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THE WORD OF GOD 
 
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 
 K3EW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS 
 ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 MACMILLAN & CO., Limited 
 
 LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA 
 MELBOURNE 
 
 THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. 
 
 TORONTO 
 
 JUL 20 7! 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 A series of short meditations on the Sunday Gospels 
 
 published in Rome by "The Society of Saint 
 
 Jerome for the Diffusion of the Gospel/' 
 
 Monsignor Francis Borgongini-Duca 
 
 SECRETARY OF THE SACRED PENITENTIARY TRIBUNAL 
 
 PROFESSOR OF DOGMATIC THEOLOGY IN THE PROPAGANDA UNIVERSITY 
 
 SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR OF THE VATICAN SEMINARY 
 
 Translation by 
 Rev. FRANCIS J. SPELLMAN 
 
 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 1921 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
#1 
 
 ^ 6 
 
 Copyright, 1921, 
 By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 
 
 Set up and electrotyped. Published July, 1921, 
 
 • « « 
 
 • « 
 
 • • t 
 
 Printed in the United States of America. 
 
 ©CU622094 
 
PATRICK J. WATERS, Ph.D. 
 
 Censor Librorum. 
 
 Smpttmatur* 
 
 •fr WILLIAM CARDINAL O'CONNELL 
 
 Archbishop of Boston. 
 
 February 5, 1921. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 These explanations of the Holy Gospel were 
 first edited in weekly pamphlets which were pub- 
 lished in Rome by "The Society of Saint Jerome for 
 the Diffusion of the Gospel." They appeared from 
 the first Sunday of Lent, 19 19, until Quinquages- 
 ima Sunday, 1920. They were then put forth in 
 book form under the title of "The Word of God/' 
 
 One hundred and twenty thousand copies of this 
 series of short sermons have already been published, 
 and it is hoped that this English translation of them 
 does not fall too far short in expressing the unction, 
 the simplicity and the beauty of the original Italian. 
 
 It will be observed that the Gospel of a proximate 
 feast day is occasionally substituted for the Gospel 
 of the Sunday, as, for example, on the Fourteenth 
 Sunday after Pentecost, the Gospel considered is that 
 of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 
 It may also be noted that on four of the Sundays 
 during Lent, the Gospel proposed for meditation is 
 not the Gospel of the Sunday, but one from a ferial 
 Mass of the same week. 
 
 Grateful acknowledgment of helpful suggestions 
 is made to Rev. Louis F. Kelleher, D. D., of Saint 
 John's Ecclesiastical Seminary, Brighton, Mass. ; 
 Reverend Laurence B. Killian, S. T. L., of St. Cath- 
 erine's Church, Summerville, Mass.; and Rev. 
 Henry A. McGarvey, S. J., of Boston College. 
 
 The Translator. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 "It gives me great pleasure to learn of the trans- 
 lation from Italian into English, of the volume of 
 short meditations on the Gospels for every Sunday 
 of the year, written by Monsignor Francis Borgon- 
 gini-Duca, professor of dogmatic theology at the 
 Propaganda, Rome, and secretary of the Tribunal 
 of the Sacred Penitentiary. 
 
 "Knowing the author personally and admiring his 
 qualities of mind and heart; his sound learning, his 
 rare powers of exposition as a teacher, his priestly 
 zeal and earnestness, I feel confident that his book 
 will be helpful to many souls in this country." 
 
 John Bonzano, 
 
 Archbishop of Melitene. 
 Apostolic Delegate. 
 
 April 30, 1921. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1. First Sunday of Advent— The Advent 1 
 
 2. Second Sunday of Advent — The Precursor 5 
 
 3. Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin 
 
 Mary 9 
 
 4. Third Sunday of Advent 13 
 
 5. Fourth Sunday of Advent — Expiation of Sin 17 
 
 6. Feast of the Nativity— The Birth of Christ 20 
 
 7. The Feast of the Holy Innocents 23 
 
 8. Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord — Obedience 26 
 
 9. Feast of the Holy Name. . 29 
 
 10. Feast of the Epiphany — The Adoration of the Magi 33 
 
 11. Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany — Jesus Among 
 
 the Doctors 37 
 
 12. Second Sunday After Epiphany — The Marriage in Cana. . . 41 
 
 13. Third Sunday After Epiphany — The Centurion of Caphar- 
 
 naum 45 
 
 14. Septuagesima Sunday — The Laborers in the Vineyard. ... 49 
 
 15. Sexagesima Sunday — The Word of God 53 
 
 16. Quinquagesima Sunday — The Blind Man of Jericho. ... 57 
 
 17. First Sunday of Lent— Penance 60 
 
 18. Second Sunday of Lent — The Prodigal Son 64 
 
 19. Feast of St. Joseph 67 
 
 20. Third Sunday of Lent — The Annunciation 71 
 
 21. Fourth Sunday of Lent— The Rich Man 75 
 
 22. Passion Sunday — Jesus Hides Himself 79 
 
 23. Palm Sunday— Holy Thursday 83 
 
 24. Good Friday, Holy Saturday, The Passion 84 
 
 25. Easter Sunday — The Resurrection 88 
 
 26. Low Sunday — Faith. 92 
 
 27. Second Sunday After Easter — The Good Shepherd 96 
 
 28. Third Sunday After Easter— The Value of Suffering. ... 99 
 
 29. Fourth Sunday After Easter — The Mission of the Holy 
 
 Ghost 103 
 
 30. Fifth Sunday After Easter— Prayer 107 
 
 31. Feast of the Ascension 109 
 
 32. Sunday After the Ascension — Persecution 113 
 
 33. Pentecost Sunday 116 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 34. Feast of the Holy Trinity— The Trinity. ........ 120 
 
 35. Feast of Corpus Christi . ._ 122 
 
 36. The Eucharist 123 
 
 37. Sunday After the Feast of Corpus Christi — The Sacred 
 
 Heart 127 
 
 38. Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul — Saint Peter 
 
 and The Pope 131 
 
 39. Fourth Sunday After Pentecost — The Miraculous Draught 
 
 of Fishes 134 
 
 40. Fifth Sunday After Pentecost— Fraternal Charity 137 
 
 41. Sixth Sunday After Pentecost— The Multiplication of the 
 
 Loaves. 140 
 
 42. Seventh Sunday After Pentecost— The Will of God. ... 143 
 
 43. Eighth Sunday After Pentecost— The Unjust Steward. ... 146 
 
 44. Ninth Sunday After Pentecost— The Expulsion of the 
 
 Tradesmen from the Temple 150 
 
 45. Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin 153 
 
 46. Tenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Pharisee and the 
 
 Publican 157 
 
 47. Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost— The Healing of the 
 
 Deaf Mute 160 
 
 48. Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost— The Good Samaritan. . . 163 
 
 49. Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Ten Lepers. . . 167 
 
 50. Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost— Feast of the Exalta- 
 
 tion of the Holy Cross. . 170 
 
 51. Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Widow of Nairn. . 173 
 
 52. Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost — Humility 176 
 
 53. Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Feast of the 
 
 Solemnity of the Holy Rosary 179 
 
 54. Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Paralytic of 
 
 Capharnaum 133 
 
 55. Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost— The Marriage Feast. 187 
 
 56. Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost— Perseverance in Prayer. 191 
 
 57. Feast of All Saints— The Way to Paradise 194 
 
 58. Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost— The Faithful De- 
 
 parted 19g 
 
 59. Twenty-second Sunday After Pentecost— The Tribute to 
 
 Caesar 202 
 
 60. Twenty-third Sunday After Pentecost— The Daughter of 
 
 J aIrus 205 
 
 61. Twenty-fourth Sunday After Pentecost— The General 
 
 Judgment 208 
 
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 
 
 During the season of Advent the Church endeavors to pre- 
 pare her children for the proper observance of the Feast of the 
 Nativity. The penitential character of this time which marks the 
 beginning of the liturgical year is indicated by the purple color of 
 the sacred vestments. 
 
 THE ADVENT 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: There shall be 
 signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars : and upon 
 the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of 
 the roaring of the sea and of the waves, men withering away 
 for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole 
 world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved ; and then 
 they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with 
 great power and majesty. But when these things begin to 
 come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your 
 redemption is at hand. And He spoke to them a simili- 
 tude: See the fig-tree, and all the trees: when they now 
 shoot forth their fruit, you know that summer is nigh; so 
 you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know 
 that the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen I say to you, 
 this generation shall not pass away, till all things be ful- 
 filled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words 
 shall not pass away." Luke xxi, 25-33. 
 
 A GLEAM of light penetrated through the 
 sombre dusk enshrouding the vesper office 
 which the Church enjoined her sacred minis- 
 ters to recite yesterday evening. It is the first an- 
 nouncement of the coming of the feast of Christ- 
 
2 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 mas, — "Behold, God is coming from afar and the 
 splendor of His glory shall fill the universe." * Each 
 year, this joyous festival, returning, is ever welcome, 
 always new. 
 
 Every Christian should be prepared for the birth- 
 day of the Saviour. Every soul should be a pure and 
 spotless cradle, fragrant with the flowers of virtue, 
 to receive the new born King. "Rejoice, O daughter 
 of Sion ! Exult, O daughter of Jerusalem ! Behold, 
 the Lord comes and all the saints come with Him, 
 Alleluia !" 2 
 
 The best preparation for the coming of the 
 Christ-child consists in the practice of austere pen- 
 ance. Wherefore, the Church reminds us of another 
 coming of Jesus, His advent as a Judge at the end 
 of the world. The Church would seem to tell us 
 through the Gospel of the Mass that He Who is 
 about to come to us now as a smiling, loving Infant, 
 will come another day to be our Judge. Woe to us, 
 therefore, if we do not receive Him now. 
 
 The epistle of the Mass also breathes an extraor- 
 dinary eloquence. "It is now the hour for us to rise 
 from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than 
 when we believed. The night is passed, and the day 
 is at hand. Let us, therefore, cast off the works of 
 darkness and put on the armor of light, . . . the Lord 
 Jesus Christ." 3 
 
 As the warrior at dawn awakes from sleep, puts 
 on his armor and is anxious to try his strength, so 
 in the dawn of this Christmas season, every soldier 
 
 ^ntiphon to the Magnificat, Divine Office, Saturday before the 
 first Sunday of Advent. 
 
 2 Lauds, Divine Office, First Sunday of Advent 
 "Romans xiii, 11-14. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 3 
 
 of Christ should take up the arms of light and 
 struggle against the powers of darkness* The first 
 rays of morning are already glowing in the eastern 
 sky. Let no one slumber in slothful tepidity, for the 
 graces inspiring to a Christian life are entering into 
 the souls of all ! 
 
 'Tut ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." * He has 
 humbled Himself to become one of us. He has 
 assumed our flesh and blood to sacrifice Himself that 
 we may live. In order to put on Jesus Christ, it is 
 necessary that His love enter into our hearts, and our 
 love enter into His heart. Thus we shall resemble 
 Him as younger brothers. 
 
 * # # 
 
 One source of comfort and encouragement in this 
 battle is the example and the inspiration of the mar- 
 tyrs. One of the most illustrious martyrs whose feast 
 day is commemorated during this time of the year is 
 Saint Cecilia, Virgin of Rome. Glorious, youthful 
 daughter of a noble Roman family, humble servant 
 of God and friend of all the poor, Cecilia gained for 
 Christ on the day of her marriage the soul of her 
 pagan spouse. At the same time, she renewed her 
 vow of virginity, and consecrated herself once more, 
 to God. 
 
 The prefect of Rome, persecuting her in the name 
 of an unjust and cruel law, was unsuccessful in his 
 attempt to stifle her with steam in her own house. 
 He then ordered her to be beheaded. The execu- 
 tioner struck three brutal blows, but for three days 
 Cecilia's soul still lingered in her virginal body* 
 
 Romans xiii, 14. 
 
4 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 The body of the virgin martyr still remains in her 
 own house, which is now the Church of Saint Cecilia. 
 In a niche below the magnificent altar there is a beau- 
 tiful statue of the saint, sculptured from pure white 
 marble. It represents her as she was struck down by 
 the blows of the executioner, a victim of the love 
 she bore for Jesus and the love which Jesus bore for 
 her. 
 
 Every priest reads in the Lauds of the Divine 
 Office on the feast of Saint Cecilia the following anti- 
 phon, — "Cecilia, Thy handmaid, O Lord, has served 
 Thee as industriously and as faithfully as toils the 
 bee." The busy, tireless bee gathers sweetness from 
 all the flowers. And likewise thou, O Christian, 
 shouldst learn to emulate the sacrifice of this tender 
 maiden, and make every action of the trying day a 
 flower in thy crown of glory! 
 
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 
 THE PRECURSOR 
 
 "At that time, when John had heard in prison the works 
 of Christ: sending two of his disciples, he said to Him: Art 
 Thou He that art to come, or do we look for another ? And 
 Jesus making answer, said to them, Go and relate to John 
 what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame 
 walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise 
 again, the poor have the gospel preached to them; and 
 blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in Me. And 
 when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multi- 
 tudes concerning John, What went you out into the desert 
 to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went you 
 out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they 
 that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. 
 But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea, I tell you, 
 and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is 
 written (in the Prophecy of Malachias), Behold I send My 
 angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before 
 Thee." Matthew xi, 2-10. 
 
 IN this Gospel, the Church presents for our con- 
 sideration, the austere figure of Saint John the 
 Baptist. And if we follow the example which 
 he has given to us, we shall fittingly prepare our- 
 selves for the coming of the Saviour. Faithful to 
 Jesus even unto death, the mission of Saint John 
 was to make souls ready to receive the coming Mes- 
 sias. The echo of his voice, and the engaging 
 
 S 
 
6 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 uprightness of his character, attract and encourage 
 us even today. 
 
 Even before his birth, the Baptist was sanctified. 
 This sanctification was accomplished in the moun- 
 tainous country of Judea, at the voice of Mary, when 
 the yet unborn precursor felt the presence of the 
 hidden King of Kings. The first caresses, the first 
 smiles of love which he received as an infant, were 
 the caresses and smiles of the Blessed Virgin. 
 
 In his youth he fled into the desert, guarding in 
 the midst of the solitudes the priceless treasure of his 
 purity. He led a miraculous life of spotless inno- 
 cence, of rigorous, unflinching penance. His only 
 garment was a rough covering made from the skin 
 of a camel. 
 
 All Jerusalem and all Judea went down into the 
 valley of the Jordan to hear him preach. Sinners 
 were touched with remorse at the thought of the 
 lives which they had been leading, and cleansed in 
 the waters of the Jordan, they resolved to lead good 
 lives in preparation for the coming of the Redeemer. 
 Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Zachary, when 
 he gave him the name of John. "And thou, child, 
 shall be called the prophet of the Highest : for thou 
 shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His 
 ways." 1 
 
 Other men had gone into the desert to pray, but 
 they had wavered at the first hardships as reeds on 
 the banks of the Jordan swayed in the wind. John, 
 however, was faithful to his call and persevering in 
 his resolutions. 
 
 When he saw Jesus for the first time, he cried out, 
 
 a Luke i, 76. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 7 
 
 "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh 
 away the sin of the world." x 
 
 John wished to leave his followers in the care of 
 Jesus, He was already within the shadow of death 
 when he sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He 
 were the Messias, — not that John himself had any 
 doubt, but in order that they also might be convinced 
 of the identity of Him "the latchet of Whose 
 shoe" 2 John was not worthy to loose. This was 
 John's last testament, for his glory was henceforth 
 to fade before the glory of Christ as the light of 
 the morning star pales in the dawning light of the 
 sun. 
 
 It was to these disciples that Jesus gave that mem- 
 orable eulogy on Saint John, — "Amen, I say to you, 
 there hath not risen among them that are born of 
 woman a greater than John the Baptist." 3 
 
 Saint John was now in prison. He had had the 
 courage to face a shameless king and to rebuke him 
 for his lust, — "It is not lawful for thee to have thy 
 brother's wife." 4 From that day, the woman who 
 was the king's associate in evil vowed the death of 
 John the Baptist. 
 
 It was the birthday of the king, and a wondrous 
 banquet was served at court in his honor. Herod sat 
 in the midst of his princes and tribunes, crowned 
 with flowers, hailed and flattered by all. To the 
 music of the harps and zithers, a young girl, the 
 daughter of Herodias, was dancing a Greek dance. 
 
 'Ask of me what thou wilt,* cried the monarch, 
 
 'Tohn i, 29. 
 2 John i, 27. 
 8 Matthew xi, 11. 
 4 Mark vi, 18. 
 
 t( c 
 
8 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 flushed with pleasure. Whatsoever thou shalt ask, 
 I will give thee, though it be the half of my king- 
 dom.' " * It was the opportunity the incestuous wife 
 and dissolute mother had hoped for, and she 
 prompted the girl to make this horrible request, "I 
 will that forthwith thou give me in a dish the head 
 of John the Baptist." 2 "O God, what horror I" cries 
 out Saint Ambrose, u a girlish heart desires no grace, 
 no favor, or no pardon, but instead demands an exe- 
 cution." Shortly afterwards, the executioner brought 
 in the head of the martyr on a silver dish. The 
 blood was still warm, the eyes half closed so not to 
 gaze, it seemed, upon the authors of the deed, the 
 mute lips still proclaiming in their silence, "It is not 
 lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." 3 
 
 Thus did this saint of God live, and thus did he 
 die. 
 
 When the kings in the Orient set out on a long 
 journey, they were accustomed to send heralds and 
 messengers before them to prepare the way. And so 
 the great King sent a precursor to prepare the way 
 for Him, to prepare the hearts of men to receive 
 Him. Realize, Christian soul, how important is this 
 preparation. The prayer in the Mass today reads, 
 "Arouse our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for 
 Thine only-begotten Son, that through His coming 
 we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure 
 minds and hearts." 
 
 'Mark vi, 22, 23. 
 2 Mark vi, 25. 
 'Mark vi, 18. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 9 
 
 FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEP- 
 TION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 
 
 "The angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of 
 Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose 
 name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's 
 name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto 
 her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art 
 thou among women." Luke i, 26-28. 
 
 RAISE thy thoughts to Heaven, Christian soul, 
 summon forth all the powers of thy mind to 
 contemplate the grandeur of her whom the 
 angels salute as "full of grace." * Dispelling all the 
 shadows, mounting above all the evil on the earth, 
 Mary shines resplendent in the firmament of 
 Heaven. More glorious and more pure in her mag- 
 nificence than the driven snow on Alpine summit, the 
 very mention of her name thrills every heart with 
 love and reverence. The dark mantle of sin which 
 had enshrouded and still enshrouds every soul born 
 into the world never cast even a shadow on the soul 
 of God's Immaculate Mother. 
 
 Man had been created as the master of the earth 
 and the heir of Heaven. He was to live the life 
 of the angels, and was called the child of God. But 
 man sinned, and sin marred all his beauty and his 
 glory. Even the virgins and martyrs, whose lives 
 were fragrant with the perfume of heavenly graces, 
 were stained with the blot of original sin. Mary 
 alone from the very moment of her conception was 
 entirely free from this tarnish, "a woman clothed 
 
 x Luke i, 28. 
 
10 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 with the sun." 1 "She 'is the brightness of Eternal 
 Light, and the unspotted mirror of God's Majesty, 
 and the image of His goodness.'' 2 
 
 In the overwhelming triumph of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin over sin, it was necessary to blot out the stain of 
 the disgraceful fall of our first mother. 
 
 Over the world had echoed and reechoed the 
 thundering curse of God on the serpent tempter, 
 "Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed 
 among all cattle and beasts of the earth, upon thy 
 breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all 
 the days of thy life. I will put enmities between thee 
 and the woman, and thy seed and her seed : she shall 
 crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her 
 heel." 8 Mary crushed the head of the serpent, and 
 the sons of Eve became the sons of Mary. The chil- 
 dren of death were transformed into children of 
 life. And in honor of Mary's victory, the Church 
 makes use of the hymn which the warriors of Beth- 
 ulia sang to Judith in honor of her victory over the 
 Assyrians, "Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou 
 art the joy of Israel, thou art the honor of our 
 
 people." 4 
 
 * * * 
 
 Mary is in our midst today. 
 
 As the Gave river winds its way at the foot of 
 the Pyrenees mountains, in southern France, it 
 passes a cave in the rocks. In this grotto, garlanded 
 by the wild rose creeping through the crevices, the 
 
 \A.pocalypse xii, 1. 
 2 Wisdom vii, 26. 
 "Genesis iii, 14, 15. 
 *Judith xv, 10. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 11 
 
 Immaculate Virgin appeared to a little girl, Berna- 
 dette Soubiroux, who was praying there in her honor. 
 The first apparition occurred on the eleventh day of 
 February, 1858. Resplendent with celestial bright- 
 ness, with a smile upon her face, the Virgin looked 
 with maternal love upon the little child, and the child 
 gazed back with love at her. The virginal feet of 
 the Madonna rested on the rocks in the midst of the 
 briers and brambles, and she seemed to say, "The 
 thorns which are now in your pathway will become 
 roses in your crown in Heaven." 
 
 A miraculous fountain gushed forth from the 
 grotto, and the cures which have been wrought at 
 this shrine of the Blessed Virgin are known all over 
 the world. A beautiful church has been erected above 
 the grotto, and its walls are covered with votive tab- 
 lets and emblems, each one of which symbolizes the 
 gratitude of some poor sufferer to whom Mary has 
 granted relief. Thousands of crutches have been left 
 there by those who had come to Lourdes crippled 
 and gone away with their deformities entirely 
 corrected. The Immaculate Virgin of Lourdes 
 is a perennial unfailing source of blessings and 
 favors for all who address her with the "Hail 
 Mary." 
 
 "O Mariner, whoever thou art," says Saint Ber- 
 nard, "tossed about on the waves of life's stormy 
 sea, knowing the peril of the dark waters threaten- 
 ing to engulf thee, fix thy gaze on the Star of Hope 
 in the Heavens and cry, 'Mary!' In difficulties, in 
 doubt and in anguish, think of Mary and call on 
 Mary to help thee. Let her name be ever on thy 
 lips; let her love be ever in thy heart. If thou fol- 
 
12 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 lowest her, thou shalt not wander from the course ; 
 if thou prayest to her, thou shalt not despair. If she 
 helps thee, thou shalt not weary; if she guides thee, 
 thou shalt reach the harbor." 
 
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 
 
 "At that time: the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and 
 Levites to John, to ask him, Who art thou? And he con- 
 fessed, and did not deny; and he confessed, I am not the 
 Christ. And they asked him, What then ? Art thou Elias ? 
 And he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he 
 answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art 
 thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? 
 What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of 
 one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the 
 Lord, as said the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent 
 were of the pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him, 
 Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor 
 Elias, nor the prophet? John answered them, saying, I 
 baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst 
 of you Whom you know not ; the same is He that shall come 
 after me, Who is preferred before me, the latchet of Whose 
 shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in 
 Bethania beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing." 
 John i, 19-28. 
 
 AS the feast of the Nativity approaches, the 
 
 A% liturgy of the Church becomes more jubilant. 
 
 i. JL "The Lord is near; come let us adore Him," 
 
 is the invitatory which is constantly repeated in the 
 
 recitation of the Divine Office. 
 
 The third Sunday of Advent is also known as 
 Gaudete" Sunday, and it is so called because the 
 introit of the Mass begins with the word "Gaudete," 
 which means, "Rejoice." The joyful character of 
 
 13 
 
 a 
 
14 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 the day is indicated by the flowers on the altar, by 
 the substitution of rose colored vestments for the 
 sombre purple of Advent, and by the note of gladness 
 which sounds throughout all the psalmody. In the 
 epistle of the Mass, the voice of Saint Paul rings out 
 in exultation, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I 
 say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. 
 The Lord is nigh. Be solicitous about nothing; but 
 in everything by prayer and supplication, with 
 thanksgving, let your petitions be made known to 
 God. And the peace of God which surpasseth all 
 understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ 
 Jesus." 1 
 
 The Gospel in the Mass tells of the Priests and 
 Levites whom the Sanhedrin sent to inquire of Saint 
 John the Baptist if he were the Messias. Saint John 
 answered at once, "I am not the Christ." 2 And 
 quoting the words of the prophet Isaias, John 
 replied, " 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilder- 
 ness, make straight the way of the Lord." ' 3 Saint 
 John further explained that his baptism was a sim- 
 ple penitential rite of preparation, " 'but He that 
 shall come after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes 
 I am not worthy to bear. He shall baptize you in the 
 Holy Ghost and fire." ' 4 Thus, the first announce- 
 ment of the dawn of Christianity was a proclama- 
 tion of joy, and, therefore, it is called "Gospel," or 
 good tidings. 
 
 From the day of this announcement, the lives of 
 the saints were lives of supreme happiness. They 
 
 ^hilippians iv, 4-7. 
 2 John i, 20. 
 "John i, 23. 
 'Matthew iii, 11. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 15 
 
 were to be visited at times with difficulties and dis- 
 appointments, but consoled by the thought that Jesus 
 was nigh, their troubles could not oppress them. 
 Saint Lucy affirmed before her impious, cruel judges 
 that no human power could put out, or even dimin- 
 ish, the light which shone in her soul. 
 
 Jesus ! Thou Who givest such beauty to the things 
 of the earth, Who dost adorn the flowers of the field 
 with delicate fragrance and bloom, the birds of the 
 air with brilliancy of color and enchanting notes of 
 song, deign to grant to us Thy children the sublime 
 happiness of receiving Thee worthily at Christmas 
 time ! Make our souls beautiful with Thy Heavenly 
 graces, adorn us with every virtue, inspire our hearts 
 with tremendous power to love Thee, make our 
 voices eloquent to praise Thee! Jesus! Thou art 
 Innocence and Goodness! Thou art Life and Love 
 Itself. We long to possess Thee. Jesus! Come 
 to us. 
 
 Reflect, O Christian soul, how happy we shall be 
 at Christmas. Consider, also, dearly beloved, how 
 sad indeed, and dark and gloomy, must be the heart 
 which is enshrouded in the darkness of the world, a 
 life in which every pleasure is anxiety, every impulse, 
 selfishness, and every hope, despair. 
 
 We may raise our hearts, therefore, on high. The 
 responses in matins of the Divine Office, bright with 
 the approach of the Saviour, tell of peace: "Ascend 
 the highest mountain, O prophet, raise thy voice with 
 all thy strength, cry out to the cities of Juda, to the 
 inhabitants of Sion, and announce the gospel of 
 peace. Justice shall prevail, and peace will abound. 
 Jesus is the Prince of Peace." 
 
16 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 O peace, so much invoked, the peace which the 
 world cannot give, peace, the refreshment of souls 
 thirsting for truth, the repose of hearts sighing for 
 true love, return to us I Return to the poor, suffering 
 people of the world, who wish harmony to prevail 
 among all nations ! 
 
 During this week, the Church begins the great 
 no vena for the Feast of Christmas, and she purifies 
 herself by fasting for the coming of the Infant Sav- 
 iour. The voice of John the Baptist invites us to 
 practise mortification,. in order to break down the last 
 barriers, to make smooth the pathway to our souls. 
 And the consolation which we shall implore by our 
 prayers and by our tears is that the peace of God 
 may be restored among all nations, that the peace 
 of God may be present in families, that the peace of 
 God may enter into all hearts. 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 
 
 EXPIATION OF SIN 
 
 "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 
 Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being 
 tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea 
 and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of 
 Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas; the 
 word of the Lord came to John the son of Zachary, in the 
 desert. And he came into all the country about the Jor- 
 dan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of 
 sins; as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the 
 prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare 
 ye the way of the Lord, make straight His paths. Every 
 valley shall be filled; and every mountain and hill shall 
 be brought low: the crooked shall be made straight, and the 
 rough ways plain, and all flesh shall see the salvation of 
 God." Luke iii, 1-6. 
 
 THE enumeration of the high dignitaries of the 
 world which appears in today's Gospel, has 
 all the frightful solemnity of a sentence of 
 justice decreed on this world, fast plunging onward 
 to its ruinous end. The most awful personages in 
 human history pass in review before our eyes. 
 Tiberius, Pilate, Herod and Caiphas, profaners of 
 the throne and of the altar, personify the depravity 
 of the times and the special iniquity of the chosen 
 people. 
 
 Such was the state of the world when "the word 
 
 17 
 
18 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zach- 
 ary, in the desert'' * Saint John then left his desert 
 solitude and entered into the country about the Jor- 
 dan, to exhort men to do penance for their sins. God 
 wished to redeem the human race, but He was to 
 require of sinners some indication of their repent- 
 ance and some atonement for the offences which they 
 had committed. 
 
 The Baptist preaches penance to us also, — "Bring 
 forth therefore fruits worthy of penance. . . . For 
 now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every 
 tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit, 
 shall be cut down and cast into the fire." 2 
 
 God is infinitely good, but He is also infinitely just. 
 Wherefore, if we have sinned, we must do penance. 
 Sooner or later, we must atone for our sins, either 
 by penance through loving choice, or by fire as an 
 obligatory punishment. 
 
 Every time that God warns sinners, His threats 
 are but acts of His mercy. Saint Augustine says that 
 the one who cries out before he strikes does not 
 really wish to wound. And so God cries out to the 
 sinner to do penance, since "now is the acceptable 
 time; behold now is the day of salvation." s 
 
 There are some men, however, who persist in 
 blindness, who do not care to consider that "the 
 great day of the Lord is near." 4 But even with 
 such men, the Lord is merciful. God is good, and He 
 sometimes strikes in this life in order not to punish 
 
 *Luke iii, 2. 
 2 Luke iii, 8, 9. 
 8 II Corinthians vi, Z. 
 4 Sophonias i, 14. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 19 
 
 in the next. "If your sins be as scarlet, they shall be 
 
 made as white as snow." 1 
 
 Penance disarms justice. "Thou, O sinful man," 
 
 warns Saint Ambrose, "hast placed thy foot on the 
 
 brink of a chasm. Quickly withdraw it or thou shalt 
 
 fall headlong into the abyss. Do not delay in casting 
 
 off the bonds of sin. Thy moments of mercy are 
 
 numbered." 
 
 # # * 
 
 Saint Francis Borgia, the fourth duke of Gandia, 
 and lord of the court of Charles the Fifth, had en- 
 tered the religious life, and had become one of the 
 most austere penitents of the Church. He was travel- 
 ing one day and met a nobleman, a former acquaint- 
 ance, who was startled to see him so poorly clad. 
 His friend anxiously implored Saint Francis to 
 lessen the rigors of his penances. The saint told 
 him that he was not unprovided for, as an attendant 
 always went before him who furnished everything 
 necessary. The nobleman further inquired about 
 the identity of the attendant, and Saint Francis 
 replied that the attendant who prepared everything 
 for him was the thought of what he deserved, and 
 so he always found everything much more pleasant 
 and satisfactory than he expected. 
 
 The event which influenced Francis Borgia to 
 leave the world is well known. He had been 
 entrusted with the duty of accompanying the body 
 of the Empress Isabella to Granada. When the 
 coffin was opened the other members of the court 
 fled in horror at the sight, but Francis remained im- 
 movable before the corpse. "And thou wast my 
 
 a Isaias i, 18. 
 
20 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 empress," he murmured. "Isabella, where is thy 
 majesty, where thy beauty now?" 
 
 The voice of Saint John the Baptist rings out full 
 and clear, "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of 
 penance. The axe is laid at the root of the trees." l 
 Tremble, lest this warning, if we despise it, be for 
 us a transfixing sword of remorse for all eternity. 
 
 FEAST OF THE NATIVITY 
 
 On the feast of the Nativity of Jesus, each priest is permitted 
 to celebrate three Masses. In former times, the Holy Father cele- 
 brated Midnight Mass in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, before 
 the relics of the manger-crib in which the Infant Saviour was 
 placed at His birth. The Pope offered his second Mass at dawn 
 in the Church of Saint Anastasia, as Christmas is the anniversary 
 of her martyrdom. The third Mass was celebrated later in the 
 morning in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. 
 
 On the days which follow Christmas, the Church commemo- 
 rates the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, Saint John, the 
 beloved Apostle, and the Holy Innocents. The roses of martyr- 
 dom and the lilies of virginity form a fragrant garland of feast 
 days succeeding this great feast day — the birthday of Jesus Christ. 
 
 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST 
 
 "At that time, there went out a decree from Caesar Augus- 
 tus that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling 
 was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all 
 went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Jos- 
 eph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth, 
 into Judea to the city of David, w T hich is called Bethlehem, 
 because he was of the house and family of David, to be 
 enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. 
 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days 
 
 *Luke iii, 8, 9. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 21 
 
 were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she 
 brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him up in 
 swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there 
 was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the 
 same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night 
 watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord 
 stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round 
 about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the 
 angel said to them : Fear not ; for behold I bring you good 
 tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for this 
 day is born to you a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord, in 
 the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: You 
 shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and 
 laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel 
 a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 
 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of 
 good will." Luke ii, 1-14. (The Gospel of the Mass at 
 midnight.) 
 
 " y^l LORY to God in the highest; and on earth 
 € nr peace to men of good will." * This is the 
 ^^ song of the angels. The dark, damp stable 
 is transformed into a paradise of light and song. 
 The King of Kings is born. We can hardly refrain 
 from weeping with emotion. All the doors in the 
 city of Bethlehem at which His Blessed Mother and 
 Saint Joseph have knocked have been closed before 
 them. A stable is His palace, and a pallet of straw 
 His bed. 
 
 His face is radiant with goodness and with tender- 
 ness. The tears which He sheds are not tears of 
 grief, but tears of love. His Virgin Mother with 
 great reverence kneels before Him. She wraps Him 
 
 'Luke ii, 14. 
 
22 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 in swaddling clothes and warms His infant face and 
 hands with her kisses. Mary smiles at Jesus, and 
 Jesus smiles at her. 
 
 We also, brethren, should kneel in reverence be- 
 fore the crib of the Saviour. He has been born an 
 infant because He wishes to be loved, and no soul 
 need fear to approach Him. 
 
