our tri- umpli over our defects. Prayer, — Jesus, come as conqueror into my heart, and reign there over all my senses and my faculties. Practice, — Leave all that concerns you in the hands of Jesus. Saturday. " Hosannah to the Son of 'D&Yi^.''—St.Matthew xxi. 9. Thought, — To-day hosaunahs ring through the air ; all is glory and hon- or. To-morrow it is " Crucify Him, crucify Him ! " Such is the world ! such is mankind ! such is the sovereign at whose feet fools beg and scrape ! Do you still trust the esteem and praise of the world? 62 A THOUGHT FOR Prayer — Jesus, Thou alone art my King and my Saviour. Thou alone wilt be my Judge. What need have I ^f the opinion of men ? Practice, — Despise the world's praises, as well as its condemnation. EACH DAT OF THE TEAR, 63 PASCHAL TIDE. *' And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary the m )ther of James and Salome bought e«weet i-pices, that c >ming they might anoint JesvLS.'^—St. Mark xvi. 1. Thovght, — Primary devotion should consist in observance of the law. The holy women waited until the Sabbath was over to buy the sweet spices wlierewith to anoint Jesus. But let us fulfil more than the precept re- quires, and when it is a question of lionoring Jesus in His body, which is tlie Church, and in the members of His body, which are the poor, let us spare neither money nor labor. Prayer. — J( sus, if my love for Thee is real, I shall never think I have done enough to honor Thee. 64 A THOUGHT FOR Practice. — Be zealous for the honor of the Church, and for the relief of the poor. Monday. ~*^ And very early in the morDicg the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the eun being now risen."— /S^. Mark xvi. 2. Thought. — Love is active and pru- dent. Active — valde mane^ they came very early in the morning. Hindrance or delay is unknovra to those who love when it is question of honoring the beloved. Prudent — orto jam sole^ they came after the sun had risen. Love waits for the light ; in spite of its ardor, it follows that natural sun given to us by God to guide U8, namely, reason and faith, also that supernatural sun wliose bril- liancy God gives us in addition to reason. Prayer. — Jesus, Sun of truth for the intellect. Sun of justice for the will, draw me towards Thee, grant EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 65 that I may ever incline towards Thee, enlighten me, that I may always walk in the light of Thy word. Practice. — Be prudent and active in God's service. Tuesday. '' Who shall roll ns back the stone f>om the door of the sepulchre ^''—ziSj^. Mark xvi. 3. Thought. — How would it be if we were to know everything ? Not only does an enormous stone close the entrance to the sepulchre, but this stone is sealed by the powerful ene- mies of our Lord, and is surrounded by soldiers. Go on in spite of all this ; God asks of you only that which you are able to perform ; He takes what seems impossible upon himself. When you draw near, all these ob- stacles have disappeared. True, your sweet spices are of no service, but your wishes have been accomplished and even surpassed. 66 A THOUGHT FOR Prayer. — Jesus, if Thou triest Thy friends, it is but to surprise them witli consolations which more than recom- pense for any sacrifice. Practice. — Make progress in spite of obstacles. Wednesday. '* And looking, they saw the stone rolled back."— /S'i!l. Mark xvi. 4. Thought. — When it is question of the honor of our Lord, we should al- ways go on. Obstacles that present themselves may be unconquerable for you ; but God will send His Angel, and when you have done all that is in your power, you will find the obsta- cle removed. Prayer. — Jesus, give me effective love which nothing can ever quench, which will cause me to forget myself in the thought of Thee. Practice. — Be constant in your ef- forts, and trust in God. each day of the teak. 67 Thuksday. *' And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side clothed with a white robe."— /^^. Mark xvi. 5. Thought — When we have exhaust- ed our wisdom and power, God sends us His Angels to enlighten and help us. Thus anxiety is followed by a calm. The Angel is sitting — vide- Tunt juvenem sedentem. Light fol- lows darkness. The Angel is clothed with a shining robe — coopertum stola Candida. Prayer, — Jesus, I will ever con- tinue in my search for Thee, even in the shades of death, and by dint of searching I shall find light and peace. Practice. — Have Jesus ever in sighU Fkiday. ** Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified : He is risen, He is not here."— aS^. Mark xvi. 6. Thought. — The Crucified One is risen again. Nailed upon the Cross, He was taunted by the Jews, who de- 68 A THOUGHT FOR tied Him to descend. He wished to surprise you ; it was difficult to come down from the Cross w^hereon the body was nailed hand and foot, but it was still more difficult to come out of the grave, and return from death to life. Come now, ye enemies of Jesus, and shake your heads before this empty sepulchre — surrexit^ non est Mg^ He is risen. He is not here. Prayer. — Jesus, I will seek Thee crucified, and I shall find Thee risen and triumphant. Practice. — Be not afraid of the Cross of Christ. Saturday. *' But go, tell His disciples and Peter, thatHS goeth before you into Galilee."— /S'lf. Mark xvi. 7. Thought. — All His disciples have abandoned Him, Peter has denied Him thrice, and Jesus holds great consolation in store for them, especi- ally for him who is most guilty. Be EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 69 not discouraged at j^our weakness and cowardice. Jesus is ready to forget all 3^our misery. He will think only of j'^our love and repentance. He an- ticipated you by the grace of calling you to Him ; He again anticipates you by the grace of forgiveness — prcBcedet vos in Galilceam. Prayer, — Jesus, in the day of bat- tle thou didst remain alone ; in the days of Thy triumph thou wert all- sufficient to Thyself, but Thou givest a share in Thy glory to those who had not the courage to share Thy sufferings and ignominy. Practice, — ^No matter how unfaith- ful you may have been, be not dis- couraged. 70 A THOUGHT FOR jFtrst Suntrag aftrt 15 aster. " Now when it was late, and the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, Peace be to you."— xS'^. John xx. 19. Thought, — The littleness of our faith retards the coming of Jesus ; but when He sees that we really love Him, He is not long in taking pity on our weakness. Besides, there is nothing to prevent Him — neither night, which He dissipates by the brightness of His glory, nor the door of our heart, which is no longer closed by mistrust and by fear. He can en- ter when He likes and as He likes. Prayer, — Jesus, enter into my soul, Thou alone canst establish there true calm and peace. Practice, — Have Jesus always pra- sent in your heart. Monday. " As the Father hath sent me, I also send y©u."— aS'^. John XX. 21. Thought, — The priest is God's am- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 71 bassador — what a dignity ! The An- gel said, ''I shall be like unto the All Hio-h. The All High is Jesus— Tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe. The priest is the ambassador, the rep- resentative of Jesus Christ, as Jesus Christ Himself is the Word, and im- age of the Heavenly Father. Let honor and respect be paid to the priest, who takes the place of the Most High ! Let honor be given to the Most High present in the priest. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that the faithful may respect Thy minister and the minister may respect himself, so that, while sustaining his dignity by word and deed, he may cause Thee to be respected in his person. Practice. — ^Respect for God's min- isters. Tuesday. '* Receive ye the Holy GVost. Whose sir s yen shall foro^ive, they are forgiven ; » nd whose si^-s y^n shall retaic, they are retained."— /Si. John xx. 22, 23. Thought. — The Holy Ghost is given 72 A THOUGHT FOR to the Apostles, and by them is trans- mitted to the priest, who can give or hold back grace, who has power of forgiving or retaining sins. Thus it is that the sinner receives absolution with moral assurance of pardon and reconciliation. Prayer. — I thank Thee for the power granted by Thee to Thy min- isters to save me. Practice. — Frequent and earnest confession. Wednesday. " We have seen the Lord. . . . Except I shall see, ... I will not believe."— /S'^. John xx. 25. Thought. — The Apostles rejected the testimony of the Holy Women. Thomas refuses their testimony. This is justice, and Thomas is consistent. And yet what rashness in this same prudence, which dares to impose con- ditions upon our God. Certainly we must be prudent. We must not look upon the first idea crossing our imagi- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 73 nation as an inspiration from on high, but we must not exact from God ad- ditional miracles, and the revelation of Himself to us. To determine our belief in what G^od has aflBrmed, and to act according to His wishes, it should suffice that the light of reason, and the authority of wise and sincere men, discover to us the revelation which has already been made. Prayer, — Jesus, I am in total dark- ness ; but if Thou dost not enlighten me at once, I will be guided by those whom Thou hast chosen for me as my superiors. Practice, — Practise docility, the wise medium between foolish creduli- ty, which believes in everything, and brutal stubbornness, which believes in nothing. Thursday. *'Be not faithless, but believicg." — St. John xx. 27. Thought, — Docility is a belter proof of intelligence than incredulity. 74 A THOUGHT FOR What is required to refuse belief? Obstinacy, than which nothing is easier; one need only refrain from exercising his intelligence. What must one do to believe ? One must listen attentively, with the desire of being instructed. Docility most facilitates instruction. Incredulity is a refusal to listen or learn, a brutal persistence in ignorance. The incre- dulous man is a being confined in the sphere of his own mind. I^rayer,—Jes,us, faith is as much a gift as intelligence — the latter a nat- ural, the former a supernatural gift. Thou hast given me both — the former in creating me, the latter in making me a Christian. Give me, O Jesus, an increase of both. Practice. — Firmness of faith. Friday. ** My Lord, and my God.:'— St, John xx. 28. Thought, — Thomas, whose belief was more slow than that of tlie others, EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. Y5 surpasses them all in liis protestation of belief. No one until now bad so openly declared the divinity of Jesus Christ. Let us never say, Oh ! it is too late ; but, by renewal of our efforts, let us make up for hesitation or for loss of time. Prayer, — Jesus, I submit. Thy resurrection proves to me Thy pow- er ; the marks of Thy wounds prove Thy bounty towards me. Thou art my Lord, and my God. Practice. — Zeal in making up for your negligence in the past, Saturday. ** Blessed are they that have not seen and haye believed/'— /S^. John xx. 29 Thought. — Readiness of belief may be a sign of a weak or a strong mind — a weak mind, inasmuch as one, through sloth or wantonness, finds it easy to believe what comes first to hand ; a strong-minded one, inas- much as having compared the state- 76 A THOUGHT FOR ments of witnesses and the proofs of their doctrine, one belies^es in their words at once. Narrow minds argue incessantly, and cavil at everything that is said. Prayer, — Jesus, I believe. Thy divinity is amply and sufficiently proved. Speak, then ; I will believe all Thou tellest me — every word spoken by Thy mouth. Practice, — Do not reason so much. God has spoken — believe. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 77 Setontr Suntras ufttv iSaster^ '* I am the good shepherd.''— -S'if. John x. 11. Thought. — The Good Shepherd di- rects, feeds, and defends His flock. Jesus directs us by His word and ex- ample, feeds us with His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and defends us by His Cross against our enemies, which are the world, the flesh, and the devil. Prayer. — Jesus, give me the meek- ness and confidence of the sheep — meekness, that I may be wholly guided by Thee; confidence, that I may seek Thee when I am attacked by the enemy. Practice. — Imitate Jesus, His doc- trines, and His example. Monday. i giveth His 1: S'i^. John X. 11. Thought. — Let us realize what is *'The good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." — St. John X. 11. 78 A THOUGHT FOR the price of a soul. It is worth Jesus Christ's own life. Jesus is wisdom itself; He would not give His life for a soul if the soul was unworthy ot the sacrifice ; and if such is the value of my soul, the value of my brother's soul is as great. I must then do everything in my power for the salva- tion of my neighbor. Prayer, — Jesus, give me courage to sacrifice all things for the salvation, firstly, of my soul, and, secondly, for that of !ny neighbor. Practice, — Live and die for the salvation of souls. Tuesday. " But the hireling seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and flietli."— /S'l^. John x. 13. Thought. — The wolf represents the heretic, sophist, the man of scandal, or any one who by word or example would draw the Cliristian into error or vice. Unless you fight against EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 79 error and vice, you are a hireling; you have no love for souls, nor for Jesus Christ, who has redeemed souls by his own blood. What, then, w^ould you be if you were to demand freedom for error and vice ? Prayer, — Jesus, inspire me with a constant hatred and a holy anger against error and vice. Practice, — Think often of Jesus, who is ever thinking of you. Wednesday. "1 know mine (sheep), and mine know me." — aS'^. John X. 14. Thought, — If I were to say to you, The Pope has spoken of you, you would exclaim, What ! does the Pope know me ? It is very likely that the Pope knows you not; but it is very certain that Jesus knows you, thinks of you, and is preparing for you a place in His heavenly fold. And you, do you know Him % Tou know 80 A THOUGHT FOR full well that He became man and died for you. Do you think of it? Prayer. — Jesus, teach uie to know Thee and think of Thee, and, like the sheep, ever to look up to Thee for guidance. Practice, — Often think of Jesus, who is ever thinking of you. Thursday. "As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father ; and I lay down my life for my sheep."— /S"^. John X. 15. Thought, — The infinite love which the Father and Son have for each other proceeds from that mutual un- derstanding existing between Them. So from the mutual understanding of Shepherd and sheep springs a love which induces the Shepherd ro give His life for His sheep, the sheep to sacrifice their life for their Shepherd. Jesus Christ dies for Christians, and Christians die martyrs for Jesus Christ. All understanding which EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 81 does not tend towards love is sterile and useless ; love which is not ready for action is false and imaginary. Now, the effect of love is the abandon- ment and sacrifice of one's self. Prayer. — Jesus, what didst Thou see in me worthy of thy life's sacri- fice? Thou didst see the image of Thy Father and Thyself, for Thou art the image of the Father. Thus Thou dost recognize and love in me both Thy Father and Thyself. Practice, — Sacrifice yourself for souls and for Jesus. Fkiday. '* And other sheep I have that are not of this fold."— St. John X. 16. Thought. — I am one of those sheep whom Jesus had in his mind then. What can I do to respond to His solicitude and tenderness ? Firstly, I will be docile to His call, and will faithfully follow Him; secondly, I 82 A THOUGHT FOR will share His solicitude, and will en- deavor to lead to Him those other sheep belonging to Him whom he wishes to save, but who are being lost outside His fold. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art the only Shepherd, Thou alone givest souls their nourishment, which is truth for the mind and justice for the will. Practice. — Pray, and, if in your power, give something towards the propagation of the faith. Sattjeday. " And there shall be one fold and one Bhepherd." — St. John X. 16 Thought. — Jesus is the one Shep- herd. The vicar of Christ is the one Shepherd, one and the same with Jesus Christ. Let us believe in what Christ teaches, and in what He pro- claims by the mouth of His vicar, and we shall have one and the same mind, one and the same belief. EACH DAY OF THE TEAR. 83 Let ns desire what God desires and commands through His representa- tive here on earth, and we shall have one and the same will, one and the same heart. Then there will be but one fold and one shepherd. Prayer, — Jesus, I believe all that Thou teachest, I desire all that Thou commandest. Practice. — Faith, and obedience to Christ and His vicar. 84 A THOUGHT FOR *' A little wMle and h'^w you shall not see me."— ^S'^. John xvl. 16. Thought. — Jesus often conceals His presence from the faithful soul, and permits her to suffer without light or consolation. But he always fore- warns her, and grants her enough light and strength to guide and fortify her during her trial. Prayer, — Jesus, if it is Thy wish to prove me and to conceal Thyself from me, do not be far off, but in Thy concealment still be present to me. Practice, — Confide in Jesus, even when He may seemingly be absent. Monday. *' And again a little while, and you ehaU see me."-f John XVI. 16. Thought, — After day comes night, after night comes day. Trial follows consolation, consolation follows trial ; EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 85 modicum a little while, consolation lasts but a short while — et iteruTn modicum, desolation, too, is of short duration. Let us take advantage of the time of consolation to direct our course and to be in readiness when the tempest shall burst forth. Let us profit by desolation and recognize our weakness; let us humble ourselves to discover what is wanting in us. Dur- ing time of consolation the remem- brance of our weakness should keep us humble ; and when desolation is upon us, the knowledge of its short duration should sustain and strengthen us. Prayer. — Jesus, from Thy hands only do I expect that peace which can never be obtained from man. Practice, — Hope always, but in Jesus only. Tuesday. *' Because I go to my Father."— aS^. John xvi. 16. Thought, — Wherefore this disap- 86 A THOUGHT FOR pearance of our Lord ? Because He returns to His Father. Why does He return ? — Vado parare vohis locum. We shall see Him again. He will return to judge and reward us ; let us rejoice at his absence. It is to our interest, and will only last a short while. Let us rejoice at it for His sake. He returns to His Father to enjoy that glory He has so well de- served. Prayer. — Jesus, go unto Tliy Father and associate Thy holy hu- manity with the glory of Thy divini- ty, but do not forget me, who am the least member of that great body which is Tliine own — viz., the Holy Church. Practice. — Union with the Father through Jesus Christ. Wednesday. '' We know not what He speaketh/'— /S'^. John:s.\\. 18. Thought. — Often I do not know what God wishes to tell me, especial- EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 87 ly when I meet with contradiction ; and yet contradiction is a word of God, as clear and as efficacious as any of God's words. Opposition often contributes more largely than favur towards the perfection of work un- dertaken for the glory of God. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou abandon est me just at the moment of action. This desertion would be inexplicable if it were real ; but it is only appar- ent. From heaven above where Thou sittest in Thy glory, and from the depths of my heart where Thou dwellest by grace. Thou never ceasest to enlighten and strengthen me. Practice, — Constancj^ in the dark- ness of trial. Thursday. '*Your sorrow shall be changed into joy."— aS^. John xvi. 20. Thought,— EaYQh upon earth, in my lifetime, if I place all my hope in Jesus, and in Jesus only, joy will 88 A THOrGHT FOR succeed to sadness, or rather sadness itself will be changed into joy; that which was sorrow will turn to happi- ness. The trial which I looked upon as an evil will become the source of good. Prayer. — Jesus, sustain me still in times of trial, for without Thy help I cannot await Thy return. Practice, — Always hope, even against hope. Friday. ** I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice/*— St, John xvi. 22. Thought, — Everything is not lost when Jesus conceals Himself. He disappears only to return. The sun is no further from the earth during the night than during the day, nor does it cause the earth to move more slowly when there is darkness. Be- sides, be patient; joy that follows trial is more true and more pure. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 89 Prayer. — Jesus, if I love Thee as I ought, that is, more than myself — if forgetting self I seek only for Thee, I shall be like to Thee, ever happy. Practice, — Rejoice at the glory of God. Saturday. " And your joy no man Bhall take from you."— ^<. John xvi. 22. Thought. — Jesus alone can give that joy which neither world nor death can steal away from us. We must free ourselves of everything which pertains not to Jesus Christ. Willingly or unwillingly we shall liave one day to give up and sacrifice everything — Jesus alone will remain to us. Prayer. — Jesus, give me to under- stand and feel that Thou alone art sufficient for me, and that without Thee all the world is as nothing. Practice. — Rejoice in Jesus, and through Jesus only. 90 A THOUGHT FOE j^ottctS Sunltafi after Sasttr. "And now I go to Him that eent me."— /Sif. John xvi. 5. Thought. — Go, Lord ; go, give an account of Thj mission — Thy bands and feet pierced by nails, Tby beart pierced, tell plainly bow Tbou hast fulfilled Tbj^ mission. Immortal glory awaiteth Thee ! Prayer. — Jesus, Tbou in turn bast sent me. But what have I done ? Where are the marks of my self-sacri- fice? Where are the souls I should oflFer to Thee I Practice. — Faithfulness to the du- ties of your vocation. Monday. " It is expedient to you that I go.'