THE PREACHER’S ENCYCLOPEDIA Other Volumes LENT AND EASTERTIDE SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION TO ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST TWELFTH TO LAST SUNDAYS AFTER PENTECOST THE PREACHER’S ENCYCLOPEDIA Compiled and Edited under the Supervision of His Eminence ANGEL CARDINAL HERRERA Bishop of Malaga English Version Translated and Edited by MGR DAVID GREENSTOCK, S.T.D. Rector of the English College, Valladolid ADVENT TO QUINQUAGESIMA THE NEWMAN PRESS WESTMINSTER · MARYLAND This is a translation and adaptation of Là Palabra de Cristo (Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, Madrid, 1955) NIHIL OBSTAT: JOANNES Μ. T. BARTON, S.T.D., L.S.S. CENSOR DEPUTATUS IMPRIMATUR : PATRITIUS CASEY VICARIUS GENERALIS WESTMONASTERII ! DIE ΙΙΛ MAII 1964 The Nihil obstat And Imprimatur Arg a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur Agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed. © Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, 1955 English translation © Burns and Oates Ltd, MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, ABERDEEN. gsr'/r^-· r-tfæsœ-i LWRWHK3 CONTENTS Page I st Sunday of Advent : THE LAST JUDGEMENT I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Texts which refer to the judgement II. GENERAL COMMENTS Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A : The Epistle B: The Gospel 5 7 III. THE FATHERS St John Chrysostom: Some moral applications II. St Ephraem: On the Second Coming and the Last Judgement III. St Augustine: On the same theme St Gregory the Great : Lift up your heads ... V. St^Bernard : Our Lady 10 12 16 17 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: Christ the Judge II. St Robert Bellaçmine: The twofold redemption of mankind 18 19 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Thomas of Villanova: The need for a general judgement II. Bossuet A: The three motives for divine justice B : On the hardening of the heart of the sinner III. Dom Columba Marmion: Christ presenting his Church trium­ phant to the Father IV. Bede Jarrett, O.P. : The judgement 21 23 20 VI. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. The Tents of Tamerlane II. St Philip Neri and the young man SI VII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical A: The beginning of the liturgical year: Put on Christ B : The Christian during Advent II. The Epistle A : The hour to awaken from sleep B : Putting off the works of darkness C: The armour of light III. The Gospel A: The value of time B: Christian optimism C: The judgement of the good: motive for encouragement D: The judgement of the sinner E : The three motives for divine justice F: The day of judgement—a day of glory G : The silence of Christ H: Almsdceds and the judgement I : The sentence J : The three comings of Christ IV. Social Applications V 32 34 34 35 35 37 37 38 39 40 41 41 43 CONTENTS vi Page 2nd Sunday of Advent : THE MISSION OF THE BAPTIST I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning almsgiving 47 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Etegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B: The Gospel 49 49 50 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom A : John’s motives and the envy of the others B : Almsdeeds II. St Alglstine: The superiority of Jesus over John and the lack of envy in the heart of the humble Baptist III. St Gre r· :: Y THE Great: The lay apostolate 54 55 56 59 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: Envy II. St R :T Bellarmine: John the Baptist 60 62 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Thomas of Villanova: On the Incarnation II. St Teresa of Avila: Sanctity and honours III. uet: The three miracles of Christ in our time and our scandal VI. PAPAL TEXTS: With a relation to this Sunday’s Epistle and Gospel 64 67 69 72 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. Spiritual Alms II. Science without God III. St Thomas of Villanova 74 74 74 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. The Epistle: Let us live in hope II. The G A: The greatness of the Baptist B : The virtues of the Baptist C: I must decrease D : Envy E: Effects of enw F : Envy in the Church G : The scandal of Christ H : The Messias and the Jews I : Miracles J : A moral miracle K: Doing good L : The poor have the Gospel preached to them M : The rich poor III. Social Applications: Character—end of education 75 76 77 78 82 83 86 88 89 91 92 94 CONTENTS Vu Page 3rd Sunday of Advent : THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN TO THE JEWS I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning humility II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A : The Epistle B: The Gospel qg 100 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom : On almsdeeds II. St Augustine: The three acts of humility III. St Gregory the Great: Humility 103 106 109 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: On vainglory and humility II. St Bonaventure: Extracts from De Perfectione vitae ad sorores III. St Robert Bellarmine: The office of John the Baptist no 112 113 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Teresa of Avila : The nature of humility II. Fray Luis of Granada: Remedies for pride VI. PAPAL TEXTS » 116 119 120 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY· MISCELLANY I. Sincerity and Truth II. Rejoice in the Lord 121 121 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical: Rejoice in the Lord II. The Epistle A : Christian joy B: Nothing must make you anxious C: Magnanimity III. The Gospel A : A creature of God B: Who art thou ?... A member of Christ C: The preacher D: Knowledge of self E: Humility F : Grades of humility G: The pusillanimous H: Vocation IV. Social Applications A: Rejoice, because the kingdom of Christ is near B: Christ, in the midst of the poor C; Sincerity 122 123 125 126 128 129 13° *32 133 134 *35 137 139 I41 142 4th Sunday of Advent : THE PREACHING OF THE BAPTIST I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning penance 144 •·· V1U CONTENTS IL GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Etegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B : The Gospel 147 148 150 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom: On imponant themes of today's Gospel II. Chrysostom and Augustine A : .Ums and anace according to John Chrysostom B : Alms and penance in Augustine III. St Augustine: Universal need for penance 153 ISS 157 158 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: Concerning penance II. St Bonaventure : The three grades of purification III. St Robert Bellarmlne: A right intention and its importance 162 163 164 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Thomas of Villanova : On a voice crying in the wilderness II. St John of the Cross: A worldly life and its dangers III. Blessed John of Avila: The manner of preparing for the Lord’s coming IV. B ;uet: Austerity and the need for a change in our Eves if we do real penance 166 168 170 172 VI. PAPAL TEXTS A: Faithful stewards B : The priest, God’s ambassador and administrator C: The compassion of the priest D: Private ownership and almsdeeds 174 175 176 176 VII. HISTORICAL .AND LITERARY MISCELLANY A : A sinner’s expiation B : The Miserere of Savonarola C: Another John the Baptist 176 177 177 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. The Epistle: Ministers of Christ and stewards II. The Gospel A: Providence B : Christ, the centre of history C: Dignity and obhgations of the priesthood D : Austerity E: Sin, evil for God and man F : The preaching of penance G: Christ—and penance H : Corporal and exterior penance I : Spiritual penance J : Penance, necessary for the just as well as sinners K. : Penance and charity L : Almsdeeds and penance M: The rewards of almsdeeds N : The social value of almsgiving 178 180 180 181 182 184 185 186 188 189 191 192 *93 194 ’95 CONTENTS ix Page Sunday within the Octave of Christmas : THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS 197 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B : The Gospel i97 198 200 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom: Onthewords of Simeon II. St Augustine: Christ is bom in order to diefor sin III. St Gregory the Great: The Christian in times of persecution and of peace IV. The Venerable Bede: On today’s Gospel V. St Bernard: On the Purification 205 206 211 212 213 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. Hugh of St Victor: The temple of the Lord II. St Thomas Aquinas: On the Purification and related questions 214 215 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS IL III. IV. V. St Thomas of Villanova: On the Purification of Mary Fray Luis of Granada: On the Presentation St Francis de Sales: Sermon on the feast of the Purification J.-B. Massillon: Sermon on today’s Feast as David Greenstock : The doing of the divine will VI. PAPAL TEXTS: On Education 218 219 220 222 224 225 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY NOTES I. St Teresa II. The Feast of the Purification 227 228 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. The Gospel A: Jesus fulfils the law B: The purity of Mary C : The poverty of Mary D: Simeon, the just one E: Simeon, a man who feared God F: Seeing Christ in his Father’s arms G: Hope II : Hope and confidence I : A sign that shall be contradicted J : The sorrows of Mary K: The advantages of trials L: Anna M: Prayer, without ceasing N: The contemplative life II. Social Applications A : Obedience, foundation of the Christian life B: Hope, in parents 228 229 231 232 233 234 235 237 238 240 241 243 244 245 246 248 CONTENTS Page Sunday between the Octave Da y of Christmas and Epiphany : THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning the power of the Name of Jesus 2 51 IL GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes: The Gospel 251 252 (Sections III-V are all on the Holy Name) III. A FATHER OF THE CHURCH St Bernard 252 IV. A THEOLOGIAN St Thomas Aquinas 254 V. SPIRITUAL WAITERS St Thomas of Villanova II. Luis de la Puente, S.J. III. IV. Bede Jarrett, O.P. 254 255 256 257 VI. SERMON SCHEMES I. The Epistle: Two roads to glory II. The Gospel A: Jesus, Saviour B : The name of Jesus C: Jesus, saviour of nations D: Jesus, saviour of all races E: The new Adam—our Saviour F : The victory of love G : Our use of our salvation 259 261 262 263 265 266 267 269 1st Sunday after Epiphany : THE HOLY FAMILV I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning the family 271 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: 'Hie Epistle B: The Gospel 273 274 276 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom: Obligations of parents and children and the education of children II. St Ambrose: The obedience of Christ III. St Bernard: The relationship between Christ and his Mother 278 282 283 IV. A THEO LOG LUN St Thomas Aquinas: The growth of Jesus 283 CONTENTS xi Page V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. II. III. IV. V. Nicola Avancini: Meditations on today’s Gospel Bossuet: On today’s Gospel Bourdaloue: Parents and their children David Greenstock : The hidden years of our Lord’s life Père Félix, S.J. : Christian education and obedience VI. PAPAL TEXTS: The Christian family and its obligations 289 291 293 295 296 298 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY i : The heroic mother of the Machabees 2: The vocation of St Teresa of Avila 3: The mother of St Augustine 4: The mother of John Bosco 300 300 301 301 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical A: The Family at Nazareth B: How I love thy dwelling-place II. The Gospel A: Sacrifice B : Above all things . . . C: The Temple D: Man’s enemies E: The Public Life F : Religion, a natural, supernatural and Christian virtue G: The Holy Family, model of a religious family H: Obedience III. Social Applications A: The parents as educators of their children B: Education of children C: Children and a religious vocation D: Religious life in the family 302 304 305 307 308 310 311 313 314 315 318 319 321 323 2nd Sunday after Epiphany: THE MIRACLE OF CANA I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS : Concerning marriage 325 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B : The Gospel 327 328 330 III. THE FATHERS I. II. III. IV. St John Chrysostom: Married love St Augustine: The humility of Christ St Cyril of Alexandria: On the Gospel of the day St Bernard: Mary’s power as mediatrix 332 334 336 337 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: On marriage II. G. Alastruey: Mary, distributor and mediatrix of all graces 338 339 •· Xll CONTENTS V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Charles Borromeo: The dignity of marriage II. St Alphonsus Liglori: The power and mercy of Man III. St Louis Grignion de Montfort: Devotion to Mary VI. PAPAL TEXTS : On marriage 344 345 347 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. .Advice of St Teresa II. Incident in the life of St Gemma Galgani 348 349 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical: The Marriage Ceremony A: The Marriage at Cana B : Mary in Cana, mirror of virtues C: Mary’s power of intercession (1) •CV1 D: Mary’s power of intercession (2) E: Mary’s power of intercession (3) F : True devotion to Mary G : Marriage, a natural law institution H : Marriage and grace I: Marriage: Its mystical significance J : Marriage and sanctity K : Mixed marriages L: Courtship M : Purity in time of courtship N : Choice of a partner O: Fidelity in marriage P : The ends of marriage Qj Neo-Malthusianism R: Artificial insemination S : Use of the safe period 350 352 353 355 356 358 359 361 363 364 366 367 369 37° 372 373 375 376 378 379 3rd Sunday after Epiphany : CURE OF THE LEPER AND FAITH OF THE CENTURION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning faith 381 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B : The Gospel 382 383 384 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom A: The cure B : Thanksgiving C: The centurion: Watchfulness II. St Bernard: Conditions for prayer 388 390 391 392 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. P. Royo, Ο. P.: The growth of faith II. David Greenstock: The virtue of faith 394 396 CONTENTS xiii Page V.«[SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. Fray Luis of Granada: Sin, the leprosy of the soul 399 II. Bossuet: A : Expiation through penance and preparation for the Eucharist 401 B: Christian life and mortal sin 402 III. TlLMANN Pesch, S.J.: Sin and redemption from it 405 VI. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical II. The Epistle: True knowledge III. The Gospel A : As he came down from the mountain .. . B : The leprosy of sin C : The leprosy of mortal sin D: The leprosy of ignorance and heresy E: Visiting the sick F : The faith of the centurion G : Soldiers who come to Christ H : The sanctity of the centurion I : Prayer for pagans J: Christian paternity K: Social paternalism L : Dignity of the human person M : Political rights 407 408 410 411 413 414 416 417 418 419 420 422 425 427 429 4th Sunday after Epiphany : CHRIST CALMS THE TEMPEST I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS : On themes which can be the sub­ jects of sermons today 432 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A : The Epistle B: The Gospel 433 433 435 III. THE FATHERS I. II. III. IV. St Cyprian : Causes of, and remedies for, persecutions Origen: Homily on today’s Gospel St Augustine: On today’s Gospel St Peter Chrysologus: The hidden meaningof today’s Gospel 437 437 439 441 IV. A THEOLOGIAN St Thomas Aquinas: The power and omnipotence of God and of Christ 442 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. Blessed John of Avila: The causes of temptation and falls and the remedy 444 II. St Alphonsus Liguori: Sermon for today 445 III. Bossuet: Two ways in which we can follow Christ 446 IV. Bourdaloue: Why does God allow the storm to beat upon his Church ? 447 V. P. G. Hoornaert: Facets of the humanity and divinity of Christ 450 CONTENTS xiv Page VI. PAPAL TEXTS: The storm which rises in every age against the Church 451 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY NOTE: The shipwreck of St Paul 452 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. The Epistle A : Active love B: A new commandment C: Love—the fulfilment of the law II. The Gospel A: Storms in the soul B : The interior storm C : The theology of trials D : The causes and fruits of tribulation E: God, the author of tribulations F : The reason why God chastises us G : The effects of tribulation in the just H: The just and tribulation I : Contemplative souls J : The sleep of Christ in the soul K : Christ sleeps in the soul L : God’s omnipotence M: The omnipotence of Christ III. Social Applications A : The boat is the Church B: The Church of silence 453 454 455 456 458 460 462 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 473 475 jth Sunday after Epiphany : THE TARES AMONG THE WHEAT I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: tongues Concerning scandal and evil 478 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes: The Gospel 479 480 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom: The parable of the Sower and the parable of the Tares II. St Augustine i : Sermon on today’s Gospel 2: Coexistence of good and evil in the Church 3 : Against the Donatist heresy 483 485 486 487 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: On evil II. J. B. Franzelln: Sinners in the Church 488 490 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. Alonso Rodriguez: The custody of the senses IL Bossuet: On today’s parable III. Bourdaloue: On sinners VI. PAPAL TEXTS: Dangers of the press and cinema 492 493 495 497 CONTENTS xv Page VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 1 : Tares 2 : The tares of gossip 3: St Philip Neri 4: St Teresa 5 : Λ doctor’s opinion 499 40η 500 500 500 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical: Christ, the sower II. The Epistle: Gossip III. The Gospel A: From the boat B : The root of the tares C: Watchfulness D: Why we should be on the watch E : The tares of concupiscence F : Remedies against concupiscence G: Tares in the education of our children H: Indiscreet zeal I: Heresy and schism J : Why does God permit heresy and schism? K: The providence of God permits evil IV. Social Applications A: Civil tolerance B: Tolerance in our relations with individuals C: Truth, liberty and toleration D: Toleration of evil and Community of States 501 502 505 507 509 511 512 514 515 517 518 519 521 522 525 526 528 6th Sunday after Epiphany : THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED AND THE LEAVEN I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS : Concerning preaching 531 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical IL Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B: The Gospel 532 533 535 III. THE FATHERS I. II. III. IV. St Irenaeus: Unity and universality' of the Church St John Chrysostom: The reason for the parables St Augustine: The expansion of the Church in her early years St Maximus of Turin: Christ, our leaven 537 538 540 543 IV. THEOLOGIANS I. St Thomas Aquinas: The doctrine of Christ and the perfection of charity' 544 II. Various Writers: The fact of the moral miracle of the expansion of the Church 546 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. Fray Luis de Leon: The prophecies of a spiritual triumph and the miracle of the extension of the Church 548 II. St Francis de Sales: Charity and its growth 552 III. Bossuet: Good example a leaven within the possibilities of all 554 CONTENTS xvi Page VI. PAPAL TEXTS: Fruit which can be produced by the work of select minorities 554 VII. LITERARY NOTE Lord Macaulay: The work of the Catholic Church in the World 556 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical II. The Epistle A: A programme of Christian life B: Good example C: Sorrow and joy III. The Gospel A: The Master and his parables B: The grain of mustard seed C: The spontaneous growth of the seed D: Horizontal and vertical growth E : The miracle of the Church F : The moral miracle of the expansion of the Church G : Grace and holiness H : Means to progress in grace I : The apostle J : The virtues of the Master K: The technique of the word L : The whole mass of the dough M: Leaven and dough 558 559 561 563 564 568 570 570 572 574 576 578 579 581 582 Septuagesima Sunday : THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning work and idleness 585 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Litvrgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B: The Gospel 586 587 589 III. THE FATHERS I. II. III. IV. St John Chrysostom : Divine vocation St Basil: On envy St Augustine: Despair and presumption St Gregory the Great: On today’s parable and divine mercy 594 596 598 599 IV. A THEOLOGIAN St Thomas Aquinas: On work, and the will of God that all should be saved 602 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. St Thomas of Villanova: Interpretation of today’s parable in the light of sanctification of souls II. Fray Melchior de Cetina: Signs of predestination III. Bossuet: The rich and the poor VI. PAPAL TEXTS: The social teaching of the Church •- 608 610 CONTENTS xvü Page VII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical: In sight of Lent IL The Epistle: Religion and life HI. The Gospel A: Christ in all things B: In the vineyard of the Lord C: The ascetic value of labour D: The coin of eternal life E: Go into the vineyard of your soul F : No one has hired us G: God’s hour in the infidel world H: Idleness I : Envy J : God’s call IV. Social Applications A: Wages B : Participation in benefits 612 613 615 617 618 619 621 622 623 624 626 627 628 630 Sexagesima Sunday: THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER L SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Concerning the word of God 632 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A: The Epistle B : The Gospel 634 634 636 III. THE FATHERS I. St John Chrysostom: Why the seed remains sterile in some and produces fruit in others 639 II. St Basil: The harm done to the soul by riches 641 III. St Augustine: The duties of the preachers of the word 643 IV. St Gregory the Great : Homily on today’s Gospel 647 IV. A THEOLOGLAN St Thomas Aquinas: On preaching 647 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. II. III. IV. St Teresa of Avila: The importance of perseverance St Bernardine of Siena: The word of God as a seed Bossuet: Hear ye him Antonio Vieira: Advice to preachers VI. PAPAL TEXTS: On preaching 649 652 653 656 657 VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY NOTES: The three qualities of a preacher according to St Thomas of Villanova 659 VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical IL The Epistle: Virtue and pride 659 660 ··· xvm CONTENTS III. The Gospel A: The word B: The word of God (1) C: The word of God (2) D : Part fell by the wayside E: Part on stony ground F : Part among thorns G: Pan in good ground H: The heart of Mary·—the best ground of all I : How God speaks to us J: To hear the word of God with profit K: The missionaries as sowers IV. Social Applications A: Sacred Scripture—the Book of the Word B: Preachers C: Doctrinal preparation D: Formation—and the matter of sermons E: Co-operation of man, necessary so that the word may bear fruit 661 662 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 677 679 Quinquagesima Sunday ; THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE PASSION AND THE BLIND MAN AT JERICHO I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Some texts concerned with charity 681 II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. Liturgical II. Exegetic and Moral Notes A : The Epistle B : The Gospel 683 683 687 III. THE FATHERS I. Origen: A commentary on today’s Gospel 690 II. St John Chrysostom: The prophecy of the passion and death, and the blind man 692 III. St Avglstine: On the love of God and the cureof the blind man 696 IV. St Gregory the Great: Homily on today’sGospel 697 IV. A THEOLOGIAN St Thomas Aquinas; Summary of his teaching on the virtue of Charity 699 V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. Thomas a Kempis: The Imitation of Christ 1 II. St Thomas of Villanova: The joys of the Cross 701 III. St Charles Borromeo: The poor and humble and the following of Christ 702 IV. Bossuet : The Christian and suffering y04 VI. PAPAL TEXTS: The world of today, without the cross and without mercy· VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY NOTES: St Elizabeth of Hungary 708 CONTENTS xix Page VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. Liturgical A : Quinquagesima B: Lent, a time of pardon C: Lent, a time of prayer D: Lent, a time of mortification II. The Epistle A: Charity, queen of the virtues B: The Vision of God III. The Gospel A: Lent—a journey to Jerusalem B: We go up to Jerusalem C: Thy will be done D: The hidden word (1) E: Face to face with the Cross F : The hidden word (2) G : Without cross and without mercy H: Two mothers I : The blind man who sat begging J : Spiritual blindness K : Effects of and remedies for spiritual blindness L: Lord, that I may see Index 709 710 711 712 713 714 716 717 718 720 722 723 724 726 727 727 729 730 733 A-■ .A"*·· First Sunday of Advent B THE LAST JUDGEMENT ■ ___ _ ^_— __ —· *9S^3f·> SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Epistle: Romans 13. 11-14 Gospel: Luke 21. 25-33. Cf. Matt. 24. 33-35; Mark 13. 21-31 Texts which refer to the judgement i. /Ifter death, the judgement: (a) We know not the day nor the hour: Man’s destiny is to die once for all; nothing remains after that but judgement. Heb. 9. 27. But as for that day and that hour you speak of, they are known to none, not even to the angels in heaven; only the Father knows them. When the Son of Man comes, all will be as it was in the days of Noe; in those days before the flood, they went on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the time when Noe entered the ark, and they were all taken unawares, when the flood came and drowned them all; so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matt. 24. 36-39. You are keeping it clearly in mind, without being told, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thess. 5. 2. But the day of the Lord is coming, and when it comes it will be upon you like a thief. The heavens will vanish in a whirlwind, the elements will be scorched up and dissolve, earth, and all earth’s achievements, will burn away. 2 Pet. 3. 10. (b) Apocalyptic threats: Yes, the day of the Lord is coming, pitiless, full of vengeance and bitter retribution, ready to turn earth into a \vilderness, ridding it of its sinful brood. The stars of heaven, its glittering constellations, will shed no ray; sunrise will be darkness, and the moon refuse her light. . . . So terribly will I shake the heavens and move earth from its place, to show that the Lord of hosts will be patient no longer, and the hour of his bitter vengeance has come. Isaias 13. 9-13. Cf. Isaias 34. 4; Ez. 32. 7-8; Joel 2. 10; Amos 5. 18. (c) A day of wrath: Trust me, a day is coming that shall scorch like a furnace; stubble they shall be before it, says the Lord of hosts, all the proud, all the ■ ■ FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2 wrong-doers, caught and set alight, and neither root nor branch left them. Malach. 4.1-2. Cf. Soph. 1.15-16. Dost thou nptknow that God’s kindness is inviriQg.tliuuiQ.uj^nt ? Wffereas thou, byjhestubborn impenitence of thy heart, dost ccmtinue tQ_stûi£up retribution for thyself against the day of retrib u t ion, when God will reveal the justice of his judgements. He will award to every man what his acts have deserved ; eternal life to those who have striven for glory, and honour, and immortality’, by perseverance in doing good; the retribution of his anger to those who are con­ tumacious, rebelling against truth and paying homage to wickedness. Rom. 2. 4-8. 2. The Resurrection : Here is a secret I will make known to you; we shall all rise again, but not all of us will undergo the change I speak of. It wjll happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eve, when The. last trumpet sounds; the trumpet will sound, and the dead wilLrise again, free from corruption, and we shall find ourselves changed /this corruptiblenature ofours must be clothed with inc^rupüblcîilêrnusjnortal nature with immortality. 1 Cor. 15. 51-53. Cf. 1 Thess. 4. 15-17. Im ■ — — ** - ** - — 3. The coming of the fudge: And there will be a day when God (according to the Gospel I preach) will pass judgement, through Jesus Christ, on the hidden thoughts of men. Rom. 2. 16. Cf. Ps. 9. 9; Acts 17. 31; 2 Thess. 1. 5,9-10; Jude 14-15; Apoc. 1.7. (a) All before the tribunal of Christ: We shall all stand one day before the judgement-seat of Christ. . . and so each one of us will have to give an account cf himself before God. Rom. 14.10-12.3 All of us have a scrutiny to undergo before Christ’s judgementseat, for each to reap what his mortal life has earned, good or ill, according to his deeds. 2 Cor. 5. 10. (b) The Son of God is the Judge: So it is with judgement; the Father, instead of passing judgement on any man himself, has left all judgement to the Son, so that all may reverence the Son just as they reverence the Father.... John 5. 22-23. 4. The judgement according to Christ: (a) The fact: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit down upon the throne of his glory, and all nations will be gathered in his presence, where he will divide men one from the other, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the goats; he will set the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King SCRIPTURE TEXTS will say to those who arc on his right hand, Come, you that have received a blessing from my Father, take possession of the kingdom which has been prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry. . . . Then he will say to those who are on his left hand, in their turn, Go from me, you that are accursed, into that eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. . . . And these shall pass on to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life. Matt. 25. 31-46. (b) Comprehensive: And I say this, that in the day of judgement men will be brought to account for every thoughtless word they have spoken. Thy words will be matter to acquit, or matter to condemn thee. Matt. 12. 36. (c) According to our works: You appeal to God as your Father; yes, but he judges each man impartially by what he has done; look anxiously, then, to the order­ ing of your lives while your stay on earth lasts. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Cf. Ecclus. 16. 12-15. (d) As we judge, so shall we be judged: Do not judge others, or you yourselves will be judged. As you have judged, so you will be judged, by the same rule; award shall be made to you as you have made award, in the same measure. Matt. 7. 1-2. The merciless will be judged mercilessly; mercy gives its judge­ ment an honourable welcome. James 2. 13. (e) Different fate of just and unjust: Cf. Ps. i. 5-6; 36. 28; John 5. 28-29. (f) Second-thoughts of the unjust: How boldly, then, will the just man appear, to meet his old per­ secutors, that thwarted all his striving! And they, in what craven fear they will cower at the sight of him, amazed at the sudden reversal of his fortunes ! Inward remorse will wring a groan from those hearts: Why, these were the men we made into a laughing­ stock and a by-word ! We, poor fools, mistook the life they lived for madness, their death for ignominy; and now they are reckoned as God’s own children, now it is among his holy ones that their lot is cast. Wis. 5. 1-5. Cf. ibid. 16-17. (g) Judgement of the great ones of this earth: Cf. Wis. 6. 3-10; James 3. 1. (h) Life and death of just and unjust: But the souls of the just are in God’s hands, and no torment, in death itself, has power to reach them. Dead? Fools think so; think their end loss, their leaving us, annihilation ; but all is well with them. The world sees nothing but the pains they endure; they themselves 4 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT have eyes only for what is immortal; so light their suffering, so great the gain they win! God, all the while, did but test them, and testing them found them worthy of him. . . . But dearly shall the wicked pay for their error, for the claims of right forgotten, for the Lord’s will defied. Their case is pitiable indeed, who make light of true wisdom and of ordered living.... Wis. 3. 1-11. (i) Harsh judgement for those who resist the light: For the man who believes in him there is no rejection; the man who does not believe is already rejected; he has not found faith in the name of God’s only-begotten Son. John 3. 18. Cf. Matt. 10. 15;ii. 21-24;12.41-42. SECTION II. GENERAL COMMENTS EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES 5 it by a life of penance and holiness. Therefore it is the moment for us to leave the works of darkness and put on the armour of light (Epistle). The character of this Sunday is one of hope and encouragement. Lift up your heads! We must begin the liturgical year by looking at Christ—in the words of St Paul, by putting on Christ! The world lived in darkness before his first coming. There are souls who still live in the darkness of tepidity. They should hear the voice of the Child in the Manger and give up the works of darkness for those of the light w hich shines from that humble stable (cf. 2 Cor. 3. 18). Π. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: Romans 13. 11-14 General meaning: Today’s epistle is meant to wake us up from our lethargy, because the day is at hand, the light is coming; also to give us courage to undertake the liturgical year ahead of us. ‘It is high time for us to awrake out of our sleep’ is equivalent to ‘lift up your heads’ in the Gospel. The Pauline ideas can be reduced to this: Christ is the salvation of all, Jew and Greek alike. In Adam we all sinned; Christ redeemed us. Therefore, abandoning sin, we should all live as grafts on to the true vine, Christ. By way of moral reflec­ tions, Paul ends by speaking of brotherly love as the summary of all the virtues he has previously mentioned. He interrupts this idea to warn us to be quick! Now is the time to live according to the ideas of Christ. 1. I. LITURGICAL i. His tori ca I syn thesis : From the historical point of view Advent began as a preparation for Christmas. Like all preparations for a solemn feast, it has the character of a penitential season. It began in the fifth century, although there are signs of it in Spain as early as the year 380, and from the very beginning this Gospel was read on the first Sunday. This may be a sign or symbol of Christ, the Alpha and Omega of the ages of the spiritual life. Although the liturgy was not born according to a pre-conceived plan, it seems logical that, in order to prepare the Christian for the coming of Christ in mercy, a Gospel should be chosen which reminds us of his second coming as Judge which we may both expect and prepare for in our lives. There can be no doubt that there is a close relation between the two comings of Christ. The Incarnation had for its purpose the life of glory after a favourable judgement. The first step in this is Christ’s birth, the last that of our resurrection. In order that the second coming may be a happy one for us it is first necessary to receive him well when he comes in humility. With this thought in mind the Dies Irae was sung frequently during Advent in the early days of the Church. The mind of the Church became clearer when to the Gospel of St Luke was added the Epistle of today, so similar in its argument. 2. The liturgical idea: The Church does not wish us to limit ourselves to a mere memory of these great feasts. She wants us to live them. She longs for us to prepare for Christians as the Jews prepared for the coming of the Messias. From this we can draw two conclusions: (1) the Jews hoped for the Redeemer. We hope for the final coming of Christ in which our personal redemption will be fully accomplished (Gospel). (2) The Jews lived in this hope and were expected to prepare themselves for 2. The essential parts: There are three ideas in this passage, arranged so as to form a whole : i. now’ is the time to awake from sleep; ii. therefore wre should put away the works of darkness; iii. and put on Christ. The last thought is one which runs through the whole of the liturgical year. When, at its end, we again come face to face with Christ, the Judge, we must be able to show him within us, not a man merely, but another Christ. (a) It is high time for us to awrake out of our sleep: The hour—not merely the day or the year! You have no means of telling what the morrow will bring: What is your life but a wisp of smoke, which shows for a moment and then must vanish into nothing ? (Janies 4. 15). To awake out of our sleep—here Paul goes from one idea to another. The first is to shake us out of that lethargy in which we are so accustomed to pass the major part of our lives. But at once comes 2 6 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT another; if you awaken out of your sleep you should leave the works of darkness and put on those of light. The dream world of the sleeper may appear real to him, but when he awakes, it vanishes like smoke. To live in a dream world is not to live reality nor by real values. Sigismund, in Qilderon’s drama, on waking in his prison cell, thinks that the splendour of his court life was but a dream. Therefore he says: The rich man dreams of his riches. . . . The sleep or dream world of which Paul speaks here is, therefore, all which does not come from Christ or which is not Christ. Sleep, according to Bellarmine, differs from death in that the sleeper retains his faculties; but it is like death in so far as those faculties are impeded in their operations. Spiritual sleep is not the death of the soul ; nevertheless, he may well be said to sleep who does not attend to his spiritual life because of the flood of worldly occupations which overcomes him. Just as one asleep still tosses and turns, undertaking great enter­ prises, which do not exist in reality', so he who is spiritually asleep thinks that he lives in the midst of triumphs and misfortunes; but once he awakens, he realizes that he has done absolutely nothing. Our salvation is closer to us now than when we first learned to believe. The thought can give us courage, because it is not merely the man who feels himself to be faced with grave danger (the judgement) who leaps from his bed, but also the traveller as his pilgrimage draws to a close. (b) Let us abandon the ways of darkness : A biblical image of sin, of which Paul mentions several in the previous passage to this one. They are the sins which our Lord warned us of before (cf. Luke 21. 34). (c) Put on Christ : In the Pauline phrase, this is the armour of light. In the Epistle to the Ephesians he repeats this metaphor and describes the arms of the Christian soldier, giving them a spiritual meaning, since our struggle is not against enemies in this world (Eph. 6. 10-16). To understand the theological significance of this putting on of Christ it is as well to relate the idea with a passage of the Epistle to the Galatians (3. 27): All you who have been baptized in Christ’s name have put on the person of Christ. The Greek phrase is equival­ ent to being plunged into Christ—the idea in Paul’s mind being that Christ fills the world with his love, his spirit, his directions and graces. The material immersion of the Sacrament of Baptism is a symbol of the spiritual immersion into the flood which is Christ. The word ‘put on’ implies being possessed by, compénétration with, to be impregnated with. We are absorbed in Christ in such a way that we do not lose our own personality, but our wills are joined in such a way that we no longer wish for anything which he does not EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES wish, we live, not with our own lives, but with his. This we do, both by imitating his virtues and also by reason of the dwelling within our souls of the Blessed Trinity (cf. Col. 3. 12-14). When St Augustine heard the words ‘Take up and read’ his eyes came across this passage of St Paul, and having understood its meaning, he decided to cast far from him the works of darkness and apply his brilliant talents to the full practical meaning of the phrase ‘not in lust and wantonness . . . spend no more thoughts on nature and nature’s appetites’. 3. A text ofJohn Chrysostom: This text is taken from Hom. 9. on 1 Thess. in which he unites the ideas of the Epistle and the Gospel of the day. Talking of the phrase ‘the works of light’ the Saint quotes 1 Thess. 5. 4: Whereas you, brethren, are not living in the darkness, for the day to take you by surprise like a thief... and he adds : The day will visit those also who are not sunk in the sleep of vice—and it will come unexpectedly. However, it will do them no harm, just as a thief can do little or no harm to those who are watchful and in the light, even though he may enter their dwellings.... This is the night of the soul, its sleep—vice. But just as the natural light comes, even against our will ; so, on the contrary, should we wish it, we can live our spiritual lives in perpetual sunlight. The Saint goes on: Any vice can be called a sleep, because the soul which is sunk in any one vice can perform no virtuous activity. Also because, in such a state, the soul sees nothing but a dream-world of phantoms and visions without any reality. Riches and glory are dreams of this kind. Watch then, and do not fall asleep ! B: The Gospel: Luke 21. 25-33 Historical situation: Today’s section of the Gospel forms part of the eschatological discourse of our Lord on Holy Tuesday, which should be read in the three Synoptics and completed by the reading of the various passages of St Paul (cf. 1 Thess. 4.15-17; 2 Thess. 2.1-2; 1 Cor. 15. 12-17). Christ arrives at the Temple and provokes the Jews with the parables of the repudiation of Israel. As a united front they attack him in return and at length he hurls against them, especially against the scribes and Pharisees, the terrible invectives we can read in the Gospels. On the way back to Bethany the Apostles call his attention to the magnificence of the Temple buildings. The reply is a definite one: Amen I say to you, there shall not be left a stone upon a stone ! They continue on their way to the Mount of Olives and there Peter, John, James and Andrew ask their Lord, When shall these things be and what shall be the sign of your coming ? i. FIRST SUNDAY OF .ADVENT 8 2. The two questions: Any apologetic difficulty this passage may contain comes from the fact that our Lord is answering a double question, and that the replies are mixed together. The reply is a difficult one to interpret, as are all prophecies. Therefore it is hard to see where exactly the borders lie between the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and that of the end of the world. However, one thing is easy to see; our Lord gives definite signs of the destruction of the city, while he reserves to himself the actual date and hour of the destruction of the world. 3. The argument: This part of the Gospel read today refers only to the end of the world and has four parts: the preliminaries to the coming of Christ; the actual coming itself; the judgement (about which Luke says nothing); and a final exhortation to be watchful, which is developed by our Lord in the two parables of the virgins and the talents. Therefore the Gospel has a double aspect, the punishment of the wicked and the joy of the just. The former is clearly shown in the parable of the virgins, in the man from whom the talent was taken, in the words of reprobation; the latter is represented by the wise virgins, the good administrators, the welcome given to the just by the Judge. The conclusion is: Watch! You do not know the day nor the hour when the judgement will overtake you, for in spite of all the signs predicted, it will come like a flash of light and will surprise all, as did the flood. We must not be caught by it, as birds in a snare. 4. Texts: (a) Preliminaries: The signs in the sun, moon, and stars. These may be understood in the literal or in the metaphorical sense. According to the former interpretation, they imply some physical calamity which will bring about the end of the world as we know it, without attempting a full scientific explanation by any means. In the latter sense, Christ is using words and phrases common to all apocalyptic literature of his time—phrases used to describe any great calamity; without any need to interpret them in their strictly literal sense. The prophecies used almost the same phrases to describe the doom of Babylon, that of Tyre and Sidon, etc. (cf. Isaias 13. 10; Jer. 15. 9; Joel 2. 10; Amos 8. 9). Whatever the meaning of these signs, one thing is clear—behind them all is the figure of Jesus Christ, the Judge. That is the one reality which will remain to us once the sun has ceased to give us light and once the world as we know it has vanished like a dream. The world will have finished for us, but there is one thing which can J EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES 9 ’i 1 remain, our good deeds. Blessed arc the dead who die in the Lord ... but the deeds they did in life go with them now (Apoc. 14. 13). (c) The judgement: The angels and the trumpets imply the solemnity of the moment, just as an earthly king, λνΐιεη there is some special case to be decided, brings his chief ministers with him and surrounds the affair with some solemnity. (We might think of the solemnity which surrounds I t I ----------- ------------- (b) The coining: It is the Son of Man who will appear—an obvious reference to Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 7. 13; Apoc. 14. 14). He will come on the clouds of heaven; this was a special picture of the throne of God well known to the Jews. In great power and majesty, to show the personal triumph of Christ, perhaps to encourage the Apostles, who would sec him in his apparent failure on the cross. Also to encourage us in the practice of virtue. The standard of Christ has always been understood to mean the cross. It will appear before him for many reasons: to proclaim his triumph through it; to show that he died for all men, so that the evil will have no excuse; for the glory of those who have served him faithfully. St Augustine says: You have seen the wonderful power of this cross. The sun’s light is obscured, the moon is hidden from our eyes; but the cross shines more brightly than all the stars of heaven, blotting out their splendour with its own. Just as a king, on entering a city, is preceded by his troops, with his banner waving in the breeze and the sound of music announcing his coming; so, when Christ comes, the angels will go before him, bearing his personal standard, that is to say, lifting up over his shoulders the triumphal banner of the holy cross. St John Chrysostom says: The Lord brings the cross with him as a silent accusation against the evil doers; just as one who is stoned to death accuses his executioner by rhe mere presentation of his garments torn by the stones and stained with his blood. They will weep as they see his cross, because they will then realize that they did not take advantage of the death of Jesus and crucified him whom they should have adored. These considerations lead us to meditate on the fact that it is by the cross that we are brought to the light—Per crucem ad lucem. Through Christ’s obedience even unto the death on the cross, he came to his glory. Then as now, the cross, sign of contradiction, of opprobrium and shame, reveals the secret thoughts of the good and the wicked. From the time of Calvary the world has been divided into two camps, those who love the cross and those who hate it. Now, at the judgement the same division will be made. The book of Wisdom describes the despair of those who realize, Avhen it is too late, the error of their ways (Wis. 5. 6-13). FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT ΙΟ our own Assize Courts.) Notice, too, that this is the first time in such circumstances that Christ is called King (Matt. 25. 34), to remind us of the triple power of the Son of God, that of legislator, administrator, and judge! Those who did not admit his power as ruler will fall beneath his power as their judge. The reasons given for the reward of the blessed and the con­ demnation of the wicked are not exclusive, but illustrate the fact that many things will come under consideration, but principally mercy and care for our neighbour’s good. The contrast should also be noted : heaven was prepared for all men, hell, for the devil and his angels. If man falls into that it is his own fault. 5. Conclusions: Encouragement : Lift up your heads . . . Luke 21. 28. These words are most im­ portant from the liturgical point of view, because they are words of encouragement and support for us all. The full redemption is at hand and we should be glad of that fact. In spite of Christ’s redemption, we are still subject to many ills of body and soul. Even after the particular judgement we shall still be subject to the tomb—but for a time only. The day of the general judgement will bring us complete freedom. The redemption of mankind has three stages in its development : i. in the Old Law sins were forgiven and grace received, but in such a way that the flood was not abundant nor the ritual com­ plete; neither were the gates of heaven opened. They were as children, according to the Pauline idea. ii. after the coming of Christ we have the full rights as sons of God, but our bodies are still subject to concupiscence and death. iii. confirmation. This generation will not have passed. ... If this means the Jew'ish people then the significance is obvious; if it refers to the end of the world then the word generation will apply to either the Jewish people or to humanity as a whole. Though heaven and earth should pass away.... Notice the firm­ ness of the divine word compared to the passing nature of this universe. As St Teresa said: Only God remains! SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM In Hom. 76 in Matt, the Saint explains the theme of today’s Gospel (cf. PG. 58. 694). We shall also give a translation of other passages from his w'orks in which he deals with the general argument of this Sunday. THE FATHERS Some moral applications: (a) What we lose through not making some small efforts: 1 weep to think of how much glory we shall lose for ever simply because we will not make a small effort. Even if much were demanded of us and even though the law were a heavy burden, we would still be bound to keep it. . . . Our worst suffering, apart from that of hell itself, will be the thought of the glory we have lost through the desire to avoid a little hard work. In spite of the fact that time is short and the labour demanded of us slight, we are still remiss and apathetic. . . . You fight on earth and receive a reward in heaven. You run in the race for a few days and win infinite centuries of glory gained through that race. Our fight is in a corruptible body; the honours of our triumph are in an incorruptible and glorified body. ¥ •I •ξ (b) Making use of labours and sufferings which we cannot avoid: 1 ? It is wise to remember that, even though we may choose to suffer some things for Christ, there are other sufferings we cannot avoid, no matter how we try. Even though we must die for Christ, that does not mean that we can avoid death ; nor can we take our riches with us into the next life just because we choose to renounce them for Christ’s sake. Christ demands from you those things which you would have to give him, even if he did not demand them. He only wishes you to do with pleasure those things which you would have to do in any case. His one aim is that you should do them for him.... Do you see how easy the struggle really is ? The money you thought of giving, give it to me, he says. I will pay you better interest and with greater security. That body, which you thought of enlisting under another’s banner, enrol under mine, because the rewards I pay are greater than those of others.... Alas ! When it is a case of others, you will always choose the one who pays you most. It is only in the case of Christ, the most generous of all, that you refuse to admit him or apply this principle. . . . Yet his love is so great. If you wish to lend to him, he is always ready to admit your loan. Should you wish to sow, he will pay for the seed. As for building, he will give you the site. Why do you run after men, who are powerless to help you? Instead seek after God, who in return for little things gives you great gifts. Yet we insist in seeking after those things which only lead to wars, conflicts, quarrels and calumnies. (c) In Christ we have all things: Is he not being merely just when he punishes and rejects us, who have already rejected and despised him ? He offers himself to us in ever}' way. He says to us : If you wish for beauty, then clothe yourself I if F. 12 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT in mine; to arm yourselves, here are my arms. My table is yours, my way is open to you. Should you wish to inherit, you are my heirs.... I do not ask you to pay anything for what I give you. Rather, I would be your debtor, since I ask you to make use of all that is mine.... I am your friend, your member, your brother and sister; I am your mother—everything. All I ask is to be an intimate of yours. I am poor for you, a beggar for your sake, buried for you, after a dire crucifixion. In heaven for you before God, your Father; on earth, his legate before your eyes. You are everything to me—my brother, co-heir and fellow member of the Body. What more do you require ? Why will you labour for the world, rejecting him who loves you so much ? (d) The Holy Ghost, pledge of the resurrection of the body: Do not imagine that the Holy Spirit is idle in your souls. Even now the effects of his work endure and we receive gifts which are far and away above the miracles which the Apostles worked in his name. To raise a man from the dead is less important than giving life to a soul—a thing which happens every day in baptism. The cure of a sick person is less difficult than the lifting of the burden of sin; while restoring sight to the blind is nothing compared with the flooding of a soul with light. If you were not in possession of these divine pledges through the Holy Spirit then there would be no baptism, no pardon for sins, no redemption, no justice or sanctification nor a share in his sacraments. The mystical flesh and blood cannot be with him, nor can priests receive ordination unless he descends upon them. . . . You have received the pledge of the Spirit, then, the life of the soul. Have no doubts about the future. Meditate on the resurrection and make yourselves worthy of this dogma through your holiness of life. Π. ST EPHRAEM On the Second Coming and the Last Judgement * Patience: Listen to Paul, who says that a man will reap those things which he has sown. Sow in the spirit, that you may reap the harvest of life everlasting. Do not neglect your task, but set before your eyes the goal of hope, for where there is contest there is also reward ; in war there are victories and also a crown. Looking to this end, anoint yourself with the virtue of patience. Go forth bravely and till your field—that field which is this present life; taking with you the hoe of the Old and New Testament. Put a hedge of thorns about it, which is the prayer and fasting you shall do for the Lord, together with doctrine. If you are protected by this enclosure the devil shall not invade you at any time.... * Vossio, St Ep hrasm, i, i6r. THE FATHERS I3 Yet be watchful of your enemy, because he may seek to possess your soul as a field and sow there his unclean and unfitting thoughts. Resist and oppose him with the shield of faith; put on the helmet of hope and draw the sword of the spirit, which is God’s word. So armed, stand fast against him, standing fast and showing your­ self sober and vigilant in all things. We are not ignorant of his designs. . . . Therefore let the fear of the Lord be always in your hearts; which does not mean that you must be a timid soldier nor a lazy, slothful workman. Do not reject the crown prepared for you, for while time is short, the judgement is long. . . . For your sword, take into your hand the fear of the Lord and hold it fast, for the fear of God is like a two-edged sword, cutting off every desire. Be mindful at all times of the last dreadful day, when the heavens shall be consumed with fire, and the earth, together with all that is on it, shall perish. That day when the stars shall fall like leaves, the sun refuse to give its light and the moon be darkened. . . . What place then for avarice, that desire for earthly possessions from which springs hardness of heart? Where the swollen pride which disposes of all things and believes that it alone exists ? Where now the fleeting and vainglory and success in this life; the human might, the tyrant or the king ?... Think upon the end of sinners, as they are led before that mighty tribunal. What terrors will lay hold on them in the presence of the just Judge, having no means of escape before them, no refuge to which they can flee! The shame that will be theirs as they are placed at the left hand of the king, the gloom that will cover them as he falls upon them in his anger !... Where then shall be the false pleasure of sin, since there is no other joy than to fear the Lord and love him in whom alone there is true happiness ? Then sinners shall curse themselves and the evil they have done and confess that the judgement of God is just, saying : We used to hear of these things but we took no notice of them and would not cease from our evil ways. But then, at that moment, it will avail nothing so to speak of that which is past and gone. The time has been lost and nothing can restore it to us. Since, then, I have sinned, to you do I come, O Lord, because of your great mercy. I have provoked you to anger, but because of your clemency I seek you now. I have spurned you in the past, but because of your goodness and mercy I return to you, with a plea for mercy.... I have provoked you to anger, and now I fly to your mercy. I have spurned you, yet because of your supreme goodness and kind­ ness I return to you ... I have nothing to offer you; no good work, not even a clean heart. Relying only on your mercy I beg of you to create a clean heart in me and strengthen me with a perfect spirit, that I may not speedily fall back into sin. From this day I shall serve vou in holiness and justice all the days of my life. 2 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 14 ΠΙ. ST AUGUSTINE (He has two sermons on the same theme, that ofPs. 49. 3, from which we shall quote some passages only. Cf. PL. 38, 124 and 128.) Christ speaks though the mouth ofpreachers: Christ has not ceased to speak to us, if we refer to that doctrinal teaching which is necessary for our salvation. In former times he spoke through the prophets, then he himself addressed us and even now we have his words in Holy Scripture. He also speaks to us through our preachers, when they speak to us of his truth. . . . No; Christ is not silent. What is required is that we should hear him in our hearts, with those ears of which he spoke when he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 1. The responsibility of the preacher: Such words (those of Ezech. 3. 5-7) terrify me, because they are the mirror in which we should contemplate the prelates, whom God has placed over you to speak to you in his name. I look at myself in such a mirror; do you in like manner. I must obey the command which I have heard : Sinner if I threaten with death, and warning thou give him none to leave off his sinning, die he shall, as he deserves to die, but thou for his death shall answer to me. If warning thou givest, and he will not leave off his sinning, he dies by his own fault, and thou shalt stand acquitted (Ezech. 33. 8-9). This is the reason why I preach to you, to save my own soul, because if I did not, then I would run grave risk of losing it. And since I fulfil my obligation, take heed then of the danger in which you find yourselves. What is my desire and my intention ? Why do I speak and seat myself in this place ? Why do I live, except for one purpose, that we all may live in Christ Jesus! This is my desire, my honour and my glory, my joy and riches. If I preach and you refuse to hear me, then, certainly I shall save myself, but I do not wish to save myself without you all. 2. 3. Sinners do not listen to the voice of Christ: Those men who think only of this life, and not of the future, see that both the good and evil things here below are common to all men, whether bad or good. If they desire riches, they see rich men who are evil and other rich men who are good. If they are terrified at the miseries of this life and its sufferings, they observe that both the good and the wicked have to endure them alike. From this they tend to conclude in their heart of hearts that God does not turn his eyes on human things nor bother himself with their government. Yet it is possible to discover that God does observe the things of this world and that, on occasion, he does judge them here and now, not leaving it until later. He puts off that judgement as he pleases. THE FATHERS 15 And why does he act thus ? Because if he were always to defer judge­ ment wc might think there was no God; and on the other hand, were he to judge everything now, then there would be nothing left for the other judgement. If he leaves a great deal for the day of judgement and still judges some things now, it is so that they may fear and repent to whom he extends this added chance, giving them time. God, to tell the truth, does not like to condemn, but to save. That is why he has patience with the wicked, so as to turn their hearts towards good. Therefore, brethren, do not hold these faults as small ones— faults to which you have perhaps already become accustomed. Custom tends to make us appreciate little the gravity of sin. The man who becomes hardened loses his sensibility. Λ thing which is already corrupt suffers no pain, not because it is healthy, but because it is dead. If we pinch ourselves in some part and it hurts, that is a sign either of health or at least of the hope of a cure. If it does not hurt us, it may be necessary to cut it off, as being already dead. He ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of God, from whence he will come again one day to judge the living and the dead. But meanwhile he is silent. ... Do you hear his voice when you commit your adulteries, thinking that no one sees you just because there is no human eye upon you ? Or when you rob ... ? Listen then to the psalmist : Such were thy ways, and I made no sign, till the wicked thought came to thy heart that I was such as thou art. Among sinners and also among those who feel remorse for their evil, there are many who murmur to themselves that if God were really disgusted by sin, would he allow the wicked to triumph on this earth ? Listen to me. You think that I am like you and that I take pleasure in evil things. . . . 4. Do not delay conversion: He will not hide himself on that day. On the contrary, he will make himself visible, which is the real meaning of the phrase: He will not remain silent. The reader of the gospel has said it today, and no one pays heed to him. The bishop who expounds the gospel says it and is mocked. Will it be the object of ridicule when the omnipotent Judge himself repeats it? . . . Then men will say, with tardy repentance, If we could only return to earth and there put into practice that which we despised. . . . Then they will repent, but it will be a repentance which does not heal, but which only serves for torment. Do you wish for a salutary penance ? Here it is—here and now. Because if you do penance now you will correct your lives and then that chest in which you guard your evil works will empty itself and that of good works will be filled. But perhaps you will say to me that the day of judgement is far off. How do you know that? Is your own day of judgement so far off? How many have gone to their beds healthy and have been dead in ιό FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT the morning! Glass is fragile; but we are even more fragile still . . . our life is so very short, no matter how long we may think it. Every day we assist at the death of someone or other, we attend the funeral services and their burial—yet we continue to promise ourselves a long life. Hardly anyone says: I am going to amend my ways, lest what has happened to this person today should be my lot tomorrow. IV. ST GREGORY THE GREAT (Extracts from Hom. I, in loco. PL. 76, 1077.) Lift up your heads . . . In Scripture the head is often used to mean the soul; therefore to lift up your head means to raise the heart to the joys of our heavenly home. They, therefore, who love God are told to be glad and rejoice at the end of the world, since they will soon meet him whom they love and because that is passing away which they have never loved. ... He who does not rejoice at the end of the world testifies in that fact that he is its friend, and at the same time an enemy of God. This should be far from the faithful, from the hearts of those who, in their faith, believe in a future life and love it in very truth. Only they who have their roots in this world should grieve over the end of it; those who never look for the life to come or who, perhaps, are not even aware that it exists. 1. Look to your heavenly home, to the end of the journey : We who have learned of the joys of our home in heaven should hasten towards it as quickly as possible, desiring to go there with all haste and to arrive by the shortest way. And how the world, with its miseries, urges us on! What sorrow or misfortune is there that does not press upon us? What is this mortal life but a road, a journey ? And what folly it would be to be weary with fatigue and not eager to end the journey ? 2. My words shall not pass away: All this is confirmed under a mighty pledge when he says : Amen I say to you. . . . Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Nothing in this world is more durable than the heavens and the earth, while nothing in the order of nature passes more quickly than the spoken word. Words, so long as they are not complete, are not words ; but once they are completed they cease to be, because they cannot be perfected save in their own destruction. Therefore he says : Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass. As if he were to say openly to us all : All that seems to you to be unchanging and endurable is not endurable or unchanging in eternity. But everything of mine which seems to pass away is, in fact, enduring and without change. For my speech, that passes away, utters thoughts which are to endure for ever. 3. THE FATHERS 17 4. Example from worldly disasters: The day before yesterday, brethren, you will have heard that an ancient plantation was uprooted by a sudden and terrible storm, that houses were destroyed, churches razed to the ground. How many there were who, safe and well on the previous evening, believed that in the morning they would fulfil some task or other. Yet that very night they were overtaken suddenly, caught in the trap of this disaster ? But we must always keep it in mind that, in these happenings, it is the invisible Judge who moves the breath of the faintest breeze and also arouses the fury of the storm or razes the buildings to their very foundations. And what shall happen when he appears visibly and when his anger burns against the wicked, if we cannot now endure his wrath when he inflicts upon us the slightest tempest ? 5. Think on the last end: Reflect with all your minds upon this last day, my brethren. Remedy all that is now defective in your lives and amend your ways. Conquer evil temptations by standing firm against them. Repent with tears for the sins you have committed, for the more you make ready against the severity of his justice by serving him in fear, so much the more serenely shall you behold the coming of the Just Judge. V. ST BERNARD (Some extracts from PL. 183, 35-40 on our Lady, instrument of Christ’s first coming and the way of salvation for us all.) You will already comprehend, if I mistake not, that the royal Virgin is herself the Way through which the Saviour comes to us, coming forth from her womb like a bridegroom coming out of his bridal chamber. Holding fast then, to this way, let us ascend through her to him who, through her, has come down to us. Let us try to reach, by her aid, his divine forgiveness, who came by way of her to take away our sorrow. Through thee we have access to thy son, O blessed discoverer of grace, Mother of life, Mother of salvation! May he forgive us through thee, who by thee was given unto us. May thy blameless virtue plead for us with him, that he may not look upon our cor­ ruption. May thy humility which so pleases God obtain for us the pardon of our pride. Let thy boundless charity cover the multitude of our sins, and thy glorious fruitfulness bring us an abundance of mercies. Our Lady, our Mediatrix, do thou present us to thy Son. Speak for us to him. Grant, O most blessed Virgin, through the graces thou hast earned, through the merits thou hast won, through the mercy thou hast received, that he who deigned by means of thee to become a sharer FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT i8 in our infirmity and sorrow, may, through thy intercession, make us sharers in his glory and in his joy, Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, who is, above all, God the blessed for ever and ever. Amen. SECTION IV. THEOLOGIANS I. ST THOMAS AQUINAS Christ the Judge 1. As Man: To judge the world is proper to God, our Lord by right of creation, the supreme legislator, infinite wisdom. But it has also been given to Christ in his Sacred Humanity, for these reasons : (a) because he is the head of the human race: God has given judicial powers to all those who are placed in authority on earth, in such a way that, when dictating justice, they do it in his name. Having made Christ the head of the whole human race and of the Church, and having subjected all things to him, he has also given to him—and with greater reason—the power of judgement. (b) having fought for justice and having been himself judged; (c) because, by his redemption, he made us his subjects: This by the right of conquest. Creation subjected us to the power of God; redemption to that of Christ (3p. q. 59. a. 2 and Supp. q. 90. a. 1). 2. Qualities of Christ, the fudge: (a) Wisdom : The first quality required in a judge is sufficient knowledge. How great this must be in the case of the sacred humanity, united to the infinite wisdom of God ! (b) His glory: He will come in glory : i. to make up for the ignominy of the passion. They shall look on him whom they pierced—a prophecy which was begun on Calvary, but which will be fully completed when he comes, clothed in his glory of his crucified body. When men shall see the sacred wounds, not as a sign of present weakness, but of that strength which knew how to triumph (Supp. q. 90. a. 2. ad $.m). ii. to make that judgement more glorious. It seems only right that he who is to be judged should appear in the garb of humility ; in the same way the judge should appear full of glory. Even more so when we remember that the judge should be superior in every THEOLOGIANS 19 way to those he judges and at the last judgement there will be among the latter the glorified bodies of those who have risen from the dead. (c) Universal judge: His judgement will be as wide as his kingdom. He redeemed us all, therefore he will be the judge of all. . . . When he judges all our actions we shall realize that all of them have a relation to our ultimate end (3p. q. 59. a. 4). 3. The judgement : St Thomas gives three reasons for the final judgement at the last day: (a) so that the justice of divine providence may be clearly manifested: To that act of creation by which all things came forth from the hand of God there corresponds this further act by means of which they all return to him. The particular judgement might seem suffici­ ent, but the total providence of God and the very nature of man as a social being seem to demand a social and collective restoration. Here in this world Providence often puts off both reward or punishment until later, thus attending, not so much to the good of the individual, but rather to the common good of all, which at times demands such delay. Therefore, so that this providence, w'hich seemed to many to be unjust, should shine forth, it is convenient that it should be publicly and solemnly manifested, together with the reasons behind it. (b) so that society as a whole may be judged : Society as a whole, together with the men who form part of it, merit judgement—there is such a thing as social justice, after all. (c) so that the consequences of our actions may also be judged: The life of man, so far as its effects are concerned, does not end with death. The memory of it remains—those great monuments erected over the tombs of men who were unworthy of them, while great saints lie in obscurity. When can we see the end of the work of saint or heretic ? Just as a man’s actions cannot be judged until after his death, so it is convenient that we should wait until the end of time to judge the total effects of his work (3p. q. 50. a. 4). Π. ST ROBERT BELLARMINE (The Saint has various homilies on the Epistles and Gospels, many of them in the form of sermon plans. Therefore, instead of quoting directly the passages from such works, wc shall attempt to give a scheme of the general plan.) FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT The twofold redemption of mankind I. Accommodated and literal meaning of the texts: The general thought in this homily is that of courage inspired by the total redemption of man which will be accomplished at the day of judgement: Lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand. The phrase we are explaining has two meanings, one accommo­ dated and the other literal, but inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Church is accustomed to choose for her feasts passages which have some connection with the general idea of the day. In this case the accommodated sense is that of encouragement because of the redemption of souls—the first coming of Christ. The literal sense is the redemption of our bodies by the resurrection at the last coming of Christ. 2. Redemption of souls: (a) Man is a sinner, subjected to a threefold servitude: i. Subject to God's anger. Just as a father, offended by his son, deprives him of his inheritance, so God, through the sins of men, deprives them of the privilege of being his sons through grace. What a terrible thing, to be subject to the just indignation of an omnipotent God (Ps. 138. 7). ii. Subject to the devil. Man allows himself to become a voluntary subject of the devil, for which reasons God allows the devil to lead man from sin to sin until he plunges him into hell. Horrible state indeed, because man cannot free himself from it by his own efforts and because the devil desires nothing but evil for man. Those thus subjected are in dire need. iii. Subject to sin itself. It supposes a stain on the soul, a blindness of mind and heart, a turning away of the will from God, also loves and desires which are disordered. Slavery indeed, because by his own power man cannot arise from sin and while he is in that state cannot merit or do any good work. (b) Christ redeemed us from this triple slavery: i. From God's anger. By giving him the honour which is his due. He is the propitiation for our sins . . . and for those of the whole world (1 John 2. 2). He bought us back from the Father, whom he paid in the coin of his perfect obedience, not so as to leave us free from the Father, but so as to unite us once more with him in loving sonship. ii. From the slavery of the devil. By vanquishing the devil and therefore by right of conquest (Luke 11. 22; Col. 2. 15). The devil is now more subject than he was before, because the cross reigns in his place and men of faith need not fear him. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 21 iii. From that of sin. Our Lord’s blood wipes away sin, merits grace for us and gives us an opportunity to free ourselves, through his blood (i Pet. i. 18-19; 1 Cor. 6. 18-20). iv. We should prepare ourselves for his coming. On commemorat­ ing the first coming of Christ we should think of it as taking place here and now. Is he not really and truly born in the souls of those who confess and thus see themselves freed from their sins, those who receive the benefits of the redemption ? This new birth comes to us in baptism and in confession. 3. Redemption of our bodies: (a) Total redemption in the resurrection: i. We are not yet completely redeemed. Our souls are completely redeemed, being able to live free from sin and as sons of God; but our bodies are not. They are still subject to illness, death and the torments of the temptations of Satan and our own passions, which lead us to sin (Rom. 7. 24; 8. 23). ii. Total redemption on the day of the resurrection. Lift up your heads, for your redemption is at hand. Then, in our immortal bodies, we shall be free completely from all ills, spiritual or temporal. Yet they are greater in number who fear that day than those who rejoice and long for it. Most of mankind try to prolong this life, or at least wish to leave their memories alive in statues of bronze or marble. We should be like the pious Jews who prayed that the heavens would rain down the Just One. Even though we may not yet see the signs of the end of the world, the signs of the end of our own life are there, be we old or young. After death will come our particular judgement and the soul will receive its definitive sentence. The body will lie in peace, awaiting its reward. Lift up your heads, therefore. If we do not, it is not merely because we are not perfect, but because we do not even realize our own imperfections. SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA The need for a general judgement (As famous a preacher as he was a saint; Ferrier, his biographer, tells us that the Emperor Charles V and his wife Isabel used to mingle with the crowds to hear him preach. We give here a summary of the ideas contained in one of his sermons on this theme.) 22 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT i. Necessity for the judgement: (a) Man can be judged because he is a free agent—liberty being the source of merit: Man can be judged because of all the creatures on this earth, he is the only one with liberty of action—a wonderful gift to any creature (Ecclus. 15. 14-18). This liberty is the source of merit. Other creatures are good in so far as they fulfil the idea which God has of them, but in the case of man there is also, above and beyond this natural goodness, a moral goodness which consists in his conformity with the law which governs our actions and affections. He can obey this rule—or disobey it. (b) Man should be judged: i. So that he may be a perfect work, coming from the hands of God. ii. So that he may be in line with the rest of creation—ordered to their end. Without any judgement there would be complete chaos . . . un­ punished crimes, virtues without reward. Will we be so bold as to say that God who made the world does not know how to govern it? The world is God’s house, and like every good house, in complete order. If he should allow some disorder, he later applies his justice and from that disorder forges a harmony which makes his wisdom shine forth. The saint gives the example of one who blasphemes, of one who robs the poor and of another who gives free rein to his lust. All of them live in apparent happiness. If they are not punished, then it would be logical to ask: Where is God ? Where is the law, truth, or justice? He ends by saying: The punishment of the wicked and the rewards of the just are necessary to complete and to order the universe. 2. Need for a general judgement : So that reward and punishment may be duly recognized as such by all: You may say to me: But for that all that is necessary is the particular judgement; there is no need for a general one. But virtue does not merely need a reward—it also requires a public admission of the honour due to it. Sin does not merely require punishment, but also public humiliation. Public shame is the best punishment which can be given to a man. You may beat an animal, treat it badly and kill it even ; but you cannot humiliate it. But man, however bad he may be, would prefer any type of punishment rather than public shame. '1; SPIRITUAL WRITERS 23 3. The person of the judge: (a) God himself: No angel will judge us, but God himself, because that is an honour proper to the one who created human nature and united it to his divinity. It is an infallible and divine judgement. (b) in a human form, with full knowledge of our weaknesses : Who would dare to present himself before such a majestic tribunal? Lord, you are good and merciful! But I tremble and fear your face. You have never known our human frailties, which accompany us from our very childhood. Therefore, I beg of you, send us as a judge one who has known our hunger and our sadness ... who has proved in himself the bitter state of man. I will willingly accept such a one as my judge, because he has saved me, and to do so became a servant, was judged himself and was condemned to death. I will not reject him who came as my redeemer. He is of my blood and of my flesh. The Lord hears our pleas; he will not send any other to judge us except his only Son, who was the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. He will not reserve judgement for himself, but has given it into the hands of his Son. (c) Awake from sleep : Seeing that we do not feel any fear when we hear these things, would not anyone say that we act as though they had nothing to do with us ? As if we had not a part to play in these events and as if we would never hear sentence pronounced against us ? Yet time presses, and when we least expect it the day will come. St Paul and the Lord himself both give us due warning, now is the time for us to rise from sleep. How he will rejoice who has not been deaf to those words! 4*. Π. BOSSUET (Summary and extracts from schemes prepared for sermons in the church of St Thomas.) A: The three motives for divine justice i. Introduction: Fear, the beginning of love: Fear goes before love; and it is necessary that man should learn to fear God before we talk to him of confidence, because otherwise that confidence could degenerate into temerity. Shortly the Saviour will come, full of grace and truth, but the Church, who during Advent prepares you for his coming, makes fear lead the way. (Λ J 24 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2. Divine justice irritated: (a) First motive: His power despised (Lev. 26. 21-30): In this text there is reference to human liberty, because what God wishes from us is that we should do voluntarily that which we are bound to do by nature—sen e him. If we refuse him our obedience then it is we ourselves who give him a just title to punish us. Yet with this liberty we fight against God, breaking both tables of the law. Christ came down from heaven to destroy his enemies with one breath; but the weak has arisen against the strong one of God, who offered him peace. Instead, he chose war. Who will win ? If we could obtain happiness by fighting against God, then God would not be God. There is no chance for us in such a fight, because I he forces are not equal, and if we persevere in such evil ways, then we shall be destroyed. (b) Second motive: love offended by ingratitude (Deut. 28.63): An angry God shows himself to men in thunder and lightning; but he is even more terrible when he shall come armed only with his favours and seated on the throne of his graces. Love which is despised, rejected, unable to do any more because of the excess of the abundance of its favours, tends to stop the wells of grace and open up that of revenge.... From whence do you think those flames come which devour ungrateful Christians? From the very altars, from the sacraments, from those wounds and from that side which was opened on the cross to be a very fount of love and graces. God’s graces are not lost; God collects them within himself and there they are transformed into fiery darts to wound those who are ungrateful. Thus, ever living, yet dying always; immortal for suffering, too strong to die and too weak to face their torments, they shall groan eternally on their beds of flames. For ever they will carry with them the infinite weight of so many sacraments profaned, so much grace rejected; no less afflicted and weighed down by the goodness of God than by the intolerable weight of his revenge. (c) Third motive: His sovereignty violated (Deut. 28. 47-48): No empire was so just, for by creation we are his subjects and by redemption we are his sons. We carry his seal, created to his image and stamped by his Holy Spirit. It is a gentle reign, because it is a natural one. All who live in that state demanded by their nature are at peace. No one knows better what is good for us than he who made us; and no one can give us better gifts, because God is all-powerful. What should be the reward of those who refuse to submit to such a gentle government ? Instead of a sweet yoke they will find one of iron; instead of their true Lord, one who is a usurper; in place of abundance, hunger, thirst and dire misery. Do I have to tell you '71 SPIRITUAL WRITERS 25 who he is that God will raise up as your enemy against you? It is he who, having declared himself to be God’s enemy yet unable to prevail against him, turned against those who are made in God’s image. Them he attempts to destroy and dishonour, pretending thus to obtain his revenge. We should remember our baptism, when the priest said to Satan: Leave him, unclean spirit . . . and give place to the living and true God. . . . When we sin then we erect once more that throne of Satan in our souls; corrupting our very baptism, we give rise again to that empire of iniquity, wiping away the cross of Christ impressed on our fore­ heads, rejecting his holy anointing which had made us kings, Christs, anointed ones of God. 3. Conclusion: The Lord, vested with all his rights against sinners, will come to establish his throne for ever. Let us throw ourselves into the waters of baptism once again, through the sacrament of penance, never to leave them again until Christ calls us and leads us out of them. B: On the hardening of the heart of the sinner* Introduction: Now is the time for us to awaken from our sleep. In the very court itself there are many who lie asleep, with a mortal lethargy in their hearts. ... He alone is awake who is prepared to attend to his own salvation. . . . That is the reason why the Church reads to us this day the story of the last judgement; and that is why I appeal to you all in those words : Now is the time ! 1. The proposition: The cause of the sins and disasters of the human race is a lack of vigilance. If this is necessary to prevent sin it is just as necessary if the sinner is to arise from his sin and ruin. There are many passages of Scripture which repeat this warning: Watch! 2. 3. First part: Hardness ofheart of the sinner: (a) Not to think of God and his justice is a kind of atheism: Let the sensual man be on his guard, lest God should abandon him and allow him to fall into the true atheism. But there is another kind of atheism, that of those who do not think of God, even though they profess to believe in him. If we do not think of a thing it is almost as if it did not exist for us. You ♦ This sermon had a special reason for being preached as it is, because it was delivered in the court of Louis XIV on 1 December 1669, when the king’s way of life was a scandal to many. It is a good example of Bossuet’s genius as a preacher and as a diplomat that he was free to preach it and had no hesitation in doing so. 26 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT give yourselves up to your pleasures and live in the midst of criminal delights, without even the suspicion that he who has forbidden such things will come suddenly to disturb your pleasures with the rigours of his justice. (b) The reason for this hardness of heart: This lack of awareness has its explanation in the limitations of our understanding, which is self-centred. When we are angry we think that everyone else is the same; when we sleep we think that all the world is drowsy. When the sinner lies in idleness, in the midst of his pleasures and impenitence, he thinks that God also sleeps. But even though those unfaithful women, those men who are themselves corrupt and who also corrupt others, may try to hide themselves in the darkness of the night. . . . they will be brought to light on that day which the Lord hath made. I do not wish to speak to you merely of the judgement and of hell, but to make you see, in the midst of that spiritual blindness in which you live, that your very calmness is your worst punishment. At times an angry God keeps his anger in check within him; then the sinner, who all the time marvels at his own prosperity and tranquillity, thinks that he has nothing to fear. This is the worst of punishments; it is the sleep which kills but does not heal. The Fathers say that the more severe the sinner is with himself the more kind God is in his judgements of him. But when we have the misfortune to reach an agreement with our own sins, then there is C/ 7 almost no remedy for us. Quoting Isaias 51 as an example, he goes on: This is a perfect image of great sinners who lose all thought of God. They sin without scruple, remember their sin without sorrow’, confess without true compunction, fall again without fear, persevere in their sin without becoming uneasy, and end by dying without repentance. 4. Second part: The lazy: Watch, because you do not known when your Lord will come. Time, says St Augustine, tends to imitate eternity in this, that day follows day, and we do not give heed to the passing of time. There­ fore, watch. Some try to give the lie to God and say to him : I will get in before your judgement and go to confession before I die. But that day is a secret known only to God himself. Even the end of the world, in spite of the signs prophesied by our Lord, will be a sudden thing. Death lies hidden in the air we breathe, in our food, even in our medicines. That was God’s will. Augustine says: The last day is hidden so that wre may watch every day. Even though we were sure to live a long time, still the habits of sin will be stronger than our wills. The preacher recalls the sin of the ancients who accused Susanna and those of Solomon in his old age. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 27 Do not deceive yourselves. When that passion which now dominates you, that secret tyranny of your heart, has lost its force, you will not be free because of that. If you do not watch, another vice will take its place. There will be a successor of the same category. He gives the example of one who walks around the palace satisfied with himself, but not understanding that he has already lost the royal favour. God’s justice also has its secrets and at times the sinner, without knowing it, is already condemned. He reminds his hearers that the withdrawing of grace and die hardening of the heart of the sinner arc the greatest of all punishments. He ends with a moving paragraph, addressed directly to the king, which is a model of its kind : O great king, outshining all your predecessors, whom we see occupied with the great business of state, which covers all Europe ! I suggest to your intellect and genius a labour which is more im­ portant and an objective more worthy of your attention—the service of God and of your own salvation. For what will it profit Your Majesty to have lifted your kingdom of France to such a high pinnacle of glory if, after having filled the world with your name and the history of your deeds, you do not consider that those very deeds might have been worth something in the sight of God and be written in the Book of Life? ... If the stars, the elements, those tremendous works which the hand of God appeared to have con­ structed for all eternity, see themselves threatened with ruin and destruction, what will be the fate of the deeds done by men ? Do you not see those flames, which devour in one day cities, fortresses, palaces and country houses; which envelop in flames and then turn to ashes the monuments of kings. Where is the greatness of those things which will one day be nothing but dust ? There are other deeds, other writings—for God keeps the diary of our lives. ni. DOM COLUMBA MARMION (Both in Christ, the Life ofthe5ozz/andalso inChrist inhis Mysteries he develops the idea of Christ presenting his Church triumphant to the Father, in total union with him at the day of judgement.) Christ asks for this glory: I have glorified thee on earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now glorify thou me, O Father, with thyself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with thee. . . . Father, I will that where I am, they also whom thou hast given me may be with me; that they may see my glory which thou hast given me (John 17. 