Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/443

 Do not  pay  more  attention  to  your  temporary  residence in this  world,  than  to  your  place  of  permanent  abode.

III. When the  man  was  cured,  "  he  went  away  into  his own  house,  magnifying  God." It is  one  of  the  proper effects of  spiritual  health  to  praise  God,  and  to  give  Him thanks for  benefits  received. Take care  that  you  always magnify God,  when  you  retire  from  the  sacrament  of Penance  freed  from  the  deadly  palsy  of  sin,  and  say  with royal David,  "  I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times,  His praise  shall  be  always  in  my  mouth." (Ps. xxxiii.  2.)

I. "  And  it  came  to  pass  also,  on  another  Sabbath,  that He  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  taught,  and  there was  a  man,  whose  right  hand  was  withered." (Luke vi. 6.)  Christ  took  advantage  of  every  occasion  to  bring souls to  His  Father;  hence,  on  the  Sabbath-days  He  frequented the  synagogue,  in  order  that  he  might  instruct the multitude,  which  on  those  occasions  was  collected together. He found  in  the  synagogue  a  man,  whose right hand  was  withered. " There  are  many,"  says  an eminent  spiritual  writer,  "who  in  the  Church  of  God, have  their  left  hands  ready  for  any  evil  action,  whilst their  right  hands  are  withered  and  incapable  of  performing any  good  action." " Their  right  hand,  is  the  right hand  of  iniquity." (Ps. cxliii.  8.)  Examine  your  conscience on  this  subject.

II. " Then  He  saith  to  the  man,  stretch  forth  thy  hand; and  he  stretched  it  forth,  and  it  was  restored  to  health, like  as  the  other." (Matt. xii.  13.)    Christ  could  easily