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diff --git a/30579-tei/30579-tei.tei b/30579-tei/30579-tei.tei new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d9db25 --- /dev/null +++ b/30579-tei/30579-tei.tei @@ -0,0 +1,5417 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> + +<!DOCTYPE TEI.2 SYSTEM "http://www.gutenberg.org/tei/marcello/0.4/dtd/pgtei.dtd" [ + +<!ENTITY u5 "http://www.tei-c.org/Lite/"> + +]> + +<TEI.2 lang="en"> +<teiHeader> + <fileDesc> + <titleStmt> + <title>The Shepherd Of My Soul</title> + <author><name reg="Callan, Rev. Charles J.">Rev. Charles J. Callan</name></author> + </titleStmt> + <editionStmt> + <edition n="1">Edition 1</edition> + </editionStmt> + <publicationStmt> + <publisher>Project Gutenberg</publisher> + <date>December 2, 2009</date> + <idno type="etext-no">30579</idno> + <availability> + <p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and + with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it + away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg + License online at www.gutenberg.org/license</p> + </availability> + </publicationStmt> + <sourceDesc> + <bibl> + Created electronically. + </bibl> + </sourceDesc> + </fileDesc> + <encodingDesc> + </encodingDesc> + <profileDesc> + <langUsage> + <language id="en"></language> + </langUsage> + </profileDesc> + <revisionDesc> + <change> + <date value="2009-12-02">December 2, 2009</date> + <respStmt> + <name> + Produced by David Clarke, David King, and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at <http://www.pgdp.net/>. + (This file was produced from images generously made + available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries.) + </name> + </respStmt> + <item>Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1</item> + </change> + </revisionDesc> +</teiHeader> + +<pgExtensions> + <pgStyleSheet> + .boxed { x-class: boxed } + .shaded { x-class: shaded } + .rules { x-class: rules; rules: all } + .indent { margin-left: 2 } + .bold { font-weight: bold } + .italic { font-style: italic } + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps } + </pgStyleSheet> + + <pgCharMap formats="txt.iso-8859-1"> + <char id="U0x2014"> + <charName>mdash</charName> + <desc>EM DASH</desc> + <mapping>--</mapping> + </char> + <char id="U0x2003"> + <charName>emsp</charName> + <desc>EM SPACE</desc> + <mapping> </mapping> + </char> + <char id="U0x2026"> + <charName>hellip</charName> + <desc>HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS</desc> + <mapping>...</mapping> + </char> + </pgCharMap> +</pgExtensions> + +<text lang="en"> + <front> + <div> + <divGen type="pgheader" /> + </div> + <div> + <divGen type="encodingDesc" /> + </div> + + <div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <p rend="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center">The Shepherd Of My Soul</p> + <p rend="font-size: x-large; text-align: center">By Rev. Charles J. Callan</p> + <p rend="font-size: large; text-align: center">Of the Order of Preachers</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">John Murphy Company, Publishers</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">100 W. Lombard St.</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">Baltimore, MD.</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">Printers to the Holy See</p> + <p rend="text-align: center">1915</p> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <head>Contents</head> + <divGen type="toc" /> + </div> + + </front> +<body> + +<pb n='001'/><anchor id='Pg001'/> + +<div> + +<p> +Nihil Obstat: +</p> + +<p> +M. A. WALDRON, O. P. S. T. M. +</p> + +<p> +J. A. McHUGH, O. P. S. T. Lr. +</p> + +<p> +Imprimi Potest: +</p> + +<p> +J. R. MEAGHER, O. P. S. T. Lr. +</p> + +<p> +Imprimatur: +</p> + +<p> +++ J. CARD. GIBBONS. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='005'/><anchor id='Pg005'/> + +<div> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>Psalm of the Good Shepherd</head> + +<p> +The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. +</p> + +<p> +He maketh me to lie down in pastures +of tender grass. +</p> + +<p> +He restoreth my soul. +</p> + +<p> +He leadeth me in the paths of justice +for his name's sake. +</p> + +<p> +Yea, though I walk in the valley of +the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, +for thou art with me. +</p> + +<p> +Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort +me. +</p> + +<p> +Thou spreadest before me a table in +the presence of mine enemies. +</p> + +<p> +Thou anointest my head with oil; my +cup runneth over. +</p> + +<p> +Surely goodness and mercy shall follow +me all the days of my life, and I +shall dwell in the house of the Lord unto +length of days. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='007'/><anchor id='Pg007'/> + +<div> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>Introduction.</head> + +<p> +No types more beautiful could have been +chosen under which to picture the character +of our Lord and the souls He came to +redeem than those of a shepherd and his +flock. As nothing on earth could more fitly +illustrate the infinite love and sacrifice of +the Saviour than the enduring labors and +tenderness of a shepherd, so nothing here +below could better portray the multiple +wants of our spirits than the needful dependent +nature of sheep. After the knowledge +we possess of our Redeemer, only a slight +acquaintance with the characteristics of +pastoral life, as it exists in oriental countries, +is needed to discern the charming fitness +of these comparisons. The similarity +is at once striking and most easily understood. +Hence it is that our Lord, as well +as those who described Him before He +came, so often appealed to shepherd life +when speaking of the Messiah's mission; +<pb n='008'/><anchor id='Pg008'/> +hence, also, it is that He was so fond of calling +Himself the Good Shepherd, and of +alluding to the souls He loved as His sheep. +</p> + +<p> +It is the purpose of the pages that follow +to trace some of these beautiful and touching +resemblances of the shepherd and his +flock, on the one side, roaming over the hills +and plains of Palestine, and the Saviour of +the World with the souls of men, on the +other, pursuing together the journey of life. +We have taken as our guide, in noting these +charming likenesses, the Twenty-second +Psalm, or the Psalm of the Good Shepherd, +every verse of which recalls some feature +or features of pastoral life, and sings of the +offices, tender and varied, which the shepherd +discharges towards his flock. +</p> + +<p> +As this shepherd song was composed and +written in the Hebrew tongue, the language +of ancient Palestine, we have employed here +a literal translation from the original language, +simply because it expresses much +more beautifully and more exactly than +<pb n='009'/><anchor id='Pg009'/> +does any rendering from the Latin or Greek +the various marks and characteristics of the +shepherd's life and duties. The oriental +languages, like the people who speak them, +are exceedingly figurative and poetic in +their modes of expression; and hence, for +our present purpose, it is only by getting +back as closely as we can to the original that +we are able adequately to appreciate the +beauty and poetry of that simple but +charming life about which the Psalmist is +singing. +</p> + +<p> +Although the Shepherd Psalm refers, in +its literal sense, to the human shepherd attending +and providing for his sheep, it has +also another higher meaning, which its author +gave it, and this has reference to Christ +in His relations with the souls He has made +and redeemed. It is by reflecting on this +sense of the psalm, and on all His gracious +dealings with us, that we are enabled to +realize how rightly and justly our Saviour +is called the Shepherd of Our Souls, and +<pb n='010'/><anchor id='Pg010'/> +how beautifully the Psalmist, in the shepherd +song, has depicted His relations with +us. And how important this is! how much +it means for our spiritual welfare and spiritual +advancement to reflect on the many +mercies of Christ and on the love He bears +each one of us! If the considerations that +follow assist their readers to appreciate +more fully and love more ardently the Divine +Shepherd of Souls, who daily and constantly +throughout our lives is ministering +to our spiritual needs and trying to further +our eternal interests, the desire and aim +which prompted their writing will be fully +and perfectly realized. +</p> + +<p> +<hi rend='smallcaps'>The Author</hi>. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='013'/><anchor id='Pg013'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>I. Christ the Good Shepherd.</head> + +<p> +It was announced by the prophets of old +that the Messiah, who was to come, should +bear the character of a good shepherd. He +was to be a shepherd, and His followers, +the faithful souls that should believe in +Him and accept His teaching, were to be +His sheep. It was foretold that He would +select and purchase His flock; that He +would choose them from out the vast multitudes +of their kind and gather them into +His fold, that He would provide for them +and guard them against every evil; that He +would lead them out to green pastures and +refresh them with the waters of rest. <q>He +shall feed his flock like a shepherd,</q> sang +the Prophet Isaias; <q>he shall gather together +<pb n='014'/><anchor id='Pg014'/> +the lambs with his arms, and shall +take them up in his bosom, and he himself +shall carry them that are with young.</q><note place='foot'>Isa. xl. 11.</note> +In like manner did Jeremias, referring to +the comforting advent of Christ, liken the +offices which the Saviour would perform +towards His people to those of shepherds +towards their flocks. <q>I will set up pastors +over them,</q> said the Prophet, speaking in +the name of Jehovah, <q>and they shall feed +them; they shall fear no more, and they +shall not be dismayed; and none shall be +wanting of their number.... Behold +the days come, saith the Lord, and I will +raise up to David a just branch; and a king +shall reign, and shall be wise, and shall execute +judgment and justice in the earth.</q><note place='foot'>Jer. xxiii. 4, 5.</note> +The Prophet Ezechiel also prophetically +portrayed the Saviour's character when he +pictured Him in the capacity of a shepherd +visiting and feeding his sheep: <q>For thus +<pb n='015'/><anchor id='Pg015'/> +saith the Lord God: Behold I myself will +seek my sheep, and I will visit them. As +the shepherd visiteth his flock in the day +when he shall be in the midst of his sheep +that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, +and I will deliver them out of all the places +where they have been scattered in the cloudy +and dark day. And I will set up one shepherd +over them, and he shall feed them, +even my servant David; he shall feed them, +and he shall be their shepherd.</q><note place='foot'>Ezech. xxxiv. 11, 12, 23.</note> +</p> + +<p> +And when at length the Saviour did appear +in the world, He declared, not only by +His life and example, but in explicit terms, +that He was the fulfilment of these prophecies—that +He was, in truth, the Good Shepherd, +and that His followers were the sheep +of His fold. In the tenth chapter of the +Gospel according to Saint John we have +His own words to this effect. There He +tells us plainly that He has not come as a +<pb n='016'/><anchor id='Pg016'/> +thief and a robber, to steal, to kill, and to +destroy; that He is not a stranger, at the +sound of whose voice the sheep are terrified +and flee away; that He is not a hireling, +who cares not for the sheep, and who, beholding +the approach of the wolf and the +enemy, fleeth and leaveth the sheep to be +snatched and scattered and torn. The Saviour +is not any of these, nor like unto them. +He is the Good Shepherd who enters the +sheepfold by the door, and not as the thief +and robber who climb up some other way. +To Him the porter openeth, and He calleth +His sheep, and they know His voice and +follow Him, and He leadeth them out to +pasture, to rest, and to abundant life. Nor +is this all, for He protects and guards His +sheep. By day and by night He is ever +near them: when circling the green plains, +or beside the still waters, or when asleep +beneath the silent stars, the sheep are protected +by their Shepherd. Faithfully He +watches His dependent flock; and at the +<pb n='017'/><anchor id='Pg017'/> +end, as a proof of His love and fidelity, He +generously lays down His life for His +sheep. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='018'/><anchor id='Pg018'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>II. Shepherd Life in the Orient.</head> + +<p> +We cannot appreciate the beauty of this +picture of our Saviour under the symbol of +a shepherd, nor can we later understand the +detailed description which is given of Him +through the spiritual meaning of the Good +Shepherd Psalm without first taking into +account some of the features of pastoral life +as it prevails in eastern countries. For us +of the western world it is difficult, and at +times next to impossible, to represent to ourselves +the life and customs of the Orient; +and in particular do we find it hard to picture +to our minds and to understand the +simple poetry of that shepherd life for +which Palestine has always been known. +Time has little changed the scene of the +Saviour's earthly labors. The people, their +manners and customs, their life and occupations, +remain much the same now as when +<pb n='019'/><anchor id='Pg019'/> +the land was graced by His sacred presence. +Thus today, as in those olden times, all the +level country east of the river Jordan, as +well as the mountains of Palestine and +Syria, serves as vast pasture lands for innumerable +flocks and herds. The country +throughout is essentially pastoral in its character, +and the care and raising of sheep +constitute the chief industry of the people. +From sheep the people are furnished with +nearly all the necessaries of life—with meat, +clothing, milk, butter, and cheese. +</p> + +<p> +The care of sheep is a delicate and, in +many ways, a difficult task. Not that they +are froward or hard to manage, for of all +animals they are the most tender and gentle; +nor again, that they need abundant nourishment +in the way of food and drink, since +they require water but once a day, and can +maintain life and strength on a plain which, +to the naked eye, seems little more than a +barren waste of sand. But because, in other +respects, they are exceedingly timid and +<pb n='020'/><anchor id='Pg020'/> +helpless creatures, especially in times and +places of danger, the burdens which their +welfare and safety impose upon the shepherd, +while paternal and winning, are, +nevertheless, arduous and manifold. There +are the changes and hardships of the climate—the +cold and frost in winter, and the +heat and drought of summer; there are the +long rough walks, the steep and dangerous +passes which they must climb and descend; +there are perils from robbers, from wolves +and wild beasts, which not infrequently demand +the shepherd's utmost watchfulness +and care. The oriental climate is such that +they can graze nearly the whole year +through; and whether they be grazing on +the wide open plains, or huddled snugly +within the sheepfold, it pertains to the +shepherd to provide for their varied needs. +His vigilance can never cease. He must +lead them out to pasture and to water, he +must guide and protect them, he must +gather them into the fold at night or into +<pb n='021'/><anchor id='Pg021'/> +caves and enclosures, at times, during the +day, to shield them from great danger, +whether from enemies or violent weather; +and upon all occasions he must be prepared +to defend them, even at the risk of his own +life. +</p> + +<p> +The folds or sheep pens, it must be observed, +into which the sheep are gathered +for rest or protection are not roofed over or +walled in like a house. They are enclosures +left open to the sky, and consisting simply +of a high wall of rough stone, to protect +the sheep from the attacks of wild beasts, +and from prowling marauders who threaten +their safety by night. It often happens +that several flocks, belonging to different +shepherds, will graze on the same pastures +during the day, and will be penned in the +same sheepfold at night. While the sheep +are sleeping, and the shepherds near by are +taking their needed rest, the door of the fold +is carefully locked, and another shepherd +or porter is left on guard, lest perchance a +<pb n='022'/><anchor id='Pg022'/> +hungry bear or wolf might scale the wall +and destroy some member or members of +the sleeping herds. Early in the morning +the shepherds come in turn and rap at the +door, and to each the porter opens. Then +each shepherd calls his flock by name; and +they, knowing his voice, follow him, and he +leads them out to their pastures. There is +never any confusion, for each flock knows +its own shepherd and obeys him alone. +Other shepherds they will not heed; and +from the voice of strangers they flee. +</p> + +<p> +It is a beautiful scene to see a shepherd +with his flock. First, we must remember +that he never drives them, but leads them; +and they follow him with instinctive love +and trust whithersoever he goes. He usually +carries a rod and a staff: the latter he +uses, when need be, to assist the sheep along +dangerous paths and narrow passages; the +former, to protect and defend them, if assailed +by enemies or beasts of prey. Another +evidence of their implicit love of their +<pb n='023'/><anchor id='Pg023'/> +shepherd and trust in his goodness, as also +of their obedience to his voice and commands, +is beautifully manifest when several +flocks are led to drink at the same stream or +well. Although the sheep need to drink +but once a day, the shepherds never forget, +throughout the day's roaming, that they +must lead their flock to water. And as the +drinking places in Palestine are comparatively +few, it often happens that several +herds, whether from the same or neighboring +pastures, will arrive simultaneously at +the same spring. But here again, there is +neither trouble nor confusion. When they +have drawn near to the place of water each +shepherd gives a sign to his flock, and obedient +to his voice, the respective flocks lie +down and patiently wait their turn to drink. +The troughs are then filled with the refreshing +water, and when all is ready a shepherd +calls and his flock at once rises and comes +forward to drink. The sheep being satisfied, +the shepherd gives another sign, and +<pb n='024'/><anchor id='Pg024'/> +they promptly return to their previous place +of rest, or move quietly away to their pasture, +as the shepherd may direct. Another +flock is then called up, watered and led +away, and so on, in like manner, till all have +been duly satisfied. +</p> + +<p> +With this passing glance at shepherd life, +we can better understand and better appreciate +the likeness between the character of +the Saviour and that of the good shepherd. +We can see how apt it was that our Redeemer +should choose a shepherd, with his +multiple and tender cares and duties, to illustrate +His own watchfulness and loving +kindness towards the many wants and needs +of our souls. For we are, indeed, His sheep. +He has called us, we have heard and understood +His voice, and He has gathered us +into His flock and fold. He has literally +vindicated for Himself in our regard all the +attributes and qualities of the good shepherd, +so far as described, and as still further +depicted in every verse of the Twenty-second +<pb n='025'/><anchor id='Pg025'/> +Psalm. This is called the Psalm of +the Good Shepherd, because in it the Psalmist, +under the symbol of a shepherd, prophetically +foretold the character of the +Messiah, our Saviour. The psalm has, +therefore, a twofold meaning: in its literal +sense it deals with the faithful shepherd, +ranging with his flock over mountains and +plains, and providing for their every want; +and in its spiritual and prophetic meaning +it relates to our Creator and Saviour, caring +for our spiritual necessities. Let us see how +this is; and that we may better perceive the +application in detail, let us take this shepherd +song, part by part, and see how beautifully +it describes the whole person of +Christ as God, and in His capacity as Redeemer—in +all His tender relations with +us, and towards the various needs of our +souls. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='026'/><anchor id='Pg026'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>III. The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want.</head> + +<p> +How full of meaning and how comprehensive +are these simple yet beautiful words +which introduce the Good Shepherd Psalm! +They at once sum up the whole round of the +shepherd's life—his duties, his solicitude, +his ceaseless care of his sheep. But here, +be it noted, in this opening verse, the reference, +so direct and unmistakable, is not to +an earthly shepherd; it is to the benign and +constant Providence of Jehovah towards +His children, to the untiring love of God, +our Father and Saviour, for the souls He +has created and redeemed. The Psalmist +is looking back, in grateful remembrance, +upon the history of his race, and upon his +own life in particular, and he traces there +at every step the goodness and watchfulness +of his Creator. He sees there has never +<pb n='027'/><anchor id='Pg027'/> +been any want. Dark days at times have +come upon his nation, sufferings and trials +there have been; and in these, as in other +respects, his own individual experience has +mirrored the history of his people; but +throughout it all there has never been any +lasting want. As the shepherd is ever near +his sheep, whether at peace or in trouble, to +provide for their needs, so, sings the Psalmist +in gratitude, has God been near him and +his people. And his confidence is unshaken; +that which has been in the past will +be in the future; as sheep put their trust in +their shepherd, so will he put his trust in +his Lord and God. Nor is this gratitude +for past favors and this unshaken trust for +the future to be restricted to the Psalmist +alone; his words had meaning not only for +himself; he knows the same Providence +provides for us all, and therefore he would +have his words find an echo in the hearts +and sentiments of all. +</p> + +<p> +The Lord is my shepherd; He ruleth me +<pb n='028'/><anchor id='Pg028'/> +with the rod of gentleness. I am His creation, +He has bought me with a great price, +He has set me a divine example and taught +me the way to life. There may be times of +distress for me, brief periods of temporal +need; but surely, since I am the possession +of my God, and He is providing for me, +nothing can long be wanting to me—permanent +want there can never be. +</p> + +<p> +The Lord ruleth me, and all my kind, as +a shepherd ruleth his flock. What a consoling +thought to each one of us, if only we +be faithful souls! How unspeakable the +thought, how surpassing the privilege to +know and to be assured that we belong to +God! that out of countless millions of creatures, +far nobler than we, to whom He +might have given the joy of life, He has +chosen to select us; to think that He has +allotted to us a short period of existence +here below, during which it is our privilege +to be able to merit and draw near to Him +for eternity; and that after this, our little +<pb n='029'/><anchor id='Pg029'/> +time of trial, we are to reign with Him in +everlasting glory! Of a certainty we are a +favored people and a royal race, for we belong +to God. He has purchased our souls +by creating us, He has come down from +Heaven to redeem and buy us back from +the enemy to whom our race in folly had +surrendered itself, He has borne our sorrows +and our sufferings to make amends for +us and to teach us the way to life, and finally +He has given His own life for our salvation. +</p> + +<p> +Since, then, God has created us, it follows +that He must have had us in His mind from +everlasting, because nothing that is, or can +be, is unforeseen by Him. From the remotest +dawn of eternity, therefore; from +the very beginning of the eternal years, He +saw us as He sees us now, clearly, distinctly, +lovingly. We did not exist from eternity +as we do now, but we were present to God +before we were to ourselves, He saw us mirrored +in Himself. And when, in time, He +<pb n='030'/><anchor id='Pg030'/> +called our race into being and endowed it +with life, we know what happened. This +human nature of ours which He had loved +from eternity, and favored in time with existence, +turned its back upon its God and +strayed away to sin and death. This was +the disobedience of our first parents, and in +their sin we all have shared, for the very +reason that they were our parents and responsible +for us as well as for themselves. +We became a ruined race, deserving punishment, +fit for perdition; and yet God did not +give us up. He followed after us, as it +were; He pursued us, as a shepherd pursues +his chosen flock, until finally He led us back +to His fold, and to pastures of rest and +plenty. +</p> + +<p> +It was not enough for God's goodness to +give us the gift of life, and to endow us with +understanding, will, and freedom; it did not +satisfy His bountifulness to make our life +fair here on earth, and to enable us to reap +much of the joys and pleasures with which +<pb n='031'/><anchor id='Pg031'/> +even this world abounds—no, far more than +all this has He wished and prepared for His +elect, for the souls who belong to His flock. +It was nothing less than Himself, Heaven +and its rewards, that the eternal Father had +in store for us when He called us into being. +In order, therefore, that we should not lose +our destined crowns through the guilt and +wounds of original sin, He provided for us +a remedy, He sent us a Saviour, who was +His only son, our Lord Jesus Christ. +</p> + +<p> +Now since it is to Christ, the Saviour, +that the spiritual meaning of the Shepherd +Psalm refers in a particular manner, it is in +Him especially, and in His earthly life, that +we discern and find fulfilled the chiefest +qualities of the good shepherd. As God, +we see, He has, indeed, been our shepherd +from the beginning, creating and endowing +our nature, and providing for us unnumbered +benefits, temporal and eternal. But +it is in His human nature, in His character +as God and man, that He draws nearest to +<pb n='032'/><anchor id='Pg032'/> +us and proves unto us in ways most gracious +that He is, in truth, our loving Master and +the Shepherd of our souls. Marvelous, assuredly, +has been the goodness of God to +create us at all; and still more marvelous +that He should have destined us for a participation +in His own eternal blessedness; +but in no way has the heavenly Father so +stooped to us, in no way has He so manifested +His utter condescension towards us, +as in the abasement of His Only-begotten +Son, <q>who, being in the form of God, emptied +himself, taking the form of a servant.