His feet, adored Him, saying, Lord, help me and she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.'

APPLICATION. One of the principal reasons why our prayers are not heard is our want of perseverance. We wish to obtain from God some great favour for ourselves or for a friend: we begin a novena for this intention: the first two or three days we faithfully say the prayers we promised; but is it the same on the sixth or seventh? Is it not difficult to keep up our fervour Does it not happen that after having begged some favour two or three times without obtaining it, we leave off asking, as if we were fearful of importuning our good God? But does not the example of the Canaanite prove that a holy importunity is pleasing to God? What ought we to think of this?

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. The Faith and Prayer of the Canaanite are victorious.

CONSIDERATION.

The faith and perseverance of the Canaanite had already triumphed over severe trials. Our Lord chose, however, to make her submit to one more before He granted her prayer. He said 'Suffer first the children to be filled; for it is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs.' But these harsh words did not dismay the suppliant. She answered and said to Him, 'Yea, Lord, for the whelps. also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.' Our Lord seemed as if He were conquered, and said to her, 'O woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee as thou wilt; and her daughter was cured from that hour.'

APPLICATION. This daughter, the object of so much care, is, according to St. Jerome (in Matt. xv), an excellent type of our soul; and the anxiety of the mother the type of that assiduous care we ought to take for that soul, that we may preserve it not only from the possession of the devil, but also from the influence which

this wily and malicious spirit tries to exercise upon it. Perhaps you suffer him to do so without knowing it, because you are not sufficiently recollected, not vigilant in prayer. COLLOQUY.

AUGUST 23.

THE VALUE OF OUR SOULS.

1st Prel. Imagine you hear Jesus Christ saying, 'What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'

2d Prel. Beg the grace of really understanding what is the value of our souls.

POINT II. A Soul is worth more than the whole World.

CONSIDERATION. Nothing is of equal value to a soul, not even the whole world,' says St. John Chrysostom,—' Nihil animæ æquiparari potest, ne universus quidem mundus. One soul is worth infinitely more than all that this vast universe in its grandeur and beauty can offer our senses, because all of it is material and will be destroyed, while our soul is a spiritual being, immortal and intelligent, and destined for a supernatural life.

APPLICATION. From this indisputable truth the doctors of the Church drew an equally-indisputable conclusion, i.e., the loss of the whole world is preferable to that of one soul; and yet how many souls are perishing every day and every minute! I have seen them in a vision,' said St. Teresa, 'falling into hell like the leaves fall from the trees in autumn.' From that time she redoubled her prayers, her tears, and her penances for the conversion of those who were walking in the path of perdition. And I—what pains do I take in saving souls? AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. Our Souls are of greater Value than the Blood of a God.

CONSIDERATION. By the rebellion or the sin of the first man our souls fell under the power of the devil,

and he was also condemned to eternal death. The Godmade man, Jesus Christ, only could redeem him, for so He willed it. But what was to be the price of that re demption? O man,' cries St. Austin, will you learn the true value of your soul? See what the Son of God has done for the ransom of your soul, and you will know what it is worth'-Vide quanto emit, et videbis quid emit (in Ps. xliii.). And what has been given for it? By what has it been redeemed? Not with corruptible things, as gold or silver,' says St. Peter; 'but with the precious blood of Christ'-Non corruptibilibus auro vel argento redempti estis, sed pretioso sanguine Christi. Our Lord, then, who alone can judge things at their true value, did not think it too much to give the last drop of His blood for our souls.

APPLICATION. And I-what have I done for my soul? Do I esteem and love it next to God? Do I not think more of my reputation or of my body than my soul? The least imputation troubles and pains me. and yet I do not care for the numberless stains by which venial sin defaces my soul. I am eager to enrich my mind with knowledge, and I am slow and remiss in adorning my soul with virtues and merits. Under a little suffering, or in a slight bodily indisposition, I send for the doctor or infirmarian, and I have courage, if need be, to submit to painful remedies; but when my soul is wasting away with a disease which may be fatal, I neglect to send for the spiritual physician, or to employ the remedies his experience and zeal suggest to me.'

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. Our Souls are, in a certain sense, of greater Value than God Himself.

CONSIDERATION. Why have many Saints allowed themselves to use such an expression? 1st, Because a soul is a breath of the Divinity; He breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.'

2nd, Because God made it to His own likeness; and it is the living image of God on the earth. 3rd, Because God-made man has sacrificed Himself for it: 'He offered Himself for me,' says the Apostle. 4th, Because God will give Himself to the soul as its reward--Ego sum merces tua magna nimis.

COLLOQUY.

AUGUST 24.

JESUS RETURNS TO GALILEE, WHERE HE CURES ONE BORN DEAF AND DUMB.

1st Prel. Behold the deaf and dumb in a suppliant attitude before Jesus.

2d Prel. Beg Jesus to preserve us from, or if need be to cure us of, spiritual deafness and dumbness.

POINT I. Jesus leaves Phenicia, and returns to Galilee.

CONSIDERATION. St. Mark, after having told us the history of the Canaanite, immediately adds, 'And again going out of the coasts of Tyre He came to Sidon, to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.' No other miracle or conversion is recorded in Phenicia. We must conclude, then, that our Lord had no other view in going there than to reward this heathen woman for her fidelity to the secret inspirations of grace, to lead her into the way of salvation, and convert her to the faith of the true God by the miracle wrought upon her daughter; in one word, to save a soul.

APPLICATION. Our Divine Lord teaches us by this that we should look on the salvation of a single soul as the worthy fruit of a laborious mission. This is a very consoling thought for a Brother of Charity, for instance, who has but one sick person to nurse, for a teacher who has only one pupil to educate, for a missionary_whọ appears to convert but very few sinners. Our Lord

teaches us to exercise our zeal and charity equally in a wide or narrow circle; the merit of both consists in obedience. You believe this Divine teaching; do you make it the rule of your conduct? By obedience you are sometimes sent to a great and honourable mission, sometimes to a small, insignificant one; for the first you prepare carefully and eagerly, for the other with indifference and uneasiness. Why is this contrast? From zeal of God's glory? Not at all; but from your vanity. Examine your conscience, and it will answer you. AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. The Lord cures the Deaf Mute.

CONSIDERATION. Jesus had scarcely entered Galilee when they bring to Him,' says the Gospel, 'one deaf and dumb, and they besought Him that He would lay His hands upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, He put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, He touched His tongue; and looking up to heaven, He groaned, and said to him, Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.'

APPLICATION. The Gospel history appeals both to our eyes and hearts; it is a picture. Let us look at it in detail, and the application will present itself. Begin with the persons. 1st, The multitude-they run towards Jesus from all sides, and cannot leave Him; and I am so tardy in going to visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament, and always so ready to leave Him. 2nd, The person of Jesus Christ-His every feature, His whole bearing, breathes gravity, sanctity, unspeakable sweetness; oh, what a contrast to my levity, my worldly manners, my rudeness! 3rd, The deaf mute-he could only express his feelings by looks of love and confidence; Jesus understood them, and was touched. A look of love and compassion cast on my crucifix can draw down many graces on me, and I neglect to do it! Let us next con