Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/404

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lips of Isaias were purified by the coal taken from the altar. He will strengthen you to proceed in the service of God, as Elias was strengthened with the bread which enabled him to walk to the mountain of God, Horeb. Lastly, He will temper the heat of concupiscence, like the manna which lay "like unto the hoar frost on the ground." (Exod. xvi. 14.)

III. How ardently you ought to wish for the hour in which this kind Samaritan will visit you. Say, in your zeal for the happy moment, " Oh, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and wouldst come down" (Is. lxiv. 1); and with the prophet Jeremias, "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved." (Jer. xvii. 14.)

MONDAY.

Christ Stills the Tempest.

I. Christ embarked with His disciples in a vessel, in order to cross the lake, " and He was in the hinder part of the ship sleeping on a pillow." (Mark iv. 38; Matt, viii.; Luke viii.) Christ sleeps in order to show us that He was subject to human infirmities. In the meantime a storm rises, the boat is in danger, and the Apostles are alarmed. Thus, God frequently permits us to be harassed with temptations, and almost overwhelmed, whilst He in the meantime seems to sleep and leave us to ourselves, by delaying to give His particular assistance. He acts thus in order to teach us humility, and to force us to implore His assistance with more fervor.

II. The disciples, considering themselves in danger, "came to Him and awakened Him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish," and " Master, doth it not concern Thee