Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/247

 rejoice with  Him  in  his  resurrection;  for  "according  to the  multitude  of  your  sorrows  in  your  heart  His  comforts will  give  joy  to  your  soul." (Ps. xciii.  19.)

I. We  are  told  in  the  Gospel  of  to-day,  that  Christ  appeared to  His  disciples,  and  said  to  them  thrice,  "Peace be  to  you." (John xx.  29.)  "  He  is  our  peace,"  as  the Apostle observes  (Ephes.  ii.  14),  "  thinking  thoughts  of peace,  and  not  of  affliction"  (Jer.  xxix.  11),  and  therefore, among  many  other  titles,  He  is  called  by  Isaias, " The  Prince  of  peace." (Is. ix.  6.)

II. It is  our  duty  to  maintain  peace  with  God,  our neighbors, and  ourselves. Man frequently  feels  domestic war,  "for  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the Spirit  against  the  flesh"  (Gal.  v.  17),  and  therefore royal David  cries  out,  "  There  is  no  peace  for  my  bones" (Ps. xxxvii.  4),  and  another  prophet,  "A  man's  enemies are  they  of  his  own  household." (Micheas vii.  6.)  Our passions and  evil  propensities  may  be  understood  to  be these  household  enemies. This triple  peace  your  Lord and Saviour  intends  to  bring  you  to-day  in  the  Eucharist, unless  you  prevent  Him;  for  the  Eucharist  is  properly a  peace  offering  between  God  and  man. It is  also  a symbol  and  bond  of  charity  between  us  and  our  neighbors; and  lastly,  as  St.  Cyril  observes,  "  It  restrains  the raging  tyranny  of  the  flesh,  and  intrenches  us  round with  perfect  peace." Hence, David  observes,  God  "  hath placed  peace  in  thy  borders,  and  filled  thee  with  the  fat of  corn." (Ps. cxlvii.  3.)