4-5, 24). Christ Jesus first asks that his Sacred Humanity may share in that glory which the Word possesses from all eternity. Then, as Christ I. r •i ♦ : 28 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT never separates himself from his mystical body, he asks that his disciples and all those who believe in him, may be associated with him in that gloiy. It is his will that we should be ‘where he is’. And where is he? In gloria Dei Patris: in the glory of God the Father. There is the final term of our predestination, the consummation of our adoption, the sumnut of our perfection, the plenitude of our life. Let us hear how St Paul sets forth this truth. After having said that God, who wills us to be holy, has predestined us to be made conformable to the image of his son, in order that this Son may be the Firstborn among many brethren, he immediately adds: And whom he predestined, them also he called. And whom he called, them he also justified. .And whom he justified them he also glorified. These words point out the successive phases of the work of our sanctification: namely our predestination, and vocation in Christ Jesus, our justification by grace, which makes us the children of God, and our supreme glorification, assuring eternal life to us. 2. The work of Christ is to bring us divine life: I have come that they may have life. But the only true life is that which is eternal. All our knowledge and all our love of the Father and his Son, Jesus, must tend to the eternity of that life which makes us children of God. Haec est vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum Deum verum et quem misisti, Jesum Christum. Here on earth it is always pos­ sible for us to lose the divine life which Christ gives us through grace; only death ‘in the Lord’ fixes and assures this life to us in a permanent manner. The Church notes this truth in calling the day on which the Saints enter into eternal possession of this life their ‘birthday’ : Natalitia. The life of Christ in us here below by grace is like the dawn of day; it only attains its noon-tide—a noon-tide without decline—if it comes to its fulness in glory. Baptism is the source whence this divine river rises; but this river, which makes glad the city of souls, flows at last into the ocean of eternity. That is why we shall have only an incomplete idea of the life of Christ in our souls if we do not contemplate the end which, of its nature, it must reach. 3. Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Apoc. 19. 6-9) : This is only a shadow of the divine reality of the beatitude awaiting us. We received the germ of it at baptism. But this germ needs to grow, to develop, to be secured against briars and stones ; by penance we have put away from it all that could destroy or diminish its growth; we have maintained it by the Sacrament of life and by the practice of the virtues. The divine life communicated to us by Christ now remains hidden in us: Vita vestra abscondita est cum Christo in Deo. But in heaven it is revealed, its splendour appears, its beauty is manifested. . . . SPIRITUAL WRITERS 29 There is yet something more. We shall enjoy God according to the measure of grace that we have attained at the moment of our going out of the world. Do not let us lose sight of this truth: the degree of our eternal beatitude is and will remain fixed for ever by the degree of charity we have attained, by the grace of Christ, when God shall call us to himself. Each moment of our life is then infinitely precious, for it suffices to advance us a degree in the love of God, to raise us higher in the beatitude of eternal life. And let us not say that one degree more or less is a small matter. How can anything be a small matter when it concerns God, and the endless life and beatitude of which he is the source ? If, according to the parable spoken by our Lord in person, we have received five talents, it was not that we might bury them, but that we might make them bear increase. . . . Let us then be vigilant ever to put away from us the obstacles that might lessen our union with Jesus Christ; to let the divine action penetrate us deeply, and the grace of Jesus act so freely within us that we may ‘come to the fulness of the age of Christ’.... Therefore let no suffering cast you down; ‘for that which is at present light and momentary of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.’ Let no temptation hold you back, for if you are found faithful in the hour of trial, the hour will come when you will receive the crown which will be given to you on entering into the true life ‘which God hath promised to them that love him’. Let no senseless joy seduce you, ‘for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ Time is short, and the world passes away. That which does not pass away is the word of Jesus Christ: Verba autem mea non transibunt. These words are for us the principle of divine life: Spiritus et vita sunt. IV. BEDE JARRETT, O.P. (From his Meditations for Layfolk we have selected the meditation on the Judgement.) i. Perhaps for many the terrors of death are as nothing compared with the terrors of judgement. . . . Even the saints can do little for us, for the judgement must be righteous and just, and this means assuredly that God cannot go out of his path of justice because of the pleading even of those whom he holds dear. What else indeed is the judgement, as far as we can grasp it, but the naked setting of our soul as it is now at this moment in the sight of God. He knows absolutely the state of my whole being. He knows what I do not, whether I am worthy of love or hatred. To me that blinding vision may be a tremendous revelation, a rolling back of all sorts of hidden 30 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT curtains with which I had shrouded my soul from my own gaze; all the little deceptions that I had practised on myself, the little ways in which I had hoodwinked my conscience and pretended to myself that I did not think that in certain things I had done there was any great sin. Many times I had salved the conscious pricks of my heart by distinctions and devices: now in a flash all these are laid bare. 2. Nay, so lonely shall I be that even the very judge may be none other than myself. To the Son, indeed, is given all judgement: he must apportion the praise and the blame, the rewards of the punish­ ment. Yet in that moment, when the veils of ignorance and deceit are tom from my eyes, I must become awfully conscious of the pageant of my life. I can need no external voice to point out to me the evils of my life, for the loud cry of conscience itself will be the sole decisive voice required. . . . Deserted therefore even by one’s own pride, conceit, one’s fond hopes that all was w'ell—oh, the biting, piercing loneliness of that utter desolation ! 3. Yet even so, there is consolation for us. There will be One who will be to us, then, a comfort, a refuge, a hope. The very’ figure of the Judge will be itself the sole sight that will give us any gleam of brightness in so horrid a scene. The five great wounds—will not their light illuminate even the dark corners of the stricken soul and give it hope in the weary’ waste of its bitter isolation ? Through him will all our good actions take on an infinite value. The comfort that he himself has given in his own wonderful description of that day is found in the gracious text: ‘Inasmuch as you did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it to me.’ . . . Thus through the terrors and horrors of the awful judgement there will always be the light lit by friendship; the unswerving love that we have shown to him who is ever faithful will not be forgotten : there can be no loneliness so long as he is there. SECTION VI. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. THE TENTS OF TAMERLANE The story’ is told of the cruel emperor Tamerlane that, whenever he surrounded a city, it was his custom to put up three tents of different colours on different days. On the first day the tent would be a white one, on the second its colour would be red, on the third day black. By this he gave the inhabitants to understand that, if they chose to surrender the city’ to him on the first day, they would all find him merciful to them. Should they wait until the second day then he would put to death the principal dignitaries of the city HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 31 while sparing the rest. But the third tent had the colour of mourning to signify to them that, if they had not surrendered by that time, they would find the gates of mercy entirely closed to them, and that all, great or small, rich and poor, men, women and children, together with the entire city, would perish. Jesus Christ, emperor of the heavens, at the time of his first coming on earth, set up a white tent, as a sign of peace and mercy. Peace on earth to men of good will, was his message. The second day was the Passion, when he erects the red tent, because although there is mercy for the guilty, still it has been purchased by blood—the blood of our Head, on whom bloody justice was done so that the people might go free. But on the day of judgement he will come as the Judge and, nubes et caligo in circuitu eius (Ps. 96. 2), in a black cloud, like a black tent, as a sign that there is now no pardon for those who are his enemies, but only strict justice, cruel war, and the fire of destruction. Then justice and judgement will be the foundations of his tribunal. (Adapted from Fray Alonso de Cabrera, serm. 2, on the 1st Sunday of Advent.) II. ST PHILIP NERI AND THE YOUNG MAN In the life of St Philip there are many stories of his power and genius as a confessor. On one occasion a young man asked him to hear his confession, and when the absolution had been given Philip began to question the youth about his life and his future. ‘What are you going to do with your life ?’ asked Philip. ‘At the moment I am studying law,’ replied the young man. ‘And then ?’ said Philip. Oh, then I shall go into my father’s business and work with him for a while until I establish my own.’ ‘And then ?’ ‘Well, I presume that I shall get married and have a family.’ ‘And then ?’ T suppose that, like all men, I shall live to care for my family, grow old in their service and then die.’ At this point Philip turned and looked at him closely before he continued : ‘And then ?’ . . . The young man went away and, it is reported, became a Carthusian monk. FIRST SUNDAY OF ADA ENT SECTION VII. SERMON SCHEMES I. LITURGICAL A: The beginning of the liturgical year: Put on Christ The ideal of the Christian life: our likeness to Christ: The spiritual life has as its one aim to produce in us the image of Christ. It is not a mere question of possession of sanctifying grace and its conservation in us until death, but a thinking like Christ, actins like him and making our own his sentiments and his virtues (Phil. 2. 5). 1. (a) The final end of the present economy of grace is our likeness to Christ: God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son (Rom. 8. 29). (b) This assimilation imites us to the Trinity: By it we are members of God’s family, we enter into intimate social relations with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2. 18). 2. The liturgy—an authentic method instituted by Christ to make souls like unto him: (a) An annual programme of intellectual renovation : If the faithful will only consent to follow Christ step by step through the liturgical year, their progress will be certain. This programme can be summed up thus : to make the Christian participate in the sentiments of Christ in his various mysteries and so to make him live the life of God. (b) Moral renovation: i. each feast proposes to us the virtues we should imitate here and now; ii. to attain this, to each feast there are special graces attached. •Λ 3. This programme is attained through the different feasts, the centre of which is the Holy Mass and the frequenting of the Sacraments. B : The Christian during Advent Preparation for Christmas: Christ was born of our Lady in Bethlehem, and the Jews prepared for his coming in the old Law through the directions given them by the prophets. On Christmas Day the Church commemorates this coming of Christ. But it is not a mere memory—there is a reality behind it. The graces of that first coming will, in some wav, be granted to the modem world and to each of the faithful. Not all I. 41 SERMON SCHEMES 33 will receive those graces, but only those who have prepared them­ selves for them, just as not all received Christ in Bethlehem. 2. Three figures: Isaias, the Baptist, and Mary: In these three we can see the ideal preparation for the coming of Christ. These three persons knew how to wait for the Messias in whom they firmly believed, and therefore they appear repeatedly in the liturgy of Advent. (a) Isaias : Prayer : He is the prophet who had the clearest vision of the Messias, for which reason he has been called the Evangelist of the Old Testa­ ment. He saw that the promised Liberator would come, therefore in the name of Israel and in that of the whole human race he sighed and longed for his coming (Isaias 45. 8). The Church also sighs for his coming and uses the very prayers of Isaias to express her desire. We, too, must pray—and that is the first condition for a true, perfect preparation—that God may send upon us his Christ, his Messias and our Redeemer. (b) The Baptist: Austerity of life: The mission of the Baptist was to prepare the way for the coming of Christ; therefore he does it by preaching a baptism of penance for the remission of sins, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. His very figure, in the desert, in camel’s hair garments and living on rough food, is a reminder that we should do penance. The Church reminds us of this by her penitential liturgy during this season and she also preaches to us austerity of life. In the olden days these were weeks of fasting, -which has now been suppressed; but the spirit of austerity still remains. We should live by it. (c) Mary: Grace and the virtues: The Church could not leave out the one who was most closely concerned with the coming of Christ on earth. She will help us to prepare for that coming in the liturgical season. Her Immaculate Conception was the very beginning of the Redemption itself and the guarantee of the coming of the Messias. This feast reminds us that Christmas is at hand and preaches to us the characteristic of the feast itself: hatred of sin, flight from temptation, occasions of sin; sanctifying grace, the virtues and purity of life. 3. The final coming of Christ is yet another reason why we should be careful to prepare for this coming at Christmas. The Church puts before us yet another reason why we should prepare for this coming at Christmas—as we receive him now, so he will receive us at his last coming. This is the relation between the Gospel of today and the whole spirit of Advent. At his second coming not all 1*1 r· R f V 34 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT will lift up their heads or rejoice in it, but only those who knew how to receive him when he came in humility, poverty and patience. Those knew how to make the most of his first coming. II. THE EPISTLE A: The hour to awaken from sleep Sleep—dream state: Cf. Exegetic and Moral notes. (a) Something which, when the light appears, has no reality (John Chrysostom) ; (b) the light by which to judge our actions is that of the judgement ; (c) in the judgement it will be plain that everything which has no relation to God is but a dream; i. because it is evil—hence the condemnation of the wicked (Matt. 25. 41); ii. as being useless, unworthy of reward. Affairs W'hich occupy us to such an extent that we have no time for spiritual things. 1. 2. Awake—but how ? (a) By a renunciation of all that is prejudicial to our salvation and unreal. Abnegantes ... (Tit. 2. 12); (b) and acting on reality only: Sobrie et juste vivamus . . . (Tit. ibid.). Not as foolish men, but as wise ones who know how to make use of our time (Eph. 5. 15-16). 3. Conclusion: Thus, when the day of light comes, w e shall merit the reward : Come, ye blessed ... (Matt. 25. 34). B : Putting off the works of darkness 1. The works of darkness in Scripture: Cf. Exegetic and Moral notes. (a) punishment for sin: i. in the temporal order. Cf. Isaias 59. 8-12. ii. in the eternal order, the ‘exterior darkness’ of Matt. 8. 12 ; 22. 13. (b) Error and sin . . . Works of sin are error and darkness (Ecclus. 11. 16). 2. These works of darkness can be summed up in a refusal to accept Christ, who is the Light shining in the darkness, which could not understand the light (John 1. 5). 3. He who hates his brother also walks in darkness and does not follow Christ (1 John 2. 8-11). SERMON SCHEMES 35 C: The armour of light Arms of light, works of light, the life of the light: Cf. Exegetic and Moral notes. Thus is the work and the life in God. To this sense we can apply the idea of St Augustine, that when God made the light he also made the angels, some of whom fell, and thus gave rise to darkness. The light is God’s work, darkness that of the fallen angels. 1. i 2. Light and truth are the same thing: The devil, according to Christ, is a being who did not know how to remain in the truth, who is the father of lies, just as he is of darkness. 3. Let us walk in the light, practising truth by the way of light: (a) There is one path laid down by God which is common to all mankind—that of the commandments: He who keeps the commandments walks in the light, walks towards God who is a light in whom there is no darkness (1 John 1. 5). I (b) Those who have lost their way: Humanity, apart from God, walks in darkness. Man is lost, falls and dies. The same is true of nations. 4. Let us come to the light: St John writes: Anyone who acts shamefully hates the light, will not come into the light, for fear that his doings will be found out. Whereas the man whose life is true conies to the light, so that his deeds may be seen for what they are, deeds done in God (John 3. Lead us to the light, Lord that we may walk in thy truth. May we ever be clothed in the light and walk the way of truth, seeking the light of men, full of grace and truth, Christ in the flesh. May we never be part of the darkness, through our evil deeds, nor merit only to live in eternal darkness. I ΙΠ. THE GOSPEL A: The value of time At the very beginning of the liturgical year and in the presence of the judgement at which all the moments of our lives will be passed in review, we have to exhort the faithful to make the best use of their time on earth. Therefore the Church: (a) makes us read that passage from the Epistle of Paul (Rom. • Λ J ' * J j6 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) presents to us in the Gospel the final judgement which will come as a surprise. (c) From both we should learn the lesson of the value of time and the rapidity with which it slips through our fingers. Do men know, as a rule, the value of time? (a) We are not speaking of the habitual sinner; for him St Paul reserves one of his most severe admonitions: Thou, by the stubborn impenitence of thy heart, dost continue to store up for thyself retribution against the day of retribution, when God will reveal the justice of his judgements (Rom. 2. 5). (b) We are speaking of those who, without falling into grave sin, at least not all the time, live in a sterile routine, without thinking about anything else. i. Life slips through the fingers of most of us without our realizing it. It can be said that today does not worry us very much, because it will be followed by tomorrow—and so we lose both of them. ii. This is not altogether due to the monotony of what we have to do, because a monotonous life can still be one which is full of meaning and useful activity’. The learned man in his studies, the professor in his patient investigations are men of fertile lives. So is the ascetic, even after a life-time of the same thing day after day. iii. The uselessness of life and its sterility come from a lack of appreciation of the value of time and its purpose. To be born, to live, to feed onself and reproduce oneself—that is the synthesis of the instinctive life of the animal. Intellectual life, on the other hand, is distinguished from this animal life in so far as it can judge all things in relation to their purpose. In that life man should set a great value on time. 1. 2. The judgement of God gives us an idea of the value of time: (a) Time is something which flows—and has an end : i. if there is anything which seems permanent and settled it is the heavens and the earth. In today’s Gospel we see that they will have an end. Will my life, such a passing thing as it is, not have an end too ? ii. on all sides I am surrounded by the signs of the end which is in sight for me. Where, now, is my childhood; where is youth ? The end will come as a surprise, because men will see the signs of the end of the world and will not understand them. In the same way, I see in others the signs that their lives are reaching their end, but I do not see those signs in my own life. (b) Time has the value of eternity; because eternity is purchased by it: When the Judge asks us to present our account, the only thing we can offer him is the time we have lived. Full, or will it rather be SERMON SCHEMES 37 empty? Time is golden. No; better to say that time is heaven, if w e wish it to be so. 3· Therefore, realizing the value and the passing nature of time: (a) we should not waste it in vain dreams, but should realize that the bad use of it may imply a violent awakening from our lethargy; (b) we should contribute something every day to the edifice of our spiritual lives, to the work of our own perfection; (c) since, after the scrutiny of the last judgement, the only things which remain of value will be our good deeds, let us fill our lives with them. B : Christian optimism All things pass: Illusions are never realized; the reality is sad. For all of us there comes a moment in life when we have to say: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. Or as Sigismund said: In life, all is but a dream, although we do not realize it. In the words of St Teresa of Avila: Let nothing disturb thee, nothing frighten thee, for all things pass. Only God remains. 1. 2. What solution can we give to this pressing problem? That of some modern philosophers, who see in man such an un­ happy being that his only remedy is suicide ? 3. But God never wished for an evil world or one which was overcome by sadness: He looked upon all his works and they were good (Gen. 1. 4, etc.). We have to look towards that which is eternal in us. 4. The last judgement shows us what is of value here below: That which has some relation to eternity. God only remains. 5. Therefore the Christian solution is to put on Christ: (a) To live the life of Christ on earth; real deeds are the deeds of the light. (b) Living in and with Christ, our works have the value of divine grace—the life of God in us. (c) When all that is earthly has passed away, those who have put on Christ will live eternally with Christ. C: The judgement of the good: motive for encouragement i. Our conscience, as sinners, usually presents the judgement to us as something terrible: This is a salutary thought; but the Church also wishes to encourage us, by showing to us the reward which the Lord will give us, in the phrase ‘lift up your heads’. 3 j8 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2. The soul's reward: (a) Not to be compared with the work which merited it: Few people will have suffered as did St Paul, to whom life became almost intolerable. Yet he can say that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with glory (2 Cor. 11. 26; Rom. 8. 18). (b) Without compare in duration. 3. The reward of the body: (a) The soul loves the body as its companion during life; (b) it has subjected the body to discipline ; (c) from which it follows that the soul rejoices when it is once more re-united with its brother, the body, and the latter receives the reward, because it sees itself immortal and free from its former weaknesses. Having served the soul—and Christ—it now sees itself spiritualized and like Christ himself (1 Cor. 15. 43-45; Phil. 3. 21). 4. Made public: The very presence of the wicked : (a) allows us to see clearly the evil we have avoided ; (b) makes us appear wise in the eyes of those who have taken us for fools; (c) shows us as victors over the devil and the world itself. 5. Given a share in the triumph of Christ: (a) on the day of the triumph of Christ and his mystical body; (b) in a final ceremony prepared by the Father in which: i. Christ conquers death, and once the dead have risen again says, O Death, where is thy victory ? ii. Christ is crowned as the centre of all creation ; his enemies beneath his footstool, his friends together with him on his throne (Eph. 2. 6). iii. Christ presents himself to the Father, together with all the just, haring finished his work, to reign now with us for all eternity. 6. Conclusion: When the mother of the Machabees wished to encourage the youngest of her sons to meet his death she said to him : Look around at the heaven and the earth ... (2 Mach. 7. 28). When the struggle on this earth tends to overcome us, let us too look up at the heavens. Lift up your heads! D: The judgement of the sinner The terrible signs of the coming in judgement; the heavenly bodies, the fear of the people, the sound of the trumpets, the coming of Christ in the rôle of judge. SERMON SCHEMES 39 The judge: Christ, God made man: (a) infinitely wise and just; (b) prepared to break that silence which he had observed for so many centuries; (c) angry at love despised, commandments broken, sovereignty I. 2. The accusers: (a) God, who reads us through and through; and who has been so good to us, while we have rejected him; (b) the devil, our enemy; (c) our own conscience and our faith. 3. The judgement: (a) procedure; public and solemn: The condemned, overcome with shame, will pray the mountains and the seas to cover them. (b) material for judgement: i. actions and omissions—thoughts, pleasures, avarice, lust, neglect of the poor and the weak, no works of mercy, etc. ; ii. everything connected with God, yourself and your neighbour. (c) The sentence: i. characteristics: no appeal, definitive, condemned to an eternity of pain in exchange for a moment’s pleasure or the lack of some slight effort. ii. its effects: despair of the damned when they see that others have saved their souls so easily, at the price of a cup of cold water. Dante’s inscription : Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. (d) the hour : When you least expect it; your own judgement may happen at any moment. 4. Conclusion: Now is the time to awaken from sleep: before it is too late; before that day comes upon us. The rich man asked to be allowed to preach the truth of hell to his brethren; he was told that they already had the prophets. We have the Church who preaches this doctrine to us today. E: The three motives for divine justice Within a few days we shall stand in the porch of the stable at Bethlehem : So that we may not be deceived by the humility of that Child, let us see him in that terrible day when he condemns the wicked. I. 1 / f f 1 40 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2. Christ condemns them: (a) because they have despised his power and neglected his commandments; (b) because they have rejected his love, which gave him up for us and which is now changed into justice and anger; (c) because they have rebelled against his sovereignty, exchanged his sweet and gentle reign for that of Satan. 3. At Christmas time we shall go to Bethlehem: And during the whole of our lives we shall go to Christ, hidden in the Eucharist. (a) We will recognize his power by the observance of his law: by the commandments which refer to God and those which touch our neighbour. In the hidden God of today we shall see the legislator of Mt Sinai and the Judge of the world. (b) We will recognize and admit his love, being grateful for it and responding to it: We shall not have to observe the stern law, but the gentle prompt­ ings of love. Love will go beyond mere precepts, and by seeking the will of Jesus we shall observe also the evangelical counsels. We shall do his will : Love one another ! (c) We will admit his sovereignty: He will be to us the king of peace, justice and love, to whom we dedicate, not merely the main room of our house, but the whole edifice, all our being and all our life. 4. And tomorrow before the crib, just as today in the Eucharist and also on the day of judgement, we shall repeat: Regem cui omnia vivunt.... F : The day of judgement—a day of glory Glory to God 1. All that happens in this world is ordered by God to his glory: Although now this plan is wrapped in shadows and we cannot understand it. 2. But on the day of judgement that order will shine forth because: (a) the hidden secrets of God’s providence will be made manifest: i. why he permitted certain things and not others; ii. why evil appeared to triumph in this life; iii. who accepted his plan and who did not. SERMON SCHEMES 41 (b) the universal order of justice will be established: i. the wicked punished eternally; ii. the good rewarded and around Christ in glory. (c) Christ will present himself to the Father to pay him due homage: after making his enemies his footstool and bringing to full triumph his mystical body (Marmion). Glory of Christ 1. In life he was unknown, calumniated, condemned to death. 2. Through the ages he was denied and persecuted in his Church. 3. In the day of judgement he will bring all things to himself, judging all. Glory of the just 1. In life, misunderstood and persecuted like their master. 2. In the day of judgement, triumph with him. G : The silence of Christ Now Christ remains silent, in spite of our sins: (a) Sin does not always receive immediate punishment. Many wicked men live apparently happy lives. (b) Since they do not see this immediate punishment, men begin to sin; later sin becomes a habit, and the habit breeds hardness of heart. (c) Others apply to God their own standards, thinking that he does not bother about the sins of men. (d) Even though he sees and hates all sin, Christ remains silent for the time being, because he does not wish to condemn, but to save. 1. 2. But he will speak out at the day ofjudgement (Ps. 49. 3): (a) Did you think that I loved evil as you do ? Behold, here are all your evils written down (St Augustine). He did not cease to see you at every moment (Bossuet). (b) Until now you did not wish to open your conscience ? Now I will place it before you (St Augustine). 3. Conclusion: Did you not know that the goodness of God draws you to repent ? (Rom. 2. 4). Do penance now, because afterwards it will be useless. H: Almsdeeds and the judgement Are the goods of this world good or evil? The formula of the judgement solves this question by telling us that they are good. i. y h ·' ' ff V ■ i "v ί FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 42 I (a) Because they help us to gain heaven: i. ifwe are sinners, by a sincere petition for grace and accompany­ ing that petition with our alms; ii. if we are in a state ofgrace, we can obtain our final persever­ ance by means of alms. (b) Because Christ has shown himself to us in the persons of the poor: .And what we give to them we really give to him. If you give to the poor that which it hurts you to give—your money, then he will give to you what cost him most, his grace (John of .Avila). 2. After so much labour, must we abandon altogether our earthly possessions ? The judgement also solves this problem. (a) If during life we bank our money in the heavenly coffers by means of alms, we shall find them there at the hour of judgement. (b) Like St Peter, who was received by the poor and shown the results of the charity of Tabitha and for that reason raised her from the dead (Acts 9. 36-41); so Christ at the day of judgement, on seeing the poor who were helped by our alms, will take us by the hand and lead us to his Father. I: The sentence 1. The Lord forms it thus: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire because : (a) I was hungry and you did not feed me; (b) thirsty and you did not give me to drink; (c) a pilgrim and you did not take me into your homes; (d) naked, and you did not clothe me ; (e) sick and in prison and you did not visit me. 2. The five points mentioned are sins of omission: There are many who will be very surprised at the day of judge­ ment : (a) Because they had not realized that Christ shows himself to us in the persons of the poor and the sick; those who are in prison or wanderers. (b) Because they did not realize the extent of the first command­ ment and had sinned against it so many times, not by positive acts against it, but by sins of omission. (c) They will realize that their ignorance was culpable. So many times, in parables, in example and by command Jesus told us this truth, that the whole law is included in this precept of charity—love of God and the neighbour. i. the parable of the good Samaritan; ii. that of the talents; ^••4 • >' V,&T? ! • ZS.i .♦ SERMON SCHEMES 43 iii. the condemnation of the merciless servant who was pardoned by his master, but who did not know how to pardon his fellow servant (Matt. 18. 32-33). 3. Mercy is the very soul of the Gospel. God himself calls himself the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation. A religion which is made up of purely external acts of piety, ostentatious at times, is nothing but a religion of Pharisees; it is also hateful to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let us practise mercy if we do not wish to be condemned. J : The three comings of Christ 1. The first coming: (a) He redeems us and opens out the way of salvation to us. (b) He gives us motives : i. of love; ii. of gratitude; iii. of imitation through his example. 2. The third coming: He also gives us motives for courage and joy: (a) fear of the judgement; (b) hope and the desire for our reward. 3. The second coming: (a) An anticipation of the third, which makes us temples of the Holy Trinity: (b) Because of it we should : i. eliminate anything which may impede the presence of God in the soul ; ii. put on Christ, so as to become more like him. J : Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today, and the same for ever Christy the only light: Outside Christ all is darkness; the heavens fall, the stars go out, the sun is extinguished; but the light of Christ remains—the only light. 1. 2. Jesus is the only life: (a) Outside Christ there is nothing but death: i. the material universe dies; ii. the spiritual and moral world too; iii. empires, dynasties, civilization as we know it. . . the whole of history passes away. All will end definitely at the last day; even the powers of heaven will move and fall. I ! 44 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) Christ will appear before all in power and majesty— the only life. 3. Jesus is the only truth: i.e. the light of the intellectual world: (a) Then there will be an end to so many conflicting theories, so many schools of thought, so many systems. (b) And there will be an end to wars, passions, revolutions. (c) Vanity and lies will pass away. (d) All that there may be in life of truth, all the eternal and divine, will be concentrated in Christ. 4. The reality of the divine in life: This will not merely come into being on that day; it already is and always was.... (a) Now there is no other truth, no other reality but Christ, for the man who contemplates life with the eyes of the Gospel. (b) Chitside life as illuminated by Christ and his precepts and love there is nothing but vanity and lies. (c) Christ, yesterday, today, and for ever the same. 5. May Christ, then, be our life: (a) In affection and in truth, following the precept of the Apostle : Your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3. 3). (b) What does this mean, to hide oneself in Christ ? Paul himself tells us : i. to seek the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father; ii. to think of the things that are above, not on those of this earth; iii. to clothe oneself in the virtues of Christ (Col. 3. 1-2, 12). 6. Our final triumph in Christ: (a) Christ is your life, and when he is made manifest, you too will be made manifest in glory’ with him (Col. 3. 4). (b) Already it is high time for us to awake out of our sleep (Rom. 13.11). (c) Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light (Eph. 5. 14). 7. Exhortation: (a) Let us put on Christ from this day until the last; may he illuminate us, so that we may find ourselves at the last day enveloped in the majesty’ of his splendour. Now let us be light in grace, that later we may shine with the light of glory. . . . Put on the armour of light. (b) Baptized in Christ, dead and buried with Christ, risen together with Christ. ■ ΓΓ SERMON SCHEMES 45 (c) Putting all our hope in Christ and in heaven, where he reigns in glory, so that on the day when so many shall be flattened under the mighty power of their Judge, we shall shine with his glory, even in our bodies. (d) Let us share perfectly in the life of Christ, with joy, because for all eternity our lot will be that of co-heirs with him in his kingdom. IV. SOCIAL APPLICATIONS From the social point of view also we must rise from sleep Present fears because of the situation of the world: In the midst of this general terror there is still heard the voice of hope: Lift up your heads, for the day of your salvation is at hand. This phenomenon is not a new one: (a) It happened to the faithful of Thessalonica, fearful that the end of the world was at hand ; (b) it happened at the end of the first Christian millennium; (c) in general, in other periods of social upheaval and unrest. 1. 2. The motives for this fear: Is it war ? This is an element of the punishment God inflicts for so many disorders, but the problem is a deeper one than that, for wars end—and the problem still persists. (a) The Popes have seen it and warned the world of it: Leo XIII saw it clearly, and in prophetic vision gave his warning —all was due to abandonment of God, the base of all true society life. (b) In our day the Second World War came, for the same basic reason: It was again a war to end wars—but the results were feeble in the extreme. In fact, we might say that the world is worse now than it was before. God has been torn from his place in the social life of nations; millions are active in anti-God campaigns; more millions are indifferent to him. The basic social injustice remains. (c) Pope John ΧΧΙΠ has put it in a nutshell: A provident God grants sufficient means to the human race to find a dignified solution to the problems attendant upon the trans­ mission of human life. But these problems can become difficult of solution, if not insoluble, if man, led astray in mind and perverted in will, turns to such means as are opposed to right reason and seeks ends that are contrary to his social nature and the intentions of divine Providence {Mater et Magistra). (d) In the same encyclical is one phrase as true today as at the beginning of time: Let men make all the technical and economic progress they can, there will be no peace nor justice in the world until they return to a 46 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT sense of their dignit)' as creatures and sons of God, who is the first and final cause of all created being. Separated from God a man is but a monster, in himself and towards others; for the right ordering of human society presupposes the right ordering of man’s conscience with God, who is himself the source of all justice, truth and love. 3. The Church and Catholics face to face with this crisis: (a) The Church has no fear for herself, she is protected by the hand of her Founder. She has no fear for her own, God will care for them in his own way. But she—and all Catholics—have their obligations. The Church does her best by her teaching. We have only to think of that great Encyclical Mater et Magistra to see how well she undertakes that task. (b) But all will be in vain unless we, her children, study her doctrine and do our best to put it into effect. (c) We cannot remain inactive—that would be sinful ; nor merely flee from the danger or ignore the problems, because that would be the act of a coward. i. We must study the doctrine of the Church in social matters— there is still great ignorance among Catholics in this regard ; many of them do not even know that the Church has a doctrine which can solve many social problems ; still more do not know what that teaching is; ii. we must act when we can, working for the extension of the Church’s teaching as applied to practical cases; iii. be filled with the spirit of abnegation and self-sacrifice in this matter. (d) The solution lies in the fact that Christ is the founder of human society, in truth and justice—and always in charity. At the same time, we must realize that justice comes before charity in this matter. ■ Second Sunday of Advent THE MISSION OF THE BAPTIST SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Gospel : Matthew 11. 2-10 Epistle: Romans 15. 4-13 Texts concerning almsgiving It is obligatory: It may be that one of thy brethren, thy fellow-citizen in the land that the Lord thy God means to give thee, will fall on evil days. Do not steel thy heart and shut thy purse against him; be generous to his poverty, and lend him what thou seest he stands in need of. . . . For indeed there will be no lack of poor men in the land that is to be thy home; I must needs warn thee, then, to be open-handed towards thy brother, thy fellow-countryman, when he is poor and in want. Deut. 15. 7-11. Cf. Ex. 22. 22-27. 1. 2. It cleanses us from sin: Use thy wealth in giving of alms ; never turn thy back on any man who is in need, and the Lord, in thy own need, will have eyes for thee. Shew to others what kindness thy means allow, giving much, if much is thine, if thou hast little, cheerfully sharing that little. To do this is but to lay up a store against the day of distress; alms­ deeds were ever a sovereign way of escape from guilt and death, a bar against the soul’s passage into darkness; none has less to fear when he stands before the most high God than he who does them. .. . Share thy bread with the hungry and the poor; in thy garments let the naked go clad. Tob. 4. 7-12 and 17. Prayer, fasting and alms, said he, here is better treasure to lay up than any store of gold. Almsgiving is death’s avoiding, is guilt’s atoning, is the winning of mercy and of life eternal. . . . Tob. 12. 8-9. Cf. 14. ii. 3. Exhortation to give aims: Alms if thou givest, thou hast the sign-manual of his favour; treasured as the apple of his eye is the record of man’s deserving. Ecclus. 17. 18. The good deed treasured in poor men’s hearts shall ransom thee from all harm, shall more avail than stout shield or lance to ward 47 4s SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT oft'thy enemies. Ibid. 29. 15-16. Cf. ibid. 3. 33; 7. 36; 12. 3. Ps. 81. 4. Dan. 4. 24. 4. We should not be proud of our abnsdeeds: Thus, when thou givest alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in streets, to win the esteem of men. Believe me, they have their reward already. But when thou givest alms, thou shalt not so much as let thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing, so secret is thy almsgiving to be; and then thy Father, who seeth in secret what is done, will reward thee. Matt. 6. 2-4. • 5. They will have their reward: And if a man gives so much as a draught of cold water to one of the least of these here, because he is a disciple of mine, I promise you, he shall not miss his reward. xMatt. 10. 42. If thou hast a mind to be perfect, go home and sell all that belongs to thee; give it to the poor, and so the treasure thou hast shall be in heaven; then come back and follow me. Matt. 19. 21. Cf. Mark 10. 21; Luke 18. 22. No, it is your enemies you must love, and do them good, and lend to them, without any hope of return; then your reward will be a rich one, and you will be true sons of the most High, generous like him towards the thankless and the unjust. Luke 6. 35. 6. Efficaciousness of abnsdeeds: Nay, you should give alms out of the store you have, and at once all that is yours becomes clean. Luke 11. 41. There was at Caesarea a centurion named Cornelius ... a pious man who worshipped the true God, like all his household, gave aims freely to the people, and prayed to God continually. He, about the ninth hour of the day, had a vision, in which he clearly saw' an angel of God come in and address him by name. . . . Thy prayers and almsdeeds are recorded on high in God’s sight. Acts to. 1-4. Always I have tried to shew' you that it is our duty so to work, and be the support of the weak, remembering the words spoken by the Lord Jesus himself, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20. 35. 7. Abns and charity: Meanwhile you must remember to do good to others and give alms; God takes pleasure in such sacrifice as this. Heb. 13. 16. And now' suppose that a man has the worldly goods he needs, and sees his brother go in want; if he steels his heart against his brother, how can we say that the love of God dwells in him? 1 John 3. 17. Cf. James 2. 15-16. •'h·- i GENERAL COMMENTS 49 SECTION IL GENERAL COMMENTS I. LITURGICAL The spirit of this Sunday, like all the others in Advent, is that of sustained expectation of the coming Messias. He is presented to us thus in both Epistle and Gospel. Likewise from this Sunday onwards there are two great figures held up to us, the Baptist and Isaias, both because they were to prepare the way of the Lord for his first coming. The Stational Church is that of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, because we must never forget that the Cross is the end of the In­ carnation. The spirit of the liturgy is summed up in the prayer of the Mass : Move our hearts, 0 Lord, that we may prepare for the coming of thy only-begotten Son. H. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: Romans 15. 4-13 General meaning: unity in the charity of Christ: A part of St Paul’s epistle has been chosen which completes the Gospel. In the latter we see Christ as the Messias, his mission confirmed by prophecy and miracles. In the Epistle this Messias is shown to us as the universal hope and union of nations. For a complete understanding of this epistle it is as well to read the three verses which go before the passage chosen for today. 1. 2. Argument: At the end of the Epistle to the Romans St Paul finds himself up against a problem which to us seems of little importance today. The Jewish converts to Christianity were shocked at the fact that the Gentile converts ate pork. In his solution of this problem Paul calls on general principles which will be of use later to solve other, and greater, problems—especially he relies on the idea of the charity of Christ. He goes on, in fact, to solve yet another, and a greater, problem, that of the division between Jew and Gentile. It hurt him always to be writing about this. The charity of Christ should wipe out all such differences. We all form part of the one tree which sprang from the root of Jesse. Christ unites all peoples and all men. ' ! || .·!: I 3. The charity of Christ: Rom. 15. 1-7: Have compassion and bear with the neighbour and his weaknesses. There are two motives for this : (a) the example of the Lord: Christ, after all, would not have everything his own way (v. 3). Instead he suffered for us, in our name, when we were the guilty ones. ii'V I 5; ■ : : 50 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) Christ embraced us all: You must befriend one another, as Christ has befriended you, for God’s honour (v. 7). These are the real fruits of charity, that we should befriend one another, not for human motives, but for God’s sake. Charity is a unanimous will of all in Christ, a feeling together with Christ; in which all our actions have one motive and one end, the honour and glory of Christ, through us. 4. Universality in Christ: Jews and Gentiles (v. 8 if.). The centre of Pauline ideas and part of what he calls the mystery of Christ is this unity of the whole human race in Christ, our integration in Christ. It is true that the Jewish converts owed their conversion to the promises made to Abraham and which God intended to fulfil ; while the Gentiles were called through his mercy. But at the same time, once called, all form one sole body with Christ, all form part of the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3. 16). He develops this idea to the full in Ephesians 2. 11. If only we understood to the full the meaning of that ‘befriend one another’! If only nations could keep it in mind and practise this charity' which stems from the fact that we are one body in Christ. The Child bom to us on Christmas day is the one who has broken down the wall which prevented our salvation. Would that he might also be able to break down the wall of human hatreds as he did that of the just anger of God. B: The Gospel: Matthew 11. 2-10 I. Historical background: (a) Passage of great apologetic value: In it Jesus affirms his mission as the Messias explicitly, with proofs. At the beginning of his public life he did not proclaim his mission explicitly. He had to proceed with great prudence, preparing the way by his miracles, little by little leading the Jews to faith in a religious saviour. Any sudden manifestation of his claims might have led to a revolt against Rome; a thing which almost hap­ pened on the occasion of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. But when the second year of his public life dawned, the ground is now prepared for a more public manifestation of his designs. St John provides him with one of these occasions. He sends his envoys to Christ, and the result is one of the most vivid passages in the Gospels. It has three phases: the sending of the envoys: their reception by our Lord and his reply to them; the apologia for John the Baptist which follows. GENERAL COMMENTS Si 2. The Baptist's question: Leaving on one side the opinion of some unorthodox writers, for whom John’s question was prompted by the fact that only at this moment did he begin to believe that Christ was the Messias (an obvious error) we have other solutions to consider, solutions which seek to determine the reason for the Baptist’s question. (a) John is impatient: He sees that Christ delays his public manifestation and wishes to announce it publicly. This opinion, held by Riciotti among others, does not seem to fit in with the humility of St John, who some time before had protested that he was not worthy even to untie our Lord’s sandals. (b) John is ignorant? According to other writers, John did not know the exact extent of the messianic Mission of Christ, especially since the Jews expected the appearance of others together with the Messias, such as Elias and Enoch. Hence his question—to the mind of these writers, among them Lagrange—implies: Are we to expect others after you, especially one who will be the Judge of the world, since you have appeared in such humility? Since the progress of revelation was a slow one, John did not know as much about the Messias as we do; even the Apostles knew more than the great prophets of the old Law. It seems that one has to twist the reply of Christ, as well as John’s question, too much to fit in with this interpretation. We know that to every prophet is given sufficient knowledge of his message to enable him to deliver it fully. Are we, then, to suppose that John, the immediate fore-runner of Christ, his ambassador, one who is ‘more than a prophet,’ did not know this much about the Person he is to announce to the people ? (c) The traditional explanation: So deeply rooted in tradition that it would seem unwise to depart from it without very good reason. The disciples of John were so envious of Christ that they refused to admit him as the Messias. John sent them to Christ with this message so that they would be convinced by the authority of Jesus and the real proofs which he would offer them. 3. The mission ofJohn: (a) From prison: The Baptist was in the prison of the fortress of Macheronte, on the east side of the Dead Sea, one of the Herodian palaces, simply for speaking the truth about Herod’s scandalous life. The Ruler did not wish to put John in prison, but he obviously had no option; however, even there, he continued to listen to him, until the day came when he was forced to put him to death. 52 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Many lessons for us: not to give way to the first steps on the downward path, when it is easiest to resist—especially in the matter of lust, which blinds the intellect and weakens the will; not to be afraid to speak the truth when necessary. John is in chains, Herod lives in luxury. But which of the two is the free man ? Todav, in the Stational Church, the cross is placed before us, even as a preparation for Christmas, because we may not forget it, even at a period of rejoicing. It is always there. (b) The works of Christ: John, in his relatively easy bondage, was allowed to receive visits from his friends. Like wildfire the news of the miracles of Christ went the rounds. They tell John. How like human beings all the world over. Ever curious and interested when confronted with the miraculous; but equally slow to take heed of the doctrine which the miracle is intended to teach us. We love to hear about the apparitions at Fatima and the miracles there, but what attempt is there to imitate the virtues of Mary, obey her commands to do penance and reform our lives ? The true path is from the miracle to the doctrine and its practice. John wishes his disciples to follow that path. (c) He sends two of them to Christ: What more could he do for Christ, even now, in prison ? Send him his disciples. Let him solve their doubts with the truth of his omnipotence. As one runner passes the torch on to another, so John acts. In the midst of his sufferings, John remembers others; in your sufferings, act in like manner. Do not waste them. Like Paul, we too have to fill up in our bodies what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ. John is concerned with those under him and is far from envious of one who overshadows him. We must seek only Christ, and his glory and if we work for any other end our labour is in vain. 4. Our Lord's reply: Is it thy coming that was foretold ... ? Go and tell John what your own ears and eyes have witnessed ! It is a reply implicit in form, perfect in its effects. It implies a double proof; works, and the fulfilment of the prophecies. The coming which was foretold obviously implies a Messianic title, according to Gen. 49. 10. (a) The works : The resurrection of the widow’s son at Naim was fresh in their memories, and perhaps it is to that event he refers when he talks about the dead rising again. What you have seen . . . The Acts sum up the life of Christ simply by saying that he went around doing good! (to. 38). GENERAL COMMENTS 53 There arc still visible miracles; but more important are the in­ visible miracles of grace. Example is all-powerful; therefore the Christian should be known, not merely by his words, but also by his acts. How many remain in their error or unbelief because our acts arc not in conformity with what we believe! (b) The prophecies: Christ refers to two famous ones of Isaias 35. 4-6; the liberation of Jerusalem and the freedom of the Gentile nations under the rule of the Messias (cf. Isaias 61. 1-2). The key-note of his mission is this latter, the Gospel preached to the poor, not poor in the material sense only, but the Gentiles, who did not possess the riches of the Jewish revelation. (c) The poor have the Gospel preached to them: The meaning of the word in Isaias is ‘the meek, or the down­ trodden ones of the earth’—but Christ takes the normal Jewish inter­ pretation of the word, to signify the ‘poor’ in general. His words imply that here is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaias, since he preaches to the poor, rather than to those in power—the Scribes and Pharisees. He lived among the poor; his apostles were poor men; those first converts to Christianity were, in the main, poor (1 Cor. 1. 26-28; cf. James 2. 5). The poor followed Christ; the rich and powerful crucified him. The reason wrhy he preached mainly to the poor, says Cornelius à Lapide, is that his teaching concerning the rejection of this world and its goods, mortification, the cross, were listened to by them and consoled them; but the rich were saddened by those same doctrines. (d) Blessed is the man who does not lose confidence in me: The Douai version uses the words ‘not scandalized in me’. Perhaps this is the real meaning of our Lord’s admonition. But how can Christ, Son of God, made man, give scandal ? But he did ! The fact that he was always surrounded by publicans and sinners gave scandal to the pious Jews of his time; also the fact that he proclaimed himself to be the Son of God—which wras to lead him to his death on the cross. Envy, hypocrisy and pride are always scandalized by what is good. Above all, his teaching gave scandal, because in order to follow him it is necessary to dominate the passions, and it is always easier to be scandalized than to practise this doctrine. Felix wras scandalized wrhen he heard St Paul (Acts 24), as also were the Athenians. Herod took scandal at Christ’s silence, dressing him in garments of mockery. 5. Praise ofJohn: After the disciples had left him, Christ gave wonderful praise to John, for his firmness, his austerity of life, his mission and his personal qualities. Yet to be least in the kingdom of heaven is to be 54 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT greater than he (Matt. n. n). For to be in the kingdom is to be in the fullness of the supernatural order. A great lesson for priests and religious, to whom God has given such great dignity, but who must live up to it if they wish to be perfect. SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (Extracts from Hom. 36 in Matt. PG. 57, 415 fl.) A: John’s motives and the envy of the others Speaking of John, he says: Did you not preach him to all men, even before these signs and wonders ? Why then, when he is known to all and when his fame spreads in all directions ... do you send to ask this concerning him ? What has happened ? Were all those testimonies of yours false; nothing but fables and old wives’ tales? W ho of sound mind would say such a thing; certainly not of John who leaped in the womb of his mother at the approach of Christ, who, then unborn, had still proclaimed him; the dweller in the desert, of angelic life. Even were he the lowest of men, he could not be uncertain about Christ after his own testimony and that of others. Therefore it is plain that he did not send to Christ through any doubt of his own ; nor did he enquire as one in ignorance of the facts. Nor can anyone say that he did knowr the facts but had become timid in prison. For he did not expect to be freed from prison, nor if he did was he prepared to deny the truth, for which he was more than once ready to die. Unless he had been more than ready to die he would never have shown such courage before a people who were well known for their proclivity to shed the blood of the prophets.... We must then give an answer: Why did he send to ask this question ? The disciples of John were moved to envy against Christ, as is seen from what they once said to their Master (John 3. 26), and again from the complaint made by one of them, together with the Jews: We and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not. They did not yet know who Christ was and, thinking him a mere man, however great, and that John was more than a mere man, they were grieved to see Jesus’ fame increasing, while that of John was in eclipse. This attitude had kept them back from drawing near to the Lord. So long as John was with them, he tried to convince them of the truth regarding Christ; but now, when he expected nothing but death at the hands of Herod, he was concerned about them. He was afraid to leave them in this uncertain state; afraid that they might remain thus, apart from Christ, to whom he had tried to lead them. . . . Had he said to them: Go, follow him, for he is greater than I, they would not have obeyed through conviction. He sends them to Christ so that he may convince them. THE FATHERS 55 B: Almsdeeds (A summary of his doctrine on this point taken mainly from PG 51, 261 ff.) Motives for almsdeeds: (a) A source of good for poor and for rich: A farmer, who is only sure of a mediocre harvest at the best of times, is still generous when it comes to sowing his seed; yet we who sow for eternity show ourselves to be miserly in the extreme at times, especially in this matter of almsdeeds. God, who could have given to all an abundance, allowed some to be poor, for his sake and for ours. He permits this because poverty is a better breeding ground of virtue than riches ; for your sake too, because those who have sinned find in the poverty of others a magnificent way of reparation for their sins. (b) We have only the use of our goods: I often have difficulty in containing my laughter when I read wills ! I leave to so-and-so this land, this money! But no one has the real ownership of anything in this world, and when the end of our life comes, we cannot take it with us after all. God created the necessary things, like air and water, in abundance, because had he not done so, the rich would almost certainly have cornered such goods for them­ selves, and so deprived the poor of them.... The poor are to us as doctors, protectors and benefactors.... For in helping them you receive more than you give. You alleviate poverty and receive heaven in exchange ; you give earthly things and receive heavenly ones. For that reason we are accustomed to see the poor at the doors of our churches, so that even the hardest of hearts may be softened at the sight of so much misery. Just as we have water to wash our hands before we lift them up to God in prayer, so our ancestors used the poor to wash away their stain of sin by almsdeeds before sending their prayers up to God. . . . Give alms, that you may pray with pure hands. (c) Vain excuses: But I have to feed my children, keep my house going and my wife. I have many expenses to meet. My money does not go far enough.... Cold and useless defence. You say that you have to support your children and for that reason you cannot give alms? All the more reason why you should give even more, so that with a little money you may win the favour of the God who gave you those children, thus leaving them a mighty advocate when you die. By spending a little now you will win great and heavenly favours for them. . . . Almsdeeds are given the name of seed, because, rather than an expense, it is capital which is productive.... If the earth makes good 56 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT return for that which is buried in it, the hand of God makes an even greater return for all that is put into it. (d) Exhortation: Obtain the greatest fruit possible from your earthly possessions, by giving and giving freely. Do not allow it to shame you when you serve the poor with your own hands, because Christ is not ashamed to stretch forth his hand to plead for your help, through the hands of his poor. . . . There are some who set out to investigate the life, habits and health of the poor before they give anything in the form of alms. ... If God had demanded that we conduct such an investigation before giving help, we would have considered it a heavy burden laid on us. Give him thanks then, because he has freed you from that obligation. Instead, he promises us abundant rewards, even though we do not investigate. Whether they are good or bad to whom we give alms, God rewards us alike. (e) Christ gives us all things. What return do we make to him ? God gave you his Son, yet you will not even give bread to him who gave himself for you and died for you. The Father, for your sake, did not pardon even his own Son, but you, when you see him hungry, will not even help him "with the very goods which he has given to you, even though you know that it is to your own advantage. Is there anything worse than our evil natures ? He gave himself for you, died for you, suffered want for you, the goods you give he has already given to you.... It did not seem to him to be enough to die for you on the cross; he became poor and a wanderer for you, naked, in prison, in pain—to see if you would listen to him. . . . He says to you: I, who could feed myself, have chosen that you should feed me instead, so that you may glory in the fact that you are benefactors of mine. My love reaches such a pitch that I wish you to feed me and to share your table with me; I glory in that and show you to the whole world as my benefactors. Π. ST AUGUSTINE (Augustine has six sermons on the birth of the Baptist and one on the passage read in today’s Gospel. His theme is the same all the way through—the superiority of Jesus over John and the lack of envy in the heart of the humble Baptist. We shall select the more important passages of his homilies.) Argument: First of all, it was convenient that one should give testimony to Christ who himself had a band of disciples, himself preached to the multitudes and himself baptized. I. THE FATHERS 57 Christ baptized and so did John. The disciples of John were concerned because the people ran after our Lord and also after John, but while John sent his baptized to Christ, the latter never sent any baptized by him to John. The disciples were perplexed at this and began to dispute with the Jews, who said that Christ was the greater and that it was to his baptism they should go. The disciples defended that of John. Therefore they went to him and asked him to solve the question for them. Well might he have replied : You are right, my baptism is the greater, because I baptized Christ himself. Had he no reason to take pride in such a thing, had he desired to glory in him­ self? But well did he know how to humble himself and before whom. ... He knew that his salvation was in Christ. 2. John's motives: Of his fullness we have all received. This is to confess his divinity. From what fullness can men receive if it be not that of God ?... He is the source, the stream; it is men who drink. Those who drink from the fountain may well do so because they are thirsty ; but the fountain itself does not suffer thirst nor need water. Men need the fountain and with drv mouths draw near to it to slake their thirst. The fountain pours forth its water to satisfy their thirst. Such is the Lord Jesus. 3. A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven: What do you say? Should we not forbid them and make them come to thee ?... As a man that I am, what I have I receive from heaven. . . . And merely because I have received it from above, do you wish me to lose it by speaking contrary to the truth ? Why have you yourselves proposed the question to me ? Have you not said to me : Master, there was one with thee on the other side of Jordan, to whom thou didst then bear testimony ... ? And am I to deny now what I said then? Did you not hear me say: I am not the Christ? . . . You are not the Christ ? And what does it matter ? After all, you are greater than he because you baptized him. Yes ; but I am only an envoy; I am the herald, he is the Judge. I am what he made me. 4. The bride is for the bridegroom: This theme is a favourite one with Augustine. Christ is the spouse of souls and of the Church. The function of the friend of the spouse is to look after the bride for him; should he act in any other way he is an adulterer and no true friend. John loves the Church and wants it for Christ. In this passage he compares the action of the Baptist with that of the Donatists, who did not love Christ or the Church, but merely used baptism for their own ends. A useful example for meditation on true priestly zeal. 58 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 5. John's purpose: He must become more and more, I must become less and less (John 3. 30). Before the coming of Christ men were so proud of themselves and self-sufficient. This Man came to diminish the glory of men and increase that of God. He came without stain of sin and found the filth of it in us. God’s rôle is that of pardon, ours is to confess our sin. The humility of man is to confess his stain; that of God’s greatness is in pardon. So that God may forgive let man know his own misery. Let the glory be his, mine the confession. Let man know his rôle, confessing God and listening to the Apostle who says : What have you that you have not received ? Let man decrease in himself and increase to God’s glory. May the glory of God increase in us and our own decrease, because that is how the latter will increase in God’s sight. Do you wish to glory in yourself? Do you wish to increase ? It will be for your ill, not for your good ! 6. How God increases in us: The more you know about him, so much the more does he increase in you. He cannot increase in himself, because he is perfect; but just as the light seems to increase in strength as a sick eye gets better, so the interior of man’s soul increases in God and it seems as if God himself increases. Man decreases in his own glory, only to increase in that of God. Envy and its remedies I. Definition: What is envy but sadness at the sight of another’s good ?... Evil rejoices in another’s evil; envy is saddened at another’s good. But let no one confuse emulation with envy; because they are very near to one another and for that reason one is often confused with the other. Emulation is a sadness of soul which exists when we see someone obtain something which two or more desired and wrhich could only be given to one. The remedy is peace, in which we desire that which unites in one all who wish for it. Envy is sadness at the sight of one whom we think unworthy and yet who has obtained some good. Its remedy is meekness, by which each one submits to the judgement of God and his designs. . .. 2. Envy the daughter of pride: Those who enjoy a chaste marriage, when they look at you who have consecrated your virginity to God, give you great honour, because they consider you to be better than they are. But as much as they honour you, you in your turn should honour them. If you are holy, then be a little afraid lest you lose that holiness. How ? Through pride. The holiness of virginity can be lost by impurity, but also by pride. I would almost dare to say that humble married THE FATHERS 59 people arc better than the virgin who is proud. Look at the devil. Do you think that God can accuse him of adultery or of fornication ? ... It was pride and envy which sent him down to hell. When pride takes hold of a servant of God envy appears on the scene at once. Pride cannot help being envious, for envy is the daughter of pride, and such a mother is never sterile. No sooner is she born than she begins to give birth. 3. Remedies: (a) Consider the greater value in others: So that envy may not be in you remember that not merely Agnes the virgin won the crown of martyrdom, but also Crispina, a married woman ; that some virgins gave themselves to apostasy, while others who were married won their crown. . . . You should think more on what you are lacking than on what you possess. Be careful not to lose that which you have and ask God to give you that which you lack. (b) Since pride is the mother of envy7, the remedy lies in charity: It is charity alone which wins the battle, without which no other virtue has any value. It is charity which envieth not. Do you know why ? Because charity is not puffed up. The first of all the vices is pride, and after that, envy. Envy does not give birth to pride; the contrary is the case, because envy comes from self-love. That is why St Paul, in his praise of charity, says that it is not envious, and after­ wards, that it is not puffed up. (c) Envy, mother of many evils : Of such is the kingdom of heaven, i.e. of the humble, those who are spiritually children. Let there be no disputes among you, no hatreds.... Pride gives birth to envy. And what envious person does not desire evil for him whose good torments him ? Envy gives birth to malice, from which come deceit, flattery, gossip, and all kinds of evils which we would not wish anyone to inflict on us. ΠΙ. ST GREGORY THE GREAT (We have selected the extracts from St Gregory’s Sermon PL. 76, 1095-1099 which refer to the lay Apostolate. The complete Homily is a commentary on the passage of today’s Gospel.) But what went you out to see? a prophet? . . . It is the prophet’s office to foretell future events, but not necessarily to point them out when they happen. For this reason John was more than a prophet, because he also pointed out Christ, going before him and also showing him to his own disciples. Since he is not a reed shaken by the wind, nor a man clothed in soft garments, since the 6o SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT name of prophet is inadequate to describe him, let us hear what may be affirmed of him. This is he of whom it is written : Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. That which is called angelus in Greek is in Latin called a messenger. Fittingly then is he called an angel who is sent to announce the coming of the heavenly Judge; so that he may be in name what he fulfils in his office. Would that we say not this to our own damnation, namely, that all who are called priests are also named angels, as the prophet testifies when he says: For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, because he is the angel of the lord of hosts (Mai. 2. 7). You also, brethren, can attain to the sublimity of this name if you wish, for each one of you, in so far as he is able, can be an angel of the Lord. WTien, in response to the grace from heaven, he recalls his neighbour from the doing of evil or helps and encourages him in the practice of good; when he reminds him of the eternal kingdom or of the punishments given to evil-doers; whenever he speaks the word of holiness, then indeed he is an angel. And let no one say, I am not worthy or capable of warning others, nor a fit person to exhort others. Do what you can, lest your single talent be unprofitably employed and thus be required of you with punishment.... And when you consider that you have made some little progress, draw others along with you; seeking to make comrades on the road to God. Should one of you stroll to the forum or the baths, he is accustomed to invite a friend whom he thinks is not busy, to keep him company. This simple act of our ordinary lives is pleasant to you, and should you be going towards God, make sure that you do not journey alone. It is written: He that heareth, let him say: Come (Apoc. 22. 17); and so let him who has heard in his heart the invita­ tion of divine love, pass on that message to the neighbours around him, together with its invitation. . . . For it is a greater thing to give strength by the nourishment of the word which will fill the mind for ever, rather than to fill with earthly food the flesh which will perish. SECTION IV. THEOLOGIANS I. ST THOMAS AQUINAS (Synthesis of his teaching concerning envy, with some comments taken from Natalis Alexander.) Definition: ... Sadness at the good of another; and it can happen in four ways. Firstly, when we deplore the good things of others because they can cause us some harm, as for instance when an unjust enemy prospers. I. THEOLOGIANS 61 Such was the sadness of the Jews at the rise in the fortunes of Aman (Esth. 3). Nevertheless, St Gregory warns us that we must be very careful not to hide our own hatred under the cloak of the good of another. The second motive for sadness arises, not because my neighbour possesses some good, but from the fact that I do not have it, thus encouraging me to work harder to attain it. This is not an evil thing at all, but is what we call emulation, which can be most useful in the spiritual order. The third kind of sadness is that which is caused by the sight of the good things enjoyed by those who are unworthy of them. This is not a sin either, although it is unlawful to feel indignation at the thought that the grace of justification is given to those who are not worthy, because no man can merit it in any case, and salvation granted to those who are evil at the last moment should make us rejoice. So far as material prosperity is concerned, if the wicked have these in plenty, the Christian should remember the rules of divine pro­ vidence, which not merely directs everything, but which also gives to everyone his reward at the right moment. The fourth type of sadness is true envy; when we are sad at the thought that the good of our neighbour detracts from our own glory, excellence and esteem. I would like to deprive my brother of that which is his by right. We resent that in which we should delight, says St Thomas (2-2, q. 36. a. 1. c.). Those who love the world and its honour are the most envious of others. Also those who never undertake any great work. The former because they want everything for themselves; the latter because, not daring to do anything themselves, they think that anything is more important than what they themselves possess {ibid. ad yuni). 2. Gravity of this sin: By its very nature envy is a grave sin because it is opposed to the virtue of charity, the very life of the soul and a virtue which rejoices in another’s good; also it is opposed to mercy, which is sad when another is afflicted. However, on many occasions it is a venial sin through lack of advertence or through light matter. On many occasions teachers hide from their students knowledge which they themselves possess, so that their students may not know as much as they do. This can be a grave sin. To envy in another the grace of God or the gifts of the Holy Spirit or the good he does for the Church of God is the greatest sin of envy, especially if it is the increase of grace which is the motive of the envy. Daughter of pride, envy is a capital sin, because he who loves the 62 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT vanity of this world is the one who feels that others are going ahead of him. It is also the mother of other sins, such as gossip, detraction and public defamation. It gives rise to hate (a. 4). Remedies: Think of its gravity. Envy was the sin of Satan (Wisdom 2. 24); it was the beast that devoured Joseph (Gen. 37. 3 ff.); and the cause of our Lord’s condemnation (Matt. 28. 18). We must remember that it is a vice proper to weak souls, women and children. Be mindful always • of the one family * we form with God and the Church. 3. Π. ST ROBERT BELLARMINE (He has three sermons on John the Baptist, of which we have made an extract.) I. His qualities: (a) He is not a reed shaken by the wind : He is not a witness who can be corrupted ; he is not like a reed but like a firm and healthy tree trunk. He is not swayed by the promise of being the Messias, which meant royalty and power for him. In fact, when asked if he were the Messias he denied that honour. What a contrast to the attitude of so many, who use any art in order to advance themselves. He is not swayed at the thought of death, but gives his life in order to reprove the vices of Herod. (b) He is not dressed in soft garments: John, who came from a priestly family of moderate means, could have had many things, but he despised the world, living in isolation in the desert, deprived of even the necessities of life. He was poor in spirit, and for that reason inflexible in virtue. There are many who stray from the path of virtue through love or through fear. He loved only God and feared nothing except to offend God. (c) An angel rather than a prophet: The prophets received more light than the rest of men ; what then will he have not received who is called more than a prophet ? He was so indeed, because he prophesied in the womb of his mother, he himself being the object of prophecy in Isaias and Malachy. He made even his own family prophets of God and himself pointed out the Christ. It may seem at first sight more important to prophesy a Messias to come than to point out one who has already come, and it would be so, perhaps, if Christ had come in power and majesty, instead of in a guise so humble that it was difficult to recognize him. John pointed him out and also prophesied about him in the clearest of THEOLOGIANS 63 terms, showing him as the Lamb of God, the Son of God and the Spouse of the Church. . . . He is described as an angel to show the depth of his faith, the extraordinary purity of his life and his love of God. Like the angels, he neither eats nor drinks, is not married and possesses nothing; his only thought is the love of God and the bringing of souls to him. His life was a summary of the whole Gospel. 2. Example to men: All those who, within the Church, have the office of preparing the way of the Lord, such as preachers, fathers of families, and even the individual, so far as the salvation of his own soul is concerned, must imitate the Baptist. Firm and incorruptible, they must teach truth and correct error. As examples we can see those who do not forgive injuries, although they preach this doctrine, so often taught in the Scriptures. . . . But, they say, my honour will suffer. Is there any greater honour than the imitation of Christ ? Even wild beasts can get angry; but patience is of the perfect. But what will the world think ? That is to be a reed shaken by the wind, by every idle word. What will Christ say ? Which should interest you more, what he says or what the world thinks ? To act like John we must despise the world, because worldly love and fear are like coloured windows which affect everything seen through them. He who loves the world will not act justly, even though he may know what is right, because love directs all things to the beloved. The worldly man is possessed of a spirit of tyranny which makes him act contrary to justice, knowingly too. Keep in mind the example of Herod, who had John beheaded to please Salome; and that of Pilate, who condemned Jesus. 3. Remedies: Imitation of the Baptist: (a) Be like angels, imitating John: The angels always see God’s face. Be a man of prayer. St Francis prayed always, in the midst of all his labours. That is to be an angel. (b) work for souls: For those of others and for your own. Think of those who, afraid of being condemned to death at the end of a trial, think of nothing else and bother about nothing else; or think of one who is crossing a dangerous bridge; of one fighting a duel, who does not worry about anything else. . . . (c) lead a mortified life: The angels do not sin and are pictured for us as pure young men. Avoid sin, and should you fall into it, confess at once. It is difficult not to sin ; but it is easy to wipe out the sin. If you put off taking the medicine the cure will be more difficult. 64 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA On the Incarnation (A summan· of two Homilies on the Incarnation ; the first contain­ ing the proofs for it from miracles, prophecy and the testimony of John. The second speaks of its fruits.) The proofs: The Lord, foreseeing the difficulties which people would have in believing in his coming, wished to solve them beforehand. Taking advantage of this occasion he brings forth as proofs of his divinity the fulfilment of the prophecies, his miracles and the testimony of John. John, lamenting the hardness of heart of the people, wishes before he dies to give Christ an occasion to manifest himself to the λν-orld and to his disciples. He sends them to Christ in order to leave them in the care of such a good Master ; a wonderful example of how we should care for those under our charge, and seek the spiritual good and the salvation of those entrusted to us. Never say: I pay their wages; they themselves must look after their souls! On the day of judgement the Lord will demand an account of their souls as well as of your own. . . . Moved by John’s zeal, the Lord gives the best possible reply, relying on deeds, not words, so that no one can say that he gives testimony of himself. (a) Miracles : Only Christ can work them by his own power and never in confirmation of error. (b) prophecies: Since all the circumstances of his life had already been foretold, the Lord could say: Search the Scriptures . . . they give testimony of me (John 5. 39). (c) preaching to the poor : In an active sense it is a miracle to see such poor people, and such uncultured people by the world’s standards, announcing the good news. In the passive sense, the poor, on receiving the instruction of the Gospel, are an evident sign of the messianic character of Christ. . . . The other prophets were sent to kings and princes, while the Lord comes to preach to the poor and to console them. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. I am not the Master and teacher of kings or princes, but of the needy. ■■-i.. SPIRITUAL WRITERS -..Vr':./'· •Jrxfc 65 He passed his life among such as these, living and growing up among them. From the moment when God became poor for our sakes poverty enjoys great esteem in heaven and on earth ; since his example surrounded it with glory. He was born of a poor mother, in a poor place; he was wrapped in poor linen garments and laid in the poverty of the manger. He was announced to the poor shep­ herds, educated among the poor, associated with poor apostles. He made the poor free of his company and his faith (cf. 1 Cor. 1. 26-29). Let not the rich despise the poor, for they have their Advocate (cf. Ps. ii. 6; 139. 13). (d) the testimony of John: Once the disciples had withdrawn the Lord praises John, not merely to do him honour, but also to rely on his testimony. Indeed it could not be more valid testimony, since John, as one who was more than a prophet, had sufficient knowledge of what he was doing. His austerity of life—neither that of a weak reed nor of one living in luxury—gives credit to the truth of what he says. His testimony is not twisted by other motives, by frivolity, desire for gain or popularity. Fruits of the Incarnation Introduction: What a great question John proposed from his prison cell; one which is disputed among Jews and Christians. Thank God, we do not need to convince ourselves, but rather learn day by day in a more perfect manner the great advantages to us of this Incarnation. From the very beginning the world knew something of this coming. The very fact that God announced her maternity to Eve, even in the midst of pain, makes us imagine a restoration of the human race, since a merciful God would not allow humanity to propagate itself under the sign of punishment. But the exact manner of this restoration was only revealed to man little by little. Only a few knew that it would be God himself who came to restore man. What wonder filled their souls at such a secret ! What joy and what longing! (Cf. Isaias 16. 1; 45. 8.) Our Lord said that blessed were the eyes which saw him, so long desired by so many kings and prophets (Luke 10. 23-24). We know it, and now our task is to meditate on it so as to see its motives more clearly. 1. 2. Motives for the Incarnation: (a) the glory of men : There were many ways by which we could be redeemed, but none which gives us such great honour. God made man, seated at the right hand of the Father, judging, ruling, adoring and pardoning. SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 66 Forgive me, 0 ye angels, but our glory is greater than yours. God never joined himself to the angelic nature, but he did unite himself to that of the sons of Abraham. Thank you, Lord! Even if Adam had not sinned it would have been an inestimable honour. 0 felix culpa! St Ambrose says: Amplius nobis profuit culpa quam nocuit. (b) the destruction of sin : God came into this world, as John testifies, to destroy the works of the devil, not merely by paying the debt for us and by tearing up the decrees of condemnation, but also by uprooting from man that terrible facility for sin. If we had any feelings at all, after considering vx such mercv, who would dare to sin ? God dies for sin, and you delight in it ? From the very beginning God shewed his hatred of sin and the punishment for it. The most beautiful of all the angels was cast out of heaven. For his sin man was cast out of paradise. God punished the human race with the flood and with the destruction of Sodom ; with the plagues of Egypt. But nothing should frighten me more, 0 my God, nor drive me from sin, than the sight of your only Son crucified between two thieves. The sight of the remedy demonstrates to me the gravity of the evil. J * / (c) to rescue man : Man was created in God’s image, but sin destroyed that image. The Son of God, the Word and image of the Father, taking our human nature, would restore that image and its lost beauty. Christ is God dressed out as a man; a man united to God. Our humanity has once more been restored to that cast which served as a model for it. Only God could do it, because only he is our mould and model, our creator and our redeemer. The restoration of man is no less a work than the creation. (d) to draw us to his love: If the work of our restoration had been done by an angel men would not have felt themselves attracted to God. It was necessary for that attraction that it should be the work of God. At the beginning of the world God attempted to draw men through punishment; remember the flood and the destruction of the cities of the plain. But all in vain. Then he tried another method, that of gaining the world by his favours instead of by fear. Remember the favours given to Israel! Again he failed. What did he do then? Seneca says: If you wish to be loved you must first love yourselves. The Lord came on to this earth to be our companion, and at the sight of his life, his passion and his mercy the world fell, overcome by love and overwhelmed by so many favours. .1 · SPIRITUAL WRITERS You have triumphed, O Lord. It was necessary to be stronger than the world, and that you have been. By the fire of your love you have melted the hardness of my heart. You have had revenge on me— a sweet revenge indeed! Do you wish to know the principal cause, the only cause of this mystery? I will tell you in one phrase of St Paul: He loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2. 20). For no other cause has he saved me; for no other reason. No service of mine, no merit; simply love on his part. God so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son ... (John 3. 16). What a wonderful force of love, which has overcome the Almighty, which has put God himself in chains! Jacob struggled all night through and with the dawn he appeared to be defeated; but he had overcome God. Man, after a battle lasting centuries, has also defeated him. And with what weapons ? With those of love. He hurled himself over the very walls of heaven, storming the eternal fortresses, putting in chains the Son of God with the iron bands of flesh and carrying off immense riches. . . . Truly, love is stronger than death (Cant. 8. 6). Thank you, O my God ! In your defeat you have triumphed, over­ come by love, and you have defeated my evil. You have wron it all through your love. Give me the love which I need in order to over­ come in my turn. Π. ST TERESA OF AVILA Sanctity and honours The harm done by love of honours: i. Be very careful about your interior thoughts, especially if they have to do with precedence; may God, by his passion, keep us from expressing or from dwelling upon such thoughts as these: I am her senior in the Order; I am older; I have wrorked harder; but that other sister is being better treated than I am. If these thoughts come you must quickly check them; if you allow yourselves to dwell on them then they will spread like the plague and in religious houses they may give rise to great abuses. Remember, I know a great deal about this. . . . Still, believe me in this; questions of honour and desires for property can arise within convents as well as outside them, and the more temptations of this kind are removed from us, the more we are to blame if we yield to them. Though persons wrho do so may have spent years in prayer, or rather in meditation (for perfect prayer eventually destroys these attachments), they will never make great progress or come to enjoy the full fruits of prayer.... God deliver us from people who wish to serve him yet who arc mindful of their own honour. Reflect how little they gain from this; ■ 68 ■ ■<■· SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT for, as I have said, the very act of desiring honour robs us of it, especially in matters of precedence; there is no poison in the world which is so fatal to perfection. You will say that these are little things which have to do with human nature and are not worth troubling about; but do not trifle with them, because in religious houses they spread like foam on water, and there is no small matter which is so dangerous as are punctiliousness about honour and sensitivity to insult. Do you know one reason, apart from others, why this is so ? It may have its root, perhaps, in some trivial slight—hardly anything, in fact—and the devil will then induce someone else to consider it important, so that she will think it a real charity to tell you about it and to ask how you can be insulted so; and she will pray that God may give you patience and that you may offer it to him, for even a saint could not bear more. The devil is simply putting his deceit­ fulness into this other person’s mouth ; and, though you yourself are quite ready to bear the insult, you are tempted to vainglory because you have not resisted something else as perfectly as you should. This human nature of ours is so wretchedly weak that, even while we are telling ourselves that there is nothing for us to make a fuss about, we imagine we are doing something virtuous, and begin to feel sorry for ourselves, particularly when we see that other people are sorry for us too. In this way the soul begins to lose the occasions of merit which it had gained; it becomes weaker; and thus a door is opened to the devil by which he can enter on some other occasion with a temptation worse than the last. . . . My sisters, never for the love of God let charity move you to show pity for another in any­ thing to do with these fancied insults, for that is like the pity shown to holv Job bv his wife and friends (The Way of Perfection, Chap. XII, 4-8). 