Thus will the flame of Divine Love burn each day more brightly in our hearts, cleansing us more and more from sin and urging us on in the practice of good works.

IV. The fourth and last duty which we are here commanded to practise is that of Religion, which means the worship of God by prayer, sacrifice, and other sacred and devout actions. The duty of worshipping God is so deeply imprinted on the heart of man by God himself, that there has never been found a people or nation, who, however much they may have erred about the nature of God, have failed to follow some form of Religious Worship. For Almighty God being the Creator of all things, and the Sovereign Lord and Master of the universe, it stands to reason that we should adore him as such, praise and glorify him for his Infinite Perfections, thank him for his blessings, and implore from him those graces which we stand in need of. Now it is in these four acts, namely, in adoration, praise, thanksgiving and supplication, that Religious Worship consists. The most perfect way of worshipping God is by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, because in the Mass we offer to God his own Divine Son, who alone can adore, praise, and thank him as he deserves, and whose supplications for man, being of infinite value, cannot fail to be heard. But as we cannot be always hearing Mass, we are also bound to render to God the worship due to him by frequent prayer, which we offer in the name of Jesus Christ, and in union with his merits. For it is only by the merits of our B. Lord that our prayers become pleasing to God, so pleasing indeed, that they cannot fail to be heard, if offered with proper dispositions. We are commanded, therefore, by the first commandment, to pray, and to pray often. Without God's grace we can neither do any good action nor be preserved from sin, and without prayer we cannot hope to obtain his grace. Prayer is thus, as it were, the support and nourishment of the soul, without which it would soon grow faint and languid, and die the death of sin. Hence we are taught from our infancy to worship God each day of our lives by morning and evening prayer. Be faithful, my

dear children, to this important duty, and try to perform it with attention and devotion. If you always say your morning and night prayers, and say them well, you may be sure that the blessing of God will attend you both day and night, that you will be preserved from innumerable sins, and receive many precious graces, of which you would otherwise be deprived.

There is another duty connected with the worship of God, which we are bound by this commandment to fulfil, viz., that of receiving the Holy Sacraments, and receiving them worthily. It is by the Sacraments that we are cleansed from sin, united to God, and provided with abundance of grace for the performance of all our duties. I will say no more, however, about the Holy Sacraments now, because we shall speak about them later in another part of the catechism.

Q. What is forbidden by the first Commandment?

A. All sins against Faith, Hope, Charity, and Religion, are forbidden by the first Commandment,

We come next to speak of the sins forbidden by the first commandment. They are, each of them, opposed to one or other of the duties which it enjoins. Hence, in preparing for confession, if you wish to find out what sins you have committed against the first commandment, you have nothing to do but to think of these four duties, and see whether you have fulfilled them or done anything contrary to them. Thus, for example, if you have neglected to learn your catechism or denied your religion, you have sinned against the virtue of Faith; if you have despaired of God's mercy, you have sinned against Hope; and so of the rest. Next time we shall speak more particularly of the sins opposed to each of these different virtues.

I have explained to you carefully, my dear children, the meaning and obligation of the different duties, Faith, Hope, Charity, and Religion, which are imposed upon us by the first commandment. If you wish to see an excellent example of the fulfilment of these duties, you will find it in the life of holy King David.

DAVID, A MODEL OF EVERY VIRTUE.

King David, of whom the Sacred Scripture says, that he was "a man according to God's own heart," fulfilled, in an eminent degree, the fourfold duty of the first commandment. His lively faith made him ever walk in the presence of God, look upon himself as the humblest of his servants, and deem himself happy in being able to contribute to the dignity and splendour of his worship. When his wife Michol mocked and derided him for dancing before the Ark on its entrance into Jerusalem, he made her this beautiful answer, Before God I will both play and make myself meaner than I have done, and I will be little in my own eyes" (2 Kings vi. 21, 22). His faith taught him that it was a greater honour to assist, in the most humble capacity, in the solemn services of religion, than to be the ruler of the kingdom of Israel.

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Hope, or confidence in God, is the natural consequence of a lively faith. David's faith in the Divine Goodness and Power led him to throw himself into the arms of Providence with the most unbounded

confidence. "The Lord is my protector," he says, "and I have hoped in him (Ps. cxliii. 2). "In God have I hoped, and I will not fear what man can do to me" (Ps. lv. 11). Behold him, in his youth, advancing to the combat with the mighty giant Goliath, 66 Thou comest against me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts" (1 Kings xvii. 45). Behold him also fleeing from the pursuit of Saul, or, in his old age, again a wanderer in the desert, while his son Absalom usurps his throne. Never, for a moment, does he waver in his unbounded confidence in the Divine Goodness and Providence.

