is thy holy will." I have given you an example that you may walk in my footsteps." (St. John, c. xiii. v. 15.—St. Mark, c. viii. v, 34.-1 Pet. c. ii. p. 21.)

I follow thy voice, O ́divine Saviour! I take up my cross and follow thee. It behoveth thee to suffer, and so to enter into thy glory. (St. Luke, xxiv.) Thy sufferings were longer and more grievous than mine, and thou didst bear them willingly, thou wert obedient unto death, even unto the death of the cross. (Phil. c. ii. v. 8.) Therefore thy Father hath given thee a name above every name, that before it every knee shall bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. (Phil. c ii. v. 8.) I follow thee, and hepe after my sufferings to come to thee. Grant me, O Jesus, courage and strength to fulfil this christian resolution; strengthen my feeble patience, confirm my wavering resolves, and support my frail infir mity. Engraft me a feeble twig, closely in thee who art the true vine; that living and dying I may bring forth in thee the fruit of eternal life. Without thee I can only become faint, and yield; therefore I unite myself ene tirely with thee. O Jesus! I love thee; Jesus! I believe in thee; Jesus! I hope in thee; Jesus! I love thee; strengthen my faith, enliven my hope, enkindle my love; let not this sacred fire be extinguished within me, let my hopes be fulfilled, let my faith be unimpaired, my desires of thee unabated, and my con

stancy in sufferings and conflicts not weakened. O Jesus! to thee I resign myself without reserve-I will be thine-in life and death. Praised and blessed be thy most holy name, now and for ever. Amen.

Meditation for the Sick.

Appropriate also for those in Health.)

"REMEMBER thy last end for there is no return." (Ps. lxxvii. p. 39.) This makes the thought so alarming; that when man by death is once gone out of the world, he comes back no more.

Thousands of people in towns and villages, in war and peace, aged, relatives, friends and acquaintances are dead-and no one of them has ever returned.

Ah! where are they? In the land of eternity! And what are they doing there? They enjoy the fruits of their good works in the possession of God, or the certain hope of possessing him; or they suffer the merited punishment of the sins which they committed, and which alas! they can no longer amend or expiate. See, my soul, what it is that makes it so terrible to die, and renders the thought of death so alarming.

Perhaps thou wilt soon be among the number of the dead-perhaps it will soon be said of thee, that on such a day, at such a time and hour, and of such a disorder, thou also didst

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die. And if they repeat this of thee for a whole year, thou wilt not hear it, thou wilt not come back to those who say it. For, my soul, thou wert not made for this world.

Farewell then thou transitory world! I have sought out for years, thy real nature, and I have found thou art a valley of tears, a place of sorrows, and an abode of great misery.

As a day-labourer stands at his labour in the burning heat of the sun, so do we mortals stand at the daily labour of our earthly occupations and cares, and await with christian sentiments the friendly evening of death, when the toilsome labour of our days will be at an end.

To me this evening is now fast approaching. The sun of my mortal life declines, he will Soon set and totally disappear.

Be it soIt is the will of the almighty Creator, the Lord of life and death. He gave me life, and it belongs to him. Let him call for it when he pleases. Not my will, but his be done, which is ever the wisest and best.

May this offering of affectionate resignation be well pleasing to him! Accept it O heavenly Father accept it graciously and with a propitious countenance. I die for love of thee. I hope in thy infinite mercy. O Lamb of God! Jesus Christ! thou who reconcilest man with God, take away from me the guilt of my sins.

As Abraham offered his only son through

་་་

and my

obedience, so I offer myself to thee, O God! life in obedience to thy holy will. Why should I tremble to bring my life this day as an offering to my God? I give it up now, that I may receive it again better, more beautiful and more happy from the hand of the almighty Creator. I can say, in all truth, with the apostle; Jesus is my life, and death my gain. (Phil. c. i. v. 21.)

He who died in pain and ignominy upon the cross, and gloriously rose again from the grave, he is the ground of my hope in an everlasting life, and in the wonderful resurrection of my body, which is now miserable, frail and full of sufferings. (1 Cor. c. xv. v. 12, 13, 14.)

His holy word has given me this consolation of life, and his resurrection has stamped his promise with the seal of truth, I die then, to begin a better life, and I cast off the mortal covering of the body, to be clothed at the great day of retribution in a robe of immortality. (2 Cor. c. v. v. 4.)

With thee, O suffering and dying Jesus! with thee is grace, peace, and sweet consolation.

Thy patience encourages me to endure in peace all kinds of sufferings. Thy resignation teaches me to accomplish the will of God assidiously to the end.

Thy courageous perseverance to the end strengthens my mind and courage, and prevents me from yielding.

To thee, O divine Redeemer! I resign and commend by body and soul. Let all my thoughts, words and works be consecrated to thee. To thee I offer every pulsation of my heart; may all my sufferings be made over to thee, that thou mayest unite them with thine and make them meritorious.

I follow thee, O Jesus, with faith, firm hope and filial love; let me never be separated from thee, but ever be united with thee, with Mary, thy most blessed Mother, with all the holy saints, with thee most holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Prayer of a Sick Person about to receive the holy Sacrament of Extreme Unction. HOW fervently do I thank thee, O my divine Saviour, for having permitted me to be born in the bosom of thy holy and sav ing Church, who like a truly affectionate mo ther, watches over her children from their birth to their death. By receiving the holy sacrament of Baptism, I became a new-born, child of Christ, placed in thy arms, O Saviour of the world, and thus consecrated to thy holy love. By the holy sacrament of Confirmation I was anointed for the combat against infide lity and iniquity. In the sacrament of Penance, when I, unhappy creature, had offended my good God, by transgressing thy holy com mandments, I was again reconciled to thee