2. The error of holy souls who think to defend their honour : I see some people whose actions are very holy and who do such wonderful things that everyone is astonished at them. God bless me, then! Why are such souls still on earth? How is it that they have not reached the summit of perfection ? What is the reason for this ? What can it be that is impeding one who is doing so much for God ? Why, simply his punctiliousness about his reputation! And the worst of it is that this sort of person will not realize that he is guilty of such a thing, the reason sometimes being that the devil tells him that punctiliousness is incumbent upon him. Let such people believe me, then ; for the love of the Lord let them believe this little ant, for she speaks because it is the Lord’s will that she should do so. If they fail to remove this caterpillar, it may not hurt the whole tree, for some of the other virtues will remain, but they will all be worm-eaten. The tree will not be beautiful; it will neither prosper itself nor allow the trees near it to do so, for the fruit SPIRITUAL WRITERS 69 of good example which it bears is not at all healthy and will not last for long. I repeat this; however slight may be our concern for our reputation, the result of it will be as bad as when we play a wrong note, or make a mistake in time, in playing the organ—the whole passage will become discordant. Such concern is a thing which harms the soul whenever it occurs; but in the life of prayer it is pestilential. You are trying to attain to union with God. We want to follow the counsels of Christ, on whom were showered insults and false witness. Are we, then, really so anxious to keep intact our own reputation and credit ? We cannot do so and yet attain to union, for the two ways diverge. When we exert our utmost efforts and try in various λvays to forgo our rights, the Lord comes to the soul. Some will say: I never have anything to forgo, nor have I an opportunity of giving up anything. But if anyone has this determination I do not believe the Lord will ever allow him to lose so great a blessing. His Majesty will arrange so many ways in which he may gain this virtue that he will soon have more than he wants. I would urge you, then, to set to work and root out things which are of no consequence, just as I used to do when I began—at least, some of them. They are mere straws, and as I have said, I throw them on the fire. I am incapable of doing more than that, but the Lord accepts it. May he be blessed for ever (Life., Chap. 31). m. BOSSUET (A homily on the miracles of Christ and our scandal) The three miracles of Christ in our time and our scandal i. The miracles: The world of today is very like that blind man, the lame, the leper; deaf and blind, it can no longer hear the voice of Christ. It is like the lame man, who cannot walk straight, having lost the moral law; like the leper, or one who is dead, since it cannot find anyone who will free it from sin and purify it of stain. Christ restores hearing and sight to the world when he preaches his faith to it. He heals the lame when he gives the world the rules of morality. He cleanses the leper and raises the dead when he gives his Church the power to forgive sin. These are the three miracles by which Christ demonstrates his divinity to us. 2. Our scandal: These three great qualities of Christ are those which, at the same time, give us motive for scandal. The profound nature of the truths of faith causes us to rebel against the authority of the Lord; the exactitude of his rule of life moves us to complain of its rigour; the 4 70 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT ease with which we are pardoned we often convert into an occasion to abuse his patience. Miracle and scandal of truth 1. The miracle: The triumph of the truth: (a) It vanquished the world without relying on human reasons or arguments, sure of its heavenly origin: it demands a hearing: He preached immense truths to us, such as that of the Trinity and that of the Incarnation, giving as his only proof : Thus says the Lord ! He can demand our belief. One dav he will show us the truth unveiled; now he demands faith from us. The Aposdes conquered the world with this faith, not by any oratorj’ of their own, but by some secret power which persuades us against all the rules of rhetoric ; which captivates hearts and minds, since this power is from above and remains in spite of poverty of expression or lack of oratorical style. Just as a river, flowing across the plains, keeps that impetuosity which it had in the mountains where it was bom. (b) It overcame in spite of persecutions : The Christian faith, in spite of the fury unleashed against it, did not ask help from anyone. She herself formed intrepid defenders who, not knowing how to do anything except confess their faith and die for it, hurried to that death with such ardour that they convinced their very persecutors. By suffering, by prayer and by their deaths, they obliged their enemies in very shame to change the laws against them. 2. The scandal: (a) Those who deny the faith offered to them : Many there are in every nation who deny the faith, refuse to accept it; like blind and deaf men, they have torn the faith from their hearts and have separated themselves from the Church. They do not see the darkness which is all about them, the weakness and ignorance in their intellects. (b) Those who are indifferent: There are many who neither know nor care if they believe or not. They are completely indifferent to the truth, and they will end badly unless they are careful, because soon they will care for nothing but their own pleasure and their business preoccupations. The miracle and scandal of the Christian morality The triumph of that morality: The majority of unbelievers praise Christian morality; but faith and morals are inseparable. Neither in religion nor in heaven arc I. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 71 there two suns. He who was sent to teach us the rule of morals is also the one who preaches our faith. (a) The miracle of its expansion: The Son of God proved his divinity better by directing human life without error than he did by healing the lame. In the midst of so many passions, so many errors and evil customs, he knew how to keep the middle way, as no mere man could. Thus to reform man­ kind is a second creation, for which that wisdom which created man is necessary. Philosophers tried to do it, and although they were able to preserve some vestiges of the truth, it would take years to enumer­ ate their errors. (b) The miracle of its perfection: It leads us to God, our Father, with love and also with salutary fear. It teaches us to reverence his authority, believe in his word, rely on his power, trust in his goodness, fear his justice, abandon ourselves to his love, hope for an eternal life from him. So far as we are concerned, it teaches us that we may become victims of his justice and to avoid that it teaches us to dominate our weakness and passions. So far as society is concerned it teaches justice, charity, pardon and mutual love. It sanctifies the family 'with a sacrament, that of matrimony; preaches love, obedience, education. Behold the immortal beauty of the moral law, which forces me to believe in one who has taught me to live. Faith teaches me moral truth ; and moral truth demands faith of me. (c) Scandal: sinners: Sinners, what is it that offends you ? What part of the law do you wish wiped out? Who dictates your demands, reason or your passion? Do you ask for more liberty? I understand; it is that miserable liberty, -which is at the same time a slavery, for which you are asking. Do not tell me that the law is too perfect. That is the remark of cowards, or of those who are lazy. Do not say that anything is impossible with the grace of God behind you. The miracle and scandal of pardon The miracle: infinite mercy of God: Tertullian says: O happy water, which washes us but once and cannot serve as plaything for the sinner ! On the contrary, the bath of penance, through the very ease with which it washes clean the sinner, sometimes gives rise to that contempt which comes from familiarity. In vain do we preach the truth to you. . .. Do not think so much that God has promised pardon. Think rather on the fact that he has SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 72 never promised time to repent. However, the fact of the repetition of this doctrine has made you deaf to its importance. Remember that your ven' blindness makes God your accomplice in your hardness of heart—and that is a sin against the Holy Spirit. God himself can do no more to recall us from our sinful ways. He calls us, waits for us, holds out his arms to us. And that is what encourages you in your evil ways. But remember, once his patience is exhausted, his anger will have full rein. You could not lead more abandoned lives if you knew that the gate of pardon had been already closed to you ! Let the thought of pardon cease to be a source of scandal to you ! May it be a remedy, not a lethal poison. May hope be the support of the weak, not a motive for fresh sin for the bold and daring. May it be an expiation; not a source of fresh sins! SECTION VI. PAPAL TEXTS (A brief summary of the most important papal documents which have a relation to this Sunday’s Epistle and Gospel.) The obligation ofpreaching the riches ofthe Gospel, especially in the social order: Dear Brothers, the social doctrine of the Church is clear in all its aspects and it is obligatory. No one can depart from it without danger to his faith and also danger to the whole moral order. Therefore it is not lawful for any Catholic—and much less for any member of your organization—to depart from that doctrine in order to adhere to theories and social systems which the Church has rejected and of which she has warned her followers (Pius XII, To Catholic Action, 29 April, 1945). 1. Teaching: For that very reason it is important that in all branches of society there should be a better social formation, corresponding to the differ­ ent grades of intellectual culture; and especially the social doctrine of the Church should be spread among the workers. Minds must be filled with it, the will of our workers must be urged to apply it as a rule and guide for life, in the many duties of a social reform. There are many who are faithful in the matter of their religious duties, but who fail lamentably when it is a question of their social, in­ dustrial, obligations (Divini Redemptoris, 55). 2. Economics, sociology, morality and salvation—the unity between them: It is true that economics and morality, each in its own sphere, has its own principles; but it is false to suppose that economics and the moral order are so disparate that the former has nothing to do with 3. PAPAL TEXTS 73 the latter. While the so-called laws of economics, derived from the nature of things and from the body and mind of man, do indeed determine what human effort cannot do in the economic field, what it can attain and by what means; so reason itself also deduces from the individual and social nature of man and things, what in the designs of God the Creator is the end and object of the whole econo­ mic order. Now, the same moral law which commands us to seek in our general conduct our supreme and final end, also commands us in every particular kind of activity to aim at those ends which nature, or rather the Author of nature, has established for that order of action, and to subordinate particular aims to our last end. If this law be faithfully obeyed, the result will be that particular economic ends, whether of society as a body or of individuals, will fall into their proper place in the universal order of needs, and we shall rise by them as by steps to the final end of all, God, who is himself, and to us, the Supreme End and Good (Quadragesimo Anno, 41-42). 4. The poor still have the Gospel preached to them—Pope John XXIII: We should take notice, at this point, that the right of private property is clearly established in the Gospel. Yet at the same time the Divine Master frequently extends to the rich the insistent invitation to convert their material goods into spiritual ones by conferring them on the poor. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth . .. (Matt. 6. 19-20). And the Lord will look upon the charity given or refused to the poor as given or refused to Himself : Amen I say to you, as often as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me (Matt. 25. 40). 5. Agriculture : (After a discussion of the modern aspects and solutions to this problem, the essential extension of public services to agricultural areas, the need for a suitable economic policy, lesser taxation, more credits, social insurance and security, together with price protection, the Pope goes on:) In the work on the farm the human personality finds every incentive for self-expression, self-development and spiritual growth. It is a work, therefore, which should be thought of as a vocation, a God-given mission, an answer to God’s call to actuate his pro­ vidential plan in history. It should be thought of, finally, as a noble task, undertaken with a view to raising oneself and others to a higher degree of civilization (Mater et Magistra). SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT SECTION VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. SPIRITUAL ALMS Let us take special care, sisters, to pray for them (those in mortal sin), and not to be negligent. To pray for those in mortal sin is the best kind of almsdeeds—a much better thing than it would be to loose a Christian whom we saw with his hands tied behind his back, bound with stout chains, fast to a post and dying of hunger. . . . Would it not be extremely cruel to stand by such a man and not to give him this food to eat ? And suppose you could loose his chains by means of your prayers ? You see now what I mean. For the love of God, I beg you always to remember such souls when you pray (St Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, VII, Chap. i). Π. SCIENCE WITHOUT GOD In December 1951 Mr Thomas E. Murray, member of the Com­ mission for uses of Atomic Energy of the United States of America, gave a conference in Atlantic City, the title of which was ‘Some limits in science’. In the course of this conference he said that, although man could make still more progress in the science of what was divisible, he could never hope to reach the answer to certain fundamental questions, entirely beyond his reach. What is man? WTiat is his destiny ? What is God ? Simply because all things that exist were made by God, the atten­ tion of man must never become so intent on scientific discoveries that he forgets the facts of religion or philosophy, both of which are capable of directing our reason on the lines of morality and charity. Many of the recent scientific discoveries were, beforehand, known only to our Creator. That is sufficient motive for humility. He ends by saying that we should not forget that we shall have acquired the conquest of matter at too high a price if what we have to pay for it is the loss of this humility, by which it is alone given to us to see behind all created nature the magnificent designs of Divine providence (Ecclesia, 6 Feb., 1952, pp. 9-11). ΙΠ. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA The story is told of this saint that, when he was dying, he was told that a poor man was at the door asking for alms. By this time Thomas had already given away all that he possessed, so he told those who were at his side to lay him on the floor and give the poor man his bed. When he saw that they had no intention of doing this SERMON SCHEMES 75 he told them at least to go to the door and ask the poor man if he would grant Thomas the use of the bed until the moment of his death (Ano Cristiano, t. 3, p. 571). SECTION VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. THE EPISTLE Let us live in hope Importance of hope: Among the many ideas developed by St Paul in today’s passage that of the importance of hope stands out as a theme proper to Advent. It appears in the first and last verses. 1. 2. Sacred Scripture written for us: (a) St Paul refers here principally to the Old Testament; but the ideas can also be applied to the New: All the words written long ago were for our instruction; we were to derive hope from that message of endurance and courage which the scriptures bring us (Rom. 15. 4; cf. 4. 23-24). (b) Speaking of the punishments administered to sinners in the Old Law: He reminds us that these things happened to them in figure and were written for our warning (1 Cor. 10. 11). (c) No text is so descriptive as that in the Epistle to Timothy: Everything in the Scripture has been divinely inspired, and has its uses; to instruct us, to expose our errors, to correct our faults, to educate us in holy living (2 Tim. 3. 16). 3. The Scriptures demand hope from us: That is the fundamental idea of Paul in today’s Epistle. The Scriptures, by the direct texts of the prophetic and sapiential books, or through the heroic examples of which we read in the historical ones, lead us to have confidence and patience. This brings us peace and consolation in our trials. As a final result of our patience and consolation our hope is increased (cf. Rom. 15. 4; 5. 4-5). 4. The Old Testament lives in the hope of the Messias: An idea which is very frequent in the prophets. The whole of the Jewish nation, so afflicted and oppressed, lived in the hope of the Messias, redeemer of the people. 5. Advent is a time of hope: Christ will come to free us from sin and from that concupiscence which binds the soul. Hope must be the motive force which leads us to prepare properly for his coming. That is why the Church 76 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT encourages our hope by announcing his coming in such dramatic terms: People of Sion, see how the Lord comes to save the nations and will make his voice heard amidst the rejoicing of our hearts (Introit). 6. Conclusion: Encourage the reading of the Scriptures during Advent, as the Church does in her liturgical prayer, especially the great messianic passages of Isaias. As Catholics, we should know and read the Bible more than others, but how seldom we make any effort. Now is the time for us to awaken from our sleep. Thus we shall learn to prepare ourselves for the Lord’s coming. Π. THE GOSPEL A: The greatness of the Baptist 1. The figure of John the Baptist—unique in history, adorned in life with super-human prestige, a figure standing, silent and mysterious, between the Old Law and the New (Tertullian). Until John, the Law and the Prophets ; after him the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 11. 12-13). He was the end of the Old Law and the beginning of the New. 2. Everything about him is unique: (a) The announcing of his coming (Mai. 3. 1); (b) his mission is also announced (Isaias 40. 3); (c) grace is given to him in the womb of his mother (Luke 1. 44); (d) His birth (Luke 1. 57): i. the prophecy of the angel; ii. the prophetic canticle of Zachary; (e) the austerity of his life in the desert; (f) his apostolate, intimately united to that of Christ; i. he does not announce the Messias as did the Old Law pro­ phets—he points him out: Behold the Lamb of God (John 1. 29); ii. he does not appear as a disciple, but as a fellow-worker; iii. Christ is baptized by him. 3. His prestige during his lifetime: (a) Among the people: i. they held him up as a true prophet (Matt. 14. 5; 21. 26); ii. they flocked to him from all the regions of the country (Mark Ι·5;ΙΙ·32); iii. all classes of people, publicans, sinners soldiers—wondering if he were not the Messias (Luke 3. 15; 20. 6). (b) Among the Jews : To the extent that they sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him if he were the Messias (John 1. 19 if). . ΙΙι·ΜΙΙΙΙΙ·Ι|ΙΗΙ| Util III1 .iMEii'fllP .■ SERMON SCHEMES (c) Before Herod: i. who was afraid because the crowds considered John a prophet (Matt. 14. 5); ii. because he knew John for a just man and a holy man (Mark 6. 20). (d) Praise of John from the mouth of Christ: i. he is more than a prophet (Matt. 11. 9); one who is the greatest of the sons of men (Matt. 11. 11 ) ; ii. one who came by the path of justice (Matt. 21. 32); iii. a light which shines among men (John 5. 35). 4. His prestige among the saints: (a) The saints who have borne his name are legion: They are more than those who have the name of Peter. After Christ and our Lady there is no saint so much an object of Christian art. In one word—he is unique. B : The virtues of the Baptist The fullness of the Spirit and his docility: (a) From the time when he is yet a child in his mother’s womb, he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1. 15). (b) And as the child grew, his spirit achieved strength, and he dwelt in the wilderness until the day when he was made manifest to Israel (Luke 1. 80). 1. 2. His knowledge of Christ: (a) One is to come after me who is mightier than I, so that I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his shoes (Mark 1.7). (b) Look, this is the Lamb of God ; look, this is he who takes away the sin of the world (John 1. 29). Now I have seen him, and have borne my witness that this is the Son of God (John 1.34; cf. 3.31 If.). 3. His love of solitude—he lived in the desert. 4. His penance: He wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and locusts and wild honey were his food (Matt. 3. 4). 5. His zeal: He preached throughout all Judaea. The whole region flocked to him, were baptized by him and confessed their sins (Matt. 3. 5 ; 3. 6). 6. His fortitude: According to St Francis de Sales he supported the most difficult of all trials, that of living apart from Christ. Knowing that he was near at hand, he still waited until Christ should come to him. 4* 78 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 7. His apostolic liberty: In his preaching to the people (Luke 3. 7-11); to the publicans (Luke 3. 12-13); ro fhe soldiers (Luke 3. 14); to the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 3. 7-10); to Herod (Matt. 14. 4). 8. Heroic self-sacrifice: (a) He continues to preach after the baptism of Christ, when it would have been natural enough for him to retire into the desert, since the comparison with our Lord could only diminish his prestige. He would lose both authority and disciples. (b) Instead he proclaims that Christ must increase while he decreases. (c) He rejoices in death so that Christ may reign in souls. 9. Complete perfection: A total despising of self; of his body, fame and work. He hands all over to Christ. The pure love of God was his only motive. C: I must decrease I. Ambition—a universal passion: (a) There is no class, condition or age of man which does not pay it tribute. (b) It is almost the first passion to awaken in the child, in the shape of a desire to be recognized and esteemed. Ambition, greed and the accompanying vice of envy are the principal childhood passions. (c) Simply because we wish for the esteem of men, thinking our­ selves worthy of their honour and praise, we feel hurt at any honour given to others. The good of others saddens us, in so far as it seems to take something away from our own excellence. 2. Ambition in spiritual souls: It attacks even these, among them many who show great apostolic zeal. Love of honour and glory is the moth which destroys the cloth of their spiritual lives. Take away vainglory from among the clergy’, says one writer, and you will easily overcome all other vices. It is the most dangerous of all our adversaries. 3. Collective ambition: Having once been defeated in the individual, it often presents itself in a collective form, in the shape of honour and glory sought for the Order or Institution. From this arises a collective vainglory, with the consequent harm to charity and scandal given to the weak. Meanwhile the devil and the world rejoice. 4. The example of the Baptist should be the study of any apostle : (a) His austere life in food, dress, dwelling-place; it was almost the life of an angel, not a mere man. k SERMON SCHEMES 79 (b) More admirable still is the John we find on the banks of the Jordan, the leader of a school of disciples, the great preacher who had won such fame among men, greater than any other prophet, yet one whose name was to die a slow death, whose school w'as to vanish. All this because a greater prophet than he had come to eclipse him. At last he would die a miserable and obscure death. (c) We should admire this great figure, who did his duty in spite of all the difficulties which surrounded it. $.John not the only example: (a) There are many saintly souls in the priesthood, in convents, in ordinary homes, in factories and workshops, who rejoice in doing good in silence and without the honour or praise of men. i. Christ called John a burning and a shining light. It is in that mirror we should look for those who, doing good by stealth, are burnt out like lamps, so that others may have light and warmth ; ii. those mothers whose quiet work in the home is so tremendous, yet so little appreciated; iii. souls who burn themselves out for God in reparation, in the silence of convent or monastery ; iv. priestly souls, who live lives of real self-denial so that Christ may reign in the hearts of men; v. all those who do good unseen and without thought of praise or reward from men. All these should see themselves in the Baptist; leaving it to God to give them their reward in the next life. (b) Few deaths are so sad in the eyes of men as that of John; beheaded in an obscure prison cell at the whim of an adulteress and at the command of a weak ruler. No struggle, no chance to put up a public defence of himself or his work. Sad indeed to the eyes of the world; but what glory was his in the sight of God ! D: Envy The motive behind the minds ofJohn's disciples as they went to Christ was envy: John sent them to Christ so that the Master would be able to cure them of this evil mentality. Unlike John, the disciples are afraid that Christ will eclipse their master, that he will capture some of the glory due to John. The latter has only one thing to say—he must increase, while I must decrease. He has only one thing to do—send his own to Christ, so that they too may come to know and love the Messias. 1. 2. Universal nature of envy: St Robert Bellarmine says that envy is the most universal and common of all sins; while Bossuet affirms that it is probably the most common of all the passions, of which few souls are really SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT free. Together with sins of the tongue, this is the most common of all vices, even in really spiritual people. John’s disciples were afflicted by it; even friends envy one another. 3. St Thomas's definition: He defines envy as a sadness produced by another’s good in so far as it is thought of as bad for us, since it diminishes our own excellence. Above all, it is a sentiment or passion which arises naturally from our lower nature, corrupted by sin. It is born with a man and grows with him. Other passions remain latent until adolescence, but envy is bom even in childhood—as mothers know only too well. 4. A sin against charity: When this feeling is agreed to and accepted freely, then it is a disorder and a sin against charity. It is also a sin against mercy, which is a compassion for others in their sadness. It is often a grave sin and can be terrible in its consequences; as it led Cain to kill his brother and the Jews to kill their God. It is the ven’ crime of Satan, which led him to try to reduce the whole world to hell together with him. 5. The advice of St Thomas: It is worth while remembering his advice when he says that envy affects those who are in some way near to us or those whom one wishes to overcome or to whom one wishes to be superior. This does not usually happen with those who are far from us in time or space, but with those who are near to us in some way (2-2, q. 36. a. 1. ad 211m). Thus the man from a village does not usually envy the king, nor a business man envy a lawyer; it is the business man who envies another in his same business, the lawyer likewise. 6. God's punishment: God punishes the envious man in this world as well as in the next. The Fathers insist on this thought time and again—it is a sin which gnawrs at the very vitals, tormenting the spirit. Was not the devil’s sin one of envy ? And no sooner did it arise than it tormented its very author? The envious man is never at peace. O envy; the most just and most unjust of all the passions. Unjust, because you afflict and torment the innocent; but just, since you also punish the guilty. Unjust, because you molest the whole human race; but just, since you begin your torments in the heart of the man wrho gives you birth (St Greg. Naz.). The envious man knows no rest; he breathes only sadness. He lives in the midst of worry and unrest. He is always afraid of being left in the shadows of oblivion, equalled or bettered by others. His life is a hell of torment, and he is his own executioner. SERMON SCHEMES 81 7. Against' envy—charity : The masters of the spiritual life are of the opinion that there are few men who despise and ignore the suggestions of envy. It is necessary to fight valiantly against these temptations by contrary acts of charity. Charity demands that we should desire the good of our neighbour and rejoice when we see it. An efficacious remedy is this; to ask God to give greater honour and glory to those we envy, working for that end by all the means at our disposal. E: Effects of envy i. Envy makes us objects of scorn to others: (a) It is a passion and a sin which all, even pagans, have despised : i. Seneca and Cicero use terms to describe it which are very like those employed by SS. Cyprian, Chrysostom and Augustine. ii. Bossuet describes it as ‘vile, low, hateful’. The most despic­ able of all the passions, it dishonours and degrades a man, and all feel deeply hurt when they find themselves described as envious. (b) Janvier, the French theologian, gives a good description of it: The envious will not permit others to triumph, be more esteemed, praised.... The sight of their virtues and their victories exasperates them, fills their soul with bitter gall. If you dare to relate in their hearing something of the virtues and superiority of your brethren, they hear your w'ords with evil looks, twisting their faces and showing their disgust. (c) Envy demonstrates a heart which is vile and poor in the extreme. A disgrace of our fallen nature, this one; that we feel ourselves offended by others who have not merely no intention of hurting us, but are also unaware of the fact that they have done so. Just because they are better than we are, happier than we are, they annoy us and we wish them ill (Bossuet). 2. Envy in the Christian: (a) Contrary to the Holy Spirit: It is contrary to the Holy Spirit whom we received in baptism and who brought us the virtue of charity. We should walk according to the Spirit (Gal. 5. 16). Envy is one of the works of the flesh and a sure sign that we are not living according to the Spirit (Gal. 5. 22-26). (b) Contrary to the whole idea of the mystical body: Envy would be impossible if we really considered ourselves as members of one and the same body. The eye does not envy the hand, or the heart which beats within us. We each have our place Sa SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT in that body—and the graces which go with it; our own specific mission, some greater and some less. Why envy one who has received more, if it is for the good of the whole body ? 3. The daughters of envy: (a) Envy is a capital vice: Its daughters are exaggerations, twisted interpretations, com­ mentaries, gossip, calumny and hatred. From the latter even crime may come, as in the case of Cain. It was envy which induced the High Priest and the Pharisees to put Christ to death. Many crimes have their origins in the same vice. (b) Envy is sadness at another’s good: We cannot suppress that good in reality, but we try to do so in our hearts and in our speech. "We play down the merits of others, reduce their virtues to nothing if we can, exaggerate their faults and defects, or we invent faults which do not exist. We desire that others should not be seen to possess those good qualities which we wish to possess ourselves and for our own glory’. 4. Remedies: To be certain of the remedy we must examine the causes of envy. We have already indicated that it is one of the ‘works of the flesh’ and is born from vainglory. St Thomas Aquinas indicates this (2-2 q. 36. a. 4. ad turn). Unless pride is attacked it is impossible to overcome envy. Therefore we must pray for humility and accept the humiliations which God sends us from time to time. F : Envy in the Church 1. The human spirit of the disciples ofJohn: Their envy’. The divine spirit of John himself seeks nothing but peace and harmony. 2. This is the distinctive sign of the disciples of Christ: (a) That they may be one (John 17. 21). (b) Where there is charity’ and love, Christ is also there (liturgy). 3. Then why should there always be envy and jealousy in the Church ? (a) These do exist: i. among individuals; ii. in the form of a party spirit among various organizations in the Church. (b) It has existed always: i. in the early days of the Church between the Jewish and Greek converts to Christianity. SERMON SCHEMES 83 ii. St Paul was forced to reprove those who said, some that they belonged to Paul, others to Peter, others to Apollo. (c) Why ? On the one hand the spirit of Christ always seeks the glory of God, but for itself only humility; at the same time the spirit of the world enters in, which seeks one’s own glory and applies the criterion of friendship at times instead of reason. 4. The harm it does: (a) Not merely harm, but also the total loss of the glory of God and the good of souls, very often. (b) Disputes, rancour, quarrels. . . . (c) The loss of the merits of our deeds. . . . For whom were they performed ? 5. Remedies: (a) Seek only God. John 3. 30 should be our watch-word. (b) St Paul knew that there were those in Rome who preached Christ from the sole motive of outdoing Paul ; but he did not care, so long as Christ be preached. G. The scandal of Christ I. False scandal and its kinds: (a) There is a scandal which is taken, but not given: The reason for its existence is in the one who takes it, not in him who is supposed to have given it. Christ could not give scandal to anyone; so that some who pretended to take scandal at his actions, did so without motive. (b) This scandal, which is taken but not given, can have many causes : i. the poverty of intellect and narrowness of spirit of the one who takes scandal. It is the scandal of the weak, of the man who does not know how to interpret the law and so takes scandal at exceptions which can be made in case of necessity, charity, etc. ii. the perverse intent of the one taking scandal·, the scandal of the Pharisees, from whom it takes its name. This is the scandal of the jealous man, of the wicked, who wish to hide the true virtue of others so that their own evil will not appear clearly; of the hypo­ crite, who pretends it so that his owm pretended virtue may appear more true to life ; of the sinner who, since he does not wish to be converted, likes to see other sinners around him, even though may be they are only sinners in his eyes; iii. of the man whose only remedy it is, when he has been reproved for some fault or corrected by his superior. S4 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2. Christy the object of scandal: (a) He was persecuted by the Pharisees for this reason; (b) if he healed someone ... it was the Sabbath (Mark 3. 4; Luke 13. 14); (c) if he cast out devils, it was by the power of the chief of the devils (Matt. 12.27; Mark 3.22; Luke 11. 15); (d) if he proclaimed his divinity, it was blasphemy (Matt. 9. 3; Mark 2. 7; 14. 64). 3. The Churchy an object of scandal: (a) If she preaches the obligations of charity and the right use of riches she is called a demagogue; (b) if she talks about the right to private property she is called a friend of the capitalists; (c) if she preaches obedience to the government she is called a friend of tyrants; (d) if she defends the rights of individuals against the use of power, she is called revolutionary. 4. The just many the object of scandal: (a) The disciple is not better than the master, and like him, his actions may be given an evil interpretation. It is very easy for such things to happen and their proportion will increase according to his virtues. (b) But the just man may also be a real cause of scandal to the weaker elements, who may think that they can ask of him more than he can really give in terms of virtue. 5. Rules against scandal: (a) Let us not speak about the man who gives scandal voluntarily, especially the one who gives it to children. We know what is in store for him (Matt. 18. 6). (b) So far as the scandal given to the weak is concerned, we should be careful to avoid giving it so far as we can, especially when it is a question of simple souls to whom it may do much harm. Charity obliges us to this. (c) Pharisaical scandal must be despised—never let it impede the work of virtue or truth. It may have a place in our prayers, in which we can ask God to illuminate the minds of those who are subject to it, that they may see the light. H: The Messias and the Jews I. Art thou he who is to come? The Jewish people, whose mission it was to wait for and receive the Messias, who should have known clearlv his mission, so often explained to them by the prophets, present this question : Are you he who is to come, or have we to wait for another ? In this we can * J / SERMON SCHEMES 85 sec two periods of development in the life of the Chosen People; one of growth and another of decadence. The latter due to divine punishment. 2. The Jewish people in the Old Testament: (a) In spite of their infidelity, suffering at the hands of God, we can still say that the people of Israel were the ‘star in the east’. (b) Their true greatness: their intimacy with God: i. God promised that, if their conduct with regard to the Coven­ ant between himself and them was satisfactory, he would consider them as his own among all the nations of the earth (Ex. 19. 5-6); ii. he gave Moses the mission of sanctifying his people (Ex. J9: I0); iii. he would be in their midst, represented by the Ark (Deut. 47); iv. among all the nations of the time the Hebrews are the only ones who have an exact knowledge of God, the creator; their history is a hymn of praise to the God who governed them and guided them personally. (c) Their legislation: The only one among the ancient people which respected the rights of liberty, equality and fraternity. Includes all aspects and life, from morality’ to liturgy. (d) Distribution of riches : To assure the right distribution of riches the Jubilee year was established. (e) Jerusalem: That ‘vision of peace’ is a symbol of this great people, called by God to be the greatest on the earth. 3. The Jews in the New Testament: (a) Christ reproaches them bitterly: He weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19. 41). He laments the terrible destruction which will come upon them and their city. (b) The people are dispersed over the whole earth: They are despised by others, with a stain of blood on their hands which has yet to be removed. 4. The cause of this change: Infidelity: Their vocation was to receive Christ; but blinded by political notions of his kingdom they did not recognize him when he came. His owTi received him not (John 1. 11). On the contrary, they accuse him, persecute him and end by crucifying him. See the lament of Christ himself (Matt. 23. 37). SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 86 5. This history is frequently repeated in the life of souls: (a) The Fathers see in Jerusalem the symbol of the Christian soul: i. like this people, the soul also was sanctified in baptism; ii. it forms part of a royal race, a kingly priesthood (1 Pct. 2. 9); iii. it is the object of God's special providence, and all this so that it may fulfil a vocation similar to that of the Jewish nation, that of receiving Christ, living his life, accepting his word and reflecting that word in actions; iv. the secret of the fulfilment of this vocation is nothing else than fidelity’. All men are called to sanctity of life in imitation of Christ. Those become saints who do imitate him; those who are faithful. On the other hand, those who are not become sinners. What would have happened to Paul had he not been faithful to Christ ? A great man, but unhappy, scandalous, a sinner. What would have happened to Julian the Apostate had he been faithful to Christ ? He would have been one of the wisest and most saintly of rulers. (b) Through infidelity to Christ men fall into sin: For the same reason there are many souls who wish to be saints, but who live without giving much fruit, without being at peace with others, nor finding it in themselves. These are always liable to fall into serious sin. (c) Let each one examine his fidelity: In the matter of the love of God and of his neighbour, the fulfil­ ment of his duties, his prayers and mortifications, so as to avoid a punishment which he will merit if, like the Jews, he is unfaithful to his vocation. I: Miracles 1. The Gospel scene: Why does God work miracles ? 2. The purpose of a miracle: (a) God has written a book—that of the whole of creation—in which may be read the story of his existence and his attributes. (b) But: i. at times men refuse to read that book, forget God and forge a false notion of him for themselves (Rom. 1. 18-20); ii. at times God himself wishes to reveal to men truths which are not contained in that book. (c) When God wishes to remind man of things which he should already know, or can know; or when he wishes to teach men new truths, he speaks to man and accompanies his speech by miracles, as proof and signature. SERMON SCHEMES 87 3. The fact of miracles: (a) Before Christ, God spoke in many ways to his people: i. the miracles of Sinai; ii. those of the prophets. (b) Last of all he spoke to us by means of his Son (Heb. 1.2): i. miracles followed his steps everywhere; ii. over inanimate nature] Cana, multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the calming of the storm, the walking on the waters, etc; iii. in animal nature] the swine, the fish with the piece of money in its mouth; iv. on the human body—all types of cures; v. in the dead—raising them to life; vi. in souls—reading their thoughts, forgiving their sins already known to him; vii. over evil spirits, casting out devils; viii. in short, over the whole of nature whose Lord he is. (c) Christ ascended into heaven, but he left his Church on earth to prolong his mission. (d) Miracles followed her steps too, as we see in Lourdes and Fatima. 4. Face to face with the facts of miracles: What is the logical and rational attitude ? (a) Not that of the incredulous man who refuses to admit them, such as Zola, who saw a miracle with his own eyes and refused to believe. (b) Not that of those who refuse to admit their possibility a priori and then reject them without any examination of the facts. The true scientific approach should be an examination of the facts as they stand and then, if there is no natural explanation of them, to accept the possibility of divine intervention. (c) It is neither logical nor rational to adopt an attitude which implies that everything has a purely natural significance and explana­ tion—even though we may not know what that explanation is. There are certain laws of nature which we know cannot be broken or by­ passed by natural means. A blind man, whose optic nerve is de­ stroyed, cannot see again by any natural means. (d) The position of an Alexis Carrel is the rational one to adopt. (e) To be completely logical we should bow the knee before the evidence of a true miracle and say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. 88 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT J : A moral miracle 1. The miracle of the Catholic Church: There are such things as moral miracles. The life of the Church is one of these, and has brought many into her fold. 2. The words of Gamaliel: Have nothing to do with these men, let them be. If this is man’s design or man’s undertaking, it will be overthrown ; if it is God’s, you will have no power to overthrow it. You would not willingly be found fighting against God (Acts 5. 38-39). 3. From the merely human point of view the history of the Church cannot be explained: We may leave on one side the proclamation of her rule fifty days after the death of Jesus; her development in apostolic times; her conquest of the whole Roman empire in such a short time, and we may come down to our own day. Macaulay, after praising the English Constitution, the most perfect which men had ever known, and the solidity’ of the Empire, to all intents and purposes, something which could never be broken, added: However, there is another institution—and we have to recognize the fact—which is even more admirable than our own: the Roman Pontificate, which is the oldest of all the European dynasties. Which is the most venerable in Europe? That of Charlemagne ? He was crowned by a Pope whose throne was already eight centuries old! In the future England may have disappeared, but the Roman Pontificate -will still exist. There will come a day in which this vast plain on which the City of London stands will be nothing more than a mass of ruins. Then the traveller who comes from far off New Zealand or Australia or from wherever civilization is at that time, leaning on the last broken arch of London Bridge, will notice the ruins of the Parliament buildings; but meanwhile the Roman Pontificate will continue to send out its missionaries to savage regions of the world, ready to preach the doctrine of Christ with the same love and the same faith which brought Augustine to the shores of Kent to preach the Gospel to the English. 4. After two wars the prophecy of Macaulay is fast becoming a fact: Kings have fallen, great Empires with them—Russia, Germany, Japan, Austria. Even the power of the British Empire is not what it was before. But the Church is stronger than ever. 5. The four marks: We may say without exaggeration that the four marks of the true Church of Christ shine today as never before in her history : she is one, holy, catholic and apostolic. ‘.y Y SERMON SCHEMES 8q (a) The unity of the Church: i. the dogma. Never before has this unity in faith been so obvious —for example, the Second Vatican Council—a clear demonstra­ tion of the unity in the faith of the whole Church. ii. discipline: the unity of priests with their bishops, of bishops with the Pope. We saw it in the pontificate of Pius XII and even more so in the pontificate of John XXIII. All nations gather at the feet of the successor of Peter to hear his words and to accept his decisions. iii. Law: the unification of the law of the Church in the Canon Law was a moral miracle, when we think of all the nations to be governed by it and the difference in custom and tradition. (b) The holy Church : In so far as she offers to all the means of holiness and is today more than ever distinguished by the holiness of so many of her children. There have never been so many canonizations as there are today in the Church—all of them proofs of heroic virtue in the modern world. (c) The Catholic Church: She offers her teaching through the whole known world, and that teaching is one and the same as the teaching of the apostles. It is impossible to separate catholicity from apostolicity—the two must go together. (d) The apostolic Church: She teaches the same doctrine now as that taught by the apostles of Christ, without fear or favour. She has more contact now than ever -with the spirit of the apostles. 6. Are you he who is to come ? Evidently. As Napoleon said: It is easy to found an empire by force; but to found one on love and to give it a force which is eternal—that is the work of Christ. K: Doing good i. He went around doing good: (a) One of the characteristics of the Messias, according to the prophets (Isaias 35. 4): Christ shows it to us as one of the infallible signs that the kingdom has come. (b) He went about doing good to bodies and to souls: i. the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the dead rise again; ii. in souls; sinners find pardon; the sad are comforted; tears are wiped away; in 9o SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT iii. in the whole of Palestine, Jew or Gentile, just or sinners— all receive the mercy of Christ and the proof of his omnipotence. 2. To do good—the mission of the Church: (a) She must continue to the end of time the mission of her founder, redeeming, sanctifying, teaching: i. From the ven· beginning of the Church St Paul collected money for the poor, the deacons came into being to attend to their needs, widows, orphans, the sick and aged were attended to. ii. The early Councils speak frequently of these obligations; that of Tours, in 566, for example, orders that the poor in the cities should be looked after by the Bishop of the diocese and his priests; while that of Orleans orders special care to be taken of the lepers, who should be given clothes and food from Church funds. iii. In England it has always been the Church who was first in hospital work, schools especially, homes for poor children, charity to the needy of all kinds. Before the Reformation the poor were the special care of the Church—and they appreciated the differ­ ence! The great monasteries were feeding grounds for the poor, and while they existed no man went hungry or unattended, no matter what his needs. On this history is clear and certain. (b) We see it today in the numerous charitable organiza­ tions of the Church: The poor are her constant preoccupation, as we can see by a brief message of Pope John XXIII, when he said that there are millions of people in the world today w'ho are hungry for the bare necessities of life ‘in spite of all that we can say and do’. The remark is significant. 3. The distinctive mark of the Christian—doing good: (a) This is the mark of a true Christian : To follow the footsteps of Christ in his one mission, to do good to others. (b) The best criterion of the Christian life: This is not that of individual piety, but a spirit of mercy, com­ passion charity and beneficence. It is sad to see so many Christians who go to communion frequently, say their prayers regularly, but who have little or no thought for the material needs of their neigh­ bours—the poor. Can they be counted among the disciples of him who went about doing good ? i. there must be no limit to our charity ; enemy or friend, it must be all the same. Rich or poor, wise or ignorant—it does not matter, so long as we are true sons of our Father in heaven, who makes his sun rise on good and bad alike (Matt. 5. 45). SERMON SCHEMES 91 ii. our enemies. These should be our special care, according to the command of our Master (Matt. 5. 44; cf. Rom. 12. 20 ff.). iii. the poor and the needy ; these more than anyone else. God allows some to be in need, hungry, naked, sick—so that the rest may practise charity towards them. We must ask ourselves how we fulfil this obligation; it is neither easy nor comfortable, but it is essential! 4. Application: How interesting is this contact between ourselves and the poor. But it is even more important that it should be personal. Alms­ giving is important, but its value is increased if we do it personally, seeing the poor in their homes. May they see the birth of Christ in us, at least this year ! L: The poor have the Gospel preached to them 1. On more than one occasion Christ gave as a proof of his divinity that he had come to preach the Gospel to the poor : (a) so, in the Gospel of today; (b) in the first sermon he gave at Nazareth (Luke 4. 18); (c) the first Beatitude is ‘blessed are the poor in spirit.. .’. 2. How did he preach to the poor? (a) He was born poor, and of poor parents ; (b) his Gospel was first announced to poor shepherds—the out­ casts of the Jewish nation; (c) he lived a poor life, working with his hands as the son of a carpenter; (d) he was surrounded by the poor ; at times three whole days and nights preaching to them and healing the sick among them. He fed them, with a miracle when necessary ; (e) he shewed special affection for the ordinary people, most of whom were poor—like sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9. 36); (f) he chose his disciples from among the poor; (g) he died in extreme poverty, not even his tomb was his own. 3. Praise of poverty: Not by example only, but also in words. The kingdom of heaven is to be won by the poor. They will be able to help the rich to enter (Luke 16. 9). 4. The danger of riches: He preaches the danger of riches as opposed to the advantages of poverty. For that reason he points out how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom (Matt. 19. 23-24). 5. He made his Church an association of the poor: (a) Almsdeeds are the key to enter into the kingdom; 92 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) there is special praise for the alms of the poor themselves— the widow’s mite (Mark 12. 41-44; Luke 21. 1-4). 6. The reply of the people: (a) They loved him, surrounded him, accompanied him. In his disputes with the Scribes and Pharisees, the people were always on his side, rejoicing in his victories. They proclaimed him a prophet and a great one at that; (b) they wished to make him King; (c) they received him in triumph on Palm Sunday. (d) The ordinary people seem to have reacted quickly against their momentary blindness on Good Friday, because even on Mt Calvary they beat their breasts in recognition of the fact that they had killed the Just One (Luke 23.48). 7. Let us follow the example of Christ: (a) in his love for the people, especially those who live in poverty’; (b) understanding their needs, applying the remedy as far as in us lies through charity and spiritual as well as material alms. (c) There is no excuse for injustice against the poor and the worker. Charity, said Pius XII, if it is true charity, must always work to assure justice, and not be content to ameliorate the disorders and deficiencies which come from injustice. M: The rich poor I. Christ loved the rich: He came to preach the Gospel to them no less than to the poor. (a) At his birth three rich men came to bring him gifts, and the Church has made this one of her greatest feasts ; (b) when he chose his aposdes he selected two who w'ere rich men, Bartholomew and Matthew ; (c) he dwells in the houses of the rich ; (d) he shows particular friendship for some of them, such as Lazarus and his sisters. One of his greatest miracles was done on this rich man, four days in the tomb; (e) he entered into their houses frequently to eat ; Simon the Leper, for example ; (f) he selected one of them to carry the cross behind him and gave his dead body into the hands of two others. He was buried in the tomb of one of them ; (g) he made almsdeeds an easy way to enter heaven. 2. The ancient patriarchs were rich men: Job and Tobias were rich too. 3. The doctrine of riches: (a) God does not condemn them nor their possession in abundance. SERMON SCHEMES 93 (b) The rich have a providential mission, that of God’s admini­ strators in the right use of something which has been ‘lent’ to them by God for their use in the right way. 4. The duties of the rich: (a) How often they are acquired by unlawful means, these goods of which we arc inclined to be so proud ! (b) Riches are a danger, because all too often people set their heart on them. (c) There are few rich people who understand their obligation to give freely of their riches for the benefit of others. (d) As a result riches may easily close the way into heaven instead of being an easy means of entering into the kingdom. 5. The rich poor: It is above all necessary to teach the rich that they should be poor in spirit, to consider themselves God’s administrators. Here are but four of the rules which we shall consider more in detail elsewhere, a consideration of which will lead to a right use of riches. (a) St Ignatius: In his Exercises he gives seven rules for almsdeeds, one of which is taken from an old tradition about the parents of our Lady, who were said to have divided their wealth into three equal parts, one for themselves, one for the care of the liturgy and one for the poor. (b) St Thomas: He summarizes the rules for almsdeeds in these three words, prompt, cheerful, and abundant. (c) The rule of Leo XTTT: The rich man, having satisfied his own needs and those of his family according to his state, should give the rest to the poor. (d) That of St Paul: He reminds the rich of this world that they should give and distribute of their riches with liberality. 6. A difficult art, this ofadministering goods: Therefore those souls who felt drawn to sanctity embraced voluntary poverty as the easiest way of meeting this obligation. But another way is to keep what we have in order to administer it to the greater glory of God. The ‘poor rich’—or to use a phrase of Scripture, the wise rich, are those who know how to administer their goods as God’s stewards; and these attain a high place in heaven. Riches can be a crown of glory for the wise man (Prov. 14. 24). J··'» 94 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT IV. SOCIAL APPLICATIONS Character—end of education St John and Christ: The thought of them leads us to a consideration of the nature of character, which is rhe end of all education. The whole purpose of Christian education is the formation of men of character. i. 2. Pius XI demands these two qualities of the man of character: (a) an intellect which is formed in such a way that it thinks in the right way and according to truth; (b) a will which is constant and faithful in following the dictates of reason. 3. He adds something which is essential: That the true intellectual light is that \vhich comes from rhe doctrines and example of Christ. 4. Tenacity of conduct is not enough: (a) The will of the obstinate man can also be tenacious, so can that of the man who is in error, or merely obstinate in false principles. Perfection of character demands perfection in the guiding principle of reason, which alone sustains the will. I am the truth, said Christ. When this is the guiding light of a character, that character is from the human •I· int of view perfect. (b) The faith is the basis of this character, not the mere light of reason, as Pius XI points out. Γ 5. The saints were essentially men of character: Their lives were an imitation of Christ. (a) We may say without error that all the saints were men of character, because true sanctity demands this rule of life, this tenacity of conduct according to a rule, that of truth itself. In this is character detected, not elsewhere. (b) Athanasius and Ambrose were great characters, but no less were Thérèse and Maria Goretti. 6. The power of example: Christ is the supreme example of this, and it is in the power of his example that he rises above all the other saints and prophets. I have given you an example, he could say, that you may follow in my steps. (a) He did more—he gave us the rule of truth and grace to help us : This gives us a supernatural fortitude, which is the hall-mark of the Christian. This is no religion for the weak and feeble ; it demands great strength of character. As one spiritual writer has said about SERMON SCHEMES 95 the virtue of purity; if anyone maintains that this is a virtue for the weak and feeble, then it is a sure sign that he has never tried to (b) How many of our ordinary people are models of strength of character! Many Catholic mothers, many priests in their small parishes, in the day-to-day administration of their flock! How many strong characters, hidden under meekness and kindness to others! Gentle­ ness, which is rather a complex virtue, demands much fortitude, from which it stems. 7. The example ofJohn the Baptist: He, as no one else, is an example of the teaching of Pius XI, because he thinks and acts always in the light which we receive from Christ. He has filled himself with that spirit in the desert and prepares the way of the Lord perfectly. He rejoiced in Christ and in the thought of the vast mystical body of Christ; for that reason, when he was asked, Who art thou ? his reply was: I am a voice! He, the voice, Christ, the light, the word of God, speaking through the mouth of John. 8. The world today needs strong characters: It needs those who will not allow themselves to be influenced by propaganda, even though, like John, they may find themselves to be nothing but a voice crying in the wilderness of a world which has lost most of its inheritance of truth and virtue. (a) There will always be this opposition between the world of the spirit and the materialistic attitude of the world of the flesh and the devil. (b) The Catholic character, result of a true Catholic education, can alone apply the remedy. A character founded on the light of faith, the example of Christ and the help of his grace. Third Sunday of Advent THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN TO THE JEWS SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Gospel: John 1. 19-28 Epistle: Philippians 4. 4-7 Texts concerning humility David before the Ark: As it came into David’s Keep, there was Michol, Saul’s daughter, looking on from her window; she saw king David leaping and dancing in the Lord’s presence, and her heart despised him. . . . David him­ self, going back to bless his own household, was met by Michol, Saul’s daughter. A day of great renown, she said, for the king of Israel, that exposed his person to man and maid, his own subjects, graceless as a common mountebank! Nay, answered David, it was at the Lord’s coming. He it is that has chosen me, instead of thy father or any of thy father’s line, to rule the Lord’s people of Israel; and before his coming play the mountebank I will; humble myself I will in my own esteem, and those maids thou speakest of will honour me yet the more. 2 Kings 6. 16-22. I. The book ofJudith: Abate we our pride, and wait on him with chastened spirits; entreat him with tears to grant us relief at a time of his own choosing. Then shall we, who stand aghast now at the pride of our enemies, triumph in the reward of our humility. . . . Wait humbly until he sends us relief; he will revenge our wrongs by bringing misfortune on our enemies ... 8. 16-20. 2. 3. The book ofJob: His to exalt men of low esteem, to comfort the mourner with new hope. 5. ii. He that was once brought low shall be high in renown ; the down­ cast eye shall win deliverance. 22. 29. 4. Psalms: To humble folk thou wilt bring deliverance; the proud, with their haughty looks, thou wilt bring down to earth. 17. 28. The sacrifice God loves is a broken spirit; a heart that is humble and contrite thou, O God, wilt never disdain. 50. 19. 96 SCRIPTURE TEXTS 97 It was in mercy thou didst chasten me, schooling me to thy obedience. . . . Lord, it was in faithfulness thou didst afflict me. 118.71,75. The Lord who is high above us, yet looks upon lowly things, looks upon the proud, too, but from afar off. 137. 6. 5. Proverbs: Pride is neighbour to disesteem; humility to wisdom. 11. 2. Yet hearts are proudest when ruin is nearest; humility is the ante­ chamber of renown. 18. 12. Pride will come low; honour awaits the humble. 29. 23. 6. The book of Ecclesiasticus: The greater thou art, the more in all things abase thyself; so thou shalt win favour with God. Man’s esteem and favour are to be had for the asking, but it is to the humble that hidden things are re­ vealed. 3. 20 ff. Proud nations withered from the root, and a humble race of exiles planted anew! 10. 18. Learn to abase thyself before God, and wait for his hand to beckon thee, instead of courting false hopes, that bring their own abasement. 13. 9-10. Pierce those clouds if thou wouldst, thou must humble thyself, inconsolable until that prayer finds audience, unwearying till it wins redress. 35. 21. 7. In the Gospels: Take my yoke upon yourselves, and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart. Matt. 11. 29. He is greatest in the kingdom of heaven who will abase himself as this little child. Matt. 18. 4. Among you, the greatest of all is to be the servant of all; the man who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted. Matt. 23. 11-12. He has put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the lowly. Luke 1. 52. I tell you, this man went back home higher in God’s favour that the other; everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18. 14. 8. Apostolic humility: You yourselves can testify how I have lived among you, since the first day when I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord in all humility, not without tears over the trials which beset me . . . Acts 20. 18-19. Live in harmony of mind, falling in with the opinions of common folk, instead of following conceited thoughts; never give yourselves airs of wisdom. Rom. 12. 16. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT q8 But there is one who never fails to comfort those who are brought low... 2 Cor. 7. 6. You must be always humble, always gentle; patient, too, in bearing with one another’s faults, as charity bids; eager to preserve that unity the Spirit gives you, whose bond is peace. Eph. 4. 2-3. Then he lowered his own dignity, accepted an obedience which brought him to death, death on a cross. Phil. 2. 8. Is one of the brethren in humble circumstances? Let him be proud of it; it exalts him, whereas the rich man takes pride in what in truth abases him. James 1. 9-10. SECTION II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. LITURGICAL Today’s liturgy is slightly out of place in the modern celebration of Advent, at least so far as its history goes, although not in its spirit of joy. The latter is compatible with penance and natural when we think of Christmas to come. Since the last Sunday of Advent was taken up with the ordinations which took place on that day, the preparatory festivities—something akin to our modem Novenas—were translated to the previous week. The Gaudete and the rose colour of the vestments are all that remains nowadays. The theme of the Introit is inspired by the Epistle: Rejoice . . . because the Lord is at hand. This joy is a fruit of interior peace, which cannot be disturbed by adversity or persecution. The Gospel continues with the story of the Baptist, whose testimony also declared that the Lord was at hand, and that he will come to dispel the darkness of the past. The other parts of the Mass show Christ to us in his throne of glory among the angels ; encourage the timid to be hopeful. The tone is of joy that the Lord’s coming is at hand. Π. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: Philippians 4. 4-7 Argument: Paul is in prison and he replies to those who have written to him from Philippi—Rejoice! This is the key-note of the Epistle. The section chosen for today begins his farewell to his friends among the Philippians, and there is no need for us to seek a logical relation between the verses. Joy in God is very different from the joy of this world, full as it is of worry and preoccupations. They must be moder­ ate in their way of life, because Christ is near. The affairs of this world must be put in God’s hands. Thus they will have true peace, the peace of Christ in God. i. GENERAI. COMMENTS 99 Commentary: We shall limit ourselves to the ideas preached by St Robert Bcllarminc on 15 December 1602. 2. (a) The joy of this world and that of God: That of this world is small and imperfect, because it comes from a meagre fountain, full of anxiety. Solomon, after enjoying the pleasures of this world, concluded that his laughter was an error (Eccles. 2. 2-11). The Lord tells us: Blessed are they that mourn, and, Woe to you who now' laugh (Matt. 5. 5; Luke 6. 25). That of God is permanent and great, because it comes from the love of God and the hope of the good things to come. No one can take it from us. While spiritual joy is tasted by the intellect from a well which cannot be exhausted for all eternity, that of this world is insignificant, owing to the smallness of the cup from which it is drunk. (b) Rejoice always . . . Rejoice in the thought of God and the good things created by him. If our exile is like this, w'hat will our home be like in heaven ? We should rejoice, not merely in the graces of the Lord but also in his punishments, which are so often directed to our good. The source of this joy is our dominion over the w hole of creation, our lack of worry about created things, w'hich comes from our friendship and peace with God. We should seek for these if we wish to be happy for eternity. . ' ‘ f (c) Give proof to all of your courtesy ... The Greek implies moderation in all actions and in all adversity. By dominion over the passions we shall be like one who has perfect control over his horse and can go at the pace he pleases. Before all men, and not like the hypocrite wrho acts prudently only before those he wishes to please. (d) Nothing must make you anxious . . . Paul, W'ho felt anxiety for all the churches, excludes only lack of moderation in such anxiety. His idea is that of St Peter, that we should cast all our cares on the Lord, w'hose providence is over all. (c) The Lord is near . . . Do not worry, the Lord is near. Near so far as the time of our judgement is concerned. Why worry about the building of a house which we know will tumble down tomorrow? He is near in the physical sense, because his providence and omnipotence surround us. But he is far from the damned! How can we feel ourselves near to God ? By prayer, petition and thanksgiving. That is the meaning of Paul’s words. H IOO THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Many of our petitions are not heard, but that is because they do not have the essential conditions mentioned by Paul : prayer, thanks­ giving, petition, and beseeching. i. Prayer:by baptism we are all called to be saints and as such should live in a spirit of prayer. ii. Thanksgiving: nothing is more powerful to obtain new benefits from the Lord. The Church begins almost all her prayers by giving thanks for benefits already received. iii. Petition: our gratitude stems from our knowledge of God; our petition from our knowledge of ourselves. Many find it hard to spend even a quarter of an hour in prayer. Why ? Because they do not know themselves! The sinner is like one who is wounded and robbed while he is asleep. He does not advert to his mis­ fortune (Apoc. 3. 17-18). iv. Beseeching: What else can we poor sinners do, seeing our­ selves so far from God, except beseech our Mediator to help us: Per Jesum Christum dominum nostrum. (f) The peace of God . . . From this will come our peace with God and our friendship with him. If he is with us, who is against us ? It alone places us so high above the rest of creation that nothing can disturb us. Just as earthly love is represented as blinded with a bandage over its eyes, so heavenly love is a strong light which illuminates our minds so that we may judge the things of this w’orld in their right proportion. This is the short and easy way to true joy. 3. Application: Rejoice because the Birth of the Lord is near—not from the carnal point of view, festivities, celebrations of all kinds. Our festivities, like our Messias, are spiritual rather than carnal. These are great Mysteries, and in their celebration no Christian should be found spiritually asleep. B: The Gospel: John 1. 19-28 I. Liturgical and historical background: John is the door through which the Messias will enter into the world, the herald of the Judge. This is the witness of John to the coming of the Messias. There are three stages in this testimony : The first, in which God the Father intervened when John refused to baptize Christ. Later he saw the heavens opened at his baptism. The third, when Christ passed by on the other side of the Jordan after his fast of forty days and John testified that this was indeed the Lamb of God, sent for the redemption of the world. Between the two comes this present scene, in which John announces that the Messias is already among the people. GENERAL COMMENTS ιοί 2. The embassy: The preaching of John, so different from that of other political agitators, attracted a large number of Jews from all parts of Palestine. It became a religious movement, in the true sense of the word. Priests and Lcvites—Pharisees almost all of them, none of w'hom had wished to accept the testimony of John, as we know from what Christ said about them (Luke 7. 33). Some were opposed to him because his preaching was a danger to their easy way of life; others because of their envy, since they considered themselves to be the only leaders of the people. The commission was sent by the Sanhedrin, who had authority over teaching, especially since the prophetic spirit had disappeared from Judaism many centuries before. The object of the mission was to determine the exact nature of John’s mission. Was he or was he not the Messias ? John answers in all sincerity, due to the authority of those who question him. Ecclesiastical authority is true authority within its limits. It has the exclusive right to guard faith and morals. Accordingly, its subjects have the obligation to obey that authority. Christ, who was silent before Herod and at times before Pilate, answers the Sanhedrin, when they ask if he is the Son of God. But true spiritual authority must not be motivated by envy but by spiritual motives. Who art thou ? The Messias ? How difficult it is to know oneself! St Bernard said of Abelard that he knew everything there was to know about heaven and earth. The only thing he did not know was himself! 3. The reply: This has two parts; in the first John is clear that he is not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet; in the second he says that he is the herald of the Messias. In both his humility stands out clearly. True humility consists in knowing what one is not, in knowing what one is, and in the recognition tliat all we have comes from God. (a) He admitted that he was not the Christ (John 1. 20): The repetition of the words in the Greek implies that it was a firm and sustained denial. Worldly people almost always glory in what they are ; John says what he is not. (b) Art thou Elias ? Malachy announces that an angel will come to prepare the way of the Lord, but he also mentions Elias, who would appear before the great and terrible day of the Lord (4. 5). The Jews had a con­ fused idea of the messianic coming, and thought that the Christ would judge the world during his lifetime. Even the apostles con­ fused the destruction of Jerusalem and the judgement of the Lord. John’s reply is that he is not Elias. 5 104 THIRD SUNDAY OE ADVENT (c) The prophet ? Again he replies that he is not, which at first sight seems strange. However, it is not so strange if we interpret it as meaning that he is not one of the prophetical school of the old Law, since he was to announce something which was present, not future. (d) What account dost thou give of thyself? A direct question which demands a positive reply, since this was an official mission. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Straighten out the way of the Lord. To understand the reply we must first of all know something about Isaias, from whose prophecies it is taken. The book of Isaias has two main parts ; in the first, the prophecies about the punishments of God which are to come, and in the second the prophecy of the redemption and the return from the captivity in Babylon, which is a symbol of the redemption. The second part begins with chapter u, from which these words of John are taken. Directly they refer to the return from captivity, when in the midst of the dusty roads through the desert there would be the voice of God ordering the ways to be paved for his people to return to their home. With the coming of the true redemption there will also be a voice crying out in its demands that all vice, pride, self-love, etc., shall give way to the Messias and his redemption. That is the voice of John. The desert represents the difficulties in the way of the Christ. He calls himself a voice—not the word; because the Word was Christ, and the voice transmits the thoughts of the Word of God, in which lay John’s greatness and his humility. This voice preached with the whole of his being, his words, his dress, his mortification.... He is the very model of the preacher, because he is a voice announc­ ing penance, an angel who preaches Christ’s coming, a shining light which shows forth Christ. (e) Then why dost thou baptize? His questioners were Pharisees—and therefore they are more interested in matters of ritual. Ezechiel and Zacharias both announced that the Messias would baptize; therefore, if John is not the Christ nor a prophet, why does he baptize and by what right? John’s reply is that he baptized in water; Christ would baptize in the Holy Spirit. He insists on the importance of Christ, who is eternal ; therefore he says that he is not even worthy to untie his sandals—the act of the most lowly of servants. THE FATHERS 103 SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (Extracts from Hom. 16. PG. 59, 102 ff. on almsdeeds.) i. If you are so foolish that you cannot see the little value of riches, sec how you will have to leave them behind at the moment of death, and who knows if you may not die so suddenly that you will not even have time to dispose of them in your will. To ensure that this may not happen, let us send them on ahead of us to our homeland. They will only be of use to us if w'e store them in a safe place, where neither death, nor wills, nor law-suits can ever take them from us, because if we do take them with us in this way, then we shall enjoy them for eternity. Is there anyone so foolish as not to wish to enjoy his riches for ever ? Then let us transfer them there. We shall need neither ship nor horse to transport them, because God has solved that problem for us, by giving us the poor, the lame, the blind and the sick. He has entrusted to them the task of carrying our riches into heaven. 2. Christ and the poor:* I was hungry and you did not give me to eat: Words of the deepest meaning. Is there a heart so stony that it is not moved by them? Your Lord goes hungry, and you, who live among plenty, ignore him, even though it is merely a little bread which he asks from you, to relieve his hunger. Your Lord is shivering with cold, and you, dressed in your fine clothes, will not even glance at him. . . . What utter madness ! Who will defend you ? What pardon can you hope to attain, when Christ stood before your door in the garments of the poor and you had not pity on him ? I gave alms, you may say to me. But did you give all that you could ? What will you say then, wrhen you are in the midst of those terrible torments? Then you will remember my preaching, but it wall be futile then. The rich man also remembered and asked for time to repent. He asked that Lazarus might be sent to him •with a drop of water on his finger. But that request was not granted . . . because it is impossible to mingle a drop of alms with that stony heart. 3. Almsdeeds—good business deals: Today the market of almsdeeds is open. The prisoners flock there, as do the poor, those who wander round our streets begging, those * Short extracts taken here and there from various Homilies on this subject, which is a common one in the Fathers about tins time of the year. The main theme is always the same—if almsdeeds bring about the forgiveness of sins it is simply because Christ himself receives them, through the hands of his poor (Transi.). 104 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT who mourn.... This is like a great fair, and as in all such gatherings, the object is to buy cheaply and to sell at a good price. . . . That is the business deal which God proposes to us, the ability to buy sanctifying grace with but a little money and then sell it at a great price. Here justification can be bought for a piece of bread, an old garment, a cup of water. Fresh water! An alms without expense! What will be the reward then of the one who hands over garments, money or other goods ? Whenever you have something of little value, therefore, hurry to buy from such a great Lord. \\*hile the fair is open buy your salvation with your almsdeeds. He who clothes a poor man clothes Christ. You know it, you say? Of course you do; but let us be careful lest, through so much repetition of it, we become careless and give any old thing to the Lord ! 4. Lending to God: To give alms is a loan we make to God so that he may return to us his mercy. He who gives to the poor lends to God, say the Holy Scriptures (Prov. 19.17), because, knowing our avarice and ambition —knowing that we always seek to gain something by whatever we do—Holy Scripture does not wish to say that what we give to the poor we give to God. That might not appear a good business deal to us ! Therefore it is said that what we give to the poor is a loan made to God, and he becomes our debtor. You may choose; he can be either your judge or your debtor. A debtor is always grateful. A judge need not have any feelings of gratitude, especially when it is he who has done the lending! 5. God guarantor of the poor: Let us see the real reason why God receives as a credit made to him whatever we give to the poor. He knows that our avarice never lends anything without a guarantee. All who lend demand a security or a guarantor. Knowing all this, and also knowing that the poor have no security to offer and that, on the other hand, no one is moved to lend out of pity, but at the thought of some gain; and seeing that, because of this, the poor were in danger through their very need, and the rich through their lack of mercy, he gives himself as their guarantor. You have no confidence in the poor man because of his very poverty : Then have confidence in my riches, says the Lord. You need have no fear. The one to whom you lend is myself. What profit shall I give you ? Although it may appear sinful to ask God to give an account of himself, still, in order to accommodate myself to your avarice and break down your lack of mercy, let us study this business deal together.... When you lend to others, what do you gain in return. One per cent? If you are honest, yes! If you allow yourself to be carried away by your avarice, perhaps you gain double or treble that. Well ; THE FATHERS 105 I will outdo you and vanquish your weakness. . . . You usually ask one per cent. What will you say to a hundred for one ? Very well, Lord! I will give you my loan now—alms given to the poor. But when will you pay me? I would like to see the conditions in order to sign the contract. Fix the time of payment for me. . . . There is really no need for such a thing, because the Lord is faithful to his word (Ps. 144. 13), but since it is the custom for the debtor to indicate the time when he will pay his debt, listen and see when and where God will return the debt, no matter what you have given to his poor! When the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory. We can only admire the kindness with which the debtor returns what is his to his creditor on that occasion. Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess ye the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. Why? Because I was thirsty.... But, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty, you who are the object of all expectant eyes and who gives to all their food in due time ? What wonderful goodness ! Your mercy makes you hide your very dignity; makes you come out in favour of your poor and say: I was hungry, and you gave me to eat. He who gives their supply of water to the seas, the rivers and the fountains of the earth says : I was thirsty and you gave me to drink ! We clothe him who himself clothes the heaven and the earth and the whole Church. When you were baptized in Christ you clothed yourselves in Christ (Gal. 3. 27). You, in prison—you who redeemed the world ?... Explain this to us, because otherwise our faith may fail. When have we seen you in such need and have helped you ? As long as you did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it to me. Is it not true then, that he w’ho gives to the poor lends to God ? 6. Almsdeeds—the greatest virtue at the day ofjudgement: It is to be wondered at that he does not mention any other virtue at the judgement scene. He could so easily have said: Come, ye blessed, because you have been chaste... but he is silent about them, not because they are virtues which are too small to be men­ tioned, but simply because, compared with charity, they are second­ ary. . . . Just as he offers the kingdom to those on his right hand because of their generosity, so he rejects those on his left for their meanness. I was hungry and you did not give me to eat ! He could have said, Because you were adulterers, robbers ... all that is obviously evil; but less so than inhumanity and hardness of heart. I do not judge, he says, the sin; but the lack of mercy. I do not judge sinners, save those who have despised this easy means of almsdeeds to wash away their sins. I condemn lack of mercy as the source of all sin; and I praise mercy as the root of all good. io6 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 7. Final exhortation: Beautiful are your promises, O Lord! Beautiful the kingdom which you promise us and also beautiful the hell with which you threaten us. The former encourages, the latter frightens us. You threaten us with the flames so that we may deliver ourselves from them; you frighten us with your words so as not to have to condemn us with your actions. Let us admit that the mercy of God has won the day; let us make him our debtor, not our judge.... And at this moment I am reminded of another great act of generosity on the part of our Judge. If one lends to a poor man who afterwards becomes rich, he will pay the debt—but in secret, so that no one may be aware of his former poverty. God receives the loan in a hidden way, through the hands of the poor, but when he returns it he does so in the sight of all the nations of the earth.... But why did not God give to the poor what he has given to me ? He could have done so, obviously; but he has ordained things in such a way that neither your riches remains without fruit, nor his poverty -without reward. To you he has granted this grace, that through almsdeeds you may be truly rich. Do you not see that the rich man, through his alms, builds up for himself eternal riches? On the other hand, the poor man, who has no riches with which to gain that eternal happiness, has his poverty-—by means of which he too can gain heaven in his patience. We are told that the patience of the poor will not perish for ever (Ps. 9. 19). Π. ST AUGUSTINE (Augustine sees in the person of John the type and figure of the humble man, and it is the main theme of his homilies on this Gospel. We shall give some extracts from them, especially those concerned with humility.) The three acts of humility I. What are they? Who is the proud man ? He who will not do penance, confessing his sins so as to cure them by means of his humility. Who is proud ? He who attributes to himself the little good he possesses, despising divine mercy. Who is proud? The man who, while attributing to God whatever God has given him, still insults those who have not received such things and considers himself above them. . . . First, everyone should do salutary penance, but it must be such as to correct us, not to serve as a mockery of God. Then, when each one has begun to live as he should after such a period of penance, he should think deeply, lest he attribute to his own strength the little good he may possess; and he should give thanks to God who THE FATHERS 107 has given him the grace to live a holy life, who has called him and illuminated him. Is the work finished then? By no means; it still remains for him not to consider himself better than others, who do not live as he does. . . . That is the Catholic teaching; no one does good except it be by the grace of God. The evil a man docs is his own; the good is the work of God. When he begins to live aright, let him not attribute it to himself. And when he knows that it is not his own work, then let him give thanks to God, who has given it to him. When he is justified, let him not insult one who is not, or consider himself above such a one. God’s grace has not been exhausted in you, and there is still some left over for that poor unfortunate. 2. Recognize that we are all sinners: (a) The struggles of this life: Our peace consists in being with God by faith here below and face to face in heaven. However, our present peace is rather a con­ solation in misery than joy in happiness. Even in our true justification there is a large element of forgiveness of sins, greater even than perfection in the virtues. The proof of this is in the Lord’s Prayer. Forgive us our trespasses ... a prayer which is not merely for those who live by means of a dead faith, without good works ; but also for those who live by faith and charity. The reason, enclosed in this corruptible body, does not completely dominate concupiscence, so that this prayer is necessary, even for the just. Even though they may tame their vices, they do not accomplish this without a struggle, from which it comes that in this, our land of weakness, something always escapes us, even in the case of those who fight well. ... Man’s life on this earth is temptation, and who except the proud man dares presume that he does not need to ask God’s help, saying: Forgive us our debts.... Such a one is not great, he is merely puffed up and foolish; and God resists him, giving his graces to the humble. (b) Even the saints committed sins: Who is the man who is not a sinner? Begin with the priests. God told them to offer sacrifice first for their own sins, and then for those of the people (Lev. 16. 6; Heb. 7. 27). But you may say that such was the law in the Old Testament.... Look, my brothers; because God willed it, I am a priest, and yet I recognize that I am also a sinner; with you, I beat my breast, like you I hope for forgive­ ness and ask God for his mercy. But perhaps the holy apostles ?... Let us ask them. Tell us, holy apostles, after the ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit, did you cease to be sinners ? One of them comes forward and speaks for all the rest. Who ? The one most loved by the Lord, w’ho rested on his breast. He tells us: Sin is with us; if we deny that, we arc cheating ourselves; it means io8 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT that truth docs not dwell in us (i John i. 8). It is John, the eagle who flew so high that he was able to contemplate the sublime truth and say that in the beginning was the Word ; he it is who assures us, Sin is with us and if we deny that, we are cheating ourselves. He also tells us, if we confess our sins, God who is just and faithful will forgive them.... (c) Conclusion: Lord, do not turn away your face from him who is your work, but turn it away from mine! You made one thing, I another. You made my nature, I its vices. Cure them, and my nature will be whole and clean again. Let us live good lives, never presuming that we are without sin. Thus our lives will merit praise and we shall obtain pardon. The more hardened sinners forget their own sins, the more curious they show themselves in searching out those of others. This they do, not to heal, but to wound. Having no excuse themselves, they are always ready to accuse others. That is not the way to pray and to placate the God who has taught us to say : I know my faults and my sin is always before me (Ps. 50. 5).... Brethren, sin cannot be allowed to escape immune from punishment. Hear, then, what God says to us: Either you punish yourselves or I will punish you. Sin will receive its just punishment, either from man, who admits it, or from God who judges it. . . . It is better to give God thanks for small things than to be proud of ourselves in great ones. Because God will raise him up to greater things who is grateful for small ones. If he who has great things is unfortunate, they will be taken away from him. To him who has, shall be given. To him who has not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. And how can they be taken away from one who has them not ? Does he possess anything or not ? He does, but it is as though he did not possess anything. Therefore God will take from him what is his (God’s) and leave him alone with his own iniquity. (d) Exhortation to sinners: Let them come to you and hear you, those who invoke your pardon; let them learn from your humility and weakness. Let him hear who, weighed down by the burden of his sins, does not even dare to lift up his eyes to heaven, but beats his breast, from afar off. .. . Let the centurion hear it. . . Zachaeus . . . that sinful woman of the town, who kissed his feet, with tears which were more copious the farther away she had been from the following in his footsteps. Let all the sick and all sinners hear you, who were so often accused of living in their company. These will hear you, and will remember their own sins in the midst of their humility, remembering also your abundant mercy, since: Where sin abounded, grace did even more abound (Rom. 5. 