The flames of Divine love burnt also brightly in the heart of David. His psalms and canticles are full of the sweetest expressions of praise, gratitude, and love to God. "As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so my soul panteth after thee, O God" (Ps. xli. 1). And again, "What have I in heaven, and besides thee what do I desire on earth? For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and my portion for ever (Ps. lxxii. 25, 26). Tender, gentle, and compassionate to all, David showed the sincerity of his love to God by his love of his neighbour. When Almighty God had sent a severe Scourge upon the people, in punishment for David's sin, the latter wept bitter tears over their affliction, and besought God to spare them, begging him rather to turn the arm of his indignation upon himself, who was alone guilty.

Finally, where shall we find a man more zealous for the worship of God, more faithful in prayer, more exact in the duties of religion, than holy David? "O Lord," said he, "I have loved the beauty of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth (Ps. xxiii. 8). Better is one day in thy courts above thousands " (Ps. lxxxiii. II). And again, "Seven times in the day I have given praise to thee.

I meditated on thy commandments which I loved. In the night I have remembered thy name. I rose at midnight to give praise to thee. I prevented the dawning of the day that I might meditate on thy words" (Ps. cxviii.). Could we have a more perfect model of a life of prayer?

Another beautiful example of the practice of the duties of the first commandment will be found in the life of the virtuous Tobias.

HISTORY OF TOBIAS.

Tobias was one of the Israelites carried into captivity to Nineve by the Assyrian king, Teglathphalasar. Though involved in the ruin of his country, he was no sharer in the crime of his people, for the Scripture says of him, that, "when all went to the golden calves which Jeroboam, king of Israel, had made, he alone fled the company of all, and went to Jerusalem to the temple of the Lord, and there adored the Lord God of Israel, offering faithfully all his first fruits and his tithes " (Tobias i. 5, 6).

In a strange land, and in the midst of an idolatrous nation, Tobias continued equally firm in his faith, and faithful to the practice of his religion. While the companions of his exile fell away from their duty, and, contrary to the command of the Jewish law, "eat of the meats of the Gentiles, he kept his soul," as the Scripture tells us, "and never was defiled with their meats" (Tobias i. 12).

The virtues of Tobias, and his faithful observance of the duties of his religion, excited the admiration and gained for him the favour of the Assyrian king, who granted him a degree of liberty that was not allowed to the other captives. Tobias availed himself of this advantage to relieve his afflicted brethren. "He daily went among his kindred and comforted them, and distributed to every one as he was able out of his goods. He fed the hungry, and gave clothing to the naked, and was careful to bury the dead and those that were slain" (Tobias i. 19, 20). These works of mercy drew upon him the displeasure of Sennacherib, who had now succeeded to the throne. He ordered Tobias to be slain, and took away his substance. Tobias, however, escaped with his life, and remained in concealment till the king's death, after which he continued to practise the same works of mercy towards his suffering countrymen, undeterred by the danger he had run, or the prudent advice of his friends, for, as the Holy Scripture says, "he feared God more than the king" (Tobias ii. 9).

We have seen Tobias firm and steadfast in his Faith, faithful to the duties of his Religion, and zealous in the performance of works of Charity. But a new trial now awaited him, to put to the test his hope and trust in God. Wearied with his labours in burying the dead, he laid himself down one day to rest beneath the wall of his house. As he was sleeping, the hot dung from a swallow's nest fell

upon his eyes, and deprived him of his sight. Far from murmuring and repining under this severe trial, he bore it with invincible patience, and, like holy Job, thanked God in the midst of his affliction. The insults of his friends and the reproaches of his wife did not disturb the peace of his soul. When asked by them, in derision, "where was now the hope for which he had given alms and buried the dead?" he made them this noble answer, "Speak not so; we are the children of the saints, and look for that life which God will give to those who never change their faith from him (Tobias ii. 15, &c.).

The virtues of Tobias were not left, even in this life, without their reward. The great Archangel, St. Raphael, was sent from heaven to be the guide and protector of the young Tobias, and to heal and comfort his aged father. Restored to sight, Tobias lived happily for many years in the bosom of his family, until at length, at an extreme old age, rich in virtue and full of good works, he went to receive the reward which God has promised to his faithful servants.-Tobias.

TWENTY-FOURTH INSTRUCTION.

The First Commandment continued-What it forbidsSins against Faith—Idolatry, False Religions, Disbelief, Culpable Ignorance and Wilful Exposure to Temptation -Sins against Hope-Presumption and Despair—Sins against Charity-Sins against Religion-Superstition, Sacrilege, and Simony.

We come now to speak of the sins which are forbidden by the first commandment, and which, as I told you, are all opposed to one or other of the four duties: Faith, Hope, Charity, and Religion, which we are enjoined by this commandment to practise. We shall first speak of the sins which are opposed to the virtue of Faith, and afterwards of those which are contrary to the other duties.

Q. What sins against Faith are forbidden by the first Commandment?

A. The sins against Faith forbidden by the first Commandment are the worship of false gods or idols, and the giving to any creature whatsoever the honour which belongs to God alone.

The first sin here mentioned is the grievous crime of Idolatry, which is, as the catechism says, the worship of