Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/333

 stand," writes  St.  Augustine,  "  that  if  he  be  possessed  of the  simple  spirit  "  of  truth  and  sincerity,  "he  must  be like  a  dove,  must  be  at  peace  with  his  brethren,  which is represented  by  the  affectionate  endearments  of  doves, and lastly  that  he  must  hurt  no  one,  as  doves  hurt  no living  creature."

III. The divine  effects  of  baptism  are  expressed  in the  baptism  of  Christ. Baptism opens  the  gates  of heaven,  it  reveals  the  divine  mysteries  to  us,  it  remits  all sin, it  gives  us  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  renders us  the  adopted  children  of  God. Frequently renew your baptismal  engagements;  give  God  thanks  for  the benefits received  by  means  of  this  sacrament;  and  since you are  now  an  adopted  son  of  God,  raise  your  thoughts and affections  to  your  heavenly  habitation,  whose  gates are now  opened  for  you,  and  say  with  the  Psalmist, "Who will  give  me  wings  like  a  dove,  and  I  will  fly  and be  at  rest." (Ps. liv.  7.)

I. We  read  in  the  Gospel  of  this  present  Sunday  that the disciples,  who  were  fishing,  told  Christ,  "Master,  we have  labored  all  the  night,  and  have  taken  nothing." (Luke v.  5.)  We  all  live  in  moral  darkness  and  ignorance, without  knowing  what  we  do,  and  this  will  prove hurtful to  us  unless  we  be  directed  by  Divine  light. We may justly  say  with  King  Josaphat,  "But  as  we  know not  what  to  do,  we  can  only  turn  our  eyes  to  Thee." (2 Par. xx.  12.)    Neither  does  God,  on  the  other  hand,  re-