Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/102

 and please  my  God? When thou  seest  a  little  dog, which, for  a  miserable  morsel  of  bread,  is  so  faithful to its  master,  reflect  how  much  greater  reason  thou hast to  be  faithful  to  God,  Who  has  created,  and  preserved, and  provided  for  thee,  and  heaps  upon  thee so many  blessings. When thou  hearest  the  birds sing, say:  Hearken,  O  my  soul,  to  the  praise  which these little  creatures  are  giving  to  their  Creator; and what  art  thou  doing? Then do  thou  also  praise Him with  acts  of  love. On the  other  hand,  when thou hearest  the  cock  crow,  recall  to  thy  memory that there  once  was  a  time  when  thou  also,  like Peter, denied  thy  God;  and  renew  thy  contrition and thy  tears. So, likewise,  when  thou  seest  the house or  place  where  thou  bast  sinned,  turn  thyself to God,  and  say:  "The  sins  of  my  youth  and  my ignorance  remember  not,  O  Lord  "  (Ps.  xxiv.  7).

When thou  beholdest  any  valleys,  consider  that  as their  fertility  is  owing  to  the  waters  which  run  down from the  mountains,  so  from  heaven  do  graces  descend upon  the  souls  of  the  humble,  passing  the proud aside. When thou  seest  a  beautifully-ornamented church,  consider  the  beauty  of  a  soul  which, being in  a  state  of  grace,  is  a  real  temple  of  God. When thou  beholdest  the  sea,  consider  the  immensity and  the  greatness  of  God. When thou  seest  fire, or candles  lighted  on  an  altar,  say:  How  many  years is it  since  I  ought  to  have  been  cast  into  hell  to burn? But since  Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  not  sent  me there,  make  this  heart  of  mine  now  to  burn  with love for  Thee,  as  that  wood  or  those  candles  burn. When thou  lookest  up  at  the  sky,  all  studded  with stars, say  with  St.  Andrew  of  Avellino:  "  O  my feet,  you  will  one  day  have  those  stars  beneath you."

Then, in  order  frequently  to  recall  to  mind  the mysteries of  Our  Saviour's  love,  when  thou  seest hay, a  manger,  or  caves,  let  the  Infant  Jesus  in  the