Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/180

 standing Nature  has  given  Him  generous  ears,  lie  cannot hear,  he  cannot  understand. But talk  to  him  of banquet  halls  and  liberal  potations,  and  lo,  with  ears erect, he  is  eager  to  begin. The Holy  Ghost  and Christ, the  Doctors  of  his  soul,  denounce  the  drug  as deadly,  and  though  the  bottle  bear  the  death's-head label, he  will  drink  it,  come  what  may. Our life  is warfare,  and,  says  St.  Paul,  "  whoever  striveth  for  the mastery,  refraineth  him  from  all  such  noxious  things, that  weaken  us  or  stupefy." Our adversary,  the devil, knows  no  rest  and  it  behooves  us,  lest  we  be surprised,  to  be  sober  and  to  watch. Drunkenness led to  Noe's  shame  arid  his  curses  on  his  family; drunkenness caused  Lot's  crime  and  Samson's downfall;  it  led  the  Israelites  to  adore  the  golden calf, and  through  it  Holofernes  lost  his  head. " Drunkenness,"  says  St.  Basil,  "  is  the  miner  of reason,  the  waster  of  our  body's  strength,  it  is  premature old  age  and  in  a  little  while  it  is  death."

Brethren, there  is  but  one  small  door  to  heaven and many  seek  to  enter  and  are  not  able. They are larger than  the  door,  puffed  up  with  pride  and  worldliness,  for  that  small  door  is  Jesus  crucified. " I  am the  door,"  He  says, "  and  whoso  enters  by  Me  shall  be saved." History tells  of  men  who  sought  to  open other doors  —  Mohammed  did,  and  Luther,  and modern sinners  do,  but  ah! they lead  elsewhere — to hell. There is  one  small  door,  too  narrow  for  the rich and  corpulent,  but  wide  enough  for  those  who have become  as  little  ones  and  mortify  themselves  for love of  Christ. Old Homer  tells  of  the  enchantress