get myself; how many times have I abused Thy blessings to satisfy my passions? how often have I relinquished Thy grace for earthly pleasures? how many times have I preferred the favours of men to Thy Divine Communion? how many times sold Thee for things of vanity, without regard to Thy law, or without being touched by Thy goodness? Pardon me, O Infinite Mercy! my past unfaithfulness, and the little shame I have felt for it, and suffer me not to fall back again.

I cast myself at Thy Feet, O my Saviour and my Master! I acknowledge before Thee how unfaithful I have been. Chasten me, O my FATHER! as it pleaseth Thee, but let me not lose Thy love, as Judas did, for I return to Thee.

Make me feel Thy love, when I confess before Thee all my unfaithfulness, and submit to all the chastisements Thou dost inflict upon me. I have been too long unfaithful: change me, LORD! make me to please Thee, so that Thou mayest receive me into Thy blessed friendship. As I have been among the number of those who betray Thee, grant that I may henceforth be one of those who sincerely love Thee. The triumph of Thy love is to make sinners holy, and traitors faithful. Convert me then, O Divine Love! and grant that I may be faithful even unto death.

Since Thou, LORD, for love of me, hast suffered the betrayal of a perfidious friend, give me grace patiently to bear all unfaithfulness of friends towards me; and grant that I may neither be intoxicated with the friendship of men, nor cast down by their unfaithful

ness.

If Thou willest that they hate and persecute

me, Thy will be done. Possess my heart, show me Thy Countenance, fill me with Thy grace and love; teach me never to complain, nor be revengeful, but to return good for evil, and to treat with kindness even those who are unfaithful to me. O Faithful Friend of sinners! Thy friendship is alone firm, constant, and true, and I give up all to obtain it.

Prayer.

All praise, honour and glory be to Thee, O CHRIST, Whom Thy unfaithful disciple Judas did sell, for a vile sum of money, to those Jews who persecuted Thee and conspired against Thy Life. Root out of my heart, I beseech Thee, all covetous desires, all love of riches, and all sinful love of creatures, that I may desire only what is necessary, and be content with what Thou, O LORD, thinkest so. Grant that I may never prefer anything before Thee; and give me grace that I may show perfect charity to all men, and espe cially to those who injure me. Forgive me, O Holy Redeemer, for having so often preferred vain and perishing things to Thee, and for the sake of vile pleasures turned myself from Thee. Amen.

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THURSDAY IN HOLY WEEK.

1. OUR Blessed LORD eats the Passover with His disciples. 2. Washes their feet, and reproves them for striving for the pre-eminence. 3. Foretells that Judas would betray Him. 4. Warns S. Peter of his fall. 5. Institutes the Holy Eucharist. 6. Comforts His disciples. 7. Instructs them. 8. Prays for them, and for His Church.

Gospel Harmony.

S. Matt. xxvi. 17-25, 31; S. Mark xiv. 12-21, 27; S. Luke xxii. 7-18, 21–34.

See Second Lesson for the Day, S. John xiii.

Meditations,

ON THE LORD WASHING THE FEET OF THE DISCIPLES.

Although JESUS was Himself the SON of GOD, the King of kings, the LORD of lords, nevertheless He shows Himself not as the LORD, but the servant of man, by humbling Himself to wash the feet of His

1 For Reflections, see Williams on the "Holy Week."

disciples. He gave this wonderful example of humility, at the close of His life, doubtless that He might imprint the virtue of profound humility more deeply on the hearts of all His disciples. Let us then consider well every action in this ministry of the LORD, and behold with admiration what it displays. The Supreme Majesty bows Himself before poor fishermen, and on His bended knees performs the most menial office; showing Himself as the great Pattern of humility, commanding and teaching it, not only by word but also in act. O proud dust and ashes, hitherto pride has lifted thee up! impatience harasses thee! Consider the meekness, benignity, and humility of thy Redeemer, the Creator of all things, the terrible Judge of the living and the dead, in kneeling at the feet of him whom He knew would betray Him; that He might teach us to love our enemies, and to do them all the good we can. Learn of Him, Who is meek and lowly of heart, to confound thy pride, to check thy impatience; thy LORD and Master has left this Example for thee to follow, saying, "If I, your LORD and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an Example, that ye should do as I have done to you." We ought, therefore, to practise mutual kindness, humility, and charity among ourselves; to minister to one another, to forgive injuries and wrongs, and to pray for each other. For the LORD not only taught His disciples true humility by word and example; but as the time of His Passion drew near He also taught them the virtue of perfect charity, without which there is no salvation. Thou, LORD, didst graciously leave, as by

Thy last Testament, these two graces for a perpetual memorial to us, desiring to impress them most deeply on our hearts; therefore didst Thou say, "A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." O wondrous Example of the Incarnate GOD! How boundless is Thy love! how profound Thy humility! Draw us unto Thyself, and stamp Thine Image on our souls.

He humbled Himself, for love of us, to the form of a servant. O unheard of humility in one so exalted! how dost Thou confound the pride of man, who though nothing, yet forgets the baseness of his origin? If JESUS, Who is infinitely wise and powerful, could thus abase Himself, how dare I, who am full of error and weakness, ever exalt myself? If the Only Son of GOD, Who came from GOD and returned to Him, deigned to transform Himself into a Servant, how shall I who, by nature, was a child of wrath, and a slave of the devil, I, who came from the dust and return thither, how shall I pretend to put myself above others? O humble JESUS, deliver me from the spirit of pride. Grant that humility may be deeply rooted in my heart, since I there find so much to humiliate and confound me.

JESUS pours out the water, washes, and wipes their feet, all with His Own Hands, to teach us to practise ourselves works of charity and humility, and not to do them in a spirit of vain-glory.

O my Divine Saviour, Who unceasingly callest from the depths of Thy Heart, "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart," communicate to me this