20). ■I THE FATHERS 109 III. ST GREGORY THE GREAT (Extracts from Hom. 7 on the Gospel. PL. 74, 1099-1103.) Humility: In this connection we should note and ponder carefully how holy men, in order to safeguard themselves in humility, when they know many things perfectly, try to keep before their minds that which they do not know. Thus they remind themselves, on the one hand, of their own limitations, and on the other, they are not raised above themselves by those things in which they are proficient. Knowledge is indeed a virtue; but humility is the guardian of them all. For the future, then, be humble in mind about whatever you may know, lest the wind of vanity may carry off those very things which the virtue of knowledge has stored up. When, therefore, you do any good, always recall to mind the sins you may have committed, so that while you are mindful of the evil you may have done, your minds will never rejoice indiscreetly over the good you do. Let each esteem his neighbour as better than himself, even those who are strangers to you ; yes, even those whom you may see do something which is wrong, because you do not know the good wrhich may be hidden in them. Let each be zealous to be worthy of esteem ; yet at the same time, let him live as if he knew not that he was so esteemed, lest by proudly claiming esteem, he may lose it. . . . . : If, therefore, holy men, even when they do mighty things, con­ sider themselves worthless, what must be said of those wrho, without any fruit of virtue, are yet puffed up with pride ? Works, however good, are as nothing unless seasoned with humility. A great deed, done proudly, lowers a man rather than uplifts him. He who would gather virtue without humility is like one wrho carries dust in the face of the wind ; and where he appears to possess something, he is in fact blinded from that same thing and made w'orse by it. Therefore, in all that you do, hold fast to humility as the root of all virtues and good works. Pay no heed to the things in which you are better than others, but to those in which you are worse; so that, while you keep ever before you the example of those w ho are better than yourself, you may, through humility, be able to ascend to greater things, through the bountiful mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to wrhom be honour and glory for ever and ever. « r J no THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SECTION IV. THEOLOGIANS I. ST THOMAS AQUINAS (Extracts and summary of his teaching on vainglory and humility, 2-2. q. 132 and 161.) Vainglory: The desire for glory does not, of itself, imply a sin ; but the desire for empty or vain glory does.... Now glory’ may be called vain in three ways: First, on the part of the thing which is desired ; as when a man seeks glory for something which is unworthy of it, for instance, when he seeks it for something which is perishable or frail; secondly, on the part of him from whom he seeks glory, for instance, a man whose judgement is uncertain; thirdly, on the part of the man who seeks glory, in that he does not refer the desire of his own glory to its due end, such as God’s honour or the good of his neighbour (art. 1. c.). It is requisite for man’s perfection that he should know himself, but not that he should be known by others, wherefore it is not to be desired for itself. It may, however, be desired as being useful for something, either in order that God may be glorified in men, or that men may become better by reason of the good they know to be in another man, or in order that man, knowing by the testimony of others’ praise the good which is in him, may himself strive to per­ severe therein and to become better (ibid, ad yum). 1. 2. IVhat kind of sin is it? A sin is mortal through being contrary to charity7. Now the sin of vainglory does not seem to be contrary to charity in itself, as regards the love of our neighbour ; but it may be contrary’ to charity as regards the love of God, and that in two ways. In one way, by reason of the matter about which one glories; for instance, when one glories in something false, that is opposed to the reverence we owe to God (Ezech. 27. 2; i Cor. 4.7). Or again, when a man prefers to God the temporal good in which he glories, for this is forbidden. Or when a man prefers the testimony of men to that of God. . . . In another way vainglory' may be contrary to charity, on the part of him who glories, in that he refers his intention to glory as his last end; so that he directs even virtuous acts thereto and, in order to attain it, forbears not from doing even that which is against God. In this way it is a mortal sin (art. 3). It is a capital vice: Because many other vices arise from it. Among the main ones are : disobedience, boastfulness, hypocrisy, contention, obstinacy, discord and the love of novelties. THEOLOGIANS in 3. Humility: A virtue which restrains and tempers the mind, lest it tend to high things immoderately.... It belongs properly to humility that a man restrain himself from being borne towards that which is above him. For this purpose he must know his disproportion to that which surpasses his capacity. Hence knowledge of one’s own deficiency belongs to humility, as a rule guiding the appetite. Nevertheless, humility is essentially in the appetite itself. ... It would seem to denote in the first place man’s subjection to God; and for this reason Augustine ascribes humility, which he understands poverty of spirit, to the gift of fear. We may consider two things in man, namely, that which is God’s, and that which is man’s. Whatever pertains to defect is man’s; but whatever pertains to man’s welfare and perfection is God’s. . . . Humility properly regards the reverence whereby man is subject to God. Wherefore, every man, in respect of that which is his own, ought to subject himself to every neighbour, in respect of that which the latter has of God’s; but humility does not require a man to subject what he has of God’s to that which may seem to be God’s in another. For those who have a share of God’s gifts know that they have them. . . . It is not the greatest of the virtues, it takes its place after the theological virtues, after the intellectual virtues which regard the reason itself, and after justice, especially legal justice. Why Christ commended it so much: Because it especially removes the obstacle to man’s spiritual welfare, consisting in man’s aiming at heavenly and spiritual things, in which he is hindered by striving to become great in earthly things. . . . Thus, humility is as it wrere a disposition to man’s untrammelled access to spiritual and divine goods. 4. Pride: Two things are to be observed in sin, conversion to a mutable good, and this is the material part of sin; and aversion from the immutable good, and this gives sin its formal aspect and comple­ ment. Now on the part of this conversion here is no need for pride to be the greatest of sins. . . . But on the part of the aversion, pride has extreme gravity', because in other sins man turns away from God, either through ignorance or through weakness, or through desire for any other good whatever; whereas pride denotes aversion from God simply through being unwilling to be subject to God and his rule. Hence Boethius says that, while all vices flee from God, pride alone withstands God. . . . Wherefore aversion from God and his commandments, which is a consequence as it w'ere in other sins, belongs to pride by its very nature, for its act is the contempt of God. 112 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT The first to appear among the grievous sins and the last to vanish on re-conversion to God : Among the grievous sins the first is pride as the cause whereby other sins are made more grievous. And as that which is the first in causingsins is the last in the withdrawal from sin, a gloss on Ps. 18. 13: I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin, says: Namely, from the sin of pride, which is the last in those who return to God and the first in those who withdraw from God.... II. ST BONAVENTURE (Extracts irom De Perfectione vitae ad sorores, which is nowgenerally numbered among his works, and which was probably written for the advice of the Abbess Isabel, sister of St Louis of France.) I. Knowledge of oneself: First of all, the bride of Christ who wishes to rise to the heights of perfection must begin by fixing her attention on herself; where­ fore, do you enter into the secret place of your own conscience, and there, with diligent care, investigate, examine and see all those defects, all those habits, affections, wOrks, all those sins, past and present. Should you find anything which is wrong, deplore it at once with bitter sorrow^ of heart.... And that you may better be able to attain this knowledge, dear Mother, you should know that all our sins and evils are committed either from negligence, concupiscence or malice. Around those three points should turn the consideration of your own faults ; there is no other way by which you may reach a perfect knowledge of yourself. (a) Sins of negligence: These usually take place in the outer bastions of our heart’s defences, in not guarding the affection, in the use of our time, in a twisted end being given to our actions. ... At the same time you must examine yourself about negligence in reading, in prayer, in your work... if you wish to bring forth fruit in good season; but remember, one of these things is not enough without the others. You should also examine yourself and see how negligent you are, or at least have been, in repenting, in resisting, in making use of God’s graces.... (b) Sins of concupiscence: The saint here restricts himself to those usually found in a com­ munity such as the one to which he was writing. He mentions : Pleasures of all kinds in dress, in food ; curiosity, which includes idle chatter and gossip of all kinds, love of novelties ; vanity in small and big things, which can take the form of seeking for praise, honours, offices in the community. THEOLOGIAN (c) Sins of malice: Under this heading he includes such things as: anger, both in the form of its external manifestation and also inward resentment against another in the community. Envy, which delights in the evils which befall our neighbour and is sad at his or her prosperity. Laziness, under which heading he also includes the sin of tepidity. 2. Humility: (a) Importance, and means to acquire it: He who stores up virtues without humility, says St Gregory, is like a man who carries dust in the face of a high wind. Once you know your defects, then humility should be the first step, having for its model our Lord himself, who said : Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart. But let it be true humility, because there are those who go around bowed down and in mourning, but in­ wardly they are full of deceit. This virtue is an effect of self-knowledge, because St Bernard defines it as a virtue by which a man, with a true knowledge of himself, learns to despise himself. It can be attained by three paths; the first is the consideration of God as the true author of all things— he made us and we are his. It is the Lord who has made us, not we ourselves. Therefore Lucifer, proud at the contemplation of his own beauty, was persecuted by that humiliation which always follows pride, and was condemned. The second path is a consideration of the example of Christ, wrho was held as a leper for our sake (Is. 53. 4). . . . The servant is not better than his master. The third way is through a consideration of the very condition of your being. Whence did you come and whither are you going? You came from original sin and from the dust of the earth. You may well say, with the three boys in the furnace of flames : we are humili­ ated today in the sight of the whole earth because of our sins. (b) Conclusion: Humility is a sure way to secure an increase of grace. The holy Virgin, in her Magnificat, said that she was chosen by God because he saw her humility. St Augustine says that the more empty we are of the ugly swellings of pride, the more full we shall be of charity. Grace is like a stream of water which ever seeks a slope by which it may run dowm into the valley below. The greater the slope of your humility, the greater will be the force of grace. III. ST ROBERT BELLARMINE (According to St Robert, the Church presents to us during these Sundays of Advent various aspects of John the Baptist; on the 114 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT second Sunday she talks to us of his person, and the third, of his office, and on the fourth of his preaching. We shall give a summary of the matter which pertains to this Sunday.) The scene: The Jews were expecting the Messias from one day to the next; therefore, when they saw John, they thought that he might be the Christ, and with reason. They were dealing with one who was unknown, who had appeared from the desert, a great orator, learned, educated and prudent. One who might always have lived in a large town. He preaches with effect, and he gives most prudent advice to all sections of the community. When he denies that he is the Christ they suspect that he may be Elias, because he also seemed to answer to the description they had of the great prophet. When he denies this also they suspect that he may be at least a new prophet, one who would announce the future to them. But in that sense of the word he is not a prophet. John says exactly what he is : The voice of one crying in the wilder­ ness; and so that they may be sure of his position in the true order of things he tells them that Christ has already come and that he is greater than John. At this point it is well to underline the great humility of John, who need not have stooped so low. But as usual, the greater saints are those who are most humble. The greatness of Christ is also manifest, because if he is greater than the greatest of men, then he must be more than mere man. i. (a) The voice: i. he was only a voice—he had no other office except to speak, and that of Christ. For this he gave up a wife, family, employment —everything. ii. all in him was a voice, including his very garments and food. iii. because he was so like Christ in many things—the voice being the expression of an idea. In everything John represented Christ. Angels announced him, he was born of a barren mother . . . the very image of Christian preachers: free from all earthly pre­ occupations, they must preach, not merely by word of mouth, but also by their lives, as the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Their motto must be that of Paul : Be ye imitators of me as I am of Christ. (b) A voice which cries out: Because he is God’s instrument—and God docs not merely speak to us, he cries out in a loud voice, through creatures and their beauty, through the magnitude of the things which he has made; by means of his promises of eternal life and his threats of eternal death, which would resound like thunder in our ears if we were not deaf. THEOLOGIANS 115 Recall that, in this world, when any honour is promised to a man, labour is also required of him. See what men are capable of in order to free themselves from death. The Law tells us of fear which excuses people who act under its impulse—and yet we do not fear the threat of eternal death ! How deaf are we ! Preachers must be like trumpets, who only play the note demanded of them by the composer—the trumpets of God 1 When the preacher expounds his own thoughts and seeks praise for his learning and eloquence, he ceases to be the trumpet of God. (c) In the desert: God speaks more often in the solitude of the heart—and we live in the midst of turmoil. For that reason we do not hear him. When thou art praying, go into thy inner room and shut the door upon thyself, and so pray to thy Father in secret. . . . But you may object to this: I have no time. Yes you have, if you wish it. Let us make a very unjust division: twelve hours for the body, ten for business! There are still two left for the soul. If you will not admit even that division, how can w*e believe that you even have a soul ? Just because we will not, of ourselves, give a little time to the soul, so God forces us to do so by means of illness, prison and other calamities. We will not leave the things of this world, but God makes us leave them. How many people have been condemned to death who, during life, did not wish to hear a word about God, and have been converted in prison. 2. He is in the midst ofyou: (a) Christ, son of a xvorker, in the hidden life: He could have manifested himself, but he would not take over John’s office. Instead he waited until he was presented to the people by John. A great example for our ambition to contemplate! To remove any suspicion of favouritism, John did not know the Saviour. (b) in our superiors: He does the same in all those who are his vicars on earth—our superiors. Not merely in the persons of the priests and apostles: He that heareth you heareth me, but also in the persons of masters who were Gentiles, as St Paul testifies : Obey your masters in the flesh as you would Christ himself (Eph. 6. 5 ; Col. 3. 22). What peace there would be in the -world if all inferiors saw Christ in their superiors and if the latter treated their inferiors with the love of Christ! Christ is always among us like this, but we do not see him or recognize him. He is in the poor—but we do not recognize him either. We do not even see him in the Eucharist, otherwise we would go to communion more often and with greater fervour. n6 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST TERESA OF AVILA (Extracts from her writings which deal with humility in all its aspects.) The nature of humility It is truth: Let us learn from this, sisters, that if we are in any way to grow like our God and Spouse, we shall do well always to study earnestly to walk in this truth. I do not mean simply that we must not tell falsehoods, for as far as that is concerned, Glory be to God, I know that in these convents of yours you take very great care never to lie ut anything for any reason whatsoever. I mean that wre must walk in truth, in the presence of God and man, in every way possible to us. In particular we must not desire to be reputed better than wre are, and in all that we do, we must attribute to God what is his, and to ourselves what is ours, trying to seek after truth in everything. If we do that, we shall make small account of the world, for it is all lies and falsehood and for that ven' reason cannot endure. I was wondering once why our Lord so dearly loved this virtue of humility; and all of a sudden—without, I think, my having thought of it previously, the following reason came into my mind: That it is because God is the sovereign Truth and to be humble is to walk in truth, for it is absolutely true to say that we have nothing of ourselves, but only misery and nothingness; and anyone who fails to understand this is walking in falsehood. He who best understands it is most pleasing to Sovereign Truth because he is walking in truth (Int. Castle, VI. x). I. Self-knowledge essential: However high a state the soul may have attained, self-knowledge is incumbent upon it, and this it will never be able to neglect even should it so desire. Humility must always be doing its work, like a bee making honey in a hive; without humility all will be lost. Still we should remember that the bee is always flying about from flower to flower, and in the same way, believe me, the soul must sometimes emerge from self-knowledge and soar aloft in meditation upon the greatness and the majesty of its God. Doing this will help it to realize its own baseness better than thinking of its own nature, and it will be freer from the reptiles which enter the first rooms— that is, the rooms of self-knowledge. For although, as I say, it is through the abundant mere}' of God that the soul studies to know itself, yet excess is as bad as defect, and believe me, we shall reach greater heights of virtue by thinking about the virtue of God than 2. ■ SPIRITUAL WRITERS if we stay in our own little plot of ground and tie ourselves down to it completely. I do not know if I have explained this clearly ; self-knowledge is so important that, even if you were raised right up to the heavens, I should like you never to relax your cultivation of it. So long as we are on this earth nothing matters so much to us as this humility. And so I repeat that it is a very good thing—excellent indeed—to enter first the room where humility is acquired, rather than begin by flying off to the other rooms. For that is the way to make progress, and if we have a safe, level road to walk along, why should we desire wings to fly ? Let us rather try to get the greatest possible profit out of walking. As I see it, we shall never be able to succeed in knowing ourselves unless we seek to know God. Let us think of his greatness, and then come back to our own baseness; by looking at his purity we shall see our foulness; by meditating on his humility we shall see how far we are from being humble (hit. Castle, i. 2). 3. False humility: Avoid being bashful with God, as some people are, in the belief that they are being humble. It would not be humility on your part if the King were to do you a favour and you refused to accept it; but you would be showing humility by taking it and being pleased with it, yet realizing how far you are from being worthy of it. A fine humility it would be if I had thé Emperor of heaven and earth in my house, coming to it to do me a favour and to delight in my company, and I were so humble that I would not answer his questions nor remain with him, nor accept what he gave me, but left him alone. Or if he were to speak to me and beg me to ask for what I wanted, and I were so humble that I preferred to remain poor and even let him go away, so that he would see that I had not sufficient resolution. Have nothing to do with that kind of humility, daughters, but speak with him as with a Father, a Brother, a Lord and a Spouse—some­ times in one way and sometimes in another, he will teach you what you are to do to please him (Way ofPerfection, ch. 28). 4. True humility brings peace and content: Genuine humility does not produce inward turmoil, nor does it cause unrest in the soul, or bring it darkness or aridity; on the contrary, it cheers it and produces in it the opposite effects—quiet­ ness, sweetness and light. Though it causes us distress, we are comforted to see what a great favour God is granting us by sending us that distress, and how well the soul is occupied. Grieved as it is at having offended God, it is also encouraged by his mercy. It is sufficiently enlightened to feel ashamed, but it praises his majesty, who for so long has borne with it. In that other humility which is the work of the devil, the soul has not light enough to do anything good and thinks of God as one who is always wielding fire and sword. ii8 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT It pictures God’s righteousness, and although it has faith in his mercy, for the devil is not powerful enough to make it lose its faith, yet this is not such as to bring me consolation, for, when my soul considers God’s mercy, this only increases its torments, since I realize that it involves me in greater obligations (Life, ch. 30). 5. The practice of humility: I never seem unable to find a reason for thinking I am being virtuous when I make excuses for myself. There are times when this is lawful, and when not to do it would be wrong, but I have not the discretion, or better, the humility, to do it only when it is fitting. For indeed, it takes great humility to find oneself unjustly con­ demned and be silent; and to do this is to imitate the Lord who set us free from all our sins. ... (Way of Perfection, ch. 15). I think it is very important to accustom oneself to practise this virtue, and to endeavour to obtain from the Lord the true humility which must result from it. The truly humble person will have a genuine desire to be thought little of, and persecuted, and condemned unjustly, even in serious matters. For, if she desires to imitate the Lord, how can she do better than in this ? And no bodily strength is necessary here, nor the aid of anyone save God. I have never heard anything bad said about me which I did not clearlv* realize fell short of the truth. If I had not sometimes—often indeed—offended God in the ways they referred to, I had done so in many other ways, and I felt they had treated me far too indulgently in saying nothing about these. I much preferred people to say what was not true about me than to tell the truth about me.... So I should like you to begin to realize this at an early stage, and I want each of you to ponder how much there is to be gained in every way by this virtue, and how, so far as I can see, there is nothing to be lost by it. The chief thing we gain is being able, in some degree, to follow the Lord (ibid.). 6. Accept humble offices: Remember that there must be someone to cook the meals and count yourselves happy in being able to serve like Martha. Reflect that true humility consists to a great extent in being ready for what the Lord desires to do with you and happy that he should do it, and in always considering yourselves unworthy to be his servants.... I do not mean that it is for us to say what we should do, but that we must do our best in everything, for the choice is not ours, but the Lord’s. If after many years he is pleased to give each of us her office, it would be a curious kind of humility for you to want to choose ; let the Lord of the house do that, for he is wise and powerful and knows what is best for you and for himself as well. . . . What better sign of friendship is there, than for him to give you what he gave himself? (Way ofPerfection, ch. 17). SPIRITUAL WRITERS 119 7. Sure road to union with God: It is the queen which gives the King most trouble in this game and all the other pieces support her. There is no queen who can beat this King as well as humility can; for humility brought him down from heaven into the Virgin’s womb, and writh humility we can draw him into our souls by a single hair. Be sure that he will give most humility to him who has most already, and least to him who has least. I cannot understand how humility exists, or can exist, without love, or love without humility; and it is impossible for these two virtues to exist save where there is great detachment from all created things {Way of Perfection, ch. 16). IL FRAY LUIS OF GRANADA (A brief summary of the remedies for pride which he outlines in The Sinner's Guide, ch. 4). Its punishment : Pride, the mother of all vices, often enters into our actions in a disguised fashion, pretending good motives, such as justice, etc. This danger can be remedied only by a careful consideration of various things which will counteract our natural pride in ourselves. (a) The punishment of the sin of pride in the angels who fell: Wherefore Augustine says that humility makes men like the angels, while pride made the angels devils. St Bernard says that pride casts a man down from the highest place to the very lowest ; while humility raises a man from the lowest place to that which is the highest of all. (b) The example of Christ, our model: If we will not take example from other men, at least let us take it from Christ, who became man, not merely to redeem us, but also to humble our pride. (c) Our own nothingness: Within ourselves we shall find many things which should make us humble. Think of what we were before our birth ; what we have been since and are now; what we shall be after death. (d) What we have in the sight of God : How’ little merit we have gained; what little service we have rendered to him, when so many of our vices have been clothed in the likeness of virtues, and some of our virtues have been slain by vainglory. Even our good actions were done so many times with such imperfection that they are almost a reason for asking pardon of God than for pride in them. St Bernard says that there are three fears which should always be in our heart; one when we are in the state of grace, one when we have f lao THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT lost it and another when we have recovered it. We should be afraid, when we are in a state of grace, lest we should lose that state; when we have lost it, then we have even more cause for fear, because without it wc are helpless. When we recover it again, then we must be afraid to lose it once more. SECTION VI. PAPAL TEXTS The Lord is at hand: So resplendent is the light of the Catholic revelation that it spreads over all sciences the brightness of its rays ! So great is the force of the evangelical teachings that they root even more deeply the precepts of the natural law. So great is the force of this truth and the morality taught by Christ that even the material standards of living of mem­ bers of the family and of the whole of society' have found in them effective support and encouragement. The Church, in spite of preaching Christ crucified, a scandal and a folly in the eyes of many, came to be the teacher and prime defender of civilization which she rescued from the attacks of the barbarians, and managed to bring even the very enemies into the fold. . . . The civilization of the world is essentially Christian; and it is more durable, bears greater fruit, in so far as it is more truly Christian. It declines the more readily, to the intense harm of human society, the more it departs from the Christian ideal (Pius X, In fermo proposito, 4). 1. 2. The danger ofriches, badly used: Let the rich be duly warned, then, that their money will not free them from sorrow and that they are useless in that eternal life wrhich is to come; rather, they may hinder us. They should be in terror at the threats uttered by Christ, since a day will come when they will be called to a strict account of the use they have made of those riches (Leo XIII, Rerum novarum). Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If a man considers that his greatest treasure is riches, there will be his heart, and there will be no place in that heart for the true treasures, for God and his justice (Pius XII, 20 June 1948). 3. The need for prayer and penance : When the apostles asked our Lord why they could not cast out an unclean spirit, Christ replied: This kind cannot be cast out except by prayer and fasting. Nor can the present ills of society be vanquished without a universal crusade of prayer and penance (Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris). 4. The excessive desire for material prosperity: The whole of the Encyclical Caritate Christi of Pius XI is dedicated to this idea and should be studied in detail. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 121 5. The voice of the Church—that of one crying in the wilderness: Cf. Pius XI, Quadragesimo Αηηο,η. 2 ; Pius XII, Christmas Message, 1942,I943· SECTION VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY I. SINCERITY AND TRUTH The very nature of self-love and the human ego consists in not loving anything except itself. . . . Man wishes to be great, and sees that he is so small; happy, and finds that he is miserable; perfect, and sees himself full of imperfections. He wishes to stand high in the esteem of others, and sees his defects make him but the object of aversion and scorn. This embarrassing situation in which he finds himself produces in him the most unjust and cruel passion that could ever be imagined, because he conceives a mortal hatred for the truth which convinces him of his defects. He would love to destroy it utterly, but since he cannot destroy it in itself, he does so, as far as he can, in his own mind and in the minds of others. That is, he tries his best to hide his defects from himself and from others, and he cannot endure it when they are laid bare.... Is it not true that we hate truth and those who tell it to us; while at the same time we are pleased when others are deceived about us and esteem us at more than our real worth ? Here is a proof which fills me with horror when I think of it. The Catholic faith does not oblige us to confess our sins to the whole world. . . . There is only one man to whom she orders us to open our consciences, and she binds him to inviolable secrecy, so that what he knows is within him as if it were not known at all. .. . Can anything more charitable and more sweet be imagined! Yet such is the corruption of human nature that it finds this hard, and it is the main reason why a great part of Europe rose up against the Church.... Man is nothing but a deceitful liar, to himself and to others around him. He does not wish to hear the truth about himself from others. Therefore nobody speaks about us to our face as they do behind our backs. In fact, there would be few friendships in the world were each one to know what his friend says about him when he is not there, even though he may then be speaking sincerely and telling the truth. All this, so far removed from justice and truth, has its roots in the very heart of humanity (Blaise Pascal, Pensées). II. REJOICE IN THE LORD We are told in the life of Philip Neri how he would gather together the children of Rome, teach them games, play with them, get them 122 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT to act little plays and encourage them to enjoy themselves. He made one condition only, that they should not sin. Our Lord knows well how to use this type of net to catch souls, he used to say. On another occasion, when he was asked how he could stand the noise of so many children shouting and laughing all around him, he replied: So long as they do not offend God they can chop wood on my back for all I care. SECTION VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. LITURGICAL Rejoice in the Lord 1. Joy in the liturgy: The liturgy is full of the most varied sentiments, but the out­ standing one is that of joy, a theme which has its rightful place especially in the Sundays after Easter and at Christmas. As if to anticipate both those joyful periods of the Church’s year, she selects one Sunday in Advent and another in Lent. (a) Gaudete Sunday is the name generally given to the third Sunday of Advent: i. the first words of the Introit and the Epistle give rise to the name; ii. the external elements in the representation of the liturgy of today express the same idea ; iii. the rose colour of the vestments; the organ sounds again and the altar is adorned with flowers. (b) We find similar conditions attached to the fourth Sunday of Lent—Laetare Sunday: The Church wishes to give us a day of rest, so that, after it, we may return with greater fervour to our penance in preparation for Christmas (cf. General Comments, Sec. 2). 2. The Lord is near: This is the theme. In spite of all the misery and poverty of the modem world, which can strike terror into the hearts of even the strongest, there is still a supernatural motive for joy—the fact that Christ is near. This Sunday marks a new step in the preparation for his coming. (a) In the liturgy of the 1st Sunday there is little open mention ofit; (b) the second Sunday is more explicit, in the Introit, for example. (c) On this Sunday all that changes; now the theme is: The Lord is near at hand; come, let us adore him. From now on, in both SERMON SCHEN 123 breviary and missal, the theme is developed more and more; e.g. the special antiphons for the Magnificat. (d) In general we can say that there are two main elements in this liturgical preparation; one of hope and joy at the coming of the Messias to redeem us; the other a warning that we must prepare our hearts to receive him. 3. Our preparation for Christmas: In the first Sunday the liturgy indicates that the way of prepara­ tion is by that of penance. Today we must unite with that the theme of the joy that should accompany our mortification. (a) An excellent way of doing this is by a deeper penetration into the spirit of the liturgy of Advent, especially the antiphons of the breviary, which should be better known. (b) In general, we might say that, since the recent Popes have all insisted so much on the people taking a greater share in the liturgy, Advent is one of the periods of the year when greater emphasis might be laid on that sharing. IL THE EPISTLE A: Christian Joy i. The contrast of two figures: (a) St Paul, a prisoner in Rome, exhorts the faithful to rejoice: i. the whole of the passage in today’s Epistle shows us a heart full of rejoicing; ii. it is not a natural joy, but a supernatural one; not worldly or carnal, but spiritual and divine. Chained as he was, deprived of liberty and of light even, Paul has no human motives for rejoicing. (b) We may contrast with Paul the figure of the poet Ovid: i. exiled by Augustus in the year 7 A.D. ; ii. he could not stand his exile, and wrote nine works, full of sadness and bitterness at the very thought of it. He died in despair in the year 17. (c) Both men suffer: But while one can write: Nihil nisi flere libet ; the other has no hesitation in saying: Gaudete in Domino semper. 2. Christ, the founda tion of our rejoicing: (a) Two classes of people: The two figures mentioned above represent two attitudes towards suffering which can be found in the human race: i. those who despair in sufferings, who lose hope; ii. those who find cause for joy, even in their sufferings. 124 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) What is the cause of this double reaction ? i. The Stoic philosophers gave as a remedy for suffering, wisdom. But wisdom could not give them any consolation when they came to suffer, as we know in the case of Seneca. Suicide was their next step. ii. Christianity brought to the world the one cause of joy: Christ. Paul can rejoice, even in prison, because he is with Christ; while Chid dies of a broken heart in exile because he found himself alone, without Christ. 3. Two ways offinding joy in Christ: These are both outlined in today’s Epistle. (a) We can easily see that his advice to rejoice in the Lord comes from his hope: i. Paul trusts implicitly in divine providence; ii. he is a man of prayer, and together with his thanksgiving, he offers to God his petitions ; iii. therefore he feels that the peace of God fills his heart and mind. (b) Joy is, as Chesterton said, the ‘gigantic secret’ of the Christian : i. it is always the result of a spiritual life which is making pro­ gress. Only those souls who live filled with the thought of Christ, like St Paul, in peace and interior prayer, know what this joy really is; ii. joy, says Bergson, always announces the fact that life has triumphed, that it has won ground, that is has gained a victory; iii. the joy of the Christian is also a sign of the growth of divine life within him, and that this life has triumphed over all the adverse circumstances which surround him. 4. The Lord is near: St Paul gives a new motive for joy; the Lord is at hand. (a) A strong motive: This hope in the approaching coming was a strong motive, which led the early Christians to be happy, good, indulgent with others. (b) Our hope in the Christ who is to come is also a motive for joy: i. We do not know when that day will come ; we know that it will be soon, because in God’s sight a thousand years are but a day. When he comes, all pain shall be turned into joy, and the joy will be greater in proportion to the pain. ii. By means of this hope we are already sharing to some extent in the joy of that glorious coming. That is why the Christian can still rejoice with Christ, in the midst of his pains and sufferings. SERMON SCHEMES 125 5. Christ at Christmas, in the Tabernacle, in the person of the poor: This phrase of St Paul can have many applied uses in sermons. (a) The Lord is near—he is born again, in a mystical way, at Christmas: This is the reason for the joy expressed by the liturgy and in the hearts of good Christians at this time. (b) He is near in the Tabernacle: The Eucharist is always a motive for joy in the hearts of those who draw near to It. (c) He is near; in the poor: There are few things which can give such great joy as alms given to the poor. B : Nothing must make you anxious Licit and illicit anxiety: (a) Providentia cum studio, St Thomas defines it; here the word ‘studium’ must be understood as a vigorous movement of soul. (b) It pertains to prudence, indicating a rapidity of action when necessary. (c) Exercising authority with anxious care . .. (Rom. 12. 8). (d) Eager to preserve that unity the Spirit gives you ... (Eph. 4.3). 1. 2. A sinful anxiety: (a) the desire for superfluous things; (b) the desire for necessary temporal things, but as an end in themselves. (c) Aegritudo animi cum cogitatione (Cicero)—an affliction or sadness of heart: Martha, Martha; how many cares and troubles thou hast! (Luke 10. 41). The implication is clear; Martha wras over-anxious, showing bitter zeal in her words. (a) Its effects: i. the immediate ones: it increases our fear; lessens our hope; brings into the present fears w'hich are really of the future. ii. the long-term ones: it diminishes our filial trust in God; weakens our faith (Why are you faint-hearted, men of little faith. Matt. 8. 26; Why didst thou hesitate, man of little faith? Matt. 14. 31). It weakens our charity (Luke 21, 31). (b) Remedies: i. stir up filial sentiments : Throw back on him the burden of all your anxiety; he is concerned for you (1 Pet. 5. 7. Cf. Ps. 4. 9; 26. 1; 33- 5)· 120 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT ii. have confidence in our heavenly Father: Your Father who is in heaven knows that you have need of all these things . . . (Matt. 6. 32). iii. be constant in prayer. Through prayer we come to know the will of God. Especially in time of retreat. The immediate effects of prayer are peace, diminishing of sinful over-anxiety, increase of love for God. The love for Christ will stimulate us to activity, but it will not be a sinful over-anxious activity. iv. do God's willfaithfully ; seeking the kingdom of God and his justice (Matt. 6. 33); have confidence in God and in ourselves; seeking, not personal triumph, but God’s victory; with no fear of failure in the eyes of the world. God’s failures are happy ones! v. remain ever in his joy and peace—that peace which surpasses all understanding. C: Magnanimity The spirit of the Epistle: It is a call to be encouraged and to undertake great works for God (cf. Isaias 35. 3-9). It is a call to magnanimity. 1. 2. Magnanimity is a virtue which avoids both extremes ofdespair and presumption (St. Thomas 1-2, q. 83): (a) The presumptuous man will undertake great things, but he will never be able to finish them, because he has not measured his strength. He did not count his own soldiers and those of his enemy (Luke 14. 31), and therefore he entered into battle asking for defeat. He who, without seeking God’s aid and relying on his own strength, says that he will not fall, though all others may do so, is not magnanimous. (b) The man who despairs of his own strength will never do anything. Despair is the negation of magnanimity; presumption is its caricature. (c) We know that great things are those which should be most desired, since the will, which should follow the intellect’s lead, ought to aspire to those things which are placed before it with the highest possible motives. (d) Knowing that the greatest of all good is honour, we should aspire to it and direct it towards God, despising earthly things as tiny compared with it. Men of great heart—those who were truly magnanimous—esteemed honour above riches and pleasures. The conqueror of Italy, through his delay for pleasure in Capua, lost Rome. The man who, on a small island in the remote Pacific, drew a line with his sword on the sand and said: on this side lies honour, on that comfort, was a man with a great heart. The saint, who measures honours by God’s standards, is standing on the heights of magnanimity. SERMON SCHEMES 127 3. Christ has come—a call to magnanimity: (a) The call: God could not have come into this world for something small or to invite us to undertake some trifling work. The character of God is eternity and omnipotence, and therefore his call must carry that stamp. i. in matters of our perfection. Christ has come to say to us: You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5. 48). Have you strength to drink of the cup I am to drink of? (Matt. 20. 22). ii. in the conquest of the world. It is fire that I have come to spread over the earth . . . (Luke 12. 49). You, therefore must go out, making disciples of all nations . . . (Matt. 28. 19). God has indicated his field of action—the whole world ; his labour is that of bringing all to himself; his labourers, we ourselves. (b) Christ with us, until the ultimate triumph: i. Christ has come to lift up our nature and to triumph. That is enough to assure our victory also. ii. he has come to give us motives for joyful struggle in his cause and confidence in him, who has promised us both help and ultimate triumph. iii. when I fight, the whole mystical body of Christ fights with me. With Christ, we can do all things. Take courage, I have over­ come the world (John 16. 33). Use all the human means at your disposal and then—hope ! iv. and if, in the fight to win souls, you may find yourself exhausted and near to losing confidence, remember that in this world some sow while others reap, but in heaven all reap thenreward—and at times those have greater rewards in heaven who have not reaped a single reward here below. Remember that, if you sow for Christ, it is he who should reap the harvest; that in this army, he who dies really conquers, and that, in the end, wre shall all present ourselves with Christ before the tribunal of his Father and ours! 4. Exhortation: Lift up your hearts. Christ has come and has called you. Who is there among us who will not answer his call ? And those who wish to distinguish themselves and receive the greatest rewards, are they not those who enlist in the front rank of his army ? 128 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT III. THE GOSPEL A: A Creature of God John's reply: He gives it in the supernatural order. (a) He could have said that he was a prophet, because he was indeed—and more than a prophet. (b) He could have said that he was a preacher—and an excellent one at that. (c) But he gives a description of himself which indicates at one and the same time his natural limitations and his supernatural greatness. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Who are you ? This question, proposed in the Gospel of today, gives an opportun­ ity of talking about what St Ignatius called the very foundation and prime principle of all things. In a few words you can describe your­ self, indicating with the Baptist that of yourself you are nothing and that your real greatness come from God. I am one of God’s creatures. A creature of God: (a) To create means to bring into being out of nothing. It is an action which is proper to God alone. (b) You are a creature of God, and therefore you are nothing and God is all in you. You are nothing which lives in God and for God. In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17. 28). i. he gave you body and soul, senses and intellectual powers; ii. he continues to give them to you, for if he departed from you for one moment you would fall back into that nothing from which you came. You depend on God as the voice depends on the one who pronounces the words, as a river depends on the spring from which it comes. 1. 2. A creature on whom God has poured out his special love: (a) There is something in you which does not exist in his other material creatures—an intellect and a will. Think about them, even on a natural plane. You are God’s image, -while other creatures possess only a vague similarity with some of God’s perfection. (b) Sanctifying grace makes you even more like that Model; it makes you his son. You are nothing—but you have a tremendous greatness about you. You are the object of his special love. 3. For God alone. A consequence: (a) In human relationships there is a moral bond between father and son, superior and inferior, benefactors and those who receive help from them. More so in a mere creature, who receives all from God who created it. You are bound to your Creator. SERMON SCHEMES 129 (b) You are God’s property; he is your Lord. If he commands you are bound to obey. What folly to prefer your own will to his! You must do what God wills. i. reverence and serve God. St Ignatius sums up the end of man in these three actions, Praise, reverence and serve God. ii. the same thing could be expressed in another formula: Do God’s will. God, his will and his service should be the ruling principle of our lives. There are many ways open to us in life, many jobs, many professions; in all of them we should serve God to the best of our ability. You have a mission in life with regard to your fellow-men, but a much more important one with regard to God. The last day Who are you ? Did you fulfil the end and purpose of your life r May you be able to say, on that day : I am your creature ; I was aware of the fact that I am nothing and that you are all in me ; therefore I did not seek anything for myself, but all for you, even in the ordinary daily tasks of my life. B : Who art thou ?... A Member of Christ 1. John's reply. They ask him: Who art thou? (a) One born without sin: A penitent. He who attracts the crowds after him. One who is more than a prophet. The greatest among those born of woman. (b) But John does not pay heed to any of these things: Instead he defines himself with relation to Christ: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. This is his greatest glory, to be the one who announces the Messias. 2. And who are you? Young or old, rich or poor, worker or employer, professional man, business man or intellectual. You accumulate titles, honours, riches. You talk about your culture, influence, surroundings. All this is worth very little. Who are you in relation to Jesus Christ ? (a) A member of Christ: This is the true answer and the only one which makes you really great. i. Christ is the head of a great family, and you, by baptism, have entered into that family. ii. Christ is the head ofthe mystical body and you have been made a member of that body (1 Cor. 12. 13). (b) A living or a dead member? i. not all the members of that Body receive the influence of their head in the same way. There are some who are only united to him II ΚΊ 130 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT by faith; they lack sanctifying grace, through living in mortal sin. They have no life ; they are dead members, and useless ones at that. ii. you, who are you ? Are you a living or a dead member ? Little avail all the worldly honours you may possess if you do not possess the life of Christ. As the farmer roots up the dry and rotten branches of the vine, so will you be rooted up by the Heavenly Father. As the surgeon cuts off the infected member of the body, so will you be cut oft' by Christ from his mystical body. iii. awaken then, you who are now asleep and unaware of your danger. You who think only of material things. Return to Christ, let him illuminate you and produce life in you once more. (c) Are you an active member ? i. advance still more in the knowledge ofyour relationship to Christ. There are many grades in the mystical body, of whom the saints form the highest grade. For them Christ is everything. ii. who are you ? What is your ambition ? A Christian may not stand still ; he must at least aim at greater perfection in his spiritual life. What are you doing to progress in that life ? Do you pray for it; long for it? Do you make any sacrifices for it ? iii. the mystical body must grow with the co-operation of all its members. The Christian, by the very fact of being one, must be an apostle also. The field of activity is very great; the pagans, those separated from God by sin, the poor, the ignorant.. .. 3. Enter into the joy of the Lord: On the last day Christ will ask you: Who are you ? Your human titles will have little or no value then. Happy are you then if you can reply that you are an active member of the Body of Christ. Then you will hear him call you to himself. Enter into the joy of thy Lord. C: The Preacher 1. John as preacher: (a) To preach the Word of God was his mission in this world. (b) He did not come to be a model of penance, even though he did penance. (c) Nor a model for contemplatives—even though he was in fact one himself. (d) Penance and prayer were, for John, means of preparing for his real mission—that of preaching Christ. 2. A high mission: The highest in the Church; the very mission of Christ and his apostles. (a) That of Christ—who came to teach men all things which the Father had commanded him to teach. To manifest the name of the Father to all (John 17. 6). SERMON SCHEMES 131 (b) That of the apostles, who left everything, even the giving of alms, in order to give themselves to prayer and preaching (Acts 6. 4). (c) The mission which St Paul esteemed above all else: Christ did not send him to baptize, he says, but to preach (1 Cor. 1. 17; cf. i Cor. 14. 19). (d) The mission of preaching is especially given to the Pope and the Bishops of the Church (Can. 1327). (e) Wc can see the importance of this office from a phrase of Benedict XV. The main evil of our time is decadence in preaching. ... Preachers are responsible for the present falling off of religious practice, because they do not preach the Word of God as they should (cf. Humani Generis, 15 June, 1917). 3. Efficacy of preaching: It can do a great deal (cf. Jer. 1. 10). 4. Themes: Only those proper to the pulpit: (a) The whole of the Gospel: To everyone, so that vice may be overcome by the influence of Christ and that all may be saved (Mark 16. 15). (b) Christ. His life and his words : i. to make known the doctrine of Christ and the whole of re­ vealed truth, so as to maintain supernatural life in all (Benedict XV); ii. especially Christ crucified (1 Cor. 2. 2). (c) Dogma and moral: To establish the relationship between the two, as St Paul did. It has been well said that the Fathers sowed Christ in the hearts of their hearers to such an extent that from the dogma came good habits of life. Moral foundation is never solid unless it is based on dogma. (d) The eternal truths: How many times our Lord spoke of hell in his discourses; of the future glory to come; of sudden death and the last judgement! (e) Positive sanctity: Wc should preach more on grace, the mystical body, the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of the body in glory, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. . . . 5. Qualities of a good preacher: (a) Courage. (b) Clarity of exposition. (c) Repetition of the fundamental truths. (d) Liberty—holy and apostolic. St Teresa said : People say that they get little out of sermons. It would appear to me that those who 132 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT preach have rather too much intelligence ! We are so careful not to offend kings, nobles or the common people ! 6. Sources for effective preaching: (a) Especially the New Testament. The Gospel, above all. (b) The Fathers—especially John Chrysostom and Augustine (Leo XIII). (c) Theologians. The preacher should always have at hand the Summa of St Thomas and the best commentaries on Scripture. (d) The great classical writers in each language: Bede Jarrett, Marmion, Newman, etc. (e) The great orators, especially those of the seventeenth century in France—Bossuet is very neglected by most preachers ! (f) The doctrine of the Popes—more use could be made of the Papal declarations in sermons, with great benefit to our people. 7. The soul of our preaching: The love of God. We must preach in spirit and in truth (1 Cor. 2). For this it is necessary that the preacher should possess certain qualities: (a) an austere life ; (b) the spirit of mortification ; (c) prayer. Contemplata aliis tradere. D: Knowledge of self I. The need for this knowledge: John replies exactly and sincerely. Knowledge of ourselves is necessary for the spiritual life. (a) In general: Scientific knowledge is usually limited to what is above us, below us and around us. This is not enough, unless we also know our­ selves. Whatever we do will be useless unless we first of all study ourselves, our intentions, our strength, etc. (St Bernard). (b) For penance: The first step towards salvation is penance; but how can we do penance properly unless we know ourselves ? (c) As a remedy for many sins: Many of them are committed because we do not know ourselves sufficiently well. Pride is a typical case. Gossip, calumnies against others, lack of appreciation of others—all these are in most cases due to a lack of realization of our own defects and sins. (d) For a better knowledge of God: God’s greatness and goodness are visible more easily in the fight of our own narrowness and evil dispositions. The better we know ourselves, the better we shall know God. SERMON SCHEMES 133 (c) To avoid presumption and also despair: Knowledge of self is deficient if it docs not include the knowledge of God and his power, which directs and guides us. (f) For the right use of authority: The one who is placed in a position of authority over others needs to know how weak he is and then only will he be able to apply all the remedies to counteract his own pride in his office and deal with others gently and with prudence. 2. Practical means of knowing ourselves: (a) In order to do penance and advance in virtue, examine your sins and especially those of negligence, concupiscence and malice. These are the three roots of all falls. (b) To stimulate humility. Know the weakness of our own nature, of our body and the soul created from nothing. Our own sins. (c) In general, to know what we are by nature; the body, with its sufferings; the soul, made for God; the vocation given to us—to be Christians, with great rights and great obligations. What we are by reason of our particular state of life. The higher it is, the more we should be dedicated to God and to his work—also to personal sanctity. E: Humility 1. The example of John and the teaching of the Lord: (a) John: He was so great that he was even suspected of being the Christ. He was so humble that he admitted he was not the Christ. He did not even consider himself worthy to untie the lace of Christ’s sandals. (b) Christ: Until he came into the world humility was almost an unknown virtue. But Christ preached it, rewarding the humble; above all, he practised it to the extent of making himself a model for all in this virtue. The one way and the one door by which all might enter. 2. Why does God praise humility so much ? Because he is truth—and so is humility. It does not consist in ignorance of gifts received from God, but rather in the knowledge of God and the knowledge of oneself. 3. In what does this truth consist? (a) In knowing ourselves: Also in knowing that, in the supernatural order, we are all sinners. i. the very weakness of our nature and the struggle which this life implies makes us all sinners, therefore wo all have to say: Forgive us our trespasses. 6 134 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT ii. even the ven' apostles and the priests sinned; iii. even those of today. (b) We have nothing of our own—except sin: Any virtue we have, any good in nature or by grace, comes to us from God, and man must realize this unless he wishes to have taken from him even that which he thinks he has (Augustine). (c) Summary: Humility consists in knowing that God is the author of all things, in knowing our own natural propensity to evil, our real end and purpose in life and in the following of Christ, our Model. 4. The good it does to us: It brings with it greater confidence in God and also peace of soul. It brings God to us as it brought him to Mary. It teaches us to pray, increases grace in our souls. 5. Exhortation: Christ says to us now as he said to the Jews—learn of me. Let us all learn this lesson; sinners, from the example of Magdalen and Zacchaeus; the good, from the very fact that their goodness may be a cause of pride; learn from Satan, who lost all things through pride. Learn from John and the other saints, and instead of looking at our virtues, let us always remember what we lack rather than what we have. F : Grades of Humility i. A strong virtue: Grave error indeed to consider humility as a weak virtue or as one which buries a man in the interior contemplation of his own nothing­ ness. Because, like every’ other virtue, it is essentially active, tending all the time to develop the soul and its faculties, especially the grace of God—which is the most positive thing we possess. (a) St Benedict considered humility as an habitual disposition of soul, which governs the relations of a monk with God in the truth of his double position as sinner and adopted son. In this definition all is active; such as government, relations with God, and the two directive norms, that of our sinful nature, so hard to domesticate, and the fact that we are adopted sons of God— source of all inner activity of grace. (b) Humility, therefore, is the practical and active result in action of: i. the knowledge of self in so far as we are all for God and from God; ii. the knowledge of the divine activity within us. To man belongs all that is defective; to God all that is perfect and which tends to our salvation. SERMON SCHEMES 135 2. Three grades: Applying these principles, we see that the three grades of humility mentioned by St Ignatius are really three grades of intensive activity, corresponding to the three grades of knowledge of the two factors already mentioned. (a) When I arrive at the realization that it is necessary for me to humble myself in all things to obey the law of God, then I will take energetic action to make sure that, even if I were given all earthly things, nothing would lead me to commit a mortal sin. Even if, in danger of death, my life were offered me, or any reward I like to think of, I would not disobey one of God’s commands to acquire it. That is the grade of humility necessary for salvation. (b) If the knowledge of my own dependence on God and the thought of my salvation goes one step further, then I shall be so humble before God that it will be all one to me to be rich or poor, honoured or the contrary; since I can serve God equally well in any case. Thus I will be led to reject even venial sin for the love of God. I will not even choose between health and sickness, if it be for the glory of God. (c) Until at length we reach true heroism—the humility of the saints, who saw themselves belonging to God in such a way that they chose the most perfect way to attain to him. They chose sickness rather than health, dishonour rather than honour. 3. These are the three roads of humility : (a) Difficult: But true, since they rest on the knowledge of the two truths already mentioned. (b) Active: With the activity of a foundation, which, according to its depth, can sustain a higher building and a stronger one. (c) The example of John: i. he knows himself—iind says that he is not worthy to untie the lace of Christ’s sandals; ii. he desires Christ's glory and would prefer to see his own decrease, so that Christ’s may increase. iii. his humility dressed him in skins in the desert, but afterwards it also led him to the banks of the Jordan and to death itself— for Christ. G: The Pusillanimous 1.1saias tried to encourage those who were timid: He said to them : Be of good heart, Christ is coming. Christ is the motive for our courage and hope. i36 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (a) Aristotle says that the pusillanimous man is one who does not know himself, otherwise he would desire and strive for those things which he desen es. (b) Such a man lacks confidence in his own strength and exagger­ ates the difficulties he has to face. Through his natural, pessimistic temperament, at times through laziness, any obstacle seems to him to be a mountain. Knowledge, acquired by others like himself, seems to him to be unattainable. The simplest tasks are, to his eyes, very complicated ones. (c) Because of his lack of self-esteem and exaggeration of diffi­ culties, he never undertakes great works, nor does he aspire to things worthy of a real man. What is more, if life became really difficult for him, he would die rather than make an effort to overcome the situation. 2. In the supernatural order: Applying these principles to that order, together with the descrip­ tion of St Thomas (2-2 q. 137. a. 2) we can see that the pusillanimous man finds himself overcome : (a) By the greatness of the task before him. Perfection appears to him to be a goal which he can never attain; it is for people who are above the ordinary, not for him. (b) The obstacles to that perfection are invincible. There is need for dominion over the passions ; for the practice of virtues which are difficult, etc. (c) Face to face with the lofty ideal of the end in view and the difficulties which surround it he only knows the weakness of his own powers and his laziness, which produce in him a state of cowardice and depression which is very like laziness. Then he becomes like the man who, having received one talent, buried it, so as not to lose it. 3. Christ has conie: The pusillanimous need to be told this. (a) If perfection is a high goal, Christ has placed you on a level with it: It implies being like your heavenly Father; and Christ has made you his adopted son. You are a branch of the true vine and you can produce divine fruits. It is not now you who live, but Christ in you. Your nature has been lived by Christ, and now' God wishes to live that nature in you. (b) There are no obstacles to divine power: The passions can be dominated by the aid of grace. The devil himself trembles at the name of Christ. If both devils and the passions submit to this gift which Christ has given you, of what are you afraid ? SERMON SCHEMES IS? (c) The example of Christ: If it is your own weakness and your loneliness in the struggle which make you a coward, remember that Christ has raised you to the divine level and that you arc not alone. No matter which path of virtue you take, you will find Christ going ahead of you to give you an example. (d) Make the weak hands strong: The grace of Christ has strengthened them. The eyes of the blind have been opened, so that we may see the light of truth, the vanity of this world and the greatness of God. The ears of the deaf have been opened, so that we may hear the call of Christ. The dry land of our uselessness and sin has been converted into green pastures through the fountain of living water which the grace of Christ has caused to spring up within us. H: Vocation 1. Each one has his own: There is a general vocation for all men and a special one for each. Each man is called by God to exercise a certain ministry in the world. 2. Double aspect: Vocation can be considered in the natural or the supernatural orders. (a) Natural vocation is usually accompanied by certain natural aptitudes. (b) Supernatural vocation is accompanied by grace and certain other gifts, proportioned to it. 3. Only one vocation: Properly speaking, there is only one, even if it must be considered under various aspects. The natural order must be subjected to the supernatural; they are not opposed. The supernatural transforms the natural. Grace is never opposed to nature. Married people, whose inclinations, temptations, etc., have led them to that life, receive special graces from God so that they may become perfect in and through it. The religious, to be perfect in his convent or monastery; the priest, in his parish. 4. A member of Christ: Considered from the supernatural point of view, our vocation is the function we have to play within the mystical body of Christ. Our whole life should be absorbed in that of Christ. We must all aspire to that position adopted by St Paul: I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me. 5. General vocation: When Paul, writing to the Ephesians, tells them to walk worthy of I i jS THIR D S UNDA Y OF /1D VEN T the vocation to which they have been called, he is talking about the general vocation given to all. (a) Vocation to grace. (b) Vocation to glory. 6. Individual vocation in Christ: But when Paul, writing to the Romans, says: I warn every man who is of your company not to think highly of himself, beyond his just estimation, but to have a sober esteem of himself, according to the measure of faith which God has apportioned to each, he is speaking of the individual vocation, of the place each one has to take within the mystical body, and therefore of the graces God has destined for each one. The spiritual gifts we have differ, according to the special grace which has been assigned to each (Rom. 12. 6). 7. The Pauline conception: Each one is made to a certain measure or plan, according to the Pauline conception of this Body. We are ail members, each with a special function. 8. He continues: Each one of us has two unions : (a) The first and the principal one, union with Christ, our head ; the second, union with our brothers in Christ. From the first come life and grace (Eph. 4. 15). (b) The second, our connection with our brothers. As God’s instruments, to increase in them both life and grace (Eph. 4. 12). 9. The two parts of the first commandment. A perfect formula: (a) To love God above all things: The most perfect possible union with Christ by grace and charity. (b) To love our neighbour as ourselves: Trying to make sure that he, too, enjoys the most perfect life of grace and charity. 10. Conclusions: (a) We should learn to know our own vocation: We must make ever}' effort to discover what God wishes from each of us. What state of life; what office, what ministry ? In the course of life, w'hat business, what occupation, what use of my time? In a word, how God inspires me by his graces and gifts. (b) To put that vocation into the most perfect practice: i. in the natural order, to the limits of our power and with our whole will ; ii. in the supernatural order, meriting, by a holy life, special traces and illumination from God. SERMON SCHEMES 139 (c) Fulfil it with love: Doing God’s will in all things, with great love, because that is his will and it pleases him; it is also for his greater glory. To attain such a love—prayer and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. For a priest, his daily Mass. The example ofJohn: That was a pattern of his life. Called from his mother’s womb, he was faithful to his vocation. He appears, united to Christ and preaching him to his disciples. What is my vocation, Lord ? Speak, for thv servant heareth. ii. IV. SOCIAL APPLICATIONS A: Rejoice, because the kingdom of Christ is near Profound sentiments of joy in the liturgy of today, inspired by the Epistle, expressed in the Introit, which is a combination of two phrases of Paul, Rejoice in the Lord ... the Lord is near (Phil. 4.4-5). In the social order i. If we refer to the social order, the liturgy has a perfect application to the times in which we live. In spite of certain elements which make us fear and tremble, there are also motives for optimism and rejoicing. If we look at peoples and nations through eyes which are illuminated by faith in Christ,we shall see that the social kingdom of Christ is at hand. (a) The same thing is true of society as a whole which is also true of the individual Christian. God has given to society a similar end or purpose, that of increasing in Christ, according to his measure, for the perfection of the saints (Eph. 4. 12-13). (b) Therefore the task of forming a good Christian is very like that of forming a true Christian society. i. educate', i.e. draw out, bring alive, bring forth as a growing plant the seed sown in the soul at baptism, so that it may appear externally, made visible through a life of virtue. ii. the same object—in society] to make it a true kingdom of Christ on earth, so that the truth of the Mystical Body of Christ shall be more plainly visible every day. (c) it is clear that the Christian world is approaching more and more closely to the ideal model traced for it by Christ. i. we could quote here what Macaulay said in another context. In the history of society there are tides, and from the mere ebb and flow of the waves on the shore it would be difficult to detect whether the sea was advancing or going out. A more expert eye can detect that, in spite of appearances to the contrary, the sea is coming in. El MO THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT ii. In Christian civilization there are also tides; moments when paganism seems rife, others in which it appears to be coming nearer to Christianity. The internal history of the Church shows similar signs. But it we limit ourselves to the present day, there are signs of the advance of the faith, in spite of terrible difficulties and dangers. If we study the life of the Church this will be more evident. iii. in the reigns of the recent Popes; iv. in the fact of the Second Vatican Council ; v. in the approach of those who as yet are not members of the Church; vi. in the growth of the Church in so-called pagan countries, India, Africa, etc. ; vii. the growth of secular institutes, adapted to modern needs; viii. canonization of saints of recent times, models for all; ix. renewal in the spirit of the liturgical life of the Church. (d) At the same time, a word of warning; it would be wrong to identify Christianity with Western civilization—there is much to admire, and much to learn, from the civilizations of the East. 2. This common patrimony of moral and social values which is making such an effort today to find recognition in all parts of the world is: (a) A fruit of Christianity throughout its long history—to fail to admit this is to be blind to the truth of history over the ages. (b) Even the very dangers which threaten us at times today are signs of progress, of a new birth of moral ideals, even though they may be hidden under strange disguises at times ! They are the birth­ pains of a new era. 3. This is no new thing in the Church’s history—witness St Augustine, who saw the barbarian invasion from the North, the sack of Rome, the siege of his own city—yet still preached hope and confidence in a glorious future for the Church and for civilization. He was right, where others, less hopeful than he, were wrong! We can hasten the coming of the Kingdom of Christ on earth Our daily prayer, Thy kingdom come, is destined for that purpose, but it is also conditioned to a certain extent by our activity. The revolution which we seek to bring about is not one of blood, but one of charity and justice. (a) Let each one bring this about in his own life through justice and love. (b) Each one, according to the measure of grace given to him, in the daily life of the human family. (c) Civilization will reach the ideal model proposed for it by Christ—if we all work together for that end. Otherwise we shall SERMON SCHEMES i4r destroy the work of the ages, and history will not forgive us for the lost opportunity. B: Christ, in the midst of the poor 1. Behold the Lamb of God: (a) Two aspects of the mission of the Baptist: i. to prepare the way of the Lord, the way by means of which he will reach souls; ii. to show the ordinary people where Christ is, so that they may know and receive him. (b) It is this latter aspect which concerns us here: i. Many times Christ, although he lives in our midst, passes without our knowing him. ii. John announces him to the people in such a moment: Behold the Lamb of God. iii. The testimony will be confirmed in a solemn manner by the Heavenly Father: This is my beloved Son. ... 2. Knowledge of Christ tends to communicate itself to others: (a) When the fire of divine love is enkindled in a soul, that soul tends naturally to communicate that flame to others. (b) He came to cast fire on earth—and eternal life consists in that, the knowledge of God and of his envoy—Christ (John 17. 3). 3. For so many, Christ is still the Great Unknown: Even in the lives of many Christians. There is need for all to give testimony to Christ. Here we must insist on a truth which is, at one and the same time, profound and a mystery—we shall proclaim Christ to others in the measure in which we ourselves learn to see Christ in others. Today, as in the time of John, it is true that he is in the midst of us and we do not know him enough. 4. Where is he ? (a) Fie is all around us: i. for the husband, he is in his wife ; for the wife, he is in her husband. A great mystery this, in Christ and in the Church (Eph. 5. 32). The whole strength of the sacrament which both have received lies in this, that each should see in the other Christ himself, who has made them a living image of his Church. ii. father and mother—Christ is in this child which he has given you, and the greatness of your paternity lies in the living image of Father and Son which has been confided to your care in the person of your own child. ïN.for those who rule ; Christ is in your subjects ; for the subjects, Christ is in your rulers. It is Christ whom you obey and reverence in them. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Ip (b) This is a theme for the whole of the liturgical year, but at the moment we may limit ourselves to two considerations, two wavs in which Christ shows himself to us, in the person of the poor and the workers. i. Christ is in the poor—all those who live in need of material or spiritual comfort; those who lack the essentials of life; those whose labour does not give them the bare essentials. ii. The Popes have insisted on this many times: The poor have the very seal of Christ on themselves; they are the image of God like ourselves. Christ died for them, wished to be poor like them, loved them with a special love. Therefore the Qiurch has always seen him in the person of the poor. iii. Christ is also in the workers. So that the worker might become another Christ, our Lord himself became a worker. When he became man he wished to sanctify labour, which at his birth became filled with the grace of Christ and sanctified by it. That is why the Popes have insisted that we should see Christ in the workers. With special reference to those who work in agriculture (c) Mater et Magistra, John XXIII, nn. 123 ff.). 5. Conclusions : To solve the social problem it is first of all necessary for each of us to see Christ in his neighbour. In a special way in the worker and in the person of the poor. From that knowledge will come the love which is needed, because no one can love Christ without knowing him, in himself and in his poor. From love will come social peace and harmony. If the poor are abandoned, it is our fault, because we do not see Christ in them as we should. Poverty is a blessing for all; for the poor, because of its value as a purification; for us, as a means of salvation. Let us not neglect it. C: Sincerity I. As a virtue: (a) In the person of John: i. he confessed to the truth. In other words, he gave true testi­ mony. He confessed and did not deny: I am not the Messias. He could have given an evasive answer. This is a basic virtue in civil life, fundamental in a Christian society. ii. he told the simple truth at all times, even though it meant the loss of disciples, he says that he must decrease, while Christ increases. He is the voice crying in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord. iii. on other occasions we find him teaching bitter truths, which could not have pleased his hearers. John knew they would find them hard and unpleasant, but he was no reed shaken by the wind and he did his duty to the end. He tells the truth always SERMON SCHEMES 143 because he is humble; and humility, as St Teresa said, is founded on truth. He is also a man of character. (b) In Christ: Sincerity is essentially a Christian virtue. Christ came on earth to give testimony to the truth ; he gave that truth to his Church as a most precious patrimony. (c) In the Church: That is why she teaches the truths of Christ without any regard for the opinions of men, even in social matters, which are founded on that Christian truth and should be ruled by it. 2. Two aspects of contrast between this action ofJohn: Christ and the Church and the modern world. (a) The first: Lack of sincerity in truth when it is a question of forming public opinion, of nations, groups, peoples. This has become the stigma of the age in which we live. It has reached diabolic proportions in many cases; wolves in sheep’s clothing spreading lies among the people, thus attempting to restrain the most essential human liberties. (b) The second: Lack of fidelity to the pledged word, given in freely contracted agreements, thus putting in danger the peace and order of the whole world. Insincerity in treaties made with the Church, in those pacted between States, etc. 3. No one can say that the Church remains silent before such abuses: (a) Wherever she finds it she attacks and resists error and falsehood : she knows only too well that her first duty is to the truth. She does it with great charity, because she also knows that this virtue, in union with justice and truth, is the foundation of the kingdom of Christ. But she does not hesitate to condemn those who sow lies, warning her priests also that they should be quick to detect and condemn any error which is of harm to their flocks. (b) She does not hesitate to affirm that fidelity to the pledged word is the very foundation of the social order, if it is to be just. She also recognizes that international institutions are sometimes necessary to safeguard, even by force, the agreements between nations, especially where one is powerful and the other weak. (c) She affirms that there can be only one really solid guarantee to assure this fidelity in pacts and contracts, namely, a right con­ science, resting on sincere faith in God. When this faith exists, it illuminates our consciences concerning moral responsibility. For faith is the basis of humility and of true character—and both are guarantees of sincerity. Fourth Sunday of Advent THE PREACHING OF THE BAPTIST SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Epistle: i Corinthians 4. 1-5 Gospel: Luke 3. 1-6. Cf. Matt. 3. 1-3; Mark 1. 1-5 Complementary’ texts: Luke 3. 7-17; Matt. 3. 4-12; Mark 1. 6-8 Texts concerning penance The penance of David: Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord; and Nathan answered, The Lord hath given thy sin quittance, thou shalt not die for it. But thou hast brought on the Lord the contempt of his enemies, and the son that has been born to thee is doomed to die. 2 Kings 12. 13-14. But, now the count of Israel had been made, David’s heart reproached him. And he confessed to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done, Lord, give my sin quittance; I have played a fool’s part. . . . David, when he saw how the angel was smiting the people down, had said to the Lord, The sin is mine, the fault is mine ; these poor sheep of mine, what wrong have they done ? Nay, turn thy hand against me, and my own father’s race ! 2 Kings 24. 10, 17. i. 2. The plea of Solonion: Are thy people of Israel condemned to flee before their enemies, in punishment of the sins they will surely commit? Then, if they come here repentant, and acknowledging thy power, pray to thee and plead with thee in this temple of thine, do thou, in heaven, listen to them, and forgive the sins of thy people Israel, and restore them to the land which thou gavest to their fathers. . . . But what, if they have offended thee by their faults ? No man but is guilty of some fault; it may be thou wilt give them up, in thy anger, into the power of their enemies, and as prisoners they will endure exile in neighbouring countries or countries far away. But ere long, in their banishment, they will come back to thee with repentant hearts, crying out, poor exiles, We are sinners, warped natures, rebels all ! . . . Then if they turn in prayer towards the land thou gavest to their fathers, the city’ of thy choice, and the temple I have built there in 144 W* -ASH* e 4·< ’ SCRIPTURE TEXTS 145 thy honour, thou, in heaven, on thy peaceful throne, wilt once more listen to their prayer for aid, wilt maintain their cause still. Thou wilt relent towards thy people, though they have sinned against thee, wilt pardon the wrong their transgressions have done thee, wilt soften the hearts of their captors into pity. 3 Kings 8. 33-34, 46-50. 3. Other examples of penance: Come back, sinners, and do his will ; doubt not that he will shew you mercy. Tob. 13. 8. 4-7^·' Turn back to the Almighty for thy healing, and rid thy dwelling place of guilt. 22. 23. Time for repentance God gave him, by his pride misused, but ever on his doings kept a watchful eye; now, their brief renown over, such men must pass, as all things pass, into the dust, be carried off, swept away like ears of corn. 24. 23. Now I am all remorse, I do penance in dust and ashes. . . . For Job’s sake the Lord pardoned them; and, as he prayed for these friends of his, the Lord relented at the sight of his penitence. So he gave back to Job twice over all that he had lost. 42. 6, 9-10. 5. The Psalms: I am spent with sighing; every night I lie weeping on my bed, till the tears drench my pillow. . . . Ps. 6. 7. At last I made my transgression known to thee, and hid my sin no longer; Fault of mine, said I, I here confess to the Lord; and with that, thou didst remit the guilt of my sin. Ps. 31. 5-6. Have mercy on me, O God, as thou art ever rich in mercy; in the abundance of thy compassion, blot out the record of my mis­ deeds. Wash me clean, cleaner yet, from my guilt, purge me of my sin, the guilt which I freely acknowledge, the sin which is never lost to my sight. Thee only my sins have offended ; it is thy will I have disobeyed; thy sentence was deserved, and still wrhen thou givest award thou hast right on thy side. Ps. 50. 1-6. 6. The Sapiential books: Never shalt thou thrive by keeping sin hidden; confess it and leave it, if thou wouldst find pardon. Blessed evermore is the timor­ ous conscience; it is hardened hearts that fall to their ruin. Prov. Only thou art all-merciful, as befits the Almighty, and dost over­ look our human slips, in hope of our repentance. Wis. n. 24. But no, their sentence should be executed by degrees, giving them opportunity to repent. .. . Wis. 12. 10. The Lord’s mercy, that is so abundant, the pardon that is ever theirs who come back to him! Ecclus. 17. 28; cf. 20. 4; 49. 3. i46 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 7. The Prophets: Then come back, says the Lord, and make trial of me. Crimsondyed be your guilt, it shall turn snow-white; like wool new-washed yonder scarlet stain. Isaias 1. 18; cf. 30. 18; 45. 22. Leave rebel his ill-doing, sinner his guilty thoughts, and come back to the Lord, sure of his mercy, our God, so rich in pardon. Isaias 55· 7· Let but that nation repent of the crimes I brought against it, I too will repent of the punishment I thought to exact. Jer. 18. 8. It may be the wicked man will repent of all his sinful deeds, and learn to keep my commandments, and live honestly and uprightly; if so, he shall live on; life, not death, for him. All his transgressions shall be forgotten, and his uprightness shall bring him life. What pleasure should I find in the death of a sinner, the Lord God says, when he might have turned back from his evil ways and found life instead? Ez. 18. 21-23; c^· 33· 14-16. It is your hearts, not the garments you wear, that must be torn asunder. Come back to the Lord God; he is ever gracious and merci­ ful, ever patient and rich in pardon; threatens he calamity, even now he is ready to forgive. Joel 2. 13. 8. Penance in the Gospels: Thereupon he took occasion to reproach for their impenitence the cities in which he had done most of his miracles : Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago, if the miracles done in in you had been done there instead. And I say this, that it shall go less hard with Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement than with you. Matt. 11. 20-23. The men of Nineve will rise up with this generation at the day of judgement, and will leave it without excuse; for they did penance when Jonas preached to them, and behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Matt. 12. 41. But there is no way of casting out such spirits as this except by prayer and fasting. Matt. 17. 20. But when John had been put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God’s kingdom; The appointed time has come, he said, and the kingdom of God is near at hand ; repent, and believe the gospel. Mark 1. 14-15. I have not come to call the just; I have come to call sinners to repentance. Luke 5. 32. Do you suppose, because this befell them, that these men are worse sinners than all else in Galilee ? I tell you it is not so ; you will all perish as they did, if you do not repent. Luke 13. 2-3; cf. 15. 18; 16. 30; 18. 13; 23. 42; 24. 47. i ·> l GENERAL COMMENTS M7 9. In the Apostolic writings: When they heard this, their consciences were stung; and they asked Peter and his fellow apostles, Brethren, what must we do? Repent, Peter said to them, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to have your sins forgiven; then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2. 37-38. God has shut his eyes to these passing follies of ours; now, he calls upon all men, everywhere, to repent, because he has fixed a day when he will pronounce his judgement on the whole world. Acts 17. 30-31; cf. 26. 18, 20. Dost thou not know that God’s kindness is inviting thee to repent ? Rom. 2. 4. Supernatural remorse leads to an abiding and salutary change of heart, whereas the world’s remorse leads to death. See what devotion has been bred in you now by this supernatural remorse; how you disowned the guilt ; the indignation you felt, the fear that overcame you,. . . how you righted the wrong done. 2 Cor. 7. 10-11. The Lord is not being dilatory over his promise, as some think; he is only giving you more time, because his will is that all of you should attain repentance, not that some should be lost. 2 Peter 3. 9. It is those I love that I correct and chasten; kindle thy generosity, / and repent. Apoc. 3. 19. SECTION IL GENERAL COMMENTS LITURGICAL As we said last Sunday, today has little liturgical importance, because the previous week was given up to preparation for the ordinations which took place on the Saturday. Consequently, today was a day of rest and there were no offices. Later it was decided to say one Mass in the morning for those who had not been able to assist at the night vigil and the solemnities of the ordination cere­ mony. It is this relatively new Mass which is read today. It is the last call to penance before Christmas. The Epistle is dedicated to the recently ordained priests; the Gospel is a continued call to penance. The Introit begs the heavens to send forth their dew. The first coming of the Lord was like a gentle rain upon the earth, in contrast to the power and majesty of his second coming. The Collect begs the Lord to come, through the use of his divine power ; and that he may use that same power to cleanse us from our sins. Theme: Penance for Christmas, penance for the judgement to come. The twin figures of Isaias and John continue, but today our Lady appears, in the Offertory, since she brought Christ into the world. As our Mediatrix she will bring him once more into our hearts at Christmas. ■ FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT ï48 IL EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: i Corinthians 4. 1-5 The fact of the recent ordinations motivated the choice of this passage, which refers to the dignity of the sacerdotal ministry and the respect it demands from the faithful, who are so prone to judge the conduct of those who exercise it. Argument: The disputes in Corinth are one of the motives for this passage. There were some who declared themselves partisans of Paul, others of Apollo. To clear up this misunderstanding Paul declares, in chapters 3 and 4, that all are ministers of Christ, whose main work it is to save souls. i. (a) Chapter three: You are still of carnal mind, because there are envies and discords among you. Do you not go round saying that you are of Paul’s faction, or of Apollo’s ? Who are Paul and Apollo ? Nothing but ministers of Christ. And that, only by reason of the grace of God which has been given to them. They are simple workers in the Lord’s vineyard, since he is the principal labourer, you are the field in which he works. The day will come when he examines the works of all. (b) Chapter four: So far as we are concerned, the important thing is that you should look on us as the ministers of Christ and administrators of the mysteries of God. It is demanded of an administrator that he should be faithful. But even in this, you should not set yourselves up as judges, not because I tell you so, for I have little faith in human judgement, so much so that I do not trust my own; but because God alone is our judge, who will reveal all the secrets of our hearts. Even if I speak about Apollo and myself, it is only by way of example, because you must not judge anyone, nor be puffed up in your own pride. Who is there who has anything which he has not received ? The main theme is clear, then; there should be no formation of parties, grouped round one or another of Christ’s ministers. Because the only true priest, in whose name all the others act, is Christ himself. Do not judge of the conduct of priests with preferences for one or another; because God is the only one who can judge that. This defect is so universal and so deeply rooted in the human nature of man that the Epistle opens up a wide range of thoughts and applications. But there are other thoughts running through it which are also important. Λ · “““ GENERAL COMMENTS 149 i. No one has anything ofhis own ; it all belongs to God and comes from God. In the apostolatc it is God who gives his grace to each one and he alone is the first Cause. ii. No one should judge his neighbour ; God is the only judge, and he will execute that judgement at the last day. iii. We should despise human judgements ; mistrusting even our own. iv. The importance of the sacerdotal ministry. 2. Texts: (a) That is how we ought to be regarded, as Christ’s servants . . . By all men. . . . The text has a universal air about it, covering all men in their relations to the priests and bishops of the Church. Christ’s servants and stewards; neither more nor less. Admini­ strators of goods which they have received, each according to God’s plan. Instruments. The dignity of a minister will depend on two things, on the dignity of his chief—in this case, Christ; and on the goods which he adminis­ ters, in this case, the mysteries of Christ. One who is trustworthy. That is the key quality of a steward or administrator. The same thing is required of a preacher of the Word, who should not seek his own glory, but that of Christ and the salvation of souls. Christ demands this same fidelity in the people, with regard to grace and the other divine gifts which they have received. (b) I make little account of your scrutiny, or of any human audit-day . . . A text much commented by the Fathers. We tend to leave the vast theatre in which God sees and judges us, to seek the ridiculous applause of men. We would be ashamed to commit certain sins before men, but we are not ashamed to commit them in the sight of God. We are like children, playing at games and crowning them­ selves with laurels; who do not realize that, behind their backs, people are laughing at them. We, who are destined to judge the very angels, esteem so highly the twisted and hypocritical judgements of men. We should not judge others, because we have not been given that office, because we do not know the inner secrets of the hearts of men nor their intentions. Such judgements often come from a basic lack of charity. Why should I take any notice of human judgement when I do not even tnist my own ? Even though I have nothing on my conscience. That is truth—and humility. 