Part II, Good Works, Virtue, Sin, Vice: The Seven Principal Virtues and the Seven Principal Vices

1. Humility

1. The humble man is he who acknowledges his own nothing ness and the nothingness of all earthly things, and comports himself in accordance with this conviction.

The heathen centurion at Capharnaum displayed great humility when he said to Our Lord : " Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed" (Matt. viii. 8). Notwithstanding his position, his

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wealth, his good works — he had built the Jews a synagogue— he thought nothing of himself. Humility is twofold; it consists of humility of the understanding, by which a man becomes conscious of his own abjection, and humility of the will, which causes him to manifest his consciousness in his conduct; he humbles himself, and takes the lowest place. That would be false humility which was merely external, not heartfelt. St. Bonaventure defines humility as voluntary self-abasement resulting from the knowledge of our own frailty.

We learn humility by the consideration of the infinite majesty of God and the transitory nature of earthly things.

The poor man feels his poverty most keenly when he compares himself with his opulent neighbor. St. Augustine prayed for the knowledge of God, that he might thereby know himself. The majesty of God is most apparent in creation. In the firmament of heaven are many million orbs far surpassing in magnitude our earth, which is but a speck of dust in the universe. How insignificant then is each individual man! Must not the pride of every one be humbled at the sight of the endless myriads of worlds that people space, and which no man can count ? And what is one single man among the hundreds of millions that inhabit the earth, not to speak of those that have lived in the past, and will live in the future. All earthly things pass away like a shadow and have no value before God. " The grave," says St. John Chrysostom, " is the school wherein we learn humility." Let no man pride himself on his riches; he may lose them in a single night; he must lose them at his death. Let no man pride himself on his physical beauty, for it may be disfigured by disease, and after death will be the prey of worms. Let no man pride himself upon his knowledge; how soon he forgets what he has learned, and how immeasurable is the amount of what he does not know ! A. philosopher of antiquity used to say : " All I know is that I know nothing." " If it seem to thee that thou knowest many things and understandest them well enough, know at the same time that there are many more things of which thou art ignorant " (Imitation, Book 1, ch. 2). Besides all our knowledge is ignorance compared with the infinite wisdom of God. Let no man pride himself upon earthly honor, for to-day the people cry " Hosanna," and to-morrow " Crucify him." How shortlived is the power and prestige of earthly potentates (witness Napoleon). Let no man pride himself even upon the graces he has received from God, for they may be withdrawn at any moment, and they increase his responsibility. Neither let him pride himself upon his good works, for God has no need of his goods (Ps. xv. 2). After we have done all, we are unprofitable servants (Luke xvii. 10). Whatever therefore a man may possess, he in reality possesses nothing or next to nothing. The humble man is no hypocrite; he only forms a just estimate of things.

The humble man conducts himself in the following manner: He delights in abasement, he does not attach his heart to transitory good things, he trusts wholly in God, and does not fear man.

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The humble man delights in abasement; he never unnecessarily attracts attention to himself, i.e., he avoids ostentation and singularity in his demeanor and deportment, in his conversation, his gestures, at prayer, in dress, at table. He never seeks to make his humility conspicuous by downcast eyes, a slouching gait, a dejected mien; he is humble of heart, like Our Lord; he only allows his humility to be observed when occasion requires, and then only simply and unaffectedly. He is not always calling himself the chief of sinners ; uncalled for self -blame generally betokens pride. Furthermore he hides his talents, for he knows that what man reveals God conceals, and what man disclaims, God proclaims. St. Anthony of Padua concealed his great erudition until God made it known. ^The humble man does not think himself better than others; he esteems others above himself (Phil. ii. 3). He does not publish the failings of others, he does not choose the highest place (Luke xiv. 10) ; on the contrary, he rejoices in being slighted, despised, humiliated, knowing that for this God will exalt him (Luke xiv. 10). Thus it was with the publican in the Temple (Luke xviii. 13) ; the humble man aspires only after eternal treasures, and does not attach his heart to what is transitory. Earthly good things, riches, dignities, pleasures, the praise of men, do not allure him; he is aware that he is none the better for them in God's sight, and they may prove his ruin. Earthly sufferings, contempt, reproaches, ridicule, persecution, do not dishearten him; he glories in them, because they enable him to earn heaven. He despises contempt, because it cannot harm him. Thus St. Paul writes : " To me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man's day " (1 Cor. iv. 3). The humble man trusts in God alone. Conscious of his own weakness he does not confide in his own strength, but only in the aid of divine grace; as Joseph did when required to interpret Pharao's dream (Gen. xli. 16). He does not take to himself the credit even of his virtues and good works, but ascribes all to God, knowing that it is God Who worketh in Him ; as the sun calls vegetable life into being upon the earth. Yet he is ready to acknowledge the favors God confers on him, saying with the blessed Mother of God : " He that is mighty hath done great things to me" (Luke i. 49). The recognition of these favors makes him grateful to God and increases his love of God. " No one," says St. Teresa, " will do great things for God, who does not know that God has done great things for him." The humble man does not fear men, because, far from being cast down by any humiliation he may meet with at their hands he rejoices in it. Besides he knows that he is in God's safekeeping, and to them that love God all things work together for good (Rom. viii. 28). Discouragement and pusillanimity are not characteristics of true humility.

2. Christ gave us in Himself the grandest example of humility, for He, being- the Son of God, took the form of a servant, chose to live in great lowliness, was most condescending in His intercourse with men, and finally, voluntarily endured the ignominious death of the cross.

Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, i.e., human nature (Phil. ii. 7). In the Sacrament of the Altar He even takes the form of bread. And at the baptism of Our Lord the Holy Spirit

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assumed the shape of an animal, the dove. The prophets, in predict ing the coming of Christ spoke of Him under the designation of the Lamb of God. Thus we see how almighty God humbles Himself. Our Lord lived in great lowliness; He chose for His birthplace not a royal palace but a stable; for His Mother, not a queen but a poor maiden ; for His foster-father a humble carpenter ; for His dwellingplace an obscure town; for His apostles, not the philosophers and sages of the world, but simple and unlearned fishermen. In His intercourse with men Our Lord was most condescending; He encouraged children to approach Him, He even conversed with sinners (e.g., the Samaritan woman, Mary Magdalen, the woman taken in adultery) ; at the Last Supper He washed His disciples' feet, and made not the slightest objection to go to the house of the centurion, when the latter entreated Him to cure his servant (Matt. viii. 7). Crucifixion was at that time the most ignominious death by which a man could die, yet Christ chose that very death for Himself ; showing by His own actions that humility is the royal road to God.

In His teaching also Our Lord exhorts us constantly to the practice of humility. " He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matt, xxiii. 11), and again: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you say: We are unprofitable servants " (Luke xvii. 10).

Moreover He commends humility in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke xviii. 13). On one occasion he took a child and said : " Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven " (Matt, xviii. 4). He presents Himself to us as a pattern of this virtue : " Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls " (Matt. xi. 29). Finally, He promises that the humble shall be exalted (Luke xiv. 11), and shall enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. v. 3).

3. Humility leads to great sanctity, to exaltation, and to everlasting felicity.

Furthermore through it we obtain enlightenment of the understanding, true peace of mind, forgiveness of sin, a speedy answer to prayer, and are enabled to overcome temptation without difficulty.

God is with the humble. If any one has a lowly opinion of himself, and considers himself inferior to others, it is an unfailing proof that the Holy Spirit dwells within him. In the first place the humble man attains a high degree of perfection. The more humble he is the more perfect he is, and vice versa. Well -filled ears of corn bend downwards, the thin ears hold their heads alcfft. Empty vessels make the most sound. " He who thinks much of himself," says St. Teresa, " thinks much of little ; he who thinks little of himself, thinks little of much." Humility is the surest test of sanctity. St. Philip Neri was once sent by the Holy Father to a convent in the vicinity of Rome one of whose inmates enjoyed a reputation for sanctity, in order to test the truth of that report. As soon as he entered the

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parlor, he requested the nun in question to clean his boots, which were covered with mud. She replied in no very courteous manner that she was unaccustomed to such work. St. Philip returned to the Pope and said : " She is no saint and works no miracles, for she lacks what is most essential, humility." Humility leads to exaltation. Our Lord says : " Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted " (Luke xiv. 11). No man can ascend who has not first descended. "Be humbled in the sight of God and He will exalt you" (Jas. iv. 10). The blessed Mother of God attributed all the graces she received from God to her humility : " He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed" (Luke i. 48). Honor pursues him who flies from her, humility leads to everlasting felicity. Our Lord says : " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. v. 3). The gate of heaven is narrow, and only little ones, i.e., the humble, can pass through. Humility is also a means of obtaining enlighten ment of the mind through the Holy Spirit. The humble alone can enter into the spirit of Our Lord's teaching. He Himself says : " I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones" (Matt. xi. 25). St. Peter says: "God resisteth the proud, but to the humble He giveth graces" (1 Pet. v. 5). The communications of the Most High are with the simple (Prov. iii. 32), that is, He enlightens his mind. Hence it is that the poor and unlearned sometimes have a truer knowledge of the things of God than the learned. The shepherds were informed of Christ's birth, the Scribes and Pharisees were not. He must stoop who desires to -draw water out of the fountains of God's grace. St. Teresa says that one day in which we humble ourselves before God is more fruitful in graces than many days spent in prayer. The humble man attains true peace of mind. Our Lord says : " Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls " (Matt. xi. 29). The humble are not lifted up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity. The humble man obtains forgiveness of sins. The publican who smote upon his breast and said : " God, be merciful to me a sinner," went down to his house justified (Luke xviii. 13). The humble man obtains a speedy answer to prayer. " The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds " (Ecclus. xxxv. 21). The humble man overcomes temptation without difficulty. Humility is the most powerful weapon wherewith to vanquish the devil. It is the virtue he most fears, for it is the only one which he is unable to imitate.

