CHRIST, A MERCIFUL LORD.

"Hear me, O Lord, for Thy mercy is kind." (Ps. 68:17)

I.

It is recorded in the Gospel of today that Christ "wept over the city of Jerusalem." (Luke 19:41) God is sensible of our miseries, and compassionates us; hence He is styled by the Apostle: "the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation." (2 Cor. 1:3) And again, he says: "We have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities." (Heb. 4:15) You may, therefore, justly comfort yourself with this thought, that the same merciful God will visit you today to bestow on your souls the riches of His mercy.

II.

The mercy of God in regard to man never shone more conspicuously than in the institution of the Holy Eucharist. Well may the Prophet cry out: "He made a remembrance of His wonderful works, being a merciful and a gracious Lord, He hath given food to them that fear Him." (Ps. 110:4-5) Reflect what a mercy it is in Him to give you His own body and blood for your meat and drink. Who ever did so much for his greatest friend? Expose, therefore, before Him, with the utmost confidence, the miseries of your soul when He visits you, and beseech Him to remedy them.

III.

Above ail things beware, when He enters your soul, of giving Him cause to weep over you, as did unhappy Jerusalem. Addressing Himself to that obstinate city, He foretold its evils, and said they would happen, because "it did not know the time of its visitation." (Luke 19:44) He frequently visits us by holy inspirations, good books, and the like, and by these animates us to aspire to perfection. Examine how you correspond with these graces, lest He may have reason to say of you: "for the day shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and beat thee flat to the ground." (Luke 43:44)

THE FIFTH BEATITUDE.

I.

"Blessed are the merciful." (Matt. 5:7) There are seven acts of spiritual mercy, and seven works of mercy corporal. These are known to everyone who is acquainted with the elements of his religion. These works of mercy, however, must be accompanied with three conditions to render them perfect and acceptable to God: 1. They must extend themselves to all without exception, even to our enemies. 2. We must take advantage of every occasion of doing good, in every species of distress, and exert ourselves to the extent of our abilities. 3. They must be accompanied with internal motives and internal devotion. Examine yourself on this subject, and remember that a good intention alone can sanctify an action, which might otherwise be only good.

II.

On this subject, as well as the other beatitudes, Christ has given us the most perfect example. He addressed Himself to all mankind when, in His mercy, He said: "Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." (Matt. 11:28) He took advantage of every occasion of doing good, therefore "He was teaching daily in the temple." (Luke 19:47) And: "He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil." (Acts 10:38) He performed all these works of mercy with the most tender affection, for He acted like the good Samaritan, "who bound up the wounds of him that fell among robbers." (Luke 10:30) Therefore "go thou and do in like manner."

III.

Consider the reward attached to works of mercy. "They shall obtain mercy." This mercy will accompany them in this life, it will extend to both body and soul, and it will be their reward in the next life: "With the same measure that you shall measure, it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38) Reflect how much you stand in need of God's mercy, and what your case would have been had God dealt with you according to your deserts. Be merciful, therefore, to others, that you may obtain mercy. Meditate on the sentence of St. James: "Judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy." (Jas 2:13)

THE SIXTH BEATITUDE.

I.

"Blessed are the clean of heart." (Matt. 5:8) The Christian, whose heart is clean, is free from all sin, both mortal and venial; his mind is frequently exercised with pious and holy thoughts, and all his actions are accompanied with a right intention. He does nothing to gain the applause of mankind. Hence the Apostle requires from all Christians "charity from a pure heart and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith." (1 Tim. 1:5) Examine the state of your mind on these subjects.

II.

Christ was a perfect model of this virtue, for He "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." (1 Pet. 2:22) Hence is "the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God's majesty, and the image of His goodness." (Wis. 2:26) He frequently reproved the Scribes and Pharisees, because their conduct was so opposite to his own. "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of extortion and uncleanness." (Matt. 23:25) Let your conduct be modeled after that of Christ, and avoid the example of these hypocritical Jews.

III.

"They shall see God." Such is the reward of the clean of heart. O what a happiness will it be to see God! Labor, therefore, to obtain this purity of heart. The greater it is, the more perfect will be your vision of God, and your essential happiness. Even in this life, the knowledge of God and of Divine things increases in proportion to the purity of our hearts. On the contrary: "Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body that is subject to sin," (Wis. 1:4), and "the holy spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful."

THE SEVENTH BEATITUDE.

I.

"Blessed are the peace-makers." (Matt. 5:8) The character of a Christian requires that he make, in the first place, domestic peace, that is, that he subject the flesh to the spirit, and the sensual appetite to reason. He is bound to keep peace also with others, to give no one occasion for complaining against him, and to excite no angry thoughts in others. He is obliged, besides, to do what he can to reconcile those who are at variance with one another. But the most perfect act of this virtue is to reconcile sinners to their offended Creator.

II.

