Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/506

 not to  be  bought  but  by  the  sale  of  every  thing  else. " He went  his  way,  and  sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  it." "Happy is  the  man,"  says  St.  Gregory,  "who  with  all his  fortunes  is  able  to  purchase  Christ." Hence, St.  Paul writes: "  For  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, and  count  them  as  dying,  that  I  may  gain  Christ." (Phil. iii.  8.)    Examine  your  conduct  in  this  respect.

When the  Twenty-fourth  Sunday  after  Pentecost  comes before November,  take  the  Meditation  of  the  Third  Sunday after  Epiphany  on  page  128.

I. "  What  man  among  you  that  hath  a  hundred  sheep, and  if  he  shall  lose  one  of  them,  doth  he  not  leave  the ninety-nine  in  the  desert  and  go  after  that  which  was lost?" (Luke xv.  4.)  This  man  is  Christ,  the  sheep  are the faithful. Christ performs  to  the  full  extent  all  the offices of  a  good  shepherd. He came  down  from  heaven to feed  them;  He  marks  them  for  His  own,  with  a  divine and indelible  character;  He  leads  them  by  His  example to all  virtue;  He  cures  their  infirmities;  He  defends them from  the  wolves  of  hell;  He  provides  them  with the rich  pastures  of  His  doctrine  and  sacraments,  and finally He  gives  them  His  own  body  and  blood  for  their food and  nourishment. The faithful  hear  His  voice, obey His  commands  and  follow  Him  wherever  He  leads the way;  they  delight  in  His  pastures  and  surrender themselves entirely  to  Him:  living  and  dying  they  are His.