CHRIST, A PATIENT CREDITOR.

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (Matt. 6:12)

I.

Imagine yourself to be that servant who in this day's Gospel is said to have owed his master "ten thousand talents." (Matt. 18:24) The debt, which a sinner owes to God for one mortal sin is, in a certain manner, infinite. He is unable to pay this debt, and to make satisfaction for his sins, although he, and every thing which belongs to him, were sold, and himself reduced to perpetual slavery. What, then, would become of you, were your Lord to call you to an account this very day? You are charged with a great debt, and are, unable to to pay it.

II.

God's goodness prompts Him to be willing to forgive even more than man can owe. He is "rich in mercy" (Ephes. 2:4), "patient, and plenteous in mercy." (Ps. 144:8) "Come and accuse Me, saith the Lord; if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow." (Joel 2:13, Isa. 1:18) He will visit you today in the Eucharist, which He wishes to make a sanctuary, or place of refuge, for all His debtors, who cannot pay their debts. Hence, David says: "The Lord is become a refuge for the poor." (Ps. 9:10) O how ought you to wish for the coming of your great and good Creditor!

III.

From this parable we learn what preparations are necessary for His coming: "I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest Me." Therefore, He is to be entreated by earnest prayer. You must approach Him with the most profound humility; for "the servant falling down, besought Him." You are to make a firm resolution of amendment. "Have patience with Me, and I will repay thee all." You must forgive your brother, if you have any uncharitable feeling against him: "Should not thou, then, have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee? Forgive, and you shall be forgiven." (Luke 6:37)

THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. I.

I.

"The kingdom of heaven is like to a master of a family who went out early in the morning to hire laborers." (Matt. 20:1) This "master of a family" is God Himself, who, although He be the Lord of the kingdoms of heaven and earth, nevertheless provides in such a manner for the smallest wants of each individual, that it might seem that He is master only of a small family. His vineyard is the Church, the vines are all the faithful, the workmen are His pastors, and the faithful themselves; for every one must take care of his own soul. What a happiness it is to labor in such a vineyard, under such a master, and in cultivating such precious vines! Let this reflection induce you to labor seriously in performing your task in this vineyard.

II.

Consider the solicitude of the master of the family. "He went out early in the morning to hire laborers." From the very commencement of the world, in every age, God calls these workmen. He calls every one to Himself, from the first use of their reason. Although many, nay, even the greatest part of mankind, resist His early call, He still continues to call in every stage of life afterwards, even to their last moment. Some He entices to His service by the hopes of reward, saying: "I will give you what is just." He rebukes others for their slothfulness: "Why stand you here all the day idle?" Examine if you have not been hitherto very idle in the service of God.

III.

A part of this great vineyard consists of those whom God has placed under your charge, but particularly your own soul. Examine the present state of this part of the vineyard. See if it be not in the condition described by the author of Proverbs: "Behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down." (Prov. 24:31) Remember that you are sent into a vineyard, and not into a garden of pleasure; to labor, not to enjoy yourself and live at your ease. Encourage yourself to labor hard in this vineyard, for your reward will be very great. "The soul of them that work shall be made fat." (Prov. 13:4)

THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. II.

I.

"When evening was come, the Lord of the vineyard said to His steward: Call the laborers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first." (Matt. 20:8) This steward is Christ our Lord, to whom the Father "hath given authority to execute judgment." (John 5:27) The evening of our life is death, for the whole of our life is but one day. "A thousand years," says holy David, addressing his Lord, "in Thy sight are as yesterday, which is past." (Ps. 89:4) After death, every man receives his hire or wages. In the distribution of rewards, not so much regard is paid to the time employed as to fervor in working. Hence, those who come into the vineyard at the last hour, by conversion, receive as much as the first, because they are generally accustomed to labor with greater fervor and humility, and deem themselves undeserving of any reward, whilst on the contrary the others are often too confident and presumptuous.

II.

Those who had been longest in the vineyard, "murmured against the master of the house, saying, these last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us that have borne the burden of the day and heat." There can, of course, be no murmuring in heaven, but the reward "of those who come last" will be so great that, if their state could permit, it would breed envy in those who came first. This kind of envy is unfortunately very common in this world. Examine yourself on the subject; see if your eye be not in some respect evil, because your brother is more favored than you are. Remember the expression of St. Paul: "Charity envieth not." (1 Cor. 13:4)

III.

The parable closes in these remarkable words: "So shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few chosen." Those that were last employed in the vineyard receive the reward in consequence of their fervor. "God," says St. Gregory, "does not consider so much what is done as the affection with which it is done." Perhaps you may count many years in which you have been employed in the service of God, and not one in which you have served Him with fervor. Let it be said of you: "In a short space he fulfilled a long time." (Wis. 4:13)

THE INVITATION TO THE MARRIAGE FEAST. I.

I.

"The kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king, who made a marriage for his son." (Matt. 22:2) This king is our Heavenly Father, who has instituted a marriage between His only-begotton Son and human nature. The Son has espoused the Church in faith and charity, according to the expression of the Prophet: "I will espouse thee to Me in faith, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord." (Hos. 2:20) This same Lord espouses the souls of all the faithful, not those of the noble and the great only, but those of every one who will not reject Him. Acknowledge, O my soul, your exalted dignity, and behave yourself in a manner worthy of your spouse.

