Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/90

 Jesus in  agony  and  dying  on  the  Cross,  and  beseech His mercy,  saying:  "My  God,  my  God,  why  hast Thou  forsaken  me?" (St. Matt,  xxvii.  46.)  But  let  the effect of  this  be,  to  humble  thee  yet  more  at  the thought, that  he  deserves  no  consolations  who  has offended God;  and  yet  more  to  enliven  thy  confidence, knowing  that  God  does  all  things,  and  permits all,  for  thy  good:  "  All  things  work  together unto  good  "  (Rom.  viii.  28). Say with  great  courage, even when  thou  dost  feel  most  troubled  and  disconsolate:  "The  Lord  is  my  light  and  my  salvation; whom  shall  I  fear?" (Ps. xxvi.  1). Lord, it  is  Thine to enlighten  me,  it  is  Thine  to  save  me;  in  Thee  do I  trust:  "  In  Thee,  O  Lord,  have  I  hoped;  let  me never  be  confounded  "  (Ps.  xxx.  1). And thus  keep thyself in  peace;  knowing  there  never  was  any  one who placed  his  hopes  in  God  and  was  lost:  "  No  one hath  hoped  in  the  Lord,  and  hath  been  confounded" (Eccl. ii.  11). Consider, thy  God  loveth  thee  more than thou  canst  love  thyself:  what  dost  thou  fear? David comforted  himself,  saying:  "  The  Lord  is  careful for  me"  (Ps.  xxxix.  18). Say to  Him,  therefore, Lord, into  Thy  arms  I  cast  myself;  I  desire  to  have no thought  but  of  loving  and  pleasing  Thee;  behold me ready  to  do  what  Thou  requirest  of  me. Thou dost not  only  will  my  good,  Thou  art  careful  for  it; unto Thee,  then,  do  I  leave  the  care  of  my  salvation. In Thee  do  I  rest,  and  will  rest  for  evermore,  since Thou wiliest  that  in  Thee  I  should  place  all  my hopes:  "  In  peace,  in  the  selfsame,  I  will  sleep  and  I will  rest;  for  Thou,  O  Lord,  singularly  hast  settled me  in  hope"  (Ps.  iv.  9,  10).

" Think  of  the  Lord  in  goodness"  (Wisd.  i.  1). In these words  the  Wise  Man  exhorts  us  to  have  more confidence in  the  Divine  mercy  than  dread  of  the Divine justice;  since  God  is  immeasurably  more  inclined to  bestow  favors  than  to  punish,  as  St.  James says:   "  Mercy   exalteth   itself  above  judgment "