2. . Tee Opposite of Humility : Ppide

1. He is proud who overestimates his own worth, or the value of his earthly possessions, and shows openly that he does so.

The giant Goliath was proud; he exalted himself overmuch (1 Kings xvii.). Many a one overrates the worth of his body, is proud of his fine physique, the beauty of his features; others overrate the worth of their wealth, their learning, their birth, the

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virtues they imagine themselves to possess, etc. The proud man resembles the devil, or a drunkard, for pride is a kind of intoxication which fills one with strange fancies and makes one talk in a foolish manner and do irrational things. Pride is like a bubble that looks large, but whose size is deceptive; it is a color which fades in the sun, for the proud will appear in all their native vileness when, after death, they stand in the light of the Sun of justice. They are like the frog in the fable who puffed himself out in the hope of appearing as large as the ox.

The proud man manifests the undue opinion he has of himself in the following manner: He tries to attract notice by his conversation and his dress, he strives after honor, distinctions, and earthly riches, he despises the assistance and grace of God, and relies only on himself and on earthly things.

Pride is a mimicry of God. The proud man desires to appear greater than he is. If he has done anything good, he boasts loudly of it, as a hen cackles when she has laid an egg. Sometimes he speaks depreciatingly of himself, but only in the hope of hearing others praise him the more. He slanders others and thinks evil of them, as the Pharisee did in the Temple (Luke xviii. 11). Pride makes itself manifest in dress; the proud dress above their station, they dress showily, in the latest fashion, and wear a great many unnecessary ornaments. The people who attach so much importance to dress are not as a rule the most virtuous. They are extravagant, hardhearted to the poor, and deceitful, for by dressing unsuitably to their class they give themselves out for what they are not. Love of dress often leads to worse sins, for those who spend so much care on the adorn ment of their person lose sight of their final end, and lead a godless life. He who stands well in God's sight has no need of choice and costly apparel; good and holy people have generally dressed in a simple, quiet manner. The Emperor Heraclius found that he could not carry the true cross, which had been recovered from the Saracens, back to Jerusalem, until he had laid aside his rich garments ; an unseen hand held him back. One ought however to dress properly and suitably to one's position, and have a strict regard to cleanliness. The proud pursue honors as boys hunt after butterflies; and wlun they have gained them, they exult as loudly as if they had achieved something wonderful, although they have nothing to boast of in reality ; for the honor and applause of men are like the morning dew, glittering with rainbow tints, but quickly disappearing in the sun, or like smoke which the wind carries away. How foolish are they who covet earthly glory ! The proud man despises the help and grace of God, and relies upon himself alone, trusting in the things of earth. He is his own deity. " The beginning of the pride of man is to fall off from God" (Ecclus. x. 14). The proud neglect prayer and the ordinances of religion; they are not sensible of their own sinfulness and misery, or if they are they will not apply to the physician, but try to heal themselves. Hence it is that God is the enemy of the proud. "God resisteth the proud" (1 Pet. v. 5). Pride is hateful before God and man (Ecclus. x. 7).

2. Pride leads to all manner of vices, to degradation here and

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eternal damnation hereafter ; it also destroys the value of all our good works.

Pride leads to all manner of vices. Pride is the beginning of all sin (Ecclus. x. 15), the parent of vice; many and evil are her progeny. Pride, leads more especially to disobedience (witness Absalom); to cruelty (as in Herod's case, to the murder of the innocents), to apostasy (as with Luther, who was offended because he was slighted at Rome) ; to strife, envy, ingratitude and impurity. God punishes secret pride by open sin. He permits the proud to fall into sin in order that they may be humbled and amend. He who has vanquished pride has vanquished all other vices. When Goliath fell, the Philistines took to flight ; when the root is torn up the tree withers. Pride leads to degradation. " He that exalteth himself shall be humbled " (Luke xiv. 11). The lightning strikes what is highest; a lofty tree is often struck down by the bolt. Apply that to the proud. Aman, the chief minister of the King of Persia, persecuted the Jews and arrogated to himself regal honors ; he ended by being hung on a gibbet (Esth. vii. 10). King Herod was delighted at being called a god; he was eaten of worms and died (Acts xii. 22). God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes (Ecclus. x. 17). He often chastises the pride of nations, and even destroys them altogether (witness the fall of the Roman empire). God even abolishes the memory of the proud (Ecclus. x. 21) (witness the destruction of the tower of Babel). Abasement and disgrace follow in the footsteps of pride. Pride also leads to eternal damnation. It was the cause of the angels being cast out of heaven, and our first parents being expelled from paradise. As one scale in a balance drops as the other rises, so those will be abased in the world to come who exalt themselves in this world. Pride destroys the value of our good works. The proud have received their reward already (Matt. vi. 5). Pride pulls down the structure that justice raises. As a drop of gall spoils the flavor of the most delicious wine, so pride ruins virtue. It is like the little worm that caused Jonas' ivy to wither. Whatever good a man may have done, if he pride himself upon it, he is utterly destitute.

3. Obedience

1. Obedience consists in being ready to fulfil the behest of one's superior.

Thus obedience does not merely consist in doing what is commanded, but in being ready and willing to do what is commanded. Many obey, but obey grudgingly ; in that case obedience is no virtue. Moreover obedience is not a virtue unless it is for God's sake that one subjects one's will to that of another. Abraham was a pattern of obedience when he offered up Isaac. The Son of God Himself prac tised obedience, for He was subject to two of His creatures, Mary and Joseph. The Creator of all things obeyed an artisan, the Lord of glory a lowly maiden. Who ever heard or saw anything to compare with that? Christ was moreover obedient to His heavenly Father even to the death of the cross (Phil. ii. 8). By the obedience of one

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many shall be made just (Rom. v. 19). " I admire," says St. Francis of Sales, " the Infant of Bethlehem; He is all-powerful, and yet does whatever He is told without a word."

1. Children are required to obey their parents, or those who hold the place of parents to them, wives their husbands, servants their masters, and all men those who are placed in authority over them, whether ecclesiastical or secular rulers.

In order to unite all His creatures to a harmonious whole God has established a certain relationship between them, and mutual dependence. The moon revolves round the earth and the planets of our solar system around the sun. The angels stand in the same relation ship to one another as men do on earth. In the Fourth Command ment God enjoins upon children obedience to their parents; this is due to them as being God's representatives. St. Paul says : " Children, obey your parents in all things" (Col. iii. 20). And again: " Those who are disobedient to parents are worthy of death " (Rom. i. 30). Teachers are the parents' representatives. Wives must obey their husbands, for so God has appointed. He said to Eve after the Fall : " Thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall have dominion over thee " (Gen. iii. 16). The very origin of the woman proves her subjection to man, for she was made of his flesh, and thus belongs to him. As a mark of inferiority the woman's head must be covered (1 Cor. xi. 7). St. Peter teaches servants their duty towards their masters in the following words : " Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward " (1 Pet. ii. 18). Our Lord admonishes us to obey our ecclesiastical superiors, saying: "Whoso will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican" (Matt, xviii. 17). Because of the obedience required of Christians, he calls them sheep and those who are set over them pastors. We ought also to obey the secular authorities, because they have their power from God. St. Paul says : " There is no power but from God, and those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God" (Rom. xiii. 1, 2).

2. Yet obedience has certain limits; we are not required to obey our superiors in matters that are not within their jurisdiction, and we ought not to obey them if they command us to do what the law of God forbids.

(This subject is fully treated of under the head of the Fourth Commandment.)

2. Obedience is the most difficult and at the same time the most excellent of all the moral virtues (St. Thomas Aquinas).

