quite a new thing. This was done for the sake of reaching their intelligences through their stomachs. There was scarcely any other way of doing it except by transformation. They toiled and could catch nothing. He could catch fish without hook or net, and cook it without sticks or trouble. They can now recognise their Master come to life. This was not the only thing He did to remind them of His new existence.

Apropos. It occurs to us here that our Lord wanted to show that His glorified body was not like that of Lazarus or those of the others whom He raised from the tomb. This we see in the case of Magdalen being repulsed. She might imagine Him to be the same as her brother Lazarus, who lived like an ordinary Christian. The disciples might do the same if He did not stand in their midst unexpectedly and go away without opening doors. It was His wisdom to give us this lesson.

1The fishes you have now caught.—The fish which was being roasted as they landed was not enough for them all.

2Peter.—He did not wait to dry his clothes at the fire, but went to haul the net in at once.

Great fishes, one hundred and fifty three.-Only an eyewitness could write this. A fisherman also shows his knowledge.

4 Was not broken.-The net this time was miraculously enabled to exceed its own capacity and tension. How perfect was this miracle in every way.

Dine.-Dine in the morning! It meant, take a meal. Just as mitagsessen (midday eating) the German for dinner may be applied to a meal taken at half-past eight in the evening.

; "Who art thou ?-This is the essence of simplicity and how beautiful! Some did not know how He came there. This was His first apparition in Galilee.

"Cometh. He evidently did the host on the occasion.

8Fish. He distributed the comestibles Himself.

9To His disciples.-This was the third time to many of His disciples; but it was the seventh when we count private appearances.

Paterfamilias:

Ist. Provides for the wants of his children.

2nd. Sees that they have enough.

3rd. Looks after that himself.

Peculiar miracle:

Ist. The fishes caught were enough for a town.

2nd. The one fish on the coals was strange.

3rd. Their being all dumbfounded.

15. When, therefore, they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou me 'more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed 'my lambs.

16. He saith to him again : Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love He saith to him: "Feed

thee.
my lambs.

17. He saith to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter 'was grieved because he said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep.

18. Amen, amen I say to thee: when thou wast younger, thou didst gird thyself, and didst walk where thou wouldst : but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt 'stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not.

19. And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had said this, he saith to him: 10 Follow me.

The Apparitions of Our Lord, after His Resurrection, were not casual. Each one had a great object. The first public appearance was made to verify the fact. The second, to give the power of conferring Sacraments, or what is called Jurisdiction, to which

is annexed the power of forgiving sins. This, His third Appearance to the whole College of Apostles, is to give the crowning privilege of His Life and Mission-THE SUPREMACY OF PETER. This was promised before, at the first confession of His Divinity. Peter was older than many. He always was considered as next to Our Lord. "Tell," said the Angels at the tomb, "the disciples and Peter." Notwithstanding the denial, he had a special apparition of Our Lord for himself, S. Luke tells us.

Now comes the moment when these peculiar pre-eminences which belonged to him indisputably, for such a length of time, should be consolidated into one strong living fact. Our Lord's preparations, whether of people's minds or dispositions must end in a dogmatic fact. We have seen this in the case of the Eucharist, Baptism, and the revelation of the Trinity.

Before the whole body Our Lord asks Peter "Lovest thou me more than these?" A foolish Protestant commentator explains it as "Dost thou love me more than thou lovest these companions of yours?" We have seen this interpretation only in one, but we fear it has been copied. No one of sense could think of Our Lord asking such a question. He asks "Dost thou love me with a greater love than all these individually and collectively have for me?"

We must now make two distinctions of loves. The Greek and Latin give them; but our English language cannot without a periphrase. The Greek Diew and Ayanaw, and the Latin Amo and diligo are perfectly distinct. The second term in both means a love of benevolence, and the first means a love of tenderness-our Love pure and simple.

