Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/83

 the good,  and  take  care  that  others  may  profit  by  your company and  conversation.

III. Consider the  inspired  words  of  Scripture:  "  The ark  of  the  Lord  abode  in  the  house  of  Obededom,  the Gethite,  three  months;  and  the  Lord  blessed  Obededom and  all  his  household.  (2  Kings  vi.  11.)  How  much more  may  we  suppose  did  He  bless  the  house  of  Zachary, in  which  the  living  ark  of  the  Lord  and  the  mother  of God  dwelt  so  long.  The  same  blessings  will  be  received by  you  when  He  visits  you  in  the  holy  sacrament  if  you give  Him  a  proper  reception.

I. The  parents  of  the  Baptist  were  pronounced  by  the Evangelist to  be  "both  just  before  God,  walking  in  all the  commandments  and  justifications  of  the  Lord  without blame." (Luke i.  6.)  Here  strengthen  your  faith  on the  important  dogma  that  it  is  possible  to  observe  all the commandments  of  God ;  for  Zachary  and  Elizabeth observed them. It is  possible,  too,  to  observe  the  counsels;  for  they  walked  in  all  the  justifications  of  the  Lord without blame. Aim at  the  perfection  of  your  calling, and be  just  in  the  sight  of  God  and  blameless  in  your conversation with  men.

II. God honored  the  birth  of  His  precursor. 1. By sending  the  same  angel  to  announce  his  birth  that  was employed in  announcing  the  birth  of  His  own  Son. 2. The manner  in  which  his  birth  was  announced  was more solemn  than  that  by  which  the  Redeemer  was  made known ; for  his  birth  was  announced  to  the  high  priest in the  temple  at  the  time  of  public  sacrifice,  when  all  the people were  filled  with  wonder  and  expectation. 3. The