Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/300

 the affair  of  salvation. All other concerns  are  turned to account. This sum  of  money  must  be  put  out to interest; this  held  must  be  tilled; these  lands must be  let  at  a more  considerable  rent. All other losses are  bewailed  except  the  one  without  resource. Great expenses  are  incurred  for  the  body,  and  nothing at all  is  done  for  the  soul. From the  manner  in which  we  live,  it  should  seem  that  our  souls  do  not really belong  to  us,  or  rather  that  we  have  souls merely to  destroy  them.

[Make now a resolution  to  save  your  soul,  let  It  cost  you  what pain  it  will; be  of  the  same  sentiment  with  a certain  Pontiff,  who, when  a king  had  asked  something  of  him. which could  not  be  granted without  sin,  replied,  “ If  I had  two  souls  I would  give  one  of  them to  thee,  O prince;  but,  as  I have  only  one,  I do  not  choose  to forfeit  it.”]

“ Moreover, one thing  is  necessary.”— Luke  x.

"Where there is  loss  of  salvation,  there,  surely,  there  can  be  no gain.”— St.  Eucharitu.

1. How  great  a loss  is  the  loss  of  God. Men think themselves  unfortunate  when  they  lose  all  their possessions at  law,  or  by  some  other  cause. What is it  then  to  lose  an  infinite  God ! Unhappy the  soul which loses  its  God  by  sin; but  far  more  unhappy the soul  that  considers  this  loss  as  nothing.

2. O sin ! how common  art  thou  among  men ! but how little,  at  the  same  time,  art  thou  known  to them! Playing and  amusing  themselves,  they become the  execration  of  God. And what  play,  what amusement is  this? God, who  is  all  love,  detests sin with  infinite  hatred: should  anything,  therefore, be so  shocking  in  our  eyes  as  this  hellish  monster?

3. A soul  in  the  state  of  grace  is  beautiful  beyond expression: it is  a brilliant  image  of  God  himself; the Holy  Ghost  dwells  in  it. But when  mortal  sin