Page:MaryHelpOfChristians.djvu/31

 tues is  similar  to  a  tree  that  produces  leaves  and blossoms, but  bears  no  fruit.

The saints  themselves  desire  that  we  should follow their  example. Each of  them,  so  to  say, exhorts us  with  St.  Paul,  "Be  ye  followers  of  me, as  I  also  am  of  Christ  (1  Cor.  iv.  16).  There  is  no age,  no  sex,  no  station  in  life  for  which  the  Catholic Church  has  not  saints,  whose  example  teaches us  to  avoid  sin  and  to  observe  faithfully  the  commandments of  God  and  the  Church  at  this  or  that age,  or  in  this  or  that  station.  Therefore  the principal  object  of  our  invocation  of  the  saints ought  to  be  the  obtaining  of  their  help  in  following their  example.  Thus  we  shall  move  them  to come  to  our  aid  all  the  more  readily.