CHRIST, THE DIRECTOR OF YOUR ACTIONS.

"Conduct me, O Lord; direct me in Thy sight." (Ps. 5:9)

I.

We read in the Gospel of this present Sunday that the Disciples, who were fishing, told Christ: "Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing." (Luke 5:5) We all live in moral darkness and ignorance, without knowing what we do, and this will prove hurtful to us unless we be directed by divine light. We may justly say with King Josaphat: "But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to Thee." (2 Par. 20:12) Neither does God, on the other hand, refuse the office of being our Director; for it is recorded of Joseph in Egypt: "The Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper." (Gen. 39:23)

II.

Christ, as we read in the Gospel, directed His Apostles, who were fishing, and they immediately caught a great quantity of fish. He will visit your soul today, to direct your spiritual concerns, so that you have great reason to hope for much spiritual profit if you will follow His directions and obey His divine inspirations.

III.

You must prepare your heart to receive your heavenly director in a proper manner. You must, first, divest it of all sinful affections; and therefore St. Peter says in the Gospel: "Depart from me, O Lord; for I am a sinful man," knowing that Christ could have no connection with sin. You must, in the second place, earnestly entreat Him to do you the favor of remitting your sins, and directing you in the way of virtue; for of King Ozias it is written: "And when he sought the Lord, he directed him in all things." (2 Par. 26:5) Wherefore say with the Psalmist: "Look upon Thy servants, and upon their works: and direct their children; and let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us; and direct Thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do Thou direct." (Ps.89:16-17)

CHRIST'S RETIRING INTO THE DESERT.

I.

Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan "and was led by the Spirit into the desert." (Matt. 4:1) Learn from this fact that the soul which is once filled with the Holy Ghost is always led to prayer, contemplation, and solitude. Besides, our Lord retired to avoid the applause of the people, which was the natural consequence of the wonderful signs which had been seen at His baptism. Before He commenced His preaching, He retired forty days from the conversation and ways of men, to teach you to love solitude and retirement, and when you have it in your power to separate yourself from your ordinary occupations, and, for a short time at least, to enter into spiritual retreat, to converse with God on the important affair of salvation.

II.

Christ is said after His baptism to have followed the conduct of the Holy Ghost, intimating that all who are baptized ought to follow the direction of the Divine Spirit and not their own judgments. Examine what spirit guides you in your actions, whether it be the spirit of perfection or of vanity. If you be a child of God, you must be led in everything by the Divine Spirit; for according to the Apostle: "Whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14)

III.

St. Mark says of Christ: "And He was with beasts." (Mark 1:13.) Admire the humility of the Son of God, who, although He was creator of all things, did not disdain for forty days to live among brute beasts. He might truly have said with Job: "I was the brother of dragons, and companion of ostriches." (Job 30:29) Be confounded at your want of virtue, when you cannot live contentedly except with companions of your own choice and humor. Learn to bear patiently with the crosses arising from troublesome associates; for, as the great St. Gregory says: "No one is perfect who is impatient among bad or troublesome neighbors."

CHRIST'S FASTING.

I.

"And when He had passed forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry." (Matt. 4:2) Christ joins fasting and mortification to His prayer in the desert, for prayers and mortification are two sisters that wish never to be separated. Prayer excites mortification, and mortification refines prayer as fire refines gold. In this manner, Christ's prayer "ascended from the desert, like a pillar of smoke of aromatic spices, of myrrh and frankincense." (Cant. 3:6) Endeavor to pray in such a manner that your prayers may ascend in so grateful a manner to the throne of God. Remember that "prayer is good with fasting and alms." (Tob. 12:8)

II.

Our Lord observed this rigorous fast at the commencement of His preaching to teach His followers that the first act of a spiritual life, much more of an apostolic life, is to tame and subdue the sensual appetites. Hence the ancient Fathers ordained, as Cassian informs us, that the taming of these appetites should be the first lesson which was to be given, for he who cannot master the palpable and grosser vices will not be able to subdue those which are of a more subtle and secret nature. Examine your conscience on this point, and ponder the expressions of the Wise Man: "He that loveth good cheer shall be in want; he that loveth wine and fat things shall not be rich." (Prov. 21:27) The man who does not subdue his sensuality will always be spiritually poor.

III.

The fruits of fasting are so numerous and so beneficial, that you ought to practice it as far as your health will permit: (1) It tames the rebellions of the flesh; (2) It purifies the mind and renders it capable of heavenly contemplation; (3) It appeases God's wrath and indignation; (4) It atones for sin; (5) It is meritorious of eternal life; (6) It obtains for us temporal blessings; (7) It is the food and nourishment of all virtues. Embrace a practice which is attended with so many benefits.

CHRIST'S TEMPTATION.

I.

After Christ had fasted forty days in the desert, He suffered Himself to be tempted by the Devil to gluttony, vainglory, ambition, and avarice. He suffered this in order that He might learn by His own experience "to have compassion on our infirmities." (Heb. 4:15) "For in that wherein He Himself hath suffered and been tempted, He is able to succor those also who are tempted." (Heb. 2:15) He suffered these temptations, besides, that, like a good commander, He might instruct us how to fight and conquer in this spiritual warfare. Thank Him for giving you so perfect an example of humility, and say with the Prophet: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." (Ps. 143:1)

II.

No one in this life, however great may be his sanctity, is free from temptation. This is evident from the life of Christ and His Saints. The more perfect a man is, the more fiercely is he assaulted by the Devil, "who is most pleased," as St. Hilary says, "with victory over Saints." Be not, therefore, alarmed or disconcerted when you find yourself attacked by any temptation, but remember the saying of the Wise Man: "Son, when thou comest to the service of God, prepare thy soul for temptation." (Ecclus. 2:1) But do not lose courage, for we know, as St. Bernard writes, that "the Devil can overcome none but those who wish to be overcome."