*''— St. John xvi. 7. Thought. — The devotion which we know we feel — sensible devotion — is EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 91 useful ; but it is also useful and impor- tant that we should be deprived of it. It behooves us to know Avhat we are, and what is our w^orth when Jesus takes away from us His visible help. Then must that sensible devotion give place to the truly spiritual devo- tion ; Jesus must be concealed that He may send us His Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost. Prayer, — Jesus, if Thou takest from me Thy sensible presence, do not withdraw Thy aid from me ; with- out Thee I can do nothing. Practice. — Rely always upon Jesus, whether He be manifest or hidden. Tuesday. " Jf I go not, the Paraclete will not eome to you."— St. John xvi. 7. Thought. — The Apostles must for- feit the legitimate and pure satisfac- tion which they feel in enjoying the visible presence of Jesus Christ, and 92 A THOUGHT FOR I am desirous of enjoying both the world and God ! I would unite and keep in my heart the spirit of the world and the spirit of Jesus ! Prayer, — Jesus, draw me away from all worldly things. Then with the help of the Holy Ghost I shall be raised up to Thee. Practice, — Detach yourself from all that is sensible, even from sensible devotion. Wednesday. " He will convince the world of sin, and of justice, and of judgment."— /S'^. John xvi. 8. Thought, — This world sinned when it crucified Jesus Christ. It will be convinced of its sin when Jesus by His resurrection shall prove Himself to be the Just One. Then also will the world be judged and found guilty of Deicide. This judgment hangs over all those who refuse submission to Jesiis Christ. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art my God, EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 93 my Saviour, and my King ; I submit to Thy word and to Thy guidance. Practice. — Ooniidence in Jesus, the Conqueror of the world. Thursday. " He will teach you all truth."— /S^^. John xvi. 13. Thought— T^Q Holy Ghost is the first of teachers. Let us listen to Him when He speaks inwardly by secret inspiration, or outwardly by the voice of the Church. There is no trutli at all useful for the salvation and true happinees of the soul which is not surely and fully taught by the Holy Ghost. Prayer, — Jesus, in Thy gospel, and especially by Thy example, Thoa hast said that Thou dost teach all useful truth; but without the Holy Ghost I should understand neither Thy word nor Thy example. Practice. — Frequently invoke the Holy Ghost. 94 a thought for Friday. " He shall glorify me.'"— St. John xvi. 14. Thought.— The Holy Ghost shall glorify Jesus ! How ? By teaching me to know Jesus, and by persuading me to follow Him. By understand- ing His doctrine, I shall recognize His wisdom ; in imitating his example, I shall make manifest his virtue. Prayer. — Jesus, fill me w^ith Thy Spirit, that I may glorify Thee, make Thee known and praised, and cause Thee to be loved and served. Practice. — In all things seek the glory of Jesus. Saturday. " All things whatsoever Ihe Father hath are mine."— St. John xvi. 15. Thought, — Everything belongs equally to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now the Father has given us the Son, and the Father and Son have given us the Holy Ghost. All EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 95 that the Father has, then, is ours. True, we do not as yet enjoy these things; we are like the heir who possesses only the title-deeds which constitute him owner of the domain of which he has not yet the use. Let us keep these deeds, and keep the grace of God, and our happiness is certain. Prayer, — Jesus, keep me, or rather keep Thyself, in me, either by com- munion, which maketh Thee to live in me and me in Thee, or by the grace of Thy Holy Ghost, which gives me life from Thee, by Thee, and for Thee. Practice. — Union with God the Father by Jesus Christ in the Holy Ghost. 96 A THOUGHT FOE iFfftI) Juntas after ISasttr, " If you ask the Father anything in my name, lie will give it to you."— -6^^. John xvi. 23. Thought, — This is a formal pro- mise. Who will doubt it? '^Any- thing you ask." Si quid. Nothing is withheld, neither spiritual nor tem- poral blessings. Why, then, do you ask so seldom, and for so little ? You are in want of so many things, and it is so easy to obtain them. Prayer, — Jesus, what a name is Thine ! What power in Thy name alone ! I wish it to be ever in my heart, and always on my lips. By Thy name I can do everything ; in the name and for the name ofMesus I desire everything. Practice, — Pray incessantly, and ask everything in the name of Jesus. each day of the yeak. 97 Monday. ** Aek, and you shal] receive, that your joy may be made full."— aS^. John xvi. 24. Thought — Nothing rejoices the soul so much as prayer. Ask, you shall receive more than you have de- sired. Thus shall your joy be made full. Pray, and experience will tell you tliat God is good and powerful. Prayer, — Jesus, why should I not always ask ? Thy only wish is to give. Practice, — Pray continually. Tuesday. " I will show you plainly of the Father. "—/S'^. John xvi. ^. Thought. — Jesus is always speaking to us of His Father — ^'word of the Father/' ^Mmage of the Father," '' brightness of the Father " ; His of- fice is to manifest the Father. But He often speaks to us in hidden terms. He shows the Father to us as He is in His works. Let us pray, and 98 A THOUGHT FOR He will show the Father to ns as He is in Himself. Then seeing God face to face, we shall be like unto Him, happy in His happiness, glorious in His glory. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that all in- terior and exterior words of mine may be like Thee, the "Word of God ; may they serve as a connecting-link between the Father and me by the purity, uprightness, and divinity of intention. Practice, — Do all things for the love of God only. Wednesday. " The Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved me."— /S'^. John xvi, 27. Thought, — To love Jesus is to love the Son of God ; to love the Son is to love the Father, for the Son should be loved solely because he is one and the same with the Father. How could the Father refuse to love Him by whom He is beloved ? Besides, he EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 99 that loves the Son loves Him whom the Father loves. So does the Fatlier love you because you love his Be- loved. JPrayer.-- Jesus, be Thou the cen- tre of all my affections. In loving Thee I shall love the Father, the Blessed Virgin Thy Mother, and Thy brethren, for if I love Thee 1 shall love those who are like Thee, who are loved by Thee, and who in turn love Thee too. Practice. — Have Jesus ever in your hearts. Thursday. " I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world."— /S'iJ. John xvi. 28. Thought. — Jesus never left His Father, was never separated from Him ; but He came from the Father into this world just as the interior word comes forth from the soul in order to be heard in the world and spread about, thus becoming exterior, 100 A THOUGHT FOR tliougli still dwelling in the soul. In speaking, my words gain both the ear and the intelligence of those who lis- ten and understand me, and vet still 7 t/ remain in me who speak and think. Thus the Incarnate Word of God is at one and the same time in God, of whom He is the Word, and in the world to which He shows Himself. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that like Thee I may come from the Father, that like Thee I may be able by my word to enlighten souls. Practice. — Be united to God in all your outward actions. Friday. '' Again I leave the world, and go to the Father,*'— St, John xvi. 28. Thought. — To follow the example of Jesus, I must, by means of prayer, detach myself from the world and look up to God. As the Man-God, so the man of God runs his course ; from EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 101 God he comes down into the world, and from the world He goes back to God. From prayer He descends to good works, from good works He re- turns to prayer. Love of God engen- ders love of our neighbor, who is the image of God, and the love of our neighbor reflects the love of God. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou dost leave the world both for Thyself and for ns. For Thyself, that Thou mayest find again Thy splendor and Thy glory in the Father ; for us, to prepare for us a place beside Thy Father. Practice. — Raise up your mind by constant prayer to God. Saturday. " Now we know that Thou knowest all things." —St. John xvi. 30. Thought, — Thou dost read our hearts and minds ; Thou answerest our demands, our desires, before even they are expressed. Thus we know 102 A THOUGHT FOR that Thou knowest all things. Thou not only knowest, but canst accom- plish all things. Tliy only wish is for our good; I will then place all my confidence in Thee. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou knowest my desires ; but what is better. Thou know- est what is fit and needful for me. If my desires are not in keeping with my wants, if what I ask of Thee is not proper, correct my desires and my petitions, give me only what I stand in need of to serve and glorify Thee. Practice, — Place the accomplish- ment of your desires in the hands of Jesus. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 103 N.B—We wmild here propose as meditation for the seven day ^ following trds feast the Gospel of the As^ cension, but give, nevertheless, seven meditations upon (he Gospel of the Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension. " Go ye into the whole world and preach t e'gospel to every creature. "~>S'^ Markxvi. 15/ Thought. — How can I go into the whole world? By prayer and good works. We must pray for all man- kind, for all nations, for Christians and infidels, for the sinful and the wicked, as well as for the just, for the dead, the dying, and the living. Let each one speak according to his con- dition, in private and in public, let us speak, by word and by writing, an- nouncing Jesus to every creature, to the impious and to the cold of heart, as much as and even more than to the faithful and the fervent Cliristian— om7ti ereaturoe. Prayer is never of- fered in vain, and words spoken are 104 A- THOUGHT FOE never lost : if good, they do good ; if evil, they do harm. Prayer-.— Jesus, my sole, or at least my chief, thought must be to make Thee known to those who know Thee not, to instil the love of Thee in the minds of those who neither serve nor know Thee. Grant Thou my prayer, give eloquence to my tongue, that both the one and the other may be efficaciously used in Thy service. _ Pmc^ioe.— Spread wide Christian doctrine by preaching and in conver- sation, by the propagation of good books, if you are able ; if not, by the propagation of religious works. Monday. " He that beUeveth^ana^^baptizea,^Bhan be saTed." Thought.— li is not sufficient to believe ; we must be baptized, and tnust observe the law. But baptism and observance of the law are not sufficient ; we must, besides, have be- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 105 lief. l!»feither faith without good works, nor good works without faith, can lead us to salvation. Nor can I without God save myself, nor will God save me without my co-opera- tion. God offers me His grace in vain ; unless I accept it, I can never profit by His help. In vain He draws me to Him ; unless I make the step towards Him, I shall never reach. In vain does He give Himself to me if I, on my part, do not receive Him. How can I possess Him if I do not unite myself to Him ? Prayer, — Jesus, give me light and strength — light by faith and by Thy divine Word, strength by baptism, which fills me with Thy grace. Practice. — Believe and act. Tuesday. ** In my name they shall cast out devil8.'"--/S'^. Mark xvi. 17. Thought. — Let us fathom our power as Christians, and learn how to 106 A THOUGHT FOR use it. By a single word we may cast out devils^ and still more easily may w^e cast out those human agents who are much less powerful than the in- fernal spirits. Why is not the grand and holy name of Jesus ever on our lips and in our hearts ? Prayer. — Jesus, grant that in mo- ments of temptation Thy blessed name may be upon my lips. Practice, — Oftentimes invoke the holy name of Jesus. Wednesday. "They shall speak with new tongues." — /S'^. Mark xvi. 17. Thought. — Are you desirous of knowing if you have really received the Holy Ghost ? Do you speak a new tongue? If you live in a worldly frame of mind, you are heard to praise riches, pleasures, honors. If you live in the Holy Ghost, your language will be different. You will praise poverty, suflFering, abjection, and all that the EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 107 world despises. You will despise what is praised by the world, passing wealth, sensual pleasure, worldly glory. Prayer, — Jesus, teach me to speak like Thee, and for this end teach me Thy tongue, give me the language of Thy example, of Thy lessons, of Thy gospel, and of Thy Cross. Practice. — Judge not nor speak according to the ideas of the world. Thursday. *' And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God."— aS'^. Mark xvi. 19. Thought — Yesterday Jesus was nailed upon the Cross, and His ene- mies defied Him to descend ; to-day He ascends into heaven. Could they prevent His ascent, and thus prevent His coming down to judge us ! Yes- terday Jesus was suspended by three nails betwixt heaven and earth ; to- day He is sitting tranquilly on the right hand of His Father. After 108 A THOUGHT FOR humiliation comes glory, after labor comes repose, after suffering there is Prayer. — J esus, from the right hand of Thy Father where Thou sit- test Thou dost descend each day, each instant, upon our altars ; Thou dost come down into our hearts, to make of Thy Church, and of all of us, one great body, whose head shall reach to the highest heavens. Practice, — Dwell in heaven in thought, desire, faith, and hope. Fkiday. " And they (the Apostles), going: forth, preached every- where."— /S'^. Mark xvi. 20. Thought, — If you love Jesus, you will not stand motionless, gazing at that point in the heavens where He disappeared from your sight. You will go forth into the world, and make Him known and loved, causing Him to reign over all minds by faith, and over all hearts by cliarity. There is EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 109 no repose here below. In heaven we shall sit down with Jesus. Mean- while, let us keep close to Jesus ; let us advance continually, and never lin- ger. Prayer, — Jesus, be with me, ac- cording to Thy promise, until the end of the world. Be with me until my last hour. Grant that by words, and still more by example, I may cause Thee to be known and loved. Practice, — Speak of Jesus continu- ally, and in all places, that He may be known and served by all. Saturday. " The Lord working withal, and crnfirming the word with signs that loUowed."— /S^. Mark xvi. 20. Thought,' — Unless the Lord works with you, your actions will profit nothing. If He approves not of your word by divine recognition, it will not be accepted. Now, what may be the signs of divine co-operation and ap- proval? Sometimes miracles in the 110 A THOUGHT FOR physical order — for instance, the cur- ing of the sick, the resurrection of the dead ; but more often miracles in the moral order, such as the conversion of sinners and the practice of heroic virtues. Jesns, in Thy Gospel Thou hast revealed to us Thy truths, but above all, by Thy example Thou hast taught us all things necessary. Prayer. — Jesus, help me to make Thee known and loved. Experience has shown me but too clearly how powerless I am without Thy aid. Practice, — Count upon divine help only for success in good works, and yet labor and act as thougli success depended only upon your efforts. EACH DAY OF THE TEAE. Ill Jfettntrafi im'tl^Cn tl^e #ctai)e of tije Mnttnnion, "But when the Paraclete cometh, whom T will send you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth whopro- ceedeth from the Father, He shall give testimony of me.''— St. John xv. 26. Thought — From whence springs that intellectual and moral superiority of the Christian over the most learned and upright pagan ? How is it that a child twelve years old knows more than the most sublime and most pro- found philosopher of pagan Greece about God and man, and of the con- nection between God and man ? Ac- cording to the teachings of faith, the Christian receives in baptism the Spirit of the Father and the Son, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Sanctity. Be cognisant of your superiority, and be not led by the spirit of the world. Prayer. — Jesus, replenish in my soul the Spirit proceeding from Thee 112 A THOUGHT FOR and from Thy Father. That alone can preserve me from the spirit of error and falsehood which governs the world ; that alone can drive away the breath of corruption which covers the world. Practice. — Follow with docility tlie instructions and inspirations of the Holy Ghost. Monday. ** He shall give testimony of me."— >S'i^. John xv. S6. Thought, — Neither reason nor the senses can teach us to know Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost alone dis- covers to us the Son of God in the Son of man. Are you desirous of converting the unbeliever and the impious, of awaking the Christian spirit in your own soul? Have re- course to the teaching of the Gospel and of the Church. The Holy Ghost inspired the Gospel, and He assists the Church. But, above all, remember ! EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 113 that faith is a gift. Pray, then, and invoke the Spirit of light and truth. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou hast ex- plained to us Thy word. Thou hast sent us Thy Spirit. How can we re- sist this double testimony? My God, I do believe, but complete Thy work; and since Thy Spirit is not only the Spirit of Truth, but also the Spirit of Sanctity, grant through it that ray life may be spent in conformity with Thy word and uiy own belief. Practice. — Live like Jesus Christ, and you will live by the Holy Ghost. Tuesday. " And you shall grive me testimony, because you are with me from the beginning."— iS'^. John xv. 27. Thought. — What honor for poor needy sinners, to be called to give testimony of Jesus Christ! Surely they who already have the testimony of the Holy Ghost need not that of nameless, worthless men. All the ad- 114 A THOUGHT FOR vantage is on their side. The names of these sinners will be more popular, more glorious, than the name of an Alexander or of a Plato. The glory rendered by them to Jesus Christ by the testimony of their word and blood comes back upon them, and surrounds their memory with immortal glory. Prayer, — Jesus, I too have been with Thee from the first moments of my existence, from the hour of bap- tism. Grant that my life, still more than my words, may be a continual witness to the strength of Thy grace and of Tliy example. Practice, — Have nothing at heart but the glory of Jesus Christ ; yon will then participate in the splendor of His glory. Wednesday. [ ppoken toyon, ized."— /S'^.JoAti Thought, — Wherefore are you as- ThcBe things have I ppoken to yon, that you may not be'scandalized."— /S'^.Jo^Tixyi. 1. EACH DAY OF THE TEAR. 115 tonislied at the tribulations which op- press the Church ? wherefore are yon scandalized at the persecuiions under- gone by the Saints? Was not Jesus Christ hated and attacked by all? Was there any kind of suffering or in- famy that He did not submit to ? ] You say God abandons His Church, I and delivers His own people to the enemy ; so did He abandon His be- loved Son, delivering Him to a traitor, j to insolent, cowardly judges, to the | mob, and to the rabble. But you must remember this trial lasted only a few hours, sufficiently long, how- ever, to show forth the heroism of Charity, while the glory of His tri- umph shall last for ever and ever. || Prayer — Jesus, do not permit mo to be scandalized at Tliy Cross. It was a royal road to glory for Thee, and it cannot be a less royal road for Thy Church, for Thy Saints, and for myself. 116 A THOUGHT FOR Practice, — Accept suffering and humiliation. Thursday. ^' The hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to God."— /S'^. Jdhr^ xvi. 2. Thought. — And, indeed, in the name of law, justice, and morality, for the good of nations, in the in- terests of religion, and for the honor of God's name, enemies to God and religion, men lawless and immoral, proclaim far and wide the necessity of exiling, and even of exterminating, priests and religious — of rooting out all Christians who are distinguished by their opposition to error and vice. So, too, did Jesus suffer. In the name of the law, for the honor of God, and for the benefit of the nation was He condemned as blasphemer and seducer, and condemned to death. Prayer, — Jesus, give me the cou- rage of a martyr. Our times and coun- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 117 try still hold out to lis the martyr's palm, which may seem to have be- longed to the time of Nero, or to the countries of Tonquin and Corea. Practice. — Endure with patience those petty humiliations and suffer- ings of each day, and you will be pre- pared for great combats. Friday. " And these things they will do to you, because they have not kown the Father nor me."— /S^. Johns.'Ti. 3. Thought. — O Lord, they know Thee not. They know not that Thou art King and Master of the universe, and that they are thus unable to es- cape Thy judgment. They ignore both the Father and Thee. They will not recognize in Thee the Son of God, born to save tbe world. They understand not that in rejecting Thee they are lost for ever. If they did not persist in ignoring Thee, they would readily receive Thy ambas- 118 A THOrOHT FOR sadors; they would be governed and saved by Thy Church, Prayer. — Jesus, how can I com- plain that my intentions are miscon- strued and aspersed when I see how mankind ignores all that Thy Father has done in sending Thee to succor them, all that Thou hast done by Thy sacrifice upon the Cross, all Thou still doest by Thy sacrifice on onr altars. Practice. — Do good, and expect nothing but forgetfulness and con- tempt from men. Saturday. ** But these things I have told yon, that when the hour of them shall come, you may remember that I told you."