Obedience is the most difficult of virtues because all men are naturally inclined to command, and disinclined to obey. " Obedience," says St. Bonaventure, " is the sacrifice of one's own will, and it is a great sacrifice for man, when what is commanded is contrary to his inclination and to his advantage." By obedience the under standing does penance; it is a kind of moral martyrdom. Original

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sin is the cause why men are under the yoke and dominion of one another. Where sin enters freedom is dethroned, and servitude takes its place. Obedience is the most excellent of all virtues. Man can offer to almighty God nothing greater than the submission of his will to that of another for God's sake. Obedience is the most accept able burnt-offering that we can sacrifice to God upon the altar of the heart. Obedience is better than sacrifices (1 Kings xv. 22) ; and for this reason, in a sacrifice we offer the flesh of another; in obedience the oblation is our own will, our own self,

3. By our obedience we accomplish the will of God most surely, and we attain certainly and quickly to a high degree of perfection.

By obedience we accomplish the will of God most surely, for our superiors are God's representatives, therefore their commands are God's commands. Thus we serve as to the Lord and not to men (Eph. v. 7). We ought not to- consider who it is who issues the behest, but only the will of God which is made known to us by the mouth of our superior. He who obeys will not be required to give an account of what he has done; the one who commands has to do that. Obedience gives value to all that we do. The simplest action done out of obedience has greater value in God's sight than the most austere works of penance. Eating and sleeping, if done in obedience to the will of God, are more pleasing to him than the voluntary fasts and vigils of the hermit. By obedience we attain certainly and quickly to a high degree of perfection. Obedience is the means of avoiding many sins. It is the antidote to pride. By the practices of the other virtues we combat the spirits of evil, by obedience we vanquish them. And this is just, for since they fell through disobedience, by our obedience we show our superiority to them. St. Augustine calls obedience the greatest of virtues ; it is the parent and source of every other virtue. St. Teresa declares that no path leads so quickly to the summit of perfection as the path of obedience; hence the evil enemy endeavors by all means to deter us from the practice of this virtue. Obedience is the key that opens the portals of heaven, the ship that carries us into the celestial harbor. Disobedience closed heaven and opened hell; obedience on the other hand opens heaven and closes hell. " Learn," says St. Francis of Sales, " to comply willingly with the wishes of thy equals, and thus thou wilt learn to fulfil cheerfully the commands of thy superiors." Above all, when you have to obey, obey promptly, do not stop to deliberate; for reasoning is only a hindrance to obedience. Remember that Eve began to waver as soon as she allowed herself to argue about the divine command.

4. Disobedience

1. Disobedience consists in not fulfilling the commands of one's superiors.

Our first parents in paradise are an instance of disobedience. He who does not obey his superiors, is like a palsied limb, which does not move as the will commands.

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2. Disobedience brings temporal misfortune and eternal misery upon man.

Even in this world misery is the result of disobedience. Think of the fatal consequences of original sin! Adam's offence was the means of bringing evil upon all his posterity. Pharao's disobedience brought sad calamities upon himself and his subjects; remember the plagues of Egypt and the destruction of the king and his army in the Red Sea. The prophet Jonas had bitter cause to rue his disobedience. Eternal perdition is also the consequence of disobedience. God rejects the disobedient, as the money-changer rejects a counterfeit coin. The disobedient must expect a severe sentence in the Day of Judgment, for in despising their superiors, they have despised, not them, but Him Whose representatives they are. Disobedience deprives us of all merit. No virtue is acceptable to God if it is marred by the stain of disobedience; it then is changed from a virtue to a vice. Disobedience also deprives us of many graces which we might have obtained through obedience.

5. Patience, Meekness, Peaceableness. Patience

1. Patience consists in preserving one's serenity of mind amid all the contrarieties of this life for the love of God.

Some persons are patient in order to make themselves admired. Many on the other hand, accept cheerfully only a part of their suffer ing : e.g., they will endure sickness patiently, but they cannot endure to be a burden to others on account of it. That is not being truly patient. Our Lord affords us the most exalted example of patience in His Passion. Our heavenly Father also exhibits Himself to us as a model of patience, for He bears with sinners, even with those who provoke His justice, as perjurers and blasphemers do. Job and Tobias were remarkable for their patience. The patient man is like a rock in the ocean, on which the waves break. Again, he may be compared to a lamb, which does not utter a sound when it is slain.

The trials of life in which it specially behooves us to maintain our tranquillity of mind are: Sickness and reverses, relapse into sin, the pressure of many and onerous duties appertaining to our calling.

Sickness and reverses are not really calamities; they are graces. God sends them upon us for the good of our souls. We ought there fore to welcome them. We must not be irritated with ourselves if by reason of our frailty we relapse into our old sins, and thus are forced to acknowledge that there is more of the human than of the angelic nature about us. We must have as much patience with ourselves as with our fellow-men. Our Lord says : " Bring forth fruit in patience" (Luke viii. 15). We must not lose our equanimity when our work is pressing and difficult. Excitement creates haste,

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and hastiness always does harm, just as an overflowing stream, or violent rain, destroys and devastates. We ought to imitate the angels who minister to man without disquiet or hurry. We ought also to wait with patience for the end of our life and our entrance upon eternal felicity (Rom. viii. 25).

Tranquillity of mind is displayed by not yielding to anger, or to sadness, or complaining to any great extent and calling for the commiseration of others.

We ought not to yield to anger. Anger obscures the reason and makes an act unjustly. " The anger of man worketh not the justice of God" (Jas. i. 20). Nor ought the tribulations of this life to render us sad. There is indeed a sadness which is pleasing to God, that which is caused by the loss of eternal things. Our Lord says : " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted " (Matt. v. 5). But the sorrow of the world, i.e., that of the world ling over the loss of mundane things, worketh death (2 Cor. vii. 10). " Sadness hath killed many, and there is no profit in it " (Ecclus. xxx. 25). It is, however, allowable to complain on account of severe physical or mental suffering, so long as we submit to the will of God. Our Lord uttered complaints upon the cross; our heavenly Father frequently complained of the conduct of sinners by the mouth of the prophets. But a medium must be observed; we must not lament over trifles, nor let our complaining be prolonged or exaggerated; to do so is to evince selfishness or cowardice. Complain to God as long and as loudly as you will, for your complaints are an appeal to Him for help, and consequently are pleasing to Him. But if you fill a fellow-creature's ear with the sad tale of all your care, he will soon weary of your conversation. Not so God; He is ever ready to hear you, and to impart to you such consolation as will cause you to forget all your sorrow. Our Lord says : " Come unto Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you" (Matt. xi. 28).

2. Patience produces many virtues and leads to salvation.

St. Teresa says that if we bear slight things patiently, we shall acquire courage and strength to bear great things. The patient man displays fortitude equal to that of the martyrs. Patience is the guardian of all the virtues, for there are obstacles to be encountered in every good work, and they can only be overcome by patience. St. Gregory the Great declares that by unwavering patience the crown of martyrdom may be acquired without the sword. The patient man is greater than he who works miracles. Patience leads to salvation. " In your patience you shall possess your souls " (Luke xxi. 19). Fragile things are not so likely to be broken if they are wrapped in wool, nor are our souls so likely to be lost if they are safeguarded by patience. The patient man is like a ship at anchor in a peaceful harbor, protected from the stormy waves of the ocean.

3. If we would bear with patience the trials of life, let us place Our Lord's Passion before our eyes; let us also consider that sufferings are a favor from God.

Think upon the Passion of Christ. He drank of the bitter cup, in order to overcome our repugnance to drink of it ; He suffered first,

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that we might not fear suffering. Frequently think of Christ crucified ; your sufferings cannot be compared with His, either in intensity or in number. A soldier scarcely feels his hurt, if he sees his general to be severely wounded. "Let the sick man," says St. Francis of Sales, " offer his pains to God, and pray Him to accept them in union with the sufferings of Christ." Remember the words the archangel Raphael said to Tobias : " Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee " (Tob. xii. 14). Without suffering there is no salvation, for " through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts xiv. 21). As the bitter pill is coated with sugar to render it palatable, so when we look forward to the rich recompense in store for us the chalice of suffering loses its bitterness. The laborer could not labor all day long without the anticipation of the wages to be paid him, and the thought of our eternal reward enables us to bear the trials of life with patience. Think of the martyrs, and of others who have greater afflictions than you, and your thorns will lose their sharp ness. Beware of losing merit by impatience; remember that you must suffer, either willingly or unwillingly; if you suffer willingly, you will earn great merit; if unwillingly, you do not diminish, but only add to your suffering. Patience is displayed pre-eminently by meekness and peaceableness.

MEEKNESS.

