Vol. 2

:416 ST. LUKE.sense of what he owes to God ;the second, to judgerightly of it. Grant us, Lord, a third, in enlargingour heart by a most grateful love, and such as maybe, in some measure, worthy of thy mercies." 44. And he turned to the woman, and said untoSimon, Seest thou this woman ?I entered into thinehouse, thou gavest me no water for my feet :but shehath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them withthe hairs of her head."Let us be so far from making within ourselvesproud comparisons, inorder to exalt ourselves abovegreat sinners, as rather to make such as may serve tohumble us, by comparing our own infidelities with thegood which we see in others. God alone knows theworth of a soul in his own sight, and at what rateit ought to be valued. Men lose all by vanity, theyregain all by humility; and even the very sins ofpenitents may be of use to them to this purpose bythe grace of Christ.It is at his feet that this miracleis wrought; it is there that we must submit andhumble whatever seems best and loftiest in ourselves." 45. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman,since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss myfeet."A penitent should never cease tokiss the feet ofChrist by a lively faith, and to make some returnfor his charity, by loving him in the poor, and in thelowest members of his mystical body." 46. My head with oil thou didst not anointbut this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.'*God speaks in behalf of that person who silentlysuffers the envy and^contradiction of the world, whichare one part of mortification. A deficiency in works,