 It is not necessary to go far distant in search of 
 Jesus. Every church is today a luminous grotto, and 
 every altar a crib. Light and splendor and rejoicing 
 are within; cold and darkness are without 
 
 "Jesus is born, come let us adore Him!" are the 
 words of the liturgy. Heaven has showered its 
 sweetness throughout all the world today. Yes, for 
 today the miracle is repeated. In our chalices, the 
 Heavenly Dew is sparkling. On our patens, Jesus 
 smiles. 
 
 Let us, therefore, with reverence prostrate our- 
 selves with the angels before Him. The Church 
 suggests a prayer to us : u O Lord, who renewest Thy 
 nativity in our minds, open our hearts also to Thy 
 life, and in the sacred mysteries refresh us with Thy 
 Precious Blood and nourish us with Thy Sacred 
 
 Body." 
 
 * * * 
 
 There is the story of a little white flower which 
 is the delight of many fervent souls to hear and to 
 consider. Sister Teresa of the Infant Jesus, "the 
 Little Flower," was born on the second day of Janu- 
 ary, 1873. She chose a "small way," as she said, "to 
 go to Heaven, — the way of spiritual infancy, of en- 
 tire abandonment and trust in God." When she was 
 fifteen years of age, she entered the Carmel of 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 23 
 
 Lisieux. "O Jesus, my love," she wrote, "at last I 
 have found my vocation. My vocation is love. Great 
 works are forbidden to me ; I am not able to preach 
 the Gospel, nor to shed my blood. I am only a poor 
 little girl, but I can scatter flowers, which will diffuse 
 their perfume around the throne of God; for scat- 
 tering flowers means embracing every opportunity 
 to make some small sacrifice. I wish to take advan- 
 tage of every small occasion to show my love. I wish 
 to suffer through love." In a veritable outpouring 
 of herself in charity, she exclaimed, "Why can I not 
 tell, O Jesus, of Thy kindness, Thy condescension to 
 all little souls? Was it not Thee Who taught me 
 Thy secrets, and canst Thou not now reveal them to 
 others? Look down, I pray Thee, and attract with 
 Thy divine countenance a great number of little 
 souls, and make of all these souls a legion of little 
 victims of Thy love." 
 
 FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS 
 
 "At that time an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to 
 Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the Child and His mother, 
 and fly into Egypt ; and be there until I tell thee : for it will 
 come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him. 
 Who arose, and took the Child and His mother by night, 
 and retired into Egypt; and He was there until the death 
 of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke 
 by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called My Son." 
 Matthew ii, 13-15. 
 
 IN the midst of her rejoicing at the birth of Jesus, 
 the Church is plunged into sorrow. The joy of 
 the Christmas season changes to sadness for the 
 moment at the thought of the massacre of the Holy 
 
24 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Innocents. Herod wished to kill the dreaded rival 
 to his throne, and he hoped to slaughter Him at His 
 very birth. And so he decreed the cruel sentence 
 of death on all children "two years old and under.' ' * 
 The very thought of the execution of this terrible 
 sentence chills our hearts with horror. Frenzied 
 mothers snatch their babes from their cribs and flee 
 in terror to a hiding place, but the infant cries betray 
 their presence to the brutal soldiers of the tyrant. A 
 furious struggle rages between the unarmed mothers, 
 shielding their loved ones, and the soldiers with their 
 swords of death. "If there be any guilt," the 
 mothers cry in anguish, "this guilt is ours; slay us 
 and spare the innocent; before you kill them, pierce 
 our hearts with the swords or else we die of grief." 
 But all the pleadings, all the struggles of the 
 mothers, could not save the helpless infants, and the 
 swords reeked with the blood of the babes martyred 
 for Jesus Christ. 
 
 sjc # * 
 
 Not far from Bethlehem there is the monument 
 of Rachel. When the sons of Benjamin heard that 
 distant relatives were snatched from their homes by 
 the enemy and were sold into slavery, it seemed to 
 the prophet Jeremias that he heard their long, sad 
 cry as if they were sobbing for rest. And today, at 
 the anguished wail of the mothers, Rachel raises her 
 head from the grave once more, and, wounded to 
 the heart, moans with them. She does not wish to be 
 consoled, for her children are no more. 
 
 And yet, although the Innocents were massacred, 
 
 a Matthew ii, 16. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 25 
 
 they became triumphant. Baptized in their own 
 blood, unable even to pronounce the name of Christ, 
 they proclaimed Christ gloriously by their death. 
 They are the first bloom of martyrs in the Church, 
 — flowers opening before their time in the midst of 
 the frost, and fallen before the chill breath of the 
 storm. "Blessed art thou, O Bethlehem, land of 
 Juda," exclaims Saint Augustine, "that in one day 
 offered to God such a spotless holocaust of inno- 
 cence. Blessed are you, O children, who in your 
 very infancy, before any trials, merited the imperish- 
 able crown of glory." Not without profound emo- 
 tion does the Church in the Divine Office of this feast 
 meditate on the sublime words, vibrant with faith, 
 which the prophet Jeremias addressed to Rachel: 
 "Let thy voice cease from weeping and thy eyes 
 from tears for . . . there is hope for thy last end . . . 
 and the children shall return to their own borders." * 
 
 When we think that we have suffered unjustly 
 from injuries or from calumnies, and we lament on 
 this account with God, and complain to men, we 
 should think of these little ones cut down by the 
 tyrant's sword, who were certainly much more inno- 
 cent than we are. We should reflect that Jesus, the 
 stainless Lamb of God, endured the most atrocious 
 torture, and that following in the footsteps of Jesus 
 no one who bears the name of Christian is exempt 
 from drinking of the chalice of His suffering. 
 
 Adversity and suffering are not great evils. The 
 great, the only real evil, is sin. Sin makes us enemies 
 of God; adversity opens for us the gates of Para- 
 dise. No one could have favored the children of 
 
 x Jeremias xxxi, 16-17. 
 
26 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Bethlehem by love as Herod favored them by hate. 
 We should, therefore, endure trials and suffering 
 with great faith. The world inflicts troubles on us 
 to rob us of the virtues which God has given to us. 
 And indeed we shall see the day when for this sole 
 reason, because of our virtues, men will hate and 
 revile us. u Blessed are ye when they shall revile you 
 and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against 
 you, untruly, for my sake. Be glad and rejoice, for 
 your reward is very great in Heaven." * 
 
 FEAST OF THE CIRCUMCISION OF OUR 
 
 LORD 
 
 OBEDIENCE 
 
 "At that time, after eight days were accomplished that the 
 child should be circumcised, His name was called Jesus 
 (Saviour), which was called by the angel before He was 
 conceived in the womb." Luke ii, 21. 
 
 THE first solemn rite of the Jewish religion by 
 which a new-born infant is formally enrolled 
 as a participator in the divine promises made 
 to the chosen people is the occasion of great rejoic- 
 ing by all. The observance of this religious service 
 in the life of John the Baptist, the precursor of the 
 Saviour, is narrated in the first chapter of Saint 
 Luke. All the family of Zachary united to do honor 
 to the newly elected scion of the race. 
 
 There is no celebration, however, in honor of 
 Jesus. The extreme poverty of the Child who had 
 been born in a manger, precluded the usual rejoicing. 
 
 'Matthew v, 11, 12. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 27 
 
 Jesus had come to free others from the yoke of this 
 law, but He wishes to subject Himself to it. His 
 passion begins today. He receives His baptism of 
 blood. Eternal Purity is willing to bear in His im- 
 maculate flesh the sign of a sinful people. Nor is 
 Jesus like other infants who suffer without under- 
 standing the reason for the pain. He under- 
 stands and willingly endures it all. He seals with 
 His own blood the name of Saviour, which He has 
 received. 
 
 "Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He 
 saith: . . . 'Sacrifices and oblations, and holocausts 
 for sin Thou wouldst not; neither are they pleasing 
 to Thee, which are offered according to the law.' 
 . . . 'Behold, I come to do Thy will, O God.' " 1 
 
 "He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto 
 death, even to the death of the cross." 2 From 
 His cradle to His death on Calvary, Jesus trod 
 only one pathway, — the road of humiliation and 
 blood. 
 
 It is true that He shed tears while He underwent 
 the painful rite of circumcision. He was a child, and 
 resembled His brethren in all things except in sin. 
 These tears were a sign of his love for us. Later on 
 in life, He will weep at the tomb of Lazarus, and 
 the Jews present will exclaim, "Behold how He 
 loved him." 3 Jesus sheds tears for us today, and 
 He also sheds His Precious Blood. Behold, there- 
 fore, how much He loves us. 
 
 Mary presses her Child to her heart. And thus 
 
 Hebrews x, 5-9. 
 *Philippians ii, 8. 
 3 John x, 36. 
 
28 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 our Mother begins her martyrdom. Mary suffers in 
 her soul the pain which Jesus suffers in His body. 
 But Mary suffers in silence because she is obedient 
 to the will of her Father Who is in Heaven. 
 
 At the beginning of the new year, we must write 
 this word, "obedience," in our hearts. Just as we 
 loved the very walls of our father's home in the 
 days of our childhood, just as we loved our good 
 companions, who were almost brothers in our 
 family, so also, we must love and obey our supe- 
 riors, whose will is the will of God. We must be 
 docile to them, not because of fear, but because of 
 reverence. 
 
 Saint John Berchmans reached the heights of 
 sanctity without any other mortification than that 
 which he practised by obedience. "My greatest pen- 
 ance," he said, "is community life and obedience to 
 the rules of my religious society." 
 
 The Kingdom of Heaven must be obtained by a 
 battle; it must be secured by violence. "The King- 
 dom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent 
 bear it away." * When pride puts suggestions of 
 obstinacy and rebellion into our minds, we must 
 quickly conquer these inclinations and render to 
 Christ love for love. To submit our wills for the 
 love of Christ is much less than the shedding of His 
 blood by Christ for us. Let us obey, therefore, with 
 good wills and with generous hearts, and God will 
 free us from the humiliating slavery of our passions. 
 If we walk for a little time among thorns, we shall 
 soon find the roses in Heaven. 
 
 Matthew xi, 12. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 29 
 
 FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME 
 
 "At that time, after eight days were accomplished that 
 the Child should be circumcised, His name was called Jesus, 
 which was called by the angel (on the day of the Annuncia- 
 tion) before He was conceived in the womb." Luke ii, 21. 
 
 WE may consider today, dearly beloved breth- 
 ren, an inspired page in the Acts of the 
 Apostles, a chapter which exalts the power 
 and the glory of the name of Jesus. No human 
 author could even approach the sublimity of the 
 simple narrative telling of the miraculous cure 
 of the lame man. "Peter and John went up 
 into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. And 
 a certain man who was lame from his mother's 
 womb, was carried: whom they laid every day at 
 the gate of the temple, which is called 'Beautiful,' 
 that he might ask alms of them that went into the 
 temple. He, when he had seen Peter and John 
 about to go into the temple, asked to receive an 
 alms. But Peter, with John fastening his eyes 
 upon him, said, 'Look upon us.' But he looked ear- 
 nestly upon them, hoping that he should receive 
 something of them. But Peter said, 'Silver and gold 
 I have none, but what I have, I give thee. In the 
 name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and w r alk.' 
 And taking him by the right hand, he lifted him up, 
 and forthwith his feet and soles received strength. 
 And he leaping up, stood, and walked, and went in 
 with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and 
 praising God. And all the people saw him walking 
 and praising God. And they knew him, that it was 
 he who sat begging alms at the 'Beautiful' gate of 
 
30 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 the temple; and they were filled with wonder and 
 
 amazement at that which had happened to him. And 
 
 as he held Peter and John, all the people ran to 
 
 them to the porch which is called 'Solomon's,' 
 
 greatly wondering. But Peter seeing, made answer 
 
 to the people, 'Ye men of Israel, why wonder you at 
 
 this? Or why look you upon us as if by our strength 
 
 or power we had made this man to walk? The God 
 
 of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 
 
 Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His 
 
 Son, Jesus, Whom you indeed delivered up and 
 
 denied before the face of Pilate, when he judged he 
 
 should be released. But you denied the Holy One 
 
 and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted 
 
 unto you. But the Author of Life you killed, Whom 
 
 God hath raised from the dead, of which we are 
 
 witnesses. And in the faith of His name, this man, 
 
 whom you have seen and known, hath His name 
 
 strengthened; and the faith which is by him, hath 
 
 given this perfect soundness in the sight of you 
 
 all.' " 1 
 
 * * * 
 
 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that their 
 princes, and ancients, and scribes, were gathered to- 
 gether in Jerusalem ; and Annas the high-priest, and 
 Caiphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as 
 were of the kindred of the high priest. And setting 
 them in the midst, they asked: 'By what power, or 
 by what name, have you done this?' Then Peter, 
 filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them, 'Ye princes 
 of the people, and ancients, hear : If we this day are 
 
 *Acts of the Apostles ill, 1-16. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 31 
 
 examined concerning the good deed done to the in- 
 firm man, by what means he hath been made whole, 
 be it known to you all, and to all the people of 
 Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 
 of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God hath 
 raised from the dead, even by Him this man stand- 
 eth here before you whole. This is the stone which 
 was rejected by you the builders, which is become the 
 head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in 
 any other. For there is no other name under Heaven 
 given to men, whereby we must be saved.' Now 
 seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, under- 
 standing that they were illiterate and ignorant men, 
 they wondered; and they knew them that they had 
 been with Jesus. Seeing the man also who had been 
 healed, standing with them, they could say nothing 
 against it. But they commanded them to go aside 
 out of the council ; and they conferred among them- 
 selves, saying, 'What shall we do to these men? For 
 indeed a known miracle hath been done by them, to 
 all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; it is manifest, and 
 we cannot deny it. But that it may be no farther 
 spread among the people, let us threaten them that 
 they speak no more in this name to any man.' And 
 calling them, they charged them not to speak at all, 
 nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John 
 answering, said to them, 'If it be just in the sight of 
 God, to hear you rather than God, judge ye. For 
 we cannot but speak the things which we have seen 
 and heard.' But they, threatening, sent them away, 
 not finding how they might punish them, because of 
 the people ; for all men glorified what had been done, 
 in that which had come to pass. For the man was 
 
32 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 above forty years old, in whom that miraculous cure 
 had been wrought And being let go, they came to 
 their own company, and related all that the chief 
 priests and ancients had said to them. Who having 
 heard it, with one accord lifted up their voice to 
 God, and said, 'Lord, Thou art He that didst make 
 heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in 
 them. Who, by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of 
 our father David, Thy servant, hast said: Why did 
 the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate vain 
 things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the 
 princes assembled together against the Lord and His 
 Christ. For of a truth there assembled together in 
 this city against Thy holy Child Jesus, Whom Thou 
 hast anointed, Herold, and Pontius Pilate, with the 
 Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do what Thy 
 hand and Thy counsel decreed to be done. And 
 now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto 
 Thy servants, that with all confidence they may speak 
 Thy word, by stretching forth Thy hand to curses, 
 and signs, and wonders to be done by the name of 
 Thy holy Son Jesus.' " 1 
 
 And today, after many centuries, Peter meets on 
 his way poor unfortunates, who look on him as they 
 lie in their misery. He has neither gold nor silver 
 with which to console them. He has only a name, 
 and a faith. At his voice, the people rise to their 
 feet in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene. By 
 this faith, and by this name, the mission of the 
 Pope, despite the raging of his enemies, continues 
 immortal. 
 
 \Acts of the Apostles iv, 5-30. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 33 
 
 FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY 
 THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI 
 
 "When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the 
 days of King Herod, behold there came wise men from the 
 east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born king of 
 the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are 
 come to adore Him. And King Herod, hearing this, was 
 troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembled to- 
 gether all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he 
 inquired of them where Christ should be born. But they 
 said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda, for so it is written by 
 the prophet (Micheas) : And thou Bethlehem, the land of 
 Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out 
 of thee shall come forth the ruler that shall rule my people 
 Israel. Then Herod privately calling the wise men, learned 
 diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to 
 them; and sending them into Bethlehem, said, Go and dili- 
 gently inquire after the Child, and when you have found 
 Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore 
 Him; Who having heard the king, went their way; and 
 behold the star which they had seen in the east went before 
 them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. 
 And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 
 And entering into the house, they found the Child with 
 Mary, His mother, and falling down, they adored Him. 
 And opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, 
 frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer 
 in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went 
 back another way into their own country." Matthew ii, 
 1-12. 
 
 THE wise men who had come from the East to 
 Jerusalem had recognized Heaven's sign of 
 the new-born King, and had come to adore 
 Him. For although these dignitaries from the 
 
34 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Orient were Gentiles, they also, in common with the 
 chosen people, looked forward to the coming of the 
 Messias. The fact that the Jews were not alone in 
 expecting the Messias is attested by the historians 
 of the time, for even outside of Palestine the dawn 
 of a new era was confidently expected and earnestly 
 desired. This hopeful longing is the reason, there- 
 fore, that when the Magi saw the wondrous star, 
 they at once understood the meaning of the manifes- 
 tation, and without delay began their journey to 
 Judea. As a tribute to the Infant King Whom they 
 were coming to adore, they carried gifts of gold and 
 of precious ointments. The Fathers of the Church 
 interpret the nature of the gifts as a three-fold pro- 
 fession of faith. The offering of myrrh, which pre- 
 serves the body from corruption, indicated that the 
 Magi recognized the human nature in Christ; by 
 offering incense, they adored Him as God; by offer- 
 ing gold, they proclaimed Him a King. 
 
 "Begotten before the morning star, before all 
 time, the Saviour has appeared in the world!" Thus 
 sings the Church at dawn today in lauds of the 
 Divine Office. Jesus has revealed Himself to the Gen- 
 tile world, and, therefore, the feast day is called Epi- 
 phany, which means manifestation. "Let your faith 
 be warm and fervid," exclaims Saint Leo the Great, 
 "and exultingly rejoice, for the conversion of the 
 Magi is the beginning of that great movement which 
 will bring pagans to God." It is the beginning of our 
 call to the true faith. This day marks the com- 
 mencement of Catholicity or the Universality of the 
 Church. The star has shone beyond the land of the 
 Jewish people; it was a beacon light for all mankind. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 35 
 
 "Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem," cries the 
 prophet Isaias, "for thy light is come, and the glory 
 of the Lord is risen upon thee. . . . And the Gentiles 
 shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness 
 of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about, and 
 see : all these are gathered together, they are come 
 to thee. Thy sons shall come from afar, and thy 
 daughters shall rise up at thy side. Then shalt thou 
 see, and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be 
 enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be 
 converted to thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall 
 come to thee. The multitude of camels shall cover 
 thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha. All 
 they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frank- 
 incense, and showing forth praise to the Lord." * 
 
 The light of the true faith shines forth in the 
 Church of Christ, spreading throughout all nations, 
 lasting throughout all the ages. All dark shadows are 
 to be dispersed, and noble-hearted missionaries are 
 struggling in pagan lands to light the lamp of faith 
 in all these regions. The missionary priests and sis- 
 ters have sacrificed everything for the love of God. 
 All that men and women hold dear, — life, loved ones 
 and country, — have been cheerfully given up by them 
 to carry the Gospel of Christ to pagan lands. 
 
 We should pray that God may increase the num- 
 ber of these heroes, and even though it may not be 
 our privilege to be numbered among these valiant 
 selected soldiers of Christ, we may still have a share 
 in the glorious work which they are doing. We 
 should not allow them to think that they have been 
 abandoned by us in the trying struggle which they 
 
 isaias Ix, 1-6. 
 
36 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 are making against overwhelming difficulties. We 
 should encourage them by our prayers, and, if it 
 is possible, by our offerings. We should read the 
 periodicals which tell of missionary life, mission- 
 ary activities, and missionary hardships and heart- 
 breaks. We should be apostles of good with at 
 least the same zeal and interest with which the 
 wicked propagate evil. For every effort, for every 
 sacrifice, which we make for the Children of Christ 
 as yet outside the Church of Christ, we shall receive 
 a hundred-fold return. And if we are the means of 
 bringing even one soul to the knowledge and love of 
 God, our "reward is very great in Heaven." 1 
 
 Matthew v, 12. 
 
SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF 
 EPIPHANY 
 
 JESUS AMONG THE DOCTORS 
 
 "And when Jesus was twelve years old, they going up to 
 Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and having 
 fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus 
 remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And 
 thinking that He was in the company, they came a day's 
 journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolks and acquaint- 
 ance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, 
 seeking Him. And it came to pass, that after three days 
 they found Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the 
 doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all 
 that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His 
 answers. And seeing Him, they wondered. And His 
 mother said to Him, Son, why hast Thou done so to us? 
 Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And 
 He said to them, How is it that you sought me? Did you 
 not know that I must be about My Father's business? And 
 they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. 
 And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth ; and 
 was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words 
 in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and 
 grace with God and man." Luke ii, 42-52. 
 
 WHEN Jesus was twelve years old, He accom- 
 panied the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph 
 on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem which they 
 were accustomed to make every year on the day of 
 the Pasch. Pilgrims from all parts of the Jewish 
 
 37 
 
38 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 world were gathered in the Holy City to observe this 
 solemn festival. When they had fulfilled their relig- 
 ious obligations, the pilgrims from Galilee united to 
 begin their journey home. Their caravan was 
 divided into small groups. The men who traveled 
 on foot led the pilgrimage, and the older men and 
 women followed, taking turns in riding on the beasts 
 of burden. The young boys amused themselves by 
 passing from one group to another. After seven 
 hours of travel, shortly before dusk, the caravan 
 stopped to prepare an encampment for the night. 
 The families reunited, and it was then that Mary 
 and Joseph learned that Jesus was not with the 
 others. 
 
 Only a mother can appreciate the grief of the 
 Blessed Virgin. In twelve years, she had never 
 before lost sight of Jesus, and now He was lost in 
 a crowd of pilgrims departing in all directions. 
 O night of anguish and night of tears ! Every hour 
 that passed increased her fears and her anxieties. 
 There was not a single cabin back along their route, 
 at the door of which Mary and Joseph did not 
 knock. After many vain and fruitless inquiries, 
 worn out by their exertions and their heartaches, 
 they finally arrived back at the temple. The two 
 days' agony which they had endured was more ter- 
 rible than death itself, and in their eyes there were 
 no longer tears for weeping. 
 
 They entered into the hall of the Scribes. They 
 heard the voice of Jesus. Their hearts thrilled with 
 joy. They saw their loved One again. His face 
 radiant with divine beauty and wisdom, He was 
 calmly speaking with the learned doctors. "And His 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 39 
 
 Mother said to Him, 'Son, why hast thou done so 
 to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee 
 sorrowing.' " 1 The reply of Jesus exalts Him above 
 men: u How is it that you sought Me? Did you not 
 know that I must be about my Father's business?" 2 
 
 Mary and Joseph did not understand for the mo- 
 ment the meaning of this reply which Jesus made 
 to them. The answer, however, was not intended 
 for them, but rather, it was meant for us. The one 
 purpose in the mission of Jesus is the glory of God. 
 And even though the Saviour of the world was sub- 
 ject to Mary and Joseph for thirty years in order to 
 teach us docility and obedience, at the same time 
 Jesus wished also to remind us that we must be ready 
 to sacrifice all of our affections, even the most 
 holy, when the glory of God is concerned. 
 
 Reflect, Christian soul, on the meaning of this 
 truth. Consider, that in answering the voice of 
 Heaven, there is sometimes hesitation because of 
 love or fear of parents. 
 
 Within a few days, all the city of Rome will turn 
 its footsteps towards the Via Nomentana, to venerate 
 the sepulchre of a maiden martyr, Saint Agnes. A 
 bitter persecution of the Christians was raging, but 
 this maiden of thirteen years did not fear to profess 
 herself publicly to be a Christian; and even before 
 an impious judge she persevered unflinchingly in her 
 resolution of purity, her absolutely unconquerable 
 love for Jesus. "The very executioner," exclaimed 
 
 x Luke ii, 48. 
 2 Luke ii, 49. 
 
40 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Saint Ambrose, "was seen to tremble as if he him- 
 self were the one condemned.' f All those who were 
 near her were transfixed with fear and terror; all 
 but herself were weeping. She alone remained reso- 
 lute and intrepid, for she well knew the crown of 
 glory that she was about to gain. 
 
 If persecution should return, we have faith that 
 in the Catholic Church there would be more than one 
 virgin daughter happy to follow the example of 
 Saint Agnes ; that more than one young Levite would 
 imitate the example of Saint Lawrence. But while 
 we take pride in recalling the deeds of these glorious 
 saints, we should not forget that we ourselves may 
 fulfill the will of God and make progress on the way 
 to Heaven by patiently and cheerfully enduring the 
 various trials to which we may be subject. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 
 THE MARRIAGE IN CAN A 
 
 "At that time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: 
 and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also 
 was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage. And the 
 wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to Him, They have 
 no wine. And Jesus saith to her, Woman, what is it to 
 Me and to thee? My hour is not yet come. His mother 
 saith to the waiters, Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye. 
 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according 
 to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two 
 or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them, Fill the 
 waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 
 And Jesus saith to them, Draw out now, and carry to the 
 chief steward of the feast: and they carried it. And when 
 the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and 
 knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had 
 drawn the water: the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, 
 and saith to him, Every man at first setteth forth good wine, 
 and when men have well drank, then that which is worse: 
 but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This begin- 
 ning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and mani- 
 fested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him." John 
 ii, 1-11. 
 
 AS the Lord was returning from Judea with 
 six of His disciples, He passed through the 
 ■ town of Cana on the day of a marriage. The 
 Blessed Virgin was among the invited guests, but 
 Jesus and His companions had not been expected. 
 
 41 
 
42 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Hospitality and friendship, however, entitled them 
 to be received, and they were accordingly welcomed. 
 
 A wedding ceremony in the Orient was always the 
 occasion of great celebration. The groom was feted 
 as a king, and his bride was honored as a queen. 
 
 The family that was celebrating the happy event 
 on this occasion would not appear to have been a 
 wealthy family, since seven additional guests ex- 
 hausted the supply of wine. The first one to notice 
 the scarcity of wine was the Blessed Virgin, and with 
 solicitude for her hosts, she had recourse to Jesus. 
 "They have no wine," 1 is her message to Him. For* 
 although Jesus had not as yet performed any 
 miracle, His mother knew that He had the power to 
 do so. She did not say, "The wine is all gone," but, 
 "They have no wine," since her concern was for the 
 hosts and not the guests, and she wished to spare 
 them from embarrassment and humiliation. 
 
 There are many persons who do not understand 
 the answer of Jesus, for the phrasing retains all the 
 idiomatic coloring of the original Aramaic language. 
 The word "woman," with which the Lord addressed 
 His Mother, according to the usage of the term in 
 our language, implies a notion of harshness. But 
 "woman" in the Aramaic language, which Jesus 
 spoke, is a gentle and affectionate greeting. When 
 Jesus addressed the penitent Magdalene to console 
 her, He said, "Woman, why weepest thou"; 2 when 
 He spoke to the Samaritan woman to convert her He 
 said, "Woman, believe Me"; 3 and to His own 
 
 a John ii, 3. 
 2 John xx, 13. 
 8 John iv, 21. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 43 
 
 Mother, in a moment of sublime tenderness as He 
 was dying on the cross, Jesus uttered those words of 
 infinite love, "Woman, behold thy Son." 1 
 
 The question, "What is that to Me and to thee?" 2 
 also contains, in our language, the implication of a 
 brusque refusal, but in the Aramaic language this 
 phrase means, "Thus let it be, O Mother; the time 
 to show My divinity to the world is not yet come." 
 These words were as a prayer from the lips of the 
 Saviour, for it is evident from what follows that the 
 Blessed Virgin understood that her desire was 
 already accomplished. "His Mother saith to the. 
 waiters, 'Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.' " 3 
 
 The evangelist who was present describes the 
 scene for us. There were six great water jugs of 
 stone, which were used for the ritual purifications, 
 according to the Jewish custom. A great deal of the 
 water had been used at the beginning of the feast, 
 and Jesus had the crocks filled once more. "And 
 Jesus saith to them, 'Draw out now, and carry to 
 the chief steward of the feast* And they carried it. 
 And when the chief steward had tasted the water 
 made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the 
 waiters knew who had drawn the water, the chief 
 steward calleth the bridegroom, and saith to him, 
 'Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and 
 when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. 
 But thou hast kept the good wine until now.' " 4 
 
 Thus began the miracles of Jesus. The first link 
 
 ^ohn xix, 26. 
 2 John ii, 4. 
 3 John ii, 5. 
 4 John ii, 8-10. 
 
44 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 of this wondrous chain of blessings was in the hands 
 of Mary. 
 
 Reflect, Christian soul, how great is the goodness 
 of this Mother, who grants us favors even without 
 being asked. Think how great must be her power 
 when even Omnipotence obeys her. Thou hast loved 
 her in the most beautiful years of thy life. As a 
 little child, thy first prayers were lisped into her ears. 
 Through Mary, thy Mother, thou hast obtained all 
 graces. Return then, once more, to the feet of this 
 ever-loving Mother, who longs to press thee to her 
 heart. 
 
 When at times thou art cast down with grief, 
 when sorrows and cares weigh heavily upon thee, do 
 not say nor think that thou hast no friend to help 
 thee. Raise thy thoughts to thy Mother in Heaven, 
 and she will turn towards thee. And at her glance, 
 thou shalt be comforted. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 
 THE CENTURION OF CAPHARNAUM 
 
 "At that time, when Jesus was come down from the 
 mountain, great multitudes followed Him; and behold a 
 leper came and adored Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt 
 Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus stretching forth 
 His hand, touched him, saying, I will, be thou made clean: 
 and forthwith his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith 
 to him, See thou tell no man: but go, show thyself to the 
 priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a 
 testimony unto them. And when He had entered into Cap- 
 harnaum, there came to Him a centurion beseeching Him, 
 and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the 
 palsy, and is grievously tormented. And Jesus saith to him, 
 I will come and heal him. And the centurion making an- 
 swer, said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter 
 under my roof : but only say the word, and my servant shall 
 be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, hav- 
 ing under me soldiers: and I say to this man, Go, and he 
 goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh: and to my 
 servant, Do this, and he doth it. And Jesus hearing this, 
 marvelled; and said to them that followed him, Amen I say 
 to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say 
 to you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and 
 shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the king- 
 dom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be 
 cast into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, 
 and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee; and the 
 servant was healed at the same hour." Matthew viii, 1-13. 
 
 45 
 
46 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 A FTER Jesus had cleansed the leper of his ter- 
 /•% rible affliction, as is recounted in the first part 
 *■ "*■ of today's gospel, He at once left the 
 scene of the miracle and entered into Capharnaum. 
 The commander of the garrison in that city was not 
 an Israelite. He was, however, a man of good will 
 towards the Jewish people, and had even given 
 money for the erection of a synagogue. u For he 
 loveth our nation, and he hath built us a syna- 
 gogue." 1 When Jesus entered the city, the cen- 
 turion came to Him, "beseeching Him and saying, 
 'Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy and 
 is grievously tormented.' And Jesus saith to him, 4 I 
 w r ill come and heal him.' " 2 
 
 The centurion did not anticipate such an answer. 
 At the thought that Jesus would enter into his house, 
 he was filled with emotion. He realized that he was 
 a sinner and that he did not merit such considera- 
 tion. "And the centurion making answer, said, 
 'Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter un- 
 der my roof; but only say the word and my servant 
 shall be healed.' " 3 
 
 These marvelous words of the centurion have been 
 preserved by the Church in the prayers of her 
 liturgy. Every day at the communion of the Mass, 
 before he receives the sacred Body and Blood of 
 Jesus Christ, the priest repeats the prayer of the 
 centurion, — "O Lord, I am not worthy." 
 
 The rude warrior, who had crossed the sea with 
 the Roman armies, and had come to the Orient with 
 
 a Luke vii, 5. 
 *Matthew viii, 5-7. 
 3 Matthew viii, 8. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 47 
 
 his mind saturated with the phantoms of paganism, 
 had uttered the most sublime profession of faith 
 which up to that time had been heard in Israel. 
 "Which Jesus, hearing, marvelled, and turning 
 about to the multitude that followed Him, He said, 
 4 Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great faith, 
 not even in Israel.' " 1 
 
 We are not worthy to receive Jesus in the Blessed 
 Sacrament, and yet Jesus wishes to enter into our 
 souls. We should partake of the "Bread of Angels'' 
 with all humility and with all love, — with humility, 
 realizing our own nothingness, and with love, desir- 
 ing to possess God Himself. "O Lord," prayed Saint 
 Augustine, "that I may know Thee and know my- 
 self, because knowing Thee, I shall understand how 
 worthy of being loved Thou art, and knowing my- 
 self, I shall realize how worthy to be despised I 
 
 am. 
 
 * 
 
 Saint Francis de Sales, saintly Bishop of Geneva 
 and learned doctor of the Church, has spoken of the 
 consolations which a soul enjoys in the presence of 
 Jesus. As a young priest, he settled in the town of 
 Thonon to engage in the apostolic work of the min- 
 istry and to devote himself especially to the con- 
 version of heretics. He had a pyx of silver made, in 
 which to carry the Blessed Sacrament to those who 
 were sick. If anyone approached to speak to him 
 when he was taking the Holy Eucharist to the sick 
 and dying, Saint Francis would tell the person, "I 
 carry the Lord of Lords ; we shall speak at another 
 
 a Luke vii, 9. 
 
48 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 time." His heart throbbed with indescribable joy as 
 he bore the God of love through the streets of the 
 town, inspiring devotion in others by his own rev- 
 erential affection. Through the Blessed Eucharist, 
 he converted no less than seventy thousand Calvin- 
 ists. Saint Vincent de Paul, who knew Saint Francis, 
 once exclaimed, "O God, how good Thou must be, 
 since the Bishop of Geneva is so good!" 
 
SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY 
 
 "Septuagesima" is a Latin word which means seventy. The 
 name is applied to this Sunday because it is the seventieth day 
 before Easter. Several weeks before the beginning of Lent have 
 been designated by the Church as weeks of special recollection 
 and prayer. The first Sunday of this period is called Septua- 
 gesima, the second Sexagesima, and the third Quinquagesima, in- 
 dicating respectively, seventieth, sixtieth and fiftieth. The violet 
 color of the vestments, the omission of the "Gloria" in the Mass, 
 and other austere characteristics of the liturgy signify that this 
 is a time for penance. 
 
 THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: 
 The kingdom of 'heaven is like to a householder, who went 
 out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 
 And having agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he 
 sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third 
 hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle, and he 
 said to them, Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give 
 you what shall be just: and they went their way. And 
 again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and 
 did in like manner. But about the eleventh hour, he went 
 out, and found others standing; and he saith to them, Why 
 stand you here all the day idle? They say to him, Because 
 no man hath hired us. He saith to them, Go you also into 
 my vineyard. And when evening was come, the lord of the 
 vineyard saith to his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them 
 their hire, beginning from the last even to the first. When 
 therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour, 
 they received every man a penny. But when the first also 
 
 49 
 
50 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 came, they thought that they should receive more; and 
 they also received every man a penny. And receiving it, 
 they murmured against the master of the house, saying, These 
 last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them 
 equal to us that have borne the burden of the day and the 
 heats. But he answering, said to one of them, Friend, I do 
 thee no wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a penny? 
 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this 
 last even as to thee. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what 
 I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good? So shall the 
 last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but 
 few are chosen." Matthew xx, 1-16. 
 
 MEN take their places in this small world as 
 workers who gather in the morning for 
 employment. The voice of the Father of 
 the great human family is heard in the midst of the 
 turmoil of human affairs. God calls all men to labor 
 in His vineyard, and He promises to all of them an 
 eternal reward. The voice of God is heard in the 
 silence of every soul. This voice is heard by some of 
 us in the beginning of the day, in the very dawn of 
 youth. Others hear his voice at the noontime of 
 life, and finally, it sounds for some through the 
 lengthening shadows of life's evening. But before 
 the close of life's day, each one must have done his 
 share in the Lord's vineyard, for if death overtakes 
 one who is still languishing in idleness, that one shall 
 not receive the reward. 
 
 Quickly, therefore, Christian soul, take up thy 
 work. Jesus calls thee today. It may be thy last in- 
 vitation. The last hour of thy day may be nigh. 
 
 This enlightening parable of Jesus teaches us all a 
 useful lesson. It is especially encouraging for those 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 51 
 
 of us who feel saddened at the thought of a past 
 life of barren, wasted years. That we should grieve 
 and weep is fitting, for the most fruitful years of our 
 lives have perhaps been shrivelled up by ease and 
 pleasure. These years are lost forever. However, 
 we may yet trust in God. The workers who arrived 
 at the vineyard late in the day received the same 
 reward as the workers who arrived in the morning. 
 The willingness with which we respond to the voice 
 of the Master, the zeal and devotion with which we 
 toil during the last hours of the day, can place us 
 among the laborers who have worked since the 
 dawn. The past, therefore, can be expiated. We 
 are foolish if we despair. 
 
 In the epistle of the Mass today, the Church pre- 
 sents for our consideration the sublime words which 
 Saint Paul addressed to the people of Corinth: 
 "Know you not that they that run in the race, all run 
 indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that 
 you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the 
 mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and 
 they indeed that they may receive a corruptible 
 crown; but we an incorruptable one." 1 
 
 During this time of the year, the Church observes 
 the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, 
 which occurs forty days after the feast of the 
 Nativity. For although Mary, the Mother of God, 
 was more pure than the rays of the sun, she wished 
 to submit herself as did other mothers to the usual 
 rite of purification. The ceremony took place at the 
 
 *I Corinthians ix, 24, 25. 
 
52 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 door of the Temple, and after it had been performed, 
 she entered the holy place, trembling with emotion, 
 to offer her Child to God. The offering of the first- 
 born male child of a family was prescribed by the 
 Law, and the oblation of this Child had been looked 
 for and desired down through the centuries^ Mary 
 knew this fact and knew it well. Overcoming her 
 grief, with all her heart she madethis sublime sacri- 
 fice. Then it was that Simeon making known the 
 future to her announced that Jesus was a sign to be 
 contradicted, told her of the agonies He would 
 suffer, and that she, herself, incomparable mother, 
 would become the Queen of Martyrs. 
 
 The veil of the future providentially keeps from 
 our knowledge the sorrows which we shall encoun- 
 ter on our journey through life. If we foresaw them, 
 the happiness of our lives might be diminished. The 
 Blessed Virgin, however, had for thirty years before 
 her mind the sword that would one day pierce her 
 heart. 
 
 O Christian soul to whom the burden of the 
 cross, the discomfort of an hour, seems intolerable, 
 reflect that thy Mother at the voice of the Lord was 
 the first to go among the briers of the vineyard, and 
 for thy good and for thy salvation she did not refuse 
 to labor one single moment during the long, hard, 
 trying day. 
 
SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY 
 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 "At that time, when a very great multitude was gathered 
 together and hastened out of the cities unto Him, He 
 spoke by a similitude; the sower went out to sow his seed. 
 And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside ; and it was trod- 
 den down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And other 
 some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it 
 withered away, because it had no moisture. And other some 
 fell among thorns; and the thorns growing up with it, 
 choked it. And other some fell upon good ground ; and being 
 sprung up, yielded fruit a hundred fold. Saying these 
 things, He cried out, he that hath ears to hear, let him 
 hear. And His disciples asked Him what this parable 
 might be. To whom He said, To you it is given to know 
 the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in 
 parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing may 
 not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the 
 word of God. And they by the wayside are they that 
 hear ; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their 
 heart, lest believing they should be saved. Now they upon 
 the rock are they who when they hear, receive the word 
 with joy; and these have no roots, for they believe for a 
 while, and in time of temptation they fall away. And that 
 which fell among thorns are they who have heard, and 
 going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and 
 pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on the good 
 ground, are they who in a good and very good heart, hear- 
 ing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience. 
 Luke viii, 4-15. 
 
 53 
 
54 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 THERE is no part of the field on which the 
 fertile seed of the sower does not fall. There 
 is no soul that does not hear the voice of 
 God. No sinner is so hardened, no soul is so black, 
 that the voice of God and the light of God's grace 
 cannot reach. On the traveled highway or the lone- 
 some, burning desert, in the wild depths of the for- 
 est, the voice of God can be heard, and the light of 
 grace can illumine. 
 
 Great and strong is the power of this voice. "The 
 voice of the Lord is upon the waters," says the 
 Psalmist, "the God of majesty hath thundered. The 
 Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord 
 is in power; the voice of the Lord in magnificence. 
 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the 
 Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus." * 
 
 When God speaks in His power, His enemies 
 succumb. Saul, the persecutor, is struck from his 
 horse on the road to Damascus, and becomes Saint 
 Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. Magdalene and 
 Augustine, after many failings, bow their heads and 
 bewail their sins. 
 
 Not always, however, does God show forth His 
 majesty by force. Sometimes, and indeed more 
 often, He speaks quietly to the soul by means of a 
 gentle inspiration. The proud man does not deign 
 to harken to this voice. He hears it, but he does not 
 appreciate its import. There are other things which 
 keep him busy. There are other cares and hopes 
 which preoccupy him. He cherishes thoughts of 
 power and influence which even if secured are but 
 the disappearing phantoms of an hour. "O Father, 
 
 ^salm xxviii, 3-5. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 55 
 
 Lord of Heaven and earth, . . . Thou hast hid these 
 things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed 
 them to little ones." 1 
 
 Therefore, Christian soul, become a child when 
 thou speakest with God. Banish the thoughts and 
 the cares of life, exclude the voices of men, and be 
 alone with Jesus. "O blessed solitude," exclaimed 
 Saint Jerome, "in which God speaks to the heart 
 with the voice of a friend." 
 
 In the evening, when the echo of the day's tur- 
 moil has subsided, meditate for a few moments on 
 some portion of the Holy Gospel. And just as 
 Heaven infuses a drop of dew in the corollas of 
 flowers, so will the Lord place within thy bosom 
 the precious pearl of His consolation. 
 
 While Elias prayed in the cave, he was inspired 
 to climb to the summit of the mountain, for "behold 
 the Lord passeth," 2 said a voice. A hurricane 
 broke, uprooting the forests, but Elias did not leave 
 the cave for the Lord does not speak in the tem- 
 pest. And after the whirlwind, the rocks were 
 shaken by an earthquake as if they would be 
 wrenched apart, and yet the prophet did not move. 
 The Lord does not manifest Himself in the earth- 
 quake. Shortly afterwards, the sky glowed with the 
 color of fire, and the brightness pierced the depths of 
 the cavern. As far as the eye could reach, the flames 
 were raging. And Elias spoke thus within himself, 
 "The Lord is not in the fire." 3 But when the fire 
 was over and everything became serene and calm, 
 
 Matthew xi, 25. 
 2 III Kings xix, 11. 
 3 III Kings xix, 12. 
 
56 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 when he heard the murmur of a gentle breeze as 
 light as a whisper, the prophet approached the open- 
 ing of the cave, "covered his face with his mantle," * 
 prostrated himself in adoration, and then God spoke 
 to him. 
 
 Jesus passes unseen near us. His invitation is as 
 silent and mysterious as a breath of air. Let the tem- 
 pest storm without, O Christian, let the world be 
 troubled, and let passions rage, but thou within thy- 
 self preserve thy solitude and practise recollection. 
 The word of God will come to thee, the words of 
 life will sound in thine ears. 
 
 'Ill Kings xix, 13, 
 
QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY 
 THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO 
 
 "At that time, Jesus took unto Him the twelve, and said 
 to them, Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall 
 be accomplished which were written by the prophets con- 
 cerning the Son of man: for He shall Be delivered to the 
 Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged, and spit upon ; 
 and after they have scourged Him, they will put Him to 
 death; and the third day He shall rise again. And they 
 understood none of these things, and this word was hid from 
 them, and they understood not the things that were said. 
 Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that 
 a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when 
 he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this 
 meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was 
 passing by. And he cried out, saying, Jesus, Son of David, 
 have mercy on me. And they that went before, rebuked 
 him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out much 
 more, Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, 
 commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he 
 was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that 
 I do to thee? But he said, Lord, that I may see. And 
 Jesus said to him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made 
 thee whole. And immediately he saw, and followed Him, 
 glorifying God: and all the people when they saw it, gave 
 praise to God." Luke xviii, 31-43. 
 
 IT was the seventh day of the month of Nisan, 
 one week before the Passion. Jesus and His 
 disciples were passing over the great caravan 
 highroad which extended from the Jordan up 
 
 $7 
 
58 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 towards the Holy City. Directly before them was 
 the city of Jericho, the city of palms and of roses. 
 
 Not far from the gate of the city, u a certain blind 
 man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he 
 heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this 
 meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth 
 was passing by. And he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, 
 Son of David, have mercy on me.' And they that 
 went before rebuked him, that he should hold his 
 peace : but he cried out much more, 'Son of David, 
 have mercy on me.' And Jesus standing, com- 
 manded him to be brought unto Him. And when he 
 was come near, He asked him, saying, 'What wilt 
 thou that I do to thee?' But he said, 'Lord, that I 
 may see.' " * It is not alms for which he begs, nor is 
 it bread that he desires. Through the darkness which 
 surrounds him, he has found the way to light. The 
 blind man has found Him Who alone can assuage 
 his long enduring grief, and the sound of the 
 friendly voice has already soothed his troubled 
 heart. God Himself has come to heal him and to 
 save him. Centuries before this miracle, Isaias the 
 prophet had proclaimed, "Then shall the eyes of the 
 blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be 
 unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, 
 and the tongue of the dumb shall be free." 2 
 
 The beggar, with arms outstretched, with his up- 
 lifted eyes wandering in blindness, trembled with 
 emotion, prostrate at the feet of Jesus. "And Jesus 
 said to him, 'Receive thy sight, thy faith hath made 
 thee whole.' And immediately he saw, and followed 
 
 ^uke xviii, 35-41. 
 2 Isaias xxxv, 5, 6. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 59 
 
 Him, glorifying God. And all the people when they 
 saw it gave praise to God." 1 The eyes that had been 
 lost in darkness were suddenly opened to the splen- 
 dor of light. And the first look of the blind man was 
 into the gentle loving eyes of his Saviour. 
 
 We, too, should repeat the prayer of the blind 
 man, "Lord, that I may see." 2 The shadows of 
 darkness are also about us. 
 
 Saint Gregory the Great tells us that we should 
 not ask God for riches nor for honors, both of which 
 are fleeting, but instead we should ask for light. 
 
 Today the world is plunged in darkness. Many 
 men have left the straight and narrow pathway 
 which leads to Heaven and happiness, and, instead, 
 they are hastening onward to perdition. They are in 
 the power of Satan, the enemy of light. They have 
 abandoned eternal truth, they have spurned eternal 
 light. They are desperately clinging to and craving 
 for the things which are only deceptions. 
 
 We must pray for these poor, blind brothers of 
 ours, that they may open their eyes to the light. We 
 must also tremble for ourselves, for we are all in 
 danger. 
 
 O Lord, Who hast heard the prayer of the blind 
 man, harken also to our pleadings. Free Thy chil- 
 dren from the bonds of sin ! Deliver them from the 
 powers of darkness, and bring them to the enjoy- 
 ment of the light and glory of Heaven. 
 
 ^uke xviii, 42 43. 
 2 Luke xviii, 41. 
 
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN 
 
 Following the example of Jesus, Who for forty days fasted in 
 the desert, the Church has instituted forty days of penance, in 
 order to prepare the faithful for the festival of Easter, on which 
 day they should rise to a holy life with the triumphant Saviour. 
 The season of Lent, until recent centuries, was considered as a 
 "Truce of God." During this time, all Christian peoples devoted 
 themselves to the practice of mortification and to religious in- 
 struction. The Pope, accompanied by the clergy and the laity, 
 visited a different Church each day during Lent. These Churches 
 were known as "Stations," or centres of devotion for particular 
 days. The Church begins this holy season by putting ashes on 
 the foreheads of her children, and inviting them to meditate on 
 death. 
 
 PENANCE 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, When you fast, 
 be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their 
 faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say 
 to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when 
 thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face; that thou 
 appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father Who is in 
 secret, and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will repay 
 thee. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth, where 
 the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through 
 and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven, 
 where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where 
 thieves do not break through nor steal. For where thy 
 treasure is, there is thy heart also." Matthew vi, 16-21. 
 (Gospel in the Mass of Ash Wednesday.) 
 
 60 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 61 
 
 AT the beginning of Lent, the Church advises 
 /A and exhorts each of her children, saying: 
 ■* "Let not your penance be vain and external, 
 as that of the Pharisees, but let it rather be inspired 
 by a deep and sincere grief for your offences; do 
 not seek to obtain the praise of men, but rather the 
 pardon of God. Remember the words of the 
 prophet, 'Now, therefore, saith the Lord: Be con- 
 verted to Me with all your heart, in fasting and in 
 weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts 
 and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your 
 God; for He is gracious and merciful. . . . Blow the 
 trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assem- 
 bly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, 
 assemble the ancients, gather together the little 
 ones. . • . Between the porch and the altar, the 
 priests, the Lord's ministers, shall weep and shall 
 say: Spare, O Lord, spare Thy people.' " 1 
 
 All during the year the Christian must take up 
 his cross and follow Jesus, but during this time, 
 the practice of mortification becomes collective. It 
 is the whole Church which unites in penance and 
 in prayer. The words and the symbols of the liturgy 
 speak of nothing else. She clothes herself with the 
 colors of humility; she subdued the sound of the 
 organ; she prolongs her psalmody; her very chants 
 seem grief-laden. Daily pilgrimages are made by 
 the faithful to the ancient basilicas which contain 
 the tombs of the martyrs. In private life, frugality 
 at table is practised; worldly amusements, marriage 
 solemnities and theatres are piously avoided, because 
 
 >el ii, 12-17. 
 
62 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 these are the days of the soul, the acceptable time 
 for repentance and salvation. 
 
 "If your sin is great," says Saint Ambrose, "if it 
 seems to you impossible to wash it away with your 
 tears, let the Church, your mother, weep for you, 
 and so peace will again be yours. Return, therefore, 
 to her feet, partake of her sacraments, and in con- 
 trition pray and weep with her." 
 
 Do not delay, for life is short. The priest who 
 has signed you with ashes has told you in the name 
 of God, "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and 
 into dust thou shalt return." And he meant, — set not 
 your heart on the vain things of this world, because 
 death quickly comes and snatches them away. En- 
 deavor, rather, to store up in Heaven a treasure of 
 merit for the life which shall never end. In 
 Heaven, therefore, are your true blessings. There 
 let your heart be also. 
 
 One of the most noted examples of repentance is 
 given to us by Saint Augustine. Opening his eyes on 
 the vanities of the world at the age of thirty, he con- 
 secrated the remainder of his life to God's glory, in 
 grief for his own sins. This penance lasted for 
 forty-six years. In his last illness, feeling his 
 strength ebbing away, he asked for his favorite 
 prayer book, the Penitential Psalms. Propping 
 them up on his bed against the wall, he continually 
 held them in front of him, reading and meditating 
 on them with great abundance of tears up to the 
 moment of death. He has left us two counsels, 
 which, after fifteen centuries, still thrill us. The 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 63 
 
 first is the following: "There is no age in man that 
 does not hurry toward the end. The years that 
 come are not added, but subtracted." The other 
 is that which he frequently repeated to his friends : 
 "No Christian, even though he be a saint, should 
 leave this world without having performed worthy 
 penance." 
 
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY IN 
 
 DOMNICA 
 
 THE PRODIGAL SON 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and scribes 
 this parable: a certain man had two sons; and the younger 
 of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of 
 substance that falleth to me: and he divided unto them his 
 substance. And not many days after, the younger son gath- 
 ering all together, went abroad into a far country, and there 
 wasted his substance, living riotously. And after he had 
 spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country, and 
 he began to be in want; and he went, and cleaved to one 
 of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his 
 farm to feed swine ; and he would fain have filled his belly 
 with the husks the swine did eat, and no man gave unto 
 him. And returning to himself, he said, How many hired 
 servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here 
 perish with hunger ? I will arise, and will go to my father, 
 and say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and 
 before thee : I am not now worthy to be called thy son, make 
 me as one of thy hired servants. And rising up, he came 
 to his father : and when he was yet a great way off, his father 
 saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to 
 him fell upon his neck and kissed him; and the son said to 
 him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, 
 I am not now worthy to be called thy son. And the 
 father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the first 
 
 64 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 65 
 
 robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and 
 shoes on his feet; bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, 
 and let us eat and make merry: because this my son was 
 dead, and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found. 
 And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in 
 the field; and when he came, and drew nigh to the house, 
 he heard music and dancing: and he called one of the serv- 
 ants, and asked what these things meant. And he said 
 to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the 
 fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. And he was 
 angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming 
 out, began to entreat him: and he answering, said to his 
 father, Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I 
 have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou 
 hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends. 
 But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his 
 substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted 
 calf. But he said to him, Son, thou art always with me, 
 and all I have is thine; but it was fit that we should make 
 merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is 
 come to life again; he was lost, and is found." Luke xv, 
 1 1-32. (Gospel in the Mass of Saturday in the second week 
 of Lent.) 
 
 IN this parable is the history of all conversions, 
 and, perhaps, our own history. 
 God would have been able to take away His 
 gifts, so many times abused by us, — to take away the 
 light from our eyes, to take even our life, in order 
 to prevent us from offending Him; but still He 
 has allowed us to live on. We have perhaps wan- 
 dered far from home, deluded by a foolish dream, 
 and quickly that most rapacious of tyrants, the 
 devil, has become our master. We have thus lost 
 peace and happiness, the true riches of the soul, and 
 
66 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 once in the power of the evil one, we are treated 
 with scorn and contempt 
 
 And then, in the depths of our hearts is born a 
 great remorse. The thought of our lost happiness 
 is before us, the pleasant memory of our Father's 
 home. Invitations to return torture our hearts. 
 "Father," we say to Him, "we have sinned. We 
 are no longer worthy to be called Thy sons. Re- 
 ceive us as Thy hired servants. We wish to be 
 with Thee!" 
 
 And we begin our journey back. O blessed 
 footsteps towards the house of God! With every 
 one, the heart thrills and exults with joy. 
 
 Who can describe the emotion of the sinner when 
 he enters once more into the Church of his early 
 years, the refuge of peace? Jesus, his Lord, comes 
 with open arms to meet him, and the prodigal, worn 
 and weakened, in one supreme burst of repentance, 
 throws himself into those arms. "Father, I have 
 sinned against Heaven and before Thee; I am no 
 longer worthy of the name of son." A lump rises 
 in his throat, and he bursts into tears. These are 
 the sublime moments of conversion. The tears of 
 the son mingle with the tears of the Father in one 
 and the same grief. "How often have I grieved," 
 exclaimed the converted Augustine, "how often have 
 I wept, O Lord, in Thy house, deeply moved by the 
 voices of Thy Church! More happy is one lone 
 instant with Thee than a thousand days in the com- 
 panionship of sinners." 
 
 * * * 
 
 A celebrated preacher, speaking to a congrega- 
 tion of men, thus concluded his discourse: "I ask 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 67 
 
 you this night to pass one moment in silence and re- 
 flection." Jesus makes the same request of us. If 
 there is any one who is still far from home, bound 
 by the chains of the tyrant, let that one know that 
 this parable of love, of tenderness and of pardon, 
 is intended for him. 
 
 God came down from Heaven not to seek the 
 just, but sinners. Return, O son, to His arms! 
 Break the last fetters and return. You will become 
 the object of all His solicitude, — yes, and of all His 
 affection, and there will be more joy in Heaven at 
 your return than for ninety-nine just who need not 
 penance. 
 
 FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH 
 
 "At that time, an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to 
 Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and His mother, 
 and fly into Egypt; and be there until I tell thee: for it 
 will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy 
 Him. Who arose, and took the child and His mother by 
 night, and- retired into Egypt ; and He was there until the 
 death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which the Lord 
 spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called 
 My Son." Matthew ii, 13-15. 
 
 FROM this short narrative, we all understand 
 how necessary it was to the Mother of God, 
 a simple virgin of Galilee, to have the guar- 
 dianship of a man. God, Who had chosen her in 
 preference to all creatures, Who had filled her with 
 grace, preserving her from original sin and bless- 
 ing her among all women, wished that she should 
 have for her defence and for her comfort in the 
 perilous hours of persecution, in the straits of pov- 
 
68 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 erty and of exile, not angels from Heaven, not the 
 great and powerful of the earth, but a poor, humble 
 workman of Nazareth by the name of Joseph. 
 The Gospel, which is the voice of God, has revealed 
 to us in one word the sublime sanctity of this man 
 by calling him "just." And, certainly, only to a 
 saint of consummate perfection could God entrust 
 the most precious treasures that He had on earth, 
 the Virgin of Virgins and the Infant Jesus. Mag- 
 nificent are the praises of the liturgy. "The Lord 
 God of your fathers will come to aid you. The 
 Omnipotent One will bless you with the blessings 
 of Heaven and earth." 
 
 Joseph is the head of the little family. He is the 
 one who receives the message from the angel to go 
 into Egypt. He takes the Infant in his arms and 
 presses Him to his bosom. And with Mary, the 
 best, the sweetest, and the most sorrowful of 
 mothers, he begins his journey into exile. 
 
 In every path lurks, perhaps, the enemy in am- 
 bush; over every step falls the shadow of death. 
 In the distance the hurricane is raging. Herod, 
 the fierce tyrant, fearing that a pretender to his 
 throne has been born, has ordered the slaughter of 
 all male children in Bethlehem under two years of 
 age. The mothers, stricken to the heart, cry and 
 wail, but in vain. The prophet Jeremias had 
 already predicted this inconsolable mourning, 
 when every crib would be stained with the blood of 
 the most innocent. One child, alone, escaped the 
 sword, the One who, under the protection of Jos- 
 eph, is being brought into Egypt, the One who is 
 the True King, the Son of David, the Son of the 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 69 
 
 Most High. God has reserved for Him a more 
 sublime sacrifice. 
 
 When we are burdened with grief and tortured 
 with the anguish of this vale of tears, when we suffer 
 from the persecution of the wicked who cannot 
 bear the reproof of our virtues, we should call 
 to our minds the figure of Joseph, grief-stricken and 
 tormented Joseph, persecuted through Jesus and 
 through Mary. We shall be guided and consoled 
 by this example; we shall be encouraged and in- 
 spired by his devotion. 
 
 Only the one who loves God and has his heart 
 centered on eternal good understands the supreme 
 comfort of resignation and the sweetness of suffer- 
 ing. "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy," pro- 
 claims Jesus, "and your joy no man shall take from 
 you." * With these words, Jesus has dried all our 
 
 tears. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Saint Teresa, a most fervent soul, was extremely 
 devoted to the holy patriarch. "I do not know," 
 she was accustomed to repeat, "how it is possible to 
 think of the Queen of Angels, so fatigued during the 
 infancy of Jesus, without thanking Saint Joseph for 
 all the assistance that he gave during that time to the 
 mother and the Son." "And," she added, "if I tell 
 you the spiritual and temporal favors I have re- 
 ceived from God through his intercession, it would 
 make you marvel. I have never known anyone who 
 professed special devotion to him who did not make 
 visible progress towards perfection every day. For 
 
 Mohn xvi, 20, 22. 
 
70 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 many years, on his feast day, I asked him a favor, 
 and my prayer was always answered." 
 
 The great Pope Pious IX declared Saint Joseph 
 the patron of the universal Church, and under his 
 paternal guidance the Church will find, as did the 
 Infant Jesus, refuge and protection in persecution. 
 
 Every pious soul that fears the last battle may 
 with great confidence have recourse to Saint Joseph 
 to obtain the grace of a happy death through his 
 intercession, to die like Saint Joseph, in the arms of 
 Jesus and Mary. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT LAWRENCE 
 OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF ROME 
 
 THE ANNUNCIATION 
 
 "At that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a 
 city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a 
 man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and 
 the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come 
 in, said unto her : Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ; 
 blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was 
 troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what man- 
 ner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her, 
 Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. 
 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring 
 forth a son ; and thou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall 
 be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and 
 the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His 
 father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 
 And of His kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary 
 said to the angel, How shall this be done, because I know 
 not man ? And the angel answering said to her, The Holy 
 Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most 
 High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy 
 which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 
 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a 
 son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her 
 that is called barren: because no word shall be impossible 
 with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the 
 Lord, be it done to me according to thy word," Luke i, 
 
 71 
 
12 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 26-38. (Gospel in the Mass of the Feast of the Annuncia- 
 tion, March 25th.) 
 
 THE angel of the Lord did not appear to the 
 powerful rulers of Rome, nor to the wise 
 philosophers of Greece, but to a simple vir- 
 gin, of whom all the world was ignorant. Humble 
 and sincere, her heart absorbed in the ecstasy of 
 prayer, she is the most holy creature of God. The 
 inspired greeting with which the angel hailed her in 
 the name of the Lord has been the wonder of the 
 world. From the unhappy day of the first sin, every 
 son of Adam comes into the world with the stain of 
 sin on his soul, under the weight of condemnation, a 
 slave of the devil. Mary, alone, was preserved 
 from this sentence, — "Hail, full of grace, the Lord 
 is with thee; blessed art thou among women." The 
 angel, who for the first time thus invoked her, knew 
 the reason for such greetings. Mary is to be the 
 mother of the Saviour, the mother of God. And 
 yet, the Blessed Virgin does not rejoice. At the 
 unusual salutation, she becomes thoughtful and does 
 not answer. Then, when the announcement of the 
 sublime dignity has sounded in the heavens, she bows 
 her head, and calls herself the handmaid of the 
 Lord. At that moment, Mary became associated 
 by God with the work of the redemption as the 
 mother of Jesus, and, therefore, as the refuge of 
 all sinners. Was there ever a soul, no matter how 
 derelict, who, having recourse to her was not con- 
 soled? 
 
 Every Christian, from his earliest years, knows 
 the loving invocation that we call the "Hail Mary." 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 73 
 
 We, therefore, must tell those who do not pray how 
 much sweetness there is in that prayer. It is the 
 invocation which Heaven began and which the 
 Church has happily finished, — "Holy Mary, Mother 
 of God !" Is it possible for the Son not to be heard 
 by the mother? Pray, therefore, O Mother of God, 
 for us sinners, now, without any limit of time, in 
 all moments of this continuous battle, and more espe- 
 cially in the hour of our death. 
 
 A non-Catholic child six years of age, who had 
 learned the u Hail Mary" from his small Catholic 
 companions, repeated it to his mother. She was 
 very angry with him and forbade him to say it again. 
 A few years later, he opened by chance the Gospel 
 of Saint Luke, and was much surprised to find in 
 the Book of Truth the Catholic's prayer spoken by 
 an angel. When he was thirteen, he read the 
 "Magnificat" in the same Gospel and was very much 
 impressed with the words of the Virgin, "all gen- 
 erations shall call me blessed." 1 He asked his 
 mother why, therefore, non-Catholics refused to call 
 Mary "blessed," and she was unable to answer. 
 
 Thus, truth made progress in his heart. When 
 he became of age, he was converted to the Catholic 
 Church, and was ordained a priest. His name was 
 Father Tuchelf, the chaplain of the Church of Our 
 Lady of Victory in Paris, in the second half of the 
 last century. He himself told the story of his con- 
 version at the Catholic Congress of Lille. The 
 in i i 
 
 ^uke i, 48. 
 
74 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 "Hail Mary" was for him the first link in that sweet 
 chain of graces which brought him to God. 
 
 Three times in the day, — in the morning, at noon- 
 time, and in the evening, — the church bells ring. 
 They sound in our ears as the voices of angels soft- 
 ening our mortal trials. All the Catholic world at 
 that time recites the "Angelus." No one should 
 remain deaf to the invitation ; no one should forget 
 to pray. 
 
 "Remember, son," said Saint Bonaventure, "that 
 the Virgin invariably answers you with a favor when 
 you greet her with a 4 Hail Mary.' " 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IN 
 
 JERUSALEM 
 
 THE RICH MAN 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to Pharisees, There was a 
 certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, 
 and feasted sumptuously every day. And there was a cer- 
 tain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate full of 
 sores; desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from 
 the rich man's table: and no one did give him: moreover, 
 the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass 
 that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into 
 Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and 
 he was buried in hell. And lifting up his eyes, when 
 he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Laza- 
 rus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abra- 
 ham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip 
 the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue; for I am 
 tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to him, Son, 
 remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life- 
 time, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is com- 
 forted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, be- 
 tween us and you there is fixed a great chaos: so that they 
 who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence 
 come hither. And he said; Then, father, I beseech thee 
 that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I 
 have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they 
 also come into this place of torments. And Abraham said 
 to him, They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear 
 
 75 
 
76 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 them. But he said, No, father Abraham, but if one shall 
 go to them from the dead, they will do penance. And he 
 said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither 
 will they believe if one rose again from the dead." Luke 
 xvi, 19-31. (Gospel in the Mass of Thursday in the sec- 
 ond week of Lent.) 
 
 IN this parable, the Saviour has revealed the folly 
 of the maxims of the world in the light of eter- 
 nity. Men admire and envy the rich lord who 
 is surrounded by affluence, who passes his youth in 
 dissipation with his friends, tasting of every pleas- 
 ure, smothering by his indulgence the voice of con- 
 science. The poor beggar knocks at his door in the 
 name of God, asking for the crumbs that fall from 
 his table. He is coldly refused and driven away, 
 when even the dogs have pity on him. What per- 
 son of the world would consider the beggar more 
 happy than the one who spurned him? But Jesus 
 has said, "Woe to you that are rich; for you have 
 your consolation." 1 "Blessed are ye poor, for 
 yours is the kingdom of God." 2 Was it possible 
 to overturn more completely worldly ideals? 
 
 The happiness of the world is a snare. "You know 
 the theatre," said Saint John Chrysostum, "and 
 among the players you see one who takes the part 
 of a philosopher, another that of a doctor, a third 
 the role of a king. In the illusion of the moment, you 
 think only of appearances and enjoy the perform- 
 ance, but when the curtain falls and the comedy is 
 over, all the players take off their costumes and en- 
 
 ^uke vi, 24. 
 2 Luke vi, 20. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 77 
 
 ter once more into real life. The king, the doctor 
 and the philosopher go back to selling grapes and 
 figs. And so it is with the rich man in this world. 
 Do not regard him as really rich; do not consider 
 him truly happy. He has only the mask of riches 
 and of happiness. When the curtain falls, and 
 death comes, he is despoiled of everything, even to 
 the last penny, the last thread of purple leaving him 
 only with the works that he has done. The sen- 
 tence which God pronounces on him will never end. 
 Will the rich man, condemned, be able to rise from 
 the deep abyss where he is lying, to ascend above, 
 where reign the poor of Christ? No, never. He 
 who denied the starving Lazarus a crumb of bread 
 can never obtain a drop of water in the fire that 
 now devours him." 
 
 Therefore, O Christian, in those things that you 
 are wont to call the injustices of life, where the bad 
 rejoice and the good suffer, do not stop at appear- 
 ances, but raise your thoughts to eternity. The max- 
 ims of the world are lies. The word of God is 
 truth. Have faith. While you suffer with resig- 
 nation the poverty and the trials of these short days, 
 you are already enriching yourself with the wealth 
 and happiness that are real, because yours is the 
 kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 Another reason for consolation is this: the Cal- 
 vary which you are mounting has been made easy by 
 the suffering of the Saviour. No cross will ever be 
 as heavy as that which He carried for love of us. 
 