II.

Under various pretenses, many who are called refuse to be present at the marriage feast, the various courses of which are the seven Sacraments. Earthly cares prevent some: "I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it." Others say: "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them." Others are too much attached to sensual pleasures to accept of the invitation: "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." Others, in fine, "laid hands on his servants" (who were sent to invite them) "and, having treated them contumeliously, put them to death." (Matt. 22:6) In these wicked and obstinate wretches are depicted those who contumeliously refuse to listen to the Apostles and their successors, and who, not content with this, take away their physical or moral lives by death or calumny.

III.

Consider the madness and obstinacy of those men who reject the banquet of this Heavenly King and adhere to vile and transitory pursuits, particularly when they reflect that, by acting otherwise, they may pass from the Church Militant on earth to the Church Triumphant in heaven. Take care that you yourself be not entangled in the snares of this world, lest you be shut out from the heavenly banquet. "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." (Luke 14:15) Aspire with all your soul to the enjoyment of this happiness.

THE INVITATION TO THE MARRIAGE FEAST. II.

I.

"Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame." (Luke 14:21) The mercy of God is not diminished by the wretchedness or ingratitude of mankind. He provides other guests to take the places of those who were invited. Instead of the rich and voluptuous, who excuse themselves, He calls the poor and the feeble, that is, those who are free from earthly cares and impediments. He even compels them to enter, making use of afflictions and tribulations as so many scourges, by which He drives them into His banquet. Admire the mercies and goodness of God, and beg of Him with the Church, "to bend your rebellious will towards Himself."

II.

"And the king went to see the guests, and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment." (Matt. 22:11) This wedding garment is charity, or the grace of God, without which no one must presume to approach the Holy Sacraments. Reflect how God offers the garment of charity to every one. "He will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:4) And men, out of sloth, often refuse. But on your part, earnestly beg this grace of God, and do not presume to approach the Sacraments without it.

III.

Consider the indignation of the king against the man who presumed to be present at the marriage feast without the wedding garment. "Having bound his hands and feet," he thus commands his servants: "Cast him into exterior darkness." The punishment of the sinner is manifold. He is perpetually imprisoned in hell, he dwells in horrid darkness, since he is deprived of the sight of God; he is obstinate in evil, his hands are tied, so that he cannot perform a meritorious action, his feet are bound, so that he cannot escape from the place of his confinement. Beseech your Lord to deliver you from all these evils.

THE TEN VIRGINS. I.

I.

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins." (Matt. 25:1) In the Church Militant, there are both good and bad, wise and foolish, all expecting the coming of Christ, the spouse of the Church, in order to celebrate His nuptials in heaven. Those that keep their faith without charity, which is the life of faith, are like the foolish virgins who had no oil in their lamps. What can be more unwise than to expect the coming of a judge who sees all things, and not to prepare against His coming? Examine whether you be guilty of this folly.

II.

"And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." The time during which the bridegroom tarried represents life, during which even the good sometimes slumber through venial carelessness. The wicked fall into a profound sleep, that is, into a total forgetfulness of God, and a complete spiritual lethargy. Take care not to slumber during the short space of life, lest you fall into a profound sleep. Listen to the words of the Apostle, who wishes to rouse Christians to a sense of their important duty: "Rise, thou that sleepest, and Christ will enlighten thee." (Eph. 5:14)

III.

"And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him!" (Matt. 25:6) Your judge will come on a sudden, when you least expect him. Learn, therefore, to be always prepared for death. "The day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night." (1 Thes. 5:2) If your temporal life were in danger, and you had reason to be afraid of thieves, you would not sleep. How, then, can you sleep when your eternal salvation is in danger? Often let the words sound in your ears, "Behold the bridegroom cometh," lest He come when you are not prepared to meet him. "Watch ye, therefore," says Christ, "because you know not the day nor the hour."

THE TEN VIRGINS. II.

I.

"Then, all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps." (Matt. 25:7) At the approach of death, every one is generally alarmed and perplexed; but those who have not lived well find no oil of charity in the lamp that must light them to the other world, and they have no time to buy it with works of penance. "They shall return at evening," says royal David, "and they shall suffer hunger like dogs." (Ps. 58:7) Then, sinners will be denied that spiritual food which they neglected to receive during their lives. "Therefore, whilst we have time let us do good." (Gal. 6:10)

II.

"Now, while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they who were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut." (Matt. 25:10) Ponder how important it is to be ready at the hour on which eternity depends. The wise virgins entered with joy and mutual congratulation: "Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Isa. 35:10) The brightness of their lamp will be a hundred times increased from the light of the Bridegroom's countenance. The flame of their sincere charity will blaze with inextinguishable luster during the whole long day of eternity. Who would not wish to spend that day in such company?

III.

"But at last came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us." They asked to be admitted by words, but their deeds did not entitle them to admittance. "For not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 7:21) Prepare, therefore, by works, and not by words only, for the coming of the bridegroom. Ponder the terrors comprehended in those words, "I know you not," and take care that they be not addressed to you.