Class :5K-^_l^ Book J\M± CoByriglit]^"- . COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. I WELL SPENT QUARTERS FIFTEEN-MINUTE MEDITATIONS ADAPTED TO THE YOUNG TO WHICH IS ADDED H TOree Wa^s* IRetreat ' BY A SISTER OF MERCY ^ NEW YORK CHRISTIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION PUBLISHING COMPANY 26 Barclay Street 1908 Two Copies 'rtec ,A AXtl <^w; fltbil ©b0tat» Umprimatur. Remigius Lafort, S. T. L. Censor. »J4 JOHN M. FARLEY, D. D. Archbishop of New York, New York, November 11, 1907. Copyrighted, 1907, BY CHRISTIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION PUBLISHING COMPANY. CONTENTS. PAGE Dedication 7 Introduction 9 Preface 11 Methods of making Meditation ,.. 17 On Sin 19 " Hell 21 " Heaven 23 ♦' Death .• 24 " Judgment 26 *' Doing all for the Love and Glory of God 28 " Prayer , 30 '* The prayer of Adoration 32 " ♦' " Praise 34 " " ♦* Supplication 37 " " " Thanksgiving 39 " Intercessory Prayer 41 •* Ejaculatory " 43 " The Lord's Prayer 45 " Hallowed be thy name." 47 *' Thy kingdom come." 49 *' Thy will be done on earth," etc 51 ** Give us this day our daily bread " 53 " Forgive us our trespasses," etc 55 ** Lead us not into temptation " 57 " Deliver us from evil." • 59 " The Spirit of Faith 61 •* Faith as opposed to worldly cunning 63 " *' of Jairus and its Reward 66 ** The young should not endanger their faith 68 '' Hope 71 *' We should hope for the pardon of our sins 73 3 CONTENTS. PAGE On Motives for hope 76 " We should hope for all Things 78 ** Charity 80 " " or Love of God (Con.) 83 " Proofs that we really love God 84 " Charity or love of our neighbor 87 ** '' in thought 89 " " in word 93 " " in action 96 ** " at home • 98 " Idleness 100 " Pride 102 ** Justice 104 »* Modesty 107 *' Truthfulness 109 ** Obedience Ill "Anger 113 ** Jealousy 117 " Fidelity to Duty 119 " Dangerous amusements 120 *' Choice of companions 122 •' Spiritual reading 125 MEDITATIONS ON THE PASSION OP OUR LORD, TO BE USED DURINa LENT AND ON EACH FRIDAY. On the Betrayal of Judas 128 On the Scourging 131 On the Crowning with thorns 133 On Jesus condemned to death 135 * ' carries his cross 137 " falls the first time 139 *' meets his Mother Mary ... 140 " " the Holy Women 142 " " Veronica 144 Simon assists our Lord to carry the cross 146 Jesus is stripped of his garments 148 " is nailed to the cross 150 " hangs for three hours on the cross 152 " cries *' I Thirst " 153 " leaves us His Blessed Mother 155 CONTENTS. 5 PAGE Jesus says : " This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise" 157 prays for His enemies 158 cries: "My God, why hast thou for- saken me ? " 161 cries : *' All is consummated " 163 *' "Into Thy hands I commend my spirit " 165 is taken down from the cross , 168 is buried 170 MEDITATION TO BE USED WHILE MAKING THE HOLY HOUR. On " Jesus' Agony in the Garden " 172 MEDITATIONS FOR DAY OP CONFESSION, For the day of Confession 176 On Holy Communion 178 •' Frequent Communion 180 " The Mass 182 " The Stations of the Cross 184 MEDITATIONS FOR THE DIFFERENT FEASTS. Feast of Circumcision 187 Espousals 189 Purification or Candlemas Day 192 St. Joseph 193 Annunciation 195 Easter Sunday 197 Ascension Day — Holvday of Obligation . . . 199 Whit Sunday .* 201 Trinity Sunday 203 Corpus Christi. 205 The Sacred Heart 206 St. Aloysius 209 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 210 Transfiguration 212 Assumption of Our Lady 214 Seven Dolors 216 Nativity of Blessed Virgin 218 Our Lady of Mercy 219 6 CONTENTS. PAGE Feast of The Holy Rosary 221 All Saints 223 AllSouls 244 " Immaculate Conception, 226 Christmas Day. , 229 A THREE DAYS' RETREAT FOR THE YOUNG. FIRST DAY OF THE RETREAT. First Meditation— The Garden of the Sacred Heart 231 Second do The Story of the Lily 235 Third do " What is this to Eternity ? " 238 SECOND DAY OF THE RETREAT. First Meditation — ** He that Contemneth small Things shall Fall little by little" 243 Second do Nazareth. The Story of the Daisy 248 Third do The Passion Flower 254 THIRD DAY OP THE RETREAT. First Meditation— The Thorny Flower 259 Second do Divine Love — Tale of the Rose 264 Third do Heaven — The Story of the Forget-me-Not 267 DEDICATION. To dear Saint Joseph, Faithful Guardian of the Infant Jesus, this little work is humbly dedicated. O Chaste Spouse of our Immaculate Queen, and Friend of the Sacred Heart, obtain that through thy merits and in- tercession this unworthy gift, laid at thy shrine to-day, may become a seed of divine love. Do thou, dear Saint, plant this seed, nourish and guard it in the hearts of the young, that it may bring forth f niit in abundance. Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, 1907. INTRODUCTION. "Well- Spent Quarters " would fain make its way into all places where the young are gathered. It seeks, in humble way, to promote their good. Let us suppose, dear youth, that some one has given you money in quarters. If you are sen- sible — and we know you are — you will spend your coins to your very best advantage. God gives you coins from the precious Mint of Time. Every day you have twenty-four hours of these, or ninety-six quarters. We ask you to spend one of them in the purchase of goods spiritual. These goods will be stored away for you in that treasure-house where the " moths do not consume." Our dear Lord invites you, Promise him that henceforth no day will pass, the record of which bears not the entry of its " Well-Spent Quarter." 9 PREFACE. A FEW WORDS TO THOSE INTERESTED IN THE YOUNG. A task of love is this indeed, but one that calls for help and guidance from above. These will not be denied to our un worthiness, for, with God's interests as the sole impelling force that urges on to this effort in behalf of the young, may we not rest our weakness on his strength ? And now permit us the privilege of a few words to parents, teachers and all sincerely in- terested in the spiritual welfare of children. It may be objected by them, that daily medita- tion is far beyond the spiritual sphere in which the average child is supposed to live. That the very name of " meditation," will loom up a vision of dry, weary prayer-time, devoid of all attrac- tion, and wholly unnecessary. With the " point of view," at this level it is not to be wondered at that meditation for the young is considered an invitation to "heights 11 12 PREFACE. inaccessible," a stretch of piety beyond and above them. But are not children ever meditating? All day long are not the little minds filled with busy thoughts that move the will and stir the heart ? Yes, and too often, alas, with frivolities and vanities. Are children to spend long hours studying the lives, character, etc., of great soldiers, statesmen, poets, and grow up with the feeling that a few minutes every day, given to the study of our dear Lord and his teachings, is a waste of time, an unnecessary penance ? Youth is pre-eminently the time when the heart is most susceptible. Its affections, fresh, innocent and ardent go out unconsciously to all that is lovable. Is it not then the time, above all others, for directing these affections to their proper objects — God and heaven ? How can they love him if they do not know him ? How can they know him if they do not study him and think of him ? To meditate is to direct the will, the heart aright through the power of thinking and reasoning. Is it when the heart's affections have been spent, to the exclusion of God, on things ignoble that the habit of meditation is to begin ? Then, too, the youthful mind is admirably PREFACE. 13 fitted for meditation, while yet untrammeled by the cares and jars of life, while still unclouded by the hazy mists of sin and passion it readily lends itself to the gaze of things spiritual, if only properly encouraged, directed and led on. Even from a human standpoint meditation is good and even necessary for the young. It trains the mind to powers of concentration, nourishes the imaginative force, with healthful aliment, and in short is the best discipline for securing mental control. We ask you then, for the love you bear those innocent souls, to urge and encourage them to habituate themselves to this salutary practise which will serve as a bulwark of defense against the inroads of the spiritual enemies to whose as- saults they will ever be exposed. You who are so tenderly solicitous for the preservation of their corporal health, and beauty, neglect not the still more precious health and beauty of those souls so dear to Christ. Think not that meditation is for those only who live in cloisters or are consecrated to God — No, the call to holiness is imperative on all. Though called by different pathways we all journey towards the same home. We all en- counter rocks of temptation on the way, against which we unconsciously dash. Enemies am- 14 PREFACE. bushed wait, and perseveringly attack from every side. Easier far the task of shielding youth's innocence, by the daily use of powerful weapons furnished in prayer and meditation, than to re- cover the precious pearl when lost. Delay not then until the beautiful garden of their hearts has sacrificed its choicest flowers on the shrine of passion's idol. Direct them e'er it is too late, to the pure shrine of God's Heart. Then they will grow in every virtue and will be your joy in this world and the next. TO THE YOUNG INTO WHOSE HANDS THIS BOOK MAY FALL. Dear children, boys and girls, who happen to come across this little work, do not throw it from you carelessly. Do not put it aside. Use it as directed. Just try at the dawn of this New Year to make it your daily companion for ten or fifteen minutes, as a help to grow, with God's grace, in his knowledge and love. You have often read and heard of the manner in which our dear Lord welcomed children. You have even grown familiar with his sweet words : " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of heaven." To-day from his home in the Taber- nacle he addresses those same words to you again. PREFACE. 15 « Yes," he pleads ; " Come, dear child, unto me ; come and meditate on my love ; come stay near me for those ten or fifteen minutes every day. Come and I Avill speak to your heart and place it in my own, since you love to hearken to my tender invitation." Yes, dear child, our Lord invitees you through this little book, and do not fear the task before you. Have you ever loved any one so much that time just went like lightning while you con- versed with this person ? Did you so implicitly confide in this friend or relative as to tell each joy, each sorrow, each plan and each heartache ? But did you not find that often this friend, though willing, was powerless to help yon in time of need? So you will find it all through life, there is One and One only who is all-beau- tiful^ all-lovahle and all-poioerful. This is our dearest Lord, and better than all, he loves you specially^ he thinks of you all day, all night. He craves for your love. He holds out his hands to welcome you and they are filled with gifts, yes, every day with new gifts, which he longs to give you, on one condition : that you ask foe them. He longs for you to come to him, sit at his feet, rest your hand in his and tell him everything. During this visit he wants you to be all his ; you 16 PREFACE. must try to think of no one else. Then he will speak to you. No sound of words, no voice will fall sensibly on your ear, but deep down in your heart, there will be sweet breathings of love, of advice, of consolation. When you leave he will go with you. Fenelon, a great Bishop and writer, said : " God will be with you if you are with God." You may not have any one else with you, every one may abandon you, thwart you and contradict you, but what of that ? They are all worth noth- ing near him. He will be tkue to you all DAY LONG. If you kccp the promise you made during your visit with him, he will keep his. i^ow is all this very, very difficult to do ? No, it is sweet and easy. And this is meditation. Surely you can do this. You only need a mind to think and a heart to love : God has given you both. Only when you meet the dear Lord in the great hereafter, will you know all the sins you have avoided, all the dangers you have escaped, all the graces and favors you have received for yourself, and those dear to you, during your little meditation. Then will you rejoice that from earliest years, you heeded and continued to heed the tender invitation to " Come unto him." He will keep you always a child in innocence and charity, for, of such "Is the Kingdom op Heaven." METHODS OF MAKING MEDITA- TION. READ THE POINTS AFTER YOUR NIGHT PRAYERS. On retiring, banish every distracting thought. Direct your attention to God and review in mind the points of your meditation. On awaking, after offering your heart to God, recall the subject of meditation. You need not kneel for meditation ; better take some comfortable position. Begin by placing yourself in the presence of God, and ask him to give you grace and light to meditate well. Form a picture in your mind of the places, persons and scenes that enter into the subject of your meditation ; for instance if on death imagine you see a dying person or that you are at the point of death yourself, etc. After using your memory in recalling the facts ; your mind in reasoning out the matter, then let your heart speak. For instance if you are medi- tating on sin, after reasoning out the necessity of avoiding its punishments, its malice in robbing 2 17 18 METHODS OF MAKING MEDITATION. us of God's friendship, of Heaven, etc., — all pow- erful reasons — then your heart will doubtless be moved to sorrow, to love for God, who suffered for your sins, and so mercifully pardons them. When moved by any of these affections, speak freely to God as you would to a loving father or a very dear friend. Make some practical resolution, for instance to practise such and such a virtue, or, to avoid such or such fault. Ask for grace to keep your resolution. Beg of the Blessed Virgin to help you ; select some as- piration to say frequently during the day as a reminder of your promise, and an aid to the remembrance of God's presence, or use the as- piration suggested in the meditation. Read over these directions for meditating, at least once a month. MEDITATIO:Nr. SIN. Imagine you see our Lord about to condemn a soul who has lived in sin. His look is stern and angry. Picture the soul— Terror, horror, despair, seize it. First Point. — God has given you many gifts but the best — a beautiful, pure soul. The angels looked at it after your baptism and were filled with admiration. That is not many years ago but perhaps already sin has disfigured its beauty. If so, bewail your misfortune. If not, thank God with your whole heart. Second Point. — You know what God's com- mands are. You know what the Church com- mands. Wilfully to break these commands is to commit sin. God hates sin. It is our greatest enemy. It makes us unhappy because our con- science torments us. God hates very^ very much the sins of children. The young are specially dear to his Sacred Heart. Children are very near to our Lord. He gives them many helps to avoid sin. But if you sin you drive him from you. 19 20 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Third Point. — Sin is the robber that takes heaven from us. That beautiful throne, that brilliant crown destined for us are snatched away by sin. Hell is the punishment of sin. So hideous a monster is sin that the sweet, innocent child, so dear to God, becomes, by committing a mortal sin, an object so horrible to look at that the angels turn from the sight with loathing. St. Cyril while yet only nine years old, trampled under foot all the allurements of earthly honors and pleasures rather than displease God. He even preferred torments and a cruel death, to the loss of his innocence. St. Agnes and St. Pan- cratius also went courageously to a painful death rather than lose God's friendship. They were only children. Beg of God to give you a strong, deeply-rooted hatred for sin, grace to avoid the slightest stain and make a resolution to watch yourself to-day, and carefully guard yourself against the fault you are most likely to commit. Speak to the Blessed Virgin. Aspiration for the day:— "O God incline unto mine aid." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 21 MEDITATIOlsT. HELL. Imagine you see a place of torments and thousands of lost souls there. First Point.— l^hQ thought of hell should make you hate and fear sin. In hell there is no more hope, no more love. If you were suffering all kinds of pain and afflictions and you were told these would last forever without relief of any kind, you would have arrived then at the very climax of suffering because hope no longer could cheer you This is the case in hell. The lost soul hates God ; hates itself even. Knows it can never see God; never see the Blessed Virgin or any one of the elect. It understands what great happiness it has lost forever. All for a little pleasure — to avoid a little pain. All THROUGH ITS OWN FAULT. Second Point. — Spiritual writers tell us that there are some children in hell. They sinned, they died unprepared — they are lost. What a dreadful thought! They neglected prayer and the sacraments ; would not listen to good advice ; thought they had many years to live and wilfully remained in sin. They began by small faults. They are sorry now ; alas ! it is too late. Third Point. — ^Do not let the thought of hell 22 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. make you lose confidence in God or tempt you to think of him as a severe and cruel judge and not a loving father. Hell is only another great proof of God's wonderful love for you and all mankind. He died sooner than that one soul should go there and were it not for the thought of hell, hundreds and thousands who are now in heaven would have been lost, deprived of heaven forever. The fear of hell kept them from sin. God wants to save the sinner; gives him every grace, every help ; lavishes love and favors on him, but He will not save us against our own will. We must do our part ; if not with sorrow, God must let justice take its course. If he were not just how could we love him. Thank God that you have every help to avoid hell. Heaven is surely yours if you only try to be good, to hate sin and avoid the occasion of it. Speak to God and our Blessed Mother; ask them to fill your heart with the fear of hell. Make your resolutions — . . . Aspiration I—My Jesus, mercy. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 23 MEDITATION HEAVEN. Picture to yourself a place of dazzling magnificence. . . God, the Blessed Virgin, all the Blessed. First Point. — The greatest joy of heaven is to see, love, possess God. It belongs not to mortal power to describe the wonderful beauty of God. We cannot even imagine it. Eternity is not long enough to show forth all its charms. The angels and saints gaze on the Beatific Vision and are carried away in an ecstasy of love and admiration. One glance of God would reward a whole life of toil, privation and suffering. What then must be the joy of being with him for end- less years ? Second Point. — In heaven there is no heat, no cold, no pain, no sickness, no work. There we find all peace, all joy, all love. Everything that the heart could desire. Have you ever had a day of such pleasure that you said : " Oh ! if this would only last forever ? Have you ever been looking at some play, some magnificent sight that so charmed your eye that you felt an hour was not the length of a minute ? Well, all that is only a very poor foretaste of the joys of heaven. Third Point. — Sometimes your duties grow 24 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. heavy and wearisome. You would like so much better to be out playing than pouring over books. It seems so difficult to pray; to obey your parents' wishes, when they conflict with your desires. At such times take courage by saying : "Heaven is the prize." Yes, heaven is worth every effort. Are you going to work for it? The longest life passes like a shadow, a dream. What will all avail us if we gain not our crown in the end ? Resolve to work for God only. Let your heart speak to Him as to your best friend. Aspiration: — *' Queen of heaven, pray for us." MEDITATION. DEATH. Form your picture as suggested in the " Method." First Point. — Children do not like to think of death. It fills them with terror. If, however, you avoid and fear sin and all that leads to it, then you can look on death as on a true friend. Death is sure to come to you. You do not know when, nor in what place, nor in what manner. Are you ready now if God should call you ? If not, try to put your soul in good order without delay for no one knows the day nor the hour. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 25 Second Point. — Why should we look on death as on a true friend ? Because it is the gate that shuts out sin, sickness, misery of all kinds ; puts us forever into the hands of our merciful Creator and beyond those of his unmerciful creatures. Let us suppose that you had a magnificent home far, far away from here ; that your dearest rela- tives were there, living in wealth, luxuries and extraordinary happiness : that you were separ- ated from all until such time as found you fitted to adorn this wonderful palace of delights. What efforts would you not make to prepare yourself ! How you would count the days, the hours! When you had all in readiness to depart how little you would mind the journey. Sickness, hardships and dangers would seem nothing on the way, for the thought : " I will soon be there, with those I love, with all I could wish for on earth," would cheer and sustain you. This is a faint picture of our journey from this world to our true home — heaven ; to our true friend — God. Death then is the gate that opens endless happi- ness to us. Why then should we not welcome it? Why should we fear it? We should, on the contrary, long for it and look on it as a cause of joy, not of grief. Third Point. — Are you getting all in readiness for the journey of death ? Are you trying to 36 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. avoid every wilful sin ? Are you trying to love God more every day ? If you truly love him and try to do everything for love of him all day long, then you need not be afraid to die. Only those who deliberatelj^ live in sin, should fear death. Speak to our Lord, our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph and ask them to be with you at the hour of death. Aspiration : — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony. MEDITATION. JUDGMENT. Imagine you are before God, who is about to judge you. First Point. — Judgment follows death. God weighs our life in the scales of his justice and then passes the sentence we deserve. This is called the particular judgment after which the soul goes to heaven, hell or purgatory. You are very young, it is true, and perhaps many years may elapse before you are summoned to be judged. But do you not hear of children leaving this world of sin to go to a better ? Can you not recall, perhaps, some of your companions who have been judged since last year ? They did not expect to meet God so soon. Is it not WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 27 necessary then to be always ready to render an account ? Second Point. — On what will you be judged? On your thoughts, words, actions. On the good you should have done and neglected to do. On the sins you caused others to commit. Review your life. Judge all now, yourself, and see what sentence you deserve. It is in your own power with God's grace, to obtain a favorable sentence. Third Point. — If you find that you have com- mitted faults be sorry, but not discouraged. On the contrary these faults should urge you to begin again with increased fervor. By fervor you will atone for your past negligence and strengthen yourself against new faults. Watch yourself carefully ; avoid occasions of sin ; pray fervently ; be faithful to your daily meditation. We are told that those who persevere steadfastly in mental prayer will save their souls. Prepare, then, for a favorable judgment by laying the foundation of a virtuous life in your youth. Kneeling in spirit at the foot of the cross speak to our Lord ; beg of him to keep you ever at his sacred feet that you may there find, in the end, a sentence of pardon and mercy. Make your reso- lutions. Aspiration: — "Jesus, be to me a Savior." 28 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. ^ ON DOING ALL FOR THE LOVE AND GLORY OF GOD. Imagine you see the little home at Nazareth where Mary and Joseph are engaged in their labors ; Jesus is with them ; everything is done for him all day long. First Point. — Every day brings its own little duties. Every day is full of merit for you, if you choose to accept it. If you lose the merit of your daily cares and toils it is through your own negli- gence. By the simple offering of each duty to God, you spiritualize it and give it a value great indeed, since it purchases eternal rewards for you. Second Point. — The day once passed you can never recall it ; so that if the merit attached to it has been lost to you, the loss is irretrievable. Through forgetfulness of God how many days have been lost ones to you? Now, at least, resolve that you will in all things act from a supernatural motive. Third Point. — But there is "even a higher motive than that of working for merit. You are now preparing to enter the field of life's battles. With eyes lovingly, hopefully, raised on high, base and earthly ideals will have no place in your heart, please God. And your banner will be WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 29 adorned with not only what is high, but what is highest. So I write you to propose to yourself the HIGHEST motive ; to work for that and labor at it until you have reached the goal : — All for THE love of God. Yes, that is the most sublime ideal. Suppose that two persons gave you beautiful presents one saying : "You have been kind to me, I know that you will continue to bestow gifts and favors on me, so accept these tokens of ap- preciation." The other offers you precious gifts, not because of any expected compensation but simply because of his or her love and admiration, of which these gifts are the outward expression. Which of these two friends would appeal the more strongly to your heart? Doubtless the latter. Apply this to yourself as regards your relations with God. The motive of doing all for him, with a view to obtain heaven, merit, etc., is good and pleasing to him, but it is not the highest. To do all for God because he is himself so lovable, so beautiful, so good, so worthy on account of all his infinite perfections, of our whole affection, this is the most noble end to keep in view. Beg for this degree of purity of intention. Tell our Lord that even if there were no hell to punish you, no heaven to reward you still would you love and work for him. Still would you try to 30 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. avoid sin, because it is his enemy and still would you do all in your power to please him in every- thing, because of his own love and goodness. Resolve to keep this motive in view all day. Aspiration : — " All for the greater glory of God." MEDITATION. ON PRAYEE. Imagine you are sitting at our Lord's feet and that he tenderly teaches you how to pray ; exhorts you to pi ay always and to have unshaken confidence in prayer. First Point. — Your catechism tells you that prayer is the raising up of our hearts and minds to God ; to adore him, praise him, thank him for all his benefits and to beg for all that we need for soul and body. When you pray, God listens to you, draws near you and showers favors on you. The angels hearken with joy when you pray. God wishes that you pray always. You cannot save your soul without prayer. You cannot avoid sin without prayer. It is our Lord himself who has commanded us to pray and he has promised to hear us. Second Point, — " Prayer is lifting up the heart and mind to God." Is it thus you pray? Is WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 31 your heart raised above by sentiments of grate- ful love and affection ? Your prayer should proceed from the heart for : " From the abun- dance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Your mind should be " lifted up " from worldly thoughts and distractions ; it should be filled with awe and respect for the great God to whom you speak in prayer. Are you careful in this respect when you pray ? Third Point. — We should pray, above all, PEKSEVERiNGLY. Every morning, every night, fre- quently during the day by short, fervent aspira- tions. When in trouble, pain of mind or body, and especially in the hour of temptation. Never forget that the day on which you cease to pray is the day of malicious triumph for your worst enemy — the devil. He then obtains a firm grasp, and drags you to the beginning of your ruin. When you cease to pray, you withdraw yourself from God's protecting arm. Pray when all seems lost — your temporal and eternal happiness. Pray when it seems useless to pray. You will then baffle the most subtle artifice of the evil one. Prat, pray, if one repeated the word a thousand times it would not be sufficient to show forth the danger of not praying. Pray with unswerving confidence. Creatures may break their promises but God cannot break 32 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. HIS WORD. A great Saint has said : " Let us sail against the wind and tide and hope the more when things look desperate." Converse with our Lord, the Blessed Virgin and your good angel. Beg for grace never to fail in confiding prayer. Make strong resolutions to pray well^ and/re- quently^ with God's help. Aspiration : — Lord, teach me to pray. MEDITATION. ON THE PRAYER OF ADORATION. Imagine you are with the angels who are prostrate in adoration before the throne of God. First Point. — What occupation so grand, so beautiful as the adoration of that great and good God who deigns to accept our homage, all un- worthy as we are to appear before his throne. The angels are ever engaged in adoring God. It is the delight of all the blessed in heaven and we too, who expect to make one of their com- pany, some day, should begin on earth the exer- cise which we hope to continue for all eternity. Children should, from tenderest years, adopt the beautiful practice of associating themselves in spirit with the holy angels, uniting the per- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 33 fume of their young hearts' sweet, fresh adoration to that of the angelic hosts, that they may thus be as sweetest incense on high. Do you humbly adore God at the beginning of your daily medita- tion ? Do you adore God present in the Blessed Sacrament for love of you, as often as you should? Second Point. — The human heart yearns in- stinctively for an object to which it may render adoration. Thus we find the pagans of old, who knew not the true God, adoring idols of their own making. The best they had was, often sacri- ficed at the unworthy shrine of base objects. What have you done to deserve the knowledge of the true God of which so many are deprived? Do you appreciate the blessing as you should and do you fervently thank God for it ? Third Point. — Every little sacrifice you make for love of God is an acceptable act of adoration. You are not required, like the martyrs, to sacrifice your life ; but if you perseveringly continue to direct thought, word and act of your life to God's love and glory, then indeed will it be a true holo- caust not through the sharp, short road of martyr- dom, but by the slow, steady consuming power that renders its victim even as the little candle, that burns on and on before our dear Lord in the tabernacle, until it is at length entirely con- 3 34 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. sumed. Resolve thus to love ; make your life one sweet, silent act of adoration and sacrifice, and begin at once now when you are just entering the temple of life. Pray that you may persevere in your resolution. Speak with our Lord and our blessed Mother. Aspiration :— "Holy God we thee adore." MEDITATION. ON THE PKAYEE OF PRAISE. First Point. — " Praise the Lord ! Extol his wonderful works." You have been meditating on God, on the things of God and as you grow in his knowledge and love, you will ever find more and more to admire and praise. People praise — and very justly — great persons and great deeds. Poets love to write of great men with noble qualities, and musicians sing their praises taking inspiration from the subject. But what soul is comparable to the great, wonderful God. Praise him then with all your heart and let it be your delight to feel that from your youthful days you have praised and blessed the name of God. Second Point. — Praise the Lord in his wonder- ful works. Look at the great world about you, the sky, the water, nature in all its beauty -and WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 35 grandeur. You are learning many things about them in school, you might study all your life and would not then have penetrated into all the secrets of nature's marvels. Your geography tells you that this great globe in which you live revolves through space, resting on nothing and held in place by a force^ a power ; yes, that is all true but jonv faith tells you that, in reality, that ^^ power ^^ is the great, the powerful Arm of the Creator who formed this vast universe and preserves it also. Great scientists have devoted a lifetime to the study of the human eye which is so wonder- ful, yet so tiny. Not all the united art and skill of mankind could make the human eye. By means of it we see the stars shining and scintil- lating and yet they are millions of miles distant. We drink in the beauty of all around us, and through the power of this wonderful organ we can discriminate persons, places and objects. Who has blessed you with this gift ? Who could deprive you of it in an instant ? As you advance in your school studies you may learn something of the wonderful power and beauty discovered in the human ear also by the great scientists, who have made it their life-study. They tell us it is even more extraordinary in its formation than the eye. You will learn that it conceals a marvel- ously delicate little musical instrument called the 36 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. " Organ of Corti," which, with its three thousand tiny strings, and aided by fine membranes, nerves, etc, receives, transmits, and prolongs vibrations so that the music of the external world is trans- mitted to the brain. You can thus distinguish the shrill note of the steam engine to warn you of its approach ; you can tell the voice of your loved ones from those of strangers : in short the uses of the human ear are many and wonderful as are the pleasures derived through it. " Praise God for all his wonderful works." Third Point. — Resolve to praise and bless the greatness of God at all times. When you see anything grand or beautiful, in nature, in art, in persons etc, think of the good God whose power made them so, and direct the thoughts of others, too, in that direction. From the pretty flower to the charming music, etc, all, all must remind you of the goodness of the Creator. Make use of all to his greater glory. Abuse not God's gifts or you may suffer their withdrawal. It is not easy to praise God in times of trouble and aflfliction but try while now in your tender years to form the habit of saying under all cir- cumstances : " Praised be the Holy Will of God." Speak to our Lord and our Blessed Mother ; beg for grace to keep your resolutions. Aspiration for the day . — " Holj^ God, we praise thy name." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 37 MEDITATION. ON THE PEAYEE OF SUPPLICATION. Imagine you see our Lord and the ten lepers near him earnestly begging their cure. Picture the look of tender compassion and sweetness on our Savior's adorable face. First Point — ^Ask and you shall receive. How many times have we heard or read, these words and yet how little have they meant to us. How weak our confidence in God's help and how easily shaken. Dear child, if your father, mother or any one you loved promised to give you anything and everything you asked ; bound themselves by solemn pledge to assist you in every sorrow, dis- tress and difficulty would you be ungrateful enough to doubt them ? Would you refuse to go near them for help in time of need ? God has solemnly pledged himself to answer prayer and yet we doubt him.. Perhaps he is the very last you think of applying to in your necessities. Examine your conduct in respect to this matter. If you find you have failed, ask our Lord to for- give you and implore greater confidence. Second Point. — The ten lepers beg for a cure and the ten are cured. They asked and received. This is only one of the many examples given us in the Bible, to show the love and tenderness of our Lord's Heart, to give us proof of his power 38 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. and desire to hear and answer every prayer. He raised the dead to life, cured diseases of all kinds, changed water to wine, multiplied the loaves and fishes, all in answer to confiding prayer. Let your necessity be of a spiritual or temporal nature, go to our Lord and he will assist you. To doubt this is to doubt not man's word, but that of Christ Himself. Will you, in future, then, refuse to ask for assistance where it can surely be found ? Third Point, — Perhaps you have prayed for something and you have not obtained it. In consequence you lost courage and confidence and say : " I have prayed, I have not been answered." You are wrong; if you prayed as you should, your prayer has been answered. You have not obtained what you asked, which might not have been conducive to your good, but you have been answered, for something hetter than what you asked has been granted you. A gentleman had an only child, a boy whom he tenderly loved. This child begged and implored his father to buy him a gun. The father, knowing that to grant this request was to endanger the life of the child, refused the gun but bought instead a fine bat and ball with which the little fellow had much sport. Was not the child's prayer answered by a wise father ? A young man prayed fervently WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 39 for means to return to California, to San Fran- cisco, so that he might settle permanently there ; insurmountable difiBculties arose which com- pletely frustrated the execution of his desire. Years passed and suddenly the papers are filled with the news of the destruction of San Fran- Cisco and the distress of its inhabitants. The young man knelt and thanked God for not an- swering his prayer in the manner desired. Thus it happens with all of us. Our prayers are ALWAYS ANSWERED. OuR PRAYERS ARE NOT AL- WAYS ANSWERED IN THE WAY WE ASK but lu the way KNOWN TO BE BEST FOR US, by an all- wise, all-merciful Father. Speak with our Lord, and our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Beg for love and confidence. Aspiration .