Thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever." (Ps. xx. 5.) The life of the body is known to exist by its motion and operation; in the same manner the life of the soul is discovered by its works, that is, by its imitation of Christ. " He that saith he abideth in Him ought, himself also, to walk, even as He walked." (1 John ii. 6.)
MONDAY.
Conversion of Zacheus.— I.
I. " Behold there was a man, by name Zacheus, and this was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich, and he sought to see Jesus." (Luke xix. 2.) The desire of finding Jesus is rare in the minds of the rich, but this desire was the beginning of Zacheus's conversion. "Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away, and is easily seen by them that love her, and is found by them that seek her; the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline." (Wis. vi. 13.) Examine whether you feel this desire of perfection, and if you do not, take care to excite it.
II. "And he could not see Jesus for the crowd," be therefore ascended a tree. In his search after salvation, though a man of authority, he disregarded the ridicule and scoffs of the rabble. Perhaps you are not able to see Christ and understand His divine mysteries, in consequence of the crowd of worldly thoughts which fill your mind. Retire therefore, from them by prayer and mortification, and like Zacheus ascend the tree. This tree is the cross, which is "a folly to the Gentiles," for, as St. Gregory writes, " those, who through humility choose that which is folly to the world, arise to a feeling contemplation of the wisdom of God Himself."
