"Lord, I be what I should and might do. Yea, even now, my faith seems to grow within me, as I think of Thee. Beholding Thee in Thy sufferings, in Thy watchful care of Thy disciples, Thy tenderness, Thy consideration, I cannot doubt Thy sympathy and help in all my trials. Beholding Thee bearing with those of little faith, purging them, and strengthening them until they grew in faith; beholding Thy compassion and heavenly training to the nobleman and to Thy apostles, especially Thine unspeakable condescension to St. Thomas; seeing how as an eagle Thou didst bear Thy little ones on the wings of Thy love, until they learned to soar out of sight of earth and the things of earth, I gather confidence, I learn to trust, that Thou wilt also teach me faith. Beholding Thee calm and peaceful amidst the raging bulls of Basan and the lions amongst which Thy soul was cast; beholding Thee meeting Thy captors, reasoning with Thine enemies, standing unmoved before Thy judges, looking always beyond the present, as if it had no being, I, too, am moved with a desire of that peace of faith. I, too, follow Thee in heart; as from the cradle to the grave in Thy journey forwards Thou didst stedfastly set Thy face to suffer, and to return to the Father encircled with the new glory of our redemption; returning not alone, but with Thy Church in Thee. Yea, there is but one thing to wish for in this life, and that is, to follow Thee; and but one thing to fear, which is, lest I should fall from Thee; and firmly do I believe that Thou desirest to help me in my pursuit, and shield me from my peril, until I come to that estate whence I cannot fall, and need not faint in pursuing. Shall I, my Rock, doubt Thy care of the Church, whatever distractions, and divisions, and corruptions trouble her; since she has not only Thy promise that she shall not fail, but the teaching of the Spirit that Thou lovest her and cherishest her as Thy Spouse1? What is faith, but believing under difficulties? Where would have been Abraham's praise, and that of all those that died in faith, if 1 Eph. v. 29. they had not believed when it was hard to trust; when nature said one thing, grace another; when sight said nay, but faith said yea? Thus they inherited the promise, and now from difficulties and temptations, as well as toils and sorrows, they repose for ever in Thee. This is the only way. "Ambula per fidem, ut pervenias ad speciem. Species non lætificabit in patriâ quem fides non consolatur in viâ 2." Whatsoever difficulties beset Thy Church, whatsoever objections human wit and knowledge shall raise against Thy word and works, grant, O Lord, that my faith may never fail, nor even waver. May I live in the faith, and die in it. Nor let my impatience and unbelief chill my zeal for Thee and for Thy people. Let it be enough for me to sow without expecting to see the harvest. Let me be happy, if, like Thy holy prophet St. John, I have laid the foundation upon which another, like St. Paul, can build. Let me walk by faith and not by sight, that so I may come to the vision and fruition of Thee. 2 S. Aug. Serm. lxxxviii. s. 4. 3 Acts xix. 1—7. The Lord is my light and salvation, whom then shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid? Though an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid; and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in Him. O tarry thou the Lord's leisure; be strong, and He shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Amen. MEDITATION XI. HOPE. Heb. xii. 2. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." THOU, blessed Jesus, art my pattern in hoping, and my object of hope; teaching me how to hope in Thee, Who art my Hope and my Portion in the land of the living, that is, in Heaven. By hope Thou didst encourage Thy disciples; nay, Thyself also before Thy Passion. By hope Thou didst endure the Cross, despising the shame. By hope Thy flesh rested in the grave, until Thou didst rise to be our hope by Thy Resurrection'. In Thy Divine Scriptures Thou hast taught me to rejoice in hope; and that my very difficulties should increase my hope; whilst tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and that hope never shames nor disappoints which rests upon Thee. Such hope produces patience, as patience does hope. It gives boldness, and fills with holy boasting, not in itself, but in Thee'. It is proposed to us for this very end, and is an anchor of the soul in every "Illa (regnum sanctorum) est terra viventium: hæc est autem terra morientium, receptura mortuos quos nutrivit vivos." S. Aug. Enarr. in Ps. xxxvi. Serm. iii, 8. 11. 5 Luke x. 20; xii. 32. 20. 1 Pet. i. 3. 7 Rom. xii. 12 ; v. 3-5. 81 Thess. i. 3. John xvi. Acts xxiii. 6. 1 Cor. xv. 19, 9 Heb. iii. 6. |