</q><note place='foot'>Phil. ii. 6, 7.</note> +For let us reflect that to raise our race from +its fallen state and restore it to the divine +good-pleasure, it was not necessary that the +Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity +should have come down to earth. Such extraordinary +means were not of necessity to +bring us back to Heaven's smile and favor. +As by a simple act of His omnipotent will +<pb n='033'/><anchor id='Pg033'/> +God had called the world and us and all +that is out of nothingness in the beginning, +so again by a single wish of the same divine +will He could have restored us, from a condition +of bondage and sin, to the realms of +grace and peace. And even when the Son +of God did condescend, in accordance with +the will of His Father, to clothe Himself +with our nature and visit our blighted +sphere, how simple, really, He could have +made our redemption! How easily could +He have blotted out the handwriting that +was against us, and presented our tearful +world, all smiling and glad, to the arms of +His eternal Father! Yes, Christ could +have made our redemption easy. He could +have paid our debt to God in a thousand +different, simple ways, had He wished it so. +One drop of His precious blood, one tear +of His eye, one sigh of the Sacred Heart +would have sufficed to redeem innumerable +worlds like ours. +</p> + +<p> +But the Saviour wished it otherwise. He +<pb n='034'/><anchor id='Pg034'/> +was our Shepherd and He loved us, His +deceived and wounded sheep. He was with +the Father when we were planned and made. +He it was, in truth, who made us, for He +and the Father are one.<note place='foot'>Jno. x. 30, 38; xii. 45.</note> He, therefore, +knew our nature, since He designed and +gave it to us. He foresaw our yearnings +and aspirations; He knew the sublime, transcendent +possibilities of which, with His +help and divine example, we are capable; +He understood the heights of love and worship +to which the human heart can ascend, +when assisted from on high, and hence to +awaken and kindle on earth these all-consuming +fires;<note place='foot'>Luke xii. 49.</note> to stir the very depths of our +souls, and elevate and perfect our gifted +nature; to afford us the utmost inspiration +to climb with Him the heights of Heaven. +He stooped to our own estate, in all things +made like unto us, except, indeed, our proneness +and ability to sin. Since He loved us, +<pb n='035'/><anchor id='Pg035'/> +He longed to be like us, in as far as that was +possible, and not even our sin-stained, +wounded nature could stay the force of His +love. +</p> + +<p> +There is another reason for the mysterious +manner of our redemption, a further +explanation of the extreme condescension +on the part of our Lord towards the frail +creatures whom He came to save. Had he +come to us in a foreign attire, with a nature +unlike our own, would it not have been difficult +for us to approach Him, and to put our +confidence and trust in Him? If He had +appeared like an angel, all bright and dazzling +with glory, if He had come as an +earthly king and ruler, crowned and clad in +regal splendor, would it not have been hard +for the poor ones of earth? would it not +have been a trial for those who were in need +of a shepherd's love and care? Already +sorely oppressed and trodden down by +worldly pomp and power, they could only +have tried to shun His notice and draw +<pb n='036'/><anchor id='Pg036'/> +back from Him with feelings of fear and +awe. But our Redeemer came not only to +save, but also to teach and to lead the way +to life. As a shepherd He was not to drive, +but to lead His sheep; He does not point +the direction, but goes before His flock, and +they follow Him, and He leads them out to +living pastures and to bright, sparkling, far-off +waters. +</p> + +<p> +Because He was God, as well as man, +Christ knew that, as a result of our sinful +state, we should have to pass our earthly sojourn +forever beneath the shadow of the +cross. When sin entered into the world by +the disobedience of the first man, the handiwork +of the Creator was despoiled. That +which before had been a paradise of pleasure, +replete with all delights, was wrecked +and ruined, and became a place of sorrow, +suffering and death. Thenceforth, pursuant +to the divine decree, the lot of man was +to labor, to suffer, and to die.<note place='foot'>Gen. iii. 19.</note> Knowing, +<pb n='037'/><anchor id='Pg037'/> +therefore, that this was to be our portion, +the Shepherd-Saviour of our souls must +also teach us the secret of pain and toil, and +help us to bear our cross. +</p> + +<p> +According, then, to our present state, suffering +and sorrow are inseparable from us, +because we are born into the world with sin +upon our souls, and in the wake of sin follow +all the evils to which the world is heir. +And, moreover, under existing conditions, +it is necessary for our future happiness that +our earthly life be largely spent amidst toil +and pain and tears. It is only through these +that we shall be able to atone for the injuries +sin has done, and hold in check the disorders +of our nature. The cross is before us +and we cannot escape it. It is ready for us +when we enter the world, it follows us +throughout the length of our days, and finally +bears us down in death to our graves. +This does not mean that life on earth is entirely +made up of pain and sorrow, for the +divine mercy has mitigated even the stroke +<pb n='038'/><anchor id='Pg038'/> +of sin, and has caused the world, in spite of +all its wounds, to bloom with many delights. +Nevertheless, our sojourn here below shall +always be fraught with diverse ills, and we +at last must yield to death. In spite of all +the world can afford us, in spite of its pleasures +and joys, its sunshine and pleasing pastimes, +real, though fitful and fast-flying as +they are; in spite of health and wealth and +fame and honor; in spite of all the goods +that life contains, it still is ever true that +we live in a region of tears, and that death +and sorrow are sure to follow upon the footsteps +of joy and mirth. It must be so, for +the stains of sin are indelibly upon the +world; and not until the final renovation +comes can life on earth be made entirely +happy. +</p> + +<p> +All this our Saviour knew when He chose +our human nature and embraced a life of +labor and sorrow. His divine foreknowledge +took in our lives, and the lives of all +our kind, until the end of all shall be. Our +<pb n='039'/><anchor id='Pg039'/> +infant tears, our trials and pains of body, the +ceaseless pangs of mind and heart that pursue +us throughout life, were all before Him +as in a mirror, and He must needs instruct +and assist us to fight this battle and walk +this way of earth, lest all should perish before +the journey's end. Since we were to +suffer, then He would suffer also; since our +lives were to be amidst labors and trials, +then He would labor and travail also; since +we were to feel the sting of pain, be subject +to heat and cold, be in want, in poverty, and +in distress, be misunderstood, be thwarted, +be cast down from our highest hopes, and +broken, at times, in every cheerful prospect—since +these and other countless ills +were to be woven in our web of earthly life, +He, the divine Master, who came to save, to +teach a lesson, to suffer and die, would assume +a body so sacred, so delicate, so pure +and sensitive that, when exposed to the +rough and ruthless ways of life, He could +truly cry out from the depths of His anguish: +<pb n='040'/><anchor id='Pg040'/> +<q>O all ye that pass by the way, attend +and see if there be any sorrow like unto my +sorrow!</q><note place='foot'>Lam. i. 12.</note> +</p> + +<p> +How comforting, then, it is for us to feel +that we are not alone in suffering, and to +know that, while all we suffer is but just and +due to our sinful state, we can nevertheless +make use of all our ills to attain to joys unending +in Heaven! If we must toil and +struggle while on earth, it is because these +things are a result of our state; if we must +be subject to sickness, to weakness and fatigue, +to cold and hunger, to weariness and +pain, it is not because God is pleased at the +misery of His creatures; neither does He +rejoice on account of our misfortune. We +are simply reaping the harvest of sin and +transgression, and sin is the work of our own +free choice and that of our ancestors. And +even though it be objected that we are born +into this inevitable condition, and are made +<pb n='041'/><anchor id='Pg041'/> +the unconsulted heirs of a heritage we loathe +but cannot escape, the solution of our difficulty +is not far to seek. We need but hearken +to the promptings of reason, and lift our +sorrowing eyes to the realms of faith to be +convinced that God's mercy and goodness +are above all His works,<note place='foot'>Ps. cxliv. 9.</note> and that for reasons +not less benevolent than holy He has +called us into life and permitted all our +woes. God could not have created us for +suffering and punishment, because He is infinite +goodness; He cannot be pleased at +our misfortunes, since He Himself has +borne our sorrows and carried all our +pains.<note place='foot'>Isa. liii. 4.</note> If He Himself had not come into +the world in visible human form; if He had +not explained our purpose and destiny, and +led the way to Heaven; if He had not, by +His words and divine example, provided us +with the solution for all life's difficulties, +then, in truth, we might object, and sit and +<pb n='042'/><anchor id='Pg042'/> +grieve and wonder. But in the light of the +life of Christ all this is altered; the picture +takes on a different coloring. Who now +can rail at the crosses of life and think of +the sufferings of Christ? Who can murmur +at the injustice of pain, and remember +the passion of Jesus? Who can say that +God is deaf to our pleading and unmoved +at our tears, and look upon the Saviour dying? +Who can believe that our lives are +of little worth, or of no account with the +Almighty, and recall the price that was paid +for our souls and ponder the death of our +God? +</p> + +<p> +Thus it is with a bountiful goodness that +the Saviour has purchased His sheep. By +His own free choice, by a life of suffering +entirely voluntary, endured for our salvation +and instruction, through a bitter, but +willing agony and death, He has provided +the means to free us from sin, and has bequeathed +to us every blessing. Now we +can truly say: the Lord is my shepherd, and +<pb n='043'/><anchor id='Pg043'/> +I shall not want. If only we can look into +that divine life which has been given as our +model, if only we can ponder it, and read +in it the lessons, the hopes, the inspirations +it contains for us, we shall not be weary of +our burdens and cares, we shall not falter +in any of life's battles. Rather, rejoicing +at our opportunities, eternal as they are, and +with feelings of exultant gratitude over our +condition, as heirs with Christ to the kingdom +of Heaven,<note place='foot'>Rom. viii. 17.</note> we shall bravely welcome +all the conflicts of life, being assured with +St. Paul that <q>that which is at present momentary +and light of our tribulation, worketh +for us above measure exceedingly an +eternal weight of glory.</q><note place='foot'>2 Cor. iv. 17.</note> +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='044'/><anchor id='Pg044'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>IV. He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Pastures +of Tender Grass; He Leadeth +Me Beside the Waters of Quietness.</head> + +<p> +Our attention is now directed to a particular +phase of the shepherd's life, and here +we see some of the ways in which he actually +provides for his sheep day by day. For it is +not enough that the shepherd has purchased +his flock, by means however difficult and +labors however loving; it is not sufficient +that he have procured for them, in a general +manner, all that they need for their life and +safety, he must also arrange for their daily +care and provide for their separate wants. +Sheep, as we know, are delicate creatures, +and they must be directed in their roamings, +and sustained by sufficient nourishment. +Accordingly, we have said that it +belongs to the duties of a good shepherd to +<pb n='045'/><anchor id='Pg045'/> +lead them out to pasture, and to provide for +them every day adequate food and drink. +</p> + +<p> +Here again we behold the infinite kindness +of the Shepherd of our souls. Not +alone has He deigned to stoop to our fallen +state and restore us from death to life, not +only did He take upon Himself our infirmities +and bear our woes, but tenderly also has +He provided for our constant direction, and +for the daily needs of our lives. +</p> + +<p> +The level to which the Saviour raised our +lives and the dignity to which He invites us +are far, indeed, above our natural powers. +Left to ourselves, we could never attain the +heavenly heights to which, in His goodness, +He has called us. Through the infinite +merits of His life and sacrifice we have been +redeemed and reclaimed from the enemy of +our souls; the gates of Heaven, closed +against us before, have been opened wide; +and our wayward race is again restored to +the road that leads to our immortal home. +But just because our celestial destiny is of +<pb n='046'/><anchor id='Pg046'/> +so high and sublime a character, it is impossible, +if left to our own abilities, that we +should be able long to pursue it, and vastly +beyond our sublimest hopes that we should +ever finally attain it. We have, it is true, +ever before us, the life and example of Him +who has saved us; we know that His cross +and death have delivered us from the wrath +that frowned upon us. But we are weak +and fragile mortals. With respect to things +of the higher life—of the supernatural +world—we, of ourselves, shall always remain +as helpless and frail as infants. Not +less unable is the babe of yesterday to traverse +unaided and explore the material +world, than the wisest of men would be to +know and grasp by his natural powers the +unrevealed good of the immortal human +spirit. And as, in our natural state, we +could not know the true end of our existence, +without a divine revelation, so likewise, +we could not pursue and attain our +<pb n='047'/><anchor id='Pg047'/> +spiritual destiny without special assistance +from on high. +</p> + +<p> +How well all this was known to our kind +and kingly Shepherd! How keenly did He +appreciate our frailty and inability to walk +alone the paths which He had trodden! Not +unmindful, therefore, was He constantly to +teach and direct the way which leads to unending +life. When going before his flock +and teaching them by force of example, He +did not omit to give them that saving doctrine +which, when He had disappeared, +would be their guide, and the guide to their +future shepherds in the direction of safety +and truth. Hence He propounded a teaching +which should be to its obedient followers +a realization at once of all He had promised +them, and of all their heart's desires. +Not that it would make them rich or great +in the eyes of the world and according to +human standards, but that it would confer +a truer and a higher greatness by lifting +<pb n='048'/><anchor id='Pg048'/> +them above their weak and natural level +and preparing them for eternal blessedness. +</p> + +<p> +Men had the Law before the coming of +Christ; they knew the ten commandments. +But the state to which the God-man called +them, and the eminence to which they were +raised, were quite beyond anything the +world till then had ever been able to conceive. +Human nature, under the New Covenant, +was invited to attain to perfection. +Things which before were thought impossible, +were now to be the objects of our daily +strivings. It was no longer an eye for an +eye, and a tooth for a tooth; now not only +was good to be done to those who were good +to us, but to those also who did us evil; not +only were we to love our friends, but to love +and assist our enemies also; not only should +evil deeds be avoided, but evil thoughts +were likewise forbidden—yea, we were +asked to be, in all our thoughts and deeds, +imitators of the Shepherd who leads us.<note place='foot'>Matt. v. 48.</note> +</p> + +<pb n='049'/><anchor id='Pg049'/> + +<p> +Poor human nature, when raised so high +above its natural powers, stood in perilous +need of a shepherd's tender care. The new +demands of every day made indispensible +new and special daily helps. While our +spirits can see and know the way, under the +light of heavenly teaching, yet how weak +and faltering is our flesh! We have the +will to do; but to accomplish, we alone are +not able. Therefore our Saviour said, <q>Of +yourselves, you can do nothing, but in me +all things are possible to you. The branches +are nothing unless they abide in the vine; I +am the vine, you the branches.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xv. 5.</note> Thus He +is our Leader, our divine Teacher and our +source of strength. Without Him we can +do nothing, but in Him we are strong. And +daily and constantly He is near us, though +we see Him not. It is He who sustains our +very life and moves us to all that is good. +Like an ever-present friend, He offers us +<pb n='050'/><anchor id='Pg050'/> +constant assistance: He instructs and guides +and helps us, and this is the strength and +food of our souls. God's grace it is, always +ready for our use, which makes possible all +the high demands put upon our nature. +Without it we should faint and starve on +our journey, and hence He who has planned +our high perfection, has provided the help +to attain it. What are those seven wonderful +sacraments which He has left us, but +perennial channels of grace, constant fountains +from which stream the life-giving +waters that nourish our weary souls and +make them strong for life eternal! Through +these sacred means we are brought into contact +with the life and merits of our Shepherd-Redeemer. +They prolong His life +and labors among us, they continue in our +midst the strength of His sacred presence. +</p> + +<p> +In a manner altogether special is this true +of the Holy Sacrament of the altar. By the +Holy Eucharist, Christ still is with us, and +will so remain till the end of time, as really +<pb n='051'/><anchor id='Pg051'/> +and as truly as He dwelt on earth in the days +of His mortal life. Bound down as we are +by the things of sense, we may, at times, be +tempted to complain that Christ in this sacrament +is all invisible to us. We can not +see Him directly and immediately. His +voice is silent and we do not hear Him; we +do not feel the caress of His hand. But +nevertheless we know He is present, for He +has said it, and His word must remain, +though heaven and earth should pass away. +Even were we privileged to see the sacred +humanity as it was seen of old in Palestine, +we should not then, more than now in this +sacrament, directly see the divinity concealed +by the human frame. Faith then +was required as well as now—faith in His +sacred words, made evident by His sacred +deeds. This is not strange; it is not too +much to ask. The same demand of faith is +daily made upon us in much of our intercourse +with our fellow mortals. Much that +we do not clearly see we must perforce believe, +<pb n='052'/><anchor id='Pg052'/> +else life would be impossible. The +same, in a measure, is also true in all our +human friendships. That which is most +precious in our friends, that which is the +source of life and beauty, of holy words and +loving actions, of all we love and cherish +in them, is the soul, the spirit that quickens +and moves; and this we do not see. +</p> + +<p> +Thus Christ in the Eucharist is truly present, +though faith alone can apprehend Him. +He requires of us this faith—this humble +subjection of our sensible faculties to the +power and truth of His words. It is all for +our good that now He is hidden from our +sight. He is not the less truly present, not +less truly kind, not less loving, not less merciful +and forbearing; but He wishes to exercise +our faith, to prove our fidelity and +trust in His teaching and promises, and +hence He is hidden from the powers of our +senses. +</p> + +<p> +In the sacrament of the Eucharist the +gracious Shepherd of our souls performs in +<pb n='053'/><anchor id='Pg053'/> +particular three offices for us: He is our +sacrifice, our silent patient friend, and in +communion He becomes the actual spiritual +food of our souls. As a victim He is daily +and constantly, from the rising to the setting +of the sun, lifted up for us in the holy +sacrifice of the mass. The mass is the perpetuation +of the sacrifice He offered long +ago for our redemption. All the altars +throughout the world, on which He is ever +born and dies again in mystic repetition, are +but an extension of the one great altar of +Calvary, where first He gave His life for +our salvation. And in this real and awful +sacrifice, forever repeated in our midst, He +pleads again our cause with God, the eternal +Father. Again in a mystic manner He +suffers for us, again He bleeds, again He is +nailed to the cross and raised on high, and +in that same abandoned, pitiable state, to +which His love for His flock has reduced +Him, ever and anon in our behalf He +pleads: <q>Father forgive them, for they +<pb n='054'/><anchor id='Pg054'/> +know not what they do!<note place='foot'>Luke xxiii. 34.</note> Holy Father, +Powerful God, stay Thy avenging hand! +and save the souls which Thou hast created +for Thyself, and for which till the end of +time I die!</q> He lifts, as it were, before +the great white throne, His bruised and +blood-stained hands, He shows those +wounded feet, the scar of the spear in His +sacred side; He points again to the agony +in the garden, to the scourging at the pillar, +to the cruel crown of thorns, to the weary +way of the cross, and exclaims to Him who +sits upon the throne, <q>Behold, my Father, +and see the price of my sheep, the tears and +sorrow and blood they have cost me! and +spare them and save them for the sake of +Thy Son!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Through the holy sacrifice of the mass, +identical as it is with the sacrifice of Calvary, +all the merits of Christ's life and death +are applied to our souls. By His physical +<pb n='055'/><anchor id='Pg055'/> +and bloody immolation on Calvary, Christ +purchased for us infinite treasures of grace, +and it is His will that these graces shall be +dispensed to us, even till the end of the +world, through the august sacrament of the +altar. Moreover, except for the mass, we +should not be blessed with the abiding actual +presence of our divine Shepherd among +us—that is, we should not possess Him in +that special, intimate manner in which we +now have Him in the Eucharist. For it is +only in the mass that the sacred species are +consecrated; and consequently it is through +the mass alone that He takes up His sacramental +presence in our midst and becomes +our food in holy communion. He could, +indeed, have ordained it otherwise, but such +has been His blessed will, and such the condition +in which we are placed by the direction +of His holy Church. +</p> + +<p> +Besides being our daily sacrifice, then, +under the appearance of bread and wine, +besides ever prolonging in our midst that +<pb n='056'/><anchor id='Pg056'/> +wondrous act of Calvary by which at once +He liberated our race and reopened to us +the gates of Heaven, the bounteous Shepherd +of our souls enters into the tabernacles +of our churches, and there in silent patient +waiting He craves the love of our hearts +and longs for our intimate friendship. He +is not content alone to plead for us with +God, His Father; He is not content continually +to renew in our presence the tragic +mystery by which at the end of His earthly +labors, He procured us every blessing—no, +over and above these sovereign acts of kindest +benediction, He wishes to remain among +us, and to converse with us, each and all, as +a friend would converse with his friend. +This is what He meant when He said by the +mouth of His inspired writer, <q>my delights +are to be with the children of men.</q><note place='foot'>Prov. viii. 31.</note> As +a Shepherd, His chiefest pleasure, as well +as His supremest care, is to be with the flock +<pb n='057'/><anchor id='Pg057'/> +He has purchased and loves. Yet it is a +lonely life for our Shepherd-King, this +abode in the silent tabernacle; but it is +all for love of us. He wishes to be there +where we can find Him, where we can come +to Him at any hour and speak to Him, to +praise and thank Him for all His dear and +endless gifts, to tell Him our needs and our +sorrows, to open our breaking hearts to Him +and reveal the secrets of our souls. This it +is that He desires from us—the outpouring +of our hearts and souls in His presence. +This it is which renders unto Him that +homage of faith and love and devotion that +He came into the world to inspire. It will +not do to say that, being God, He is acquainted +with all our thoughts and aware of +all our wants, for it is intimacy and confidence +that He desires, the intimacy and confidence +which alone can create a true and +noble friendship. <q>I will call you no longer +servants,</q> He said to His disciples, <q>but I +have called you friends; the servant knoweth +<pb n='058'/><anchor id='Pg058'/> +not what his Master doth, but a friend +is admitted to confidence.