It is well illustrated by S. Francis, of Sales, when he says: "A father loves his eldest son with a strong deep love, but never thinks of caressing him. He will put his youngest son upon his knee and treat him with all tenderness, anyone would think that the child was more loved than the young man ; yet the child is sent off to become a Knight of Malta and the young man becomes heir to the property."

Our Lord loved Peter with the big, strong, deep love which a father has for his first-born, but loved John with the other. Hence, when the distribution of honours comes, John is neglected and Peter gets the inheritance. It is well that John records this

and gives the incident with all his force and the deep power of his matchless simplicity.

Before Peter becomes honoured with his great charge he has to make a triple public confession of his love as an atonement for his triple denial. There is, however, a gradation in this love as there was in the other. He progressed in the denials as far as cursing and swearing that he never knew the man, he progresses here to the Piλew or amo. The idea of the Good Shepherd was given to them all, but was especially intended for Peter. Hence, it was, that Peter asked if he might pardon a man seven times, and Our Lord told him to do so seventy times seven. Love is the first disposition which a superior should have for his subjects. One who governs without having and inspiring love is no better than a jailor or a despot. This questioning of Peter then has a great significance. As an old writer remarks, ruit potestas quam non fulcit charitas.

We have then a satisfactory answering on Peter's part. To love Our Lord is to love everything belonging to Him. His lambs and His sheep are Himself in another way, for they are the members of His mystical body.

The Greek Пouny, or shepherd, is very expressive. Homer calls the king the shepherd of the people-Пouny λawv. The regal idea was always conveyed in that form. We then perceive that there is a regal title here given to Peter. It is repeated over and over again, so that its full extent may be understood. Peter has the lambs and the sheep to look after.

The gradations of this interrogatory are very nice in the Greek. Neither the Latin nor the English can render them properly. We must paraphrase them :

Ist. "Simon, son of John, dost thou regard me kindly in a higher degree than your companions do?"

"Lord, Thou knowest that I not only regard Thee kindly, but love Thee tenderly."

"Give food to my lambs."

2nd. "Simon, son of John, dost thou regard me kindly?"

"This is too hard. Thou knowest very well that I love Thee tenderly."

"Guide my sheep."

3rd. "Simon, son of John, dost thou love me tenderly ?" (mark the change in our Lord's question).

"Thou knowest all things," etc.

"Feed my sheep."

The order in the Greek, after the second answer, is: rule, lead out to the proper pasture, and preserve from evil pastures, wolves, thieves, and the rest, THE FLOCK which is entrusted to your charge. Nothing could be fuller and more emphatic in conferring the supremacy.

The texts themselves are a fair groundwork for argument; but the traditional explanation of them is what shows us their meaning.

The secret working of a great principle explains its origin by its success. We have had this supremacy always working. It began with Peter and continued through his successors. It is not used except when expedient, and does not speak except when called upon. Authority should be silent except in cases that call for its interference. Real authority loathes self-assertion; sham authority cannot bawl too loudly.

Our Lord seldom spoke in giving orders but often in advice and instruction. The Church is sometimes seven centuries without declaring anything to be of faith; but when she does declare a thing it is with an anathema. Thus then has the Supremacy gone on, keeping its peace and ours, speaking when called upon, ruling sweetly like Divine Providence itself, and reaching from end to end.

'They had dined.-That is when they had partaken of the meal for which they had assembled.

2More than these.-Maldonatus connects this question with Peter's jumping into the sea when the others came to shore in the ship. It is wisely thought, and gave rise to the preference which came. It also gives a key to the true sense of this passage.

I love thee.-This was the Piλεw as remarked already.

My lambs. This represents the Ecclesia credens.

"Thou knowest.-One commentator (out of those we have read) remarks that Peter became afraid lest some prophecy about a future denial was going to come forth.

Feed my lambs.-The Vulgate and the Recepta differ here, the former has lambs, and the latter sheep. The Greek seems preferable.

"Was grieved. He was worse now when Our Lord asked him the same question and used his own word Φιλῶ Φιλεις.