says Holy Scripture, all are sent for those who have received the inheritance of salvation.

How wonderful is the love of God, who has sent them! how touching is the love of the princes who are sent ! and what consolation for our poor souls! After this, why are we troubled ? One only of these princes is sufficient to take away from us all fears, and to raise our courage, no matter how discouraged we may be; and here are millions, a thousand millions, an infinity of millions, or to speak in the language of the Fathers, here are numbers innumerable.

O my heart, consider then, once for all, and see if such powerful protection does not ensure your safety, and place all your care in striving to correspond with the friendship of these illustrious princes of Sion. Alas! why should we still busy ourselves on this earth, for are there not in heaven too many friendships for us to cultivate, to make us occupy ourselves with men ?

Resolution.-Propose to our heart the cultivation of friendship with the angels, especially when it complains of the loneliness and forgetfulness of the earth.

Aspiration." How vile the earth seems to me when I contemplate heaven." (St. Francis Xavier.)

EXAMPLE.

MIRACULOUS COMMUNION.

THE venerable Ida, of Louvain, religious of a monastery of Citeaux, near Malines, experienced

an ardent desire for frequent communion, but did not dare to mention it to her confessor, and God, who reads in the depth of the heart, saw that this fear was inspired by humility, and would not let her lose by it. When then she felt this devouring hunger on the days when she was not allowed to present herself at the holy table, her angel took off the altar a small particle of the priest's Host, and placed it on her tongue. It was not an illusion, for she felt and tasted the sacred species, and besides, the effects which she experienced interiorly, attested the truth of the real presence of Jesus Christ in her soul. (Bolland., April 13th.)

OCTOBER 10TH.

Meditation for the Tenth Day of the Month of the Holy Angels.

ALL MEN ARE ASSISTED BY THE ANGELS.

Prelude. Let us contemplate the eagerness with which the holy angels, ever full of zeal to accomplish the Will of God, give themselves to the service of men.

Meditation.-O Lord, what is man that You deign to make Yourself known to him, and give him the love of Your heart. You love him, You spread over him the cloak of Your Providence,

You give him Your only Son, You send him Your Holy Spirit, and so that there may be nothing in heaven which is not occupied with him, and for him, You send Your blessed spirits to guard, serve, and instruct him.

Behold then, this angel, this great prince, filled with perfection, goodness, and glory. Behold him in the service of man, who is filled with imperfection, ugliness, and misery-man, who is but an ant, a worm of the earth, a mass of corruption, the unclean food of worms, mud and mire, a blade of grass, a leaf which the wind carries off. But, and it is a more astonishing wonder-behold the angel in the service of sinful man!

O soul! whoever you may be, pause awhile, I entreat you, to consider leisurely this ineffable marvel, for it is already an immense subject of astonishment to see the goodness of the angels incline itself so as to take care of persons who allow themselves to offend their Creator, notwithstanding the knowledge which they possess of the infinitely adorable perfections of the Divine Majesty which they wound by their sins; but what must not then be our amazement to see that the blessed spirits do not leave these miserable beings who live in mortal sin, who are deicides, who trample under their feet the blood of a God and make themselves guilty of His death.

Resolution.-Avoid sin out of respect for the guardianship of the holy angels.

Aspiration." Their angels in heaven always

see the face of My Father, Who is in heaven." (St. Matthew xviii. 10.)

EXAMPLE.

THE TWO LABOURERS.

ST. ISIDORE, the labourer, placed himself at the service of an officer of Majorca, who employed him in the cultivation of his fields. Some envious people in the neighbourhood, perceiving that he went each morning to visit the churches, and arrived rather late at his work, gave notice of it to his master, who, considering Isidore as a faithful servant, was surprised at this accusation, and wished to prove its truth himself. He went the next morning to the field, where the holy man was to work, but several hours passed, and he did not appear; and indignant at this carelessness, he was already thinking of dismissing him, when he saw two ploughs drawn by four oxen, and guided by two unknown men. Isidore arrived meanwhile, and allowed the strangers to continue their work undisturbed; whilst the master, who was very much surprised, hastened to inquire the meaning of this extraordinary behaviour, but on entering the field, he perceived only Isidore guiding the plough in his usual way. Not being able to explain so extraordinary an event, he approached the holy man, and said to him, "Who then are these young men who, a little while ago, did your work, and what

has become of them ?" "I assure you, my master," answered Isidore, "I have called no one to my help; with the aid of God, I can do my work, and this help is never wanting to me." The officer was persuaded that those whom he had seen could only have been angels, and had more confidence than ever in his faithful servant, and henceforth let him act as he wished in his fields. (Bolland., May 15th).

OCTOBER 11TH.

Meditation for the Eleventh Day of the Month of the Holy Angels.

ALL MEN ARE ASSISTED BY THE ANGELS (end).

Prelude. After having recalled the remembrance of the surprise which the consideration of the truths of yesterday must have given us, let us prepare ourselves to continue the study of the same subject.

Meditation.-Sinners are not the sole objects of angelic solicitude, for, if we listen to holy doctors, we shall learn that heretics and infidels have also angel-guardians.

The seraphic Theresa said that the soul of a Catholic, in the state of mortal sin, was like a beautiful mirror whose purity was entirely soiled and horribly tarnished, so that it was a most