* — In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped ; let me never be confounded. MEDITATION. ON THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING. Imagine you are sitting near our Lord and you see one of the ten lepers coming, and in an outburst of gratitude throwing himself at our Lord's feet, returning thanks for his cure. First Point, — Recall to mind the many and wonderful favors you have received from God. 40 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. His blessings are scattered around you in abund- ance. From your birth to the present moment he has sweetly protected you. Yes, even before your existence he thought of you, suffered for you and died for you. What has been your thanksgiving for all? And with what measure of love do you resolve to repay so many benefits ? Second Point. — Do not forget that our dear Lord has a Heart which is both human and divine. That he deeply feels Ingratitude we know. He is pleased with this leper who returns to thank him, but that the Sacred Heart is wounded by the indifference of the other nine lepers, is plainly evidenced by the question : " Were not ten made whole, where are the other nine?" Oh! how often have we not deserved to be numbered with the ungrateful nine ! How often has our cold, indifferent acceptance of the favors of Heaven, pierced the tender Heart of Jesus ? Will you now, at least, resolve to show in future, your lively gratitude for all ? Third Point. — Resolve that no day of your life be ever allowed to pass without a prayer of thanksgiving from you. Whenever you receive any little joy or gift of any kind, raise your heart to God and say " Thanks be to God." Whenever you escape any danger or affliction, fail not to re- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 41 turn thanks. In sorrow, above all, thank God, for every cross is a special mark of God's love for you. Did you ever save your pennies during the year so that you could get a Mass of thanks- giving said ? The little acts of mortification you would thus make, by depriving yourself of candy, etc., occasionally, would be very agreeable in God's eyes. Converse with our Lord and Blessed Mother. Aspiration : for the day : — My God, I thank Thee for all Thy gifts. MEDITATION. ON INTEBCESSORY PRAYEE. Imagine you are kneeling at the feet of Jesus who bids you pray for sinners and for all the needs of the Church. First Point. — You should not be satisfied to pray for your own needs only. God wishes us to pray for others. Whatever your unworthiness may be, God listens with pleasure when you for- get yourself for a time to remember his inter- ests. How many parents have been brought to the practises of religion through the persevering prayers of a child. How many a wayward brother or sister has been reclaimed by the patient prayers of some young member of the 42 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. family. Many souls are in danger of being lost. Fervent prayers may save them. Will you be the one to plead for them ? Second Point. — God loves the prayers of the young. They have special power over his heart. Have you not often heard your teachers tell of the wonderful favors granted in answer to the prayers of the children? Favors despaired of and denied to others have been obtained at last when the little prayer, sought from the boys and girls, ascended to the throne of the Most High. Let this encourage you to be generous and fervent in behalf of others whose spiritual or temporal needs call for assistance. Third Point. — Intercessory prayer is an out- come of our love for God. You have read of saints, whose whole lives were devoted to this practice. As you grow in God's love you will be zealous to work and pray for the salvation of souls. Children have many golden opportunities to do good. In their own little sphere they may be apostles. The more fervent you are yourself, the more pure and free from every stain of sin, the more efficacious will be your prayers. People covet the prayers of the good, innocent child. Resolve to strive with all your heart to become every day more pleasing to God so that you may do much to make others love him more. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 43 Converse with your good angel, our Blessed Mother and our dear Lord. Aspiration .—My God I offer Thee the sufferings and death of Christ for the conversion of sinners. MEDITATION, ON EJACULATOEY PRAYER. Picture our Lord in all his wonderful beauty and sweet- ness. Imagine he looks at you tenderly and says, " Think of me, my child, and I will think of you." First Point. — Remember again that our dear Lord has a human Heart, sensitive to all the emotions of love, sorrow, etc. With all the strength of a love divinely perfect, yes, with all the ardor of his Heart does our Lord love you, and with all the ardor of that heart does he sigh for your love, dear child, in return. His love for you keeps you ever in his remembrance, and he longs for you to keep him in remembrance too. Meditate on this desire of our Lord's heart and resolve to think frequently of him during the day. Second Point. — You have now resolved to think often of our Lord. Ejaculatory prayer is the best means to enable you to carry out your resolution. Let no hour of the day pass without the recital of some short aspiration. Have some 44 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. reminder — the striking of the clock — the begin- ning or termination of some duty — the receiving of some joy will suggest an aspiration of thanks- giving — the occurrence of some disappointment or sorrow will suggest an aspiration of resigna- tion. Above all, if your heart is filled with love for God, short acts of love will be ever on your lips. Regret the days on which you have for- gotten our Lord and tell him now, that you will never again add another to the number. Ihird Point — Consider the many graces you will gain by means of ejaculatory prayer. It will keep your thoughts raised above the base things of earth. It will give you strength in the moment of temptation. It will be a preservative of favor. It will give pleasure to the Heart of Jesus and will attract to you many special favors. It will help you to keep the resolutions of your morning meditation. Thank our dear Lord for his patience in bear- ing your forgetfulness of him and make strong resolutions to be faithful in future. Aspirations being short can be said easily, with fervor, and without distraction. You may say them any- where and without being observed. Converse with our Lord and Blessed Mother. Aspiration: — "Jesus, the very thought of thee, with sweetness fills my breast." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 45 MEDITATIOK Imagine you are near our Lord while he is teaching the "Our Father." First Point — Consider our happiness in being taught by Our Lord himself to call God, our father. Never would we have dared to use so endearing a name had we not thus been in- structed. God is truly our father. Saving us, watching over us with such tenderness. Dis- posing of all things to our advantage. Your own father cannot love you with a love so strong. Whenever you begin the Lord's prayer let the words : " Our Father," recall to your mind the tenderness and goodness of your heavenly father. Second Point. — This is the most beautiful prayer and was formed by our dear Lord. But saying it so very often, many children get into the habit of repeating the words mechanically and without any devotion. So now we will medi- tate on its different parts so that in future, when you say the prayer, each petition may suggest pious thoughts and fill you with fervor. In the early days of the world people prayed with arms and eyes raised towards heaven. You, instead, will raise your heart to heaven, and the 46 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. words : " Our Father, who art in heaven," should serve to remind you of your true home above, where your tender Father is preparing such won- derful joys for you. What matters then the passing pleasures of this world. They are like the smoke that ascends from the chimney, soon gone and forever. Only the joys of heaven, that will never end, are worth working for. Third Point. — Resolve to say this prayer with the greatest fervor. Pronounce the sweet, loving name of Father with the greatest reverence, feel- ing how very unworthy you are to appear before that great and powerful God, whose presence fills the angels with such holy awe. Resolve to keep your soul free from the very smallest stain of sin so that you may be the worthy child of such a Father. This loving Father only wants you to do your best. He is willing to receive you again into his arms, whenever you fly with sorrow to him after any fault. Do not be dis- couraged then ; begin with renewed fervor, never losing confidence in him and love others as j^ou should, since we are all bound by the common tie of having the same Father in heaven. Think of these things when you say : " Our Father who art in heaven." Converse with our Heavenly Father. Aspiration :— •' Glory be to the Father," etc. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 47 MEDITATION. "HALLOWED BE THY NAME." Imagine you are praising God's name, with tlie holy- angels. First Point. — You, dear child, may have some little idea of the heartless way in which God's holy name is dishonored, not only hy pagans and infidels but many who call themselves Christians. Bewail all these insults ; tell our Lord that you wish to make amends for them, and beg of him to look with mercy on those who offer him such contempt. Second Point. — In many parts of the earth God's sacred name has never been heard. Holy missionaries, men and women, have given their lives to make known God's name to the in- fidels and pagans. They esteemed themselves happy, if, after suffering all kinds of hardships and pains they succeeded in bringing even one soul to know God and love him. Pray that God may increase the number of such noble workers and beg for a blessing on their zeal. Examine what you have done for the glory of God's name. Third Point. — Consider that, as you are still young, you know not what God may demand from you in the future. He may call you to the religi- ous life, to the priesthood, or to a married life in 48 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. the world. But whatever your vocation may be, whether for the world or the Church, still must you strive to work for the glory of his name and by word and example lead others to do the same. There have been great saints in every state of life. Happy indeed will you be if God should call you to some religious society, whose members devote their entire lives to spreading the knowledge and love of God where his name is unknown. Are you faithful now while young to every duty and to every inspiration so that you may be fitted to fill worthily the place destined for you in life. Resolve to pray every day for light to know God's will and grace to follow it, so that in what- ever sphere you may move, God's holy name may be hallowed by you and through your words and example. Speak to our dear Lord and your good mother Mary. Aspiration : — ** Hallowed be thy name." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 49 MEDITATION. y Imagine you see our Lord seated on a throne as King of heaven and earth. Beg of him to accept you as his subject and promise constant fidelity. First Point. — In some of the earliest ages the world groaned under the oppression of tyrants. Injustice crushed the weak, and worse still, men were the helpless slaves of their own vile pas- sions. Such even was the world when our dear Lord taught us to say : " Thy kingdom come." Yes, he would have us pray that the hearts of all might be his kingdom over which, with loving tenderness he would reign as king. Beg of God to come and take your heart as a kingdom over which he alone may rule. Promise to subject its every desire to his sweet law. Second Point, — There is another ruler who would seek an entrance into your heart, dear child, and that is the evil one. Now, while your soul is pure, with the breath of its maker still fresh and sweet, upon it, Satan longs to establish his reign. The beauty of your interior dwell- ing fills him with jealousy ; he would drive out the sweet gentle Jesus and enter therein himself. Once having gained an entrance he robs you of all virtue by degrees. Beg of God to strengthen 4 50 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. you against the wiles and tricks of the devil, for " a child without innocence is a flower without perfume ; " a bird, fair of plumage but without sweet song, stirring not the heart with its pure notes of spiritual harmony. Third Point. — What means does Satan use to establish his kingdom in your heart? Crafty, cunning artifices. Sometimes he works on your evil inclinations. If you are inclined to neglect prayer, he attacks you there. If you are given to anger he stirs up the coals for that fire. So with all the passions. Sometimes he throws an evil book or a worldly companion in your way. Are you on your guard? Do you try to see what fault you are inclined to most particularly, and do you resolve to fight against it? Close your heart to all evil, and our Lord will be King of it. Beg of him now to reign in it forever, that you may, after death, reign in the kingdom of heaven with the blessed for all eternity. Yes, dear Lord, "Thy kingdom come." Converse with Jesus, King of heaven and earth and with Mary, Queen of heaven. Make your resolutions. Aspiration : Thy kingdom come. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 51 MEDITATIOK "THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." Composition of Place as in preceding meditation. First Point. — It is God's Will that you should avoid sm, even the smallest. Sin has no place in heaven. It never enters there. God could not dwell with sin for he is purity itself. The blessed inhabitants of heaven are now confirmed in grace, as the reward of their fidelity. They praise, love and adore God ; they enjoy the sweet- ness of his Presence. Heaven is the home of highest happiness as it is also the home of sin- lessness. There the Will of God reigns without opposition and so we pray : " Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Second Point — With regard to your daily duties, dear child, you cannot but know the Will of God. As you are still subject to your parents or guardians, their will and directions are your guiding stars, the light of which will lead you safely in the performance of the divine wishes. So when you study in school, help in the house, or take the innocent pleasure allowed you, all will render you pleasing to God and like unto the blessed in heaven, if, like them, you are seek- ing to do the Will of God all day^ 52 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Third Point. — Do you accept the little crosses, disappointments, etc., that come to you by say- ing " Thy Will be done ? " You are not forbid- den to seek any relief possible, tor the pain of body or mind that may come to you, but, at the same time you must say " Thy Will be done." The trials, accidents and pains that are inevitable will lose their bitterness if you consider the great reward they will bring you hereafter and say from your heart : " Thy Will be done." Consi- der that God, who is your loving Father, sends all for your profit. If evils come to you from which you cannot fly, you will make them doubly hard by fighting against the Divine Will and, besides, you will lose all the merit. Oh ! what a misfortune! to suffer without merit? What a blessing to suffer meritoriously ! In time of trial do you try to be cheerful and resigned? Children have their own little crosses, all sent by God as so many helps towards making their souls more beautiful. The sculptor who seeks to perfect his work must cut and chisel and smooth off the rough parts ; so, too, the Divine Sculptor acts with regard to your soul ; he cuts with the knife of pain, disappointment, wounded feeling, etc., and thus makes your soul beautiful and your virtue solid, if you take all in the right spirit. Have you tried to do so ? When some- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 53 one or something annoys, pains or thwarts you, are you ready to see in this the stroke of the Divine Worker who seeks by this means to strengthen the beauty of your soul in some special direction? What will be your practice in this regard for the future ? Will you not strive to increase the beauty and strength of your interior treasure and make it more and more pleasing to the eye of God by accepting every day, with sweetness, the different little unpleasant occurrences that may come to you? Resolve with the help of grace to do so. Speak with our Lord and our Blessed Mother. Aspiration: " Thy will be done." MEDITATION. "GIVE us THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD." Kneel in spirit at our dear Lord's feet and ask him con- fidently for all you need. First Point. — Consider the many needs of soul and body. How many helps and graces you want all day to enable you to avoid sin, preserve your innocence and acquire new virtue. How many are our temporal needs also. You, dear child, need God's help in your studies that you may remember and understand. You need 54 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. physical strength and all the means for preserv- ing it. Who can give j^ou all these ? Only the good God. So our Lord, knowing our many necessities, taught us to go straight to our heavenly Father and with loving trust say : " Give us this day our daily bread." Second Point. — How often have you repeated this petition of the Lord's prayer without think- ing of all it contains and without confidence. Do not think that God is indifferent to your tem- poral wants. While he was in this world, he always showed the greatest tenderness, and per- formed miracles to relieve bodily needs. You have read in your Bible History of the way in which the loaves and fishes were miraculously multiplied that the disciples and the multitude might have the nourishment they needed. In- deed the life of our Lord is full of such examples. His Heart is not less tender now and he is just as near to listen to our petitions. You cannot see him as they did of old but he is on the altar day and night. Do you often go there to make known your needs and desires ? He is even by your side ! How often do you speak to him of your many necessities ! Third Point. — "Give us this day our daily bread." Thus did many of the faithful of the early days of the Church and many holy Saints WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 55 in all ages, pray for the daily food of their souls — the holy Communion. It is perhaps only a short time since you made your first holy Com- munion and perhaps you have already grown lukewarm in your desire to receive our dear Lord frequently. Regret the many times you have lost Communions through your want of devotion and weak desire. Go to our Blessed Mother now and say from your heart : " O dear- est of Mothers may I so live as to be worthy to receive your dear son frequently into my heart. Obtain this grace for me. Resolve to let no Feast pass without going to holy Communion. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — " Give us this day our daily bread. MEDITATION. FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE, ETC. Imagine you are standing at the foot of the cross and listen to our Lord while he prays : " Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." First Point. — You are now, dear child, about to meditate on the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer. You ask our Lord to forgive your sins on condition that you forgive those who have in- 56 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. jured you. Sometimes you may be crossed or hurt, in some way, by one of your companions. Try to forget the injury so that you may the more quickly forgive the offender. God will not forgive you if there is any one unf or given by you. Our Lord prayed on the cross for those who had just nailed him thereon. Second Point. — Consider how much all the Saints suffered from their enemies. You have hardly read the life of one of them who suffered not from others. Saint Stanislaus suffered daily persecutions from his own brother and was at last forced to fly from him. But this same brother was converted and became a very holy man ; it may be that his conversion was obtained through the prayers of Stanislaus. St. Vincent de Paul was falsely accused of stealing money from a drawer. He did not seek any revenge so God proved his innocence, for the real culprit acknowledged his fault on his death bed. While you are young learn how to overcome yourself by forgiving little offences and God will bless you here and hereafter. Examine if you have been revengeful in little ways and resolve with God's grace to return good for evil. Third Point. — Sometimes you may be anxious to know whether you really forgive or not. The feeling of indignation will sometimes annoy you WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 57 though you battle against it. Well, if you do not seek any means of injuring the person by word or deed, if you would be willing to show him any act of kindness in your power, if you pray for him or her, if you do not refuse to speak to the person ; all these are signs of your forgive- ness. To forgive a person does not mean that you must expose yourself to be constantly an- noyed or injured by that person. To seek to escape from such people is perfectly lawful and often necessary. Try to see if there is any one whom you do not forgive from your heart and promise now for love of our dear Lord to pardon fully and resolve to show that person some act of kindness. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration: " Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like thine." MEDITATION. LEAD us NOT INTO TEMPTATIOX. Imagine you are with our Lord in the desert, where he fasted and prayed for forty days and where he also allowed Satan to tempt him. First Point. — Consider how great are the rea- sons that should urge you to repeat this aspira- 58 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. tion from your whole heart. Still young and in- experienced, the world and its shallow pleasures offer you many snares and temptations. Where will you get light to recognize the danger and strength to overcome it? Only from God, through prayer. Think of this when you say : " Lead us not into temptation." Second Point. — You will suffer from tempta- tions as long as you live ; for no one escapes them, not even the greatest saints. Temptations are not sins ; hence we pray, not to be " led into temptation," that is, that we may not be led to sin through temptation. Examine now what temptations are likely to come in your way that you may resolve on the best means for conquer- ing them, with God's help. Third Point. — Our Lord in the desert fasted and prayed. Here are two powerful means. You may not be able to fast but you can occasion- ally make some little acts of mortification such as abstaining from candy for a while or some similar act. Make the sign of the cross on your heart in time of temptation and repeat the sweet names of Jesus and Mary. The devil hates these holy names and flies when he hears them. If possible fly from the very first approach of sin. Do not place yourself in the way of temptation ; shun all that would lead you from virtue. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 59 Regret any temptations to which you may have yielded. Beg of God to strengthen you always against the world, the flesh and the devil. Be- seech our Blessed Mother also for aid and resolve rather to die than yield to sin. Converse with our Lord. AsPLRATiON : " Lead us not into temptation." MEDITATIOJSr. " BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, AMEN." Imagine yourself kneeling at our Lord's feet imploring deliverance from evils. First Point. — We always need the protecting hand of God. Do you at all times remember that? Evils threaten on every side. Evils afflict the body and some attack the soul. We pray then to be delivered from them. God listens while we pray, and mercifully spares us from those evils that might prove injurious to our souls, and answers our prayers by often averting other evils also. Always repeat this petition with respect and childlike confidence. Second Point. — Many so-called evils are not so in reality. Often the choicest favors of God come to us under the guise of evil. For in- stance a severe illness may be sent to prepare 60 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. our souls for many spiritual blessings. To some the withdrawal of this world's goods, the loss of honors, etc, are only apparent evils, hiding under a dark and forbidding cover the light of eternal riches and eternal glory, that will be purchased through this means. Prosperity has often ac- complished the ruin of many. Beg of our dear Lord to deliver you from anything that would work evil in your immortal soul. Never forget that the loss of your innocence hj mortal sin, is one of the greatest evils that could befall you. Third Point. — Consider the good you should try to draw from temporary evils. If death should deprive you of some loved one, try to see the goodness of God in taking your dear and cherished one from a world of sin and evils to a place of safety in another world. Let the death stimulate you to increased fervor, that you may be worthy to meet your beloved friends in heaven some day. If sickness and disappointment, come, do not become discouraged. God is preparing you by these, for some great good. Martha and Mary grieved over the death of their brother Lazarus. Our dear Lord made use of this afflic- tion to give them a wonderful proof of his love for them, and their joy was great when Lazarus arose from the dead. Resolve to fly the eml of sin and trust in God for deliverance from evils. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 61 Converse with our Lord and our Blessed Mother. Aspiration : — Deliver us, O Lord ! from all evil of soul and body. MEDITATION. ON THE SPIEIT OF FAITH. Imagine yourself in the boat with our Lord and the Apostles. The storm arises. Picture the teiTor of the disciples. They awaken our Lord and cry: "Lord, save us, we perish." Tenderly rebuking them our Lord answers: " Why are ye fearful, oh ye of little faith? " First Point. — Dear child, you have been blessed with the true faith. You have not known the darkness of unbelief, and thank God from your heart for a gift so precious. But faith is stronger in some than in others. One speaks not now of belief in all the dogmas of our re- ligion, because those dogmas we cannot doubt, but refers to that spirit of faith that should regulate our daily lives and shine forth in our conduct. Consider that strong faith that made your forefathers suffer and groan under the yoke of oppression sooner than deny their religion. That faith that made them look hopefully to the reward eternal, when poverty and famine des- olated their dear country. Their homes might 02 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. be torn from them, their loved ones forced to fly from them, but they had their faith to cling to, their firm, unshaken confidence in the good God, in the Blessed Virgin, and they found consolation in the practice of religion. Beg of the good God to strengthen your faith, and make you faithful to its leadings, under every circumstance. Second Point. — The spirit of faith raises you far above the things of this world and teaches you how to trample them under foot and despise them, should they stand in the way of your soul's interests. For instance, the girl and boy of strong faith will never be ashamed to profess that the Catholic religion is theirs, nor will they be ashamed of anything connected with their Church. They will be willing to sacrifice money, position, or temporal interest of any kind, rather than sacrifice their conscience. They will show in their intercourse with the world that honor and principle firmly clung to for the love of God, will bring them more pleasure than the riches or gain acquired at the expense of duty. Third Point. — "Faith can move mountains." Yes that faith that trusts in God, in his power^ in his help, when every hope seems to have fled. When everything looks dark and desperate. When the waves of disappointment and sorrow dash against us; when the winds of adversity WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 63 sweep violently around us, then we must call our Lord by confiding prayer as did the disciples; our Lord said. " Why are ye fearful ? " to show us that we have no reason to fear when he is with us ; that we should not doubt his love, his power, his desire to save us. Trust him then above all others. Be faithful to what your con- science tells you is right under all circumstances. Then God will never desert you in time of need. Oh sweet Lord, strengthen our faith ! the waves and winds of trial and tempation are often near us, save us, dear Lord, or we will perish. Converse with our Lord and the Blessed Virgin. Aspiration :— O Lord, increase my faith. MEDITATION. ON FAITH AS OPPOSED TO WORLDLY CUXNIXG. Form your picture as in preceding meditation. First Point. — The world and its maxims are opposed to the spirit of faith. While you are now young, and a stranger to worldlj^ craft and ways, seek diligently to plant deep down in your heart the love of those things, of which your faith teaches you the value. The worldling es- 64 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. teems pleasures, wealth, honors above all virtues and eternal goods. For the attainment of these it devotes every effort. Forgetting the great hereafter, it spends all its energy in amassing perishable nothings, and scarcely has it obtained the desires of its heart than death surprises. With no preparation, no store of good works, no merit for the great eternity what then will avail to the worldly soul, the possession of this earth's treasures ? Second Point. — Consider how often God re- wards, even in this world, the simple, guileless honest soul, granting it success where the crafty measures of the worldly-minded fail. Recall the words of your oft-sung hymn : " The graft of this wise world of ours poor wisdom seems to me." Yes, these are the words of a holy, learned priest. Father Faber, who knew that the spirit of the world is foolishness, and child-like faith true loisdom. Yes, simple faith that icisely sees the vanity of this world and its ways must guide you on. Do you try to keep your heart free from all guile ? In your dealings with your companions and others, do you act with perfect sincerity or do you, even in little ways, have recourse to duplicity or deceit ? Resolve to avoid imitating those young people who foolishly follow the max- ims of the world in their daily conduct. Beg WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 65 for a strong spirit of faith that may direct you in all things, through your entire life. Third Point. — Consider if in little things you do not sometimes lose the spirit of faith. For instance you may be anxious for success in your studies, in your ^York, in the attainment of some desirable good. This is very laudable but if you study, work or pursue any end, in such a way as to absorb your thoughts, your affections entirely, leaving you no time, no relish for your prayers and your other exercises of devotion ; if you look for success through human means only, forget- ting that all good comes from God, are you act- ing in a spirit of faith? Pleasures, honors, riches are not bad in themselves, but they should be sought in the right way, obtained in the right way and used in the right way. Beg of God, of our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph for the true spirit of faith that you may never barter the things of heaven for the perishable goods of earth. Converse with our Lord and our dear Mother Mary. Aspiration :— " Seat of Wisdom, pray for us." 66 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. STEONG FAITH OF JAIRUS AXD ITS EEWAED. Picture our Lord as he listens to the prayer of Jairus. The face of the latter shows grief, confidence in our Lord, earnestness in his petition and strong resolve to persevere until his request is granted. First Point. — You are familiar with the ac- count of Jairus as given in your Bible History ; recall the circumstances as therein given. Oh ! the wonderful strength of this man's faith. He begs for the cure of his daughter. Even as he prays a messenger comes to apprise him of his daughter's death. He is told to trouble the Master no more as there is now no hope, the girl being dead. What a trial of the faith of Jairus ! The affliction he prays to have averted, is allowed to fall on him while he is still pray- ing. Those around him hope no more. Does he lose courage or confidence ? Does he cease to pray ? No ! His courage, confidence and per- severance only increase as the difficulties grow and when, humanly speaking, all grounds for hope have vanished. Regret your weak faith in many events of life and pray that your faith may grow stronger in the hour of trial. Second Point. -^idAiMS is rewarded by our Lord His daughter is restored to life and the miracle WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 67 stands forth to all generations, as a source of consolation. Praise the dear, compassionate Savior, whose Heart goes out in sympathy to every one in pain of body or soul. Praise his goodness, and his wonderful power, which rules all events and by a word can restore the dead to life, heal all diseases and change the greatest sinner from his evil ways to a life of virtue. The change from vice to virtue is a greater mir- acle than the resurrection of the dead. Spirit- ual death is a greater misfortune than the death of the body. Pray then, with confidence, for sin- ners and pray that your own soul may never die to grace by mortal sin. Third Point. — The great lesson to be drawn from this meditation, dear child, is perseverance and confidence in prayer, even when all seems hopeless. Everything is possible to God and if the answer to your prayer will be for your own good, the answer will come. Admire the strong faith of Jairus. His daughter " arises " at the word of our Lord. So may you, dear child, arise from any bad habit that may have taken root in your heart. So may you arise to fervor in all your spiritual duties, to earnestness and purity of intention in your studies, to obedience, charity and the practise of all the virtues. Beg of our dear Lord to bid you now " arise " in this way 68 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. and resolve, with God's grace, to be obedient to our dear Lord's words as was the daughter of Jairus. Converse with our Lord and with our Blessed Mother. Aspiration. — Jesus, I am thine, save me. MEDITATION. THE TOrrNG SHOULD I^OT ENDAI^GEE THEIE FAITH. Picture the death-bed of one who has fallen from the True Faith. First Point. — Consider with what care you should avoid anything that might weaken your faith or place you in danger of losing it alto- gether. The young cannot be too careful in this respect. Sad examples of shameful turning from the true path, are, also, of frequent occurrence. We are all weak and many who promise to walk well in virtue's ways by temptations which they did not resist, have been led on, step by step, to ultimate ruin. Perhaps, dear child, you know of such terrible examples. Let them be a warning to you and teach you to avoid the snares into which the young and unwary often fall. Beg of God to protect you through life that you may never waver in your belief ; that with child-like WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 69 Faith, you may ever accept, and cling to the teachings of the Church. Thank God that you are, so far, preserved from temptations and dan- gerous occasions, and resolve with God's grace, to avoid them, and never wilfully expose your faith to danger. Second Point. — You are in great danger now while young and for that reason you should be well safe-guarded. First of all are you careful to study diligently, not only your catechism, but your Bible History, Church History, Life of our Lord, and so learn to know thoroughly every- thing connected with your religion ? If not you are failing in a grave duty, for many have fallen from neglecting their religious instruction while young. Later in life you are not likely to have the time and opportunity. Bless God for the good instruction you receive, do your part by taking every means in your power to become familiar with the teachings of the Church, the meanings of its many beautiful ceremonies, and thus be able, when occasion demands, to give an intelligent explanation of your religious beliefs. Third Point. — Too much intercourse with those of opposite creeds, is sometimes very dan- gerous. Many have thus had their faith weak- ened. — Beware of what books you read and if taught by those of another faith or by those of 70 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. no faith, be on your guard lest any doctrine prejudicial to your soul's interest may gain en- trance to your heart and mind. History abounds with sad falls of this nature. The present times are fraught with danger to the faith, for under the guise of science many theories opposed to the teachings of the Church are advanced, and books abound through which the poison of un- belief might be instilled into the mind of the young reader. Are you careful with regard to what you read ? Would it not be well for you to let some one who is capable, select your reading matter until such time as you can wisely do so yourself ? Beg of our Lord to guard and guide you al- ways. Cling to our Blessed Mother. Tell her you are her child and place under her protecting mantle the precious gift of faith, that you may ever live and die a true, loyal child of holy Mother Church. Converse with our Lord and our Mother Mary. Aspiration :— Jesus, teach me to love Thee. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 71 MEDITATION. ON" HOPE. Picture our Lord offering you a beautiful crown and at the same time, pointing to a sparkling throne in heaven, on which your name is written in golden letters. First Point. — Your catechism tells you that hope is a divine virtue by which we hope for eternal life and the means to obtain it. — How much food for meditation in that ! The young are full of hope. — In youth, hope's seeds spring forth into beautiful blossoms and it is only old age that grasps the withered wreath, and sadly ponders over the worthless remnant of time's clippings. But, dear child, hope has blossoms that wither not. Hope wreathes of these blos- soms a garland that grows more and more beautiful as time rolls away. Old age, sickness, nay even death itself robs not this garland of its beauty. The dying hand clasps it firmly and presses it to the heart, for death clothes it in a new light : — the dawn of eternal fruition. — Need you be told that the withered wreath is formed of earthly hopes^ while the unfading garland twines the blossoms of Christian hopes — hopes centered not in things of earth, but in those of heaven. Dear child, which garland do you chose ? Second Point. — Christian hope fills us with 72 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. courage and joy. It looks to the "eternal life" where sorrow and pam are no more. It doubts not the certainty of arriving at everlasting hap- piness since Christ has promised us the means of attaining it. If a man wishes to reach a foreign country and is furnished by a friend with money and all things necessary for the voyage, he starts out cheerfully, knowing he is provided for the way. But should this man neglect using the money and other necessary means, think you that he will arrive in safety at the desired port ? Cer- tainly not ; the fault is his own, and too late he repents of his folly. So God promises us the means of arriving at heavenly rest: it remains with ourselves to use or abuse the means. The Church calls on you to pray, frequent the sacra- ments, avoid sin, practise virtue — these are the means. Are you using them? If so, you may confidently hope for all. If not, you have no reason to hope for future reward. Examine your life now, resolve to begin to-day in earnest. Third Point. — Our hope is founded on God's love and mercy. Since he has died to save us why should we not trust him. His suffering and death have purchased for us every blessing, even heaven itself. We hold in our hand the price of an eternity of bliss. We do not deserve it, but our unworthiness is covered by the merits WELL SPENT QUARTERS. ^3 of Christ. Nothing but your own deliberate faults can deprive you of your precious inherit- ance. Thank God for his goodness in purchas- ing for you, at so terrible a cost, your redemption and everlasting happiness. Resolve to use the means given you to save your soul. Beg that you may never lose hope in the divine goodness. Nothing gives the Heart of Jesus more consola- tion than a childlike trust and confidence. Im- plore your tender Mother Mary to obtain that no shadow of dark despair or distrust may ever gain admittance to your soul. Converse with our Lord and Blessed Mother. Aspiration :— Star of the Sea, pray for us. MEDITATION. WE SHOULD HOPE FOR THE PARDON OP OUR SINS. Imagine you see our Lord, who tenderly invites you to draw near while he tells you there is joy in heaven over one sinner who does penance. First Point. — There is no sin however shame- ful or great that will not be forgiven. With heart open to receive, our Lord waits for us to return to him. His arms are extended to em- brace the sinner as soon as the latter is truly contrite and repentant. Sin is a just cause for ^4: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. sorrow, since it displeases the good God and brings afflictions on ourselves. But sin is no cause for despair and discouragement. Perhaps after breaking your good resolutions you yielded to discouragement, giving up, for a while your accustomed devotions, and thus exposing your- self to greater faults. Resolve not to do so here- after. Second Point — After committing a fault make a good act of contrition ; sprinkle yourself with holy water and then begin with more fervor than before. If the fault was very serious go to con- fession at once, and having confessed it with sincere sorrow, be no longer troubled. God has again restored you to his sweet friendship : try by redoubled fervor and love to make up for having displeased him, but do not yield to dis- couragement and distrust, for God does not wish that. If you did anything to displease your father or mother or your teacher, you would try to make up for it by being more than ordinarily kind and good to them. Surely you would not hope to make up for it by withdrawing every mark of affection. Examine how you have acted towards God after sinning. Third Point. — God is not a tyrant who will think always of your sins and never pardon them. No, they are all blotted out after you WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 75 have received absolution, if you are truly con- trite. They will never appear against you again, not even on the day of General Judgment. The sins of the just will not be made known on that day. God is so merciful he forgives and re- members not your sins, and you should remember them only to love him all the more for his good- ness in forgiving you, and to urge you to be more careful in future and more anxious to atone in every way for your offences. Hope for every- thing from God. The good thief was forgiven and our Lord said : " This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." Judas refused to hope for par- don. He would not throw himself at our Lord's feet and beg for forgiveness. Jesus would have taken Judas again to his friendship and favors. Oh ! how different was the fate of these two sin- ners. Hope filled the heart of the thief ; despair seized the heart of Judas. The one was saved, the other died in despair. Converse with our Lord, the Hope of the sin- ner, and with Mary the " Mother of fair hope." Aspiration:— O my Godl I hope in Thee. 76 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. MOTIVES FOR HOPE. Imagine you see our Lord offering his bleeding wounds to the Eternal Father for our sins and our many neces- sities of soul and body. First Point. — We have strong reasons for hope while there are no reasons for mistrust. God has promised to help us at all times. If you showed any one that you placed no confidence in his promises, you would certainly be offering an insult to that person. If we say of a man : " He is most faithful to his word," we are paying a high tribute to his character. How often have you doubted our Lord's prom- ises ? Is he not powerful to do all things ? Is he not willing to save us ? His death and suffer- ings show how great his desire for our happiness. Regret your want of loving trustfulness. Second Point. — Consider how holy Job hoped in his darkest hour. When all forsook him and even God seemed to have abandoned him, still did he hope in the goodness of Providence saying : " I know that my Redeemer liveth." He was rewarded even in this world for his unshaken constancy and sweet confidence. Pray that in all the events of life you may rest your hopes in divine Providence. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 77 Third Point. — Sometimes you hope and pray for certain things and matters go against you. Perhaps you were working for a certain rank in class, for success in some special study, for some promotion. Your many efforts failed and de- spite your prayers and labors, all hope of obtain- ing your desire vanishes. Your companions are successful. You are left behind. Do not mind ; all has happened for your good, and the future may prove that God only deferred the reward of your earnest efforts, to test your virtue. This seeming failure, borne with patience, may be the little path by which you will be led on to future success, and to blessings here and hereafter. Lit- tle trials of this kind are sent in order that our eternal crown may be the brighter. Resolve to accept them in this spirit. Converse with our Lord and our Blessed Mother. AspiKATioN: — "In Thee O Lord liave I hoped; let me never be confounded." 78 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATIOlSr. WE SHOULD HOPE FOR ALL THINGS. Picture our Lord as the refuge of sinners, the comforter of the sorrowful, the hope of the dejected. First Point. — Dear child, what is there that our dear Lord would not do for you? Surely you have many proofs of his special love. Look over the details of your life and see in how many ways God has blessed you. Hope then for every- thing you need, both for soul and body. As a child in the arms of its mother knows no fear, so should we feel in the arms of divine Provi- dence, And as God showed special love for the young, so will he watch over your interests, arranging every event to your spiritual welfare. Second Point. — Above all things hope for the graces you need to avoid sin and become virtu- ous. These graces will never be wanting, if you ask for them with unshaken trust. Hope for grace even to become a great saint, and begin by being faithful to the little duties and obligations of your childhood years. One grace well corre- sponded with brings many more. St. Aloysius never did anything great or wonderful in his life. He was faithful to his daily duties, he was fer- vent in prayer, he shunned the slightest appear- ance of evil. He hoped for great favors from WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 79 God and they were not wanting to him. He died while still young, yet how glorious was the crown prepared for him, and how many have have been led to the practice of virtue by his beautiful, innocent life. St. Aloysius hoped for the delights of heaven, for the company of Jesus and Mary. His hopes were realized. Pray that you, too, may work, with firm hope, for everlast- ing joys. Third Point — Hope for all things through the merits of our Lord; through the love of His Sacred Heart. Your hopes will then be well grounded. We are unworthy of all graces but our Lord's merits deserve them for us. Hope for strength to overcome temptations, through life and especially at the hour of death. The devil often tries to make people despair. Even children are often assailed by temptations of this kind. Place your confidence also in the help you will receive from our Blessed Mother. Never let any fault drive you to discouragement. The Saints had to wage war against the devil, the world and the flesh. They placed their trust in Jesus and Mary and triumphed in the end. Converse with our Lord and our Blessed Mother. Aspiration : — Mother all merciful, "pray for thy child. 80 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. ON CHARITY. Imagine you are seated at our Lord's feet. The Blessed Virgin and St. John, the Apostle, are also near you. Let our dear Lord himself teach you sweet charity. First Point. — Dear child, you are now about to meditate on charity, the " queen of all virtues." Beg of our dear Lord to teach you, during this meditation, the meaning of charity, the manner of practising it, the love his Sacred Heart bears for it and the reward promised to those who cultivate this virtue. Second Point. — Charity is the love of God and the love of our neighbor for God's sake. Let us meditate on this love of God. How should we love him ? The great commandment tells us we must love him with our whole heart, with our whole strength, with our whole mind. With our whole heart ; not with a divided heart ; not half-heartedly. We read of the saints and martyrs, and the wonderful things they did and suffered for Christ fill us with astonishment. What was the secret of it all ? What gave them strength to overcome every obstacle ? The secret was their great love for God. They, indeed, loved with their whole strength. Human love is capable of great sacrifices ; the love of one human WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 81 being for another is sometimes so deep, so unself- ish, that the world wonders at what it can do. But the love of God is above all this. The saints loved our Lord with a passionately devoted love. Every page of their lives prove it. They breathed only for him. Their every thought was centered in him. They hated to give them- selves necessary sleep since sleep in a measure deprived them of his sweet presence. They dreaded nothing so much as the commission of the least imperfection, not for the punishment due to it, but fearing it might cause any little coolness between themselves and their beloved. Beg the good God to give you some of this tender love. Beg of the Blessed Virgin to teach you how to love her divine son. No matter what you have to petition our Lord for, begin by ask- ing first, for love of him. Third Point. — St. John the Evangelist loved our Lord so tenderly that the Heart of Jesus was won. St. John was the " beloved disciple." He rested on the Heart of Jesus. St. John was young, innocent, ardent. Full of affection strong and deep, he turned it all, in its first freshness and vigor to Christ. Beg of St. John to obtain for you grace to do likewise. Converse with our Lord and St. John. Aspiration :— Jesus, teach me to love Thee, 6 82 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. CHAEiTY OR LOVE OF GOD (continued). Form your picture as in preceding meditation. J^irst Point. — Consider, dear child, the many claims God has on your love. To him you owe everything. He made you of nothing ; died that eternal happiness might be yours and loves you with a love so great that human intelligence can- not fathom it. Recall now to mind the many favors bestowed on you since your birth — the evils and miseries you have been spared. How many graces j^ou would have obtained in addition to those already received, were it not for the obstacles you placed in their way. Despite your many faults and j^our coldness towards the dear, good God, still has he continued to bless, protect and guard you. During the past year even, how many perished by accident and disease. How many are deprived of sight, hearing, speech, use of their limbs ? Who has preserved you ? What gratitude have you showai in return? has the knowledge of so much love lavished on you, enkindled a strong, ardent love on your part ? If not, beg of God to forgive your coldness and melt your icy heart. Second Point. — God never forgets you. — Be- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 83 hold another reason to make you love God, If a great king showered favors on you, loved you so in- tensely that he could not live separated from you : thought of you always : was solicitous ever for your every need and want, what an honor for you ! How well you would appreciate the affection and the favors. You would love this king in spite of yourself. You would be ever talking of him and his kindness. You would never willingly do the slightest thing to cause him displeasure. Your thoughts would incessantly turn to him and if danger threatened you, if pressed by afflictions of any kind, oh ! how quickly and how confidently would you seek the aid and protection of your friend, knowing his love for you ! God is this king. His love for you is boundless for you in particular, as if no other creature existed. How have you acted towards him in return ? Third Point. — God asks nothing from you in return but your love. Withhold that and he will value nothing else you can offer. There have been statesmen, soldiers, children even, who have suffered as much as the saints and martyrs, but if it were not for the love of God, what did it count for in the matter of eternal salvation ? But you may say : " I want to love God, but I do not feel the real, sensible love for him that I feel for my father, my mother and others." Your 84: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. desire to love God is good. The sensible feeling is not necessary. You may not have that and yet have proof that your love for God is real, nay even far beyond your love for everyone and everything else. We will meditate to-morrow on this proof of our love for God. Beg for the great, ardent love of the saints and martyrs. Promise to use every means suggested to promote and strengthen love for God. Implore the Blessed Virgin, St. John the Evangelist, and the Saint whose name you bear, to obtain for you the love for God. Converse with our Lord, the God of love and tenderness. The friend of the children and the guardian of their hearts. AsPERATiON : Mother of God, teach me to love thy Son. MEDITATION. PROOFS THAT WE REALLY LOVE GOD. Imagine that our Lord pleads with you to shun even the shadow of sin as it makes you his enemy. First Point. You cannot always feel a real, sensible love for God, but your acts speak more loudly than feelings and show if you really love God or not. Are you careful to avoid sin, especi- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. $6 ally mortal sin? You know that sin is God's great enemy. How then can you say you love God if you give entrance to sin, into your heart ? The careful avoidance of sin, mortal and venial, is a solid proof that your love for God is real. Second Point. — If you love God you will sacri- fice everything rather than do anything to dis- please him or lessen his love for you. We read in Church History that when Con- stantius Chlorus began his reign, there were many Christians among his soldiers, and in his house- hold. Constantius, although a pagan, was in sympathy with the Christians and resolved that they would not be prosecuted under him as they had been under others. Disguising his feelings he assembled his household and in severe accents commanded all to renounce Christianity or fall under his displeasure. The greater number of the Christians fearlessly declared that they would for- feit their honors and suffer anything sooner than be unfaithful to Christ. A few, however, eager to preserve the favors and protection of Constan- tius yielded to his threats. Then unmasking his real sentiments he turned to these unfortunate creatures and said : " Go from my service ! How could you be faithful to me, since you cannot be loyal to your God ? " He then dismissed them, and the Christians who had remained faithful to 86 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. their consciences, he retained, and advanced to highest honors. This example shows us how true love for God prefers the loss of all earthly goods rather than consent to the commission of sin. Beg of God to keep you ever loyal to him and his holy love. Third Point. — If you really love a person and value his friendship you will carefully avoid all that could cause any coolness to arise between you. It will be clear to you, that little coolnesses, frequently occurring, will, at last, weaken the bond of affection and entirely destroy it. Thus it is with regard to our love for God. Every de- liberate sin, however slight, causes a little cool- ness and gradually weakens divine love. Neg- lecting prayer, sacraments, the presence of God forgotten, all these things are calculated to de- prive you of the sweet friendship of our dear Lord and can anything make you happy without the friendship of Jesus ? ISTo, dear child, you can never enjoy peace, true success or happiness, apart from the dear, good Lord who loves you so ardently. Beg for grace to lay a solid founda- tion of virtue, and grace to hate sin every day more and more. Youth is the time, during which the foundation of your eternal happiness is begun. See that the foundation is well laid and your building is secure. Avoid sin for the love of God. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 87 Love God for himself, his goodness, his beauty, all his infinite perfections. With such a founda- tion what need you fear ? Beg of God, with your whole heart, to aid your weakness, and strengthen you against every danger. Implore of your dear Mother Mary to guide your steps in the ways of divine love. Converse with our Lord and our Blessed Mother. Try to foresee the occasions of sin that may arise for you to-day and take strong resolu- tions founded on God's help to avoid them. Aspiration :— O my God, I love thee. MEDITATION. CHAKITY OR LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR. Kjieeling in spirit at our dear Lord's feet imagine your hear Him address these words to you : ' ' Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself for the love of God." First Pomi^.— Consider this command of our Lord. If we wish God to love us we must love our neighbor for his sake. If we do not love our neighbor we do not love God. Examine what your conduct has been in this respect. Dear child, the world to-day is sadly wanting in charity. Plant in your heart a deep horror and 88 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. detestation of this sin, so displeasing to our Lord's loving heart. Resolve to be a model of charity vs^herever you go. Second Point. — Consider how God loves us. Can you hesitate to love your neighbor when you remember that his soul was purchased by the Blood of Christ ? Can you not bear with your neighbor's faults when you consider how many you have yourself? You like others to excuse your shortcomings and not make them the sub- ject of comment. Will you not then show a like example of kindness towards those around you ? Charity is the virtue dearest to our Lord's heart. All the saints have excelled in this virtue. Their lives show forth the most tender love for others. Now is your time to establish yourself in the practice of this beautiful virtue. Begin while you are still young to cultivate a tender, loving spirit. Let your whole deportment show forth the kindly feeling you should bear toward all. Third Point. — God will shower blessings on you if you love others for his sake. This love may not always be a sensible love. Indeed you may often feel a natural dislike for some persons, but if you struggle against this feeling and act in all things with kindness, your reward will be all the greater. Always keep before your eyes the example of our dear Lord. He went about WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 89 trying to make every one happy. He forgot him- self, his wants, his comforts, all — all were sacri- ficed that we might be saved. Regret the day on which you have not performed acts of charity. Beg of our Lord to fill your heart with true love for your neighbor. Ask him to teach you how to grow more and more in this virtue. Implore pardon for your want of kindness towards others and resolve to do better. Make strong resolu- tions. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration :— Sacred Heart of Jesus, make all hearts like thine. MEDITATION. CHARITY IN THOUGHT. Imagine your good angel leads you to the tabernacle. Entering therein behold our dear Lord waiting to welcome you. In spirit listen to his tender voice while he tells you of the thoughts, sweet and loving, that he ever entertains towards mankind. Here is the model on which to regulate your thoughts about your neighbor. First Point. — Consider, dear child, that God has endowed you with a mind that you may use it for his honor and glory and your own salvation. The child-mind is very active. All day long the little brain is busy. You are thinking even when 90 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. not conscious of the fact. Thoughts ever vary- ing, succeeding each other in rapid succession, course through your mind. The scenes in which you move, the persons by whom you are sur- rounded, the interests by which you are s^^ayed — all these furnish food for thought. In this meditation you will consider your thoughts con- cerning persons in order that you may regulate them according to the rule of tender charity left us by our loving Savior. You know the " Golden Rule " : " Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you." Now follow another rule, not less profitable : " Thinh of others as you would like them to thinh of you." Think kindly of them. Think not of their faults and weaknesses. Try not to see their faults and always excuse them in your own mind, as you would wish to be excused by others. Invent a thousand reasons to excuse the faults of your neighbor. Children, not knowing as yet, the great scope of life's work- ings are narrow in their judgment of people. This is the reason of their want of kindness in the beginning of life. Overcome this natural difficulty by opposing thereto the broadest stretch of Christian charity. Have the kindest thoughts for all. Keep yourself in readiness to find gentle merciful interpretation of each one's conduct. Second Point. — Thoughts rule actions. Every WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 91 day's experience will prove this to you. Hence the necessity of having kind, charitable thoughts. You have often, dear child, looked with curiosity at the automobiles as they sped on their way. You knew their motion was due to a propelling force secreted within. You knew, too, that this motive power had to be carefully watched and controlled. Once beyond control how disastrous the result! In like manner, kind, charitable thoughts secreted within the store-house of your mind, form the mighty power, impelling you on to kind words and deeds. How necessary then to watch and control your thoughts. How necessary to stifle the unkind thought just as soon as you perceive its entrance. Let us illustrate this : Suppose a child enters the garden of a companion to play. This companion's mother appears and shows that she does not want the child there. Now this sensitive child walks home. Her feelings are hurt and she thinks how unkindly she has been treated. Yielding to these uncharitable thoughts is it any wonder that when she again meets the object of them, her face no longer wears its look of smiling pleasure. Her deportment gives outward ex- pression to the unkind thoughts harbored and perhaps her actions too are in harmony with her thoughts. When the temptation came, how 92 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. much better had the child worked against it, say- ing to herself : " Well, this lady perhaps did not feel well and the noise disturbed her. She has often been very kind to me and I must not forget that some other time she will make it all right." Thinkuig thus, the child goes home happy ; meets again this lady with a friendly smile and all is well. Xow, which side of this picture pleases you the more ? Many instances of this kind enter into your daily life. Deal with them in kindness of mind and you, dear child, ^ill be layuig a good foundation for the future, when your charity may be more severely tried than it is now. Resolve to control your mind; beg earnestly for grace to do so. Third Point. — You are now, dear child, pre- pared to struggle generously agaiast the natural propensity to pass harsh judgment on your neighbor's conduct. Tell our Lord to forgive your lack of mercy in this respect. Tell him that, with his grace, no unkind thoughts will ever be entertaiaed by you. Speak to his loving heart, sayiug : O dearest Jesus, so meek, so lovuig, so full of tenderness for all, make my mind like unto thine. Take it, dear Lord, into thy keeping. Guard it from all evil, that thou mayst regard it with pleasure and delight. Sweet Mother of Jesus, Thou knowest I am weak and foolish, oh, WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 93 come to my help and save my thoughts from aught defiled ! Make now your resolutions. Aspiration : — My God I offer thee my thoughts, sanc- tify them. MEDITATION. CHARITY IliT WORD. PICTURE AS IN PRECEDING MEDITATION. First Point. — Lack of charity is the sin of the age. The world needs good men and women to wage war against this vice, so hateful to God. The root of this sin is generally selfishness. Each one now-a-days considers himself justified in advancing his own interests, even though in doing so he must crush his neighbor and his interests. The tongue is usually made the weapon of destruction. Beg of our dear Lord to fill you with a lively horror of this detestable vice. Implore pardon for your sins of the tongue and promise amendment. Second Point. — This sin is committed by speak- ing of your neighbor's faults and sins. You are never justified in telling the sins of another unless for some charitable purpose. For instance, if one of your companions is in danger and you chari- tably warn his parents that good may result, you 94: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. are not then doing wrong. A little unkind word may go far and work great evil. Often an un- guarded word causes strife, dissensions and a number of sins. Children are sometimes the means of stirring up enmity by bringing home stories and repeating gossip. Often they blame their teachers, employers, and others when they themselves are at fault. What a terrible thing to be the cause of sowing discord or of provoking others to sin ! A word once spoken can never be recalled. Form now the resolution that you will never utter an unkind or uncharitable word. Let others talk as they may ; follow not their example or you will share in their punishment. Third Point. — Refuse to listen to uncharitable conversation lest you may share in the guilt. Try to take the part of the absent and those spo- ken ill of and show that you will not stay and hear your neighbor unkindly mentioned. "No talkers where there are no listeners." We are told of a saint in whose dining-room was posted a notice that no uncharitable conversation would be allowed there and whenever a visitor forgot himself his attention was at once called to the injunction. To steal one's good name is worse than to steal his money or property. Whoever comes to you with one story will go from you with another. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 95 You, dear child, cannot yet work for God by preaching, but here is a glorious mission for you : — to promote charitable conversation by word and above all by example. Never utter an unkind, uncharitable remark ; never willingly listen to one, and your example will bear fruit a hundredfold. Every one will love you and feel that with you his character is safe. Above all God will reward you in this life and the next. You will often, it is true, be called on to do vio- lence to yourself and unkind words may often come to your lips but be strong. Keep your resolution at any cost, and at night thank God that the day has passed without one uncharitable word marked against you. Remember that our dear Lord will rest on your tongue in Holy Com- munion. Do not then defile it with unkind remark. Idle gossip is unworthy of the Christian. Talk of happy subjects and drop personal con- versations of an uncharitable nature. Youth is the time to form this habit and your character will be nobly shaped if you cast it in the mould of charity, in thought, and word, and deed. Speak of others as you wish them to speak of you, that God may bless you here and hereafter. Speak with our Lord. Aspiration:— Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for me. 96 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. CHARITY IN ACTION. Imagine you see our dear Lord surrounded by the sick, the lame, the blind and the afflicted. He ministers to all, for- getting himself to solace the needy. First Point. — We are told that whatever we do for others God will accept as if done for himself. Even a cup of water given in his name will not go without its reward. The intention will give value to the act of charity. Many are charitable who think not of God but are impelled by the natural tenderness of their own hearts or some such motive. Our charity, to be meritorious, should spring from the love of God and the desire to please him and to imitate our Lord's example. The saints are all remarkable for this charity towards their neighbors. Saint Martin of Tours met a poorly clad beggar, and the Saint having nothing but his cloak with him cut that in two and gave half to the beggar. Our Lord appeared later and showed himself wrapped in the cloak saying : " Martin, a catechumen has clothed me with this." Second Point — Saint Vincent de Paul gave up WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 97 all his time and energy to the work of relieving distress of every kind. One day he saw a galley slave who suffered with the greatest impatience. Saint Vincent, disguising himself, released the slave, sent him off to his wife and children, and faithfully iBlled the man's place for some weeks. Examples of this kind could be multiplied, all showing that where the love of God is great, the love of our neighbor is also great and is mani- fested by a constant effort to assist, relieve and make happy. Resolve to become truly charitable for the love of God. Third Point. — Children have many opportu- nities of performing kind acts. Did you ever deny yourself a little candy or some such pleasure that you might give the pennies to some poor person ? Did you ever inconvenience yourself to go to visit a poor, sick creature who may spend many weary hours all alone ? Are you always ready to lend a helping hand, whenever you can do so ? Resolve in the morning to watch all day long for an opportunity to perform some acts of charity. Regret the day which marks not for you the record of a kind deed performed. Be careful not to wound the feelings of any one. Try to make every one you meet feel that you really love him and would do all you could to 98 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. make him happy, even at some expense to your own comfort. Your reward will be great. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration :— Sweet Heart of Jesus I give thee my love. MEDITATION. CHARITY AT HOME. Picture the little home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and try to form an idea of the love that Jesus manifests towards Mary and Joseph. See how the Christ-child seeks in a thousand little ways to assist and comfort. Here is your model for the practice of charity at home. First Point. — Consider the strict obligation you are imder of being charitable in thought, word, and deed, in your own home. After God, you owe everything to the father and mother to whose tender care Providence has entrusted you. When you were a helpless child they cared for you; they have toiled and suffered that you might be provided with all necessaries. How do you repay them ? Do you try in all things to comfort and assist them, or do you, on the con- trary, add to their care and anxiety by your sel- fishness and disrespectful conduct ? If so, promise amendment. Second Point. — Consider what a strict account WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 99 you must render to God, if you labor not with all your heart, to do your part towards making the home happy. Be on the watch for the opportu- nity to perform those delicate, thoughtful, little acts of kindness that will bring the smile of pleasure to the face of your parents. Sacrifice your own ease and pleasures, if need be, that you may comply with their wishes, and minister to their comforts. If they have sorrows or cares let your cheerful ways and conversation, your increased affection of manner, comfort and sustain them. Many a young person by her pet- tish, selfish and snappish manner, makes the house unpleasant to every one in it. Never an- swer in a short or disrespectful tone. Some young people are obliging and kind to strangers but are unkind and disobliging at home. This is not try- ing to imitate our Lord. Love your parents and show them that you love them. Do not grieve them by coldness of manner. Pray for them fer- vently above all, if they neglect their religious duties. Make strong resolutions to copy faith- fully the holy Christ-child and implore grace to do so. Third Point — To all the other members of the family show the most teuder spirit of charity. Hold yourself in readiness to assist and console each. Labor to be the angel of the household. Let 100 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. your sweetness and patience disarm and conquer every little difficulty that may arise. Never for- get that it is an awful thing to make any one un- happy in his daily life. It is a sin that God will punish severely in this world and the next. Converse with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Beg of them to enlighten and assist you in your home duties. Make strong, generous resolutions. Aspiration : — Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me. MEDITATIOK ON IDLENESS. Picture to yourself a young person suffering from a fatal illness. This young person has led a frivolous, idle life and is now filled -with fear and remorse. Devoid of good works, what an awful account to be rendered. First Point. — Consider the danger of idleness which is justly called "the mother of vice." Avoid idleness, dear child, and waste not the precious time given you by God for the improve- ment of your mind; for the performance of good and useful labor, and for every moment of which you must render a strict account. Many young people trifle away their time in school or elsewhere, neglecting serious duties, and losing precious opportunities which alas ! they can WELL SPENT QUARTERS. IQl never recall. Their parents, at the cost of many sacrifices, provide them with the means of culti- vating their talents and preparing themselves for the future, but they ungratefully waste hours and days. This is an injustice to their good parents ; a grief to their teachers or others in charge of them, and a sin, for which future suffering must atone. Second Point. — Consider the example of well- spent time, left you by our Lord, his holy mother and the saints. Many of the saints, for instance, St. Alphonsus, made a vow never to waste a mo- ment of time. O dearest Lord ! teach me, thy poor child, the true value of time, the proper use to make of it and the danger of idleness. Dear mother of Jesus, direct every moment of my life and the actions thereof to the honor of thy dear son. Ask him to forgive my hours of mis-spent time and do thou obtain for me grace to keep the promise I now make, to use every moment as I should. Third Point. — Many labor and labor with dili- gence, but alas ! not for eternity. Do you always work in such a way that every moment may count, may bring you in payment the supernatural coin which alone will be accepted as the purchase- money of eternal merit? A lifetime of work stamped with pride, injustice or other evil mo- 102 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. tives is indeed only pitiable idleness as far as eternal recompense is concerned. The time devoted to necessary and innocent recreation is not idleness. The young need amusements and all need the relaxation that un- bends the mind ; St. Charles considered himself as ready to appear before God while engaged in a game of chess as while engaged in prayer, both being sanctified by a pure intention. Make a strong resolution " to work while jon work and play while you play " and to direct both work and play to the greater honor and glory of God. This is to use time well. Aspiration : — All for Jesus. MEDITATION. ON PEIDE. Imagine you see St. Michael and his companions com- bating the rebel angels. St. Michael overcomes them and they are cast into hell, for all eternity. If'wst Point. — Consider the terrible punishment inflicted on the rebel angels. They have fortfeited their glorious thrones in heaven; they have merited eternal punishment in hell. Pride would exalt itself above all. Pride, in its WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 103 haughty arrogance, would sin fearlessly, forget- ful alike of its own nothingness and the infinite power of the Divine Majesty. O ! dearest Lord, make me ever meek and humble of heart. Give me a horror of the pride of life which values what is worthless and transitory, and esteems so lightly the goods of heaven. Second Point. — Our Lord would confound the proud by leaving us an example of humility. He, who was master of- the Universe, chooses for his share poverty and labor ; for his friends, the poor and simple. He comes to us, not as a great and powerful King, but as the gentle, humble Babe, drawing all hearts to himself by love and tenderness alone. Try to imitate your model by an ever-increasing humility. Do not seek to make your companions feel that you are above them in rank, position or talents. Humbly accept, and profit by the counsel of those older and wiser than yourself. Do not expose yourself to dangerous occasions, relying on your own strength and virtue. Distrust yourself, for even the angels fell. Third Point. — See how often pride and am- bition have lead to terrible crimes. The lives of the "Holy Innocents" were sacrificed to the pride and ambition of a man who would rather cause the slaughter of those weak infants than 104: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. suffer the loss of his authority. Sometimes the young make others experience what a sad thing it is to be the helpless victim of foolish pride. In the beginning of life strive with all diligence to overcome the spirit of pride by bearing calmly the little affronts coming from your companions and others. Ask our Blessed Mother to make you humble in every way. To model your heart on that of her Divine Son and place your reso- lutions in her keeping. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — Jesus, meek and liuinble of heart, make my heart like thine. MEDITATION. ox JUSTICE. Picture yourself at tlie feet of dear St. Joseph. There leam from him bow to be strictly just in all your dealings with othei*s. St. Joseph "Was a Just Man." First Point. — Dear child, as you are anxious to plant the seeds of every virtue deep down in your young heart, meditate to-day on the beauti- ful virtue of justice. It is a strong virtue. It belongs to great, noble souls. It is the virtue that keeps us safe and happy in our dealings with others. Cultivate a sense of justice in re- I WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 105 gard to things great and small, that all through life no want of it on your part may cause others to commit sin. Justice, you know, makes us give to each one that which is his due. It makes us respect the rights, privileges, pleasures and property of our neighbor. Remember this in your playtime, in your daily life, when brought into relation with your neighbors or companions. Second Point. — Sometimes people have very loose ideas regarding justice. Take care not to be influenced by the example of injustice, often presented by the world. Do not think that you are free to injure and ruin others if the advance- ment of your own interests demands it. If you are seeking to mount to the top of the hill of fortune, do not think that you are free to trample down and crush out any one you may meet on the way. Every one else has a right to tend towards the same eminence and you have no right to prevent it, even though your personal interests may suffer by his success. If you are unjust to any one, even in little ways, that person will be keenly alive to your injustice and the more high-minded and just-minded he is, the more deeply will he feel the wrong and the greater will be his indignation. Third Point. — Consider how necessary it is 106 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. for you to acquire habits of strict justice while young. Later on you may be placed over others. What terrible results when an unjust person rules in any sphere. Injustice in rulers has often led to the ruin of families, communities and even a whole nation. The unjust person uses power to persecute and annoy, and so often drives others to sin and rebellion. Beseech of the good God to give just and God-fearing rulers in every sphere of life that all may thereby be led to the practice of virtue. Pray that you may never cause others to suffer if you have any power over them. Ask of our Blessed Mother to help you always to be strictly just towards all. Converse with our Lord and St. Joseph. Aspiration: — " Mirror of Justice, pray for us." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 107 MEDITATION. ON MODESTY. Picture to yourself tlie Blessed Yirgin as the great model of Christian Modesty. Everything about her breathes the most delicate purity and sweetness. Follow her in spirit through the little house in Nazareth ; through her journeys, through her dealings with others, and study well the charming modesty that shines out in every look, word and movement. First Point. — Consider the obligation of preserving at all times and in all places, the strict modesty so necessary for the young. Modesty of countenance, and modesty in de- portment. It is the outward expression of in- terior beauty. It is the sweet perfume that tells of the delicate flower of purity treasured within the soul. It lends a tender charm to the young and commands the admiration of all. No beauty of person, no grandeur of dress can supply the place of this exquisite flower. It is the guard- ian of youthful virtue, repelling the slightest advance that might tarnish the heart's purity. Second Point. — Consider how carefully the young are observed. At the present time they come directly under the gaze of all, on the streets, in the street-cars, everywhere. How quickly the unguarded eye is noted, the loud 108 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. voice, the careless bearing. What disedification is given, even to those of an opposite religion or no religion at all, by a want of Christian modesty in general deportment. What attraction does not virtue possess, when mirrored in the modest, retiring young boy or girl. Modesty is an elo- quent sermon, touching the heart of the observer more deeply than could any power of words. We are told that St. Aloysius was so angelic in his youthful modesty that to look at him was an inspiration to good. Blessed John Berchmans also, while but a child, won all hearts by his sweet exterior. Here are models for you. Beg of them to help you. Third Point. — How dear to God's eye is the modest youth ! How pleasing to his good angel who so lovingly watches. Resolve to aim at the perfection of this virtue by carefully guarding your soul from the slightest stain of the con- trary vice. Safeguard this purity of soul, by strict watchfulness over all the senses. Restrain the eyes, refrain from all coarse indelicate expres- sions, close your ears to anything contrary to the angelic virtue, watch over the movements of your heart, — in short, let your whole bearing indicate the beauty within. You will thus win the heart of God, the admiration and esteem of your com- panions and the respect of all. Examine your WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 109 daily conduct, see if you have anything to cor- rect in your words or actions and resolve with God's grace to practice modesty in imitation of your Immaculate Mother Mary. Converse with our Lord and Mary. Aspiration : — St. Aloysius, pray for me. MEDITATION ON- TRUTHFULNESS. Place yourself in spirit at our dear Lord's feet. There let your heart speak to his during this meditation. First Point. — Dear child, you would not like any one to think you untruthful or deceitful. See, then, that you do not give any reason for such a suspicion. Our Lord certainly detests lie s and you cannot form too great a dislike for un- truthfulness. The world may pride itself on its craft and cunning, but do you prize rather to be guileless and truthful. In the end it will gain you God's blessing and that is worth more than all the world could give you. Second Point. — Sincerity is also truthfulness. The world is full of insincerity. Do not be in- fluenced by the example of the many insincere people you may meet. The young are naturally sincere. Candid and upright, they at first know 110 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. nothing of the crooked, deceitful ways too often resorted to by the worldly-minded. Ask our Lord to keep you always a child, in simple guile- lessness. Pray that if you come in contact with the insincere it may be a means of filling you with a greater love for truth and uprightness. Third Point. — Be sincere and truthful and you will win respect. The Catholic child on whose tongue our dear Lord reposes in holy Communion, should never defile that tongue with lies. Stand by the truth and truth will stand by you. Be sincere, upright and shun all deceitful ways. Those only who do not act in accordance with their consciences have need of using the cloak of deception. But who can deceive God? All things are clear to his all- seeing eye, why then should we seek to deceive ? Converse with our dear Lord, with our Blessed Mother and your good angel. Make a strong resolution that you will never deviate from truth. Aspiration :— Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life, have mercy on us. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. m MEDITATION. ON OBEDIENCE. Picture our dear Lord in his hidden life at Nazareth. Although God, he is obedient to every wish of Mary and Joseph. He loves them, and assists them in all their duties. Love forms the wealth and happiness of this hum- ble dwelling, wherein we find the great God whom angels adore, living in humble submission to his own creatures. First Point. — You should never find it difficult to obey, dear child, when you consider the obedi- ence of Jesus. The Creator obeys the creature ! How astonishing this thought. Thirty years of our Lord's life are spent in obscurity and obedi- ence. Here is the example for you. While young you are under the guardianship of your parents or those who take their place. See to it, then, that you imitate the child Jesus. Love, respect and obey those who represent the Eternal Father in your regard. Second Point. — Our obedience should spring from supernatural motives. We should obey be- cause in doing so we obey God's will, speaking to us through the voice of parents or teachers. If you obey in this way, every act of obedience merits for you a bright crown in heaven. " Obedience is better than sacrifice." It is God 112 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. who commands us thus : " Honor thy father and thy mother." Yes, honor, love and obey them for after God, they are your best and truest friends. You will never find any love like theirs, in your journey through life. When you lose a good mother, you can truthfully say you have lost a love which can never, never be found in others. Your loss is deep and irreparable. A father's love and protection also are among your best blessings. Be then the joy and comfort of their lives. Not only give them obedience but give it lovingly. Do not take all the good out of it, by pouting, waiting to be told over and over, in this way making them unhappy. When your parents are taken from you, what regrets and re- morse will you not feel, if you have been unkind and disobedient. Dear Infant Jesus, teach me to obey all those placed over me, in imitation of thee and for thy love. Never let me be wanting in love, respect and obedience towards the parents and guardians so deserving of my grateful affection. Dear guardians of youth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist my weakness and help me to grow like the Divine Child. Third Point. — Love and obey in all that is not sin. Respect and obey your priests for they are God's anointed. Give respect and obedience WELL SPENT QUARTERS. I13 cheerfully to all lawful authority, for such is the will of God. Examine your conduct with regard to obedi- ence. How do you obey ! Is your obedience prompt and cheerful ? Do you obey for the love of God or only from natural motives ? Make strong resolutions. Beg grace to per- severe in keeping them. Converse with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Aspiration : — Jesus, most obedient, liave mercy on me. MEDITATION. ON ANGER. Imagine yourself at the feet of our Lord. Picture the good St. Francis de Sales there also. Listen to this great Saint while he tells you how Christ taught him in prayer and meditation, the way in which to overcome the passion of anger. St. Francis was naturally inclined to anger but conquered himself. First Point. — The temptation to anger attacks even the young and youth is the time for repress- ing its assaults. If you yield to every feeling of anger you will end by becoming its slave. In studying history you have learned something of the evils of slavery. Your heart has gone out in tender pity to the unfortunate slave, who groaned 8 114 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. under the lash of the master ; who had, in many eases, to follow blindly and painfully the will of an unjust and cruel tyrant. The poor slave of anger deserves your pity no less. Every time one yields to anger he puts himself more com- pletely under its control. The habit grows and strengthens. Anger then becomes the tyrannical master, leading its unhappy victim blindly to ruin. Dearest Lord, teach thy weak child the sweet lessons of meekness so dear to thy heart. Give me grace to overcome this shameful vice of anger which so offends thee and deprives me of many blessings. Holy Mary and dear St. Francis de Sales, help me in the hour of temptation that I may win the victory. Second Point. — Consider the consequences of anger. It is in truth a species of insanity and so the world considers it to-day. Why ? Because a person affected by anger is no longer led by his own reason. In fact reason has then no chance to rule and words and acts follow, of which the person is afterwards justly ashamed and sorry, but often, alas ! too late. Anger renders us a terror to those who have dealings with us. We lose our friends, and it very often prevents our success in life ; for the boy or girl who has no control of temper is a troublesome charge and is still more dangerous WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 115 when placed over others. Some years ago a party of boys amused themselves by trampling down the vegetables in an old man's garden. The old man was well known to be easily roused to anger. Yielding to his wrath he shot at one of the boys, who dropped dead. The old man was imprisoned for life. This is a fact. It teaches us two lessons. The evil of tantalizing others and the danger of unsubdued anger. Third Point. — Since anger is displeasing to God, and deprives us of peace, we must meditate on the means of overcoming it and resolve with God's grace to use them. First, we must pray for strength to combat it. Secondly, we must watch, when moved to anger, that we may con- trol every outward show of it. Control the outward manifestation of it, on every occasion, and you will be likely to end by a complete con- quest. For this reason should children be taught to repress the angry scowl, the angry toss of the head, the movement of hands and arms that indicate excitement within. The lips need special watchfulness. They are to be kept sealed until the feeling of anger is completely gone, then we can speak wisely. Reason will have time to assert its rights. If you speak while ex- cited you will say the wrong thing and the words can never be recalled. A good thing to do 116 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. is to resolve to perform prayerfully a certain amount of work of some kind before speaking. If you can, delay until after having a night's sleep over. You will be surprised at how differ- ently you will feel in the morning. Never speak, never act hastily. God will bless your efforts, you will have peace of soul. You will command the respect and admiration of your companions by your constant calmness, coolness, and com- plete self-control. Make generous resolutions. If you sometimes fail, begin again at once, strengthen yourself more carefully, use all the means recommended you. Trust not to your own efforts, because un- less you beg God's grace in prayer and meditation you will be overcome. Let your heart speak with childlike love and confidence to our dear Lord and the Blessed Virgin. Aspiration:— Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like thine. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. I17 MEDITATION. ON JEALOUSY. Picture the innocent Joseph of whom you have read in your Bible History. Recall the sufferings he endured through the jealousy of his brothers. They are punished years later by being forced to appeal to him in the hour of their need. What they meant for his destruction, became, in the designs of God, the very means of his exaltation over them. First Point. — So dreadful a vice is jealousy that it is commonly called the " Green-eyed Monster." You know how w^e shrink from any- thing called "a monster." The name usually suggests something cruel and which has enor- mous power to injure. Why then apply it to jealousy? Because jealousy is blindly cruel in hunting down its innocent victims. Jealousy often effects the ruin of its victim and its usual aim is to injure, although often disap- pointed in its efforts towards that end. It is a vice directly opposed to charity, hence it is most displeasing to God. Surely you are now prepared to detest and despise jealousy. Second Point. — Sometimes the young are under the influence of jealous feelings without being altogether conscious of their entrance into the 118 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. heart. Hence the necessity of guarding against the first symptom of jealousy and the neces- sity of recognizing it at once. Cain was jealous of Abel and you know what followed. Often in little things children are jealous of one another. A companion may be more admired, more loved, more esteemed for virtue, etc. This often causes feelings of jealousy and, when those feelings are indulged to the extent of seeking the means to lessen the esteem, the love, or the merits of another, then jealousy has been yielded to ; in a degree, more or less offensive to God, since God never permits us, for any reason, to injure an- other. Third Point. — Jealousy brings unhappiness with it, because we grieve over the good or prosperity of another when we should rejoice in- stead. The great cure for jealousy is charity — great, broad charity which will make us tremble at the thought of injuring any one, even in little things. Let others succeed as they may ; we are not at liberty to detract from their merits. We are not at liberty to make anyone suffer. God pity those who make others suffer. Father Faber says in one of his books that he would rather answer to God for any fault than for that of unkindness. Rejoice in the good fortune of your neighbor. Those who seek to " take others WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 119 down," as a rule, as we commonly say, are only seeking food for their own jealousy. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration :— Mother most admirable, pray for us. MEDITATION. ON FIDELITY TO DUTY. Picture St. Joseph in his workshop. He is the model of fidelity to duty. First Point. — We are told " He that is faithful in little things is faithful to that which is great." God attaches many and great blessings to the faithful discharge of daily duties. The young have duties to fulfil as well as the old, and much of future happiness here and hereafter depends on exactitude. Pray that you may be faithful in every duty and beg God to pardon your faults against this virtue. Second Point. — Those who are unfaithful to duty store up for themselves the pains of purga- tory hereafter. Those duties may seem to you, dear child, very trifling and unimportant, but they are not so in the eyes of God, who rewards the least act, faithfully performed, and performed for His love. Look at the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph ! See how full of merit each day was 120 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. for them. Their duties were ordinary, but were perfectly done and with great love for God. Are you resolved thus to perform every daily duty ? Third Point. — Every duty is a prayer most agreeable in the eyes of God, if done well and for His sake. If your duty is to help at home and you neglect that duty to pray instead, your prayer is not pleasing to God. If you pray when you should be studying or employed in some other duty to which your state calls you, what merit may you expect for such prayer ? Fidelity to duty is true virtue and true love for God. Converse with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Aspiration : — Jesus, make me faithful in all things. MEDITATION. ON DANGEROUS AMUSEMENTS. Imagine yourself at the wedding feast of Cana with Jesus and Mary. See with what sweetness and delicate tact they seek to contribute to the innocent pleasure and happiness of all present. Their presence lends a holy peace and joy to the festive scene. First Point. — Consider, dear child, that as innocent amusement and recreation are necessary and beneficial to all, so is it wise to exercise great prudence in selecting such amusements as may best conduce to our spiritual and physical WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 121 good. Life brings, even to the young, serious duties, daily little cares and anxieties, etc., all of which necessitate innocent diversion to unbend the mind and tone up the whole system with a cheerful glow. Neither body nor mind can with- stand the strain of undue tension, hence to impose such, on any one, young or old, would be positively wrong. This innocent relaxation and congenial occupation are even a fitting prepa- ration for prayer and meditation when taken with moderation and purity of intention. Is it thus you recreate ? /Second Point. — Dangerous amusements are now to be considered. These refer to such as are likely to tarnish the soul with sin. We may class among them, those theatricals offensive to Christian faith or modesty, and games which encourage undue freedom between the different sexes. Are you careful to avoid such places of amusement as are not in conformity to the laws of propriety and refinement ? Do you also avoid being on the street at unseemly hours unless when necessity requires it ? Examine yourself now. See if you have exposed yourself to dangerous recreations. If you have not, thank God for so preserving you ; beg of him to continue to watch over you always. If you find that you have failed, beg 122 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. pardon and promise amendment. Talk with our Blessed Mother about this matter now. She will direct and strengthen you. Third Point. — Beseech the good God that you may never, in your amusements, be the cause of sin to others. Resolve on the contrary, that in imitation of Jesus and Mary at the wedding feast of Cana, you will practice the virtues of charity, meekness and modesty in all your recreations. Then will they conduce to the good of body and soul and you will suffer no remorse nor anxiety after them. Converse with our Lord and his mother. Aspiration : — Queen of angels, pray for us. MEDITATION. ON CHOICE OF COMPANIONS. Picture yourself near St. Gregory and St. Basil. Dear companions they were. Both had their hearts fixed on God and the things of heaven. Their friendship served to spur them on to higher virtue. In spirit, accompany them on their walks to and from the school and the church. Their conversation, deportment, etc., are examples for you. First Point. — Beware of dangerous compan- ions. Remember the true saying : " Tell me your companions and I'll tell you what you are." No virtue is secure, ordinarily, when exposed to WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 123 the influence of bad companionship. One de- cayed apple will decay others brought into contact with it. If you live with those who have a con- tagious disease, you may, with reason, expect to contract the disease yourself. Sin is a contagious disease of the soul. Do not then expose yourself to the danger of breathing into your soul its deadly poison. Second Point. — When you are first brought into relations with bad companions, you are shocked by their want of virtue, want of principle, bad conduct, etc., but if you continue to frequent their society you insensibly lose your dislike for their behavior. What surprised and shocked you once, no longer does so. You become famil- iar with wrongdoing and you are led by little and little to the commission of it yourself. Your nice delicacy of conscience is now blunted. You are no longer the child of piety and virtue that you were. You realize, but too late, that your companions have been your ruin. Dear child, this picture is not overdrawn. Meditate on it that you may know in time the danger of bad companions. Resolve to avoid the worldly and to seek the companionship of the virtuous. Third Point. — You will derive much benefit and comfort from companions who are good and 124: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. sincereo Their example will help you to practice virtue and shun vice. They will comfort you in your little sorrows, they will be friends to you in your hour of need. They will help you to over- come your faults and through them you will ex- perience many little joys. Our Lord had friends — special friends who were very dear to him. All through his sacred life we find him near his friends. He sought them in his sorrows, in his labors, in his passion, and when hanging on the cross they stood at its foot. His heart reproached them when they slept and left him alone in his agony. When they failed him in that hour, an angel had to minister to him. Our Lord would thus teach us, that besides spiritual consolations, we must also have human help and consolations in our labors and trials. As long as we are in the flesh, so long will we need friends to comfort, and if we are cut off and left to ourselves the result will be disastrous. Since, then, we need friends, let them be virtuous ones and such as will comfort us in our griefs and cares. Beg of our dear Lord to be your first, your dearest friend. Beg of him also to direct you in the choice of your compan- ions that you may never fall into temptation through them. Implore of the Blessed Virgin to send you faithful friends in the hour of your WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 125 need that you may thus be encouraged to perse- verance in virtue. Converse with our Lord, your true friend in life and in death. Be faithful to him and he will never fail you. Aspiration : — Jesus, friend of the young, help me. MEDITATION. ON SPIEITUAL READING. Imagine our Lord lovingly draws you aside saying: " Come apart; let us rest awhile. Then he speaks to you through some holy book, which is his voice, though hidden under this form. i^'iVs^ Point. — A spiritual book is the voice of God. When you read it, our Lord is speaking to your heart and every page of it brings you light and strength. When you pray you speak to God. When you read good books God speaks to you. You should never let a day pass without read- ing some good book at least for a few minutes. Examine what is your practice in regard to this. Do you read good books often ? Do you encour- age others to do the same ? Do you spread good reading when you can ? Second Point. — St. Ignatius while sick in a 126 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. hospital was given a holy book to read. It so touched his heart that he resolved to become a saint and he kept his resolution well. The per- son who put that book into his hands knew not what wonderful good would follow. But the act of zeal gave to the church a saint through whom many, many souls have been saved and many souls also led to high perfection. Consider here how much good may often be effected through a seemingly trifling act, done for the glory of God. How far-reaching and lasting may be its glorious consequences. Surely the giver of that book must have had great merit and a large share in all the good accomplished by St. Ignatius, and through him, was the means of procuring much glory for God. . . Are you careful to seize every opportunity to promote God's glory ! Love for God will make you quick to find out little ways of advancing his interests. Third Point. — There are many books very suitable for the young. The "Imitation of Christ " will afford you good thoughts and con- soling ones all your life. Read a chapter from it every day. Ponder over it well, for every sen- tence is rich in spiritual food. The lives of St. Aloysius, St. Stanislaus, St. John Berchmans, Margaret Mary Alacoque, the disciple of the Sacred Heart, all these will show you what the WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 12Y young can do and suffer for Christ. With our Lord's life, of course, you should be early familiar. Books of instruction and devotion are plentiful enough but some would prefer to squander money on evil books and papers that are not fit to be in the hands of the young. Do not read those daily papers, filled with the account of crimes, the very names of which are poisonous. Do not read any books that may lead you to sin. Examine into what faults you may have fallen in this way. Beg for grace to be faithful to spiritual reading, every day. It is a powerful help and you cannot afford to neglect it without serious loss to your soul's interest. Occasionally deprive yourself of some vanity to buy a good book instead. When you give presents, you will do well to give them in the form of a pious book. You may thus do a service to the soul of your friend, greater than you will ever know in this life. Make a resolution at the close of this medita- tion, that you will adopt the pious custom of reading a chapter from some spiritual book, every day. Piety is like a fire ; it needs fuel all the time or it dies out. Spiritual reading is neces- sary fuel for piety ; then do not neglect making use of it. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration: — St. Ignatius, pray for us. MEDITATIOT^S ON THE PASSION OF CUE LORD. MEDITATION. ON THE BETRAYAL OF JITDAS. Picture the scene in which Judas betrays our Lord with a kiss. First Point. — Dear child, come and meditate on the sufferings of our Lord. Can you do so with- out loving him more and hating sin more deeply ? "We are now to consider how Jesus is betrayed. Oh ! what a wound is inflicted on the Heart of Jesus by this act of treachery. Jesus is betrayed by one of his own friends! Judas had been chosen by our Lord to be one of the twelve Apostles. Our Lord admitted him to his friend- ship and confidence. Oh ! what a return ! Be- trayed by a kiss. Shamefully sold to his enemies ! Given up to be put to death, by one whom he had cherished and instructed himself. Ponder deeply, 128 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 129 on each thought of this point. Dear Lord, I also have betrayed thee by my sins. You have given your life for me. You have loaded me with favors and in return I have betrayed thee with the kiss of ingratitude. Oh ! pardon me, dear Jesus, and never, and never with thy grace, will I grieve thee by sin. Mother of Jesus, by thy grief when Judas betrayed thy son, oh! never let me sin again but let me love more fervently every day. Second Point. — Consider how Judas abused God's graces. Judas fell by little and little. Our Lord gave him many marks of his love. Judas closed his heart to that love. Our Lord showed him that he longed to be loved by him, but Judas withheld his love. Perishable pieces of silver spoke to his heart more powerfully than the love of Jesus. How it wounds our heart to laivsh affection and favors on some one and get only coldness and deceit in return. Think, then, how Jesus suffered from Judas. But I, dear Lord, I am guilty indeed. Thou hast loved me to excess ; thou hast longed for my love. I have withheld that love. Give me grace, dear Lord, to begin at least now to love thee as I should. Third Point. — Judas professes to be the friend of Jesus : even while in the act of betraying. He salutes our Lord with a kiss. Does our Lord 9 130 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. repel him ? Does he cast him away in disgust ? Not so indeed. Oh ! what a tender heart is that of Jesus. In pity and compassion it speaks to Judas. Forgetting himself, our Lord would bring back this perfidious Apostle to his love. Tender- ly reproachful is our Lord's reply as if to say : O Judas, why hast thou treated me so? Surely thou know'st my love for thee ! Only cast thy- self in sorrow into my arms ; they will open to receive thee and all will be forgiven." But Judas listens not, and this grieves our Lord more than the betrayal. Dear Lord, I have also grieved and betrayed thee but I listen to thy voice. I cast myself in sorrow, into thy loving arms. I will never again offend thee. Oh ! clasp me to thy wounded heart and save me from myself and sin. Receive me in pity. Tell me that the past is all forgiven and never let me cease to love thee. Converse with our betrayed Lord. Aspiration : — My Jesus, mercy. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 131 MEDITATION. ON THE SCOURGING. Imagine you behold our Lord fastened to the pillar. See the brutal soldiers lashing that innocent victim. The cruel lash has torn the sacred flesh. Mangled, bleeding, trembling with agony, God is before you, Keep the pic- ture vividly before your eyes that your heart may be filled with love and compassion during this meditation. i^iVs^ Pom^.— Consider your Savior scourged for your sake. Oh ! what a spectacle ! Bound to the pillar, behold the meek Jesus, silent, sorrow- ful. The brutal soldiers have exhausted their strength in lashing their unresisting victim. Dear child, look in spirit at this agonizing scene. The scourges have torn and gashed until the entire body of our Lord is one bleeding, gaping wound. The spectators turn with horror from the terrible sight and still the soldiers continue their dreadful work. Already have they far exceeded the number of lashes allowed by the law, but they care not for that. Ponder, pity, love, bewail your own part in this suffering of our Lord. Second Point. — Cruel are the soldiers but ah ! more cruel are sinners who thus cause our Lord such an agony of pain. Sin is the scourge that tears his sacred flesh. Look at the mangled 132 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. blood-stained Savior and then see how horrible a monster is sin. Weep over your own sins and weep over the corruption of the world which thus reduces a God to such a heart-rending state. Who are those cruel soldiers? Alas! we can see in them the J^onng who live in vice, whose souls are black with sin, while yet they should be pure and white as the angels who weep in sorrow over them. We see among those soldiers, too, some who were once good but fell into vice. Yes, all these sinners are the real soldiers who strike, the scourges that tear and lash, the points so sharp that cause the sacred blood to flow. Ponder, pity, love ; pray for sinners, bewail your own sins and the sins of the world. Offer your love to assuage our Lord's anguish. Third Point, — Consider now what love and gratitude you owe our Lord. He suffers the penalty we have merited He obtains our pardon. He offers his body to this cruel scourg- ing that we might not suffer the punishment of hell. He thinks of you, dear child, in a special manner. To him you owe the blessing of being preserved from the ^ices to which many young people have fallen victims. Let your heart speak to our Lord : Oh ! would that I could comfort thee, dear Lord, in thy cruel scourging. Mercy, dear Lord, on the sinful world. Prostrate on the WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 133 ground, I adore thy mangled flesh, thy precious Blood. I kiss thy blood-stained wounds, I weep over thy sufferings. I love thee with my whole heart and promise to avoid sin. Converse with our suffering Lord. Aspiration: — Jesus, have mercy on sinners. MEDITATION. JESUS IS CROWNED WITH THOENS. Imagine you see our Lord crowned with, a wreath of thorns ; mocked, spit upon. In his hand they placed a reed for a sceptre. First Point. — Behold your tender Savior. Long thorns, sharp as needles form his crown. Those thorns pierce through the Sacred Head and brow of Jesus, causing seventy -two wounds, from which the blood streams in all directions. Ponder well this terrible suffering. Pour out all the love, sympathy and compassion of your young heart here at the feet of your thorn-crowned God. Bewail sin, and promise to shun the least shadow of it in future. Second Point. — They blindfold our Lord. Vile soldiers spit in his adorable face. They mock, they cover him with blows. No word of 134: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. complaint escapes the divine lips, which open only to beg mercy and grace for his persecutors. What an example of patience ! Resolve to bear patiently the little affronts, harsh words and insults you may have to endure from your com- panions, in imitation of the gentle Jesus, that your patience may comfort him in this bitter suffering. Third Point, — Our Lord is crowned with thorns because he is the King of Sorrow. Sorrow has followed him from the cradle to the grave. A reed is his sceptre ; yes, it is a sceptre of love with which he would rule and conquer, not countries but hearts. St. Catherine chose the crown of thorns ; received it from the hand of our Lord as a pledge of his special love. Our sins are the thorns that pierce our Lord's brow. Be yours the loving task to draw out tenderly those sharp thorns. Love and com- passion will draw them out and heal the bleeding wounds. Dear thorn-crowned Lord, thou hast sighed for my poor heart ; thou hast longed to conquer it and bring it, a willing captive to thy feet. When, dear Lord, will I yield to thy desire. Shall I resist longer? No, this very day, during this meditation, I give myself up to thee forever. My love is all thine henceforth. I will love others WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 135 only for thee. I am bound to thee, held captive here at thy feet, by a double chain : thy love for me and my love for thee. Let me be able to say in death : " From my youth even to the grave, love has chained me to the feet of my thorn- crowned King. Converse with the Blessed Virgin. Aspiration: — Jesus crowned with thorns, I give thee my love, MEDITATION. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. Imagine you see our Lord while he is unjustly condemned. First Point. — Consider Jesus before his unjust judge and the false accusers. He is innocent, yet they call him guilty. He is God, great, powerful and infinitely perfect; yet there are found vile creatures, who perjure themselves to cause his death. There is found a judge, cruel enough to condemn to a most shameful death the holy one of Israel. How meekly Jesus submits that he may rescue souls from hell and merit heaven for them, but above all that we may know how great is his love for us. Second Point. — Sin is the cruel judge that con- demns our Lord to a painful death. Only the 136 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. sufferings of a God could atone for the insult offered to the Divine Majesty by sin. Will you not then fly from it ? Will you not during this meditation resolve to keep your heart, now young and innocent, free forever from the least stain ? Examine and see if there be any fault, any dangerous habit, beginning to take root in your soul. Is it pride? Is it anger? Is it revenge, is it unkindness, is it disrelish for prayer and the Sacraments? It is in your power to keep from sin for God has promised us grace, if we ask for it and he says : " My grace is sufficient for thee." Third Point. — Jesus accepts the unjust con- demnation because he wishes to die for love of me. Shall I be ungrateful for that love ? Shall I refuse my love ? It is the only return he asks from me. The meditation of Christ's sufferings has for its object the awakening of divine love in our hearts. It should show us God's great love, and thus lead us to gratitude and love for him. It should make us hate sin because sin grieves the one we love. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration:— Jesus condemned to death, have mercy onme. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 137 MEDITATIOlSr. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS. Picture our Lord bearing the heavy cross on his already mangled shoulders. Follow him in spirit, along the road to Calvary. First Point. — Consider the terror, the agony it must have caused our Lord when he beheld the cross, on which he knew they would fasten him. If you, dear child, had to be cut with the physician's knife, surely you could not look at the instruments to be used on you. People have been known to faint away at the sight of the place hi which they had suffered and in which they should again suffer. Our Lord, being human as well as divine, felt suffering as we do, nay more keenly. Oh ! how the sight of that cross must have pained him ! He was to die on it and yet he must bear it to the place of execution. Its weight pressed against his shoulder causing the most agonizing pain in the wound then opened. Second Point. — Only great criminals were nailed to the cross. Jesus must appear before the people bearing this cross on which he is to die. Those who before followed him, listening with reverence to his every word; those who tSS WELL SPENT QUARTERS. honored him with palms and loud hosannas now regard him as a public malefactor — the outcast of the people. It matters not that he totters under his heavy load. It matters not that having been scourged and thorn-crowned, he now trembles from weakness and exhaustion. No, he must carry his cross. Ah! ponder well; love and compassionate your Savior. Third Point — Remember, dear child, that our Lord thought of you, while carrying his cross. The sight of your sins and coldness made that cross press more and more heavily against his lacerated shoulder. Do you now hate and be- wail your sins ? Do you now resolve to avoid sin ? Will you carry your little crosses for the love of him who died on one for you ? Sometimes you have a little pain, sometimes you meet with a disappointment ; it may be that your tasks become very irksome, all these little crosses you must try to bear for our Lord's love. When they seem heavy think of this meditation ; remember our Lord carrying his cross and strength will come to you. Converse with our Lord. Aspibation: — Jesus, teach me to be patient. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 139 MEDITATION. JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME. Picture our Lord pressed to the ground by the weight of the cross. First Point — At last strength gives out and our Lord falls to the ground, pressed by the weight of his heavy burden. Behold now the hideousness of sin. The weight of that rather than his cross, presses our Savior to the ground. All his wounds open anew and his sacred blood pours copiously from them. The shock of this fall shakes our Lord's entire body and with diffi- culty can he arise and resume the journey. Offer your love and tender pity. Second Point — Our Lord here teaches us a lesson. Often we fall under a little cross. We think we are strong but we yield when the trial comes. But we must not then give up. We must not lose courage. Let us arise, take up the cross again with renewed ardor and with God's grace we will arrive at our journey's end at last. Beg for grace to persevere in virtue and to arise quickly if you fall into some fault. Third Point — Although our Lord falls under the weight of his cross he does not refuse to take it up again. He wishes to cling to it until he expires on its hard wood. Calvary is still 140 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. more difficult to ascend, for strength fails at every step. Oh, how distant appears the top of this hill, soon to be the scene of so ignominious a death. Yes, our dearest Lord is fainting and weary on the way, but he thinks of us and love gives him strength to hasten on. Dear child, life's journey is for you but just begun. To practice virtue means to follow in the footsteps of our suffering Lord. But he leads the way. He goes with you. He has taken the heavy cross that yours may be light, he has been wounded and bleeding in the road that your pains may bring you joy. He has torn his sacred feet on Calvary's rocks that the smooth and easy pathway may be yours. What love is like to his? Converse with our suffering Jesus. Aspiration:— I adore Thee, O Lord, because by Thy cross Thou hast redeemed the world. MEDITATIOK JESITS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER Picture our Lord bending under the cross. He raises his sacred eyes and they meet those of his Blessea Mother. Oh ! what love, what grief in that meeting. First Point. — Consider how Jesus meets his beloved Mother on this sad journey. His sacred WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 141 eyes meet hers. In that swift glance, what a world of tenderness, sorrow and love has been interchanged ! No words however eloquent, could express all that passed between Jesus and Mary in that one look. Her heart is torn with sorrow. The cross that Jesus carries on his shoulder weighs heavily on the soul of his Mother. The sword of anguish indeed pierces her through and through. "My Beloved Son, Ah ! why can I not take that cross from thee ? Why can I not wipe the blood drops from thy sacred face ? Why can I not rest thy wounded, mangled body in my arms ? Jesus, my own be- loved Son, thou indeed dost suffer and I suffer with Thee." Second Point. — Yes, all this do the eyes of Mary say to Jesus. He understands it all and his mother's grief fills him with sorrow more cruel to bear than the cross itself. Yes, for the cross racks only his body but her anguish racks his soul. Yet, he would have her near him in his affliction. Mary, also, understands all this when she looks into the eyes of her beloved one. Offer your love and tender compassion to Jesus and Mary in their sorrow and pray that you may never commit sin. Third Point. — Jesus and Mary would suffer all this for you, dear child. When you medi- 142 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. tate on their sorrows, remember that it is all for your sake. You can thus see how great is their love for you and how deserving they are of your whole heart. You will see how ungrateful are the young who live only for pleasure and who lose the remembrance of Christ's suffer- ings. Thank God, who has mercifully given you good instruction in youth, and thus saved you from many dangers and sins. Converse with Jesus and Mary, Aspiration : — Queen of martyrs, pray for us. MEDITATIOI^. JESUS MEETS THE HOLY WOMEN. Imagine you see our Lord when he speaks to the women, who weep at sight of his bitter sufferings. First Point. — Turning to the women who weep in sj^mpathy our Lord tenderly says : " Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." Ah! how unselfish is the heart of Jesus ! Even during his bitter passion, his thoughts are all for us. Forgetting his terrible pains he grieves for our blindness and want of love for him. " Weep for your- selves " — Yes, weep for the misfortune that WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 143 comes from sin. Weep for the clanger to which your souls are exposed. Behold how dearly I purchase your salvation. Weep that you under- stand not how great the love I bear you. Weep that my love is so little valued, so coldly re- ceived, so seldom returned, by the heartless world." Second Point. "Weep for your children." Behold, dear child, even in this hour of agony does Jesus manifest his intense love, his ever tender anxiety for the children. Oh ! how dear to the heart of our Divine Lord are the little ones and their interests ! " Weep for your children." Ah ! yes ; well may fathers and mothers weep for their children when once Satan gains an entrance into their youthful souls. Well may they weep when their children show no love for virtue. Dear child, will you, too, be a cause of weeping to your parents ? to the Church ? You have been blessed with many favors, you have been preserved from many dangerous occasions but you still tread a slippery way. Will you safeguard your soul from every peril ? This is an evil age when the young are too often, alas, led astray ; well then may the Church " Weep for her children." They are the dearest portion of her flock and evils surround them, Pray that you may stand firm, dear child, and 144: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. thus be a support and example for your com- panions. Third Point. — Behold, dear child, how your perils weighed on the heart of Jesus. See how dear to him is the purity of your soul. He is on the road to death. This is our Lord's last journey on earth and he says : " Weep for your children." He would leave a parting warning. He would leave to the young a testimony of his special love. He would have you tear out the fault that begins now to take root in your heart. Pause and see what it is. What temptation most frequently attacks you ? What sin draws you most strongly ? What dangerous occasion are you likely to encounter to-day ? Resolve with God's grace to sacrifice all sooner than com- mit one sin. Converse with our Lord. Abpiration :— Dear Jesus, keep me from sin. MEDITATIOIsr. Picture our Lord meeting the holy Veronica. First Point. — Consider with what love and pity the pious Veronica pushes her way through the rough crowd to get near Jesus. She heeds not the brutal soldiers who threaten ; she cares WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 145 not for the danger to which she exposes herself. Oh ! if she can at least give him this proof of her sympathy and love ! Dear child, thank our Lord that here among this wicked mob, there are still souls who follow Jesus because they sym- pathize and love him. Veronica is one of these. Secona Point. — The sacred blood flows down our Lord's face. The drops fall into his eyes and blind him. Veronica is now near enough to hand our Lord a towel, with which he may wipe away the blood. Oh ! dearest Lord, in memory of this, wipe away, I beseech thee, my sins and the punishment they deserve. Pity thy poor child, who now weeps over thy sufferings. Third Point. — Our Lord takes the towel, and lo ! he leaves upon it the image of his divine face. Oh ! how lovingly does Jesus receive every little act of love and sympathy. He would re- ward the love of Veronica by giving her his picture. It was as if he would say: "My daughter, I understand the love and pity you have for me. Love has urged you to do this for me ; I go to meet death but I leave you a part- ing gift : My picture. I leave it, that all may know how deeply I value the least act of love. Cherish this souvenir of my love for mankind, and my sufferings for their sake." Resolve to fill each day with acts of love. You cannot lO 146 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. minister to our Lord directly like St. Veronica, but every act of charity done for any one in his name, he will consider as done unto himself and reward it accordingly. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — St. Veronica, pray for me. MEDITATION. Picture Simon assisting our Lord to carry the cros8. First Point. — Our Lord graciously permits Simon to help him to carry the cross. Our Lord would show us that in our trials and difficulties we may lawfully make use of human aids and comfort. Children especially need encourage- ment and comfort in time of sorrow. If, then, after having sought consolation and strength at the feet of our Lord in the Tabernacle, you can also turn to a loving friend, or seek solace in other ways, you are wise to do so. Never forget however that God is your best friend whose help and love will never fail you. Second Point.— Out Lord is the great Creator yet he stoops to accept aid from one of his creatures. Wonderful humility of God ! How it should teach us not to despise advice, counsel or help from others. Children especially need WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 147 assistance in many ways. The young are inex- perienced and should not trust their own lights or judgment but should seek, and profit by the wisdom of those older and wiser than themselves. Beg of our dear Lord to send you help and strength in the hour of temptation and trial Console our dear Lord, in this, his painful journey, by offering him youT love, your whole heart. Promise to think of Jesus carrying his cross on the journey to Calvary, when you also have a journey to make. Offer your steps in union with his that each one may be an act of love. Third Point. — You envy him who had the happiness of assisting our dear Lord. Yes, it was a great privilege indeed. You also, dear child, may help our Saviour to carry his cross. How often does he not appeal to you, in the per- son of a companion, a neighbor, a sick person, the poor, or those in any affliction of body or mind. Jesus carrying the cross comes to you often every day, in disguise He asks you to help him. He tells you the cross is too heavy to bear alone and perhaps you coldly turn aside from him. You do not recognize him on the way. Every time you assist any one by kind words, by kind acts, for the love of God, you are doing for our Lord what Simon did. All through 148 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. life you will meet many fainting, tottering under the cross. It matters not of what material that cross may be, you can assist. It may be mental anxiety, sickness, misfortune, reverses, disgrace, Kindness in any form lightens the cross, and you can always be kind. Pray that you ma.j help our Lord in the person of your neighbor. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration , — My God, I love Thee, make me love Thee more. MEDITATION. JESUS STKIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS. Imagine you see the rude soldiers brutally divesting our Lord of his clothes, tearing the flesh off with them. J'irst Point. — Consider the agony of Jesus when the soldiers remove his clothes. His sacred flesh, torn and bleeding, adheres to the garments and falls off with them. Oh ! what a heartrending scene. Behold your suffering Lord, exhausted after the journey, fainting from pain and loss of blood. Implore pardon for your sins which thus makes him suffer. Promise to avoid sin. Offer your love, your grief, your tears in sympathy. Second Point. — Our Lord now asks you to comfort his sorrow, by stripping yourself of all WELL SPENT QUARTERS. I49 that offends him. He asks you to cast aside yoar vanity, unkind ways, selfishness, tepidity. He asks you by his bleeding wounds to put aside the garment of sin and robe yourself with that of perfection. He would divest you of self-love and clothe you with the mantle of charity. Will you refuse ? Will you not resolve during this meditation to throw off now and forever any bad habit you may have ? Ask grace, strength and love to do all this. Third Point. — What heart would not be moved at seeing our Lord thus treated? St. Ignatius, touched with generous love, stripped himself of all his grandeur and military honors ; laid his sword at our Blessed Mother's feet and assumed the garb of a beggar. Yes, Jesus carry- ing the cross and suffering, had won the heart of Ignatius, and henceforth the world and all its pleasures had no charms for him. He would follow Jesus. He would bring others also to follow ; Jesus would have companions in his labors, in his sufferings Ignatius then would be henceforth his companion. Ignatius would draw many others, and no honor henceforth would they seek, save to be of the " Company of Jesus." Will you not then be moved to gener- osity, dear child? Will you not follow Jesus and draw others ? Will you not love to be the 150 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. companion of Jesus, seeking his society in prayer, meditation, labor and recreation ? Converse with our Lord Aspiration ; — Dear Lord, keep me ever near thee. MEDITATION. JESUS NAILED TO THE CROSS. Picture our Lord stretched oa the cross See how they nail Him thereon. First Point. — Consider how these cruel soldiers made a hole in each arm of the cross and also at the foot. These holes are to receive the large nails. Then they stretch our Lord on the cross. They drive a nail through one Sacred Hand. They find the space too wide. But they drag and pull the Savior's arm until the other hand is resting in its proper place and the second nail is then driven in. What terrible suffering this causes our dear Lord. Consider it well and offer your love in sympathy. Second Poirit. — Our Lord's sacred feet are also nailed. He cannot rest his wounded head because of the thorns. Blood pours from all the sacred wounds. Only a miracle could sustain our Lord through this torture. Death would have followed but he prolongs his life that he may suffer more for us. Oh! what sorrow WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 151 pierced the Blessed Virgin's heart when she heard the sound of the hammer driving in the nails ! Oh ! dearest Lord, I will stay here near Thy bleeding wounds. I will wash away my sins in thy sacred blood. I love thee and with thy grace I will never sin again. Third Point. — Tell our dearest Lord that you will draw out the cruel nail from his right hand and place in the wound your firm resolution to do and suffer all things rather than consent to any deliberate sin, even venial. Thus will you console him for that wound. Then you will lovingly remove the nail from the left hand and place in the wound your past sins that Jesus may never more remember them, that being washed in the sacred blood from that loving hand, no stain of sin may remain on your soul. Removing the nail from the right foot you will place in the wound your firm resolve to pardon from your heart any one who has offended you. In the wound of the left foot you will place all your thoughts, words, and actions, that being purified in the Precious Blood of Christ they may become so many acts of love for your crucified Savior. Converse with our Lord nailed to the cross. Aspiration;— My Beloved is crucified. 152 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. JESUS HANGS THREE HOURS OX THE CROSS. Imagine yourself standing at the foot of the Cross on which your Savior is agonizing. Draw a lively picture of this sorrowful scene. First Point. — The young are generally very much affected by a death scene. There is some- thing in death that strikes the beholder with fear and sorrow. Death is the penalty of sin, hence its terrors. But oh ! what a death-scene is this on Calvary. The dying one is God. His bed is a hard cross. Xo loving hand supports his weary head. No one wipes away the trickling blood - drops. Nothing is there to soothe the terrible pains. The whole body writhes in agony. Truly this is the penalty of sin. Not the sin of this Divine Victim, but the sins of all mankind. Beg for grace to hate sin and to love our Lord. Second Point. — For three long hours Jesus bears this bitter agony. Dear child, our Lord thinks of you while he hangs on the cross. For your sins he would suffer to the end. He deprives himself of every consolation that you may die in his love and peace. His sufferings know no limits that you may see that his love for you has no bounds. When will you begin to WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 153 love him as he deserves ? Blush for your cold- ness and ingratitude. Third Point. — It is true that you are young, but can you be certain that the hour of your death-agony is many years distant ? Who will console you at that dreadful hour if not Jesus crucified? Do you wish that your dying eyes may rest with love and confidence on your crucifix? Now then, resolve during this medi- tation to love Jesus Crucified and to live in union with him. Beg of him to let you console him in his agony, by your love, that he may console you, in your agony, by his love. Resolve to avoid sin with God's grace, for love of him. Converse with Jesus in his agony. Aspiration : — Agonizing heart of Jesus, have mercy on the dying. MEDITATION. JESTJS CRIES " I THIEST. You are standing in spirit at the foot of the cross. A sweet, sad cry falls on your ear. You listen. It is the voice of Jesus, he cries : " I thirst." First Point. — Consider the suffering that Jesus endures from thirst. To die of thirst is con- sidered the most painful death. Far from reliev- 154 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. ing our Lord's thirst, the Jews increase his tor- ture by giving him vinegar and gall. Dear child, how often does our Lord tell you that he thirsts for your love and you give him the gall of in- gratitude and coldness, so bitter to his loving heart. Begin now at this meditation to give our Lord your love for which he thirsts. Second Point. — Our Lord suffers thirst that he may atone for those who thirst only for the things of this world. Alas, this thirst when indulged, brings them only the bitter gall of remorse. Our Lord suffers thirst to atone for the sins of drunk- enness. This vice is found even in the young. Third Point. — Beseech our Lord by his bitter thirst to have mercy on the young who give them- selves up to sinful pleasure of this kind. Beg of God to convert those addicted to drink and im- plore of him to remove them from the occasions of this sin. Perhaps you have seen, with sorrow, some of your young companions led into intem- perance ; if so, resolve to lead them back to vir- tue by your prayers, example and good advice. Pray that you may be strengthened by grace to persevere in virtue until death. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — Dear Lord, I offer thy thirst for the con- version of sinners. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 155 MEDITATION. JESUS LEAVES US HIS BLESSED MOTHER. Imagine you hear our Lord saying from the cross : " Woman, behold thy son" and to Saint John : " Son, be hold thy mother." First Point. — Dear child, no sufferings how- ever great can cause our Lord, to forget us. In his agony he thinks of our needs. His beloved mother stands heartbroken at the foot of the cross and the sight pierces the soul of Jesus with bitter anguish. He speaks to her once again. He says : " Woman, behold thy son," thus leaving her to St. John, and in the person of St. John we are all given to Mary, to be her children. Yes, dear Jesus, thou art about to be torn from the arms of thy mother Mary and thou wouldst leave me to be her child. I must console her in her dolors, in her loneliness and affliction. Grant, dear Lord, that I may never grieve her by sin. Second Point. — Again would our Lord show his love for innocent j^outh. St. John is the youngest of the Apostles and our Savior yields to him the care of his Blessed Mother. Love purity of soul and body, give your heart to God in its first freshness and you mil win the hearts of Jesus and Mary : Jesus has spoken from his cross k 156 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. to you. These words are full of sweetness and comfort. Consider them well. Third Point. — Consider those loving words of our Lord : " Behold thy mother." Jesus is about to leave us, but first he gives us Mary to be for- ever our Mother. Ah ! the love of Jesus for us I If we could only realize its intensity. Oh ! yes, we need Mary to be our Mother ; well did our Lord know it. \Ye need that mother's love, we need that mother's care. Temptations, dangers and sorrows beset us. AYe need our Mother's heart to rest on. We need her arms to fly into. The world is hard and cold and sinful ; we are often weary and heartbroken. Frightened we run for protection, for peace, to our Mother. Will she receive me as her child ? Oh yes, though all should forsake you, despise you, though misfor- tune, yes, even though sin itself should throw its shadow over you, still does your Mother love, and wait for you. Mary could not, even if she would, cease to love and protect you with a Mother's heart, for Jesus has said: "Behold thy child." Mary, my mother make me worthy to be thy child. Converse with Jesus and Mary. Aspiration : — Mary, my mother, help me. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 157 MEDITATION. JESUS SAYS TO THE GOOD THIEF : " THIS DAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. Imagine you see the good thief hanging near our Lord. This thief is truly penitent ; he prays to Jesus for pity and pardon. First Point. — Consider the fruit of our Lord's sufferings already shown in the good thief. The heart of tliis criminal is moved to tender compas- sion for our Lord's agonies. He has faith in our Lord's divinity. He has hope in our Lord's mercy. He loves him now when the crowd around them only mock and. insult the Savior. Others could not see God in this mangled bleeding sufferer. They could not recognize the Savior of Men in this despised outcast who does not save himself. But the good thief penetrates the mystery with the eye of faith. Grace has touched his heart. Consider this wonderful conversion. Second Point. — What has won this great favor for the good thief ? God's mercy is infinite in- deed. Who knows but that some goodness of this robber's childhood days when, perhaps, his tender innocent heart responded to a fond mother's win- ning love, who knows indeed but that now the good- ness of his youthful days has obtained this mercy 158 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. for him. Wonderful is his faith. He feels that he has sinned and deserves his fate but that Jesus is innocent and dies for men. Third Point. — The good thief prays : " Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy king- dom." It is a sincere, a touching prayer ; it is full of faith, of hope, of charity. It is from his heart and it touches the loving heart of Jesus who replies : " Amen, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." Dear child, could any one ever doubt the mercy of Jesus, after this ? Could any one ever fear or despair of pardon ? Not only does our Lord pardon, he assures him that on that very day paradise will open to him. Never dis- trust the mercy, the love of Jesus. Pray for sinners every day. Prayer is all-powerful. Converse with Jesus. Aspiration : — Lord, have mercy on me, a siimer. MEDITATION. JESUS PEATS FOR HIS ENEMIES. Picture yourself still at the foot of the cross. Again through the stillness you hear a sweet, pleading voice, it is Jesus praying for his enemies. First Point. — Consider these words of Jesus on the cross : " Father, forgive them ; they know WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 159 not what they do." Could we doubt the tender- ness of our Lord's heart ? Even for his unmerci- ful persecutors he has no harsh word. Forget- ting his own wrongs and sufferings the love of our Savior goes out to those who have had the misfortune to charge themselves with such ter- rible crimes. He would win pardon and repent- ance for them. He would suffer, he would die for their eternal happiness. He puts himself be- tween the rigor of his Father's justice and their sins. Dear Lord, I also have sinned and wronged thee. Oh ! let thy bitter agony stand between thy justice and my ingratitude. Pardon me; forgive all sinners, dear Lord. Second Point. — Dear child, our Lord gives you an example of how you should forgive your enemies. It is often a difficult thing to do. But here is your strength ; the sweet words of Jesus : "Father, forgive them." Pray that you may always have grace to say these words of our Lord from your very heart, if you are wronged or treated unjustly. A Sister of Mercy met in one of our prisons a young man who had murdered his employer. The widow was desolate and heart-broken indeed. When about to pass sentence on this young man the Judge feelingly said : " To whom shall we show mercy, to the widow or to this unfortunate 160 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. young man?" From the crowd arose a poor, trembling woman whose voice and words moved the court to tears: "Mercy, O Judge! on this wayward youth, the murderer of my husband. Never did this criminal know, perhaps, a mother's love or counsel and the world has doubtless used him harshly. Deal mercifully with him then, for he knew not what he did." Here is an ex- ample of Christian forgiveness and this is not a story ; it is a fact. Beg of our dear Lord that you may never harbor feelings of revenge. Third Point. — Consider the closing words of this prayer: "They know not what they do." Here our Lord would teach sweetness and charity to the erring. If anything has power to move hearts and turn them to repentance, it is kind- ness. Harshness and cruelty have, we know, driven many to sin and rebellion. Injustice has steeled many a heart. When hindness would have melted, unhindness has frozen. The soft genial ray of love's sunlight can melt the icicle of hardened hearts. But we have yet to learn of hearts won, and moved to repentance, through severity and coldness. Our only safe way is to walk in our Lord's footsteps and they are always footsteps of sweetness and tenderness. Those who would have harshness are not of our Lord's gentle spirit. The lash may drive the senseless WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 161 brute animal, but man it will drive, only to de- struction. Dear child, pray that you may early take to heart, the sweet lessons of our Lord's loving Spirit. Let those lessons take deep and permanent root that all through life you may be guided by them. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration :— Our Lord dying on the cross, have mercy on sinners. MEDITATION. JESUS CRIES : " MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOTJ FORSAKEN ME ? " Listen in spirit, to these heart-rending words of Jesus. Desolation shrouds his soul in sorrow. First Point. — Consider deeply the words: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? " You, dear child, may sometimes feel a sense of desolation. You cannot taste any com- fort in prayer ; you cannot feel our Lord near you. He seems to have turned his face from you, and even your companions and others, seem also, to have only feelings of dislike and coldness for you. At such times think of our Lord's words and grow not discouraged, for this time of sor- row will change to consolation in our Lord's good II 162 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. time. Pray for those who are alone and aban- doned. Second Point. — Try, dear child, to comfort our Lord, in this dreadful hour. Tell him that you, at least, will never abandon him. Offer him your love, your sympathy. Pray that he may never abandon you to your own evil inclinations. Pray that his consolation and grace may never abandon you in time of sorrow. Pray for your parents, your friends, your companions, that our Lord may grant you all his love and help at all times, through the anguish of this bitter desolation, which causes him to cry : " My God, my God, why hast thou abandoned me." Third Point. — Console our Lord by telling him that you will never abandon him, on the Altar, where he reposes day and night and where alas ! he is often left alone. Promise that you will never pass the church without making a little visit. Console him also by promising not to abandon him in his cruel passion but that you will often meditate with love on his bitter suf- ferings. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration :— " Only Jesus and hipi crucified." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 163 MEDITATION. OUR LORD SAYS : " ALL IS CONSUMMATED." Imagine you see our Lord on the cross. The deadly pallor covers his sacred face. Death is now very, very near. The agony will soon be over. Every breath our Lord draws shows that the end is near. Again we hear his voice. He says : " All is consummated." First Point. — Consider how much food for meditation in this one little sentence: "All is consummated." Yes, all our Lord's sufferings are about to close. The end of the Savior's life on earth, is at last near. From the stable to the cross, it has been all for us. The task is done. The mission of prayer, labor, suffering, love, is now accomplished. The Will of His Heavenly Father has been fulfilled. Our redemption has been purchased but, oh ! with what a price. Thank our dear Lord for all that he has done and suffered for you through his whole life on earth. Second Point. — He loved us even to the end. Yes, all is now finished and the last breath, like the first, in the little stable of Bethlehem, will be an act of love for you, for me. He can do no more for us. His life has been given : He suf- fered to the end and now all is over. " Greater love than this no man hath, that a man giveth his life for his friends." Ah! truly love like that 164 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. of our Lord no man hath. All is now consum- mated and Jesus counts it all nothing if only we will love him in return. Will you now hegin, dear child, to love our Lord as he deserves ? Will you be sensible to every mark of affection from crea- tures and insensible to the love of Jesus Christ ? Third Point. — The day will come for you, dear child, when all will be consummated. Death may warn you of its approach. You will then see that all will soon be over. Your life, your tasks, your joys, your pains of body and mind. All passed away forever, and eternity about to begin. Live so that you may be able to say with peace and joy, that all is finished. Live so that you may not be surprised with your work of per- fection incomplete. Beg of our dear Lord, by his painful agony, that when your agony comes you may be able to say: "AJl is consummated." " I have finished, I have fought the good fight. I have conquered temptations. I have been faith- ful to my prayers, to my meditations, to all my religious obligations, to all my duties. My heart has been thine in life and now, dear Lord, thy heart is mine in death. The struggle is now over and " All is consummated." Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — Jesus, ]Maiy, Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in your embrace. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 165 MEDITATION. JESUS CRIES : " FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COM- Imagine you see our Lord when he bows his Sacred Head and dies. Darkness and gloom bang over Calvary, the rocks are rent: the people terrified, leave the place. First Point — Our Lord surrenders his soul into the hands of his Eternal Father. The hor- rors of Calvary are now over. Calvary has been sprinkled with the Blood of God. Calvary has echoed his dying words and groans. Calvary has witnessed the last sigh, the death-scene has closed. Nature itself is plunged into terror and sorrow, for nature's God has been crucified. Darkness lends its gloom to the tragic scene. The very rocks are rent. The dead arise from their graves and appear to many. Linger, dear child, on this scene. Mingle your tears with those of your Mother Mary and the other mourners. Ah ! yes, Mary is now lonely ; we are all lonely, dear Jesus, for no longer is the earth to be blessed with thy visible presence. Truly is the earth a dark and dreary exile now, for Jesus of Nazareth, our Savior, our friend, our comforter, our love has been taken from us. Those loving eyes that looked so tenderly on the 166 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. young are closed in death. The voice that said so sweetly " Suffer the children to come unto me," is now hushed. The hands that were raised only to bless and cure are stiff and cold. Yes, we thy children are lonely indeed, dear Lord, and only with the eye of faith can we see thee, until we are released from this valley of tears. Second Point, — " Father, into thy hands I com- mend my spirit." Yes, the will of his heavenly Father has been, in all things, fulfilled by Jesus, our Lord, so now in death, he gives up his spirit to that same Father. In like manner, dear child, try to do in all things the will of your heavenly Father as it is made known to you through your parents and those placed over you. Then at life's close you can say with confidence : " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Third Point. — As Jesus had three hours of agony on the cross, so, too, dear child, have you three periods of life, to prepare you for the last moment of your earthly career. The first is the most precious, the most important, the support, as it were, of the other two. This is the period of your childhood, when the seeds are sown ; the seeds of virtue. When the weeds are uprooted ; the weeds of evil inclinations. This is the time when care and vigilance and prayers are neces- sary. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 167 The second period is that of youth. It is a period when many dangers and illusions beset your path. It is a time also when you can do much for God, for your own soul, for the souls of others. It is a time when God speaks to your heart calling you to some special state of life, some special work. You must pray and listen well for his voice when it calls. You must an- swer its summons. Pray that by the sufferings of our Lord's agony you may spend this period well. The third period of preparation is that of life's closing years, when the sunset gathers ; when earth passes away ; when eternity begins to dawn. Dear Lord, when that hour's close comes for me. Oh ! receive my soul to thy sweet embrace, while I say : Into thy hands I commend my spirit. I beg this grace by thy bitter passion and death. Resolve to make every act of life, a fitting preparation for death. Converse with our Lord, Aspiration: — Blessed be the hour in which our Lord was born and crucified. 108 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATIOK JESUS IS TAKEN D0W:N^ FKOM THE CROSS. Imagine you see the lifeless body of Jesus removed from the cross. Loving hands tenderly draw out the nails and then place the sacred burden in the arms of our Blessed Mother. It is a sorrowful task. Draw a lively picture of the whole scene, in your mind. First Point. — Consider how sorrowfully they proceed to take down the sacred body of our Lord from the cross. His heart-broken Mother receives it in her arms. Try to enter into her anguish of souL Tenderly she kisses those open wounds ; tenderly she wipes aw^ay the blood- stains. The grief, the sense of utter loneliness that rend the heart of Mary are too deep, too in- tense, to be fully realized by us. Regret the part you have had in causing the sorrows of Jesus and Mary. By love alone can you atone for it. Second Point. — At this sorrowful moment Mary thinks of us. Looking at the lifeless, dis- figured body of her son, Mary understands, as no one else could, how excessive the love of Jesus for each one of us. Then, because she knows how dear we are to her son, she takes us in spirit to her heart as she now presses the wounded Jesus to her arms. She freely offers the sacrifice WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 169 of her Beloved One, for our salvation; we are her children and no mother's heart ever loved children as our Mother Mary loves us. Jesus has given us his life, his heart, himself and his most beloved treasure — the pure Mother of his choice. Beg of that dear Mother, as she now presses you to her broken heart, to let flow into yours, so cold, so ungrateful, some of the burning fire of divine love, by which she is consumed. Promise that you will never commit any deliber- ate sin, and beg God's grace to strengthen you in your resolve. Third Point. — As the Savior is now taken down from the cross, so will the happy day soon dawn, on which we, too, will be removed from our little cross, whatever it may be. Life passes quickly like a dream. Each day hurries us on to our reward. You may be young but youth hastens away. The longest life seems short. Then let us be faithful unto death. Soon our temptations, our disappointments, our sorrows will have vanished leaving us in possession of our eternal reward. At the hour of death Mary will take your body from the cross and bear it in triumph to the feet of her divine son. Is not the certainty of that happiness a powerful means toward insuring persevering fidelity ! Examine what stands as an obstacle in the way of your 170 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. victory. Resolve to wage a relentless war against that obstacle. You have all the means of suc- cess at your command. You have only to ask those means in prayer and they will be given to you. Converse with our Blessed Mother. ' Aspiration:— Mother most sorrowful, pray for us. MEDITATION. JESUS IS BURIED. Picture yourself at the burial of Jesus. Ask our Blessed Mother to let you join the funeral procession of her divine son. Imagine you behold St. John, St. Mary Magdalen and all the other faithful lovers of Jesus, all sorrowfully following our Lord to the Sepulchre. First Point — Consider the grief of these sad mourners. Mingle your tears with those of Mary and the other friends of Jesus. As they follow the body of Jesus, our love, to the sepulchre, you are indeed privileged to be allowed to accompany them and thus give the tribute of your love, your sorrow, in union with theirs. Your heart will dictate what you should say to our Lord, during this journey. JSecond Point.— The body of our Lord is covered with a winding sheet. So would our Lord have WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 171 you clothe your soul with the winding-sheet of spotless purity and ardent charity. He would have you treasure this garment of your soul as your most precious ornament. He would have you, in your happy youthful days, gather this firmly around you, yes, so firmly, that no winds of temptation, however violent, may ever succeed in wresting it from you. He would have you carry it to the grave. Resolve with his grace, to employ all the means necessary for this end. Beseech our Lord by his sacred burial to help you in your firm resolve. Third Point. — The body of Jesus is laid in a new sepulchre. Resolve that from this day, your heart will be a resting-place for Jesus. Yes, a resting-place, fresh, new, free from all else but Jesus. Fresh in the first, youthful affection. New in its freedom from all attachment to your past faults. Free from all else but Jesus. Yes, no worldly dust must be allowed to enter. No sinful pleas- ures must gain an entrance. No object must dispute the right of sharing a place there with our Lord. It is his resting-place. Henceforth it belongs to him as an undivided possession. Converse with the holy mourners. Aspiration : — Jesus, I am thine forever. 172 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. The Agony of Jesus in tJie Garden of Gethsemani. To be used while making the " Holy Hour.