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xv. 15.</note> Christ in the +tabernacle is our friend; He has loved us +unto the end, and He yearns for our love in +return. Why is this? Why are we so precious +in His eyes? What are we that the +great Creator should at all be mindful of +us?<note place='foot'>Ps. viii. 5.</note> We must remember and ever bear +in mind the lofty purpose which the Creator +had in view when first He called us into being—the +same purpose it was which prompted +our redemption and all the gracious dispensations +that have followed thereupon—namely, +that God, while achieving His own +eternal honor and glory, might communicate +to us a portion of His own ineffable +blessedness. We were made for God, and +not for the world, or for creatures, or for +ourselves. And precisely because we are +the possession and property of God, He +wants us, soul and body, for Himself; and +<pb n='059'/><anchor id='Pg059'/> +in this blessed sacrament He calls to us individually, +<q>Son, give Me thy heart;</q><note place='foot'>Prov. xxiii. 26.</note> +<q>come to Me, all you who are burdened, +and I will refresh you.</q><note place='foot'>Matt. xi. 28.</note> <q>come to Me +and find rest for your souls, I will lead +you beside the waters of quietness.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But the excesses of our Shepherd's love +and care do not stop with the altar and with +the tabernacle. He is not satisfied with being +our daily sacrifice and our abiding +friend, not satisfied until He enters into our +very bosom and unites us to Himself. +Union with the beloved object and delight +in its presence are characteristic of all true +friendship, whether human or divine. That +which we really love we desire to have, to +possess, to be united with; and hence it is +that Christ, the lover of our souls, has not +only given His life to purchase us for Himself +and Heaven, but has so extended His +<pb n='060'/><anchor id='Pg060'/> +loving-kindness as to become Himself our +actual food. +</p> + +<p> +It is incomprehensible, in a human way, +that the love of a shepherd for his flock, the +love of God for His creatures, should be so +extraordinary as to provide the wondrous +benefits which Christ in the Eucharist has +wrought for us. We simply cannot grasp +with our feeble minds the prodigality of +such enduring love. But the Saviour knew +His purpose with us, and He knew the +needs of our souls. As guests destined for +an eternal banquet, and as heirs to celestial +thrones, it is needful for us, amid the rough +ways and perils of life, to be constantly reminded +of our royal destiny and strengthened +against our daily foes. This world of +ours is an arena in which each one must contend +for his eternal prize; and it is not possible, +considering our natural frailty and the +enemies that oppose our forward march, +that we alone, without an added strength, +should ever be able to win the battle of life. +</p> + +<pb n='061'/><anchor id='Pg061'/> + +<p> +Hence, as the body, to maintain its vigor +and perform its work, needs its material +and earthly food, so the soul, to live and be +strong, must be nourished with the bread of +Heaven. <q>The bread that I will give,</q> said +our Lord, <q>is my flesh for the life of the +world ... unless you eat of this +bread you cannot have life in you ... +and he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my +blood hath life everlasting, and I will raise +him up on the last day.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. vi. 52, 55.</note> +</p> + +<p> +In order, then, to sustain our spiritual life +on earth and to make us strong for our daily +conflicts, our heavenly Shepherd has left us +a food which is none other than His own +body and blood. What a prodigy of love! +What could He do for us that He has not +done? But, besides giving us strength, He +had another purpose in becoming our food. +Since He has chosen us for Himself, and +has provided, in another world, eternal +<pb n='062'/><anchor id='Pg062'/> +mansions for our souls,<note place='foot'>Jno. xvi. 2.</note> He wishes to make +certain, not only the happy issue of our +lives, but our ever-increasing resemblance +to Himself. He is therefore preparing us, +He is fitting us, through communion in the +Holy Eucharist, for our celestial home, and +for visible companionship with Himself. +Intercourse, communion, intimate relationship +produce likeness, even here on earth, +and it is a singular effect of Holy Communion +that, unlike earthly food, it changes +into itself all those who partake of it. Material, +natural food becomes the substance +of our flesh and blood, but frequent participation +in the heavenly nourishment of +Christ in the Eucharist transmutes our +whole being—our lives and thoughts and +actions—into its own supernatural character. +</p> + +<p> +Thus by living much with Christ on +earth, by intimate converse with Him, by +<pb n='063'/><anchor id='Pg063'/> +allowing Him to enter into our lives and +thoughts, and shape our conduct and actions; +and above all, by frequent and fervent +communion with Him in the sacrament +of His love, we become like unto Him, even +here in our state of exile. And this likeness +to Christ, which His faithful servants +assume here below, is a forestate of future +blessedness; it is a preparation for the great +reunion and the eternal banquet which +await us in Heaven. Already we are led +beside the waters of rest; we are directed +to pastures of sweetest nourishment; and +through the calm and vigor that reign in +the soul we experience even now a taste of +joys unseen. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='064'/><anchor id='Pg064'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>V. He Restoreth My Soul.</head> + +<p> +Throughout the pastoral country of the +Orient there are numerous places of great +peril for sheep. There are also, here and +there, private fields and vineyards and gardens +into which, if a member of a flock +should stray and be caught, it is forfeited +to the owner of the land. Strange as it may +seem, the sheep never learn to avoid these +dangerous spots and forbidden places, and +it behooves the shepherd to be ever on his +guard for them, and to rescue them when +wandering. +</p> + +<p> +Here we cannot fail to observe the striking +resemblance between this wayward tendency +of the shepherd's flock and our own +inclination and propensity to wander from +God and things eternal. The world is full +of occasions to evil; at every turn of the +road on our journey through life there are +<pb n='065'/><anchor id='Pg065'/> +fierce and crouching enemies who are waiting +the chance to capture and bear us away. +We know this; we have often been warned +of the danger; too many sad experiences +and breathless escapes have convinced us of +the sundry perils to soul and body that lie +along the way of life. But we, like senseless, +erring sheep, if bereft of the Shepherd's +guiding care, do not learn, in life's +sad school, the way to keep free from harm. +Though wounded repeatedly, and scarred +and worn, and left, perhaps, without human +aid, to waste and bleed our life away, +we do not see the lurking evils; we do not +discern beneath the mask the enemy whose +purpose is ruin and death. +</p> + +<p> +The creatures of the world, the things of +sense take vicious hold of us, and often drag +us to the very verge of perdition before we +are aware. They come to us unprepared, +and seek entrance into our lives and +thoughts, and allure us by deception. They +tell us that the world is fair and beautiful +<pb n='066'/><anchor id='Pg066'/> +and full of promise; that God, for the moment, +is not concerned; that the soul is secure +and safe, and the body and its needs +the only object of present solicitude. The +process is gradual. The turning away and +the loss are not at once and from the beginning +of seductive influences, but slowly and +unobtrusively in the guise of hope and high +expectation. There is Ambition, with its +glittering prospects, with its proffered rewards +and castles of air. To the young man +and young woman, just entering the arena +of life, Ambition says, <q>Come and follow +me, and I will crown you with glory and +honor. I will lift you above the common, +beaten paths of men and seat you on a gilded +throne. I will introduce you to my sister +Pride, and we two will make you happy. +Pride will teach you your true dignity, your +place and position in the universe; she will +remind you of your gifts and faculties, and +enable you to battle with the weak and the +strong; she will give you the secret of +<pb n='067'/><anchor id='Pg067'/> +knowledge and train you to soar above your +fellow-creatures and probe the mysteries of +God and Heaven.</q> Then Pleasure, with +dimpled cheeks and laughing eyes, and +words that sound like music to the ears, +hurries out to greet the passers-by, and +charms them by her shining gifts. <q>Make +me your object and your end,</q> she says, +<q>and I will make you blessed. Forget your +troubles and your cares, your fears of present +and future ills; rejoice and be glad, eat, +drink and be merry; indulge and drain to +dregs the cups of sense, for this is all there +is.</q> Philosophy comes with another hope. +<q>Drink deeply,</q> she counsels, <q>at the spring +of wisdom, and fear not God nor man; believe +and trust in me, and I will steal away +the sting of sorrow and pain; I will restore +you to man's primeval state and land you +safe on the shores of rest.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And when these deceivers—Ambition, +Pride, Pleasure, and the like—have plundered +and sacked their victim's goods, when +<pb n='068'/><anchor id='Pg068'/> +these painted idols of a passing world have +led away their worshippers as slaves, and +stripped them of all they possessed, they +give them over to evil habits and to masters +that scourge and tear them. Like other +prodigals, these pursuers of earthly phantoms +take leave of their Father's house of +comfort and plenty, they give up virtue, innocence, +honesty, purity; they go into a far +country to waste their substance living riotously, +only to awake, soon at latest, to a land +of famine, and to find themselves alone and +in want. Instead of the honor and fame +and high estate they sought to gain, instead +of the escape from evil and pain and labor +they hoped to find, they are sent into fields +to minister to swine—the swine of their own +degradation. +</p> + +<p> +So, to a degree, it is with us, each and all, +who listen to other voices and heed other +calls than the voice and the call of God. If +we prefer to stray to other fields and desert +the pasture of our Shepherd, if we prefer a +<pb n='069'/><anchor id='Pg069'/> +far country to our Father's home, if the +world and its fleeting pleasures are more to +us than God and His paternal rewards, +then we must of necessity find ourselves at +length in utter want and penury. It is this +possibility of deserting God, of seeking happiness +outside of Him, of overturning the +plans which He has made for our salvation, +that gives us a vision of the awful failure of +human life. The gifts of this world are by +nature fleeting and fast-flying, and if we +allow them to take the place of Him who +made them, no matter how great our present +boons, in spite of wealth and friends +and all success, we have missed our chance +and our purpose in the world, and can only +have at last a desolate and a ruined life. +</p> + +<p> +But how is it, then, one may ask, that +man can be so deceived? How is it that +we do not learn from others' disasters to +avoid, every one of us, those deceiving, ruinous +masters, those false gods that can lead +us away from the one true Shepherd of our +<pb n='070'/><anchor id='Pg070'/> +souls? It is, indeed, a curious fact that our +deception is so easy. Surely a rational, intelligent +being, who stops to consider, ought +easily to distinguish between the great God +of Heaven and the creatures of His hands. +It ought not to be difficult for us to see the +transient vanity of human things when compared +with the eternal mansions. But the +truth of the matter is, that we <emph>are</emph> deceived, +we do not at all times see the objects of our +choice as they really are objectively. Our +vision is defective and blurred. If God +stood out in our lives as He really ought to +stand, if He occupied that place in our +thoughts and plans which belongs to Him +by right, it would not be possible that +we should ever be led astray. And that +God does not always hold in our lives +the place which is His due is partly the +result of our fallen nature; partly, therefore, +in a way, excusable; but more frequently +and chiefly from our own perversity—from +wilful neglect of our highest duties. +</p> + +<pb n='071'/><anchor id='Pg071'/> + +<p> +The blindness and perversity of our nature, +which have come from the wounds of +original sin, make it easy for us, if we are +neglectful and careless of our higher spiritual +obligations, to mistake the false for the +true, evil for good, the creature for the Creator. +In the midst of the world and its allurements, +it behooves us to be ever watching, +if we are never to stumble and to fall. +Had our nature never been corrupted by +original unfaithfulness, had our first parents +never turned away from God and transgressed +His sacred precept, all our present +ills would never have existed. But now it +is different. We are born into the world a +weakened people; each one of us has had +an implicit part in the first transgression; +we all, like erring sheep, have gone astray. +And while this tendency to evil is part of +our natural condition, and therefore less imputable +to us, it nevertheless is true that +our actual sins and evil-doing are the work +of our deliberate choice. If, at any time, +<pb n='072'/><anchor id='Pg072'/> +we really turn away from God and break +His law, it is because we have freely chosen +so to act. The native perversity of nature +in a normal man can never explain and excuse +the grievous sins which he deliberately +commits. It is only true that a weak and +wounded nature leaves one less able to +choose what is right, and more disposed to +wrong. And since we know the state of +things, since we know that the fault is really +ours when we dare to stray to forbidden +deeds and places, how constant and unrelenting, +if we are truly wise, should be our +efforts to keep our vision unobscured and +our ears attuned to the voice and call of our +heavenly Shepherd! We know that by following +Him our way will be certain and +clear. Howsoever enormous the evils of +life, and notwithstanding all our weakness, +we know that in Him we are safe and strong. +But we must hear Him to follow Him, we +must be guided and directed by His gracious +commands. +</p> + +<pb n='073'/><anchor id='Pg073'/> + +<p> +This failure to hear and obey the voice of +God it is which more explains the falls and +sins of men than all their inherited frailty. +So long as His words are heard and directions +heeded, mistake and error are impossible. +We see, therefore, why it is that so +many actually do desert Him and are led +by evil voices. The cause chiefly lies in the +wilfulness of human nature and in the abuse +of human liberty. We cannot stand unless +God support us, and we shall surely fall if +He withdraws His supporting hand. But +the choice of evil, the beginning of unfaithfulness +comes from ourselves; for Almighty +God will never forsake us unless we first +forsake Him. +</p> + +<p> +If, ever, then, we find our lives to be at +variance with God, whether in lesser or in +greater matters, if it should ever be our +unhappy fortune to wander from Him, like +another prodigal, and waste our lives with +the enemies of our souls, we can be assured +that the desertion is all our own. We forget +<pb n='074'/><anchor id='Pg074'/> +God, we deliberately wander from His +sight and care, and then we fall. Engrossed +in worldly affairs, taken up with present +vanities, with ourselves, our ease, our temporal +advancement, we begin to neglect +prayer and communion with God, we begin +to rely on ourselves and to forge ahead of +our own accord, only to encounter complete +defeat and be shorn of all our strength. The +secret of our power and success is to keep +close to Him, to speak to Him lovingly and +often, to seek guidance and protection from +Him, and habitually to live in His comforting +presence. +</p> + +<p> +But such is the boundless kindness of our +heavenly Shepherd that, no matter how +often we may have wandered from Him, or +how seriously we may have grieved Him, +He is ever ready to pursue our wanderings, +and to seek until He finds us. He does not +stop to consider the enormity of our guilt, +or our unreasonableness, or our ingratitude, +but He seeks us. He does not pause to take +<pb n='075'/><anchor id='Pg075'/> +an account of all He has done for us, of the +many graces He has given us, of the tears +and blood He has shed in our behalf; but +He goes after our straying souls, and He +will not be appeased until He restore us. +God does not will the death of the sinner, +but that he be converted and live.<note place='foot'>Ezech. xviii. 23; +xxxiii. 11; 2 Pet. iii. 9.</note> He +knows all our frailties and our diverse +temptations; He knows how alluring are +the things of sense to a nature perverted like +ours; He knows how easy it is for us, blind +and ignorant as we are, to forget Him and +our dearest interests, and to obey the call of +other voices; all this He understands, and +He has pity on us. <q>He knoweth our frame, +He remembereth that we are dust.</q><note place='foot'>Ps. 102. 14.</note> +</p> + +<p> +To bring us back, therefore, when wandering, +and to restore us to the circle of His +chosen flock, our Saviour has made ample +provision. Through those divine mediums +of grace—the sacraments of His Church—He +<pb n='076'/><anchor id='Pg076'/> +has arranged to succor all our wants +and to cure our various infirmities. The +sacraments of Baptism and Penance, in +particular, were instituted to raise our souls +from death to life, and to heal our spiritual +wounds. Baptism may be aptly compared +to the door of the sheepfold. It is the gate +through which men must enter into the fold +of Christ, it is the entrance to His Church. +It clears away the guilt and stain of original +sin, and restores the soul from a state of enmity +to the friendship and grace of God. +None can really belong to Christ, none can +be of His true fold who have not entered +by way of the door, who have not been baptized. +Many there are who pretend to belong +to Him and think themselves of the +number of His flock; they speak of Him as +their Master and Shepherd; they pretend +to be doing His work; they call Him Lord +and preach in His name; but they have not +entered by the door of the sheepfold, and He +knows them not. Like thieves and robbers, +<pb n='077'/><anchor id='Pg077'/> +they have climbed up some other way, and +they neither know Him, nor does He know +them, neither can they understand His +voice. Baptism is the entrance, it is the +door, to the fold of Christ. +</p> + +<p> +And as it is through Baptism that our +bountiful Lord first recalls us from the ways +of sin and makes us members of his flock, +so in the sacrament of Penance He has provided +a means by which we may at all times +be recalled from our wanderings and restored +to His friendship. Penance is an +inexhaustible means of reconciliation between +the erring soul and God. It lasts +throughout our lives, it stretches even to the +end of time. If only we are men of goodwill +and have at heart our eternal interests, +we need not be disturbed at our frailty, or +at repeated lapses into sin. There is no sin +which cannot be forgiven by the sacrament +of Penance. Not that anyone, knowing +that he can be forgiven, should presume to +<pb n='078'/><anchor id='Pg078'/> +abuse God's gracious sacrament, and yield +freely and without restraint to the voice of +sin; nor that we are not to be truly sorry +to the end of our days for having even once +offended our benign Maker and Redeemer; +but we must be confident that, whatever +may have been our faults and failings, however +prolonged and extraordinary our transgressions, +if we approach the sacrament of +Penance with sincere sorrow and a firm purpose +of amendment, God will always lovingly +receive us back to Himself, and remember +no more our unfaithfulness. God +hates sin, because it is opposed to Himself +and is the only evil in the world, but He +loves the wounded sinner who is made in +His own image and likeness. Precious in +the sight of God is the penitent sinner. Does +He not tell us Himself that, like a good +shepherd, He leaves ninety-nine just to go +in search of one lost sheep? Yea, He assures +us that there is rejoicing among the +<pb n='079'/><anchor id='Pg079'/> +angels of Heaven over one sinner who does +penance.<note place='foot'>Luke xv. 4, 7.</note> +</p> + +<p> +To make worthy use of the sacrament of +Penance we must be truly sorry for having +offended God, and be resolved, at the time +of confession, to do what lies in our power +never again to turn away from Him. To +these dispositions must also be joined the +intention of doing something to repair the +injury which sin has done to God. Given +such conditions, and we need only speak the +word to God's duly appointed minister and +our sins are no more. The dark veil which +hung around the soul like a cloud is lifted, +and we again rejoice in the smile of our +heavenly Father. How simple, yet how +potent are the means provided for our salvation! +None but God could have thought +of them, nothing but the love of God could +have arranged them! +</p> + +<p> +But even before the sinner is brought to +<pb n='080'/><anchor id='Pg080'/> +penance, even while he is wandering and +reveling afar off in the vile delights of sin, +God is pursuing him, God is seeking after +him, calling him by name, whispering to +his heart, disposing him for repentance. +We cannot return to God, once we have deserted +Him, without His help. It is our +awful power to be able to leave Him, but +to return alone we are not able. Wherefore +He comes after us when we have wandered +into the wilds of sin; He pleads as it were, +with our souls, and offers us the grace to +repent. Oh privileged are our souls to be +thus appraised by God, and happy those +who hear and heed the appealing voice of +His grace! +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='081'/><anchor id='Pg081'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>VI. He Leadeth Me in the Paths of Justice +for His Name's Sake.</head> + +<p> +The shepherd country of the East is full +of walks and pathways, some leading this +way, some that. Some lead to dangerous +precipices over which the sheep might fall +and be lost, others would expose them to +the attack of wild beasts, while still others +would lead them so far astray that they +could not find their way back. It is, therefore, +always needful that the shepherd go +ahead of his flock and lead them in the right +path. The Psalmist, in the title of the +present chapter, is applying this carefulness +of the shepherd for his sheep to our Lord, +in His regard for our spiritual welfare. +The Saviour goes before us with the blessings +of His goodness to help and lead us +aright, lest perchance we become lost and +perish in our journey. +</p> + +<pb n='082'/><anchor id='Pg082'/> + +<p> +This solicitude of our Redeemer in providing +for the various needs of our souls is +characteristic of Him as Saviour. It is implied +in the meaning of his name. Before +He was born, before He was conceived in +His Mother's womb, it was foretold of Him +that He should be called Jesus, which means +Saviour, for He would save His people +from their sins.<note place='foot'>Luke i. 31.