1. Meekness consists in showing, for the love of God, no irritation when wrong is done us.

Many persons are meek through timidity or for convenience' sake, but that is no virtue. One who is meek does not excite himself when he is wronged, i.e., he bears injustice in silence, and is polite and obliging to the offender. There is something divine in meekness. God Himself is infinitely long-suffering ; He does not exert His almighty power against transgressors. He bears with the sinner, and gives him ample time for repentance. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Exod. iii.), to Elias He spoke by the whistling of a gentle wind (3 Kings xix. 12). This was not without a deep significance. The Holy Spirit also assumed the form of a dove, and Our Lord proclaimed Himself by the mouth of the prophets to be the Lamb of God (Jer. xi. 19). Who can fail to be astonished at the meekness of God when we behold the Redeemer upon the cross? Meekness is agreeable to the Lord (Ecclus. i. 35). God chose Moses on account of his meekness and sanctified him (Ecclus. xlv. 4).

2. By meekness we gain power over our fellow-men, we attain peace of mind, and eternal salvation.

Our Lord says : " Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land" (Matt. v. 4), that is they shall gain command over others. Those who are meek gain the affections of their fellow-men, and render them kindly disposed. If one who is incensed against another is met with meekness, his anger vanishes as darkness is dispelled on the rising of the sun. A mild answer breaketh wrath (Prov. xv. 1). Bad men may be won by kinolness. He who subdues anger within

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himself will be able to conquer it in others also. A good example of the effect of meekness is given by the conduct of Blessed Clement Hofbauer when he was collecting alms for orphan children in Warsaw. Going up to a group of men at a card table in an hotel he asked them for a donation. One of the card-players spat in his face. Hof bauer quietly wiped his face, and said : " That, sir, was for myself ; I ask you now for something for my poor children." The man was greatly ashamed, and gave Hofbauer all the money he had about him; what is more, a few days later he went to him and made a general confession. St. Francis Xavier was stoned by the Indians while he was preaching. He went on without taking the slightest notice. The Indians who had thrown the stones were so amazed at his meekness that they were the first to be baptized. He who has complete mastery over himself will find all the world subject to him. Far more is done by meekness than by anger. " One catches more flies," says St. Francis of Sales, "with an ounce of honey, than with tons of vinegar." If two hard substances strike against one another, a loud crash ensues, but if a hard substance comes against what is soft, scarce a sound is heard. One must bear with the irate as one bears with the sick, for anger is a moral malady. " Anger resteth in the bosom of a fool" (Eccles. vii. 10). By meekness we gain peace of mind. For Our Lord says : " Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls " (Matt. xi. 29). Consequently the meek are always cheerful. By meekness we gain eternal salvation. The land promised by Christ to the meek is heaven (Ps. xxxvi. 11). There was a servant who could not control his angry temper, despite all his master's rebukes and admonitions. One day the latter promised him half a dollar if he would not utter an angry word all day long. The man refrained from a single outburst, although his fellow-servants were extremely provoking. When his master gave him the half dollar at night, he said: " If you can conquer yourself for the sake of so paltry a sum, how is it that you cannot do so in view of an eternal reward ? " These words had the effect the speaker desired ; he had no cause to complain of the in future.

3. Meekness can only be acquired by the diligent practice of self-control.

St. Francis of Sales, naturally of a choleric temperament, ^attained in the course of twenty years such perfect mastery over himself that he was thought to be phlegmatic by nature.

4. We ought to behave with meekness towards those with whom we live, and superiors ought to be gentle towards their inferiors.

It is especially incumbent upon us to be meek in our intercourse with those with whom we live. Some do not observe this rule; they are angels abroad and devils at home. Superiors ought to show meekness towards their subordinates; but meekness in them is called gentleness. More is done by gentleness than by severity. For the human mind is so constituted that it resists force and yields to jnildness, Superiors should be rigorous to themselves and lenient

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towards those under them. Meekness was the chief characteristic of the apostles. Our Lord said to them : " Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves " (Matt. x. 16). It ought also to be the chief characteristic of the Christian ; for Christ speaks of the faithful as sheep (John x. 1), or lambs (John xxi. 15) ; both these animals are remarkably gentle.

Peaceableness

1. Peaceableness consists in willingly making a sacrifice for the sake of remaining at peace with one's neighbor, or reconciling one's self with him.

Abraham was content to take the worst portion of the land, in order to keep the peace with Lot's servants (Gen. xiii.). St. Francis of Sales was unjustly expelled from a lodging he had taken in Rome; he quitted it without a murmur, and the next night a hurricane destroyed the house. St. Ignatius of Loyola, when returning from Palestine, was rudely refused a passage in the ship on which he wished to embark. That vessel sank on its way to Europe; the one in which he sailed got safely to port. Peace is invaluable to mankind. The angels who announced the birth of Christ could wish nothing better to man (Luke ii. 14). Our Lord promised to give His peace to His apostles (John xiv. 27), and He saluted them with the words: "Peace be to you" (John xx. 26). This was also the salutation He placed upon their lips when He sent them forth to preach (Matt. x. 12). All the good things of this world cannot please us, if we are not at peace, for without peace we can enjoy nothing. Peacemakers are like God; He is not the God of dissension, but of peace (1 Cor. xiv. 33). He is the Lord of peace (2 Thess. iii. 16). The prophets foretold His coming as the Prince of peace (Is. ix. 6). And at the birth of Christ the temple of Janus was closed, because peace reigned everywhere.

2. Peacemakers enjoy the special protection of God, and receive a hundredfold as the reward of all that they give up for the sake of peace.

Our Lord says : " Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall becalled the children of God" (Matt. v. 9). God will replace a hundredfold all that we surrender for the sake of peace. We have seen how St. Francis of Sales and St. Ignatius were saved from disaster and death through their love of peace. Not only in this world, but also in the life to come, does God reward us for all that we do for His sake (Mark x. 29). Forgiveness and forbearance are better than contention and complaining.

3. Hence every one ought to be willing to make concessions for the sake of peace, and as far as lies in his power, to avoid all that may engender strife.

We ought to put up with a great deal for the sake of peace. "Bear ye one another's burdens" (Gal. vi. 2). Many people are peaceable as long as no one interferes with them, and all goes on in

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accordance with their will; but the slightest contradiction irritates them terribly. Such people are like stagnant water, which is all well enough as long as it is left alone; but stir it up, and it emits a most unpleasant odor. We ought also carefully to avoid everything that may stir up contention. One should never contradict any one without a good reason. St. Teresa bids us never to enter upon a strife of words about matters of no importance, especially at one's own fireside. A ship in which the timbers are not well joined will sink; so every community will fall to pieces whose members are not welded together with the bonds of love. However, one must not for the sake of peace omit or give up anything which God commands; that is not the peace God desires ; hence Our Lord says : " Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth; I came not to send peace but the sword " (Matt. x. 34). Some people will not let you be at peace with them unless you acquiesce in their evil deeds, such peace is unlawful.

6. The Opposite of Meekness: Wrath

1. Wrath consists in exciting one's self about something at which one is displeased.

The man who is in a rage is more like a beast than a man. His countenance is distorted, he gnashes his teeth, raises his voice, gesticulates wildly, stamps with his feet and knocks things over, etc. Were he to look in the glass, he would hardly know himself. Those who are of a choleric temperament carry their anger about with them everywhere, as the viper does its venom; they are like a surly dog which barks and bites if you do but touch him; like flint that gives out sparks when it is struck; like an empty vessel which cracks when put on the fire. Were the vessel full of water, it would not break; were the heart full of grace, its patience would not give way. Angry people always put the blame of their anger on others, but experience proves that they give way to irritability when they are alone. Zeal for God's glory is called just anger; such was the anger Our Lord displayed, when He drove the sellers of doves and the money changers out of the Temple (John ii.), or Moses, when, returning from the Mount, he saw the people worshipping the golden calf. Just anger is not really anger; it is the offspring of charity, and like charity, is patient, kind, calm, and not actuated by hatred. Just anger is quite lawful. "Be ye angry and sin not" (Ps. iv. 5). That anger alone is sinful which desires to take personal revenge.

2. Those who indulge anger injure their health, temporarily lose the use of reason, make themselves hated, and incur the danger of losing eternal salvation.

