Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/161

 blessing — a peaceful  soul — and  hereafter  the  happiness of  heaven."  For  God,  too,  is  a  fisher  of  men  and such  the  bait  He  uses,  and  incredible  though  it  seems, men  snatch  more  eagerly  the  painted  imitation  than the  rich  reality.  Why  think  you  is  it  God  so  often and  so  heavily  afflicts  us?  Why  do  riders  whip  and spur  their  favorite  racers?  God  wishes  us  to  win,  and all  His  scourgings  are  but  proofs  of  love,  while  the devil's  siren  blandishments  but  prove  his  hate.  But scourge  us  as  He  may,  God  finds  many  of  us  as  hard to  guide  and  slow  to  travel  toward  the  heavenly  Jerusalem as  was  that  lowly  beast  Christ  rode  into  Jerusalem on  the  first  Palm  Sunday.  It  is  a  fact  worthy of  mention,  and  of  notice,  that  though  the  ancient  law prescribed that  the  first-born  of  every  flock  and  herd should be  sacrificed  to  God,  a  sheep  was  always  substituted for  the  ass,  as  though  to  show  God's  aversion for that  animal  and  all  who  inherit  its  propensities. If such like  be  God's  attitude  towards  the  sluggard, what must  His  loathing  be  for  one  whose  movements in the  way  of  right  suggest  the  slowness  of  the  snail; who carries,  like  the  snail,  his  treasury  of  riches  on his  back,  and  who  spends  his  greatest  energy  in  clinging to  things  of  earth! " Go  to,"  says  the  Proverb, " and  learn  wisdom  from  the  ant." Untiring industry, a  determination  to  overcome  all  obstacles,  and perseverance to  the  death,  these  are  the  qualities  by which  the  race  is  won;  this  is  the  rule  of  labor  in  the Lord's vineyard — in  this  way  the  last  become  first and the  first  last — the  called  receive  commendation and the  chosen  their  reward.