</note> He exercised, as we +know, this mission of saviour throughout +His earthly career. It was for this that He +came into the world, for this that He was +born in Bethlehem with a manger as His +cradle, for this that, at the age of twelve, +He was found teaching in the Temple, for +this that He retired to Nazareth and was +subject to Mary and Joseph, for this that +He labored and suffered and bled and died. +And with His passing from this visible +scene to the bosom of His Father, He did +not cease to be that for which He had been +<pb n='083'/><anchor id='Pg083'/> +eternally anointed—the great High Priest, +the Mediator between God and man, the +Saviour of the world. His work is everlasting; +and now that He has gone up on +high, He pleads for us ever more with the +Father. We belong to Him, He has purchased +us with His blood, and He must +needs care for our safety to the end. +</p> + +<p> +Inasmuch as we are heirs, according to +divine decree, to thrones beyond the skies, +it was necessary, as we have seen, that He +who is our Saviour and Shepherd should +have left behind Him in this world of ours +a doctrine, a code, or system of instructions +and laws, which should safely direct and +guide us to our royal destiny. Those who +lived with Him on earth, those who heard +His assuring, life-giving words, and felt +the inspiration of His example and visible +presence needed not to fear for the direction +or safety of their course. The divine, living +voice and sacred presence of their Lord +and Master they enjoyed, and care and +<pb n='084'/><anchor id='Pg084'/> +anxiety fled from their souls. But not for +these alone had the Redeemer come, but for +all mankind, for all who in future were to +breathe the breath of human life. He came +to save all, He died for all; and thus the +teaching which He gave to the world, and +which He committed to His chosen followers, +was for every human being, even to the +end of the world, that through it all might +live and attain to life everlasting. +</p> + +<p> +The doctrine which the Saviour left us, +and the laws which He prescribed were +vastly different from the teachings of men. +Guiding, saving words of a Shepherd to his +flock, they engendered safety, comfort, +peace. Free from error or mistake, sealed +with the seal of Heaven, holding out a +promise of future glory, they exhaled the +perfumes of the eternal city, they told of +mansions not built with hands. And since +this immaculate doctrine, given for the souls +of men, was to last till the end of time, there +was need that it should be shielded against +<pb n='085'/><anchor id='Pg085'/> +the assaults of the world and protected from +the influence of our changing human teachings. +It could not be corrected, because it +contained no mistakes; it could not be +changed or altered, because it came from +the changeless God; it could have no substitute +from the part of men or creatures of +any kind, because it was given by Him who +alone was the way, the truth, and the life. +Consequently the truths which the Saviour +declared to the world as the only means by +which we can be saved, were at once infallible +in themselves, and so provided for that +no human agency, no lapse of years or revolutions +of time and place should ever be +able to infringe on their eternal, changeless +character. It was to preserve these truths in +their integrity and freshness that He founded +His unerring Church and committed to +it the office of custodian and expounder, under +the guidance of His Holy Spirit, of all +He had revealed for the salvation of human +kind. Hence to hear our Shepherd's voice, +<pb n='086'/><anchor id='Pg086'/> +to understand what He says to us, to know +what we must do to obey His laws and save +our souls, we need but listen to the voice of +His Church. Before it was established He +declared that He should build His Church +upon a rock, and that no enemy, or group +of enemies, not even the gates of hell should +ever prevail against it.<note place='foot'>Matt. xvi. 18.</note> He established +the Church as His mouthpiece, and He said +to the little band that constituted it in the +beginning, <q>he that heareth you, heareth +me, and he that heareth me, heareth Him +that sent me;</q><note place='foot'>Luke x. 17.</note> and, as if to emphasize this +declaration, He added that any one who +would not hear and obey the Church should +be considered as a heathen and a publican—types +of all that was bad.<note place='foot'>Matt. xviii. 17.</note> The Church, +therefore, is the oracle of God, it is His +mouthpiece; it possesses and guards the only +revelation which God has made to His rational +<pb n='087'/><anchor id='Pg087'/> +creatures; it alone has the words of +eternal life. +</p> + +<p> +Thus it is that our divine Shepherd goes +before us, leading us in the paths of truth +and justice, preserving us from danger and +error with respect to our spiritual destiny. +We cannot go astray if we listen to Him +speaking to us through His church. In +all our perplexities and uncertainties, +when confronted by any doubt, or confused +and distracted by the wrangling +voices and conflicting opinions of men, we +can be calm and at peace, assured in our +inmost souls that the voice which guides us +cannot err, that it is easier for heaven and +earth to pass away than for one word of His +to fail.<note place='foot'>Matt. xxiv. 35.</note> +</p> + +<p> +He leadeth me in ways of justice, in the +ways of holiness, in the ways which the +saints have walked. How exceeding great, +indeed, is our privilege, and how certain +<pb n='088'/><anchor id='Pg088'/> +and individual our election! All that remains +to us is to listen to His words and to +follow Him, and present peace will attend +our labors, while future glory waits upon +our end. +</p> + +<p> +But in the midst of abundant blessings +and spiritual favors which have surrounded +and sheltered us from infancy, we are apt +to be unmindful of our state of plenty and +forgetful of the duty of gratitude. We are +apt to venture out like thoughtless children, +trusting in our own strength to battle with +the foe; or else, on the contrary, we sluggishly +presume that a bountiful Providence +will provide for us regardless of our own +co-operation. We have never known what +it is to want for spiritual food and spiritual +direction, except when indolence, careless +indifference, and our own folly have led +us astray. These are evils which continually +assail us, and we often make friends +with them, not knowing what we are doing +for the most part, until the blood of life has +<pb n='089'/><anchor id='Pg089'/> +almost ebbed away. We are not, indeed, +removed from a world where sin abounds +and where deceiving voices may allure us +this way and that. Like the pastoral country +of the Orient, the walks of life are +fraught with perils: false teachers, false +doctrines, false prophets, pseudo-christs;<note place='foot'>Matt. xxiv. 24.</note> +<q>perils from our own nation, and perils +from abroad, perils in the city and perils in +the wilderness, perils in the sea and perils +from false brethren</q><note place='foot'>2 Cor. +xi. 26.</note>—all trying to attract +and lead us away from the paths of justice +and deliver us to the enemy of our souls. +</p> + +<p> +It is necessary that we should know that +wolves are abroad in sheep's clothing; <q>false +apostles, deceitful workers, transforming +themselves into the apostles of Christ.</q><note place='foot'>2 Cor. xi. 13.</note> +They come to us with winning words and +easy teachings, with new creeds, new forms +of belief, new ways to the promised land. +</p> + +<pb n='090'/><anchor id='Pg090'/> + +<p> +The doctrine and truths which Christ +taught and which He entrusted to His +Church are set aside or explained away by +these modern teachers, and the novel and +the strange are made to assume the role of +the old, the familiar and the true. The +harm done is incalculable. How many innocent +and unwary sheep have been lost to +the fold of Christ by following the call of +these unworthy preachers and false shepherds! +What multitudes of precious souls +have been deceived by their polished words +and led away into paths of error, into deadly +ways of thinking, believing, and acting, +never to return to the path that leads to life! +</p> + +<p> +This poisoning of the soul and the heart +by erroneous doctrines is effected in many +and diverse ways; the victims of falsehood +are variously captured. There are the wisdom +and sagacity of men, there are the conquests +of science and the learning of the +philosophers, the discoveries of our day, the +strides of history, the breakdown and overthrow +<pb n='091'/><anchor id='Pg091'/> +of many things held sacred by our +forefathers—and all these changes and ruptures +in the order of a former generation +are now used to beguile the flock of Christ +and sway them from the paths of truth +and righteousness. But amid all this din +and uproar of conflicting voices, amid the +wrangling tumult and confusion of converging +opinions, those who will may hear +and discern the loving voice of the true +Shepherd speaking to the world through +His Church with the same calm, assuring +words which He uttered to living witnesses +two thousand years ago. He has not +changed, neither has His teaching; He has +not deserted His chosen flock, but is with it +all days, even to the end of the world.<note place='foot'>Matt. xxviii. 20.</note> His +love for us, His watchfulness for our needs, +His enduring care for our interests, in spite +of our enemies, can never fail. +</p> + +<p> +And while assured of this, it behooves us +<pb n='092'/><anchor id='Pg092'/> +also, as appealing to our sense of gratitude, +and as inducing to greater love of Him, to +reflect that this abiding faithfulness of our +Saviour in caring for our wants is not from +any worthiness of ours, or because of our +merits, but only for His Name's sake, because +He is Saviour. It was His love for +us that prompted our creation, His love that +provoked His passion and redeemed us, His +love that made Him suffer for us, His love +that teaches and shall guide us to life everlasting, +for His love endureth forever. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='093'/><anchor id='Pg093'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>VII. Yea, Though I Walk in the Valley of +the Shadow of Death, I Will Fear +no Evil, for Thou Art With Me.</head> + +<p> +Besides the paths and dangerous walks in +the shepherd country that would lead the +sheep to destruction and death, there are +other paths all encompassed with evils +through which, nevertheless, they are at +times obliged to make their way. Safety +from all harm there cannot be for the shepherd's +flock. They must in their journeys +encounter many perils, even while pursuing +the proper paths. There are deep and darksome +valleys, walled round on all sides by +towering rocky hills, which at times the +shepherd cannot easily escape. And within +these shadowy valleys and somber ravines +there dwell not infrequently wild and +ferocious animals that will, if aroused, attack +and kill the tender sheep. The utmost +<pb n='094'/><anchor id='Pg094'/> +care and caution of the shepherd are called +into service safely to conduct his dependent +flock through these places of deepest peril. +But in spite of all his watchfulness it sometimes +happens that a wolf will get into the +very midst of the sheep. The timid, terrified +animals become wild with fright, and +are scattered, running this way and that, +until the shepherd calls and bids them collect +together. No sooner do they hear his +voice, than they all rush swiftly together in +a solid mass, and either drive the enemy +from their midst or cripple and crush him +to death. +</p> + +<p> +Thus in times of greatest peril the shepherd +protects his sheep, and wrests them +from the jaws of harm. The sheep know +this, and they fear no evils; they know that +their master is with them. Yea, though +they walk in the shadow of perils and dwell +in the midst of the valley of death, they +faint not, neither do they fear, for they know +that the shepherd is near. +</p> + +<pb n='095'/><anchor id='Pg095'/> + +<p> +The case of the sheep in the valley of +perils is not unlike our own in the midst of +the evils of the world; and the peace and +safety which we enjoy should be similar +also to theirs. We are assured, first of all, +by an unflinching faith in God and our Redeemer +that, if we trust our Master and +obey Him, we shall be led aright throughout +our lives, even to the kingdom of +Heaven. We shall be led in the paths of +justice and love, and crowned at length with +the crown of glory, if we but follow the +voice of our Shepherd-King, and avoid the +walks of disaster and ruin. And to hear +His voice and to know it we have but to +listen to the teachings of His Church, which +will hush to silence our troubled hearts, and +direct our wayward feet into the paths of +heavenly peace. +</p> + +<p> +But, like the shepherd's flock, we have to +avoid in our journey through life, as perils +to our safety and spiritual welfare, not only +the false shepherds and teachers and doctrines +<pb n='096'/><anchor id='Pg096'/> +that surround us on all sides; but we +must also, to pass to our reward, actually +encounter inevitable evils and fight many +necessary battles. Many of the paths of +life through which we must of necessity +pass are hard and difficult, and full of deadly +perils. We must remember that sin has +ruined the primeval beauty of our earthly +habitation and made our life here below a +labor and a toil to the end. +</p> + +<p> +We not only come into the world with sin +on our souls, and are thereby exiles from +the city of God, but even when our sin is +forgiven us the remains of the malady continue +as wounds in our nature as long as we +live on earth. The deadly guilt is wiped +away, but the effects of the evil remain. +And it is chiefly these wounds of our nature, +in ourselves and in others, that render life's +journey, even when pursued in accordance +with the law of God, at times truly difficult +and perilous. Fidelity to God and to His +law is not always a safeguard against the +<pb n='097'/><anchor id='Pg097'/> +wickedness of the world and of men; at +times, in fact, it is just the contrary. Indeed, +is it not a truth that many, perhaps +the majority, of those who endeavor sincerely +to please and to serve God must often +suffer severely for their very goodness and +faithfulness? Are they not misunderstood, +and criticised, and censured? Are they not +frequently accused of all manner of wrong, +their work disparaged, and their motives +impugned? Are not persecution, and even +martyrdom, often their portion? Now all +this is the result of sin. Those who call +into question the deeds and motives of God's +saints; those who upbraid, and criticise, and +impute evil to the sincere, faithful servants +of God, inflicting upon them dire evils, are +but showing the effects of sin in themselves, +are but giving exercise to the evil that rules +within them. Their particular acts and +words may be without present malice, they +may be inwardly persuaded that in reviling +and condemning their neighbor and doing +<pb n='098'/><anchor id='Pg098'/> +him harm, they are rendering a service to +God Himself; but in so doing they but +manifest the effects of earlier sin, personal, +perhaps, and original, which has darkened +their understanding and made perverse +their moral vision, so that, having eyes, they +see not, having ears, they hear not, neither +do they understand.<note place='foot'>Ps. cxiii. 13, 14.</note> Following the corruption +of their own nature, bleeding from +the wounds of original sin, they are prone to +blaspheme whatsoever they fail to comprehend;<note place='foot'>Jude 10.</note> +and thus it is that they often make +life and the world for the servant of God a +truly perilous sojourn, a veritable valley of +death. +</p> + +<p> +This failure to be understood, this misjudgment +of actions, motives, deeds, are +doubtless common evils from which, in a +measure, we all must suffer. But it is also +true that the more elevated the life, the +higher its aims, the loftier the spiritual level +<pb n='099'/><anchor id='Pg099'/> +on which it proceeds, the greater the difficulty +of its being understood and appreciated +by the majority, who always tread the +common paths of mediocrity. A saint is +nearly always a disturbance to his immediate +surroundings, he is frequently an annoyance +and an irritation to the little circle in +which his external life is cast, simply because +he really lives and moves in a sphere +which the ordinary life cannot grasp. Like +a brilliant, dazzling light that obscures the +lesser luminaries, and is therefore odious to +them, the man of God is frequently a disturber +to the worldly peace of common men, +his life and works are a living reproach to +their life and works; and hence, without +willing it, he becomes a menace to their +society and is not welcome in their company. +Worldly, plotting minds cannot understand +the spiritual and the holy; sinful +souls are out of harmony with the virtuous; +the children of darkness cannot find peace +with the children of light. And not only +<pb n='100'/><anchor id='Pg100'/> +is there a lack of sympathy in the worldly-minded +for the men and women who are +led of God, but there is often positive hatred +for them—a hatred which spends itself in +actual, persistent persecution. To be devout, +to refrain from sinful words and sinful +deeds, to shun the vain and dangerous +amusements of worldlings, to attend much +to prayer and recollection, to love the house +and worship of God, to be seen often approaching +the sacraments and partaking of +the bread of life at the communion rail—even +these holy acts are sufficient frequently +to draw down on the servants of God the +curse and persecution of a world which +knows not what it does. +</p> + +<p> +And that which happens individually to +the faithful children of God takes place on +a larger scale with respect to God's Church. +The children of this world, those who have +set their heart on temporal things, or who, +through wilful error have deviated from +the right path to things eternal, never cease +<pb n='101'/><anchor id='Pg101'/> +from pursuing and persecuting the Church +of God. They hate the Church and attack +it unceasingly. Like the perverse and +blinded Jews of old who reviled the Saviour +and His words and deeds, who pursued +Him and put Him to death, these ever-living +and ever-active enemies of light and +truth never abate in their fury against the +chosen friends of Christ, and against His +holy Church. But need we be surprised at +this? Was it not foretold? Did not our +blessed Shepherd, speaking in the beginning +to His little flock, warn them that men +would deliver them up in councils and +scourge them? Did He not say to them +plainly, <q>And you shall be hated by all men +for my name's sake; but he that shall persevere +unto the end, he shall be saved. And +when they persecute you in this city, flee +into another.... The disciple is not +above the master, nor the servant above his +lord. It is enough for the disciple that he +be as his master, and the servant as his lord. +<pb n='102'/><anchor id='Pg102'/> +If they have called the good man of the +house Beelzebub, how much more them of +his household.</q><note place='foot'>Matt. x. 17, 22-26.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It happens, therefore, that fidelity to God, +and careful adherence to the paths of justice +and holiness, can frequently be the occasion +of perils and sufferings for us individually, +as they also are the excuse for a +vaster persecution of the Church in general. +All holy persons and holy things are signs +of contradiction. They are not of the world, +they do not fit in with it; and between them +and the world there will be strife and contention +until the renovation comes. +</p> + +<p> +But the enemies that lie along the ways +of life, that beset and threaten even the most +righteous paths of our pilgrimage, are not +all from without—the most numerous and +menacing are perhaps from within. <q>The +enemies of a man,</q> says the inspired writer, +<q>are those of his own household.</q><note place='foot'>Mich. +vii. 6; Matt. x. 36.</note> That +<pb n='103'/><anchor id='Pg103'/> +is to say, the most potent evils which we +suffer, the chiefest foes to our present and +future welfare are from ourselves—our own +waywardness, our tendencies to evil, our +wilfulness, our self-love and self-seeking, +our own sins. It is from these and like +causes that we suffer most. Hard and trying +it surely is to bear persecutions and contradictions +from others; severe is the strain +to nature when, in the face of our noblest +efforts, proceeding from noblest motives, we +meet with misunderstanding and even condemnation; +but to the upright, religious +heart that is sincerely and truly seeking God +amid the shadows and pitfalls of life, the +sorest of all trials and the fiercest of all enemies +are one's own temptations and passions +and inclinations to evil. Easier it were to +conquer the whole external world of foes, +than to reign supreme over the little world +within. Of Alexander the Great it is said, +that while he actually subdued the whole +known world of his time, he nevertheless +<pb n='104'/><anchor id='Pg104'/> +yielded in defeat before his own passions. +He could overcome his external enemies, +but surrendered miserably in the battle with +self. +</p> + +<p> +This, then, is our greatest warfare, the +struggle with ourselves; and this our greatest +victory, a triumph over self. <q>If each +year,</q> says the Imitation, <q>we could uproot +but one evil inclination, how soon we should +be perfect men!</q><note place='foot'>Bk. i. 11. 5.</note> But it is not for us to +be free from enemies and perils, both from +without and from within, during our earthly +sojourn. They are a part of our lot here +below, they are necessarily bound up with +the darkened regions through which the +Shepherd must lead his flock; and hence, +entire safety there shall never be before the +journey's end, until we say farewell to present +woes, and hail <q>the happy fields, where +joy forever dwells.</q> +</p> + +<p> +In our present state, therefore, it is important +<pb n='105'/><anchor id='Pg105'/> +for us to realize our dangers and to +be prepared for conflict. There is no way +of escape from crosses, and perils, and +dreadful battles for all those who wish to +win the crown of victory. They must follow +the Shepherd as he leads the way, and +hence our Lord has said, <q>if any man will +come after me, let him take up his cross +daily and follow me.</q><note place='foot'>Matt. +xvi. 24.</note> Yes, it is the following +of the Shepherd, it is his leadership, +his constant presence, that give comfort to +the sheep, and dispel the dread and fear of +perils. And though we pass through the +valley and shadow of death, we need fear +no evil, for He is with us. At times, frequently +perhaps, as we sail the sea of life, +the waves roll over and deluge us so completely +that we are all but smothered. The +clouds gather, thick and black, and overcast +the sky of our souls; the sorrows of +death surround us, and the pains of the pit +<pb n='106'/><anchor id='Pg106'/> +encompass us;<note place='foot'>Ps. xvii. 4, 5.</note> we are overwhelmed with +sadness and plunged in darkness. We think +of God, we remember Him, but He seems +afar off. The evil which weighs us down—the +pain of body, the agony of soul, the sadness +and dejection of heart and mind, <q>the +madness that worketh in the brain,</q> muffle +the voice and all but still the trembling +pulse, and we are not able so much as to lift +our drooping heads and tear-dimmed eyes +to see the gentle Shepherd standing faithfully +at our side. It is our failure to discern +and apprehend Him that causes extreme +agony. If at these times of utter desolation, +when the soul is swept by the winds +of sorrow, we could only raise our eyes and +thoughts to Him, with faith and hope and +child-like trust, the spell would be broken; +and we should see the clouds lift and part +and float away on the wind, only to let in +God's cheerful sun to raise the drooping +<pb n='107'/><anchor id='Pg107'/> +spirit, and warm and soothe the troubled +soul. +</p> + +<p> +But it is difficult, when oppressed by sorrow +and affliction, to lift the heart and mind +to things above. Nature of itself tends +downward, and unless it has learned to discipline +itself and to engage with the enemy +in sturdy battle, it is not yet prepared for +life. For the world is a battlefield and life +a warfare, even from a natural point of +view, and only they can hope to win in life's +hard contest who have learned to brave the +battle, who have prepared themselves for +conflict. But who is ready for the struggle, +and how shall we be able to encounter our +foes? Left to ourselves and to our own resources, +we shall surely go down in defeat. +The opposing forces are too gigantic, too +numerous. They throng from near and +from afar. They swarm from within and +from without; from our own nature and from +others, from the world around, and from +our own household; from those at home, +<pb n='108'/><anchor id='Pg108'/> +and from them that are abroad. Frequently +during life we are, of a certainty, encompassed +round with perils; we hardly know +where to turn or what to do, we are breathless +with fright; but even then, if we have +proper faith, we shall grow calm, like the +shepherd's flock in the midst of devouring +animals and beasts of prey, for our Saviour +and Shepherd is with us, and no evil can befall +us. Even when we think Him farthest, +He is often nearest; when we think Him +sleeping, His heart is watching. He loves +us, His weak and timid sheep; we are the +objects of His heart's affection and ever +active solicitude; He will not let perish, if +we trust Him, the price of His precious +Blood. +</p> + +<p> +And the training we are to receive, +and the preparation we are to make, in +order worthily and victoriously to engage +in the battle of life are nothing, +therefore, but lessons of love and trust in +the constant goodness and faithfulness of +<pb n='109'/><anchor id='Pg109'/> +our divine Saviour. Unless we viciously +drive Him away by deliberate, grievous +sin, He is really never absent from us, and +least of all when we need Him most. It is +our fault, if we do not by faith discern Him, +if we do not feel His ever-gracious presence. +We need to discipline ourselves in +acts and deeds of faith and love, and then +we shall realize that He is always near us, +even in the darkness of the shadow of death. +</p> + +<p> +We must try to know our Shepherd, first +of all; we must endeavor intimately to understand +Him. For to have faith in Him, +to trust Him, to believe in His power and +goodness, in His overruling care for us and +our interests, presuppose a knowledge of +Him, just as faith and confidence in an +earthly friend follow upon an intimate acquaintance +with that friend. But this close +knowledge of our Master, so necessary to +our present peace and future happiness, will +never be ours unless we make Him our confidant, +unless we accustom ourselves to live +<pb n='110'/><anchor id='Pg110'/> +in His presence, to look to Him, to speak +to Him often, to listen to His gracious direction. +And this intimate relationship +with our Saviour, this habitual communion +with Him, will enkindle in our souls the +fire of love. Once we know Him, we will +trust Him, and having faith and confidence +in Him, we will link our poor lives to His +divine life by the strong cords of heavenly +charity. Fear and uncertainty will then be +impossible, even in the darkest hours. +</p> + +<p> +It is love, above all, that directs our life—love, +indeed, which is born of knowledge. +We do not, it is true, love anything before +we have some knowledge of it; this +would be an impossibility; but once the +soul has caught the vision, it is love that +drives the life and stimulates and enriches +the knowledge. The objects of our +affections are the interpreters of our life and +actions. If we love the world, we are led +by the world; if we love God, it is God +<pb n='111'/><anchor id='Pg111'/> +that leads and directs us. Where the treasure +is, there will the heart be also;<note place='foot'>Luke xii. 34.