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 order to  allay  our  fears:  "Behold,  whom  hast thou  for  thy  judge!  God  has  committed  ail judgment  to  His  Son.  Can  He  therefore  condemn thee,  who  has  ransomed  thee  from  death?"

5. Contemplate  therefore  the  merits  of  Jesus Christ, and  when  you  meditate  upon  them  never let go  your  hope. If you  have  already  fallen  into mortal sin,  or  if  you  should  ever  be  grievously wounded by  the  shafts  of  sin,  hope  on;  never despair of  the  mercy  and  saving  grace  of  the Lord. For if  priests  and  levites,  namely,  your fellow-creatures in  general,  pass  you  by  and abandon you,  never  will  your  Redeemer  act  in this  way,  never  will  He  give  you  up  for  lost. No; your  sad  plight,  your  pitiable  weakness, and the  wounds  of  your  soul  will  draw  Him from afar  to  your  aid,  and  will  touch  His  sacred heart with  compassion. He will  act  the  part  of a  good  Samaritan  toward  you. He has  only  oil and wine  to  bestow  upon  you,  only  mercy  and loving kindness,  if  you  go  to  Him  with  a  contrite and  humble  heart  —  and  a  piece  of  gold, that is  to  say,  Himself  in  the  Most  Blessed  Sacrament, in  order  to  pay  all  your  debts. Hope in the  Lord;  He  is  your  protection,  your  salvation.

Himself to  man  our  God  doth  give, Our hope,  the  Lord  most  High; In this  hope  must  the  Christian  live, In this  hope  he  must  die.

Apropos of  these  considerations,  some  reflections on  the  number  of  the  saved  and  lost  are not out  of  order.

As we  read  in  the  Gospel  of  St. Luke (xiii.  23), a certain  man  said  to  our  blessed  Saviour :

"Lord, are  they  few  that  are  saved?" Jesus