 This example of Jesus so moved Saint Francis of 
 Assisi that he wished for love of Christ to give up 
 every possession to wed himself as he said, "to 
 
78 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 sister Poverty." He loved suffering as the world 
 loves pleasures. The author of "The Little 
 Flowers" has expressed this sentiment in a remark- 
 able way. One day, Brother Leo asked Saint 
 Francis, "Father, I pray you, from the viewpoint 
 of God tell me where is perfect happiness." And 
 Saint Francis answered, "When we return home, 
 drenched by the rain, trembling with cold, and suf- 
 fering from hunger, and when we knock at the door 
 and the porter angrily tells us, 'Go away, you are 
 two thieves,' and so makes us remain outside in the 
 snow and water, cold and hungry, then if we bear all 
 these rebuffs patiently and with joy, thinking of the 
 sufferings of the Blessed Saviour, and if we endure 
 these trials for love of Him, then, O Brother Leo, 
 write down that here, and in this, is perfect 
 happiness." 
 
PASSION SUNDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT PETER IN THE 
 
 VATICAN 
 
 Yesterday evening, the Church mournfully veiled the images 
 of Christ and the saints, in memory of the fact that the Saviour 
 hid Himself from the Jews who came to stone Him, and went out 
 of the temple. And with the passing of the Master's glory, that of 
 the disciples is also eclipsed. The ceremonies of these days prepare 
 for Holy Week, because they are accompanied with solemn rites 
 expressive of the highest mysteries of the Redemption. 
 
 JESUS HIDES HIMSELF 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews, 
 Which of you shall convince Me of sin? If I say the 
 truth to you, why do you not believe Me? He that is of 
 God, heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them 
 not, because you are not of God. The Jews therefore an- 
 swered and said to Him, Do not we say well, that Thou 
 art a Samaritan (a heretic), and hast a devil? Jesus 
 answered, I have not a devil; but I honor My father, and 
 you have dishonored Me. But I seek not My own glory; 
 there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Amen, amen, I say 
 to you, If any man keep My word, he shall not see death 
 for ever. The Jews therefore said, Now we know that 
 Thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets ; and 
 Thou sayest, If any man keep My word, he shall not taste 
 death for ever. Art Thou greater than our father Abra- 
 ham, who is dead ? and the prophets are dead. Whom dost 
 Thou make Thyself? Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, 
 My glory is nothing (to you). It is My Father that glori- 
 
 79 
 
80 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 fieth Me, of Whom you say that He is your God. And 
 you have not known Him; but I know Him. And if I 
 shall say that I know Him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. 
 But I do know Him, and do keep His word. Abraham 
 your father rejoiced that he might see My day: he saw it, 
 and was glad. The Jews therefore said to Him, Thou art 
 not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham ? Jesus 
 said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham 
 was made, I am. They took up stones therefore to cast 
 at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple." 
 John viii, 46-59. 
 
 IN this dialogue, the struggle between light and 
 darkness, between good and evil, is vividly 
 described. This struggle rages in the silence of 
 every soul. The voice of conscience asks com- 
 pliance with God's law; the voice of passion storms 
 against it. How many are the subtle deceits of the 
 tempter to ensnare us in his net and draw us away 
 from duty ! If we have not strength to oppose reso- 
 lutely the first advances of the enemy, we shall fall 
 gradually into more serious errors. And it is pos- 
 sible for us to fall so far as even to hate good and 
 spurn God. 
 
 This darkening of the intellect is the most terrible 
 punishment which can possibly befall a sinner. It 
 is this punishment which the Gospel has expressed 
 with one single phrase: u Jesus hid Himself." 
 
 On the occasion of the first sin, there is remorse, 
 serious sometimes, and harrowing, capable of em- 
 bittering an existence. This remorse which is the 
 first punishment of the sinner, is also a ray of light, 
 a beginning for rising again. But when the bonds 
 of sin grow more heavy, when the sin becomes a 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 81 
 
 habit, the voice of Jesus becomes stifled, the con- 
 science sleeps, and the sinner is at ease in his sin. 
 Having reached the bottom of the abyss, sacred 
 Scripture tells us that he scorns good, and thus the 
 sinner continues smiling to the meeting with Death. 
 There can be no blindness more terrifying than this. 
 Do not say, therefore, O sinful man, "I have sinned, 
 and no evil has come to me." Know that God is 
 slow in retribution. For each one He has estab- 
 lished a period of toleration, beyond which He with- 
 draws His mercy, and substitutes justice in its place. 
 When the tempter tells you, therefore, that you will 
 repent tomorrow, ask him with Saint Augustine, "If 
 tomorrow, why not today?" Jesus today is pass- 
 ing; tomorrow, possibly, He may not return; and if 
 He does not return ! It is folly to throw yourself 
 into a well hoping that a rescuer will come. It is 
 absurd to take poison on the pretext that there is an 
 antidote. 
 
 In the fifth chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, 
 there is a dramatic narration of the punishment 
 with which God surprised a sinner sleeping in his 
 sins. King Baltasar, one of the persecutors of the 
 true religion, gave a wondrous banquet to a 
 thousand of his nobles. Being already drunk 
 with wine, he ordered that the precious chalices 
 of gold and silver stolen from the Temple of 
 Jerusalem should be brought into the hall that 
 they might drink toasts to his idols. At that 
 very moment there appeared a mysterious figure, 
 as of a man's hand, writing upon the wall of the 
 royal chamber. The king saw it and grew pale. His 
 knees trembled, his heart grew cold with terror. He 
 
82 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 summoned Daniel, and asked him to explain the 
 meaning of the writing, promising him great gifts 
 in reward. And the prophet made this answer: 
 "Thy rewards be to thyself, and the gifts of thy 
 house give to another : but the writing I will read to 
 thee, O king, and show thee the interpretation 
 thereof. O king, the most high God gave to Na- 
 buchodonosar, thy father, a kingdom, and greatness 
 and glory and honor. But when his heart was lifted 
 up and his spirit hardened unto pride, he was put 
 down from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory 
 was taken away. Thou also his son, O Baltasar, 
 hast not humbled thy heart, whereas thou knewest 
 all these things; but hast lifted thyself up against 
 the Lord of Heaven . . . and the God Who hath thy 
 breath in His hand. And this is the writing that is 
 written : 'God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath 
 finished it' . . . 'thou art weighed in the balance and 
 art found wanting;' . . . 'thy kingdom is divided 
 and is given to the Medes and Persians.' " 1 
 
 The sacred book adds this terse note : "The same 
 night, Baltasar, the Chaldean king, was slain." 2 
 
 Daniel v, 17-28. 
 2 Daniel v, 30. 
 
HOLY WEEK 
 PALM SUNDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN 
 
 The triumphal entrance of the gentle King into Jerusalem is 
 commemorated today. Processions take place in all the churches. 
 Joyful hosannas are sung, and branches of blessed palm are car- 
 ried in the hands of the participants as a sign of their faith in 
 Christ, and as a harbinger of His future glory. The door of the 
 church opens at the touch of the processional cross, signifying that 
 to the Church militant, as to the victorious Christ, are opened by 
 virtue of the cross the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. During 
 the Mass, the dramatic story of the sufferings and death of the 
 Saviour is read to the assembled faithful. This part of the gospel 
 is known as the "Passion," and in solemn Masses it is sung by 
 three deacons, taking the part of the narrator, Christ and the 
 synagogue. 
 
 HOLY THURSDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN 
 
 The white color of the vestments, the "Gloria" in the Mass, 
 the notes of the organ, and the sound of the bells, indicate a 
 parenthesis of joy in this sorrowful week. The Church commemo- 
 rates the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, and in honor of this 
 feast day all the faithful children of the Church should receive 
 Holy Communion. 
 
 After the singing of the "Gloria in Excelsis," the bells are not 
 sounded until the Mass on Saturday. There is a note of sorrow 
 throughout all the liturgy. The kiss of peace is not given, because 
 Jesus was betrayed by a kiss. 
 
 In the cathedral churches, the bishops bless the oil of the sick, 
 
 83 
 
84 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 the oil of the catechumens and chrism. After the Mass, the Sacred 
 Host is borne in procession to an altar resplendent with lights. 
 This altar of exposition is improperly called the "sepulchre." The 
 other altars are entirely stripped, in token of desolation. 
 
 GOOD FRIDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IN 
 
 JERUSALEM 
 
 The Church is in mourning. After the reading of the prophe- 
 cies and the singing of the Passion, the priest, in the name of the 
 Church, prays for all, even the Church's enemies. At the singing 
 of the "Improperia," or paternal reproaches of the Saviour to the 
 ungrateful people, the adoration of the cross takes place. At the 
 end of this ceremony, the celebrant consumes the Host, consecrated 
 the day before. Because of this previous consecration, the Mass 
 is called the Mass of the Presanctified. 
 
 HOLY SATURDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN 
 
 New fire kindled from flint is blessed outside of the church. 
 The spark which flashes out represents Christ emerging from the 
 sepulchre of rock outside of the walls of Jerusalem. Incense is 
 also blessed, symbolizing the sweet spices sprinkled on the body 
 of the Saviour. The triple candle represents the Trinity, and the 
 paschal candle, lighted and adorned with five grains of blessed 
 incense in the form of a cross, is an image of the Risen Christ 
 with His glorious wounds. The deacon proclaims the Resurrec- 
 tion in the marvelous chant of the "Exultet." At the baptistery 
 the celebrant blesses the water for the sacrament of baptism, for 
 the spiritual rebirth which is a fruit of the Resurrection. Follow- 
 ing this ceremony, the Church advocates the blessing of homes, 
 invoking on those dwelling therein the peace of Easter. 
 
 THE PASSION 
 
 "Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called 
 Jesus, and said to Him, Art Thou the King of the Jews? 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 85 
 
 Jesus answered, sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have 
 others told it thee of Me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? 
 Thy own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee 
 up to me; what hast Thou done? Jesus answered, My 
 kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of 
 this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should 
 not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not 
 from hence. Pilate therefore said to Him, Art thou a King 
 then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest, that I am a King. For 
 this was I born, and for this came I into the world ; that I 
 should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of 
 the truth, heareth My voice. Pilate saith to Him, What 
 is truth ? And when he had said this, he went out again to 
 the Jews, and saith to them, I find no cause in Him. But 
 you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the 
 pasch: will you therefore that I release unto you the King 
 of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this 
 man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then 
 therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the 
 soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head; 
 and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came 
 to Him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews: and they gave 
 Him blows. Pilate therefore went forth again, and said 
 to them, Behold, I bring Him forth unto you, that you may 
 know that I find no cause in Him. (Jesus therefore came 
 forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) 
 And he saith to them, Behold the Man. When the chief 
 priests therefore and the servants had seen Him, they cried 
 out, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith to 
 them, Take Him you, and crucify Him ; for I find no cause 
 in Him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and 
 according to the law He ought to die, because He made 
 Himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard 
 this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the 
 hall again, and he said to Jesus, Whence art Thou? But 
 Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith to Him, 
 
86 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have 
 power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee? 
 Jesus answered, Thou shouldst not have any power against 
 Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore he that 
 hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin. And from 
 thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews 
 cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not 
 Caesar's friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king, 
 speaketh against Caesar. Now when Pilate had heard these 
 words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment- 
 seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotus ; and in Hebrew, 
 Gabbatha. And it was the parasceve of the pasch, about the 
 sixth hour : and He saith to the Jews, Behold your King. But 
 they cried out, Away with Him, away with Him, crucify 
 Him. Pilate saith to them, Shall I crucify your King? The 
 chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then 
 therefore he delivered Him to them to be crucified. And they 
 took Jesus, and led Him forth ; and bearing His own cross, 
 He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in 
 Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified Him, and with Him 
 two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And 
 Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross: and 
 the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 
 This title therefore many of the Jews did read, because the 
 place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it 
 was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. Then the 
 chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Write not the King 
 of the Jews, but that He said, I am the King of the Jews. 
 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. Then 
 the soldiers, when they had crucified Him, took His gar- 
 ments (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part), 
 and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven 
 from the top throughout. They said then one to another, 
 Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall 
 be; that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, They 
 have parted My garments among them, and upon My ves- 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 87 
 
 ture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these 
 things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, 
 and His mother's sister Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Mag- 
 dalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the dis- 
 ciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His mother, 
 Woman, behold thy son. After that, He saith to the dis- 
 ciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple 
 took her to his own. Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all 
 things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be 
 fulfilled, said, I thirst. Now there was a vessel set there 
 full of vinegar: and they put a sponge full of vinegar about 
 hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had 
 taken the vinegar, He said, It is consummated. And bowing 
 His head He gave up the ghost." John xviii, 33 — xix, 30. 
 
 DURING these days, two great thoughts must 
 be uppermost in our minds and deeply en- 
 graved in our hearts, — the crucified Jesus, 
 and the desolate Mary. We are the cause of their 
 great affliction. Let us meditate on this responsibil- 
 ity, and in the midst of our reflections the sublime 
 prayer of the Stabat Mater will gently impress itself 
 on our souls. "Near the cross, O Mother, I wish to 
 stand with thee. Together with thee, make me weep 
 also." 
 
EASTER SUNDAY 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY MAJOR 
 
 Easter is the greatest feast of the year. The Church in the 
 wondrous liturgy of this season greets with joy the risen Saviour, 
 "Alleluia," she proclaims, "Praise be to the Lord." 
 
 And the glory of Christ is also the glory of Mary. The Church 
 exults with her, repeating the prayer, "Queen of Heaven, rejoice \ n 
 This prayer takes the place of the "Angelus" during the season 
 of Easter. 
 
 Every Catholic is obliged to receive Holy Communion at this 
 time of the year. 
 
 THE RESURRECTION 
 
 "At that time, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of 
 James and Salome bought sweet spices, that coming they might 
 anoint Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first day 
 of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun being now 
 risen ; and they said one to another, Who shall roll back the 
 stone from the door of the sepulchre? And looking, they 
 saw the stone rolled back : for it was very great. And enter- 
 ing into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the 
 right side, clothed with a white robe, and they were aston- 
 ished : who saith to them, Be not affrighted ; you seek Jesus 
 of Nazareth, Who was crucified : He is risen, He is not here; 
 behold the place where they laid Him : but go, tell His dis- 
 ciples, and Peter, that He goeth before you into Galilee: 
 there you shall see Him, as He told you." Mark xvi, 1-7. 
 
 THE Jews, after having nailed the Saviour to 
 the cross, flung at Him this taunting chal- 
 lenge, "If Thou be the Son of God, come 
 down from the cross." 1 And mocking Him they 
 
 Matthew xxvii, 40. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 89 
 
 said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save." 1 
 It would seem that divine omnipotence thus defied 
 should vindicate itself by a miracle. And, certainly, 
 it would not have been difficult for the Son of God 
 triumphantly to break the instruments of His mar- 
 tyrdom and thwart the anger of His enemies, to 
 come down victorious from the cross. All the love 
 which He bore for mankind, however, His supreme 
 desire to redeem the human race by His blood and 
 by His death, bound Him to the cross more strongly 
 than did the nails of His persecutors. With His 
 arms stretched out in one last embrace of love and 
 pardon, Jesus completed the sacrifice and died trans- 
 fixed on the cross. 
 
 The Jews deluded themselves with the idea that 
 they had buried His name beneath a mass of oppro- 
 brium and ignominy. Was it possible for them, 
 however, to be deceived? We shall see. 
 
 It is the dawn of the third day. The Divine 
 Body of the Saviour, wrapped in funeral bandages, 
 is resting in a tomb carved from the solid rock. 
 The silent warriors stand on guard before it. On the 
 white stone that closes the entrance to the sepulchre 
 may be seen the huge seal of the Sanhedrin. No one, 
 surely, will attempt to steal the lifeless body of the 
 Nazarene. 
 
 But, behold! the earth trembles. An angel of 
 God appears, brilliant and dazzling as a flash of 
 lightning, the watchmen flee in terror, — Jesus 
 Christ is risen from the dead ! 
 
 This is the day of His great victory. He did not 
 come down, still living from the cross as the Jews 
 
 a Matthew xxvii, 42. 
 
90 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 had defied Him to do, but He did something far 
 more astounding — He came, living, from actual 
 death. 
 
 There are two great evils, — sin and death. They 
 entered into the world through the fall of our first 
 parents. Jesus has conquered both of them. Dying, 
 He has vanquished sin. Risen, He has overcome 
 death. "O Death," he exclaims in His triumph, "I 
 am your death! O Hell, I am your torment!" And 
 the Church, brilliant with the glory of His splendor, 
 answers in jubilation, " Alleluia ! Glory to the King 
 of Life, Who returns living from the struggle with 
 Death! Glory to the Conquering King!" 
 
 If you wish, Christian soul, to take part in the 
 triumph of your Saviour, you, also, must conquer sin 
 in the sacrament of penance, and rise in grace. True 
 good is not on earth but in Heaven, where Christ 
 reigns at the right hand of His father. Thus also 
 will you conquer death. 
 
 Eutyches, patriarch of Constantinople, on his bed 
 of pain, holding the skin of his withered hand, and 
 radiant with hope, exclaimed to Saint Gregory the, 
 Great, "I confess that I shall rise in this flesh." You, 
 also, should make such an act of faith. It is neces- 
 sary that your body should lose the bloom of youth, 
 grow old, and turn into dust. But if Christ 
 has risen, you also will rise. "Behold, I tell you a 
 mystery," says Saint Paul. "We shall all indeed rise 
 again; . . . for the trumpet shall sound, and the 
 dead shall rise again incorruptible." 1 And the 
 Apostle concludes, "Thanks be to God, Who hath 
 
 *I Corinthians xv, 51, 52. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 91 
 
 given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 
 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and 
 unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the 
 Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain." * 
 
 *I Corinthians xv, 57, 58. 
 
LOW SUNDAY OR SUNDAY IN WHITE 
 
 STATION IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT PANCRATIUS 
 
 On the first Sunday after Easter, the newly converted Christians 
 took off the white garments with which they had been clothed for 
 the reception of baptism on Holy Saturday. Because of this cus- 
 tom, the day is called "Sunday in White." The present ceremony 
 of placing a white cloth on the head of baptized persons recalls 
 this primitive rite. With the pouring of the regenerating waters, 
 the soul assumes the garment of innocence, which is to be carried 
 unstained before the tribunal of Jesus Christ. 
 
 FAITH 
 
 "At that time, when it was late that same day, the first 
 of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples 
 were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came, 
 and stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be to you. 
 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and 
 His side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw 
 the Lord. He said therefore to them again, Peace be to you : 
 as the Father hath sent Me, I also send you. When He had 
 said this, He breathed on them; and He said to them, Re- 
 ceive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they 
 are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are 
 retained. Now, Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called 
 Didymus, was not with them, when Jesus came. The other 
 disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But 
 he said to them : Except I see in His hands the print of the 
 nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put 
 my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight 
 days, again His disciples were within, and Thomas with 
 them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the 
 
 92 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 93 
 
 midst, and said, Peace be to you. Then He said to Thomas, 
 Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands, and bring hither 
 thy hand and put it into My side ; and be not faithless, but 
 believing. Thomas answered, and said to Him, My Lord 
 and my God. Jesus saith to him, Because thou hast seen 
 Me, Thomas, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have 
 not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did Jesus 
 in the sight of His disciples, which are not written in this 
 book. But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus 
 is the Christ the Son of God; and that, believing, you may 
 have life in His name." John xx, 19-31. 
 
 JESUS had appeared to the Apostles. He had 
 shown them the trace of the nails in His 
 hands, and the wound of the lance in His heart. 
 He had given them their mission to announce the 
 Gospel to all nations ; He had breathed upon them, 
 giving them power to forgive sins. It seems incred- 
 ible that there should have been a doubt about the 
 fact that Christ had risen, a fact that was substan- 
 tiated by so many witnesses. But Thomas, who was 
 absent when Jesus appeared, would not believe the 
 other Apostles, He considered it a mere hallucina- 
 tion, and shaking his head, he repeated the words 
 of all subsequent unbelievers, "Except I shall see in 
 His hands the print of the nails, . . . and put my 
 hand into His side, I will not believe." 1 For eight 
 days he persisted in his obstinacy. It is the octave 
 of Easter, and the Apostles are once more together. 
 Jesus comes again. He has come for Thomas to 
 convince him, — to take him at his word. "Put in 
 thy finger hither, and see My hands ; and bring hither 
 
 thy hand and put it into My side and be not faith- 
 
 - 
 
 Mohn xx, 25. 
 
94 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 less but believing." 1 But Thomas is now convinced. 
 He utters that sublime profession of faith which is 
 the cry of every soul that returns, "My Lord and 
 my God!" And in one repentant outburst of devo- 
 tion, he falls in tears at Jesus' feet. 
 
 "The unbelief of Thomas," says Saint Gregory 
 the Great, "has helped our faith more than the 
 docility of all the other Apostles. The difficulties 
 and doubts of this Apostle, and his obstinacy, are for 
 us a guaranty of the truth." 
 
 The entire preaching of the Apostles is based on 
 this fact, — that Christ is risen from the dead. To 
 prove the truth of His resurrection, they fearlessly 
 faced death. Their martyrdom is for us the most 
 absolute proof of their unshakable conviction and of 
 their veracity. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Some years after the resurrection, a company of 
 soldiers was riding towards the city of Damascus. 
 The leader of this company was a man by the name 
 of Saul. He was commissioned by the Jews of Jeru- 
 salem to capture the disciples of the Lord. Sud- 
 denly, a light from Heaven shone around him, and 
 terrified he fell from his horse. "Saul, Saul," cried 
 the voice, "Why persecutest thou Me?" 2 And Saul, 
 trembling with fear asked, "Who art Thou, Lord?" 
 "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest," 3 was the 
 answer, and Saul was converted to the true faith. 
 He entered the city, offered himself for instruction 
 in the Christian religion and received the sacrament 
 
 *John xx, 27. 
 2 Acts ix, 4. 
 8 Acts ix, 5. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 95 
 
 of baptism. Such is the story of the Apostle of the 
 Gentiles, Saint Paul, one of the greatest souls of the 
 Christian Church. Writing later a celebrated letter 
 to the faithful of Corinth, he enumerated the argu- 
 ments on account of which he believed. "Christ . . . 
 rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 
 and was seen by Peter, and after that by the eleven. 
 Then He was seen by more than five hundred breth- 
 ren at once, of whom many remain until this present. 
 . . . After that, he was seen by James, then by all 
 the Apostles. And last of all, He was seen also by 
 me, . . . the least of the Apostles, who am not 
 worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted 
 the Church of God." 1 
 
 The bitter enemy of Christ had become the most 
 intrepid of His Apostles. He traveled through the 
 Roman Empire, confronting everywhere the ene- 
 mies of the truth, bravely enduring tortures and 
 hardships, and finally obtaining the martyr's crown. 
 
 You, too, O Christian soul, must be unflinchingly 
 steadfast in your faith. "When you hear the unbe- 
 liever insult our faith," says Saint Augustine, "raise 
 your forehead and defend it. Your forehead is 
 signed and confirmed with the cross of Christ from 
 the day on which you became His soldier." 
 
 *I Corinthians xv, 3-9. 
 
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 
 THE GOOD SHEPHERD 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees, I am the good 
 shepherd. The good shepherd giveth His life for His sheep ; 
 but the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own 
 the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the 
 sheep, and flieth; and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the 
 sheep ; and the hireling flieth because he is a hireling, and he 
 hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd ; and I 
 know Mine and Mine know Me. As the Father knoweth 
 Me, and I know the Father, and I lay down My life for My 
 sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold; 
 them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and 
 there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."' John x, 11-16. 
 
 Jesus is the Shepherd, and the faithful, who have 
 been baptized in His name and have had His indeli- 
 ble character impressed on their soul, are the sheep. 
 Who has not observed what happens in the sheep- 
 fold? The shepherd lives with the sheep, knows 
 each of them, calls them by name. Whenever he 
 moves, the whole flock follows. And if a stranger 
 appears among them, the sheep take fright and 
 scamper away. But Jesus is not only a Shepherd, He 
 is the Good Shepherd. 
 
 Men who take care of sheep watch the flock for 
 love of gain, and as soon as the proper season comes, 
 they shear the sheep and sacrifice the lambs. Jesus, 
 instead, loves His sheep. He has given His blood 
 
 96 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 97 
 
 for them, and has sacrificed Himself to defend them. 
 "I give them life everlasting and they shall not per- 
 ish forever, and no man shall pluck them out of My 
 hand." 1 
 
 When a sheep is lost, the Good Shepherd has 
 peace no longer. He leaves the rest of the fold and 
 goes in search of the one that is lost. Over the 
 rocks, in the brushwood, on the hills, into the 
 ravines, He goes and calls for the sheep to return. 
 
 Harken, O wandering, desolate sheep, harken to 
 the voice of the Shepherd. O, if you knew how Jesus 
 wishes you to return! "I have wandered," wept 
 Saint Ambrose, "I have wandered as a sheep that is 
 lost." Come, O Lord, and rescue Thy poor tired 
 sheep. Come, O Shepherd, leave the other ninety- 
 nine of the flock, and hasten after me who am lost. 
 Come without the shepherd dogs, and without the 
 staff. Save me from the ravening wolves that are 
 around me. Take me on Thy shoulders and carry 
 me ; yes, carry me to the cross. The cross is my com- 
 fort and my refuge, — it is the rest of my weary soul. 
 It is my life, even though I be dead. 
 
 The time approached when Jesus was to leave the 
 earth and return to His Father. He called Saint 
 Peter to Him and asked him three times, "Simon, 
 son of John, lovest thou Me more than these?" 
 Saint Peter answered, "Lord, Thou knowest all 
 things; Thou knowest that I love Thee." And Jesus 
 said, "Feed My sheep." 2 Saint Peter, therefore, 
 
 ^John x, 28. 
 2 John xxi, 15-17. 
 
98 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 was constituted the visible shepherd of the Church in 
 place of Jesus. From the death of Saint Peter, with 
 a never interrupted succession, the vicar of Christ 
 takes the place of the Good Shepherd and watches 
 over the flock entrusted to his guidance. The good 
 sheep appreciate the joy of being with him. When 
 he speaks the word, all obey, and recognize in his 
 voice the voice of Jesus. The wicked, however, are 
 deaf to his voice. They would wish to remain in the 
 fold, but, meanwhile, they do not wish to obey, and 
 are banished. O unruly sheep, who are in danger 
 of being lost, Jesus wishes you also to be near the 
 Shepherd. 
 
 Many souls are still far distant from the Church. 
 If these souls would only realize how ardently Jesus 
 longs to have them with Him, if they would but 
 harken to the Shepherd's voice, they would quickly 
 and joyfully return to Him Who loves them. Jesus 
 has said that these sheep shall hear His voice and 
 that then u there shall be one fold and one shep- 
 herd." 1 Grant, O Lord Jesus, that this unity may 
 be soon our blessing. 
 
 ^fohn x, 16. 
 
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 
 
 THE VALUE OF SUFFERING 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, A little while, 
 and now you shall not see Me : and again a little while, and 
 you shall see Me ; because I go to the Father. Then some of 
 His disciples said one to another, What is this that He saith 
 to us, A little while, and you shall not see Me ; and again a 
 little while, and you shall see Me; and because I go to the 
 Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A 
 little while? we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus 
 knew that they had a mind to ask Him : and He said to them, 
 Of this do you inquire among yourselves because I said, A 
 little while, and you shall not see Me; and again a little 
 while, and you shall see Me? Amen, amen, I say to you, that 
 you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice; and 
 you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned 
 into joy. A woman when she is in labor hath sorrow, be- 
 cause her hour is come ; but when she hath brought forth the 
 child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a 
 man is born into the world. So also you now indeed have sor- 
 row, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, 
 and your joy no man shall take from you. ,, John xvi, 16-22. 
 
 THE words which the Apostles did not under- 
 stand contain a mystery. Jesus is to leave 
 the world and return to the Father, and so 
 He takes care to warn them : U A little while,. and you 
 shall not see Me." * We can understand from these 
 
 ^ohn xvi, 19. 
 
 99 
 
100 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 words something of the affection which Christ has 
 for His disciples. They are to remain in the midst 
 of griefs, deprived of the comfort of His visible 
 presence in the time of trial, but all this is to be only 
 for a short time. He is to return quickly, and they 
 are to see Him once more. They are to see Him 
 "coming in the clouds of Heaven with much power 
 and majesty." * 
 
 Our present life is as fleeting as a shadow. It is a 
 life of grief for all, — for the good and for the 
 wicked. The world laughs and makes merry, seek- 
 ing to forget in pleasures the unhappiness which tor- 
 ments it. And indeed the more it laughs and pro- 
 claims itself joyful, the more evident is it that 
 beneath its laugh and joy are tears and sadness. For 
 the wicked especially, the grief is terrible. There is 
 no comfort, no hope in their hearts. From the ills 
 which befall them, they are incapable of deriving 
 good. They clamorously rebel against their misfor- 
 tunes like a steed which kicks back under the goad, 
 and beats the rocks with his hoofs, uselessly sending 
 forth a myriad of sparks. There is in this sort of 
 blind grief the vain fury of desperation, as in the 
 case of a shipwrecked person struggling furiously in 
 the midst of the ocean, without hope of saving him- 
 self, with the certainty of dying. The true Chris- 
 tian inclines himself lovingly to the will of God, 
 knowing that "we have not here a lasting city." 2 
 God wishes us to realize this truth. He wishes us 
 to keep our hearts above with Him. "He wishes us," 
 says Saint Augustine, "to seek that happiness whose 
 
 Matthew xxiv, 30. 
 2 Hebrews xiii, 14. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 101 
 
 sweetness will not deceive us." How consoling arc 
 the words of the Lord! "Come to Me all you that 
 labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." * 
 Realize what it means to pray in grief before Jesus 
 in the Blessed Sacrament. The heavy heart expands 
 as the drooping flower revives under the warm rays 
 of the sun. 
 
 "And yet a little while and you shall see Me." 
 And yet a little while ! The years which to us seem 
 centuries are only an instant. Our sorrow is the 
 light sorrow of a moment. What arc the few days 
 of life compared with eternity? But with these few 
 days we may prepare ourselves to shine "as stars for 
 all eternity." 2 
 
 We should not, therefore, consider the things of 
 the world which we see. We should concern our- 
 selves rather with things which we do not see. Saint 
 Paul tells us that "the things which are seen are tem- 
 poral, but the things which are not seen are 
 eternal." 3 
 
 Even in this life, suffering for Jesus is an inex- 
 haustible fountain of joy and of peace. The lives of 
 the saints have been constant proofs to the world of 
 the truth of our Lord's teaching, "Blessed are they 
 that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is 
 the kingdom of Heaven." 4 They alone possess true 
 happiness. 
 
 Saint Catherine of Sienna was requested to choose 
 between a crown of roses and a crown of thorns. 
 Amid great transports of joy she chose the crown 
 
 Matthew xi, 28. 
 2 Daniel xii, 3. 
 S II Corinthians iv, 18. 
 4 Matthew v, 10. 
 
102 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 of thorns, because it had been the crown of Jesus. 
 Another saint addressed to our Lord this sublime 
 petition: "to suffer and to be despised for Thy sake." 
 Saint Theresa, realizing that a life without suffering 
 is a life without merit, prayed for suffering. If it is 
 indeed so sweet, O Lord, to suffer for Thee, what 
 then must it be to rejoice with Thee ! We must raise 
 our hearts to Heaven, therefore, and in the midst of 
 affliction we may repeat the words of Saint Francis 
 of Assisi: 
 
 "So great is the good that awaits me 
 That I rejoice in every pain." 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 
 THE MISSION OF THE HOLY GHOST 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, I go to Him 
 that sent Me; and none of you asketh Me, Whither goest 
 Thou? But because I have spoken these things to you, sor- 
 row hath filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is 
 expedient to you that I go; for if I go not, the Paraclete 
 will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you. 
 And when He is come, He will convince the world of sin, 
 and of justice, and of judgment. Of sin, because they be- 
 lieved not in Me; and of justice, because I go to the Father, 
 and you shall see Me no longer; and of judgment, because the 
 prince of this world is already judged. I have yet many things 
 to say to you, but you cannot bear them now ; but when He, 
 the Spirit of truth, is come, He will teach you all truth ; for 
 He shall not speak of Himself; but what things soever He 
 shall hear, He shall speak, and the things that are to come 
 He shall show you. He shall glorify Me because He shall 
 receive of Mine, and shall show it to you." John xvi, 5-14. 
 
 IT is evening. Jesus goes to the Garden of Olives 
 for His usual prayer. The Apostles have been 
 told that their Master is about to leave them, 
 and they are filled with sadness at the thought of 
 parting. But Jesus consoles them, saying, "Let not 
 your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe 
 also in Me. ... I will come again and take you to 
 Myself, that where I am you also may be. . . . I go 
 to the Father . . . and I will ask the Father, and 
 
 103 
 
104 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 He shall give you another Paraclete that He may 
 abide with you forever." 1 The Apostles are to lose 
 the comfort of Christ's visible presence, the encour- 
 agement of His glance and His words, but they are 
 not to be left alone. The Holy Ghost is to come 
 down upon them to give them inspiration and 
 strength. The assistance which the Holy Ghost will 
 give them is to be entirely interior and spiritual, as- 
 sistance which is befitting for men already advanced 
 in faith and virtue. The infant sees the face of the 
 mother and is happy only when nestling in her arms. 
 But when he becomes older, he knows how to act 
 manfully without seeing his mother, although he 
 still preserves his love for her in his heart. 
 
 The Holy Spirit will enkindle the hearts of the 
 Apostles with love, and will illumine their minds 
 with truth. They will know the highest mysteries 
 of Christianity, which up to that time they were 
 not prepared to hear, and so revelation will be fin- 
 ished. 
 
 The coming of the Holy Ghost concerns not only 
 the good but also the wicked. Evil must be exposed 
 and confounded. This mission of the Holy Spirit is 
 not to take place, however, with the clear manifesta- 
 tion which will accompany the triumph of the good 
 on the last day, when Jesus will come in glory to 
 punish His enemies. It is a gentle, silent triumph by 
 persuasion. 
 
 Every upright man who sees the marvellous ad- 
 vance of the work of Christ cannot but admit the 
 stupendous, the supernatural power which moves it 
 steadily, irresistibly forward. Such a man must rec- 
 
 ^ohn xiv, 1-16. 
 
