Page:Sermons for all the Sundays in the year.djvu/247

 treasures of divine graces. St. Teresa says, that at that time Jesus Christ remains in the soul as on a throne, saying to her what he said to the blind man: ” What wilt thou that I should do to thee ?" (Mark x. 51.) As if he said: ” But me you have not always." (John xii. 8.) Now that you possess me within you, ask me for graces: I have come down from heaven on purpose to dispense them to you; ask whatever you wish, and you shall obtain it. Oh! what great graces are lost by those who spend but little time in prayer after communion. Let us also turn to the Eternal Father, and, bearing in mind the promise of Jesus Christ "Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you" (John xvi. 23) let us say to him: My God, for the love of this thy Son, whom I have within my heart, give me thy love; make me all thine. And if we offer this prayer with confidence, the Lord will certainly hear us. He who acts thus may become a saint by a single communion. In this day’s gospel it is related that the Pharisees murmured against Jesus Christ, because he received sinners and eat with them. ” This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them" (v. 2). In answer to their murmurings our Lord said: If any of you had a hundred sheep, and lost one of them, would he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go in search of the lost sheep? would he not continue his search until he found it? and having found it, would he not carry it on his shoulders, and, rejoicing, say to his friends and neighbours: ” Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost ?" (v. 6.) In conclusion, the Son of God said: ” I say to you, there shall be joy in