Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/378

 " By  this  shall  all  men  know  you  for  My  disciples, that  you  love  one  another."

Charity, again,  is  food  for  the  hungry  and  drink for the  thirsty. Christ, the  incarnate  love,  says  of Himself:  "  I  am  the  Bread  of  life;  he  that  eateth  of Me  shall  never  hunger  and  he  that  drinketh  of  the water  that  I  shall  give  shall  never  thirst  again." Love is  that  stream  that  the  Apocalypse  describes  as flowing  from  the  throne  of  God,  slaking  the  soul's innate  thirst  for  heaven,  uniting  the  individual  particles of  humanity  into  one  solid  mass,  and  raising them on  its  bosom  to  its  own  level,  the  throne  of God.

Again, charity  is  clothing  for  the  naked,  for,  as  the Apostle Peter  says:  "  Charity  covereth  a  multitude of  sins." Charity is  the  nuptial  garment  rich enough to  be  worn  at  the  wedding-feast  of  even the King  of  kings,  and  ample  enough  in  its folds to  hide  from  view  the  moral  deformities  of many  an  unfortunate  brother. A garment  as  light as air,  but  as  strong  as  death,  is  the  love  of  God and humanity. Said Our  Lord  to  His  disciples: " Wait  ye  in  the  city  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power from  on  high." And when  the  Spirit  of  love,  the Holy Ghost,  did  come  upon  them,  those  previously timid Apostles,  as  though  now  clothed  in  invincible armor, went  bravely  forth  to  battle  for  the  faith  and to die  in  the  cause.

Finally, a  good  heart  is  a  treasure  such  that  the possessor of  it,  be  he  ever  so  poor,  is  rich  indeed. They are  woefully  mistaken  who  put  forth  mighty