Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/337

 III. The fruits  of  fasting  are  so  numerous  and  so  beneficial, that  you  ought  to  practice  it  as  far  as  your  health will permit,  (i)  It  tames  the  rebellions  of  the  flesh;  (2) It purifies  the  mind  and  renders  it  capable  of  heavenly contemplation; (3)  It  appeases  God's  wrath  and  indigtion;  (4)  It  atones  for  sin;  (5)  It  is  meritorious  of  eternal life; (6)  It  obtains  for  us  temporal  blessings;  (7)  It  is  the food and  nourishment  of  all  virtues. Embrace a  practice which is  attended  with  so  many  benefits.

I. After  Christ  had  fasted  forty  days  in  the  desert,  He suffered  Himself  to  be  tempted  by  the  Devil  to  gluttony, vainglory, ambition,  and  avarice. He suffered  this  in order  that  He  might  learn  by  His  own  experience  "  to have  compassion  on  our  infirmities." (Heb. iv.  15.)  "  For in  that  wherein  He  Himself  hath  suffered  and  been tempted,  He  is  able  to  succor  those  also  who  are  tempted." (Heb. ii.  15.)  He  suffered  these  temptations,  besides, that,  like  a  good  commander,  He  might  instruct  us how  to  fight  and  conquer  in  this  spiritual  warfare. Thank Him  for  giving  you  so  perfect  an  example  of  humility, and  say  with  the  Prophet,  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord my  God,  who  teacheth  my  hands  to  fight,  and  my  fingers to  war." (Ps. cxliii.  1.)

II. No one  in  this  life,  however  great  may  be  his  sanctity, is  free  from  temptation. This is  evident  from  the life of  Christ  and  His  saints. The more  perfect  a  man  is, the more  fiercely  is  he  assaulted  by  the  Devil, "  who  is  most pleased,"  as  St. Hilary says,  "  with  victory  over  saints."