Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/217

 perity, shamefully  forget  the  starving  multitudes below. Selfishly they  take  their  ease,  wallowing  in luxury,  with  never  a  thought  of  their  sacred  obligations. Christ stands  between  them  and  the  throng,  and begs with  outstretched  hands  for  bread  that  His  poor may eat. What answer  does  He  get? Do they  with childlike faith  place  at  His  feet  their  all? Do they remember that  their  riches  should  constitute  them Christ's disciples? Do they  return  the  wealth  He gave  them  that  He  may  bless  and  break  and  distribute to  the  needy? Alas! alas! They turn  their backs on  Him  and  them. " Send  them  away,"  they say to  Him,  "  this  horrid  rabble,  bid  them  begone  and get  a  meal  as  best  they  may.  It  is  an  outrage  to bring  them  clamoring  here,  disturbing  our  aristocratic quiet,  marring  the  beauty  of  the  landscape, trampling  our  parks  and  lawns.  What!  feed  a  throng like  that!  Consider  the  expenses  of  my  city  palace and  my  country  villa,  my  crowded  stables  and  my kennel  of  dogs;  see  the  outlay  for  my  wine-cellar,  our dinners,  our  theatre-parties,  our  trips  abroad,  our jewels  and  finery — why,  I  have  not  a  cent  to  spare nor  a  crumb  for  your  ragged  mob." Thus once  on  a time  spoke  Dives  to  the  starving  Lazarus,  and  Dives in consequence  was  buried  in  hell. So acted  Judas when he  clutched  the  purse  and  tied  the  strings  and swore his  Master  should  not  have  two  hundred  pennies wherewith  to  purchase  bread, — and  Judas,  you know, was  a  thief,  and  presently  betrayed  his  Master for money  and  finally  hanged  himself. So, too,  the uncharitable rich  are  thieves  who  appropriate  the