and your reception of the Sacraments, you would become a great deal
worse than you are. Suppose a man is rowing on the river against a very
strong tide. He is rowing as hard as he can and yet he is not advancing
one foot up the stream. Is he doing nothing therefore? Ah! he is doing a
great deal: he is preventing himself from being carried with the current
out into the ocean. He is keeping himself where he is till the force of
the tide diminishes, and then he can advance. So they who are trying to
be good are struggling against the strong tide of temptation. If they
cease to struggle against it, they will be carried out into the great
ocean of sin and lost forever. Someday the temptation will grow weaker
and then they will be able to advance towards Heaven. We feel
temptations most when we are trying to resist them and lead good lives,
because we are working against our evil inclinations--the strong tide of
our passions. We have no trouble going with them.



Lesson 7
ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION


"Incarnation" means to take flesh, as a body. Here it means Our Lord's
taking flesh, that is, taking a body like ours, when He became man.
"Redemption" means to buy back. Let us take an example. Slaves are men
or women that belong entirely to their masters, just as horses, cows, or
other animals do. Slaves are bought and sold, never receive any wages
for their work, get their food and clothing and no more. As they never
earn money for themselves, they can never purchase their own liberty. If
ever they are to be free, someone else must procure their liberty. Now,
suppose I am in some country where slavery exists. I am free, but I want