150 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (c) You do ill, therefore, to pass judgement prematurely, before the Lord’s coming .. . St Paul indicates here the real reason why we must not constitute ourselves judges of our neighbour—because we do not know all the facts of the case. Many sins which may appear to be Emits in the external forum are not really so in conscience, through inadvertence and other causes. In any case, Christ is the only legal judge of men. 3. Advent: This last phrase justifies the use of this passage during Advent. Christ is a sign that shall be contradicted, one who will reveal the thoughts of many hearts. From the very first moment of his coming it is clear who they are who follow his humility, modesty, command­ ments; and who they are who refuse to see his light and accept his truth. The Baptist is the model for a priest, according to the Pauline definition in this passage. B: The Gospel: Luke 3. 1-6 The gospel of St Luke which is read today begins by putting the events into their historical setting; then it presents to us John and his preachings as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaias. I. The leaders of Israel: Tiberius was in the fifteenth year of his reign. Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea were Roman provinces under Pontius Pilate. Herod and his brother, Philip, both with the title of Tetrarch, governed the other provinces. Caiphas was the actual high priest, Annas having been deposed from that office. However, the latter had considerable influence. In spite of these details, it is difficult, if not impossible, to calculate the exact date, owing to the uncertainty about the method used by the Romans to compute the years of any given reign. It would appear to be about the year 28 or 29 by our reckoning. All of them lived longer than John; all were, from the human point of view, more brilliant stars than he. But where are they now ? What vanity, that of human glory ; what glory that of the works of the just! Tiberius passed into history as a cruel tyrant; Lisanias and Philip die unknown; Herod Antipas and Pilate in exile or deposed. The head of John fell at one of Herod’s banquets, at the request of a dancing girl; the life of Christ was in Pilate’s hands. Both have now seen Christ, their Judge, with John near him in heaven. 2. John : (a) Heralds of the Lord : The Gospel—the Good News—begins with the preaching of John, who opens the way for Christ. The priest above all, but also GENERAL COMMENTS 151 the layman obliged by baptism to be a man of Christ, can both be heralds of the Lord. The Popes in recent years have insisted that this office should not be neglected. (b) In the desert: The word of the Lord came to John in the desert, where he had lived from infancy, preparing his spirit for the task ahead of him. The life of solitude, prayer and mortification is the best preparation for the life of the active apostolate. (c) The word of God came to John : His vocation. The reply to such a call has to be prompt, entire, generous and persevering. We see all these qualities in John’s response to his call, in spite of the difficulties he knew he would have to face. (d) The country round Jordan : Traditionally, near Jericho. A rough, semi-desert region, but of easy access. The double advantage of solitude in which his preaching could be easily heard and yet near to five or six relatively large towns. 3- The figure of the preacher: The descriptions given by the Evangelists are well known. He appeared dressed in a garment of camel’s skin, caught about his waist by a leather girdle. His food was locusts (still eaten by the Arabs today) and wild honey. The dress is similar to that used by all hermits of the time, according to Josephus. He came to preach penance, not merely in word, but also by his example. The greatest preachers have always been saints and penitents. 4. His preaching: (a) Do penance, for the kingdom of God is at hand: It is summed up thus by St Matthew, but the theme is obvious. John preached God’s kingdom as near at hand. Therefore, in order to prepare oneself to receive it, some purification is necessary— that of true repentance and penance. The Sadducees and Pharisees, considering themselves sons of Abraham, did not like this idea of penance. It was surely not for them. The kingdom would qualify them as a brood of vipers. (b) Penance: Sin and the affection for sin are the two things which impede the reception of the kingdom of God. Sin is wiped out by penance; it is the only way. If the preacher does not teach it then God will hold him responsible for the damnation of those who should have heard it from his lips (Ez. 3. 18). The kingdom of God is not for the rich, but for the clean of heart. I52 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT This inner cleanliness we acquire, preserve and increase by means of penance. The Greek word ‘metanoia’ has two implications, that of sorrow for sin and that of a change of our way of life. Both suppose motives; namely, to receive within us the kingdom of God and to share fully in it. But the kingdom is also to come at the last day, in judgement. Christ is not only a King, he is also a Judge. This judgement is near at hand and the one who is not a living branch of the vine will be cut off and cast into the fire. To receive God and to free oneself from punishment—here are the two motives. The kind of penance is also indicated briefly in the phrase: works worthy of penance, namely the keeping of the commandments and also almsdeeds. Many classes of people came to John and all received their counsel, to suit their own case; but it always implied the same thing: Fulfil your obligations, according to your state of life. Penance is often confused with mortification. Although they are neafneighbours, and complete one another, the definition of each differs. Penance consists in a sincere detestation of the past with a real purpose of amendment. St John does not appear to have de­ manded more than that from his hearers. The fruits of penance are the observation of the whole law. (c) Almsdeeds: When the crowds asked John what they were expected to do, he replied, The man who has two coats, let him give away one; food in like manner.... It is the classical description of almsdeeds, which the Fathers of the Church insisted on so much. (d) Baptism of penance: We can leave it to the specialists to determine whether this rite of John was an innovation and how exactly it produced its effects. It is sufficient to see the general idea. Those who received it did so after a confession of their sins, probably a specific one, since the general accusation against oneself of being a sinner is easy, even for worldly people. It is not so easy to have to go into details ! 5. The prophecy: The prophecy of Isaias 40. 3-5 refers to the liberation from the captivity of Babylon and the return to the Promised Land across the desert. The prophet takes his metaphor from the usual custom of kings sending heralds to prepare the road for their passing. Both the liberation and the return have a ty pical sense, applied to Messianic times. It is a question of preparing the hearts of the Jewish people— and they were illiterate and stony hearts—for the coming of Christ. The means, penance, humility, faith. The Fathers have always insisted on this interpretation. All mankind is to see the saving power of God; just as all mankind was aware of the release of the Jews from Babylon. It can also mean THE FATHERS 153 that all those who prepare themselves for the coming of Christ as they should, will enjoy that salvation. 6. John's success: It is undoubted. The crowds flocked to hear him and many did penance at his word. 1 lis popularity was so great that, even years after, the Scribes and Pharisees did not dare to speak against him when Christ asked them a question about his baptism. He died for the Mcssias, since the servant is not greater than his master. SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (Some extracts from Hom. 10 in Matt. PG. 57, 183 if. dealing with the more important themes of today’s Gospel.) I. The baptism of penance: (a) Whence did it come ? Not of himself, but under the inspiration of God, did the son of Zachary come to this work, as Luke tells us, saying: The word of the Lord came upon John, i.e. a command. He himself tells us: He who sent me to baptize with water. . . . And why was he sent ? This he also tells us. I knew him not, but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water (John 1. 31). (b) Its power : Nevertheless this baptism had not the power to forgive sin; this being the gift of that baptism which was given later; for it was in that later baptism that we were buried together with Christ and our old man crucified with him. Before the cross nowhere has forgiveness appeared, because that is at all times attributed to his blood. . . . Since the sacrifice was not yet offered, nor had the Spirit descended, nor the sin been wiped out, nor the enmity taken away, nor the curse removed, how could pardon for sin be accomplished ? (c) Unto the forgiveness of sins : He so exhorted them that they might confess their sins and do penance for them, not because of the punishment, but so that they might more readily receive forgiveness later. Unless they accused themselves they could not seek pardon ; and unless they do seek it they will not be forgiven. So this baptism prepares the way for the other which is to come. . . . For this purpose he tries to make those humble who had come to him, showing them that they have no cause for their self-pride; that unless they did penance they would suffer grave afflictions, and that, forgetting about their forefathers and putting on one side their boasting because of them, they should receive him who had already come. Their earlier expectations X54 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT concerning Christ had become vague, and many indeed thought they were ended altogether after the slaughter in Bethlehem. Accordingly, there was need of this striking introduction and of a more exalted beginning.... 2. The figure ofJohn: Consider what it meant to see this man coming out of the desert after thirty’ years there; the son of a High Priest; one who had ever been above the needs of ordinary men; venerable, because with him was the spirit of Isaias. For Isaias was present with him, proclaiming him and saying: This is he of whom I spoke to you, one crying out in the wilderness with a might)’ voice, declaring all things to you. So great was the zeal of the prophets concerning these things that, long before, they had foretold, not only the coming of the Lord, but also his coming who was to minister unto him. Not only did they foretell him, but also where he would dwell, his manner of speaking and what great good was to follow.... See how the prophet has foretold everything; the gathering to­ gether of the people, the changing for the better, the simplicity of what was made known and the reason why all this was done, even though he spoke in figure. Because when he says that every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low, and the rough ways made plain, he was foretelling that the humble shall be exalted and the proud brought low; that the harshness of the law shall be changed into the mildness of the Gospel. No more, he says, the sweat and pain; but grace and forgiveness for sin, thus opening the way of salvation. 3. Lessons for us from John's austerity of life: If he who was so pure, so much brighter than the heavens, above all the prophets, than whom none greater was born of woman; one who had such faith—if he lived so austerely, depriving himself of all pleasures, what excuse have we, who after so many favours received, laden with so many sins, can show not the least sign of his penance, but rather give ourselves to gluttony and drunkenness, softening ourselves by every means, thus making ourselves easy prey for the devil? Putting away every’ excess and drinking the bitter cup of moderation in all things, let us live in a manner which is becoming and temperate, giving ourselves to prayer in earnest. And if we do not receive that for which we pray, let us persevere that we may receive it. ... For it is not his wish to withhold the gift we ask for, but in his wisdom, to encourage us to persevere by delaying the granting of it. He delays the granting of our prayers and even allows us to fall into temptation, so that we may turn to him more readily and remain there with him. Thus do loving parents act. . . . So, frequently, God threatens us, not that he may inflict evils upon us, but to draw us to himself. When we return to^him, he THE FATHERS 155 immediately banishes our fears, for were we to feel the same security in time of temptation as wc do when we are at peace, then there would be no need for us to be tempted. And if we think of the whole life of David, we shall see that, in the midst of dangers, he was always greater; and not he alone, but all like him. Job also, for this same cause, shines forth; Joseph likewise. . . . Only by trials and tribulations have they been proved and re­ ceived their crowns. Since we know all these tilings, let us, in the words of Wisdom, make not haste in the time of clouds (Ecclus. 2. 2) but school our­ selves to one thing only, the bearing of all things with courage, not enquiring too closely nor searching too deeply into that which may befall us. For to know at what time our trials will come to an end is proper to God alone, who permits them to happen. It is for us to bear our afflictions and give thanks; that is the duty of one who has confidence. If we do this, all good things will follow. And that they may follow, so that we may become ever more trusting, with still greater glory in heaven, let us accept whatever be laid upon us. Let us give thanks always to him who knows better than we do what is good for us, and who loves us more than our own parents. And let these thoughts be at all times like a melody in our hearts, in whatever tribulation, so that we may rise above grieving and give praise to God, who arranges all things for our benefit. Thus we shall be able to overcome all dangers and come to our imperishable crown, to which may we all attain, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Π. CHRYSOSTOM AND AUGUSTINE Alnis and penance (A summary and comparison of the doctrine of these two Fathers concerning alms and penance. It will be clear that their teaching coincides on all points.) A: Alms and penance according to John Chrysostom Five ways of doing penance: There are many different ways of doing penance, all of which lead to heaven. The first consists in condemning our own sin, and this is sufficient for God, because he who hates the evil he has done falls into it again with greater difficulty. There is another way, which consists in not remembering the offences of those who hate you, tempering your anger and forgiving the sins of your fellow-servants. Your heavenly Father will forgive you your transgressions, if you forgive your fellow-men theirs; if you do not forgive them, your heavenly Father will not forgive your transgressions either (Matt. 6. 14). i. 156 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT The third way? By fen ent and assiduous prayer. Do you not remember the importunate widow and the unjust judge? (Luke 18. 5). W ell, you have a meek, just and loving judge. If you wish to know the fourth way, it is by almsdeeds. This has a very great power. Daniel said to the king, who lived under the stain of all types of sins: Deign, my Lord King, to be advised by me; with almsgiving, with mercy to the poor, for fault and wrong-doing of thine make amends; it may be he will condone thy guilt (Dan. 4. 24). What can compare to such kindness ? Lastly, humility, like that of the publican.... 2. Almsdeeds a necessary means: The fourth means is almsdeeds, the queen of the virtues and one which carries men rapidly to the gates of heaven; one which per­ forms the office of our advocate. . . . Great are her wings, cutting through the air, passing the moon, flying higher than the sun and penetrating into heaven itself. Nor do those wings cease there, because they pass the angels, the choirs of the archangels and the superior orders of spirits until they reach the very’ throne of the King. Remember that it was said to Cornelius that his prayers and alms were remembered before God. Do not fear that presence of God, no matter how many sins you have committed, provided alms­ deeds accompany you as your advocate. There is no heavenly power which can resist it. She reclaims the debt, showing the receipt for it, for which reason the Lord says : As long as you did it to one of these, my brethren, you did it to me. So, even if your sins do weigh you down, your alms weigh more than all of them {De Poenitentia, 3. 1. PG. 49, 293). 3. Superior to every sin: There is no sin which alms cannot purge away, for it is more powerful than any sin. There is no wound which can resist it. Is there anything worse than the office of publican, so open to all kind of sin ? W ell, Zaccheus was made just by his almsdeeds (Luke 19. 8). Even Christ himself carried a purse in which were the alms for the poor (John 12. 6). . . . Let us make sure, then, that we give alms in the thousands of ways they can be given. Have you money? Do not be dilatory in using it to help the needy. Can you defend someone’s rights ? Then, do not say that you have no money. Can you help by means of your labour? Then, do it. Are you a doctor? Then, help the sick. . . . Can you help by giving your advice? Better still, because so you will redeem your brother, not from hunger merely, but from danger of death. Have you a friend who is overcome by avarice ? Have pity on him and help him. You say that he will not heed your advice? Do what you can. He goes naked and as a wanderer ? (For naked and a wanderer indeed is he who does not walk along the right path.) Receive him into your house, dress him THE FATHERS 157 in all the virtues, take him into the great heavenly company {In Act. Apost. Hon». 25, 3-4. PG. 60, 196). 4. The impétration value ofalms and its satisfactory value: Give to the poor, and when you do not pray, your alms will pray for you, as your advocate, with lips of infinite power. The price of the salvation of your soul is almsdeeds. Just as we place basins of water at the doors of the churches so that you may wash your hands, so we put the poor at the doors of those churches, so that you may cleanse your souls.... I beg of you to fulfil the commands of the Lord. Let us sow our superfluous goods in the person of the poor; let us give the alms that we can give, because by doing so we make friends of the mam­ mon of iniquity. Let us pour out our alms on the needy so as to extinguish the flames of hell.. . . There (in the judgement) the only one to receive us will be our alms. It will not be those whom we have helped by them, because they may not reach salvation ; it will be the alms themselves which will receive us. And I speak, not merely of the rich, but also of the poor, because there is no one, however poor he may be, who cannot give a little {In Heb. c. 2, PG. 63, 34-5). B : Alms and penance in Augustine Fruits worthy of penance: Bring forth fruits worthy of penance. From which we may gather that, if anyone does not produce these fruits, in vain will he hope to merit pardon for his sins through a sterile penance. For after this the multitude says to him, What shall we do ? What fruits are these which you ask us to produce? . . . You praise the merchant who changes lead for gold and you do not praise him who gives money and buys his salvation. But, you say to me, I do not give money because I am not good. Give with more reason, then, and so you will receive the gift of justification. Christ suffers need in the person of his poor for our sake. If he could feed them, as he did Elias by means of the raven, he does not choose to do so; instead he uses us, as he did the widow woman, in the case of Elias (3 Kings 17. 10). He put heaven up for sale, setting its price at the value of a glass of fresh water. . . . Naturally, a glass of water when we have nothing better to give. If you have more, you have the obligation of giving more; because even the widow gave two farthings. 1. 2. The satisfaction value ofalms: It is written: As water puts out the flames, so alms extinguish sin (Ecclus. 3. 33). And also: Bury your alms in the heart of the poor and it will cry out to God for you {ibid. 29. 15). . . . There are many 158 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT other texts in the sacred writings in which we can see how much alms can do to wipe away sin. For that reason the LomI takes into account almsdeeds, both in the case of those he condemns and in that of those he rewards, as if he would say to us: If I judge only your works it would be difficult for me not to condemn you, but enter into the kingdom prepared for you, because when I was hungry, you gave me to eat. You will not go into the kingdom because you have not sinned, but because you have redeemed your sins with alms. ... To the condemned as well will be said: It is not for the reasons you imagine, but because I was hungry and you did not give me to eat. If you had only given up your evil ways and returned to me, redeeming your sins by means of alms, those alms would now free you and absolve you of all crime, because blessed are the merci­ ful, for they shall obtain mere}’. Now you must go into eternal fire, for there is judgement without mercy for the one who does not act mercifully (James 2.13). 3. Venial sin and alms: If you have given way to the pleasures of the world, practise mere}’ in the form of alms, of penance and prayer. By these means many of those sins which are the result of human frailty can be purged away. Do not hesitate to be afraid of them, just because they are small sins; instead, be afraid of them, because they are many in number. . .. They are not a wild beast, like the lion; but remember that even small creatures can do great harm if they are many in number. The drops of rain are small, but they can fill rivers and so destroy cities.... You will ask me, then: Who can live without these faults? I will reply: No one! But God has provided us with the remedy to heal them. Alms, prayers and fasting. Three things, in truth, but so that you may pray and fast as you ought, alms are necessary (Sermo 9. c. it. PL. 38. 88-89). HL ST AUGUSTINE Universal need for penance (A summary of his doctrine, divided into two sections, the motives for penance and the need for it. Lastly, his exhortation to penance. Various writings of the Saint have been used for this summary, and it would be too long to enumerate them all. The main ones are given.) Motives for penance I. Because sin separates us front God: In Advent penance is preached to us because sin is the real thing which separates us from God, our Father and Lord. THE FATHERS 159 (a) Christ is the light and we should not separate ourselves from him if we wish to live: John was not the light, but came to give testimony to that real, true light, which was Christ. We must see clearly who it is that lives within us; that we should not separate ourselves from him who does not depart from us. He comes to us, and so that we may receive him, he sends ahead of him a herald, he seeks testimony from a mere man, so as to help men. We are so weak that we have to seek the light of day through that other light, a mere lantern—as was John. (b) Sin separates us from God, who dwells among us: He is not far from us in whom we live, move and have our being. Only your own evil can separate you from God. Break down the wall of sin, and you will be once more united with him. . . . We have to confess that, although God is everywhere by his presence and his power, he is not everywhere by the indwelling of his grace.... Those are said to be far from him who have made themselves unlike him by their sins; while they are said to draw near to God who, through their good lives, receive his likeness. Rightly do we say that the blinder an eye is, the further it is from the light. Even when the light is near to all, is there anything further from it than a blind eye, bathed in that same light ? (c) But God continues to love us and to wait for us: They (sinners) are ignorant of the fact that you are present to all, even those who separate themselves from you. Let them be con­ verted and seek you, because not as they abandoned their Creator do you abandon your creature. Let them but be converted and you will be there again, in their hearts, the hearts of those who confess their sin and cast themselves on your bosom, weeping. . . . (d) God loves you and hates your sin: He hates your works; he loves you. He hates what you did, but he loves what God did. Your works are sinful, and you are a man made to God’s image and likeness. You forget what God did for you, and love that which you yourselves have done.... 2. The need for penance (Taken from Sermo 351. PL. 39, 1535 if.): (a) For the good people: There is one kind of penance which the good, from the very fact of being so, practise daily, namely, that of bearing with this life while they long for the life to come. So we should all consider what little esteem is due to this present life . . . made worse, as it is, by concupiscence, which led the Apostle to long for its end so that he might put on immortality. This penance, then, consists in living detached from the things of this world, with our gaze fixed on our heavenly home. But apart from it we need another penance, that of ——β«Κ ι6ο FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT pain and punishment which we ourselves voluntarily impose on ourselves. We need it: (b) To resist temptation: Such is the Christian rule; that this flesh and this dust should not feel sure of itself until this night has passed in which all kinds of wild beasts roam about, seeking their prey. That is why Job does not say that temptation exists in this life, but that life itself is a temptation.... (c) To preserve and increase grace: Let no one glory, even though he may have domesticated his body and crucified the world by his works; even though he may have reduced his body into subjection. All that has been given to you, and you must not be content with returning merely that which was given to you, lest it should be said to you : Base and slothful servant ... all the more was it thy part to lodge my money with the bankers, so that I might have recovered it with interest when I came (Matt. 25. 26-27). He who wishes to increase in grace, let him do penance. (d) To the priests: The priest fives in the midst of human things, but not carnal ones, dedicated as he is to the ministry of the salvation of souls. He does not live full of preoccupation about temporal things, nor does his work for souls leave him with much leisure time for idleness. Let him give his alms with joy, then, either by remedying the material needs of the poor, or in his condition as dispenser of the heavenly bread, by constructing real fortresses in the hearts of men against the attacks of the devil. Let him never be overcome by weariness at the sight of those difficulties which present themselves so that a man may not forget that he is a man. Let him not be carried away by anger when someone annoys him, or with him who, urged to it by need, asks him for something at an inopportune moment. Nor again, with the one who begs him to deal with some affair, just when he is most busy; nor with him who will not listen to reason, blinded by his passions or by laziness.... Yet the dust of this world can still stick to priests, and it will be held against them unless they are fully aware of this stain. Therefore, as priests, we have not merely to support this life until it passes, hoping in God and acting manfully, so as to produce fruits by means of our patience. .. . We should also do penance daily so as to shake off the dust of this world which sticks to the feet of all those who travel by this road and so as to make good the loss of energy caused by those same delicate acts of our ministry. (e) To the laity: If this happens in the case of the dispensers of the word of God, the ministers of his sacraments and the soldiers of Christ, what will not happen in the case of the multitude of the flock ? How much THE FATHERS i6i penance will they have to do . . . who are not merely sprinkled with dust, but covered in mud from head to foot. ... How many sins are committed by unnecessary gossip about other people’s affairs; in matters of buying and selling. ... It makes us sad to think of all that we should find within ourselves if we were to examine ourselves carefully enough in the mirror of the Sacred Scriptures. It is true that none of these things wound us mortally, but they arc like scabs which make us ugly, so that they separate us from the embrace of our Spouse, the most beautiful of the sons of men, unless we cure them by the daily medicine of penance. (f) For sinners: The third penance is that which has to be undergone for sins committed against the commandments. No one can approach Christ and begin to be what he was not, unless he first of all repents for what he was. . . . This is the penance St Peter demanded from the Jews as a necessity for pardon (Acts 2. 38) and which the Lord had already commanded when he told them to repent because the kingdom of God was at hand.... In this third type of penance each must show himself severe with himself and judge himself so as not to be judged by God: If we recognized our own fault, we should not incur these judgements ... (1 Cor. ii. 31). Once the tribunal has been set up within our hearts, let the memory act as accuser, conscience as a witness and fear as our executioner. What is he waiting for, then, who has sinned grievously? Since God still gives him life, let him do penance. Is he such an enemy of himself that he does not do it? Let him change his attitude and chastise himself with a penance which is severe indeed, but which heals. (g) Vain excuses: Others do not do it. . . . The Scriptures already told us that, in the Church, there would be good and bad until the end of time, when the Lord will come, flail in hand, for the harvest. There are many others who sin.... Let not those who refuse to do penance seek companions in their eternal banishment, nor rejoice in the fact that they discover many. Just because they are many, that does not mean to say that they will burn less ! Perhaps they rely on the fact that some priests and ecclesiastical dignitaries do not live in accordance with their preaching. Unhappy those who, looking at the ministers, ignore the Lord, who had already recommended that we should take heed to their words, not their works! He who put up with Judas, and even sent him out to preach. . . . They are like one on a road, who seeing that the milestones did not move, although they were covered in signs pointing the way, did not wish to move himself If you wish to arrive at your journey’s 162 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT end, why do you not look at so many other priests, who not merely point out the way to you, but who also stride along it valiantly? If you search for such as these, you will certainly find them, although one hears less about them; for men, instead of looking charitably at those who do live what they preach, prefer to discover something worthy of censure, at times because they never would find anything good in anyone—being evil themselves. At others, because they are afraid to find it, lest they be moved to give up their evil ways. Those who are impenitent and obstinate Those who put off the of day their repentance: (a) Because they despair of finding pardon: They need not be afraid; they have God’s word for it that he does not seek the death of the sinner, but his conversion and his life (Ez. 18. 23). (b) or because they hope too much—presumption: They say: God is merciful and forgives everything; he does not return evil for evil. Let them listen to Paul (Rom. 2. 4) when he warns them that they are rejecting God’s goodness, which is drawing them to repent. (c) Others hope badly ... They put off until later the day of their conversion. Why, if God is ready to forgive me all, should I not increase my pleasures and live happily ? But why do you say that, my brother ? Because God has promised me his pardon as soon as I change, he replies. There are two answers to this: First, do you call that living well, when all you do is sin? No one has promised that you will see tomorrow’s light. If this is not so, you who know so well how to quote the Scriptures when they promise you pardon at the moment of conversion, read me one single passage in which you have been promised that you shall have tomorrow! . . . But it is written: Or wouldst thou make slow work of turning to the Lord, and put it off from day to day ? Swift falls his anger and perilous, when the time for vengeance is ripe (Ecclus. 5. 8-9). Have I perchance written those words? Can I wipe them out? I can neither remove them, nor keep silent about them, because my silence would terrify me. I have the obligation of preaching, and I myself am full of fear. Do you tremble with me, and so, one day, we may triumph together. . . . SECTION IV. THEOLOGIANS I. ST THOMAS AQUINAS (We give here a brief summary of the main ideas of St Thomas concerning penance, taken from 3P. q. 86.) THEOLOGIANS 163 1. In what dues the remission of sin consist? In being re-united with God, from whom it has separated us. The offence against God came from our will, which turned away from him to seek some created good. This offence cannot be for­ given while a man refuses to turn back to God through repentance and the promise of a new life. To pardon is to receive once more into favour and is an act of the offended person in favour of the offender. We can pardon our enemies and restore them to favour even though their dispositions have not changed towards us; but that is simply because our grace and favour are externals, which bring about no internal change in the one who receives them. . . . The grace of God does not work like that, it gives positive goodness to one who did not possess it, bringing about a great interior change. 2. To recover grace repentance is necessary: Therefore, so that God may restore his grace to us, it is first of all necessary that man should remove his evil disposition of the will, by means of which he turned to creatures, separating himself from God. While the voluntary aversion from God persists it is impossible for God to restore grace to us. (In other sections of his works he points out that this change in the will is brought about by actual grace.) The same reason explains why it is that children can have original sin forgiven them without any previous act of repentance. It is not the personal will of the child which is involved in the disorder of this sin, but the disorder is rooted in the nature which he has inherited. Thus sanctifying grace by itself is enough to correct the disorder. 3. Necessary for the pardon of venial sin also: Because, even though it does not separate us entirely from God, our affections are impeded by it, so that they do not fly to God so quickly. Therefore repentance is in some way necessary and the simple state of charity is not enough, since venial sin can exist together with charity. There must be at least some virtual dis­ pleasure at the thought of the venial sin; at least such a desire for God that the soul is ready, at that moment, to remove anything which impedes its progress towards God. Π. ST BONAVENTURE (A summary of his teaching concerning the three grades of purifica­ tion, fear, love and mercy.) I. The ways of penance: We should know that there are three kinds of purification : legal, prophetic and evangelical. The first has its origin in fear of the severity of the judgement; the second in an ardent zeal for justice; the third in the sweetness of divine mercy. The first is indicated to ιό4 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT us in figure in the fast of Moses; the second in that of Elias and the third in that of Christ.... (a) The first—fear of the judgement: The first purification is legal, and comes from a fear of the severe judgements of God, of which St Luke speaks: He holds his winnowing-fan ready to purge his threshing floor clean; he will gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will consume with fire that can never be quenched (3. 17). Christ, like a burning fire, will hold his winnowing-fan in his hand, that is, the balance of his justice at the last day. A consideration of the last judgement will do for us by grace what vindictive justice would do for us then. It is convenient that fear should be the beginning of your purification. (b) The second—penitential grace: The second purification is that of penitential grace, which has its origin in an ardent desire for justice; this is prophetic and better than the former purification. (c) The third—mercy: The third comes from the sweetness of the compassion from on high, and it is called evangelical, because the Gospel comes to us full of meekness. James and John asked the Lord if they should order fire from heaven to come down on the inhospitable Samari­ tans; but Jesus replied that he had not come for that. It is said of this purification in the Book of Tobias, that alms frees us from death and cleanses us from all sin. 2. Grades in the three: Faith must accompany mercy; but if you wish to have true faith in God you must first have fear, because through the fear of God man is parted from sin (Prov. 16. 6). This third purification supposes the other two, that of Moses and that of Elias. If you give alms without ceasing from sin it is as if you gave a blow together with your alms. There is a relation between these three purifications, because that of fear is, as it were, the foundation, while that which proceeds from divine compassion is the complement. The first is purgative, the second both purgative and illuminative, while the third is purgative, illuminative and perfective. ΠΙ. ST ROBERT BELLARMINE (Extracts from his sermon on the Gospel, in which he treats of a right intention and its importance if we are to attain our last end.) I. A right intention: Make straight the way of the Lord. A right intention is the very foundation of the spiritual life, because the straight path really THEOLOGIANS 165 means following the law of God, and for that we need a right inten­ tion—a knowledge of and strong desire for our last end. He who loves some end in view chooses the means to attain it. For that reason Paul can say that he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law of God, which is the same as the words of the Lord: If thy eye is clear, the whole of the body will be lit up (Matt. 6. 22). On what we love and seek the whole of our life will depend. (a) Our end : What do men seek, as if it were their last end ? Some riches, even at the price of deceit; others a woman, others this or that honour or dignity. None of those things is the end of man. Better than any­ one else, he knew it who made us, and who said, when he created us : Come, let us make man to our own image and likeness. The purpose of an image is to be like its model. Therefore our end in life is to go on growing in likeness to God until the day comes when we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is (1 John 3. 2). A very high end indeed. : (b) Our intention should direct all our actions to that end: All our actions, not merely one or two. Those who separate themselves from this end, the more they run the farther they depart from it, like a badly aimed arrow. And how much energy men waste on passing things! . . . Those who think of heaven as their end journey along with joy, because that brilliant goal is always before their eyes. What is more, they attain it before the others, because the latter either do not arrive at all, since they are condemned, or else they prolong their journey in purgatory, where one moment’s pain is equivalent to many years of suffering in this world. The good see their end always and in all things, because their longing for it keeps it always before their eyes and their tranquil conscience gives them confidence that they will attain it. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. There is nothing which gives so much real joy as a good life. 2. A smooth path: Concerning presumption and pusillanimity or despair : Behold, here is a path which is flat, without mountains or valleys, because the two main obstacles to salvation are presumption and despair; pride and pusillanimity. There are some who, in their presumption, form their conscience and their way of life by justifying all their actions. I waste a lot, I know—but it is mine! I am angry, but they deserve it. I defraud when selling; but then, I also am deceived when I make purchases. They seem like the Pharisee, who could only see the sins of another. To all such as these we may apply the words of the Lord : I have come into this world so that a sentence may fall upon it, that those 7 'J i66 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT who are blind should see, and those who see should become blind (John 9. 39). That is, so as to punish those who think themselves wise. If you were blind, Jesus told them, you would not be guilty. It is because you protest, We can see clearly, that you cannot be rid of your guilt (ibid. 41). Others know their sin, but remain in that state, relying on God’s goodness and on the means of pardon which he has granted to us. The other extreme is the cowardice of those who wish to be good, but who think that a life of virtue is too difficult. Without God’s grace we can do nothing; but with it, all is easy. Let the mountains be brought low by the fear of God; the valleys be filled, through confidence in his grace. 3. A narrow path: each one's cross: There is also a narrow path, because no one can enter into heaven unless his blood be shed in martyrdom or his flesh be subjected, in a likeness of the saints. Life is a cross, a crown which has to be won by fighting, a constant struggle w ith God’s enemies. As Paul says, all those who wish to live well, in Christ Jesus, have to suffer per­ secution (2 Tim. 3.12). This road is a necessary' one for the poor, in the midst of their poverty. Their sufferings are a painful road ; but to despair or steal is to depart from it. It is necessary for the rich, for wrhom almsdeeds are sometimes more painful than is his poverty to the poor man. For they have to overcome their avarice, their pride and their sinful prodigality. . . . Obedience is painful, to be in command difficult, youth is tempted, old age leads to sickness. . . . And did you say that the road was a joyful one ? The grace of God transforms all things, making it possible to rejoice in tribulations (2 Cor. 7. 4). SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA (Summary of a Sermon on the phrase: A voice crying in the wilderness.) I. Sinners are a wilderness in which the Lord's voice cries out: Sinners form this desert, land which is not cultivated and where no seed produces fruit. A desert in which the voice of the Lord is heard in four different ways, by means of his favours, by preaching, by his punishments and through his interior inspirations. (a) The voice of his favours : God treats the sinner very kindly, giving him health, honour and riches at times, to win his heart. But so evil are we that, when prosperous, we tend to forget our benefactor and instead arc drunk SPIRITUAL WRITERS 167 with personal pride. We are foolish. Even the animals know their benefactor and show him gratitude; you alone, 0 man, are more ungrateful than the brute beasts and bite the hand that feeds you. On all sides the voice of the Lord is heard; in the heavens, the sun, the earth. O man, learn to know your benefactor and give thanks to him! (b) The voice of preaching: Since the voice of his favours is often not clear enough for many people, God brings another voice to the ears of the sinner, to force him towards a rapid conversion—preaching. This is not the voice of men, but that of God. The Lord said: He that heareth you, heareth me; for which reason St Paul writes to those of Thessalonica; This is why we give thanks to God unceasingly that, when we de­ livered the divine message to you, you recognized it for what it is, God’s message, not man’s ... (1 Thess. 2. 13). You all know how powerful this voice was in the days of old, so much so that it converted the whole world. But today it has lost much of its power, and it is a rare thing to be able to bring a sinner to repentance through it. Therefore, in these days, God makes heard another and a third voice—that of his punishments. (c) The voice of his punishments: In the case of such a deep sleep the shaking we receive must be a great one. Face to face with his punishments, some, like the brothers of Joseph, awaken; others open their eyes and say: We have sinned. But they go to sleep again almost at once. Others begin their con­ version, but soon forget their good resolutions; while others do not even wake up at all. How sad it is to see them, like Pharaoh, receive blow after blow, without knowing the hand from which those punishments come ! Such is the case in our time. My God, how your hand lies heavy upon us! So many Avars, blows of all kinds, calamities. . . . Yet few they are who repent of their ways and do penance ! The more blows we receive the greater is our folly, it would seem. There is no hope for us, unless it be in the last and the most powerful of his voices— that of his interior illuminations and graces. (d) The voice of interior inspirations: A voice of thunder, which can be heard even by those who are deaf to all else. God’s word to us is something alive, full of energy; it can penetrate deeper than any two-edged sword, reaching the very division between soul and spirit, between joints and marrow, quick to distinguish every thought and design in our hearts (Heb. 4.12-13). This voice, St Bernard used to say, is not a loud voice, but it is a penetrating one; not brilliant, but very effective; not the slightest murmur of it can be heard, yet it draws souls by its gentle unction. i68 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT St Thomas goes on to describe this voice in its different mani­ festations; at times it gives rise to a burning fire of love, as in the case of Mary of Magdala, at others it resounds, terrible and hammer­ like, as in the case of St Paul’s conversion. It is worse to hear the reproaches of the voice of God than to hear the death-sentence pronounced over us in prison! May we hear it in this world rather than in the next! 2. Prepare his paths: What do these various voices of the Lord demand of us ? That we should prepare the way for him. Nothing very grand or very difficult. We are asked not to resist him. He is standing at the door and knocking; his only wish is that we should let him in. Clear away the stone, pebbles and thorns which form an obstacle in your path ; remove the sins which stain your souls, those quarrels, hatreds, enmities, envies, avarices, adulteries, pride—all those sins which separate us from God. Confess your sins, weep for them, clothe your souls in good desires; pray; expiate your sins by means of fasts and almsdeeds, then justice will prepare its dwelling-place within you. Π. ST JOHN OF THE CROSS (Extracts from the Ascent of Mt Carmel^ Bk. i, chaps. 4-7.) A worldly life and its dangers: (a) God and creatures—opposites: The reason is that two contraries (even as philosophy teaches us) cannot coexist in one person; and that darkness, which is affection for creatures, and light, which is God, are contrary to each other and have no likeness or accord between one another, even as St Paul explained to the Corinthians, saying: Quae conventio luci ad tenebras? That is to say, what communion can there be between light and darkness ? Hence it is that the light of divine union cannot dwell in the soul if these affections first flee not away from it (chap. 4, para. 2). Therefore the soul that sets its affections upon the being of creation is likewise nothing in the sight of God, and less than nothing, for, as we have said, love makes for equality and similitude, and even sets the lover beneath the object of his love. And therefore such a soul will in no wise be able to attain to union with the infinite being of God; for that which is not can have no agreement with that which is.... For there is nought good, except God. Therefore the soul that sets its heart upon the good things of the world is supremely evil in the eyes of God {ibid. para. 4). Wherefore the soul that is enamoured of prelacy, or of any other such office, and longs for liberty of desire, is considered and treated, SPIRITUAL WRITERS 169 in the sight of God, not as a son, but as a base slave and captive, since it has not been willing to accept his holy doctrine, according to which he that would be greater must be less, and he who would be less must be greater. Therefore such a soul will be unable to attain to that true liberty of spirit which is encompassed in his divine union, for slavery can have no part with liberty; and liberty cannot dwell in a heart that is subject to desires, for this is the heart of a slave; but it dwells in the heart of a free man, because he has the heart of a son (ibid. 6). (b) Examples and authorities: This distance (between God and creatures) was clearly recognized by St Augustine, who said : Miserable man that I am, when will my littleness and imperfection agree with thy uprightness ? Thou indeed art good, and I am evil; thou art merciful and I am unholy; thou art holy, I am miserable; thou art just, I am unjust; thou art light, I am blind; thou life, I death; thou medicine, I sick; thou, supreme truth, I utter vanity (chap. 5, para 1). For this reason our Lord, when instructing us in this way, said through St Luke: Qui non renuntiat omnibus quae possidet, non potest meus esse discipulus. This means: He that renounces not all that he possesses with his will, cannot be my disciple. And this is evident; for the doctrine that the Son of God came to teach was contempt for all things, so that a man might receive as a reward the Spirit of God in himself. For as long as the soul rejects not all things, it has no capacity to receive the Spirit of God in pure transformation (para. 2). Of this we have a figure in Exodus, wherein we read that God gave not the children of Israel the food from heaven, which was manna, until the flour which they had brought from Egypt failed them. . . . This can likewise be seen in this same book of Holy Scripture, wherein it is said that, not content with this simplest of foods, they desired and craved fleshly food. And that our Lord was grievously offended that they should desire to mingle a food that was so base and coarse with one that was so noble and so simple; which, though it was so, had within itself the sweetness and substance of all foods ... (ibid. para. 3). Oh, did spiritual persons but know how much good and what great abundance of spirit they lose through not seeking to raise their desires above childish things, and how they would find in this simple spiritual food the sweetness of all things, if they desired not to taste those things !... It is well known by experience that, when the will of a man is affectioned to something, he prizes it more than any other; although some other thing may be better, he takes less pleasure in it. And if he wishes to take pleasure in both, he is bound to do injustice to the more important, since he makes an equality 170 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT between them. Now, inasmuch as there is naught that equals God, the soul that loves some other thing together with him, or clings to it, wrongs him greatly. And if this is so, what would it be doing if it loved anything more than God ? (chap. 5, para. 4-5). (c) Two serious evils in the soul, resulting from desires: . . . The one is that they deprive it of the spirit of God, and the other is that the soul wherein thev dwell is wearied, tormented, darkened, defiled and weakened, according to that which is said in Jeremias, chapter 2: Duo mala fecit populus meus: dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, et foderunt sibi cisternas dissipatas, quae continere non valent aquas. . . . These two evils, namely the privative and the positive, may be caused by any disordered act of the desire.... It is clear that the desires weary and fatigue the soul; for they are like restless and discontented children, who are ever demanding this or that from their mother, and are never satisfied.... The second kind of positive evil which the desires cause in the soul is their tormenting and affliction of it, after the manner of one who is in torment through being bound with cords from which he has no release until he is freed. And of these David says: Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me. .. . The third evil that the desires cause in the soul is that they blind and darken it. Even as vapours darken the air and allow not the bright sun to shine; or as a mirror that is clouded over cannot receive within itself a clear image; or as water defiled by mud reflects not the face of one who looks therein ; even so the soul that is clouded by the desires is darkened in the understanding and allows neither the sun of natural reason nor that of the supernatural Wisdom of God to shine upon it and illumine it clearly. (The Saint goes on to show how these same desires stain and defile the soul, weaken it in virtue and make it lukewarm. His conclusion is that any soul wishing to attain to full divine union must be free from all desire, no matter how small. He interprets in this way 1 Cor. 7. 29-31.) (chaps. 6-7). 9 9 ΠΙ. BLESSED JOHN OF AVILA (Two letters, no. 29 and no. 45, written during Advent, speak of the manner of preparing for the Lord’s coming. We give a summary of their teaching under various headings.) I. Preparation necessary: This first coming which we commemorate at Christmas was the greatest event in world history. Just as it had its own preparation, so we should prepare for the celebration of its anniversary. We are very careful to admit those creatures who knock at our door, some­ times to our harm; yet we are not so ready to open the doors of our SPIRITUAL WRITERS 171 hearts to Christ, who is the desired of all nations. He comes only to those who desire him; he gives himself to those who wish him to give himself. In order to aim at a target we close one eye so as to fix the other entirely on the mark. We should do the same now, closing our eyes to creatures so as to fix them on God. To give us greater confidence, he comes to us as a little child. This is the bread which he oilers and gives to all who hunger for it. All he asks is that we confess our sins and receive him. How unhappy they are who prefer to die of hunger! 2. What holds us back? Come here, my soul, and tell me, what is it that holds you back from seeking God with all your strength ? Why do you not love him much who loves you so deeply ? He had no other task on earth but to love you and seek to help you, even though it cost him pain. And what business have you on earth except that of loving the King of kings ? Do you not realize that all this which you see about you must have an end; all that you see, hear, touch and treat of? It is but a cobweb, which can neither dress you nor protect you from the cold. Where are you when you are not with Christ; what are you thinking of; what are you esteeming, when you seek all these things apart from the one and only good ?... Never was there a love like his. He loved you when he made you in his ολνη image and likeness ; but he loved you still more when he made himself in the likeness of man. He comes down to us to lift us up with him. He became man that we may become gods; he came from heaven to take us there; he died that we may have life. In the midst of so many favours what am I doing, asleep and lacking in gratitude? . . . Let us then lose no more time, for the sun is already high in the heavens and we have lost enough time already. 3. Exhortation: Ahnsdeeds: You, who are the very author of mercy, grant us the grace to feel that same sentiment. Let me see you in the manger and learn to give freely to others as you have done. Do not permit God to weep and man to go unfeeling at the sight. . . . Prepare to open to him the hands of mercy, because Christ is about to be born, and he has neither house nor bed. Keep the fires of your love kindled brightly, for the Child is cold. And should those fires be merely tepid, then the very cold of the Child will stir them up, because the more cold he suffers for us, so much the more does he teach us to love him. . . . And because he has many relatives who are poor and w'hom he also loves, we must love them too and stretch forth our hands to them, because they arc the brothers of our creator. i72 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT IV. BOSSUET (A summary of one of his sermons dealing with austerity and the need for a change in our lives if we do real penance.) I. Solitude and penance: The figure of the Baptist reminds us of his mission ; he is a voice crying in the wilderness. He was a voice exteriorly, but also in his interior recollection and in his life. This is the real mystery of pen­ ance and expiation—the way to cure our ills. Therefore let us see the desert in which that voice cries out, the preparation it demands and the rectitude it seeks from us. (a) Conscience needs tranquil reflection: The voice which calls us to penance likes to make itself heard in the desert; and so it is necessary for us to abandon the noise of the world if we would hear it. We must learn to love solitude because the noise and tumult of men drown that voice. True compunction is incompatible with a worldly life. The true penitent is always recollected. The penance done in the old days would astonish us today. Then they used to five withdrawn even from their business activities, praying and meditating day and night. The reason is evident. We sinned because the world led us astray, not allowing us to hear the voice of conscience. It is essential that we should hear it once more. But both conscience and the intellect of which it is a part do not work in the same way as the senses. The latter attack swiftly, by means of instant impressions, while the intellect needs to gather its forces together, assemble its principles, build a firm foundation for its conclusions, guarantee its good resolutions. Therefore, if it does not give to its reflection the added weight of its continued attention, it will be carried away by the wind. There is something about the world itself w hich leads us to be in constant motion, the hours seem to pass all too quickly and the day comes to an end too rapidly. St John Chrysostom said that we ought to un-learn something every day. True; because this world was our teacher from the first moment we came to the use of reason; and it taught us badly—that wre should measure all things by our own personal interests; that all should be subject to our good, that patience is the virtue of the weak. .. . Therefore it is necessary for us to un-learn; but first of all wre must abandon both the school and the master who taught us there. Therefore, do not be surprised when I tell you that the first instinct of a man inspired by God is to leave the great world. The spirit of penance will substitute for that calm, worldly air a certain barbarism. Then we learn another language, because we learn to say no, it is impossible, and to give the w'orld dry and vigorous negatives in reply. He who truly repents is forced to remember, every time SPIRITUAL WRITERS 173 he secs the world, how often he has sinned by trying to please it. Even penitent kings seek this solitude and if they have not had time during the day to retire to their rooms, they occupy part of the night in a secret desire which makes them groan and cry out: Against thee only have I sinned. (b) Usefulness of this sorrow: This sorrow is reasonable, for if inevitable disasters cause us pain, those cause us still more sorrow which come upon us through our own fault. Besides, it is a useful sorrow, since it is the only one which can destroy the cause of it. Weep for the dead ; but they will not rise again. But weep for your sins, and your tears will wipe them out. (c) At least, interior recollection: But, you may say to me, what examples you have put before usl Do you wish to leave the world empty ? We must not expect such effects from the penance done nowadays. Not even John, were he to come again and preach to us, would get us to leave the world and weep for our sins in some unknown place. We do not appreciate our salvation as much as all that, nor have we such a high esteem for our souls, even though they have been bought at the same price in blood as those others I have mentioned. What is more, I would say that such austerities are not commanded us, nor are they even necessary. But the least we can do is not hand ourselves over entirely to the world or to its pleasures. A truly contrite and afflicted spirit does not feel itself attracted by the vain pleasures of the world. Sow the good seed a little deeper, for through being too shallow up to now, it has been stepped on by the passers-by, has not been able to send down roots, has been eaten by the birds and choked by worldly affairs. . . . The heart must suffer interiorly. At least we should convince ourselves that these excessive pleasures of the senses are incompatible with true penitential sadness. We should make a desert for ourselves by means of our attention and interior recollection. Once we are in that desert, to which the voice of John the Baptist has led us, and once we have learnt to weep for our sins, is there any other preparation necessary to open the way for God and to lead him into our hearts ? 2. The change in our way of life: Retirement and solitude are only one part—the negative part—of the preparations demanded by penance. True repentance would be enough, but as we know full well that there is a kind of false penance, we must prove and prepare the way with exactitude. St Augustine says that it is easier to find people who have con­ served their first innocence than it is to find true penitents. . . . Yet there are many who do not think like that. They put sin and re­ pentance on the same level. If it is easy for them to sin, it is no less 6· 174 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT easy for them to be converted. They are as easily in a state of sin and a state of grace, as they please. But no; the vicious affections which have filled our lives are not so easily uprooted as all that. There arc soporifics which do not cure, even though they deaden the pain of the illness. 3. Love for the rules of the Christian life: Once the soul is thus prepared, with no illusions as to its con­ version, then it prepares the straight path. But what is this righteous­ ness of heart so often mentioned by the Scriptures ? We ourselves are not right, nor are we the measure of rectitude. Our rightness of heart consists in a conformity' with the divine rule or measure; not from fear only, but also from a love of its beauty. For if we act according to the law simply through fear of its threats, without loving its truth and justice, while it cannot be said that we break the law, neither can it be said that in our heart of hearts we are in agreement with it. Certainly, fear of God is more efficacious than fear of men, for die latter do not see us; but in any case, where only fear exists, there can never be that attraction which alone will suffice to uproot and destroy completely our corrupt inclination. St Augustine used to say: If you could only deceive the eyes of the one who sees all things, what is there you would not do ? Make your paths straight, therefore, by means of a beginning of love; and thus, from this love will be born another kind of fear; not the fear of an adulteress, who dreads the return of her husband; but the fear of the chaste spouse, who dreads the thought of losing him. Let us be afraid to lose the God whom we love. SECTION VI. PAPAL TEXTS A: Faithful stewards Those who have received a greater abundance of good things from God, whether they be spiritual or material, internal or external, have received them that they may attain their own perfection and also attend to the needs of others as ministers of divine providence. He who has received one talent, let him make sure that he does not hide it; while he who has received an abundance, let him make sure that he does not fail to have mercy on others (Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum, n. 19). In this great solidarity which is both personal and social, each one should be ready to work and to sacrifice himself for rhe good of all. The difference is not in the fact of the obligation, but in the manner of fulfilling it. Is it not true that those who have more time or the means to do so should be more attentive and assiduous in serving others? When we speak of means, we do not limit ourselves entirely ■ ■ to such things as riches, but include all other gifts, such as those of intellect, culture, education, knowledge and authority; which gifts have not been granted to a few fortunate people for their personal use merely, so that they may create a lack of equality between brethren, but rather for the good of the whole social community (Pius XII, Message to the Nobility of Rome, Jan. 1949). Divine providence has assigned to each one his place and function in human society. For that very reason he has divided his goods between them. Those goods and talents must give their fruit, as you know, and the Lord will demand a strict account of their administra­ tion and according to the fruit he will judge and separate men to the one hand or the other {ibid.}. B: The priest, God’s ambassador and administrator This is all the more evident from the fact that we exercise the priestly office, not in our own name, but in Christ’s. Let a man so account us, says the aposde, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (i Cor. 4. 1); on behalf of Christ, therefore, we are acting as ambassadors (2 Cor. 5. 20). It is for this reason that Christ himself has enrolled us, not among his servants, but his friends. ... I have chosen you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit (John 15. 15-16). Therefore we are to act the part of Christ and the ministry given by him is to be carried on in such a way that we accomplish precisely what he intends. And since durable friendship consists in having the same will in all things, we are bound as friends to feel within ourselves what Jesus Christ felt, who is holy, innocent, undefiled; as legates we must win the faith of men to his doctrine and his laws, observing them ourselves first ; as the participants of his power to lighten souls weighed down by sin, we must strive with every care lest we ourselves be burdened also.... St Charles Borromeo in his sermons to the clergy speaks thus: If we should remember, dearly beloved brethren, what great and wonderful gifts the Lord God has placed in our hands, what in­ fluence this thought would exert in impelling us to lead lives worthy of ecclesiastical men! What has the Lord not placed in my hand, when he has put there his only-begotten Son, coeternal and coequal to himself? In my hand he has placed all his riches, his graces, his sacraments; he has placed there souls which he preferred in his love to himself and redeemed with his blood; he has placed heaven in my hand, which I can both open and close to others. How, then, can I be so ungrateful after such condescension and love, as to sin against him, to offend his honour ? to pollute this body which is his ? to defile this dignity, this life consecrated to his service (Pius X, Haerenti Animoy 1908). . 175 .... PAPAL TEXTS 176 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT C: The compassion of the priest On the other hand, by sincere disinterestedness the priest can hope to win back the hearts of all. For detachment from earthly goods, if inspired by lively faith, is always accompanied by tender compassion towards the unfortunate of every kind. Thus the priest becomes a veritable father of the poor. Mindful of the touching words of his Saviour: As long as you did it to one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it to me; he sees in them, and with par­ ticular affection, venerates and loves, Jesus Christ himself. Thus the Catholic priest is freed from the bonds of a family and of self-interest—the two chief bonds which could bind him too closely to earth. Thus freed, his heart will more readily take flame from the heavenly fire that burns in the Heart of Jesus; that fire which seeks only to inflame apostolic hearts and through them cast fire upon the earth. This is the fire of zeal. ... It should make him forget himself and all earthly things. It should urge him powerfully to dedicate himself utterly to his sublime work, and to search out means ever more effective for an apostolate ever wider and ever better (Pius XI, Ad Cath. Sacerdotii). D : Private ownership and almsdeeds We should notice at this point that the right of private ownership is clearly sanctioned by the Gospel. Yet, at the same time, the divine Master frequently extends to the rich the insistent invitation to convert their material goods into spiritual ones by conferring them on the poor. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth ; where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven ; where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break in and steal. And the Lord will look on the charity given or refused to the poor as given or refused to himself. Amen I say to you, as often as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me (John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, 1961; cf. Quadragesimo Anno, n. 56, Divini Redeinpt. n. 49). SECTION VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY A: A sinner’s expiation Brought up on the banks of the Nile, Mary of Egypt had given herself up to a life of vice from the age of twelve. One day she felt a desire to leave Alexandria and see the great world outside that city. By chance, she took a boat which was earn ing a load of pilgrims to Jerusalem. Mary joined them, but not with any pious purpose. However, once in the Holy City, she felt a deep attraction leading HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 177 her to the church on Calvary, where the pilgrims were to adore the relic of the true Cross. As she drew near to the church she felt a great torment of soul because of her indignity. Her eyes full of tears, she fell on her face before a painting of our Lady and asked for pardon. Comforted, she rose to her feet, entered the church and adored the relic. As she did so she heard an interior voice which said to her: Go to the other side of the Jordan. There you shall find peace. She obeyed, and soon found herself at the very spot where John had baptized so many people. She entered into the church dedicated to him, and received the sacraments. From there she went into the desert near the Dead Sea and did penance for forty years, where the hermit Zozimus found her on the point of death, heard her last confession of the sins of her past, and buried her. One of many who found sanctity and salvation through penance. B : The Miserere of Savonarola In his prison cell, broken by tortures, without light or food to sustain him, he still had strength enough to take up his pen and write the following words, in 1498. Unhappy indeed am I, having sinned against heaven and earth. Before whom shall I plead ? I do not dare to lift my eyes to heaven, because I have sinned against God. There is no refuge for me on earth, because I have given it nothing but scandal. Shall I despair, perhaps ? Oh, no ! There is mercy in God and compassion always in my Saviour ! But what shall I say ? I dare not even raise my eyes to him! I will dare to breathe the words of sorrow, implore your mercy and say to you : Have mercy on me, O my God, according to thy great mercy. C: Another John the Baptist John Chrysostom wras Bishop of Constantinople. It vras the year 404. The Emperor Arcadius had decided to erect a statue of his wife, of massive silver with a porphyry base, on the very threshold of St Sophia’s itself, an inauguration accompanied by a regular popular bacchanalia. This provoked the Bishop’s wtath. He preached and he inveighed against it. Did he actually refer to the unchaste Herodias ? Eudoxia affected to feel personally insulted. She vowed to have her revenge on John, and this was not long in coming. An order of expulsion from die territory' was made out against him, but John, humble as he was in all things, was not to be intimidated by this offence against his authority. In his reply he said: I have received my episcopal powers from the hand of God and I cannot abandon them. If the Emperor wishes to separate me from my church he may do so, but he will have to do it by force of arms. His despotism will be my justification before the eternal Judge. I FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT t7 8 The decree of exile was, in fact, imposed by force, and for three years the aged bishop was under close supervision ; but all the time he remained a worn' and a reproach to the Court. Did he not con­ tinue to lead an apostolic life, converting the Isaurian highlanders, and even sending missionaries to the Goths ?... It was necessary to put an end to this. In 407 the order came from Arcadius that he was to be taken to the very' limits of the Empire, to a tiny village in the Caucasus. The guards grasped what was intended. The old man was taken on foot along the most difficult mountain tracks, under the beating rain or blazing sun, and good care was taken that he did not rest in any town where he might find friends. On the 13th of Septem­ ber, the tragic procession arrived at Comana, a towm in Pontus. John could go no farther. But he was not allowed to stay in the town. His escort made him stay in a local chapel consecrated to St Basilicus the martyr. During the night the saint had a vision in w'hich the martyr appeared to him. Have courage, John, he said, for tomorrow we shall be together. In the morning, when his guards wanted to start him on his journey again, the bishop collapsed. They took him hurriedly back to the little chapel. He asked for white vestments and for the Eucharist, and then he died, murmuring his last prayer: Glory be to God in all things. SECTION VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. THE EPISTLE Ministers of Christ and Stew ards Men must see in us ministers of Christ and dispensers of his mysteries. The greatness and the dignity of the priesthood (cf. Papal Texts, pp. 174-6). Close your eyes to all defects and think only of the fact that the priest should be, in the modem world, a steward, a dispenser of God’s mysteries. I. The priest: minister of Christ: (a) The mission of Christ was to consecrate the world to God: God made himself a man like us, so that men might be made gods (St Augustine). (b) Minister of Christ means another Christ: Christ went up into heaven and left other men to continue his mission, others who could represent him with authority, his priests. This means that they must be his ministers, who act in his place and represent him. i. at the altary in the pulpity in the confessionaly the priest is another Christ. SERMON SCHEMES 179 ii. in the world, in his relations with men, in all his human aspects, the priest must be another Christ. The world is right when it demands much of priests. iii. above all, he must be another Christ in his soul. The soul of the priest has received a special consecration, similar to that which the humanity of Christ received when it was united to the Word of God. For that reason, rather than saying he is another Christ, it would be better to say that he is Christ himself. 2. The priest, dispenser of the mysteries of God: (a) Mission of preaching: The priest, like Paul, has received the mission of preaching to all men the great mystery of God—the Incarnation of the Word and the incorporation of all mankind into the Body of Christ. In that great mystery are included many others, which are directly intended to secure that sharing in the life of God through Christ. (b) Of all these the priest is the minister: i. administrator of the word of God ; the word which is spirit and life. At times it administers a reprimand, corrects, advises, consoles; but it will always throw some light of grace on human life in all its aspects. ii. minister of God's food—he distributes it and is its guardian. iii. distributor of God's pardon. In the confessional he is nothing more than the representative of God’s pardon and mercy. Christ sought them always ; so should the priest. iv. administrator of the very life of God. In his hands are the sacraments, sources of the life of God for men. 3. Veneration and respect for priests: (a) St Francis of Assisi used to kiss the ground on which a priest had walked. He himself never wished to receive ordination, con­ sidering the dignity too great for him. (b) Are there not unworthy7 priests ? Yes, but they are few, thank God. But that is not a motive for lowering the prestige of the priest­ hood. They are too often spoken about critically, with no reason. Defend them always and respect them. (c) We should commend to our people the idea of praying for all priests, especially those of the parish; that God may make them worthy of their mission, so that we may see in them the ministers of God and dispensers of his mysteries. J » I .. · FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT i8o IL THE GOSPEL A: Providence What is providence ? The Gospel of today gives us an example of the providence of God in the governing of nations. The foundation ofprovidence is creation: (a) God does not forget his works ; much less when they have an intellect and a soul. He who imposed on all parents the obligation of looking after their children does not abandon his creatures. (b) Creatures, in so far as they receive their being from God, need him both to exist and to act. They are like a dynamo, which needs electricity•r all the time if it is to function. 1. 2. Essence: (a) It both sustains and governs; in being and in action—all is from God. (b) Directing all things, from one end to the other, mightily. From the most insignificant of human actions to the lives of the great empires. It attains its purpose in spite of the twisted wills of men; in fact, by means of them. i. Judas was a means towards our redemption. ii. The usurpation of the Papal States has freed the Pope from political worries, giving him great spiritual freedom. (c) Smoothly and firmly; without loss of human liberty and so that men do not even realize that providence is guiding them. 3. The means: All things are naked and open to his eyes : (a) His infinite knowledge and poxver ; (b) he knows even the intimate secrets of the human will and has the means to direct it without loss of its liberty ; (c) he can govern all that he can create. Providence in the Scriptures 1. The whole history of the Jewish people; that of Tobias. 2. The many statements of Christ in the New Testament. 3.1 journey in a ship whose helmsman is God, my Father. I should have confidence in him, accept his decisions and be docile to his commands. B : Christ, the centre of history i. The Gospel of today begins with the historical data necessary to fix it in its place in history; we can read into it the idea that Christ SERMON SCHEMES 181 was born as the centre of the world’s history, and we can see a careful preparation for that coming on the part of providence. Providence revolves round Christ, as one would expect: i. because providence implies the directing of all things to their last end, and to their salvation; ii. since Christ is the principal source of that salvation and that glory, it is only logical that he should be the very axis of providence. 2. We have an example of this in the Roman Empire, whose rulers are mentioned in today’s Gospel. (a) Rome is born, increases and overcomes the whole world : Augustus brought universal peace, means of communication, of government, and to a great extent also a universal tongue. At this moment of universal peace, Christ is born and his preachers find the road open to them, without national barriers. (b) Strengthened by persecution, the Empire is converted: But now it becomes an obstacle, because across its frontiers are the barbarians, who must also be converted. i. at that moment we see the great barbarian invasion; the conquest of the Empire ; but the triumph of Christ. ii. because those same barbarians are converted in their turn. 3. Providential interpretation of history: (a) Until the day of judgement shows us the whole picture, how many events will have turned round the fact of the birth of Christ ? (b) Things which seem to us at times to be disasters are the means used by divine providence to attain its ends. C: Dignity and obligations of the priesthood The Epistle and Gospel of today, one of which describes the mission of the priest and the other of which shows us a priestly figure in the person of John, both give us opportunities to talk about vocations to the priesthood and the dignity (and obligations) of the priestly ministry. This dignity is so great, like the dignity of Paul and John, that we must be careful to avoid pride, while trying to be ever more worthy of it. The dignity of the priesthood The priest is a minister; and the dignity of a minister depends: (a) On that of his Lord: The Lord in whose name he works—in this case, Christ; - -'--ί 182 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (b) on the goods he administers: i. the sacraments: a baptism superior to that of John ; pardon for sin—who can forgive sins but God alone ? The Eucharist. ii. preaching; like John, he is a voice, bringing to men the word of God. (c) On his greater or lesser proximity to his Lord : The priest is so near Christ that he is an instrument of his graces. Obligations of the priesthood I. Humility in the midst ofsuch a dignity: It would be a grave fault in the priest should be think himself more than a minister and act in his own name. To avoid this we should remember : (a) that we have nothing of ourselves : In the supernatural order, and especially in the ministerial, all is from Christ. (b) We are all sinners : Even the holiest of priests has his feet on this earth (St Augustine). 2. He is a means by which men reach God: St John is a good model for us. St Thomas says that Christ, using always sensible means to bring men to him, made use of the person of John in this way. Such should the priest be; a ladder by which men ascend to God. If he attracts others to himself it should always be with this purpose, to lead them to God, to whom they really belong. Imitate John the Baptist: (a) in his fidelity to his vocation, never turned aside by applause or by death ; (b) in his long preparation ; (c) in his austerity ; (d) because God is going to demand a strict account of the talents he has given to all—but especially of his priests ; (e) being always the voice of God. 3. Exhortation: You may be surrounded by many dangers, but if you fly high enough, as St Augustine says, you will avoid many snares. Crucify the world by means of your austerity and prayers. D: Austerity I. The austerity of St John: The figure of John, austerity personified, contrasts with our era, but for that very reason it is necessary to think about him, because the truth and the remedy are in John, not in our customs. SERMON SCHEMES 183 2. Lack of austerity—a mark of our era: (a) Luxuries superior to our state of life and very often far beyond our real economic position: We all seek for more comfort, more pleasures and more money than we really need. Too many of our people arc living beyond their income and on borrowed money, in the form of hire purchase. So many seek to go just one better than their neighbour. Social standing today is marked by status symbols rather than by merit or real worth. (b) The love of pleasures, as the Fathers call this passion, is very dangerous: i. no man can put all his interest in two ideals, and that of pleasures will soon absorb him completely; ii. God and affection for creatures are incompatible—as St John of the Cross tells us. iii. the consequences are evil ones indeed; they give rise to pride, to all kinds of pleasures, including sensual ones; to tepidity in religious duties. iv. when all these pleasures disappear, God will demand an account of the talent we have hidden away beneath them, and then we shall realize that we have been created for something else. 3. Remedy: Imitation ofJohn: (a) Austerity and detachment from things of this world: Do you really wish to repent and to give up sin; to advance in virtue and perfection? Then imitate John in his austerity and detachment. (b) Let us form within us a small desert of interior recollec­ tion (Bossuet): It is not a difficult thing which is demanded of us, since it is the one way to save our souls from the dangers of too much desire for pleasure. (c) Give alms: He that has two coats, let him give away one, was John’s advice. May we follow it. Deprive yourselves of some small pleasure in order to give the money to the poor—to Christ in the poor ! (d) When he comes, with his winnowing-fan in hand, we shall be so glad that we have something to offer him. 4. Christmas is coming: God wishes to be received into your home. Surely you will wish to adorn it to his taste, not to your own. Reduce your desire for luxuries, then, because he does not like them who was born in a stable which was not his own home and who died naked on a cross. God has made you for himself; seek him first, and these others things will fall into their rightful place and proportion in your lives. i§4 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT E: Sin, evil for God and man 1. S/n, the supreme evil: Man’s judgement about sin is usually wrong. Take the case of the Jews. W hen their messianic hopes were at their height, when some were thinking of a renewal of rhe great ceremonies in the temple, while others were thinking about the triumph over their enemies, John appeared, preaching penance for sin. Living as we do in the midst of so much sin and so much disaster, do we really think that the supreme evil is sin ? Yet it is, because it is evil for both God and man. For God, because it denies his attributes; for man, because it destroys his happiness. 2. S/h, an evil which is against God himself: (a) Sin is an evil which in one way affects God himself: i. because it denies his attributes, especially his goodness, by not corresponding to his love; ii. it denies his omnipotence, since through it man despises the law of God, as if God had no right even to make laws, and repeats the Non serviam of Satan ; iii. it denies his justice, as if man cared nothing for God’s punishments. (b) God’s hatred for sin : It is enough if we remember how he chastises his only Son, made responsible for the sins of men; or how he chastises men, who are the objects of his love. 3. Sin—man’s real evil: (a) It separates him from God: i. God is light ; sin is darkness. Therefore when the light came into this world, the world could not receive it. ii. God is love and we are united to him by love. Sin breaks this bond, and so we lose our supreme good. iii. it destroys the indwelling of God within us, leaving us truly empty of all good (Augustine). (b) It makes man a rebel—but an impotent rebel whose arms are turned against himself. (c) From a friend of God it makes man a senant of Satan and of his own sins. 4. Exhortation: Christ comes, at Christmas spiritually; and later as our Judge. The day of our death may not be far off—we may not even see this coming Christmas, because our judge will come like a thief in the night, when we least expect him. Sad will be the state of that man who has not repented and done penance. SERMON SCHEMES 185 F: The preaching of penance 1. Prophets and preachers in the hour of tribulation: The history of the world is strewn with disasters which have cost the lives of millions of human beings and have sunk in the depths of misery so many others. In those moments God has sent his prophets and preachers to give a solution to the problem. 2. The simple solution of penance: We might have expected heaven to send us extraordinary solu­ tions; but they have been, in truth, very simple ones. So simple that the world may have found itself in the situation of the Syrian general to whom Eliseus gave the command to bathe himself in the Jordan! They may seem too simple. The solution given for those moments of trial was always penance. 3. Abundant examples: They are so abundant that selection is difficult. (a) There were few disasters greater than the deportation of the Jews to Babylon. Thousands dead by the road-side; a life of exile; the abandoned cities of the promised land. When Israel, caught between the might of two great empires, did not know what measures to take for her defence, God gave the answer through the prophets Isaias and Jeremias; there was only one theme in their preaching: Do penance; be converted to the Lord with your whole heart. (b) In spite of the warning and the preaching nothing was done and the disaster came. In their captivity two more prophets were sent to them, Ezechiel and Daniel, to propose the means for ending the exile. This was not political rebellion; it was penance! The Jews took heed this time, and God, in his providence, raised up in a far-off land one Cyrus, who would overcome the power of Babylon and restore Israel to her lands. (c) Jonas is another example. 4. The great preachers: (a) The case of Vincent Ferrer: At the end of the thirteenth century the illnesses which were destroying so many in Europe were but a sign of the heresies which were to do even more harm. Christ appeared to one of his future preachers, cured him by a miracle and said to him: Rise; go out and preach; fight against sin and announce the day of judgement. (b) In our own century the great preachers have always insisted on penance and on almsdeeds as a means of wiping away the stain of past sin. God’s anger is always placated by penance—it was so in the past, it is so today. (c) When politicians propose other solutions God suggests—and commands—his: Be converted to me and do penance. i86 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (d) Day by day the present state of our world becomes more difficult; there is no need to comment on it. What is the solution? God has not chosen to send preachers (unless they be represented by the modem Popes); nor has he sent his Son, because the time is not yet ripe for the second coming in majesty and judgement. But he has sent Christ’s Mother. Lourdes and Fatima—the two missions of Alary: (a) It is surely more than a mere coincidence that when rationalism threatened to overcome Europe Mary came to Lourdes to beg for prayers for sinners and for their conversion. It is the preventive preaching of the Mother of God. (b) The world did not take much heed, in spite of the miracles; therefore the lash of God came once more in the form of the war of 1914, communism and class war which threatens the whole world. Man' repeats her message at Fatima. Do penance. 5. Our present programme : Penance : What are we to do ? Let no one feel that he has little responsibility for the whole world—the responsibility is great. We must all do penance, and if those who are God’s chosen ones do not begin the task, where are we to hope for the fruits of Mary’s preaching? Who knows if God will not spare mankind, should he find in the world fifty just who do penance! And why should you not be one of them? 6. G: Christ—and penance I. The penance of Christ in the preaching: (a) Of the Baptist: i. the Gospel presents John to us as preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sin. If we examine his preaching we shall sec clearly that the central point of it is: Bring forth fruits worthy of penance. ii. but he does not merely preach penance, because together with it there is another central theme—Christ. The kingdom of God is at hand; the new alliance of God with his creatures, Christ, w hose herald he was and whose kingdom he preaches. (b) 0 f the prophets : John follows their line and their style. They repeat frequently the two main ideas : i. on the one hand penance, a reform of life and austerity", ii. on the other hand, pardon, mercy, life. (c) Of the Apostles: i. the first discourse of Peter after Pentecost is on penance and Christ. SERMON SCHEMES 187 ii. Paul, in the course of his epistles, repeats the same ideas; the old and new leaven; the old man and the new (cf. Rom. 6. 6; Eph. 4. 22; Col. 3. 9; i Cor. 4. 7). 2. Penance leads to Christ and Christ leads to penance'. (a) In the Christian life there is but one centre—Christ; and penance leads us to him. i. he must be the reason for all our activity and our aspirations: Christ, who is all in all. The present economy of grace converges on Christ. His mission was to give life to men: I have come that they may have life. ii. it is impossible to be filled with this life and discover Christ without penance: If any one will come after me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9. 