How foolishly those act who are transported with anger! They punish themselves for another man's fault. Anger is prejudicial to the health and shortens one's life. It causes the gall to overflow, and poisons the blood. The man who is in a rage is like the angry bee which loses its sting, or like a volcano, that widens its crater and burns itself out. Anger exhausts the body in every part. When a man is in a rage, he trembles in every limb, his heart beats high, his

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tongue falters, his face burns, his eyes glow like fire, he shouts aloud. Anger cherished in the breast destroys life as the worm at the root of a tree. " Envy and anger shorten a man's days " (Ecclus. xxx. 26). Many men have had a stroke brought on by anger, some have fallen down dead through rage. If anger is so hurtful to the body, what must it be to the soul! Anger temporarily deprives a man of the use of reason. Every violent emotion troubles the under standing. The mind of an angry man is like the surface of the sea when lashed into fury by the waves; it reflects nothing distinctly. Aristotle compares the effect of anger on the mind to that of smoke in the eyes, or it may be compared to a fog, through which it is impossible to see things in their true proportions. Anger is an intoxication, a temporary madness ; for one who is thoroughly enraged is not master of his own actions. Hence St. Francis of Sales, speaking of one who was mad with anger, said : " Lord, forgive him ; he knows not what he does." Thus in his anger a man will act most unjustly; he will do what he afterwards regrets. The anger of man worketh not the justice of God. Men in their anger are worse than wild beasts, for the lion when he is enraged does not fall upon his companion lions, whereas the irate man vents his wrath upon his fellow-men. He is worse than the evil spirits, for they live in amity with one another, although they are the authors of all dissension. And how men rage against one another ! Whence come blows, murders, feuds, lawsuits? A man who is easily provoked to anger is hated by his fellow-men; he is as little welcome as a hurricane or a waterspout; every one avoids an angry man as every one gets out of the way of a mad dog. He has no -friends : " Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man" (Prov. xxii. 24). Men are easily led by calm reason, but they resist if an angry man attempts to domineer over them. It is easier to deal with a brute beast than with a man who is prone to anger, for the beast may be tamed, but with the wrathful man one is never safe. He who gives way to wrath is in danger of eternal damnation, for he deprives himself of grace. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in the heart where anger abides, for where anger is there is no peace. As the inhabitant of a house constructed of wood is in constant danger of having it burnt down, so the choleric man is in constant danger of injuring his soul and being cast into everlasting fire. In fact hell has already begun for him, since he is a prey to unceasing agitation and unrest.

3. Anger must be overcome in the following manner: We must never speak or act when we are angry, but if possible, be take ourselves to prayer. If in our anger we have injured any one, we should make amends for the wrong done without delay.

One must never speak nor act when one is angry. One should do as mariners do; when a storm arises they cast anchor, and wait until the tempest is over. St. Francis of Sales, on being asked how he could remain so imperturbably placid in regard to persons who were raging with anger, replied : " I have made an agreement with my tongue never to utter a word while my heart is excited." A heathen philosopher once counselled the Emperor Augustus to repeat the twenty-four letters of the Greek alphabet when he felt within him

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the ebullition of angry passions. " Let every man be slow to speak and slow to anger" (Jas. i. 19). Silence is an act of patience; this enables one to conquer. When the excitement is allayed, one can act as one thinks best. Prayer is very efficacious as a means of dispelling anger. When we feel the rising of passion within us, we should do as the apostles did when a storm arose on the lake. They went to Our Lord for succor. If we do so, God will command the waves of anger to be still, and calm will ensue. The saints counsel us to repeat silently an Ave Maria as a means of driving away the devil who tempts us. Or one may recite the Gloria Patri; at any rate we must have recourse to prayer immediately, for if we delay, our anger will gain ground, and will not be easily quelled. If we have offended any one in our anger, we should make amends by extreme politeness. "Let not the sun go down upon your anger" (Eph. iv. 26). Wrath frequently begets hatred. " It is better," says St. Francis of Sales, " never to let anger into thy heart, than to keep it within the bounds of prudence and moderation; for it is like a viper which if it once gets its head through a hole, slips its whole body through; and once admitted, it is no easy matter to drive it out."

7. Liberality

1. Liberality consists in being ready and willing, for the love of God, to give pecuniary assistance to those who are in need.

He who relieves the needy in order to elicit the praise of others has no claim to the virtue of liberality, for he is not actuated by the love of God. Even the poor may be liberal, for liberality does not depend upon giving largely, but upon giving with a good will; it is the disposition of the giver that makes the gift great or small. The liberal man is like God, for by showing mercy we resemble our heavenly Father, Whose mercy is perfect and infinite. The heathen sage Seneca used to say : " He resembles the gods who distributes to the poor."

2. By liberality we obtain forgiveness of sin, an eternal reward, and temporal blessings, besides a speedy answer to prayer and the friendship of our fellow-men.

This subject has already been considered. The liberal man rejoices those on whom he bestows his gifts, as the sun gladdens the earth with its rays. Christ could not employ a more forcible argument to urge us to perform works of mercy than by saying that what was given to the poor was given to Him.

8. The Opposite of Liberality: Avarice

1. Avarice consists in an inordinate craving for riches, which makes a man not only strive after them, but refuse to give any portion of his goods to the poor.

We call it an inordinate desire for riches when a man strives to gain far more than he really requires for himself and his family,

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and is never content, however much he possesses. Thus he is covetous. He is like a vessel without a bottom, that is never full, however great the quantity of liquid that is poured into it. He is like the wolf that is always hungry; like the fire, that ever requires a fresh supply of fuel; like hell, which is never satisfied. Avarice does not consist only in acquiring fresh riches with eagerness, but in greedily retaining what one already has. He who clings tenaciously to the property he has accumulated, is niggardly or penurious; he who grudges every little outlay, is a miser. We meet with covetous persons both among rich and poor. Among the wealthy one often finds money without avarice, and among the poor avarice without money. "The covetous is a worshipper of idols" (Eph. v. 5), for gold is his god. To this deity he devotes all his thoughts and all his care, all his efforts and aspirations, the sweat of his face ; he even sacrifices to it his spiritual welfare and his eternal salvation. As the angels find their highest felicity in the contemplation of the Godhead, so the rich delight in nothing more than in handling and counting their money. How great a sin is this, which subjects us to the dominion of those things which were created for our service !

2. The avaricious are miserable both in time and in eternity; for the sake of money they commit all manner of sins, they lose the faith and their peace of mind, they are cruel to themselves and hardhearted to their neighbor, and finally perish eternally.

The desire of money is the root of all evils (1 Tim. vi. 10). The devil hides behind money-bags as a snake conceals himself in a hedge; and he bites you with his venomous fangs when you greedily clutch at gold. He who accumulates riches an4 does not give to the poor is like a fount, which, if no water is drawn from it, becomes foul ; for a man's wealth will not benefit him if no portion of it is distributed to the needy. They that will become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition (1 Tim. vi. 9). For the sake of money the covetous fall into all manner of sins. " Such a one setteth even his own soul for sale" (Ecclus. x. 10). Greed of money fills the houses with thieves, the market with cheats, the law courts with perjurers, the eyes of the poor with tears, the prisons with criminals and hell with the reprobate. For money Judas betrayed his Lord and Master. Not until the Judgment Day will it be revealed how many lives have been sacrificed to this false god. The covetous love their faith. St. Leo the Great says that the greatest of all the evil arising from covetousness is the destruction of faith. The avaricious are so absorbed in the pursuit of material gain that they cannot give a thought to their spiritual welfare. You cannot serve God and mammon (Luke xvi. 13). A rich merchant lay on his death-bed, and a priest stood at his side, urging him to repentance. After setting before him the gravity of his state, the priest held up a silver crucifix before him. The dying man fixed his eyes upon it with a softened expression, and the priest rejoiced, thinking the man's heart was touched But no ; the only words that escaped his lips were these : " What do you consider that cross to be worth?" The covetous loses his peace of mind; he lives in perpetual anxiety lest he should lose his wealth.

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If riches increase, they are a burden to their owner; if they decrease, they torture him. The covetous is cruel to himself; the miser grudges himself the necessaries of life; he often endures the greatest privations. " He consumes his own soul, drying it up " (Ecclus. xiv. 9). He is like the oxen who carry the corn to the garner, and themselves feed on hay and straw. The justice of God often avenges on the miser the tears of the destitute by bringing him to poverty. The covetous is hardhearted towards his neighbor. He has no feeling for the suffering of others, he shows no compassion, he gives them no succor. His heart is as hard as the anvil, which is not softened by all the blows rained down upon it; for however great the need of his neighbor, the miser is never moved to pity. The covetous only think of what they can get from every one; as the shark devours all the fish that come in his way, so the covetous man ruins his neighbors. " He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul gathereth for others" (Ecclus. xiv. 4), who will squander his riches. The miser is an object of hatred to others. Calif as, King of Babylon, had stored a vast quantity of gold, silver, and precious stones in a tower; when he refused to part with a portion of these for the benefit of his army, the soldiers shut him up in the tower, bidding him satisfy his hunger and quench his thirst with the treasures he had been so eager to amass. The covetous will be eternally damned. The Apostle includes them among those who will not possess the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. vi. 10). Our Lord says: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven " (Matt. xix. 24). It is a remarkable fact that the ancient poets identified Pluto, the god who reigned supreme in the infernal regions, with Plutus, the god of riches, as if to show that avarice leads to hell. The lover of money gets no good to himself; he undertakes long journeys, he exposes himself to labor and perils for the sake of gain, and when death comes what has he of it all? For all his wealth he has nothing but a shroud, a few planks, and a few feet of earth ; while he leaves his property to his smiling heirs, who ridicule the contemptible parsimony he practised.

3. The surest means whereby the avaricious can conquer the greed of gain, is by forcing themselves to give alms. They ought besides to meditate frequently on the poverty of Christ, and the ephemeral nature of earthly possessions.

