APPLICATION. To whom do we owe our deliverance from all the errors and abominations of Paganism? To Jesus Christ, and to the light of the true faith which, by means of His Apostles, He spread throughout the world. It is to Him alone that we owe all the good, both natural and supernatural, that we enjoy, to Him who enlightens every man that does not wilfully close his eyes; to Him who has taught us the nobleness of our origin, the grandeur of our destiny, the duties we owe to God, to our neighbours, and ourselves-duties which, faithfully fulfilled, would undoubtedly make the human race happy, both in this world and the next. What gratitude, then, do we not owe to our Lord? Have you thought enough of this? Do you try to make others feel it?

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. He that follows Jesus walketh not in
Darkness.

CONSIDERATION. Qui sequitur me non ambulat in tenebris-He that followeth Me walketh not in darkness'-in the paths, that is, of vice and error-but in the daylight of truth and virtue. When pagan savages have been brought to Christ, and have learnt and followed the doctrines of His gospel, this of itself has been sufficient to transform them into models of virtue, gentleness, of heroism; when, on the contrary, any abandon these doctrines, like the followers of Mahomet, they relapse into barbarism; when they alter it by heresy, they fall into a chaos of doubt and human opinions; when they are separated from it by schism, they become the sport of the secular power.

APPLICATION. How sweet and consoling it is for us to meditate upon these great truths, for us whom the Lord hath called out of darkness, in the persons of our ancestors, into His marvellous light;' for us who born of Catholic parents, have been taught from our

Let us

childhood the knowledge and love of God! take care to show ourselves worthy of this great favour. AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. He who follows Jesus has the Light of Life.

CONSIDERATION. 'He that followeth Me walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life;' that is to say, the light of the spiritual life which leads to life eternal, to the Beatific Vision. He who lives habitually in a state of grace, exempt from mortal sin, is in the first grade of the spiritual life; he who lives exempt from deliberate venial sin, is in the second; he who, entirely detached from the world, aims habitually at the perfect imitation of Christ, is in the third.

APPLICATION. You think highly of those who reach this third degree, because they have in this life great spiritual illumination, the source of sweetness unspeakable, and in the next a greater share in the joys of the Beatific Vision. Do not despair of attaining this. Jesus calls you to it; He gives you the means to reach it. Use them with humility, confidence, perseverance, and success will attend your efforts.

COLLOQUY.

SEPTEMBER 19.

THE SERMON CONTINUED: CONTRADICTION AND VIOLENCE OF THE PHARISEES.

1st Prel. Picture to yourself the Scribes and Pharisees watching Jesus preaching.

2d Prel. Ask for a great dread of the spirit of contradiction.

POINT I. The Spirit of Contradiction shown by the
Pharisees.

CONSIDERATION. 'I am the Light of the world.' Our Lord had hardly uttered these solemn words when the Pharisees interrupted Him, saying, 'Thou givest testimony of Thyself; Thy testimony is not true. Jesus

answered and said to them, Although I give testimony of Myself, My testimony is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me. And in your law it is written, that the testimony of two men is true. They said therefore to Him, Where is Thy Father? Jesus answered, If you did know Me, perhaps you would know My Father also.' Then turning to those who believed on Him, He said, 'If you continue in My word, you shall be My disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' The Pharisees cried, 'How sayest Thou, You shall be free? We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to any man. Jesus answered them, Amen, amen I say unto you, that whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.'

APPLICATION. These frequent and impertinent interruptions prove that the Pharisees merely adopted this line of conduct because they felt that our Lord was infinitely their superior in knowledge, holiness, and authority. Their pride was hurt-thence came envy and the spirit of contradiction. Alas, does not this

same spirit show itself somewhat in you? and against whom? Is it not against those who in many respects are your superiors, and before whom you should be humble and silent?

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT II. Calmness and Gentleness of Jesus. CONSIDERATION. 'Jesus saith to them, If you be the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, because My words displease you. Neither Abraham nor God is your father, but the devil, whose will you do. Since the day of his first lie, he has not ceased to hate the truth, and you listen to him. But if I say the truth, you believe Me not. Which of you shall convince Me of sin? He that is of God heareth the words of God. The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, Do we not say well that Thou

art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honour My Father. Amen, amen I say unto you, if any man keep My word, he shall not see death for ever. The Jews therefore said, Now we know that Thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and Thou sayest, If any man keep My word, he shall not taste death for ever. Whom dost Thou make Thyself?'

APPLICATION. Mark the imperturbable calmness and gentleness of our Divine Master, and try to imitate Him. If it is difficult to do so in many things, yet do not despair. With perseverance and prayer all things are possible.

AFFECTIONS and RESOLUTIONS.

POINT III. Dreadful Consequences of the Spirit of
Contradiction.

CONSIDERATION. To the question of the Pharisees, 'Whom dost Thou make Thyself?' Jesus replied at once, by declaring that He was the Eternal Son of God. 'If I glory Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father that glorifieth Me. Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see My day; he saw it, and was glad. The Jews therefore said to him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.' In these short words the Jews understood our Lord to proclaim Himself to be, what in fact He was, the equal of God. They looked upon Him as a sacrilegious blasphemer, and took up stones to cast at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.'

APPLICATION. To understand this spirit of contradiction, which is the child of pride, and all the horror it deserves, see to what it led those even who were the depositaries of science and law in Israel, to what spiritual blindness and obstinacy, for they neither saw nor wished to see in Jesus the evident tokens that He was

the Messiah; to what hardness of impiety, to what final impenitence. As our Lord said to them, 'You shall die in your sin.'

COLLOQUY.

SEPTEMBER 20.

WONDERFUL CURE OF THE MAN BORN BLIND.

1st Prel. Picture to yourself Jesus applying the clay, moistened with spittle, to the eyes of the man born blind.

2d Prel. Ask for the blind man's faith and ready obedience.

POINT I. Cause of the Blindness.

CONSIDERATION. Before leaving Jerusalem, our Lord wished to give His enemies, unworthy though they were, a still further proof of His Divinity-a proof striking, irresistible, of which every one should hear, and which should afterwards be brought before the synagogue. St. John tells us, 'Jesus, passing by, saw a man who was blind from his birth; and His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.' Of course, our Lord in His answer, and the Apostles in their question, speak only with reference to the blindness. They had doubtless committed sin; 'for there is no just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.' But the blindness was not sent as a punishment for any sin.

APPLICATION. We have here a plain proof that suffering in this world is not always the consequence of actual sin. Consequently, afflictions may not be sent as chastisements, but as trials, which God permits to fall upon the just, and even upon the greatest Saints, for His own glory, and to increase their merits. So it was in the case of Job, of Tobias, of many other Saints,