</note> and +where the heart is, thither will the life make +its way. But if God is the object of our +love, we shall fear no evil; for <q>God is +charity,</q> says St. John, <q>and he that abideth +in charity, abideth in God, and God in +him ... Fear is not in charity; but +perfect charity casteth out fear, because +fear hath pain.</q><note place='foot'>1 Jno. iv. 16, 18.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is only the love of God, therefore, that +will steady our lives, and bear us up in the +thick of tribulations. It is the confident +assurance that we, although so unworthy, +are the objects of divine complacency that +awakens in our hearts a return of burning +charity, and enables us to say, with the +Psalmist, when the day is darkest <q>The +Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall +I fear? The Lord is the protector of my +<pb n='112'/><anchor id='Pg112'/> +life; of whom shall I be afraid?</q><note place='foot'>Ps. xxvi. 1, 2.</note> We +are not to fear men, said our Lord, who, +when they have destroyed the body, can do +no more;<note place='foot'>Matt. x. 28.</note> neither shall we be in dread of +our Master, if armed with the gift of His +love, <q>for fear hath pain, but love casteth +out fear.</q> Rather shall we, like the martyrs +of old, mindful of the gift of God, go +bravely forth to the battle of life, or to the +slaughter, calmly, hopefully, cheerfully. +While humbly, but steadfastly trustful of +the Shepherd that leads us, we shall not be +disturbed or troubled; the present shall be +shorn of its terrors, the future of its forebodings. +This truly is the triumph of life, +when love, not fear, has come to rule us. +This is the broader, larger life—the forerunner +of life eternal in which our days are +passed in calm serenity—in which we press +on with undaunted tread, alike under +frowning clouds, or under a star-lit sky; +<pb n='113'/><anchor id='Pg113'/> +alike with the joys of friendship around us, +or alone amidst the graves of the dead. +</p> + +<p> +We must not infer from this that the love +of God which is our strength, the source of +our courage, will blunt our feelings or harden +our lives. It does not seal up the fountain +of tears, or make us insensible to the pains +and sorrows of life, which belong to the lot +of all. In a certain sense it is likely true +that those suffer most in life who are most +united to God; for they feel most the coldness +of the world and its desolation, its want +of love and sympathy, its degradation and +its misery. Hence it would be a mistake +to think that the friends of God in this life +are either exempted from pain and sorrow, +or made insensible to them, either in themselves +or in others. Of these and other +evils they are truly more keenly aware than +worldly men, if for no other reason than +because of the superior refinement of their +nature and the spiritual outlook of their +vision. It is sin, after all, that hardens +<pb n='114'/><anchor id='Pg114'/> +while it weakens. Sin closes the heart to +love, it renders its victims cold, unsympathetic +and selfish; whereas the gifts of grace +and holiness are tenderness, mercy, strength. +But though all have to suffer, both the holy +and the unholy, the difference between them +is this, that the ungodly are borne down +and overcome by their sorrows and crosses, +while the spiritual are always triumphing +even in the midst of apparent defeat. To +the foolish they seem to be vanquished, yet +they conquer; often they seem on the verge +of surrender, when they emerge in victory; +they seem to die, when behold they live!<note place='foot'>Wis. iii. 3.</note> +</p> + +<p> +The spiritual man, then, does suffer; he +suffers in the cause of God; he suffers for +others and for himself. More than this, it +is doubtless true that he feels his crosses +more keenly, he grieves more profoundly, +than do the children of the world; but +through it all he remembers his Saviour +<pb n='115'/><anchor id='Pg115'/> +and is comforted. He knows that the tribulations +of the just are many, and that from +all these the Lord will soon deliver him,<note place='foot'>Ps. xxxiii. 20.</note> +and he shall not be confounded forever. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='116'/><anchor id='Pg116'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>VIII. Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me.</head> + +<p> +It is already plain to us that the sorrows +and sufferings of the present life are, without +doubt, the result and consequence of +sin. That we should pass our mortal days +so full of pain and tears, that our fellow-man, +that the beasts of the field and the elements, +which we need and use as helpers +and servants, and most of all that our own +nature, with its passions and evil tendencies, +should rise up against us and oppose us, was +assuredly not a part of the original plan. +As a wise and all-powerful Designer and +Creator, God founded the world after a +masterful fashion—devoid of evil, free from +defect, perfect according to the plans +framed in Heaven. The hills and mountains +He founded and set on their bases; the +streams and rivers and valleys He formed, +<pb n='117'/><anchor id='Pg117'/> +all rich and lovely, intended for the comfort +and happiness of man; the blue deep +He constructed and beautified with its millions +of shining wonders; and in all these +stupendous creations, in all the diverse +works of His mighty, omnipotent hands +there was in the beginning no trace of fault, +of defect, of error or sin. The upheaval +came when man disobeyed and wrought the +commencement of all our woe. And hence +it is to man's first disobedience and the fruit +of that forbidden tree, that we owe all the +evils from which our nature suffers and to +which our flesh is heir. +</p> + +<p> +But although we know the source of our +sorrows and feel the guilt of our sins, this +does not make our burden lighter or shorten +the path of our pilgrimage. We are confronted +by the problem of labor and suffering +as soon as we enter the world. No one +is entirely exempted; and, strange as it is, +we see that it frequently happens, that those +are most afflicted who are farthest removed +<pb n='118'/><anchor id='Pg118'/> +from the wickedness of the world and purest +in the sight of God. <q>Many are the +tribulations of the just;</q> and how true is it +that the very fidelity of the servants of God +is often an occasion of their sufferings! It +is not wonderful that sorrow and fear +should be the portion of sinners throughout +the length of their days, for <q>contrition and +unhappiness are in their ways, and the way +of peace they have not known;</q><note place='foot'>Ps. xiii. 3.</note> but that +all, even the saints of God, should suffer +alike and be oppressed with miseries is, at +first sight, a problem and a baffling mystery. +</p> + +<p> +It is something, indeed, to feel in our suffering +that we are paying the debt of our +sins, whether personal, or original, or both; +it is much to know that our crosses, severe +and inevitable as they are, are a curb to our +wayward nature, and a restraint against +further sins; it is assuredly a great privilege +and a high honor that we, unworthy +<pb n='119'/><anchor id='Pg119'/> +and unfaithful servants of our Master, +should, through our tears and sorrows and +sufferings, be enabled to conform our poor +lives to the tearful and sorrowful life of our +Saviour; it is a comfort that words cannot +tell to be assured by our faith that in the +midst of pains and perils the Shepherd of +our souls is ever near to shield, to guard, +and to save—all this is surely much—enough +to encourage and strengthen us daily +to take up our cross and joyfully follow our +Redeemer, even to the hill of Calvary, even +to the death of the cross. But this is not +all. A deeper meaning lies hidden behind +the veil of tears, beneath the cloak of pain +and sorrow. The miseries of life are not a +mere inheritance, neither is their value of a +purely negative character. We instinctively +feel that somehow, somewhere beyond the +scope of mortal ken, there is a higher explanation +and a more valid justification for all +the failures and pains and sorrows of life, +than that which appears on the surface of +<pb n='120'/><anchor id='Pg120'/> +things, or issues in results that are only negative. +Suffering for its own sake was never +intended; and we were not made to suffer. +We were not created for misery, but for +happiness; not for failure, but for victory; +not for death, but for life; not for time, but +for eternity. And hence there is a deeper +meaning, a higher explanation for all the +failures and miseries of the present life than +those that are apparent to the casual observer. +</p> + +<p> +In the title of this chapter the Psalmist, +referring to the shepherd's care for his +sheep, says: <q>Thy rod and thy staff, they +comfort me.</q> The staff the shepherd uses, +as already explained, is to assist the sheep +along their perilous journeys, and the rod +to protect them in case of attack. The rod +and the staff are necessary for the welfare +of the flock, necessary to guide and shield +them in their wanderings, and to bring +them safely home. So too, it is with us, the +children of God. To be properly protected +<pb n='121'/><anchor id='Pg121'/> +and guided to our happy end we have need +of the rod of affliction and adversity, and +likewise of the staff of mercy. +</p> + +<p> +Although human miseries—pain, poverty, +suffering and death—are, as we know, +the consequences, just and equitable, of +original sin, it is a shortsighted faith and +a defective vision that find in these crosses +only chastisement for sin. Truly, they +should not have been, had we never sinned; +but as God, in His mercy, draws good out of +evil, so has He made these inevitable results +of our transgression serve a higher purpose +and minister to noble ends. The Saviour +came that we might have life, that we might +progress and advance to ever fuller and +more abundant life.<note place='foot'>Jno. x. 10.</note> His aim, and the +aim and purpose of His heavenly Father, +since the very dawn of our creation, has +been to lead us to happiness—to perfect, +abundant, eternal happiness. It would be +<pb n='122'/><anchor id='Pg122'/> +of little account to be happy here, unless +we are also to rejoice eternally. It would +be a poor exchange and a paltry satisfaction, +to be present at the feasts of men, only to +forfeit our place at the banquet of angels. +But our heavenly reward and our celestial +crown are to be merited and won here below; +they are to follow upon our earthly +labors. <q>Only he shall be crowned,</q> says +St. Paul, <q>who has legitimately engaged in +the battle.</q><note place='foot'>2 Tim. ii. 5.</note> And did not the Master say +Himself, <q>Let him who wishes to come +after me deny himself and take up his cross +and follow me?</q><note place='foot'>Luke ix. 23.</note> Did He not declare that +we must die to live? that we must surrender +our life here, if we would keep it eternally? +<q>Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain +of wheat falling into the ground die, itself +remaineth alone. But if it die it bringeth +forth much fruit. He that loveth his life +shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in +<pb n='123'/><anchor id='Pg123'/> +this world, keepeth it unto life eternal.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xii. 34.</note> +We cannot serve two masters, we cannot +serve God and mammon. If we would +seek to avoid all pain and sorrow, and spend +our lives in the pleasures of sense, we must +be prepared to forego the future joys of the +soul; if we would pass our days indulging +the flesh and chasing the phantoms of time, +we must needs make ready for the death of +the spirit and the forfeit of all that is lasting. +</p> + +<p> +We have no choice, then; if we would +succeed eternally, we must follow the way +of the cross. This is the only way to life—to +that abundant, celestial life which our +Creator has wished us to live. And it is +the bearing of our cross, patiently and resignedly +to the will of God, together with +our other good works, that enables us to +merit, in so far as we can, the joys of the +kingdom of Heaven. But the sufferings +<pb n='124'/><anchor id='Pg124'/> +and labors, so inevitable and necessary to +our earthly state, which serve as a means to +supernal rewards, have still another, deeper +meaning, and serve another purpose. We +cannot evade them, we must encounter them. +They are not only unavoidable, but necessary +to our dearest interests, as we see, since +they are strewn as thorns and brambles all +along the narrow way that leads to eternal +life. We cannot choose them or lay them +aside at will. We may, indeed, if we be +foolish and impious enough, refuse to walk +the narrow way of the just and choose the +broad road that leadeth to destruction; but +we shall not even thus escape the pains and +perils inseparable from this mortal life. Or +again, we may, in our folly, rebel against +the crosses and labors that confront and +pursue us; but whether we go this way or +that, whether we will it or not, we can no +more eschew all the evils of life than escape +from the air that we breathe. The pressure, +it is true, is not always upon us; we +<pb n='125'/><anchor id='Pg125'/> +are not, without ceasing, weighed down by +our labors and groaning to be delivered +from the body of this death. There is interruption, +there is passing pleasure, a rift +in the clouds and a smile of the sunshine +even for the darkest and poorest life. And +yet withal, we know and we are conscious +that we are ever under the sentence of death, +that life is a fleeting shadow, that like +</p> + +<quote rend='display'> +<lg> +<l><q rend='pre'>A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave,</q></l> +<l><q rend='post'>Man passes from life to his rest in the grave.</q></l> +</lg> +</quote> + +<p> +There is no evading the conclusion, therefore, +that the days of man in this world are +few and full of miseries. <q>The life of man +upon earth is a warfare, and his days are +like the days of a hireling. He cometh +forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and +fleeth as a shadow.</q><note place='foot'>Job vii. 1; Job xiv. 2.</note> +<q>For all flesh is as +grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower +of grass. The grass is withered, and the +flower thereof is fallen away.</q><note place='foot'>Isa. xl. 6, 7.</note> To the +<pb n='126'/><anchor id='Pg126'/> +natural man all this is appalling, and how +frequently it finds its solution in unbridled +self-indulgence, in mental unbalance, and +self-destruction! But the saints, and all +the truly wise, have viewed the problem of +human suffering in a vastly different light. +They have discerned it, first of all, as really +distinctive of the road to Heaven, and as +essentially pertaining to the royal way of +the cross. They have understood that it +extinguishes the wrath of the heavenly +Father, that it atones for sin and makes the +soul conformable to our suffering Saviour, +and therefore have they loved it. And +more than this, those who have been led by +the wisdom of God have found, not only +that the crosses of life are essentially connected +with the way of salvation, but that +by them and through them alone we are +often <emph>positively driven</emph> to God. We may +try to avoid them, and at times, perhaps, +succeed; we may flee from them or endeavor +to still the voice of their pain; or, when +<pb n='127'/><anchor id='Pg127'/> +unable to escape them, we may, in our wrath +and desperation, rise up against them and +rebuke them: but they persistently remain, +they continue to haunt, as if to woo and to +win us to penetrate their deeper meaning, +and discover the treasure that in them lies +concealed. The very breakdown of human +things, the severing of human ties and relationships, +the loss of health and wealth, of +treasures and friends, and of all that life +holds dear, are really meant, in the deepest +sense, to drive us to the divine. This is the +meaning of those tears and sorrows, those +pains and sufferings, that loneliness, that +grief, that agony of heart and soul which +belong to this world of tears. All these are +intended to teach us that here below, on +this crumbling shore of time, we have no +abiding city, or home, or life, or love; but +seek a city, a home, a life, a love that hath +foundations, whose builder and maker is +God.<note place='foot'>Heb. xi. 10.</note> +</p> + +<pb n='128'/><anchor id='Pg128'/> + +<p> +We need God, we were made for God, +and our nature, with all its longings and +powers, cries out for Him. And therefore +has God so arranged the world, in spite of +all its evils, and in spite of all our sinfulness, +that, if we do not prevent it, it will +lead us out to happiness—lead us out to +Himself. It was our sin that despoiled the +face of the world; but God, in His mercy, +has drawn good out of evil, He has made +the effects of sin minister to our advantage, +if we will but have it so. We may, forsooth, +refuse, because we are free; we may +object, and rebel, and oppose our lot; we +may take our destiny out of the hands of +our Creator and attempt to shape it for +ourselves; we may deride and despise the +humble, the lowly of heart, the patient, the +mortified and the suffering; we may upbraid +the Providence of God and its workings, +and refuse to submit to the rule of the +Creator; we may hold in derision and contempt +the little band that is sweetly marching +<pb n='129'/><anchor id='Pg129'/> +the way of the cross, preferring for ourselves +the company of the multitude that +knows not God—all this can we do, because +we are free; but if such be our choice, and +if we persevere in it, our portion is fixed, +and we shall have at last only to say with +the wicked: <q>Therefore we have erred from +the way of truth, and the light of justice +hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding +hath not risen upon us. We +wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity +and destruction, and have walked through +hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have +not known. What hath pride profited us? +or what advantage hath the boasting of +riches brought us? All those things are +passed away like a shadow, and like a post +that runneth on.</q><note place='foot'>Wis. v. 6-9.</note> +</p> + +<p> +Sufferings, therefore, are common to all, +to the good and the bad, to the wise and the +foolish, to the children of light and to the +<pb n='130'/><anchor id='Pg130'/> +children of darkness. But only those who +are directed by grace and light from above +are able to pierce the deeper meaning of +the cross. All have to bear it, but not all +understand it; all feel the weight of it, but +all do not know the power of it. Like fortune, +it knocks at every door, into every +heart it endeavors to enter and make known +its deeper significance, its hidden secrets, +lest any of us should suffer in vain, and our +lives be altogether a failure. To be able to +suffer patiently and gladly for God's sake, is +thus a great wisdom; it is a sign of future +blessedness. It is the wisdom of God, +which is foolishness to men. <q>If thou hadst +the science of all the astronomers,</q> says +Eternal Wisdom; <q>if thou couldst speak +and discourse about God as fully and well +as all angels and men; if thou alone were +as learned as the whole body of doctors; all +this would not bestow on thee so much holiness +of life as if, in the afflictions that come +upon thee, thou art able to be resigned to +<pb n='131'/><anchor id='Pg131'/> +Me and to abandon thyself to Me. The +former is common to good and bad, but +the latter belongs to My elect alone.</q> +</p> + +<p> +We know that our Saviour took upon +Himself the cross of sorrow and suffering, +not alone that He might satisfy for our +transgressions and be our ransom from +bondage, but also that He might be unto +us an example and a leader. And knowing +that our unfaithfulness had incurred severest +maladies from which none could escape, +He bore our infirmities and carried +our sorrows for us, in order that we, in our +time, might bear our inevitable afflictions +for His sake, for love of Him, and thereby +attain to unending glory with Him. <q>For +the spirit himself giveth testimony to our +spirit, that we are the sons of God. And if +sons, heirs also; heirs, indeed of God, and +joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer +with him, that we may be also glorified with +him.</q><note place='foot'>Rom. viii. 16, 17.</note> +<q>If you partake of the sufferings +<pb n='132'/><anchor id='Pg132'/> +of Christ,</q> says St. Peter, <q>rejoice that when +his glory shall be revealed, you may also be +glad with exceeding joy.</q><note place='foot'>1 Peter iv. 13.</note> The chains of +sorrow which bind us here below, our Shepherd +thus would turn to golden cords of +love, which draw and hold us to Himself. +We cannot, as we see, ascend to Heaven, +rise to blessedness, except by the way of the +cross. And our degree of glory in Heaven, +the eternal happiness which we shall enjoy, +will be in proportion to the degree of charity +or love of God which our souls possess +at death; and this divine charity, which is +to measure our future beatitude, is acquired +and augmented by faithfully doing the will +of God—by patiently and lovingly bearing +the cross of life. Sacrifice is the test of love. +And hence the more we do and suffer for +Christ's sake, the more we prove our love +for Him and the greater shall be our happiness +in the kingdom of His Father. All +<pb n='133'/><anchor id='Pg133'/> +holy writers, all the masters of the spiritual +life agree in teaching that God particularly +chastises those whom He loves with a special +love. He proves the elect to find if +they are worthy of Himself.<note place='foot'>Wis. iii. 4, 6.</note> He does not +spare them now, that He may spare them +hereafter; He tries them for a time, that +He may reward them forever; He seems +harsh with them here, during the time of +probation, only that He may draw them +closer to Himself everlastingly. +</p> + +<p> +The devoted friends of God and the ardent +lovers of things spiritual have deeply +pondered these momentous truths. They +have realized that our days here, though +few and fast-flying, are really to determine +our lot and condition throughout the eternal +years. They have known that the passing +present is the price of the lasting future; +that this is the seeding time, and hereafter +the harvest. And because our future happiness +<pb n='134'/><anchor id='Pg134'/> +is to be in accord with our merits +here acquired, jealously have they sought +and embraced every present occasion to increase +their merits and their worthiness for +the glory that is to come. This is why they +have loved the cross, the symbol of salvation, +the emblem of victory; this, too, is why +they have felt disturbed and full of fear +when the cross was absent from them. Unlike +the unenlightened sufferer, who sees +only punishment in his pains, the saints of +God have ever accepted their crosses as a +sign of special love, a divine visitation, a +preparation for the great communion. +</p> + +<p> +We see now how it is that the rod of chastisement +and the staff of mercy are able to +give joy and comfort to God's chosen +friends; and thus are they designed to console +and comfort everyone who is truly led +by faith and love. Sufferings are really a +blessing, but the eye of faith alone discerns +it. They keep us from present pleasures, +from hurtful occasions, from alluring vanities; +<pb n='135'/><anchor id='Pg135'/> +they direct us into the way of salvation, +they drive us to God, they increase the +glory of our eternal blessedness. What are +the trials of earth when compared with the +joys of Heaven? Rather, how precious are +they! since, if we use them aright, they lead +us out into a higher life, to a closer friendship +with God. And if, through the mercy +of our heavenly Father, we permit the cross +to lead us to His knees and enrich our lives +with His love, who can speak its infinite +value? What treasure can be likened to it? +Surely nothing that we know can surpass it +in worth. We might, indeed, enjoy all that +life can give; we might possess all riches, +all health, all success; we might have honor, +fame, glory, power; the praise and love of +men, the treasures of earthly friendship and +earthly affection—the whole world we +might gain and enjoy; but if through all +these, or in spite of all, we should not be led +to the love and friendship of God, we +should know only vanity, and life for us +<pb n='136'/><anchor id='Pg136'/> +would in its issue be nothing but a dismal +failure. +</p> + +<p> +But if, on the contrary, through the sufferings +and losses, the deficiencies and limitations +of life, we have been led to make +God our dearest friend, if we have been +taught, by the coldness and harshness of +men, to take refuge in His love, how blessed +are we! how cheaply the purchase has been +made, even though it has meant the loss of +every passing good, of all that the world can +give, even the pouring out of our own life's +blood! +</p> + +<p> +Teach me, O my Master, in the day of +sorrow and tribulation, to understand the +meaning of the cross, to know the value of +my sufferings, to grasp the power and the +secret of Thy rod and Thy staff. Assist me +to see Thee through the darkness that surrounds +me; and give me to feel, in the midst +of loneliness and perils, amid pain and desolation, +the nearness to my soul of Thy loving-kindness, +and the strength of Thy merciful +presence. