Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/254

 account of  his  early  years  to  reach  us,  than  that  he was  subject  to  his  blessed  mother  and  his  reputed father. He obeyed  them  in  all  things,  at  all  times, with cheerfulness  and  exactness: consequently,  to imitate  your  adorable  model  in  this  important  point, you must  resolve  to  respect  and  love  your  parents, or those  who  hold  their  place: to  submit  to  their authority with  docility,  because  they  are  deputed  by God  to  command  you; and  with  confidence,  because they have  also  received  light  to  direct  your  inexperience. Remember that  Jesus  Christ  was  not less submissive  to  the  orders  of  Herod,  one  of  the most wicked  of  men,  than  he  was  to  those  of  his blessed mother,  the  most  perfect  of  creatures: because it  was  God  alone  whom  he  obeyed  in  all superiors. Impress this  lesson  on  your  mind,  and guard against  a fault  so  common  to  youth,  viz.,  that of obeying  only  those  who  may  please  you,  and  totally forgetting that  duty  with  regard  to  others. If you  do not  respect  the  authority  of  God  in  all  your  superiors; if you  do  not  love  God  in  them  all,  and  remember that it  is  he  who  inspires  your  parents  themselves with their  tenderness  towards  you,  and  their  solicitude in providing  for  your  welfare,  you  can  never  acquire that amiable  docility,  which  is  a virtue  so  necessary to youth,  that  without  it  you  cannot  become  virtuous, learned, or  happy. O Jesus! my God,  impress  on my  heart  the  image  of  thy  divine  childhood; thy purity, simplicity,  obedience,  and  docility; infuse into my  soul  the  horror  thou  hadst  of  sin,  that  I may dread it  as  the  only  real  evil,  the  only  obstacle  to  my resembling  thee.

Third Point. — Consider,  that  the  hidden  life  of  Jesus Christ is  a model  which  you  should  continually  study, because it  was  during  those  years  that  Jesus  has  given