— /S^. John xvi. 4. Thought. — Persecution teaches us two things — our weakness and our strength; our weahness in ourselves and by ourselves ; a few wicked but hardened men can silence and frighten the good, and can even render them EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 119 powerless : our strength in God, and from God ; for women and children, with His help and grace, have de- spised the fury of the mob, the power of a Caesar. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou art not, like the world, given to deceit. The world promises honors and pleasures, but gives only shame and remorse. Thou didst announce the Cross, and didst hold by Thy divine word. To the Cross Thou didst promise victory, and Thy saints are crowned 'with honor and glory. Practice. — In the midst of suffer- ing and humiliation think of the glory awaiting you in heaven. 120 A THOUGHT FOR PENTECOST. ** If any man love me, he will keep my word."— ^^ John xiv. 24. Thought. — Love consists in the union of the lover and the object loved. Intelligent beings are united by thought and will. Friends think alike, their desires are similar. If you love Jesus Christ, you must think as He thinks, desire what He desires, do what He wishes; so you will keep His word, and do as He thinks, wishes, and desires. AH other love is false. Prayer. — Jesus, grant me light to understand Thy word, and strength to accomplish it. Practice. — Follow strictly God's EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 121 commandments, and the particular rules of your profession. Monday. ** And my Father will love him."— /S'^. John xiv. 23. Thought, — What grace, what glory to be loved by God the Father! What must I do to obtain this honor ? Jesus tells me I must love Him, and follow His wishes, and do His bid- ding. *'If any man loveth me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him." It is not here a ques- tion of sentiment or of sublime con- templation ; it needs not a great heart nor an elevated understanding. Love Jesus, believe His word, obey His commandments ; then will you be friend of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Prayer. — Jesus, Thy word suffices. It shall be my light and strength. Practice. — Cling to Jesus, by be- 122 A THOUGHT FOR lieving His doctrine and obeying His instructions. Tuesday. ** And we will come to him, and will make our abode with him." -St. John xiv. 23. Thought — I cannot attain the height where God is, but I can believe what Jesus teaches, and do what He commands. On these conditions will the Father and Son come unto me. I may not dwell in God, but if I only believe and accomplish the word of Jesus Christ, He will establish His dwelling in me. I shall not be in heaven, but heaven will be in me, which imports the pame* Prayer, — Jesus, come and dwell in me, that I may dwell in Thee. Thou art greater than I, and Thou canst only dwell in me by raising me to Thyself. From the single fact that Thou dwellest in me, I of necessity must dwell in Thee. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 123 Practice. — Dwell in God by thought and desire. Wednesday. " He that loveth me DOt kepeth not my words." — St. John XIV. 24. Thought. — Do not deceive your- self, nor think that you can deceive God. If your wishes are not accord- ing to the wishes of Jesus — if you do not the bidding of Jesua, you love Him not, you are not united with Him in heart and will. Prayer. — Jesus, I love Thee, and I desire what Thou desirest ; but I am weak, and without Tliy assistance I shall not have strength to do Thy wishes, which indeed are my wishes too. Practice. — Fulfil the duties and rules of your state of life ; obey your superiors, who in their respective positions represent Jesus Christ. 124 a thought for Thursday. " Bat the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He will teach you all thingB.'"—JSL John xiv. 26. Thought— The Holy Ghost is the Paraclete, or the Consoler, because He is the light and the flame. The light, for He enlightens the under- standing, and dissipates the error -which laid it desolate. The flame, for He warms and reanimates the heart when weakened. Prayer. — Jesus, inform me by the Holy Ghost of all those things that I should do for the glory of Thy Father. Practice, — Continual invocation of the Holy Ghost. Friday. *' Peace I leave with yon, my peace I give unto you." —St. John xiv. 27. Thought, — Peace is the dying be- quest of Jesus: peace of mind, con- firmed by faith in the word of Jesus ; peace of heart, strengthened by chari- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 125 ty, which consists in obeying the in- structions of Jesus Christ, and follow- ing the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Such is the order of things, peace is the tranquillity of order. JPrayer.^ Jesus J Thou alone canst give me peace. The world gives only disorder, and consequently tumult and anxiety. Without Thee I can neither obtain nor persevere in that tranquillity of disposition which con- srtitutes peace. Practice, — Seek peace, but only through Jesus Christ. Saturday. "But that the world may know that I love the Father : and as the Father has given me commandment, so do I. Arise, and let us go hence."— St John xiv. 31. Thought, — Love does not show it- self by sentiment or by words, but by action. Do the bidding of Him you love, then will it be known that you love Him. Jesus often repeats in the gospel this doctrine already made so 126 A THOUGHT FOR evident. Let us not tire of meditat- ing upon it, and repeating it to our- selves. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that I may go hence vrith Thee, and quickly and generously resolve to do what Thou and Thy Divine Father will. Practice. — Prompt and entire ful- filment of the will of God. EACH DAT OF THE TEAK. 127 ^vinits (ti)c first Suntra^ atttv Pentecost). "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the floiy Ghost.''— /S^. Matthew xxviii. 19. Thought, — Created to the image and likeness of God, baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I am called to live for ever in the company of the Three Persons of the august Trinity, and to share their happiness and glory. How can I forget the dig- nity of my condition and destiny ? Prayer. — O Father, Thou didst create me, I consecrate to Thee my mind and all my thoughts. O Son, Thou didst redeem me, 1 consecrate to Thee my memory and my whole speech. Holy Ghost, -Thou didst sanctify me, I consecrate to Thee my will and all my affections. 128 A THOUGHT FOR 'Practice, — Do all your actions in tlie name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Monday. **Show us the Father, and it is enough for us."— iS'^ John xiv. 8. Thought. — God the Father is the beginning of the Son and Holy Ghost, the beginning of all that is and all that can be. He who sees the begin- ning sees all, for everything depends upon the beginning. Therefore to see the Father is to see both the Word, which is the wisdom of the Father, and the Holy Ghost, which is the goodness of the Father and the Son. In the Father we see the reason for all existing things ; and to see the Father is supreme, complete happi- ness of the mind and consequently of the will. Prayer. — Jesus, show us the Fa- ther ; reveal him to us below by EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 129 faith, and in heaven above by the light of glory. Practice, — Aspire towards God alone. Tuesday. "And the Word was made flesh."— ^S'^. John i. 14. Thought, — The Word has become like to me, that I may become like to Him, not God, but son of God ; not son of God by nature, but by adoption; so shall I partake of the glorious happy life of the divine na- ture. Prayer. — Jesus, Word made flesh, true God, and true son of God and of Mary, obtain for me from Thy Father, and grant me from Thyself, the grace of resembling Thee and Thy word, of representing Thee in my life, of speak- ing of Thee continually in my dis- course, just as Thou art, the represen- tative, the splendor of the glory of Thy Father, the word, the echo, and 130 A THOUGHT FOR the wisdom of supreme understand- ing. Practice. — Imitate Jesus in your thoughts, words, and actions. Wednesday. ** Thou Shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created ; and Thou shalt renew the lace of the earth."— Psa^m ciii. 30. Thought. — Vainly the Father cre- ates me, vainly the Son redeems me, if the Holy Ghost comes not down to me, I am chaos, a body without life. It is by the working of the Holy Ghost that this chaos becomes a world, that this body receives life, that this soul lives by grace, and that the death of sin gives place to super- natural life. Prayer. — Jesus, send forth unto me Thy Spirit, the Spirit of Thy Fa- ther, which will enlighten my under- standing and strengthen my will. Without It I am incapable of a single good thought, of one good desire. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK, 131 Practice, — Invoke the Holy Gliost at the commencement of your princi- pal actions. Thursday, Corpus Christi. ** For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."— 6'^. John vi. 56. TJwiight, — The body and blood of Jesus Christ are inseparable from His divinity. This flesh, then, is divine nourishment, and this blood is divine drmk. But this nourishment, this drink, is not transformed into our substance to live by our life, but it transforms us into its substance, that we may live by the divine life of Jesus Christ. Prayer. — Jesus, be Thou my life — ^life of my mind, for Thou art truth and wisdom^ — life of my will, for Thou art all love and goodness. Practice, — Unite your intentions to those of the heart of Jesus, that yon may keep in you the divine life 132 A THOUGHT FOR which you have received by Holy Communion. Friday. *'He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, ahideth in me, and I in him."— /Si. John vi. 57. Thought. — As the soul is in the body and the body is in the soul, and as the soul keeps and really maintains the body more than the body does the soul, so after Communion I am in Jesus, and Jesus is in me He sus- tains and reanimates me, restores new life within me, deifies me, preserving in me at the same time my natural life and power. Prayer, — Jesus, dwell in me, and permit me to be Thy agent, as my body is the agent of my soul ; grant that all my actions may be performed for Thee, that I may live only in Thee. Practice. — Be guided and govern- ed by J esus. each day of the year. 133 Saturday. " As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so he that eatetli roe, the game also shall live by me."— /S^. John vi. 58. Thought — As tlie Word, Christ Jesus lives the life of the Father ; as' man. He lives the human life, and also the divine life, which, as the Word, He received from His Father, and which He Himself communicates to His humanity. Nourished in Holy Communion by the body and the blood, by the soul and the divinity, of Jesus, I shall live both in His human and divine life. Prayer. — Jesus, give me life from Thy life, thoughts from Thy thoughts, desires from Thy desires, love from Thy love, suffering and actions from Thy suffering and actions. Practice. — Spend your life in con- formity with the life of Jesus. 134 A THOUGHT FOR Secontr Suntrag after jpentecost. " This is the bread that came down from heaven."— iSt. John vi. 59. Thought. — The Word made flesh is the bread, the nourishment of the soul — bread of the intelligence, for it is truth — savory bread, for it is wis- dom — bread of the will, for it is the life, the origin of every movement, of every energy and virtue. Prayer, — Jesus, thou art the light, the wisdom, the virtue from on high —Thou art the life ! If I follow Thee not, I wander from Thee. Thou art truth; if I believe Thee not, I de- ceive myself. Thou art the life ; if I am not united to Thee, then I die. Practice. — Every day I eat material food, so every day should I partake of heavenly food by Holy Communion, or at least by spiritual Communion. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 135 Monday. " Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead."— JSt. John vi. 59. Thought. — And yet this manna was sent from heaven-r-a gift of God, but not God Himself. The purest and most heavenly of divine gifts are una- ble to satisfy the soul ; God alone can stay that hunger, that thirst after infinite, eternal good which torments us. God alone is the life of the in- tellect and the will. Prayer, — Jesus, all that is not like to Thee is like to the dewdrop, which a ray of sunlight destroys. Thou alone canst satisfy me. Practice, — Do not be contented when you receive consolation ; seek repose in Jesus, and in Jesus only. Tuesday. " He that eateth this bread shall live for ever/'—zS^. John vi. 59. Thought, — The life of man consists in the perfect union of the soul both 136 A THOUGHT FOR with God and the body. Tliere is some power which the soul may not exercise without the body. The in- telb'gence and the will are not satis- fied without a full knowledge and love of God. Eternal life is the irre- vocable, indissoluble union of the soul with God and the body. Jesus guar- antees us this eternal and complete life by Holy Communion. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art the Bread of Life, the life of the mind, for Thou art the Word — the Word of Truth; life of the will, for Thou art the splendor of the glory of the Father; the reflection of Divine Beauty ; the life of the senses and the body, for Thou art the Resurrection. Practice. — Often unite your actions to those of Jesus. Wednesday. " Take ye and eat."— 1 C(/r. ii. 24, Thought. — Jesus commences the EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 137 mystery of His union with us, and will accomplish it ; but we must re- spond to His call by making at least an effort to take and receive the di- vine food which He offers — Accipite^ take ye, et manducate, and eat. Prayer, — Jesus, teach me to reply ^ to Thy invitation by an ardent desire to receive Thee, and to become united to Thee. Practice. — Think of your past Communion, and look forward to the future Communion. Thursday. *' This is my body ; . . . this chalice is the new testa- ment in my blood/'— 1 Cor, xi. 24, 25. Thought, — Under the appearance of bread I receive and partake of the body of Jesus ; under the appearance of wine I receive and drink the blood of Jesus. United with Jesus, and transformed into Him, my life will be like that of Jesus, a Christian and divine life. 138 A THOUGHT FOR Prayer, — Thou art mine, and I am Thine. Live Thou in me, that I may dwell in Thee. PraGtice. — Let us incessantly re- member how great is the dignity to which we are raised by Holy Commu- nion. Feiday, Feast of Sacked Heart. ** One of the soldiers with a spear opened His side." — St. John xix. 34. Thought. — Behold now that heart which has loved mankind so dearly, and received only indifference or out- rage in return ! And yet, what does this heart ask in exchange ? My heart — nothing more, but nothing less. Prayer. — Jesus, I give Thee my heart — that is, my will, my liberty, my love, my strength; and it is to my interest to do this, for all that is not consecrated to Thee is lost for all eternity. Practice. — Unite all your inten- tions to those of Jesus Christ. each day of the year. 139 Saturday. *^ Put me as a seal upon Thy heart, as a seal upon Thy arm."— C'a/i^. viii. 6. Thought. — Wax takes the impres- sion of the seal ; so shall my heart take the impression of the heart of Jesus. His wishes shall be my wishes. His love shall be my love. Thus shall mv arm receive from the heart c/ of Jesus strength, movement, action, being ; and thus fortified, my actions shall agree with those of Jesus. Prayer. — Jesus, by Thy heart be Thou the centre, the mover of all my actions and affections. Practice. — Think as Jesus thinks, desire what Jesus desires, do as Jesus does. 140 A THOUGHT FOE " Now the publicans and sinners drew near unto Him to hear Him/'— xSif. Luke xv. Thought. — The world looks dowji upon the publicans ; Jesus does not repel them. Heaven rejects sinners ; Jesus allows them to approach Him. Whilst there remains in the soul any degi'ee, however small, of good-will, there is still hope for its salvation. O you who are despised by the world and rejected by Heaven ! draw near to Jesus, hear Him ; there are words of pardon for you in the heart of Jesiis. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art night and day upon the altar awaiting my visit, ready to gi^ant all my requests, all my prayers. Speak, O Jesus ! tell me Thy desires ; Thy servant listens. Praotice, — Follow with docility the inspirations of Jesus. each day of the year. 141 Monday. *' And the Pharisees and the Scribes murmnred, say- ing, This man receiveth einners, and eateth with them:'— St. Luke xv. 2, Thoicght, — Jesus, wlio is wisdom and goodness itself, escapes not the criticism of those who in tlie eyes of the world are deemed masters of wis- dom and models of virtue, such as the doctors of the law and the Phari- sees. Let us remember that the dis- ciple is not above the Master. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that, follow- ing Thy example, I may count as nothing the murmur and criticisms of the world. Practice. — Do good, and let the world have its say. Tuesday. ** Rejoice with me, bpcanee I have found the sheep that was lost."— /Sif. Luke xv. 6. Thought, — The good shepherd loves all his sheep. Those in the fold run no danger, therefore they do not ex- 142 A THOUGHT FOR cite solicitude and anxiety. It is differ- ent with that sheep which has strayed from the flock ; she is lost unless the Shepherd find her again. The joy in finding makes up for the pain caused by the anxiety of the search. Prayer, — Jesus, I lose myself at every instant by following my thoughts and my caprices when I should follow and imitate Thee. Where should I be this day hadst Thou not sought me out whenever I was lost ? Practice, — Contrition and confi- dence. Wednesday. ** I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance." — SL Luke XV. 7. Thought, — And why ? because the repentant sinner is often more humble, more grateful, more fervent than the just man who has never sinned ; be- cause the sinner's conversion costs EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 143 God more than the perseverance of the just. More of grace is required to draw the wicked away from sin than to maintain the just in the path of virtue. Even if the grace were the same, the good result would be greater. A gift of a hundred pounds is a greater gift for a poor man than for a rich man. Prayer, — Jesus, help me to atone by fervor for the faults of my past life. Practice, — Work for the conversion of sinners. Thursday. " Or what woman having ten groats, if she should lose one groat, doth not light a candle."— >iS^. John xv. 8. Thought, — When we lose some grace, we should light our lamp, and examine our conscience, to discover the cause of this infidelity. Prayer, — Jesus, teach me to value the least of Thy favors, and never to lose even one of those groats which Thou hast confided to me. 144: A THOUGHT FOR Practice. — Continual watchfulness and care. Friday. **She (doth) sweep the house."— /Sif. Luke xv. 8. Thought, — Would you recover lost grace and fervor in God's service % Then examine your conscience, purity it of its smallest faults, sweep out the dust that prevents you from seeing; desti*oy those cobwebs, those vicious affections, which harass the liberty of your heart. Prayer, — Jesus, seek me Thyself when I wander from Thee and am lost. I shall never recover Thee, and return to Tliee, without Thy aid. Practice, — Make a faithful examin- ation of conscience. Saturday. " And (doth) seek diligently until she find iV—St. Luke XV. 8. Thought, — You lose some precious object, say a piece of money, and you EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 145 give yourself no rest until it is recov- ered. You lose the grace of God by mortal sin, or you lose some portion of that divine gift by venial sin ; do you regret this loss ? Do you hasten to repair the loss ? Prayer, — Jesus, help me to recover by my diligence the numberlcK^s graces I have lost during my lifetime. PractiGe.^-T>o all tilings well, such is the secret — firstly, never lose a sin- gle instant ; secondly, make up for lost time. 146 A THOUGHT FOR iFotttti) S'^. Luke xvi. 9 . Thought — Worldly goods have no value unless they are employed for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. Health, strength, talent, virtue, grace, all these gifts which we receive, should be used for the good of man ; and this good consists of union with God through a knowledge and love of Him. Prayer. — Jesus, teach me that hea- ven is the lot of those who are de- voted to the service of their neighbor, and that eternal fire awaits the selfish. 176 A THOUGHT FOR who, like the bad rich man, are only busied with themselves. Practice, — When a day passes in which you have rendered no service to your neighbor, say with Titus, "I have lost a day." Saturday. "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful in that which is greater."— aS^. Lnike xvi. 10. Thought. — It is easy then to be- come holy. For in little things I cannot excuse myself on account of my weakness. I cannot pass the whole day in prayer, but I may pray carefully for one-quarter of an hour. I cannot imitate the austerities of a Saint Antony, but I may abstain from some little sensualitv, some useless word. I have it not in my power to travel in the East like St. Francis Xavier, but I can speak a kind word to this friend, to that poor person, to that sick man. Thus by these small, EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 177 easy actions I shall become capable of heroic actions. Prayer, — Jesus, nothing is little in Thy service, nothing is little when Thou dost desire it. Practice — Perform a good work, make a little sacrifice, or say a kind wordj at least once a day. 178 A THOUGHT FOR Wmti) Suntras after l^tntttout "Ifthoahadst kaown, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace."