Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/199

 will soon  convince  you  that  "  he  who  contemneth  small things  shall  fall  by  little  and  little.    (Ecclus.  xix.  1.)

I. "  And  the  Lord,  turning,  looked  on  Peter." (Luke xxii. 61.)  While  this  weak  Apostle  was  denying  his  Master the  third  time,  Jesus  was  led  down  from  the  upper room, where  he  was  condemned,  to  the  lower  court," where  Peter  had  remained  the  whole  time.  He  cast  an eye  of  compassion  on  His  sheep  that  was  perishing,  or, as  some  holy  Fathers  explain  the  passage,  he  looked  on him  from  a  distance  with  the  interior  eye  of  mercy,  and by  his  grace  moved  him  to  repentance.  Observe  how, in  the  midst  of  His  own  afflictions,  He  remembers  His ungrateful  disciple.  With  that  same  eye  of  mercy,  O Lord!  "  look  upon  me,  and  have  mercy  on  me."  (Ps.  xxiv. 16.)

II. " And  going  forth,  he  wept  bitterly"  (Matt.  xxvi. 75),  not  from  mere  servile  fear,  but  from  a  deep  sense  of his  ingratitude  to  so  loving  a  Master  and  so  great  a Benefactor. He felt  the  force  of  the  prophet's  sentiment, "  It  is  an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to  have  left  the Lord  thy  God." (Jer. ii.  19.)  Do  you,  on  your  part,  appreciate the  force  of  the  expression,  and  you  will  prevent yourself  from  falling. Oh how  often  have  you,  not only in  words,  as  St.  Peter  did,  but  in  deeds  also,  denied your Lord,  and  offended  Him,  perhaps  more  than  Peter did! Have you  as  yet  duly  lamented  your  fault,  as  he lamented  his?

III. Consider the  long  penance  which  St. Peter performed for  his  sin. He is  said  to  have  bewailed  it,  during his whole  life,  and  to  have  burst  into  tears  as  often  as  he