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='137'/><anchor id='Pg137'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>IX. Thou Spreadest Before Me a Table in +the Presence of Mine Enemies.</head> + +<p> +In the preceding verses of the Shepherd +Psalm the Psalmist has described the constant +care of the shepherd for his sheep—the +rest and refreshment, the protection and +comfort he provides for them. And now, +in the present verse, he speaks of a feast he +has prepared for them, which is to be likened +to a bountiful banquet—a banquet +which they are to enjoy, a feast which they +are to consume, in the sight of their enemies, +in the presence of the evils that afflict them. +He refers, at first, to the manner of preparing +or spreading a table in the Orient. +Often the custom of olden times was not +much different from that which prevails +among the Arabs even today. To prepare +a table means with them simply to spread +a skin or a cloth or a mat on the ground. +</p> + +<pb n='138'/><anchor id='Pg138'/> + +<p> +And it is to this kind of table that the +Psalmist refers when he sings of the feast +of the sheep. He means nothing more than +that he has provided for his flock in the +face of their enemies a rich pasture, a +spreading slope, where they shall feed with +contentment and peace, in spite of the evils +that surround them. +</p> + +<p> +But the quiet and peace which the sheep +enjoy, while partaking of their spread-out +banquet, are entirely owing to the protecting +presence of the shepherd. And it frequently +happens that here again the utmost +skill and diligence of the shepherd are +called into play in thus securing the peace +and safety of his flock. The most abundant +pastures are many times interspersed with +noxious weeds and plants, which, if eaten, +would sicken and poison the herd; while +around the feeding places and grazing +grounds very often lie hid, in thickets and +holes and caves in the hillsides, wild animals, +such as jackals, wolves and panthers, +<pb n='139'/><anchor id='Pg139'/> +ready to spring out, at the critical moment, +and devour the innocent sheep. The shepherd +is aware of all these evils and enemies +of his tender flock; and he goes ahead and +prepares the way, avoiding the poisonous +grasses, and driving away, or slaying, if +need be, the beasts that menace the peace +and security of the pasture. The evils are +not entirely dispelled, but only sufficiently +removed or held in check so as not to imperil +the flock. +</p> + +<p> +Such is the table prepared for the sheep +by their provident and watchful shepherd; +and such is the feast of which they partake +with quiet joy in the sight and presence of +their enemies. But, as just said, the tranquil +joy which is theirs comes not from the +fact that danger has been all removed, nor +from the fact that they have become hardened +and used to its presence. They know +it is always near; and they are conscious, as +far as animals can be, of their own utter +helplessness, if left to themselves, to survive +<pb n='140'/><anchor id='Pg140'/> +an attack of their powerful enemies. But +they do not fear, they are not disturbed or +anxious, solely for the reason that they feel +their shepherd is present, and they know he +will guard and protect them. Hence the +Psalmist is speaking for the sheep when he +says to the shepherd with a tone of confident +joy, <q>Thou spreadest before me a table +in the presence of mine enemies.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The spiritual meaning of this, like the +other verses of the Shepherd Psalm, is peculiarly +descriptive of our Lord, the Good +Shepherd of human souls. He, in a manner +altogether divine, precedes His elect, +and prepares them the way of salvation. +He does not deliver them from enemies and +dangers, which would be unnatural in the +present state, but He makes use of evils, as +said before, to increase the perfection of +His chosen souls. Gradually, step by step, +from a natural He leads them to a higher +state—from diffidence to trust, from fear to +<pb n='141'/><anchor id='Pg141'/> +love, from sorrow and anguish to peace and +joy. +</p> + +<p> +The change in the soul is rarely at once +and immediate; it does not come of a sudden. +At first it is difficult and repugnant +to nature to find joy in sorrow and pleasure +in pain, to see gladness in tears and rest in +disturbance, to find peace in the midst of +our enemies; but God, in His omnipotent +goodness, so disposes and provides for the +souls of His elect that sooner or later they +penetrate to the meaning of things, and find +there their hidden treasure. When the fabric +of life itself has crumbled to its native +dust, when friends have gone and charms +departed, when the very earth we tread +seems trembling beneath our feet, and every +dream of earthly bliss is fled, when enemies +sit where loved ones sat, and the heart has +all but ceased to beat, then is the acceptable +time and propitious moment, for the devout +and faithful soul, that has washed its garments +in the blood of the Lamb, to look up +<pb n='142'/><anchor id='Pg142'/> +to Heaven with expectant joy. The thrilling +vision of eternal love so much desired, +so long perhaps delayed, is then, indeed, +about to dawn. +</p> + +<p> +The sweetness of God and the peace of +His spirit are not to be found in the market +place, nor in the noise and clamor of the +busy street. It is not at the banquets of +earthly kings that we taste of the joys of the +Saviour's feast. It is not amid honors and +riches and the pleasures of sense that the +calm dews of Heaven refresh the soul. We +were made for a higher friendship, for a +more intimate union, for a sweeter companionship +than any that earth can provide. +And it is only when the door has been shut +to the outer world, when the vanities of time +have ceased to be sought, that the soul is +ready for the wedding garment, and able to +prepare for the marriage feast. It is in the +inner sanctuary and alone, divested of fleshy +trammels and freed from the bondage of +earthly attachments, that the soul is able to +<pb n='143'/><anchor id='Pg143'/> +meet its God and hold intimate converse +with Him. +</p> + +<p> +There are few, comparatively, out of the +multitude of souls that are called to the +feast which is spread for them, that ever sit +down at the Master's table. Many are invited, +and the servant is sent out at the hour +of supper to say to them that were called, +that all things are ready, and that they +should come; but they tarry, they are not +ready, they begin to make excuses and wish +to be held excused. Some are entangled in +perishable riches and cannot leave their +possessions; others are preoccupied with +worldly affairs and must not neglect their +business; still others are pursuing the pleasures +of earth, and have no time for the +things of Heaven. But the feast is not for +these, after all. The Master invites them, +He calls them, He sends His ministers in +search of them, He reproves and chides +them, He thunders against them to make +them hear and obey; but they will not come, +<pb n='144'/><anchor id='Pg144'/> +they shall never taste of His banquet. He +has not spread a table for the proud, the +haughty, the arrogant; He cannot meet in +loving communion the worldly, the sensuous, +the lovers of ease and hurtful pleasures. +Such as these are not prepared to +meet Him; they would be out of place and +ill at ease in His company, they do not like +His society.<note place='foot'>Luke xiv.</note> +</p> + +<p> +To be able to come to the Master and to +sit at His feast there is need of preparation. +The garments of the world must be changed +for the garments of Heaven, the ways of +men must be made to yield to the ways of +God. For what is wisdom with men is +foolishness with God,<note place='foot'>1 Cor. i. 25.</note> the weak things of +earth are the strong things of Heaven, the +outcast of the world are the chosen of the +Father Almighty. And hence our Saviour +under the figure of the master in the parable +who prepared a great supper, says of +<pb n='145'/><anchor id='Pg145'/> +all those who will not hear Him, who neglect +His divine inspirations and despise the +call of His ministers, that they shall never +taste of His feast. But who, then, shall sit +down at His table? for whom has He prepared +the banquet? He tells us Himself, +that those who shall partake of His supper +are the lowly, the humble, the poor, the +lame, and the blind; the despised of men +and the outcast of the people; those who +have known sorrow and suffering and penance, +who have found the way of the cross +and embraced it; who, for the kingdom of +Heaven and the love of Christ crucified, +have given up father, and mother, and wife, +and children, and brethren and sisters; yea, +and their own life also, that they might inherit +everlasting crowns that fade not +away.<note place='foot'>Luke xiv. 26.</note> +</p> + +<p> +St. Paul was one of these masterful spirits, +who surrendered all that he had, all that +<pb n='146'/><anchor id='Pg146'/> +he prized most dearly for love of Christ +and His service. <q>The things that were +gain to me,</q> he says, <q>the same have I +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 waste, that I may +gain Christ.</q><note place='foot'>Philip iii. 7, 8.</note> What a struggle, too, was +that which St. Augustine describes, speaking +of his own conversion! The parting +with those sinful delights which had hitherto +held him in chains was like the forfeiture +of all he possessed, and it seemed to +him that life thereafter would not be worth +living; yet he generously and vigorously +gave them up that Christ might become his +possession. He has also described for us +the change. <q>How sweet,</q> he says, <q>did it +at once become to me to want the sweetness +of those trifles, which to lose had been my +<pb n='147'/><anchor id='Pg147'/> +fear, but which to have lost was now a joy! +Thou didst cast them forth from me, oh +Thou true and highest sweetness! Thou +didst cast them forth, and in their stead +didst enter in Thyself, sweeter than all +pleasure!</q><note place='foot'>Confess. ix. 1.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is such as these, heroic souls, who for +the sake of God and His kingdom, have +made the world their enemy, that compose +the company of the elect. And for these +alone it is that the Shepherd of souls has +spread a table of rest and peace, even in this +life, of which they partake in the sight of +their enemies, in the presence of those who +think evil of them, who despise and deride +them, in the sight of the world which hates +them. These holy souls, the elect of God, +whom the Father has chosen for Himself, +have learned, through the trials and losses +of life, the lessons of peace and detachment +which crosses are intended to teach. They +<pb n='148'/><anchor id='Pg148'/> +have learned, by exclusion and retirement +from worldly festivities and pernicious delights, +to draw near to God, out of love for +His beauty and mercy, or if only to ease +their breaking hearts and dispel the loneliness +of their forsaken lives. In the words +of the Psalmist, they have tasted and seen +that the Lord is sweet, and that there is no +one like unto God.<note place='foot'>Ps. xxxiii. 9; lxxxii. 2.</note> With the image of +the Crucified before their eyes and conscious +of the presence of their loving Shepherd, +they greet with delight the sufferings that +oppress them, and they feast in peace in the +presence of their enemies. They know that +all is arranged or permitted by the hand +that guards them, and by the One that loves +them; and, though He slay them, yet will +they trust Him.<note place='foot'>Job xiii. 15.</note> For what can happen to +those that love God? what evil can befall +<pb n='149'/><anchor id='Pg149'/> +them? Angels have charge over them to +keep them in all their ways.<note place='foot'>Ps. xc. 11.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is confidence, therefore, in their Saviour +and God that gives peace and tranquillity +to the souls of the just. To know Him, +to love Him, to trust Him, to dwell in His +presence and to please Him, throughout all +the vicissitudes and evils of life, are the objects +of their constant actions and the highest +aspirations of their fervid souls. Confident +of the favor and protection of God, +and rooted in His love, they despise all pain +and the threats of men; and in the midst of +the battle of life they rejoice in a peace of +mind and soul of which the worldling cannot +dream. The pasture in which they feed, +the banquet of which they partake are nothing +else than the love and friendship of God +which nourishes and refreshes their spirits +when to every mortal eye they seem destitute, +abandoned and alone. And this peace +<pb n='150'/><anchor id='Pg150'/> +of God, which surpasseth all understanding,<note place='foot'>Philip iv. 7.</note> +develops in souls truly spiritual a +habit of mind and a character of life that +even here below partake of the stability and +calm sense of victory which, in their perfection, +belong only to the state of the blessed +in Heaven. They feel that all things are +possible to them through Him that strengtheneth +them,<note place='foot'>Philip iv. 13.</note> and that no temporal affliction, +no power of man or any creature shall +wrest from them the feast which they enjoy. +And hence they are able to ask, in the confident +words of the Apostle, <q>Who shall separate +us from the love of Christ? Shall +tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness; +or danger, or persecution, or the +sword ... In all these things we +overcome, because of him that hath loved +us. Therefore we are sure that neither +death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, +nor powers, nor things present, nor +<pb n='151'/><anchor id='Pg151'/> +things to come, nor might, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able +to separate us from the love of God, which +is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.</q><note place='foot'>Rom. viii. 33-39.</note> +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='152'/><anchor id='Pg152'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>X. Thou Anointest My Head With Oil; +My Cup Runneth Over.</head> + +<p> +In these words the Psalmist alludes to one +of the most touching offices performed by +the good shepherd towards his sheep. The +day is drawing to a close, the golden orb of +light has sunk to rest, and the shadows are +creeping up the hills. The hush of night +is falling round, and the shepherd must +gather his flock into the fold. The labors, +the journeys, the trials, the wanderings of +the day are over, and now comes the time +for rest. It is a scene full of peace, and the +sheep greet its approach with feelings of +restful anticipation. Many of them are +foot-sore and lame; many have received +bruises and scratches during the journeyings +of the day; some have gaping and +bleeding wounds from the attacks of wild +beasts; while others are simply tired out +<pb n='153'/><anchor id='Pg153'/> +and exhausted from the long walks and +steep climbing of hills. The shepherd +knows all this, and before leading them into +rest he takes care to see that the wounds of +all are dressed and soothed, so that nothing +shall disturb the sweet repose of their sleep. +For this purpose he stands at the door of +the fold as the sheep pass in. He has olive +oil and cedar-tar to use as healing ointments +for their wounds, and he has cool, refreshing +water for those that are worn and weary. +Lovingly and tenderly he regards each +member, as one by one they enter into rest; +and they that are wounded or over-weary +he holds back with his rod, till their scars +and sores are duly cared for and made +ready for the night's repose. +</p> + +<p> +How closely these offices performed for +the sheep by the shepherd resemble the care +of our Father and Saviour providing at the +end for the souls that He loves! He has +been with them all through life, leading, +guiding, guarding, shepherding them at all +<pb n='154'/><anchor id='Pg154'/> +times, going before them with the blessings +of goodness. And when at length the end +approaches, they feel the need of His loving-kindness +perhaps more than ever before. +Like the shepherd's flock, their needs are +many and various. Some souls there are +who, through the special grace of God, are +able to pass their lives in innocence and +holiness, living in the world, yet not of it, +dwelling in the midst of men and in the +sight of their wickedness and sin, yet undefiled +withal, beautiful witnesses of the +power and love of Him that strengthens +and preserves them. +</p> + +<p> +But the majority are not thus favored. +Notwithstanding all their graces, they have +been subject to falls—perhaps to many +grievous falls; they have suffered many +wounds and bruises, they have had many +tears to shed. Multitudes there are, in fact, +who come down to the verge of life, to the +very gate of death, sin-stained, racked and +wounded, their life blood ebbing out +<pb n='155'/><anchor id='Pg155'/> +through sores and wounds which they themselves +have made by wilful open friendship +with sin and vice, the deadly foes of their +souls. We have many varying examples of +these straying souls. There is the type of +Mary Magdalen, of St. Peter, of St. Paul, +of St. Augustine, who passed a portion, +brief or prolonged, of their mortal days far +from the Father's home, feeding on the +husks of swine; but who, while yet in the +vigor of life, felt the touch of the merciful +hand and heard the sound of the loving +voice, leading them, calling them back to +God, back to the <q>beauty ever ancient and +ever new.</q> Such souls as these, it is true, +constitute one class of erring, but repenting +sinners; but there is another class whose +plight is far more pitiable. They are those +long-delayed, but finally repentant sinners, +men and women who have lived their lives +away from the Church and its sacraments, +who have grown old and gray in the sins of +their youth, and now, at the last, when death +<pb n='156'/><anchor id='Pg156'/> +is coming, are moved, by a special grace +from Heaven, to weep for their sins and +wasted years before they enter their eternal +abode. +</p> + +<p> +For each and all of these how important +it is that the Shepherd should stand at the +door of the fold and bind up their wounds +with His tender grace before they pass +through the portals of death! Scarred and +wayward children, victims of evil circumstances, +creatures of vanity and of folly, +they realize at the end how impotent they +are, how helpless in the presence of the +coldness of death to redeem or make sure +the years that are fled, unless He draw near +and assist them who has sustained them in +life, and who is at once the author and the +master of both life and death! +</p> + +<p> +But for all, without exception, the need +of the Shepherd is imperative at the end. +The victory, the happy issue of life's struggle, +<q>is not of him that willeth, nor of him +that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.</q><note place='foot'>Rom. ix. 16.</note> +<pb n='157'/><anchor id='Pg157'/> +All may run, all may strive, indeed, +for the prize of eternal life, but none can be +sure, short of the mercy of God, that he will +be saved; none can merit this crowning +glory of life. Whether young or old, +whether favored or neglected, whether innocent +or guilty, whether the life has been +dowered with special blessings and never +known the stain of grievous sin, or whether +it has been eked out amidst deepest misery +and defiled with hateful crimes, the same +uncertainty for all remains as to the manner +in which the end shall come. Men may +reason and conjecture, from what they see +and know, that this one or that is in God's +favor, and shall so persevere to the end; that +the members of a certain family, or class, +or station in life, are sure to be saved, and +shall never fall short; but that those of another +class or condition shall, on the contrary, +die as they have lived, in the filth of +<pb n='158'/><anchor id='Pg158'/> +their sins, to be forever in torment. But +these are the reasonings of men, which are +of no avail in the sight of God. It is only +the Father in Heaven who knows the elect. +He alone is able to tell who shall remain to +be crowned, and who is to be condemned. +Perseverance is a gratuitous gift of God, we +cannot merit it. All our good actions and +holy deeds, which are performed in the state +of grace and out of a motive of charity, do, +it is true, merit a reward in Heaven, they +tend to increase our blessedness hereafter; +but just as it is not in our power to merit +the first grace, by which we are raised from +a state of sin, so are we utterly unable to do +anything which shall secure for a certainty +the final grace, by which alone we can be +saved. Wherefore the Preacher said: <q>All +these things have I considered in my heart, +that I might carefully understand them: +there are just men and wise men, and their +works are in the hand of God; and yet man +knoweth not whether he be worthy of love +<pb n='159'/><anchor id='Pg159'/> +or hatred. But all things are kept uncertain +for the time to come, because all things +equally happen to the just and to the wicked, +to the good and to the evil, to the clean and +to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, +and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the +good is, so also is the sinner; as the perjured, +so he also that sweareth truth.</q><note place='foot'>Eccl. ix. 1, 2.</note> +</p> + +<p> +This uncertainty as to the end of life, and +of the gift of final perseverance, all holy +souls have felt. To die in the friendship +of God, and thence to enjoy His presence +forever, is a gift of so transcendent a nature, +so far above our natural powers and utmost +deserts that no creature, which can at all +conceive it, would dare claim it as a right. +It was this conviction that made the saints +tremble to think of it. This it was that +prompted St. Paul to admonish the Philippians +to work out their salvation with fear +and trembling,<note place='foot'>Philip, ii. 12.</note> and that also evoked from +<pb n='160'/><anchor id='Pg160'/> +the same Apostle those candid words concerning +himself: <q>I chastise my body, and +bring it into subjection; lest, perhaps, when +I have preached to others, I myself should +become a castaway.</q><note place='foot'>1 Cor. ix. 27.</note> +</p> + +<p> +And have we not sometimes witnessed instances +which, so far as man can judge, give +ground for this fear as to perseverance, and +emphasize the great truth that to die in +God's favor is, indeed, a singular and a +gratuitous gift? How many have we not +known who started well, but terminated ill! +How many are innocent and holy in youth +and give every promise of splendid manhood, +but fade and drop, like poisoned +flowers, ere the age of maturity has dawned! +How many are able to pass through the +most critical period of their lives, unshaken +and undefiled, full of faith, hope, love, +purity; but who, when the age of security +is thought to have come, lose the grip which +<pb n='161'/><anchor id='Pg161'/> +seemed so firm, turn to evil, yield to vicious +habits, and die reprobates of God! Look +at King Solomon! Who was ever more +promising than he in his youth? Who ever +gave fairer prospects of continued holiness +and of a beautiful end? He was so lovely, +so amiable, so favored of God in the morning +of life; graced with such high perfections, +not knowing evil, a stranger to vice, +a lover of sanctity, of wisdom, and of grace. +It would seem that he could never fall—he +who was the object of such unwonted favors, +who dwelt so supremely in the smile of +Heaven. But lo, and behold the end of him +who had received so many graces, who chose +wisdom as his handmaid that he might be +guided aright! Behold that youthful figure, +so full of promise and goodly hope, +praying to God that he might never deviate +from the ways of grace; and then see the +gray-haired apostate tottering to the grave, +borne down by the weight of his sins and of +his years! And how many more there have +<pb n='162'/><anchor id='Pg162'/> +been, like King Saul, like Renan and Voltaire, +and numerous others that we ourselves +perhaps have known, who were great and +good in youth, and for a term of years, but +whose end was a miserable failure! +</p> + +<p> +Our perseverance, then, or the favor to die +in the state of grace, is not of ourselves, not +the reward of our efforts, or of our good +works, <q>but of God that sheweth mercy.</q> +We must do all in our power to merit eternal +life; we must press on to the mark, waging +ceaseless battle in behalf of God and of +our souls, even to the last moment; but for +the happy end of it all we must perforce +rely on the tender mercy of God. This is +why our Lord, before He departed from +earth, prayed to His heavenly Father for +His disciples: <q>Holy Father, keep them in +Thy name whom Thou hast given me; ... +I pray not that thou shouldst take them out +of the world; but that thou shouldst keep +them from evil.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xvii. 11-15.</note> This same truth the +<pb n='163'/><anchor id='Pg163'/> +Psalmist also had in mind when he prayed: +<q>Perfect thou my goings in thy paths, that +my footsteps be not moved.</q><note place='foot'>Ps. xvi. 5.