Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/487

 offers the  garment  of  charity  to  every  one. " He  will have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge of  the  truth." (1 Tim.  ii.  4.)  And  men  out  of  sloth often refuse. But on  your  part  earnestly  beg  this  grace of God,  and  do  not  presume  to  approach  the  sacraments without it.

III. Consider the  indignation  of  the  king  against  the man who  presumed  to  be  present  at  the  marriage  feast without the  wedding  garment. " Having  bound  his hands  and  feet,"  he  thus  commands  his  servants:  "  Cast him  into  exterior  darkness." The punishment  of  the sinner is  manifold. He is  perpetually  imprisoned  in hell,  he  dwells  in  horrid  darkness,  since  he  is  deprived of the  sight  of  God;  he  is  obstinate  in  evil,  his  hands  are tied, so  that  he  cannot  perform  a  meritorious  action,  his feet are  bound,  so  that  he  cannot  escape  from  the  place of his  confinement. Beseech your  Lord  to  deliver  you from all  these  evils.

I. "Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  like  to  ten virgins." (Matt. xxv.  1.)  In  the  Church  militant  there are both  good  and  bad,  wise  and  foolish,  all  expecting the coming  of  Christ  the  spouse  of  the  Church, in  order to celebrate  His  nuptials  in  heaven. Those that  keep their faith  without  charity,  which  is  the  life  of  faith, are like  the  foolish  virgins  who  had  no  oil  in  their  lamps, What can  be  more  unwise  than  to  expect  the  coming  of a  judge  who  sees  all  things,  and  not  to  prepare  against His coming? Examine whether  you  be  guilty  of  this folly.