Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/423

 useless offence. He couches  His  reproof  in  a  parable  of two  debtors  to  one  creditor. God is  our  creditor,  and we are  all  His  debtors,  some  more  so,  and  others  less; and we  have  no  means  of  satisfying  our  Creditor,  but  by the  merits  of  Christ. The greater,  therefore,  the  debt is, which  is  forgiven  us,  the  greater  is  our  obligation  of love  and  gratitude. Examine your  debts,  and  consequently your  obligations  to  God.

II. " Dost  thou  see  this,  woman?" (Luke vii.  44.)  He confounds  the  Pharisee  and  our  pride  by  the  example  of a  sinful  woman. She acknowledges  the  favor  done  to her  by  the  remission  of  her  great  debt,  and  shows  much more love  than  those  who  neglecting  their  less  debts,

• are  cold  in  their  affections. Often ask  yourself  this  question, "  Dost  thou  see  this  woman?" and be  confounded for being  so  inferior  to  her  in  love  of  God,  and  works  of penance,  often  having,  perhaps,  received  greater  favors than she  had. Take care  that  you  be  not  of  the  number of those,  to  whom  Christ  addresses  the  terrible  sentence; "The publicans  and  the  harlots  shall  go  into  the  kingdom of  God  before  you." (Matt. xxi.  31.)

III. " Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee." What was  her  joy when she  heard  those  consoling  words? Ponder on  the efficacy of  contrition,  which  in  a  moment  blots  out  all the sins  of  former  life. Take care  to  excite  this  contrition in  your  mind,  especially  when  you  approach  the sacrament of  penance. As you  have  followed  her  in  sinning, follow  her  in  repenting. Say with  the  Psalmist, " I  will  confess  against  myself  my  iniquities  to  the  Lord, and  Thou  hast  forgiven  the  wickedness  of  my  sin." (Ps. xxxi.  5.)