 I 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 105 
 
 ognize that notwithstanding the calumnies and the 
 satanic hatred of the wicked, the mission of the 
 Church in the midst of men is holy and divine. And 
 ultimately he will be obliged to acknowledge that 
 the prince of darkness has been conquered forever 
 
 by Christ. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Shortly after the resurrection of the Saviour, a 
 young Christian, Stephen by name, was brought 
 before the Sanhedrin to be judged. With a truly sub- 
 lime composure, he faced his wrathful enemies. The 
 story of his courage, his eloquent speech before the 
 council, and his glorious martyrdom is told in the 
 Acts of the Apostles. His words to his judges 
 burned with scorn and defiance. "As your fathers 
 did, so do you also. Which of the prophets have 
 not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain 
 them who foretold of the coming of the Just One, of 
 Whom you have been now the betrayers and mur- 
 derers." * The judges were cut to the heart at the 
 words of Stephen, "but he being full of the Holy 
 Ghost, looking up steadfastly to Heaven, saw the 
 glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand 
 of God. And he said, 'Behold, I see the Heavens 
 opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right 
 hand of God.' And they crying out with a loud voice 
 . . . ran violently upon him, and casting him forth 
 without the city, they stoned him." 2 As the rocks 
 struck him down, this prayer was heard: "Lord 
 Jesus, receive my spirit." 3 His last words, as he 
 
 \Acts vii, 51, 52. 
 'Acts vii, 55-57. 
 8 Acts vii, 58. 
 
106 THE \VORD OF GOD 
 
 closed his eyes to open them in Heaven were, "Lord, 
 lay not this sin to their charge." 4 
 
 Saint Stephen was the first martyr, the first child 
 of the Church to return to Christ blood for Blood. 
 
 The promise of Christ to His Apostles had been 
 fulfilled. The Holy Ghost had inspired the children 
 of Christ with unshakable courage and unswerving 
 faith. And thus down through the glorious centuries 
 of the Christian era the abiding presence of the 
 Divine Counsellor has been an insurmountable bul- 
 wark against the onslaughts of the enemies of truth. 
 
 \Acts vii, 59. 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER 
 
 PRAYER 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Amen, amen I 
 say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, He 
 will give it you. Hitherto you have not asked anything in 
 My name: ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be 
 full. These things I have spoken to you in proverbs: the 
 hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, 
 but will show you plainly of the Father. In that day, you 
 shall ask in My name ; and I say not to you that I will ask 
 the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, be- 
 cause you have loved Me, and have believed that I came out 
 from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into 
 the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father. 
 His disciples say to Him, Behold, now Thou speakest plainly, 
 and speakest no proverb. Now we know that Thou knowest 
 all things, and Thou needest not that any man should ask 
 Thee: by this we believe that Thou earnest forth from God." 
 John xvi, 23-30. 
 
 THE Lord wishes us to pray to Him. He loves 
 to speak with us, to receive the confidences 
 of our hearts, to be the inspiration of our 
 desires, to be the centre of all our affections. There- 
 fore, He tells us, "Ask and you shall receive." * 
 These words of our Lord were uttered in a most 
 solemn manner, almost in the form of an oath. 
 "Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father 
 
 ^ohn xvi, 24. 
 
 107 
 
108 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 anything in My name, He will give it you. 5 ' * This 
 is the most consoling promise of Jesus. By the 
 force of these words, our weakness becomes omnipo- 
 tence through the all-powerful influence of prayer. 
 
 Saint Augustine reminds us, however, that this 
 promise regards the welfare of the soul, for what 
 may we ask in the name of the Saviour if we do not 
 ask salvation ? We may, it is true, ask for temporal 
 blessings, but we should not forget that when Jesus 
 taught us the "Our Father," He had us ask only for 
 the bread necessary for a single day, "Give us this 
 day our daily bread." He directs our attention, 
 rather, to spiritual blessings, the glory of God, the 
 triumph of the Church, and the forgiveness of our 
 sins. These are the graces which we shall obtain 
 infallibly, if with confident perseverance we trust 
 ourselves to the goodness of God in the name of 
 Jesus. 
 
 Prayer, indeed, is most necessary. All about us is 
 the ominous flash of the tempest. Our wills tremble 
 before the attractions of the world, the deceits of the 
 devil and the rebellion of the passions. We are as 
 shipwrecked mariners who feel our strength ebbing 
 away and realize that if help does not come soon 
 we are lost. All hope of salvation rests in our cry 
 for assistance. We must raise our voices above the 
 tumult of the storm. When, therefore, the tempest 
 is most violent, all the stronger must be our cry, all 
 the more insistent must be our prayer. Jesus is pres- 
 ent on the sea while we are struggling. He extends 
 His hands to help us. His reassuring voice comes 
 over the waves to us and to all the souls who wish 
 
 ^John xvi, 23. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 109 
 
 to Hear Him. "Watch and pray that you enter not 
 
 into temptation." * No Christian should forget these 
 
 words. 
 
 # * * 
 
 Saint Philip Neri, apostle of Rome, wished all his 
 companions before retiring at night to implore the 
 gift of holy perseverance through the intercession of 
 the Blessed Virgin. We should pray every day for 
 this blessing because we need it every day. 
 
 Saint Alphonsus, the founder of the Congregation 
 of the Most Holy Redeemer, closes one of his medi- 
 tations on prayer with these most impressive words : 
 "Pray, pray, pray, and never cease praying. If you 
 pray you will certainly be saved; and if you do not 
 pray, you will certainly be lost. 
 
 FEAST OF THE ASCENSION 
 
 "And Jesus eating together with them, He commanded 
 them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should 
 wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard 
 (saith He by My mouth: for John indeed baptized with 
 water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not 
 many days hence (on Pentecost). They therefore who were 
 come together, asked Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this 
 time restore the kingdom to Israel? But He said to them, 
 It is not for you to know the times or moments which the 
 Father hath put in His own power; but you shall receive 
 the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall 
 be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Sa- 
 maria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And 
 when he had said these things, while they looked on He was 
 raised up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And 
 
 *Mark xiv, 38. 
 
110 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 while they were beholding Him going up to Heaven, behold 
 two men stood by them in white garments, who also said, 
 Ye men of Galilee, w T hy stand you looking up to Heaven? 
 This Jesus Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so 
 come, as you have seen Him going into Heaven." Acts i, 
 4-11. 
 
 "At that time, Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at 
 table: and He upbraided them with their incredulity and 
 hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had 
 seen Him after He was risen again. And He said to them, 
 Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every 
 creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, 
 but he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs 
 shall follow them that believe. In My name they shall cast 
 out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take 
 up serpents ; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall 
 not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, 
 and they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after He had 
 spoken to them, was taken up into Heaven, and sitteth on the 
 right hand of God. But they going preached everywhere, the 
 Lord working w T ithal, and confirming the word with the signs 
 that followed." Mark xvi, 14-20. 
 
 ALL the members of the infant Church are 
 A% assembled on the slope of the Mount of 
 Olives, in order to be present at the last meet- 
 ing with Jesus, Who is returning to His Father. 
 Jesus raised His hands and blessed them, and "while 
 they looked on, He was raised up and a cloud re- 
 ceived Him out of their sight." 1 "Thou art bathed 
 with light and with beauty," exclaims the liturgy, 
 "Alleluia I" "Thy foot rests on the clouds and Thy 
 ways on the wings of the wind." 
 
 Since that day the Church looks to Heaven. She 
 
 ^cts i, 9. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 111 
 
 desires Jesus Who has ascended to the right hand 
 of His Father, she invokes Him through the hearts 
 of all the faithful. Her Spouse is to return as the 
 angels have promised, "This Jesus Who is taken up 
 from you into Heaven, shall so come, as you have 
 seen Him going into Heaven." * In every word of 
 the New Testament, there is this deep feeling of ex- 
 pectation, this fervid expression of desire, "Looking 
 for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the 
 great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 In the 
 last page of the Sacred Book the prayer becomes a 
 cry: "Come, Lord Jesus!" 3 And Jesus, shortening 
 the centuries, replies, "I come quickly." 4 And the 
 Spouse answers, "Amen." 
 
 *F 1* *p 
 
 The day of His coming will be a wondrous feast, 
 like the grand reception at a marriage festival ; and 
 in the meantime the faithful must be watchful as the 
 prudent virgins of the parable. Let all the lamps be 
 lighted, ready for the Bridegroom. 
 
 At dawn today the Church sings this hymn: "Par- 
 don, O Lord, all our faults, and raise our hearts on 
 high to Thee." And the inspiring prayer asks that 
 in our thoughts at least we may dwell in Heaven 
 with Jesus. 
 
 In the midst of the sorrows of this pilgrimage we 
 may therefore look forward to our country and 
 hasten towards it. "Our whole life," says Saint 
 
 Augustine, "must be one desire for Heaven." 
 
 »■■ - ' ■ 
 
 *Acts i, 11. 
 2 Titus ii, 13. 
 s Apocalypse xxii, 20. 
 * Apocalypse xxii, 20. 
 
112 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Saint Philip Neri, the saint of joy and of Chris- 
 tian happiness, appreciated the importance of this 
 truth. Three months before his death, speaking 
 with Bernardino Corona, his devoted friend, he con- 
 fided a secret to him. "Bernardino, the Pope wishes 
 to make me a Cardinal. What do you think of it?" 
 Corona answered that he should accept the honor if 
 for no other reason than for the benefit of the In- 
 stitute which he had founded. Saint Philip then told 
 his friend that he would decline the honor, as the 
 purpose of the community was the acquisition of 
 heavenly and not earthly honors. When he spoke 
 of the things of God, tears came to his eyes in such 
 abundance that he was often obliged to change the 
 subject of conversation. In reading the lives of the 
 saints, he shed more tears than he pronounced words. 
 Thus his mind was always elevated to heavenly 
 things in one continuous prayer. Saint Augustine 
 says, "He who has a great longing for Heaven is 
 always at prayer, even though his tongue be silent." 
 We should therefore look always to the welfare of 
 our soul, praying fervently and with perseverance 
 for final union in Heaven with Jesus Christ. 
 
SUNDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION 
 
 PERSECUTION 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, When the Para- 
 clete cometh, Whom I will send you from the Father, the 
 Spirit of truth, Who proceedeth from the Father, He shall 
 give testimony of Me : and you shall give testimony, because 
 you are with Me from the beginning. These things have I 
 spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will 
 put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that 
 whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to 
 God. And these things will they do to you, because they have 
 not known the Father, nor Me. But these things I have told 
 you, that, when the hour shall come, you may remember that 
 I told you." John xv, 2 — xvi, 4. 
 
 TRUTH begets hatred, for all those who can- 
 not bear the light of truth deride it. When 
 Jesus sent His Apostles forth to preach the 
 Gospel, He said to them, "Go ; Behold I send you as 
 lambs among wolves." 1 These words of the Saviour 
 are interpreted as a prediction of the way in which 
 the Church was to be persecuted. It was to be every- 
 where attacked, calumniated, deprived of the most 
 sacred rights, persecuted in the name of civilization, 
 of liberty, of science, and even in the very name of 
 religion. This continual oppression, of which we all 
 are aware, if not through personal experience, at 
 
 ^ukc vi, 3. 
 
 113 
 
114 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 least through history, has become one of the argu- 
 ments in favor of the truth of the Catholic religion. 
 Many are the churches which claim descent from 
 Christ, but only one of these churches is unrelent- 
 ingly assailed. Nor is there anything more signifi- 
 cant than this instinctive intolerance of her enemies. 
 
 The good must not be scandalized, therefore, by 
 persecution. Jesus has foretold it: "If the world 
 hate you, know ye that it hath hated Me before 
 you." * "And you shall be hated by all men for My 
 name's sake." 2 
 
 This hate is directed not only against the mother, 
 but also against the children. "All that will live 
 godly in Christ Jesus," writes Saint Paul, "shall suffer 
 persecution." 3 "Therefore," concludes Saint Augus- 
 tine, "if you think that you will not suffer persecu- 
 tion, you have not yet commenced to be a Christian." 
 Persecution will come from enemies, from friends, 
 from superiors and from subordinates. They do not 
 hate you, but they hate Christ Who lives in you. 
 For Him, therefore, you are suffering. This thought 
 will sustain you in trial, and will strengthen your 
 resignation. "You, O Christian," exclaims Saint 
 John Chrysostom, "are a delicate soldier if you think 
 that you will conquer in the battle of life without a 
 struggle." Be strong, therefore, and fight bravely. 
 Remember the army to which you belong. Remem- 
 ber, fight and conquer. Jesus has said, "Have con- 
 fidence, I have overcome the world." 4 
 
 ^ohn xv, 18. 
 2 Luke xxi, 17. 
 'Timothy iii, 12. 
 4 John xvi, 33. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 115 
 
 Every morning and every evening for forty days, 
 a man of extraordinary stature, Goliath the giant, 
 clad in armor and bearing a lance, came out from 
 the camp of the Philistines and appeared before the 
 trenches of Israel, hurling at them this taunt: "Give 
 me r a man, and let him fight with me hand to hand." * 
 And because no one dared to oppose him, he 
 returned to the camp, boasting: "I have defied the 
 bands of Israel this day." 2 
 
 A young man by the name of David who was not 
 yet of age to bear arms, came by chance to the en- 
 campment, heard the insult, and was filled with rage. 
 With the staff and the sling of a shepherd, David 
 went forth against the Philistine. When the giant 
 saw the youth, he cursed him and said, "Come to me, 
 and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air and 
 to the beasts of the earth." 3 And David answered, 
 "Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear 
 and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of 
 the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, 
 which thou hast defied." 4 With this cry, he ran 
 towards him, hurling a stone with the sling. Goliath 
 fell to the earth, struck by the stone in the forehead. 
 And David took the sword of the giant and slew 
 him. "And the Philistines seeing that their cham- 
 pion was dead, fled away." 5 
 
 Thus also shall we conquer in the name of the 
 Lord in the unequal struggle of life, even though our 
 enemy be a giant. 
 
 *I Kings xvii, 10. 
 2 I Kings xvii, 10. 
 3 I Kings xvii, 44. 
 4 I Kings xvii, 45. 
 6 I Kings xvii, 51. 
 
PENTECOST SUNDAY 
 
 "Pentecost" is a Greek word which signifies fiftieth. It was 
 the feast which the Jews celebrated fifty days after the Passover 
 in order to commemorate the promulgation of the Law of Moses. 
 On this day, the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles. The 
 Church observes the feast with great rejoicing. The red color 
 of the vestments, giving to the day the name of "Easter of Roses," 
 symbolizes the fire enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 
 The time for the fulfillment of the obligation of Easter Communion 
 ends next Sunday. 
 
 "When the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they (the 
 Apostles and disciples) were all together in one place; and 
 suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty 
 wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were 
 sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it 
 were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them; and they 
 were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak 
 with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them 
 to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, 
 devout men out of every nation under heaven. And when 
 this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and 
 were confounded in mind, because that every man heard 
 them speak in his own tongue: and they were all amazed, 
 and wondered, saying, Behold are not all these that speak, 
 Galileans? And how have we heard every man our own 
 tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and 
 Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cap- 
 padocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt 
 and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, 
 Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians: we have 
 heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works 
 of God." Acts % Ml. 
 
 116 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 117 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, If any one love 
 Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, 
 and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. 
 He that loveth Me not, keepeth not My words: and the 
 word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Father's 
 Who sent Me. These things have I spoken to you, abiding 
 with you: but the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, Whom the 
 Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, 
 and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have 
 said to you. Peace I leave with j^ou, My peace I give unto 
 you; not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not 
 your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You have heard 
 that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If you 
 loved Me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the 
 Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have 
 told you before it come to pass, that, when it shall come to 
 pass, you may believe. I will not now speak many things 
 with you ; for the prince of this world cometh, and in Me he 
 hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love 
 the Father, and as the Father hath given Me commandment, 
 so do I." John xiv, 23-31. 
 
 FIFTY days after the resurrection all Jerusa- 
 lem was observing the solemn feast of Pente- 
 cost, the closing festival of the Paschal sea- 
 son. The Apostles were in a closed room far from 
 the throng, and together with the Blessed Virgin 
 they were praying for the fulfillment of the promise 
 of Jesus. "The Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom 
 the Father will send in My name, He will teach you 
 all things and bring all things to your mind whatso- 
 ever I shall have said to you." * Suddenly, there 
 came a sound from Heaven as of a mighty wind, 
 like that of a waterfall or the raging of a tempest 
 
 ^John xiv, 26. 
 
118 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 churning up the seas or striking the forests. At the 
 same time, there appeared tongues of fire which, 
 separating, rested on the head of each of them, and 
 all were filled with the Holy Ghost. 
 
 "Come, O Consoler," implores the Church, "Ray 
 of Light, Father of the Poor, Light of Hearts! 
 Come, O gentle Guest of the Soul, O sweet Com- 
 forter in trouble ! Give to the faithful who trust in 
 Thee Thy seven gifts, Amen. Alleluia." 
 
 The Apostles have received the strength of the 
 Holy Spirit, and while the Synagogue commemo- 
 rates the promulgation of the Old Law, they promul- 
 gate in the Name of God the New Law, of which 
 Christ is the Author. Today, with the fullness of 
 grace, they begin their mission. According to the 
 prophecy of Jesus, a prophecy which the course of 
 centuries has fulfilled, the new preachers are to carry 
 the gospel from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria, 
 to the utmost bounds of the earth. They are to be 
 witnesses, martyrs for Jesus. 
 
 Would these men, poor and timorous, unlettered 
 laborers, would these men have been able to go 
 forth to the conquest of the world without the 
 inspiration of the Holy Ghost? Could these 
 Apostles have succeeded in their tremendous, their 
 humanly speaking impossible undertaking, without 
 the guidance of the same Holy Spirit? They are 
 transformed, they are strengthened, they are sancti- 
 fied, and therefore they succeed in their mission. 
 
 The Apostles became possessed with burning zeal 
 and unflinching courage. Speaking the humble 
 dialect of the fishermen of the Lake of Genesareth, 
 they preached Jesus Christ crucified and risen from 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 119 
 
 the dead. All who heard them understood them, 
 even those who spoke entirely different languages. 
 Peter had no fear in crying out, u Ye men of Israel, 
 hear these words: 'Jesus of Nazareth, a Man 
 approved of God among you, by miracles and won- 
 ders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst 
 of you as you also know: This same being delivered 
 up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge 
 of God, you by the hands of wicked men have cruci- 
 fied and slain. . . . This Jesus hath God raised 
 again, whereof all we are witnesses. 5 " * And Peter 
 continued, " 'Do penance, and be baptized every one 
 of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission 
 of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the 
 Holy Ghost.' " 2 On this first day there were three 
 thousand converts. The net of the fisherman and his 
 small bark did not seem able to bear the weight of 
 this miraculous draught. The Church was born. 
 
 The new faithful, inspired by the Holy Ghost, 
 were most eager for the instruction of the Apostles. 
 They were united in charity, attentive to. the Holy 
 Sacrifice, persevering in prayer. The example of 
 fraternal charity which they gave had never been 
 seen before, and it was observed with astonishment. 
 u Men hate one another," it was said, "but these 
 Christians love one another." "Their possessions 
 and goods they sold and divided them all, according 
 as every one had need." 3 
 
 "If you have O Christian, one spark of love in 
 
 your heart," concludes Saint Augustine, "guard it as 
 
 . ■' ' ' i ■ ■ 
 
 a Acts ii, 22-32. 
 s Acts ii, 38. 
 *Acts ii, 45. 
 
120 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 a treasure, and further enkindle it by the breath of 
 prayer, by humility, by penance, and by good works. 
 Pray, for He Who hears you is not outside, but 
 within you, and in secret He will hear and answer 
 you." 
 
 FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY 
 
 The Paschal Season ends today, and the recitation of the 
 Angelus at morning, at mid-day and in the evening is taken up 
 again. The last period of the ecclesiastical year, which extends 
 in the first Sunday of Advent, begins with this feast 
 
 THE TRINITY 
 
 "At that time Jesus said to His disciples, All power is given 
 to Me in heaven and in earth. Going, therefore, teach all 
 nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all 
 things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and behold I am 
 with you all days, even to the consummation of the world/' 
 Matthew xxviii, 18-20. 
 
 THE prophet Isaias is rapt in ecstasy and has 
 a vision. In the temple above an exalted 
 throne, the Lord surrounded by angels, 
 appears to him. The mantle of His glory descends 
 with a fullness sufficient to cover the entire syna- 
 gogue, and two choirs of seraphim alternate in song, 
 chanting: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. 
 All the earth is full of His glory." 1 At the sound of 
 the voices, the very doors of bronze vibrate, and 
 the whole temple is filled with harmony. 
 
 Truly the entire earth is full of the majesty of 
 God. The heavens, brilliant with the sun by day, 
 
 isaias vi, 3. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 121 
 
 and sparkling with stars by night, bespeak continu- 
 ously the glory of the Lord. Can there be even one 
 heart on earth that does not feel, one mind that 
 does not appreciate the irresistible force of this lan- 
 guage? Everything tells us of this great God, for 
 even silence speaks, the eternal silence of infinite 
 space, proclaiming the power and the grandeur of 
 the almighty King. This great Lord, Who is hidden 
 from us, is at the same time so close to us that we 
 may continually feel the tenderness of His inspira- 
 tions and the severity of His reproofs. 
 
 And to us, creatures of God's goodness, He has 
 deigned to make known the ineffable nature of His 
 Being. He is one God in three divine persons, equal 
 and distinct, — Father, Son and Holy Ghost. "The 
 Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eter- 
 nal, and yet They are not three eternals but one eter- 
 nal — not three Gods but one God. This is the Cath- 
 olic faith, which except a man believe faithfully and 
 steadfastly, he cannot be saved. Glory be to the 
 Father, to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was 
 in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world 
 without end, Amen." 1 
 
 "Bestir your mind," writes Saint Hilary, "and 
 pass back in thought through the centuries. When 
 you think of the first day, and you imagine the first 
 rays of light dawning on the world, reflect that 
 already God exists, God the Father, the Son and the 
 Holy Ghost, eternal beyond all time." The mind is 
 lost in the contemplation of this thought. Words 
 are inadequate, but faith teaches us that in this eter- 
 nity the Son is equal to the Father, and the Holy 
 
 1 Creed of St. Athanasius. 
 
122 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son, without 
 
 any possible difference of existence, greatness or 
 
 power. We praise the Father for creation, the Son 
 
 for redemption, and the Holy Spirit for sanctifica- 
 
 tion. 
 
 * * * 
 
 An interesting story is told of Saint Peter of 
 Verona, who was born in that city in the year 1206 
 of heretical parents. Saint Peter fought and suffered 
 for the faith from his childhood. When he was 
 seven years of age, he was asked on a certain occa- 
 sion by his uncle what he had learned in school. To 
 the amazement and displeasure of the uncle, the 
 boy recited the Apostles' Creed. Some years later, 
 feeling that God had called him to a life of perfec- 
 tion, he courageously put on the white habit of the 
 sons of Saint Dominic. His constant desire was to 
 die for Jesus, and Jesus answered his prayer. One 
 day in the year 1252, when he was traveling on the 
 road from Como to Milan, he was struck down by 
 an impious assassin, a member of an heretical sect. 
 As the blood from the wound in his forehead 
 streamed over his white habit, the stricken saint 
 made one supreme act of faith and recited the 
 Apostles' Creed. As the last breath left his dying 
 body, he uttered these words: "I believe in life ever- 
 lasting, amen." The Church now venerates him 
 among her saints, under the name of Saint Peter, 
 Martyr. 
 
 FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI 
 
 The feast of Corpus Christ! was instituted by Urban IV in the 
 thirteenth century to give greater honor to the Blessed Eucharist 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 123 
 
 The joyful liturgy of the feast compensates for the more subdued 
 commemoration of the institution of the Blessed Sacrament on 
 Holy Thursday in the midst of the sorrows of the passion. Today,, 
 the Eucharist is solemnly exposed for adoration of the faithful, 
 and is carried in triumph in devout processions. This feast has, 
 therefore, the character of a public profession of faith in the Real 
 Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The prayers of the 
 Church, laden with profound teaching and poetic beauty, were 
 written by the "Angelic Doctor," Saint Thomas Aquinas. 
 
 THE EUCHARIST 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews: 
 My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He 
 that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, 
 and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I 
 live by the Father, so he that eateth Me, the same also shall 
 live by Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. 
 Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that 
 eateth this bread shall live forever. ,, John vi, 56-59. 
 
 THE human heart would not have been satis- 
 fied if Jesus had left only a remembrance, a 
 symbol, or an image of Himself. A mother's 
 picture, a lock of her hair, her rosary, do not satisfy 
 the heart of the child after the mother is dead. Such 
 a symbol or a remembrance is a torture rather than 
 a comfort. Love demands presence. Therefore, 
 Jesus has instituted this Sacrament of Love, in which 
 He really remains in our midst. What matters it 
 that we do not see Him? We know that He is there 
 present and truly lives under the sacramental veils; 
 and these veils are, indeed, very thin to the soul that 
 has faith. "O Jesus," exultingly sings the Church, 
 "O Jesus, Thou art veiled, but yet I see Thee I" 
 Jesus has taken the form of food and drink in 
 
124 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 order that we may unite ourselves most intimately 
 with Him, in order that He may become one with 
 us. Who, indeed, can separate us from Jesus after 
 Holy Communion? Not even the power of Heaven 
 nor the depths of the earth, neither anguish nor per- 
 secution, nor life nor death, can separate us from 
 the Charity of Christ. The word of God is infallible. 
 "He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, 
 abideth in Me and I in him." 1 
 
 The Eucharist is a remembrance of the passion 
 of our Lord. It is a sacrament instituted in sorrow, 
 It is a testament written in blood. The Blessed 
 Eucharist has infinite power, therefore, to inspire in 
 us the spirit of sacrifice. The Church has no stronger 
 inspiration to strengthen the wills of those heroic 
 souls who wish to devote themselves entirely to the 
 service of the Lord than the Body and Blood of Jesus 
 Christ. O, how sad would that morning be for them 
 on which they were not refreshed at the Holy Table ! 
 How sad, indeed, would be that evening on which 
 they were not consoled by a visit to the Blessed Sac- 
 rament! And today the Church calls to her altars 
 even the children. The Innocent Lamb of God 
 wishes to unite Himself with the souls of innocent 
 children, to strengthen them before the breath of 
 sin contaminates them. "Suffer children to come to 
 Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the king- 
 dom of God." 2 
 
 Christ comes for the last time in the Blessed Sac- 
 rament to the dying Christian. Every human com- 
 fort then is vain. Christ is the one Hope, the only 
 
 'John vi, 57. 
 2 Luke xviii, 16. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 125 
 
 Consoler. He hears the words of the priest: "Re- 
 ceive, O brother, the Viaticum for your difficult jour- 
 ney, the shield in your last battle." And with Jesus 
 in his heart, the Christian peacefully composes him- 
 self, awaiting eternal happiness. And so from the 
 beginning to the end of his exile is the devout Cath- 
 olic near to God, awaiting with confidence the final 
 union with Him in Heaven. "He that eateth this 
 Bread shall live forever." * 
 
 * * * 
 
 The Blessed Eucharist is a Hidden Fire which 
 has always inflamed souls with the love of God. 
 Saint Teresa called the Blessed Sacrament, "Para- 
 dise on Earth." When she received Holy Com- 
 munion, her afflictions, temptations and darkness of 
 spirit vanished as clouds before the sun. Saint 
 Alphonsus, in his early years, in the midst of his 
 occupations as a lawyer, found time to visit Jesus in 
 the Blessed Sacrament every day, envying, in a man- 
 ner, the flowers that could be so close to the taber- 
 nacle and the candles which melted before it. He 
 began his career as a writer with that most valuable 
 book, "Visits to the Blessed Sacrament," which, 
 translated into all languages, is even today the 
 delight of pious souls. 
 
 When Saint Philip Neri was dying, the Blessed 
 Sacrament was carried into his room. The saint was 
 enraptured, and cried out with joy, "Behold my 
 Love, behold my God! Give me quickly my Love!" 
 Then he burst into tears. "My Lord, I am not 
 worthy, nor was I ever worthy. I have never done 
 
 ^ohn vi, 59. 
 
126 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 any good." And then Cardinal Frederick Borromeo 
 approached him with the Sacred Host, his face was 
 transfigured as he breathed his last prayer : "Come, 
 O Lord." And Jesus came. 
 
 You, also, Christian soul, are accustomed to 
 receive Holy Communion. By a careful prepara- 
 tion and a fervent thanksgiving, you may make ready 
 for the last visit of Jesus to you. 
 
SUNDAY AFTER THE FEAST OF CORPUS 
 
 CHRISTI 
 
 THE SACRED HEART 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees this parable: 
 A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And 
 he sent his servant, at the hour of supper, to say to them 
 that were invited, that they should come, for now all things 
 are ready. And they began all at once to make excuse. The 
 first said to him, I have bought a farm, and must needs go 
 out and see it; I pray thee, hold me excused. And another 
 said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them ; 
 I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said, I have mar- 
 ried a wife, and therefore I cannot come. And the servant 
 returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of 
 the house being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into 
 the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, 
 and the feeble and the blind, and the lame. And the servant 
 said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there 
 is room. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the 
 highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my 
 house may be filled. But I say unto you, that none of these 
 men that were invited shall taste of my supper." Luke xiv, 
 16-24. 
 
 The significance of this parable is evident. Jesus 
 has invited all mankind to partake of the Bread of 
 Angels, and there are many who ignore His invita- 
 tion. The most ungrateful are they who have 
 received an abundance of gifts, genius, riches and 
 
 127 
 
128 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 honors. The pretexts on which they decline the in- 
 vitation to the banquet are most trifling. " 4 I have 
 bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it ; I 
 pray thee hold me excused/ And another said, 'I 
 have bought five yoke of oxen and I go to try them; 
 I pray thee hold me excused.' " * The slights from 
 those who should love Him most are for Jesus much 
 more painful than the wounds which He received in 
 His scourging. Neglect and bitter rebuffs from those 
 who profess to be His friends, and black ingratitude 
 instead of warm, filial acceptance of His gentle in- 
 vitation, wound and tear His Sacred Heart. There 
 is no torment more keenly cutting or more deeply 
 wounding than indifference and disdain from those 
 we love. Because, therefore, the favored ones refuse 
 to answer the invitation, Jesus seeks his guests from 
 among the poor and the humble, and they fill the 
 places at his table. "O Father," rejoices Jesus, . . . 
 "Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and 
 prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones." 2 
 
 When Jesus was abandoned by all during His 
 agony in the garden, He was enduring all the pains 
 of martyrdom in His Sacred Heart. He had wished 
 to have His Apostles with Him, but they forsook 
 Him and passed the time in sleep. They could not 
 even watch a single hour w r ith Him. Only one of 
 the Apostles was watching, and this one, the traitor, 
 was making plans to betray Him. 
 
 Jesus is forsaken and abandoned even today. Not 
 only in the small churches of the country is He 
 alone for a great part of the time, but even in the 
 
 *Luke iv, 18, 19. 
 2 Luke x, 21. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 129 
 
 city churches, in magnificent cathedrals and in grand 
 basilicas, the Prisoner of Love is left in solitude. 
 One small light is burning before the tabernacle, a 
 meagre recompense for the darkness in ungrateful 
 hearts. It seems that His friends are sleeping, while 
 His enemies are plotting and offending Him. O 
 that souls would watch with Him Who is left alone, 
 in order to make reparation for the ingratitude and 
 the insults of those who forget Him ! 
 
 * * * 
 
 While Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was pray- 
 ing one day before the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord 
 appeared to her. On His breast was visible His 
 Sacred Heart, glowing with fire, and encircled by a 
 crown of thorns. She could also see the wound made 
 by the spear which pierced His side. "Behold the 
 Heart," Jesus said to her, "that has loved men so 
 much and has given every proof of this love ! And 
 in return I receive indifference and ingratitude. 
 That which wounds Me the most is the coldness and 
 indifference of those who should show Me a special 
 devotion. I ask that the first Friday after the octave 
 of the Feast of Corpus Christi be observed as a spe- 
 cial feast in reparation for the insults which I have 
 received in the Blessed Sacrament." 
 
 The promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary in 
 favor of those devoted to His Sacred Heart are 
 most consoling: 
 
 "i. I will give them all the graces necessary for 
 their state of life. 
 
 2. I will give peace to their families. 
 
 3. I will console them in all their afflictions. 
 
130 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 4. I will be their secure refuge in life and more 
 especially at their death. 
 
 5. I will bestow abundant blessings on all their 
 undertakings. 
 
 6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and 
 infinite ocean of mercy. 
 
 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. 
 
 8. Fervent souls shall rise to high perfection. 
 
 9. I will bless the homes in which the image of My 
 Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored. 
 
 10. I will give to priests the gift of moving the 
 most hardened hearts. 
 
 11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have 
 their names inscribed in My Heart never to be 
 effaced from It. 
 
 12. I promise thee in the excess of the mercy of My 
 Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to 
 all those who receive Holy Communion on the 
 first Friday of every month for nine consecu- 
 tive months, the grace of final perseverance and 
 they shall not die under My displeasure, nor 
 without receiving the sacraments, and that My 
 Heart shall be their secure refuge of that last 
 hour." 
 
 Devotion to the Sacred Heart has now extended 
 throughout all the world. Next Friday, the feast 
 of the Sacred Heart, Jesus wishes you also, O Chris- 
 tian, to be among those who approach the altar. He 
 invites you today. Do not allow your thoughts to 
 be entirely taken up with the interests of the world, 
 but for a few moments, at least, think of Him. 
 
