Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/464

 in the  most  merciful  manner  invites  all  mankind  to  become  His  friends,  and  inasmuch  as  depends  on  Him wishes to  be  our  universal  friend. He endeavored  to bring  even  Judas  back  to  a  sense  of  his  duty,  whilst  he was  practising  treason  against  Him. " Friend,"  he  asked him, "  whereunto  art  thou  come?" (Matt. xxvi.  50.) Ponder the  greatness  of  the  honor  which  he  does  us. "We are  not  worthy  to  be  servants,"  writes  St. Gregory,  "  and  we  are  styled  friends." What an  honor is it  for  miserable  wretches  formed  of  the  dust  of  the earth to  be  the  friends  of  the  ruler  of  the  universe!

II. This friend  of  yours  will  visit  you  to-day  in  the Eucharist, to  instruct  you  with  His  divine  wisdom,  to enrich  you  with  His  treasures,  to  defend  you  by  His power, and  to  inflame  you  with  His  love. Among friends all things  are  in  common. It is  recorded  of  the  friendship which  existed  between  David  and  Jonathan:  "The soul  of  Jonathan  was  knit  with  the  soul  of  David." (1 Kings, xviii.  1.)  The  friendship  of  Christ,  however,  in our  regard,  proceeds  much  farther. He gives  Himself to us  for  our  meat  and  drink. Under these  appearances He enters  into  your  breast,  in  order,  as  St.  Cyril  remarks, that "  He  may  be  joined  in  flesh  and  blood  with  you." (Cant. iv.)

III. The best  preparation  to  receive  your  Saviour  is  to return  love  for  love. This your  loving  friend  requires from every  one,  and  He  has  instituted  this  banquet  for such only  as  return  love  for  love. " Eat,  O  friends,"  he says,  "and  drink  and  be  inebriated,  my  beloved." (Cant. v. 1.)  In  the  gospel  of  to-day  He  condemns  to  perpetual darkness the  man  who  presented  himself  without  the "nuptial garment"  of  charity. Love, therefore,  this kind friend  of  yours,  and  do  whatever  he  inspires  you to do,  remembering  His  expression,  recorded  in  the