Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/430

 spiritual, and  a  special  fickleness  and  inconsistency must ever  characterize  the  judgment  of  those  who are trying  the  impossible  task  of  serving  both  God and Mammon. John the  Baptist  came  neither  eating nor  drinking  and  men  said:  "  He  hath  a  devil." Christ came  eating  and  drinking  and  they  called  Him a glutton — these  servers  of  the  two  masters. Like the children  in  the  market-place,  they  are  piped  to and  they  will  not  dance,  they  are  mourned  with  and they will  not  weep. Thus is  wisdom  done  justice to by  all  her  children — by  contrast,  viz.,  with  the folly of  the  slaves  of  Mammon  and  the  inconsistency of the  servants  of  the  two  masters,  and  directly,  in .the  consistency  of  the  lives  of  her  own,  the  servants of God,  the  children  of  light. For these  last  hold  the world at  its  true  worth. They are  deeply  imbued with the  responsibilities  of  their  stewardship,  and  seeing things  with  the  eyes  of  God,  they  value  and  use the things  of  earth  for  their  one  legitimate  object, the glory  of  God  and  the  spiritual  betterment  of themselves  and  of  their  neighbors. It is  thus  that  the Mammon of  iniquity  can  and  should  be  employed  to secure  for  ourselves  friends  here  and  hereafter. Even as  Jacob  sent  ahead  rich  presents  to  appease the wrath  of  his  brother  Esau,  so  should  we  devote our earthly  possessions  to  the  enrichment  of  heaven with souls  saved,  that  when  our  own  time  shall  have come they  may  receive  us  into  everlasting  dwellings.

Brethren, St.  John  Damascene  in  his  history  of Barlaam  and  Josaphat  gives  us  a  parable  which  has all the  point  of  that  of  the  unjust  steward,  with  none