Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/584

 the course  of  a  relapsing  sinner  leads  to  final  impenitence. A merchant  had  four  ships,  three  so  new and splendid  that,  not  to  mar  their  beauty,  he  went with all  his  merchandise  on  board  the  fourth  that  was old. But one  ship  cannot  float  the  cargo  of  four,  and so the  old  ship  sank,  and  its  owner  with  it,  and  now his three  beautiful  vessels  are  to  him  profitless  things of the  past. Brethren, we  have  four  ages — childhood, youth,  manhood,  and  old  age — and  if  we  load the entire  burden  of  penance  on  old  age,  be  sure  we will  fare  no  better  than  the  foolish  merchant. " Now,"  says  the  Scripture,  "  now  is  the  acceptable time — now  is  the  day  of  salvation."

Brethren, at  times — in  our  better  moments — we realize  our  debt  of  gratitude  to  God  and  we  cast around for  ways  of  paying  it  saying:  "  What  shall  I give  to  the  Lord  for  all  He  hath  given  me?" Let me send  you  away  this  morning  with  this  one  idea fixed firmly  in  your  minds,  that  your  first,  most sacred duty  is  to  be  kind  and  gentle  with  one  another as your  heavenly  Father  is  merciful  to  you. How rare soever  be  the  gift  you  propose  to  lay  at  the  feet of the  Saviour,  remember  always  that  rarer  still  is  a merciful,  a  forgiving  heart. " If,"  says  Our  Lord,  in Matt. v. 23, 24,  "  if  thou  offer  thy  gift  at  the  altar  and there  thou  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  anything against  thee,  leave  thou  thy  gift  before  the  altar and  go  first  to  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother  and  then coming  thou  shalt  offer  thy  gift."