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is this appalling uncertainty about the +end and outcome of life, together with our +own inability to make them secure, that +makes death so terrible to the minds and +thoughts of multitudes, even of Christians +and well-living persons. They fear to fall +into the hands of the living God. For them +the present life may be not so attractive; on +the contrary, it is likely replete with pain +and toil; but somehow they wish to linger +here, preferring that which is certain, although +so miserable, to that which is doubtful, +perhaps awful and irreparable. So +long as they continue in this present world +there is chance for change, there is hope of +improvement. But when death intervenes, +and the soul is removed to the other life, all +hopes of change are swept away, and the lot +<pb n='164'/><anchor id='Pg164'/> +of the soul is fixed for eternity. There is, +of course, a fear of death which is altogether +natural. Many dread death who pretend +not to believe in a future life, or even in the +existence of God. And many there are +whose lives are holy, and who have not +whereof they ought to fear, but for whom, +nevertheless, the very thought of death is +fraught with all manner of terrors. As +some are naturally afraid in the absence of +light, and tremble with fear at being alone +in a dark and lonely dwelling, or spot, or +place, so there are many who, without assignable +reason, other than a native tendency, +are appalled at the thought of death. +</p> + +<p> +But when all due allowances have been +made for the uncertainty of final perseverance, +and for the anxiety arising from natural +temperament, it seems not too much to +say that, for the most part, the fear and +dread of death which haunts so many Christians +can be reduced to two causes: a defect +of faith or a love of the world. It is one +<pb n='165'/><anchor id='Pg165'/> +of these causes, or both of them together, +which alone can explain, in the majority +of cases, why such numbers of Christians +and Catholics are unwilling to surrender +the present life, and are disturbed at the +very thought of dying. Either they do not +realize by faith the surpassing glories of the +life beyond—doubting its reality, questioning +its nature, misunderstanding the goodness +and mercy of God; or else they are so +attached to the present existence that all +serious thought and desire for a better life +are excluded from their minds and hearts. +Fenelon says that the condition of our spiritual +life is indicated by the answers we give +to the following questions: <q>Do I love to +think of God? Am I willing to suffer for +God? Does my desire to be with Him destroy +my fear of death?</q> We do not fear to +meet or to be with one whom we really love, +for <q>love casteth out fear.</q> There is no +dread at the coming of the parent or friend +whom we truly love, unless, perchance, we +<pb n='166'/><anchor id='Pg166'/> +have offended him, and lack full faith that +we have been forgiven and reinstated in his +favor and friendship. +</p> + +<p> +So it is with God. If we are unwilling +to meet Him, or filled with fear at the approach +of His coming, it seems of a certainty +that our faith is at fault. Why should +we not wish to meet Him who has made +us, who loves us, who has washed away our +sins with His own blood, who alone can +comfort our trembling souls and fill us with +every good? Perhaps we have sinned and +betrayed our Maker many times and grievously +in our lives, and the voices of those +sins are haunting us, and bidding us beware +of the hour of death and of the judgment +that follows. Perhaps there is a lurking +suspicion that we have not been forgiven, a +temptation that we are not sincere, a feeling +that our sins are too grave to be pardoned, a +conviction that we do not belong to the +company of the elect. We may have notions, +moreover, altogether severe, of the +<pb n='167'/><anchor id='Pg167'/> +nature of God and of His justice; we feel +His immensity and sanctity, we have heard +so much of His ineffable beauty, that, +weighed down with a sense of our nothingness, +of our poverty and misery and sinfulness, +we cannot but shudder at the thought +of appearing in His presence. These and +similar terrors may take hold of us and fill +us with a dread of death; but is it not clear +that, whatever their cause, these fears are +born of a lack of faith? We do not trust, +as we ought, the Shepherd that loves us, we +are not convinced of His mercy and kindness, +if we do not believe with child-like +confidence that He stands ready ever to forgive +and bless the least of His children that +humbly and sincerely seek Him, asking for +the help they need. The severity of God +toward sinners endures only so long as they +refuse to acknowledge their guilt. His +harshness with them, like that of Joseph +with his brethren, is but love in disguise; +and as soon as they are brought to own their +<pb n='168'/><anchor id='Pg168'/> +guilt, that which before was the anger of +God is swiftly turned into His love and +mercy. Christ did not come to destroy, but +to save. He will not crush the broken reed, +nor extinguish the smoking flax.<note place='foot'>Isa. xlii. 3.</note> <q>As a +father hath compassion on his children, so +hath the Lord compassion on them that fear +him; for he knoweth our frame, he remembereth +that we are dust.</q><note place='foot'>Ps. cii. 13, 14.</note> +</p> + +<p> +But there is also the love of the world, +which enslaves so many. So numerous and +so bewitching are the attractions of the present +life that they are loath to leave them. +It is a beautiful world, this universe of ours, +so deep, so wide, so vast! It is filled with +pleasures and allurements and graced with +myriad charms; and he, indeed, seems cold +of heart who can easily turn from its enchanting +beauties, and close his ear to its +manifold voices. Ponder for a moment the +<pb n='169'/><anchor id='Pg169'/> +richness of nature, its similarity and variety, +its sameness and its diversity; consider the +abundance of the harvest—the glowing +fruits, the green and golden crops, the sweet-scented +flowers and gift-bearing grasses; see +the stars above and the waters beneath—all +the wonders of earth and sky; and then +when you have ranged over fields and waves +and mountains, when you have climbed up +the steeps of the sky and gazed on the marvels +of the heavens, descend again to earth +and consider the human form—the chiefest +work of the Almighty hand, and the crown +of the natural world. What beauties are +here concealed! What a mingling of material +and spiritual, of human and almost +divine! What words can express, what lines +portray the beauty of the human countenance? +Who can describe or adequately +define the loveliness that streams from human +eyes, or echoes from the human voice? +And yet these are but the outer fringes and +<pb n='170'/><anchor id='Pg170'/> +dimmest glimpses of the beauties of the soul +that dwells within. +</p> + +<p> +How painful, then, it is for the worldly +to forsake the beauties and pleasures of this +present life. Bound down to their beds of +clay by the things of sense, they are grieved +to part with a life so full of diverse attractions. +How can they think undismayed of +closing forever their eyes and ears to these +charms of color and sound! It is such a +difficult thing, and so hard to nature, to +abandon these scenes of enticing pleasure, to +bid farewell to those that are dear and be +hurried away alone and forlorn to the chill +and gloom of the grave. +</p> + +<p> +So reason the children of the world; but +are not their reasonings and feelings a proof +of their little faith, and of their poor conceptions +of spiritual and eternal interests? +They do not want to leave the world, because +they love it; and they love the world, +because their faith is too weak to raise them +to a vision of higher things. The plain on +<pb n='171'/><anchor id='Pg171'/> +which they stand is too low clearly to see +the things of Heaven. How poor and +trifling at best is the earth and all it contains +to Him who beholds with a vivid faith the +world above that is to come! How gladly +does he lay down his life and give up the +struggle with ceaseless battles, who sees by +faith, just beyond the portals of death, the +great home of the blessed, spread out like +a city on the mountains, bathed in light inaccessible, +full of joy and unending gladness, +where <q>death shall be no more, nor +mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be +any more.</q><note place='foot'>Apoc. xxi., iv.</note> +</p> + +<p> +The man of faith, therefore, is in no wise +straightened or disturbed by the approach +of death. He has learned to know and to +trust the good Master whom he serves. Like +the Apostle, he is only concerned that Christ +should be glorified in him at all times and in +all things, <q>whether it be by life or by +<pb n='172'/><anchor id='Pg172'/> +death;</q> for to him also, <q>to live is Christ, +and to die is gain.</q><note place='foot'>Philip i. 20, 21.</note> He lives in the world, +but is not of it; he treads the ways of earth, +but he really belongs to the kingdom above. +Hence his cup of interior peace is ever running +over. Though surrounded by many +evils, he does not faint; though tempted exceedingly, +he does not yield; but is joyous +and peaceful withal; because at all times +and in all things he feels himself to be the +faithful servant of God, <q>in much patience, +in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, in +strifes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in +watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, +in long-suffering, in sweetness, in the +Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned; ... +as dying, and yet living; as chastised, and +not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; +as needy, yet enriching many; as having +nothing, yet possessing all things.</q><note place='foot'>2 Cor. vi. 4-11.</note> +</p> + +<pb n='173'/><anchor id='Pg173'/> + +<p> +<q>Precious in the sight of God is the death +of His Saints.</q> As they have lived for +Christ, they gladly welcome the summons +that calls them home to rest. Calmly and +fearlessly they go down to death; joyously +and with feelings of exultation they hail the +coming of Him on whom their thoughts +have rested throughout life, of Him whom +they have ever seen by faith, whom they +have loved, whom they have trusted, whom +they have chosen for their own. Confident +of the power and goodness of their faithful +Shepherd, pain daunts them not, the enemy +frets them not. The last hour for them is +not one of darkness, but of light; it is not a +time for lamentations, but for joyous and +gladsome strains. The end may be sudden, +or it may be gradual in its approach; it may +come early, or late in life; it may be at home +or abroad; it may be in the winter, or it +may be in summer; on the sea or on the +land; but to the just and spiritual it can +never be a surprise, it can never be lonely, +<pb n='174'/><anchor id='Pg174'/> +never sad. It is the time for which they +have always longed—a time of liberation, +of emancipation from the trammels of earth +and flesh, the end of continuous dying and +the beginning of lasting life. What a supreme +moment, what a joyous event is death +for a just and holy soul! What sweet emotions +must thrill the spirit, as the Saviour +stoops over the bed of death to wipe away +forever the last of earthly tears! Mary is +there to hush the voice of reproach and to +whisper words of peace; Jesus has come to +claim the soul and take it to Himself, and +flights of angels are waiting to sing it to its +rest. +</p> + +</div> + +<pb n='175'/><anchor id='Pg175'/> + +<div rend='page-break-before: always'> +<index index='toc'/> +<index index='pdf'/> +<head>XI. Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow +Me All the Days of My Life; +and I Shall Dwell in the House of +the Lord Unto Length of Days.</head> + +<p> +If the tender lambs and timid sheep of the +shepherd's flock could speak the sentiments +of their innocent hearts, each one would +certainly voice the words which here the +Psalmist has uttered for them all. Throughout +the live-long day, throughout all the +days of their lives, they experience the shepherd's +goodness, they are the objects of his +constant mercy. He has been caring for +them since their birth; he has led them out +each morning, since first they were able to +walk; he has provided them with food, and +led them to water; and he has ever been +present to shield them from harm, and to +protect them from their enemies. After +such repeated experiences and trials of his +<pb n='176'/><anchor id='Pg176'/> +loving-kindness, they have grown accustomed +to his faithfulness and are filled with +love of his goodness and mercy. And while +they have not the power of speech, and cannot +by words express their feelings, they do +by the louder voice of action—by their quiet +trust in his care, by their habitual mildness +and gentleness and quick response to his +every word, by the absence of solicitude and +fear in view of his presence—by these and +all the other actions that speak their simple +hearts they show their love for their shepherd. +Though often wounded and bleeding +and exhausted from the roughness and +length of their journeys, they have no distrust +about the future, no fear for the morrow. +In the midst of distress the shepherd, +they know, will provide. The Psalmist, +therefore, in the closing words of the shepherd +song, gives utterance to the feelings of +the sheep when he sings: <q>Surely goodness +and mercy shall follow me all the days of +<pb n='177'/><anchor id='Pg177'/> +my life, and I shall dwell in the house of +the Lord unto length of days.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But here, as in the opening verse of the +Shepherd Psalm, the words of the sacred +Singer, although truly expressive of the +sentiments of the sheep, are more directly +the expression of his own inner feelings, +and of the feelings of all faithful souls towards +the Lord who rules and guides them. +All those whose lives have been really and +sincerely led by faith, have, like the shepherd's +flock, grown trustfully accustomed, +in the course of years, to the goodness and +mercy, to the faithfulness and love of the +hand that provides for them. As they look +into their lives, and retrace the steps they +have taken, they cannot fail to see how God +has been always with them, patiently enduring +their faults, mercifully binding +up their wounds and hurts, and lovingly +leading, drawing them to Himself. +They can see their advancement, slow perhaps +as it has been; and they know it is +<pb n='178'/><anchor id='Pg178'/> +God who has given the increase. Looking +now at their lives through the perspective +of the years that are gone, how many problems +they are able to solve! for how many +apparent mysteries they have found an explanation! +All those crosses and trials, all +those struggles and battles with the enemy, +all those attacks from within and assaults +from without, all, in fact, that they have +ever endured, their sins alone excepted, they +now can trace, through the light of faith, +back to the hand of their Father in Heaven. +Not everything, forsooth, has yet been explained, +but enough, indeed, is sufficiently +clear to remove every doubt from the faithful +soul as to the goodness and Providence +of God. And hence she exclaims with the +Psalmist, out of the abundance of her faith +and confidence, <q>Surely goodness and mercy +shall follow me all the days of my life; and +I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.</q> +</p> + +<p> +It is doubtless a lack of implicit trust in +<pb n='179'/><anchor id='Pg179'/> +God and divine Providence which, more +than anything else, accounts for the unhappiness +and spiritual barrenness of so many +Christian and religious lives. Poor and +scanty is the fruit they yield, simply because +they have no depth of soil, they are not +deeply and firmly rooted in faith and confidence +in God. Like reeds shaken by the +wind, like houses built on the sand, they +tremble and shake with every blast, they +are all but overturned by every tempest that +rises. +</p> + +<p> +Nor is it wonderful that this should be so. +The higher gifts of the spirit come from +God, and hence the good fruit which the +spirit yields is also traceable back to Him. +<q>We do not gather grapes from thorns nor +figs from thistles; and as a good tree cannot +bring forth evil fruit, so neither can an +evil tree bring forth good fruit.</q><note place='foot'>Matt. vii. 16-19.</note> And +just because the abundance of the harvest +<pb n='180'/><anchor id='Pg180'/> +of the spiritual life is dependent upon God +as its giver, is it strange that any distrust of +Him and His Providence should be a great +hindrance to the soul's advancement, and +to the bestowal of the constant help it needs? +Can God be pleased with those who do not +confide in Him, and who do not trust Him? +Our Lord's own chiding words to His disciples +are a proof of His displeasure at any +distrust in His power and goodness. How +often did He rebuke them for their want of +confidence in Him! How often did He accuse +them reproachfully of their <q>little +faith,</q><note place='foot'>Matt. vi. 30.</note> of being <q>slow of +heart,</q><note place='foot'>Luke xxiv. 25.</note> of being +an <q>unbelieving and perverse generation!</q><note place='foot'>Matt. xvii. 16.</note> +He was constantly pointing to their lack of +faith, reminding them that it was the source +of their weakness, the cause of their ignorance +in things spiritual, the reason of their +powerlessness in the face of difficulties and +<pb n='181'/><anchor id='Pg181'/> +against the enemies of their souls. It is +clear that Almighty God, being a generous +and loving Father, must be offended at those +of His children who do not trust Him; and +their want of faith in Him is consequently +the reason for His denying to them the help +which is the life of their souls, and without +which they are powerless to be useful servants +in His vineyard. +</p> + +<p> +And this failure to confide in the goodness +of God betrays itself in other ways. Besides +sealing up the fountains of special +graces and closing the door on divine generosity, +besides a general unfruitfulness in +the spiritual life, and the lack of all greater +works for God and for souls, which are its +immediate consequences, it also penetrates +into the interior sanctuary of the spirit, and +weakens at their source the springs of spiritual +action. The results are manifest. Not +only is there no yielding of fruit, but growth +is likewise wanting. And if, under fairer +conditions, there has ever been any progress, +<pb n='182'/><anchor id='Pg182'/> +it is soon perceived to wither and wane in a +soul devoid of living faith. All the exercises +and practices of the Christian life participate +in the baneful effects. Prayer and +the use of the sacraments are either seriously +neglected or gradually given up, and +the blighting influences of irreligion rapidly +spread and overrun all the departments of +life. The view one takes of God, the faith +or lack of faith and trust one has in Providence, +have their effect on the character and +give a direction to all one's ways of thinking, +feeling, acting, in regard to the world +we live in, in regard to mankind in general, +in regard to the causes, purposes, and destinies +of all things. +</p> + +<p> +Our conceptions of Providence are vital, +therefore. They really determine what our +life is to be, and they are an index to the +life that is finished. It is impossible that +we should be quite the same whether we +try to eliminate God from our lives, or allow +His blessed influence to cheer and lead +<pb n='183'/><anchor id='Pg183'/> +us on; whether we look upon Him as a cold +Master, waiting to exact and to punish, or +as a kind Father and Shepherd, seeking to +spare and to save; whether we regard Him +as hid far in the heavens, caring naught for +the creatures and the world He has made, +or whether we conceive Him as intimately +bound up with all the works of His hands, +although distinct from them, as guiding and +regulating everything, as tenderly loving +and providing for all the needs of our souls. +</p> + +<p> +Another most harmful result of deficient +faith and confidence in God is that it leads +us to trust in creatures. It causes us to reverse +the proper order of things. We are +dependent beings, and we instinctively feel +our deficiencies and the need of some one, +or something on which to lean, at times, +and to which we can look for assistance. +We may not be entirely and always conscious +of this tendency in us, we may be too +proud or too blind to admit it, or we may +wish we could overcome it and rid our lives +<pb n='184'/><anchor id='Pg184'/> +of so constant a need; but whether we see it +and acknowledge it or not, whether we encourage +it or try to repress it, the need is +always there, deeply engraved in our nature +as creatures, and we cannot but seek to satisfy +it. There is none of us, frail beings +that we are, who is entirely sufficient unto +himself. Sometimes, of course, the voice +of our needs is silent, and we feel that we +shall never want; <q>I said in my abundance,</q> +observes the Psalmist, <q>I shall not be moved +forever;</q><note place='foot'>Ps. xxix. 7.</note> but when the tide begins to ebb +and prosperity subsides, how soon do we remember +that we are dust! How frequently +in times of trouble, in times of illness and +poverty and suffering, when face to face +with our foes, or when death steps in and +slaughters, are we made aware of our insufficiency, +and of our utter helplessness to live +our lives alone and meet single-handed the +burdens and misfortunes of earth! It takes +<pb n='185'/><anchor id='Pg185'/> +but a little frost to nip the root of all our +greatness, and then when our high-blown +pride breaks under us we quickly realize +how fragile and insecure are the personal +foundations of our lives. Naturally and +reasonably, therefore, did the pagan philosophers +conclude that friendship and friends +were necessary to man. +</p> + +<p> +Profoundly aware of this fundamental +need of help and support which is a result +of our nature, we habitually stretch out our +hands to others, not only during the years +of infancy and childhood, but to a greater +or less extent throughout the whole period +of our earthly existence. At first, of course, +it is to creatures that we necessarily look—to +parents, relatives, guardians, teachers, +and later on, to friends and acquaintances. +Our needs in the beginning and in early +years, though many and imperative, are +comparatively simple; they can be satisfied +by those around us. But as we advance to +maturity and take in more completely the +<pb n='186'/><anchor id='Pg186'/> +meaning of our lives, and consider not so +much the needs of the body as the demands +of the soul, we find that the multiple requirements +of infancy and youth, which +were able to be supplied by those that were +near, have given way to the fewer, but vast +and unlimited, claims of age, which express +the wants of the spirit. It is when we appeal +to creatures for the complete and permanent +satisfaction of these latter necessities +of our being, that we seriously err, and +open the way to disappointment and sorrow. +Not that we are to have no cherished and +chosen friends, or that we should despise +the needs and gifts, the privileges and blessings +of friendship, which in truth our nature +requires; nor again that we are to regard +with skeptical, disdainful eyes the +world and human nature; but we must not +deceive ourselves by trying to find in any +created being that which it does not possess. +We must not endeavor to get from any creature +that perfect satisfaction which we need, +<pb n='187'/><anchor id='Pg187'/> +and which the Creator alone can give. +Neither must we seek to fill the unlimited +capacity of our souls with those gifts only, +poor and defective at best, which frail mortals +like ourselves are able to supply. It is +folly in the highest degree to expect from +anyone less than God that which only God +can afford. +</p> + +<p> +The mistake, therefore, is made when +creatures of any kind are allowed to take +the place of God; when they are sought and +reposed in as an end in themselves, and as +sufficient satisfaction for the needs of the +human spirit. Unwise, indeed, is this mode +of action, and bitter are the sorrows of soul +to which it inevitably leads! One man +trusts in riches, another in glory, another in +the esteem of men; one leans upon his +friends and companions, another upon his +relatives—all forgetful of the frail and unsubstantial +nature of every earthly prop. +Frequently they never awaken to the peril +of their state until they find themselves face +<pb n='188'/><anchor id='Pg188'/> +to face with their doom and the awful disillusionment. +The crash may be delayed, but +the day must come sooner or later for all of +us, who have advanced but a little beyond +maturity, when all the natural lights of life +go out, when every human prop is removed, +and we find ourselves out alone and in the +dark, so far as depends on the world and +creatures. How miserable then shall we be +if we have put our trust in men! if we have +tried to make creatures play the part in our +lives which only God can play! When we +need them most they fail us, when we fain +would find beneath their protection a shield +against the fiery darts of life, behold they +wither like the ivy of Jonas and leave us +alone in our want!<note place='foot'>Jonas iv.</note> How vain, therefore, +and groundless is that confidence which is +put in men, and how wretched that poor +man that hangs on princes' favors! <q>Thou +trustest in money,</q> says St. Augustine, <q>thou +<pb n='189'/><anchor id='Pg189'/> +holdest to vanity; thou trustest in honor, and +in some eminence of human power, thou +holdest to vanity; thou trustest in some principal +friend, thou holdest to vanity. When +thou trustest in all these things, either thou +diest and leavest them here, or in thy lifetime +they all perish, and thou failest in thy +trust.</q><note place='foot'>In Ps. xxx. Exp. 2.