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for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord open to us; but he answering, said, Amen I say to you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore, because ye know not the day nor the hour.' (Matt. xxv. 1.)

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Lesson Thirtieth.

PARABLE OF THE JOST SHEEP AND OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

What parables did our Lord relate to encourage sinners to repent and return to their duties?

Those of the lost sheep and the prodigal son.
Relate the parable of the lost sheep?

"What man of you that hath an hundred sheep, and if he shall lose one of them doth he not leave the ninetynine in the desert, and go after that which was lost until he find it. And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing; and coming home call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me because I have found my sheep that was lost. I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance." (Luke xv. 4.)

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Did not our Lord compare Himself to a shepherd?

He did, saying, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep, but the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep; and the hireling flieth because he is a hireling, and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me." (John x. 2.)

Was our Lord announced by any of the prophets under the figure of a shepherd?

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(Ez. xxxiv. 23,) the former,

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He was, by the prophets Isaias and Ezekiel; the latter said, And I will set up one shepherd over them." He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, He shall gather together the lambs with His arm, and shall take them up in His bosom." (Is. xl. 11.) Repeat the parable of the prodigal son?

"A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, Father give me the portion of substance that falleth to me; and he divided unto them his substance. And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country, and there wasted his substance, living riotously. And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country, and he began to be in want, and he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his farm to feed swine. And he would

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fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him. And returning to himself he said, How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger. I will arise, and will go to my father and say to him, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants. And rising up, he came to his father; and when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son. And the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the first robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it; and let us eat and make merry, because this my son was dead and is come to life again, was lost and is found." (Luke xv.)

What may we learn from this parable?

That whenever we are so unhappy as to stray away from our Heavenly Father by sin, we ought to enter into ourselves and return speedily with the sentiments of humility and contrition evinced by the prodigal, and then we may humbly hope for a similar reception."

Lesson Thirty-first.

PARABLE OF THE TEN TALENTS.

What parable did our Lord speak to show the necessity of diligently co-operating with the designs of God, and being ever ready to render an account of the gifts received?

"A man going into a far country called his servants, and delivered to them his goods; and to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to every one according to his proper ability, and immediately he took his journey. And he that had received the five

talents, went his way, and traded with the same and gained other five; and in like manner he that had received two, gained other two: but he that had received the one, going his way, digged into the earth and hid his lord's money. But after a long time, the lord of these servants came and reckoned with them, and he that had received the five talents, coming, brought other five talents, saying, Lord thou didst deliver to me five talents, behold I have gained other five over and above. His lord said

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to him, Well done good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many, enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he that had received the two talents, came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst to me two talents, behold I have gained other two. His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But he that had received the one talent, came and said, Lord, I know that thou art a hard man, that thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and gatherest where thou hast not strewed; and being afraid, I went and hid thy talent in the earth, behold, here thou hast that which is thine. And his lord answering, said, Wicked and slothful servant, thou knowest that I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed; thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with usury. Take ye therefore the talent from

him and give it to him that hath ten talents, for, to every one that hath, shall be given and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away, and the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. xxv. 14.)

Lesson Thirty-second.

MIRACULOUS CURE OF THE TEN LEPERS-LAZARUS RAISED TO LIFE.

Relate the particulars of the miracle performed on the ten lepers?

"As He (our Lord) was going to Jerusalem, He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee; and as He entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off and lifted up their voice saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Whom when He saw, He said, Go show yourselves to the priests: and it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God, and he fell on his face before His feet giving thanks, and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, were not ten made clean, and where are the nine; there is no one found to return to give glory to God but this stranger." (Luke xvii. 11.)

What do the holy Fathers say of the duty of manifesting gratitude to God?

That no favour from God ought to be received without the deepest sense of gratitude; gratitude in return for one favour is the surest way to receive a second. Gratitude is a part of Christian duty, it is a pleasing virtue and the characteristic of a good heart. And we read in the book of Wisdom, (xvi. 29), "The hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice, and shall run off as unprofitable water."

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