1C8, 13 Eci 34, 31 Za 7, 5 To 12, 8 Ro 12, 1 Jd 4, 11 Ps 75, 12 Jb 22, 27 Ac 18, 18 Ps 21, 26 Pv 15, 8 fast. Is 58, 3 Why have we fasted, and If meat scandalise my Thou hast not regarded? brother I will never eat have we humbled our souls, flesh. and Thou hast not taken A man that fasteth for his notice? Behold in the day sins, and doth the same of your fast your own will again, what doth his hum- is found, and you exact of bling himself profit him? all your debtors. Who will hear his prayer? As they were ministering Ac 13,2-3 When you fasted and to the Lord, and fasting, the mourned did you keep a Holy Ghost said to them: fast to Me? Separate Me Saul and BarPrayer is good with fast- nabas for the work whereing and alms, more than to unto I have taken them.lay up treasures of gold. Then they fasting and pray I beseech you, by the ing, and imposing their mercy of God, that you hands upon them, sent them present your bodies a living away. sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto When they had ordained Ac 14, 22 God, your reasonable service. to them Priests in every Know ye that the Lord church, and had prayed with will hear your prayers, if fasting, they commended you continue with persever- them to the Lord in Whom ance in fastings and prayers they believed. (See pages 441 in the sight of the Lord. and 784.) 12.-ON Vows. Vow ye and pay to the acceptable. (See page 385.) Paul when he had stayed God will require it. And if 23 Ps 64, 5 Mt 19, 21 Mt 19, 27 1K3,9 Lu 8, 38 39 Lu 9, 59 62 13. VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND TO THE RELIGIOUS STATE. Blessed is he whom Thou | Master, what shall I do that hast chosen, and taken to I may receive Life EverThee he shall dwell in Thy lasting ?-Thou knowest the Courts. commandments, 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. Behold we have left all things, and have followed Thee what therefore shall we have? 1. Do not commit adul tery, 4. Bear not false wit. 5. Do no fraud, 6. Honour thy father He said to another: Fol- sions. low Me, and he said: It came to pass in those Lu 6,12-13 Lord, suffer me first to go, days, that He [Jesus] went and bury my father. And out into a mountain to pray, Jesus said to him: Let the and He passed the whole dead bury their dead: but night in the prayer of God. go thou, and preach the -And when day was come, Kingdom of God.-And He called unto Him His another said: I will follow disciples; and He chose Thee, Lord, but let me first twelve of them (whom also take my leave of them that He named Apostles). are at my house.-Jesus You have not chosen Me: Jn 15, 16, said to him: No man put- but I have chosen you: and ting his hand to the plough, have appointed you, that and looking back, is fit for you should go, and should the Kingdom of God. bring forth fruit and your Mk 10, 17, When He was gone forth fruit should remain: that 19-22 into the way, a certain man whatsoever you shall ask of running up and kneeling be- the Father in My Name He fore Him, asked Him, Good may give it you.-Follow Me. 19 22 Ac 5, 29 1 Til, 12 Ge 12, 1 Jn 21, 21- Lord, and what shall this fishermen).-And Jesus said man do?-Jesus saith to to them: Come after Me, him: So I will have him to and I will make you to beremain till I come, what is come fishers of men.-And it to thee? follow thou Me. immediately, leaving their We ought to obey God nets, they followed Him.--rather than men. And going on from thence & I give Him thanks, Who little farther, He saw James hath strengthened me, even the son of Zebedee, and John to Christ Jesus our Lord, his brother, who also were for that He hath counted mending their nets in the me faithful, putting me in ship.-And forthwith He the Ministry. called them. And leaving The Lord said to Abram: their father Zebedee in the Go forth out of thy country, ship with his hired men, they and from thy kindred, and followed Him. out of thy father's house, I would that all men were and come into the Land even as myself; but every which I shall show thee. one hath his proper gift from Every one that hath left God; one after this manner, house, or brethren, or sisters, and another after that. or father, or mother, or wife, All they that believed were Ac 2, 44or children, or lands, for My together, and had all things Name's sake, shall receive common.-Their possessions an hundred fold, and shall and goods they sold, and possess Life Everlasting. divided them to all, accordMt 19, 11- There are eunuchs who ing as every one had need. have made themselves eu- If any man will come after Mt 16, 24 nuchs for the Kingdom of Me, let him deny himself, Heaven. He that can take, and take up his cross, and let him take it. follow Me. Mt 19, 29 12 Is 43, 1 Mt 8, 20 Lu 5, 2728 Mk1, 1620 Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and have called thee by thy name: thou art Mine. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air, nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay His Head. 107,7 45 16 It is good for me to die, 1C 9, 15rather than that any man should make my glory void. -For if I preach the Gospel, it is no glory to me, for a necessity lieth upon me. What then is my reward? 1C9, 18 That preaching the Gospel, After these things He I may deliver the Gospel went forth, and saw a publi- without charge. can named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and He said to him: Follow Me. -And leaving all things, he rose up and followed Him. Religion clean and unde- Jal, 27 filed before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation; and to Passing by the sea of Gali- keep oneself unspotted from lee, He saw Simon and An- this world. drew his brother, casting nets He obeyed, and went out, He 11, 8 into the sea (for they were not knowing whither. Pv 21, 13 Eci 4, 2 Pv 19, 17 He that stoppeth his ear whom thou dost it, and there : Deal thy bread to the hun- Is 58, 7-3 Despise not the hungry gry, and bring the needy and soul and provoke not the the harbourless into thy poor in his want. house: and when thou shalt He that hath mercy on the see one naked, cover him, poor lendeth to the Lord and despise not thy own and He will repay him. flesh.-Then shall thy light Dt 15, 7-8, If one of thy brethren break forth as the morning, 10-11 that dwelleth within the and thy health shall speedily gates of thy city come to arise, and thy justice shall poverty: thou shalt not go before thy face, and the harden thy heart, nor close glory of the Lord shall thy hand,-But shalt open gather thee up.-Then shalt it to the poor man.-Thou thou call, and the Lord shall shalt give to him: neither hear: thou shalt cry, and shalt thou do anything He shall say: Here I am. craftily in relieving his Give to the merciful and Ecl 12, 4, necessities that the Lord uphold not the sinner.thy God may bless thee at After thou hast To 4,7 Eci 17, 18 36 : all times, and in all things upbraid not. given, 28 to which thou shalt put thy Do good to thy friend Eci 14, 13 Give to every one that Lu 6, 30, It is more blessed to give, than to receive. The alms of a man is as a If I should distribute all 1€13,3 Eci 7, 10, Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.-Stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy blessing may be perfected. Eci 12, 1 If thou do good, know to Blessed are the merciful, Mt 5,7 for they shall obtain mercy. If any of the faithful have 1 Ti 5, 16 widows, let him relieve them not those things that Ja 2, 15-16 If a brother or sister be what shall it profit ? naked, and want daily food :| If thy enemy be hungry, Ro 12, 20 (See THE FOUR LAST THINGS. ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 1V. 66 ON DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION. Death thus became the certain lot of the human race. Ge 2, 17 1.-MEDITATIONS ON DEATH. SUNDAY. ALL MUST DIE. DEATH THE the death. In the sweat of thy face Ge 3, 19 shalt thou eat bread till thou In what day soever thou return to the earth out of shalt eat of it, thou shalt die which thou wast taken; for * Wisdom 2, 23. + Ibid. 24. I Matthew 26, 13. § Hom. 13, in Evang. |