Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/126

 Wisdom of  God,  "  in  whom  are  hidden  all  the  treasures of  wisdom  and  knowledge"  (Coloss.  ii.  3);  and  yet  men have contradicted,  and  still  contradict,  His  divine  doctrine. His words  and  actions  were  continually  contradicted, and  He  was  perpetually  misrepresented  and calumniated, and  do  you  wonder  and  complain  that  you are sometimes  contradicted  and  reproved? Learn to suffer  patiently,  as  He  did. If you  wish  to  be  a  disciple of Christ,  you  must  be  content  to  be  set  up  as  an  object of reproof  and contradiction;  for  "the  disciple  is  not above  his  master." (Matt. x.  24.)

III. Consider the  words  which  holy  Simeon  addressed to the  Virgin:  "Thy  own  soul  a  sword  shall  pierce." (Luke ii.  35.)  Ponder  how  divine  Providence  mixes  sorrow with  joy,  and  amidst  the  immense  pleasure  which she must  have  experienced  on  seeing  such  honors  bestowed on  her  Son,  he  reminds  her  of  her  future  grief. Admire her  singular  resignation  to  the  will  of  Heaven in accepting  this  piercing  sword  of  sorrow  from  the hands of  God. Imitate her  example,  and  learn  not  to be  immoderately  overjoyed  in  time  of  consolation  and prosperity, but  always  bear  in  mind  the  sorrow  that  may follow. "In the  day  of  good  things,"  Ecclesiasticus  advises,  "be  not  unmindful  of  evils." (Ecclus. xi.  27.)

I. The  virtues  of  this  holy  woman  are  here  proposed for our  imitation. After seven  years  of  a  married  life, she lived  continually  in  the  temple,  "  by  fasting  and prayer,  serving  night  and  day"  (Luke  ii.  37);  and  she  was then eighty-four  years  old. Meditate on  her  great  love of purity,  her  continual  exercise  of  prayer  and  mortifica-