Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/360

 pared in  the  Scripture  to  several  kinds  of  trees. We read in  the  Canticles,  "As  the  apple-tree  among  the trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  My  Beloved  among  the  sons." {Cant. ii. 3.) Other  men  are  trees  of  the  wood,  and  produce no  other  than  wild  and  sour  fruit,  to  wit,  sin. Christ  alone,  in  the  sense  of  the  Canticles,  is  the  apple-tree  which  brings  forth  delicious  fruit;  and  as  the  apple by  its  juice  gives  both  food  and  liquid,  so  Christ  by giving  us  His  precious  body  and  blood  in  the  Eucharist is  both  the  meat  and  drink  of  our  souls.

II. Your soul  is  a  garden  planted  by  God's  own  hands, according to  the  Prophet:  "Their  soul  shall  be  as  a watered  garden." (Jer. xxxi.  12.)  In  this  garden  will be planted  to-day  that  heavenly  Tree,  the  Tree  of  Life. This Tree  yields  twelve  fruits,  which  are,  according  to the  Apostle,  "charity,  joy,  peace,  patience,  benignity, goodness,  longanimity,  mildness,  faith,  modesty,  continency,  chastity." (Gal. v.  23.)  Oh,  how  you  ought  to long  for  the  hour  when  "your  Beloved  will  come  into His  garden  and  eat  the  fruit  of  His  apple-trees — that  is, of  good  works — which  He  will  co-operate  with  you  in producing  in  your  soul!

III. If you  wish  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  this  fruit, you must  seat  yourself  under  the  shadow  of  the  tree,  by attentively  contemplating  its  good  qualities  and  excellence. Thus did  the  spouse  in  the  Canticles,  "  I  sat  down under  his  shadow,  whom  I  desired,  and  his  fruit  was sweet  to  my  palate." (Cant. ii.  3.)  Prepare  yourself therefore by  holy  desires,  and  you  will  be  permitted  "  to taste  and  see,  that  the  Lord  is  sweet." (Ps. xxxiii.  9.)