FEAST OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER 
 
 AND PAUL 
 
 SAINT PETER AND THE POPE 
 
 "At that time, Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea 
 Philippi, and He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men 
 say that the Son of Man is? But they said, Some, John the 
 Baptist, and other some, Elias, and others Jeremias or one 
 of the prophets. Jesus saith to them, But whom do you say 
 that I am ? Simon Peter answered, and said, Thou art Christ, 
 the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him, 
 Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood 
 hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in 
 heaven : and I say to thee, That thou art Peter, and upon 
 this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall 
 not prevail against it ; and I will give to thee the keys of the 
 kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon 
 earth, it shall be bound also in heaven ; and whatsoever thou 
 shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." Mat- 
 thew xvi, 13-19. 
 
 THERE were many false notions about Jesus. 
 Some thought that He was John the Baptist 
 miraculously returned to the world to preach 
 penance. Others were of the opinion that He was 
 one of the prophets. 
 
 Only the Apostle Simon, son of Jonas, had 
 received the great revelation from the Father. Jesus 
 was not the Precursor, but He was the Messias 
 Himself, the only begotten Son of the Most High 
 
 131 
 
132 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 God. Simon replied to the question of the Lord in 
 regard to His identity with that wonderful profes- 
 sion of faith which, as Saint Leo the Great says, 
 resounds unceasingly, "Thou art Christ, the Son of 
 the living God." 1 "Jesus answering said to him . . . 
 4 Thou art Peter; and upon this rock, I will build 
 My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
 against it.' " 2 The Lord changed the name of Simon 
 to Peter, which in the Aramaic language that Christ 
 spoke means "rock." Peter is the rock on which 
 Christ is to build His Church. "And I will give to 
 thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And what- 
 soever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound 
 also in Heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt loose on 
 earth, it shall be loosed also in Heaven." 3 Saint 
 Optatus, Bishop of Milevis in Numidia in the fourth 
 century, observes that it is somewhat startling to 
 note that of all the Apostles, the one to whom Christ 
 gave the keys was the one who in a moment of weak- 
 ness had denied Him. Saint Optatus further remarks 
 that this is providential, because the sinner will open 
 the doors to the innocent, and it might happen that 
 the innocent would close the doors against the sinner. 
 At the death of Saint Peter, the power represented 
 by the keys passed to the Pontiff who succeeded to 
 Saint Peter's chair, and thus down through the cen- 
 turies it has continued to the present time. Two 
 names are written across the pages of history, Rome 
 and the Pope, — the Pope because of Saint Peter, 
 and Rome because of the Pope. The City of the 
 
 3 Matthew xvi, 16. 
 8 Matthew xvi, 17, 18. 
 8 Mathetw xvi, 19. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 133 
 
 Caesars, dread mistress of the world, has become the 
 City of the Soul, the City of all souls. "Happy 
 Rome," sings the vesper hymn, "consecrated by the 
 blood of the most glorious of the Apostles!" "Thy 
 spiritual beauty shall never fade." "I marvel at this 
 city," wrote Saint John Chrysostom, "not for the 
 treasures of its gold and marble, but because of her 
 jewels that sparkle with splendor, the tomb of Saint 
 Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and the tomb of Saint 
 Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles." 
 
 The Pope is the Vicar of Jesus Christ, the pastor 
 of all the flock, the centre of unity of the Catholic 
 Church. Because of this fact, the Papacy has been 
 the centre of violent storms from the very beginning 
 of the Church's existence. The first Christians 
 prayed for Saint Peter in prison, — "prayer was 
 made without ceasing by the Church unto God for 
 him." 1 The present members of the Church should 
 pray for the Holy Father, that the Lord preserve 
 him and make him blessed upon earth, and deliver 
 him not up to the will of his enemies. 
 
 History tells of a celebrated utterance made at 
 the Council of Chalcedon. Six hundred and thirty 
 bishops from all parts of the world were in attend- 
 ance. They were listening with great veneration to a 
 letter from the distant Pontiff, Saint Leo the Great. 
 At the end of the letter, the fathers, deeply moved, 
 cried out in one accord: "Peter has spoken through 
 the voice of Leo." We must receive the word of the 
 Holy Father with like veneration on every occasion. 
 
 *Acts xii, 5. 
 
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 THE MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES 
 
 "At that time, when the multitude pressed upon Jesus to 
 hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Genesareth. 
 And He saw two ships standing by the lake; but the fisher- 
 men were gone out of them, and were washing their nets; 
 and going up into one of the ships that was Simon's, He 
 desired him to draw back a little from the land : and sitting 
 He taught the multitudes out of the ship. Now when He 
 had ceased to speak, He said to Simon, Launch out into the 
 deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon, 
 answering, said to Him, Master, we have labored all the 
 night and have taken nothing, but at Thy word I will let 
 down the net. And when they had done this, they enclosed 
 a very great multitude of fishes ; and their net broke ; and they 
 beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that 
 they should come and help them; and they came, and filled 
 both the ships, so that they were almost sinking. Which when 
 Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, De- 
 part from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was 
 wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught 
 of fishes which they had taken : and so were also James and 
 John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And 
 Jesus saith to Simon, Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt 
 catch men. And having brought their ships to land, leaving 
 all things they followed Him." Luke v, 1-11. 
 
 THE goodness of Jesus and the divine truth of 
 His teachings influenced all hearts. People 
 thronged about Him to hear His words, and 
 He spoke to them from Peter's boat, instructing and 
 encouraging them. 
 
 134 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 135 
 
 When He had ceased to speak, He said to 
 Simon: "Launch out into the deep, and let down 
 your nets for a draught. And Simon, answering, 
 said to Him, 'Master, we have labored all the night 
 and have taken nothing, but at Thy word I will let 
 down the net.' " 1 The net scarcely sank into the 
 water when he suddenly felt it become heavy. The 
 large draught of fishes filled him with amazement. 
 The boats were filled nearly to the sinking point. A 
 ray of light illumined the mind of the poor fisher- 
 man. He then understood who Jesus was, and kneel- 
 ing before the Lord, he cried in one of those warm, 
 characteristic utterances: "Depart from me, for I 
 am a sinful man." 2 But Jesus reassured him, say- 
 ing: "Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch 
 men." 3 Peter was to be Christ's Apostle. As the 
 multitude then thronged about Christ, so would it 
 one day throng about Peter. The bark of Peter was 
 to be the Church of Christ. 
 
 "The net of Peter," observes Saint Ambrose, 
 "takes souls from the depths and carries them to 
 light. It reaches silently among the tumultous waves 
 evein to the abyss and carries souls on high, not to kill 
 them, but to save them." 
 
 Jesus is in the bark of Peter today. The realiza- 
 tion of this fact is most important for those outside 
 the Church who are seeking the truth. It is to the 
 bark of Peter that they must turn for salvation. 
 
 Two years ago, an Anglican wrote these memor- 
 able words: "The appeal to union can come only 
 
 'Luke v, 4, 5. 
 2 Luke v, 8. 
 8 Luke v, 10. 
 
136 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 from Rome. Our eyes are turned to the Supreme 
 Pastor, and we listen to His voice from the tombs of 
 Peter and of Paul. In the midst of our divisions in 
 the east and in the west, our cry is always back to 
 the first Pontiff.'' 
 
 Saint Ambrose expresses the same idea in a more 
 striking manner: "Where Peter is, there is the 
 Church; and where the Church is, there is life and 
 not death." 
 
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 FRATERNAL CHARITY 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Except your 
 justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, 
 you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have 
 heard that it was said to them of old (in the law of Moses), 
 Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in 
 danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever 
 is (even) angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the 
 judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (a 
 word of extreme insult), shall be in danger of the council; 
 and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of 
 hell fire. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and 
 there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against 
 thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to 
 be reconciled to thy brother ; and then coming thou shalt offer 
 thy gift." Matthew v, 20-24. 
 
 THE fifth commandment of the Old Law 
 imposed a severe penalty for any bodily 
 injury to another. The New Law is more 
 especially concerned with the peace and safety of 
 the soul. A Christian may not even get angry with 
 his brother. Anger is a tempest which embroils 
 hearts and fills them with rancor and hatred. 
 "Influenced by this passion," says Saint Augustine, 
 "the tongue becomes a sword which pierces and 
 kills." 
 
 Slander, insults, threats, inflict real wounds on 
 
 137 
 
138 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 our neighbors and also on ourselves, because just as 
 much grief and harm as we cause them, just so much 
 evil do we bring on our own souls. Jesus tells us 
 to consider that the one whom we are wounding is 
 our own brother, son of the same Father. "Let not 
 the sun go down upon your anger," 1 says Saint Paul. 
 [We must not sleep even one night with resentment in 
 our hearts. We must exchange greetings with our 
 brother, meet him with a smile, and we shall feel 
 our hearts expand with joy and gladness. 
 
 If we are the offender, why should we delay in 
 making reparation for the injury which we have 
 committed? We have enkindled a fire which we, 
 alone, can extinguish. We must act at once, for we 
 should not permit the fire to rage. 
 
 If, instead of offending, we have been offended, 
 why should we not pardon the injury? How can we 
 kneel before our Heavenly Father asking Him to 
 forgive us our trespasses while we, ourselves, do not 
 forgive those who trespass against us ? 
 
 Therefore, offender and offended, while our souls 
 are overcast by the shadow of sin, we may not pre- 
 sent ourselves before the altar. Each of us shall go 
 first in search of the other, generously overcoming 
 our inclinations in the name of Him Who gave His 
 life for His executioners, Who gave His life for us. 
 Then we may approach the altar, and Jesus will open 
 His arms to us. 
 
 * * * 
 
 There is a story which takes us back to the first 
 decade of the eleventh century. John Gualbert, a 
 
 a Ephesians iv, 26. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 139 
 
 noble and brilliant Florentine knight, was saddened 
 by the death of Hugo, his only brother, killed by a 
 bitter rival. Burning with anger at the loss of his 
 brother and the injury to his family, John Gualbert 
 swore revenge. Traveling one day with his soldiers, 
 he met his brother's murderer unarmed and on foot. 
 The pathway was narrow, flight was impossible. 
 The murderer realized that he was lost. In a mo- 
 ment he would feel the sword of the angry Floren- 
 tine. He fell on his knees and opened his arms in 
 the form of a cross, almost as if preparing for 
 death. The day was Good Friday, and the pos- 
 ture of his enemy brought to Gualbert' s mind the 
 death of Jesus on the cross. How could he kill this 
 man on the day on which the Saviour had opened His 
 arms and granted pardon to those who were putting 
 Him to death ? He threw down the sword and for- 
 gave his enemy. A short time afterwards, with his 
 heart still trembling with emotion, Gualbert entered 
 the neighboring church of San Miniato. He knelt at 
 the foot of the crucifix, and through the mist of his 
 tears he saw Jesus on the cross bowing His head to- 
 wards him, as if to return to him the kiss of peace 
 which he had given to his enemy. His eyes were then 
 opened to the vanities of the world, and he decided 
 to abandon the comforts and to cast aside the honors 
 which his position gave him. He renounced every- 
 thing, and fled to Camaldoli, a silent hermitage in 
 the mountains. He was afterwards the founder of 
 the Vallombrosan Congregation of religious. On 
 the twelfth day of July of each year, the Church cele- 
 brates his feast as Saint John Gualbert. 
 
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES 
 
 "At that time, when there was a great multitude with 
 Jesus, and had nothing to eat, calling His disciples together 
 He saith to them, I have compassion on the multitude, for 
 behold they have now been with Me three days, and have 
 nothing to eat; and if I shall send them away fasting to their 
 homes they will faint in the way, for some of them came from 
 afar off. And His disciples answered Him, From whence 
 can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness? 
 And He asked them, How many loaves have ye? who said, 
 Seven. And He commanded the people to sit down on the 
 ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks He 
 broke, and gave to His disciples to set before them ; and they 
 set them before the people. And they had a few little fishes, 
 and He blessed them, and commanded them to be set before 
 them. And they did eat, and were filled; and they took up 
 that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets: and 
 they that had eaten were about four thousand : and He sent 
 them away." Mark viii, 1-9. 
 
 THE great miracle of the multiplication of the 
 loaves typifies what occurs every day in the 
 Church. Jesus refreshes tired souls today 
 with the Bread of life. "I am the Living Bread 
 which came down from Heaven. If any man eat of 
 this bread, he shall live forever and the bread that I 
 will give is My flesh for the life of the world." 1 
 
 'John vi, 51, 52. 
 
 140 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 141 
 
 If Jesus had not Himself remained with us, the 
 most venerated sanctuaries would have been those 
 places which He had once visited. 
 
 But Jesus has remained with us in the most Holy 
 Sacrament of the altar. It is not necessary, there- 
 fore, to cross the sea and make a pilgrimage to the 
 East. We are not obliged to visit that portion of 
 Palestine where the angels sang, "Glory to God in 
 the highest and on earth peace to men of good 
 will." * Here in our very midst, He has made His 
 home on our altars, and here we may adore Him 
 and love Him. 
 
 When Moses approached the miraculously burn- 
 ing bush, he heard this voice : "Put off the shoes from 
 thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy 
 ground." 2 With what veneration, therefore, should 
 we enter the house of God and approach the altar! 
 Our souls should be as immaculate as a ray of light, 
 and our hearts as pure as if cleansed with spiritual 
 fire. And thus the Blessed Sacrament will be our 
 Paradise on earth, giving us a foretaste of the joys 
 which await us in Heaven. The joys of the future 
 life are anticipated here not alone for one fleeting 
 moment when we receive Holy Communion. We 
 may go to Jesus in the tabernacle at any time. He 
 gladly welcomes us and consoles us. 
 
 When the priest raises the Sacred Host before 
 Holy Communion saying, "Behold the Lamb of 
 God," Saint Catherine of Genoa was accustomed to 
 
 repeat to herself: "Quickly, O Lord, come quickly." 
 
 ■ ■ 
 
 "Luke 11, 14. 
 Exodus iii, 5. 
 
142 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 She could scarcely endure that brief interval between 
 seeing Him and receiving Him. 
 
 * * 5jC 
 
 Sister Anna of the Cross, formerly Countess of 
 Feria, a noble lady of Spain, was left a widow at 
 twenty-four years of age. She became a nun in the 
 convent of Saint Clara in Montiglia, thus devoting 
 herself to a Spouse Who would never leave her. She 
 could see the altar of the Blessed Sacrament from 
 her small cell near the tribune of the church and 
 thus she could pass all day with Jesus. She was 
 asked how she could pass so many hours before the 
 tabernacle, and she gave this memorable answer: 
 "I adore Him, I thank Him, I love Him, I beseech 
 Him." We may meditate on this response. Before 
 the altar, the thought of gratitude will inspire us 
 with love, and love will render more precious our 
 prayer. 
 
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 
 THE WILL OF GOD 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Beware of false 
 prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but in- 
 wardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall 
 know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of this- 
 tles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, 
 and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot 
 bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth 
 good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit 
 shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. Wherefore 
 by their fruits you shall know them. Not every one that saith 
 to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; 
 but he that doth the will of My Father Who is in heaven, he 
 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew vii, 15-21. 
 
 NO one enters into the Kingdom of Heaven if 
 he has not on earth fulfilled the will of God. 
 God requires of His creatures perfect obedi- 
 ence. At His will, the heavens smile or frown, the 
 sea is calm or enraged, the earth is peaceful or 
 troubled. And just as inanimate creation must, per- 
 force, observe God's law, so intelligent man, the 
 king of creation, should voluntarily conform Him- 
 self to the will of his Creator. God wishes willing 
 obedience, for more glory is given to Him by one 
 intelligent mind which adores Him, one free will 
 that inclines towards Him, than all the stars cours- 
 
 143 
 
144 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 ing the firmament that know not Him whose glory 
 they proclaim. 
 
 The Lord taught us this prayer : "Thy will be done 
 on earth as it is in Heaven." * In Heaven, there is 
 not one discordant voice, not even one angel who 
 does not love, adore and carry out the will of God. 
 We delude ourselves, therefore, if we think that we 
 shall one day be admitted to a place with the angels 
 if on earth we do not obey the will of God. 
 
 Religion, for many of us, consists only in calling 
 ourselves "Christians." We repeat with our lips, 
 "Lord, Lord," but the observance of God's law 
 requires something more than words. By our 
 words we may resemble the sheep of the flock, but 
 by our lives, unfortunately, we may resemble the 
 wolves. 
 
 The disobedience of some is evident. The dress 
 they wear, the magazines they read, their entire 
 manner of living, contradicts the law of God. "O 
 woman," writes Tertullian, "cultivate the virtue of 
 modesty. If you are a mother, because of respect 
 for your children; if you are a sister, because of 
 respect for your brothers; if you are a daughter, 
 because of respect for your father and your brothers. 
 All ages are in danger on your account." 
 
 If, therefore, you call yourself a Catholic and you 
 do not the works of a Catholic, either change your 
 life or change your name. Not the one who repeats, 
 "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of 
 Heaven, but he that doth the will of My Father 
 
 Matthew vi, 10. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 145 
 
 Who is in Heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom 
 of Heaven." 1 
 
 * * # 
 
 God had decreed the destruction of the people of 
 Amalec, a bloodthirsty and cruel race. He sent Saul, 
 the king of Juda, to punish them, but against the 
 wish of God treasures and flocks were seized as 
 booty by the avenging army. God then sent Samuel, 
 the prophet, to the camp of the victors. "And when 
 Samuel was come to Saul, Saul said to him: 'Blessed 
 be thou of the Lord, I have fulfilled the word of the 
 Lord.' And Samuel said, 'What meaneth then this 
 bleating of the flocks which soundeth in my ears, and 
 the lowing of the herds which I hear?' " 2 And Saul 
 with subtle falsehood answered, " 'the people spared 
 the best of the sheep and of the herds that they 
 might be sacrificed to the Lord thy God.' And 
 Samuel said, 'When thou wast a little one in thy own 
 eyes . . . the Lord anointed thee to be king over 
 Israel. . . . For as much therefore as thou hast re- 
 jected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also re- 
 jected thee from being king.' " 3 Some time later, 
 Saul was defeated on Mount Gelboe, and the sceptre 
 of Juda passed to David, the chosen one of the Lord. 
 
 "Obedience is better than sacrifices; and to harken 
 rather than to offer the fat of rams." 4 
 
 Matthew vii, 21. 
 2 I Kings xv, 13, 14. 
 3 I Kings xv, 15-23. 
 4 I Kings xv, 22. 
 
EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 
 . THE UNJUST STEWARD 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: 
 There was a certain rich man who had a steward ; and the 
 same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods; 
 and he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear 
 this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship, for now 
 thou canst be steward no longer. And the steward said 
 within himself, What shall I do, because my lord taketh 
 away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able: to 
 beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that when I shall 
 be put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their 
 houses. Therefore calling together every one of his lord's 
 debtors, he said to the first, How much dost thou owe my 
 lord ? But he said, A hundred barrels of oil. And he said 
 to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 
 Then he said to another, And how much dost thou owe? 
 Who said, A hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him, 
 Take thy bill and write eighty. And the lord commended 
 the unjust steward, for as much as he had done wisely; for 
 the children of this world are wiser in their generation than 
 the children of light. And I say to you, Make unto you 
 friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail, 
 they may receive you into everlasting dwellings." Luke xvi, 
 1-9. 
 
 THIS parable calls to the attention of the good 
 the shrewdness of the wicked. The unjust 
 steward realizes that the day on which he 
 must render an account of his stewardship is at hand. 
 
 146 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 147 
 
 He therefore provides for the future by making 
 friends for himself with the money of his master. 
 The Christian should follow the example of the 
 steward not in his injustice and dishonesty, but in his 
 foresight in providing for the future. He should 
 use the means at his disposal to make friends with 
 the poor of Christ, and thus insure himself for 
 eternity. 
 
 The money and the other possessions which we 
 treasure so highly are not ours forever. The Great 
 Master of all things will some day take them from 
 us, and we shall be left poor and naked, as we were 
 born. Men succeed one another in the possession of 
 riches as officials succeed one another in the admin- 
 istration of a business. They have no other function 
 than to procure the greatest return on the goods 
 which they have received. The greater our wealth 
 and opportunities, the greater number of good works 
 must we perform. We should remember that the day 
 on which we must render our account is near at hand. 
 "And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much 
 shall be required." * 
 
 Money is, for the most part, for men an occasion 
 of sin, a snare of Satan. Therefore the Lord calls it 
 "the mammon of iniquity." 2 It can be, however, a 
 fruitful source of blessings and a key to Paradise. 
 "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is mer- 
 ciful. . . . Give, and it shall be given to you. . . . For 
 with the same measure that you shall mete withal, 
 it shall be measured to you again." * We should 
 
 J Luke xii, 48. 
 ^uke xvi, 9. 
 3 Luke vi, 36-38. 
 
148 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 remember that while we are helping the poor they 
 are helping us. The prayers of the widow and the 
 orphan ascend to the tribunal of God, and the 
 answer to those prayers falls in a gentle rain of 
 blessings on their benefactors. Wherefore the 
 Scripture says : "Water quencheth a flaming fire and 
 alms resisteth sins." 1 
 
 When Tobias thought that he was about to die, 
 one of the admonitions which he gave to his son 
 was, "Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not 
 away thy face from any poor person; for so it shall 
 come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be 
 turned from thee. According to thy ability, be mer- 
 ciful. If thou have much, give abundantly; if thou 
 have little, take care even so to bestow willingly a 
 little, for thus thou storest up to thyself a good 
 reward for the day of necessity. For alms deliver 
 from all sin and from death, and will not suffer the 
 soul to go into darkness." 2 
 
 When Jesus was passing through the city of 
 Jericho, a man who was unable to see Him because 
 of the crowd ran forward and mounted a tree. The 
 man was Zacheus, a usurer, and the leader of the 
 publicans. When the Saviour came to the place, "He 
 saw him and said to him, 'Zacheus, make haste and 
 come down, for this day I must abide in thy 
 house.' " 3 The bystanders murmured at this, say- 
 ing, "He was gone to be a guest with a man that was 
 a sinner." 4 But Zacheus was already converted, and 
 he at once made that generous resolve which so con- 
 
 1 Ecclesiasticus iii, 33. 
 'Tobias iv, 7-11. 
 8 Luke xix, 5. 
 4 Luke xix, 7. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 149 
 
 soled the Lord, " 'the half of my goods I give to 
 the poor, and if I have wronged any man of any- 
 thing, I restore him fourfold.' Jesus said to him: 
 'This day is salvation come to this house.' " x 
 
 The Saviour wishes also to abide, O Christian soul, 
 in your house. He wishes to enter into your heart. 
 He desires to come not as a Judge but as a merciful 
 Father. Open your heart at once to receive Him, 
 
 and on "this day is salvation come to this house." 2 
 
 t ' ■ 
 
 J Luke xix, 9. 
 2 Luke xix, 9. 
 
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 
 THE EXPULSION OF THE TRADESMEN 
 FROM THE TEMPLE 
 
 "At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, seeing 
 the city, He wept over it, saying, If thou also hadst known, 
 and that in this thy day the things that are to thy peace; but 
 now they are hidden from thy eyes. For the days shall come 
 upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and 
 compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and beat 
 thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee; 
 and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, be- 
 cause thou hast not known the time of thy visitation (by the 
 Saviour) . And entering into the temple, He began to cast out 
 them that sold therein, and them that bought, saying to them, 
 It is written, My house is the house of prayer, but you have 
 made it a den of thieves. And He was teaching daily in the 
 temple. ,, Luke xix, 41-47. 
 
 JESUS views Jerusalem from Mount Olivet, and 
 His heart is filled with sadness. u And when He 
 drew near, seeing the city, He wept over it." l 
 In a short time He is to enter the Holy City, where 
 He is to be joyfully received and welcomed. The 
 multitude are to cast palms and flowers before Him 
 and are to cry, " 'Hosanna to the Son of David. 
 Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; 
 Hosanna in the highest.' n 2 And yet Jesus weeps. 
 
 a Luke xix, 41. 
 2 Matthew xxi, 9. 
 
 150 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 151 
 
 All the Jewish world, of which Jerusalem is the cap- 
 ital, is to be destroyed. "Jerusalem that killest the 
 prophets" * and that is now to crucify the Redeemer 
 is not to have left a "stone upon a stone." 2 God is 
 to inflict awful punishment. The Mosaic Law as in- 
 terpreted by the lives of the Pharisees is nothing but 
 a mockery. The magnificent temple, respendent with 
 gold and marble, is no longer used for prayer. It is 
 in the power of a group of usurers and bargainers. 
 
 "And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast 
 out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and 
 overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the 
 chairs of them that sold doves. And He saith to 
 them, 'It is written: My house shall be called the 
 house of prayer, but you have made it a den of 
 thieves.' " 3 This is the first spark of that divine 
 retribution which within forty years the legions of 
 Rome with fire and sword will fully execute. 
 
 Saint Ambrose exclaims in strikingly chiselled lan- 
 guage: "Christ destroys the altars to erect to God 
 one altar." The spouse of Christ is the Church, and 
 the synagogue is entirely rejected. "Woe to you, 
 scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you shut 
 the kingdom of Heaven against men, . . . because 
 you devour the houses of widows praying long 
 prayers." 4 Woe to those who persecute the Church, 
 woe to those who defraud her, woe to those who 
 
 malign her ! 
 
 * * * 
 
 At the very outbreak of the persecution of Va- 
 
 ^uke xiii, 34. 
 2 Matthew xxiv, 2. 
 3 Matthew xxi, 12, 13. 
 4 Matthew xxiii, 13, 14. 
 
152 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 lerian, Pope Sixtus II and his deacons were con* 
 demned to death for refusing to offer incense before 
 the statue of Mars. The imperial prefect spared 
 the life of the youngest deacon, Lawrence, because 
 he hoped with wily cunning to take advantage of his 
 youth. He wished to learn from Lawrence where the 
 money of the poor was kept. He hoped to steal both 
 the gold of the poor and the faith of the deacon.. 
 Pope Sixtus consoled Lawrence as the holy Pontiff 
 was on his way to martyrdom : "Do not think, son, 
 that I am leaving you, for within three days you also 
 will follow me. In the meanwhile, give all that we 
 have to the poor." In a short time, the possessions 
 of the Church had been distributed to the widows 
 and orphans. And when the prefect summoned 
 Lawrence to give up the treasures of the Church, the 
 deacon surrounded by the poor appeared before the 
 prefect and said to him: "These are the treasures of 
 the Church." The anger of the prefect knew no 
 bounds, but neither imprisonment, nor scourging, 
 nor his martyrdom by being burned on the gridiron, 
 broke the spirit of this intrepid youth. Much weaker 
 was the flame that burned his body than the flame of 
 love that was burning in his soul. With true Roman 
 courage, he withstood the tyrant and told him that 
 the poor had deposited the riches of the Church in 
 Heaven. And thus he died, Saint Lawrence, mar- 
 tyr of the faith and of the poor of Christ, on the 
 tenth day of August in the year 261. 
 
 They who think that they can destroy the ChurcK 
 by confiscating her possessions should realize that 
 she does not fear spoilation and she does not fear the 
 sword. Saint John Chrysostom has said: "What 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 153 
 
 Christ has built no one can destroy, and no one can 
 build again what Christ has torn down. He has de-, 
 stroyed the temple of Jerusalem and no one has been 
 able to rebuild it He has established the Church, 
 and no one has been able to destroy it." 
 
 FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE 
 BLESSED VIRGIN 
 
 "At that time, Jesus entered into a certain town ; and a cer- 
 tain woman, named Martha, received Him into her house: 
 and she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the 
 Lord's feet, heard His word. But Martha was busy about 
 much serving ; who stood and said, Lord, hast Thou no care 
 that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her, 
 therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering, said 
 to her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled 
 about many things: but one thing is necessary. Mary hath 
 chosen the best part which shall not be taken away from 
 her." Luke x, 38-42. 
 
 THE meaning of this passage from the Gospel 
 is strikingly evident. The town which the 
 Saviour enters is the small world in which 
 we live. The woman who goes to meet Him and 
 receives Him in her home is the most blessed of all 
 women, Mary, the Mother of God. Mary fulfilled 
 for Christ the offices of both Martha and Mary. 
 She had the cares and anxieties of Martha, she had 
 the prayerful devotion of Mary. From the day of 
 the Annunciation when "the Word was made flesh 
 and dwelt amongst us," 1 to the day on which the 
 bruised and cruelly lacerated body of her crucified 
 
 *John i, 14. 
 
154 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Son was taken from the Cross, Mary's life was a 
 constant oblation, a never ceasing sacrifice of self. 
 But Mary joined with her life of active participation 
 in the life and work of the Saviour the meditations 
 of the contemplative life. She combined with the 
 solicitude of Martha the delicacy of Mary. She is 
 happy in close association with her Child, in feeling 
 the warmth of His infinite love, in keeping His 
 words as a treasure in her heart. She clothes Him 
 with her poverty at His birth, she guards Him amid 
 the dangers of exile, she watches over Him in the 
 little home of Nazareth. She follows Him in His 
 ministry throughout Judea and Galilee. She is with 
 Him always, despite discomforts, despite sorrows, 
 despite even her own martyrdom, in order to see 
 Him and hear Him, following Him even to the 
 Cross, when the sword prophesied by Simeon trans- 
 fixed her soul. 
 
 Mary had been born into the world without the 
 stain of original sin on her soul. She was not sub- 
 ject, therefore, to death, which is sin's punishment. 
 She died not because of necessity, but, rather, to fol- 
 low her divine Son even in this final act of love. Her 
 virgin body did not undergo corruption, but by an 
 anticipated resurrection it was triumphantly assumed 
 into Heaven. 
 
 "Daughter of Sion," sings the Church, "how 
 beautiful and gentle thou art!" 1 "Thou soarest 
 quickly and lightly, as a cloud of incense. The starry 
 sky radiates with light under thy feet, and thou art 
 seated, exalted, above the angels, near the throne 
 of God." 2 
 
 "Divine Office. 
 2 Divine Office. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 155 
 
 "Mary hath chosen the best part," * and her 
 choice is consecrated for eternity. 
 
 A young man eighteen years of age had endured 
 much ill-treatment from members of his own family. 
 He had resolved to consecrate his life to the Blessed 
 Virgin and despite opposition to this call which he 
 encountered at home he made a pilgrimage on foot 
 from Vienna to Rome to enter the Society of Jesus. 
 This young man, Saint Stanislaus Kostka, is num- 
 bered among the saints who have been most devoted 
 to Mary. When her name was spoken, his very 
 countenance proclaimed the love and joy he felt. 
 "How could I not love her," he said, "for is she 
 not my mother?" 
 
 On the first of August, 1568, Stanislaus told his 
 companions that the Madonna wished him to be in 
 Heaven for the feast of the Assumption in order to 
 assist at her triumph. On the evening of the feast of 
 Saint Lawrence, the tenth of August, he became 
 slightly ill. For four days he did nothing but long 
 for Heaven, and cover with kisses his rosary and his 
 picture of Mary. Finally he saw his Blessed Mother 
 with a choir of angels approaching to take him to 
 Heaven. And so in an ecstasy of joy, strengthened 
 by the Blessed Sacrament, his face radiant with 
 pleasure at the beauty of Mary's smile, Stanislaus 
 closed his eyes in death to open them in life eternal. 
 It was the morning of the fifteenth of August, the 
 feast of the Assumption. Through the windows of 
 the novitiate of Saint Andrew on the Quirinal Hill in 
 
 *Luke x, 42. 
 
156 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Rome, the first sound of the bells in the Church of 
 Saint Mary Major joyously proclaimed the dawn of 
 Mary's feast-day. In one of the rooms was the dead 
 body of Saint Stanislaus, but his soul was already in 
 Heaven. Smile, O Mother, on us who also yearn to 
 be with thee. Keep our thoughts above with thee, 
 now and at the hour of our death. 
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted 
 in themselves as just, and despised others: Two men went 
 up into the temple to pray ; the one was a Pharisee, and the 
 other a publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with 
 himself: O God, I give Thee thanks that I am not as the 
 rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers; as also is this 
 publican. I fast twice in the week ; I give tithes of all that 
 I possess. And the publican standing afar off, would not so 
 much as lift up his eyes toward heaven, but struck his breast, 
 saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I say to you, 
 this man went down to his house justified rather than the 
 other : because every one that exalteth himself shall be hum- 
 bled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 
 xviii, 9-14. 
 
 BY this parable, Jesus wishes to teach us how we 
 may obtain mercy from God. 
 He places two men in contrast, one who 
 believes himself to be a saint, the other who knows 
 himself to be a sinner. The first, a Pharisee, devotes 
 all his attention to the external observance of the 
 law. If the law imposes only an annual fast, he fasts 
 twice during the week. If it imposes tithes on the 
 products of the fields and live stock, he extends this 
 obligation also to the income from his property. 
 Certainly, he should be able to have much merit 
 before God. 
 
 157 
 
158 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 But, however, he is proud and self-confident. He 
 considers himself much superior to other men. The 
 rest of men are sinners; he alone is just. He does 
 not pray, for the haughty never pray. He does not 
 believe that there is anything that he should ask of 
 God. Instead, he exults and insults; he exults by 
 praising and adoring himself, and insults the poor 
 publican who truly prays. 
 
 He comes down from the temple filled with pride. 
 He has the idea that he is a saint, but his heart is 
 still immersed in sin. 
 
 The publican, on the contrary, realizes his own 
 wretchedness. He knows that he has been an avari- 
 cious usurer. He feels the weight of his iniquities, 
 and does not dare to approach the sanctuary, does 
 not even venture to raise his eyes to Heaven. He 
 strikes his breast in sorrow, and from his grief-laden 
 heart pours forth a prayer: " 'O God, be merciful 
 to me a sinner.' " * He makes no reference to any 
 other man. He conceives himself to be the most un- 
 worthy of all, the farthest from God, the least 
 deserving of God's mercy. 
 
 But the more he humbles himself, the more does 
 God incline toward him. The more hatred he con- 
 ceives for his sins, the more grace God gives him, 
 arousing in his breast a veritable tempest of remorse 
 and repentance. And so he comes down from the 
 temple with his heart raised up, with an untroubled 
 conscience, reconciled with God. 
 