23). iii. penance, of itself, is not attractive; it would be the act of a madman to practise it for itself alone or for the pleasure of doing penance. iv. but it has great value for obtaining forgiveness of sins and this is impossible without it. It has its end in the love of Christ, to which it leads. (b) The figure of our Redeemer, his mortal life in the world and his sacramental life in the Eucharist all lead to penance. i. the secret of the great austerities of the saints lies in their love for Christ. This is evident. ii. All those who have written on the spiritual life have done so with this idea in mind ; the goal is Christ, but we must begin by repenting from the heart for our sins, purifying our affections and doing penance, so as to lead our lives towards Christ. Kempis, St Ignatius, St Francis de Sales—all stress the same idea. iii. experience confirms this. Many souls who have trembled at the idea of penance when it was preached to them, have given them­ selves whole-heartedly to it when they heard of the love which is due to him who has loved us so much. It is a well-known fact that, when souls begin to know and love Christ, they also begin to do penance. 3. Application to Advent and to life: (a) Christ is near. The liturgy of these days is full of this theme of preparation for Christmas. We must be ready to go out and meet the Lord. (b) To meet him, to feel his presence within us and to prepare to receive his graces it is first of all necessary to do penance. (c) Those souls who long to live in union with Christ ; those who receive him every day in Communion, cannot set aside this necessary penance, unless they wish to fall into the depths of routine and tepid­ ity’ To receive Communion worthily it is enough to be in a state of ï8S FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT grace; but to receive its full fruits we must go to the altar in a spirit of sacrifice. H: Corporal and exterior penance The example of the Baptist, the dogma of the mystical body of which Christ is the head; the need to make satisfaction for our own personal sins and to overcome our own inclinations, its power to obtain divine favours—all these prove the necessity of exterior penance. The real reason for the tepidity of so many Christians can be found in the fact that they have forgotten this doctrine. and sanctity: (a) The example of the Baptist. John is a man given over to exterior penances; he lives in the desert, dresses in skins; feeds on locusts and wild honey. (b) All the saints have practised exterior penance and for some it has been the real road to sanctity; e.g. Peter the Hermit, Peter of Alcantara, etc. 1. Penance 2. It is necessary for all Christians (St Augustine): (a) Here we are not advocating the extraordinary external penances of some of the saints, which may not be practised without interior divine inspiration and permission of the confessor—these can never be the theme of general preaching; (b) but the fact that even’ Christian, just because he is a follower of Christ must practise some exterior mortification. (c) It is a mistake to think that only really spiritual souls should be obliged to this practice or that it is limited to priests and religious, although it is true that such as these should be assiduous in the practice of mortification ; i. to help them to increase in perfection and flee from dangers, ii. to obtain fruit from their apostolate. (d) the grace of baptism is also the grace of martyrdom; the quotidie moriar of St Paul (i Cor. 15. 31) should also refer to the body, and is applicable to all Christians, by the reason of their being followers of Christ. 3. Reasons which justify this doctrine: (a) One, fundamental—the doctrine of our incorporation in Christ. By baptism we form part of the mystical body ; the members must share in the lot of their head. After the passion no Christian should flee from bodily suffering; the body cannot be at ease while the head is crowned with thorns. (b) Satisfaction for past sins. (c) To overcome one’s own baser inclinations and to bring the lower nature into subjection. (d) To obtain some special grace from heaven. .· . ί · c? SERMON SCHEMES 189 4. This doctrine falling into oblivion: Effects and causes: (a) Many Christians have forgotten this doctrine, and perhaps this is the main reason for so much tepidity and for the relative sterility of certain works and organizations. (b) Perhaps we priests are to blame for not preaching it more, explaining the simple and reasonable rules which regulate it. (c) We may have the idea that no one will listen to us; but this is not so. Souls which love Christ are draxvn instinctively to penance. Rules and guidance for exterior penances How can it be done ? (a) By accepting those illnesses, sorrows, difficulties, etc. which God sends us. This is a very good mortification and a safe one, because not self-imposed. (b) Keeping the simple fasts and abstinence days appointed by the Church. (c) Voluntarily choosing to do something which is contrary to our inclinations, voluntary mortification of our sensible appetite in such things as sleep, food and drink. In this case the following rules must be observed. 1. 2. Rules: (a) Exterior penance which is self-inflicted should never be allowed to affect our health; (b) it should never affect the duties of our state of life; (c) better not to practise it without previous consultation with our confessor. The devil can deceive us at this point quite easily. 3. Exhortation: Fatima: our Lady asked for penance to be done for sinners. Penance may make real the message of good-will given on the first Christmas Eve. I: Spiritual penance John preached interior penance: the doing of one’s duty Penance is primarily interior: (a) It consists primarily in compunction of heart, which leads to pardon for our sins. (b) But John adds yet another element, also interior, the doing of our duty. (c) It is necessary to avoid wrong ideas about penance; there is an exterior penance, certainly, but it is only useful if it is a fruit of interior penance or leads us to it. (d) The true penance is interior, consisting in the doing of our duty in all things and at all times. Sister Lucy, one of those who saw our Lady at Fatima, wrote in a letter to the Bishop of Leiria in 1942: i iqo FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT \\ hat our Lord asks is sacrifice ; that penance which everyone must impose upon himself in order to live a life of justice in the observance of his law; and he wishes this road to be made plain to souls, for so many, judging that the word penance means austerities which are too much for their weak strength, live on in a life of tepidity and sin ... at twelve o’clock at night the Lord told me : The sacrifice to be made by all is that of the observance of my law and the fulfilment of the duties of each one. That is the penance which I ask for and demand now. Difficulty and importance of interior penance Always to do one's duty is difficult: If man had no passions or if he knew how to keep them in order, this difficulty would not exist; but together with duty, passion raises its head. (a) Our duty speaks to us of God and his will, of his command­ ments. The passions speak to us of pleasure, comfort, desire. .. . (b) The intellect enlightens the will as to our duty; the passions, working through the imagination, weaken this power of the intellect over the will. (c) St Paul speaks of these two laws, one in the mind and the other in the body or the senses (Rom. 7. 23). (d) Our will is like a compass, swinging towards two poles, that of duty and that of passion. So that it must remain fixed on God, faithful to his law at every moment, it must dominate the passions, acting against them always. Hence the difficulty of interior penance; it demands no small effort and is for all time—every’ moment of our lives until the end. I. 2. There are very few who do their duty perfectly : (a) A partial and conditioned fulfilment: i. our duty is done when it is easy and pleases us; not when it is difficult or unpleasant. This is an evil all too frequent, even among religious people. They tend to abandon their duty when it does not please them, or they create a duty which does please them. This is not what God wants from us. It is the classical case of the devout woman who prefers to go to daily Mass rather than get her husband’s breakfast and do her duty as wife and mother. ii. or it is done one day and left undone for two or three ; iii. or it is only half done, without the care and attention needed in God’s tasks. (b) Bad faith or lack of will power? i. in many it is a case of bad faith—sinners for example. ii. but in the case of the majority there is no bad faith. They are good people who simply lack self-discipline, that iron control over intellect and will which is necessary if we are not to go astray. SERMON SCHEMES 191 God’s will Ask yourselves at every moment what is God’s will for you here and now; what is your obligation. The reply will be given by your profession, or by the commands of your superior. Do your duty, as though that were the only thing you had to do here and now, without argument or excuses, with all your strength. Whether you like it or not; whether it costs you an effort or not. That is true interior penance, preached by the Baptist and by the Church. This is the principal virtue of them all. There is no virtue so eminent, says Pcman, as that of doing simply what we have to do. J: Penance, necessary for the just as well as sinners The Baptist and penance: It would seem that, when God sends special messengers, they ought to appear with new and surprising missions which will change the face of the earth. Yet almost all of them, especially John, who came to prepare the way for the Messias, limit themselves to the preaching of penance. Yet if there is anything really tran­ scendental in the world, it is this virtue of penance. John preached it crying out with a loud voice. 1. 2. Penance—a necessity for all: (a) What is penance? A change of the way of life, ceasing to be what we were, so as to be what we were not. (b) Necessary for the just: This penance is necessary for all, and to prove it, we may well begin by considering that state in which it would appear to be least important—that of the just. They need it: i. because we are all sinners ; even though the sins of the just may not be an obstacle to their salvation, they do diminish their merit and put them in danger. ii. priests are also sinners, because, in spite of a life dedicated to God, they have their feet on this earth (Augustine). iii. even the apostles were not free from sin; iv. how much more the laity, in the midst of the worries and cares of this world ? v. because penance is necessary in order to overcome temptation and increase in grace. (c) Necessary for sinners: They need it absolutely, because it is the only means by wrhich they can recover grace and free themselves from sin—the greatest of all evils. i. the only means to escape from the bonds of sin, because by sin IQ2 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT we separate ourselves from God; we have to bring the will back to him—which is the effect of penance. ii. sin is an evil which affects both God and man ; it denies God’s attributes (cf. above); it brings man to complete ruin, being the death of the soul, the one thing which can deprive him of his eternal happiness; makes him a slave of the devil and of his own passions—in a word, it is the madness of one who rebels against God. 3. Exhortation : Necessary for those who do not do penance because they despair of their eternal salvation, and also for those who put it off, con­ fident that they will have time to do it one day, before it is too late. (a) To those who lose confidence: i. do you not know that God is waiting for you ? He hates in you that which is purely yours—sin; but he longs to save that which is the work of his hands in you. He does not leave anyone entirely— he merelv* waits! ii. where are you to hide from God? In God himself; flee from his justice, and hide yourselves in his mercy'. iii. God does not wish foryour condemnation ; never say : Leave me to go to hell in peace! God does not wish you to be lost to him for all etemitv. * He has said so. (b) To the presumptuous: i. God can reign in two ways ; by his justice or by his love. You have your choice. But do not think that, just because you are asleep, he is asleep also and does not see your sins. ii. time is passing and death will come as a surprise to all of us. Let no one be such an enemy unto himself as to seek his own con­ demnation. K: Penance and charity I. Penance and charity during Advent: The Baptist preached the two things together as a preparation for the coming of Christ. The Fathers have the same system. At Christmas time there are always special appeals for charity towards the needy; the Liturgy exhorts us to penance—the two are joined once more. 2. Sanctity, charity, penance: (a) Sanctity in charity: i. substantially, sanctity is nothing more or less than the charity of God, poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. The true manifestation of this love is a corresponding love for our neighbour. SERMON SCHEMES i93 ii. there are many who practise charity for other motives, but we need not bother with them now; the true Christian teaching is that no one can love God without also loving his brother in Christ (i John 3. 17). (b) Penance subordinated to charity: i. Penance without charity is not pleasing to God (cf. Isaias 58· 5)· ii. In continuation, the prophet describes what God considers to be true penance. (c) Penance which does not go hand in hand with charity is not true penance: Because all other virtues must be subordinate to charity, the queen of them all. According to St Gregory, the principal command of Christ is founded on charity. Just as many branches come from one sole root, so many virtues are born from charity. The branch of good works is no longer green and fresh until it comes from this root, charity (Hom. 27. PL. 76, 1205). 3. Conclusion: The ideal is penance and charity; because the value of charity is increased when it is the fruit of penance. During Advent we preach austerity, mortification in pleasure of all kinds. May the result be greater generosity with those in need ; attending the sick, the poor, the orphan.... More still; make charity the norm for your penance. When we see so many without home or family, without food or clothing, is our heart going to be unmoved, or are we going to be prompted to give up not merely some luxury which we can well afford, but also something more to help them? L: Almsdeeds and penance A counsel of the Baptist: Bring forth fruits worthy of penance. When asked: What shall we do ? He replied : He that has two tunics, let him give away one. 1. 2. Alnis and penance in the Scriptures and Fathers of the Church: (a) Intimately united in both. (b) There is no doubt that without sincere repentance there can be no pardon, for which reason St Augustine argues against those who, without attempting to change their way of life, try to save themselves by giving alms. He tells them that they are trying to bribe God. (c) Without forgetting this important point, we can still say that almsdeeds are the finest preparation for and the culminating point of penance. To obtain pardon: i. it begs grace from God, is a most powerful advocate in its flight towards God (John Chrysostom). Place your alms in the heart of the poor man and he will plead for you (Ecclus. 29. 15). i94 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT ii. the example ofthe centurion, Cornelius (Acts io. 4); Zaccheus (Luke 19.8). iii. the reason is a simple one ; since Christ has taken the place of the poor, he will never be ungrateful for anything you give to him through them. You give what you most love—your money; he will return to you his grace. iv. to satisfy God for past sins (cf. Dan. 4. 24). v. As John Chrysostom says: So that you may purify your hearts before entering the church we put two things at the very door; the holy water and the poor. vi. God will pardon us all things if we are charitable with him. 3. Exhortation: Christ suffers need in the persons of the poor to give you an occasion of salvation. Give alms. You say you are a great sinner ? Then give more to avoid future falls. M: The rewards of almsdeeds Purity of intention necessary in almsdeeds: We must not give alms for the sake of any reward, nor from vanity, or to be seen by men. Nor to curry favour with others. We must do it because we see in the poor, be they agreeable or dis­ agreeable, good or bad, God himself. They are his representatives. See nothing but God and give alms for God’s sake. Thus you will be worthy of his reward. 1. 2. The example of Tobias: The Book of Tobias shews us how God rewards alms given to him in the person of the poor. In spite of all his trials, God rewards him for his almsdeeds by protecting his son during his journey, by curing his blindness and by granting him peace and prosperity in his last days. 3. The reward of almsdeeds: It is expressed in one verse of this book: Almsgiving is death’s avoiding, is guilt’s atoning, is the winning of mercy and of life eternal (Tobias 12. 9). A triple reward then: (a) It frees us from death: Tabitha, raised to life by Peter because of her generosity to the poor, is a symbol of this. But the text of Tobias speaks rather of eternal death of the soul; not mortal death. Alms are the golden door through which faith enters. Through it Cornelius entered. It is a sure sign of predestination. (b) It frees from sin: Water does not wash away bodily stains so easily as alms wipe away sin (Chrysostom). As water puts out fire, so does almsgiving where sin is concerned (John of God). ° SERMON SCHEMES '95 i. it satisfies God’s justice for sins ; and the temporal punishment for them; ii. it wipes away venial sins; iii. it prepares the way for the pardon of mortal sin. (c) It wins mercy and eternal life: i. it brings happiness, in this life and in the next; ii. in the next, it is our advocate before God—the most power­ ful of all advocates. 4. Exhortation: (a) Tobias said to his son: Use thy wealth in giving of alms; never turn thy back on any man who is in need, and the Lord, in thy own need, will have eyes for thee. Shew to others what kindness thy means allow, giving much, if much is thine, if thou hast little, sharing cheerfully that little (4. 7-9). (b) I beg this of you for the sake of the poor ; but also for your own sake, for your own spiritual good ; for your eternal happiness one day. As St. John of God says: Do good to yourselves! N : The social value of almsgiving 1. The whole of society benefits from the generosity of the rich. 2. We must explain what we mean, because here there is a danger of grave error, both of doctrine and practice. (a) We are not referring to that kind of almsgiving which is con­ demned by the Popes {Divini Redemptoris, 49), namely when we give as charity what we should have given in justice. (b) Philanthropy pure and simple is not necessarily a work of charity and it is certainly no substitute for the full papal teaching that the worker should have a greater share in the profits of industry. (c) Proper almsgiving from this social standpoint is that which is given from the heart and because we see in others our brothers in Christ. At times without anyone knowing it—so as to keep the Gospel precept. Such almsgiving is for God alone, and only God knows about it. 3. Social value of this almsgiving: St Paul refers to it in 2 Corinthians, and if it is really generous the effects he mentions will surely follow: (a) It tends to even out the economic situation of the faithful (2 Cor. 8. 13-15); (b) it brings rich material benefits, because God is not outdone in generosity; (c) it increases the spirit of faith among the faithful, since they see in practice the evangelical counsels; (d) it increases that mutual charity which is a sign of our love of God {ibid. 9. 13). iq6 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (e) Many acts of gratitude go up to God from the poor because of it, and therefore many graces come down from heaven on both rich and poor alike (ibid. 9.14-15). 4. It is a tremendous grace from God, both for those who practise it and for those who in all humility receive it. 5. How much should I give? (a) The Church can only give us general principles to guide us, because in this matter the only guide is our own conscience—and perhaps our own need for pardon from God ! i. an example may help us to decide this question. When one member of a familvw is in dire need of the Jnecessities of life, all the other members of that family tend to rally round and help, even though it may mean giving up quite a lot to do so. At least, they give up all that implies superfluous luxury, and quite often something necessary—at least, they reduce their needs to a minimum in order to help. That is why Leo XIII says that charity obliges us to give alms from what we have over once our own needs and those of our family have been met. Pius XI repeats this doctrine. ii. this is a guide to conscience, and we cannot demand more than this from the Church. She leaves it to our individual conscience. Therefore we must consider this as a grave obligation, one on which our own salvation and that of many others may depend. iii. above all, remember that it is to Christ that we give our alms, when we give to the poor; and he will one day return to us a hundred-fold all that we have given to him through them. (b) Remember that it is easy to make excuses for not giving alms : The needs of the family; providing for the future of our children; the fact that we have barely enough for ourselves, etc. . . . But God is not deceived, and this is an obligation in conscience. It is not a question of whether we have much to give or little ; but rather that of giving what we can—and what we should. We are God’s stewards, and we have no right to waste his goods when so many others are in need among us. (c) God is never outdone in generosity : To put him in our debt is a great thing indeed; and this is the only way in which we can do that. There is no other. Compared with this, everything else we do is nothing but a duty, and having done it we can still say with truth that we are unprofitable servants. But our alms bring into subjection the almighty power of God! That should be enough to make us more than generous with him who has given us so much. Sunday within the Octave of Christmas THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE Epistle: Galatians 4. 1-7 Gospel : Luke 2. 33-40. Cf. Luke 2. 23-32 SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Translator's Note: Since there are few, if any, texts of Scripture which have direct reference to the subject matter of today’s Epistle and Gospel, we have decided to leave out those quoted in the original Palabra de Cristo concerning the trials God sends both just and sinners, and concentrate rather on a longer interpretation of the actual texts of the Epistle and Gospel. SECTION IL GENERAL COMMENTS I. LITURGICAL Cardinal Schuster says that this Mass has suffered many changes, which implies that there is no dominant theme in it save that of the general one of Christmas—Christ has come among us. The Gospel reminds us of the early days of the Church, when the mysteries of the infancy and hidden life of the Lord were not separated and celebrated on different days, but were all grouped round Christmas Day. Today’s Gospel reminds us of the Presenta­ tion of Christ in the temple and of Mary’s Purification, a feast w'hich was later transferred to February 2nd, in order to counteract the pagan celebrations of the purification of Rome. The Epistle is a very opportune one, because it sums up a thought which is common in the Fathers, namely, that Christ came on earth and died in order to obtain for us the gift of divine sonship. The Introit reminds us of the angel who anointed the doorposts with blood, before the Exodus, thus saving the firstborn of the children of Israel. This First-born we are celebrating, and who is today presented in the Temple, frees us all by his blood, shed for us on the cross. The Gradual is a song of praise to the Christ. There are, therefore, two main themes in today’s liturgy, that of divine sonship, outlined for us in the Epistle, and that of the Pre­ sentation in the Temple, described for us in the Gospel, together with the prophecy of Simeon. 8 197 i98 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS In this presentation and in the prophecy which accompanies it we see the characteristics of this Child who is born to us, Christ, the Victim for sin. The Church wishes us to have before our minds from the ver)· first moment the reason why the Son of God came on earth. Π. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: Galatians 4. 1-7 General meaning: The Epistle to the Galatians has a definite purpose. Converted by St Paul in the course of his first apostolic mission, they were afterwards visited by leaders of the Jewish faction within the Church, who tried to oblige them to keep the whole of the law of Moses. Due to this fact, the whole of the Epistle is an argument to demonstrate the superiority of the New Law over the Old, since the rites of the Old Law were but figures of the New. In the first chapter the Apostle explains to the Galatians the authoritative nature of his mission, warning them that, even if they were to receive a visit from an angel, they were to take no notice of him if he preached to them a doctrine different from that of Paul. In the second chapter he tells them that his teaching about the Old Law has been fully confirmed by the apostolic college, so much so that, on one occasion when Peter, so as not to give scandal, acted differently, Paul withstood him to his face. The theme of chapter three can be summed up thus: If the Jews are the children of Abraham, so are we, without any need to submit to their law. Because of his faith, Abraham was given a divine promise. But we have that same faith, and are the heirs to that promise. Then the Law was promulgated, that law which was nothing but a slave who took his master’s son to school—the school of Christ. After Christ’s coming there is now no need for this slave any longer. Wc are united with Abraham through our faith in Christ, who has now come among us. In the fourth chapter he expounds a metaphor which is typically Pauline. Those who lived under the Law were strictly speaking minors—they had not come of age. The reason—because their ceremonies were not channels of grace as are ours. We have reached the full majority of sons of God. And just as the child is little different from a slave, so we, who are adults, are free and not subject to the hard voke of the Law. * 2. Text: In the text there is only one difficult verse (v. 3) in which it is said that the Jews lived in slavery, under the dominion of the world. The majority of commentators understand by these elements of the I. 00’1 GENERAL COMMENTS i99 world the Jewish rites, which were empty in comparison with the Christian sacraments. This would seem to fit in with verse 9, in which he asks the Galatians why they wish to return to those ‘school­ room tasks’; and we know that the Galatians were thinking of returning to the old rites once again. In this sense those old rites can be called elements of the world, in so far as they were purely material offerings. 3. Distribution of the passage: It has three main parts. In the first it is established that the law of Moses was not yet adult, but a minor. In the second is proved the fact that we have received, through Christ, the gift of divine sonship. In the third, this sonship is attributed to the Holy Ghost within us. (a) Childhood: During the period of our childhood we have lived as slaves to the elements of the world, because a child is little different from a slave, since he is not free. But like other minors, this state ends when we come of age, at the moment determined by the law, in this case, by the Father. (b) The fullness of time: Literally, the appointed time, set down in the promise made to Abraham, but in a vague way; later determined by the prophets and by the whole history of the people of Israel. Then God sent his Son. As Bover points out, if he is sent it is because he already existed, and considers this text of supreme importance in Paul’s doctrine on the Trinity. St Paul also points out that Christ was born of a woman, to indicate his human nature; also that he was born under the Law, that is, he is the unifying factor which brings into one family the whole of mankind. He joined Jew to Gentile—the whole world in fact. He came as a Jew to redeem the Jews from their law and, as man, to make us all sons of God. (c) The mission of the Holy Spirit: To bring about this sonship the Spirit of God was also sent to us, and it is through his action within us that we are able to call God our Father. 4. Thoughts: The central thought is that of our divine adoption, through the incarnation of Christ. Since we reserve for the Christmas cycle the preaching of this doctrine of our sonship through Christ, we shall merely note here that we attained that dignity because Christ was born of a woman. Mary gave him his human nature, through which we are made sons of God. Therefore there is a direct relationship of motherhood between Mary and ourselves. 200 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS B: The Gospel: Luke 2. 33-40 In the Mass we read only a part of the evangelical scene that which contains the prophecy of Simeon and the remarks made by Anna. Then the last verses are added, which give us a summary of the hidden life at Nazareth. The first of Mary’s sorrows came to her at the Presentation. For this reason we shall not limit our com­ ments merely to the gospel of the Mass, bur will expound the whole passage. The fact that the liturgy makes use of a part of a gospel scene does not mean that it prescinds from the rest. On the other hand, we shall leave until the following Sunday the verses concerned with the hidden life at Nazareth. The scene: There is a central element in it, namely the purification of Mary and the redemption of her Son. Around this arise various other elements, such as the meeting with Simeon and .Anna, together with the words spoken by them both. W hen we explain the texts we shall indicate the existence of two laws, one relating to the purification of the mother and the other to the redemption of every first-born child. The Holy Family was not bound by either, but submitted voluntarily to them both. Fort}' days after the birth, Mary and Joseph made the journey to Jerusalem, taking the child with them. They took him for mere devotion, because it was not of strict necessity. No one who, from the court of the women, saw this humble family enter the Holy Place, would have any idea of the mystery which was to be accomplished there. Centuries before, Zorobabel rebuilt the Temple, and his fellowcountrymen wept as they compared it with the magnificence of that of Solomon. It seemed so poor and lowly, compared with the former magnificent building. Then the prophet Aggaeus consoled them. The glory of the former temple might have been greater from the material point of view; but this one would have a glory all its own, because to it would come the Desired of the nations (Ag. 2. 8). Who would have thought that this prophecy would be fulfilled in such a humble fashion? Solomon inaugurated the Temple with great pomp and ceremony; but now God comes to it without any festivities or external celebrations. It was the Holy Spirit who led Simeon to the Temple and who illuminated his mind so that he could pick out our Lady from all the other women who came to be purified. The old priest stepped for­ ward and took the child in his arms, pronouncing the Nunc Dimittis. He hands him back to his Mother, while Anna speaks to the just people who were present. There must have been quite a small group round the Holy Family, to judge from St Luke’s remark that Anna spoke to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Israel. It is easy to suppose I. GENERAL COMMENTS 201 that the whole group assisted at the purification ceremony of Mary, crossing the Court of the Women and drawing near to the place of sacrifice. Even though they were not permitted to enter, they could assist at the ceremony, separated from it only by a low railing. At this moment the most important act of all took place, the deep significance of which would not be clear to many there. Jesus was offered to his Father! All other events of the day are reduced to insignificance, and we may say that the whole of Christ’s life could be summed up in this one scene. The facets which go to make up the Person and figure of Christ are, if not infinite, at least so numerous that it is almost impossible to count them all ; but without any doubt the principal one is his rôle as Victim for sacrifice. According to the will of the Father, according to the prophets and the history of his life, beginning with the offering made from the very womb of his Mother and ending with that of the Cross, Christ came into the world as a Victim for the sins of men. But he is also a Priest, whose offering forms a necessary part of the sacrifice. When did Christ make this offering of his life ? Certainly on the Cross; equally certainly, when he celebrated the first Mass, in­ divisible from the sacrifice on the Cross. The whole of his life was an offering of himself, too. Is it not perfectly logical that, here and now, when an earthly priest, perhaps rather distracted—even bored by the whole ceremony—takes him in his arms to offer him to the Father, Christ should repeat this offering of himself, the eternal sacrifice ? God would no longer be satisfied with the blood of goats or of oxen. Here, lifted up between heaven and earth, is the eternal Son of God, the body of God made man, and near him, as at the foot of the Cross, Mary, who associates herself with this offering. Christ now belongs to God, according to the Jewish ritual, and it is necessary to redeem him. Mary does so, with the offering of the doves, a sacrifice permitted only to the poor, but even so, one which represented quite a sacrifice, since it was the price of twenty days' wages for a working man. The Gospels tell us no more; but it is clear that this scene did not have much effect on the whole of the nation. Later, the Magi would arrive and then the people—especially the Rulers—would be aware that the King had been born ! 2. Texts: (a) According to the Law . . . There were two laws which entered into this scene, one which referred to the mother and the other to the first-born son. The former is promulgated in Leviticus (chap. 12). Forty days after the birth of a son and eighty days after the birth of a daughter the mother must undergo purification, since she was considered legally 202 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS and morally unclean after giving birth. From the legal point of view it is well known that Moses adapted certain laws of hygiene to religious purposes. From the moral point of view, even though the idea of original sin was not clear to the Jews, there was a certain religious feeling of guilt, added to the joy at the birth of a child. Applying another law of Leviticus, the mother had to offer a lamb and a dove, to purify· herself; or, in the case of the poor, two doves would suffice. One stood for the legal impurity, the other was a holocaust to God. The second law observed by the Holy Family is that of the re­ demption of the first-born. When the destroying angel had wiped out all the first-1 m in Egypt, God reserved to himself, as something sacred, all those of the Jews, whether men or animals (Ex. 13.11-13). This would have been impossible as far as human beings were concerned, and so the legislation provided a way of redeeming them from the divine subjection. The priest offered the first-born to God but afterwards the parents could redeem him by means of an offer­ ing, fixed by the law (Ex. 34. 20). In compensation God reserved to himself all the Levites (Num. 8.13-18). (b) Neither of these laws bound either Jesus or Mary: The conception and birth were not accompanied by the legal circumstances on which the law was founded, and where there is no legal stain there can be no need for purification. Christ had no need to be offered to the Father in the same sense as other Jewish male children, nor to be redeemed. In the sense of the first Pasch Christ was represented by the lamb, the people by the first-born who were saved by his blood. The Saviour has no need to be redeemed, as have the saved. (c) Then, why did they offer themselves? The question has motivated many answers. To give us an example of humble obedience to the divine laws.... Our Lord was asked, on another occasion, to pay the Temple tribute, and he asked Peter : Simon, tell us what thou thinkest ; on whom do earthly kings impose customs and taxes, on their own sons, or on strangers ?... But we will not hurt their consciences ... (Matt. 17. 24-26). The obedience of Mary looks for no excuses, even though it may imply humiliation for her, immaculate as she was, to appear stained with some kind of guilt. Virgin-Mother of God, she will appear in the temple like any other Jewish mother. The first step in sanctity— and perhaps the major one—is this of obedience to the law. (d) She offers to God the best she has and that which costs her most: Our offering has to be one made without reserves of any kind. She gave her Son ; an example to other mothers ? GENERAL COMMENTS 203 (c) Simeon, an upright man of careful observance ... Piety and religion are the jewels which adorn old age. There is nothing so base as an old age which docs not admit God, forgetful of salvation and grace. (f) Who waited patiently for comfort to be brought to Israel... He had faith in God’s word, and his faith brought him to Christ. True hope is founded on faith and blossoms forth in good works of charity. Christ was presented many times in the words of the pro­ phets as the consolation of Israel, but the Jews thought of this consolation in terms of material conquest of their enemies; in terms of material rather than spiritual freedom. (g) He was not to meet death until he had seen that Christ •·· From the words used it is clear that the old man had a revelation which promised him that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messias. According to Aialdonatus, these promises wrere made to Simeon because of his holiness of life, his burning hope and his gift of prophecy. (h) Simeon was able to take him in his arms ... Demonstration of God’s love ; the promise was that he would see the Messias; but God puts him in Simeon’s arms. In Holy Com­ munion we are more intimately united with Christ than Simeon was. (i) The Nunc Dimittis: There is no need to comment on it phrase by phrase. Enough to have the general idea ; he who embraces Christ, the hope of eternal life, the promise of resurrection, the victim for our sins—how can such a one fear death ? Happy the man who in his last illness receives Viaticum and can die in peace, having held the Lord in his arms! (j) This is the light which shall give revelation to the Gentiles ... Here is the true prophet speaking. The Jews had never assimilated the idea of universal Christianity. Even St Peter found it difficult to accept. (k) This is the glory of thy people Israel. .. Christ, the one glory of Israel ; but also of the whole of humanity, since he is the first-born of men. (l) The father and mother of the child were still wondering over all that was said of him . . . To attempt to discover exactly what was the cause of their wonder is to try to pierce that veil of mystery which God has placed round the Holy Family. Exactly how far did the parents’ knowledge 204 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS of Christ extend ? There is certainly nothing new in Simeon’s words, and the universality of the redemption was no new idea to Mary. Perhaps a simple explanation is the best, namely, that they wondered at the fact that Simeon and Anna recognized Christ for what he really was. (m) and said to his mother, Mary . . . He addresses Marv* because she is the one who will have to accompany Christ in his sufferings and unite her sufferings to his. Joseph will die, but Mary must continue to the very foot of the cross. (n) destined to bring about the fall of many and the rise of many in Israel... In Israel, because a Jew naturally speaks and thinks of his people; but this does not mean to say that the words have a merely limited application. All the Fathers have commented on them as universal, applying to all peoples of all time. Nor does the use of the word destined imply that God sent Christ for this very purpose. The meaning is that many will fall and many will rise up, according to the way they receive or reject Christ; so much so that it will almost seem as if he had been sent for this purpose. God wishes all men to be saved, but the evil dispositions of some will frustrate their salvation. The phrase of Simeon seems to be inspired by Isaias 8. 13-15. (o) to be a sign which men will refuse to acknowledge ... as for thy own soul, it shall have a sword to pierce it . . . Again the simple explanation, given by Maldonatus, is probably the best. The sword refers to the crucifixion. From the days of his public life, down through the ages, men have refused to admit the claims of Christ and have cast aside his offers of redemption. The struggle between the forces of redemption and their enemies has been so constant, in all ages, that we can only explain it by admitting the existence of another supernatural power, opposed to that of Christ. This struggle is felt even in the soul of the good Christian, and happy is he whose will remains firm and overcomes the efforts of his passions to overthrow it. Mary will reach the culminating point in her life at the foot of the cross; and until that moment her soul will be filled with sorrow at the anticipation of that dread hour. But she accepts the cross and repeats her fiat. She can truly be called a martyr, since she gave her life for and with Christ. Trials which are willingly accepted make us like Christ and Mary. We can make satisfaction for sin through them, give them the expiatory and sacrificial character which was so obvious in the sufferings of Mary and Christ; above all we can see in them the will of the Father. THE FATHERS 205 (p) (hey returned to Galilee: The Evangelists are accustomed to narrate events which were very distant in time as if they happened almost together. This is an example. The Holy Family did return to Galilee, but only after the visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt. SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (We have chosen extracts from a Homily attributed to John Chrysostom, rather than the passages quoted in the original Palabra de Cristo., which are all taken from his 21 Homilies preached in Lent of 387. This has been done in view of the fact that the extracts from St Augustine which follow cover more or less the same ground as the Lenten homilies of St John Chrysostom. Translator's Note.) And Simeon blessed them and said . . . For whose fall ? Without doubt, that of those who do not believe and that of those who placed the innocent Christ on the cross. For whose resurrection ? For those who give thanks and turn to him with a grateful heart. And for a sign which shall be contradicted. What sign is this? None other than the torment of the cross; the sign which the Church proclaims as the salvation of the world and which the Jews have rejected. A sign which heaven itself has also pro­ claimed to the world many times. It is exposed to contradiction in order that truth may triumph. Complete victory is not won by numbers alone, without a struggle. It must, therefore, meet with contradiction, so that in every age the Judge may triumph in meek­ ness and patience. Accordingly he says: And for a sign that shall be contradicted. ... That is, by the unbelieving and the impious. . . . This sign shall be exposed to contradictions so that those who stand up against it, incited solely by their evil malice, shall be confounded. For if the truth were not exposed to such contradiction, virtue would receive no fitting confirmation. But the struggle which is permitted makes clear the light of the truth to the soul that perseveres. 1. 2. This sign is assailed : But not without profit; for how else were the martyrs proved in time of persecution? Was it not when they manfully withstood evil and triumphed over it through courage and patience ? Not only does contradiction bring forth believers, but also the martyrs, as they went to their torments and death, openly gave testimony to the whole world of the greatness of the grace of Christ. Therefore, when Simeon says, Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall 8* ιού SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS be contradicted, his words are not to be understood to mean that Christ was the cause of the tall of such men, or that by force he had brought about the resurrection of the others, but that he is set for the fall of all those who strike against him, as against a stone of scandal; and for the resurrection of those who believe in him of their own free will. He is set, as one would say that the sun has risen and that those who have good sight can see by it, while those whose eyes are defec­ tive may be hurt by the splendour of that light. Unless the sign be contradicted, how shall some fall, namely, those who merit con­ demnation, and others rise, namely, those who live in hope, through their faith ? For this purpose also Simeon says: A sign that shall be con­ tradicted, so that the faithful may not be troubled or turned away from their faith by the persecutions to come; that they might learn that it is God himself who permits even his own divine faith to be attacked from time to time. For who would dare to contradict it unless God so permitted it ? But there shall come a time when there is no more contradiction. . .. When, I repeat, he that was presignified shall openly appear in his glory, against those who have contradicted him, then they who have embraced the Sign shall be raised to his glory, whom the sign prefigured. But they who withstood the sign shall be condemned by him for whom it stood. Then there shall be an end to contradiction, an end to doubt, to infidelity and error. But there will also be a beginning to rewards and crowns, in which may we all take part through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 3. A summary of the reasons why God allows the just to suffer, including the suffering of persecution: (a) so that they may not be proud ; (b) so that the power of grace may be made manifest in them; (c) so that their patience may demonstrate that they serve God for no human rewards; (d) so that we may all think of the resurrection and heaven ; (e) so that they may be a consolation to the rest of mankind ; (f) for the imitation of the saints, who also suffered; (g) to make us perfect in holiness and increase our hope in God; (h) so that we may repent for our sins, do penance for them and obtain a greater reward. Π. ST AUGUSTINE (Selections from his works in which he develops the theme that Christ is the Lamb who came down from heaven to wipe away sin and redeem mankind.) THE FATHERS 207 Christ is born in order to die for sin Sin wus the motive for his coming: He had to conic in a mortal body, as a small child; he had to be laid in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes ... to be handed over, finally, to death as a victim. . . . And who could humiliate him to such an extent ? Only the Father. . . . Do not seek terms of com­ parison on earth. Lift yourselves up, beyond the stars, and when you have reached the choirs of angels they will say to you : Go higher still! Approach the Thrones and Dominations, Principalities and Powers and they also will tell you : Go higher yet ; for we, too, are creatures. . . . Unfold the wings of faith and ascend even to the Creator himself, and there contemplate that saying: In the beginning was the Word. He it was who came to us, not in his divinity, because that would have dazzled our eyes and then no one could have with­ stood his majesty. No, he came so as not to leave us as we were, clothing himself in what we were by nature, not in what we were by sin. Even though he came to men in the nature of man, he did not come to sinners as a sinner. Of the two elements of our humani tv, •* our nature and our guilt, he took the former and healed the latter; and thus, to our eyes a man, but the hidden God, he appeared among men {Sermo 293, 5. PL. 38, 1330-1331). i. (a) He came from heaven that we might rise to heaven: In his conversation with Nicodemus Christ says that he came from heaven so that we might rise to heaven. He came to die, and for that reason he came in a mortal body. The serpent of the desert is the figure of Christ, as he was on the cross. Christ, the doctor who came to cure sin. If anyone is judged by him it will be because he has rejected that medicine, since darkness rejects the light. . . . God chose to become the son of man that man might become the son of God. He came down, so that we might rise to heaven. But if he were the only one to rise, what hope would there be for us ? Our hope lies in the fact that he came down so that we, united with him in one body, might rise with him, and through him. (b) His death freed us from death: He came down, and he died ; and his death freed us from death, for dying he killed that death. . . . We were born of mortal man, and we who might have been immortal were born mortal and sub­ ject to death. But Jesus also became mortal, by whom all things were made, and dwelt among us. He took death upon himself so that he might hang it on the cross and free all men. The Jews in the desert looked on the serpent and were cured; those stings were the figure of our sins, and the serpent was the figure of Christ our Lord, who took flesh so that he might heal us. 208 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS (c) He did not come to judge, but to save: He said so himself (John 3.17). The doctor came to cure the sick, so far as he could; but it was the sick who did not wish to carry out the prescriptions of the doctor, and so killed themselves. The Saviour came into the world to save it. Do you not wish to take advantage of that salvation ? Then you have judged yourself, because he who does not believe in him is already judged, because he did not believe in the name of the only Son of God. No other motive urged Christ to come on this earth save that of sinners. If there are no illnesses and no wounds, there is no place for medicine either. If, then, a great doctor came down from heaven it was because there was a great illness to cure—that of the whole world. (d) He came to save those who were lost : The son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost, because all were dead from the time that one man sinned ; until he came who was free from sin and saved all men, except those who, in their pride, thought they were healthy even while they were sick— the worst thing that could happen. They went mad in their sickness, dealing blows. But what am I saying ? They did not merely strike out in their fury ; they wounded ; they set out to kill the very doctor who could heal them.... And do not say to me that, if Christ came to save, not the just, but sinners, then it is better to sin so as to enjoy his love; because then I shall answer you : If you have known the doctor, why are you not afraid of the illness ? The doctor comes to the sick so that they may cease to be sick {Sermo 175. 1-3). 2. Christ came to die for the sin of his enemies: How wonderful all this is, because it is divine, ineffable because it is inscrutable. Neither the lips of man can describe it nor his heart understand it.... A wonderful birth indeed ! Think what your God did for you, the Creator for his creatures. Remember that God, while he remained God, living with his Eternal Father, the Only Son of God, did not think it an indignity to take the form of a servant for the sins of his slaves. He certainly did not do it because we were worthy of it, because our sins make us worthy of nothing but punish­ ment. Had they been under scrutiny, who would have dared to present himself before him ? (a) He became man for sinners: Let us say it once and for all; he became man for the impious and the sinner. If it should seem a small thing to you to see your God clothed in human flesh for the sake of men, the just for the sake of the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, the king for his captives, the master for his slaves, then remember that he became man so as to die crucified on the cross. . . . Greater love than this no man hath that he lay down his life for his friends. Do you believe this ? Of course *>^1U Μ THE FATHERS 209 since Christ said it; but at the same time listen to the Apostle when he tells you that Christ died for sinners (Rom. 5. 6) and that, when we were as yet enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son (Rom. 5. 10). Behold an even greater love than that of one who dies for his friend; the love of Christ who gave himself up for his enemies (Sermo 215). (b) He took our flesh in order to offer it up for us: St Peter, having confessed that Christ was the son of the living God, tried to dissuade him from dying, in spite of the fact that he had come on earth for no other reason. He confessed that Christ was the son of God, but he was afraid when he heard of his coming death. But if he had not come to die, how could we ever come to life ? From what source has life come to us if it be not through that death ? Listen: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Look for death there and you will not find it. Should you find flesh and blood, then, perhaps, you would also be able to find death, but how can you find such things in the Word ? If that is so, how shall we, who live in a mortal and corrupt­ ible world, find life? Since he could not live or die for us, he took our death upon himself, so as to give us life. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. He took what was ours in order to offer it up for us ... he was our life, and for him we "were his death. Why did he die ? Not because he was mortal, but because he deigned to die, because he wished to do so and because he had compassion on us. 3. He became man so as to have a body which he could offer in sacrifice: He was anointed king and priest. As king he fights for us; as priest he offers himself for us. When he fought for us and appeared to be vanquished, he was in reality the conqueror, because at his crucifixion he overcame the devil and was crowned as our king. He is a priest in so far as he offers himself for us. A priest must have something to offer; and what pure victim could man find? What clean thing could a sinner discover ? Sinner that you are, all you possess is unclean, and for you something spotless must be offered. Where indeed will you find it ? God will not be satisfied with goats, or sheep or bulls. Everything is his, even if you do not offer it to him. Even if you desire to offer him something spotless, you will never find it, you with your conscience stained with sin. . . . The spotless priest must offer himself in order to make you clean. That is just what Christ does; not finding anything pure in men to offer for them, he offered himself. A true, immaculate victim! 4. Our co-operation in the sacrifice of Christ: (St Augustine develops this theme on several occasions. Since we are members of Christ’s body, we can offer our sacrifices together 210 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS with him; what is more, in the Eucharist, we, too, are offered with Christ. This union with Christ gives a sacrificial value to our acts of virtue.) (a) Offer humiliations and trials: I live in sadness and the enemy afflicts me daily with his tempta­ tions, forcing me to love that which I should not and fear that which I ought not to fear. The soul, fighting constantly against temptation, even though it may not fall, certainly feels itself in danger and says : Why must I go in mourning under the oppression of my enemy? You have heard Isaias answer ... for your sins! (57. 17). The cause of your sadness is your sin ; would that your sanctity might be the cause of your rejoicing!... May your humiliations and trials be the sacrifice which you offer for your sins ! (b) Prayer : A prayer to the God of my life. ... To offer something to God there is no need to buy it in far-off lands, nor wander in foreign parts to seek incense and perfumes which will placate him. . . . Within me there is prayer, within me the victim which I have to offer, the incense which I have to bum, the sacrifice I have to immolate. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit. .. . (c) The incense of praise : What shall we offer to God? Those animals of old? No; seek within your heart the incense of praise, and from the hidden depths of a good conscience offer the sacrifice of faith, enkindled with the fires of charity. What praise can you offer to God ? Look at what he has given you, nothing less than life itself. . . . You were dead; but now you are alive. For that very reason, Lord, within me I have praises which I can offer you. God called me; no one can take it away from me or rob me of this offering which I intend to make to him, because I carry it hidden within my heart. (d) Gratitude: Job lost all his material riches, but no one could take from him the thanksgiving which he offered interiorly: The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh awav ... blessed be the name of the Lord. * (e) Mortification: Shut yourself up within your own conscience, demand punish­ ments of it, mortify yourself and that will be a splendid sacrifice which you can offer to God. The sinner says: It is not sacrifice that you desire, otherwise I would offer it to you; nor do you wish for holocausts. What, then ? Is there no sacrifice left for us to offer? Yes; a contrite and humble heart God will not despise. Humble and mortify your heart. When you are cruel to yourself you do not hate yourself ; you are THE FATHERS 211 merely being just in punishing your body for your sins. Do you see how justice is done ? From that very moment when you begin to hate those works in you which are not of God, beginning to be severe with yourself, he regales you with his mercy. . . . Do not think that he who punishes the body hates that body, because he who chastises a servant or even his own child, hates neither the servant nor the child (In Ps. 50). in. ST GREGORY THE GREAT (We give a summary of his ideas, taken from Hom. 32 in loco. PL. 76, 1232 ff.) 1. In time of persecution we should give our lives; in time of peace, restrain our desires: When Christ suffers bloody persecution then there is often need to give up life itself, as the farmer buries the seed and allows it to die in the earth, so that he may obtain the fruit. But since, in the Holy Church, there are times of persecution and times of peace, our Redeemer distinguishes between one and the other in his precepts. In times of persecution we should lay down our lives; and in times of peace kill all those earthly desires, as far as we can. And what are they ? How are they overcome ? 2. A contradiction between Christ and our desires: Perhaps it may not cost much effort to give up all we possess, but it is a very difficult thing to deny ourselves. Just as, in the games, it is necessary to be stripped of all clothing, so that the enemy has nothing to catch hold of, so we have to fight the devil, naked of heart and stripped of all earthly affections. Let us separate ourselves from ourselves, that is, from what we made of ourselves through sin; and let us remain in the state in which grace constituted us. The lustful man, the miser and the proud, once they take upon themselves the contrary virtues, deny themselves and follow Christ. To follow him it is essential to deny oneself and take up the cross, which may consist in mortification or in charity, according as we suffer in body or in soul, when we have compassion on the evil of our neighbour as if it were our own. . . . He who practises mortification must be careful not to fall into a very dangerous vice, that of vainglory. 3. Dangers oftime ofpeace: love of riches: When there is no persecution on the part of the enemy we must be alert and careful to safeguard our affections, because, when we live at peace and there are no real trials, ambition usually attempts to take possession of us. Let each one meditate on the brevity of this life and the little we need in order to live it. It would be stupid to take much luggage with us when the journey is so short. 312 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS 4. Christ and human respect: There are times when we do not over-esteem the things which perish, but we do not dare to manifest clearly the interior righteous­ ness which is ours, and especially we manifest God’s justice less the more we fear men. . . . The Lord applies a powerful remedy: He who is ashamed of me before men, the Son of .Man will be ashamed of him.... My hearers will say to me: We are not ashamed of the faith of Christ. .And I will answer them: that happens because, when you profess your faith, those who hear you are also Christians. If the name of Christ were not so glorious at the present moment, the Church would not have so many confessors. If you wish to know whether you confess Christ or are ashamed of him, examine your consciences to see if you cease to act according to his precepts out of human respect. In times of persecution it can easily be seen that there was a possibility that Christians might defect, being ashamed of Christ, because they were stripped of all things they possessed . . . but nowadays we have other things to try us, namely, the sincere following of Christ in his precepts. IV. THE VENERABLE BEDE (A summary of his teaching taken from Hom. 15, De Purificatione Β.λί. Virginis, PL. 94, 79-83. Having explained the law and insisted on the humility and obedience of Mary and Christ, he encourages the Christian to offer himself as a sacrifice, consecrated in baptism, together with Christ. Then he continues:) I. He is set for the fall and the resurrection of many . . . We hear these words with joy, because they tell us of the purpose of the Lord in coming to us, to assure a universal resurrection together with him. But how terrible are those other words : He is set for the fall! Unhappy the man who, having seen the light, allows himself to be blinded by vices, because, according to the Apostle, it would have been better for him if he had never known the way of justice (2 Pet. 2. 21). 2. That out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed . . . Before the Incarnation there were many such hidden thoughts, but once the King of heaven was bom on this earth the world rejoiced, while Herod was troubled and with him, all Jerusalem. When Jesus preached and worked his miracles, the crowds were afraid and glorified the God of Israel; but the Scribes and Pharisees received with angry words every doctrine taught by Christ and every good work done by him. When God was hanging on the cross the impious laughed in their folly, and the just wept bitterly. But when he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven the joy of THE FATHERS 213 those evil men was turned into sadness and the sorrow of the just into joy. For which reason, my brethren, when we see the doctrine which came down from heaven suffer from the hardness of heart of those who will not receive it, let us imitate the sorrow of those who saw the Divine Word suffer in the flesh. But if we see the word received with joy by the faithful, and their good works rise up to the Eternal Creator of all things, let us rejoice, as did those who saw the resur­ rection of Jesus and his ascent into heaven. 3. Compassion and love: Not in vain was the command given to sacrifice two doves, one in satisfaction for sin, the other as a holocaust. There are two types of compassion which those who are faithful to Christ employ in self­ sacrifice; as we read in the Fathers. The soul which longs for God is first moved by fear; to be stimulated later by love. It pours out abundant tears, because the very memory of its crimes makes it afraid to suffer eternal torments because of them. This is equivalent to the offering of one dove in satisfaction for sin ; but then, when the fear gradually disappears, there is born a security and confidence in pardon, and thus the soul is full of the fire of love. Shed abundant tears, then ... and become a holocaust to the Lord, despising earthly things and thinking only of those that are above. V. ST BERNARD (We have chosen some passages from his two sermons on the Purification: PL. 183, 270 ff. and 366.) We should offer ourselves as did the Christ-child: A time will come when he is not offered in the temple in the arms of Simeon, but outside the city, on the arms of the cross. A time will come when he is not redeemed, but when he redeems others by his blood, since the Father has sent him to rescue his people. ... To both sacrifices we may apply the words of the prophet: He was offered because he willed it. Even now he was offered, not of necessity nor because he was under the edict of the law, but because he willed it. The same on the cross; he was not offered because he deserved death nor because the Jews conspired against him, but because it was his will. I will make you a voluntary sacrifice, Lord, because you have been offered willingly for me, not of necessity. But what can we offer, my brothers ; or what return can we make to him for all that he has given us? He offered for us the most precious victim he had. It would be impossible for him to offer one more precious. Let us do the same, offering him the most precious thing we have—ourselves. He offered himself, and who are you to hesitate in doing the same ? If I only had the happiness of seeing i. 214 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS such great Majesty receive my poor offering! Two small pieces of money I have, Lord, my body and my soul. May I be able to offer them to you as a sacrifice ! . . . God says that he does not wish the death of the wicked, but that he should be converted and should live. God does not want my death; should I not, then, offer him my life? This is an unbloody victim, one which is pleasing to God, one which is alive. There were three persons there when the child was offered ; and the Lord asks three things of us when we make our off ering. Joseph was there, the husband of Man’ the Mother of our Lord ; his foster-father. Alary' was there also, together with the Child Jesus, who was the one offered. Let there be in our offering also a manly constancy and the resolve to persevere; let there be virginal purity' and in our con­ sciences the simplicity’ and humility of a child. Three visits ofChrist to the temple: Three times did the Lord visit his temple in procession. The first was that humble visit of the Holy Family, at which Simeon and Anna assisted. The second procession was a more solemn one, on Palm Sunday. The garments of the Apostles—charity', piety and good works— made a carpet for his passage. And will he not come to us ? Yes; since Christ is yesterday, today, and for all eternity', God. This is the third procession, to this, his temple. He who sees you, Lord, will be able to go in peace out of this world, because you are peace. Many there are who do not know you, for although you are the light, the revelation to the Gentiles, still darkness does not embrace the light. Water there is in plenty; but there are still people who do not drink of it. Mercy is in the temple; but there are some who do not draw near. God has come to us. We were sons of anger, bom of a woman. A woman deceived us and blinded us by her ignorance. The weakness of man, his concupiscence being the cause of his slavery, made us weak too. The malice of the evil one held us in chains. For these reasons we are born ignorant of the way of salvation, weak or feeble in our following of it once it is taught to us, and under the oppression of a cruel tyrant. But Christ became strength, wisdom and liberty for our sake, making us his temples. 2. SECTION IV. THEOLOGIANS I. HUGH OF ST VICTOR (Extracts from Serm. 41 In purifie. B.V. Mariae: de purificatione mentis, PL. 177, 1006-1009.) For the temple of the Lord is holy, which you are (1 Cor. 3. 17) The Lord visits this temple in many ways; "he comes through the THEOLOGIANS 215 contemplation of creatures, the reading of Holy Scriptures, miracles and preaching. He comes through his inspirations, adversities, promises.... He remains there by means of his grace and comes to increase it. . . . But this temple can fall into ruins if we sin voluntarily. Then it is true what was said : Fiat habitatio eorum deserta. We who should have been a house of prayer have become a den of thieves, of evil thoughts and desires. But when the time of mercy comes then God prepares his temple, so that the strong one can enter in, together with the angel we have been longing for. The strong one is he who created us; the angel, he who redeemed us. Then he commands his servant to prepare the house for him. In the considering of our guilt he allows us to see that temple profaned, the dwelling-place for wild beasts. ... In the midst of it the Christian who is a sinner, corrupted by the suggestions of the enemy or by the counsels of the evil one, living in what was once the house of God and is now the temple of Baal. Finding no consolation, the sinner looks up, and God sends him his second messenger, the thought of the punishment he has deserved, and between them both they produce that compunction necessary so that the door-keeper of penance may open the way into the temple, now purified, so that God may enter and dwell there. This is the solemnity of our purification. Π. ST THOMAS AQUINAS (We quote an article of the Summa directly commenting on this theme of the Purification; also some remarks of St Thomas con­ cerning other questions related to this general theme.) Christ in the temple: Christ wished to be made under the law, that he might redeem them who were under the law, and that the justification of the law might be spiritually fulfilled in his members. Now, the law contained a two-fold precept touching the children born. One was a general precept which affected all—namely that w'hen the days of the mother’s purification were expired, a sacrifice was to be offered, either for a son or for a daughter, as laid down (Lev. 12. 6). And this sacrifice wras for the expiation of the sin in which the child was conceived and born; and also for a certain consecration of the child, because it was then presented in the temple for the first time. Wherefore one offering wras made as a holocaust and another for sin. The other was a special precept in the law concerning the first­ born of both man and beast: for the Lord claimed for himself all the first-born in Israel, because in order to deliver the Israelites, he slew every' first-born in the land of Egypt, both men and cattle, the I. 2i6 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS first-born of Israel being saved.... Here also is Christ foreshadowed, who is the first-born among many brethren (Rom. 8. 29). Therefore, since Christ was born of a woman and was her first­ born, and since he wished to be made under the law, the Evangelist Luke shows that both these precepts were fulfilled in his regard ... (3P. q. 37. a. 3. c). As the son of God became man and was circumcised in the flesh not for his own sake, but that he might make us to be God’s through grace, and that we might be circumcised in the spirit; so again, for our sake he was presented to the Lord, that we may learn to offer ourselves to God... (ad 2um). He points out that Mary obeyed the law to which she was not really subject, first that she might be like her son in humility, and then to show her perfect obedience (art. 4). 2. Christ and .Mary accept the passion: Causes of our salvation : Having explained why Christ took our human defects upon him­ self, namely, to satisfy for our sins, of which they are the due punishment, secondly to encourage belief in the reality of his human nature; thirdly to show us an example of courage in bearing suffer­ ings, St Thomas goes on to point out that God desired the sufferings and death of his Son, not in themselves, but in so far as they are the causes of our salvation. In the same way, in Christ, while his will as a nature and his sensitive appetite both rejected suffering with all their force, his rational will was always in perfect conformity with that of his Father—and for the same reasons (3P. q. 18. a. 5. c. et ad turn}. Christ accepted suffering through both obedience and charity. Obedience to his Father made him accept the act of charity of dying for us, while his charity or love for the Father made him obey him in all things; thus he fulfilled the precept of charity through obedi­ ence and he obeyed through love (q. 47. a. 2. ad ÿum). But obedience does not imply any necessity in the will which accepts it freely, as the redeemer accepted it, dying because he so w ished. For this reason also he could truly say, as he was dying, consum­ matum est. He had fulfilled all the moral precepts, since these arc all included in those of the love of God and the neighbour (ad 211m). 3. Tribulations: (a) Their satisfactory character: Apart from its guilt, every sin implies punishment, for since the sinner has offended God by following his own will, it is only just that he should suffer something against his own will or pleasure. The mere fact that the guilt is forgiven implies an acceptance of this punishment, because the wiping away of the guilt implies a THEOLOGIANS 217 drawing near to God, and when we draw near to God it means that his will is ours. Therefore all those who draw near to God to receive pardon, knowing as they must that he wishes them to suffer some­ thing, should accept it when it comes, or even seek it. This free acceptance of suffering removes from it all character punishment, changing it into one of satisfaction, because the specific nature of punishment is in the fact that it is coactive, just as that of satisfaction is that it should be voluntary (1-2. q. 87. a. 6. c). Apart from this satisfactory value, tribulation also has a medicinal value, such as the subjection of our passions, the relics of sin, and also that of reparation for scandal and bad example {ad yum). (b) Sufferings offered for others: Punishment, as such, can only be suffered by the one who sinned; but in so far as it is satisfaction it can be suffered and applied for another, simply because of its voluntary nature. Two separate persons can be considered as united through love into one person, thus establishing that communication of goods and satisfactions, just as in human matters, one friend can pay the debts of another (art. 7. c). (c) Their preventive character and a means of perfection: It happens at times that we take as a punishment something which is not. Certainly, many of our sufferings are punishments for original sin, but even those are ordained by divine Providence for man’s salvation, whether it be to try those who suffer, or as a warning to others who see it, or as conducing to the greater glory of God. But there are others which are not by any means punishments. Punishment implies the privation of some good, and we esteem as punishment anything which deprives us of something temporal, when in reality it is not a punishment at all. Man enjoys both spiritual and temporal goods, both interior and exterior. When for the benefit of something of a higher order we have to be deprived of some lower good, no one can say that this is a punishment; it is not a privation of some good but the attaining of greater ones. To lessen one’s store of riches in order to acquire health is not a punishment; and to lose health and riches in order to acquire the perfection of the soul is not a punishment either. In this case the penalties we suffer are not punishments, but bitter and curative medicine; they have little relation to sin, except the very remote one that, if original sin had not existed, there would be no need for such remedies in order to advance in virtue {ibid.), God sends the just an abundance of spiritual goods; and so far as temporal things are concerned, he sends them joy or pain, according to what he knows to be best for them {ad 2). These penalties are not merely medicinal, in so far as they cure past sin, but also preventive of future sin and productive of greater 2I8 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS virtue, for which reason it may be said that God sends them without guilt, without cause or motive. But we must keep it in mind that a medicine never deprives us of some greater good in order to obtain one of less importance; just as no doctor will blind a patient to cure some insignificant illness. Therefore God may make us suffer some temporal loss in order to provide us with spiritual goods, but he will never deprive us of spiritual goods, unless it be through some sin or fault of ours which has made us unworthy of them (2-2. q. 108. a. 4. c). SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA (A summary of his sermon on the Purification of Mary.) Contemplation of the mystery: In order to celebrate better the Feasts of the Church it is essential to know their content and their object. He describes the two laws of purification and redemption, showing that they did not bind either Christ or our Lady; so that today the purest of all mansions was purified and the redeemer redeemed. After the meeting with Simeon and Anna they form the solemn procession—solemn because of those who walked in it. Ί he Church repeats this in the whole world. Mary takes the Child in her arms and offers him to the Almighty ; then a priest takes him into his arms and Mary buys him back at the legal price. O Holy Mother ! Had I been that priest, perhaps I would not have sold you such a son. . . . The virgin buys for five sides this redeemer who, by his five wounds, was to redeem the world. O Good Jesus’. Now you are ours, and by a double right. The Father gave you to us, and your Mother bought you back for us. . . . When you come to judge the world, remember that we bought you. You are just, 0 Lord; so give to each what is his. Give us yourself, because you are ours by a double title. If you are ours, then what you have is also ours; because the goods of a person belong to that one to whom the person himself belongs. For that reason your merits are ours, your wounds are ours, the trials of your infancy, the labours of your preaching, the pains of your death... . How rich I am with such great merits! No matter how great my crimes may be, my merits are greater! I can say that they are mine, with truth, because you have given them to me, not because I have merited them. . . . Lord, we are going to judgement, but we are going together, and even though the weight of my sins may be great, my satisfaction is even greater, weighing more than the sands of he sea. I. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 219 2. Applications: the purchase of the Lord: Twice was Christ sold; on one occasion as a slave, in order to redeem us who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4. 5). And on another occasion by the traitor, Judas. In the Church too he is sold in two ways. One impious sale, and at a small price, is that of the sinner. We are indignant at the thought of Judas, yet we sell him, not for a throne—which would still be a small price—but for a miserable piece of money or for a moment’s pleasure. But Christ can also be bought in a holy fashion, and with piety. Hurry to this sale, O Christian! The price is five sides! The first is faith, without which it is impossible to please God. The second, the fear of God, by which man rejects sin. But since, in spite of this fear of God, we still fall into sin, there is need of the third side, which is sorrow. The fourth is the most precious of all, that love which makes things perfect. We begin with fear, and we end with love, for fear is the beginning of wisdom and wisdom pours itself out in love. The fifth and last side, eternal in this life and in heaven, is the praise of God. Π. FRAY LUIS OF GRANADA (Selections from the appendix to Memorial de la vida Cristiana.) 1. The arrival at Jerusalem: 0 Holy Child! This is the city in which, according to the pro­ phecies, you were to work your greatest wonders. Here you are to accomplish something which is even greater than the creation of the world, because it is greater by far to redeem the world than to create it once again. This is the battle-field, on which you are to fight and defeat the greatest of all Goliaths, with five mortal wounds in your body and with the staff of the cross, with which you will overcome him and cut off his head W’ith his own arms. Where you will destroy death by means of your death and sin by the punish­ ment for it. 2. Mary gives her son to the Church : Christ did not merely offer himself to the Father, but by means of Mary he is handed over to the Church, who is represented by Simeon. Mary, who had already witnessed so many liberalities in her son, gives us the best thing she has. The Trinity ratifies this gift, for the Father had already decreed it, the Son had offered himself for our redemption and the Holy Ghost it was who brought Simeon to the temple. 3. Simeon: What would not be his joy! Considering the world, so full of evils and men w ho were day by day earning for themselves condemnation, 220 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS the offences against God gave him much pain and he desired the day when they would find their remedy, as Isaias had promised (62. 7). Suddenly we see that precious jewel, set in the pure gold of his Mother’s arms. What devotion, and what love must have filled his heart ! 4. Joy and sorrow ofMary: Joy at seeing the devotion of that holy man and the glory which began to surround her son. But, what are you about, holy man ? Why do you wish to give matter for sorrow to this virgin, and a sorrow which will fill her life ? Without any doubt the reason was that you wish the Mother and the Son to be in complete conformity, and since this virgin was the most perfect of all the perfect, therefore she should not lose her share in the glory of him who was the holiest of the holy ones of God. Since the greatest glory of this Lord was to be the fact that he suffered so much in obedience to his Father, so part of that glory must be shared by his holy Mother.... Of what do you complain, you wrho are poor, sick, in tribulation ? Good medicine indeed is that wrhich a father gives to his son.... Who, with this example before him, will not consider tribulation to be a favour rather than a curse ? 5. Virtues ofAnna—mortification and prayer: Mortification of the flesh by fasting, while prayer lifts up the spirit; fasting sanctifies the body, prayer purifies the soul; fasting mortifies the passions, wrhile prayer fills the soul with good desires ... fasting merits consolations, prayer receives them; fasting cleanses the soul from vices, prayer makes it beautiful in virtue; by fasting man overcomes the devil, by prayer he triumphs over God. ΙΠ. ST FRANCIS DE SALES (Summary’ of a sermon on the feast of the Purification of Mary, but which has an application today.) An example of profound humility: Christ came to the temple to be offered, just as the other sons of sinful men, and Mary to be purified like other women; but neither of them really needed it. The greater the dignity' of the persons who humble themselves, so much the more estimable is their act of humility. Christ loved humility so much that he has humbled him­ self even unto death, the death on the Cross.... What was the reason for the sin of the angels if not pride, lack of humility; and the sins of our first parents, together with those of all other sinners, are committed through pride. That is why our Lord, when he comes to free us from sin, begins by teaching us humility. i. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 221 Many began well enough, but were lost through pride, such as Saul and Judas. Women especially, since they can easily be over­ come by vanity, should learn from the example of Mary. Let them be humble, as she was, so that God may look upon them, as he looked upon the humility of his handmaid. 2. Christ and Mary always unite obedience to humility: Christ preferred to die rather than to disobey. Mary at the foot of the cross gives her silent obedience, and only asks God to end the sufferings of her son. She will remain submissive to the divine will in spite of the sword which pierces her heart. She had also obeyed by marrying St Joseph, in spite of her love of virginity and the vow which she had made to keep it. Mary has taught us to obey Jesus— and it is the only command she ever gives in the Gospel : Do what­ ever he shall say to you (John 2. 5). In the purification Mary need not fear disobedience, because she was not bound by the law ; but she was afraid of even the suspicion of it. She also taught us how to avoid giving scandal to others by our conduct. 3. An excellent method of prayer: Many are deceived by thinking that there is need for some method of prayer. There is only one thing necessary in order to pray—to take Jesus in our arms as did Simeon; that is to say, love him very much and demonstrate it. In this way our prayer will always be well made, whatever the method employed; but without this it will never be received by God: No one can come to the Father save by me (John 14. 6). To obtain this grace it is necessary, like Simeon: i. to have Christ in our arms, that is, as an object of our deep love. ii. to be just, as Simeon was, i.e. our will must be conformed to the will of God in all things; whether he consoles us or allows us to remain in darkness. iii. hope, as did Simeon, with an ardent desire for our own perfection, for which we must always labour in perseverance, because if it does not come at once, it will certainly come through constancy in virtue. iv. to be afraid of offending God, full of reverence for him in prayer, aware of the fact that we are talking to one whom the very angels adore. It is recorded that the Holy Spirit dwelt within Simeon, and this was the reason for his being able to detect our Lord and hold him in his arms. We must also have the Holy Spirit in our souls if we wish Mary and Joseph to give into our arms the divine Saviour. But the Holy Spirit does not dwell in a lying heart. Therefore it is necessary to be simple, without artifice or deceit, if we would have him dwell within us. -2 SUNDAY' WITHIN THE OCTANE OF CHRISTMAS IV. J.-B. MASSILLON (We give a summary of one of his finest sermons on the feast of today, based on the text: They brought him up to Jerusalem to present him before the Lord there (Luke 2. 22). The main theme of his discourse as he presents it in the introduction is this: Christ goes to the temple to fulfil the law. He is the Victim, pre-figured in the victims of the old law. In this first manifestation of the cult he is to offer to the Father he shows us the dispositions necessary for the due consecration of our lives as Christians. He offers himself to the Father with a spirit of sacrifice which holds nothing back, while Man' offers him in a spirit of fidelity. The theme is developed thus:) (a) Christ offers himself in a spirit of total sacrifice: Before the moment of Calvary arrived Christ wished to make this preliminary offering of himself. There, in the temple, is the altar, the victim and his sorrowing Mother. Symbolic in form, but real in the offering made; he offers himself in the place of the old victims of the law; from this temple he sees the whole of his life before him and accepts the Cross, towards which he hastens from this moment onwards. (b) Our sacrifice—the complete offering of the senses: God could demand from sinners the complete offering of the whole of their existence; instead he merely asks us for a continued sacrifice of our senses, to which we have consecrated ourselves in baptism, a true martyrdom of faith, which makes us witnesses to the Lord. It is not enough to consecrate ourselves to God by certain practices of virtue, choosing a spiritual director and not being ashamed to do works of mercy. If we are not also less ambitious, less sensual, less of this earth, then we shall be like the first-born of the Jews, who offered themselves before the priest, but at the hour of the offering all was a mere sham. (c) Half-measures: Most of those converted to God try to give him half-measures, giving up their great vices but keeping back some of the smaller ones such as envies, quarrels, dangerous conversations. The sacrifice to God must be universal. It is true that perfection is not acquired in a day, but the world and all the dangers it contains for us must be abandoned once for all. Christ offered everything, hiding his very dignity on entering into his own temple. Here is where we fail many times; we give up vice, but we do not give up vanity and ostentation. He offered himself as if he were a sinner ; while you SPIRITUAL WRITERS 223 excuse yourself from your obligation so as not to appear to be one. He offered himself voluntarily and beyond what was strictly neces­ sary, because love drove him to it. If our conversion was a sincere one we would not be seeking always the most smooth and comfortable way towards virtue, in which the world has almost as much share as the Gospel. 2. Fidelity: We have seen the reasons for lack of sincerity in our conversion to God, now see how the lack of fidelity makes our conversion last but little. Mary gives us the contrary example. Motives for infidelity: i. A prudence which is of the flesh, always finding motives for deviation from the plan which grace has destined for us. ii. Pride. iii. Cowardice, measuring obligations in terms of our own weakness. (a) Mary does not attempt to avoid God’s purposes—but we do : Mary could have discovered many reasons for not submitting herself to a law which was a humiliation for her and for her son. But she knew that the darkness of faith does not allow us to penetrate into the secrets of God’s providence, secrets which must be accepted in a spirit of faith. She has few imitators. We always find reasons for changing God’s plans : do not appear singular in your piety, because you will only fix attention on yourself; do not correct all your faults, because the difficulties will be greater if you do. Do not hide an injury done to you, because the honour of your religion is at stake, not your own. Be quick to reply with violence—for the same reason. And so on! Can we not leave it to God to look after his own glory and not try to cover up our own with an appearance of zeal ? Do you wish to know where God wishes to find his glory ? Is it in success ? You are mistaken there. Perhaps he often wishes to find it in the patience of one who suffers calumny; perhaps he found more glory in the weeping of a Jew near the willows of Babylon that in the hymns of praise sung to him from the temple. The perfection of virtue does not consist in the fulfilment of sublime obligations, but in that strength of faith which should accompany even the most trivial. (b) The humility of Mary on receiving advice from Simeon: She did not need to listen, when she was so abundantly inspired by the Holy Spirit. But she listens and learns. There are few who are ready to emulate her example—and that of David—who was content to gather material for the temple, which Solomon would build. 224 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS (c) Mary, generous in her sacrifice in spite of discourage­ ment: She hears the prophecy of Simeon and is quick to respond to it with generosity. How few of us imitate that example! If parents see some talents in their child they immediately think of him as con­ secrated to the world. But God has the right to dispose of him. Those soft inspirations of grace are thought of as childish; with a pretext of trying his vocation they attempt to destroy it. They hope that it will disappear with time. You demand that priests should have eminent qualities in every order; you want us to solve your difficulties, console you in your trials. But if you offer in the temple the black sheep of the family, how can you hope for this ? There are so manv «r consolations which a father can find in a son who is a priest: a spiritual posterity which will perpetuate his name in heaven; a new5 Joseph, who will help his parents in their hour of death as did Joseph in the case of Jacob. V. DAVID GREENSTOCK (An extract from Lenten Meditations, on the doing of the Divine WÜ1.) Mary and the divine will: When she finally gives her answer: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy wrord, she gives obvious proof of her interior sanctity. Later, in his public teaching, her Son would stress this submission to the divine will as the hall-mark of all true spiritual perfection. Only too frequently, men seek to be some­ thing other than what God washes them to be. They seek to avoid the obvious will of God, manifested to them by the ordinary circum­ stances of their dailv lives, in order to serve him in other circumstances of their own choosing. To do God’s will in all things is true sanctity. For most of us, perfection lies, not in any extraordinary things, but in the daily routine which we find so hard. As St Bernard says: My greatest penance is the daily life. To be just what God wants us to be implies, not merely great humility, but also true perfection and a high degree of sanctity. In accepting this task of the Mother of the Redeemer, Mary also took upon herself the still more laborious task of being the Mother of men. As Mother of the Redeemer she is also the Mother of the redeemed. Her Son won for us the graces of divine sonship by his death on the Cross. We are now truly sons of God and brothers of Jesus through our union with him as members of his mystical body. We are also, therefore, truly children of Mary. When she pleads for us with her Divine Son she is really interceding with one Son for the others. We are all one united family and have a real claim on her as our Mother. She loves all of us as she loved Christ. Therefore our J / PAPAL TEXTS 225 devotion to her should be the simple devotion of children towards their mother. The salvation of souls was Christ’s special mission, and it is also that of Mary. We can confide in her and expect her to help us all— but especially those who have fallen into sin. Not for nothing does the Church call her the Refuge of sinners. St Bernard sums up the sentiments which should fill our hearts when we think of Mary, our Mother: With every fibre, every feeling of our hearts, with all the affections of our minds and with all the ardour of our souls, let us honour Mary, because such is the will of God, who would have us attain everything through the hands of Mary. . . . Whatsoever thou hast a mind to offer to the Lord, be sure to entrust it to Mary, so that thy gift shall return to the giver of all grace through the same channel by which thou didst receive it. She who did God’s will so perfectly throughout the whole of her life will obtain for us that same grace. Then, indeed, we shall be truly blessed, as she was, because in doing God’s will lies the safest way to our own salvation. SECTION VI. PAPAL TEXTS The nature of Christian education: It is, therefore, as important to make no mistake in education as it is to make no mistake in the pursuit of the last end, with which the work of education is intimately and necessarily connected. In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to attain the sublime end for which he wras created, it is clear that there can be no true education which is not wholly directed to man’s last end.... There can be no really perfect education -which is not Christian education (Divini illius Magistri). 