** Meditate for fifteen minutes on each of the four Points. Picture a lonely garden where Jesus "withdraws with three of the Apostles. His sadness is extreme. All the sufferings of his passion weigh on his soul. First Point. — Consider the command that our Lord gave to Margaret Mary, the Apostle of his Sacred Heart. He desired her to pray for one hour, in memory of the sorrowful one spent by him in the Garden of Gethsemani, an hour, once every week. This is the origin of the "Holy Hour " now made by so many hundreds of devout souls. You also, dear child, in accordance with the desire of our Lord's heart, have resolved to make this " Holy Hour." If you can make it before the Blessed Sacrament try to do so. If you cannot, then you are free to make it elsewhere. In spirit you see our Lord. He enters the garden with three of his Apostles. He is filled with a mortal sadness. He wants these three beloved friends to watch with him for his heart is too sorrowful to bear its anguish alone. He retires a little apart, and prostrates in prayer be- fore his Heavenly Father. Come near him, dear WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 173 child. Whisper your words of love. Tell him you are near to share the weariness, the fear, the bitterness of this hour with him. Promise him that you, at least, will not suffer the sleep of cold- ness, of indifference to steal upon you during this hour of his agony. Second Point. — The still, lonely night is wrapped in gloomy shades. But more gloomy and sorrow- laden is the soul of our Lord. He prays, but deeper grows the fear, the sadness. No consoling voice from heaven calms his anguished mind. All the sorrows, labors, priva- tions, fasts and pains of his mortal life from the stable to the cross, all weigh on him now. All the bitterness of his passion, the treachery of Judas, the cowardice of the Apostles, the scourg- ing, the thorns, the brutal blows, the insults, the journey to Calvary, the three hours on the Cross, all, all press with crushing weight and cruel grief on his tender shoulders. Fear overwhelms him. He trembles. A mortal paleness covers his sacred face. He arises. He goes for comfort to the three Apostles. These are his best loved Apostles : surely their love will console him now. Alas ! these also only increase his anguish for he finds them asleep and this indifference pierces him to the soul. Ponder all this well, dear child. Weigh every sentence. Then let your heart, 174: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. moved to compassion and love, speak to our Lord's. Pray that he may never fail you in sorroAV and temptation though all the world should abandon you. Third Pomt. — The sins of the whole human race, from Adam to the last sin, all weigh on our Lord. All the foul crimes, all the revolting falls, all the malice, cruelty and shame of sinful crea- tures, all press on his soul and he bends under the weight. Covered with confusion and horror, our Lord hides from the offended Majesty of his Father, as if he indeed had been guilty of all the sins of the world. Crushed to the earth, seized with deadly fear, great drops of blood trickle from his sacred body. No longer can he sustain the terrible weight, the sadness, the sight of all those horrible scenes. A second, a third time, he seeks his Apostles but only to find them still sleeping. In his desolate grief, he allows to es- cape the wounded feelings of his heart in this touching rebuke : « What ! could you not watch one hour with me?" Yes, dearest Lord, often do we deserve this reproach. Often do we leave thee alone in thy sorrows. Often do we refuse to watch with thee. Yes, we will not watch in prayer during the hour of temptation. We will not watch with thee, when a call for charity summons us. Help us, dear Lord, for we are indeed weak. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 175 Fourth Point. — Crushed under the accumu- lated weight of suffering and sin, our Lord cries out, in anguish to his Heavenly Father : " Father, if it be possible let this chalice pass from me." Ah ! dearest Lord, only too well, didst thou know that the excessive love of thy heart for us, would not allow it to be possible for thee to refuse the cup of suffering. Thy Sacred Humanity trembles at this bitter sight, but love forces the chalice to thy lips, and love, too, forces thee to drain it even to the dregs. No, it is not possible for thee to restrain the desires of thy heart, for our poor love, and to secure that, gladly wouldst thou suffer even more. Thy love for us hast triumphed and thou dost quickly add : " Xot my will, but thine, be done." Then going to his Apostles Jesus bids them "rise quickly." Do you also, beg of our Lord to bid you "rise quickly" to greater and greater love for him. Promise him to "rise quickly" from whatever fault you most frequently commit. Pray for sinners, for those tempted or oppressed. For those in their agony and for the needs of the Church. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration : — Sacred Heart of Jesus, I give thee my love. 176 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATIOK FOR THE DAY OF CONFESSION. Picture our Lord saying to His Apostles : "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven. " First Point. — The goodness of our Lord is so great, that he would leave us a means of return- ing to his friendship after having committed sin. In the Sacrament of Penance our souls are washed from every stain of sin, by the Sacred Blood of Christ, when the priest pronounces the absolu- tion. We go forth pardoned, and strengthened anew by grace, to avoid sin and practice virtue. How have you valued this wonderful favor of our Lord ? Do you frequently go to confession and carefully prepare yourself for it? Second Point. — We should examine ourselves with care but not with scrupulosity. Many go seldom to confession, not because they dislike to tell their sins but because they make their prep- aration a species of torture. They spend all their time in examination and forget that contrition is of the utmost importance as is also the purpose of amendment, which follows from contrition. This is especially true of the young. Your serious faults will surely stand out prominently, particu- larly if you go often to the tribunal of penance, so WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 1Y7 having given a reasonable time to finding out your sins, you should proceed without delay to excite yourself to contrition and resolution of amend- ment. Do you try to arouse contrition by the re- membrance of Christ's sufferings for sin, the loss of heaven, the fear of hell, the fear of purgatory ? Promise our Lord to make frequent use of Pen- ance as a means of purifying your soul more and more. Pray for those who stay from confession and beg grace to bring to this sacrament the most perfect dispositions, that you may draw from it the most abundant graces. Third Point. — You should hate sin and be sorry for committing it because it wounds and dis- pleases your Heavenly Father, who is so infinitely good, so perfect, so worthy of your love. For this reason you should be resolved never to offend this loving Father by sin. You should tell him, that even were there no hell to punish sin, no heaven to lose on account of it, still would you grieve for having sinned because of God's good- ness and love and because of your love for him. See what is an occasion of sin for you and resolve to fly from it. Pray for perfect contrition and true amendment. Converse with our Lord, the Good Shepherd. Aspiration : — My God, because I love Thee, I grieve for having offended Thee. II 178 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. ON HOLY COMMUNION. Imagine our Lord speaks to you from his throne in the Tabernacle ; he tells you of his great desire to come into your heart. JFirst Point. — Surely there is no happiness, no honor, so great as that of being permitted to re- ceive our Lord into our hearts. If the angels could envy us, it would be at the moment when the Divine Guest has entered the dwelling of our soul. You have in Holy Com- munion the same God that rested in Mary's arms. Is there any gift you can ask for that he cannot give you? The chalice is sacred because the Lord rests therein. Your heart is also a chalice, for Jesus also rests therein when you receive Holy Communion. Do you keep the chalice of your heart pure and free from every stain and filled with divine love ? Second Point. — With what love our Lord comes to you ! How he longs for the moment in which he can enter your heart-chalice. You kneel at the altar, the priest approaches, a tiny host is placed on your tongue, and oh ! what happiness ! The great King is vdih you. Thousands of angels are singing his praises in your soul, for Jesus is there now. And you, are you mindful of the WELL SPENT QUARTERS. IY9 heavenly favor ? Are you eager for this celestial visit ? Are you filled with love, gratitude, joy, humility ? Do you speak to our Lord as to your best, your dearest friend, the true lover of your soul ? He has come to pour out the wealth of his love and graces on you. His hands are open to welcome you, his arms embrace you, pressing you to his beating heart he whispers : What can I give you to-day ? I have given you myself, can I then refuse you any gift ? What do you wish to tell me ? Now while I repose with you, tell me all ; tell me of your love. Welcome me to your heart, tell me how it has been with you since my last visit, what have you done for me ? Call Mary and the elect of heaven to join you in sing- ing my praises." Third Point. — We are told that one commun- ion well made should make us saints. What then is your preparation for our Lord's visit ? What feelings move you as you approach the altar ? Do you try to realize the nearness of Christ? Our faith should be very strong ; we should be ashamed of the poverty of our dwelling, its lack of precious ornaments, we should be filled with joy, with confidence, with love. It is not a stranger who comes to us ; it is a loving friend. Yes, he hides his grandeur lest we should be frightened. Examine how you propose to receive our Lord 180 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. and with what dispositions you approach the Holy Table. Resolve to live so that you may be worthy to receive our Lord frequently. Converse with our Lord on the altar. Aspiration : — "Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacra- ment of the altar." MEDITATION. ON FREQUENT COMMUNION. Imagine our Lord lovingly reproaches you for your coldness in receiving him so seldom. First Point. — The Church, our loving mother, invites us to approach the Holy Table often. Frequent communion is earnestly recommended. Opportunities are offered to us and no hinderance remains save that of our own tepidity. Why should we hesitate to receive our Lord as a visitor when he so strongly desires to come ? It is true you are unworthy; it is true you have many faults ; it is true you are young, but do you not know that the more frequently you receive our Lord, the more beauty will your heart's chalice possess, the more fitting will it be to receive him. The longer you absent yourself from the Holy Table the less worthy are you likely to be. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 181 Second Point. — You say you have many faults. Well, are you not anxious to cut them off? What is their best remedy ? What will give you strength to diminish their number and power ? Surely, our Lord in Holy Communion. You say you are still young — ah ! when did our Lord send the young away from him ? Who was pressed to his heart ? The youngest apostle. If you are young do you not need the Master near to instruct, direct and guard you ? Say rather it is your own coldness, your own attachment to sin, that keeps you from frequently receiving our Lord. Third Point. — Surely frequent communion will be our best preparation for a happy death. Surely the thought of frequent communions made v^ith. fervor during life, will bring us much consolation when the time comes for us to receive our Lord for the last time. Then he will not come to us as a stranger ; his frequent visits to our dwelling will have caused an intimacy, that will make death sweet and comforting. Some of the Saints expressed their entire willingness to walk over hot coals if necessary, rather than forfeit the delight of our Lord's presence in Holy Communion. Those who have made daily com- munion a practice can testify that, by no other means whatever could they so successfully cor- 182 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. rect their faults. The thought : " I am going to receive our Lord to-morrow," has checked the unkind remark, has stayed the angry word, and so with other faults. Resolve with God's grace to communicate as often as your confessor may permit. Converse with our Lord. Aspiration: — O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine. MEDITATION. ON THE MASS. Visit in spirit the different parts of the world. From the wilds of Africa to the frozen North, in all lands where- ever a Catholic priest is to be found, there is the Holy Mass offered. Kneel at our Lord's feet and thank him for this. First Point. — Consider the goodness of God in leaving us the sacrifice of the Mass. Every day, every hour of the day, somewhere in the world, there stands a priest at the altar and the same Lord who offered himself a victim on the cross offers himself once more, for us. We do not see the victim, but we know that he is there. Jesus offers himself in sacrifice to the Heavenly Father as truly on our altars as on the cross of Calvary. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 183 Only the manner of making the offering is different. Examine if you have assisted at the Holy Mass with the spirit of love, of faith and of gratitude with which you would be penetrated on Mount Calvary. Second Point. — Consider the efficacy of the Mass. Christ offers himself in atonement for sins. Christ offers himself in thanksgiving for all the gifts of God to us. He offers himself in adoration. He offers himself in supplication for us. Consider the dignity of the victim — God ! How acceptable is our adoration when a God adores for us. How acceptable is our thanksgiving when God is offered as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. What greater atonement could be made for the sins of the world, than that offered by Christ himself. What can be denied us when God supplicates ? Behold now the efficacy of the Mass. Bewail all the Masses you have lost through negligence. Bewail your want of fervor at Mass. Third Point. — How have you valued this great, this wonderful sacrifice whereby the sacrifice of Calvary is constantly received? For what a trifle you sometimes lose so efficacious a means of discharging your indebtedness to God. Deter- mine never to lose Mass through negligence. 184 WELL SPENT QUAETERS. The Masses of obligation you must hear under pain of grievous sin, but besides these store up for yourself as many Masses as you can, that they may plead for you at the hour of death. Beg for grace to value the Holy Mass, to love it and assist at it with fervor. Converse with our Lord, our Victim. Aspiration : — Refuge of sinners, pray for us. MEDITATION. ON THE STATIONS. Picture yourself on the Hill of Calvary, venerating with faith and love tlie sacred spots sanctified by the footsteps of our Lord ; moistened by his precious blood and breath- ing forth the story of the different events recurring at the different places. First Point. — To venerate in person, the places hallowed by our Lord's sacred presence while on earth, is a happiness, a privilege, denied to the many. Knowing this the Church would give to the faithful a means of satisfying devotion and gaining the wonderful indulgences granted to the holy pilgrimages. When you make the stations then, you indeed make a holy pilgrimage, one inspiring the greatest love for Christ and sorrow for his sufferings. We are told that we cannot WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 186 make the stations without feeling an hatred for sin. Examine what is your devotion in making the stations. Do you meditate on the suffering suggested by each particular station ? Are you filled with contrition for sin which made our Lord suffer ; with love for his goodness in this suffering for you ? Are you moved to gratitude and to a strong resolve to avoid sin in future ? Second Point. — We all stand debtors to God for our many faults and sins. Temporal punish- ment is due to us for them, and this temporal punishment, we must endure either here or here- after. Can we then afford to lose the efficacious means of satisfying this debt, which is offered us by the devout making of the stations? As we make the stations we excite ourselves to a great love for God, and did not our Lord tell Magdalen that many sins were forgiven her because of her great love? Then, too, the Church has given many, many indulgences to the stations, and should we not be zealous in gaining every in- dulgence possible, that we may thus cancel our own purgatory, or that of some poor soul in that cleansing fire ? When death comes how we will regret the many opportunities for amassing spiritual treasures, which we now so carelessly loose. Third Point. — All the saints were fervently 186 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. devoted to the sufferings of our Lord. They loved to meditate on his passion and found that such meditation gave them strength, comfort and confidence. The crucifix was for them an ever open book, telling in most touching words, the wonderful power and extent of a love that fastened God to a cross, for our sakes. If they suffered they were consoled for they knew the master suffered infinitely more for them. The stations furnish you with food for nourishing devotion to the passion, so promise to-day that you will cherish the practice with love and perseverance. Converse with our mother of sorrows. Aspiration. —Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 187 MEDITATION. FEAST OF THE CIKCUMCISION. January 1st. Holy day of Obligation. Dispositions necessary for beginning the New Year- Imagine you are near the sweet infant Jesus, with Mary and Joseph. First Pom^.— Another year of your life has just rolled into the ocean of the « Great Eternity." Its joys and sorrows have passed away. You cannot bring back one moment of it. Your sins of thought, word, omission and deed remain. Your prayers, kind words, acts of virtue, masses heard, sacraments received, these — all these, remain also. In the Book of Life, the recording angel has written all. Make acts of sincere sor- row for the sins recorded there. For the little love you have shown our dear Lord, who was so good to you. Second Point, — A new year now opens for you. 188 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. God gives it to you that you may grow every day better — that you may atone for the past and amass merit for the future. How can you atone for the past year's failings ? Confess them with heartfelt contrition if you have not already done so. Multiply acts of love in word and action. Offer our Lord's sufferings in atonement. Beg of him to give you a very great knowledge of him so that you may love him more every day. Third Point. — Recall all the benefits given you during the past year. Were you grateful for them ? How often did you tell our dear Lord that you were grateful for them. How many times did you thank him ? The air you breathe — the water you drink — the food you eat — the kind friends you have had. All are his gifts to you. He can withdraw all in one instant if he wishes. Ingratitude deserves to be deprived of blessings. Do you intend to be grateful in word and act this year ? Do you resolve to make good use of every moment by offering hereafter each action of the day as an act of love for the Heart of Jesus. This is to amass merit. Speak to the infant Jesus, to our blessed Mother and St. Joseph. Tell them how much you love them. Make your resolutions and beg earnestly for grace to keep them. Aspiration : — Blessed be the name of Jesus. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 189 MEDITATION. FEAST OF THE ESPOUSALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. CULTIVATING A GREAT LOVE FOR MARY's FEASTS. Imagine yourself near Jesus and Mary. Listen atten- tively while our Lord teaches you to love his Mother. First Point. — Consider, dear child, the reasons that should impel you to love and cherish each feast of our Blessed Mother. First she is your mother and best protectress. In joy and sorrow she is your best friend after Jesus. She too suf- fered that we might be saved. Devotion to Mary is a mark of salvation. If you love her sincerely and perseveringly our Lord will not allow you to be lost. What king would refuse friendship and favor to his mother's friends? Have you not read in your ancient history of how Rome was saved from the terrible wrath of Coriolanus, by his mother's prayers ? The Romans, knowing the love of this ,man for his mother, begged of 190 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. the latter to intercede for them. She did so; his heart was touched and Rome was saved. Do you think any one ever loved a mother as Christ loved his ? ]S"o ; for Mary was the most perfect mother. No creature could be compared with her. Every mark of devotion and honor sho^vTi to Mary is cherished by our Lord as if offered to himself, for when we know the mother, we know the son. Second Point. — All the great servants of God were remarkable for their intense devotion to Mary. The very name thrilled their hearts with joy. They looked forward with delight to the approach of her feasts and celebrated them with greatest fervor. With what wonderful favors did Mary reward their fidelity. This good mother rejoiced to hear and obtain thek petitions. If heresy was to be conquered, sinners converted, or the interests of Christ furthered by any good work, behold them, kneeling at the shrine of their good mother, placing the cause lovingly in her hands, and knowing all was secure where the light of Mary's pure eyes were directed to them. Dear child, pray with your whole heart now, for great love of Mary. Tell our dearest Lord that you will not leave him to-day until he has given you a little spark of the great love he bears to Mary. Throw yourself in spirit at the feet of our WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 191 sweet mother and beg of her to make you truly her child. Place your interests, spiritual and temporal, under her protection. Third Point. — Consider what means you will employ to help you to spend our Blessed Mother's feasts in a manner pleasing to her and profitable to your own soul. Resolve first of all to aim at imitating her virtues, particularly her virginal purity, which shrank with horror from the least stain of sin. Promise to avoid every deliberate fault and model your daily life on that wonderful charity, obedience, meekness, love of prayer, etc ; that made this incomparable Queen so dear to our Lord. Visit her altar to-day and say some special prayers in her honor. Speak to your companions of the Blessed Virgin, tell them some little incident relating to her devotion. All these little practices will bring you many special and temporal blessings. Converse with our Lord and Holy Mary. Aspiration .-—Mother of God and St. Joseph guardian of Mary, pray for me. 192 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATIO]^. FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION. February 3nd. Picture yourself at our Blessed Mother's feet receiving advice and instruction from your beautiful model. In spirit listen to her addressing you as her child and assur- ing you of her love and protection forever. First Point. — To-day the Church has the beautiful custom of distributing the blessed candles to the faithful. You should love all the sacramentals for they increase your piety, and help you to drive away Satan ; They are precious, be- cause of the special prayers and blessings of the Church, for this reason does Satan fly from them. In dangers, in sickness, in the hour of death par- ticularly, all the sacramentals impart consolation. Love them, guard them with respect and use them with devotion. Have you done so ? Second Point. — Blessed candles and Holy water are among the most loved sacramentals. The latter should be always in our houses and in our sleeping rooms particularly, that we may frequently use it. We gain an indulgence for blessing ourselves with it and often it protects us from harm and dangers. Blessed candles should bring to mind the strong faith that should WELL SPENT QUARTERS. I93 light up our hearts, and the love that should burn in them. To-day as you receive one at the altar pray that it may also come to you with a special blessing from our heavenly Queen. Third Point. — On this feast of Mary resolve that you will consecrate yourself to her to-day, and in a special way, on each of her beautiful feasts as they occur. Think now over all that you have heard or read, of her virtues, her good- ness, her charms. You are her child ; our Lord gave her to you as your mother. She is also mother of God, therefore does she rule his heart, winning all its priceless treasures and distrib- uting them to us. Resolve to copy her in your daily life. To love her every day more and to shelter yourself under her mantle. Converse with your mother Mary. AspmATiON : — Mary, my mother, protect thy child. MEDITATION. FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH. March 19th. Imagine you see St. Joseph in heaven seated in glory next to that of Mary, and looking down on you with a smile of love and welcome. First Point, — To-day St. Joseph calls on us to celebrate his beautiful feast with love and joy. 13 194: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. He calls all his children around his throne, and lovingly reminds them of his affection for them, his protection in need and sorrow, his power with God, and his pleasure in obtaining the gifts of heaven for those who improve them. To-day he will be particularly bountiful for it is his own day. Go to him then with love and confidence, and ask for what you need. He will obtain it for you from Jesus whose foster-father he was. Second Point. — The dignity of St. Joseph is shown forth by the office entrusted to him. He was chosen to be the guardian of Jesus and Mary. He lived under the same roof, prayed with them, worked with them, suffered with them. Hidden from the notice of the world, concealing the wonderful heights of his sanctity, he lived and died, a faithful model of all Christian virtues. Thank God for the special favors granted to dear St. Joseph. Third Point. — St. Joseph being the guardian of Jesus and Mary, is then the special protector of the young. He had the happiness of watch- ing the Divine Child, studying his heart, his attractions, as day by day, they unfolded them- selves before his admiring gaze. To St. Joseph then belongs the sweet task of moulding young hearts after the heart of Jesus. Of forming WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 195 their lives after the Divine model. Beg of him then to train you to virtue, to teach you, above all, the love of Jesus and Mary. St. Joseph is the father, the protector of the whole Church. Ask him to be the protector of your home also. The Church does not oblige you to hear Mass to- day but will not your own love for Saint Joseph oblige you ? Will it not urge you to give him this special mark of affection and gratitude? Resolve to copy the virtues of St. Joseph, to love him devotedly, to make him your dear protector in life and death. Converse with Saint Joseph. Aspiration.— Saint Joseph, our powerful protector, pray forme. MEDITATION. FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION. March 25th. Imagine you see the Blessed Virgin alone in her little room. She is engaged in prayer. Suddenly the Angel Gabriel enters and salutes her. First Point. — This beautiful feast of our Mother recalls the message of the Angel. Ga- briel brings joyful news. The Blessed Virgin is chosen to be the mother of our Redeemer. It is 196 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. not because Mary is rich, powerful, beautiful, that God chooses her from among all women to be his mother. No, but Mary is pure and im- maculate, Mary is humble and prayerful, Mary's heart burns with love for God, with love for her neighbor. Others desired the honor of being the mother of the promised Messiah. Mary un- selfishly yields that honor to some other, deem- ing herself the least worthy of it. Mary's heart yearns with the most intense longing for the coming of the Redeemer that sin may depart and mankind be saved. Her love is ardent and it charms the heart of God. Second Point. — Mary consents to the wish of God and so fulfills her part in the coming of Christ. Mary answers the angel : " Be it done unto me, according to thy word." Mary calls herself the handmaid of the Lord waiting for his bidding that she may follow it. Beseech your good Mother by the joy that filled her heart in being the Mother of Jesus, to obtain for you light and grace to know the will of God, in all the events of your life, and grace to follow God's will when it is made known to you. Third Point. — Mary rendered herself worthy to receive this joyful message by her fidelity to every inspiration, to every duty, to every light given her. Ask for grace to follow in the foot- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 197 steps of your mother. See how God rewards the prayers, the fidelity of Mary. She prays to be always a Virgin and God adds, to the joy and dignity of making her his Mother, the joy and honor of leaving to her, the treasure of her virginity. Speak to your loved mother, beg her protec- tion and renew your consecration to her. Converse with Jesus and Mary. Aspiration : — Mother of the Redeemer of mankind, pray for us. MEDITATION. EASTER SUNDAY. Imagine yourself at the Tomb of our Lord. Suddenly our Lord comes forth and you see him clothed in light and glory. If^irst Point. — Rejoice for the Lord hath risen. " This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad." Dear child, during Lent you followed our Lord through his sufferings. The Church now calls on you to rejoice with Jesus risen from the dead. Those wounds over which we mourned are like gorgeous suns from which dazzling radiance shoots forth in all direc- tions. The thorns form a diadem of surpassing 198 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. glory now. The adorable face of Christ no longer covered with blood-stains shines with the infinite beauty of the Divinity. Look with exultant joy on your Savior, now triumphant over death. Second Point. — Rejoice with the Blessed Vir- gin. In proportion as she suffered during our Lord's Passion so now does she delight in his resurrection. Picture the rapture with which Jesus met his beloved mother, when he came forth from the tomb. Mary's soul was flooded with a torrent of joy. All sorrow is now for- ever passed for him, who is her own loved son. The cold of Bethlehem's stable, the agony of Calvary, contempt, injustice, labors, all, all, for- ever gone. Jesus is now the great, the trium- phant King. Ah ! yes, but Jesus is still her own, her tender babe, her cherished son. Rejoice with Jesus and Mary. Third Point. — You also, dear child, will have a day of glorious resurrection. Oh ! what a con- soling thought ! In a short time all sorrow, all pain, all suffering of body and soul will have passed away forever. All glorious, all beautiful, brighter than the noonday sun, you will enter into the joy of heaven. Jesus has purchased this happiness for you. Jesus and Mary with all the court of heaven wait to receive you. Only a little time of struggle, of pain, of faithful WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 199 love and service and then all is over. The crown is waiting. Only a little time and Jesus will place it on your brow. Only a little while longer and you will see God face to face. Only a little while and Mary will lead her child, triumphant over sin and death, to endless light and glory. Resolve to begin your preparation for that day of joy. It is the only thing worth securing. Labor, struggle, love, pray, shun the least fault and a glorious resurrection will be yours. Re- joice and be glad for our Lord is indeed risen ! Rejoice and be glad for you, too, will rise glorious and immortal. Converse with our risen Lord and his exultant mother. Pray that by the joy of his resurrection Jesus and Mary may lead you also in safety to a glorious resurrection. Aspiration: — Rejoice! O Queen of heaven. MEDITATION. ON THE ASCENSIOI^^ HOLYDAY OF OBLIGATION. Imagine you see our Lord ascending in glory into heaven. In spirit see him borne aloft in the clouds, higher and higher he rises, until at last he is lost to view. JF^irst Point. — After forty days our Lord as- cended into heaven. With what longing eyes 200 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. and heart did his blessed mother see him depart. With what triumphant exultation did the whole heavenly court accompany him to his mighty throne. Picture the glorious scene, in your own mind. Behold the majesty and splendor of Jesus ; with what tenderness his sacred eyes rest on the loved and faithful ones who, with wonder, longing, and ecstasy gaze on him whom they love, as he is gradually borne from their sight. Second Point. — Jesus has ascended, but he has carried with him our hearts, our love, and he has left us his heart. Nothing of earth can now satisfy ; no charms of earthly beauty can allure the lovers of Jesus. Their desires are with him and onlj^ when they join him in heaven can their longing hearts find true joy. They are now separated from him, but they watch and prepare for the happy day on which they also may ascend above the clouds of earthly cares and rest with heaven's King. Third Point. — We too must ascend to-day. We must ascend high above sin and its attrac- tions. We must ascend high above our daily faults. We must leave them behind while with God's help, we soar to higher and higher regions of holy love. We must suffer ourselves to be borne aloft, by prayer, good works, nay, and even WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 201 sacrifice. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we ascend, lest we grow weak or lose our way. His love for us will guide and lead us on while our love for him will strengthen and bear us up even to the end. Converse with our Lord ascending into heaven. Aspiration :— Mother of Jesus, pray for us. MEDITATION. WHIT- SUNDAY. Imagine yourself with Mary and the Apostles who have waited, with prayers united, for the coming of the Holy Ghost. First Point. — In fervent prayer the Blessed Virgin and the Apostles awaited the Holy Ghost. Our Lord had promised to send the Spirit of light and of love and they waited for that coming. Yes, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Love. He comes to us in prayer. He breathes into our souls and they are filled with the fire of divine charity. Pray that the Holy Ghost may truly descend on you to-day. Prepare for his coming by prayer and desire. Second Point. — Every good thought you have, every inspiration to good deeds, is a breathing of ^03 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. the Holy Spirit. When your heart burns with devotion, when light comes to you in prayer, in meditation, it is the Holy Spirit whispering in your soul. Pray that you may listen and be guided by this pure, soft voice. In all your works and prayers seek direction and love from the Holy Ghost. You could never form a good thought nor make a good resolution but by the Holy Spirit. Third Point. — Watch in prayer and the Holy Ghost will come to you. With the seven-fold gifts your soul will be re-animated, strengthened, consoled. Love will pour into your soul ; from the Holy Spirit it will flow in streams into your heart. Light will fill your mind. You will be directed aright. Pray that you may never despise the lights and inspirations of the Holy Ghost. When good thoughts urge you to noble, generous deeds of fervor, beg that you may respond with joy and generosity. It was the voice of this same breathing Spirit that prompted and guided the saints and holy ones of the Church, to great sac- rifices ; they went into far lands, far from all they loved, and there suffered to bring souls to Christ. Converse with the Spirit of Love. AspiBATiON : — Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of the faithful. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 203 MEDITATIOK TRINITY SUNDAY. Imagine yourself before the throne of the Most High. Angelic choirs sing the praises of the Triune God. Join your voice with theirs in singing the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. First Point. — To-day praise, bless and love the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Renew your faith in the beautiful mystery of the adorable Trinity. Unite with the heavenly court as also with the church militant in praising the Godhead. Long for the happiness of being with the saints and angels who sing to-day " Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be — Amen. Repeat this prayer frequently and fervently to- day. Always love it and pronounce it with the greatest reverence. See how constantly the church makes use of it. Second Point. — Love the Father who has created you and made you to his image. How can you sufficiently thank him for this unmerited favor. Take care that you abuse not the gift of creation. All the members of your body and the faculties of your soul belong to God and should be em- ployed in his honor and service. Thus should 204 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. you testify your gratitude to the Father for the being he has given you. Second Point. — Praise, bless and love the Son for the grace of redemption. For you did he take the nature of man, for you did he suffer and die. Let gratitude bring its tribute to-day. With heart and voice praise the eternal Son who has redeemed you, who opened for you the gates of heaven, who saved you from hell, who gives him- self to you in the adorable Sacrament and there will remain throughout all ages. Third Point. — Praise, bless and love the Holy Spirit without whom you could do nothing worthy or good. Implore pardon for the many times you were deaf to divine inspirations. The Holy Ghost works secretly, silently in your soul. Place no obstacle to the movements of the Holy Spirit and your soul will rise to glorious heights of love and generosity. Children have been known to arrive at wonderful sanctity in their tenderest years. They were true to the promptings of grace, they shunned any fault that might cause a coolness of divine love in their hearts and so they mounted quickly to perfection. Look at St. Pancratius. How desperately he fought against his feelings that he might conquer them and be true to the inspiration that urged him to forgive the taunts of his enemy at schooL How generously he died WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 205 for his faith. A weak child like you, yet made strong by the Holy Spirit. Converse with the Blessed Trinity. Aspiration : — Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. MEDITATION. FEAST OF CORPUS CHEISTI. Imagine you see our Lord in the Tabernacle and that he urges you to show him greater love in this sacrament of his love. First Point. — What could move your heart, dear child, if not to see our Lord giving us his own adorable body and blood in the Sacrament of his love. He would not leave us alone. Day and night he would tarry with us. Waiting for us to draw near; waiting for us to go to him and tell him of our love, of our needs, of our sorrows. Second Point. — Love this beautiful feast which honors our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. There at his feet how many weary hearts find comfort. How many sinful hearts are led back. How many gather round that shrine to find peace for themselves and graces for their loved ones. All are welcomed with the smile that won all hearts when he dwelt visibly amongst men. He is with us yet just as really, just as truly as when 206 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. he walked through the streets of Jerusalem. But our faith is weak and charity is cold in our hearts. Go, dear child, to love's shrine on the altar ; there warm your heart near the fire of our Lord's burn- ing love. Beg pardon for your coldness in visit- ing the prisoner of our Tabernacles. Third jPoint.