Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/510

 of the  latter  will  be  far  different:  The  Lord  of  that  servant will  come  in  a  day  he  expecteth  not,  and  at  an hour  that  he  knoweth  not,  and  shall  separate  him,  and shall appoint  him  his  portion  with  unbelievers."  Imitate, therefore,  the  good  and  faithful  steward  in  order that  you  may  not  be  punished  with  the  wicked  servant.

I. "Let  your  loins  be  girded,  and  lamps  burning  in your  hands,  and  you  yourselves  like  to  men  who  wait  for their  Lord  when  He  shall  return  from  the  wedding!" (Luke xii.  35.)  Diligent  and  attentive  servants  carefully watch  for  the  arrival  of  their  masters. Such diligence and  attention  Christ  requires  from  us. "We gird our  loins,"  says  St.  Gregory,  "  when  we  restrain  luxury by  continence,  and  we  hold  burning  lamps  in  our  hands when  by  good  works  we  show  our  neighbors  the  light  of our  example." Examine how  you  perform  this  double duty.

II. The good  servants  are  thus  attentive  in  order  "  that when  He  cometh  and  knocketh,  they  may  open  to  Him  immediately." (Luke xii.  36.)  "  Our  Lord  comes  to  us,"  says St. Gregory,  "when  He  hastens  to  judge  us  at  our  death; He  knocks  when  He  sends  us  sickness,  the  forerunner  of dissolution." On this  occasion,  the  good  with  joy  "open to  Him,  having  a  desire,"  as  the  Apostle  says,  "  to  be  dissolved and  to  be  with  Christ." (Phil i.  23.)  On  the contrary, with  what  an  unwilling  heart  do  the  wicked  let Him in  when  He  knocks! Hence, the  author  of  Ecclesiasticus  exclaims,  "  O  death,  how  bitter  is  the  remem-