FRIDAY IN THE SEVENTH WEEK AFTER PENTECOST. Quæ mihi fuerunt lucra, hæc arbitratus sum propter Christum detrimenta. Verumtamen existimo omnia detrimentum esse, propter eminentem scientiam Jesu Christi Domini mei; propter quem omnia detrimentum feci, et arbitror ut stercora, ut Christum lucrifaciam.Philip. iii. 7. The things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ. Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung that I may gain Christ. I. CONSIDER how bright was the light of faith and of the Gospel teaching that shone in the mind of the Apostle S. Paul when we see how, under the influence of this light, those very objects which he at one time looked upon as the greatest gain, came to appear to him no longer any gain at all, but a loss. The same change is brought about in any one else that is in possession of a similar interior light. Oh how such a one stands amazed on thinking that he could ever have so blindly adhered to the maxims of the world and made so much account of useless competition, of precedence over his equals, of the empty applause of men! If in thy own case, after having embraced the religious life, thou dost not feel ashamed of thyself for having once upon a time gone in search of those temporal advantages thou hast now abandoned for Christ's sake, it is a sign that thou dost not guide thy life by this heavenly light. Justitia lumen non luxit nobis-Sap. v. 6-The light of justice hath not shined unto us. II. Consider that the Apostle not only reckoned as loss what he before looked upon as gain, but he went further still, and counted as loss everything else that was not Christ; that is to say, nobility of birth, eloquence, talent and other such endowments; because whosoever would set his heart on these must either give up all idea of aspiring after the imitation of Christ Our Lord, or else must abandon His service altogether. It was this frame of mind, that, namely, which causes a soul to reckon as loss all those temporal advantages which are held in such high esteem by the world, it was this that made an Apostle of S. Paul on account of the true and great knowledge he acquired in the school of Jesus Christ, where he learnt that no one can be His follower who does not make a complete renunciation into His hands of all that he has and of all that he is. Qui non renuntiat omnibus quæ possidet, non potest esse meus discipulus-Luc. xiv. 33-He that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple. This is that eminent degree of true knowledge to which thou must strive to attain. If thou succeedest, not only will all the temporal advantages thou didst possess in the world appear to thee no loss, but not even all thou possibly couldst enjoy; and Jesus hanging naked on the cross will be thine in their stead, and satisfy thy cravings more thoroughly than the possession of all of them together. III. Consider what was the esteem the Apostle formed of all the possible advantages the world can confer. He looked upon them all as dung Arbitror ut stercora; because he was aware of the difference there is in value between the goods of this world and Jesus Christ. If we examine the advantages and pleasures which the world proffers, we shall discover that those which have reference to the concupiscence of the flesh are tainted with the stench of sin; those that belong to the concupiscence of the eyes-in other words, to avarice--are sordid and vile; and those, in fine, that belong to the pride of life-that is, to ambition—are full of rottenness and corruption; and therefore did the Apostle say of all these: Arbitror ut stercora―I count them but as dung. What a pitiable state of things would it not then be, if instead of imitating the Apostle, thou shouldst forget thy vocation and forsake Christ to go in guest of these fulsome and corruptible goods and pleasures of earth, which S. Paul cast away from him as so much dirt, in order to possess Jesus crucified. SATURDAY IN THE SEVENTH WEEK AFTER PENTECOST. Labora sicut bonus miles Christi.-2 Tim. ii. 3. I. CONSIDER that every true Christian ought to be a soldier of Jesus Christ, fighting the good battle either, as in the case of the martyrs, against tyrants; or against error, like the doctors of the Church; or against the passions of the flesh and the attacks of the devil, as is the common lot of all the faithful. Thou wouldst, perchance, persuade thyself that no one of the three sorts of warfare just enumerated meets thy own case, but this is not true. They are applicable to every one, because, although it is not necessary to be always actually engaged in combat, there is always great need of being in readiness for an engagement. Hence the Apostle does not employ the word certawrestle, but labora sicut bonus miles-labour like a good soldier. Even in time of peace soldiers do not live in idleness. So also thou, though not actually engaged in holding thy own against tyrants, must imitate the martyrs by wrestling with thy passions, by accustoming thyself to maintain the lustre of thy faith just as though thou hadst to make profession of it before a public tribunal; by habitually despising this fleeting life and persecuting and mortifying thy body as though thou hadst to be handed over to a cruel executioner. But if thou art bent on seeking thy own ease and pampering thy flesh, how canst thou boast of being a soldier of Christ Jesus? II. Consider that although it does perchance fall to thy lot to combat error, as is the office of the doctors of the Church and of the preachers of the Word of God, yet for all that in thy quality of soldier of Christ thou oughtest to render thyself expert in combating and refuting so many maxims and customs that one hears and sees amongst Christians, but are in open contradiction to the practical teaching of the Gospel; as for instance that it is dishonourable to pardon an enemy, to yield one's views and opinions, to refrain from giving way to anger, to humble oneself, and many other like falsities. How, then, canst thou make profession of being a soldier of Jesus Christ and not show thyself eager to condemn these false maxims, which worldlings sow broadcast wherever they go, in opposition to the teaching of the Gospel? Labora sicut bonus miles Christi-labour like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. III. Consider that thy duty as a true soldier of Christ does not consist even in battling against thy passions and their accomplices, the devils, only when they actually assault thee; but even if they happen to give a short truce, thou must always be on the look out with thy weapons at hand. It is just when thou deemest thyself in the greatest security that there is the greatest need of watchfulness, for it is just at that time that Almighty God will sometimes allow them to attack thee more fiercely in punishment of thy heed lessness. No soldier is ever called upon to be always actually fighting, but every soldier has continually to endure hardships. Moreover, in order to conduct thyself as a true soldier of Christ, thou must fight, not like a mercenary whose end in view is his pay-money, but like a volunteer who fights for his king only; thy only aim and object in fighting against the enemies of God must be to please Him as He watches thee from His throne in heaven to see how thou deportest thyself in difficulties; ut ei placeat qui se probavit-2 Tim. ii. 4—that he may please Him to Whom he hath engaged himself. EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. Filii hujus sæculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt-Luc. xvi. 8. The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. I. CONSIDER how the dishonest steward of the Gospel, through fear of being discharged on account of his bad management, and of being persecuted by his master, set himself to think in good earnest about his own interests, and to contrive how he might provide for his own future: yet thou, who hast squandered so many benefits received at the hands of God, hast no misgivings about the direful calamity and irreparable loss that awaits thee when thou wilt have to balance thy accounts. Alas! how many of the great natural and supernatural gifts God Almighty has bestowed on thee, to be expended in His service and employed for His glory-how many of these, I say, hast thou squandered and misapplied for the benefit of thy own |