—OfleT your love in reparation for the sins committed against our Lord in the Holy Eucharist since its first institution. Prom- ise to have a great love for the B. Sacrament and to make frequent visits. The Saints and all holy people love to draw near the altar. Pray that you may frequently and fervently receive our Lord in Holy communion. Converse with our Lord in the Blessed Sacra- ment. Aspiration :— O Sacrament most holy, O sacrament divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine. MEDITATIOK FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART. Friday after Octave of Corpus Christi. Imagine our Lord shows you his Sacred Heart while say- ing : "Behold this heart, which has loved men so much." J^irst Point. — Dear child, this feast should be very dear to you. We might call it the " Feast WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 207 of Love." In all places and in all languages the " heart " has been used as a symbol of love and devotedness. Let scientists argue as they may, still does this fact remain The lover, in leaving his affianced says : " I go, but my heart remains with you, never will it be given to another." Ah ! of what does he speak ? Surely not of the physical organ itself. No, he speaks of his love. Thus by all people is the heart used in a figura- tive sense. Human love, in seeking outward souvenirs, gives us ornaments in heart-form. The cross, the anchor, the hea)'t — Who does not recognize these as faith, hope, love ? Seco7id Point. — When our Lord would make known to us his love, so excessive, he suits him- self to our manner of expression and makes use of the word, the symbol, that appeals to us so strongly and conveys to our minds such a wealth of meaning. Yes, truly does our Lord love us with a love so passionate, so intimate, so familiar that, unable to fathom its depths, we draw back, confused at our unworthiness to receive such an outpouring of God's love. Yes, so great is his love that he is jealous of ours. He longs for our love in return, as a passionate lover longs for love from the object of 'his affection. To Blessed Margaret Mary he makes known his Heart, that is, his love. Never could we have believed our- 208 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. selves the object of such unspeakable love on the part of God, did he not give us so many proofs of it, did he not himself disclose its intensity. But his love is repulsed. Coldness meets its ad- vances and his injured love laments its grievances in touching complaints. Third Point. — Be yours to-day, the sweet task of comforting the Heart of Jesus for the sins and neglect of men. Examine your own heart, dear child, and see how often it has repulsed the love of our Lord. See how cold it still remains even near this burning fire of unchanging affection for jT-ou. Jesus looks to his friends, for love and consolation. He finds them tepid and indiffer- ent and pointing to his wounded heart he cries : " Ah ! these are the wounds inflicted by friends, by those to whom I look for solace and affection." You, dear child, have been one of our Lord's specially favored friends. He has saved you from many temptations and sins. He has given you many tender marks of his particular protec- tion, and to you he looks for a service of love. Not the cold, hard service of a stranger, but the generous, overflowing of j^our youthful heart's love and devotedness. A love delicate in its sweet attentions, keenly alive to the smallest little offence, that might wound the Divine Lover, so sensitive in his love for us. To you, no mis- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 209 fortune should appear so great as that of allow- ing any coldness to come between you and our Lord, any obstacle to stand between you and his friendship. Resolve to do all you can to spread the Sacred Heart devotion. Converse with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Aspiration: — ^Heart of my Jesus, mercy. MEDITATION. FEAST OF ST. ALOYSIUS. June 21st. Imagine you see St. Aloysius in heaven. Seated on a throne of dazzling magnificence he smiles on you sweetly. Urges you to love and serve God that you may enjoy heaven hereafter. First Point. — St. Aloysius is a model for the young. He gave himself to God from his tender- est years. He loved God with his whole heart. He carefully shunned the smallest sin and so preserved until death his purity and fresh inno- cence. Ask him to obtain for you grace to fol- low his example. Second Point. St. Aloysius had temptations and weaknesses to overcome, as you have. He had his struggles, his difficulties, his dislikes, his pains. He did not live surrounded by angels. 14 210 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Doubt not but that he had to bear with many annoyances from his companions. But he found grace to overcome every obstacle, in prayer, in the Sacraments, in Uttle acts of mortification. He loved the Blessed Virgin tenderly, confided to her the guardianship of his youthful purity and inspired his companions also with a true love for Mary. You can imitate all this. Third Point. St. Aloysius persevered unto the end. In a short life he stored up the treas- ures for eternity, that those not so perfect would spend a long life in amassing. Above all, stands forth his intense love for God. This gave him strength to do all. Beg of him to obtain for you great love of God. Converse with St. Aloysius. AspiKATioN : — St. Aloysius, pray for me. MEDITATION. FEAST OF OTJR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL. July 16th. Imagine you see our Lady giving St. Simon Stock the Scapular and telling him of its efficacy and advantages. First Point. — Doubtless you have read the account of St. Simon Stock and the Scapular. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 211 You know he was a great holy servant of Mary, and she rewarded his devotion, fasts and auster- ities by giving to him her livery as a mark of love and protection. This livery is the Brown Scapular, worn by every devout Catholic. Thank the Blessed Virgin for making this favor known to us. Second Point. — The Scapular of Mount Carmel or Brown Scapular, is a mark of the special and never-failing protection of our Lady. Many have been saved from dangers of every kind, from sin, from unprovided death, by wearing this livery. You know that often a servant wears the livery of his master. It secures to him the master's protection and help. So, too, will Mary fly to the aid of those who devoutly wear her livery. She will recognize it. She will say: "This is my servant, clothed in my livery ; I must not let him perish." Notice, how- ever, that you must wear the livery devoutly^ do not wear it simply to shield a sinful heart. Let it remind you to keep from sin, and thus will you deserve Mary's special protection. Third Point. — Many and great indulgences are granted to those who wear the Scapular of our Lady of Mount Carmel. Among the greatest is the Sabbatine indulgence, by which we may hope for a speedy deliverance from purgatory. To 212 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. secure all these indulgences we must be enrolled in the Scapular, by a priest, we must wear it as directed, and recite the prayers, or perform the penance prescribed. Promise the Blessed Virgin that you will try to spread the devotion of the Scapular and that you will always wear it with love. Converse with our Lady of Mount Carmel. Aspikation: — Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for me. MEDITATION. FEAST OF OUR LOED's TRANSFIGURATION. August 6th. Imagine yourself on Mount Thabor with the Apostles Peter, James and John, who were favored in beholding our Lord gloriously transfigured. Such happiness did it afford them that they could but exclaim : "Lord, it is good for us to be here." First Point. — Our Lord concealed the glory and majesty of his Divinity that we might not be overcome by its splendor. To-day we com- memorate the Transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Thabor. In this he showed forth a little of his greatness and glory. His face shone as the sun, and overcome by the wonderful sight the Apostles falling down exclaimed : " Lord, it WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 213 is good for us to be here." Picture the whole scene. Second Point. — Our Lord wished thus to strengthen the faith, hope, and charity of these Apostles that they might endure courageously the terrible sufferings that awaited them. So, too, when our Lord gives you special lights and consolations, it is that the remembrance may be a support to you in the time of desolation and trial. Pray that when that hour comes you may prove faithful. Third Point. — " Lord, it is good for us to be here." Yes, dear child, " it is good for us to be here " when faith and love lead us to the Altar where Jesus dwells. "It is good for us to be here " when Jesus comes to us in Holy Com- munion. " It is good for us to be here " when, turning aside from the crowd, we meditate with love on the beauty, majesty and power of God. "It is good for us to be here" when He sends the cross, that is to win for us the crown, when we reach at last our true Thabor, our home in heaven. Pray that you merit that happiness by your love, labors, prayers and perseverance. Converse with our Lord transfigured. Aspiration :— Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on me. 2U WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. r's GLORIOUS ASSU Aug. 15th. Holy day of Obligation, Imagine you see our Blessed Mother being taken up into heaven. Angels reverently bear away their Queen, the Mother of Heaven's King. First Point. — As a loving child of Mary you should hail this beautiful feast with special delight. It is the day of our Mother's triuraph. It is the day on which she is reunited to her beloved Son, from whom she will never again be separated. The whole Heavenly Court goes forth to meet Mary. Jesus welcomes his pure Mother to her throne beside Him ; crowned with a diadem of glory befitting the Mother of the King, Mary from her throne in Heaven, rules as its Queen and distributes heavenly treasures. Second Point. — This sinful earth was not wor- thy to be a resting place for the immaculate body of the Mother of Jesus. We are told that after the death of our Blessed Mother, the Apos- tles, on opening her tomb to look once more on the loved face of Mary found that she was no longer there. Heavenly strains and sweetest perfumes filled the air and told the story of our Mother's Assumption. The faithful have never WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 215 ceased to believe that the pure, precious bodj^ of Mary, from which Jesus deigned to take flesh, was assumed into heaven, where, united with her spotless soul, she reigns triumphant. God would not suffer the immaculate Mother of his choice to know death's ravages in her spotless body. The earth might not claim a treasure which was always too pure for its sinful touch. Third Point. — Although the Church has not pronounced this an article of faith, she has given the belief of Mary's Assumption her sanction and approval by granting it a special feast which is also a holyday of obligation. St. Anthony of Padua was so devoted to the Assumption that he is often styled the " Champion of the Assump- tion." Rejoice to-day with your Mother; her joy, her triumph is ours, too, for we are her children. Renew your consecration to her with greatest fervor and pray that you may so live, as to merit to be with her in heaven, when death has ended your earthly sojourn. Thank God for the privi- leges granted to Mary. Converse with our glorious Mother. Aspiration:— Queen of heaven pray for me. 216 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. FEAST OF SEVEN DOLORS OF THE BLESSED YIRGrN". 3rd Sunday of September. Imagine you accompany our Sorrowful Mother through each of her dolors. First Point. — No creature ever suffered as much as Mary. No creature ever had love so intense, the strength of which enabled her to sustain the weight of her great sorrows. Ask our Blessed Mother by her bitter griefs to help you always to bear yours for the love of God. Second Point. — Mary suffered because she was to have part with Jesus in the redemption of the human race. She shared all our Lord's sorrows from the stable to the cross. She suffered although being pure and innocent. She suffered because of our sins. Ask for grace to hate sin and suffer with love when God gives you crosses and contradic- tions as a mark of his favor. He loved his Mother best and yet to her he sent the greatest suffering. Third Point. — To-day meditate on each of Mary's dolors. 1st. The prophecy of Simon. 2nd. "The sword of grief shall pierce thy soul." 3rd. The flight into Egypt. 4th. The WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 217 loss of Jesus for three days, during which time, Mary ceased not to look for him. 5th. The grief of meeting our Lord as he bent bleeding, wounded, under the weight of the cross. 6th. The grief of seeing Jesus nailed to the cross. The sorrow that pierced her soul, when standing for three long hours at the foot of the cross, she, saw the terrible suffering of her beloved son thereon. 7th. The grief of receiving the lifeless, wounded body of Jesus in her arms. Pray that by those seven dolors, you may ob- tain these seven graces : First. To love God daily more and more. Second. To love Mary daily more and more. Third. To hate sin. Fourth. To forgive your enemies. Fifth. To practice charity in thought, word and action. Sixth. That you may never needlessly make any one suffer. Seventh. That you may die in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Converse with Mary most sorrowful. Aspiration:— Mother of Sorrows, pray for me. 218 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. MEDITATION. ON THE NATIVITY OF MAET. September 8tli. Imagine you behold the joy of St. Amie and St. Joa- chim when Mary was bom. They are the happy parents of her who is to be the Mother of God. First Point. Congratulate the parents of Mary for the joy they received to-day. Mary was the precious gift given to them in answer to fervent and long continued prayer. We also must rejoice to-day, for this is our Mother's birthday. Salute the child destined by heaven to crush the serpent's head, and chosen by God to be one day his Mother. Resolve to spend the day very fervently in gratitude for the birth of Mary. Second Point. — Remember you must give your Mother Mary a birthday gift. Give her your heart ; it is the gift she prizes. Ask her to keep it ever free from sin. Give her also the gift of your firm resolve to imitate her virtues. Beg for grace to do so. Third Point. — This birthday of our Lady must be for you the beginning of a life more and more WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 219 perfect. Mary will help you to walk in the path of true virtue. When you find it difficult to renounce some pleasure which your conscience warns you to avoid, call on the sweet name of Mary. The evil spirit hates that name, for Mary brings him defeat. When you feel like giving up prayer and the sacraments call on Mary for grace to persevere in good. She will obtam it for you. Converse with Mary, St. Anne, St. Joachim. Aspiration :— Mary, hope of the weak, pray for us. MEDITATION. ON OUR LADY OF MERCY. September 24th. Picture our Lady bending over the whole suffering race. Streams of favors flew from her hands biinging help and consolation to each. First Point.— M^Tj is indeed all merciful. No one in sorrow of any kind ever caUed m vain to her for assistance. Mary learned lessons of the most boundless mercy and compassion from Jesus, our most merciful Savior. When Mary pressed the child Jesus to her heart all the sweetness and mercy 220 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. of his Sacred Heart flaraed into hers that Mary might be ever our mother most merciful. Medi- tate now on the mercy of your Mother's heart that you may have greater confidence in her assist- ance. Second Point. — Xo one is rejected by Mary. The most sinful may go to her with love and confidence. She will cover the guilty soul with her mantle of purity and thus lead it to the feet of her son. She will there plead for pardon. She will arrest the angry arm of Jesus and win mercy, repentance and forgiveness. Beg of this all-merciful Mother to shield you from every danger of soul and body. Third Point. Mary's all-merciful heart goes out in love and pity to those in sorrow and pain. We have only to cry to her and she flies to our aid, for we are her children. " Can a mother forget her child ? " Oh ! let us not forget that Mary loves us as no earthly mother ever loved a child. Can you still doubt her ? Do you fear to approach her for aid ? Why do you grieve her heart by your want of confidence ? To-day promise to be ever the friend of those in sorrow or affliction of any kind. Let your companions always feel that they may go to jom in time of sorrow or disgrace, and find you anxious to assist them. At least you can give WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 221 them your loving sympathy, your kind words, if nothing more. Often these are worth much to the suffering heart. Resolve to have great con- fidence in our Mother of mercy. Converse with our Lady of Mercy. Aspiration;— Mother of mercy, pray for thy child. MEDITATION. EOSARY SUNDAY. Imagine you behold our blessed Mother showing St. Dominic the rosary, instructing him as to the manner of saying it and promising to pour blessings on those who recite it devoutly. First Point. — You have read of St. Doninic and the rosary. You know that our blessed Mother made known the devotion to him at a time when heresy was afflicting the Church. Through the rosary, did Mary promise St. Dominic success in searching those hearts, for whose conversion the saints toiled and prayed. Ask for devotion to the rosary. Have you always recited it with love and reverence? What will be henceforth your practice with re- gard to it ? Second Point. — In saying the rosary you should 222 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. keep your mind on the mystery. For this reason you should learn what are the fifteen mysteries and the days on which you should say the joyful mysteries, five sorrowful, and the glorious mys- teries. Thus will you keep the event of our Lord's life and sufferings daily before you. Resolve not to let any day pass without saying your rosary. You will thus offer a most welcome crown to our Lady, and doubt not, that, if you are faithful to this daily prayer. She will place on your brow a crown of glory in heaven. Third Point. — Your little beads should be one of your most cherished treasures. Carry it with you, and when opportunity offers, use it with devotion. Often, while going on an errand, while on your way to work or school you can say your rosary unobserved. This devotion will bring you great consolation in hours of distress. Say it with confidence when you want any favor from Mary. The Church grants many indulgences to the rosary and you cannot afford to lose indul- gences, for they can be applied to the souls in purgatory if we wish, or applied to our own spiritual benefit. Converse with our Lady of the rosary. Aspiration : — Queen of tlie most holy rosary, pray for us. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 223 MEDITATION. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS. November 1st. Holyday of Obligation. Picture the glory and happiness of all the saints and angels. Your place is there with them if only you con- tinue to be good. First Point. — The Church on earth to-day rejoices with the church triumphant in heaven. The saints, and above all, Mary the Queen of saints, sing their exultant Te Deum, for sorrow and pain have passed away, and now they enjoy the reward of their labors and sufferings. Joui with them in praising and blessing God, who has prepared so much joy for his faithful servants. Second Point. — How quickly life passes ; only a short time of warfare and then follows eternal peace. Only a short time of suffering and then follows joy that knows no mixture of grief, joy that knows no end. The saints have now the victory ; we still battle but they will help us to fight on bravely till our crown is won. Third Point. — The saints knew how to value the things of God and knew the vanity of earthly joys and honors. They teach us to-day, how foolish are those unhappy creatures who forget their souls and toil only for that which passes 24:4: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. away like smoke. Beg of God to help you to despise worldly vanities and resolve that you will labor to secure a place in the home of the blessed. Implore of your patron saint to obtain for you the grace of perseverance. Converse with the Queen of Saints. AspiKATiON : — Holy Saint, whose name I bear, pray for me. MEDITATION. FEAST OF ALL SOULS. November 2nd. Try to picture j^ourself near the suffering souls in purgatory. Listen to their pitiful cry for help. First Point. — From their sorrowful place of pain the souls cry to us to-day : " Have pity on us ; have pity on us at least, you my friends." What a touching appeal. Ah ! close not j^our ears to their cry. Harden not your heart to their pains. Helpless they stretch forth their arms to you. Perhaps some of them are your own near relatives. Will you be deaf to their supplications ? Second Point. — Charity is certainly well deserved by these poor souls. They are the friends of God. They have died in his sweet friendship. They love God intensely and are WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 225 loved by him in return. They long to go to God even as the starving man longs for food. And God longs to welcome them to his presence. But some debt still remains. How easily you can pay it for them. A prayer, a mass, an alms, indul- gences offered for them. These all cost you so little and yet you refuse to give. Ah ! who knows how soon you may be with them. Per- haps when this feast comes around next year, you too may cry from that abyss of pain : " Have pity on me, at least you my friend ! For the love of your poor soul lay not up fuel for that cleans- ing fire by committing any deliberate sin, how- ever small, but avoid the least fault and shorten your own purgatory while yet you may. This lesson you learn from to-day's feast. Third Poiiit, — Remember the poor souls not only to-day but every day this month. Novem- ber is devoted to them. Do all in your power to free as many souls as you can. Gain all the in- dulgences you can for them. Many generous souls have made over all their indulgences and satisfactions for life, and even those to follow them after death, to the holy souls. This is called the " Heroic Act." It must surely be very pleasing to God, very meritorious, and must bring many souls from purgatory. If you do not feel prompted to make this act, resolve at least to 226 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. help these sufferers every day. In return the holy souls will help you. They will assist you in time of need, by their grateful prayers. You will be sending souls to heaven to praise and bless God and surely that is a consoling thought. Converse with the poor souls. Aspiration: — Dear Lord, I offer tliy Sacred Heart for the release of some soul in purgatory. MEDITATION. THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. December Stli. Holyday of Obligation. Imagine yourself standing before our Blessed Lady's throne in heaven. Join with the angels in singing the praises of this Immaculate Mother. Beg of her to bless and protect you. First Point. — All the faithful children of Mary love this most beautiful feast. Mary is the " Im- maculate One " conceived without original sin. This is an article of faith, proclaimed a dogma, by Pope Pius Ninth in 1854. Unite with the Church to-day, in sounding the praises of God, who has thus honored his peerless mother. Fre- quently during the day raise your heart to Mary saying : " O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 227 Second Point. — Some years ago our Immacu- late Mother deigned to visit a favored little spot — Lourdes where she showed herself, not to the great and learned, no, but to a simple little child Bernadette. Lourdes was illumined by the light of Mary's smile. Her sweet voice broke the still- ness of its solitude, and what does she say? What words does Bernadette hear ? She hears the title that our Mother is pleased to give her- self : "lam the Immaculate Conception." Yes, Mary makes known to the whole world her love for this privilege and she makes it known through a timid little girl. Since that wonderful visit the light of Mary's smile and the music of her voice linger with Lourdes, making it a chosen, hallowed spot whose healing waters bring peace to many a weary heart and a cure to many a suffering creature. How many hearts have there been moved to faith and repentance. Do you wonder that Bernadette ever after that visit longed for the day on which she would again behold Mary in heaven ? Invite your Immaculate Mother to visit the little grotto of your heart. Ask her to cheer it with her smile and fill it with the music of her gentle voice that you, too, may thus learn her sweet secrets. With the eye of faith behold your Mother and kneeling at her feet promise her 228 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. fidelity. Tell her that the grotto of your heart will henceforth be a holy shrine, spotless and pure and full of love for God. Beg of her to help you to keep it so. Third Point. The feast of the Immaculate Conception has special claims to our love, here in the United States. Our Blessed Mother, under this lovely title, is the Patroness of our country, so this is our patronal feast, observed as a holy- day of obligation. Beg of her then to protect us all with special love. Above all,* leave not her throne to-day, until you have besought her, with fervent entreaty, to guard with jealous care, the young people of our beautiful land. Ask that Mary's pure hand may lead them in the path of angelic purity, and in the practice of every virtue, that they may thus be worthy of our Mother Immaculate. Beg of her to strengthen their faith against every assault, to increase their hope and perfect their charity ; that our country may prosper under her care and that she may lead all hearts to the heart of Jesus. Resolve to say three Hail Marys every day in honor of the Immaculate Conception for perfect purity of soul and body. Converse with our Mother Immaculate. Aspiration: — Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us Tvho have recourse to thee. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 229 MEDITATION. CHRISTMAS DAY. December 25tli. Holyday of Obligation. Picture the stable in Bethlehem where the Infant King reposes on a bed of straw. Mary and Joseph are there, join with them in adoring the new-born babe. First Point. — This is the great feast of the young. To-day Christ becomes a little child. A God hides his greatness, his majesty and as- sumes the helplessness of infancy. The angels sing : " Glory to God on high, peace to men of good will." Join with them in this beautiful hymn. Offer your heart's most fervent love to Jesus for a birthday gift. He will receive it from you with delight. No other gift could afford so much pleasure. Second Point. — Jesus shows his great love for the poor. He becomes one of them. He suffers from poverty and cold. Dear child, our Lord teaches you in the crib, to love the poor also. They are very dear to his heart, let them always be dear to yours. Have for their sufferings and priva- tions, the most tender sympathy. Sometimes deny yourself some little pleasure that you may be able to help some one in need. Our Lord has 230 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. promised to reward even a cup of cold water given in his name. Try to perform some act of charity- to-day that you may have the consolation of ministering to the needs of the Infant Jesus, in the person of your neighbor^ Third Point. — This is a day of universal joy. The whole world rejoices. People meet with joy- ous smiles and hearty good wishes. "Merry Christmas "are the words that resound on all sides. Heaven, too, rejoices with us ; our redemption is at hand. The Infant Savior is with us, and our hearts indeed are glad. Why should anything trouble us now ? Our Infant King is about to purchase for us our claim to a place in his heaven- ly kingdom. Nothing can deprive us of our right to this inheritance, but sin. Therefore you will hate and avoid it. You will promise the Infant King to prepare a place in your hearts for him. A cradle more consoling than the crib. You will warm his trembling little form with the fire of your love. You will never suffer him to leave you again. Mary and Joseph must never find that you, also, have refused the Infant God ad- mittance to your heart. Resolve never to drive him from it by committing sin. Converse with Jesus in the crib. Aspiration ; — Infant Jesus, I give thee my heart. A THREE DAYS RETREAT FOR THE YOUNG. FIRST DAY OF THE RETREAT. FIRST MEDITATION. THE GARDEN OF THE SACRED HEART. Picture our Lord leading you aside and sweetly inviting you to make this retreat. First Point. — You are not invited to " Come into the desert and rest awhile." The desert might frighten you and the young love activity. So we ask you instead to come into a beautiful garden for these three days. There you will find exercise and much to keep you busy. This garden is full of delights ; beautiful flowers of charming colors and fragrance smile on you at every step. No rude thing will jostle you ; no loud voices will jar on you. No, only the music of sweet, soft whispers may be heard ; so soft in- deed that you must go down into the stillness of your very soul to catch the words. 231 232 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Little paths Tvi.nd here and there ; one leads into an orchard, whose trees are laden with de- licious fruits. In a quiet, shady corner you find a magnificent fountain, the clear waters of which flow in gentle, rippling streams from a point where the glowmg sunlight plays on each drop and clothes it with the diamond's beauty. Looking out into the orchard you see to the right a rocky steep. You follow the path leading to its base. Will you mount until its summit puts you in pos- session of the view beyond? Yes, \\ith God's grace you will during these three days, gather carefully the flowers of holy thoughts, the fruits of prayer and meditation, and you will ascend courageously the rocky steep of virtue's path, re- freshed and strengthened by the flowing fountain of God's pure love. Second Pomt. — Consider what motives should urge you to enter the garden of retreat. First the necessity of laboring to promote the great work of your soul's salvation. Su^Dpose a young man has gone into business. Every year he de- votes a few daj's to the careful examination of his accounts. He considers his gains and losses and the means he should employ to insure still greater success. Is not this young man wise ? Xow you have a business which is most important. In fact it is the one 7iecessary business for you, and this is WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 233 the saving of your immortal soul. Is it not worthy of as much care and labor as that of the young man mentioned here? The distractions of daily life and duties often cause us to forget the one great end for which we were created. Our thoughts are carried away by the many things relating to our bodily needs and pleasures. There- fore it is only right that we should set apart a few days, every year, to devout prayer and medi- tation and thus regulate the affairs of our eternal salvation. Examine in what special points you have lost sight of your last end ; in what points your fervor has been cooling. In what degree has your hatred of sin diminished ? Remember there is no standing still in the path of virtue. You have gone forward or you have gone back- ward. Which have you been doing ? Resolve to go forward now, at least. Third Point. — Consider how necessary for you to make this retreat well. Many have made the most wonderful progress in virtue during a re- treat. ... A retreat well made has often been the turning point in the lives of souls. How fre- quently have we heard it said : " From the date of that retreat I have entered into a new spiritual existence. How many lights and graces were then given me." Resolve now to bring great earnestness and zeal to the work of this retreat. ^34 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Resolve to be docile to the leadings of the Holy Spirit and also to be generous with God. The meditations are helps only, because the great work depends on yourself. They will suggest thoughts. They are the nuts, as it were, from which you must draw forth the kernel. Your own efforts will be needed to make the applications called for by your particular spiritual wants. Ask God to help you. He only requires you to do your best and he will not be outdone in generosity. At the end of each meditation you must enter in a little note-book the thoughts that most strongly appealed to you; the fruit you have gathered, the affections to which you were moved ; the resolutions you have made so that from time to time during the year, you may read over and refresh in your mind the holy inspirations of this retreat. Resolve to follow this sugges- tion carefully, for it will aid you powerfully, later on. Aspiration : — Enclose me, O Lord, in the garden of thy heart. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 235 FIEST DAY OF THE RETKEAT. SECOND MEDITATION. THE STORY OF THE LILY. Imagine our Lord asks you to plant deeply in your heart the thoughts suggested by this meditation, that your resolutions may be strong and lasting. First Point. — Taking your walk among the beautiful flowers of this garden, you stop to gaze on the dazzling whiteness of the Lily and to hear the thoughts presented by it for your present meditation. " Long years since," the Lily says, "my home was with a Spirit, fair and bright indeed. In the eternal mansions, around the throne of the good and mighty God, this spirit sang, with countless others, the praises of the King of kings. Brightest and fairest, with the light and beauty of my whiteness shining forth from him, Lucifer was the beautiful casket which concealed me, the Lily of sinlessness, within him. God would test the fidelity of these angelic bands. Would they stand loyal and firm around the throne ? And Lucifer, he to whom such special favor had been shown, would he not be the strongest of them all ? Alas ! the evil moment came for him. Quick as lightning's flash, the proud thought passed from him to many of his companions, until one third of the angelic hosts ^36 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. declared: "We will not serve." Lucifer the bright, the pure, had forced me far away and lo ! transformed he stands. Dark and hideous, a mon- ster horrible to look upon Scarcely had that sin of thought flashed through the countless band when see ! the arm of God is raised to strike. The angry breath of his offended majesty pene- trates deep down into a bottomless abyss, there kindles into darkest flames, which angrily receive the rebels, as they are hurled in an instant from their mighty heights. Sin^ the first sin, had dared to make its entrance into the dwelling of the Most High. Who dared to sin in a place so holy? .... Angels. Terrible and speedy was the punishment for- ever. . . . and forever will it last. One sin of thought: Eternity in hell! .... What then is sin since God is forced to punish it thus in his angels ? Second Point. — This then is true, and serious thoughts are brought to you. Consider well, what sin must be. Lest the punishment of the angels fail to show you the full malice of it, reflect on another sin and all the evils caused thereby. The Lily of sinlessness again find a casket in the soul of Adam and Eve. Again is it driven forth by sin and again does God's anger strike the offenders. Expelled from Eden by WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 237 their sin of disobedience, sorrow and shame and suffering are their lot henceforth on earth. And not alone their lot but that of all their descend- ants. Picture all the evils that have ever come into this world, sickness, poverty, sufferings of all kinds, nay, death itself and this is the punish- ment of sin From unclouded happiness, to darkest sorrow, from innocence to guilt. Here is one sin of disobedience. Heaven is closed to man on account of it and reopened to him only through the sufferings and death of Christ. Whole gen- erations have groaned under the weight of its consequences. What then is sin? Who will dare to commit it? Does God not hate it? Does not his justice punish it? Should you ever cease to pray for a horror of it? Should you not strengthen yourself by prayer, by morti- fication and vigilance to fight against its attacks ? Third Point. — After the waters of baptism had purified your soul, there, too, the Lily of inno- cence found a home Have you ever driven it forth by mortal sin? If so, your soul was transformed from a spirit pure and beautiful to a monster, hideous and dark. Suppose God's arm had struck you then, where would you be ? Your next mortal sin might sentence you to hell! Why have you been so mercifully pardoned thus far? Thank God with your whole heart that you 238 WELL SPENT QUARTERN. have escaped helL Tremble lest you ever fall into mortal sin. How much weaker are you than the angels? How great then the necessity for you to cling to God. Resolve with his grace to fly from the very shadow of danger and to arm yourself during this retreat against all the oc- casions of sin that may henceforth arise for you. God is merciful to the repentant. But fear to relapse after pardon for you know not what may happen. Make strong resolutions. Beg grace to keep them. Aspiration: — My God ratlier let me die than live to commit even one mortal sin. FIRST DAY OF THE RETREAT. THIRD MEDITATIOl!^. ..." WHAT IS THIS TO ETERNITY ? ". . . Inaagine you see our Lord accompanied by St. Aloysius. The latter urges you to love and serve God until death. First Point. — These have been sad facts told you by the Lily, but that flower has many sweet consoling thoughts as well, rou have often seen a picture of a youth, whose pure and gentle face speaks to you of heaven and of God's holy love. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 239 Near him you see a lily, a skull, and the little book whose daily rule he followed with such care. In his hands he holds the crucifix and on it his eyes rest with tender affection. You recognize the picture of St. Aloysius. Yes, he, a weak youth, like yourself was tried by temptation but sinned not. With the same means, the same weapons of defence that are now held out to you, he "fought the good fight" and he never laid aside his arms until the victory was his own. He conquered sin, it gained no entrance to his soul and so he kept the Lily there forever. You, too, will now learn the lessons taught to St. Aloysius by the skull, the crucifix and the daily rule. You will study the little motto that meant oh ! so much to him, that you, too, may arm yourself for the combat, by that same motto : "What is this to eternity?" .... Ask St. Aloysius to intercede for you. Second Point.