Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/62

 you. He will  search  the  inmost  recesses  of  your  heart. Purify it,  therefore,  most  diligently  from  every  imperfection. Say, with  the  humble  prophet,  "enter  not  into judgment  with  thy  servant,  O  Lord  "  (Ps.  cxlii.  2.),  but rather, in  the  bowels  of  thy  infinite  mercy,  "O  orient, thou  brightness  of  eternal  light  and  sun  of  justice,  come and  enlighten  those  who  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow of  death." Well, therefore,  does  Boethius  observe  that  "  it is  necessary  to  live  well,  since  we  do  everything  in  the presence  of  the  Judge,  who  sees  all  things." Consider this well  and  prepare  for  judgment.

I. The  Son  of  God  descended  into  this  world,  from  the bosom of  His  eternal  Father,  for  two  objects,  as  the  holy Fathers unanimously  assert. The first  was  to  redeem  us, and the  second,  to  give  us  a  model  which  we  might  imitate, and  by  that  means  become  pleasing  to  His  father. His life,  then,  should  be  the  mirror  of  ours. Reflect on your  obligations  to  God  for  having  condescended  to  give you this  model,  and  by  that  means  facilitated  your  progress in  virtue. It is  much  easier  to  imitate  the  actions of another  than  to  do  those  actions  if  they  are  only commanded.

II. How glorious  it  is  to  follow  so  great  an  example! " It  is  glorious,"  says  Ecclesiasticus,  "  to  follow  the  Lord." (Ecclus. xxiii.  38.)  By  following  the  example  of  men, whoever they  may  be,  you  may  err,  because  they  are men, capable  consequently  of  being  themselves  deceived, and of  wishing  to  deceive  others. But, by  imitating  the Son of  God,  you  cannot  wander  astray,  because  He  is "  the  way;"  you  cannot  be  deceived,  because  He  is"  the