Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/190

 speaks — to the  faith  of  many  nominal  Christians, whose belief  and  conduct  are  in  direct  opposition? O Lord! from thee  I received  my  faith,  even  before I was capable  of  feeling  the  value  of  that  precious gift: to thee  I must  now  owe  its  increase: give  it, 1 beseech thee,  all  the  strength  and  efficacy  thou requirest.

Second point. — Consider  that  there  is  no  sacrament so calculated  to  excite  most  tender  and  unbounded confidence in  God  as  the  Holy  Eucharist. It is  the precious pledge  of  eternal  life; the  greatest  of  God’s gifts; therefore  He,  who  is  bountiful  enough  to  give such a blessing,  cannot  refuse  any  favour,  since  all others are  less  than  that  which  is  offered  to  us  in  one Communion. O consolatory thought! O solid foundation for  hope  and  confidence ! To-morrow I shall  receive  my  God; to-morrow  that  compassionate Saviour will  visit  me,  whose  mortal  life  was  a series of mercies — who  never  ref  used  to  pardon  a repentant sinner — who received  all  who  approached  his  sacred person — who deigned,  with  his  own  divine  hands,  to touch  and  heal  the  lepers  themselves,  and  to  whom no one  was  ever  known  to  apply  in  vain. He is  more anxious to  grant  me  favours,  than  I could  be  to receive  them. Ah ! if the  poor  of  this  world  could become rich,  by  only  relying  with  confidence  on  the liberality of  a powerful  benefactor — if  the  sick  had  a certainty  of  receiving  health,  by  resigning  themselves to the  care  of  a physician — if  the  afflicted  could  be consoled  by  confiding  in  a friend,  who  would  be found  indigent,  weak,  or  dejected,  throughout  the world? But the  liberality  or  kindness  of  creatures is always  limited  and  insufficient,  whereas  that  of the  Almighty  has  no  bounds,  except  those  limits which we  ourselves  too  often  put  to  it  by  distrust.