(Luke xi. 5-10). The greater and more intense our desire to obtain a thing, the more persistent we shall be in our efforts to secure it.
We have a beautiful illustration of this in the Gospel. "Jesus departed/' says the Evangelist, "into the confines of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Chanaan w^ho came out of those parts said to Him: Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil. But He answered her not a word." But she was not discouraged, for she followed Our Lord, persevering in her prayer, so much so as to cause the apostles displeasure by her importunity. "And His disciples came and besought Him, saying: Send her away, for she crieth after us. And He answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel." But the woman persisted, for "she came and worshiped Him, saying: Lord, help me. But He answered and said: It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs." This severe rebuke of Our Lord did not discourage her, for "she said: Yea, Lord, for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall fromi the table of their masters." Her confidence and her earnest perseverance in spite of so many rebuffs were
