PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who knowest that exposed to so many dangers, we through human weakness cannot stand, give us strength of mind and body, that by Thy aid we may overcome that which, on account of our sins, we may be called on to endure. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, &c.

EPISTLE. (Romans xiii. 8 - 10.) Brethren: Owe no man anything, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law. For: "Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet": and if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in these words: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The love of our neighbor worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

What is meant by St. Paul's words: Who loves his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law?

St. Augustine says in reference to this, that he who loves his neighbor, fulfils not only the first, but also the second tablet of the law. The reason is, that the love of our neighbor contains and presupposes the love of God as its fountain and foundation. For the neighbor must be loved on account of God; for the neighbor cannot be loved with true love, if God is not loved first, and at the same time. On this account, the holy Evangelist St. John gave, in his old age, among his instructions the exhortation: Little children, love one another. And when asked why, he answered: Because it is the command of the Lord, and it is enough that it should be fulfilled. Therefore in this love of the neighbor which comes from the love of God and is contained in it, consists the fulfilment of the whole law. (Matt. xxii. 40.)

GOSPEL. (Matt. viii. 23-27.) At That Time: When Jesus entered into a boat, His disciples followed Him: and behold, a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but He was asleep. And they came to Him, and awakened Him, and said: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesns saith to them: Why are ye fearful. O ye of little faith? Then rising up, He commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey Him?

Why did Christ sleep in the boat?

To test His disciples' faith and trust; to exercise them in enduring the persecutions which would come to them later; to teach us that we should not waver in the storms of temptations. So St. Augustine writes: "Christ slept, and because of the danger the disciples were confused. Why? Christ slept. Even so thy heart becomes confused, unquiet thy ship, when the waves of temptation break over it? Why? Thy faith sleeps. Then shouldst thou awaken Christ in thy heart; then will thy faith be awakened, quieted thy conscience, calm thy ship."

Why did Christ reproach His disciples when they awakened Him and asked for help?

Because of their little faith and trust; for if they firmly believed Him to be true God, they would necessarily believe He could aid them sleeping as well as waking.

Nothing so displeases God as doubt of His powerful assistance. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh (mortal man) his arm (aid), and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Blessed be the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confidence. (Jerem. xvii. 5. 7.) God sometimes permits storms to come about us, such as poverty, persecution, sickness, so that we may have occasion to put our confidence in Him alone. Of this St. Bernard very beautifully says: "When the world rages, when the wicked become furious, when the flesh turns against the spirit, I will hope in Him. Who has trusted Him, and been brought to shame?" We should therefore trust in God only, and take refuge with Him, invoking Him as did the disciples: Lord, save us, we perish; or cry out with David: Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, and cast us not off to the end. (Ps. xliii. 23.)

Why did Jesus stand up and command the sea to be still?

To show His readiness to aid us, and His omnipotence to which all things were subject. Thus the people who saw this miracle, wondered and said: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey Him?

We daily see in all creatures the wonders of the omnipotence, of the wisdom, and the goodness of God, and yet we are not touched; we continue cold and indifferent to God. The reason is, that we look upon all with the eyes of the body and not with the eyes of the soul; that is, we do not seek to ascend by meditation to the Creator, and to judge from the manifold beauty and usefulness of created things the goodness and the wisdom of God. The saints rejoiced in all the works of the Lord; a flower, a little worm of the earth would move the heart of St. Francis of Sales, the Seraph, to wonderment and the love of God; they ascended, as on a ladder, from the contemplation of creatures to Him, who gives to every thing life, motion, and existence. If we were to follow their example, we would certainly love God more, and more ardently desire Him; if we do not, we live like irrational men, we who were certainly created only to know and to love God.

ASPIRATION. Grant us, O best Jesus! in all our needs, a great confidence in Thy divine assistance, and do not allow us to become faint-hearted; let Thy assistance come to us in the many dangers to which we are exposed; command the turbulent winds and waves of persecution to be still, and give peace and calmness to Thy Church which Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood, that we may serve Thee in sanctity and justice, and arrive safely at the desired haven of eternal happiness. Amen.

It is an article of faith in the holy Catholic Church, that God has not only created the world, but that He sustains and governs it; this preservation and ruling of the whole world and of each individual creature in it, is called Providence. There are people who think, that God is too great a Lord, to busy Himself about the care of this world, that to do so is beneath His majesty; it was enough for Him to create the world (and they hardly believe He has done this), and, for the rest, He leaves it to itself, or to fate, enjoys His own happiness, and, as it were, sleeps in regard to us. Thus think some, but only the unwise and unrighteous. For what manner of God would He be, who is of the nature, these imagine? Either He will not, or cannot have aught to do with creation. Can He not? then He is neither allwise nor almighty. Will He not? then He is not good; and if He knows nothing of the world, then He is not omniscient.

If we once believe that God created the world (and what rational man can doubt it?), then we must also believe He rules and sustains it. Can any work of art, however well constructed and arranged, subsist without some one to take charge and watch over it? Would not the greatest of all masterpieces, the world, therefore, come to the greatest confusion and fall back into its original nothingness, if God who had taken it from that nothingness, did not take care of its further order and existence? It is indeed true that the ways of God's providence or the ways and means of His government, are often so concealed that, when considering some events, one is persuaded to admit a necessary fate, an accident, the course of nature, the ill will of the devil or man, as the fundamental cause. Yet in all this the providence of God is not denied. In regard to God nothing does or can happen accidentally, not the smallest thing occurs without the knowledge, permission, or direction of God. Not one sparrow shall fall on the ground without your Father; but the very hairs of your head are numbered. (Matt.x. 29. 30.)

Chance, fate, and luck are but the phantoms of insane or wicked men, which even the more rational heathens have rejected, and the course of nature is but the constant, uninterrupted, allwise, and bountiful preservation and government, through God, of creation. The perverted will of men or of the devil, is but the instrument which God, in His allwise intention, uses to effect the good, for He knows how to produce good from the evil. He permits, and, therefore, as St. Augustine says, "permits the evil that the good may not be left undone." The holy Scriptures give testimony in almost every page of this manner of God's acting. If we peruse the history of our first parents, of Abraham, of Joseph in Egypt, of Moses, of the people of Israel, of Job, Ruth, David, Tobias, Esther, Judith, and others, we will easily everywhere see the plainest signs of the wisest providence, the best and most careful absolute power, by virtue of which God knows how to direct all things according to His desire, and for the best good of His chosen ones. The gospel of this day is also a proof of this. Why did Christ go into the boat? Why did a storm arise? Why was He asleep? Did all this occur by accident? No, it came about designedly by direction of Christ, that His omnipotence might be seen, and the faith and confidence of His disciples be strengthened.

Thus it is certain that God foresees, directs, and governs all; as Scripture, reason, and daily experience prove. Would we but pay more attention to many events of our lives, we would certainly plainly notice the providence of God, and give ourselves up to His guidance and dispensations. The Lord ruleth me, and I shall want for nothing, says David. (Ps. xxii. 1.) And we also, we shall want for nothing if we resign ourselves to God's will, and are contented with His dispensations in our regard; while, on the contrary, if we oppose His will, we shall fall into misfortune and error. For God must rule over us with goodness, or with sternness. He is no sleeping God. Behold! He shall neither slumber nor sleep that keepeth Israel. (Ps.cxxA.) 104