MARTHA AND MARY.

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our Lord to the village of Bethany, where, in the house of Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary, He defended Mary against the complaints of Martha. Mary had placed herself at His sacred feet, and sat there silently listening to the truths He spoke, while her sister was busily employed in preparing something for Him to eat. Martha, displeased that her sister should leave her to do the work alone, complained of it to Jesus. Our Lord, far from interrupting Mary in her laudable attention to the word of God, replied that while Martha thus busied herself about the household affairs, Mary had chosen the better part, which should not be taken from her.

From this incident the holy Fathers infer, that although some must necessarily apply themselves to the external works of charity and justice, without which no society can be maintained, they, nevertheless, are the most truly happy who pass their days in holy retirement, free from the cares of worldly business, and employed in the exercises of a spiritual life. In appearance, nothing could be more becoming in a servant of Jesus Christ, than to prepare Him a repast; yet He preferred the repose of Mary to the employment of Martha.

"One thing is necessary," said Jesus to Martha; and this saving lesson, the saints have considered as spoken to themselves. To save their souls they regarded as the one necessary thing they had to do, and they strove to do it

with all their might. Whatever would draw their attention from that necessary business, they either carefully avoided, or made subordinate to it. They were careful to sanctify by a pure intention, the works of an active life: thus they always kept in view the essential point, and thus they always happily succeeded in that one, important, and necessary affair of salvation, for which alone they lived.

Folly of Riches.-Luke, xii.

Not long after our Blessed Saviour had thus expressed His approval of a life of contemplation, He declared the advantage and the necessity of prayer, for all who are engaged in the exercises of an active life. He instructed His disciples in the method of praying; He taught them for their daily use a most holy prayer, which is called the Lord's Prayer; He added also an instruction as to perseverance and confidence in prayer.

While multitudes thronged around Him to behold His mighty works and to hear from Him the Word of Life, the enmity of their rulers went on increasing. They persisted in ascribing His power over evil spirits to His being in league with Satan-an old calumny by which they had often endeavoured, during His missionary labours in Galilee, to destroy His influence with the people. And they now directed all their efforts to entrap Him into some utterance which might afford matter for accusation against Him. But undeterred by their hostility, He never ceased to warn His followers, as He had previously warned the inhabitants of Galilee, against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

We now find ourselves in an almost continuous flow of instructions of our Lord's, which are fully recorded by St. Luke, in the twelfth and following chapters of his Gospelinstructions on the subject of avarice and worldly cares, the necessity of vigilance, the responsibility of those who are set over others, the fire which He came on earth to enkindle, and the divisions which were to follow on the preaching of the Gospel.

It was in His warnings against avarice that he narrated the parable of the rich man, whom God called to his account on the very night that he had said in his folly, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thy rest, eat, drink, and make good cheer.'

In this parable our Blessed Saviour shows His followers what a folly it is to place their happiness in the enjoyment of worldly wealth. Riches that may be lost at any hour, and must be parted with in death, cannot make a Christian happy; they may flatter his senses for a while, but they cannot satiate the cravings of an immortal soul. The rich man is styled a fool by our Blessed Saviour, not because he had acquired his riches by any undue means, but because he flattered himself with the thought of enjoying them for many years, little thinking that death was to snatch him from them that very night. If Christians did but reflect more frequently upon the moment which, sooner or later, must separate them from all their worldly connexions, they would learn to turn' their thoughts towards Heaven, and to fix them on those heavenly riches which nothing can take away. But, unfortunately for them, the mortality of their present state, and the uncertainty of the hour of their departure hence, seldom form the subject of their reflections. Few consider this as they ought; and yet it is of all considerations the most obvious, and the most profitable. Jesus Christ knew the importance of it; and as His desire is that all men should be saved, He commands all to be constantly upon the watch, lest they be surprised by death, as by a thief in the night. One of the most salutary practices of true piety is, frequently to occupy the mind with meditation on death; it was the practice of holy David; "I meditated," said he, "in my heart, and the years of eternity I had present in my mind.'

It was probably about this time, that certain persons informed our Lord of the cruel massacre of some Galileans in the Temple, by order of Pilate. He took occasion to warn His hearers that the same fate might fall on them, unless they did penance. To enforce His solemn admonition, He delivered the parable of the barren fig-tree.

About this time also, He wrought on the Sabbath, another miraculous cure, when, by the touch of His sacred hand, He

healed a woman, who, for eighteen years, had been afflicted with a painful infirmity. It was on this occasion that He defended Himself against the charge of Sabbath-breaking, by reminding His accusers, that they themselves were accustomed on the Sabbath to loose their oxen and their asses, and to lead them to drink; why should not He then, even on that holy day, release a daughter of Abraham, from bonds in which Satan had kept her bound for many years?

The Prodigal Son.—Luke, xv.

About the same time were delivered the parables, by which our Lord instructed His hearers how acceptable to God is the repentance of a sinner, and what joy it gives to the blessed citizens of Heaven. He first expressed this by the joy of a shepherd who has recovered his lost sheep, then by the joy of a woman calling her neighbours to come and rejoice with her for having found the piece of money she

had lost.

But the most expressive and most moving comparison our Blessed Lord makes upon the subject, is that of the Prodigal Son. "A certain man,' says He, "had two sons; the youngest of them was eager to become his own master, and asked his father to give him the fortune that fell to his share. When his request was granted, he left his father's house, and travelled into a foreign country. He there fell into bad company, and by his prodigality and debauchery soon squandered his fortune.

"From a state of affluence and ease, he sank into the opposite extreme of poverty and want. To add to his misery, the country was sorely tried with famine. To save himself from starving, he was compelled to enter the service of one of the inhabitants of the country, who sent him to take care of swine. His condition there was truly lamentable; for, from want of food, he was reduced to the necessity of feeding upon the husks which were thrown to the swine. The wretchedness of his situation made him enter into himself, and in the anguish of his heart he exclaimed: "Alas! how many servants are there who abound in plenty in my father's

house, while I am here perishing with hunger! I will arise and go to my father; and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.' he rose up

"With these sentiments of humility and sorrow, and returned towards his father's house. While he was yet a great way off, his father saw him coming, and being moved to tears of joy and compassion at the sight, ran forward to meet and to embrace him. Covered with confusion, and penetrated with keen remorse for his former conduct, the son cried out: Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son." Such unfeigned marks of a contrite and humble heart, moved the indulgent father, not only to forgive him, but also to restore him to his former position in the family. The servants were ordered to bring forth the richest robe for his attire, to put a ring upon his finger, and shoes upon his feet. The fattest calf was killed, and great rejoicings made on the occasion.

"The elder son, who had been out in the fields, heard the music and dancing, as he came near the house, and learning from one of the servants what it meant, he was displeased, and refused to enter the house. His father went out to invite him in, but the young man's jealousy was excited, and he thus replied to his father: I have always been dutiful to thee, I have never disobeyed thy commands, and yet thou hast never given me as much as a kid to make a feast with my friends; but now, this profligate, who has squandered his substance upon harlots, no sooner appears, than the fatted calf is killed for his entertainment.' replied the father, 'thou art always with me, and all I have is thine. But it was meet that we should thus rejoice for thy brother; for he was dead, and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.''

Son,'

This parable, say the holy Fathers, is so fully expressive of what it is meant to convey, that nothing more can be added to it. The wretchedness that follows an abandoned sinner, and the satisfaction that accompanies true repentance, are fully displayed. The unhappy young man no sooner became sensible of his miserable state, than he resolved to