Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/404

 lips of  Isaias  were  purified  by  the  coal  taken  from  the altar. He will  strengthen  you  to  proceed  in  the  service of God,  as  Elias  was  strengthened  with  the  bread  which enabled him  to  walk  to  the  mountain  of  God,  Horeb. Lastly, He  will  temper  the  heat  of  concupiscence,  like the manna  which  lay  "like  unto  the  hoar  frost  on  the ground." (Exod. xvi.  14.)

III. How ardently  you  ought  to  wish  for  the  hour  in which  this  kind  Samaritan  will  visit  you. Say, in  your zeal for  the  happy  moment,  "  Oh,  that  Thou  wouldst rend  the  heavens  and  wouldst  come  down"  (Is.  lxiv.  1); and with  the  prophet  Jeremias,  "Heal  me,  O  Lord,  and I  shall  be  healed;  save  me,  and  I  shall  be  saved." (Jer. xvii. 14.)

I. Christ  embarked  with  His  disciples  in  a  vessel,  in order  to  cross  the  lake,  "  and  He  was  in  the  hinder  part of  the  ship  sleeping  on  a  pillow." (Mark iv.  38;  Matt, viii.;  Luke  viii.)  Christ  sleeps  in  order  to  show  us  that He was  subject  to  human  infirmities. In the  meantime a storm  rises,  the  boat  is  in  danger,  and  the  Apostles  are alarmed. Thus, God  frequently  permits  us  to  be  harassed with  temptations,  and  almost  overwhelmed, whilst He  in  the  meantime  seems  to  sleep  and  leave  us to  ourselves,  by  delaying  to  give  His  particular  assistance. He acts  thus  in  order  to  teach  us  humility,  and to force  us  to  implore  His  assistance  with  more  fervor.

II. The disciples,  considering  themselves  in  danger, "came to  Him  and  awakened  Him,  saying,  Lord,  save us,  we  perish,"  and  "  Master,  doth  it  not  concern  Thee