— /S'^. Luke xix. 42. Thought, — Jesus desires our happi- ness. Why do we resist His desires ? Let Him establish His reign in our hearts. As a reward for the little services He asks of us. He will fill our soul with abundance of peace and consolation. Prayer, — Jesus, enter into my heart ; reign there ; dispose of it according to Thy own good plea- sure. I know Thou only desirest my welfare. Practice, — Faithfully obey inspira- tions from above. Monday. lidden from tt xix. 42. Tliought, — We often do not under- But now they are hidden from thy eyes."— /S'if. Luke xix. 42. EACH DAY OF THE TEAR. 179 stand things because we have no de- sire to understand them. Jerusalem did not recognize the Saviour by Ilis word or by His miracles, because she closed her eyes to the light. When God in His providence shows us His designs, let us obey His will and ac- complish it. Experience will teach us that the divine ways are the ways of mercy. Prayer. — Jesus, I rely entirely upon Thy wisdom and bounty for all that concerns me. Practice. — Blind confidence in Je- sus. Tuesday. "Thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee."— /S'^. Luke xix. 43. Thought. — The enemies of the soul are the flesh, the devil, and the world. The flesh surrounds the soul with sen- suality, the world besieges it with hu- man respect, the demon completes the work of these two by sin. The soul. 180 A THOUGHT FOR once a slave to the senses, no longer accepts the help of grace ; if a slave to human respect, it dares not follow the call of reason ; if a slave to sin, it loses everything in losing God. Prayer. — Jesus! the example of Jerusalem teaches me that the soul which does not acknowledge Thy roy- alty becomes the slave and prey of her enemies. Practice. — Serve Jesus if you do not wish to serve the world and hell. #■ Wednesday. *' They sTiaU not leave in thee a stone upon a stone/* ^St. Luke xix. 44, Thought, — When sin enters the soul it leaves not a stone upon a stone. It destroys grace, it falsifies reason, it enslaves the will, it corrupts the senses. It robs the soul of its vir- tues one by one — first of charity, then of hope, finally of faith. All moral virtues disappear — prudence, justice. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 181 strength, temperance. Nothing is seen in a soul ravished by sin but chaos and disorderly ruin. Prayer, — Jesus ! be Thou Master in my soul, otherwise, if abandoned as prey to the passions, it will fall into the power of the devil, it will be- come a living hell. Practice, — Keep guard over your heart, especially by examination of conscience. Thursday. ''And entering into the temple, He began to cast out them that sold therein." — St. Luke xix. 45. Thought, — Jesus does not tolerate in His temple those who sell animals destined to the sacrifice. Would He, then, have within His Church those who propagate doctrines contrary to His Gospel, condemned by His Yicar ? Prayer, — Jesus, drive out from my soul all worldly-wise calculation, which would purchase the liberty of saying and doing good by granting to 182 A THOUGHT FOR others the permission to say and do ill. Practice. — Have no consideration for those who profane the sanctity of the Church by their doctrine or by their conduct. Friday. " My hou?e is tlie house of prayer."— /SiJ. Luke xix. 46. Thought, — My soul should be a house of prayer. All my thoughts, desires, and actions should tend to the service and glory of God. Whenever I refer my actions to any other than God my soul becomes a den of thieves. Prayer, — Jesus ! I consecrate to Thee myself, my possessions, my power, my actions. Practice. — Offer up at different times your actions to God. Saturday. '*And He was teaching daily in the temple."— ^^. LuUe xix. 47. Thought. — Jesus teaches, but un- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 183 f successfully. His word meets only with contradiction ; it does but irri- tate the fury of His enemies, confirm- ing them in their resolution to destroy Him. Jesus nevertheless continues. Let us never tire either of repeating truth or of combating error, even though we convert no one, even though we increase the vexation of our adversaries. We may, perhaps, succumb, but we shall fall martyrs to truth, and truth will triumph. I^rayer.—Jesns, fill me with con- stancy, and let me not be abashed, either by seeming failure or by mani- fest opposition JPractice,- -'ReGommence each day whatever you have undertaken for the service of God, and never give way to discouragement. 184 A THOUGHT FOR ^Trnti) Suntra^ after Pentecost. " And to pome who trnsterJ in themselves ns just, and despise! o hers, He spoke also this parable,"— St. Luke XYiii. 9. Thought. — The very fact of trusting ill one's self, and mistrusting others, is an injustice, firstly, towards God, in Whom alone we should place our con- fidence; and, secondly, towards onr neighbor, whom we have no right to judge, much less to despise. Prayer, — Jesus, enlighten me as to Thee, as to my neighbor, and as to myself; as to Thee, that I may un- derstand that without Thee I am no- thing ; as to myself, that I may recog- nize my nothingness and my misery ; as to my neighbor, that I may open my eyes to his merits, and close them to his faults. Practice, — Mistrust of self and es- teem for others. each day of the year. 185 Monday. " Two men went up into the temple to pray."— >S'^. Luke xviii, 10. Thought. — Of these two men, the one believes himself to be just, which he is not ; the other believes himself a sinner, which he is. The former is in error, and pride strengthens him in it. The latter is in the right, and his humility will draw him out of misery. Prayer. — Jesus, I come to Thee with the knowledge and experience of my weakness and misery. My confi- dence in the past and in the future is in Thee, and in Thee alone. Practice. — -Humility in prayer. Tuesday. *' The Pnarisee standing, prayed thus with himself.'* — /S^. Luke xviii. 11. Thought, — The proud man stands upright before God, and if he prays, he prays to himself; he cannot forget self. He thinks only of self, esteems only, loves only, self. Look at the 186 A THOUGHT FOK worldly man of to-day — be stands up- right " Pliarisens stans." If there is any advantage, it is in favor of the Pharisee of past ages. He did pray, thougli very badly. The worldly man of to-day never enters a cburcli ; why? no one knows. Not only does he not bend the knee before God, but, rising up with haughty look and bearing, he talks, he is wearied, but he prays not. Prayer, — Jesus, I will bow the forehead before Thee, that I may not incline it before man. Practice, — Be humble before God, and you will be firm in the presence of man. Wednesday. *' O God, I give thee thanks that T am not as the rest of men."— aS'^. ZwA;exviii. 11. Thought, — Thus do I seem to hear th© sophists of our times speak, those men so self-sufficient, so disdainful, so contemning, so convinced that they EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 187 are the only wise, the only learned. The rest of mankind ! What is it in the eyes of this proud being ? Mad- man, were it as true as it is false that you are not an adulterer, an extor- tioner, an unjust man, know that you possess one vice which contains all the rest — that vice is called pride. Prayer. — Jesus, I confess and own that I am not as good as the rest of men, and that without Thee there is no crime which I might not commit. Practice, — Esteem yourself as the least among men. Thursday. "And the pnblican standing afar off would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven," — 8t. Lake xviii. 13. i Thought. — The publican also stands up, but far from the altar, for he con- siders himself unworthy to approach ; nor does he dare to lift up his eyes to- wards that heaven w^hich seems closed to him. Doubtless he is a sinner, but 188 A THOUGHT FOR a humble, a repentant sinner. If he stands up, it is to show that he is ready to do all that God shall ask of him. Prayer. — Jesus, fill me with hum- ble repentance for my faults, gire me consciousness of my indignity, and knowledge of my misery. Praotice. — Never forget what you are. Friday. "This man went into his house justified."— /S'^. Luke xviii. 14. Thought. — Everything is forgiven him that asks forgiveness — nothing is forgiven him that does not ask it. By asking for forgiveness we acknow- ledge om wrong, and repent of our fault. By our silence, we do not own, but persist in the wrong. The repentant sinner regains grace and justice, the proud Pharisee returns to his house as proud and as guilty as when he went out. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 189 Prayer, — Jesus, I repent; grant me that forgiveness which Thou didst obtain for me upon the cross, at the price of Thy blood. Practice, — Humility and confi- dence. Saturday. " Every one tliat exaUeth himself shaU be humbled ; he that humbieth himself bhall be exhalted."— /S'^. Luke xvii.. 14. Thought. — God deals favorably with the meek of heart, but rejects the proud : mankind follow the same rule ; therefore it is folly to exalt one's self. God and mankind exalt those who humble themselves. We should then humble ourselves with sincerity, for otherwise our hypocrisy would soon be discovered. Prayer, — Jesus, grant lae a know- ledge of myself and of Thee. Hu- mility will tlien come easy to me. The knowledge of my misery will keep me in my place, the knowledge 190 A THOUGHT FOE of Thy greatness will keep me at that distance which respect demands. Practice. — Never seek the highest place, take rather the lowest. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 191 ISlebenti) cSuntra^ after jpcnte^ touU '*" And thi^ bring kim one deaf and dumb."— aS'^. Mark vii. 32. Thought. — I am deaf to the inspi- rations of grace, and I am dumb when it behoves me to defend the in- terest of the Church. Who will teach me to be docile and faithful to the divine Word? Who will give me courage to speak boldly, in defence of faith and Church against the enemies of religion. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou alone canst work this wonder, Thou alone canst give me both courage and docility. Practice. — Hear the voice of God, and profess your faith, without any human respect. 192 a thought for Monday. " And, taking him from the multitude apart, he put hisfingers into hi^ ears, and spitting, he touched hia tongue."— -S^, Markyii. 33. Thought. — Are you desirous of hearing the Word of God, and learn- * ing truth ? If so, you must separate yourself from the crowd. In the midst of the world you can only hear the buzz of opinion. Noise is con- fusing, opinion is doubtful, and is oftentimes an echo of error. Do you wish for liberty of speech ? You must still withdraw from the crowd. Surrounded by it, you would not dare to proclaim your thoughts. You, like the rest of the world, would speak under the control of your passions. Prayer, — Jesus, take me apart ; if not, the crowd will drag me away ; open my ears, that I may listen to Thy Word, touch my tongue with Thy precious blood in the Holy Com- munion, that I may have knowledge and courage to speak ot Thee. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 193 Practice. — Be docile to the calling of Jesus, do not heed the voice of the crowd. Tuesday. "And looking up to heaven lie groaned."— /S'i. Uarlc vii. 34. Thought, — Jesus looks up to heaven. Let us, before the combat, by a pure and upright. intention, and by a hum- ble yet confident invocation, look to- wards Him who can do all things, without whom we can do nothing. Jesus groans. Human nature con- fesses its weakness. Let us confess our impotence, and we shall become powerful with the power of God. Prayer, — Jesus, by Thee, and through Thee only, do I expect strength and efficacy — strength to act, and success after action. Practice. — Cast one look towards God at the commencement of each action. 194 a thought for Wednesday. ** And he said to him : Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.'''— St. Mark vii. 34. Thought. — One word from Jesus suffices to open ear and mouth. When will this word be said for me ? When shall I become docile to the voice of God? When shall I have grace to speak well of God ? Prayer, — Jesus, say one word that I may hear and repeat it, both in my conduct and in my speech. Practice. — Expect everything from God alone. Thursday. "And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right."— aS^. Mark vii. 35. Thought. — He spoke right. He spoke correctly. Lo^uebatur recte. What is required in order to speak correctly, in the moral sense ? First- ly, the ear of intelligence must be opened to the voice of grace; second- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 195 ly, the chain of human respect bind- ing the tongue must be broken. Then only will our language be correct — i.e,, it will be in conformity with our thoughts and with reason, because it will no longer be the echo of opinion, or the echo of the passions of man ; it will be in conformity with the divine thought^ and with faith, because the Word of God, once listened to and re- ceived with docility, will regulate our thoughts and words. Prayer. — Jesus, Eternal Wisdom, grant that my word may become a repetition of Thy divine Word, that my wisdom may be Thy Wisdom. Practice. — Speak according to your belief and faith. FsroAY. "And he charged them that they should tell no man,'^— >S'^. Mark vii. 36. Thought. — Jesus refuses worldly glory. Human judgment is so false ! And we would do good, but on con- 196 A THOUGHT FOR ditiou that the world should know it. What reward can man give to us? Let us raise up our hearts. Let us do good. God will judge and recompense us. Prayer. — Jesus, if Thou concealest Thy favors, it is not through fear of flattery, but througli contempt for the vanity of human opinion. Practice, — Despise human judg- ment. Saturday. '^He hath done all things wel'."— aS'^. Marie, vii. 37. Thought, — Why has he done well ? Because he has made the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak. How many are there now deaf to the voice of God ! The greatest benefit that can be con- ferred on them is to teach them to hear the truth, by word and by book„ How many are dumb in the service of the Lord, refusing to open their lips to defend Him ! The best thing f EACH 1>AY OF THE YEAR. 197 we can do is to loosen the strings of their tongues, and obtain from them a frank, full, and complete declaration in favor of truth, justice, and the Church. Prayer, — Jesus, teach me to un- derstand that all sanctity consists in doing good, and that doing good consists in serving our neighbor. Practice, — Do all things well. Age quod agis. Give yourself en- tirely up to the action you are per- forming. 198 A THOUGHT FOR CtDclftl^ Suntras after J|ente- tost " Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you eee.'"—St. Luke x. 23. Thought. — Blessed are those who see Jesus — i.e., God made man, God made visible by the Incarnation. Wherefore sliould we envy those who saw Jesus during his mortal lite? We see Him, we know Him to be pre- sent, living, working, teaching, and speaking, in His Church, and through His Church, which is His body, and the evident, sensible manifestation of His presence. His wisdom, His bounty, and His power. Prayer, — Jesus, I see Thee by the eye of iaith, by the eye of reason, and by the eye of the body. The eye of the body sees the Christian, the priest ; the eye of reason sees the action which distinguishes tlie Chris- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 199 tian, the priest : the eye of faith re- cognizes Thee in the Christian, and in the priest. Practice — 'Recognize Jesus Christ in each member of His Church. Monday. " Master, what must I do to p issess eternal life 9"_ £lt. Luke X. 85. ^ T/iougfhL~Aecovding to the inten- tion of the interrogator, this question IS a test. So the question is admir- ably put, and the test is decisive Any course of teaching which does not resolve this problem by precise and practical solution is imperfect, and gives neither wisdom nor science. Only that which has reference to eter- nal life is of service, all other is use- less, and a waste of time. Prayer,— Jesus, Thou alone hast the words of eternal life. Tell me what I must do to obtain this life. Give me strength to act according to Thy instructions. 200 A THOUGHT FOR Practice. — Think only of eternal life. Tuesday. '* What is written in the law."— /S'^. Jjiike x. 26. Thought. — Oftentimes we feign ig- norance, not tlirongli liumility, but to avoid giving practical example. That doctor who asks Jesus what the means are for gaining eternal life knows them very well ; he is a doctor of tlie law, and the law contains all that i& necessary for salvation. Prayer, — Jesus, enlighten me not- withstanding, ard help me to acknow- ledge what I know already, and espe- cially grant me strength to practise it. Practice, — Make use of the light already received if you wish to obtain more. Wednesday. '' Thou 8halt love the Lord thy Gfid with thy whole heart, and with ihy whole soul, aud witti all thy strength, and with all thymnd, aud thy neigh- bor as thyself."— aS^. Luke x. 27. Thought, — Such is the law. Pi- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 201 liges — love of choice, free love — not blind love, or instinctive love — ex toto Gorde — no affection which tends not towards God — ex tota anima— every instant of my life, every breath consecrated to God — ex totis virihus — all my strength, all the sinews of my body, all the tendencies of my soul directed to the service of God — et ex omni mente — all my thoughts and intentions tending towards God. All the reasons 1 have to love myself should equally impel me to love my neighbor. In myself I should love the work of God, the image of God, the child of God, the brother and member of Jesus Christ. My neigh- bor is all this. Prayer, — Jesus, I nnite my inten- tions to those of Thy divine heart, and by so doing I am sure to accom- plish the law. Practice, — Have effective as well as affective love. 202 a thought for Thursday. "This do; and thou shalt live."— /S'^. Luke:s., 28. Thought, — It does not suffice to know our duty, we must also do it. Oil ! if we did all the good we know of and are able to do! to what per- fection should wo not arrive, and how rapid would be our progress ! Is it then so difficult to love God with all our strength ? God asks for our whole strength, but for nothing more. We are not asked to do what is impos- sible. So with regard to our neigh- bor. We are asked to do for him what we do for ourselves, not to do anything which is beyond our power. Prayer. — Jesus, enlighten and strengthen me. Give me at least tlie good-will to do what I know, and what I am able. Practice. — Let us not think of what we cannot do, but let us do what is in our power. each day of the year. 203 Friday. '* Which of these three in thy opinionwas neighbor to him that fell among robbers ? ""—St. Luke x. 36. Thought — Love is proved by actions. Your brother suffers. You pass him by without even looking at liim. Say not that you love him. Your brother falls into the hands of the devil by sin, and it is in your power to enlighten him by good counsel, and convert him. You make no attempt. You pass by a.s though the misfortunes of your neighbors concerned you not. You are wretched yourself. This cruel selfishness will cause your per- dition, and in your turn you will fall into the hands of the devil. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that I may never be insensible to the temporal or spiritual misery of my neighbor. Practice, — Works of mercy. Saturday. " Go and do thou in like manner.''— aS^. Luke x. 37. Thought. — The effects, the sign, 204 A THOUGHT FOR and the proof of our love of God manifest themselves in the service we do our neighbor, in the consolation we afford him in time of suffering. Even the sinner, when doing works of charity, is efficaciously preparing him- self to regain grace. You do not love God, who is hidden from your sight, unless you love and serve 3^our brother, the child of God present to you. If, on the other hand, you love and serve your neighbor, you will soon love and serve your God. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art the true Samaritan. Thou hast taken us, cured us of those wounds with wliich sin, after despoiling us, had loaded us. Grant that I may imitate Thee by my zeal for the salvation of my brethren. Practice, — Neglect no occasion of serving your neighbor. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 205 " Going to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through the midst ot Samaria and Galilee. "—/S^. XwA;exvii. 11. Thought, — Jerusalem represents the Church. Samaria is a type of schisiiij heresy, and rebellious Chris- tians. Galilee, where paganism had been established during the captivity of Babylon, represents infidelity. In order to form and increase the Church, Jesus, by His Apostles and his mis- sionaries, traverses the countries occu- pied by tlie pagans and bad Chris- tians. The great work is the propa- gation of the faith, and the conversion of degenerate Christians. Prayer, — Jesus, do not permit me to become useless here below. Grant that I may help in Thy work, w^hich is the Church, by the conversion of sinners. 206 A THOUGHT FOR Practiee, — Work incessantly for the salvation of your neighbor. Monday. " There met Him ten men t^hat were lepers, who stood afar of£:'St. Luke xvii. 12. Thought, — A certain passion, a cer- tain fault, like leprosy, may appear incurable and incorrigible. Go to Jesus. Go to Him with confidence, humility, and constancy. With con- fidence — OGGurrerunt ei — present yourself; go meet Him with con- stancy — steterunt — stand before Him with determination to wait until your prayer is heard ; with humility — a longe — consider liow undeserving you are to approach Jesus. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou alone canst cure me. I will then stand before Thee, praying, until Thou shalt speak the word of salvation. Practice, — Be persevering in prayer. each day of the year. 207 Tuesday. " And lifted np their voic^, paying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.'' — St. Luke xvii. 13. , Thought. — Let us raise up our voi- ces and persist the more the further we know ourselves to be from God. But I know not how to pray. What ! you suffer, you are unhappy, and you know not how to pray ? Acknow- ledge your misery, desire to break from it, turn towards Him who alone can help you, and you will have , prayed. Prayer. — Jesus, have pity on me. Thou seest my misery far better than I, and Thou seest the remedy for the evil. Practice. — Simplicity and obstinacy in prayer. Wednesday. "Go show yourselves to the priests."