in themselves trivial acts as meritorious of glory. Thou hast supplied us with to enable us daily, hourly, nay, every moment, to add to our eternal joys in Thy kingdom, if we only wish! God has, my dear brethren, so to speak, all sorts of clever inventions to make it easy for us to increase our glory. For in the first place lie reckons as meritorious of sanctifying grace, and consequently of everlasting glory, each and every good work we do, not merely those that are very perfect, but even the ordinary, in themselves trivial and even seemingly useless works we perform, provided only we are in the state of grace and do those works for God’s sake with a good intention. We are assured of this by the Council of Trent, which anathematizes expressly those who dare to teach the contrary. Now, although all good works are not equally meritorious, but one merits more than another according as it is in itself more perfect, or difficult, or performed with greater zeal, yet even the least works have their value and merit for eternal life. What can be easier or less difficult than to give a piece of bread to a hungry man, to give a drink of water to the thirsty, a rag of clothing to cover the naked, advice to the doubting, a word of consolation to the afflicted, or to visit the sick and imprisoned? Yet all this is reckoned as meritorious, and according to the measure of the merit gained will be rewarded with endless treasures in heaven for all eternity; and our Judge, Jesus Christ Himself, tells us that it is for such things that He will call the just to His kingdom on the last day. What is more commonplace, or more seemingly useless than eating, drinking, walking, standing, sitting, working? And yet if these things are done according to the requirements of our state of life, in the grace of God, and to His honor and glory, according to the exhortation of the Apostle they too will be considered meritorious of eternal glory.
How generous our God is!
Oh, dear Christians, what a good, generous Lord we serve! Who has ever seen or heard of such wonderful munificence, even in the mightiest monarch of earth! for what potentate is there who would reward with whole provinces or countries the least services rendered him by his subjects, such as, for instance, an inclination of the head, bending the knee, or offering an humble prayer? No, indeed! Great men know nothing of small things as far as rewarding them is concerned; and if they were to act otherwise their treasury would soon be empty. God alone is that great Lord who is as rich as He is generous, and He can and will reward with an immense, eternal recompense even the