Since the best method of correcting a vice is by exercising the opposite virtue, avarice will be cured by liberality. "What," asks St. Augustine, " can so effectually counteract avarice as the poverty of the Son of God? Consider, O miser, that thy Lord and thy God, Who came down to earth from heaven, would not possess any of the riches at which thou dost clutch so eagerly. He loved poverty and lived in poverty ; and, thinkest thou, ought a miserable mortal to desire ardently what the Lord of all creation despised?" Kemember also that we must part with all our earthly possessions at our death. We brought nothing into this world, and certainly we can carry nothing out (1 Tim. vi. 7). That which you leave behind at your death will pass into the hands of others, who will perchance make a bad use of it to their own damnation. " The most effectual medicine

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for the disease of avarice," says St. Augustine, " is to think daily of death." True riches are not earthly possessions, but virtues ; pursue them (1 Tim. vi. 11), for they are treasures which thieves cannot steal or moth and rust corrupt. Why, then, busy one's self about the acquisition of evanescent treasures?

9. Temperance in Eating and Drinking

1. Temperance consists in not eating and drinking more than is necessary, and not being either too greedy or too dainty in regard to the nourishment one takes.

Temperance teaches us not to eat or drink more than is needful to support life. A sage of antiquity used to say : " We do not live to eat, but we eat to live." One who is temperate does not fully satisfy his appetite, or take what is injurious to his health; he has regular, fixed hours for his meals. He eats such things as are set before him (Luke x. 8), and is not angry when a dish is badly served. What concerns him most is to have food which suits his digestion and gives him strength for his work.

2. Temperance is highly advantageous to soul and body; it improves the health, lengthens life, strengthens the faculties of the mind, fosters virtue and leads to everlasting life.

Moderation at table is advantageous both to body and soul and is the source of many virtues. We are travellers on earth, and we shall expedite our arrival in the celestial country, if we only make such use of the things of this world as is indispensable to enable us to proceed on our journey.

3. Diligent meditation on the truths of our holy religion will assist us to form a habit of temperance.

He who sustains his mind with spiritual aliments will not care greatly for the food of the body; for fleshly desires are suppressed when the love of celestial things fills the heart. As Our Lord said: " Not in bread alone doth man live," etc. Let us lift our eyes up to heaven, lest we should be allured by the baits of earth. Above all, think on the privations many of the poor endure, of the privations Our Lord endured. There are thousands of poor who think themselves fortunate if they only have sufficient bread and water to still their hunger and quench their thirst. How kind God has been to you in giving to you so much more than to them, and how ungenerous it would be on your part, if you abused His liberality for the gratification of your palate. If He vouchsafed for your sake to feel the pangs of hunger, how much the more ought you to be abstemious for your own interest.

10. Intemperance in Eating and Drinking

1. Intemperance consists in eating and drinking much more than is necessary, and in being greedy or dainty in regard to one's food.

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"Food ought to be looked upon as a medicine to sustain the body," says St. Augustine, and by no means made use of for the gratification of the palate. Intemperance is displayed by sumptuous feasting (witness Dives); excess in drinking, e.g., Baltassar; greediness, e.g., Esau in regard to the pottage of lentils; daintiness, e.g., the Israelites in the wilderness, who longed for the flesh-pots of Egypt (Exod. xvi. 3). The glutton and the drunkard are more contemptible than brute beasts, for the latter leave off eating when they have had enough, and the glutton does not do this. Those who eat with great avidity are like birds of prey, which in their voracity swoop down upon their victim the moment they decry it. Intemperance is productive of much harm. We must not forget that had the apple not been attractive to the appetite death would not have come upon the human race.

2. By intemperance a man injures his health, weakens his mental faculties, destroys his reputation, and reduces himself to poverty; falls into vice, often comes to a miserable end, and is eternally lost.

Intemperance destroys the health. The fire goes out when too much coal is heaped upon it, and the stomach is ruined when it is overloaded with food. Excess in drink is as prejudicial to the system as excessive rain is to agricultural districts. Dyspepsia, loss of appetite, dropsy, apoplexy, are the results of want of moderation in eating and drinking. Many lose their reason by indulgence in strong drinks, and end their days in a madhouse. By surfeiting many have perished (Ecclus. xxxvii. 34). Over-indulgence in the pleasures of the table has a bad effect on posterity. Physicians assert that there is an innate weakness in those that are the offspring of drunkards. Intemperance weakens the mental faculties. Intoxication obscures the mind as a fog obscures the sun. The intemperate cannot raise their hearts to God, any more than a bird that has gorged itself with food can soar aloft to the sky. Intemperance also weakens the will; it renders us incapable of resisting temptation and avoiding sin, just as a ship too heavily laden cannot outride a storm. It also destroys a man's reputation ; JSToe, when drunk with wine, became an object of derision to his own son. Thus a man when in liquor makes a fool of himself, talks nonsense, and is mocked even by children. The Lacedemonians used to show drunken Helots to young people that they might learn to despise this degrading vice. Intemperance reduces men to poverty. The drunkard squanders in one day the wages earned by many days of work, and renders himself incapable of labor. " A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich " (Ecclus. xix. 1). Intemperance leads to all kinds of sins, to immorality and godlessness As in a morass all manner of weeds grow rank, so evil lusts grow and flourish in an over-fed body. Those who eat and drink immoderately waste their money, feel disinclined to prayer at night on account of the inertia produced by excess, and in the morning because of headache and sensations of discomfort ; they miss Mass on Sundays, contract debts, live in discord with their families, and fall into sins of impurity. Remember that Herod had been feasting when he caused John the Baptist to be beheaded; Baltassar had been drinking deeply when he desecrated the sacred vessels of

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the sanctuary; the rich man in the Gospel who refused a morsel of bread to Lazarus fared sumptuously every day. Intemperance leads to uncleamiess and godlessness; the glutton and drunkard forget their final end; they have no understanding for the truths of religion ; " the sensual man perceiveth not those things that are of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. ii. 14). A sudden and miserable end often overtakes those who indulge in strong drink. Our Lord thus warns such persons : " Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly" (Luke xxi. 34). As we live, so we die. Holofernes was asleep, exceedingly drunk, when Judith cut off his head (Judith xiii.) ; the voluptuous Baltassar was sleeping off the effect of his revels when the enemy made their way into the city (Dan. v.). The death of individuals who perish in this manner is all the more deplorable because they die unrepentant and without the last sacraments. Those who are addicted to excess seldom correct themselves; they may amend and abstain for a time, but too often they relapse into their former sins, and eternal perdition is their fate. The rich man was buried in hell. Our Lord says : "Woe to you that are filled for you shall hunger" (Luke vi. 25). Drunkards shall not possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor. vi. 10). " He that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption " (Gal. vi. 8). Think of the flames of hell, and you will be able fully to subdue the impulses of nature. Resolve never to omit a short prayer before and after meals ; to take what is set before you so as to check daintiness, and never to eat to satiety.

11. Chastity

1. Chastity consists in preserving the mind and body free from everything that might stain their innocence.

St. Stanislaus Kostka left the room instantly if a single objectionable word was uttered in his presence. St. Aloysius did the same. Many persons have given up all they had, even their life, in order to preserve the virtue of chastity; witness Joseph in Egypt, St. Agnes, St. Agatha, and other saints. Chastity is a superhuman perfection; it is divine in its origin, for God brought it to earth from heaven. Those who practise this virtue are like the lily (Cant. ii. 1). Every tiny insect that rests upon the snowy petals of the lily mars its dazzling whiteness and disfigures its beauty; so the mere thought of evil is a stain upon the mind of the man who lives chastely. Rough handling spoils the fair lily and causes it to wither, so the man who lives chastely suffers from indiscriminate intercourse with those around him. The lily grows upright, straight and slender ; so the man who lives chastely must ever look upwards and tend towards heaven. The lily fills the whole house with its fragrance; so the man who lives chastely edifies all with whom he associates by his good example.

Those who lead a chaste life resemble the angels and are most pleasing in God's sight.