— /S"^. LuTce xvii. 14. Thought. — These lepers owe their cure to their obedience. First of all 208 A THOTJGHT FOR Jesns obeys the laws which constitute priests the judges of the cure of le- prosy — then the lepers obeyed Jesus, and without waiting for their cure went unto the priest to state their coniplaint. They obeyed, and on the way they were cured. Obedience and faith obtain the victory. Prayer, — Jesus, speak and I obey — speak and I believe. But add to Thy word the gift of -grace, add im- pulse to inspiration. Without this strength will fail me, and I shall not be able to follow the light. Practice, — Obey and believe. Thursday. " And it came to pass, as thf^y went, they were made clean." St. Luke xvii 14. Thought, — Pride engenders all vice. Obtain a cure for pride, and evil is destroyed in the roots. Now^, obedi- ence is precisely the antidote of pride. The lepers had scarcely entered on the ii EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 209 path of obedience when thej were cured. Prayer, — Jesus, distance does not exist with regard to Thee, or rather he is near to Thee who does what Thou com\nandest, even when the ac- complishment of Thy orders seems to remove him from Thee. Minds are united more by the union of wills than by the proximity of bodies. Practice. — Confidence in the word of Jesus. Friday. ** Were not ten made clean, and where are the nine ? " —St. Luke xvii. 17. Thought. — In time of misfortune we pray, in time of happiness we forget to pray. Gratitude hangs heavily on us. Pride blushes to acknowledge that assistance has been required, in- difference thinks not of remembering favors. Yet there is no injustice more deeply felt than ingratitude. Jesus, who is so sweet, so humble, complains 210 A THOUGHT FOR of this offence. Out of ten lepers one only is grateful, and lie is a Samari- tan, one wliom we would nowadays call a schismatic. Often those called good are ungrateful towards God, for they seem to think that favors are their due. Prayer. — Jesus, I mourn, and am grieved at the ingratitude, the forget- fulness, the indifference shown to man. What can I say when I see the ingratitude to which Thou art subject ? Practice, — Show your gratitude towards God, and towards those who are kind to you. Saturday. ** Thy faith hath made thee whole."— /S"/!. LukesLvW. 19. Thought, — Faith saves us, but not without good works. The Samaritan obtained salvation because, impelled by faith, he returned and threw him- self at the feet of Jesus, thanking Him EACH DAT OF THE YEAR. 211 for Ills cure. But without faith good works are worth nothing. Faith raises them and gives them supernatural ef- ficaciousness. Prayer. — Jesus, in Thee alone will I confide, Thou art the only Saviour. Practice. — Spirit of faith in all your works. 212 A THOUaHT FOR jFourteenti) SunTras after l^ente^ cost. "No man can serve two masters."— /S'^. Matthew vi. 24. Thought. — Unless these masters are one and the same. Thus I can and must serve God the Father, and Jesus His Son, and the Pope, who is the vicar of Christ, and my superiors, who (each according to their degree) represent the One Master — i.e.^ God. But it is impossible to serve two op- posite masters, as God and the devil, Jesus Christ and Belial, the Church and the world, the spirit of the Gospel and the spirit o^ the times. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou alone art Mas- ter, I can and will serve Thee alone. Practice, — Have God in sight through Jesus Christ and the Church. Monday. God and maD vi. 24. Thought. — To serve God is to raise *' Yon cannot serve God and mammon."— /S'^. Matthew vi. 24. EACH DAY O:^ THE YEAR. 213 one's self, to serve mammon is to lower one's self. We cannot mount and descend at the same time. What folly to balance between vile metal and Him who is eternal, infinite Good ! What degradation to value the soul less than the body, spiritual and eter- nal interests less than material an(/ temporal interests ! And yet this folly is the wisdom, the prudence of worldly man, and man glories in it ! Prayer, — Jesus, give me to under- stand the first word of Thy preaching. Blessed are the poor of spirit and of heart. Break my chains, even if they are wrought of gold or silver. Practice. — Detach yourself from the riches of this world. Tuesday. " Be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on." — St. Matthew vi. 25. Thought, — Give yourself up to kind Providence, which will in due time 214 A THOUGHT FOR procure for you what you require. That which Jesus promises for the life of the body is stiJl more true with regard to the wants of the soul. Let us in all simplicity, and without solici- tude, do our duty and our best, God will do the rest. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou knowest bet- ter than I what I need. Thou wish- est only my good. Thou canst do all things, why should I be anxious for the future ? Practice, — Have no useless anxious solicitude. Wednesday. " Behold the birds of the air."— aS'^. Matthew vi. 26. Thought. — The bird has no care. It is always on the wing, seeking food in every place, and always finding some. So let us be active, always at work, but without solicitude. Let us use our two wings, intelligence and will, to find nourishment for the soul, EaCH DAY OF THE YEAR. 215 viz., J:ruth and justice; but we must remember that without Providence all our efforts will be in vain, while, on the contrary, with the help of God our efforts will be crowned with suc- cess. Let us not forget, however, that before helping us God expects that we should make good use of our reason and liberty. Prayer. — Jesus, I give up to Thee the direction of all my thoughts and desires. Practice. — Work as though success depended entirely upon your efforts — pray as though success depended upon God alone. Thursday. "And which of you by taking thought can add to his staLure one cubit? "— /S'lf. Matthew vi. 27. Thought, — What is here said of the body is true also of the soul. Unless God aids me in my endeavors, I can increase neither in wisdom nor in vir- tue. All that is positive, real, true, 216 A THOUGHT FOR and good within me comes from God. I can co-operate with the Divine ac- tion. I may even resist it ; but with- out God I can do nothing. Prayer. — Jesns, I delight in ac- knowledging that without Thee I am utterly powerless. To whom can I better confide my interests, either for time or eternity, for body or soul, than to Thee, O Lord ? Practice. — ^Faithfulness to grace. Friday. '^ For your Father knoweth that yon have need of a.l these things." — St. Matthew vi. 32. Thought, — He knows this, and He is desirous of procuring them for you ; but He wishes to be asked for them, He expects homage and acknowledg- ment of your dependence. When you have prayed and worked, or rather during your prayer and work, abandon yourself to His wisdom, bounty, and power. Await His time with con- fidence and patience. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 217 Prayer. — Jesus, Thou knowest my needs. Thou knowest my desires. Thou wilt forget neither the one nor the other. Practice, — Confidence in God in spite of everything. Saturday. "Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God and His jastice, and all these things shall be added unto you."— /S^ Matthew vi. 33. Thought. — The Church is the king- dom of God here on earth. Let us work and combat, live and die for the Church ; forgetting self, and all things else, thinking only of God, and His interests ; then God will not forget us and our interests. Prayer. — Jesus, be Thou the only object of my care. Thy reign once secure, my destiny will also be secure. Practice. — Cause Jesus to reign, firstly, over yourself, and afterwards over all those who are under your in- fluence. 218 A THOUGHT FOB iFCfternti) Sunttas after ^mtt^ tout. '* Jesus went into a city that is called Nairn ; and tbere went with Him His disciples and a great multitude."— /Sjf. Luke yu. 11. Thought. — A great multitude fol- lows Jesus, though He himself never seeks popularity. For thirty years He has lived unknown. Whenever He is able, He retires into solitude. Let us fly the crowd, let us not seek popularity. Let us speak and do well ; the people will listen to ue when God wills it. Prayer, — Jesus, forgetful of Thy own glory, Thou seekest only the glory of Thy Father, yet is glory rendered to Thee. I would forget myself for Thee, I desire no glory save Thine. Practice. — Fly from the crowd. each day of the year. 219 Monday. **A dead man was carried ^nt, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow." — St. Luke vii. 12. Thought. — The Church is a mother, and like to a widow by the absence of her heavenly Spouse. The sinner is her son. Although he is not an only son, she mourns over him as such. And whilst the Church weeps over the sinner, he is buried in those pas- sions which drag him towards base material things. Prayer, — Jesus, do not permit me to be carried away by sensible and sensual things. Practice, — Call upon Jesus when you feel yourself overcome by passion. Tuesday. '* Whom when the Lord had soen, being moved with mercy towards her, He -aid to her : Weep not." — St. Luke vi. 13. Thought,— ^ie^w^ lias compassion, even on our temporal sorrows. When He allows us to suffer, it is for our 220 A THOUGHT FOK good. But we may without offending Him have recourse to His goodness in wordly trials as well as in spiritual affliction. We shall be heard and rewarded accordino^ as it may be most advantageous to us. Prayer, — Jesus, why do I so often forget Thy goodness to think only of Thy justice? Practice, — Confidence in the good- ness of the heart of Jesus. Wednesday. " And He came and touched the bier." —St, Luke vii. 14. Thought. — God draws near unto the dead man, for the dead cannot approach Him. Thus when a soul is dead to God by sin it will never be able to approach God, unless He draws near by His grace. God is mercy itself; He draws near and touches the bier. He stops the bear- ers — ^.^.J the passions which were EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 221 dragging the soul down to its in- fernal sepulchre. Prayer. — Jesus, do Thou but touch this garb of death which surrounds rae. Inaction paralyzes my mind, coldness freezes my heart. Touch my mind by Thy Word, and my heart by Thy grace, and I shall regain the activity and ardor of supernatural life. Practice. — Eespond to the first advances of grace. Thursday. * " YouDg man, I say to thee, Arise."— aS'^. Luke vii. 14. Thought. — One word of Jesus sufii- ces to give life to the dead. One word sufficed Him to draw from nothingness worlds of matter and mind. One word also suffices Him to give back to the soul the life of grace ; but the soul on her part must act according to the words of her Master — surge, arise — as if He had 222 A THOUGHT FOB said — I give thee back the power to rise, but thou must use that power. I give thee the power of detesting sin, and correcting tliyself of it, but thou must avail thyself of this power. God created us without ourselves, but He will not save ns without our co- operation. — {St. Attgustine) Prayer. — Jesus, say unto me one of those words which transforms, ele- vates, and restores life. Practice. — Faithfulness to grace. Friday. *' And he that was df^id sit up a ^ d began to epeak." — St. Luke vii. 15. Thought. — T>o at least what lies in your power. If it seems impossible for you to stand upright, at least make the effort. You cannot, you say, give up this or that sinfnl prac- tice. You can at least pray, and you can speak to God, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints — et coepit loqui. God by his grace will do the rest. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 223 Prayer. — Jesus, I will make an effort when Thou callest, with the certainty that my effort will be se- conded by new graces, more effica- cious than former graces. Practice, — Pray as soon as you are able — i,e,^ always. Saturday. ''A great prophet is ris'^n np among us."— yS^. Luke vii. 16. Thought. — Man is known by his works better even than by his words. He who works supernaturally must speak in words not less supernatural. Jesus performs a miracle, and the peo- ple conclude that He is a prophet. They are only mistaken in not fully realizing it. The Christian lives su- pernaturally, especially by Holy Com- munion. Are you known as a Chris tian by your conduct and your speech ? Prayer, — Jesus, grant that, united toTliee by Baptism and Communion, I may honor Thee, and show myself 224 A THOUGHT FOR Thy disciple by the dignity of my conversation. Practioe. — Sliow yourself worthy of J esus. '■^ EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 225 Strtcrntl) Sttntrag after ^mU^ cost " Jesus went into the house of one of the chief of the Pharisees on the Sabbath day to eat bread, and they watched Him."— aS^. Luke xiv. 1. Thought. — Jesus can do nothing without being criticised; yet you hope to escape censure? If every- body thinks well of you, you are not the disciple of Jesus. Universal favor is only obtained by universal flattery. If you please everybody, how many passions and prejudices do you not aatisfy? And this being the case, you could not satisfy lionest, sensible persons ; therefore it is impossible to please everybody. Prayer.— Jesus, teach me to de- spise censure as Thou didst despise it. Practice, — Be above censure. 226 a thought for Monday. "And behold there was a cp^^ain man before him that had the dropsy."— /S^. Luke xiv. 2. Thought, — This swelling is symbo- lical of pride, and also of science, wbicli, when not moderated by hu- mility, swells the mind and the heart. This man with the dropsy is a living type of those Pharisees who watched Jesus that they might find Him in fault, and thus console the pride of their false science and virtue, so often confounded by the wisdom of the Saviour. Prayer. — Jesus, I stand before Thee with my vanity and my swel- lings ; Thou alone canst cure me. Practice. — Esteem not yourself above your worth. Tuesday. **Is it lawful to heal on tho S ;bbath-day ? ''—St. Luks xiv. 3. Thought. — Jesus needs neither the answer of the doctors to know what EACH DAY OF THE YEAE. 227 is lawful, nor the permission of the Pharisees to heal the infirm. The question, then, is ironical. He who by one word can cure the sick surely knows the law as well as the doctors. The law forbids servile works. Mira- cles are divine works. But Jesus mocks the Pharisees and their over- weening pride. Prayer, — Jesus, teach me to de- spise false knowledge and the bad intentions of my enemies. Practice. — Confound the enemies of Jesus Christ by word and action. Wednesday. •' But they held their peace." -St. Luke xiv. 4. Thought. — Rather than recognize and declare the truth, the false doc- tors are silent. It is the rule with sophists, as well as with politicians, to abstain from from giving a solu- tion, that they may reserve to them- 228 A THOUGHT FOR selves a pretext wherewith to sur- prise and condemn their adversary. Prayer. — Jesus, at every moment of my life I meet with bad faith and intrigue which oppose me in my good designs. Thou, O Lord, hast met with the same difficulties, but Thou didst never waver in pursuit of Thy object. Practice. — Despise equally the silence and the converse of enemies to good, and continue your work. Thursday. " But Jesus, taking him, healed him and sent him away."— /i)Y. Luke xiv. 4. Thought. — Do good in spite of everything. If you are forbidden by man to speak, or do anything for the glory of God or the salvation of souls (though Christ Himself has charged you with this mission through His Church , persevere, and take upon yourselves that liberty which is re- fused you ; it is your right. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 229 Prayer, — Jesus, after silencing Thy enemies by the simple question, Thou didst bring contusion upon them by the greatness of Thy action ; teach us to imitate Thee, and confound the world by words of faith and by works of charity. Practice, — Put a stop to ungodli- ness by the practice of charity. Friday. " And they could not answer Him to these things."— St. Lake xiv. 6. Thought, — What could they an- swer? If Jesus speaks He outdoes in wisdom these cunning and clever men by one simple question. His a^^tions show him to be a prophet, a messenger from God — God Himself. Bow down, O ye proud spirits, and acknowledge your Master. This is the answer which you could and ought to make, but pride refuses to submit. 230 A THOUGHT FOR Prayer. — Jesus, I rejoice that Thou dost triumph over Thy enemies. Grant that I may assist as much as I am able in Thy combats and victories. Practice. — Combat the enemies ot Jesus by works as well as by words. Saturday. "Every one that exalteth himself pball be humbled, and he that humblelh himself shall be exalted." — ^S'^ Luke xiv. 11. Thought, — Even humanly speak- ing, humility is the surest means of arriving at glory; for even in this world pride ends only in confusion. Besides, why care about the esteem or contempt of men, who are so blind, so unjust in their judgment ? They are annoyed at the sight of true merit, and they only grant honor to those on whose servility they can de- pend. In fine, the world esteems those whom it appears to contemn, and despises those whom it seems to honor. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 231 Prayer, — Jesus, teaclime sincerely to despise the world ai].d public opinion ; I shall only be truly happy when I feel desirous to be forgotten altogether by the world. Practice . — Seek obscurity, solitude, and the lowest place. 232 A THOUGHT FOR Sebcnteenti) cSunTrag after ^tn- tecost " But the Pharisees, hearing he had silenced the Saddu- cees, came together."— /Si^. Matthew xxii. 34. Thought. — Thej do not unite in search of truth, bat to destroy Jesus, who is truth itself. Thus are united the enemies of the Church, not through love of truth, but tlirongh hatred of the incorruptible, infallible guardian of truth. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that as the wicked are assembled against Thee, so the good may unite around Thee. Practice, — Let us be united with the Pope, who is Vicar of Christ, by docility of taith, and we shall be unit- ed both to Jesus Christ and to one another in truth, of which the Pope is the infallible teacher. each day of the year. 233 Monday. *' Master, which is the gre*^t commandment of the law r—St. Matthew xxii. 36. Thought. — There is a snare in the simple manner of the question. But the snare is broken by the simplicity of the answer. Let us distrust the apparent candor of the enemies of faith, especially when they feign ig- norance or when they address us with pompous titles. Let us destroy their malice by the firmness and straight- forwardness of our answ^er. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou art truly Master, and Thy answer goes to prove it. Be Thou my light and my strength. Practice, — Uprightness and simpli- city of word and action. Ttjesday. " Thou Shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind."— >Sf. Matthew xxii. 37. Thought, — Diliges — thou shalt love 234 A THOUGHT FOR — love of preference, deliberate love directed by the mind, not passionate or instinctive love. God is my Mas- ter, to Him I owe everything. Domi- num — Lord ; this Master is my God and the supreme Good. Deum — God. He deserves all mv love. Prayer. — Jesus, teach me to love Thee with my whole heart. Once en- lightened by faith and understanding, my heart will place at Thy feet my soul and all its powers, my mind and all its intentions. Practice. — Hold nothing in your heart that tends not to God. "Wednesday. *' This is the greatest and first commandment."— -S^if. Matthew xxii. 38. Thought. — This is the first com- mandment, because it is the princi- ple whence springs all other com- mandments ; the greatest command- ment, because in it all others are con- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 235 tained. He that loves God desires all that God desires. He that loves God with all his heart prefers God to every other good. Prayer. — Jesus, instead of making numberless intentions, I will think, wish for, and love only one thing — the glory of Thy Heavenly Father and the means of serving Him. Practice. — Have God always in sight, Thursday. And the second is like to this, Thou shalt love tky neighbor aa thyself/'— /Si^. Matthew xxii. 39. Thought.— li I love God, I shall love my neighbor, because, like my- self, he is the work of God, the im- age of God, and the child of God. If I love myself, I shall love my brother : he is like to me. This second com- mandment is like to the first, just as our neighbor is like to God. Prayer. — Jesus, Thy love for man was such that Thou didst make him 236 A THOUGHT FOR like to Thee, and Thou lovest him as much as, and in one sense more than, Thyself; for Thou didst sacrifice Thy- self for him. Teach me Thy lesson and example. Practice, — Brotherly charity. Friday. " On these two commandm'^nts depend the whole law and the propnets.'— aS'^. Matthew xxii. 40. Thought. — The law informs us what ouglit to be done, but prophets tell us what will be done. To love God and our neighbor is what we should do, and this will be done, for the prophets have announced Jesus Christ. Thus to speak of Jesus is to tell of love for God and neighbor, of love, even unto death upon the Cross, for God and souls. Prayer. — Jesus, fill me with that double love which causes Thy heart to beat, and which gives Thee to us as our Saviour and our King. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 237 Practice, — Love of God whom you see not, by the love of your neigh- bor whom you see. Saturday. " And no man was able to answer Him a word." — St. Matth&w xxii. 46. Thought, — Jesus silences His ene- mies, thereby giving an example to His Church and His ministers, who live only in order to obtain for truth and justice the victory over falsehood and iniquity. But we must be pa- tient, humble, and charitable. Pa- tience consists in suffering death ra- ther than betray the cause of truth and justice; humility consists in sub- mitting to truth by faith, to the com- mandments by obedience, in repelling all liberty which is based upon false- hood or injustice; charity bids us en, lighten those who teach falsehood, and are ignorant of what is right. Prayer, — Jesus, give me a little of 238 A THOUGHT FOR that eloquence and wisdom with which Thou didst confound falsehood and unmask ignorance. Practice, — 8tudy your religion, that you may be in a position to de- fend it. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 239 iSifliiternti^ cSuntrafi after 33ente= cost " And entering into a boat, Be passed over the water and came mto His own city."— /S^, Matthew ix. 1. Thought. — Jesus comes into His own city. We are then permitted to remember our relations, but it must be as Jesus remembered them, that we may enlighten them by our dis- course and bring them to God, by our works and by our example. Prayer. — Jesus, transform the na- tural teelings of my heart, even those most legitimate, into supernatural sen- timents. Grant that I may love my neighbor for Thy sake alone. Practice. — Above and before all seek the glory of God. Monday, brought to 1 1 a bed."— >S^, Thought.— ii I am deprived of *' And behold, they brought to Him one sick of the palsy, lying in a bed."— >S'^. Matthew ix. 3. 240 A THOUGHT FOB strength and energy, what can I do for God and my neighbor? And I am discouraged by the impotence of my efforts, by uselessness of my works; I am sick and prostrate. Jesus is the giver of all strength; why, then, do I not present myself to Him? Prayer, — Jesus, behold me stretch ed motionless at Thy i'eet ; Thou canst give me that supernatural life and strength which fail me now. Practice. — Expect help from Jesus only. Tuesday. "And Je?u8, geeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy, Be of g od heart, son, ihy sins are for- given ihee.^'— >S'^. Matthew ix. 2. Thought. — Faith does not go un- rewarded. It obtains all tilings, more even than it asks for, and ob- tains even when apparently it asks for nothing. What did they who brought the man sick of the palsy ? They laid him at the feet of Jesus EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 241 without saying a word. Jesus under- stood theno. They expected the cure of this sick man ; they will obtain it, and more, even. Jesus goes back to the primary cause of all infirmities — Sin, He begins by forgiving the sick man his sins. Spiritual cure before bodily cure ; but the body does not lose by it. Prayer. — Jesus, take pity on my spiritual misery, which is generally the cause of my temporal misery, and of the impotence of my words and actions. Practice. — Begin by purifying your conscience. "Wedi^esday. " And behold, gome of the Scribes said within them- selves. He blasphemeth."— aS^. Matthew ix. 3. Thought, — The enemy is always on the watch, ready to criticise and con- demn all that Jesus may do and say. The disciple is not greater than the Master. Let us, then, be resigned, 242 A THOUGHT FOR and bear censure, blame, and con- demnation ; but whatever may hap- pen, whatever may be said, we should never tire of speaking truth and doing good. Prayer. — Jesus, teach me to take no heed of those discontented, jealous minds whose only happiness is to cen- sure. Practice. — Let us lift ourselves above the annoyances stirred up by pride and envy. Thuesday. ** And Jesus, seeinjsr their thoughts, said. Why do yon thiuk evil in your hearts f ''—St, MaWiew ix. 1. Thought. — Let us follow the exam- ple of Jesus, and allow no attack from the enemy to pass unanswered. It is both just and charitable of us to do so — just towards the aggressor, for our silence would but confirm his preju- dice ; just to those who have read or heard of the lies of the impious, other- wise our silence would be taken as an EACH DAT OF THE YEAR. 243 avowal, and calumny would pass as truth ; charitable towards the enemies of truth in taking trouble to enlighten them; charitable towards those who would be dupes to untruth and soph- ism, if we did not confound the liar and the sophist. But we must perse- vere to the end. We must penetrate to the thoughts of the enemy, and even unmask the motive — Tit quid cogitatis mala in cardihus vestris. Let us remember, however, that there may be cases in which silence is more eloquent and more startling than speech. Prayer, — Jesus, give me one virtue more heroic even than patience, which submits to everything ; grant me sufficient courage to attack error and vice ; give me strength to combat what is false and evil. Practice, — Defend Jesus when He is attacked in the person of His Church and ministers. 244 a thought for Friday. " Rise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house." St. Matthew ix 6. Thought — Jesus adds action to the word, and thus confounds the malice of His enemies. We must not leave any attack against religion unan- swered, but our actions must be in accordance with our words. The enemy of God particularly wishes to prevent our acting. Let us, then, speak well and boldly, but especially let us do well in spite of everything. Prayer. — Jesus, grant me courage both in words and actions. Command. There is strength in Thy command, and it is communicated to him who, in obedience, tries to rise and walk. Practice. — Do your best. God will do the rest. Saturday. lo, peeins: it, fc "— /S^. Matt/iew i Thought, — It purports nothing, "And the multitude, peeins: it, feared and glorified Qoa:'—'SL Matt/iew ix 8. EACH DAT OF THE YEAR. 245 men will say, to combat and confound the enemies of the Church, if you do not convert them. To which I reply, were you to convert but one soul, all your trouble would be sufficiently repaid. But we have not only to convert the enemy, but also to pre- serve and strengthen those whom the enemy will deceive, unless his teach- ing be unmasked and he himself be reduced to silence. Jesus did not convert the Scribes whom He con- founded, but He enlightened the people upon the dangers of their doctrines. Prayer. — Jesus, give to my words and actions strength to confound the wicked and to help simple and upright souls. Practice. — ^Never cease to combato 246 A THOUGHT FOB IS^intUtntf) Suntras aftrr i|entr^ tout. ** The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who made a marriage for his son."— /S;^. Matthew xxil. 1. Thought. — God the Father cele- brates the alliance of His Son with humanity. We are invited to par- take of this alliance by Holy Commu- nion. This union constitutes the reign of God over souls, and this reign offers us the certainty of happi- ness and eternal life. Prayer. — Jesus, grant that I may understand and participate in the dig- nity and blessedness to which I am so touchingly invited by Thy heavenly Father. Practice. — Thank God incessantly because He has deigned to come down to us, that He might raise us up to Him. each day of the year. 247 Monday. " And he sent his servants to call them that were in- vited to the marriage, and they would not come." — JSL Matthew xxii. 2, Thought. — God sent His prophets to call the Jews to the marriage feast. Jesus Himself sent the apostles to draw thither the Gentiles, but a small number only answered this glorious invitation. Each day am I invited by the secret inspiration of grace, and I am generally deaf to the invitation, or I openly resist it. Prayer, — Jesus, when shall I promptly, entirely, and with constan- cy reply to Thy call ? Practice, — Be faithful to all the in- spirations of grace. Tuesday. '* They went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise."— /S^. Matthew xxii. 5. Tliought. — Men of the world neg- lect God, some for pleasure, others for the sake of business. And I, 24:8 A THOUGHT FOR where do I find my pleasure ? Is it in union with God through prayer and communion? What is my most important business? Is it the glory of God, the salvation of my soul, and that of my neighbor ? Prayer, — Jesus, at Thy call I abaiidon everything. What pleasure can be greater than to be united to Thee ? What business, what interest is worth one single communion ? Practice, — Renounce everything and follow Jesus, Wednesday. ** But wHentlie king heard of it, he ^a angry, and Bending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.'*— aS'^. Matthew xxii. 7. Thought, — Not content with refus- ing his invitation, they murdered the king's servants. These are sinners who, not satisfied with refusing grace, hunt out and kill the servants of God when they can do so. But woe to them ! They will lose the grace that EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 249 they refuse, as well as those false ad- vantages which they prefer to grace. Prayer. — Jesus, in spite of all op- position, Thou wilt reign in this life and in the next. Commence at once Thy reign over my heart. Practice. — Voluntary submission to the good pleasure of God. Thursday. " Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.*' — St, Matthew xxil. 9. Thought. — Jesus will call a certain number of elect, whom in His eternal decrees He has determined upon. If you refuse the honor done to you in being invited to the divine banquet, God will do without you ; your place will easily be filled. If stones only could be found, He is able to change them into children of Abraham. Then will narrow-minded, hard-heart- ed, vulgar mirds become suddenly changed, and they will take the place 250 A THOUGHT FOR of those chosen, noble-minded, high- souled Christians who have refused the divine invitation. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou didst meet me on the roadside when I was hastening to perdition. Thou hast called me to replace some great being who has disdained Thy advances- Grant that I may not become un- worthy of thy favors. Practice. — Have a childlike fear of losing grace. Friday. "Friend* how earnest thou in thither, not hariug on a wedding garmeut?"—;S'iJ. MaWiew xxii. 1;?. Thought. — One must be worthy to assist at this royal banquet. Sinner ! the angels and ministers of God have met thee on the road to death and perdition. Come with full detesta- tion of sin. Thou hast indeed lost the white robe of baptism, but clothe thyself now in the garb of penance. Prayer. — Jesus, I pray Thee not EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. -251 only call me to Thee, but pnrifj me in Thy blood, render me worthy to receive Thee in communion. Practice, — Retain the grace of pu- rity by frequent examinations of con- science. Saturday. *" For many are called, but few are chosen."— xS"^. Mat- thew xxil. 14. Thought, — Many are invited, but few reply to the call. Pleasures and earthly interests engage us niore than that joy and glory which will be eter- nal, which is to come. Worldly festi- vals and worldly interests are pre- ferred before God. Thus do we lose both our soul and God. Prayer, — Jesus, call me, draw me towards Thee. If I resist, use gentle violence to save me in spite of my- self. Practice, — Be with the small num- ber ; the multitude will be lost. 252 A THOUGHT FOR cost ** He came again into Cana of Galilee where he had made the water wine."— /S^. John iv. 46. Thought. — One is pleased to return to a place where one has done good, but when we return we must, like Jesus, intend to do a greater good. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou didst change the water into wine ; change Thou my weakness into strength ; work this mi- racle in my soul, O Lord. Practice. — If you are unable to do all that you wish, do at least all you can. Offer water, if you have nothing better, leaving it to Jesus to change the water into wine. Monday. r went to Hii lal his eon."- Thought. — This young man was at "And a certain ruler went to Him and prayed Him to come down and heal his eon."— /S^. John iv. 46, 47. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 253 death's door. In dire extremity have recourse to Jesus and you shall live. If everything seems lost, Jesus by one word can repair it all. Speak but one word, and Jesus will show himself to you. Prayer. — Jesus, I know that I am powerless ; for the future I will have recourse to Thee in all my troubles. Practice, — Invoke Jesus in time of temptation and affliction. Tuesday. *' Unless you see signs and wonders yon oelieve not." —St. John iv. 48. Thought, — Why seek for wonders ? Follow m the common path, look at Jesus. He is not less admirable nor is His Divmity shown less brilliantly in His ordinary life than in the mira- cles He performs. Be dignified and simple in all your actions ; then, what- ever you do, you will be like Jesus — great. 254 A THOUGHT FOK Prayer, — Jesus, teach me that true greatness does not consist in doing much, but in doing welL Practice, — Follow the example shown you by Jesus ; perform all your actions well. Wednesday. " Lord, come down before that my son die."— aS'^. John iv. 49. Thought.— In spite of this, the fa- ther repeats his prayer. He wishes to save his son. No real or apparent obstacles can disconcert him. When God seems obstinate in his refusal, persist in your demand — prayer over- comes all things. Prayer, — Jesus, I will not cease prayitig to Thee until I have com- pletely realized those designs which I have conceived for Thy glory. Practice, — Constancy and confi- dence in prayer. Persevere until you have triumphed. each day of the year. 200 Thursday. *' Go thy way, thy son liYeth,''—St. John iv. 50. Thought, — Through faith we ob- tain all things. It may happen that 3'ou receive no temporal blessings, but in their stead grace far superior will be granted you. Ask especially that your soul may live, and your prayers will be heard. Prayer. — Jesus, when wilt Thou say to me : Go, have no further care, thy soul liveth, and is cured of such a vice, of such a fault ? When I have united prayer to earnest endeavor. Practice, — Work and pray, pray and work— this is the secret of life. Friday. '* The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way."— iS'^. John iv. 50. Thought, — When Jesus speaks to you, either by a direct command from your superiors or by inspirations of grace, do not hesitate — believe and go. 256 A THOUGHT FOR But it is incredible, impossible ! Go. What seems impossible will become a reality, what appears incredible will become an established fact, when Je- sus shall have spoken. This man had not reached his home before the ser- vants met him with the news that his son was restored to health. Prayer, — Jesus, inspire me with prompt and lively faith, so that I may receive Thy orders and inspira- tions without hesitation. Practice, — Prompt and simple obe- dience to the will of God whenever it is manifested to you. Saturday. " And himself believed, and his whole house.''— /S'i. John iv. 63. Thought, — There are several de- grees of faith. Just now this prince simply believed in the word of the Saviour, telling him of the cure of his son. Now that with his own eyes he EACH DAY OF THE YEAR, 257 has witnessed the truth, in which he had believed before, his faith becomes greater and more widely spread — greater, for he now believes in the almighty power and the Divinity of Jesus ; more widely spread inasmuch as it is communicated by him to all his household. Prayer. — Jesus, I believe, but in- crease my faith ; grant that, by my fidelity to the first glimpses of faith, I may deserve complete enlighten- ment. Practice. — Docility to the impulse of grace. 258 A THOUGHT FOR 3rti3tnti)-Ctsit ign unto yon. Tou shall find the Infint wrapped u, swaddling-cloihes, and laid in a maviger."— Si. Luke ii. )2. Thought.— How are we to recog- nize by this sigh a God, a Saviour ? God is majesty, glory, and power. The Saviour is the emblem of strength and courage. And so it is. Oh ! ad- mire majesty, glory, and power in this Oiiild. Wrapped in swaddling- clothes, He has but a manger for His throne and altar, and yet the heavens are moved, the Angels sing of Him as the glory of the Most High, as the Saviour of the world. If He clothes Himself with weakness, it is in order EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 327 that by that very weakness He may save souls and defeat the enemy. Prayer. — Jesus, unite niy weak- ness to Thine, and that, together witli Thy Divine Strengtli, will be stronger than all the power of earth and hell. Practice. — Place your trust in God alone. Friday. " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. *— /S'^. LukeW. 14. Thought. — Glory to God! from this Child bursts forth the wis- dom, bounty, and power of the Most High. Wisdom, inasmuch as He could find no better way of winning our hearts than by taking upon Himself our liumanity, and becoming a babe lil^e each of us. Bounty, for w^hat greater proof could He give us of His love than by mak- ing Himself one of us ? Power, for as a feeble child He attracts to His dwell- ing kings and shepherds, and makes 328 ^ THOUGHT FOK the powerful of tliis world tremble at His name. What, then, will He bo when He shows Himself in the splen- dor of His strength « p^cfyer.—Jems, grant me the good- will of the shepherds and the Magi, who, to follow the first heavenly in- spiraiion, left these their flocks, those their kingdoms. PractiGe.—Usten with promptness and docility to the call of grace. Satukpat. >'ABd they found Ma,y «na,J%%b- *'>^ J^« '"'*''* lying iu tbe manger.' —St. Luke ii. lb. Thought.— The manger is the sign by which we are to recognize the God Infant, the God King, the God Sa- viour. Being God, He would conquer all that the world holds most invinci- ble by making Himselt most feeble, knowing that His Strength and Power lies iu His very weakness. Being King, He rules the land without the magnificence of a court or the splen- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 329 dor of an army. Being Saviour, He shows us that He is free from all those chains which fetter us like slaves — viz., riches, pleasures, honor. Prayer. — Jesus, I conjure Thee by the remembrance of the mariger to teach me to esteem all that this world despises, and to despise all that it esteems. Practice. — You are despised ! Ton suffer ! You are in w^ant of sometliing ! Rejoice, then, for in this you are like to the Infant Jesus. 330 A THOUGHT FOB Suntrag attet ffiijristmas Bag. " Ard the father and mother were wonderino; at thope things which were sp^^keu conceriimg Him."— >Si. Luke ii. 33. Thought. — They knew a great deal more about Him than those who spoke about Him ; but they w^ere glad to hear the greatness of the di- vine Child spoken of. Let us, like Joseph and Mary, hide in secrecy the lights that we have received, but let us rejoice to hear others praise our Lord and celebrate His greatness. Prayer. — Jesus, if Thou dost not think me worthy of preaching Thy kingdom, but wouldst have me silent, I will at least praise those who have received the gift of making Thee known and loved. Practice, — Rejoice at seeing our EACH DAY OF 'JiHE YEAR. 331 Lord better praised and served bj others than by yourself. Monday. "BeholcHhis Chilrl is set for th ' f-^11. and for the re- gurrectiou of inauy iu Israel."— aS'^. Luke ii. b4. Thought, — Jesus is King, and as such lays claim to His Throne. Of mankind, some flock round His stan- dard ; to tliem He restores a life lost by sin, and assures them their eternal happiness — Positus est hiG in resur- rectionein multorum ; others rise up against Him, but He is hound to reign^ and, if need be, must strike down all his en e r n ies — Positics est hie in Tidnani multorum. Prayer. — Jesus, be to me the re- surrection and the life; by faith and grace strike down all that is of '' self'^ in me. Practice, — Love Jesus only, and reject and combat all that \^ not to His honor. 332 A THOUGHT FOR Tuesday. "And (He is set up) for a sisfn whicli shall be contra- dicted.''— /S;«. Luke ii. 34. Thought, — If yon try to do or sa}^ anything for the glor\^ of God and the salvation of souls, you will at once serve as a target for all sorts of con- tradictions. Passion and wrong, that you would condemn and repress by word and action, rise up to stifle your voice and to overthrow your good work, and then the good, frightened by the impudence of the wricked, will unite among themselves to put a stop to what they will call imjjrudence on your part. Do not be disconcerted. Jesus was persecuted by every enemy of God and man, and abandoned by all save His M':^ther, some few holy women, and one man, St. John, w^ho alone followed Him to the cross. Prayer, — Jesus, sustain me in the day of persecution. I may be strong enough to combat the attacks of Thy EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 333 enemies ; but if abandoned by those calling themselves Thy friends, I shall fail unless Thou aidest me. Practice — In the days of trial look to Jesus and Mary, and to them only, for support and help. Wednesday. " And thy own soul a sword shall pierce. "—/S'^. Luke ii. 35. • Thought, — The soul of Mary was pierced with a sword of sorrow ; why then should I murmur at the suffering that I may have to undergo ? Maiy witnessed the abrupt ending of her Son's life in the midst of a career crowned with glory. All at once the cross changes His glory into ignominy and pain. Mary is powerless, she cannot help Ilim ; she can only suffer. Prayer. — Jesus, if I could only suf- fer as Mary did, at the sight of Thee humbled and in pain, but I can hard- ly bear the little bodily suffering that 334 A THOUGHT FOR I am subject to. Wlien shall 1 forget myself so entirely as to think only of Thy interests, O Jesus! — interesis which should be mine, and which aloltie should have any importance in my eyes? Practice, — Offer up each day's suf- ferings in unison with the Heart of Mary, that heart so deeply pierced by the sword of sorrow. Thursday. *'And th'^re was one Anna, a p"ophetes=, . . . and she tpoke of Him."— /S^. Luke xxxvi. 38. Thought, — The gift of preaching the Word of God is only acquired by prayer and mortiiication and patience. Anna never departed from the temple, but prayed and fasted incessantly. It was only after eighty years that she saw the Lord and w^as allowed to speak of Him. Be patient ; the light will show forth, and the Word of the Lord will be given to you, when you think there is no longer any hope. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 335 Prayer, — Jesus, I have J^eeii long waiting for Thee * I desire to do some- thiijg for Thy glory. Thou wilt not disappoint me m my wish? Practice. — Never despair, and ne- ver say to yourself, Oh ! it is too late. Friday. "And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord.'' — St Luke ii. 39, Thought, — Kever leave your soli- tude save to fulfil your duty, and wlien you have fulfilled it return again to your retreat ; but take care to do all that God wills, and to do it perfectly. Perfecerunt omnia. Do not follow your own tlioughts or ideas, but follow the law of God, the rule of your state of life, and the orders of your superiors : secundttm legem Do- mjini. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that my sole satisfaction here on earth may be the knowledge that I have accom- 336 A THOUGHT FOE plislied Thy will, that I have observ- ed with regularity and good order the divers duties that my profession or situation may demand of me. Practice, — Be regular in every- thing you do. Saturday. ** And the Child erew and waxel strong, full of wif=- dom ; and the grace of God was in Him."— aS^. Lukev.^O Thought — You must not expect to attain perfection all at once. Jesus, who was the type of perfection, full of wisdom and grace from the moment of His Incarnation, grew and waxed strong. Little by little he disclosed the perfections hidden within His soul. Always strive to do your best acjDidIng to the grace and strength that is given to you ; never turn back, alwa3^s advance, but do not expect to gain the heights at one single bound. Prayer. — Jesus, grow strong in me, strengthen Thyself in me, and I EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 337 feluiU then increase in virtue and in wisdom as in yea^s, both before God and man. Practice. — Age quod agis ; what- ever you do, do well, and tor God alune. In this consists true and real pertection. I 338 A THOUGHT FOR SttuTrafi after tijr atircttmciiston, " And aft'T ^he Magi were departed, behold an angel of The Lord appeared ia sleep to Joseph."— /S/. Matthew li. 13. Thought. — Joseph and Mary were pondering with feelings of pleasure over the homage rendered to the di- vine Child by the angels and the Wise Men of the East, when, behold ! quite unexpectedljj an angel appear- ed to Joseph in his sleep, warning hiin of the peril that menaced the Child. Thns after day comes night, thus consolation follows trial. Here on earth consolation, is only granted to make us more ready for the fighi. Prayer, — Jesus, dwell Thou in me and T in Thee, for then nothing can troablo '^r afflict me. Practice, — Have confidence in God EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 339 fort. alone; look to Hiin for rest and com Monday. "Arise, and <-ake tHe Child and His motlier, and fly into Egypt.''— St. Matthew ii. 13. Thought. — The Saviour needs a sa- viour ! A God flies ! Is not the thought enough to stagger our reason ? Our Lord and Saviour could by one single word annihilate His enemies. But if He triumphs through flight, and gains the throne by ways wliich are generally the means of forfeiting it, if, in flne. His very weakness is stronger than all human power, will you not recognize your God and Sa- viour ? Prayer, — Jesus, Thou waitest un- til my weakness is proved, that tlien Thou mavest use me for the manifes- tation of Thy glory. Practice. — Trust in God, no mat- ter what happens. 340 a thought for Tuesday. "And be there until I shall tell yon.''— St. Matthew ii. 13. Thought, — In this case the vague- ness of the command is of itself enough to cause ahirm. Joseph must go into an unknown country, and reside there unknown to all. Let us take courage and always advance ; the future may be hidden to us, but God knows it, and that is sufficient. God is wise, and Ho has oixlained all things before- hand. God is good, and He has or- dered everything for our good. God is all-powertul, and all that He has ordained w^ill take place ; nothing can liappen without His permission. No matter what lijippeneth, the end will be to His glory and for our happiness. Prayer. — Jesus, in Thy compan3' I will look to the future without anxi- ety. With Thee nothing disastrous can ever come to pass. Practice, — Trust in God. each day of the yeah. 341 Wednesday. ^* For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destr. y Him." — St. Matthew ii. 13. Thought, — Herod is still seeking the Child Jesus ; the world still seeks the Child Jesus, in His mystical bodj^, tlie Church. Herod seeks the Church, not with the view of submitting to its authority and becoming one of its members, but to destroy it. This is whj^ he watches and makes researches. Herod will not succeed ; he may shed blood and make martyrs, but the Cliurch shall escape his fury and sur- vive-— he will pass away, leaving no- tliing to posterity but the history of his crimes. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou child and fu- gitive, art more powerful than Herod and all the heirs to his jealous anger ; I will attach mj^self to Thy service ; I w^ill despise Herod. Practice. — Fear nothing that the world may say or do. 342 a thought for Thursday. "And Joseph arose, and took the Cbild and His mo- ther by liight, and retired into E^ypW—St. Mat- thew ii. 14. Thought. — The secret of wisdom and strength is a speedy and faithful obedience to the commands of our su- periors. You are wise by prompt and taithful obedience, inasmuch as you conform your intelligence to the di- vine intelligence of God ; you become wise of the wisdom of God Himself; you are strong by prompt and faithful obedience, for you conform your will to the divine will ; you acquire good- ness from the goodness of God Him- self, and power from His power. But it is night, and dark, you will say. Obey — and God will be to you a light. But I sliall have to go into Egypt! Obey, God wi'll be your help and strength ; He will assist you against the impious and worldly persons wiio surround j^ou. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou wilt be to EACH DAT OF THE. YEAR. 343 rae the only True Wisdom, the only real strength. , Practice. — Obev at once, without enquiring into reasons. Friday. " And He was there [in Egypt] tintil the death of Herod/ —iS^. Matthew li. 14. Thoioght — Stay in Egypt — that \^y remain powerless — until the death of Herod. Herod will die; and with him will disappear the obstacle to the designs that you have conceived for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. But when is this to be^ There lies the trial. May I not die before the realization of my design ? What does it matter ; for after all, what are your desires ? Are they for God's glory or your own ? If for yours, it were better that you should die be- fore the realization of a project whose result would cause you pride, and which, far from gaining you the me- rits of heaven, would only tend to 344 A THOUaHT FOB increase your sufferings in purgatory. If for the glory of God, God will grant success to your plans ; all the Herods in the world could not stand in your way. Pm^/^^'.— Jesus, if Thou makest me powerless, grant me at least the gift of patience. Practice.— Bq patient when obsta- cles present themselves. Saturday. ^^That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spo^^^y the pr^^et, Bayimg, Out of Fgypt have 1 called my fi^onr—S'. Matthew ii. 15. Thoicght.—Tho^Q events which are often the most contrary to our views and desires are nevertheless planned by divine Providence in a general way, and also in a particular way as regards yourself. You must not allow yourself to be discouraged by anything ihat may happen. The will of God must always be done. The people of God went out of the land of Egypt, EACH DAY OF THE YEAR.- 345 where the family of Jacob, through force of circumstance, was obliged to enter. The Son of God likewise will go out of the land of Egypt, w^here He has been obliged to fly for safety. Exile is hard to bear, but nothing can injure the worth of Providence. Trial is a necessary preparation for God's work. Prayer, — Jesus, shorten the length of my trial, or increase in me the gift of patience. Practice. — See and recognize the hand of Providence in all things. 346 A THOIJGHT FOK When Je-U8, therefore, was born ia T ethleaem of Juda, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem."— jS'^. Matthew ii. 1. Thought. — Admire the almiglity power of this little Child, who from His cradle makes known His coming to the shepherds and Magi — to the shepherds by means of His Angel, to the Magi by a star in the east. Ad- mire the docility of these kings. Jesus is born. Behold them at His feet ! Let us be little, let us hide ourselves, and the divine strength will be granted to us. Be docile and quick in follow- ing divine inspirations, and you will then become wise of the wisdom of God, powerful of His almighty power. Prayer, — Jesus, draw me to Thy crib. Grant that I may recognize Thy voice in the stars as well as in the EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 347 Angels — in the natural order as well as in the supernatural order of things. Practice, — Be ever ready to follow good inspirations. Monday. " Where is He that is born King of the Jews ? "— St. Matthew ii.2. Thought, — What boldness and im- prudence ! How is it that the Magi, alike wise men and kings, have for- gotten the suspicious mind of a prince ? How comes it that they have not fore- seen the danger of compromising either their reputation for wisdom in undertaking such a long journey without learning beforehand some- thing certain as to the birth of a King whom they came to adore, or of en- dangering their life and their king- doms in coming to render homage to a Prince who is not the son of the reigning king ? What a lesson is it not for us! What an example for us, who dare not declare ourselves in 348 A THOUGHT FOR favor of the royalty of Jesus Christ, fearing lest we should compromise ourselves before the mighty of this world, or in the opinion of our triends. Prayer, — Jesus, when shall I ever learn tor certain that true prudence consists in seeking after Thee alone, and in despising the wisdom and power of this world ? Practice, — Go straight to Jesus. Tuesday. " For we have seen His star in the east, and have come to adore Him."— 6^. MaUhew ii. 2. Thought. — We have cilso seen, and are come. Let our wills respond to our intelligence, our resolution to our thoughts. Such is the characteristic of the divine working. God said, Fiat — " Let there be light, and tliere was light." Hesitation rnins every- thing. Of course you should never undertake anything without feeling sure that j'^ou are doing the will of God ; but once feeling sure, act. The EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 349 wise men saw the star, and came at once. It is onlj a light, but never mind, follow it. This light will lead you straight to Him who is the light and sun ot justice and truth. Etveni- mus adorare eum. Prayer. —Jesus, give me a quick and ready resolution, so that I may without any hesitation follow the first inspirations of grace. Practice.— Be prompt and decisive in following divine inspirations. Wed^stesday. ''And King Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.' 'St. Matthew ii. 3. Thought.— K Child was the cause of dismay to a whole nation ; and an old man will make the powers of this world tremble. Leo makes Attila withdraw ; Gregory Yll. makes Hen- ry IV. of Germany grow pale ; Pius IX., alone and unsupported, stays and breaks the most bitter revolutions which cast down kings and cause re- S50 A THOUaHT FOE volt among people. And you, do you fear the world ? Public opinion, the people, the majority — all ! all ! trem- ble with Herod. Et omnis Jerosolyma GWin illo. Prayer. — Jesus, if Thy weakness is of such strength, what will be Thy real power ! If in the early days of Thy human life Thou art so to be feared, what wilt thou be at the solemn day of judgment? Practice. — Despise the world and all human respect. Thursday. " And seeing the star, they rf joiced with exceeding great joy."— /Si^. Matthew ii. 10. Thought. — If you feel no inspira- tion, follow your reason, or consult your superiors or your director ; be guided by faith, and submit with obe- dience. Do not be discouraged ; do not turn back or stand still. Do not stop on the way, save to enquire and obtain necessary information. The EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 351 day will supersede the night, and the star will shine again, to our exceeding great joy. Prayer. — Jesus, yesterday all things seemed easy to me— Thy star shone forth ; but to-day all is chang- ed, everything seems difficult, the ob- stacles are insurmountable, for the star has disappeared. Give me grace to use the little light that may be left in me to my greater advantage. Practice. — When desolation comes upon you, bear in mind that if you are but faithful, consolation will soon fol- low\ Friday. "And faring down they adored Him."— >S'i^. Matthevo ii. 11. Thought. — The wisdom of the world bends low before a child ; power itself is humbled before impotence ; the Wise Men adored the wisdom of God Himself in that little Child ; the powerful ones of the earth adored His 352 A THOUGHT FOR power. Let us too believe — by faith we shall know what our reason cannot teach us ; we shall see divine wisdom in all things, in those events which according to our ideas are most con- trary to human prudence; and we shall also recognize tlie powerful hand of God even in the reverses with which He visits those who give up evervthins: for love of Him. Prayer, — Jesus, give me grace to understand the wisdom of Thy silence and the strength of Thy feebleness. Practice, — Place your trust in God, and in God alone. Saturday. ** They went back another way into their country."— St. Matthew ii. 12. ThougJtt, — Having once found Je- sus, you must change your route and your conduct. After you have been to communion the world is waiting to destroy you and to destroy Jesus who EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 353 is in you. Tou have to battle with Herod and the world, for you must avoid the world and have no commu- nication with it. Prayer. — Jesus, change my thoughts and sentiments. Inspire me with esteem and love for poverty and humility ; teach me to hate and contemn the world, its riches, and its favors. Practice. — Contemn all that the world esteems dear, and esteem all that the world contemns. 354 A THOUGHT FOR cSuntrafi toitfiin ti)t ©ctaije of tijr iSpfpJjanfi* ** And when He was twelve years old, they were going up into J ruealem, according to the custom of the least,''— /Si^. Luke ii.42. Thought. — Besides the morDing and evening prayers that we say each day there are other prayers which the law of God commands to be offered up for the glory of God and as thanks- giving for benefits received every day. It is not only advisable but obligatory for you to show yourself in the temple of God. If you should refuse to com- ply with such a command you would be guilty either of human respect or of contempt of God. Prayer. — Jesus, may I never be- come hypocritical, and pretend to be religious when such is not the case ; grant likewise that I may never be guilty of human respect, seeking to EACH DAY OF THE TEAR. 356 remain a Christian without appearing as such. Practice. — Be as you ought to be, and show yourself as you are. Monday. "The child Jesns remained in Jerasalem."— /S^^. Luke ii. 43. Thought. — A child should obey his parents. Jesus never disobeyed His parents ; but in those things that concerned God, such as prayer, zeal, vocation, penance, inspirations of a supernatural order, these should be allowed to triumph over the senti- ments of nature. The divine Child does not ask permission to remain in Jerusalem, though He would certainly have obtained it ; He wishes to give us an example of the holy liberty that a Christian may take in all that con- cerns the honor of his God. Prayer. — Jesus, teach me properly to reconcile the use of true liberty with the respect due to lawful authority. 356 A THOUGHT FOR Practice — Follow divine inspira- : tion without failing in the obedience ] due to God's representatives here on ^ earth. \ Tuesday. ** They came . . . aDd Pou?tit Him among their kins- folks and acquaintances,"— /S(^. Luke ii. 44. Thought. — Begin by employing na- tural means ; follow the light of rea- son in the first place. Such is the order of things. God Himself expects that before He enlightens and helps you by His special assistance, you should, on your side, do j^our utmost. Generally, however, you will not succeed without having recourse to supernatural means, the principal of which is prayer; Prayer. — Jesus, I will seek Thee round about me in those persons with whom Thou wouldst wish to dwell, for I know Thou art gener- ally to be found with or near them. But if I do not find Thee there, where shall I look for Thee ? EACH DAY OF THE TEAK. 357 Practice. — Do all in your power to find Jesus, remembering that you may always succeed by prayer. Wednesday. '' And they found Him in the temp^e/'—zS'^. Luke ii. 46. Thought, — You will find Jesus in the temple, in the temple of your heart, if you are in a state of grace, or in the church, where the faithful flock to honor Him. Return to this double temple by means of prayer, and there you will meet Jesus when you have in vain looked for Him else- where. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that through prayer my soul may become a living temple where Thou canst ever dwell. Practice. — Ever think of Jesus present in you by his grace. Thursday. ** Son, why hast Thou done this ? ''-^St, Luke ii. 48. Thought. — What sweetness and tenderness is there not in this re- 358 A THOUGHT FOR proacli ! Is it thus that I complain wlien separated from Jesus? Alas! no; for often I do not notice the sepa- ration, or I am indifferent to it, or I grow irritated and murmur, or am discouraged at the uselessness of my efforts to regain the sensible devotion that I have lost. Thus going from one extreme to another, I grieve Jesus by my indifference or offend Him by my impatience. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou shouldst complain of my conduct ; it is not Thou who leavest me, but I who separate mj^self from Thee by luke- warm n ess or by sin. Practice,— \vi times of desolation be resigned, but not indifferent. Friday. "Did you not know tbat T rnnsthe ab^ut my Father's business/'— >S;. LukeW, 49. Thought, — God before and above all things! such is the command, such is the law, and our very reason EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 359 acknowledges it. Every interest should be sacrificed, ev^erj obligation cancelled, for tiie f ntherance of this supreme duty. You seek Jesus, you look for consolation and joy of the soul ; serve God, pray to Ilim, and you will thus come face to face with Jesus ; you will find the consolation of spiritual joy. l^rayer. — Jesus, grant that I may only interest myself in what tends to the service and honor of Thy Fa- ther. Practice. — Have God in sight, and Him only. Saturday. •'And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age."— <8Sf. Luke IL 52. ThoughL — It has been said that to conquer is to advance. If, then, I loiter for one moment on the road to perfection, the world and the flesh get the better of me, and I turn back. God, besides, gives His grace 360 A THOUGHT FOR in proportion to the efforts that I make. If I bury the talent that God confides to my care. He will take it away altogether; if I increase its value; God will double it. Therefore I shall advance in grace as I advance in wisdom, and I shall advance in wisdom in proportion as I advance in grace. These two things correspond, and form a circle. Prayer. — Jesus, I shall never be able to follow Thee unless Thou drawest me towards Thee ; and unless I follow Thee Thou wilt cease to draw me towards Thee. I will aban- don myself to Thee without reserve. Practioe. — Make one step forward each day. EACH DAT OF THE TEAK. 361 Secontr Suntray after tije 22pt« pf)ans. " At^d there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee^ and the Mother of Jesus was there.''— >S^^. JohnHA, Thought — Mary is always where charity calls Tier. Let us fly all worldly feasts, but let us observe necessary decorum. Contemplate Mary in this family circle ; she is not severe or austere, but grave and dignified, full of modesty and charity. Prayer. — Jesus, teach me how to find the happy medium which accom- modates the duties of nature to those of religion, the duty of man to the duty and respect asked of us by God. Practice. — You must always study good manners. Monday. ** And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage."— >i^^. John ii. 2. Thought. — Jesus deigns to assist at a joyous gatliering, that He may sanctify it with His presence. Take 362 A THOUGHT FOB notice of His bearing, how simple and dignified, and yet how sweet and grave ! Listen to his discourse. Je- sus comes witli His disciples; and what are they ? — simply fishermen. Behold Him, the Son* of kings, ac- customed to the company of Mary and Joseph, whose very manner and speech were dignified and gentle in the extreme — behold, He does not blush to appear in company with these disciples whose manners He has not yet had time to reform. "What a lesson of humility ! Prayer, — Jesus, admit me into Thy company, in spite of the vices and defects which make me so intol- erable to Thy friends. Practice, — Adapt yourself to all classes of men. Tuesday. Je8ii8 pait^ t( Thought, — Mary is so charitable "The Mother of Jeens pait^ to him, They have no wine."— >S'^. John ii. 3. EACH BAY OF THE YEAR. 363 that she looks to everything that con- cerns her neighbor, even to temporal concerns. And if this tender Mother is so watchful and attentive in small matters, how vigilant and anxious will she not be when it is a question of the interests of a soul, of an eter- nity ! Prayer, — Jesus, Mary understands Thy heart sO well. She does not ask Thee for anything, but calls Thy at- tention to what is taking place, know- ing full well that discovering a want is enough to excite Thy bounty. Practice. — Have confidence in Mary. Wednesday. " Woman, what i^ it to me and to thee ?"— 8U John ii. 4. Thought.