template the actions-they are full of mystery and of lessons. Jesus takes the deaf mute apart to teach us to avoid ostentation; He touched his ears with His fingers and his tongue with saliva, He raised His eyes and breathed a sigh towards heaven, to let us understand that the cure of spiritual deafness and dumbness is diffi cult, that it is above our strength; but that we can obtain it by earnest prayers and many entreaties from God. How have I profited by these lessons of my Saviour's? AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. Jesus is admired and praised.

CONSIDERATION. Having witnessed the miracle wrought upon the deaf mute, and on many others who were cured the same day of different infirmities, 'they wondered and said, Bene omnia fecit '-He hath done all things well.

APPLICATION. How happy should we be if these words could in all truth be graven on our tombs, Bene omnia fecit-' He hath done all things well.' Well before God, by doing all things in their proper order with great fervour and purity of intention; well before men, by acting under obedience and giving edification. Let us not neglect any means that we may obtain such a testimony.

COLLOQUY.

AUGUST 25.

SECOND MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES.

1st Prel. Imagine you see a plain where are seated four thousand men divided into bands, who are miraculously fed with seven loaves.

2d Prel. Beg for deep feelings of faith, confidence, and love.

POINT I. The Miracle.

CONSIDERATION. The second multiplication of the

loaves took place in the same way as the first. St. Mark tells us of it thus: 'In those days again when there was a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat; calling His disciples together, He saith to them, I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat ; and if I shall send them away fasting to their homes, they will faint in the way, for some of them come from afar off. And His disciples answered Him, From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness? And He asked them, How many loaves have ye? Who said, Seven. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, He broke and gave to the disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people. And they had a few little fishes, and He blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them; and they set them before the people. And they did eat and were filled, and they took up that which was left of the fragments seven baskets; and they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children.'

APPLICATION. How full of encouragement and consolation are these words, 'I have compassion on this multitude'! It was so like the Heart of Jesus-always watchful, always alive to our wants, to our sufferings of soul and body. What strength there is in that thought! "They have now been with Me for three days.' Our good Master, then, keeps an exact account of the time, the days and the minutes that we give to His service; and 'some of them come from afar off.' Not only does He reckon the time of our service, but He weighs its merit, that He may one day reward it. What an encouragement! If I shall send them away fasting to their homes, they will faint in the way.' His solicitude for us extends even to our future. That future which is hidden from us, and which terrifies us so often, He sees in regard to each of us; He sees what will be for our happiness; and He sees the means of driving away what will do us harm, and of gaining what is advantageous

and necessary for us; when necessary, He will work a miracle to procure it for us. We see the proof of this

in the above.

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. Mystical Meaning of the Miracle. CONSIDERATION. Interpreters point out many mys terious differences between the first and second multiplication of the loaves. First, they figure the different way in which our Lord acts towards the Synagogue and the Church, between the faithful of the old law and the new. In the first miracle, the old law was figured by the number of five, signifying the five books of the Pentateuch in which this law was contained; at the second, the new law was figured by the number of four, to signify the four gospels in which it is contained. At the first, it was said that the people sought Jesus because of the miracle; at the second, no mention is made of their motive, because Christians who live according to the Spirit should detach themselves from earth and devote themselves to spiritual things. At the first, only barley bread was given, the food of slaves; at the second, wheaten bread, the food of children. At the first, there remained twelve baskets, which figured the twelve patriarchs of the old law; at the second, seven, which represent the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, and the seven Sacraments instituted for our nourishment in our journey towards eternity.

APPLICATION. Let us admire the economy of the Divine wisdom in both the old and new law; let us thank God that we were born children of the new law, and thus favoured beyond the Jews. We possess the truth, they had but the shadow; we possess the Incarnate Word, they had but the promise of Him; finally, we are fed with His Body and His precious Blood, they had only the manna, which was but the type of it. But if we enjoy greater advantages than they, God also

VOL. II.

I

requires from us a still greater sanctity. Are we trying to attain it?

COLLOQUY.

AUGUST 26.

JESUS IN THE COUNTRY OF MAGEDAN, WHERE HE IS TEMPTED BY THE PHARISEES TOGETHER WITH THE SADDUCEES.

1st Prel. Behold Jesus discoursing with the Pharisees and Sadducees.

2d Prel. Beg the spirit of truth and simplicity.

POINT I. Jesus dwells in the Country of Magedan.

CONSIDERATION. Immediately after the miracle of the loaves, our Lord went up into a ship with His disciples. He passed the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee and came into the land of Magedan, a country which had not been yet evangelised. Interpreters remark on this occasion, that as we follow the footsteps of our Divine Lord, we easily see that His design was to make Himself known to all the house of Israel, so that there should not be a province in Judea which had not been enlightened by His teaching, and witnessed His miracles. It was a figure of what His Apostles were to do in the whole world.

APPLICATION. Compare your conduct with that of your Divine Model. When you have succeeded in some public matter, you like to remain at the scene of the occurrence to attract observation; when you have not succeeded, you are eager to escape notice, and to get away. Jesus does the opposite. He was always eager

to hide Himself from the sight and the applause of those who were astonished at a wonderful miracle. Acknowledge that your conduct is little in conformity with that of your Divine Master.

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. Jesus reproves the Pharisees, and leaves them.

CONSIDERATION. The Gospel tells us nothing of the preaching and miracles of Jesus in Magedan, but it relates the hypocritical alliance between the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were vehemently opposed to each other, but, like all sects, could agree in hostility towards our Lord. 'And there came to Him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting, and they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.' They desired to lower Him in the opinion of the people, by taxing Him with impotence if He did not work the wonder, or sacrilege if He did perform it. But Jesus knowing their malice, sighing deeply in spirit, saith, A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and a sign shall not be given it but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And He left them and went away.'

APPLICATION. Let this teach us to do for the good cause what the impious do for an evil one. They had mutually sacrificed themselves and their own opinions, that they might attack Jesus Christ and His Church. Let us detest all egotism, jealousy, and obstinate attachment to our own judgment. Let us be united in heart and mind in our prayers and efforts, losing sight of ourselves, and seeking only the triumph of the good cause, of truth over error. How have you acted?

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. Jesus reproves the Apostles for their lack of Faith and Intelligence.

CONSIDERATION. Our Lord having fulfilled His mission in Magedan, went up into the ship to return to Galilee. During the voyage, desiring to guard His Apostles against error, He said to them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' They interpreted these words in a material sense, and recollected that they had forgotten to bring enough bread, and thought He referred to that. And Jesus