1. The Church's rôle in education: First of all education belongs pre-eminently to the Church by reason of a double title in the supernatural order, conferred ex­ clusively upon her by God himself; absolutely superior to any title in the natural order. The first title is founded upon the express mission and supreme authority to teach given her by her divine Founder. . . . Upon this magisterial office Christ conferred infallibility, together with the command to teach his doctrine.... The second title is the supernatural motherhood, in virtue of which the Church, spotless Spouse of Christ, generates, nurtures and educates souls in the divine life of grace with her sacraments and her doctrine. With good reason does St Augustine maintain : He has not God for his Father who refuses to have the Church for his Mother (ibid.). 2. 216 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS 3. All directed to a supernatural end: Whatever a Christian does even in the order of things of earth he may not overlook the supernatural. Indeed, he must, according to the teaching of Christian wisdom, direct all tilings towards the supreme good as to his last end; all his actions besides, in so far as good or evil in the order of morality, that is, in keeping or not with the natural and divine law, fall under the judgement and jurisdiction of the Church (Singulari quadam, 1912). 4. The subject of education: It must never be forgotten that the subject of Christian education is man whole and entire . . . therefore man, fallen from his original state, but redeemed by Christ and restored to the supernatural condition of adopted son of God. . . . There remain, therefore, in human nature the effects of original sin, the chief of which are weak­ ness of will and disorderly inclinations. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away (Prov. 22. 15). Disorderly inclinations, then, must be corrected, good tendencies encouraged and regulated from tender childhood, and above all, the mind must be enlightened and the will strengthened by supernatural truth and by grace, without which it is impossible to control evil impulses, impossible to attain to the full perfection of education intended by the Church.... 5. Naturalism in education false: Hence every form of pedagogic naturalism which in any way excludes or weakens supernatural Christian formation in the teaching of youth is false. Every method of education founded, wholly or in part, on the forgetfulness of original sin and of grace, relying on the sole powers of human nature, is unsound. Such, generally speaking, are those modem systems bearing various names which appeal to a pretended self-government and unrestrained freedom on the part of the child, and which diminish or even suppress the teacher’s authority and action, attributing to the child an exclusive primacy of initiative and an activity independent of any higher law, natural or divine, in the work of his education (Divini illitis Magistri). 6. The Christian family : The first necessary element in this environment, as regards education, is the family, and this precisely because so ordained by the Creator himself. Accordingly, that education will, as a rule, be more effective and lasting which is received in a well-ordered and well-disciplined Christian family ; and more efficacious in proportion to the clear and constant good example set by the parents and then by the other members of the household. ... We wish to call your attention in a special manner to the present-day lamentable decline in family education. The offices and professions of a transitory and *· HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 227 earthly life, which are certainly of far less importance, are prepared for by long and careful study; whereas for the fundamental duty and obligation of educating their children many parents have little or no preparation, immersed as they are in temporal cares {ibid.). 7. Christy master and model of Christian education: Such, then, are the fruits of Christian education. Their price and value is derived from the supernatural virtue and life in Christ which Christian education forms and develops in man. Of this life and virtue Christ our Lord and Master is the source and dispenser. By his example he is the universal model accessible to all, especially to the young in the period of his hidden life, a life of labour and obedience, adorned with all virtues, personal, domestic and social, before God and men {ibid.). 8. Mary’s complete obedience: Never during the whole of her life—neither in the joys which gladdened her heart, nor in the distresses and atrocious sufferings which made her the Queen of martyrs—did the Blessed Virgin swerve even a hair’s breadth from complete conformity to the pre­ cepts and example of her Divine Son. We seem to see her pointing to Jesus Christ and repeating to us the words she addressed to the servants at the marriage feast of Cana: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye. She repeats them with a fuller meaning today, when, obviously, the root-cause of all the bitterness and violence which afflict individual men and whole nations and peoples is to be sought in this, that so many have forsaken him who is the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water; they have forsaken him who alone is the way, the truth and the life. To this right way the wanderer must return {Fulgens Corona^ 1953). SECTION VII. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY St Teresa: One day the Lord said this to me: Thinkest thou, daughter, that merit consists in fruition ? Merit consists only in working, in suffer­ ing and in loving. Thou hast never heard that St Paul had fruition of heavenly joys more than once. Yet how many times he suffered! Thou seest that my whole life was full of suffering; yet only once, on Mount Tabor, hast thou heard of my having had fruition. Think not, when thou seest my Mother holding me in her arms, that she experienced those joys without also experiencing heavy sorrows. From the moment Simeon spoke those words to her, my Father gave her clear light, so that she would see what I had to suffer. . . . i. 228 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS Believe me, daughter; it is to those whom my Father loves most dearly that he sends the greatest trials; for love and trials go together. How can I better show thee my love than by willing for thee what I willed for myself? (Spiritual Relations, 3b). 2. The feast of the Purification: It certainly dates from the early years of the Christian era. The Eastern Churches usually dedicated it to Christ, the Armenians giving it the name of the Journey of Christ to the Temple. It would appear to have been first celebrated in Jerusalem, where the feast was kept fort}' days after Epiphany. But from the first half of the fourth century it was celebrated on the 14th of February. The details of the primitive celebration of the feast in Jerusalem are given in a manuscript written by the nun Etheria, and discovered in the Cathedral archives at Arezzo in the last century. From Jerusalem the custom spread throughout the world. Pope Gelasius I renewed the Feast in Rome, but it was celebrated there in February to abolish the Gentile superstitions of the Lupercalia. The blessing of the candles, which dates from the eleventh century, commemorates the entrance into the world of Christ, the true light. SECTION VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. THE GOSPEL A: Jesus fulfils the law The law of Moses: In Exodus (13. 2-12), and Leviticus (12. 6-8), we find the descrip­ tion of the offering to be made of the first-born and the purification of the mother. Double significance in the case of Christ: first, gratitude to the Father for the rescue from Egypt; secondly, the offering of himself for the sins of the world. I. 2. The obedience of Mary: (a) Mary was not bound by either precept of this law: Christ is the natural Son of God and so above all law. Mary her­ self was sinless and her conception was by the Holy Spirit. (b) She fulfils the law : i. in all its details, as other good Jews did; ii. in poverty, we can judge this from the sacrifice offered ; iii. in spite of the trouble it might cause her to do so. (c) Mary, model of obedience: Among the many virtues which can be the subject of preaching on this occasion obedience stands out. She obeys completely and absolutely; not merely in the family, by her obedience to Joseph, but SERMON SCHEMES 229 also she bows to the whole law, be it civil or religious. She knows that there is no authority but that which comes from God. She sees God in the law of Moses, and no less in that of Caesar, obedience to whom took her to Bethlehem. 3. Our obedience: It should imitate that of Mary. Especially in those laws laid down to regulate public order. It is necessary for us to form our consciences in this matter, because all too often we find excuses for disobedience to the civil authorities and try to justify ourselves. (a) Laws made by legitimate authority come from God as from their ultimate source. (b) If they do not command us to do something against the law of God then they should be obeyed. i. if the orders of the Emperor are according to the law of God, then the Emperor is to be obeyed as if his orders came from God (St Augustine); ii. should the Emperor command things which are against the law of God then God must be obeyed, not the Emperor (ibid.)’, iii. laws which govern public order are meant for the public good, which could never be attained unless such laws were obeyed to the letter. St Paul preaches this same doctrine. B : The Purity of Mary The two legal ceremonies: One referring to the son, the other to the mother. (a) The presentation and rescue of the first-born. (b) The purification of Mary. We can use this latter to speak of Mary’s purity before God and men. 1. 2. Mary's pzirification under the law: (a) The law laid down that any woman who gave birth was im­ pure, legally unclean. There is no question here of sin or of spiritual uncleanness, but of legal uncleanness. Before an ordinary life could be taken up again there was need for purification. (b) Mary had not contracted any legal impurity, because her conception was supernatural and she was still a virgin. But she submits to the law and gives an example, not merely of obedience, but also of humility. 3. She is purified in the eyes of men: The happenings which surround the life of our Lady and her divine maternity are so great that they pass unnoticed in the eyes of the world. No one knows the secret of the Incarnation, not even Joseph, until an angel reveals it to him. It was God’s secret, and Mary did not feel that she could reveal it to anyone unless God willed it. 9 U 230 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS In the eyes of the world she was the young wife of Joseph, the carpenter. She and her husband are the parents of Jesus. Had she not gone to the temple like any other woman, she would have been held to be a bad Jewess, never to be admitted into ordinary society because of her legal impurity. She was forced by circumstances to be purified in the eyes of men—and she fulfils the law. 4. Bodily purity: (a) Purification in the eyes of the law and of men was only exterior and corporal : In the Old Law purity of body and abstinence from carnal pleasures had a spiritual and social value at one and the same time. Those who were publicly impure were despised by society'. Nowa­ days the world is less ashamed of impurity’. At times men pride themselves on it. (b) Christianity’ demands purity7: Man has to be pure because his very’ reason demands it; but the Christian has superior motives : i. he is a member of Christ and his body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6.15). ii. he has been redeemed by Christ and his body has been rescued from Satan by the blood of Christ—we have been bought at a great price (1 Cor. 6.20, cf. 1 Pet. 1.19). We should, therefore, give glory to God in our bodies. 5. Mary's purification in the eyes of God: (a) Mary’s purification possesses inestimable merits in the eyes of God. By means of it the soul acquires even more holiness. (b) Purity, in its widest sense, is an absence of complexity, of composition. God, in his simplicity and sanctity, is purity itself. Things are pure in so far as they share in this purity of God. The very word holy means without anything earthly. (c) The grade in perfection of purity can be measured by the absence of imperfection and sin ; but also by the degree of union with God. Mary’s purification is not of the former kind, because she has no imperfection; but she could be more and more purified in the second sense, in her union with God as time went on. (d) Purification supposes greater union with God, because it is the fulfilling of his will. The greater the union with God, the greater the purity’ and sanctity. 6. Progress in holiness (Apoc. 22. n); (a) While we are on this earth the soul is always capable of ever greater purity and sanctity. Faults and imperfections should be eliminated little by little. But perhaps the best method to attain progress is not a simply negative one, over-anxious and almost scrupulous. SERMON SCHEMES 231 (b) Asceticism, which is destined to attain this purification, can be less effective if we use negative methods all the time. Better to seek greater union with God in prayer, in sacrifices, in the doing of his will. This union with God will fill the soul with light, purity and holiness. C: The Poverty of Mary 1. The poverty of Mary: (a) Chosen by God, Mary presents to him the offering of the poor : God chose Mary and wished her to be poor; this is enough, according to the writings of many of the Fathers, to show his appreciation for this virtue. But why ? What advantages are there in having nothing, or at least very little ? St Thomas will teach us. (b) Voluntary poverty: Notice that, whenever we speak of it, we refer to that poverty which is either sought after or at least accepted ; because the misery against which the poor are in revolt is dangerous rather than useful. For which reason Solomon asks that he may be preserved by God from both extreme poverty and extreme riches. Mary’s poverty was voluntary, in so far as she accepted the Incarnation with all its surrounding circumstances. Lord, if I cannot reach the point of desiring this virtue, which you practised, at least allow me to accept it if it should be necessary. 2. Reasons which made it desirable: This poverty of Mary was desirable, for the reasons which St Thomas gives when speaking of the poverty of Christ (3P. q. 40. a. 1). (a) To be free from worries which might interfere with her mission or with his : Christ would need to be free from all business matters in order to dedicate himself to preaching; and Mary, free from them also, could give all her time to keeping in her heart the divine word. Free from riches which might call for her attention, she would probably have considered as an obstacle anything which might have improved her social position. How could she have accompanied her son otherwise in his mission of preaching, looking after him together with other holy women ? An example to us. We must not allow worldly matters to occupy us to the detriment of the spiritual life. At least we can find some time for God every day. (b) To secure eternal riches at the cost of temporal ones: Christ, our Lord, dies to secure eternal riches for us and accepted poverty for that reason; it was the law of our redemption that it should be won by a series of contrasts. Mary united herself to this 232 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS sacrifice. He who offers to God that which, from the human point of view, is most appreciated, will receive from God in reward that which is most appreciated in heaven. He who gives us earthly riches will receive heavenly * ones. (c) So that the triumph might appear greater: Taking into consideration rhe lack of power in those who attained it. The triumph of Christ could never be attributed to riches; he was a humble carpenter and his first disciples were fishermen. (d) As a proof of filial love and fear of God: A deeper and more potent reason. St Thomas points out that poverty is derived from this filial fear of God. This fear, which is really a type of filial respect for God, subjects a man entirely to God. Was there ever a soul more subject to God than Mary’s? The more the soul is subject to the Creator, the less it seeks earthly things. Marv was satisfied with meditation on God’s word and the care of her son. 3. Conclusion: Riches can be desirable in so far as they lead us to God. The poor, looking at Man', can see in their poverty’ a simple road to heaven; while the rich will be able to appreciate better the difficulties in their path. All can learn the lesson of detachment from earthly things. In a word, I may desire the goods of this world in so far as they lead me to God ; but, as St Ignatius says: It is more often than not an illusion to think that they are useful for that purpose! D: Simeon, the just one I. A just man: (a) According to the original Hebrew word it means pious, holy, religious. The word justus, according to modem commentators, implies rather more than ordinary’ justice before God. It has the sense of a keeping of God’s law with the greatest reverence and respect. (b) To appreciate better the greatness and sanctity of the soul of Simeon we can do no better than examine the meaning of the word just in the Scriptures. 2. The just in the Scriptures: (a) His first characteristic is holiness of life, freedom from sin, occasions of sin, or anything that could separate him from God (Ps. i. 1). (b) He finds his pleasure in the law of God (Ps. 1. 2)—this is the positive element in his justice. He lives in union with the will of God always (Ps. 36. 5-6). (c) He is a man of prayer (ibid.). SERMON SCHEMES (d) A watchful man, who does not allow him; by the attacks of his enemies (Ecclus. 39. 6). (e) He is a man specially loved by God and under the divine government (Wis. 10. 10). The souls of the just are described as being in the hands of God {Ibid. 3.1). 3. The just in this life: (a) In the eyes of the world: It laughs at him, despises him and takes him for a fool (Wis. 4.18). (b) In the eyes of God : Perhaps God will send him trials and tribulations, because he proves and tests those he loves (Heb. 12. 6), but at the same time the just man is pleasing to the Lord, who will give him the fruits of his good works in due time. His eyes are always on the just and his ears attentive to their prayers (Ps. 36. 16-17). The just shall cry out and God will hear them. 4. In the next life: (a) They shall enjoy the peace of God, while the sinner shall be punished (cf. Wis. 3. 1-3; 4. 7; 4.19). (b) Then the sinner will admit that he has been wrong in his judgement of the just, when it is too late (Wis. 5. 4-5). 5. The song of the just man in this life: Summed up in Ps. 117 and Ps. 22. The figure of Job and the remarks of the Scriptures about him show even greater proof for the ideas we have already expressed. 6. Simeon, a just man: Compared with the splendour of the Roman court in the time of Simeon and the power and riches of so many others, his life was a hidden one and passed unnoticed. But God’s eyes were on him because he was just; he rewards him with the sight of the Messias and his name has come down to us in history because he was just. E: Simeon, a man who feared God The fear of God, the beginning ofwisdom: (a) Simeon was a man who feared God. (b) Some have tried to destroy this idea of the fear of God, even to the extent of saying that it is a sin; but the Scriptures have always considered it to be a sad thing when a man has no fear of God, while on the other hand it praises those who have it (Prov. 1. 7; 9, 10). I. 2. Characteristics of the fear of God: (a) It is not the fear of a slave, nor of an animal faced with its master’s whip ; nor is it a fear which is motivated only by the thought of punishment. 234 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS (b) It is a reasonable fear at the thought of God, the just judge. i. God is our judge, and has a right to this fear, which is salutary. ii. he demands it (Matt. io. 28); iii. it is a healthy fear, re-enforcing the motives of love, given our weakness and inconstancy ; iv. it is enough, together with absolution, to obtain pardon for our sins. (c) It should become a filial fear; that is, a respectful love of a son who fears to offend his father. i. loving in its affections and works ; ii. respectful', because love does not exclude respect, as we see in the case of our parents, our priests and God himself; iii. wishing to earn his love and his rewards, not his punishments. 3. Conclusion: (a) God the Father, Lord and Judge: The respect due to God, the love for our Father in heaven, our obedience to our Lord, fear of the judge and of the punishment which could mean that we are cast out from that family to which we belong—all these go to make up true fear of the Lord. (b) Our life as Christians makes us practise this fear continually, since it proposes to us the motives capable of producing in us this mixture of affections. i. we call him Jesus—but then we add that he will come to judge the living and the dead; ii. we adore him in the Tabernacle, but we remember that he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father; iii. we say that he is made flesh for us, but beforehand we remind ourselves that he is the creator of heaven and earth. F: Seeing Christ in his Father’s arms The hope of a Christian father: Simeon secs the hope of his life accomplished when he sees Christ in his arms. The hope of the Christian father is to see Christ re­ produced in his children. (a) God has associated him with the work of populating the world ; not merely the material world, but also that of heaven. (b) From which comes an identity of purpose; if the father is an associate of God he must have the same end in view. i. children in the image of God. This was God’s purpose when he created man, to make him into his image and likeness. Therefore the end of the father should be to produce this likeness in his children. What a great dignity that of Christian parents—to produce, not merely other members of the human race, but also adopted sons of God'. I. SERMON SCHEMES 235 ii. the formation of Christ in the children. Christ is the divine Idea from which and on which all creatures are modelled. It is this divine Idea which has to be reproduced in the children. 2. Its realization : (a) The work begins at baptism: When the father takes his child from the arms of the god-parents, he receives Christ himself. The divine life is there. (b) It continues in education (cf. Papal Texts, pp. 224-7): It implies a development in the child of the thoughts, desires and aspirations of Christ. (c) The mission completed: i. Nunc dimittis. If a father or mother can die with this thought, that they have always seen Christ in their children and have done the best they can to reproduce his image in them, then they have a right to sing the Nunc dimittis without scruple. They have ful­ filled the task which the Lord confided to them. ii. this is their main task—they will be judged on the way they have fulfilled it; not on how well they have looked after the mere material prosperity of their children, on how much of this world’s goods they have been able to store up for them, etc. Their mission is the formation of saints—nothing less. iii. St Monica. Her story can be typical. She wept at the sight of the sins and the life of her son, until finally her tears wrung from God the graces necessary for his conversion. At her death­ bed she could say that she demanded nothing more than a re­ membrance at the altar of God. Her mission had been accom­ plished. G: Hope 1. A sad world, wrapped in the spirit of pessimism : (a) ihc Popes have stressed this several times in different words : A black pessimism saddens the world (Leo XIII); the ashes of boredom cover the hearts of men (Leo XIII); a sickly melancholy weakens the souls of men (Pius XII). (b) The modern world is sad because it has lost hope: It put all its hopes in the things of this world, and two great wars, together with a series of social revolutions of one kind and another, have shown it that its hopes were in vain. 2. Three positions face to face with modern life: The whole philosophy of life can be summed up in three schools of thought. 236 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS (a) Those who seek only pleasure: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die (Isaias 22. 13). (b) The pessimists : Life has been kind to us for the gift of death which it brings to us (Seneca). (c) The Christian : It explains, interprets, unifies and brings joy to life. Our life is one of hope now; it shall be turned into glory later (Augustine). Hope is the axis of this life, on which everything turns; the anchor of the soul, the one thing which can lift up our hearts. Regeneravit nos in spem vivam (1 Pet. 1. 3). 3. Hope: (a) True hope: It is necessary for life, the one thing which rejuvenates a man, despite his age. It must offer us something which is capable of filling our lives and aspirations. But it must be a true hope. (b) Hope, a theological virtue: i. it unites us to God in so far as it is the beginning of our happi­ ness here below ; ii. its object is our eternal happiness, together with all those things necessary to obtain that happiness. (c) The foundation of our hope is the omnipotent power of God: He has made us certain promises, and he is always faithful to his promises. It does not rest on our human weakness but on the power of God, to whom nothing is impossible or difficult. It is rooted in our faith. Paul hopes to rise again because Christ rose from the dead. If it is only in this life that we hope in Christ then we are, of all men, the most miserable (1 Cor. 15.17-19). (d) It is a source of Christian joy: It is the secret source from which come the waters which flooded the soul of Paul. It is incompatible with tears or with pessimism— we must not mourn like the Gentiles who have no hope, he tells us (1 Thess. 4. 12). (e) It is the anchor of the soul, the strongest of the virtues (Heb. 6. 19): The image is an easy’ one to develop. We live in a continual storm, which would lead us to shipwreck were it not for this anchor. And that anchor rests on God! No matter how great the storm may be, this anchor will never let us down—we have God’s word for it; but we must put our hope in eternal things, not in temporal. SERMON SCHEMES 237 4. Ask God to increase our hope: It is a theological virtue and so it comes to us from God and rests in God. On our part we must do all we can to apply the means he has given us to our daily lives, so that our hope may increase and we may be at peace with the world, no matter what happens. i. not in the things of this world, which pass. One of the daughters of lust is this loss of hope. The man who is nothing more than an animal does not wish to hear anything about eternal joys; he is satisfied with earthly ones. ii. feed hope with the word of God. Sermons, meditations, spiritual reading, especially the New Testament. Especially by prayer, which unites us to God and which can also bring us, in anticipation, some of that peace which we shall enjoy in the next life. iii. feed it by the sacraments of penance and of the Eucharist— which excite in us the love of God and the desire to be united even more with him. H: Hope and confidence Two distinct virtues: (a) By hope we are united to God as the source of our eternal happiness. (b) By confidence we know that God has granted us the means to attain that supreme good. Confidence Its ejfects: Confidence is reduced to the virtue of hope, having as its objects the means necessary to acquire eternal life; but it also has, as a mediate object, the goods of this life in so far as they are ordained to our ultimate end. Through this confidence we know that God wall grant us all that we ask of him, provided that it is conducive to our spiritual welfare. Confidence produces in the soul : i. peace (Ps. 3. 6). ii. stability: those who trust in God are as firm as Mt Sion (Ps. 124. 1). iii. boldness: if God is with us, who is against us? (Rom. 8. 31). 1. 2. Its foundations: (a) Our weakness: It is the virtue of humble men. We do not dare to trust in our­ selves; we even seek the help of our fellow men. We trust in God alone and thus learn to glory in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12. 9). (b) The fatherhood of God: We have a Father who is also the almighty God and infinitely merciful. The Church puts on the lips of her priests many times a 9* 1 Iί ί'Λ a38 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OE CHRISTMAS day the prayer ‘omnipotent and eternal God’. The motto of virtue is always the same: I can do nothing by myself, but I can do all things in him who strengthens me (John 15. 5; Phil. 4. 13). 3. It is the virtue of the saints: (a) Children who are at the same time omnipotent: It produces in rhe saints that holy abandonment to God which distinguishes their lives. Example for all time rhar of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus. (b) but strong men: It has produced some of the strongest characters in the history' of the world. i. David. In the whole of his life, in sin as well as in virtue, he was great and strong. We could apply to him Augustine’s words: His was not the cooing of the dove but rather the roaring of the lion. Psalm 131 is a summary of his love for God, and the world has seen nothing more manly than the Miserere ! ii. St Ignatius always insisted that men of confidence in God were also those who did the greatest things for him. They under­ take great works because they have confidence in his power. We should do our daily tasks with all our might, as though everything depended on us; then we should place all our confidence in God, as though rhe actual realization of the task was his. iii. The Book of Psalms is essentially' the book of confidence in God. There are more than tw'enty psalms dedicated to this theme alone. iv. Christ taught it constantly, but especially in his last discourse to his disciples, when he told them to have confidence, because he had overcome the world (John 16.33). 4. Conclusion: Have confidence. Especially* those of us who arc sinners; those whose faith seems weak; those who are weighed down by tire thought of their own sins and imperfections. Trust in the prayers of your brethren also; like the friends of the parai vtic, they take us to Christ. Trust in the infinite mercy of God, because nothing is impossible to the omnipotence of our Father in heaven. I: λ. sign that shall be contradicted I. Sign of contradiction: Prophecy confirmed in all ages, but perhaps never before so extensively as in our day. Rationalism and Communism are the two main enemies. We may well learn by following their steps, until our day dawns. W j-'r-· SERMON SCHEMES 239 2. Voltaire to contemporary Communism: (a) The eighteenth century: Until this age heresies had denied this or that dogma; but now we are face to face with total rebellion. i. the whole mood is atheistic. It may admit God’s existence, but he is relegated to heaven, indifferent to the world and with no influence upon it. His revelations are not admitted. Reason alone is sufficient and absolute in human affairs. ii. there follows the doctrine of Kant and the other German philosophers rejecting all that is supernatural. Do we even know that God exists ? iv. the natural consequence is laicism in its worst form. The State can have nothing to do with God. (b) The twentieth century: Total war against religion; absolute negation of divine rights. i. dogmatic negation’, the world is divided into two camps, that which is called Christian civilization, but which is entirely lay in its constitutions, and often with no religious instruction in its schools. We may call it indifferent. On the other side is atheistic Communism. ii. moral negation: immorality is not merely practised, it is defended. It is a question of convenience; if it is convenient at any given moment to defend the family, then it will be defended ; if at another moment it appears convenient to lower the population, then the family will be attacked officially and its very essence denied. À'ice is exploited publicly; divorce allowed; recently child-murder justified before judge and jury; fidelity to agree­ ments laughed at. iii. political negation—which came in during the French revolution and which is still with us. iv. organized persecution in many places—the Church of Silence knows all about that! We are so used to hearing about it that perhaps we are not aware of the fact that this century has seen more martyrs for the faith than during all the great persecutions of the early centuries. 3. Conclusion: (a) For the apologists of the first centuries the cross of Christ was a strong motive which fortified their faith, because they saw in it the fulfilment of the prophecies which had announced it to them. (b) And we who live for the moment in peace should think often of our suffering brethren. With our gaze on the cross we should repeat often, Thy kingdom come. Prayer is the least we can offer them to console them in their sufferings. 240 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS J: The sorrows of Mary 1. The presentation in the temple and the problem of suffering: (a) The presentation and the words of Simeon open the door to our Lady’s sorrows. (b) Inevitable contrast: It is a contrast to our natural tendency to flee from pain and seek only happiness, when we see that, in our churches, there presides over the altars one who is hanging on a cross, and at his feet, his sorrowing Mother. (c) The problem of suffering has no solution outside the Christian philosophy: All pagan philosophers have tried to solve this problem ; for some it is an evil to be avoided at all costs ; for others something which must be carried with stoicism, like a garment made of thorns, which can be worn so long as one does not move around in it; but at the least movement the thorns penetrate the flesh. 2. A natural defect of man: It is turned into something good by the Catholic religion. Our religion alone has known how to change into something good that which is, undoubtedly, a natural defect. To see this clearly it is enough to observe that the loving heart of God chose for his mother the way of sorrows, which began with the prophecy of Simeon and lasted until those three days of solitude after Good Friday. (a) Sorrow—a restorer: i. man was seduced by pleasure. Our nature, elevated to great heights by God, fell, thus wiping away from it all that it had which was divine, receiving in exchange condemnation. Why? Because pleasure seduced the heart of man, to the point of inducing him to rob that which was really God’s. ii. sorrow as satisfaction to God. The natural thing to do is to give back to God what has been stolen from him; to follow the opposite path and deny ourselves some satisfaction in order to return to God what is his. That is why we see our Head paying tribute to God from the cross. Man', with no personal guilt of sin, associates herself with Christ in this offering. iii. sorrow and pain as a voluntary satisfaction and penance. In these trials w'e can find a way of paying God back and of obtaining from him his grace and favour once again. (b) Pain as a purifier: i. it frees us from our attachment to creatures ; not merely does it sene to free us from the penalties we have merited by our sins, but also it removes the dust from the soul which can impede the SERMON SCHEMES 241 light of God’s graces and inspirations. This dust acts like a ballast, which docs not allow us to rise to the heights. ii. Mary's sorrow and grace. Mary was always intimately united to God; but her sorrows, bravely suffered, increased that grace in her soul, to such an extent that the angels could say, on seeing her soul: Who is this, whose coming shews like the dawn of day? No moon so fair, no sun so majestic, no embattled array so awes men’s hearts (Cant. 6. 9). iii. one of two things, either sadness which is useless, or accept­ ance of sorrow which purifies. Use sorrows in order to detach yourself from creatures. In happiness it is easy to forget God. In moments of sorrow we appreciate the fact that the things of this world are passing pleasures, and we learn to appreciate the Eternal Good. (c) Sorrow, the proof of love: i. in so far as it implies the acceptance of the will of the person loved. An easy way to sanctity ? Τλνο wills in love with each other tend to become almost one will; they demonstrate this so much the more when what is willed by one is difficult to accept on the part of the other. Thus, my love for God is proved by the accept­ ance of his will; and so much the more when his desire for me is something which I do not like at all, such as suffering. ii. the prayer of Christ in the garden and that of Mary in the temple. That was the greatest prayer of Christ’s whole life, proving his love for the Father: Thy will, not mine, be done. That of Mary was in the temple, when, after the prophecy of Simeon, she offered her son to the Father in complete acceptance of his will for them both. 3. The way of sorrow is the way to sanctity: Do you wish to reach holiness quickly ? Seek only God’s will and you can be sure that, if your holiness is sincere, God will reward you with even more grace. How? By the road which he has always chosen for his saints—that of sorrows. And if at any time the way should seem hard to you, then you have only to carry out the orders of St Bernard : Look at the star ! Look at Mary! K: The advantages of trials The antithesis of sorrow 1. Our religion has been called one of antitheses, and truly it abounds in them, due mainly to the fact that man himself is a mixture of clay and angel ! One of them is sorrow. 2. That we dislike pain is evident and natural. But at the moment when Mary makes her offering in the temple she receives from God 242 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS through Simeon the promise of sufferings to come. When Peter tries to persuade our Lord to avoid the cross he is called Satan. The cross is inevitable for all of us. 3. Why this decided will of God face to face with something which is so repugnant to us all ? God’s point of view The perfect thing is for us to be in conformity with the divine int of view concerning all that is related to our lives. Let us see his point of view about suffering. 1. It has a good purpose : (a) God is always holy, when he rewards and when he chastises or permits suffering. His very punishments and trials have for their purpose to convert us to him or to prevent us from sinning. (b) God created the world for man, with all it contains—and it certainly contains sorrows. Therefore man can get some good out of them, otherwise God would not have permitted them to exist. 2. The good behind suffering: Man is sick through sin, weak through his own tepidity and temptations. Suffering is : (a) A medicine which cures us : The sinner who lives in riches and abundance of apparent happiness does not usually think often about God. But when he begins to suffer St Thomas says: the chains of pleasure bound him to sin, and then, of a sudden, sorrow has broken them. Then he remembers that there is another life, where he will receive either the justice he deserves or the peace he desires ; that all other things are as nothing compared to that other life; then he can offer to God true penance for his sins. (b) Medicine which preserves : From how many sins our sufferings have saved us; and into how many more wc would have fallen if we had had nothing but an easy, soft life’. How often suffering has been the only thing w’hich has given us time to think about our souls'. How tribulation beats down our pride and leads us to the virtue of humility, face to face with our own weakness and nothingness ’. (c) Medicine which fortifies virtue: Suffering is a tonic for every virtue, because if we accept the will of God for us, all virtues will increase within us, especially the (weat theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. It makes us see the futility of rebellion against God; the passing nature of things of earth ; the enduring things of heaven. & Bi SERMON SCHEMES 243 (d) Medicine which comes from the hand of love: i. Who corrects his children if it is not the father? So true is it that sufferings arc a sign of love, that God threatened to leave his chosen people without them, because of their infidelity! It is a good sign when the sinner is made to suffer in this life; but a bad sign when he does not suffer. We might call suffering the last grace God gives the sinner. ii. and God himself who sends sufferings, helps us to take this medicine, as a mother helps her child. With his grace behind us suffering becomes, not merely possible for us, but also a glory and a very great grace. 3. Do you have to suffer? Then accept it, because it is inevitable; offer it for your sins, in satisfaction for them. Abandon yourself to the hand of God. Your task is to sanctify yourself; that of God is to assign the hour when your sufferings shall cease. Do not despise small sufferings, slivers from the cross, which prepare us to accept the whole cross. They often pass by unnoticed if we are not careful. Perfect your charity by helping those who suffer; accept your own and you will also perfect your love of God. L: Anna 1. The figure of Anna: (a) Few women have been so clearly described in the Gospels as Anna was. We are told of her origin, her years of married life, her widowhood, her piety and of the reward she received from God. (b) Simeon was a just man—wre can say that Anna was a just woman. Both receive from the Lord the same reward; that of know­ ing and confessing Christ. In Anna we can see the figure of the holy woman in God’s Church. 2. Women in the Gospel: St Luke especially is interested in them and describes them in more detail than the other Evangelists. They are models of penance, generosity and love—also models of the apostolic spirit. Among many who appear in those pages we can cite the Samaritan woman and Magdalen. 3. Women in the history of the Church: (a) From apostolic times we can see that there were many who helped in the work of spreading the Gospel (Phil. 4. 3). (b) In later ages they have been God’s instruments for the found­ ing of religious orders and also for revealing to us many things we would not have known if it had not been for their sanctity. Catherine of Siena, Gertrude, Jane Frances de Chantal, Teresa and Thérèse, Margaret Mary, etc. 244 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OE CHRISTMAS (c) We must never forget that they were more faithful to Christ at the moment of his death than the apostles! Just as their courage stands out among that of the early martyrs of the Church. 4. The truly holy women in the world: They also stand out: Elizabeth, queen of Portugal; the mother of St Louis of France; Isabel the Catholic. 5. Piety of women: (a) It is frequently discovered that many of them live a life of apparent piety, full of sentimentalism and lacking in constancy. That is not the life of Anna. (b) But there are also many who are really pious: 1. there are many whose whole life is divided between the temple and their home—which is also a temple. ii. there are many widows who, like Anna, have given their lives to prayer for their departed husband and to the education of their children. iii. there are many women whose lives are dedicated to the apostolate, in humble roles, passing unnoticed by men. iv. one day we shall know how great their effect has been on the Church and the world. 6. Exhortation: (a) The touchstone of true piety is prayer and sacrifice. (b) Women have a great part to play in the Church, both as wives and mothers. Their life of prayer and sacrifice is necessary7 for the good of the human race spiritually and temporally. (c) Sentiment should be avoided; piety7, if sincere, has no time for sentiment. M: Prayer, without ceasing i. To pray at all times and without being discouraged: (a) Anna, the spirit of prayer : She was dedicated to it, day and night, in prayer and fasting (Luke 2. 37). But is this possible ? Is it possible to pray constantly, day and night? (1 Tim. 5. 5). (b) Constant prayer in the Scriptures: There are many references to it (cf. Luke 18. 1 ; Col. 4. 2 ; Heb. 13. 15). But to interpret those texts we must remember that there are two ways in which we can pray. 2. Methods, spirit, and time of prayer: (a) Two ways of praying: i. there is a prayer which consists simply in union of the heart with God, without any special practices of piety or special matter for our prayer. 7. <Λ ’ ; SERMON SCHEMES 245 ii. there is another which consists in union with God by means of special pract ices of piety or methods of prayer. iii. the essence of prayer is in the union ivith God. This can be attained in two ways; by special acts of piety, or by a simple act of the will which offers to God all the actions of the day. In other words, we have to distinguish between the acts of prayer and the spirit of prayer, which penetrates and sanctifies all a man’s actions. (b) The spirit of prayer: The texts of the Gospels and of St Paul have to be interpreted in this way. We are not expected to give up the whole day and night to prayers (in the plural), but to the spirit of prayer. We are not expected to think of God at every moment; but at the same time our will can refer everything we do to God, and at every moment, at least habitually. (c) The time given to prayer: St Thomas says that the person who assists at Mass on Sundays, with the intention of dedicating the whole of his life to God, fulfils this precept. But no Christian should be satisfied merely with this. There are other prayers which we have learned from our infancy and which we should say from time to time. There is no need here to give formulas of prayer—each one, in his own way and at his own time, can say the prayers he chooses, thus giving to God the honour due to him, whether it be by way of vocal or by mental prayer. The important thing is to pray, without ceasing. (d) The morning offering: Recently the Pope has applied special indulgences to the act of the morning offering, which in itself implies the subjection to God of all our actions during the day. No special formula is necessary— but each one may make the offering, mentally or vocally, as he chooses. But it should be made, every day ! 3. The important thing is to stimulate our life ofprayer: Most of us give too little time to it. Give thanks to God always for his blessings and graces; ask him for all you need, for yourselves and your families. Beg pardon for your sins and pray in order to give him satisfaction for them. N : The contemplative life Anna is a symbol of contemplative life: She represents both prayer and sacrifice. She is the figure of so many women who do not leave the house of God, but give him their service day and night—the religious in the contemplative life. 1. 2. Enclosed orders of nuns: All know who they are and what they do. Their one mission in life is prayer and sacrifice. Every order or congregation in the Church i Μ 246 SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS has its specific purpose in life; these are dedicated to prayer and sacrifice, day and night. 3. The excellence of the contemplative life: (a) Mary has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her (Luke 10.42). (b) the contemplative religious seek the Lord directly, in prayer and the practice of the theological virtues. They see nothing but God, and that, directly. 4. The need for contemplatives: (a) Many do not understand this in the twentieth century ! There appears to be a lack of activity in this life. Lamentable error. (b) The Decree Sponsa Christi has spoken out very clearly con­ cerning the need for such souls in the Church of God. i. Contemplative life and active life are as it were the heart and arms of the Church. No one would say that the heart, just because it is hidden, is therefore inactive, when on it depends the activity of the arms and of the rest of the body. Example of Thérèse, who is said to have saved as many souls from her cell as did St Francis Xavier in his missionary activities. ii. Pius XI wanted contemplative orders in mission countries. iii. Priests and missionaries all ask prayers of the enclosed orders. 5. The people and the enclosed orders: (a) A great grace for any parish, to have such a convent in its bounds. They are like lightning-conductors, which take away God’s anger from the people, and the magnet to draw upon the parish many graces. (b) The people should consider them as something which belongs to the parish—as well as to the Church. Many live in extreme poverty. Hence the dispositions of Sponsa Christi, allowing them to undertake some manual work for their own good, so as to live better. (c) They need our help but we shall receive much more than we give. II. SOCIAL APPLICATIONS A: Obedience, foundation of the Christian life The obedience ofJesus: There is a profound mystery in the constant obedience of Christ and his parents to the law. (a) The Evangelists mention it several times. (b) The Fathers comment on it, as an example which Christians should follow: not merely when it is a matter of ecclesiastical laws but also in civil matters. I. SERMON SCHEMES 247 (c) What was the intention which animated those who were by no means subjected to such laws ? It could be no other than that of giving us an example, the exercise of a virtue which is rooted in faith and of which the ripe fruit is Christian perfection. 2. The theological content of obedience to the law: We may exclude the idea of obedience to church law, to consider only that of obedience to civil laws. (a) It guarantees the common good: We are, of course, speaking of those law's which are just. They reflect in some way the w ill of God, both those which are an expres­ sion of the natural law and others which are applications of it to particular cases. (b) They are promulgated by those who exercise an author­ ity which they have received from God: i. to obey them, then, is to obey God’s will; ii. which does not imply that the legislator is the one who gives such laws their imperative force; his task is to declare the precept of the natural law in concrete cases. iii. but the obligatory nature of such laws comes from some­ thing anterior to the legislator—from the divine will, the reflexion of which in the human understanding is the natural law. (c) A guarantee of peace and social order—since the law is directed to the common good: i. law's which regulate the common good are reflexions of the order which God has traced out for the social life of man ; ii. to submit oneself to these laws, at some personal sacrifice perhaps, is to work for the common good of all society; iii. to obey the law is to work for the good of our brethren; and this is another of the ways by which we can reach perfection, not merely as individuals, but as member of society too. (d) To explain these principles to our people: There is too much laxity of conscience in this matter, even among sincere people, wrho in other matters show that they are seeking God earnestly. Laws are lightly broken which were laid down for the common good of all. 3. Some consequences: (a) The law is superior to and anterior to the legislator: i. it binds him as much as it binds the ordinary citizen; ii. it has such force that its basis in natural law can never be abolished; if legislation were brought in against that basis the w'hole of social order w'ould eventually be destroyed ; iii. not merely must the legislator take that natural law into consideration on drawing up his applications of it, but also he 34$ SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS must himself' give | sitive example by obeying it, if he wishes to demonstrate to his people the value of the juridical order as a whole. (b) The natural law is superior to positive precepts: i. from which it follows that, if the natural law is sufficiently known in a particular case, even though it has not been expressed in the form of positive precepts by the human legislator, it still has complete binding force in the consciences of the citizens. ii. the law of a just wage is an example of this; even though the State may not have laid down positive legislation concerning wages, leaving it as a matter for free contract between worker and employer, nevertheless the latter is bound in conscience to pay a just wage in accordance with the precepts of the natural law. Another example: a strike, to be just, must also conform to the natural law obligations, even though the State legislation may permit rather more freedom. iii. if any civil legislation disagrees with or is contrary to the natural law, it need not be obeyed; and there may be cases when positive disobedience obliges in conscience. iv. however, the injustice of the civil law must be obvious; if it is not, it should be obeyed. 4. The spirit of obedience in Christ: When the Christian obeys the law he imitates Christ and Mary ; and only then can the law obtain for society7 all the good that it pretends, namely, the common good in both natural and super­ natural orders. B: Hope, in parents I. A virtue of Christian parents: (a) References to the Holy Family fill the liturgy of the days after Christmas. (b) Today, the consideration of the figure of Simeon gives us occasion to talk about one of the virtues which should fill the minds and hearts of a Christian family—that of hope fulfilled. 2. Christian education: The hope of seeing Christ formed in our children ; this is the very purpose of Christian parents. From the moment when the children have been made sons of God by baptism, then the hope of the parents should be to see the figure of Christ appear every day more clearly in their children. That is what education means for a Christian —to procure by all possible means, gently and tactfully, with per­ severance and energy, the development of that Christ-like image planted in the soul of the child at baptism. 0 SERMON SCHEMES 249 3. Simeon's hope and that of parents: (a) There are similarities between the two : Both have to feed their hope by faith. i. faith sustains and guides Simeon during his many years of hope­ ful expectation. Even though there was nothing external to support that hope; even though the end of his life was approaching; even though there was no sign of it being fulfilled. ii. faith must sustain the parents in the fulfilment of their mission, in spite of all difficulties and obstacles, even though defects and sins may at times obscure the image of Christ in their children. (b) There are also differences: i. Simeon’s faith and hope were based on a revelation of the Holy Spirit—a special privilege. That of the parents is based on divine revelation in the Scriptures and the teaching of the Church. ii. Simeon’s hope does not demand any positive action from him over and above that of patience in waiting for God to confirm it. That of the parents does demand open and positive co­ operation on their part. Natural and divine law have confided this task to them, and they can count on the help of the Church, the mother of all Christians. But the main task is theirs. The Church wishes them to be reminded of this grave obligation. She is well aware of the fact that the growth of the mystical body depends to a very great extent on the co-operation of the Christian family. (c) An important consequence for our time: Parents should not leave the education of their children entirely to others. (d) God gave these children to them as a great treasure, and it will be demanded of them with interest: i. Yet nowadays the task of education is often confided to others outside the family circle. Too many parents rely on the fact that they have sent their children to a Catholic school, and think that is sufficient. There is no need for them to do any more. This is not the mind of the Church, important as our Catholic schools may be in the general plan of child education. ii. Not the least of the evils which follow from this neglect is a lack of family unity. How can parents feel satisfied at the end of their lives if they have done nothing whatever to develop the image of Christ in their children ? (c) This task implies sacrifice: i. to watch over the best interests of the children, protecting them in moments of crisis; ii. to correct defects and encourage virtues; iii. to give good example in all things, especially in religion; 25ο SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS iv. to accustom the child from early years to the most complete senice of God ; v. perhaps in order to lead him away from the path of sin or occasions of sin. 4. The most lofty of all missions confided to parents: (fi) A mission which makes them like our Lady and St Joseph, into whose care was confided the education of Jesus; (b) a mission in which they conceive their children once more, as it were, being I th parents in the natural sense and in the super­ natural; (c) one of the highest motives for happiness even here on earth; (d) like Simeon, they will one day be able to sing their Nunc dimittis with joy. They have fulfilled their mission of reproducing Christ in their children, and Christ will assist them, as he did St Joseph, on their death-beds. He will be there in their children, and he will come to receive their souls, crowning their parenthood for all eternity. Sunday between the Octave Day of Christmas and Epiphany THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Gospel: Luke 2. 21 Epistle: Acts 4. 8-12 Texts concerning the power of the Name of Jesus And she will bear a son, whom thou shalt call Jesus, for he is to save his people from their sins. Matt. 1. 21. There are many who will say to me, when that day comes, Master, was it not in thy name we prophesied ? Was it not in thy name that we performed many miracles ? Matt. 7. 22. You will be hated by all men because you bear my name. . . . Matt. 10. 22. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. Matt. 18. 20. Every man that has forsaken home or brothers ... or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive his reward a hundredfold, and obtain everlasting life. Matt. 19. 29. Why, if anyone gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, I promise you, he shall not miss his reward. Mark 9. 40. He who welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me. . . . Luke 9. 48. Believe me, you have only to make any request of the Father in my name, and he will grant it to you. John 16. 23. Cf. Acts 2. 21, 3· 6,4· 3°> 5· 4L 9· l6i Rom· 10.13. That is why God has raised him to such a height, given him that name which is greater than any other name; so that everything in heaven and on earth and under the earth must bend the knee before the name of Jesus. Phil. 2. 9-10. Have not your sins been forgiven in his name? 1 John 2. 12. Cf. Apoc. 22. 4. SECTION II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. LITURGICAL This is not a very old feast, going back to the sixteenth century and owing its origin to the Order of St Francis. In 1721 Innocent 251 1 * HI 252 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS XIII made it a feast of the universal Church. Since the Jewish custom was to impose a name on the child at his circumcision, these two feasts are really one and the same, which is the reason why the same Gospel is used at both. The choice of Phil. 2. ίο-n is also an obvious one, inspired almost certainly by Isaias 45. 23-24. Π. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES The Gospel: Luke 2. 21 1. They gave him the name . . . All commentators agree that this was a part of the ritual of circum­ cision, performed with the aid of at least ten witnesses. Once the ritual prayers had been said the name was imposed on the child; usually that of his father or inspired by some event in the family history, or referring to some spiritual or physical quality of the child. 2. Jesus: The etymology is vague and very uncertain, at least in so far as the history of the name is concerned. More important from our point of view is the fact that it was given to our Lord through the intervention of Gabriel, who also gave the reason for it. Many of the Jews already used this name, but without any particular significance, but in the case of Christ this meaning is given to us by the angel : He shall save his people from their sins. Jesus means Saviour. There is no other name by which we may be saved. SECTION III. A FATHER OF THE CHURCH ST BERNARD (He deals with the theme of the Name of Jesus many times, always in a profound fashion. We have chosen some of the para­ graphs from the Homily on the phrase Missus est. PL. 183, 76-77.) The name ofJesus: (a) Jesus, saviour of his people: Prudent λ irgin, understand, by the very name imposed on your son, the special grace you have received from on high : Thou shalt call his name Jesus. The angel interprets it: For he shall save his people from their sins. Of two others we read that they bore this name, and both of them were leaders of their people. One brought his people from Babylon and the other led his into the promised land. Undoubtedly, both of them defended their people, but did they free them from sin ? But our Jesus saves his people from their sins and introduces them into the land of the living. ST BERNARD (b) The name of Saviour: In one thing the angels and the Apostle agree when they talk about our Lord’s birth, namely, that he is given the name of Saviour. Gabriel, when speaking to Mary, as to one more fully instructed in divine things, merely indicates the name: You shall call his name Jesus. The angel, on appearing to Joseph, not merely pronounces the name but also gives the cause of it and interprets it when he says: For he shall save his people from their sins. To the shepherds a great joy is announced, Today is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. Thus St Paul also: Then the kindness of God, our Saviour, dawned on us, his great love for men (Tit. 3. 4). None of them keeps secret this sweet name, because it is most necessary for me. Otherwise what would I do on hearing that the Lord was coming ? Would I not flee from his presence as did Adam, even though he could not escape from it ? Would I not despair on hearing that the great Lord was coming, whose commandments I had broken, whose patience I have so sorely tried and whom I have paid with ingratitude for all his benefits ? In what else could I find greater consolation save in the name of my consoler ? He himself says that he has not come to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. Now I shall go to him with confidence, implore him, full of hope. What shall I fear when the Saviour it is who comes to my house ? Against him alone have I sinned. Everything will be forgiven when he pardons because truly he can do all things. If it is God who justifies, who shall dare to condemn us ? For who can accuse the chosen ones of God? (c) The imposition of the name Jesus: Thus, my Jesus does not bear this name uselessly, as did so many others. There is in him no mere shadow' of the greatness of his name, but the truth, since the Scriptures tell us that his name wras imposed from heaven. See the depth of meaning behind this; after his birth he was called Jesus by men, and he was called by this name by an angel before he wras conceived, because he is the Saviour of both angels and of men. Of men from the time of his incarnation; and of the angels from eternity.... With reason, then, when this child who was born to us was circumcised, he was called Saviour; because from that moment he began the work of our salvation, shedding for us that immaculate blood. There is now no need for Christians to ask why Christ was circumcised. It was for the same reason for which he was born and for which he suffered. 254 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS SECTION IV. A THEOLOGIAN I. ST THOMAS AQUINAS (Summan’ of the doctrine in 3P. q. 37. a. 2.) I. In general he points out that the name of anything should respond in some way to its main properties or to its definition. In the case of those names imposed by God on certain people, we notice that they always contain a reference to some gift of God which has been granted to them. Such was the case with the name Abraham, by which God implied that he would be the father of many nations. Also with Peter, the rock on whom the Church was built. The office of Christ was that of bringing grace to all men, by which they could attain salvation ; for which reason the name most proper and fitting for Christ is that of Jesus, which means Saviour. 2. All the other names of Christ given him by the prophets are, in some way or other, connected with this one. For example, Emmanuel, which means God with us, indicates the cause of our salvation in the union of the two natures in one person. When Isaias says that he shall be called Admirable, Counsellor, God the Mighty, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, he is describing the way of salvation and its ending. By his admirable counsel and divine power wre were brought to the inheritance of our Father in heaven, in which there will be perfect peace for the sons of God, under the Prince of Peace himself. 3. Others before him might have borne this name, but never with the universal significance it has in the case of Christ. It is proper to Christ and may thus be called truly a ncwr name (Isaias 62. 2). SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS I. ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA (One passage from his sermon on the feast of the Circumcision.) You are truth itself, Lord, and so you cannot deny your name. How can you bear the name Saviour unless you are prepared to save ? How could you be called merciful if you merely pronounce judge­ ment on those who call on you for mercy ? In God there is no deceit; you are what you are called. You are called Jesus. Then you are Jesus. Let the sinner approach Jesus, because for that very reason he is called Jesus, namely because he saves his people from their sins. If you are unclean it is he who wipes away sin and purifies souls. Why are you afraid? There is nothing harsh or bitter, no terrible sound in the name of Jesus; only sweetness and gentleness. Listen to the Spouse of the Canticles: Your name is like oil poured out. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 255 Do the wounds of your sins pain you ? The voice of your conscience torment you? Draw near, then. The oil has been poured out; receive it, anoint yourself with it and the plague will cease. As St Bernard says, oil illuminates, feeds and anoints. That is just what the name of Jesus does. It illuminates when it is preached; it feeds us when we meditate on it; it anoints us when it is invoked. But how is it poured out ? In the Old Law, when Moses asked God for his name, God replied : I am who am. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. O Lord, arc you by chance only God over men, and not the Lord of heaven and earth. Why do you limit your name to three men? It is too limited, Lord; too con­ fined in the narrow limits of the Jewish people. ... I beg of you, Lord, to pour out the oil, spreading it over all nations and peoples. But how shall it be so spread out unless the vessel be broken in which it is contained ? Listen to the mystery. Those stupid ones of the temple, the Scribes and Pharisees said : We shall put poison in his bread, we shall wipe him out from the land of the living so that there may no longer be even a memory of his name. Their stupidity wished to narrow his name still further. But if that is your object, why then do you break the vessel? Do you not know that, even though he is mortal, the oil is still inclosed in an immortal vessel. But once the mortal has put on immortality, then from his five wounds the oil will be poured out on the whole earth and over all nations. Π. LUIS DE LA PUENTE, S.J. (One section from his meditations which refers to the name of Jesus.) I will consider how the name of Jesus is the summary of all the great qualities in Christ, reducing them to three headings; since it is the summary of all those perfections which belong to him as God ; of those which he possesses as man ; and also of those offices which, as God and man, he performs on our behalf. If he is Jesus, therefore he is infinitely good, holy, wise, allpowerful, merciful, infinitely good to us, and with the goodness, wisdom, and holiness of God himself, because all these things are necessary if he is to live up to his name. Again, if he is Jesus, then he must be most humble, meek, patient, strong, modest, obedient and charitable; because he has to pour out on others all these virtues, and from his fullness others have to receive all the graces and virtues by which they will be saved. If he is Jesus, then he will be our Master, Doctor, Father, Shep­ herd, Judge, Protector and Advocate. So that in Jesus we have all things, and I can truly say to him: My Jesus and my all! If I am sick, you are my health ; if hungry, you are my food ; if poor, you are my riches; if weak, you are my strength. 25ό FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS The name of Jesus is the only means of obtaining pardon, of being heard when we pray and protected in times of danger.... He wishes me to hold it fast in my memory, to remind me of him; in my intellect, to think of him; in my will, to love him. Reverence this name always, because before it all things in heaven, on earth and even in hell bend the knee. m. BOSSUET (A scheme for one of his sermons on the feast of the Circumcision. The theme can be described briefly thus: the excellence of the Holy Name; the terrible contract Christ entered on when he took that name; the sentiments of the sinner who has been pardoned; the ingratitude of those who fall again into the same sins.) I. The terrible nature of the contract: The introduction is a hymn of praise to the Holy Name, which puts all those who have been set free at the feet of the Lord. But this name is also terrifying if we think of the obligations it laid on Christ, because the pardon for sins is not a mere abolition of them, but demanded bloody satisfaction for them. Therefore, on the very day he was called Jesus, he began to shed his blood. The circumcision is the beginning of a road which leads to Calvary. St Justin says: One only is wounded, and all are healed; the just one suffers dishonour and the sinner has his honour restored. The innocent one pays that which he does not owe, and the debtors are freed. For who is better able to cover our sins with the cloak of his justice ? Can there be any better expiation for the rebellion of the slave than the obedience of the son? The iniquity of the guilty is hidden in one sole just man; and the justice of that one makes all the rest just. 2. Sentiments of the pardoned sinner: One who is condemned to death, who does not now believe in his own life even, receives the royal pardon. For him the king is like a second father, who has given him his life, restoring him to the light of day. That is what happens to us when we arise from the tribunal of penance. At that moment we may well say with Isaias: The Lord has been merciful; you heavens, sing your praises; depths of the earth, rejoice; echo the song of praise, mountain and forest, and every forest tree; the Lord has ransomed Jacob, Israel shall make his boast in him (Isaias 44.23). This pardon should be the beginning of a new life. Whom did God love most; the one to whom he forgave little or the one to whom he forgave much ? (Luke 7. 42). But what ingratitude that of him who falls back into his old crimes'. The sinner secs himself separated from eternal damnation only by the span of this mortal life, which can be destroyed at a breath. The hand of God is armed against his iniquity; hell is open at his feet. Fearful spectacle! Full of terror, he runs to the sacrament t·; -Z 4 SPIRITUAL WRITERS 257 of penance and does not wait to be accused. He himself, before God, confesses his guilt. At once, at the invocation of the name of the Saviour, a name which calms winds and seas and tempests, a name which calms heaven and earth, peace descends on the trembling sinner. But on one condition; that he amends his disordered life and criminal affections. There he promises all things. Give me the law, he says to the Lord, and I will obey it. This is your history too, my brethren, unless your confessions have been bad ones. You have promised this; you have made Christ your surety. After that what will your sin be if, after that pact which was sealed with the blood of Christ for your reconciliation, despising those former terrors you felt and the mercy which has been poured out on you, you break that promise ? 3. Exhortation: To prepare ourselves to enter into that abounding joy, let us accustom ourselves to receive it when it descends from heaven into our hearts. We gave ourselves up to such foolish pleasures! Let us leave aside such things now in favour of that heavenly joy which does not allow itself to be mingled with other joys. Those of the world are the more enjoyable when they possess the spice of variety. This one is sober, severe and solitary. The slightest mixture tends to corrupt it. Do you wish to enjoy and find consolation in your riches ? Hear the Lord, then: Woe to you, rich, because you have received your reward. Do you wish Jesus to find you engulfed in those pleasures which now please you so much, when he comes to you at the end of your lives ? Instead, drink the cup of God’s joy. One drop of it will satisfy you for the moment, but it will grow within you until it becomes that ocean of joy and eternal happiness which I desire for you all. IV. BEDE JARRETT, O.P. (From Meditations for Layfolk—on the Name of Jesus.) i. It is astonishing to note the power that names have over us. At the time of a parliamentary election, it would seem as though the whole purpose of the rival candidates, by posting their names over all public places, was to hypnotize us into thinking all the more of them according to the frequency with which we meet their names when on our walks abroad—the more conspicuous the name the greater the success. Indeed, the very formation of the name may have its own consequences in the sense that there are certain names which by their very sound make an appeal. This is not a question of the names which are hallowed by venerable history or the exploits of past heroes, but the simple sound of the letters. Again, the modern science of advertisement which struggles to combine startling effects 258 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS with familiar phrases insists always on the importance of the name: it must be something that can easily be asked for. A novel will have its sale largely determined by the title with which it goes into life. Revolving lights are brought into requisition, brilliant colours, verses, anything that can stamp a name on the memory. Nor is this unreasonable, since to human fancy the name sums up the man. It awakens unconscious echoes ; at the mention of a name our imagina­ tion goes dreaming on, of faces, words, deeds, of long ago. In an age of abridgements, a name is the shortest abridgement of human life. There is something touching in the remark of Scripture that God knows each of us by name. It seems to make him more intimate with us, more familiar. 2. The use, therefore, of names is a custom of human nature. Now it is noticeable that all human customs have received from God consecration, so it is not to be wondered at that this custom should also receive from him its hallowing. This comes through that Name which is above all other names, since at its sound every knee in heaven and earth must bow. It towers above every other because it sums up in itself the human life of one who was unique. He shall be called Jesus, said the angel, for he shall save his people from their sins. That work was possible to One only, consequently, that one name takes on an importance that is supreme. It is itself the record of a tremendous event without equal in importance since the world began. The work was unique; then the name which was given to signify the work must also be unique. Throughout the Scripture there is continuously the idea that names signify the office given by God, both in the Old and in the New Testament. Here the holy Name Jesus does itself mean Saviour. At the sound of it, therefore, we catch the echoes of power, trust and mercy. It is like some quickly-drawn sketch that, with its bold strokes, suggests rather than defines a perfect picture. It brings the haunting memories of so many scenes, the calling of Matthew, the forgiveness of the Magdalene, the repentance of Peter, the chosen friendship of the Beloved Disciple, the wonders of the Death. About it, too, is the fragrance of the parables with their repeated tale of infinite compassion, and the miracles wrought as the fruit of that compassion. The sacred Name is, indeed, an epitome of the Gospels. 3. The Holy Name, therefore, echoed in Christ, the Anointed of God, has dominated history. By its sound we find that the first miracles were worked, and its power was put forward to the first persecutors by the first apostles. For it many were willing to lay down their lives. Even the crusading wars that seemed to be so hostile in their fierce­ ness to the meekness of Christ were defended and preached for the honour of it. The very beggar in the street begged for alms for the love of that sacred sound. To how many, too, in life, has it not come SERMON SCHEMES 259 as a spell to be repeated softly to themselves that the mere echo might ease them in the midst of their troubles, as the lover steels himself to labour in a foreign land or in some distant place by repeating the name of his beloved ? And in death’s approach it has brought a steadiness to the wayward fear that ebbs and flows in the souls of the dying. For so many of the martyrs it brought strength, for the confessors hope, for the virgins purity. In Catholic days in England, the prayer was familiar: Jesus, be to me a Jesus. Richard Rolle (died 1349) says of it: It shall be in thy ear joy, in thy mouth honey, in thy heart melody. Indeed, as we grow older we find that the simpler prayers are best. We get into the way of repeating prayers we have found to suit us, instead of venturing upon new fields or more complicated emotions. Thus the short ejaculation of the Holy Name supplies the place of all others; it is the shortest, the simplest, the best. In the busy hours of daylight let it be upon my lips as an unceasing prayer. SECTION VI. SERMON SCHEMES I. THE EPISTLE Two roads to glory Christ meriting glory 1. In today’s Epistle Christ is presented to us as meriting to be glorified by his Father. 2. The mistake made by the world is not that of seeking glory, but rather that of seeking it where it is not really to be found, or by false means. It is the world’s glory which is evil, not glory in itself. 3. Christ desired his ultimate glory; therefore it is a holy thing to desire it. Men usually run after it. The difference consists in seeing what glory it is they seek and by what means. The glory of this world i. Description: Putting myself above everything and everybody, to receive the applause and the obedience of all. (b) End: Dominion in the world’s empire, riches, fame, beauty. (c) Means: To climb up while trampling on others. In the case of great ambitions the means may be blood, destruction and misery; in minor matters, infidelity, intrigues. FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS 26ο 2. What do they actually attain? (a) The glory of this world is always mingled with bitterness: i. because it does not really satisfy the soul which is capable of infinite happiness; ii. because it can never escape envy, instability, suffering, sickness. (b) the glory of this world is brief: i. how many great men have known their isle of exile ? Hitler, Mussolini—to give but two examples from recent times. ii. even though it last a lifetime, what is that ? All flesh is grass and its glory like the flowers of the field (Is. 40. 6). (c) At the end : To have as one’s judge the one who rejected all this world’s glory and who pronounced his strongest threats against pride. The God of Bethlehem and the cross. The glory of Christ Origin: The love of the father. 1. 2. Means: Humility which is obedient even unto the death of the cross. End: The Father names him Lord of all, so that before him every knee shall bow. 3. Our glory, according to Christ Origin: The love of God and the love of myself, duly ordered; God first, and myself in and for God. 1. 2. Alenns: (a) Humility : Knowing who God is and who I am; seeking the last place, not the first, in this world; refusing worldly honours. (b) Obedience to the will of God, indicated to me: i. in the commandments; ii. through the Church; iii. through my superiors; iv. through the inspirations of grace. End: Eternal life to come. Honoured by the angels and saints; honoured by God himself. 3. SERMON SCHEMES 261 Π. THE GOSPEL A: Jesus, Saviour The name of Jesus 1. The Gospel is very brief, telling us all we need to know in very few words. We have it all in one word : Jesus. 2. The Messias is called Jesus, the glorious name, brought down from heaven to earth by an angel before he was born. 3. The Church honours the name Jesus more than she does that of God; at the name Jesus the head is bowed. St Augustine, while still a heretic, always had a great veneration for the name of Jesus. Because, Lord, this name, the name of my Saviour and your Son, I had, through your mercy, drunk in with my mother’s milk and preserved it in the depths of my heart. So much so that everything written without the use of this name, even though true, elegant and erudite, never succeeded in carrying me entirely away. Jesus is the Saviour The only Saviour : I bring you good news of a great rejoicing for the whole people. This day, in the city of David, a Saviour has been born for you (Luke 2. 11). The one Saviour, therefore the only one wrho merits this name. The Saviour of all men; saviour from all evils; definitive, because his salvation will last for ever. A saviour is one who delivers us from some evil or wrho shelters us from some danger. 1. 2. Saviour of all men: (a) Other saviours in history have belonged to one group or nation: At times their salvation has cost the lives of some other group or nation. (b) The notion of saviour among the Jews: i. they hoped for a saviour of the race, one who would free them at the expense of dominion over other nations of the earth. ii. they could not comprehend the idea of universal salvation, one in which Jew and Gentile would be on equal terms; they could not follow St Paul, who saw this so clearly, as he shows in his Epistle to the Ephesians. (c) Jesus, universal saviour: We have only to follow St Paul in his writings to see how clearly he understood the ideals of Christ in this respect. IO 1 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS 202 i. he outlines for the Ephesians the two camps which existed before the coming of Christ, dividing the world into Jew and Gentile. ii. a wall divided the two, but Christ threw it down, bringing the two into one. The desire of God is the salvation of all men. iii. Jesus is the Saviour. Paul shouts it in his typical fashion: No more Jew or Gentile, no more slave and freeman, no more male and female; you are all one person in Jesus Christ. And if you belong to Christ, then you are indeed Abraham’s children; the promised inheritance is yours (Gal. 3. 2S-29). 3. He saved us from all evils: (a) Death: All the evils of the sons of men since Adam can be reduced to one, of which they are the cause or origin—death. i. Because all the evils which attack man are a partial death, be they in the form of ignorance, loss of liberty, sorrow' of all kinds, bodily or spiritual—they are a form of death and a symbol of its coming. ii. He alone who triumphs over death merits the name of Saviour. ■ (b) The double victory: Jesus, our Saviour, obtains a double victory, because he overcomes sin on the cross, but he also wins the victory over death by his glorious resurrection. i. the victory over sin has produced its full effects in all holy souls who have drawn near to the cross and have washed them­ selves in the blood of Christ. ii. the victory over death has only been complete so far in Christ and his Blessed Mother. iii. in the case of the rest of men death has not yet been entirely robbed of its prey. Their bodies still lie in the tomb. 4. He saved us once and for all: There is no need for another Saviour ; even death will be overcome —we have the pledge of that in his own glorious resurrection, as St Paul points out. That day will come, and then the victory will be complete. But there is no need for us to fear, because it has already been won. It is up to us to destroy sin in our lives—the only thing which can make that resurrection a painful one for us. B: The name of Jesus Its beauty: Is there any need to mention this, seeing that Christ bore this name ? Many names are loved only because of respect or affection for the persons who bear them, but this name is lovable from every I. SERMON SCHEMES 263 aspect, the same if we consider the one who gave it to our Lord or if we dwell on its significance. 2. Who imposed it on Christ? God himself through the ministry of an angel. No wonder it is proper to Christ. 3. The characteristics of this name: What motivated this name was its meaning. (a) God was out of man’s reach and his name ineffable before he decided to come among us. Then he sent an angel before him to announce to us that his name was Saviour; thus providing against any fear we might have at his coming. (b) And God, who in former times had used many names, due to his greatness and incomprehensibility, finally chooses one name which sums up all the others. If he was omnipotent, this work of redemption is no less that of his omnipotence; the Just One, the height of whose justice was salvation; if he was the Supreme Being, he comes now to restore being and life to his creatures. (c) And among them all this is the name proper to God, because: i. all the other names given to him as man could have been used by others in some partial measure at least; but this one is proper to him, can only be applied to him, is only true in his case, because in him is all salvation; ii. because it implies the essential element of his mission; iii. Christ came only to save us; iv. in his life there is nothing which does not turn on this salvation. 4. Consequences: (a) Love the name of Jesus: He chose it out of love for us and our salvation; there is no better coin in which we can pay our gratitude. (b) Draw near to him : Because he is the ointment for all our wounds; he is the one who knows best how to console us and have pity on us in all our sorrows. (c) Obey him : He is the Saviour because he has come to save his people; but we must make sure that we are his people. C: Jesus, saviour of nations i. A total saviour: Not only in the supernatural order, but also the saviour of all human values in so far as they are the work of God, ruined by man 204 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS and his vices. He is, therefore, the saviour of all peoples even in the realm of their social well-being. 2. The egoism of the world: (a) It is the real cause of all its ills. While the physical world is a co-ordination of ordered forces, obeying certain laws, the moral world is broken up into pieces—and by egoism. The philosopher and the artist work, not to entertain or to teach, but to shine above others and to earn money. The official works in order to live, when he does not use his position to grant favours for money or for other gains. The employer seeks his gain over and above the rights of the artisan, while the latter often works less than he should, without thought for the common good. Many strikes and other social injustices have their roots in egoism, not in desire for the common good of all. (b) This has always been the reason for the upheavals in the world, due to a materialistic attitude which motivates everything. 3. True salvation: (a) No philosophy can bring that about, because they all lack strength and the motives which will secure self-sacrifice for the common good. (b) Only Christ, with his doctrine and example, can save the world from egoism. The knowledge of Christ brings with it a love which overcomes egoism. i. see the early Christians putting all their possessions into a common pool from charitable motives ; ii. the collections made by St Paul for the poor; iii. see St Lawrence, presenting the innumerable poor he sus­ tains, in the midst of a persecuted Church, without adequate means. iv. in all ages see those millions of souls who have left everything in order to look after the poor and the little ones, the sick and dying. v. see a Xavier and a John of the Cross—the effects of the knowledge and love of Christ. (c) Love alone : i. because to overcome egoism something more than cold doctrine is necessary; and Christ has brought to us the warning impulse of a doctrine fired by love. ii. man will be saved if he loves God and sees God in his brethren. iii. man’s perfection begins when he sees God only, denies himself and identifies himself with God. (d) Denial of self: i. not something merely negative} it implies an uprooting of every tendency which shows signs of anti-social egoism, of lack of true religious feeling, in order to unite ourselves with Christ. SERMON SCHEMES 265 ii. union with Christ is brought about by love; God is love and to unite oneself with him implies love in all its forms. The love of Christ led him to renounce even his life for love; our love for him should lead us to deny ourselves for the same motives, taking up our cross and following him. 4. Kingdom ofjustice, peace and love: (a) The salvation of the nations implies learning from Christ the lesson of renunciation of self and self-interests, in favour of a common good. (b) Then only will nations and social classes live in peace, because they will have recognized and accepted the kingdom of justice, peace and love. (c) Peace, justice and love will bring their fruits, and God will add to them other earthly goods in addition. D : Jesus, saviour of all races 1. The present struggle between peoples and races: We live in times when social class distinction has driven some men to think themselves superior to the rest, and even to go to the ex­ treme of trying to exterminate whole races, through this idea. We have also seen philosophical theories which imply the superiority of one race over another. 2. This is not a new problem: (a) The Roman thought that he was the one chosen to rule the whole world; (b) the Jew still feels himself to be separated from the Gentiles; (c) in pagan countries the division of caste has been motivated by religion. (d) Even in the Church there were moments when heresy tried to divide the Church into sects; those who were fit for salvation and those who were not; the perfect and sinners, a type of Calvinism and Jansenism. (e) In more recent times we have seen the segregation problem arise; the black race inferior to the Avhite, at least to the extent that the two should not mix, even in church and school. 3. The true solution: (a) Christ died for all: That is why the Church condemned and still condemns those who preach the false doctrines we have mentioned. Christ died for all, and before him we all have equal rights. (b) The problem in the time of St Paul: It is Paul who gives us the true doctrine, conscious as he was of this terrible division of the world into sectors. i 266 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS (c) To combat this he taught the true doctrine clearly and with no hesitation (Eph. 2. 11-22): i. there is no such thing now as guests or foreigners, we are all fellow-citizens of the kingdom of God, with Christ as the corner stone. ii. Christ destroyed the wall which had sprung up between the Jews and the Gentiles, bringing both into the one unity of his Church, without distinction of race or class. There is now no Jew or Gentile, no slave or freeman, no male or female ... all one in Christ. iii. on the Cross he put an end to all enmity, all division, re­ conciling one with another in his death for all. iv. we are now one body in Christ, we can all approach the Father in the same Spirit. v. Christ has restored the true unity of man with man, and men with God. 4. We form one people with one shepherd: To any nation or race which tends to think that it is superior to others we may well show the cross of Christ, pointing out that we have been bought for a great price, but a price which was paid equallv for all. The small and accidental differences of race or colour can be overcome by the infinitely greater value of grace and the spirit which dwells in us all. In all places we offer the same sacrifice, through the same mediator, Christ Jesus. Ε: The new Adam—our Saviour 1. The image of the new Adam, common among the Fathers and the one which St Paul uses so many times. It is a complete image, because it sums up the dogma for us; a fertile image, because of the practical applications which come from it. 2. Complete image: St Paul in Rom. 5. 