hast given to me to the end that I might attain eternal salvation! Thou, my Redeemer, hast purchased my soul with Thy Blood, and Thou hast consigned it to me to the intent that I might attend to its salvation; and I have only attended to the losing of it, by offending Thee, Who has so greatly loved me. I thank Thee, that still to me Thou art giving time to repair this great loss which I have made. I have lost my soul and Thy bountiful favour. Lord, I repent, and grieve with my whole heart. Alas! pardon me, for I resolve from this day forth to sacrifice everything, even life, rather than Thy friendship. I love Thee above every good, and I resolve to love Thee ever, O Highest Good, worthy of infinite love. Help me, my Jesus, in order that this my resolution may not be like other past resolutions, which are all so many betrayals. Make me to die rather than to turn again and offend Thee, and cease to love Thee.
Second Point.
The "business" of eternal salvation is not only the most important, but it is the only "business" that we have to do in this life. " But one thing is needful." S. Bernard weeps over the foolishness of Christians, saying that "the trifles of children are called trifles, but the trifles of grown-up people are called business." These trifles of adults are the greater trifles. Our Blessed Lord asks, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (S. Matt. xvi. 26.) If you save this, my brother, it matters not if in this world you may be poor, afflicted, and despised; if you are saved, you will have no further woes, and you will be happy for all eternity. But if, on the other hand, you lose your soul, what will it serve you in hell, to have had all the pleasures of the world, and to have been rich and honoured? If the soul is lost, pleasures, honours, riches are lost all is lost.
How will you answer Jesus Christ in the day of account? If a king had commanded his ambassador to transact some important business in a city, and he, instead of attending there to the business committed to him, attended solely to banquets, plays, and festivities; and by this means had badly executed
