Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/435

 " Lord,  I  am  not  worthy,  that  Thou  shouldst  enter  under my  roof." (Luke vii.  6.)

I. Christ  having  entered  into  St.  Peter's  house,  found his mother-in-law  lying  sick  of  a  fever;  but  his  disciples "besought Him  for  her." (Luke iv.  38.)  Observe  the charity of  the  disciples  in  interceding  for  their  neighbors, and  the  efficacy  of  their  prayers;  for  the  woman was immediately  cured. All of  us  labor  under  some spiritual fever,  caused  by  the  heat  of  concupiscence  or some  unlawful  passion. "Our fever  is  covetousness," says St. Ambrose, "  our  fever  is  lust,  our  fever  is  ambition." Examine under  what  spiritual  ailment  you  labor, and have  recourse  to  the  Apostles  as  your  intercessors.

II. " Standing  over  her,  He  commanded  the  fever,  and it  left  her." He did  not  employ  the  ordinary  means  to destroy  the  fever,  but  to  show  His  Divine  power,  He  exercised command  over  it. Thus He  commanded  the winds and  the  sea  and  the  infernal  spirits,  and  they obeyed Him. As the  members  of  the  body  obey  the  soul, and are  subservient  to  it,  so  do  all  the  things  of  creation obey God. " He  spoke,  and  they  were  made;  He  commanded and  they  were  created." (Ps. cxlviii.  5.)  Do not  yourself  be  an  exemption  to  this  rule  of  universal obedience.

III. When St. Peter's mother-in-law  was  cured,  "  immediately rising  she  ministered  to  them." She did  not allege weakness  after  sickness,  but  immediately  began  to labor,  like  the  deserving  woman  in  the  Proverbs;  "  She hath  girded  her  loins  with  strength,  and  strengthened