12 ff. and 1 Cor. 15. 14 gives us the doctrine: (a) The work of Adam and Christ: i. a sad contrast between them, through Adam sin entered into this world and by sin, death. The work of Christ must be the contrary. By sin death came? Then by justice must come life. The justice of Christ will be that supernatural life which is followed up by the resurrection of the body. ii. but the comparison is not exact, because the gift has been greater than the offence, the work of Christ greater than the sin of Adam. The grace of Christ has wiped out, not merely the sin of Adam, but also many more (personal sins) ; and also the graces given by Christ after the fall are more numerous than those given before. SERMON SCHEMES 267 (b) Conditions necessary for this work: Solidarity; this is the main thing for Paul. We are one with Adam in his sin; we are one with Christ in his redemption. There is one difference, to Adam’s sin we have added our own personal sins, while the redemption of Christ is his and his alone. (c) The means: The pride of Adam drove him to disobedience; the obedience of Christ led him to death, even to the death on the cross. Adam, by his disobedience, led us all into a state of sin; Christ, by his com­ plete obedience, justified us. (d) Our incorporation into Christ: i. it is the image of the heavenly Father in Christ which we carry within us. ii. the solidarity on both sides is evident. We are sons of Adam and we carry within us his earthly and mortal image; but we also have within us the image of that Adam who came down from heaven for us, and who united us with him in the image of his sonship. We are his sons, in so far as he is God, and his brothers as man. iii. Adam gave us birth, giving us at the same time the conditions of life which were his; so did Christ. Grace is the gift of divine life, and it comes to us through Christ; he is our head, as Adam was, but his title is the greater, because of the gifts he brings with him. iv. The theology of the new Adam is clear. Generation unto death that of the first Adam; unto life eternal and resurrection that of the second Adam. One earthly, the other heavenly. 3. From the image to the reality: (a) If we are united to Adam by imitation of his sin, we should also be united to Christ and receive his grace. (b) Incorporated into Christ, receive the grace of Christ, live in and for Christ. F : The victory of love 1. The triumph of hate: The supernatural history of the world is one of a struggle between hate and love, unfolded in three scenes; the first is that of Satan, hate; the second that of Christ, love; the third, our own. The triumph of hate took place in Paradise; the field was won by Satan— but was it to be so for ever ? 2. The triumph of love: (a) No one can triumph over omnipotent love: The world was his enemy and yet he came, not to judge it, but to save it. That is the task of his love, and from that love he took his name. 268 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS (b) Power and remedy: Two things were necessary for his triumph, power and a remedy given to man for his evils. So tar as power was concerned, Christ could count on his divine nature, which gave him infinite efficacy. For the remedy he relied on his human nature w hich would suffer and die. To become a powerful remedy God became man. To save what was material he took it to himself, and so became the centre of all that was created. 3- Complete triumph: His victors' against hate was complete because he repaired all evils : (a) Sin: i. by forgiving it and paying the debt for it ; ii. helping us not to sin again by his grace; iii. taking us to heaven with him, where we shall be incapable of sin. (b) The consequences of sin : i. the subjection of Satan, which need no longer make us afraid; ii. death—through his resurrection this has no fears for us either; iii. weakness, which he overcomes by his grace and example. (c) But he was the salvation of all, without exception or differences. (d) It was a complete triumph: He won his battle on the ver}' field where Satan had triumphed and by the same means. (e) Because it was super-abundant ; where sin abounded grace did more abound (Rom. 5. 20): Because our redemption has been more profound and more widespread, since grace has not merely redeemed man, but dignified the whole of created nature, which bends its knee before Christ. (f) Because it was so lovable: i. the Conqueror presents himself to us in the form of a child. Is there anyone who can be afraid of him thus ? ii. he did it peacefully, bringing about the union of all men between themselves and with God, with himself as the corner stone of the building. 4. Our triumph : (a) The third stage in the fight: If we associate ourselves with Christ, it will be the second sta^e in the victory. 0 SERMON SCHEMES 269 i. we must not despise mercy. It would be extraordinary to have to begin to speak once again of God’s anger, after the redemption; yet it could be so, in spite of the greatness of his mercy. We should ask ourselves why it is that we appreciate this mercy so little ? ii. we have to help in the work of our salvation. But it may help us to understand that our service done to God calls for new mercies on his part; what he demands from us is that we help in the task of our own salvation. He would be a fool indeed who denied that help, when God has already done so much and when it means so much to us in terms of happiness. (b) We must unite ourselves to Christ: i. he is the salvation for all ; in him is salvation for all, and all is salvation. He did not come to judge, but to save. Our pride will find in him humility; our sensuality, his crown of thorns,... and our soul its grace. ii. ascetical means can unite us to him ; but they are means to this end, nothing else, and we should use them as such. iii. let us live crucified to the things of this world, united to him who is still a living sacrifice for us. Christ has conquered, so that he may also win the victory in us and with us. G: Our use of our salvation The means of victory Christ, victor over sin, death and Satan. Let us see how he won this victor}7 and how we may benefit most by it. Its causes: (a) principal cause, the will of the Father, who loved the world so much that he gave us his only Son; (b) Christ, who desired to obey the Father and to save us; (c) God, who knows how to use to the full even the crimes of men, used the envy of the Jews as an occasional cause of salvation for all men. 1. 2. The method: Christ, in the act of our glorious salvation must have: (a) Wiped away sin: Both the guilt and the punishment of it, restoring us to the super­ natural order. By his merits he satisfied the Father for our sins, returning grace to us. (b) Freed us from the captivity of Satan and sin: This satisfaction took on a special character. i. by this he paid our debts for us ; and he who could have been a Saviour only, became also a Redeemer in every sense of the word. IO* '1 27o FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS ii. I know now, Lord, not what I am worth, but what you have chosen to pay for me—I have indeed been bought with a great price (i Cor. 6. 20); and therefore I will try hard to maintain the presence of God within me. iii. I know also from what you have rescued me, from an enemy who seeks nothing but evil for me, from sin and from eternal punishment. 3. This payment and rescue were more than su fident: Christ paid all that was owing—and more; simply because he did pay more he has won for us more grace than was lost in our sins. May I learn to appreciate his generosity. Application of this victory 1. Christ has saved us. He has done his part. But salvation implies various elements, the first phase of which is the rescue and the pay­ ment of the debt; the second consists in our justification through grace received. 2. This second phase is conditioned on our approaching Christ and being united with him. This needs our good will. Shall we allow the passion and the salvation of the Lord to be in vain in our case ? 3. Many people need someone to lead them to Christ. Is it I they are waiting for ? Will I not help them, if only by prayer ? First Sunday after Epiphany THE HOLY FAMILY SECTION I. SCRIPTURE TEXTS Epistle: Colossians 3. 12-17 Gospel: Luke 2. 42-52 Texts concerning the family (These should be taken together with those given on the second Sunday after Epiphany, dealing with marriage, and also with those of the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost on the education of children.) The husband: A blessing on that fountain of thine! Take thy pleasure with the bride thy manhood wins for thee. Thy own bride, gentle as a hind, graceful as a doe; be it her bosom that steals away thy senses with the delight of a lover that loves still. What, my son, wouldst thou yield to the wiles of a stranger, dally with her embraces that is none of thine ? Prov. 5. 18-20. A good wife found is treasure found ; the Lord is filling thy cup with happiness. Prov. 18. 22. Live at ease with the wife that is thy heart’s love, long as this uncertain life is granted thee; fugitive days here, beneath the sun. Eccles. 9. 9. And thy own wife, if thou lovest her, never do thou forsake, nor trust thy happiness to one who is little to thy mind. Ecclus. i. Never shew thyself a jealous husband to the wife thou lovest; it may prove thou hast taught her, to thy cost, a ruinous lesson. Never give thy soul into a woman’s power, and let her command the fortress of it, to thy shame. Never turn to look at the wanton, that would catch thee in her snare, nor spend thy attention upon some dancing woman, that has power to be thy undoing; nor let thy eyes linger on a maid unwed, whose very beauty may take thee unawares. And for harlots, let nothing tempt thee to give way to them, as life and patrimony thou boldest dear; look not around thee in the city streets, nor haunt the alley-ways. From a woman bravely decked out turn away; have no eyes for her beauty that is none of thine. Woman’s beauty has been the ruin of many ere now, a spark to light the flame of lust. ... Sit down never with a wedded wife, nor lean thy elbow upon table of hers, nor bandy words with her over the wine; steal she thy heart away, thy life is forfeit. Ecclus. 9. 1-13. [I 272 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 2. Harmony: Three sights warm my heart; God and man wish them well; peace in the clan, good will among neighbours, man and wife well matched. ... Happiness it is to share thy home with a faithful wife. Ecclus. 25. ι-ii. Cf. 26. i. And the reason of it? Because the Lord bears witness to her wrongs, that wife of thy manhood’s age, whom now thou spurnest, thy partner, thy covenanted bride! Mai. 2. 14. And you, husbands, treat your wives lovingly, do not grow harsh with them. Col. 3.19. 3. Husband head of the family: And here is something you must know. The head to which a wife is united is her husband, just as the head to which every man is united is Christ; so, too, the head to which Christ is united is God. ... A man has no need to veil his head ; he is God’s image, the pride of his creation, whereas the woman is the pride of her husband. The woman takes her origin from the man, not the man from the woman; and indeed, it was not man that was created for woman’s sake, but woman for man’s. 1 Cor. 11.3-11. 4. Wife: (a) Praise of the strong woman : Cf. Prov. 31. 10-31. (b) The virtuous woman : Crowned is his brow, who wins a vigorous wife ; sooner let thy bones rot than marry one who shames thee. Prov. 12. 4. Cf. 11. 16. Thou hast a good wife, a thrifty woman that has thrown in her lot, in the fear of the Lord, with thine ; do not leave her ; that modesty of hers is a grace gold cannot buy. Ecclus. 7. 21. A wife industrious is the joy of her husband, and crowns all his years with peace. He best thrives that best wives... . But there is no affliction wrings the heart like a woman’s jealousy; once a woman grows jealous, her tongue is a scourge to all alike. Easier to guide an unsteadv team of oxen than an ill woman ; easier to hold a snake than to manage her. Woman that is a sot, vexation shall bring thee, and great dishonour; there is no hiding her shame. Haughty gaze and lowered eye-lid, there goes a wanton.... Great content an industrious wife brings to her husband ; health to even' bone of his body is that good sense of hers. No better gift of God to man than a prudent woman that can hold her tongue; a soul well disciplined is beyond all price. Grace so gracious is none as woman’s faithfulness and woman’s modesty; woman’s continence there is no valuing. Sun dawning in heaven cannot match the lustre a good wife sheds on her home, and that beauty lasts into ripe age, like the glow of lights on the holy lamp-stand. Firm as golden pillar in silver socket rest the feet of steadfast woman on the ground she treads. Ecclus. 26. 2-23. > -Λ * ____ _ Λ GENERAL COMMENTS 273 5. Children: Obedience and honour of parents: As thou wouldst have joy of thy own children, as thou wouldst be heard when thou fullest to praying, honour thy father still. A father honoured is long life won; a father well obeyed is a mother’s heart comforted. None that fears the Lord but honours the parents who gave him life, slave to master owes no greater service.... What is the buttress of a man’s house ? A father’s blessing. What tears up the foundation of it? A mother’s curse. Ecclus. 3. 6-11. Cf. ibid. vv. 2-5, 13-21; i Pet. 5. 5. SECTION II. GENERAL COMMENTS I. LITURGICAL The Feast of the Holy Family falls on the first Sunday after Epiphany, but because of the modern tendency to eliminate Feasts which coincide with the Sunday Masses, we shall comment on both in this section. I. The Feast of the Holy Family: Of recent origin, being instituted by Leo XIII at the end of the last century (1892), and celebrated on the third Sunday after Epiphany. It disappeared in the reforms of Pius X, and Benedict XV reinstated it on the first Sunday after Epiphany. Now the Mass of the Feast has overshadowed the Sunday completely, leaving only a commemoration. The last words of the Gospel sum up the teaching, 1. e. He was subject to them. This is all we know of the infancy of Jesus and of his life up to the time of his public preaching, with the single exception of the scene in the Temple. The Feast serves as a motive for preaching on the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, together with many applications to family life, as Leo XIII pointed out in the Brief Neminem fugit, on the occasion of its institution. Like all other liturgical feasts, it is also the occasion of many graces, so that what we commemorate may also be effective in our daily lives. The prayer of the Mass indicates this, with its pleas for grace to imitate the example of the Holy Family. 2. The first Sunday after Epiphany: The Gospel is the same, but with a special aspect more closely related to the Epiphany. The scene in the Temple is a new manifesta­ tion of Christ and his mission. We should make use of this passage to teach the faithful the mission which God has entrusted to them, because all, as members of the Mystical Body, have a special mission to accomplish. To that they must dedicate themselves: Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business ? Allowing nothing to distract them from it, whether it be flesh or blood. St Ignatius I FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 274 has a classic meditation on this scene as a preparation for the choice of a state of life. The Collect stresses this point: Receive with mercy, O Lord, the prayers of thy suppliant people, that they may see what they have to do and be strengthened to do that which they have seen. The Introit of this Mass merits comment—Quam dilecta taber­ nacula tua—because it is the same as that for the Dedication of a Church. The home is a temple. Π. EXEGETIC AND MORAL NOTES A: The Epistle: Colossians 3. 12-17 I. Occasion: The Church, in her choice of the Epistle for the Feast of the Holy Family, has preferred these verses 12-17 rather than those which follow, in which the duties of parents and children are explained in detail. There is a reason for this, namely the fact that the principle is more important than its applications. These verses explain the virtues which should exist in those who make up the Christian family. But if they are appropriate for the feast, they are no less useful as a commentar)' on the whole spirit of this liturgical season of Advent and Christmas. Advent began with the idea of putting on Christ; today we are also reminded of this: The livery you wear must be tender compassion ... the Lord’s generosity to you must be the model of yours. It is a synthesis of the virtues which should surround charity, and which make us live in union with Christ. When the liturgical year ends and we are confronted with our Judge, we must wear the liver,' of Christ, charin', with all its attendant virtues of zeal, patience, kindness. J ' J ' 2. Argument: The general argument of the Epistle is that all should have Christ for its centre. In him we have risen again and with him we, too, must live, far from the abominations of the Gentiles, stripped of vice, putting on the new man and ever growing in perfection. There­ fore, having explained the vices which must be uprooted, Paul goes on to describe the virtues which must take their place. 3. Texts: (a) God’s chosen people, holy and well beloved : He who really understands this will also know how best to cor­ respond, especially by love, kindness and mercy, putting up with one another’s faults, because Christ has forgiven us all. (b) and to crown all this, charity . . . Because it is the bond of perfection, i.e. the element which alone perfects all the other virtues and in which perfection itself consists. GENERAL COMMENTS 275 Where rhere is love, then there is no sacrifice which appears too difficult. Where there is no love, then sacrifices will be nothing more than passing acts of philanthropy or even of self-love. The moral virtues, motivated by charity, reach their highest peak of perfection. If charity does not motivate them in some way or another, then they are not meritorious, because they are not per­ formed in a state of grace, which co-exists with charity. Everything, in the order of perfection, depends on charity. St Thomas gives us the reason for this, namely, because it is charity which unites our will to that of God in the most perfect fashion. From charity all the other virtues are derived and take their true strength, like conclusions which come from first principles. All other precepts and counsels tend towards charity; the precepts because they remove all that is contrary to charity; the counsels because they remove anything which could make charity difficult in certain circumstances. Charity is the end in view; all other things are means to that end. Therefore there are no limits to the extent of charity; but there are limits in the other virtues. (c) so may the peace of Christ. . . reign in your hearts: We have already dealt with this theme on other occasions ; peace implies order—the right order of man to God and of man to himself and his brethren. The Greek word which is translated into English as reign, really applies to the mission of the leader of the athletic games, whose task it was to order them and to distribute the prizes to the winners. The idea is obvious, as applied to the Christian life. (d) Learn, too, to be grateful: If this refers to gratitude for benefits received, then the conse­ quence is expressed in verse 17, receiving the word of the Lord and communicating it to others. If the meaning is that which Cornelius à Lapide gives, namely, be kind and amiable, then St Paul is con­ tinuing the list of the social virtues. (e) the word of Christ. . . This verse probably refers to the charismata and their uses. The derived sense is that of the use of our gifts for others. Even though the charisms have long since disappeared, the second derivative sense of the verse remains as powerful as it was in St Paul’s day. The Holy Spirit still animates our spiritual lives and, through them, influences the lives of others in the social sphere. The important thing is this union of all in the mystical body of Christ, each one doing his task in that body. (f) Whatever you are about, in word and action alike . . . Everything can be put on a supernatural plane and made a source of merit provided it be done in the name of Christ. The thanks we should offer to God is merely a consequence of this, it is the dominant 276 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY thought of the Old Testament. It is also the thought of the Church, which has given the name of Eucharist to the greatest of the Sacraments. B: The Gospel: Luke 2. 42-52 I. The celebration of the feast: The Jews celebrated three principal feasts, that of the Pasch, the Pentecost feast and that of Tabernacles, which was also called the feast of pilgrims because of the obligation on all males over thirteen years of age to attend. Josephus calculates the numbers who assisted at this feast each year as three million; and even though we may admit that this is an exaggeration, still the numbers must have been very great, enough to flood Jerusalem with strangers. The Paschal feast was celebrated in the month called Nisan— between the middle of March and middle of April. This feast was intimately connected with that of the unleavened bread which followed immediately after it. On the evening of the fourteenth of the Month Nisan the victims were sacrificed by the head of the family in the Temple, the blood was given to the priests, with part of the intestines, and the rest was returned to the family, roasted and eaten at the paschal banquet, which generally began at sunset and continued until early morning. No less than ten persons sat down at each table and no more than twenty’ (Ricciotti, Life of Christ). 2. The journey to and the stay in Jerusalem: The pilgrims used to sing hymns and psalms on the way, the rather monotonous melody rising and falling as the caravan made its way along the dusty roads. It was to one of these long caravans that Jesus and his parents attached themselves, when the Child was twelve years of age. At such an age the Eastern youth is as well developed as a European of twenty—and we must not forget that Jesus was, in any case, no ordinary youth, but a religious genius, to say the least of it. He observed everything with the penetrating eye of one who looked, not merely at exteriors, but penetrated into the very’ heart of the mysteries of divine providence, clothed in the garb of symbolism. The Temple! What it must have meant to Christ! The court of the Gentiles was, to him, not merely the place where the victims were bought and sold, but also the symbol of the fact that all nations were called to adore the true God, creator of heaven and earth. The altar of sacrifice and the blood which flowed from it without ceasing, day after day, served to remind him—if he needed to be reminded—of sinful nature, together with the fact that man was unable to redeem himself. Thousands of lambs were sacrificed there on the Paschal feast; time and again the space surrounding the altar would be filled with people and then emptied, to make way for more. GENERAL COMMENTS 277 These sacrifices were only a symbol of that true sacrifice which was to be offered; and he would be at one and the same time priest and victim. The light was reflected from the white walls of the Temple and from the gold which adorned it. There, in the Holy of Holies, God dwelt! God, his Father. How often he must have repeated the ‘Now I come’—he who was to give his life in sacrifice, to take the place of the bloody sacrifices of the Temple. In return his Father allowed him to leave his retreat in Nazareth for three days—just as he would allow him to stay three days in the tomb after his death. 3. The journey back—and the loss ofJesus: Even though the Law did not oblige the pilgrims to stay for the whole period of eight days in the Holy City, most of them did so, for many reasons. The journey was hard on them all, especially on the women, who needed this period of rest. Therefore, after the eight days of the feast, spent mostly in the Temple, praying and listening to the teachers of the law, the caravan made preparations for the return to Galilee. The general confusion which reigned in the whole city explains, without need of any other cause, the fact that families were often separated. The roads were blocked by the pilgrims trying to get back to their homes, and it would not be possible to obtain any order in the caravans until they had been some days on the journey home. The Easterns have their methods of dealing with this type of situation. Beforehand they would arrange a place of meeting after the first day’s journey—usually a short stage in the return home, since they did not leave until midday. If anything was forgotten, or someone came late or if someone lost his group on the way out of the city, this plan provided a simple solution. Mary and Joseph joined one of these caravans for the return to their home town. Like them, Jesus heard the proclamation of the time of departure, the place of meeting and the first stop on the road home. An adolescent of twelve years of age was allowed a certain liberty, since the following year he would come of age and have to fend for himself. It was not until the first stage of the journey, in the evening, that Mary and Joseph became aware of the fact that Jesus was not with the caravan, but this would take them some time, since they would have to go through all the various groups of pil­ grims, and possibly it was not until the next morning that they were fully aware of the situation. 4. The return to Jerusalem and the finding of Jesus in the Temple: At the very least it would have cost them half a day’s journey— and it was on the third day that they found him in the Temple. Mary allows her mother’s heart full rein. At first she had imagined 278 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY that Jesus had been lost; but now she is aware of the fact that he had remained of his own free will. Had he abandoned his parents? Her words are a reflection of this thought. Son, why hast thou done so to us? Our Lord’s reply is rather more difficult to explain. Some have tried to explain it by making his reply refer to the second part of Man’s reproach, giving his words this meaning: Why did you seek me elsewhere? You might have known that I would be in my Father’s house. Others refer to the gestures which must have accompanied this reply, while others insist on the fact that Jesus was determined to shew that he was independent of any bonds of the flesh, family ties, which might have held him back from the task his Father had entrusted to him. Perhaps this is the real explanation. Man speaks of human relationships, while Christ is talking of the eternal generation of Father and Son. Notice how Mary puts St Joseph first—Your father and I have sought thee.... Could there be any better testimony to the holiness of St Joseph ? I must be about my Father’s business. What a programme for the priestly life ’. No ties, except that of the Father ! He was subject to them. It is hard to determine which is most to be admired, the obedience of the Son of God or the sublime dignity of his Mother. There is a lesson here for all of us. Learn to obey, 0 proud dust; when you seek to command, you are trying to be more than God himself and you do not understand God ! (St Thomas of Villanova). The child grew in wisdom, age and grace. In age, yes, in experi­ mental knowledge also, but he could not grow in grace, who was the author of grace. It is the manifestation of that grace which is men­ tioned here. Little by little Christ would reveal himself to men. SECTION III. THE FATHERS I. ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (In his Homily 20 on the Epistle to the Ephesians he comments at length on the family obligations of parents and children ; but since we shall deal with marriage next Sunday, we may limit our summan' here to what he has to say about children. The ideas are completed with one or two passages from Hom. 21 and 22. PG. 62, 149 if.) I. Obligations of children towards their parents : After pointing out that the command given in Ephesians 6. 1 is the only one which has assigned to it a specific reward in the Scrip­ tures, he goes on to point out honour and reverence for parents as the simple road to virtue. Honour and reverence given to parents constitute the very basis of the road to virtue . . . because, first of all, after God, parents are THE FATHERS 279 I LA the authors of our being. We have to honour them and reverence them above all other men and women, giving them our first care and affection. It is useless to expect him to be good and just with strangers who docs not respect those who gave him his being. 2. Obligations ofparents towards their children: He follows this up by a commentary on v. 4. He does not insist on parental love for the children, because that is natural; but he does warn them not to anger their children by treating them as if they were servants. The most important thing is to teach them their faith, because in the light of that knowledge alone will they become truly obedient, both to their parents and to God. Do not say to me: Am I, then, bringing up a monk? That is not necessary, although perhaps you would gain much indeed were it to be so. But monk or no, you must make him a Christian, for the teaching of our law is most necessary, especially for those who live in the world and for children. Because of their tender age they are ignorant of so many things, and yet they are liable to fill their minds with secular literature, in which they are taught to admire the vices of the ancient heroes. . . . Educate them in the discipline and knowledge of the Lord, giving them example and teaching them the Sacred letters from their tender youth. I know that I am wasting my time repeating this so many times, but it is my obligation. You, mothers, imitate the example of that holy woman, Anna, who offered her son to God and merited a blessing on her marriage (1 Kings 1. 23-28). Men might well be ashamed at the fact that, in this science, women have the advantage over them. The artist who paints the royal portraits usually receives a generous reward. When parents paint this image of God, which is the soul of their child, what reward will they not receive ? Make sure that your children are clothed in virtue, rather than in silks. If, nowadays, we are not accustomed to receive into the order of the Episcopate one who does not know how to educate his own children, how do you expect to be admitted into heaven ? What, then ? you say to me. Am I to be held to account for the virtue of my wife and children? Of course you are! Your own virtue alone will not be sufficient to save you. There was a man to whom one talent was given, and because he did not trade with it he was condemned. Of much more value than that talent are your wife and children. 3. Education of children—a religious vocation: Anna, Samuel’s mother, took her son to the Temple to consecrate him to God, who rewarded her by making him a great prophet. Such is the reward God gives to those who first give something to him, such as their goods or their children. Our children are never more ours than when we give them to God. No one will look after Ji ;|1 I" iii lit ilii π 280 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY them better than he. Let us lead them, not merely to the Temple, but to heaven itself, and if they learn well this service of God, then it will be of even more profit to you than to themselves. It is not the mere act of generation which makes a father, since you know many fathers who have had to abandon their children, casting them out of their ven' homes, denying paternity in shame at their vices. Generation must be completed by education. π 4. General rules for education: St Paul in 1 Tim. 5. 10 does not refer to secular education or the mere material care of children, since he considers that so natural and well known that there is no need for him to mention it. Instead he insists on care for their holiness and education in piety; because those parents who prescind from these virtues in the formation of their children are not so much fathers as parricides. There are many parents who spare no expense in order that their children may have good horses, estates and houses. But they are not concerned at all with the sowing of honest and good thoughts in their minds. The state of the world gets worse day by day, and here is the cause of its evils. What does it matter if your children do inherit much wealth from you, if it only sen es for their eternal damnation ? It would be better if you had given their souls a good foundation; then, even though they might have little in the bank, they would enjoy those goods which are more secure. It is not money, but rather piety and temperance which will make them truly rich, enabling them to live moderately and without desire for carnal things. Make sure you know where your children go and at what time they return home; also guard them from evil companions. Because, if you are careless about this, you will not find pardon in the sight of God. If St Paul warns us that we must keep watch over others, what will the Lord himself demand of us with regard to those whom he has placed in our homes from their very infancy, and over whom he placed us as their guardians, tutors, masters and teachers ? He placed them entirely in our hands when they were very young, so that we might form them. Will he forgive us if we are careless and do not submit them to discipline when they tend to rebel ? You may say to me : My son is wayward. You should have foreseen that in his early years, when you could have tamed him and made him submit to discipline. Thoms need to be removed when they are yet tender, because if they are allowed to grow' hard, who can tame them ? God punishes with the pain of death those children who curse their parents. What will he do to you if you allow them to offend the Lord ? Remember that a child who has no respect for God will not have very much respect for his parents. Cultivate his spirit of piety and you will notice that he will have greater love for you. THE FATHERS 281 5. You are master and teacher in your house: You are master and teacher in your house. Educate your wife and children, learning a lesson from Job, who offered sacrifices for the sins of thought which his children might have committed. Learn from Abraham, who taught his children to keep the ways of the Lord. Read the advice David gave to his children on his death-bed. Your house is adorned with statues of gold—your children. Guard them, keep them clean and care for them. Teach them the fear of the Lord, which is beyond riches. If you educate them well, they in their turn will learn to do the same with their children. Thus will be formed a series of happy saints, of which you are the root and for which you will receive your reward. I do not suggest that you should make them fear you, but that they should have due respect for you. You spend much money on their education, and to secure a good career for them, you seek many recommendations for them. Do not be any the less careful to give them divine things. You allow them to frequent places of amusement, but you do not take them to church. Just as you send them to school, so you should send them to church, for it is more necessary. Do not allow them to go with anyone else; take them yourself and afterwards talk to them about what you have heard there, for if you comment on the holy doctrine in your homes it will take better root. If a judge were to condemn your son you would die of shame; and do you not die at the thought that you are driving him to the divine tribunal ? If anyone illtreats a child you are angry, and will you then allow the devil to illtreat your own child ? 6. Education in chastity: Nothing should concern us more than the purity of our children, because sensuality is the plague of our time. We should act in this matter as we do when we light candles. Then we warn our servants not to put them near any inflammable material. Let us take the same precaution with our own children, not taking them where they can see things or people who may incite them to lust. Should there be any girls of loose morals either in our house or in the neighbourhood, we should forbid our children to have anything to do with them, lest a spark from their fire should start a blaze in the souls of our children, doing them irreparable harm. The young man who has maintained chastity67 of soul and body gives himself with greater love to his bride when he comes to marry, because she is the only woman he has known. Love is deeper, kindness more sincere, friendship stronger. Many marriages are nothing but business deals. What marriage is that which is celebrated for a bridegroom who has been a libertine all his youth and who, after his marriage, still runs after other women ? 282 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY If he had accustomed himself to true purity he would not seek for another, apart from his wife, he would have a great love for her and would live in peace. Together with peace and harmony in the home come all the other gifts and good things.... II. ST AMBROSE (Extracts from PL. 15 In Luke, 63, in which Ambrose comments on the obedience of Christ—a theme which springs naturally from the final words of the Gospel.) He came to Nazareth and was subject to them. \\ hat was the master and model of all virtue doing on this occasion but fulfilling the obligations of filial piety ? Arc we to be astonished that he obeys his heavenly J Father who was obedient to his mother? This subjection was not of dependence, but of filial love and piety. ... When the Son says that he is sent (John 8. 29) the heretic (Arius) immedi­ ately concludes that the Father must be the greater, so that he may prove the Son to be imperfect, since he acknowledges that there is one greater than himself, and that he may assert that the one who is sent depends on the help of another. Did he require human help in order to obey the will of his mother ? He was obedient to man, obedient to his handmaid, obedient to his reputed father, are you surprised that he should be obedient to God ? Or is it a virtue to obey man, but an imperfection to obey God ? Learn, even from human things, to estimate at its true value what is divine, and to acknowledge that which is due to the Father of love. The Father glorifieth the Son, and would you have the Son refuse to glorify his Father ? The Father, by means of a voice from heaven, proclaims that he is well pleased by his Son ; and would you not have the Son, once clothed in the garments of our humility, declare with human voice and affection, that the Father is greater than he ?... Why do I not accept with devout mind that the Son, in the taking of human flesh, is obedient to the will of the Father, when I accept the fact that the Father pays homage and honour to the Son ? Learn the precepts which are profitable and acknowledge the true examples of filial piety. Learn what you owe to your own parents as often as you read that the Son did not depart from his Father, in will or in work or in time; for though they are two in Person, they are one in power. Yet this heavenly Father has lost nothing in the generation of his Son. To your mother you owe the invasion of her modesty, the loss of her virginity, the perils of child-bearing. For you she suffered wearisome illness, long anxiety. Her pains, in the very fruition of her marriage vows, were an even greater trial. When she had brought forth that which she so long desired, she is still not delivered of care though she be delivered of her child. And what shall I say of the father’s anxiety for the future life of his children, their number ST THOMAS AQUINAS 283 added to for the gain of others; seed scattered, as by a farmer, for the benefit of future generations? Ought you not to pay them back for all these things, at least with filial respect ? Why should the life of a father be too prolonged in the eyes of an unfilial son, the common inheritance appear too little, when Christ himself sought co-heirs of his own inheritance ? III. ST BERNARD (One famous passage from his writings, which outlines perfectly the relationship between Christ and his Mother. PL. 183, 55.) For that God should obey a woman is humility without compare; and that a mere woman should have power over God, a dignity without equal. . . . Learn, O man, to obey; learn, O earth, to be subject; you, who are no more than dust, learn to submit. The Gospels, speaking of your Maker, say: He was subject to them. Learn, vain ashes that you are, to submit. God humbles himself, and do you dare to exalt yourselves ? God becomes subject to men, and will you lord it over them, placing yourselves above your Maker ?... If you are unable to follow him in the sublime way of virginity, at least follow God by that most sure way of humility. . . . The sinner who walks after him in humility has chosen a more wholesome part than the one who is proud in his virtue ; since the humble repentance of the former washes away uncleanness, but the pride of the latter contaminates his virtue. Truly blessed was Mary, who possessed both humility and virgin­ ity. Truly wonderful was that virginity whose fruitfulness did not stain, but rather adorned; and incomparable was that fruitfulness ■which went hand in hand with her virginity and humility.... And can we wonder that God, of whom it is written that he is wonderful in his saints, should show himself more wondrous still in his own mother? Venerate, then, you who are married, this integrity of the flesh in a flesh which is corruptible. Those who are virgins, then let them venerate her fruitfulness in virginity. Let all men imitate the humility of the Mother of God. Angels, honour the mother of your King, the healer of our race, the restorer of our fatherland, who among you was so sublime, yet among us so humble. SECTION IV. A THEOLOGIAN ST THOMAS AQUINAS (St Thomas’s Sermons are not quoted as often as they should be. The present summary of one of them concerned with the growth of Jesus is interesting as an example of his style. It is taken from Opera Omnia, ed. Vives (Paris 1879), v°l- 32, Λρρ. Semi. 1.) | ■ 284 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY Jesus, the model ofyouth: All the works of the Lord were a salutary example to us, as he testified himself (John 13.15). Christ, as a youth, gives that example to young people, to shew them how they should grow and learn. 1. 2. The four growths of Christ: We can observe four growths in Christ; in age, so far as his body was concerned; in knowledge, in the intellect; in grace of soul; and finally, in the sight of men. It is to be admired that the Eternal one should grow in age, the infinitely wise, in wisdom, the author of grace increase in it, and all this in the sight of men, instead of men growing in his sight. The growth in age is easy to understand, but the others are more difficult, for if his glory was like that of the only-begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, then he would be full all the time, since he was always the only-begotten Son of God. But a person is said to grow in knowledge not merely when he is acquiring it, but also when he manifests it. In such a way did Christ conform to the condition of our human nature that he manifested his wisdom in accordance with natural growth. There is a natural parallel between the growth of the body and that of the soul, because if it were not so, then the growth would be abnormal, as happens when one member grows more quickly than another. When I was a child I spoke as a child . . . but now I am a man I have put away the things of a child (1 Cor. 13.11-12). We are only bidden to keep two of our childhood qualities, its simplicity and humility. It would also be a pernicious growth. The merchant wrho lets the time of the annual fair go by, or the student w'ho does not assist at the best lectures, both feel that they have suffered a great loss. For more important things than these God has given us the gift of time. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what things God has prepared for them that love him. For which reason we are warned not to deprive our­ selves of the good things of the day (Ecclus. 14. 13-14). God has given you your strength so that you may fight against the devil and thus gain your reward. If you use that strength to serve Satan then you have handed to him that which might have been your reward and the good things which you may have done will be of profit to others, perhaps, but not to you. Then, indeed, your growth will cost you a great effort, because it will be much harder for you to correct your ways afterwards. The farm labourer ploughs easily, because he has been accustomed to it from his youth; for which reason we are told to instruct the child in his ways, and he will not depart from them in his old age (Prov. 22. 6). If, then, you live an evil life in your youth, either you will despair of salvation later or at least you will have prepared a difficult task for yourselves. il Η ST THOMAS AQUINAS 285 A dangerous growth, because God will demand an account of you for everything and at every step of your life. While thou art yet young, take thy fill of manhood’s pride, let thy heart beat high with youth, follow where thought leads and inclination beckons, but remember that for all this God will call thee to account (Eccles. 11. 9). How then did Christ grow in age and spirit ? By growing in wisdom and grace. Even though the text speaks first of growth in wisdom we shall deal first of all with the growth in grace, which is its cause. 3. Growth in grace—peace: Hidden causes, such as grace, are known by their effects which are visible, and there is none so visible as that of peace. There is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord (Isaias 48. 22). Go then, youths, as Jesus did on coming to the use of reason, to Jerusalem, city of peace. Man is at peace when he has won the victory in the struggle between the flesh and the spirit. The conditions necessary for peace are: first of all, that it should be at a high level, because if the soul is subjected to the flesh, then it will be nothing but a low and a false peace. Peace at a high level consists in the subjection of the body to the soul by means of mortification, without consenting to the lower nature, since servants as vile as this one are never satisfied; given one scrap of liberty, they clamour for more. So far as external mortifications are concerned, those which can be seen by others, be content with those which are common among people of good conscience. God does not like singularity. Peace must endure, be both constant and watchful against the allies of the body, such as relatives and dangerous companions.... 4. Growth in wisdom through contemplation. Its conditions: Wisdom is acquired through contemplation, and the place for such contemplation is the temple. There Jesus was found. Let us see what he did to teach us contemplation. (a) Listen carefully: This knowledge is so profound that no one can hope to acquire it without being taught. Do not think that you are already wise, because there is no man so wise that he cannot learn by listening to another. Jesus gave us an example by listening to the doctors of the law. (b) with constancy: No one attains wisdom in one lesson. His parents found the Child after three days. (c) Hear many people: Because God has divided his graces among many. St Gregory gives lessons in morality; Augustine solves difficulties; Ambrose is a master of allegory. One who is just beginning should listen to one ·. Λ 1 286 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY master until he has attained the fundamentals of knowledge; but once he is proficient in those, then he should pluck his flowers from various gardens. Thus the Child was found in the midst of the doctors, as one who would judge them and choose the best. (d) Seek and enquire: Merchants are always active; but wisdom is worth more than all their products. Where should you seek -wisdom ? In three places, mainly. First, in your master, who is also your father, because he has given you birth. Then by asking questions of those who are absent, such as the ancient writers. Observe nature, in which God has written the lesson of his wisdom as creator. The third way of increasing your wisdom is by teaching others. Experience tells us that there is no one who does not learn by teaching. The very fact of having to reply to questions makes one define concepts more carefully. But to reply to questions there is need of a three-fold prudence. First, that of accommodating the doctrine to one’s own capacity ; the second to reply to the question without wandering. The Child Jesus caused admiration at the wisdom of his answers. Thirdly, and this is the mother of all prudence, we must meditate carefully. Our Lady was a model of this prudence, because she kept all the words in her heart. The Virtue of Religion (Since the journey of the Holy Family to Jerusalem on this occasion was in order to fulfil the precepts of the Jewish religion, this Feast gives us an occasion for preaching on this virtue. We give a summary of St Thomas’s teaching concerning this virtue in the Summa.) I. The concept of religion: Isidore defines it as a careful application to and meditation on all that concerns divine worship. In this sense the meaning of the word is a careful meditation on divine things. The word may also be derived from the concept of being bound again to something, namely, in this case, to God whom we may have lost through our negligence. Also from the idea of a choosing of God, whom we have previously lost. Whatever may be the true derivation of the word, the concept is clear. It implies the service of God, to whom we are bound by so many ties, as our beginning and last end. Should we lose him through sin, then we have the obligation of seeking him once more by faith. 2. It is a virtue: Even though by nature we are subject to God, religion can still be a virtue, in so far as we make that subjection a voluntary one (2-2. q. 81. a. I. c). ST THOMAS AQUINAS 287 3. The acts of the virtue of religion: These arc two mainly, obedience and cult. To serve God and to give him homage are one and the same thing; homage takes into consideration God’s excellence as an object of our reverence. Service on the other hand considers primarily man’s subjection, by which he is bound to give service and reverence to God. All other acts of religion can be reduced to these two, since by them we give testimony to God’s greatness and to our obligation to serve him (q.8i.a.3). 4. The cult which religion offers to God is the greatest of all honours: Because honour is to be judged by the excellence of the person to whom it is paid ; therefore, since God’s excellence is higher than that of any other, wre owre him an honour which is higher also. 5. Other acts of religion: Apart from obedience and service religion commands many other acts of devotion, some produced immediately by virtue of religion itself and others produced by other virtues under the command of religion. Thus, to visit orphans and widows in their tribulation is an act of the virtue of mercy, under the command of the virtue of religion. To keep oneself unspotted from this world is likewise an act wrhich is commanded by the virtue of religion, even though it be produced by the virtue of temperance or by a similar virtue. Other acts, such as that of sacrifice or adoration, are produced by means of the virtue of religion itself (q. 81. a. 1. ad lum). 6. Not a theological virtue: Even though not a theological virtue, it is under their command, since it is the means by w’hich we approach nearer to God. For the same reason it is the highest of the moral virtues, since it brings us into contact with God, who is our last end, and is directly concerned with God’s honour (q. 81. a. 5). 7. The external acts of the virtue ofreligion : Honour and reverence given to God are not for his benefit but for ours, since his is the fullness of glory and no creature can add any­ thing to that. The reverence and honour given to God imply the submission of our minds, and in them they are perfected, since the perfection of a thing lies in its submission to its superior (q. 81. a. 7). These exterior acts are not offered to God because he needs them . . . they are offered as symbols of those interior spiritual acts which please God. That is why Augustine says that visible sacrifice is a sacrament, i.e. an external sign of invisible sacrifice. Since we are made up of a nature which is both intellectual and sensible, we offer to God an adoration which is spiritual and another w hich is corporal. The spiritual consists in an internal devotion of the mind, while the 288 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY corporal consists in the humiliation of our body. Since in every act of worship the exterior implies subordination to what is interior, this exterior adoration has for its end the interior. Truly, the external humiliation of our bodies excites us to submit our hearts to God, for it is natural for us to arrive at the intellectual through the senses (q. 84. a. 2. c). Sacrifice Everything which is done for the purpose of uniting us with God in communion, in order to obtain that end in whose possession we are blessed (3 q. 48. a. 3). Everything offered to God in order to elevate man’s mind to him may truly be called sacrifice (3. q. 22. a. 2. c). The meaning of sacrifice: So far as thev were related to the service of God there were two reasons for the sacrifices of the Old Law. The first considers sacrifices as an expression of the raising of the mind to God, a raising which the offerer made more vivid and effectual through the sacrifices. To this raising of his mind to God belongs the fact that man recognizes that all he has comes from God as from the First Principle and is ordered to him as to its last end. This fact is expressed by the offer­ ings made to God of all that man possesses, as an admission that he has them from God (1-2. q. 102. a. 3. c). 1. 2. Kinds ofsacrifice: There is a double sacrifice; one which is interior and another which is exterior. The interior sacrifice binds all, because all are obliged to offer to God a devoted spirit. The external sacrifice is divided into two kinds; there is one kind of sacrifice which takes its whole moral value from the fact that it is a bowing down before the absolute dominion of God, and with regard to this sacrifice the obligation of those who are under the Old and New Law differs from that of those who are not under any law. Those who are under the Law are bound to offer certain sacrifices commanded bv * the Law. Those who were not under the Law were still bound to pay external homage to God according to the custom of their time, but they were not bound to any particular sacrifice. The other kind of exterior sacrifice consists in the direction of the acts of the other virtues towards the honour of God. Some of these acts are of obligation, falling as they do under precept for all, while others are not of obligation. 3. Triple sacrifice of man to God: There are three goods which man possesses; first the good of the soul, which man offers to God through devotion, prayer and other interior acts. This is the main sacrifice. The second is corporal good SPIRITUAL WRITERS 289 which is offered to God in martyrdom, continence and abstinence. The third, external goods, which we offer to God in two ways; either directly, offering them directly to him, or indirectly, making our offering through our neighbour (q. 85. a. 3. ad 211m). 4. Need for sacrifice: Sacrifice is necessary for man for three reasons. First, for the remission of sins, by which he has separated himself from God. Secondly, to preserve the state of grace, uniting man always to God, in whom is peace and salvation. For this reason, even in the Old Law, the peace-offering was made. Thirdly, so as to unite the spirit of man perfectly to God, a union which is perfected in glory. For this reason in the Old Law holocausts were offered (3P. q. 22. a. 2). 5. Works of charity as sacrifices: Just as the love of our neighbour comes from the love we have for God, so the services we do our neighbour are services done to God. In this sense they are called sacrifices (2-2. q. 188. a. 2. c). SECTION V. SPIRITUAL WRITERS i I. NICOLA AVANCINI (We give two extracts from his meditations on this scene from the Gospels, the first concerns the reply of Christ to his Mother’s question and the second is based on our Lord’s subjection to his parents: The Life and Teaching of Our Lord, Bums and Oates, 1961.) The answer that Jesus gave to his Mother 1. How is it that you sought me? (Luke 2. 49): There was no kind of reprimand in these words, such as: ‘There was no need for you to have sought me, because it was with the highest purpose in view that I withdrew from you, and not by accident.’ Nor did he mean that their diligence in seeking him was wasted, because there are many things done which, though not necessary, are indeed praiseworthy when done for love of God. No, our Lord uttered his words with the utmost sweetness and love, and how wonderfully he impressed his parents! It was their reward for all the devotion they had shown. So if we have lost Jesus and the sweetness of devotion, let us realize that there may be high purpose behind it on God’s part. If we submit to his governance with humility, yet seeking him with all diligence, the time of consolation will come. 2. Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business ? This question has the force of an affirmation, namely: ‘You knew that I must be about my Father’s business.’ They did indeed know it, which is why they went straight to the Temple to look for him. 11 290 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY The words of our Lord show the love he had for his Father’s business, and they also show that for it an earthly father and mother may have to be left, for this dut)· must be put above all others. Let us take our Lord’s words to heart, and when our duty to God requires it make a generous resolution to cut off whatever else is dear to us. 3. And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them (v. 5°): The divine mvsteries of Christ were not all revealed to our Blessed Lady at once, but as she continually increased in grace so also did she increase in her understanding of the mysteries of our Redemp­ tion. She did not, therefore, then understand why our Lord at the age of twelve should have revealed his wisdom among the doctors, yet she made no further enquiries ; as soon as she heard that it was concerned with the Father’s will she acquiesced immediately. So let us learn to subject our own judgement, for it is not necessary for us to know the reasons for all that either God or our superiors have in their minds concerning us. Let us not try to find out, or we shall incur disturbance of mind. Let it be enough for us to know that it is the will of God (No. 85). J The Holy Family returns from the Temple I. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth: Let us listen to our Lord telling his parents all that had happened to him in the last three days, and let us watch our Lady as she listened with rapt attention, keeping all his words in her heart. Finally, let us, too, learn to ‘go down’ to the commonplaces of life, as did the Son of God. Oh, inflexible pride,’ says D. Anton, ‘which continually strives to go up above the clouds! Go down I beseech you, because Jesus went down, not in body from the pinnacle of the Temple where he was later taken up by the devil, but from that same Temple in humbleness of mind.’ 2. And was subject to them: Who ? And to whom ? The Creator to his creatures, the Lord to his servants, God to man. What wonderful obedience ! ‘Blush, proud dust’, says St Bernard, ‘God humbles himself and thou exaltest thyself! Oh, man, if thou wilt not deign to imitate a human being like thyself, at least thou canst deem it no dishonour to imitate thy Lord and Master.’ Has one who is inferior to us been set over us, less noble in station or less learned ? Surely, whoever it is is less far removed from us in birth or wisdom than is God from man. Let us follow the example God has set us. 3. And was subject to them : In what way? In doing what things? In the lowliest offices of every kind, for in a carpenter’s workshop there was nothing very - SPIRITUAL WRITERS I f 291 splendid. We can easily imagine what it was like, and our Lord performed all his duties promptly, humbly and exactly, and not for one day only, but until he was thirty years of age. Are humble jobs given to us ? Lowly offices ? Nothing is lowly that is done in imitation of God, who never did anything that was little in value, or did not raise its value by the doing thereof. Let us esteem it an honour to do humble things if indeed we consider it the greatest honour to be made like Christ, and let the length of such service not wear us down, rather let us make a generous resolve for life ‘to be an abject in the house of God’ (Ps. 83. 11). (No. 86.) Π. BOSSUET (We give a summary of his ideas on the Gospel, which coincide with those of P. de la Puente.) I. Jesus 1 leaves his parents: Satisfied at belonging to a pious family, though not a rich one; always submissive and obedient, still Jesus abandons his parents on this occasion, to show that his submission does not come from childish weakness, but from the deeper designs of God’s providence. Jesus can escape from us in many ways. One is by a withdrawal of his graces, which never happens without some fault on our part. Another, by withdrawing some of his special favours or sensible consolations, in order to make us seek him with greater diligence and thus increase his favours. He disappears when he chooses; his spirit is like the wind that breathes where it will.... What is your will, O Lord ? That we should not seek you ? Why, then, do you hide from us, if it be not to make us seek you. Did your parents, or at least, St Joseph, seek you with an anxiety all too human? We are not the judges of that, but let us know that Jesus hides himself for our instruction. He wishes us to seek him out, but not with an exaggerated anxiety. When the apostles were abandoned by Christ it was clear that their love for him had not yet been completely purified. Holy and spiritual souls should learn that, when Jesus escapes from them, they should moderate their haste. Often he wishes to come alone, and wre have to seek him gently, without hurried movements. They did not understand wrhat he said to them. What they did not know was the nature of the Father’s work about which he was busy. Let us learn from Mary that it is not knowledge, but submis­ sion, which produces sanctity. Mary is ignorant of the mystery, but she keeps silent and stores up all these things in her heart. Let us give God a free hand, allowing him to work and to tell us holy things without penetrating into them. Let us watch him, as Mary did, with holy awe, meditating on his words, and he will allow us to understand them wrhen he so chooses. I U* -i 292 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY His mother kept all these things in her heart. In Nazareth our Lord’s work was his daily task as a carpenter; that of Mary was constant meditation, which she continued after Christ’s death. ■ I 2. .1 hidden life: Alary hath chosen the better part (Luke 10. 42); Oh, human pride; of what do you complain in your anxiety? That you are nothing in the world ? Look at Jesus and Mary. They were the wonder of the world, a glorious spectacle for God and the angels. But what did they do ? Who knew them on earth ? And do you wish your name and fame to shine before men ? You have not known either Maty or Jesus. I wish for a task in which I can employ my talents, you say; those talents which I am not allowed to hide. I admit it, since Jesus has given you those talents, warning you that he will seek a reckoning from you for their use. But those same talents, hidden in Christ, would be even more beautiful. Do not deceive yourself; you are a man full of vanity, and what you seek in those acts of yours which you imagine to be pious and useful is only to feed your own self-love.... And what does the Lord do, on the one occasion when he escapes from the hands of his parents to dedicate himself to the task of his Father? He gives himself up to the task of the salvation of men. And vou say that vou have nothing to do, when the salvation of your neighbour is partly at least in your hands ? Have you no enemies with whom to be reconciled ; no quarrels to be settled ... ? And when there is nothing of this kind to be done, could you not occupy your­ self with the work of your own salvation, which is for you the true work of God ? Go to the Temple, escape from father and mother if necessary; renounce flesh and blood, and say with Jesus: Should I not be about my Father’s business ? Let us tremble and be humble at the thought that, in our labours, we seldom find anything worthy of being dedicated to God. 3. Jesus grew ... Thirty years growing in wisdom and age and grace ... thirty years of silence. Let us speak, then, when God chooses, not out of im­ patience or vanity or to seem important in the eyes of others, since Jesus did not speak to the shepherds, or to the Kings who came from afar to see him. Human wisdom learns much if it only learns to be silent.... Let us learn to live in silence while Christ is still a child among us. You know that he is not formed all at once in our souls, otherwise the Apostle would not have said : My little children, I am in travail over you afresh, until I can see Christ’s image formed in you (Gal. 4. ig). Until that moment comes, let us seek our strength in Jesus; let us go to the temple and ask the doctors.... And to which of the doctors better than Jesus himself? In all our business, all our affairs, all our actions, let us consult the wisdom of Jesus and the light of eternal SPIRITUAL WRITERS 293 truth, together with the doctrine of his Gospel. Do pleasures seduce you ? Listen to Jesus, who will discover to you the snake in paradise, crawling beneath the flowers. Do the great ones of this world dazzle you? Look at Jesus and Mary, and you will see the former with empty hands. Work. Jesus lowered himself to take on manual work, but at the same time he gave new nobility to men’s work, turning into a remedy the ancient curse of the Garden, that man would eat bread only by the sweat of his brow. Jesus, on submitting to this law, took on himself the person of the sinner and taught sinners to sanctify them­ selves by their labours. ΙΠ. BOURDALOUE (The sermon from which we take this summary is among those he preached on the first Sunday after Epiphany. The summary is taken from the Spanish translation of his works, Madrid, 1873.) Parents and their children 1. Introduction: Jesus replies to his mother, not to blame her in any wray, but to show the obligation parents have in the matter of their children’s choice of a state of life, the most important step in their lives. If Mary7 and Joseph did not understand him fully, we may be quite sure that most parents understand this obligation even less than they did. The preacher’s aim is to show that parents are not the deciding factor in their children’s vocation, but that they can be, in some way, responsible for the choice made. 2. The first part : Any parent who does decide the vocation of his child is guilty of a grave injustice to God and his child; one which will have grave consequences for the salvation of both. (a) It is an injustice to God: God is the true Father of men ; if you dispose of them as you please, God may well ask where is his absolute dominion. You will have made yourself master of a family which was only given to you as an administrator of God. So far as the soul is concerned, God is the only one who can dispose of that. The phrase used by the mother of the Machabees is clear testimony to the truth (2 Mach. 7. 22). God reserved this right to himself because he knew that the parents would make such a choice under the influence of various personal inclinations, and not in accordance with the individual characteristics of their children. The vocation to a particular state of life demands special graces, and it is very dangerous to make a choice without counting on those 294 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY graces. God is the only one who knows the state to which his pro­ vidence has ordained us, and therefore the only one who can really make this decision. There is nothing which is so linked with our salvation as this choice of a state of life, because it is the road by which God intends to lead us to heaven. Outside it, he is no longer bound to help us in any special way. For parents to be the judges of vocation they would need to know the full designs of divine providence and the graces God has prepared for each one. (b) Injustice to their children: Both natural and divine law demand that the one who must fulfil the obligations of a state of life should also be the one to choose that state. To act contrary to this law would be to deprive our children of their most elementary and essential rights. St Bernard wrote to a man of the world who had a religious vocation, to which his mother was opposed. He says: What shall I say to you? Shall I tell you to abandon your mother? That you should continue at her side ? It is not right that, for love of her, you should ex se yourself to the danger of losing your soul. What, then, is to be done ? What your mother wishes for you is opposed to your salvation, and therefore also opposed to her salvation, too. Choose, then, between salvation for both of you or the loss of your souls. The very’ love you have for your mother will then make you decide to leave her. You should help your children, correcting any errors they may make in their choice, but with great care and discretion, never obliging them to choose a state of life which is against their wills, or making them reject a choice made before God by deceiving them with false advantages. What will you reply to God when he demands an account of you, not for the life of your child, but for his very soul ? 3. The second part: It is a moral principle that we should do all things to the best of our ability, especially those which are of obligation. Therefore you should make sure, so far as you can, that your children’s choice of a state of life is a good one. There are three dangers to be avoided. The three dangers: The choice of a state of life can be a bad one for three reasons; in itself, through the incapacity of the subject or through the means used to attain it. The choice of a state of life is bad in itself when that state is opposed to the salvation of the person who makes the choice, or at least presents grave difficulties in the way of that salvation. A parent must do all he can to avoid such a thing, but if, dominated by personal interests of one kind or another, he is the one who guides his child to make that choice, then he makes himself responsible before God and will have to answer for the loss of his child’s soul. SPIRITUAL WRITERS 295 The choice may be a bad one because of the incapacity of the subject, i.e., when he has not the qualities necessary. A parent who knows this is culpable if he forces his child into a state of life for which he is not fitted. However, we see frequently cases in which parents have forced their children into states for which they are not fitted. The choice can also be a bad one through the means used to attain it. There are unjust means; and it is not infrequent to come across parents who use these means to obtain a position for their children. The mere use of such means is enough to condemn both parents and children. ΙΠ. DAVID GREENSTOCK (An extract from Lenten Meditations^ on Luke 2. 51.) The hidden years of our Lord’s life at Nazareth have been the source of curiosity throughout the ages. Some of the false gospels rejected by the Church have given us fantastic accounts of the supposed happenings during that period of the life of Christ; but all we really know about those years is summed up in this one phrase from the Gospels: Jesus went with his parents to Nazareth and was subject to them as a dutiful son. Yet those hidden years form an important part of Christ’s teaching, in spite of the mystery which surrounds them. To read their secret we must first of all understand the purpose for which Christ came on earth. He came to redeem us; but he also intended to teach us many lessons by word and by example. We might begin with obedience to Mary and Joseph. This picture of the Son of God, obedient to his creatures, gives us a lesson in obedience and humility which can never be forgotten. It also provides us with a motive for being obedient to all lawful authority. It helps us to understand what real family life should be if it is lived for God and in God. In passing we can only admire the admirable composure of Mary, who had no hesitation in educating the Son of God made man for his future tasks. If education of one’s children is a big responsibility at the best of times, how much more difficult must it have been to provide the training necessary, when the Child is also one’s God ! It is not difficult to imagine what our Lord’s life must have been during those years in Nazareth. The neighbours did not notice any­ thing outstanding about him, as we can judge from later events related in the Gospels when he returned to Nazareth during his public life of preaching. They saw only an ordinary boy who later became a young man, obedient to his parents’ wishes, attending the local synagogue and helping Joseph in his workshop. After his foster-father’s death Jesus would no doubt have carried on the 2q6 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY business by himself to earn enough to keep himself and his Mother. No doubt it was hard work; and we may well meditate with profit on the Son of God holding out his hand to receive payment for his work. Of one thing we can be quite certain—it would be good work, well done and with the best materials; nor would there be any excessive charges made for it ! During those years our Lord put the whole idea of manual labour on a different plane for us. He redeemed mankind at the carpenter’s bench just as much as he did on the wood of the cross. He taught us, by a living example, that sanctity is to be found in the ordinary daily tasks just as easily as it can be found in extraordinary things, to which not all of us are called. Only three years of our Lord’s life were dedicated to public preaching, healing the sick and the final scenes of the Passion. The rest of it was passed at Nazareth, working quietly without ostentation, preparing for the time when he would have to go out into the country as a missionary and Saviour. Our life will follow a similar course. It is not all passed in preaching or mortification, in prayer or religious observances. Here Jesus teaches us once again the value of ordinary tasks, provided they are done for God and in union with him. Fidelity to our morning and evening prayers, the cheerful endurance of the trials implied in an ordinary day’s work, the family obligations and worries—all these things can become powerful means of sancti­ fication. They can also be an effective example to others. We shall never be fully prepared for any extraordinary demands God may make on us unless we are first of all faithful in these ordinary things. Religion is not something which can be separated from everyday life, but rather something which is capable of lifting up that human activity to a supernatural and divine level, thus making it capable of earning heaven for us. It is often the daily cross which weighs the heaviest. St Bernard said that his greatest penance was this daily routine. For all of us it is the greatest means of attaining true sanctity. IV. PÈRE FÉLIX, S.J. (A summary of his ideas on Christian education and obedience, taken from his Progress through Christianity, an essay which forms part of the Conferences given in Notre Dame, Paris, 1862.) I. The essence of obedience: The education of the child must form his intellect by means of faith, and his heart through the attraction of Christian love. Obedi­ ence is not a type of weakness which gives way to superior force, but a homage paid to legitimate authority; and since all legitimate authority' comes from God, obedience to it makes God the centre of our lives. 3Γ:?; SPIRITUAL WRITERS . 297 The Christian school is one of obedience, since Christianity consists in proclaiming Christ as the supreme authority in the Christian hierarchy and in the family. Therefore Christian education consists in forming the will in such a way that it will recognize that all morality depends on subjection to Christ. Popes, Bishops, civil authorities, parents—all these represent Christ. Obedience is part of the natural law. Material creation obeys passively the laws laid down for it. But man must obey God freely. King of creation, he is born into a situation whose law is obey or die. I Ic reaches adolescence, and passions aw'ake in him the desire to run free of all restraint. This period of his life is the one which most needs the check of obedience. The weakness of childhood has dis­ appeared, but the impotence of the adolescent to govern himself in the midst of this tempest increases; without a discipline which will protect him without putting him in chains, the forces which are now born within him will cast him into the abyss. When he reaches maturity he will not be able to do as he pleases either. He is a member of society, ruled by obedience and with a vast network of subordination. If he wishes to free himself from them, then let him depart into the desert and live there if he can. One of two things, either he will set himself up against all mankind, as one who tries to push back a raging sea, or he will have to live in a society under law. 2. Obedience and its excellence: (a) It makes a man noble: The ideal of youth is to be able to say : I did it because I wished. Life, the greatness and perfection of the will, consist in a free sub­ mission, in obedience, to those in authority. Christ gives us the example: He was subject to them. And when he attains his final crown it is because he became obedient unto death. The crown of his kingdom was that of obedience. Education should give to the will freedom, rectitude and firmness. These are possible only through obedience. (b) Obedience is the mother of true liberty: The first attribute of the human will is its freedom. But freedom does not consist in a lack of submission to others, but rather in due submission according to the law. He who does not obey freely makes himself a slave to the tyrant of unlawful authority. The child who is made to obey his parents, whose task it is to guide him, is gradually educated away from his own caprices, pride, laziness, selfishness and other passions. Such a child becomes truly free. He will also be capable of ruling. Man is a ruler when he commands over nature, more so when he commands other men, and even more when he has command over himself. The child who is obedient acquires this -is r· 298 FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY supreme dominion and also learns to rule others, because the best school of command is the practice of obedience. (c) Obedience, the mother of rectitude: The task of the will is to choose the road which leads to an end and to persevere in it. Obedience gives it this rectitude and firmness. Rectitude, because all obedience is a free equation between the will and the rule which it accepts. Obedience accustoms the child to choose the road laid down by a rule; it implies an action submitted to certain norms. Obedience strengthens the will, because any will which is ac­ customed to be guided by caprice is necessarily wavering, since it has no reason to be firm in its decisions. On the other hand, the child accustomed to obey has always a constant rule to guide him— the norm of virtue. Passions and personal conveniences may change; but the law of good remains always. The moments of temptation will come, but the child should be accustomed to them, and taught to look heavenwards, in humble obedience to the law of God. (d) Obedience, the mother of the firmness of the will : Up to now we have been talking about objective strength in the will, namely, that which comes from the permanent motives which move it. But obedience strengthens the will itself. It gives the will necessary’ exercise, and by dominating it, gives it strength. The example of St Francis Xavier shows us this. SECTION VI. PAPAL TEXTS (We have already given some of these documents on the previous Sunday. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, we shall limit ourselves here to a brief summary of the main ideas on the subject of the Christian family and its obligations.) I. The Christian family is an image of the Trinity: Man, the great work of creation, is made to the image and likeness of God. In the family that image reaches, if we may say so, a special grade of likeness to God, the divine model, for just as the essential unity of the divine nature exists in three distinct Persons, consubstantial and coetemal, so the moral unity of the human family operates in the trinity of father, mother and children. Conjugal fidelity and the indissolubility of marriage may appear contrary to the lower instincts of man, but they are in perfect conformity with his spiritual nature (Pius XII, To the recently married, June 1940). 2. Destined to give the kingdom of God new citizens: New families, destined to provide for a future which is hidden in the mists of God’s providence; destined to provide society with new citizens . . . and to feed the Church of Christ, since it is from these PAPAL TEXTS 299 new families that she expects new sons of God, who will obey her laws. Destined, finally, to provide new citizens for the kingdom of heaven, when this mortal life is over (Pius XII, To the recently married, May 1942). 3. Home life and its sacrifices: It is not surprising that the very walls of the home should hide acts of true heroism, and that the life of Christian spouses should also contain these same acts of heroism, many times hidden from the eyes of the world, but nevertheless repeated day by day, in tragic and most difficult circumstances (Pius XII, To the recently married, August 1941). 4. The mother is the very sun of the family life, through her generous submission, her words and her Christian simplicity: The wife and mother is the very sun of the family; with her generosity and submission, her constant readiness, her delicate and providential attention to all that serves to bring happiness to the life of her husband and children. She spreads around her life and warmth. . . . With her clear eye and the warmth of her words, which penetrate sweetly into the soul, overcoming it and softening it, calling her husband to the joys of virtue and the family life after a hard day’s work .. . (Pius XII, To the recently married, March 1942). 5. The example of Nazareth: The humble home at Nazareth should be a model for the Christian home. The husband should learn from the labours of St Joseph and also from his use of his authority; while the wife should learn from Mary, perfect model of all domestic virtues. The conclusion is that every Christian family is a school of sanctity. You must convince yourselves, beloved sons and daughters, that your new family can be and should be a school of sanctity, united to God by grace. The very sacrament itself, which demands the indissolubility of the conjugal bond, gives you a supernatural strength against which all temptations and seductions will be impotent, if you · so wish it. The difficulties and the boredom of the daily round, the desire for novelty and change, the attractions of forbidden fruit, will have no power over you if you only preserve that state of grace through prayer, penance, watchings and care (Pius XII, To the recently married, November 1940). 6. For this it is necessary that Mary should preside over Christian families, that there should be prayer—constant prayer—and there is nothing better for this purpose than frequent communion (cf. Pius XII, To the recently married, June 1939; April 1940). 300 FIR S T S U N D A Y A F TE R E PIP H A N Y SECTION VU. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY The heroic mother of the Machabees: The story is well known; how .Antiochus tried to make the seven brothers eat swine flesh, against the law of iMoses, and when they refused, ordered them to be tortured in various ways. Their hands were to be cut off, their scalp tom away, their tongues cut out, one by one so that the others together with the mother could witness the spectacle and perhaps be terrified by it to the point of giving way. When six of the brothers had been executed in this way the Ruler tried to win the youngest by promises of great position, riches and authority. When this failed he tried to persuade the mother to intervene on his behalf and counsel her son for his own good. At last the mother promised to do so. Bending over the boy she spoke to him in their native tongue: Nine months in the womb I bore thee, three years at the breast fed thee, reared thee to be what thou art; and now, my son, this boon grant me. Look around at heaven and earth and all they contain; bethink thee that of all this, and of mankind, too, God is the Maker. Of this butcher have thou no fear; claim rightful share among thy brethren in yonder inherit­ ance of death; so shall the divine mere}’ give me back all my sons at once (2 Mach. 7.1-29). Needless to sav, the bov died like the rest and, last of all, the mother with them. 1. J ' J * 2. The vocation ofSt Teresa ofAvila: During this time, when I was considering these resolutions, I had persuaded one of my brothers, by talking to him about the vanity of the world, to become a friar, and we agreed to set out together, very early one morning, for that convent where lived that friend of mine of whom I was so fond. In making my final decision I had already resolved that I would go to any other convent in which I thought that I could serve God better or which my father might wish me to enter, for by now I was concerned chiefly with the good of my soul and cared nothing for my comfort. I remember—and I really believe this is true—that when I left my father’s house my distress was so great that I do not think it will be greater when I die. It seemed to me as if every bone in my body was being wrenched asunder ; for, as I had no love of God to subdue my love for my father and kins­ folk, everything was such a strain to me that, if the Lord had not helped me, no reflections of my own would have sufficed to keep me true to my purpose. But the Lord gave me courage to fight against myself and so I carried out my intentions. When I took the habit the Lord at once showed me how great are his favours to those who use force with themselves in his service. HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MISCELLANY 301 No one realized that I had gone through all this; they thought that 1 had acted out of desire. At the time my entrance into this new life gave me a joy so great that it has never failed me even to this day, and God converted the aridity of my soul into the deepest tender­ ness. Everything connected with the religious life caused me delight; and it is a fact that sometimes, when I was spending time in sweeping floors which I had previously spent on my own indulgence and adornment, and realized that I was now free from all those things, there came to me a new joy; which amazed me, for I could not imagine whence it arose. Whenever I recall this there is nothing, however hard, which I would hesitate to undertake if it were pro­ posed to me. For I know now by experience of many kinds, that if I strengthen my purpose by resolving to do a thing for God’s sake alone, it is his will that, from the very beginning, my soul shall be afraid, so that my merit may be the greater; and if I achieve my resolve, the greater my fear has been, the greater will be my reward, and the greater, too, will be my retrospective pleasure ... if one lives a life of detachment for God’s sake alone, there is no reason to be afraid that things will turn out amiss, since he is all-powerful (Life, Chap. 4. 1-2). 3. The mother of St Augustine: St Augustine himself tells us the story of his mother’s prayers and tears for his conversion in the Confessions (chaps. 3 and 4). He mentions her visit to St Ambrose, whom she asked for his help to reason with her son and try to convince him of the error of his ways. The saint replied that the moment for his intervention had not yet come and advised her to go away and pray always to God for her son. The mother was not content with this reply and appealed to him once more with tears. Ambrose replied to her: Go in peace, woman; and God give you life. It is not possible that the child of so many tears should perish ! So it happened, in fact, and Augustine tells us the story of his mother’s death and of her last wishes. Bury this body where you please. One thing I ask of you, that you remember me at the altar of God, wherever you may be. 4. The mother ofJohn Bosco: The death of the mother of John Bosco is one of the wonders of our age. It provides us with a perfect picture in real life of the ‘mulier fortis’ of the Scriptures. I am leaving you, she said to her son, John, and am leaving the material cares of the household in other hands. The way will be hard, but the Holy Virgin will not fail to help you all. Heed my advice! In all your undertakings seek not the brilliance of worldly honour or splendour. At the summit, the glory of God; at the foot of the mountain, true poverty. There are many who profess to love FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 302 poverty—but in others, not in themselves. Never forget that the best lesson consists in doingoneself what one asks one’s neighbour to do. As the end drew near she received Viaticum and Extreme Unction, saying to her son as she did so: Before it was I who helped you to receive the sacraments. Now it is you who help your old mother to receive the last sacraments of the Church. Accompany me by saying the prayers for rhe dying... but as you see, I breathe only with great difficult}’, so say them aloud so that at least in my heart I may repeat them after vou. ... Four years later, on the Feast of our Lady of the Snows, John Bosco was making his way across the square of the Consolata. As he was about to enter the church he saw, a few paces away from him, what appeared to be the figure of his mother. An hallucination, perhaps ? Or a vision ? To make sure he spoke to her. ‘You here? Are you not dead then?’ ‘Yes; but in spite of that, I am alive.’ ‘Are you happy ?’ ‘More than I can possibly tell you.’ There was no doubt. The face and voice, the very intonation, were those of his mother. The conversation continues : ‘After death did you pass immediately into heaven ?’ ‘No.’ ‘Can you reveal to me something of the joys of the after life ?’ ‘It would be impossible.’ ‘At least give me some idea, however small it may be, of your happiness.’ At this the vision was transformed; the face of the humble woman took on a radiant beauty, while her garments shone with an unearthly splendour. Her whole aspect was clothed in a majesty such as he had never seen. Around her there was the sound of thousands of mighty wings, legions of heavenly spirits. Her mouth opened and from it came a heavenly melody which left him spell-bound. At last she said to him: T am awaiting you; for you and I are inseparable’ (From A. Aufrey’s Life of Margaret Bosco, Buenos Aires). J SECTION VIII. SERMON SCHEMES I. LITURGICAL A: The Family at Nazareth I. The failure of the family life, about which so much is said nowadays: (a) The family, as a divine institution, cannot fail, although it is true to say that its stability and security are both threatened. (b) In the midst of this crisis in the modern family this Feast shines even brighter. What is happening in our day makes it more ·.'· __________ SERMON SCHEMES -,y -·■' · T —— 303 and more obvious that, if the family life is to be happy and effective for the education of good citizens of earth and heaven, it must turn its eyes once more to the Holy Family. 2. Evils which attack the family: The Popes, from Leo XIII to the present day, speak of the disintegration of the family (cf. The collective Pastoral Letter of the English Hierarchy, 1952). Even statesmen and politicians are worried. Outside the Church the evil is a grave menace; but even within the Church it can appear when the fundamental principles of family life are ignored. Following the Papal teaching, the evils which at present attack the family life are mainly these: (a) Divorce: In the course of a reunion celebrated in Westminster, the President of the Association for Mental Hygiene said: Family disintegration and disorganization is demonstrated by the increasing numbers of divorces. The legislation of many modern states favours this instead of suppressing it. (b) Birth control: Limitation in the numbers of children due to Neo-Malthusian doctrines and principles. (c) Illegitimacy: This has increased recently, as figures show, by leaps and bounds. A consequence of the ruin of family life. (d) Purely civil legislation : The Popes, especially Leo XIII in Arcanum and Pius XI in Casti Connt