SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY.
Christ the Master of the Vineyard of your Soul.
"Let my beloved come into his garden and eat the fruit." (Cant. v. I.)
I. Your soul, and the soul of every rational creature, is a particular vineyard, belonging to the "great Master of the family," who is the subject of the Gospel of this day. Feel convinced that, to-day, He will come to examine His vineyard in you, and to gather fruit from it. Hear Him say, with the Spouse, in the Canticle: " Let us go up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vineyards flourish: if the flowers be ready to bring forth fruits." (Cant. vii. 12.)
II. This divine Master of the family has omitted nothing on His part which might conduce to render you a fertile vineyard. " I planted thee," He says by His prophet, " a chosen vineyard, all true seed." (Jer. ii. 21.) He has sown in your soul much seed of true and real piety; He has guarded this seed by the inclosure of salutary laws; He has given you His sacraments, as channels to convey to your soul the fertilizing moisture of His grace. He has omitted nothing which could be beneficial to you. " What is there," He says, " that I ought to do more to my vineyard that I have not done to it?" Take care, then, that you yield Him proper fruit; beware lest the following part of the passage be applicable to you: "I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it hath brought forth wild grapes." (Is. v. 4.) If this be the case, you have reason to fear the threat which hangs over you: "And now I will show you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be wasted; it shall not be pruned, and it shall not
