CHRIST, YOUR VIATICUM.

"Arise and eat, for thou hast a great way to go." (3 Kings, 19:7)

I.

It is recorded in the Gospel of today that Christ fed the multitude that followed Him into the desert, by the miraculous multiplication of bread and fishes. "If I send them away fasting, to their own houses," He said, "they will faint in the way." (Mark 8:3) We are all travelling through the desert of life, to our own country: "Whilst we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord." (2 Cor. 5:6) We must, therefore, be provided with necessary food for our long journey, lest we fail in the way, or linger, through weariness, in this contemptible world, instead of passing on to our heavenly country Therefore, as the father-in-law said in the book of Judges: "Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart." (Judges 19:5)

II.

This strengthening food is properly the Holy Eucharist, and hence it is communicated to us in the form of bread. This bread enables us to proceed on our journey with alacrity, to overcome its toils and labors, and to resist our spiritual enemies that attempt to impede us on our passage. The bread, which the Angel gave to Elias, was a lively figure of this bread. "He walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb." (3 Kings 19:8)

III.

Though this food be in itself most exquisite and strengthening, nevertheless, it does not produce its good effects except in a well-regulated and healthy stomach. If it be foul, this food overcharges and weakens it the more. "Therefore," says St. Paul, "are there many infirm and weak among you," because they receive Christ's body and blood unworthily. Prepare therefore your soul, and purify it from all disorderly affection, and then this heavenly food will enable you to run on cheerfully in the way of God's Commandments, according to the oracle of the Psalmist: "I have run the way of Thy commandments when Thou didst enlarge my heart." (Ps. 118:32)

THREE CLASSES WHO FOLLOW CHRIST. I.

I.

Whilst Christ was walking by the sea of Tiberias, with multitudes around Him, "a certain scribe came and said to Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou shalt go." (Matt. 8:19) This was in appearance a liberal oblation of himself; but Christ did not accept of him. The Holy Fathers are of opinion that this man wished to follow Christ only for gain, because he thought, in consequence of His miracles and the concourse of the people, He must collect considerable sums of money. Others say that the scribe wished to follow Christ out of ostentation, because he thought that Christ would give him the power of working miracles. O, how many in the world pretend to follow Christ, who in reality seek their own ends!

II.

Consider the answer which Christ gave the scribe: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay His head." As if He wished to insinuate this sentiment: 'Why should you wish to follow Me for worldly wealth, when I have no lodging of My own, being more poorly provided than the very beasts of the field and the birds of the air?' O wonderful poverty of this sovereign King! This poverty, however, is of such immense value as to be able to purchase the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5.3)

III.

The true disciples of Jesus Christ ought, like their master, to have no coffers in which to hoard their treasures (as foxes "have their holes"), and they ought not to be like birds who build their nests on high; that is, they ought not to seek high and dignified employment, but court humility and obscurity. Their Master was "poor and in labors from His youth." (Ps. 87:16) Ponder the import of the Prophet's words: "Though thou be exalted as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord." (Obad. 4)

THREE CLASSES WHO FOLLOW CHRIST. II.

I.

"Christ said to another, follow Me, and he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." (Luke 9:59) This call was a great mercy and favor on the part of God, and yet the Disciple wished not to accept of it without making his own conditions. He wished first to bury his father who was dying, or, as others explain the passage, he wished to take care of him until he died, and then enter seriously into the service of God. Thus, many wish to serve God, but according to their own ideas, and after they have gained some desired object in the world, enjoyed some of its pleasures, or gratified some favorite feeling. After this is accomplished, when life can no longer be coupled with pleasure, they are willing to surrender their old age to God, to virtue and religion. How often are such characters disappointed!

II.

Our Lord answered: "Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Thus He teaches us to prefer God to our parents, friends and kindred. He does not forbid us to love them, nor to perform our duty toward them, but He wishes natural affection to be secondary to the divine service. He wishes His Disciples to throw off all carnal affection; and hence He says in another place: "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters (that is, love them less than the service of God), he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26)

III.

Christ calls those dead who live for the world and in sin. There are two kinds of death, one of the body and the other of the soul. The body dies when the soul is separated from it, and the soul dies when it is separated from God by sin. Christ therefore says, let those that are dead to God take care of those that are dead to the world: but do you take care to preserve the life of your soul, lest you fall into sin and be cast off from the face of God. "She that liveth in pleasures is dead while she is living." (1 Tim. 5:6)

THREE CLASSES WHO FOLLOW CHRIST. III.

I.

A third came to Christ and offered himself to follow Him; but begged that he might first return home and dispose of his affairs, and take leave of his father and friends. "I will follow Thee, Lord, but let me first take my leave of them that are at my house." (Luke 9:61) This request was, in appearance, very reasonable, but Christ did not grant it. Every dangerous delay in the service of God ought to be carefully avoided. "Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day." (Ecclus. 5:8)

II.

