EPIPHANY.

Doing the Will of God.

PRE. I.-There is no hope for those who do not do God's will.

PRE. II." Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.”

I. MEM." Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father."-S. Matt. vii. 21. INT.-Prayer alone, even confession of the faith alone, is vain: what have you more to show? Those, too, are not approved who do works of devotion, but omit those of obligation; nor those who say much and do little, who know much and great things concerning God, but do little and trifling things for love of Him. REF. Am I not numbered amongst these? I know and speak much of the power of God; how do I show it forth? I cry, "Lord, Lord," in adversity; but what confidence have I in God? WILL.-Shame and repentance.

II. MEM.-He that doeth the will of the Father shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. INT.-This is a certain, immutable decree; there is no other way of entering except by doing the will of God. What is God's will ? REF.-Consider

God's will with respect to yourself and your present life and condition practically. Are your acts consonant with this

III. MEM." Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name, etc., and then I will profess unto them, I never knew you."-S. Matt. vii. 23. INT.-Learn hence that many things are but graces freely given, to teach, to minister, even to work miracles: if this is all you bring you will hear that awful sentence, "I never knew you." What does God require then? Your cooperation, your growth in virtue according to the grace bestowed upon you. REF.-Compare your graces and opportunities with your advance; your advance with that others have made with fewer opportunities. WILL.-To do all you

can.

COLL.-Pray that your resolution of doing God's will may be strengthened, and that you may have grace given you to carry it out.

EPIPHANY.

[I. 14.] Christ Preaching on the Mount.

PRE. I.-Imagine the scene.

PRE. II.-Pray that we may have grace to understand and follow the teaching of our Lord.

I. MEM." And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him. And He opened His mouth, and taught them."S. Matt. v. 1, 2.

II. INT.-See the different schools of learning throughout the world, and then turn your imagination to the mount, where Christ sits amongst His disciples, as a King amongst subjects, a Father amongst His children, a Lord among His servants, a Physician among the sick, Light in darkness, a Teacher among the ignorant. Have you thus thought of Christ? served and obeyed Him in such a way? See His disciples listening with modesty, attention, and eagerness to hear and do His will. Compare your attention with theirs.

III. INT. Thus Christ fulfilled the will of the Father: preaching, teaching, calling all to salvation. Consider Who was the Teacher, and who His scholars. How have we fulfilled the end for which we were sent into the world; what has been our chief hindrance. Christ not only taught the great truths and duties enforced in the Sermon on the Mount, but showed forth the same in His life: have we done this?

IV. INT. "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you."-S. Matt. v. 44. How foolish such behaviour seems to the world, but it is the wisdom of God, Who "hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise" (1 Cor. i. 27); and Who also sets us an example by making His sun to shine on the just and the unjust. If we would be perfect in the school of Christ, this is the example we must follow.

V. WILL.-Accept this doctrine of Christ's with your whole heart and desire opportunities of doing good to those who have hated and abused you.

COLL.-TO Christ, that He would instil into our minds not

only His holy doctrine, but the strength to live in accordance with it.

N.B. The fourth point of this Meditation is merely given as one of the salient ones of the Sermon on the Mount. Any other might be substituted: and if there seems to be any that has a special personal appropriateness, it will be better to take that. Those who desire to try to make up Meditations for themselves, will find the Sermon on the Mount an easy field to begin upon. Those desirous of progress in the Illuminative Way, cannot meditate on it too often.

EPIPHANY.

Fitness for the Kingdom of Heaven.

PRE. I.-Consider in what childlikeness consists.

PRE. II.-Pray that we may become " 'simple concerning evil."-Rom. xvi. 19.

I. MEM. "They brought unto Him infants, that He should touch them."-S. Luke xviii. 15. INT.-Most important to us are the principles we have received in our early years; all have felt this. If we have from the first been brought to Christ, have gladly received instruction from Him, what cause for gratitude is here: and shame that we have not shown greater fruits of such grace. Still it remains to us, however, to become or to continue simple through grace, for on this all the success of our spiritual life depends. REF.— Think of your simpler years, your simple thoughts, and compare them with your present ones. WILL. Be such in all your life as in your days of simple piety.

II. MEM." When His disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me."-S. Luke xviii. 16. INT.-Christ shows us how dear to Himself are innocent minds. If we come to Him in innocence, we shall receive inestimable graces. Strive, therefore, ever to walk before Him with an innocent heart. Ask ever for this gift; seek it in the Eucharist. If children arc committed to your charge, be careful to bring them to Christ. REF.-What is further from me than innocency? WILL.-Fear lest the want of it keep you from Heaven and never forget its value in dealing with those who possess it.

III. MEM." For of such is the kingdom of God."-S. Luke xviii. 16. INT.-Not of those who cannot sin only, but of those who will not. Therefore we should grow innocent in all that concerns sin; know nothing of it; neither think nor speak of it; turn to good with a natural simplicity; for unless we do this, what must our end be? REF.- Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."-S. Mark x. 15. Apply this to yourself. WILL.-To be more simple-minded.

COLL.-Pray for a spirit of simplicity, adding a renunciation of whatever seems to militate against it in your ordinary life.

EPIPHANY.

Offences.

PRE. I.-Those who are easily offended have little faith: those who often give offence little charity.

PRE. II.-Pray that we may in all our actions be mindful of the feelings of others.

I. MEM." It must needs be that offences come; but woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh."-S. Matt. xviii. 7.

II. INT.-By offence we mean a bad example, and all bad examples are offences. There is no religious community free from such, but each should be very careful to avoid giving offence, and to ask themselves: Have I done my duty circumspectly? Have I avoided paining, injuring, or offending others, especially the witnesses of my actions? What have been my words, my behaviour, my sentiments? Have I been murmuring, rebellious, disobedient? Have I confessed to having given offence? Have I remembered that in this matter I must consider rather what tends to my neighbour's edification than what is allowed to myself?

III. INT.-It is a great evil to give offence. Instead of assisting those amongst whom you live, you are hindering them; by shocking them; by setting them a bad example. How much mischief a single offence may cause! how many may by it be hardened in perversity; how many kept away from conversion; how many encouraged in laxity. Generally, too, offences are the result of the pride and determination of one to show some greater boldness, or freedom, or independence than the rest. Have you been thus guilty?

IV. INT.—Remember, however, that if you have not caused offence, you may be guilty by taking offence, and thus making a stumbling-block of that which but for you had not been such. A bad example may be a temptation: it is your place to overcome it. Your zeal may not be cooled by it, rather you should profit by it, learning from it how prone are those better than yourself to fall into temptation. You must oppose such examples prudently, but strongly; modestly, but zealously; charitably, but without respect of persons. Here is much opportunity of good works.

V. WILL.-Fly alike the giving and taking of offence. COLL. Pray that by God's grace our example may be a good one; and ourselves more inclined to learn from our neighbours' good examples, than to be offended at their faults.