 The lessons of this parable are exemplified in the 
 conversion of the sinful woman of Capharnaum. 2 
 
 ^uke xviii, 13. 
 2 Luke vii. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 159 
 
 Moved by the grace of God, heartsick at her life of 
 sin, she had endeavored for some time to meet Jesus 
 to obtain pardon. She desired once more to enjoy 
 the friendship of God. She heard that the Saviour 
 was at dinner in the house of a rich Pharisee, and, 
 braving the anger of the Pharisee, she entered 
 the room where the guests were assembled. The 
 eyes that had sinned so much found Jesus, and 
 she threw herself at His feet. Weeping bitterly, 
 she bathed them with her tears "and wiped them 
 with the hairs of her head." * 
 
 Not a single word could she utter, but her every 
 action, her entire being, was a public protestation of 
 sorrow, devotion, and of unconquerable love, "rush- 
 ing to trample down," as Saint Augustine says, "all 
 human respect, to smother all the derision of the 
 haughty Pharisees." Jesus, alone, understood her. 
 His heart throbbed with infinite mercy. "And He 
 said to her, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee . . . thy faith 
 hath made thee safe, go in peace.' " 2 Mary Mag- 
 dalene, the sinner of Capharnaum, rose up, burning 
 with a greater love, already a saint. She had 
 humbled herself in sorrow at the feet of the Saviour, 
 and the Saviour had granted the forgiveness of her 
 sins. 
 
 We, also, have sinned much, and we, also, must 
 humble ourselves at the feet of our Redeemer. We 
 too shall experience the same loving, tender mercy 
 of the Saviour; we too may become saints. 
 
 *Luke vii, 38. 
 2 Luke vii, 48-50. 
 
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 
 THE HEALING OF THE DEAF MUTE 
 
 "At that time, Jesus going out to the coasts of Tyre, came 
 by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the 
 coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to Him one deaf and 
 dumb, and they besought Him that He would lay His hand 
 upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, He 
 put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, He touched his 
 tongue; and looking up to Heaven, he groaned and said 
 to him, Ephpheta, that is, Be thou opened: and immedi- 
 ately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was 
 loosed, and he spoke right. And He charged them that they 
 should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much 
 the more a great deal did they publish it; and so much the 
 more did they wonder, saying, He hath done all things well ; 
 He hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to 
 speak." Mark vii, 31-37. 
 
 JESUS is omnipotent. If, therefore, Jesus groans, 
 it is not because of the difficulty of performing a 
 miracle. He groans rather at the pitiful sight of 
 fallen man, so horribly torn by sin. Man was not 
 created thus ; he was created strong and healthy, free, 
 from pain, full of grace and happiness. 
 
 This poor, unhappy deaf mute is, therefore, a 
 faint picture of our fallen nature. After the sin of 
 Adam, without the grace of God man is no longer 
 capable of hearing the voice of the Lord. He can- 
 not even pronounce a single word helpful to life 
 
 160 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 161 
 
 eternal; he cannot utter a single efficacious prayer. 
 Wherefore Jesus groans at the wretched plight of 
 man. 
 
 This miracle of the healing of the deaf mute is 
 renewed in the Church every day in the sacrament 
 of Baptism. The priest touches the ears of the one 
 to be baptized, and in the name of Christ says, 
 "Ephpheta," which is, "Be thou opened." Then 
 with the salt of wisdom he sanctifies the tongue, that 
 Satan may be renounced together with all his works 
 and pomps. Then the priest pours the regenerating 
 waters on the head of the one to be baptized, and 
 original sin is washed away. The gates of Heaven 
 are now open; the soul is on terms of intimate 
 friendship with God. 
 
 After Baptism, one of the most horrible afflic- 
 tions that can beset a soul is spiritual dumbness. The 
 sinner closes his mouth and hides his sin from the 
 minister of God. Thus he retains and increases the 
 guilt on his soul. From this sacrilegious silence 
 comes spiritual depravity. The soul does not care 
 to turn itself to the Lord. 
 
 It is necessary that the good, in their charity, 
 beseech Jesus and pray perseveringly for the deaf 
 mute, that God may loosen his tongue, open his ears, 
 and heal his soul. 
 
 King David Had committed serious sins. God sent 
 the prophet Nathan to him, who thus addressed him : 
 "Thou hast killed Urias, the Hethite, with the 
 sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife and 
 hast slain him with the sword. . . . Therefore the 
 
162 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 sword shall never depart from thy house, because 
 thou hast despised Me." * 
 
 The king was overcome with grief and he passed 
 much time in prayer and fasting. He has preserved 
 his feelings of sorrow in a psalm that is most com- 
 forting to all repentant souls, "Have mercy on me, 
 O God, according to Thy great mercy. And accord- 
 ing to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out 
 my iniquity. Wash me yet more from my iniquity and 
 cleanse me from my sin. I know my iniquity and my 
 sin is always before me. To Thee only have I sinned 
 and done evil before Thee. . . . Turn away Thy face 
 from my sins and blot out all my iniquities . . . Cast 
 me not away from Thy face and take not Thy holy 
 spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of my sal- 
 vation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit. . . . A 
 contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not 
 despise." 2 
 
 And the Lord pardoned the sins of King David, 
 although David was sentenced to endure severe tem- 
 poral punishments. 
 
 Saint Augustine reminds the Christian who is 
 ashamed to confess his sins that it is to God that he 
 must tell them. Such a man attempts to conceal his 
 sins from God, Who knows all things. We must 
 therefore confess our sins. We should grieve for the 
 offenses we have committed against God as King 
 David repented his sins, and like David, we also 
 shall be pardoned. 
 
 *II Kings xii, 9, 10. 
 
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 THE GOOD SAMARITAN 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Blessed are the 
 eyes that see the things which you see. For I say to you, that 
 many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that 
 you see, and have not seen them ; and to hear the things that 
 you hear, and have not heard them. And behold a certain 
 lawyer stood up, tempting Him, and saying, Master, what 
 must I do to possess eternal life? But He said to him, 
 What is written in the law? How readest thou? He an- 
 swering, said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy 
 whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy 
 strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thy- 
 self. And He said to him, Thou hast answered rightly: 
 this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify him- 
 self (for asking the question), said to Jesus, And who is 
 my neighbor? And Jesus answering, said, A certain man 
 went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among rob- 
 bers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him, went 
 away, leaving him half dead: and it chanced that a certain 
 (Jewish) priest went down the same way, and seeing him, 
 passed by. In like manner also a Levite (minister in the tem- 
 ple), when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. 
 But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near 
 him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion ; and going 
 up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; 
 and, setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, 
 and took care of him: and the next day he took out two 
 pence, and gave to the host, and said, Take care of him, and 
 whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, 
 
 163 
 
164 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 will repay thee. Which of these three in thy opinion, was 
 neighbor to him that fell among robbers? But he said, He 
 that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him, Go, and 
 do thou in like manner." Luke x, 23-37. 
 
 THE lawyer who with feigned reverence asked 
 the Lord what it was necessary for him to do 
 to possess eternal life, asked this question 
 with the intention of ensnaring Jesus in His speech. 
 He thought that Christ would give a direct answer 
 to the question and thus explicitly assert His divin- 
 ity. The malicious scribe would then accuse the Lord 
 of blasphemy. Jesus confounded the questioner by 
 obliging him to quote the precept of fraternal charity 
 against himself at the very moment that he was 
 breaking his precept. And when the scribe asked 
 "Who is my neighbor?" 1 Jesus answered by pro- 
 posing for his consideration the parable of the good 
 Samaritan. And this parable, one of the most pre- 
 cious gems of the Gospel, has an important lesson 
 for us. 
 
 Who is there who does not feel pity for this poor 
 abandoned man, who had been beaten and robbed 
 and left to die by the roadside? 
 
 And yet, the first one to harden his heart against 
 him was the Jewish priest, the guardian of the law. 
 He passed by on the opposite side of the street, 
 scarcely deigning to glance at the unfortunate man. 
 "In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the 
 place and saw him, passed by." 2 There came finally 
 to the place, a Samaritan, a member of a cursed and 
 hated race. "My soul," says a Jewish proverb, 
 
 'Luke x, 29. 
 3 Luke x, 32. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 165 
 
 "detests the Idumeans and the Philistines, but it 
 abominates the foolish people that dwell in 
 Samaria." This Samaritan finds himself before one 
 of his enemies in misfortune. He had come from a 
 distance. He was tired and travel-stained, and a 
 long journey was still before him. Nevertheless, his 
 heart was touched with pity. 
 
 He dismounted, and with true charity knelt at the 
 side of the wounded man, binding up his wounds as 
 best he could. He placed him gently on his beast, 
 and "brought him to an inn and took care of him." 1 
 He did not even then give up the care of the unfor- 
 tunate wayfarer to others. He paid for the sufferer's 
 lodging until he should return. He wished himself 
 to have the consolation of helping him in his trouble. 
 This was the Samaritan's idea of charity. 
 
 During a time such as that in which we have lived, 
 in which man's hatred of man and man's selfishness 
 has broken out in the most awful war that history 
 records, it is well to reflect on the precept of Jesus; 
 "that you love one another." 2 "As long as you did 
 it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to 
 me." 3 
 
 Saint Gregory the Great welcomed pilgrims to 
 Rome and received them into his monastery on the 
 Celian Hill. On one occasion, he was startled to* 
 notice the figure of the Saviour among the pilgrims 
 to whom he had given refuge and comfort. 
 
 Saint Martin, meeting a man benumbed with cold, 
 took his cape from his shoulders, cut it in two pieces, 
 
 'Luke x,34. 
 2 John xiii, 34. 
 'Matthew xxv, 40. 
 
166 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 and gave half of it to the stranger. That same night, 
 Jesus, clothed in the same garment, appeared to 
 Saint Martin saying, "It was I Whom you covered 
 with this cloak." 
 
 Jesus, the Divine Samaritan, has infused His own 
 Precious Blood into our souls. He has given Him- 
 self to us for our salvation. We ask Him in our 
 daily prayers to "Forgive us our trespasses as we 
 forgive those who trespass against us." We should, 
 therefore, forgive those who have done evil against 
 us. We should help our neighbor, for to us as to 
 the questioner in the Gospel Jesus presents the ex- 
 ample of the good Samaritan. Jesus tells us also, 
 "Go and do thou in like manner." 1 
 
 'Luke x, 37. 
 
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE TEN LEPERS 
 
 "At that time, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, He 
 passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee : and as He 
 entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that 
 were lepers, who stood afar off, and lifted up their voice, 
 saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Whom when He 
 saw, He said, Go show yourselves to the priests. And it 
 came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And 
 one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went 
 back, with a loud voice, glorifying God: and he fell on his 
 face before His feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samari- 
 tan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? 
 And where are the nine? There is no one found to return 
 and give glory to God, but this stranger. And He said to 
 him, Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole." 
 Luke xvii, 11-19. 
 
 WHEN the ten lepers saw Jesus surrounded by 
 the multitude approaching along the dusty 
 road, they all rushed towards Him. The 
 Saviour's heart was touched with compassion at the 
 sight of their pitiful condition. They were covered 
 with sores and ulcers, and because of the danger of 
 contagion they were avoided by everyone. They 
 were forbidden by law to approach anyone, and they 
 were permitted to speak with a person only from a 
 distance after covering their mouths, in order not to 
 
 167 
 
168 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 contaminate the air. This isolation continued until 
 death or until a priest had certified that they had 
 been cured of leprosy. 
 
 Jesus wished to cure the ten lepers, and He said 
 to them, " 'Go show yourselves to the priests.' And 
 it came to pass, as they went, they were made 
 clean." * Only one of them, however, showed any 
 gratitude, — "And one of them, when he saw that he 
 was made clean, went back with a loud voice glori- 
 fying God, and he fell on his face before His feet, 
 giving thanks." 2 Nor was this man instructed in 
 religion as were the other nine. He was a Samari- 
 tan, a poor, unlearned peasant from the most de- 
 spised part of Palestine. Jesus said to him, "Arise, 
 go thy way, for thy faith hath made thee whole." 3 
 
 We are careful to express our appreciation to 
 men for even the most trifling favors. Only to God, 
 our greatest, truest Benefactor, are we ungrateful. 
 How comparatively few of us there are who at the 
 dawning of each day kneel in prayer to Him Who 
 gives the day! Reawakening nature sings a hymn 
 of acknowledgment and praise, but reawakening 
 man, thinking of the world and its works, forgets 
 "Who was the Workman." 4 Nine-tenths of the 
 human race are ungrateful to God, and yet when we 
 are in trouble we prostrate ourselves and implore 
 mercy. Why, then, are we not thankful when we 
 receive so many blessings? 
 
 God asks us to be grateful only for the good of 
 our own souls. He cleansed the lepers from their 
 bodily affliction and waited for them to return, that 
 
 a Luke xvii, 14. 
 2 Luke xvii, 15, 16. 
 'Luke xvii, 19. 
 4 Wisdom xiii, 1. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 169 
 
 their souls also might be cleansed, but only one of 
 them returned. United in misfortune, they had 
 grieved and prayed together, but once in the posses- 
 sion of health and able to have a part in the world 
 and the world's pleasures, nine of them forgot the 
 miracle by which God had cured them. Only the 
 Samaritan returned to give thanks and to receive 
 grace. 
 
 There is danger of rendering useless the temporal 
 favors which God bestows on us, and it is only 
 because of His mercy that He sometimes deprives 
 us of temporal possessions so that we may begin once 
 more to pray, so that we may go once more to Him. 
 
 The Blessed Virgin Mary was the most favored 
 creature of God, and she was also the most grateful. 
 Her whole life was one continuous prayer. Greeted 
 as the Mother of God, she sang that wondrous can- 
 ticle of acknowledgment and of thanksgiving, the 
 "Magnificat:" "My soul doth magnify the Lord and 
 my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour, because 
 He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid. . . . 
 Because He that is mighty hath done great things to 
 me and holy is His name." 1 
 
 In the preface of the Mass, just before the most 
 solemn moment of consecration, the priest reminds 
 himself and admonishes others: "It is truly meet and 
 just, right and profitable, for us at all times and in 
 all places to give thanks to Thee, O Lord, and we 
 unite our voices with the voices of Heaven, singing 
 unceasingly, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts. 
 Hosanna in the highest!" 
 
 a Luke i, 46-49. 
 
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE 
 
 HOLY CROSS 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews, 
 Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of 
 this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the 
 earth, will draw all things to Myself. (Now this He said, 
 signifying what death He should die.) The multitude an- 
 swered Him, We have heard out of the law, that Christ 
 abideth for ever: and how sayest Thou, The Son of man 
 must be lifted up? Who is the Son of man? Jesus there- 
 fore said to them, Yet a little while, the light is among you. 
 Walk whilst you have the light, that the darkness overtake 
 [you not. And he that walketh in darkness knoweth not 
 whither he goeth. Whilst you have the light, believe in the 
 light; that you may be the children of light." John xii, 
 31-36. 
 
 LIBERATION from the yoke of Roman gov- 
 ernment and the establishment of a great 
 ■* national kingdom had long been the cherished 
 hope of the Jewish people. They thought that the 
 coming of the Messias indicated the achievement of 
 a great military success followed by an equally great 
 political triumph. The Jews were mistaken in this 
 interpretation of the coming of the Messias. His 
 triumphs were to be spiritual triumphs, not victories 
 over men, but victories over Satan. The very title 
 
 170 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 171 
 
 of Son of Man which Jesus adopted instead of the 
 title of King with which the crowd with much insist- 
 ence saluted Him makes it very evident that He 
 sought no worldly glory. Jesus is u the light of the 
 world," * and the Gospel holds this Light aloft that 
 we may see It and follow It. The Gospel reveals to 
 us the nobility of sorrow and suffering, the sanctity 
 of sacrifice for the love of God. 
 
 The victory which Jesus won was the sacrifice on 
 Mount Calvary. It was not a victory of arms over 
 the Roman legions, but a victory of humility and love 
 over man's pride and Satan's hate. Jesus had con- 
 quered the powers of darkness, and the cross was the 
 sign of man's salvation. From that time, down 
 through the centuries, the Church has silently and 
 majestically advanced. She has found many empires 
 on her journey which today no longer exist. One 
 after another, they have fallen, torn by the storm 
 of war or corroded by the rust of time, but not one 
 of them has been able to involve her in its ruin. The 
 Church does not depend for her existence on the 
 pride or the prowess of man, but on the cross of 
 Christ, and, therefore, she does not fear. 
 
 There is an obelisk in Rome that stands in front 
 of the Basilica of Saint Peter, which in ancient times 
 was in the centre of the circus of Nero. This obelisk 
 is now surmounted by a cross, and bears this trium- 
 phant inscription: "Christ conquers, Christ reigns, 
 Christ rules." Every enemy that opposes Him must 
 yield, because Christ and His Church shall endure, 
 forever. 
 
 In the cross and through the cross is our victory, 
 
 Mohn viii, 12. 
 
172 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 and before the cross and about the cross should we 
 frequently meditate. We should gaze on the thorn- 
 pierced head of the Saviour, His body torn with 
 scourges, and the wound of the lance in His side. 
 
 "My Lord," exclaimed Saint Francis of Assisi, 
 kneeling before the crucifix, "I ask of Thee two 
 graces. The first is that I may feel in my soul and in 
 my body that pain which Thou, Sweet Saviour, 
 endured on the cross; and the other grace which I 
 implore is that I may feel in my heart the love for 
 Thee which Thou hast for me." It was the Feast of 
 the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Suddenly, Mount 
 Alvernia glowed with fire. The image of the cruci- 
 fied Jesus shining under the wings of a Seraphim 
 appeared to Francis, and with vivid, burning rays 
 pierced his hands, his feet and his heart, searing his 
 flesh with the seal of the Divine Passion. The feast 
 of the Stigmata or the wounds of Saint Francis of 
 Assisi is observed on the seventeenth of September. 
 
 We must strive to have our love for Jesus in some 
 small way resemble the love of Jesus for us. We 
 should meditate frequently as did Saint Francis 
 before the crucifix, that suffering for Jesus we may 
 love Him ever more and more. 
 
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 THE WIDOW OF NAIM 
 
 "At that time, Jesus went into a city called Nairn, and 
 there went with Him His disciples, and a great multitude. 
 And when He came nigh to the city, behold a dead man 
 was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a 
 widow, and much people of the city were with her. And 
 when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said 
 to her, Weep not. And He came near, and touched the bier. 
 And they that carried it stood still. And He said, Young 
 man, I say to thee, Arise : and he that was dead sat up, and 
 began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother. And 
 there came a fear on them all : and they glorified God, say- 
 ing, A great prophet is risen up amongst us and God hath 
 visited His people." Luke vii, 11-16. 
 
 " AND when He came nigh to the gate of the 
 A% city, behold a dead man was carried out, 
 *** A the only son of his mother; and she was a 
 widow, and a great multitude of the city was with 
 her." * It was one of those scenes so common in the 
 cities of the Orient, in which paid mourners take 
 part in the funeral procession. But in their midst 
 was one whose grief was no mere sham or affecta- 
 tion. The poor widowed mother, her heart torn with 
 sorrow and her eyes blinded by tears, was following 
 the body of her son to its final resting place. Jesus 
 
 ^uke vii, 12. 
 
 173 
 
174 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 was coming nigh to the city, and His heart was 
 moved with pity for the afflicted mother. He 
 approached and said to her, " 'Weep not,' and He 
 came near and touched the bier. And they that car- 
 ried it stood still. And He said, 'Young man, I say 
 to thee, arise.' And he that was dead sat up and 
 began to speak. And He gave him to his mother." x 
 
 The Heart of Jesus did not know how to resist 
 the prayers and pleadings of a mother for a lost son. 
 When the woman of Canaan sought Him, imploring 
 aid for her daughter possessed by the devil, she 
 thus pleaded with Him: " 4 Have mercy on me, O 
 Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is griev- 
 ously troubled by a devil.' n 2 She did not ask mercy 
 for her daughter, but mercy for herself. For the 
 affliction of a child is a worse affliction for the 
 mother. "Then Jesus answering said to her: 'O 
 woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee as thou 
 wilt;' and her daughter was cured from that hour." 3 
 
 Saint Monica suffered much sorrow because of the 
 wanderings of her son, Augustine. One day, in 
 search of comfort, she knelt in tears before the feet 
 of a bishop and told him of her anxiety and of her 
 prayers for her wayward son. The answer which 
 the bishop gave her seemed to have been inspired, — 
 "Woman, depart in peace; the child of such tears 
 shall never perish." The prayers of Saint Monica 
 were heard and Augustine became a saint. In 
 later years, when Saint Augustine was meditating 
 about his own conversion, and was thinking of his 
 
 *Luke vii, 13. 
 2 Matthew xv, 22. 
 8 Matthew xv, 28. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 175 
 
 mother, Saint Monica, and of her influence in bring- 
 ing him to God, he was reminded of the gospel story 
 of the widow of Nairn. 
 
 * * * 
 
 There is another sorrow-stricken mother whose 
 story the Gospel records, — Mary the Mother of 
 Jesus, Mary the Mother of us. It was for us that 
 she suffered and prayed. There was not a single day 
 on which she did not weep. From the cave in Beth- 
 lehem to the cross on Calvary, the time was for her 
 one continued martyrdom. "To what shall I com- 
 pare thee, or to what shall I liken thee, O daughter 
 of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee that I 
 may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? For 
 great as the sea is thy destruction." * 
 
 Mary was given to us to be our mother when 
 Jesus was dying on the cross. She received us in her 
 arms, children redeemed by the Precious Blood of 
 her Divine Son, children, also, of her tears. 
 
 lamentations ii, 13. 
 
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
 
 HUMILITY 
 
 "At that time, when Jesus went into the house of one of 
 the chief of the Pharisees on the Sabbath-day to eat bread, 
 they watched Him. And behold, there was a certain man 
 before Him that had the dropsy: and Jesus answering, spoke 
 to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on 
 the sabbath-day? But they held their peace. But He taking 
 him, healed him, and sent him away. And answering them, 
 He said, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into 
 a pit, and will not immediately draw him out, on the sab- 
 bath-day? And they could not answer Him these things. 
 And He spoke a parable also to them that were invited, 
 marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to 
 them, When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in 
 the first place, lest perhaps one more honorable than thou 
 be invited by him; and he that invited thee and him, come 
 and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou begin 
 with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art 
 invited, go, sit down in the lowest place : that when he who 
 inviteth thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up 
 higher: then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at 
 table with thee: because every one that exalteth himself 
 shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be 
 exalted." Luke xiv, 1-11. 
 
 JESUS had answered the Pharisees, who had 
 hypocritically affected to be scandalized because 
 Christ performed a miracle on the Sabbath. He 
 further rebuked them, "marking how they chose the 
 
 176 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 177 
 
 first seats at the table" * The parable of the wedding 
 feast was a great lesson in humility for the Phari- 
 sees, and is today a great lesson in humility for us. 
 "Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; 
 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." 2 It 
 is necessary at all times and in all places, therefore, 
 for the true disciple of Christ to choose the lowest 
 place. For just as pride is inordinate self-esteem, so 
 humility is the virtue by which we see ourselves in 
 the proper light. Our proper place is the lowest 
 place, and this truth is most consoling for those who 
 are following Christ. 
 
 "What hast thou that thou hast not received? 
 And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as 
 if thou hadst not received it?" 3 All comes from 
 God. A few years ago, we did not exist; and since 
 we have obtained existence, we owe it to Him Who 
 called us out of nothing. The body of which we take 
 great care, the strength of which we boast, the genius 
 of which we are proud, are all gifts of God. Reflect, 
 therefore, that if we are more fortunate than others 
 because of the gifts which we have received, we are 
 also more deeply indebted to the Creator on account 
 of these gifts. The more that God has given, the 
 more shall He require. "God resisteth the proud, 
 but to the humble He giveth grace." 4 
 
 When Saint Augustine was asked the chief Chris- 
 tian virtue, he replied, "The first is humility, the 
 
 1 Luke xiv, 7. 
 2 Luke xiv, 11. 
 8 I Corinthians iv, 7. 
 4 I Peter v, 5. 
 
178 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 second is humility, and the third is humility, because 
 this virtue is the foundation of all the others." 
 
 * * * 
 
 Aloysuis Gonzaga, Marquis of Castiglione, re- 
 nounced his rights as the first born son of his house, 
 to enter the religious life. He chose for himself the 
 most worn-out clothing, and undertook with joy the 
 most menial tasks. On the occasion of a visit which 
 he made to his uncle, the most sumptuous apart- 
 ments were prepared for him. When he was left 
 alone with his companion, Aloysius uttered these 
 words of regret: "My good brother, what have our 
 sins brought us to this night! How much better 
 would we be in our humble cells!" 
 
 We, too, must seek the lowest place, and we shall 
 know how sweet it is to merge our life into the life 
 of Christ. We, too, shall hear some day the celestial 
 music of that voice, "Friend, go up higher." l 
 
 *Luke xiv, 10. 
 
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE FEAST OF THE SOLEMNITY OF THE HOLY ROSARY 
 
 THE LOVE OF GOD 
 
 "At that time, the Pharisees came to Jesus, and one of 
 them, a doctor of the law, asked Him, tempting Him, Mas- 
 ter, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said 
 to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole 
 heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 
 This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the 
 second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
 self. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law 
 and the prophets (all revelation). And the Pharisees being 
 gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think 
 you of Christ; Whose son is He? They say to Him, 
 David's. He saith to them, How then doth David, in 
 spirit, call Him Lord; saying (in Psalm 109) The Lord said 
 to My Lord, Sit on My right hand until I make Thy 
 enemies Thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how 
 is He his son? And no man was able to answer Him a 
 word ; neither durst any man, from that day forth, ask Him 
 any more questions. ,, Matthew xxii, 35-46. 
 
 THIS passage from the Gospel tells of one of 
 the many attempts which the Pharisees made 
 to ensnare Jesus. " 'Master, which is the 
 great commandment in the law?' " * was the ques- 
 
 Matthew xxii, 36. 
 
 179 
 
180 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 tion asked by the Pharisee in the hope that Jesus 
 would substitute in His answer the adoration of 
 Himself for the adoration of God. But Jesus read 
 the thought in the mind of His questioner. He knew 
 that the Pharisees hated Him, that they had perse- 
 cuted Him, that they refused to recognize His divine 
 nature, that they closed their eyes to His miracles. 
 He answered the question by recalling to the minds 
 of the Pharisees the precept of charity towards one's 
 neighbor, a precept which they rarely observed. He 
 silenced them by indicating that David, the greatest 
 King of Israel, had recognized the Messias as his 
 Lord. The dignity of Christ is therefore above the 
 dignity of all men, above even the dignity of kings. 
 The dignity of Christ blends into and is actually the 
 dignity of God Himself. 
 
 The most salutary lesson of this gospel is con- 
 tained in the great commandment: "Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with 
 thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind." 1 Since 
 God is all perfect, the greatest, the most merciful of 
 all beings, the inexhaustible Fountain of Goodness, 
 why should we not love Him? All those who love 
 us have received from Him the heart by means of 
 which they love. Our fathers have obtained from 
 Him the life which they have given to us. " T know 
 not how you were formed in my w r omb,' " exclaimed 
 the mother of the seven martyred Machabees, " 'for 
 I neither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life, neither 
 did I frame the limbs of every one of you.' " 2 And 
 then, whispering to the smallest of her heroes, she 
 
 x Matthew xxii, 37. 
 2 II Machabees vii, 22. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 181 
 
 murmured, " 'I beseech thee, my son, look upon 
 Heaven and earth, and all that is in them : and con- 
 sider that God made them out of nothing, and man- 
 kind also. So thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but 
 being made a worthy partner with thy brethren, 
 receive death, that in that mercy I may receive thee 
 again with thy brethren.' "* 
 
 We are indeed so poor, so small and insignificant 
 that if God had not directed us to love Him, it would 
 have seemed presumptuous to have said, "My God, 
 I love Thee." The venerable Aloysius Da Ponte 
 could not understand the expression, "to love God 
 above all things." It seemed to him the same as 
 saying, "Lord, I love Thee more than a wisp of 
 straw, more than a grain of dust." 
 
 We should therefore love God with all our heart*. 
 We should love Him with the greatest love. "The 
 measure for our love of God," writes Saint Bernard, 
 "is to love Him without measure." 
 
 We should remember how much God has loved 
 us. For us, He became man; for us, He died on the 
 cross. 
 
 We should meditate frequently on the mysteries 
 of this love, the mysteries of the rosary. The lips 
 pronounce the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary"; 
 the mind dwells on the principal mysteries of the life 
 of Jesus and the life of Mary. At the thought of 
 their sacrifice for us, the heart warms and the eyes 
 fill with tears. 
 
 We are all familiar with the efficacy of the rosary, 
 which was recommended to Saint Dominic by the 
 Blessed Virgin herself. One of the great graces 
 
 *II Machabees vii, 28, 29. 
 
182 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 obtained through the recitation of this prayer and 
 the event which was the occasion of the institution 
 of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary occurred on 
 the seventh day of October in the year 1571. While 
 the members of the Confraternity of the Rosary 
 recited this prayer to the Mother of God to save 
 the world from the yoke of Moslem power, the 
 galleys of the Christian forces met and decisively 
 defeated the Turkish armada in the great battle of 
 Lepanto. 
 
 Recite the Rosary once each day and offer it as a 
 garland of roses to the Madonna. Remember that 
 all your dear ones have been laid in the grave with 
 their hands entwined with a rosary. "Send forth 
 flowers as the lily," sings the Church today, "bring 
 forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and 
 bless the Lord in His works." * 
 
 Communion prayer in Mass of the Rosary quoting Ecclesiasticus 
 xxxix, 19. 
 
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE PARALYTIC OF CAPHARNAUM 
 
 "At that time, Jesus entering into a ship, passed over the 
 water and came into His own city. And behold they brought 
 to Him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed; and Jesus see- 
 ing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy, Be of good 
 heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some 
 of the scribes said within themselves, He blasphemeth. And 
 Jesus seeing their thoughts said, Why do you think evil in 
 your hearts? Whether is it easier to say, Thy sins are for- 
 given Thee ; or to say, Arise and walk ? But that you may 
 know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive 
 sins (then said He to the man sick of the palsy), Arise, take 
 up they bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went 
 into his house. And the multitude seeing it, feared, and 
 glorified God Who had given such power to men." Mat- 
 thew ix, 1-8. 
 
 JESUS had returned to Capharnaum after a visit 
 to the neighboring towns and cities, where He 
 had preached and wrought many miracles. 
 "And behold they brought to Him one sick of palsy 
 lying in a bed. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to 
 the man sick of the palsy, *Be of good heart, son, 
 thy sins are forgiven thee.' " * The Gospel of Saint 
 
 Mark gives other details of this occurrence: "It 
 ■ ■ 
 
 Matthew ix, 2. 
 
 183 
 
184 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 was heard that He was in the house and many came 
 together so that there was no room ; no, not even at 
 the door. . . . And they came to Him bringing one 
 sick of the palsy, who was carried by four." * This 
 poor paralytic was late in arriving at the house, and 
 the four persons who were carrying him were unable 
 to make their way through the throng about the 
 entrance. In the rear of the low structure, according 
 to the custom, an outside stairway led to the terrace. 
 It was easy for them to climb this stairway and to 
 uncover an opening in the roof. And "they let down 
 the bed wherein the man sick of the palsy lay." 2 
 The poor cripple trembled with emotion before the 
 feet of Jesus. He realized full well the causes of his 
 illness. He knew that sinful excesses had brought 
 him to this condition. He was sorry now, and 
 although he was unable to utter a word with his lips, 
 his whole being pleaded for mercy and forgiveness. 
 Jesus read the message in that desolate heart and 
 Jesus answered the message: "Son, thy sins are for- 
 given thee." 8 Then, in order to show that He had 
 power to forgive sins, in order to confound the 
 scribes who would accuse Him of blasphemy, Jesus 
 said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up thy bed and go 
 into thy house." 4 The thrill of life coursed once 
 more through his poor dead limbs, "and immedi- 
 ately, he arose, and taking up his bed, went his way 
 in the sight of all, so that all wondered and glori- 
 fied God." 5 Christ had proved that He had power 
 
 "Mark ii, 2, 3. 
 2 Mark ii, 4. 
 3 Matthew ix, 2. 
 4 Matthew ix, 6. 
 'Mark ii, 12. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 185 
 
 to forgive sins, because God witnessed by a miracle 
 the truth of Christ's claim, and God could never con- 
 firm the truth of a lie. It is a far greater miracle to 
 give back grace to a soul in sin than to restore health 
 to a body that is sick. 
 
 This great miracle is renewed today in the sacra- 
 ment of Penance, for there is no sinner, however 
 grievously he may have offended, from whom mercy 
 will be withheld, if that sinner will only repent. "The 
 earth is full of the mercy of the Lord," * says the 
 psalmist. "Return to Me, saith the Lord, and I will 
 receive thee." 2 The sinner may hear if he wishes 
 the words of Jesus to the paralytic, "thy sins are for- 
 given thee." 3 When the priest pronounces the words 
 of absolution in the sacrament of Penance, he repre- 
 sents God Himself. As you would confide in Jesus, 
 so also confide in your confessor. The priest is the 
 consecrated minister of God and has received the 
 power to forgive sins in God's name. "Whose sins 
 you shall forgive, they are forgiven them ; and whose 
 sins you shall retain, they are retained." 4 The 
 greatest comfort which you can have after you have 
 sinned is to humble yourself at the feet of God's 
 minister and pour out to him the secret cause of 
 your grief. Unburden to him the bitterness of your 
 remorse, and there will be joy among the angels 
 for the sheep that returns to the fold. 
 
 * * * 
 A celebrated professor in the University of Pavia, 
 
 ^salm xxxii, 5. 
 2 Jeremias iii, 1. 
 •Matthew ix, 2. 
 4 John xx, 23. 
 
