Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/188

 journey. As men  aboard  ship,  whether  they  sit  or sleep,  are  ever  moving  on,  so  on  the  road  of  life  even when we  rest  neglectfully  or  slumber  in  forgetfulness,  we  are  ever  moving  on. Things glide  by  us and  are  forgot,  the  joyful  and  the  sorrowful  alike. So on  a  journey  pleasant  fields  and  stately  homes  and barren wastes  are  seen  and  passed  and  left  behind. We step  in  the  footprints  of  those  who  went  before, and others  follow  after  us  in  ours,  and  where  those were but  yesterday  we  are  to-day,  and  where  we  are to-day others  will  be  to-morrow. Ask the  money  in your  pocket  how  many  men  have  called  it  theirs ;  ask your land  how  many  owners  it  has  had  since  time began, and  learn  from  them  that  life  is  a  journey — that man  has  here  no  permanent  abiding-place. How hard  is  the  climb  to  eminence! yet pontiffs  even and kings  are  barely  seated  on  their  thrones  when lo! they must  make  way  for  others. And woe  to  us should  we  forget  we  are  but  passing  through! Woe to us  if  we  should  load  ourselves  down  with  worldly goods, or  gaze  too  long  or  lovingly  on  the  things  we pass,  for  the  night  of  sin  will  overtake  us  and  those robbers and  wild  beasts — the  devils — work  our  ruin. Angels and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us,  for  woeful need have  we,  poor  wayfarers,  of  their  guidance  and protection!

Brethren, in  their  hands  the  angels  bear  the  just man up,  lest  perhaps  he  dash  his  foot  against  a  stone. Seven times  a  day  the  just  man  falls  and  he  still  continues just,  for  the  guilt  of  sin  is  not  so  much  in  the falling as  in  the  staying  down. The angel  guar-