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Those whose life is pure are angels in human form. Chastity is an angelic virtue; by it men become like the angels. Chaste souls are in fact superior to the angels, because they have the flesh to combat, which the angels have not; they preserve angelic purity in spite of the continual temptations of the devil. What differentiates the angels from men is not their virtue, but their bliss. The purity of the angels is more blissful; that of man is stronger because it is the result of struggle. We learn from the lives of the saints that angels delight in the company of chaste mortals, thus proving that they regard them as their equals. The devils know that through chastity man recovers the angelic dignity which he lost, hence they strive assiduously to instil impure thoughts into his mind. Men who live chastely are extremely pleasing to God. Christ when on earth showed a predilection for chaste souls ; He chose a pure virgin for His Mother, a man of angelic purity for His foster-father; the Baptist, who was purified in his mother's womb, was His precursor; the chaste John was His favorite disciple, privileged at the Last Supper to rest upon His breast; at the foot of the cross two pure souls stood; and He loved little children because of their innocence. "He that loveth cleanness of heart shall have the King for his friend" (Prov. xxii. 11). God calls the chaste soul by the endearing title of friend, of sister, of spouse (Cant. iv. 6-8). The Son of God so delighted in virginity that He chose to be born of a virgin, and to give to man an example of it in His own person. The pure also enjoy the esteem of their fellow-men in a high degree. Even the heathen respected chastity. The Romans had their vestal virgins, who during their service in the temple, a period of thirty years, lived in celibacy. When they appeared in the streets, public honor was shown them, and if they chanced to meet a criminal on the way to execution, he was immediately pardoned. If pagans respected those of their daughters who preferred virginity to the married state, ought the Christian to look with contempt on the virgin who from supernatural motives does not marry ? " O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory, for the memory of it is immortal: because it is known both with God and with men" (Wisd. iv. 1).

2. Those who lead a life of chastity possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit in abundant measure ; they will be happy here on earth, and will enjoy special distinction in heaven hereafter.

Purity of heart is health to the soul; it also gives light to the understanding. The chaste are like a crystal without flaw, or a clear, gently-flowing stream, in which the face of heaven is mirrored. Purity of heart, interior brightness and angelic freedom aid to the attainment of wisdom ; it imparts knowledge to savants and teachers, to philosophers and theologians. It was through his spotless purity that St. John the Divine penetrated so deeply into the sublime mys teries of the faith, that, in the commencement of his Gospel, he soared as on eagle's pinions, to gaze upon the Godhead. Purity enables a man to gaze undazzled upon the Sun of justice. It also endows the soul with heroic courage. Judith, a weak woman, displayed such heroism at the siege of Bethulia, that she went into the enemy's camp and beheaded Holoferaes. Holy Scripture says of her, "For

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thou hast done manfully arid thy heart has been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity" (Judith xv. 11). The pure of heart easily acquire other virtues ; they are happy.even in this world. Chastity possesses an indescribable attraction and intrinsic sweetness; it affords enjoyments far more delightful than sensual pleasures. Purity is also health to the body; virginal purity is an earnest and foretaste of the immortality of the glorified body. He who lives chastely generally enjoys better health and lives to an advanced age. Sometimes God in His wise providence withdraws pure souls from earth in their youth; if so, He takes them away lest wicked ness should alter their understanding or deceit beguile their souls (Wisd. iv. 11). Those who lead a chaste life -./ill enjoy special distinction in heaven. Virginal souls will be near to the throne of God ; they will stand around the Lamb and follow Him whithersoever He goeth. They will sing a new canticle that no man could say (Apoc. xiv.). God will crown the chaste souls (Cant. iv. 8), that is, He will confer upon them a special and singular glory. The chaste generation triumpheth forever (Wisd. iv. 2). Virginal souls will have their portion with the Blessed Virgin. Even here on earth God chooses them as the recipients of His revelations, to them He discloses His secrets, to their petitions He turns a gracious ear. Queen Esther obtained from her royal consort all that she asked because of her fidelity and attachment to him ; so the heavenly Spouse grants the petitions of all chaste souls.

3. It is the bounden duty of every man to preserve chastity inviolate until he embraces the married state.

This is enjoined by God in the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue. Among the Jews a breach of chastity was punished by stoning (Deut. xxii. 21). The Romans buried alive any vestal virgin who violated the vow of virginity. See how severe a penalty the law of Jews and pagans inflicted upon those who outraged chastity !

4. The following means should be employed for the preservation of chastity: We should be temperate, accustom ourselves to exercise self-control, receive the sacraments frequently, pray devoutly to the Mother of God, love to meditate upon the truths of religion, especially upon the presence of God and the four last things; finally we should observe moderation in frequenting the ballroom and the theatre, and be guarded in our intercourse with persons of the opposite sex.

St. Augustine declares that the preservation of chastity is the greatest victory achieved by the Christian, and requires the hardest struggle. The Fathers of the Church call it a martyrdom; a blood less martyrdom, it is true, but not on that account the less sublime. For the martyr's agony is short, and admits him immediately to celestial glory; whereas the safe-guarding of chastity demands a prolonged, a lifelong conflict. Self-control has been enlarged upon under the head of the means of attaining perfection in general. We may particularize the necessity of bridling the tongue and observing custody of the eyes. St. Augustine says that tattlers and

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busy-bodies are in great danger of losing their purity. Death comes up into the soul through the window of the eyes (Jer. ix. 21). The lion is said to be tamed by blindfolding him ; so we can subdue our evil proclivities by strict custody of the eyes. Fasting is another aid to the preservation of purity; the flesh is tamed, just as animals are, by depriving them of food. " Be not drunk with wine," says the Apostle, "wherein is luxury" (Eph. v. 18). "Feasting fosters fleshly lusts," says St. Ambrose, " and wine heats the blood and in flames the passions of young men." Prayer and the sacraments are means of grace without which it is impossible to conquer one's self. " It is a mistake," says St. John Chrysostom, " to imagine that one can in one's own strength vanquish concupiscence and preserve purity; by God's mercy alone can the passions of nature be con trolled." No man can otherwise be continent, unless God give it him (Wisd. viii. 21). Through confession and communion the will is strengthened and man is enabled to avoid sin. The Adorable Sacrament of the Altar is the corn of the elect, and a wine springing forth virgins (Zach. ix. 17). The wine of earth is prejudicial to purity, the wine of heaven produces purity. Devotion to the Mother of God is also most efficacious; to how many young people has it proved the means of maintaining themselves in innocence, like the angels! Segneri speaks of a dissolute youth whom a priest in the confessional told to recite three Ave Marias every morning in honor of the immaculate purity of Our Lady; after some years the young man returned to the priest, and informed him that to this practice he owed his complete conversion. Meditation upon the truths of religion destroys the taste for sensual pleasures. " Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh" (Gal. v. 16). Those who delight themselves in God care for no other joys; after tasting spiritual joys, those of earth are insipid and even abhorrent. He who remembers that God is present everywhere and sees everything will not do what is displeasing in His sight. Witness the conduct of Joseph (Gen. xxxix. 9), and Susanna (Dan. xiii. 35). Do not deceive yourself with the hope that your sin will remain hidden, for God is omnipresent, and from Him nothing can be concealed. " In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin" (Ecclus. vii. 40). If the flame of impurity blazes up within you, think of the eternal fire, and that thought will quench it. St. Martinian, a hermit in Palestine, when tormented by temptations, thrust his feet into the fire ; and when he screamed with the pain, he asked himself, since he could not bear that feeble flame, how could he endure the everlasting burning of hell-fire? The subject of dancing and theatre-going has already been treated of. Unrestrained and familiar intercourse with persons of the opposite sex is to many a source of danger. Undue familiarity between young men and women is as likely to inflame the passions as straw is to blaze up when brought into contact with fire. One cannot be too careful in this respect. Love your own fireside. " If the candle is to be kept alight," says St. Thomas Aquinas, " it must be put into a lantern ; so if you mean to live chastely, beware of going too much abroad."

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12. Unchastity

1. Unchastity consists in thoughts, words, or deeds, which are destructive of innocence.

If the chaste resemble the lily, the unchaste resemble a thornbush, which tears one to pieces. It was in order to expiate sins of impurity that the Redeemer of the world suffered Himself to be cruelly scourged, and crowned with thorns.

Unchaste persons are like the brute beasts; they are unlike God and displeasing to Him, and are regarded with contempt by man.

Impurity degrades man to the level of the brute beast. The unchaste prefer the gratification of their lusts to the joys of paradise. To them the words of the Psalmist may be applied : " Man when he was in honor did not understand ; he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them" (Ps. xlviii. 21). Pride is the sin of angels, avarice is the sin of man, and lasciviousness that of the brute. It is most degrading to humanity, which is brought so near to the Deity by the Incarnation of the Son of God, to be unduly subject to any dominion but that of God. By unchastity man loses his likeness to God. Through this sin man defiles the image of God in which he was created and commits a grievous offence against the Most High. It is because no other sin defiles a man as this does, that it is called by the name of impurity, or uncleanness. The unchaste are extremely displeasing to God. In primitive ages, when mankind fell into various sins, even that of idolatry, God bore with them patiently; but when they fell into impurity and sank even deeper in that vice, their wickedness was so abhorrent -to Him, that it repented Him that He had made man upon the earth (Gen. vi. 6). St. Philip Neri possessed the gift of discerning the chaste from the unchaste by the sense of smell; to the former a sweet odor attached, whereas the latter stunk in his nostrils. Those who violate their chastity are thus spoken of by the prophet Jeremias : " How is the gold become dim, the finest color is changed. The noble sons of Sion, they were clothed with the best gold, now they are esteemed as earthen vessels. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets " (Lam. iv. 1, 2, 5). The unchaste lose the esteem of their fellow-men; "they are trodden upon as dung in the way" (Ecclus. ix. 10).