Christ replies: "No man putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) The plowman, who has his hands on the plow and looks the contrary way, is incapable of plowing; in the same manner, he who intends to be a Disciple of Christ, and turns round to look on worldly affairs is not fit to preach the Gospel. The plowman must see what is before him, so must Christ's Disciples, "forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forth to those that are before." (Phil. 3:13)

III.

In this reply we are admonished to be constant and persevering in the service of God. "A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun, but a fool is changed as the moon." (Ecclus. 27:12) Examine yourself how constant you are in your good purposes, whether you retain the first fervor of your conversion, or such as you remember you have felt on former occasions. "Be steadfast in the way of the Lord" (Ecclus. 5:12), and if you discover that your devotion has grown cold, "do penance and do the first works." (Apoc. 2:5)

CALL OF THE RICH YOUNG MAN. I.

I.

As Christ was passing through Judea, "a certain ruler asked Him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life?" (Luke 18:18; Mark 10:17) Such ought to be your thoughts and cares; they ought to have for their object not the transitory and miserable goods of this life, which vanish "like a vision of the night," but the permanent and solid enjoyment of a happy eternity. Excite yourself to a feeling desire of these enjoyments, and often ask yourself this all-important question: "What shall I do to possess everlasting life?"

II.

Christ first answered: "Keep the commandments." (Matt. 19:17) This is necessary for all men; and it will not be sufficient to keep one or more of them only, but you must observe them all, for "whosoever offendeth in one point is become guilty of all." (James 2:10) Examine, therefore, how you keep these Commandments; your observation of them ought to be exact and perfect, according to the expression of the royal Psalmist: "Thou hast commanded Thy commandments to be kept most diligently." (Ps. 118:4)

III.

The young man having answered that he had kept all the Commandments of the law from his youth, "Jesus, looking on him, loved him, and said to him, Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor: and comet follow Me" (Mark 10:21); or as St. Matthew records it: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me." (Matt. 19:21) It is therefore a sign and effect of God's love to a person when He invites him to renounce all things, and follow Christ by embracing poverty. Examine what God requires of you on this point, and endeavor to be poor at least in affection, in order that you may the more easily follow your Master, "who, being rich, became poor for your sakes, that through His poverty you might be made rich." (2 Cor. 8:9)

CALL OF THE RICH YOUNG MAN. II.

I.

"When the young man heard this word ["Go sell all thou hast "], he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." (Matt. 19:22) It frequently happens with us that we make resolutions of doing great things for God, and wish for occasions of suffering for Him, but when the occasion offers, we fail and feel a melancholy apathy. Remark that this young man refused to obey Christ's call because he was rich. If God had not bestowed riches upon him, he would probably have been a favorite Disciple. If, therefore, God has removed this impediment from you, be grateful for the favor: for otherwise, being entangled with the cares of this world and hindered by them from obeying the call of God, you might have been lost.

II.

Consider the observation which Christ made after the young man's departure: "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:24) If, therefore, you wish to enter heaven with ease, divest yourself of all superfluities, and of every inordinate inclination for riches and the conveniences which they procure; for "they who would become rich," writes St. Paul, "fall into temptation and the snare of the devil." (1 Tim. 6:9)

III.

Consider the expression of St. Peter on this occasion: "Behold, we have left all things and followed Thee." Hence the Holy Fathers infer that the Apostles had made a vow of poverty, and left everything, not only what they had, but what they might have, and even the desire of having. Ponder the greatness of the reward which Christ promises to all those who make these sacrifices for His sake: "They shall receive a hundred times as much now in this time, and in the world to come life everlasting." (Mark 10:30) O incomparable purchase! Prefer eternal life to every earthly possession.

VOCATION IN GENERAL TO FOLLOW CHRIST.

I.

Christ has prescribed certain laws to all those who wish to be members of His school. The most important of these laws are recorded in St. Luke: "He said to all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23) These, therefore, are the general laws of His school, viz., self-abnegation, daily carrying one's cross, and imitation of Christ in all things. Examine yourself on these subjects; for without a faithful practice of these virtues, and without an observance of these laws, you cannot be a Disciple of Christ.

II.

Consider more in particular what it is to deny one's self. Self-denial properly consists in abandoning one's own will, "stripping yourself of the old man, with his deeds." (Col. 3:9) Think how necessary this is, and, on the contrary, how dangerous it is to follow one's own will and judgment. Examine your conscience on this subject, and see how you may improve in this self-abnegation to the greater glory of God. Without self-denial, there can be no true religion or virtue on earth, because the human will is naturally prone to evil, and, if not denied, it will certainly prefer vice to virtue. No one can be religious or virtuous without imitating the suffering Redeemer.

III.

The Apostle exhorts us to carry our cross daily in these words: "Always bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus." (2 Cor. 4:10) No day, therefore, ought to pass in which the Disciple of Christ does not make some progress in mortification. Hence, the learned St. Augustine remarks, "The whole life of a Christian, if he lives according to the Gospel, is a cross and a martyrdom." Embrace, therefore, your cross willingly, and whatever is disagreeable to flesh and blood; for the cross will be a passport to an everlasting life of happiness.