Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/384

 some circumstance  peculiar  to  each  He  draws  him naturally, sweetly,  and  yet  mightily. Some event, trivial it  may  be,  but  still  deeply  significant  in  the light God  sheds  on  it,  will  open  up  God's  will  to  him, even as  the  sight  of  Jesus  preaching  to  the  surging throngs upon  the  strand  must  have  recalled  to  the fishermen God's  promise  to  their  father  Abraham that his  seed  should  be  as  the  grains  of  sand  upon  the shore; must  have  made  them  reflect  that  the  harvest indeed was  plentiful  but  the  laborers  few. " Pray  ye, therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,"  says  Holy  Writ, " to  send  laborers  into  His  harvest,"  for  a  call  to the  priesthood  is  exclusively  God's  doing. Mary chooses the  better  part  herself  and  Christ  ratifies  her choice, but  to  His  Apostles  He  says:  "  It  is  I  who choose  you  and  not  you  who  choose  Me." Neither Peter the  fisherman,  nor  Peter  the  disowner  can turn to  Christ  unless  Christ's  glance  first  rest  on  him. And blessed  be  God  that  in  distributing  His  favors Christ is  impartial  and  no  respecter  of  persons. James and  John,  we  know,  were  own  cousins  to  the Lord, yet  Andrew  and  Peter's  call  preceded  theirs. That Christ  began  by  choosing  a  pair  of  brothers  recalls God's  choice  of  Moses  and  Aaron  to  liberate  His people and  seems  to  indicate  the  bond  of  brotherhood each  neophyte  enters  into  with  his  brother-priests. Again, neither  wealth,  nor  influence,  nor great abilities  count  for  aught  with  Christ  in  His choice of  subjects  for  His  priesthood. One there was of  great  possessions  whom  He  commanded  to go,  give  all  to  the  poor  and  coming  follow  Him,  but