— 'W\i2it did St. Aloysius learn from the skull ? What can you learn from it ? He learned that a messenger waits for each one of us. That messenger is death. ... He learned that we must make ready for it. Not to-morrow but to-day. Why ? Because no one has promised you to-morrow. Death could come to you to-day. He learned that the message death brings must be the last^ the final one. 240 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. That messenger will come but once and will ad- mit of no change in its decision. Will it bring you a happy sentence or one of eternal woe? Perhaps the message may depend on the good use made of this retreat .... God now speaks to your heart ; he warns you to prepare . . . The messenger of death may be nearer than you imagine. Are you ready for it ? To delay your preparations means to increase your difficulty. Imitate St. Aloysius by making your daily life a constant preparation. Do you resolve to do so ? What does St. Aloysius learn from his cruci- fix ? rather what does he not learn ? From the hard wood of the cross the bleeding wounds of Jesus speak of the malice of sin and the wonders of God's love. St. Aloysius won the victory over sin and never suffered its entrance in his soul. Love made him generous with God. We are told of Epaminondas, the Theban General, that while still very young he won a great victory over his enemies. Many crowded around him to express delight. To each he said : " I am overjoyed at this victory but only for the pleasure it will give my father and mother." . . . You also have a victory to win. Be urged on by the knowledge that your heavenly Father and your Mother Mary will re- joice much at your success. Yes, every time you WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 241 refuse to yield to sin, however slight a sin, you have gained a wonderful victory. Death will bring a welcome message to you if holding the crucifix to your heart you steadfastly stand ready to lose all, even life itself rather than com- mit one mortal sin. Beg for grace to persevere in virtue even unto death. Third Point. — You will now consider the motto of St. Aloysius : " What is this to eternity ? " First, what is eternity ? . . . Time without end. Many of you perhaps have been to the seashore. Recall the great expanse of water that there spread out before you. Recall the immense quantity of sand around it. IN'ow sup- pose you began to carry that water away, drop by drop, how long think you would it take? But even if you succeeded in your task, when finished, eternity would still be only beginning. Then carry the sand away, grain by grain. At the end of your, labor eternity would again be only just beginning. Yes, alvmys beginning. Never, never ending .... Think then what eternity in hell means. Misery, torture, fire, darkness, loss of every comfort, every good . . . forever . . . forever. . . . Think of eternity in heaven. . . . Joy, happiness without any mixture of sorrow ; all that the eye could wish to see, the ear wish to hear, the heart long to feel. 242 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. And all this forever . . . forever. When, there- fore, St. Aloysius wished to decide on what was best for him to do or to say he asked himself : " What is this to eternity ? Will it help me to- wards a happy or a miserable one ? . . . What is this pleasure to eternity ? . . . What is this pain to eternity ? . . . Often ask yourself : " Will not eternity reward me if I forego this pleasure ? If I bear this pain — if I perform this duty ? . . . Others may work for honors, riches, pleasures. What is this to eternity ? . . . Have you considered things in this way ? With life just beginning will you not regulate every thought, word and action so that all may bring you a glorious eternity. Which is the better, the prize that you hold for a little while or the prize that you can enjoy everlastingly? For which will you strive? In making a choice always ask yourself : " What is this to eternity ? Kesolve also to follow a daily rule of life. Your want of firmness in persevering in your little exercises of piety often leave you weak in the moment of temptation. But with your daily rule faithfully followed you will be hedged in as it were, from the enemies of your soul. Make strong resolutions with God's grace to work for a blessed eternity. Aspiration: — "Eteniity, eternity— but where ?" WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 243 SECOND DAY OF THE EETEEAT. FIRST MEDITATION. " HE THAT COXTEMNETH SMALL THIXGS SHALL FALL BY LITTLE AND LITTLE." Imagine our Lord tells you of the great love his heart bears you and that he implores of you by that love to avoid even the least sin. First Point. — If the lost souls could speak to you from their home of eternal misery they could doubtless tell you that their spiritual ruin began by the commission of small faults. Step by step, little by little, they wandered, almost insensibly, from the path of virtue to the broad road that leads, at length, to perdition. Little beginnings are often very terrible in their final results. When disease attacks the body, it gen- erally does so very stealthily. It first gains an entrance through some weak organ, and then, slowly but steadily, continues its ravages. It may be that for many years its danger is not felt, hence the remedies are neglected, and finally the disease causes death. In like manner does spiritual disease gain entrance to the soul. The devil watches for your weak part : — the fault to which you are most inclined — and attacks you 244: WELL SPENT QUARTERS. there. Prayer, mental and vocal, reception of the sacraments, pious reading, etc., are great walls of defence, so one of the first means made use of by Satan for securing success is to break down these mighty barriers. He employs a thousand pretexts to make the soul abandon these exercises of devotion, one after the other ; if he even succeeds in this to any extent, his point is gained ; he is weakening the barriers, he will end by cutting them off completely, then his victory is secured. One small fault is fol- lowed by another and another. The horror and hatred of sin become gradually diminished, con- sequently fewer efforts are made to avoid it. Are you careful to shun everything that could cool your fervor? Are you faithful to your pious practices, not curtailing or omitting them for trivial reasons? Implore a great horror of venial faults. Beg for the grace of perseverance in virtue. Seco7id Pom^.^Consider the effect of venial faults on the soul. They deprive the soul of so many graces, so many special favors from our Lord. They lessen our love for God and cool the friendship existing between the soul and its Creator. They mar the beauty of the soul. God has made it bright and glorious. He has endowed it with the noblest faculties. It is the WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 245 dwelling of the Holy Ghost. It is intended to adorn the Court of Heaven, and by venial sins it is disfigured and weakened. If an artist had finished a charming picture, what think you would be his indignation if the person to whom he presented it wilfully spotted it here and there with ink ? Would he not have reason to feel that his beautiful gift was not valued ? Then do you not insult ihe Divine Artist when you wil- fully disfigure the beauty of his work ? Your soul is made to the image and likeness of God ; is not, then, the least injury done to it by you, an insult to the good God ? Then, too, you could avoid this little offence with such slight effort. Are you resolved to keep your soul free from the smallest stain hereafter? Make the effort and God will bless your sincere endeavor. " He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little." These words should fill you with great fear and horror of venial transgressions. What do you think of those unfortunate people who daily indulge in small doses of poisonous drugs ? Will not a continuance of the habit cause death in the end ? Venial sins are the spiritual poisons of the soul, so weakening its forces that there exists the great danger and disposition to fall into grave sin at last. Fly then from the poison- ous drug of impatience, pride, disobedience, 246 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. slight faults of the tongue, etc. Whatever may be the nature of the poisoned draught presented to your lips by Satan, dash it firmly from you ; it may look bright and pleasure-giving, but beware of the deadly bitterness hidden in its dregs. Third Point. — Consider the punishments of venial faults. What energy is put forth by worldlings that they may escape some pain or inconvenience. Yet for how trifling a reason do we commit faults that store up for us suffering in this world and in purgatory. Sickness, sorrow, and failures of every kind are often sent in punishment of what we call little faults, and happy indeed are those who are permitted to suffer in this world rather than in the next. If you have ever sinned, even venially, remember that you must atone to God's offended majesty, and remember also that no suffering on earth is equal to the least pain in purgatory. We see here in the great city of I^ew York what extraor- dinary means are resorted to that people may be enabled to arrive most quickly at any desired place. At the cost of incredible labor and money your subway was built ; then, too, you have the surface cars and the elevated. Any one very de- sirous of arriving quickly at some point, will assuredly select that one of the three roads most WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 247 likely to hasten his arrival. Some, filled with the spirit of "rush"— the "bottled lightning" kind, will even procure an automobile, that he may "fly." Surely, no one anxious to hurry on will select the way most filled with " stops " and breaks. To select a road with the danger of being thrown off the right track altogether would be considered the height of foolishness. Now surely we are all anxious to proceed as quickly as possible on our journey to heaven. We long to see it, and to taste its delights. Are we not foolish, then, to travel on the road of tepid- ity ? Every venial fault is a " stop " on the way, making delays and difficulties certain. Worse still, we are even in danger of being thrown off altogether and falling into the road of mortal sin. Examine what road you are now choosing in your journey to heaven. Will you not now wisely select that which will bring you safely and quickly on; the road on which venial sin will never enter to cause delay and suffering. When the devil tempts you to some fault against truth, charity, purity, vanity, etc., ask yourself, " Am I willing to take all the consequences ? Is it not wiser to overcome myself, to forego this pleasure rather than endure later the suffering I will deserve ? And above all, the injustice of grieving and offending the good God, will that 248 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. not decide me in favor of the right course? Resolve to fight against ever^ fault, however trifling. Place your confidence in God's help and that of our Blessed Mother. Aspiration : — From every wilful sin, O Lord, deliver me. SECOND DAY OF THE EETREAT. SECOKD MEDITATION. NAZARETH. THE STOEY OF THE DAISY. Imagine yourself in the little home at Nazareth where the Holy Family dwelt. First Point. — Hidden away in a modest, quiet corner of our beautiful garden we find the humble little Daisy. Stop and listen to its sweet thoughts. " I would tell you," the Daisy whispers, " of the charms of a hidden life." "Few notice my pretty form and colors ; few stop to breathe in the sweet fragrance I exhale. Silent and un- known, I live only for the Great Creator, towards whose glorious throne I send the perfume of my little life. When I am all unheeded by the world, the eye of the Maker rests on me lovingly, caressingly, and joy unspeakable is mine. All WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 249 my beauty, all my fragrance is for him alone. . . . Years ago, in a quiet, poor little home of Nazareth did I learn the lesson of this hidden life. In that simple home dwelt the Holy Family. There day after day did Jesus toil for thirty years. How many knew that he was the promised Messiah ? In that poor abode, unknown and unnoticed by the world, was the Creator, whose Almighty hand created and sustained the universe. To the proud and haughty he was only ' The Son of the carpenter Joseph,' so deserved, they thought, no claim to their recognition. . . . There, too, in that poor home dwelt Mary, the Mother of God, the favored, immaculate Virgin, chosen by heaven for the honor so long coveted by the Jewish women ; the honor of being the Mother of the Messiah. And there also dwelt Joseph, the holy, the favored Guardian of Jesus and Mary. Un- heeded by the busy throng, toiling in poverty and contempt, hiding their dignity under the guise of common, everyday details, lived the Holy Family, over whose poor dwelling the whole heavenly Court bent in lowliest reverence and admiration." Here is then a beautiful lesson for the young. What means does Jesus employ to accomplish the great work of our redemption ? No other means for thirty years, than the humble, daily toils of everyday life. ... He obeys, 250 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. loves and assists his parents .... Is there ought to attract the eye of the world? No, silently, laboriously Jesus lives on and only the eye of heaven can penetrate into the wonderful mysteries of love and zeal concealed in that little spot of Nazareth. Consider how happy then you should be in the hidden, quiet, daily life, doing all your little duties, like Jesus, Mary and Joseph, only to be seen by the heavenly Court. Like Jesus, you can love, obey and assist all those placed over you. The world may not give you its fame or honors ; people may not be at- tracted by yourself or your actions, but the latter, done purely for the love of God, will attract his eye and open to you his heart and favors. Is it thus you intend to live ? Do you resolve to seek, not the praise and esteem of creatures but the praise and esteem of the Creator? See how quietly all is done in Nazareth .... See the neatness, the order of that little home. Every- thing is in its place. Could you imagine any confusion, any discord, any disorder, any unkind looks, words, or acts in that sacred spot? No, the " Great Master is there ; " all is holy. Re- solve to model your life on this example. Second Point. — The Holy Family live for the salvation of the human race. Heaven is to be opened, Satan and his agents overthrown, WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 251 the church established. . . . But how are these ends bemg accomplished? .... By hidden, silent, humble acts. Only the eye of God sees them, but these acts are great in his eyes, though of little value in those of the world. Do you love to work under the All- seeing eye of God, remembering that the most trifling act is great when done for love of him ! . . . . His- tory tells us that Julius Caesar was much loved by his soldiers because of his wonderful kindness of heart and other natural good qualities. Whenever, then, it was impossible for Caesar to command his soldiers personally, during a battle, his substitute had only to say : " Soldiers, imag- ine that Caesar beholds you." At once the men were spurred on to noblest deeds of valor. . . . Should not j^our love for God be greater than that of the soldiers for Caesar ? . . . . At your baptism and later when receiving confirmation did you not promise, to be the soldier of Christ ? In your daily tasks then ; in your little sacrifices ; in your temptations ; in your trials, will you not spur yourself on to greater and greater courage by repeating to yourself : " Soldier, remember that Jesus beholds you ? " Promise with God's grace to do so. Ask our Beloved Mother and St. Joseph to help you to keep your resolution. Third Po*^^.— Consider how Jesus, Mary and 252 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Joseph^ra?/e<^ in their humble home .... How full of love and fervor were those prayers. The heavenly Father could look down from his throne above and say : " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Nazareth might truly be called the house of prayer, for Jesus, Mary and Joseph prayed always. Yes, always, were their hearts in heaven. The prayers of Jesus constantl}^ ascended to the Eternal Father in our behalf. Think what these prayers were : The prayers of God the Son to God the Father. How fervent, how perservering, how full of resignation. . . . Mary and Joseph, too, prayed as no other creatures could, for was not their poor dwelling heaven itself, since it shelt- ered heaven's God ? . . . Resolve to imitate the Holy Family in prayer as in all else. Ask grace to do so. Consider the words of the Holy Family in Nazareth that you may regulate yours by their example. We can well believe that their words were few. The hearts of Joseph and Mary were filled with peace and holy joy, for poor though they were, no wealth could buy their riches since they possessed their God. Yes, to see him, to live with him was joy, too great for utterance. Their hearts spoke to their Treasure and he understood them. But when words were spoken WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 253 we can easily imagine how sweet, how gentle, how full of love and tenderness they were. . . . Ask for grace to copy the Holy Family that your words too may always edify and please. . . . Think now of the actions of the Holy Family. . . . They were not extraordinary, but oh ! how full of merit. Each little act was done perfectly and all for God. In that little home all was done with order and regularity. Is it thus you act ? Have you a short rule of life and do you keep it faithfully ? Try to find out in what points you are most deficient. Are you fervent and per- severing in prayer or do you neglect your spiritual exercises for every little excuse ? Ai-e your con- versations what they should be ? Do you always speak with kindness and gentleness, particularly in your own home ? Your heart is a little Naz- areth, for does not Jesus make it his dwelling- place every time you receive him in Holy Com- munion ? Live with him then by constant rec- ollection. Keep him always near your side when you work, talk, or play. His company will give you joy and peace as it did for so many years to Mary and Joseph. Try to copy the Child Jesus when you are busy in the little daily duties that fall to your share. Never forget that every kind of work, no matter how insignificant, is a great, a noble masterpiece, if done well, for the love of 254 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. God, while grand and wonderful deeds performed only through self-love have no value in his sight. Make strong resolutions. Aspieation: — Child Jesus, joy of Nazareth, be my guide. seco:n^d day of the keteeat. THIRD MEDITATION. THE PASSIOX FLOWER. Imagine our Lord asks you to impress on your heart by love and gratitude, the constant remembrance of his suffer- ings. First Point. — In the garden of the Sacred Heart one sweet flower speaks to you in accents touch- ing and impressive. Its rich perfume ascends to the crucified Lord — nature's tribute, and reminder of his passion. Linger near this charming flower, twine it round your crucifix and carry both with- in your heart. Both tell the tale of Calvary, that tale of love, divine and boundless, yes, love, crucified by a murderer, hideous, cruel, ungrateful, that murderer whose name is Six. If hell sufiBces not to show you all the malice of the monster sin, God's enemy and ours, then look at your crucifix WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 255 and there meditate on what this monster has done. You will thus behold sin in all its malig- nity. Can you then allow sin, even the most trivial, any entrance into your heart? Which will you banish from your heart, the Holy, the Crucified One, or the hideous crucifier ? Beg of our Blessed Mother for an intense love for Christ who died to save you from sin and hell and for a deeply-rooted, ever-abiding hatred and fear of sin and its occasions. Second Point. — Consider that you will honor the five wounds inflicted by sin on our Lord's sacred body, by crucifying each of your five senses so that they may never be the cause of sin to you. When you refuse to look at any sinful object, to read dangerous books, etc., you are then crucifying yourself for love of him who died for you. Where you close your ears to sinful, un- charitable conversations you are also crucifying this sense of hearing for the love of Christ. Again, when you deny yourself something pleas- ant to the taste for love of our Lord you are once more honoring his sufferings by crucifying nature, and so with the other senses Will you henceforth keep a careful watch over these five gates that so often lead the young into sin ? Do not think that trials and temptations will never come to you. They come to every lover of the 256 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Crucified Lord, so prepare for the battle by keep- ing your five senses under perfect controL Through love for your suffering Master, in mem- ory of his bleeding wounds, frequently deny your senses some innocent pleasures and you will thus hold them in readiness to stand firm and strong when sinful pleasures would allure you. . . . We are told that the man who has no ene- mies may have an easy time of it, but that he is not much of a man; so the soldier of Jesus crucified who has no trials and temptations is not much of a soldier. Are you resolved to fight valiantly against sin, God's enemy and your own ? Examine what fault you most frequently commit, what occasions of sin may possibly await you. . . . . Is it a dislike for pious practices ? Is it a love for dangerous amusements? Is it anger, pride, selfishness, want of kindness for those around you ? Impatience with their faults ? Jealousy ? Neglect of duty ? Cast yourself into the arms of your crucified Savior and promise, at any cost, to overcome your faults, whatever they may be. Place your contrition for them, your gratitude for God's love, your determination to amend, yes, place all in the five wounds of Jesus. Draw from these wounds courage and love to be faith- ful unto death. Third Point. — Love your crucifix as being the WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 257 eloquent voice, always speaking to your heart, of a love, so great, so boundless, that it forced its victim to suffer and die for you. A lady was once struck down by a terrible disease so loath- some and contagious that no nurse could be found to care for her. At length a noble-hearted Chris- tian woman offered to attend the sufferer. Day and night she watched and cared. The patient recovered but her nurse, having contracted the disease, died from its effects. Most touching in- deed was the love and gratitude of this recovered woman for the rest of her life ; the memory of her noble nurse was always with her. She kept her picture and was often seen standing before it, tears of affection and gratitude streaming from her eyes as she repeated the history of that noble, unselfish act. Often she would repeat : " Oh ! if I had only died sooner than have been the cause of her death." Every one and everything that recalled the remembrance of her benefactress called forth afresh, sentiments of gratitude and love. Nor did this gratitude consist in words alone, no, her money and her life were devoted to the care of the dead nurse's child. Here we admire with reason both women. One for her noble deed, the other for her affection and grati- tude Contrast this woman's affection and gratitude as she stood before her friend's 17 258 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. picture, with your coldness and ingratitude when you look upon your Crucified Lord. . . . Here is one who indeed died for you One who died the most painful, shameful death One who died through love for you One, alas ! who has been repaid only by insult and cold- ness. Are you sorry every time you look at your crucifix that you were the cause of your Savior's death, by sin, the loathsome disease of the soul? .... The weight and punishments of that dis- ease were pressed on the tender, loving Lord and he bore it all that you might be saved. . . . Re- solve now firmly that you will never look at a cross or a crucifix without making from your very heart an act of perfect contrition and perfect love. Resolve to say it in these words or others similar : My Lord, I grieve that I caused your suf- ferings and death by my sins. Forgive me. I will sin no more. I love you because you are all goodness, all love. May I love you more. Aspiration:— Passion of Christ, strengthen me. WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 259 THIKD DAY OF THE EETKEAT. FIRST MEDITATION. THE THORNY FLOWEK. Imagine our Lord shows you his heart surrounded by thorns and asks if you are wilHng to be pricked by them that jou may enter into that abode of love. JFirst jPoint.—Yo\iT eye alights to-day on the most beautiful flower in the garden. Its colors delight you ; its exquisite fragrance fills the whole garden. Your heart expands under its potent charms. You are ravished; this flower, the most rare, the most choice, the most charming, you must gather at any cost. More wonderful, more enticing still, our Lord Himself begs of you to gather it, to preserve it al- ways as the surest pledge of his favors. He tells you that once in possession of this flower your sins are blotted out; you are sure of never walking towards hell; and heaven will await you. Cost what it may, you must gain this flower from our Lord. You walk towards it. As you draw near our Lord seems to go with you up the rocky steep mentioned in the first meditation. Are you afraid to follow ? No, he will guide you; no danger awaits. You have 260 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. promised to go at any expense. This is virtue's steep. You must begin to ascend at once ; it is easy while you are young, to do so. You must have courage, and above all, great confidence, for our dear Lord is with you. Sometimes you strike your foot against a stone ; a hard temp- tation, perhaps ; you hesitate, you are almost falling, but you stretch out your hand towards Jesus, you cry, " help me." Strength comes, and the struggle is over for a while. But if you fail to call on our dear Lord ; if you forget to look for Him, you cannot help falling. Sometimes the clouds gather : trials and sorrows. They are so dense you cannot see the dear Lord. Your heart sinks now indeed. You cannot see which way to turn. Xo one is near to aid you. Louder than ever you must cry : "Dear Jesus, do not hide from me. I am weak and young. This road is strange to me ; I have no one to help me but you, dear Lord. Stay with me. Mother of Jesus, help me." After a while the clouds will roll away. Jesus and Mary are very near you. They are more anxious than ever for you to gain the prize. They know you have suffered, and they draw you more closely to their side. Resolve with their aid to continue, no matter what happens. Companions may call out to you to come down ; to go with them to sinful pleas- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 261 ores ; to give up the struggle, to do as they do. The world beckons you away from our dear Lord. It promises you money, honors, happiness if you follow in its path. Often you feel weary and discouraged. The thorns of failure and disap- pointment pierce your hands and feet. The prize is hidden in thorns. Can you persevere ? Yes, with God's grace you will. Resolve to do so. You have only just so many steps for each day. Second Point. You look below and you see many treading easy, pleasant paths. They are not walking in virtuous ways. They do not trouble themselves about prayer, the sacraments, etc. They are thinking of fine clothes, pleasures, money, honors. They must have them at any cost. Perhaps they must sin to gain their end, but no matter. They do not heed the voice of conscience. They do not care about the prize you are seeking. How happy they seem to be ! Everything seems to succeed and prosper. People praise and flatter them. Will you join this worldly crowd ? Can you not turn back for a while ? You are so young, there will be plenty of time when you grow older, for this painful journey. How can you keep on climbing till the prize is won? All these thoughts the devil whispers to your mind. He must snatch you 262 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. from this road at any cost. He keeps near you. He sends for other dark spirits to help him. But you have your Angel Guardian also. His voice whispers : " Do not mind. These people you envy are not happy. Their hearts are full of trouble and remorse. Their happiness is only on the surface. Nothing but virtue can bring you peace and joy. Look up to Jesus. The prize is yours. It will comfort, support and guide you on to the end. Every day brings you nearer. You are now led on and strengthened by its perfumes which have entered your heart. If you turn away from Jesus and Mary, if you depend upon the future, the prize may be lost to you. Death may be nearer than you think. Keep on firmly ! Leave all, to stay near Jesus and Mary. Third Point — You are seeking the prize ; you are in the rocky steep of virtue. The prize is the rose of divine love. Its charms have already entered your soul and now help you along your journey. But you want the rose in all its fulness and beauty. You know that struggles and temptations await; you know that thorns sur- round this flower, but you are resolved to let them pierce you through and through to gain the prize. It will bring all good with it. Our Lord has promised that it would. But you must keep WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 263 very near your guides. Many thousands of young, in all conditions of life, have fallen and turned back on their journey. Jesus and Mary saw them drop off on the way. It grieved their hearts, but all are helped. No one is forced. God has given us free will. We must do our part. What has happened those who turned away from virtue's road ? Alas ! Let our many institutions, filled to overflowing with the lost, strayed sheep, answer this sad question. Let Satan tell how many of them have been hurled into hell, through his tricks and those of his agents. Let many a heartbroken father and mother tell with sorrow what happened when their children turned from the rocky steep to fol- low the world's broad road to ruin. But still Jesus and Mary love these stray sheep and long for their return. Oh ! pray for them to-day. Beg of our Lord to soften their hearts, to lead them back. Will you not profit by their fall ? Once they were good. You too may fall off by the way. If you yield to sin; if you neglect prayer and the sacraments ; if you go with bad companions ; if you trust to your own strength and virtue, oh ! what may not happen you ! Learn wisdom from the folly of others. Beware of every little sin. Do not turn from the voice of conscience. Call on Jesus and Mary. Beg every day for the 264 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. grace of perseverance, for young and old fall by the wayside. Make strong resolutions. Aspiration; — Jesus, I am tliy child, suffer me not to perish. THIED DAY OF THE KETKEAT. SECOND MEDITATION. DIVINE LOVE TALE OF THE ROSE. Imagine our Lord tells you of the love of his heart iot you and asks yours in return. JF'irst Point. — Once you have won the prize, once the rose of divine love is yours, the path becomes easy and pleasant. " If any man love Me, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him." (John xiv. 23.) Let these words of our Lord cheer you. With a strong and solid love for God you have everything. You have God himself within you, for he says: "We will make our abode with him," What then have you to fear if you love God ? This love will make you contrite for your past sin, strong to resist it in future, and cou- rageous to do great things for love of him who "first loved you." Listen to the voice of his heart : " I have loved thee with an ever- WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 265 lasting love." (Jer. xxx. 3.) What could be more touching than these words ? Can you re- sist this appeal to your heart ? No, give it now, with all its youthful ardor, to God who alone is worthy of it. Love others only for his sake. Beg of our Lord to keep you forever in possession of his heart of love, and to suffer not that your heart should ever banish divine love from its depths. Second Point. — Your heart was made for love. If you banish from your heart the love of God, by sin, it will turn its affections to base, un- worthy objects. Love is the " excellent way " discovered by all the saints. You sometimes wish you could be a great missionary, a great martyr, a great saint. All cannot do the same deeds that these may have done, but what think you did our Lord value in their love ? Was it the thousands they converted, the poor they helped, the penances they imposed on them- selves ? No, all that would have been worthless in God's eye but for one thing: their ardent love for him. This is the " excellent way " that they discovered. This is the secret of their lives. This is the one way in which we can all follow the saints. This is the one thing that God values. The 07ie gift he asks from you. Are you resolved to give it now and forever ? 266 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. Third Point. — Divine love will fill your heart with joy and peace. Do you wish to atone for past sins, to find the secret of perfect contrition for them, to cancel their punishment? Then love God. Love your suffering Jesus and hate sin, because Jesus is too good, too beautiful, too merciful to be insulted by it. Thus you will have perfect contrition and perfect love. Not perhaps the same degree of contrition and love that the saints have had, but God will increase your love in proportion to your fidelity. An in- crease of love means an increase of merit and happiness for all eternity. Once in possession of divine love you have happiness here and you can already won the Promised Land, your true home in heaven. You will enjoy God's presence in your heart, here below, and hope to see, love, and enjoy him in heaven, for he says: "We will come to him and will make our abode with him." Yes, he will " come to you " in every temptation, in every sorrow, in every need. He " will come to you " though all should abandon you. He will " come to you " with love, with graces, with joy, in the Holy Communion. He " will come to you " in prayer, in your visits to the Tabernacle. He " will come to you " in all places, in all events. Above all, he " will come to you " at the hour of your death. He will then press you to his heart WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 267 and take you to your reward, to heaven, where he " will make his abode with you." .... Re- solve to give love for love to God, to be faithful to every spiritual exercise that you may thus grow in love and avoid all that could cool it. Aspiration :— My God, I love thee. THIRD DAY OF THE RETREAT. THIRD MEDITATION. HEAVEN THE STOEY OF THE FORGET-ME-NOT. Imagine our Lord asks of you fieility to the lights, movements and revelations of this retreat. First Point — You are at the close of your retreat ; who knows but that your future hap- piness may depend on your fidelity in keeping the resolutions made during those days of prayer, when Jesus spoke to your heart and you heard the sweet whisper of the Holy Ghost, warning you to love and fidelity. Many a saint and holy person entered their path to high perfection, to perfect love of God, through the inspirations of a good retreat, to which inspirations they faith- fully corresponded. Are you resolved to begin a more fervent life? Are you determined to 268 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. shun every sin, even the least and to use every means possible for helping you to persevere even unto death? The devil will attack you more fiercely than ever. But do not fear him. If you are surprised into some of your old faults do not get discouraged. Tell our Lord you are very sorry and begin all over again. You are going to meditate on heaven that the thought of it may cheer you in your efforts to be good and that it may raise you above the things of earth ; raise you to Jesus who whispers to jou now : Re- main in the Garden of my Sacred Heart that henceforth you maj forget-me-not. /Second Point. — Consider how quickly life is passing away. What are even a hundred years to eternity ? They go like a shadow. Ask the aged and they will tell you that time goes like a dream. Youth flits away. Old age creeps on quickly, everything changes and we are hurried on to the grave. One thing alone will not die : our immortal soul. To secure a happy home for that is our great hfe-work. Do you always re- member that ? Do you forget the great, import- ant mission entrusted to you? A mission that you cannot yield to any one else ? . . Well, you have resolved to save your soul at any cost and that means you are going to secure heaven for it, with God's grace. And how easily you can WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 269 do it I Our Lord has taken the difi&cult partj makmg the rest a pleasant task for you. He offers you all the means. He has purchased your throne, and your crown, by his sufferings and death. In return you have only to love him and avoid sin. Heaven, then, is the home towards which you journey that you may enjoy the vision of God forever. In heaven every joy, every hap- piness, every delight will be yours forever. For all eternity ! This is a happiness so great that no mortal mind could conceive it. Look up to heaven, then, in every trial and temptation. See how our Lord beckons you on. Imagine he says to you : " Remember that I am waiting to crown you; remember what my love has pre- pared for you, then let your heart rejoice ; then despise all your little struggles and crosses. Then take courage. Look up to heaven and forget-me-not." Third Point. — Heaven then will be your re- ward. Will you not be faithful ? Your end may come more quickly than you imagine and then what joy will be yours ! You will rejoice that you listened to the voice of conscience, that you were faithful to every resolution made in this re- treat. You will rejoice that you kept away from dangerous companions. That you made the little sacrifices our Lord required from you ; that you 270 WELL SPENT QUARTERS. suffered anything rather than grieve and offend God ; that you gave him your whole heart ; that you gave him your every thought, word, and act, doing all for love of him who did so much for you. There in heaven will our Blessed Mother reward your love and devotion to her. She will show you how your every little ave was heard and answered. There indeed you will know she is your Mother. There will your good angel re- joice that you heeded his warnings. Do you think you will then regret having been faithful to your prayers, daily meditation, Mass, rosary, and frequent Communion? No; you will then know how many sins these pious exercises helped you to avoid. You will in heaven see how many, many souls you brought there through your prayers, good advice and good example. What happiness will fill your soul ! Oh, heaven is sure- ly worth working for ! We are told : " Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath the mind of man conceived what God hath prepared for those who trust in him." Resolve to love him. Kneel before our Lord and our Blessed Mother. Consecrate yourself forever to their love, place in their hearts your holy resolutions, promise that you will never leave the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart but that there you will shelter yourself in life and in death. Promise that you will labor WELL SPENT QUARTERS. 271 with all fervor to lead a good life that you may be permitted to unite yourself to our dear Lord very frequently in Holy Communion and thus lead others to do the same. Beg for grace to persevere to the end as faithfully as possible. Aspiration:— Jesus, make me faithful in thought, word and action. First day— The Lily.— Only blooms where sin is not. It taught me hatred for sin and its punishments. Second day — The Daisy. — Blooms in hidden, recollected souls. It taught me the beau- ties of Nazareth. " " The Passion Flower.— Blooms at the foot of the Crucifix. It taught me love of God and hatred of sin. Third day— The Thorny Flower.— Blooms in our Lord's Heart. It taught me how to climb virtue's path. " «* The Rose, which is the Thorny Flower.— It taught me Divine Love. " ** The Forget-me-not.— Should bloom in my memory and teach me to re- member heaven and my good resolutions. ColumbttjS Itfimrt. 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