heart of His Holy Mother and those who love Him, but is acting like a deadiy poison on those who are given up to sin and Satan.

In what way are the wonderful works of our Lord affecting us? Which is He to us, resurrection, or ruin? "O most merciful Lord-tantus labor non sit cassus-may all Thy toil, may all Thy tears and prayers not be rendered void in our souls!"

B. They sought to destroy Him.

Why cannot you, Annas, destroy Jesus to-day as well as later? St. John gives the answer, because His hour had not yet come (c. ii.). How clear stands out the truth which our Lord uttered, I lay down My life. . . No man taketh it away from Me (St. John x.). As long as He chooses, He walks about in the day, and no man can lay hands on Him. When He chooses, the night comes and they shall seize Him. He was offered because it was His own will (Isaias liii.).

C. Let us observe well how thoroughly and miserably these poor men are duped by Satan. What cause have they to be troubled because Jesus is dear to the people? Who loves them as Jesus loves them?

SCENE VII.

THE TEMPLE.

STATION I.

And the Chief Priests and Scribes seeing the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the Temple and saying: Hosanna to the Son of David: were moved with indignation, and said to Him, Hearest Thou what these say? And Jesus said to them, Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise? (St. Matt. xxi.).

A. Breathing vengeance and slaughter, these envious men hasten to the Temple; Jesus must be got rid of at any price! But lo! all their bold daring is gone, when they

come into His presence. They can do nothing at all but utter a foolish and weak remonstrance, Hearest Thou what these say?

"Sine tuo numine nihil est in homine. Unaided by Thy Holy Spirit, O Lord, man is but a helpless nothing, and nothing can he do against Thee. He cannot even do work for Thee without Thy sanction and Thy help; but unspeakably helpless and foolish is he when he resists Thee, O Lord of love, and Lord of power!"

B. Mark how our Blessed Saviour silences His adversaries with a word from Holy Writ: Have you never read, Out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?

So in the wilderness did He overcome and baffle each temptation of Satan with a word from the Holy Scripture. Hence we learn how useful a labour it is to fix holy words from God's revelation in our minds and hearts by meditation, that we may have them ready to hurl at the head of the tempter. Thy words I have hidden in my heart (O my Lord) that I may not sin (Psalm cxviii.).

C. "Most merciful Lord Jesus, Who canst draw perfect praise out of the mouths of infants, teach us at least in our old age, in our eleventh hour, to praise Thee and love Thee."

STATION II.

And when evening was come, leaving them He went out of the city into Bethania and remained there (St. Matt. xxi.; St. Mark xi.).

In the day-time He was teaching in the Temple, but at night going out He abode in the Mount that is called Olivet (St. Luke xxi.).

A. When evening was come.

Here then we are come to the close of another day, Monday in Holy Week.

We have no long discourses recorded by the Evangelists for to-day. Therefore as we know that He was early in

the Temple and only left it at evening, we may perhaps conclude that He spent a considerable time in cleansing the Temple from all profane abuses; and also that He devoted a long time to the work of healing the blind and the lame.

Our little day is passing fast away. For a short while longer we can help Him in His Divine work of curing the lame and the blind of cleansing and beautifying God's house-His sanctuary, His altar, and also His own house in our souls.

We are surrounded by those who sit in darkness, and by those who are not walking in the way of God's command

ments.

Are we making use of our marvellous opportunities? Are we daily becoming more clean of heart ourselves? Are we converting any of those who have gone astray, from the error of their ways? Are we covering the multitude of our sins by helping souls to salvation?

B. In the day-time-in the Temple.—At night-in the Mount that is called Olivet.

Once more contemplate our Blessed Saviour's poverty. In Jerusalem He has not whereon to lay His head.

Had you been living in Jerusalem would you have offered Him a lodging? Alas, even many of the chief men also believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, or entertain Him. Are we more brave against human respect than they? He does not now pass by our door to go at sundown to Bethany, but He says to us, As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren you did it to Me (St. Matt. xxv.). Bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house; when thou shalt see one naked· cover him and despise not thy own flesh (Isaias lviii.).

C. At night in the Mount.

Neither must we forget how our Blessed Saviour, though so weary, yet when night comes finds His refreshment in praying for us. For night and day, He is always living to intercede for us (Hebrews vii.).

Forget not the kindness of thy Surety (Ecclus. xxix.). For He hath given His days and His nights and His life for thee.

SCENE VIII.

THE ROAD FROM BETHANY. TUESDAY MORNING.

STATION I.

And when they passed by in the morning, they saw the figtree dried up from the roots. And the disciples seeing it wondered, saying: How is it presently withered away? And Peter, remembering, said to Him: Rabbi, behold the fig-tree which Thou didst curse is withered away (St. Matt. xxi.; St. Mark xi.).

This morning again, Jesus goes to Jerusalem not by the path over Mount Olivet as on Palm Sunday, but by the lower road round the base of the Mount, as yesterday.

The fig-tree which Thou didst curse is withered away.

Say not, the Holy Ghost warns us, Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? For the Most High is a patient rewarder (Ecclus. v.). After sin, we can still buy and sell and eat and drink; and we think that no great harm is done. But wait a very little while and the delusion shall be dispelled. At the judgment it becomes manifest that the supernatural life of faith, hope, and charity is gone; and then the Christian men or women—no matter what their natural gifts of body and soul may be, no matter what their position in this world has been-are in the eyes of our Lord as worthless as this dried-up fig-tree. Their sentence is: Depart from Me, accursed.

STATION II.

And Jesus answering saith to them: Have the faith of God. Amen, I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea; and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be done; it shall be done to him (St. Mark xi. 22, 23).

A. Have the faith of God.

Our Lord might have spoken to the Apostles of the coming rejection of the Jews prefigured by this withered tree. He prefers to inculcate a lesson useful to themselves: Have the faith of God; not only the usual degree of faith necessary for salvation; but the vivid faith which enables Apostles to work even greater wonders than their Master wrought (St. John xiv.).

B. We may learn from His example not to waste time in blaming the absent who hear not, but speak what is useful to those who are present and listening.

Luther and Latimer, and others like them, in their sermons loved to inveigh loudly and in coarse language against rulers, ecclesiastical and secular. St. Ignatius of Loyola strongly impresses on his sons that such abuse of absent magistrates and rulers does no good to the hearers, but very great harm to them and to many more besides. The priest in the pulpit is to speak words salutary to those who make it a duty to come to hear him.

STATION III.

Therefore I say unto you: All things whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive: and they shall come to you (St. Mark xi.).

Here we have one disposition necessary for successful prayer-strong hope. Observe the difference between faith and hope. I may believe to a certain extent that God is good and very good, but yet allow the father of lies to persuade me that my case is exceptional; that God's goodness and mercy is not adequate to the greatness of my unworthiness. Here hope is wanting. Hope believes that even in my case God will be good and will hear, and will forgive, and will bless, and will love. If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men abundantly and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and