Christ descended from the throne of His Eternal Majesty that He might be the Mediator of peace between God and His creatures. Hence He is called "the prince of peace." (Isa. 9:6) At His birth, the Angels sang to the shepherds that their Redeemer had come to bring "peace to men of good will." (Luke 2:14) And when this Divine peace-maker left the world, He said: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you." (John 14:27) He wished that the common salutation of his Disciples should be the watchword of peace; hence, after His Resurrection, He more than once addressed them in the memorable words: "Peace be to you."

III.

Peace-makers "shall be called the children of God." Reflect what a dignity it is "that we should be named and should be the children of God!" (1 John 3:1) If worldly men conceive themselves elevated when they happen to be the descendants of some earthly potentate, and pride themselves on their accidental prerogative, how much greater is the dignity of being, by real adoption, a son of God? Your Lord loves in a special manner all peace-makers; He treats them as His favorite children, and cherishes them with more than paternal affection. Examine how you practice this heavenly virtue, and secure to yourself "the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding," and which may "keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7)

THE EIGHTH BEATITUDE.

I.

"Blessed are they that suffer persecution." (Matt 5:10) Under the term persecution are comprehended all kinds of injuries, afflictions and inconveniences in relation to fortune, honor, or life. These are caused by the Devil or his ministers, sometimes, also, by mistake (God so permitting), by the just themselves. They are suffered for justice sake when they are borne with patience and accompanied with the exercise of virtue, and in compliance with our duty toward God and men. They ought not to be suffered with patience only, but with joy at the greatness of the reward; therefore, St. Peter says: "Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or as coveting the goods of others, but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." (1 Pet. 4:15)

II.

Christ suffered all kinds of injuries and inconveniences in His honor, in His goods, and in His person, for a cause which, on His part, was perfectly just. He suffered in consequence of His publishing His Divine Law and endeavoring to bring men back again from vice and folly, into the way of their eternal salvation. Therefore, "look and make it according to the pattern." (Exod. 25:40)

III.

The reward attached to the suffering for justice sake is no less than "the kingdom of Heaven." When you suffer, then, with joy and patience. "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, because your reward is very great in Heaven." Ponder deeply, therefore, the greatness of the reward, and the truth of the apostolic oracle: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us." (Rom. 8:18)

"YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH."

I.

As salt preserves from corruption and putrefaction, so is it the part of all apostolic men to preserve souls from the corruption of sin, and to render the exercise of virtue palatable and agreeable to them. These men, then, ought to be pure and refined from all the dross and alloy of earthly passion by the influence of divine charity, in order that they may be such themselves as they wish to make others.

II.

How effectually did Christ our Redeemer and Savior produce the effect of salt on us! To purge us and preserve us from sin, He spent Himself entirely on us, and melting away like salt, He communicated to our actions (which of themselves were insipid), the divine flavor of His precious merits. Besides, by His example and doctrine, He has rendered trials and crosses and persecutions, which of themselves are difficult to be supported, agreeable and palatable. Season all your actions with this salt; apply the words of Leviticus in a spiritual sense: "Whatsoever sacrifice thou offerest, thou shalt season it with salt" (Lev. 2:13), that is, with the merits and example of Christ.

III.

"But if the salt lose its savor, it is then good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men." (Matt. 5:13) In this manner will God treat those whose duty it is to watch over the morals of others and teach them virtue if they neglect their duty. Their example and doctrine should have a divine efficacy to season the lives of others, but pride, vain glory and love of the world have destroyed it. "They became vain in their thoughts," says the Apostle, "and their foolish heart was darkened." (Rom. 1:21) Beware of abusing the means which you have in your power of being beneficial to others. Every individual of the Christian family is bound to edify by good example; in this sense, every one is "the salt of the earth."

"YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

I.

Apostolic men are not only "the salt of the earth," to purge the hearts of men from sin, but also "the light of the world," to enlighten others and direct them in the ways of virtue. "It is the most divine of all divine offices," writes a Holy Father, "to cooperate with Christ for the salvation of souls." Hence, it is most acceptable to God, according to the expression of the Prophet: "They that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that instruct many unto justice, as stars for all eternity." (Dan. 12:3) It is a property of light to warm and enlighten. Examine yourself how you perform your duty on this subject, and seize every opportunity of being beneficial to your neighbors, particularly by "letting the light of your example shine before them." All instruction is cold, unless it be accompanied and enforced by example.

II.

Christ "was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world." (John 1:9) He communicated a divine system of doctrine to mankind, illustrated and enforced it by His example, and gives His followers grace to profit by it, to glorify Him and secure the end of their creation. When light passes through loathsome or infected places, it emerges as pure and uncontaminated as it entered; thus Christ and His apostolic followers, although they converse and treat with sinners, do not partake of their uncleanness. Hence, no one whose duty it is to reclaim sinners ought to fear the danger of corruption if he act in obedience to God, and follow the example of Christ and His Apostles.

III.

Christ says that no one puts a light under a bushel. Thus He reprehends those who do not employ the talents which they have received in enlightening their neighbors, but hide their light out of pusillanimity or sloth. They ought to imitate the stars at their creation, of which Baruch speaks in the sublimest strains. "They were called by the Almighty," says the Prophet, "and they said, here we are, and with cheerfulness they have shined forth to him, that made them." (Bar. 3:25)