and become man and raised the human soul to such a union with God as no angel can ever enjoy. He would have suffered and poured out the last drop of His precious blood for my soul alone. He would have forgiven me sins for less than which He damned whole legions of angels, and He would have instituted for my sake alone that banquet to which not even the angels are admitted — the Blessed Eucharist. There, oh, my soul, is the price God has paid for you! There is your value in His sight! Far above all earthly things by virtue of your nature; infinitely precious in the ransom paid for you; higher than the highest angel in your glorious destiny.
Brethren, that is the value of my soul. Does it appear from the life I lead that I appreciate its value? Alas and alack! I fear the vast majority of us will have to answer No. When we look at the saints of God who succeeded in thoroughly realizing that great truth that for each of us the only two things worth attending to are God and his own soul — when we consider the lives they lived to bring their souls to God, do we feel we are following their example? What will become of me, a sinner, since even the saints tremble for their destiny? It is not enough to serve my body all my life, and in the few last moments of my existence turn my thoughts to God and my own soul. No, I must begin now. I must begin here to-day. If I am a young single man or woman I must remember that all the pleasures of the world will profit me nothing if I lose my soul. The young married couple must remember that honors and so-