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is no despisal, then, of the needs and +helps of earthly friends and of our fellow-creatures +to say that we should not put entire +trust in them for all the wants and demands +of our being. They are good, they +were made by God, they are oftentimes able +to assist us—nay, we need them to a certain +extent; but they are utterly unable to satisfy +us completely, they cannot if they would, +simply because of the extent of our wants. +And even if creatures could give us a partial +contentment, as at times they seem to do, +we know that it cannot last, and in the midst +<pb n='190'/><anchor id='Pg190'/> +of our joy and pleasure we are haunted by +the thought that some day, soon at latest, it +all must pass away. We are seeking for +rest, for peace, for happiness, and that unending; +we want something to steady our +lives and satisfy the yearnings of our souls +forever: but we must not look for these +things in the world, for the world at best is +passing away. There is no stability to human +things; the cloud and the storm swiftly +follow the sunshine; we have not here below +a lasting habitation. Today we are sitting +at the banquet of pleasure, tomorrow we are +draining the cup of sorrow; today we receive +the applause of men, tomorrow we +may be the objects of their scorn; today we +put forth the tender leaves of hope, tomorrow +there comes a killing frost that ruins all +our prospects. +</p> + +<p> +Such, then, is the lot of man when considered +in his relations to creatures and to +the world. It is a lot full of uncertainty, +of instability, of vicissitude; but this should +<pb n='191'/><anchor id='Pg191'/> +not make us skeptical or cynical; it affords +no justification for pessimism. It is a condition +arising, on the one hand, from the +very nature of limited beings, and on the +other, from the vast potentialities of our +souls, which, while they are limited in giving +to others, cannot be appeased except by +the God who made them. There is a craving +in the heart of man for something which +the world cannot give. He clutches for the +things that are passing, he toils, he labors, +he struggles; he strives for money, for +power, for place, for honor, not that any of +these things are in themselves what he desires, +but only because he conceives them as +means and helps to the satisfaction, to the +stillness of mind, and peace of heart, and +rest of soul and body for which his nature +longs. Peace and happiness and contentment +of life are the objects of all our +dreams, of our persistent efforts, of our ambitions +and aims; but until we give up the +hope of finding these things in the world, in +<pb n='192'/><anchor id='Pg192'/> +our fellow-mortals, in anything short of +God, we shall never know the blessedness +for which we yearn. If we would ever attain +to the state which we covet, we must +learn the lesson, even though it be through +tears and sorrow, that God alone, who made +our souls with all their vast desires, is able +to comfort us and steady our lives amid the +storms and distresses of earth. +</p> + +<p> +It is futile to trust in men, or <q>in the children +of men, in whom there is no salvation.</q><note place='foot'>Ps. cxlv. 2, 3.</note> +The peace and blessedness which +we seek are <q>not as the world giveth;</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xiv. 27.</note> and +unless we turn away from the world and +cease to torture our lives with its vanities, +our portion can never be other than heartaches, +secret loathing, consuming thirst. +<q>For many friends cannot profit,</q> says +Thomas a'Kempis, <q>nor strong helpers assist, +nor prudent counsellors give a profitable +<pb n='193'/><anchor id='Pg193'/> +answer, nor the books of the learned +afford comfort, nor any precious substance +deliver, nor any place, however retired and +lovely, give shelter, unless thou thyself dost +assist, help, strengthen, console, instruct, and +guard us.</q><note place='foot'>Bk. iii.; ch. lix. 3.</note> +Such has been the history of +the race, and such is the experience of every +individual in the race that has placed his +hope and trust in anything created. +</p> + +<p> +We are confronted, therefore, on the one +side by the inherent weakness of our own +nature and the constant needs that arise +therefrom; and on the other side, we are +assured by the history of the race, if not by +our own experience, that so long as we strive +to satisfy our wants by an appeal to anything +but God we are doomed to disappointment +and sorrow. It is unfortunate that most +people must first be crushed by the world +and creatures which they serve before they +grasp the fundamental truth that creatures +<pb n='194'/><anchor id='Pg194'/> +are not their God. Comparatively few of +those who enjoy the world are ever brought +to realize the dignity and divine purpose of +their souls until the world and its allurements, +like a false pageant on a false stage, +give way beneath them, and they fall helpless +and alone. It is commonly only after +repeated awful experiences, when worn out +and exhausted by years of fruitless quest for +peace and happiness and contentment, that +men wake up to the simple fact that the +treasures which they seek are not in the +world, nor as the world giveth. +</p> + +<p> +But it is one thing to turn away from +the world disappointed, disgusted and betrayed; +and it is quite another thing to turn +to God and to recognize Him as our good +Father and Shepherd, patiently waiting to +receive us, ever able and ready to satisfy our +wants. There are many people who find +the world a disappointment and a deception, +and who turn from it with loathing and +hate, but who fail ever to lift their weary +<pb n='195'/><anchor id='Pg195'/> +eyes to the proper object of their trust. Like +the Israelites of old, they succeed at length +in escaping from the hands of oppression +and tyranny, but only to wander in a desert +land throughout the length of their days. +This is the region where dwell the pessimist, +the skeptic and the cynic—miserable mortals +that have wasted on creatures the talents +they should have given to their Creator, or +that have otherwise failed in their conception +of life, and have left unmultiplied the +money of the Master.<note place='foot'>Matt. xxv. 24-31.</note> There is plainly no +middle course for us, if we would not encounter +disaster; we are not negative as to +the necessities of our nature; it is not enough +for us to turn from positive harm, from the +objects that deceive and disappoint us; we +must further turn to positive good, and to +Him who alone can quiet and appease our +yearning spirits. +</p> + +<p> +One of the most evident and convincing +<pb n='196'/><anchor id='Pg196'/> +reasons, then, why we should put our trust +in God above all else is that He alone can +satisfy and give us rest. Only God is able +adequately to respond to all the needs of our +being. The simplest process of reasoning +should assure us of this, when once we perceive +the vastness of our wants and the impossibility +of their satisfaction through the +medium of created things. We know our +nature, which has come from the source and +essence of truth, cannot be false. Neither +can our unlimited capacities for knowledge, +for joy, for happiness be a deceiving +mockery. There is a way to peace +for us, and a source of supreme contentment; +there is a fountain of living waters +from which, if we drink, we shall never +thirst again. Hence our Saviour said: +<q>Come to me all you that labour and are +burdened, and I will refresh you;</q><note place='foot'>Matt. xi. 28.</note> and +again, <q>he that shall drink of the water +<pb n='197'/><anchor id='Pg197'/> +that I will give him shall not thirst forever: +but the water that I will give him shall become +in him a fountain of water, springing +up into life everlasting.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. iv. 13, 14.</note> +</p> + +<p> +But we shall never be able to come to +God, we shall never succeed even in getting +near the secret of interior peace and contentment +until we are able to grasp more or +less comprehensively the great basic truths +of our existence: that God loves each one of +us with the love of an infinite Father, and +that His Providence is so universal and omnipotent +as to extend to all things, even to +the numbering of the hairs of our head. +We talk much about chance and fortune and +accident, we speak every day of things happening, +as if by the sheerest contingence, +without warning or previous knowledge; +and so it is with reference to ourselves, and +to all the world perhaps: but with reference +to divine Providence it is not so; there is +nothing accidental, nothing unforeseen with +<pb n='198'/><anchor id='Pg198'/> +respect to God. <q>Without Thy counsel and +Providence, and without cause, nothing +cometh to pass in the earth,</q><note place='foot'>Bk. iii., +ch. 1, 4.</note> says the Imitation. +But what does this mean, <q>God +provides?</q> It means that the will of the +omnipotent Father directs and governs +everything. <q>Providence,</q> says St. John +Damscene, <q>is the will of God, by which +all things are fitly and harmoniously governed,</q><note place='foot'>De +Fide orthod. ii. 29.</note> +and such is its power that nothing +can elude or deceive it, neither can it be hindered +or baffled in any way. <q>For God will +not except any man's person, neither will +He stand in awe of any man's greatness; for +He made the little and the great, and He +hath equally care of all.</q><note place='foot'>Wis. vi. 8.</note> +</p> + +<p> +And just as divine Providence disposes +and governs all the events of life, directing +each to its proper end, so the divine Will is +the cause of everything that exists. Just as +<pb n='199'/><anchor id='Pg199'/> +it is impossible that anything should escape +God's knowledge and directing hand, so is +it impossible that anything should exist or +come into being without the direct intervention +or permission of His will. There +is nothing in the world which God has not +made, and nothing takes place which is not +according to His good-pleasure, except the +malice and guilt of sin. Even all the other +evils of life, such as sickness, suffering, disease, +poverty, cold, hunger, thirst, and the +like, God actually and positively wills. And +precisely because these things proceed from +His will, they cannot be bad. God is the +author of all good, and evil He cannot do. +So good, indeed, is He that, if He were not +sufficiently omnipotent to draw good out of +evil, He would never have permitted any +evil to exist. <q>God has judged it better,</q> +says St. Augustine, <q>to work good out of +evil, than to allow no evil.</q><note place='foot'>Ench. +tom. iii., ch. 27 and ii.</note> We must not +<pb n='200'/><anchor id='Pg200'/> +argue in our foolishness and try to understand +all the doings of God, for His ways +are not our ways, His thoughts not our +thoughts.<note place='foot'>Isa. lv. 8; Rom. xi. 33.</note> It is often beyond our power +even to understand our fellow-creatures, +and how foolish it is to complain because we +cannot comprehend the great Creator! +Enough for us, if we be sincere and right of +heart, to know, as we do, that God is good, +that He loves us individually, and that His +protecting hand guides and governs all the +events of our lives, even to the smallest detail. +These are truths which we must take +hold of and lay close to our hearts, else we +shall go the way of error and issue in ultimate +disaster. +</p> + +<p> +And from these truths, so certain and unquestionable, +it further follows that everything +existing in the world, so far as it affects +us, everything that falls to our lot, all +that we encounter, all that we suffer, all that +<pb n='201'/><anchor id='Pg201'/> +we do, aside from sin, has been purposely +arranged by Almighty God for our greater +spiritual good and eternal salvation. This +must be so, since God is the universal cause +of all things, and since He sincerely loves +us and desires above all to save us. If it +were otherwise, either He would not have +omnipotent control of everything, or He +could not be said really to desire our salvation. +How sadly we misunderstand these +great truths in our daily lives, when we +murmur and complain at the evils that afflict +us! How narrowly we conceive the +all-powerful will of God, and the infinite +abyss of His goodness which would lead us +to eternal delights! We would like to escape +all the evils of time, we love our lives, +and we wish to save them from final wreck; +but when failing to trust to the will of God +we forget the words of Christ, that <q>he that +loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth +his life in this world, keepeth it unto +<pb n='202'/><anchor id='Pg202'/> +life eternal.</q><note place='foot'>Jno. xii. 25.</note> We want to save our souls, +and we are, perhaps, much disturbed about +doing many and great things in the cause of +God and of Heaven, unmindful the while +of the Master's warning that, <q>not every one +that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into +the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the +will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall +enter into the kingdom of heaven.</q><note place='foot'> Matt. vii. 21.</note> It is +doubtless our aim to draw ever nearer and +nearer to our Saviour, and to deepen our +relationship with Him; but do we remember +that He said, <q>whosoever shall do the +will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, +and mother?</q><note place='foot'>Mk. iii. 35.</note> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes,</q> you will say, <q>This is all true; I +know it is so; my faith is at fault. If I only +had that beautiful faith and trust in God +which many have it would be easy for me, +and I should be happy! Faith is a gift and +<pb n='203'/><anchor id='Pg203'/> +favored are they that possess it.</q> But, dear +reader, can you not pray? Can you not ask +from God that heavenly gift which will +move mountains and translate them into the +sea?<note place='foot'>Mk. xi. 23.</note> Can you not overcome your indolence +and your repugnance, and patiently +and persistently implore from on high that +superior vision which pierces the clouds +and sees in everything the hand of God? +Surely you can say, with the devout author +of the Imitation of Christ, <q>Behold, Oh +beloved Father, I am in Thy hands, I bow +myself under the rod of Thy correction. +Strike my back and my neck too, that my +crookedness may be conformed to Thy +will.</q><note place='foot'>Bk. III., ch. l. 6.</note> Here again, remember the words +of your Saviour, <q>The kingdom of heaven +suffereth violence, and the violent bear it +away.</q><note place='foot'>Matt. xi. 12.</note> +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps the greatest trial to our faith in +<pb n='204'/><anchor id='Pg204'/> +divine Providence is in bearing what we call +the wrongs of life. That we should have +any crosses to suffer at all; that there should +be death and sickness and disease; that there +should be poverty and misery, distress and +worry, labor and sorrow; that there should +exist any of these things, is to our infirmity, +if we forget our sins and the sins of our race +that have caused these evils, a trial and a +test of fidelity. But still more is it difficult, +except to minds that are deeply religious, to +meet with the gentleness and serenity of +faith the positive injuries—the injustice, +the scorn, the ridicule, the pain and persecution +which others, needy creatures like +ourselves, actually inflict upon us. It is +easier, we say, to bear poverty than insult; +it is easier to suffer the inclemency of the +elements than to endure the unkindness of +our brethren; it is easier to put up with the +pain and weariness of bodily sickness than to +come under the lash of the tongues of men. +There is here, however, no room for hesitation +<pb n='205'/><anchor id='Pg205'/> +and question; the rule is the same for +all the crosses that come to us. God often +permits us to be afflicted by the sins of others +for our greater spiritual profit. Since, +therefore, all alike proceed from God, +either by positive act or divine permission, +and since we know that He is supremely +good and loves us, having given every proof +of His desire to save us, even to the delivering +up of His only Son,<note place='foot'>Rom. viii. 32.</note> we can never reasonably +or sincerely doubt that every evil +and cross of life, with the sole exception of +our personal sins, has been arranged for our +good. My God, do Thou teach us the wisdom +of the cross! <q>For this is a favor to +Thy friend, that for love of Thee he may +suffer and be afflicted in the world, how +often soever and by whom soever Thou permittest +such trials to befall him.</q><note place='foot'>Imitation, +Bk. III., ch. l. 4.</note> +</p> + +<p> +It is helpful that here also, in learning to +<pb n='206'/><anchor id='Pg206'/> +discern the source and meaning of our afflictions, +we have ever before us the examples +of the holiest souls. We know that +in all trials they steadfastly look beyond the +cross that presses them to the hand of Him +who has placed it there. Like the shepherd's +sheep, they are convinced of the +power and goodness of their Master, and +nothing can shake their trust in Him. +Without distinction or question they accept +all as coming from God by special act or +sovereign permission, to purify them, to detach +them from the world and creatures, to +increase their nearness and likeness to Himself, +to multiply their merits for Heaven +and bring them to everlasting crowns. They +discover the workings of Providence everywhere, +in things that are painful, as well as +in things that are pleasant to nature. Thus +behind their pangs of body and mind, behind +the whips and scorns of time, behind +the tongue that slanders and calumniates +them, behind the oppressor's wrong, the +<pb n='207'/><anchor id='Pg207'/> +injustice and tyranny of princes and rulers, +behind all the evils of life they see the hand +of Him who directs and governs all. But +here we must not conclude that the Saints +and holy persons have never resisted evil +and evil-doers, and that consequently we +must not. This would be a serious mistake, +as Church history and hagiography plainly +prove. Who was ever more vigorous and +fearless in opposing wrong and the doers of +wrong than St. Paul, St. Augustine, and St. +Jerome? Who was ever more persistent +in his efforts to prevail against the evils of +sin in others than St. Monica, St. Teresa, +St. Dominic, and St. Catharine of Siena? +After their example, then, we may and we +must struggle against evils of all kinds, +whether physical or spiritual, whether from +ourselves or from others, in so far as it is +not certain that it is the will of God that we +should submit to them. But when we have +exerted ourselves reasonably and lawfully +to rid our lives of that which afflicts us, and +<pb n='208'/><anchor id='Pg208'/> +still it persists, there can be no further doubt +that it is the will of God that we should patiently +and submissively accept our condition +and our cross. Since, however, we do +not know how long it is the wish of Providence +that we should be burdened and afflicted, +we may continue patiently to use +every legitimate means to be delivered, provided +it be done with humble resignation to +the will of our heavenly Father. +</p> + +<p> +The acceptance of injuries, therefore, on +the part of holy souls is not a weak yielding +to inevitable circumstances, nor a willing +consent to the wrongs of others. Like St. +Paul, they know whom they have believed,<note place='foot'>2 Tim. i. 12.</note> +and they are certain that, in due +time, divine justice will bring all evil-doers +to an evil end and will deliver the just from +their troubles. And further, when the vengeance +of the persecutor is turned upon +them, and they are hunted down without +<pb n='209'/><anchor id='Pg209'/> +reason by their kind, even by the members +of their own household, they remember the +words of their Shepherd, <q>The disciple is +not above his master, nor the servant above +his lord. It is enough for the disciple that +he be as his master, and the servant as his +lord. If they have called the good man of +the house Beelzebub, how much more them +of his household!</q><note place='foot'>Matt. x. 24, 25.</note> +</p> + +<p> +And again, when the servants of God behold +the wicked prospering and the just +oppressed; when they see the ambitious, the +covetous, the unscrupulous preferred and +honored, and they themselves plotted +against and rejected, their heart is not disturbed, +because they know first of all that +<q>to them that love God, all things work together +unto good,</q><note place='foot'>Rom. viii. 28.</note> and secondly, they are +persuaded that the efforts of sinners must +finally fail. <q>For the hope of the wicked is +<pb n='210'/><anchor id='Pg210'/> +as dust, which is blown away with the wind, +and as a thin froth which is dispersed by the +storm: and as a smoke that is scattered +abroad by the wind: and as the remembrance +of a guest of one day that passeth +by.</q><note place='foot'>Wis. v. 15.</note> In a word, then, those who are +really the friends of God have faith and +confidence in their heavenly Master; and all +the perils of earth, and all the powers of +darkness cannot avail to daunt them or turn +them aside from their purpose. +</p> + +<p> +This steadfastness of religious trust we, +in our turn, must strive to acquire. It is +the only way to peace and victory. If we +would ever rise above the evils of our lives +we must learn to look to God for every +thing. And this looking to God must be, +not only as to our bountiful benefactor, but +as to a kind master who knows how best to +discipline his servants and preserve them +from irreparable harm. +</p> + +<pb n='211'/><anchor id='Pg211'/> + +<p> +There is a substantially correct translation +of the final verse of the Shepherd +Psalm, which may be rendered as follows: +<q>And Thy goodness and kindness pursue +me all the days of my life, <emph>that I may dwell</emph> +in the house of the Lord forever.</q> It is the +special wording of the second clause of the +stanza that expresses the real purpose of +divine Providence in regard to the elect. +Everything in life has been ordained and +arranged for their eternal salvation, and for +the increase of their heavenly rewards. +<q>Therefore,</q> wrote St. Paul to Timothy, <q>I +endure all things for the sake of the elect, +that they also may obtain the salvation, +which is in Christ Jesus, with heavenly +glory.</q><note place='foot'>2 Tim. ii. 10.</note> +It is this firm conviction that infinite +love is at the bottom of all the workings +of Providence, doing everything for +the sake of the elect, that consoles and +steadies the souls of the just throughout all +<pb n='212'/><anchor id='Pg212'/> +the trials and crosses of life. In the thick +of the battle they never lose sight of the +faithful Shepherd that leads them, and they +ever behold by faith the unspeakable delights +He has prepared for them that love +Him. +</p> + +<p> +What joys are there in our faith and hope! +If by the mercy and goodness of God we +succeed in saving our souls, how cheap will +seem the price we shall have paid for +Heaven, and how benign and ineffably loving +will appear the Providence of God +which is leading us there! At times now +in our fervor we can faintly and feebly imagine +what it will mean to throw off forever +this veil of faith and see distinctly and continually +the Shepherd of our souls. But +our liveliest conceptions here are infinitely +inferior to the vision to come. <q>To see God +face to face, as He is; to gaze undazzled on +the Three Divine Persons, cognizable and +distinct in the burning fires of their inaccessible +splendors; to behold that long-coveted +<pb n='213'/><anchor id='Pg213'/> +sight, the endless Generation of the +All-holy Son, and our hearts to hold the joy, +and not die; to watch with spirits all out-stretched +in adoration the ever-radiant and +ineffably beautiful Procession of the Holy +Ghost from the Father and the Son, and to +participate ourselves in that jubilee of jubilees, +and drink in with greedy minds the +wonders of that Procession, and the marvelous +distinctness of its beauty from the Generation +of the Son; to feel ourselves with +ecstatic awe, and yet with seraphic intimacy, +overshadowed by the Person of the Unbegotten +Father, the Father to whom and of +whom we have said so much on earth, the +Fountain of Godhead, who is truly our +Father, while He is also the Father of the +Eternal Son; to explore, with exulting license +and with unutterably glad fear, attribute +after attribute, oceans opening into +oceans of divinest beauty; to lie astonished +in unspeakable contentment before the +vision of God's surpassing Unity, so long +<pb n='214'/><anchor id='Pg214'/> +the joyous mystery of our predilection, while +the Vision through all eternity seems to +grow more fresh and bright and new: O +my poor soul! what canst thou know of this, +or of these beautiful necessities, of thy exceeding +love, which shall only satisfy itself +in endless alternations, now of silence and +now of song?</q><note place='foot'>Faber, Creator and Creature, Bk. II., ch. v.</note> +</p> + +<p> +If regret were possible for the blessed +hereafter, they would never cease to mourn +over the loss of their opportunities on earth +to increase their eternal beatitude. It is +only when the veil shall have been removed +that we shall fully realize how the goodness +and mercy of God have always pursued +us in this life, that we might be saved and +enjoy the rewards of His house forever. +May God give us all that child-like trust in +our heavenly Master which the sheep display +toward their shepherd; may He grant +us that vivid constant faith of the Saints +<pb n='215'/><anchor id='Pg215'/> +which will enable us to see in every event of +life, in adversity as well as in prosperity, in +our pains as well as in our joys, the designs +of a loving Father who is ever wishing and +trying to lead His children to His home of +eternal delights. +</p> +</div> +</body> +<back rend="page-break-before: right"> + <div id="footnotes"> + <index index="toc" /> + <index index="pdf" /> + <head>Footnotes</head> + <divGen type="footnotes"/> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: right"> + <divGen type="pgfooter" /> + </div> +</back> +</text> +</TEI.2> |