III.

Temptations come directly from the Devil, and are permitted by Almighty God. The Devil wishes our ruin, but God intends the increase of our merit and our glory. Thus He wished to try Abraham, thus He tries all His friends. "Because thou wast acceptable to God," said the Angel to Tobias, "it was necessary that temptation should prove thee." (Tob. 12:13) Hence the Apostle admonishes us to rejoice in temptation, and to confide in God; for "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

CHRIST'S FIRST TEMPTATION.

I.

"And the tempter coming, said to Him, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." (Matt. 4:3) The Devil attacks Christ with the same weapons that he employed against Adam in paradise. He naturally conceived that Christ must suffer hunger in consequence of His long and severe fast; he therefore tempts Him to gluttony. Observe how craftily he commences his attack against the post which he conceives to be the weakest. Our spiritual enemies are more anxious to destroy us than we are to save our souls. Guard against them; examine yourself; discover your weakest points, for against these the Devil will direct his most severe assaults.

II.

Man may be guilty of gluttony in five several ways: (1) By eating before the proper time; (2) By studiously seeking the most costly and exquisite fare; (3) By too much curiosity and anxiety in dressing even ordinary food; (4) By exceeding the just measure; (5) By too much greediness in eating and drinking. Examine yourself on these points, and remember what St. Isidore remarks: "No man can attain the perfection of virtue who has not first learned to master his appetite."

III.

Christ made answer to the tempter: "Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." By this He teaches us that we ought not to be too solicitous in regard to corporal food; "for the kingdom of God," says St. Paul, "is not meat and drink." (Rom. 14:17) We ought to be much more anxious for spiritual things, for these secure our eternal life. We are not, therefore, to expect to be supplied with food by a miracle, but we must commit these cares to God's ordinary providence, "who giveth to beasts their food, and to the young ravens that call upon Him." (Ps. 146:9) Learn, hence, to cut off all superfluous thoughts and conversations on these subjects, and throw yourself entirely on the kind providence of your good and merciful Father.

CHRIST'S SECOND TEMPTATION.

I.

"Then the devil took Him up into the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple." (Matt. 4:5) The enemy imagined, says St. Cyprian, that He whom he could not overcome by gluttony might yield to the temptation of vainglory. He, therefore, was permitted to carry Christ through the air, and to place Him on the top of the temple of Jerusalem. He then attempted to persuade Him to cast Himself down and prevent Himself from being injured, in order that those who were below, being astonished at the miracle, might begin to know and honor Him. Ponder how subtle and dangerous a temptation this is, because man is naturally covetous of praise and honor, and examine whether vainglory does not sometimes insinuate itself into your actions.

II.

"Cast Thyself down," said the Tempter to Christ. Such is the language which he addresses to all sinners; for to sin is really to fall down. He endeavors to persuade all men to cast themselves down, that is, to bend their thoughts and cares and affections to the things of this earth, and to immerse themselves in them. Examine, in general, by what temptations you are assaulted, and how you resist them. Do not listen to him, but rather attend to the words of the Apostle: "Seek the things that are above; mind the things that are above, not the things that are on the earth." (Col. 3:1)

III.

How resolutely Christ resists this temptation to vainglory, and by His reply disconcerts His adversary. "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (Matt. 4:7) We must not tempt God, that is, we must not expect miracles from God, when we can gain the object by employing human means. Learn, therefore, both to contemn the applause and esteem of the world, and not to expect extraordinary favors, visitations, or illustrations from God. These wishes are inconsistent with the spirit of humility and "every proud man is an abomination to the Lord." (Prov. 16:5)

CHRIST'S THIRD TEMPTATION.

I.

"Again the devil took Him up into a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them." (Matt 4:8) This is the third device of the Devil, and the most forcible of all; for by these means he overcomes most men whom he attacks. For the promise of wealth and honor seduces thousands. "Gold and silver hath destroyed many." (Ecclus. 8:3) The Tempter, however, as he always acts in regard to the children of pride and pomp, offers more than he can perform. "All these," he says, "will I give Thee if, falling down, Thou wilt adore me." In the same manner, the Devil, when he wishes to lead us into sin, promises us happiness, honor, and enjoyment; but those who listen to him are universally and uniformly deceived and disappointed.

II.

Christ resisted the temptation with constancy and resolution, and taught us by His example that we ought not to commit any sin, even "to gain the whole world." And yet how many thousands rush headlong into hell for a more trifling gratification than the enjoyment of the whole world! "Begone Satan! for it is written, The Lord thy God thou shalt adore, and Him alone shalt thou serve." Examine whether you serve and adore the Lord your God as you ought, or whether you do not rather follow your inordinate desires, and, by sacrificing your duty to them, virtually adore the enemy of your salvation. "For by whom a man is overcome," writes St. Peter, "of the same also is he a slave." (2 Pet. 2:19)

III.

After the third repulse, "the devil left Him, and behold Angels came and ministered to Him." (Matt. 4:11) Think with what alacrity those heavenly spirits come, sent by the eternal Father, and with what reverence they serve their Lord. Those who serve or help others, even in the meanest offices, serve Christ in His little ones. Recollect the remark of St. Luke: "When all the temptation was ended, the devil departed from Him for a time." (Matt. 4:11) Do not, therefore, consider yourself secure from the attacks of your spiritual enemies although you may have several timers repulsed them. "It is necessary," writes the eloquent St. Chrysostom, "that we should employ great vigilance, because we are in continual war, and enjoy no peace."