Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/282

 (Ecclus. xxiv.  26.)  He  is  more  willing  to  give  than  we are  to  receive.

II. This bountiful  Lord  will  visit  you  to-day  in  the Eucharist, and  if  you  be  grateful  in  His  sight,  He  will say to  you,  as  King  Assuerus  did  to  Esther,  "  What  is thy  petition,  Esther,  that  it  may  be  granted  thee,  and what  wilt  thou  have  done?  although  thou  askest  half my  kingdom,  thou  shalt  have  it.',  (Est.  vii.  2.)  Examine what  you  stand  most  in  need  of,  and  be  ready with  your  petition,  as  Esther  was.  Adorn  your  soul,  as she  did  her  person,  in  order  that  you  may  please  your Lord,  when  He  comes.

III. There are  impediments,  which  will  render  your petitions of  no  avail. 1. "God  doth  not  hear  sinners." (John ix.  31.)  As  long,  then,  as  you  persist  in  sin,  you will not  be  heard. 2. He  does  not  grant  the  request of those,  who  pray  for  vain  and  unprofitable  things;  but dismisses their  petition  with  a  rebuke,  "  you  know  not what  you  ask." (Matt. xx.  22.)  Those  are  unheard,  who. pray with  tepidity,  "Because  thou  art  lukewarm,  I  will begin  to  vomit  thee  out  of  My  mouth." (Apoc. iii.  16.} Your  Lord  requires  perseverance  and  constancy  in  your prayer.  "  He  who  perseveres  in  knocking"  (Luke  xi.), "  will  receive  the  loaves,  even  for  his  importunity,  as many  as  he  needeth."  (Luke  v.  8.)

I. We  are  continually  invited  by  the  Church  to  pray, particularly during  these  rogation  days. The dignity and excellence  of  prayer  are  very  great. Prayer is  an act  of  religious  worship  offered  to  God,  and  accepted  by