Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/491

 God. " Behold,"  he  says,  "  we  will  go,  but  what  shall  we carry  to  the  man  of  God?" He was  at  that  time  poor, but he  gave  all  that  he  had,  "the  fourth  part  of  a  side of  silver." You also  are  poor,  but  you  have  a  soul stamped with  the  image  of  God,  "the  light  of  Thy countenance,  O  Lord,  is  signed  upon  us." (Ps. iv.  7.) Give, therefore,  this  soul  of  yours  to  Him,  "  whose image  and  superscription  it  bears;"  but  let  it  be  purified from the  filth  of  sin,  and  "  made  conformable  to  the image  of  His  Son"  (Rom.  viii.  29),  to  whose  likeness  it is  made,  and  then  "  He  will  teach  you  all  truth." (John xvi. 13.)

I. "A  man  going  into  a  far  country  called  his  servants and  delivered  to  them  his  goods." (Matt. xxv.  14.)  God is the  universal  Lord  of  all  things,  and  He  distributes His goods  among  mankind;  for  whatever  qualities  of body  or  mind  we  possess,  whatever  we  have,  internal  or external,  natural  or  supernatural,  all  comes  from  God. O man,  "  what  hast  thou,  that  thou  hast  not  received!" (1 Cor.  iv.  7.)  God  distributes  His  talents  or  gifts, whether natural  or  supernatural,  unequally;  He  gives more to  one  and  less  to  another,  but  to  all  He  addresses the words,  "  Trade  till  I  come"  (Luke  xix.  13),  in  order that they  may  take  advantage  of  what  they  receive. Examine how  many  talents  you  have  received,  in  order that you  may  be  the  better  able  to  give  an  account  of them.

II. " He  that  had  received  the  five  talents  went  his