Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/339

 Guard against  them;  examine  yourself;  discover  your weakest points,  for  against  these  the  Devil  will  direct  his most severe  assaults.

II. Man may  be  guilty  of  gluttony  in  five  several ways: (i)  By  eating  before  the  proper  time;  (2)  By  studiously seeking  the  most  costly  and  exquisite  fare;  (3} By  too  much  curiosity  and  anxiety  in  dressing  even  ordinary food;  (4)  By  exceeding  the  just  measure;  (5)  By too  much  greediness  in  eating  and  drinking.  Examine yourself  on  these  points,  and  remember  what  St.  Isidore remarks:  "No  man  can  attain  the  perfection  of  virtue who  has  not  first  learned  to  master  his  appetite."

III. Christ made  answer  to  the  tempter:  "  Man  liveth not  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth out  of  the  mouth  of  God." By this  He  teaches  us  that we ought  not  to  be  too  solicitous  in  regard  to  corporal  food;  "for  the  kingdom  of  God,"  says  St.  Paul, " is  not  meat  and  drink." (Rom. xiv.  17.)  We  ought  to be  much  more  anxious  for  spiritual  things,  for  these secure our  eternal  life. We are  not,  therefore,  to  expect to be  supplied  with  food  by  a  miracle,  but  we  must  commit these  cares  to  God's  ordinary  providence,  "who giveth  to  beasts  their  food,  and  to  the  young  ravens  that call  upon  Him." (Ps. cxlvi.  9.)  Learn,  hence,  to  cut  off all superfluous  thoughts  and  conversations  on  these subjects, and  throw  yourself  entirely  on  the  kind  providence of  your  good  and  merciful  Father.