— Wlmi is it ? O my Di- vine Jesus ! it is that she is Thy mother, and Thou her son ; a word from her, even the simple statement of the case, uncoupled with any wish 364 A THOUGHT FOR expressed b}^ her, suffices to hasten on the time of Thy first miracle. Why, then, a reply seemingly so harsh ? It is a mystery that I leave to others to unfathom. Perhaps Jesus wished to make us understand that He is ready to anticipate the smallest wish of His Mother, even in those things which are beyond the sphere of her maternal rights. Prayer, — Jesus, often when Thou art severe to Thine own people, Thou intendest to grant them a great favor. Practice. — Ever confide in Jesus. Thursday. *' WTiatsoever he shall say to you, do yeJ^'—St. John 11. 5. Thought. — Mary knew perfectly well that, in spite of the apparent severity of His reply, her prayer would be answered. Let us, after praying, think that God has heard our prayer, and let us act accordingly. This is an innocent expedient for EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 365 doing a sweet violence to the Heart of Jesus. Prayer, — Jesus, I wish to do all that Thou hast said. Thou hast said, ^' Ask, and jou will receive." This is enougli for me ; I shall consider as granted all things that I ask of Thee. Practice, — Pray with constancy and confidence. Friday. *'Fill the waterpots with wa^er."— /S'if. John ii. 6. Thought. — And to tell the truth, Jesus is almost compromised by His Mother's word. As a dutiful son, He can refuse her nothing, and to obey her He commands mankind and the elements. Let us pi'ay, and even if what we ask were impossible, nothing could resist a prayer, which is all- powerful over the Almighty Himself. Prayer. — Jesus, were I as void of Thy grace as were the jars and water before Thou spakest, the grace and power to pray to Thee would still be 366 A THOUGHT FOR left to me, and that would be suffi- cient to obtain both grace and strength. Practice. — Never cease to pray either in bodily or spiritual affliction. Saturday. *' And He manifested His glory.''— aS^^, John ii. 11. Thought, — Two things are neces- sary for true glory, power and boun- ty ; the 'former without the latter causes terror, the second without the first inspires contempt. Unite boun- ty and power, and you will win ad- miration ; add power to bounty, and you will win love. All the miracles that Jesus wrought were favors, and all manifested His glory. Prayer. — Jesus, I admire Thee be- cause Thou art great, but I love Thee because Thou art good. Practice. — Be neither irresolute nor headstrong, but mild and strong- minded — suaviter fortiter. EACa DAY OF THE YEA^. 367 " And when He was come down from the mountain." — JSt. Matthew viii. 1. Thought, — The mountain is hea- ven, or the bosom of the Eternal Fa- ther. The Word, in becoming flesh, came down from heaven, out of the paternal breast, to take upon Himself our nothingness, to raise us up and elevate us even to His Father Jesus, or the Word made flesh, is God, who is ever near to us. Let us approach to Him, for He permits us ; let us show Him our misery. He will have compassion on us. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou hast made the first advance towards me ; how can I refuse to reply to such kind at- 368 A THOUGHT YOU tention, to such touching condescen- sion ? Practice. — Fidelity to grace. Monday. "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean."— St. Matthew viii. 2. Thought. — Thou dost wish it, and I alone can prevent it. I wish to be made clean, I desire it much ; but am I like the leper, resolved to do all in mj power to obtain it ? I should like to regain liealth, but without having to use the remedy. I am anxious that God should cure me of this evil habit, and yet I am unwilling to make an effort to correct invself. Prayer, — Jesus, give me that strength of will and purpose that Thou expectest of me, without which Thy gracGj however efficacious of it- self, can serve me nothing ; give me this, O God ! as Thou only canst give. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 369 » Practice, — Pray earnestly ; the grace of prayer is always near a4 hand. Tuesday. '' See thou tell no man."— >S'^. Matthew viii. 4. Thought, — We should be silent about our good works and our deeds of charity, for silence is the safeguard of merit and success. In boasting of the good you have done, you will there and then have received your re- ward, and you will have lost it also, for the world refuses to glorify those who seek for glory or look for it as a right. And more than this, if you publish your grand works, the ene- mies of virtue will league against you in order to hinder your work, and to put a stop to your success. Prayer, — Jesus, may Thy modest- ty and prudence serve me as a rule and model through life. Practice, — Do good, but do it si- lently. 370 a thought for Wednesday. "Lord, my servant lifth flt home sick of the palsy. "— St. Matthew viii. 6. Thought. — When you have lost all strength, and feel yourself weak and powerless, speak to Jesus. You have only to expose your wants ;• He can and will help you. And if He does not help you, it will either be because your prayers have not been fervent enough, or because He intends to con- fer some still greater benefit upon you. Prayer, — Jesus, raise me up, waken me. "Were it not for Thee my faculties would be numbed, my strength would be paralyzed. Practice. — Have recourse to Jesus in your weakness. Thursday. " I will come and heal him."— /S^. Matthew viii. 7. Thought. — How kindly, and with what readiness, does not Jesus com- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 371 ply with the request of the centurion. Be you likewise ready to assist and help in a spirit of charity when called upon. Do not be numbered among those who, when called upon to oblige a friend, lind it quite impossible to comply. Prayer. — Jesus, Thou art as ready now to assist and help us as when Thou didst walk the earth ; come, then, and take pity on mj^ weakness. Practice, — Be always willing to ob- lige others, and God will be willing to help you. Fkiday. " Lord, I am not worthy."— S";^. Maithew viii. 8. Thought. — Humble yourself, ac- knowledge your un worthiness before God and man. Humility never de- ceives one ; or if it does by exaggera- tion of the contempt of self, it is not on that account exposed to any mis- take. One risks very little in esti- 372 A THOUGHT FOR mating one's worth at a lower rate than necessary. One runs the risk of a great danger in overestimating one's worth. God is disarmed by humility ; but he remains inflexible towards the proud. Humility disarms mankind, who are unable to support the supe- riority of true merit, and revolt against a false superiority which pride awards to itself. Prayer, — Jesus, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest approach me in the Holy Eucharist ; nevertheless, say but the w^ord to render me less un- worthy of Thy presence. Practice, — Never boast of your own acquirements, but think little of yourself. Saturday. *' Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee,"— 6'^. Matthew viii. 13. ThougJd. — Faith is the scale by which the generosity and power of God in our regard is measured out. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 373 Not that God does not often — nay, generally — give more than our faith would entitle us to, but in His glory and bounty He is never content to give us less than we expect from His power and His liberality. Prayer, — Jesus, I believe, but in- crease mv faith. It is so frao^ile the least thing makes it tremble. Practice, — Reanimate your faith by the remembrance of what Jesus Christ has promised you. 374 A THOUGHT FOR jFottttJ) Sunlras after tfit ISpt= " And behold a jsrreat tempest arose."— ^^. Matthew viil. 24. Thought, — What matter whether EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 375 Jesus sleeps or not, provided He is there ; besides, if He sleeps, is it not somewhat through our neglect and forgetfulness ? He sleeps on in the bottom of our boat, and leaves us alone to ourselves, that we may learn how impotent we are without Him. Prayer, — Jesus, if I were always thinking of Thee, I should find that Thou art always thinking of me. If I were to speak to Thee continuously by means of prayer, 1 should hear Thy word and know that Thou art with me. # Practice. — Pray always, and never cease to invoke Jesus. Tuesday. *' Lord, save us, we perish.'*— /§"<{. Matthew viii. 25. Thought. — It is only at the last mo- ment, when our pride is overcome by fear, and when we are obliged to re- cognize our helplessness, that we re- sign ourselves to prayer. God waits 376 A THOUGHT FOR but for this acknowledgment of our weakness ; He has only to hear our cry of distress to show us at once His power and goodness. Prayer. — Jesus, I can only join with Thy apostles and say, Lord, Thou art the master, the controller of the tempests, as well as controller of our lives ; however hard we may strive, we shall surely perish without Thy help, O Lord ! Therefore, O Lord ! be merciful and help us. Practice. — Have confidence in God, and distrust yourself. Wednesday. "Why are you fearful, o ye of little faith ?''—iS^. Matthew viii. 26. Thought. — Be not fearful, but pray. By fear we do an injustice to God. Do you think He lacks either the good- will or the power to save you ? But how can I help fearing when death is surrounding me on all sides ? you will EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 377 say. Let those who give themselves up to their passions, who gratify their sensual appetites and feed their imagi- nation, let them tremble; but you, man of faith and reason, man of good- will and prayer, remain calm and re- solute within the citadel of your soul. Prayer. — Jesus, in the midst of all troubles and tumults I will look up to Thee, confiding trustfully in Thy word and in Thy power. Practice, — Place your whole undi- vided trust iu the divine Goodness and Power. Thursday. '* He commanded the winds and the sea."— /S^. Mat- thew viii. 26. Thought. — The winds represent worldly opinion and human passion, the sea represents the world. You must not attempt to govern opinion or to rule over the world and its pas- sions ; they are too unstable. But if 378 A THOUGHT FOR you wish for peace here below, and are desirous of remaining quiet in the midst of the tempest itself, you will have to be resolute and firm. It is of no use reasoning with those who are incapable of understanding reason; you must command. Prayer. — Jesus, speak authorita- tively to my heart. One word from Thee will produce a calm over my imagination, my passions, and my feelings. Practice. — In times of interior or exterior danger remain calm and reso- lute. Friday. *' But the men wondered."— /S'^. Matthew viii. 27. Thought. — Mankind, as a whole, does not understand the power of our Lord. Its strength of idea limits it- self to materialism, and it cannot un- derstand how the Church — poor and unendowed, without any other safe- EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 379 guard than faith and belief — can domi- nate and ride triumphantly throngh the tempests and the storms of nine- teen centuries. Prayer. — I am astonished at the littleness of my faith in time of storm, for history shows me how Thou hast ever been triumphant through all gales and tempests. Practice. — Place boundless confi- dence in the word of Jesus Christ. Saturday. What manner of man is this ? "— iSif. Matthew viii. 27. Thought, — Who is this man that is mightier than the winds and the sea ? and who is He that despiseth worldly opinions more changeable than the wind, passions more violent and more inconstant than the sea ? He is no man, but God-man^ or a man of God. Prayer. — Jesus, I have decided be- tween public opinion and Thy divine 380 A THOUGHT FOR word, between passion and Thy will. I despise all that the world loves and I detest all that it prefers. Practice — I renounce the world, and will belong to Jesus Christ. EACH DAY OF THE YEAK. 381 iFiftl) Sttntrafi after Epijjijans- *-The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed ROod seed in his field."— /S'^. Matthew xiil 24. Thought. — The field is the world, the Master of the field is God, the good seed is the divine Word. God sows nothing but good seed. His word is truth and justice. How comes it, then, that there are men so foolhardy and so impious as to patron- ize evil and falsehood, expecting as a right for themselves or for others the libertj'' of proclaiming untruth and blasphemy ? Prayer. — Jesus, Thy word alone should be echoed in the world and in my heart. Thou alone hast the right of guiding the intelligence and the will. Practice. — Listen to God only, who is all truth and goodness. 382 a thought fok Monday. "Bat while men were asleep his enemy came."— /S'^, Matthew xiii. 25. Thought. — Whilst those who have won the reputation of being good take their rest in ease and comfort, the scoffer and the sophist sow the seeds of heresy, and the libertine spreads his scandals. What would come to pass if principles of heresy and vice were allowed to spread without condemna- tion? Prayer. — Jesus, place over us su- periors who will guard us against false doctrines, and who know how to re- fute and condemn them. Practice. — Be ever upon the watch, lest you be surprised by the spirit of falsehood. Tuesday. " The enemy oversowed CDckle among the wheat."— St. Matthew xiii. 25. Thought. — The enemy is the type of all that is false and evil. How is it EACH DAY OF THE YEAJi. 383 that there are persons who are simple enough to demand as a right the tole- ration of men whose only aim is to corrupt the heart and soul of others ? Prayer. — Jesus, inspire me with a holy hatred of these sowers of scandal, whose speech is false and whose work is evil. Practice, — Have nothing to do with the sower of cockle. Wednesday. " Sir, didst thou not sow good seed ? "—/S'^, Matthew xiii. 27. Thought. — Jesus never sows any- thing but the seed of truth. Truth alone has the right to rule the intelli- gence of man. Falsehood has no right to show itself. One must be very false in judgment or corrupted in heart not to share the indignation of the farmer's servants at the sight of the cockle sown over the field, or to notice without astonishment evil and 384 A THOUGHT FOR untruth mixed up and confused with what is good and honest. Prayer. — Jesus, inspire me with a hatred and contempt of vice and false- hood ; give me instead a sincere esteem for truth and virtue. Practice. — Be ever on the side of truth and justice. Thursday. " The enemy hath done this."— /Si^. Matthew xiii. 28, Thought. — The enemy watches whilst we slumber, the wicked are generally more active than the good ; so also the wide range that is allowed to vice and error will always be fatal to truth and virtue. The sophist and the corrupter never let an occasion slip by of doing ill, while those who teach the Word of God, and who work for God, make an effort at first and then fall asleep again, leaving the rest of the undertaking in the hands of Pro- vidence — at least this is often the case. EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 385 Prayer, — Jesus, may I always be on my guard against the enemy of faith and salvation. Practice, — Watch without ceasing over a good work once begun. Friday. " Suffer Doth to grow until the harvest."— ^S'^. Matthew xiii. 30. Thought. — It was not out of re- spect for liberty (as certain misguided persons would have it) that Jesus Christ bid the seed and the cockle grow undisturbed until the time of harvest, but for this sole reason, that He feared lest in rooting out the bad seed some part of the good seed might be also rooted out. You must there- fore tolerate vice and error when you are unable to extirpate them without compromising virtue and truth. Prayer, — Jesus, give me prudence together with zeal. Zeal without pru- dence would mar any good that we might do, while prudence without zeal 386 A THOUGHT FOR would cause the overthrow of good by evil. Practice. — Be zealous and prudent. Saturday. ** Gather up first the cockle, ... to burn it."— >S'/. MatthevusMi, 30 Thought. — Such is divine tolera- tion, ever conformable to reason. Vice and error should only be tolerated when the interests of truth and virtue are at stake, and then they should only be tolerated for the purpose of destroying them altogether. Error and vice should be hated and de- stroved. Prayer. — Jesus, inspire me with that same hatred of wrong and sin that animated Thee from the first moment of Thy incarnation. Thy only object in taking upon Thyself our human form was to root out vice and falsehood. Practice. — Detest and fight against all that is false or evil. EACH DAT OF THE TEAB. 387 Strtij .Sunttag after tfit 1SjjC= pjjanfi. ** The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed."— /S^. Matthew xiii. 31. Thought. — From this little grain the whole plant shoots forth. Like- wise the principle of a life of perfec- tion here on earth, and of one of eter- nal glory and happiness hereafter, may take root and spring from one single inspiration of grace. Do not waste one moment of the time allotted to you, nor say or do anything that may be useless to you hereafter. Each moment of your life that is ill- spent imperils your eternal happiness. Prayer, — Jesus, grant that I may never forget any of Thy sayings. Each one of them is a grain of mus- tard seed, which, once taking root in the heart, can and will grow into an immense tree. Practice, — Neglect nothing. 388 a thought for Monday. "But when it is grown np, it is greater than all herbs."— /S^. Matthew xiii. 32. Thought — The least advance made by the soul in the path of grace raises it far above any worldly greatness. A cup of water given to a poor man through love of God has more merit in^His eye than the conquest of Asia by Alexander the Great. Prayer. — Jesus, give me to under- stand the true worth and value of Thy grace. Practice, — Judge of persons and things, not according to the sugges- tions of your imagination, but accord- ing to faith. Tuesday. *' The gi-ain of mustard seed beco-naeth a tree, bo that the bi dft of the air come nnd dwell in the branches thereof."— /S^. Matthew xiii. 32. Thought, — Charity is developed by grace, and all who desire it can find shelter therein. This little grain of mustard seed represents the Church EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 389 and the faithful soul. The Church, at first so small and so imperceptible, is new spreading its branches over the whole world, so that all nations can find shelter and protection within it. This is characteristic of the works of God. He begins modestly, and with little, He continues almost imper- ceptibly, and finally He extends His power everywhere. Such is the progress and character of grace and sanctity in the faithful soul. Prayer. — Jesus, extend in me the knowledge of Thy divine word, and give me to know Thy grace. Grant that my soul may reach the heights of perfection that Thou hast marked out for her. Practice, — Be ever faithful and constant to grace. Wednesday. ' heaven is like to 1 thew xiii. 33. Thought. — God needs little to do ** The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven."— /Sii. Mat- thew xiii. 33. 390 A THOUGHT FOR inucli. What is smaller than an atom? and yet out of an atom He made the sun. What is there in a bit of earth ? and yet from it He made that living essence of all that is won- derful in the world — viz., man. With a single grace on His part, and a little good- will on our own, we shall be able to attain to the highest step on the ladder of sanctity, through the extension of grace and our own cor- responding actions. Prayer, — Jesus, never permit me to lose one of Thy sayings, or one single grace. Practice, — Make use of the least of God's gifts. Thursday. "WMch (leaven) a woman took and hid in three mea- sures of meal."— /Si^. Maithew xiii. 33. Tliought. — Obscurity is one of the conditions necessary for progress, just as secrecy is a necessary condition for the success of an enterprise. Hide, EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 391 then, from man, disappear from his sight, rest content with the good testimony of your conscience and the glory that you are giving to God alone. Prayer, — Jesus, Thou strivest to remain hidden both in Thy Church and in particular souls, and the good Thou dost is none the less real and efficacious. Practice. — Say less and do more. Friday. " And without parables He did not speak to them '' — St. Matthew xiii. 34. Thought. — Let us place ourselves on a level with those over whom God wishes us to exercise our influence. We should not hide from them the truth, nor should we seek to lessen its importance ; our aim rather should be to put truth before their eyes in such a way that faithful and high-minded souls may clearly understand it, while feeble souls may gradually acquire a 392 A THOUGHT FOB knowledge of its beauty, without being dazzled by its splendor. Prayer. — Jesus, when shall I un- derstand Thee perfectly, and make others understand Thee too ? When I learn to love Thee above everything else, and make others love Thee — then, and then only. The heart helps the understanding; cherished truths are easily understood. Practice, — Seek truth everywhere, and in all things. Saturday. " I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."— /S^. Matthew xiii. 35. Thought, — In heaven only we shall understand this revelation in all its fulness. Nevertheless, good and up- right souls are admitted here on earth into the divine secrets. The trials of the just, so mysterious to common people, so misjudged by weak-minded Christians, and so blasphemed by the wicked, need only to be seen with the EACH DAY OF THE YEAR. 393 light of faith to be at once under- stood. And so it is with a number of other mysteries. Prayer. — Jesus, of all hidden mys- teries the mystery of the Cross is the most wonderful. Give me to under- stand how and why it is that the height of infamy may lead to the height of glory ; how excess of suffer- ing may produce a fulness of happi- ness. Practice, — Receive with gratitude the lights that faith procures you. o\ . Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Jan. 2006 PreservationTechnologie^ A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Dnve Cranberry Township. PA 16066 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 017 352 165 %,