2. Unchaste persons do not possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Ghost, they are severely chastised by God in this life, and after death are condemned to eternal perdition.

The indulgence of evil lusts is a bait the devil throws out, and those w"ho swallow the alluring morsel are drawn by him to destruction. The end of this sin is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a twoedged sword (Prov. v. 4). St. Jerome declares that the fruits of this sin are more bitter than gall. Since the unchaste are without the light of the Holy Spirit, their understanding is completely darkened. When man descends to the level of the beasts, he loses that intelli-

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gence which distinguishes him from the brute; he becomes like the horse arid mule, which have no understanding (Ps. xxxi. 9). "The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. ii. 14). Through yielding to this sin, King Solomon lost his wisdom, and was so blinded by folly that he turned aside to follow the gods of the heathen (3 Kings xi.). The will is weakened by the sin of impurity; it creates a sort of paralysis in regard to good works, and thus amendment is rendered most difficult. The unchaste is a prisoner who has forged iron fetters for himself. Impurity is a snare of the devil, and those who are caught in this net can hardly escape ever from its meshes. It leads moreover into many other sins : Jealousy, hatred, murder, etc. The terrible consequences of this sin are seen in the case of Henry VIII. ; it was the cause of his rupture with Rome, and the apostasy of the English people. Unchastity is severely punished in this life; peace of mind is lost, the bodily health is impaired. " Every sin that a man doth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body " (1 Cor. vi. 18). The voluptuary soon loses the bloom of youth, and becomes prematurely aged. Special chastisements, moreover, overtake those who violate chastity; the Deluge was sent on the earth on account of that sin (Gen. vi. 7), and the Lord rained down brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrha because the transgressions of the inhabitants in the same respect had become exceed ingly grievous (Gen. xviii. 20). And if in the present day God does not visit impurity with the same condign punishment, it is because an infinitely fiercer fire, an infinitely more rigorous chastisement, is reserved for sinners of our own time. Eornicators, we are told, shall not possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor. vi. 9). "Neither fornicators nor unclean hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God " (Eph. v. 5). Of the heavenly Jerusalem it is said there shall not enter into it anything defiled (Apoc. xxi. 27). The soul of the fornicator shall be taken away out of the number (Ecclus. xix. 3). If you live according to the flesh you shall die (Rom. viii. 13). The gratification is momentary, the penalty is eternal.

3. The best means of avoiding the sin of impurity is flight.

Remember how Joseph acted (Gen. xxxix.). There are other means of avoiding this sin, such as the reception of the sacraments, devotion to the Mother of God; yet the best of all is instant flight from temptation. The Apostle says that we ought to resist all temptations to sin, but from impurity he bids us flee — fly fornication (1 Cor. vi. 18). In battling with sensual temptations cowards gain the victory; they seek safety in flight.

13. Zeal in What is Good

1. Zeal in what is good consists in working out one's salvation with all earnestness and fervor.

Unless zeal springs from the love of God it is valueless. It must also be discreet, or it will do more harm than good. He whose zeal is without discretion is like a man who is gathering up the cockle

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in a field, roots up the wheat together with it (Matt. xiii. 29). Blind zeal is only pernicious. If Alexander the Great performed such great achievements for the sake of earthly renown, what ought not we to do, who aspire to eternal glory ! We ought each day so to serve God as if it were the first day of our consecration to His service. We should be like the merchant, who never thinks he has made enough money, but is continually on the watch for fresh gains; or like the traveller who does not look back upon the way he has traversed but only onward to the goal before him. He who is zealous in what is good avails himself as far as he can of the means of grace the Church affords for his sanctification; he is assiduous at prayer, he frequently approaches the sacraments, he listens attentively to the Word of God, and reads spiritual books. He neglects no opportunity of doing good works; he never refuses an alms to the poor man, he conscientiously observes the fasts of the Church, he devotes his free time to prayer. Moreover he who is zealous in what is good cheer fully makes sacrifices for God ; he is glad when he is ridiculed or perse cuted for his faith; he rejoices in the sufferings that come to him from God; he will give up anything rather than commit sin; he is even ready to lay down his life for Christ, if need be. He who is zealous in what is good exerts himself also for the salvation of others. He strives to deter his subordinates, his friends, his relatives, from sin; he admonishes them and prays for them; he prays besides for the conversion of heretics and sinners; how much the saints did in this way! Zeal is like fire which spreads to all around, both far and near.

2. Without zeal in what is good we cannot be saved, for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.

Our Lord says : " Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. vii. 21), and in another place He says : " The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away" (Matt. xi. 12). Of those who run in a race only he who perseveres will receive the prize (1 Cor. ix. 24). Let us not imagine that it is an easy matter to be saved. Eternal felicity is spoken of as a kingdom, the city of God, the house of God, paradise, a crown. All these things can only be acquired by a fierce battle, or for a large sum. Only those who have had a long training can obtain a high salary. Yet the kingdom of heaven is bought cheaply; the price paid for it conies infinitely short of its value. Without zeal and energy nothing good can be accomplished. God allows obstacles to be placed in the way of every good work, to test our will. No good work can be performed without some sacrifice ; no virtue can be gained without a struggle. " The greater violence thou offerest to thyself, the greater progress thou wilt make " (Imitation, Book 1, ch. 25). We cannot expect our prayers to be heard, unless we persevere in spite of all hindrances. Remember the example of St. Monica, and the blind man by the wayside (Luke xviii. 35).

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The Opposite of Zeal : Sloth

1. Sloth consists in shunning everything that conduces either to our temporal or eternal well-being, provided it be toilsome.

Sloth displays itself either by indolence, dislike of work, and the non-fulfilment even of the duties of one's calling; or by tepidity in and indifference to what is good and conducive to one's spiritual welfare. The slothful man displays distaste for all good works. We find life and movement and activity in all nature; the celestial hosts laud and magnify the Most High continually; the heavenly bodies revolve unceasingly in space; trees and herbs grow to their appointed size ; the tiny ant lays up a store in summer, the busy bees make honey and do not suffer drones to live; and shal] man alone be an idler, an exception to all creatures whom instinct teaches to abhor idleness ? " Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways " (Prov. vi. 6). The indolent postpone all work to a future day, and only pursue sensual pleasures. To-morrow, to-morrow, not to-day, is their cry. The lukewarm Christian wills and does not will ; he would fain have the wages God gives, but he will not work for Him; as soon as it is a question of putting force upon himself he shrinks back. Yet the slothful think they do more than others, for while the fervent look at those who do better than themselves, to learn humility, they on the contrary look at the good, not in others but in themselves. Hence the slothful never attain perfection. Great sinners have been known to become great saints, but the lukewarm never.

2. Idleness leads to all kinds of vice ; it brings misery in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come.

Idleness hath taught much evil (Ecclus. xxxiii. 29) ; it is in fact the source of every evil habit. Man is like the earth: if a field be not sown with good seed, a crop of weeds spring up and grow apace; so if man has no useful occupation, his natural activity turns to all manner of mischief. Iron rusts when it is not used; water when stagnant becomes foul; and man, corrupted by idleness, becomes the abode of evil passions, and falls into manifold temptations. The busy man is assailed by one demon, the unemployed by a hundred. Idleness ruins the young, for it destroys all that is good in them. The man who does nothing all day long is like the trunk of a tree, without foliage and without fruit. Idleness brings misery in this life. Holy Scripture says of the slothful : " Want shall come upon thee and poverty" (Prov. vi. 11). St. John Chrysostom declares idleness to be the parent of poverty and the root of despair. It also brings a man to eternal damnation. Idleness is in itself a sin. A servant may not steal, or drink, or be insolent; but if he has the fault of being lazy, his master will dismiss him from his service. God acts in the same manner. " Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire" (Matt. vii. 19). The servant who refuses to trade with the talents his lord has confided to him, shall be cnst into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. xxv. 30). The idler cannot indeed hope that heaven will be his portion, for Our Lord says : " Call the laborers

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and give them their hire." God does not love those who love their own ease. He expressly states that those who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, He will vomit out of His mouth (Apoc. iii. 16), that is to say, He is disgusted with them. Our God is a consuming fire, and He delights in the adoration of the seraphim, who are innamed with burning love. An open unbeliever is less abhorrent to Him than a tepid Christian.

3. Those who are inclined to indolence should think frequently of the reward, both temporal and eternal, of industry, and thus they will overcome their distaste for work.

" Look not, O Christian," says St. Augustine, " on the labor that it costs thee; look rather to the rest and the joys which God promises thee ; see how infinitely they outweigh all thy toil." " In doing good let us not fail ; for in due time we shall reap, not failing " (Gal. vi. 9).