Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/120

 in view,  with  a  lively  faith  that  he  must  shortly die, and  enter  into  eternity. 'The just  man liveth by  faith,'  says  the  Apostle  (Gal.  iii. ii). It is  faith  that  makes  the  just  live  in the  grace  of  God,  and  that  gives  life  to  their souls, by  detaching  them  from  earthly  affections, and  reminding  them  of  the  eternal  goods which God  holds  out  to  those  who  love  Him.

"St. Teresa  used  to  say  that  all  sins  had their  origin  in  a  want  of  faith.  Therefore,  in order  to  overcome  our  passions  and  temptations, we  must  frequently  revive  our  faith  by saying:  '  I  believe  in  the  life  everlasting.  I believe  that  after  this  life,  which  for  me  will quickly  finish,  there  is  an  eternal  life,  either full  of  delights,  or  full  of  torments,  which  will be  my  lot,  according  to  my  merits  or  demerits.'

Raise your  heart  to  God  by  meditation, by mental  prayer. Only in  this  way  will  your hope, as  well  as  your  faith,  be  maintained  and kept from  degenerating  into  presumption  or despair.

The sinner  often  resembles  the  ostrich which lives  in  the  sandy  deserts  of  Africa. When it  is  pursued  it  buries  its  head  in  the deep sand,  that  it  may  not  perceive  its  pursuer, and imagines  itself  to  be  unseen;  all  too  late it discovers  its  mistake,  when  the  fatal  bullet has inflicted  a  mortal  wound. After a  similar