Day 2

At the word c blessed ’ the heart swells with joy ; when i poverty ’ is named it contracts ; but it expands afresh at the sound of € kingdom 9 — still more when it is the c Kingdom of Heaven.’ For who would not suffer for the sake of stich a kingdom : a realm to be enjoyed iri §cifiipafiy with God Himself, and inseparably frotti Hhfi 1 — eternal, spiritual, abounding in all thliigS, aiid whence all trouble is banished for ever ?

O Lord, I offer Thee everything — I give up everything — that I may share in such a realm ! May I only be sufficiently stripped of all other goods to hope for it ! In heart and mind 1 deprive myself of them all ; and when it shall be Thy will to deprive me actually, I submit to Thee.

All Christians are under this obligation ; but the humble Religious must go further, and must actually rejoice in being despoiled of all things, dead to the world, and incapable of holding possessions. O happy deprivation, which gives God in return !

XTbfrb 3)a> SECOND BEATITUDE To be meek . — Matt. v. 4.

ILESSED are the meek/ ‘Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart/ 1 Meek — that is to say, free from bitterness, from presumption, from disdain ; never taking advantage of others, nor insulting the unfortunate, nor even offending the proud, but trying to win them by gentleness ; mild even with those who are sharp 5 not meeting temper with temper, or violence with violence, but moderating excess in others by gentle words. Such is true meekness.

There are false kinds of meekness — contemptuous, full of hidden pride, effrontery and affectation of mildness — which are more unkind and more insulting than open roughness.

But let us reflect on the meekness of Jesus Christ, of which the Holy Spirit speaks as 1 Matt. xii. 29.