186 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 Contardo Ferrini, who died a few years ago, after a 
 saintly life, attributed the peace of mind which he 
 enjoyed to the faithful observance of pious Chris- 
 tian practices. "I cannot conceive,'' he wrote, u how 
 a man can live a life without prayer. I cannot imag- 
 ine a person who would not offer his first thoughts 
 on awakening to God, or a person who would retire 
 at night without making peace with Him who is one 
 day to be his Judge." Ferrini attended daily Mass 
 and went frequently to Confession and Communion. 
 He possessed an untroubled conscience and looked 
 always serenely towards death, — u O, cherished mo- 
 ment of peacefully falling asleep in the Lord. O, 
 happy moment, the first embrace of the Saviour." 
 
 If thou, Christian soul, desirest to be at peace with 
 thyself, go frequently to Confession. Have thy sins 
 forgiven in the tribunal of mercy, before God calls 
 thee to the tribunal of justice. 
 
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE MARRIAGE FEAST 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to the chief priests and the 
 Pharisees in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven is 
 likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son ; and he 
 sent his servants, to call them that were invited to the mar- 
 riage, and they would not come. Again he sent other serv- 
 ants, saying, Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have 
 prepared my dinner; my beeves and fadings are killed, and 
 all things are ready; come ye to the marriage. But they 
 neglected: and went their ways, one to his farm, and an- 
 other to his merchandise; and the rest laid hands on his 
 servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them 
 to death. But when the king had heard of it, he was angry ; 
 and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and 
 burnt their city. Then he saith to his servants, The mar- 
 riage indeed is ready, but they that were invited were not 
 worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many 
 as you shall find, call to the marriage. And his servants, 
 going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they 
 found, both bad and good ; and the marriage was filled with 
 guests. And the king went in to see the guests ; and he saw 
 there a man who had not on a wedding garment: and he 
 saith to him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having 
 on a wedding garment ? But he was silent. Then the king 
 said to the waiters, Bind his hands and feet, and cast him 
 into the exterior darkness : there shall be weeping and gnash- 
 ing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." 
 Matthew xxii, 2-14. 
 
 187 
 
188 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 THE banquet hall is resplendent with lights and 
 decorations. The servants are in their places ; 
 the feast is ready. In the adjoining rooms, 
 the white tunics are at hand which, according to the 
 oriental custom, the king has prepared for his guests. 
 Meanwhile, the messengers charged with the deliv- 
 ery of the invitations to the marriage feast return 
 breathless from their mission. They had been in- 
 sulted, derided and attacked. Nevertheless, the ban- 
 quet will take place. 
 
 "Go ye therefore into the highways," cries the 
 king, "and as many as you shall find call to the mar- 
 riage." J And the crowd responded to the invitation, 
 "and the marriage was filled with guests. And the 
 king went in to see the guests; and he saw there a 
 man who had not on a wedding garment." 2 
 
 The Great King is God, and the meaning of the 
 parable is clear. From the day on which God prom- 
 ised a Redeemer for the human race, until the day 
 when the sun will shine for the last time in the heav- 
 ens, He calls men to enter the kingdom which He has 
 established on this earth. The number who refuse 
 His invitation is very large. The chosen people, who 
 killed the prophets and crucified Christ, were among 
 the most ungrateful. Wherefore the arm of God 
 struck them, and the legions of imperial Rome laid 
 waste their country. Then was opened to the Gen- 
 tiles an era of mercy, and our people were received 
 in throngs into the Church. But many of these souls 
 there are, however, who do not answer the call of 
 
 Matthew xxii, 9. 
 3 Matthcw xxii, 10, 11. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 189 
 
 God. Jesus warns us that in proportion to the multi- 
 tude that are called, only a "few are chosen." 1 
 
 In the sacrament of baptism we receive the white 
 garment of grace, but in order to preserve this treas- 
 ure we must wage a continuous battle. "The life of 
 man upon earth is a warfare," says the Scriptures, 2 
 and the Fathers of the Church add the comment that 
 every day is a day of strife, and that victory is most 
 difficult 
 
 Saint Jerome passed long years in penance, and 
 yet he saw his solitudes inhabited by phantom images 
 of cities even though he dwelt alone in the desert. 
 Blessed is he who in a war so fierce and bitter pre- 
 serves his soul untarnished by sin and keeps his 
 thoughts fixed on Heaven. 
 
 The shadows of life's close are deepening fast. 
 Neither our presence in a banquet hall, nor our 
 attendance in a church, will exempt us from judg- 
 ment; for, in a short time we shall hear the blare of 
 the trumpet, and it is the King Who comes. "Where- 
 fore," the Apostle concludes, "with fear and trem- 
 bling work out your salvation." 3 
 
 We are walking through clouds of dust; all about 
 us is contamination. We must remember that we 
 are clothed in white. 
 
 Even though the battle rages furiously, no one 
 should lose heart. "Put you on the armor of God," 
 exhorts Saint Paul, "that you may be able to stand 
 against the deceits of the devil." 4 Whoever, there- 
 
 Matthew xx, 16. 
 2 Job vii, 1. 
 'Philippians ii, 12. 
 4 Ephesian« vi, 11. 
 
190 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 fore, wishes salvation and works for salvation will 
 receive salvation. 
 
 Nabuchodonosor,King of Babylon, raised up a ma- 
 jestic idol. On the day of its dedication, when it was 
 unveiled, the colossal statue gleamed with wondrous 
 splendor. A great multitude of governors, magis- 
 trates, soldiers and people prostrated themselves in 
 adoration before it. Only three Hebrew youths of 
 the royal court refused to offer worship to the idol. 
 The King was angry at their refusal, and cried out, 
 "Who is the God that shall deliver you out of my 
 hand?" 1 And they rejoined, " 'we will not worship 
 thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou 
 hast set up.' Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with 
 fury; . . . and he commanded that the furnace should 
 be heated seven times more than it had been accus- 
 tomed to be heated. And he commanded the strong- 
 est men that were in his army ... to cast them into 
 the furnace of burning fire." 2 But the fire did not 
 harm them. "They walked in the midst of the flame, 
 praising God and blessing the Lord; 'Blessed art 
 Thou, O Lord the God of our fathers ; and thy name 
 is worthy of praise, and glorious forever.' " 3 
 
 O Christian, surrounded by a multitude of the 
 weak, live the life of the strong and the fire will not 
 harm you. Thus does the Church pray: "O God, 
 Who for the three youths in the fiery furnace didst 
 mitigate the power of the flames, grant that we Thy 
 servants may not be burned by the flames of vice." 
 
 Daniel in, 15. 
 2 Daniel iii, 18-20. 
 "Daniel iii, 24-26. 
 
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER 
 
 "At that time, there was a certain ruler whose son was 
 sick at Capharnaum. He having heard that Jesus was come 
 from Judea into Galilee, went to Him, and prayed Him 
 to come down (to Capharnaum) and heal his son; for he was 
 at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to him, Unless 
 you see signs and wonders, you believe not. The ruler saith 
 to Him, Lord, come down before that my son die. Jesus 
 saith to him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. The man believed 
 the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way. And 
 as he was going down, his servants met him, and they 
 brought word, saying, that his son lived. He asked there- 
 fore of them the hour wherein he grew better. And they 
 said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left 
 him. The father therefore knew that it was at the same 
 hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself 
 believed, and his whole house." John iv, 46-53. 
 
 THE Prophet has returned! The joyful news 
 thrills the rough soldier who for several 
 nights has watched at the bedside of his son. 
 Jesus will save his dying boy, and the face of the 
 father lights with gladness at the thought. A mo- 
 ment later and he is riding over the dusty highroad 
 which from the Lake of Liberius mounts towards 
 the higher plain. The new hope in his heart struggles 
 to overcome the grief which weighs him down* He 
 
 191 
 
192 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 arrives at the gates of Cana, and makes his way 
 through the throng that surrounds the Master. 
 Kneeling at the feet of Jesus, he pleads for the life 
 of his loved one. 
 
 The answer of the Saviour is a reproof to those 
 who do not believe, and yet in the time of trouble 
 desire miracles. "Unless you see signs and wonders, 
 you believe not." * But the sorrow of the warrior 
 had made him repentant, had made him humble. 
 He persevered in his supplication "and saith to Him: 
 'Lord come down before that my son die.' Jesus 
 saith to him, 'Go thy way, thy son liveth.' " 2 
 
 The ruler did not know that Jesus could perform 
 miracles at a distance. Nevertheless, he "believed 
 the word which Jesus said to him, and went his 
 way." 3 The soldier of Herod had become the sol- 
 dier of Christ. 
 
 Courageous faithful souls do not lose confidence 
 in the midst of uncertainties and difficulties. They 
 believe that through the darkness the light will once 
 more shine. They do not know at what point on 
 the horizon the ray of sunlight will appear; they may 
 not understand in just what manner God will turn 
 their sorrows into blessings, but nevertheless, they 
 trust in His goodness. 
 
 Many persons indeed there are who become dis- 
 couraged because they think that their prayers are 
 not answered. And yet God hears and answers their 
 prayers. Only on the last day, when God will reveal 
 the mysteries of each life, will they know the graces 
 
 Mohn iv, 48. 
 2 John iv, 49, 50. 
 •John iv, 50. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 193 
 
 which have been bestowed in answer to their prayers. 
 Saint Augustine tells us that if what we ask with 
 humble perseverance be not a "knife or a sword," 
 we may be certain that we shall receive it. Adver- 
 sity and continued adversity, far from making us 
 irresolute, should make us more steadfast in prayer. 
 
 It is recorded in the eighth chapter of the Gospel 
 of Saint Matthew that on one occasion when Jesus 
 was in a boat with his disciples, "a great tempest 
 arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with 
 waves." * Jesus was asleep, and the disciples were 
 filled with terror at the fury of the storm. "And 
 they came to Him, and awaked Him, saying, 'Lord, 
 save us, we perish.' " 2 Jesus reproached them for 
 their lack of confidence, and said to them, " 'Why 
 are you fearful, O ye of little faith?' Then rising 
 up, He commanded the winds and the sea, and there 
 came a great calm." 3 It is necessary not only to 
 have faith, but to have great faith. 
 
 On another occasion, on the same sea, Jesus gave 
 us another lesson in faith. This story is also told in 
 the Gospel of Saint Matthew, in the fourteenth chap- 
 ter. The disciples were in a boat tossed about by 
 the waves. u And in the fourth watch of the night, 
 He (Jesus) came to them walking upon the sea. 
 And they seeing Him . . . were troubled, saying, 'It is 
 an apparition.' And they cried out for fear. And 
 immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Be of 
 
 Matthew viii, 24. 
 'Matthew viii, 25. 
 *Matthew viii, 26. 
 
194 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 good heart; it is I, fear ye not.' And Peter making 
 answer, said, 'Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come to 
 Thee upon the waters.' And He said, 'Come.' And 
 Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the 
 water to come to Jesus. But seeing the wind strong, 
 he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried 
 out, saying, 'Lord, save me.' And immediately Jesus 
 stretching forth His hand took hold of him, and 
 said to him, 'O thou of little faith, why didst thou 
 doubt?' M1 
 
 Therefore, we should not fear. Jesus is in our 
 midst, even though at times He may appear to us to 
 be sleeping. All about the Church, a stormy sea is 
 surging. Many there are, and many there have been, 
 who have announced that the Church is about to be 
 engulfed. They were mistaken in the past, and 
 they are mistaken now. But we, the children of the 
 Church, should have confidence, we should have 
 faith, we should redouble our prayers and supplica- 
 tions. With great faith and with great love, we shall 
 join our prayers with the prayers of the Church. 
 "Incline Thy ear and hear; open, O Lord, Thy eyes 
 and see." 2 
 
 FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 
 THE WAY TO PARADISE 
 
 "At that time, Jesus seeing the multitudes, went up into a 
 mountain; and when He was sat down, His disciples came 
 unto Him. And opening His mouth, He taught them, say- 
 ing, Blessed are the poor in spirit ; for theirs is the kingdom 
 
 *IV Kings xix, 16. 
 2 Matthew xiv, 25-31. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 195 
 
 of heaven. Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the 
 land. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be com- 
 forted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after jus- 
 tice; for they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merci- 
 ful; for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of 
 heart ; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers ; 
 for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are 
 they that suffer persecution for justice's sake; for theirs is the 
 kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile 
 you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, 
 untruly, for My sake: be glad and rejoice, for your reward 
 is very great in heaven." Matthew v, 1-12. 
 
 IN the twenty-first chapter of the Apocalypse, 
 Saint John describes the u Holy City, the new 
 Jerusalem." * Guided by divine inspiration, the 
 Prophet Apostle reveals something of the magnifi- 
 cence and grandeur of "the tabernacle of God with 
 
 men." 2 "God shall wipe away all tears and death 
 
 shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sor- 
 row." 3 u And the city hath no need of the sun, nor 
 of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God 
 hath enlightened it, and the Lamb is the lamp 
 thereof. . . . And the gates thereof shall not be shut 
 by day, for there shall be no night there. . . . There 
 shall not enter into it any thing defiled, or that 
 worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they that 
 are written in the book of life of the Lamb." 4 "And 
 they shall see His face, and His name shall be on 
 their foreheads, . . . the Lord God shall enlighten 
 them, and they shall reign for ever and ever." 5 
 
 Apocalypse xxi, 2. 
 2 Apocalypse xxi, 3. 
 3 Apocalypse xxi, 4. 
 4 ApocaIypse xxi, 23-27. 
 5 Apocalypse xxii, 4, 5. 
 
196 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 The thought of this vision described by Saint 
 John should be in every mind today, for between the 
 Church on earth and the Church in Heaven there i9 
 no division, but rather a continuation of one into the 
 other. Militant or triumphant, it is the one same 
 Church. It is as a giant tree in the earthly abyss of 
 human grief, with its top in the tranquil blue of 
 Heaven. 
 
 The trials and troubles which we endure today 
 are but a preparation for the joys of tomorrow. 
 
 When Pharao asked the Patriarch Jacob how old 
 he was, the Egyptian ruler received this answer, 
 "The days of my pilgrimage are a hundred and 
 thirty years, — few and evil." * The present life is 
 therefore only a pilgrimage, a passage to eternity. 
 Suffering is the lot of all. It is true that there is fre- 
 quently a smile on the faces of the wicked, but this 
 smile is but a mask poorly concealing the bitterness 
 of their desolation. And through the mist of the 
 tears of the good may be seen the shining of the first 
 rays of Heaven's light. We must not deceive our- 
 selves. In this life, hell is pleasure without God, 
 and Heaven is suffering for Jesus. Woe to those 
 who smile; blessed are those who weep. For there 
 is only one way to Heaven, — the way of the cross. 
 This way becomes sweet, says Saint Teresa, when 
 the Christian traverses it with joy. A starry sky is 
 above our heads, but briers and thorns are at our 
 feet. The grace of God sustains us in our struggles 
 against the world and the flesh. Every time that we 
 reject God's grace and yield to sin, we forge fetters 
 which bind us to earth. We must throw off these 
 
 Genesis xlvii, 9. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 197 
 
 fetters once and for all. Blessed will be the moment 
 when we win this great victory. Blessed are the tears 
 which reopen for us the gates of Paradise. 
 
 * * * 
 
 In the thirty-eighth chapter of the Prophecy of 
 Isaias, we read that King Ezechias "was sick even 
 to death." 1 And the Lord said to him through the 
 mouth of the prophet, "Take order with thy house, 
 for thou shalt die and not live." 2 These words of 
 the great prophet have also a meaning for us. We 
 have been witnesses of the most awful war that his- 
 tory records. We have seen the flower of the world's 
 manhood crushed in untimely, cruel death. This 
 thought should make us mindful of our own passing 
 from this world, and we, too, must put our house in 
 order that we may be prepared to meet our Judge. 
 The saints are watching us and praying for us. All 
 of our dear departed loved ones are deeply solicitous 
 for us who are yet in exile, hoping that we shall join 
 them in their Heavenly home. May the Lord grant 
 to us sinners who trust in His tender mercies the for- 
 giveness of our many sins! May we enjoy in the 
 life to come the happiness of the Apostles and mar- 
 tyrs, the happiness of Saint Stephen, of Saint Cecilia 
 and Saint Agnes, the happiness of all the 1 saints! 
 May we be with them in the City of God, partaking 
 in the reward which they are enjoying, not because 
 of our merits, but because of God's infinite mercy! 
 
 isaias xxxviii, 1. 
 'Isaias xxxviii, 1. 
 
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED 
 
 "At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: 
 The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who would 
 take an account of his servants. And when he had begun 
 to take the account, one was brought to him that owed him 
 ten thousand talents : and as he had not wherewith to pay it, 
 his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and 
 children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. But 
 that servant falling down, besought him, saying, Have 
 patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord 
 of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go; and 
 forgave him the debt. But when that servant was gone 
 out, he found one of his fellow-servants that owed him a 
 hundred pence: and laying hold of him, he throttled him, 
 saying, Pay what thou owest. And his fellow-servant fall- 
 ing down besought him, saying, Have patience with me, 
 and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and 
 cast him into prison till he paid the debt. Now his fellow- 
 servants, seeing what was done, were very much grieved; 
 and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then 
 his lord called him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, 
 I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me; 
 shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fel- 
 low-servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his 
 lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he 
 paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to 
 you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your 
 hearts." Matthew xviii, 23-25. 
 
 193 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 199 
 
 GOD has been merciful to us, and we in turn 
 should be merciful and generous in our 
 remembrances of the faithful departed. 
 
 All of us are debtors to God. Many times our 
 sins have been forgiven. As we, therefore, implored 
 mercy of God, so should we be merciful in praying 
 for our dear ones who are no longer able to help 
 themselves. Only through the charity of the living 
 can the sufferings of the souls in purgatory be 
 shortened; only through our suffrages can they more 
 quickly draw near to the throne of God. If we 
 deafen our ears to their pleadings, if we chill our 
 hearts to their pains, if we do not show them mercy, 
 we shall not please God Who has been all merciful 
 to us. 
 
 When the soul leaving the body breaks the bonds 
 of earth and enters eternity, it springs with all the 
 power of its being towards God Who gave it life. 
 If, however, all the punishment due to sin has not 
 been entirely remitted, the soul cannot yet see God. 
 The enjoyment of the Beatific Vision, the possession 
 of Eternal Happiness is denied to the soul until the 
 last stain of sin or of its consequences has been 
 removed. 
 
 Whoever has endured the martyrdom of exile, 
 whoever has suffered the hunger of loneliness, can 
 imagine in some infinitesimally small degree the bit- 
 terness of the pain of separation of a loving soul 
 from God. And we who are yet on probation, we 
 who as yet have experienced nothing but the mercy 
 of God, are slow to realize that we shall soon need 
 the Masses, penances and prayers of others when 
 God's mercy ends for us and the justice of God 
 
200 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 begins. We shall wish for others to help us then; 
 we should, therefore, help our departed brethren 
 now. 
 
 The cemetery is really not a city of the dead, for 
 the souls of those who lie therein are in communion 
 with us who live apart. Mothers, do not weep for 
 your children, for they are not dead but sleepeth! 
 Children, do not grieve for your parents, for you still 
 may help them, and you shall see them once more ! 
 "Be not sorrowful as others who have no hope. For 
 if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so 
 them who have slept with Jesus will God bring with 
 Him." 1 The word which Jesus pronounced when 
 Lazarus was dead cannot fail: " 'Lazarus, our 
 friend, sleepeth.' " 2 The dead sleep. Wherefore 
 the Church calls the place of their repose "ceme- 
 tery," which means dormitory or resting place. 
 
 The echo of the desolation in pagan hearts at the 
 thought of death s.till reaches our ears through the 
 inscriptions on their monuments. That was a time 
 when the dead buried their dead. There was nothing 
 beyond the grave. The religion of Christ appeared, 
 and all was changed. The inscriptions which may 
 still be seen in the catacombs radiated with the light 
 of hope and happiness, — "Rest in peace with the 
 angels," "Live in Christ." The palms of victory 
 over death and the symbols of life eternal that were 
 depicted centuries ago on the walls of the catacombs 
 can be seen to this day. The very tombs of the mar- 
 tyrs became altars to God. 
 
 * * * 
 
 *I Thessalonians iv, 12-13. 
 'John xi, 11. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 201 
 
 In the second book of Machabees, it is narrated 
 that after the taking of Jamnia, Judas, the hero of 
 his people, collected the bodies of the fallen and 
 buried them in their own land near the graves of 
 their valiant ancestors who were sleeping their last 
 sleep, awaiting the resurrection. And since they had 
 "fallen asleep with godliness," 1 so that, therefore, 
 there was hope for their salvation, he received offer- 
 ings from his soldiers, and sent twelve thousand 
 drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for expiatory sac- 
 rifice in their behalf. "It is therefore a holy and 
 wholesome thought," concludes the chapter, "to pray 
 for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." 2 
 The Church remembers this teaching, and every day 
 in offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, she prays 
 for the faithful departed, including those whom the 
 living have already forgotten. "Mercifully remem- 
 ber, O Lord," prays the Church through her priests 
 at the altar, "remember the souls of Thy servants 
 who have gone before us with the sign of faith and 
 repose with Christ in peace, and grant to all an 
 abode of refreshment, the beatitude of rest, and the 
 brightness of light." 
 
 *II Machabees xii, 45. 
 2 II Machabees xii, 46. 
 
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PEN- 
 TECOST 
 
 THE TRIBUTE TO CAESAR 
 
 "At that time, the Pharisees went and consulted among 
 themselves how to ensnare Jesus in His speech. And they 
 send to Him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, 
 Master, we know that Thou art a true speaker, and teachest 
 the way of God in truth, neither carest Thou for any man, 
 for Thou dost not regard the person of men. Tell us there- 
 fore, what dost Thou think? Is it lawful to give tribute 
 to Caesar, or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said, 
 Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the coin 
 of the tribute. And they offered Him a penny. And Jesus 
 saith to them, Whose image and superscription is this? 
 They say to Him, Caesar's. Then He saith to them, Ren- 
 der therefore to Caesar, the things that are Caesar's, and to 
 God, the things that are God's." Matthew xxii, 15-21. 
 
 THE snare set by the Pharisees to entrap Jesus 
 was cunningly planned. They thought that if 
 Jesus recommended the payment of tribute 
 to the Romans, He would bring down on Himself 
 the anger of the people, who hated the invading 
 oppressor. If, on the other hand, He forbade pay- 
 ment, the partisans of Herod would be quick to 
 rise up against Him. Eternal Wisdom, however, 
 sees through the plots of men. Jesus first unmasked 
 their hypocrisy; then He confused and confounded 
 them. "Knowing their wickedness, He said, 'Why 
 
 202 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 203 
 
 do you tempt Me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the coin 
 of the tribute.' And they offered Him a penny." * 
 The coin, similar to those which may be seen now in 
 museums, bore the effigy of the Roman emperor with 
 the inscription, "Augustus Tiberius Caesar." "Jesus 
 saith to them, 'Whose image and inscription is this ?' 
 They say to Him, 'Caesar's/ Then He saith to them, 
 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are 
 Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's.' " 2 
 Tertullian succinctly comments on this answer of 
 Jesus, "Render the gold to Caesar, the heart to 
 God." 
 
 It is necessary not only to acknowledge the sov- 
 ereignty of God, but also to submit willingly to the 
 will of God. This voluntary submission is indicated 
 in the Old Testament by the sacrifice of lambs and 
 other animals, which typified the supreme dominion 
 of the Creator over life and death. But Jesus does 
 not wish the blood of sacrificial victims. He wishes 
 the souls of men. When He entered the Holy City, 
 He was not accompanied in His triumph by the mili- 
 tary escort of a conqueror; He entered amid the 
 loving smiles of happy children strewing flowers in 
 His pathway and waving olive branches in glad 
 acclaim. 
 
 Jesus is the King of love. He wishes dominion 
 over the hearts and souls of men. And yet men hate 
 this King of love, this King Who has loved them 
 even unto the death on the cross. They should re- 
 member, however, that some day mercy will end and 
 justice shall begin. 
 
 Matthew xxii, 18, 19. 
 2 Matthew xxii, 20, 21. 
 
204 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 On the morning of the day on which Christ was 
 crucified, the leaders of the chosen people were 
 assembled before the Antonian tower, from which 
 Pilate had harangued the mob. The Jews resented 
 what Pilate said to them about Jesus, " 'Behold your 
 King,' " 1 and they had cried out, " 'Away with Him, 
 crucify Him ... we have no king but Caesar.' " 2 
 " 'His blood be upon us and upon our children.' " 3 
 And their defiance merited a terrible retribution. 
 The yoke of Rome and the armies of Titus were the 
 answers of God to punish the Jewish nation in the 
 most awful siege which history records. Eleven hun- 
 dred thousand Jews perished in the fall of Jerusa- 
 lem, and ninety-seven thousand were condemned to 
 slavery and dispersion. 
 
 And now many of the Christian nations have 
 experienced something of divine retribution, and 
 society is inviting still more frightful punishment by 
 its continued and increasing apostasy. Grant that 
 every wandering soul, that every wandering nation, 
 may return to Jesus to offer a tribute of love, instead 
 of one day paying a tribute of justice. 
 
 To the One, Only, Immortal God, be always 
 honor and glory in time and in eternity. 
 
 Mohn xix, 14. 
 2 John xix, 14, 15. 
 "Matthew xxvii, 25. 
 
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTE- 
 COST 
 
 THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRVS 
 
 "At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, 
 behold a certain ruler came up, and adored Him, saying, 
 Lord, my daughter is even now dead ; but come lay Thy hand 
 upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus, rising up, followed 
 him with His disciples. And behold a woman, who was 
 troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind 
 Him, and touched the hem of His garment. For she said 
 within herself, If I shall touch only His garment, I shall 
 be healed. But Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Be of 
 good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And 
 the woman was made whole from that hour. And when 
 Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the 
 minstrels and the multitude making a tumult, He said, Give 
 place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they 
 laughed Him to scorn. And when the multitude was put 
 forth, He went in, and took her by the hand. And the 
 maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that 
 country." Matthew ix, 18-26. 
 
 WE learn more details of the miracle which 
 Jesus performed when He raised to life 
 the daughter of the ruler from the Gospels 
 of Saint Mark and Saint Luke. The dead child was 
 twelve years of age. Her father was the head of one 
 of the synagogues of Capharnaum and was called 
 Jairus. When our Lord entered into the house of the 
 
 205 
 
206 THE WORD OF GOD 
 
 ruler, the courtyard was thronged with a crowd of 
 people who were indulging in most noisy demonstra- 
 tions. Hired mourners were wailing and minstrels 
 were playing sad melodies, without any indication, 
 however, of genuine grief. 
 
 Let us enter with Jesus, and approach the body of 
 the dead girl. What a thing is life ! What a terrible 
 thing is death ! 
 
 Life is as a light cloud veiling for a moment the 
 sky of summer and dissolved in a moment by the 
 sun. Death certainly comes quickly. As the years 
 which have gone by have melted away in the past, 
 so will vanish also the fleeting years which remain. 
 It makes no difference if we delude ourselves 
 that the road on which we are advancing does not 
 seem to have an end, we shall find some day, and 
 possibly some day soon, that the end has come 
 abruptly. 
 
 Even the pagans considered the truth, the bitter, 
 inflexible, unfailing truth, that all must die. "The 
 whole life of a philosopher/ 1 says Cicero in his Tus- 
 culan Disputations, "is a consideration of death." 
 Youth, passions, smiles, shall all fade away and dis- 
 appear. 
 
 When Saint Sylvester, who was a knight of noble 
 blood, gazed into the coffin of a friend and meditated 
 on the appearance of the cold, inanimate form of 
 him who but a short time before was the idol of all 
 his companions, Sylvester received a striking lesson. 
 In the silence of his soul he seemed to hear a voice, 
 "He has been what you are now; soon you will be 
 as you see him in death." Sylvester learned the les- 
 son of the shallowness of human achievement and 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 207 
 
 the vanity of worldly honors. He changed his life, 
 fled into solitude and became a saint. 
 
 The last chapter of the inspired book of Ecclesi- 
 astes has this grave warning: "Remember thy Cre- 
 ator in the days of thy youth, before the time of 
 affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which 
 thou shalt say: 'They please me not.' . . . And the 
 dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the 
 spirit return to God, who gave it. Vanity of vani- 
 ties, and all things are vanity. . . . Fear God, and 
 keep His commandments, for this is all man." * 
 
 These thoughts should not make us sad, because 
 to the true Christian the thought of death is not a 
 bitter one. Jesus has made it easy for us to die by 
 His own death on the cross. The Christian soul 
 looks forward to the loosening of earthly bonds and 
 the union with Jesus in Heaven. Saint Francis 
 called death his sister. Saint Ambrose wrote a book 
 on the blessings of death, and he ended it with this 
 cry: "Let us hasten to life!" 
 
 During our term of exile, Jesus often approaches 
 us. We are permitted to do more than to touch the 
 hem of His garment, more than to press Him by the 
 hand, for in Holy Communion we possess Him en- 
 tirely. And we have that most consoling of all His 
 promises: "He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh 
 My blood, hath everlasting life : and I will raise him 
 up in the last day." * 
 
 x Ecclesiastes xii. 
 2 John vi, 55. 
 
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PEN- 
 TECOST 
 
 THE GENERAL JUDGMENT 
 
 "At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, When you 
 shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of 
 by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place; (he that 
 readeth, let him understand) : then they that are in Judea, 
 let them flee to the mountains ; and he that is on the house- 
 top, let him not come down to take anything out of his 
 house; and he that is in the field, let him not go back to 
 take his coat. And woe to them that are with child, and 
 that give suck, in those days. But pray that your flight be 
 not in the winter, or on the Sabbath (because the law for- 
 bade traveling on the Sabbath) : for there shall be then great 
 tribulation, such as has not been found from the beginning 
 of the world until now, neither shall be: and unless those 
 days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for 
 the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened. Then 
 if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; 
 do not believe him. For there shall arrive false Christs and 
 false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, inso- 
 much as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold, I 
 have told it to you beforehand: if they therefore shall say 
 to you, Behold, He is in the desert, go ye not out; behold, 
 He is in the closets, believe it not. For as lightning cometh 
 out of the east, and appeareth even into the west, so shall 
 also the coming of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the 
 body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. 
 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the 
 
 208 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 209 
 
 sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 
 and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of 
 heaven shall be moved; and then shall appear the sign of 
 the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the 
 earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in 
 the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty: and He 
 shall send His angels with a trumpet and a great voice and 
 they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, 
 from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds 
 of them. And from the fig-tree learn a parable: when the 
 branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves comes forth, 
 you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall 
 see all these things, know ye that it is nigh even at the doors. 
 Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass till 
 all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, 
 but My words shall not pass away/' Matthew xxiv, 15-35. 
 
 JESUS refers to the fall of Jerusalem and to the 
 destruction of the temple. He is speaking to 
 the people who are about to commit the greatest 
 sin possible, the sin of deicide, the murder of God. 
 In punishment of this crime, the Jewish people are to 
 be the victims of the most atrocious tragedy which 
 the annals of antiquity record. One million, one hun- 
 dred thousand of them are to be slaughtered, struck 
 down by fire or famine, or by the weapons of the 
 merciless legions of Rome. "No other city," exclaims 
 Josephus Flavius, the historian of the epoch, "no 
 other city ever suffered such tribulation." And yet 
 the destruction of Jerusalem with all its horror 
 appears to the Saviour as but a pale picture com- 
 pared with the destruction which will take place at 
 the end of the world. In order that every Christian 
 may meditate on the end of human destiny, on the 
 
210 THE. WORD OF GOD 
 
 terrible judgment by God, the Church enjoins the 
 consideration of this Gospel on the last Sunday of 
 the ecclesiastical year. 
 
 With the rapidity of lightning, in the heights of 
 infinite space will gleam the Cross resplendent, and 
 in the midst of a host of angels Christ in all His 
 majesty will appear triumphant. The immense mul- 
 titude of the dead will rise from their graves. O 
 awful day of wrath and condemnation ! 
 
 In an instant, thou shalt be judged. Thy con- 
 science, sinful man, thy implacable, unforgetting con- 
 science, will tell thy story to God. There will be no 
 need of witnesses. "I am the Judge and the Wit- 
 ness,' saith the Lord." * 
 
 Then the whole phalanx of the enemies of God 
 will beat their breasts, and will break out in that 
 heartrending cry of which the Scripture speaks: 
 11 'We have erred.' " 2 "And they shall say to the 
 mountains, 'Cover us,' and to the hills, 'Fall upon 
 us,' " 3 because they cannot endure the gaze of their 
 Victim Who has now become their Judge. Their 
 cries will, however, be unavailing, for on that dread 
 day all reasons for mercy will have become motives 
 for justice. 
 
 The infinite goodness of God, the tenderness of 
 His inspirations, the gentle insistence of His calls, 
 will be but additional reasons which aggravate, O 
 sinner, the weight and the punishment of thy 
 offences. Chirst died to save thee, but thou hast 
 damned thyself. The death of Christ will be thy 
 condemnation. "The very nails," exclaims Saint 
 
 ^Jeremias xxix, 23. 
 2 Wisdom v, 6. 
 *Osee x, 8. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD 211 
 
 John Chrysostom, "will then speak. The wounds of 
 Christ will accuse thee, the cross of Christ will rise 
 against thee." 
 
 He Who will come to judge thee is the King of 
 Kings. At the moment Christ was condemned to 
 death, standing with sublime majesty before the 
 great ones of His nation, He told them that here- 
 after they would "see the Son of man sitting on the 
 right hand of the power of God and coming in the 
 clouds of Heaven." * This solemn warning echoes 
 down through all the centuries and is irrevocable in 
 eternity. 
 
 At the present time, no one is more despised than 
 Jesus. He is outraged constantly and apparently 
 with impunity. Nothing is more awful than such a 
 blindness. Meditate, Christian soul, on the ap- 
 proaching judgment of God. The years are passing 
 quickly, and the time of thy earthly probation is 
 nearing the end. Think of thy soul. 
 
 x Matthew xxvii, 64. 
 
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