unto him. And they brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, who, though condemned by strict justice, was absolved by the sweetness of his mercy. Pharisaic craft had reckoned on ensnaring Christ, and lowering him in the eyes of the people, by exhibiting him as either harsh, or disregarding the law. For if he had condemned the accused woman, in obedience to the law of Moses, they would have charged him with cruelty, and taunted him with forgetting to show that mercy which he was continually preaching; and would thus have rendered him odious to the people by whom he was beloved. If, on the contrary, he had forbidden them to stone the adulteress, from a love of clemency, they would have accused him of being an enemy to the law and of encouraging crime. But he, the true Wisdom, broke the snares of these wicked men like the threads of a spider's web, in virtue of his supreme authority. He said unto them: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." In the first part of the sentence, we discover the feeling of a compassionate observer; in the second, the sentence of a just judge. Stooping down, he wrote on the ground with his finger, and his word, as a twoedged sword, pierced the conscience of these insidious men: thus he completely satisfied the severity of justice and the gentleness of mercy. At last these crafty questioners, struck with shame at the equity of the sentence pronounced, left the adulterous woman, and, beginning at the eldest, went out one by one. Then the Supreme Judge kindly lifted up the accused woman, thus left alone with him: "Go," he said unto her, "and sin no more. how his mercy pardons past sins, while his justice forbids the presumption of sinning any more.1 See In the treasury, Jesus spake unto them of his being the true light of the world, expatiated on the nature of liberty, on his own exaltation, on the servitude of sin, and on falsehood and truth. The enraged Jews, in answer to the blessed words of Christ, replied: "Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil." Notwithstanding, however, their injurious language, he replied with patience, instructed them with humility, and taught the knowledge of divine things to those who were to be saved. But they, becoming infuriated, 1 John viii. 1—11. D collected stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.1 CH. X. The pool of Siloam-The transfiguration. As he passed by, seeing a man which was blind from his birth, he spat on the ground, and making clay of the spittle, anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said unto him: "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing. This was done on a sabbath-day; and in consequence, a great division arose among the Jews. The man whose eyes were opened was cast out of the synagogue, because he bare witness to him from whom he had received his sight; but was afterwards recognized and received by him whom he loved with so much reason. Then Jesus related to them the parable of the door of the sheepfold, of the shepherd and his flock, and of the good pastor and the hireling. Many of the Jews received his words; but a great number, on the contrary, lightly rejected them." Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon; where a woman of Canaan earnestly entreated him that he would heal her daughter, who was grievously vexed with a devil. His disciples besought him [to send her away]; but, after some hesitation, he granted her prayer, and having commended the faith and humility of the mother, freed the daughter from the power of the demon.3 And departing from the coasts of Tyre, the chief city of the Canaanites, he came by Sidon, a town of Phoenicia, unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. He there took aside from the multitude one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech, and, putting his fingers into his ears, he spat, and touched his tongue, and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said unto him: Ephphatha," that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And those who were witnesses of this miracle were astonished, saying: "He hath done all things 66 1 John viii. 12-59. 2 John ix.; x. 1—21. 3 Matt. xv. 21-28; Mark vii. 24-30. well; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak." see.2 Jesus came nigh unto the sea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain, and taught the great multitudes that came unto him. And they cast at Jesus' feet those that were dumb, lame, blind, maimed, and many others, and he healed them; insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind In the same manner the Lord works spiritually in his holy church, and by his grace a multitude of sinners are saved every day. The dumb are those who refuse to sing praises to the Lord, and who do not confess a belief in him. The blind are those who do not understand, although they obey. The deaf are those who will not obey, even though they understand. The lame are those who neglect to fulfil the divine precepts, and walk through the devious paths of wickedness. Such are the men who are healed every day by the grace of God, and are guided into the way that leads to life eternal. Those who feared the Lord, and were eyewitnesses of these corporeal signs, magnified the King of sabaoth with joy. Now also the faithful rejoice in the conversion of sinners, and devoutly glorify the Lord God of Israel, who doeth all good things. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said: "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way." He then commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and taking seven loaves and a few little fishes, gave thanks, brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled; and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala or Dalmanutha, in the neighbourhood of Gennesareth. Here the Sadducees and the Pharisees, tempting him, desired that he would shew them a sign from heaven, for they made light of the great miracle he had performed in feeding four thousand men with seven loaves, and filling 1 Mark vii. 31-37. 2 Matt. xv. 29-31. seven baskets with the fragments that remained. But he reproved their insolence; and refusing to give them any other sign than that of the prophet Jonas, left them, and entering into the ship again, departed to the other side.1 66 At Bethsaida, they besought him to touch a blind man. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he said: “Î see men as trees walking." Jesus put his hands again upon his eyes, and he was restored, and began to see every thing clearly. Our Lord then said to him: "Go unto thine house; and if thou enter the town, thou shalt not tell it to any one.' 12 And Jesus went out, and came into the towns of Cæsarea Philippi; and by the way he asked his disciples what men thought concerning him? And they answered: "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets." He saith unto them: But whom say ye that I am ?" And Simon Peter answered and said: "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said unto him: “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto 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 unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." He then charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter, taking him aside, from excessive love began to rebuke him, saying: "Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee." But he turned, and said unto 1 Matt. xv. 32-39; xvi. 1-4; Mark viii. 1—13. 2 Mark viii, 22-26. We read in St. Mark: "And he sent him away to his house, saying, 'Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."" Peter: "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." After the Lord had shown to his disciples the mystery of his passion and resurrection, he exhorted them, as well as the people, to follow the example of his passion, and promised them the reward provided for those who suffer.1 After six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment became as white as snow. And there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking with him; and, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said: "Arise, and be not afraid." And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." Then, in answer to their inquiry, he told them that Elias was come already; and they understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.2 On the next day, when he was come to the multitude, straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and, running to him, saluted him. Then a certain man of the company came to him, and threw himself down on his knees, saying: "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic from his infancy, and sore vexed; for ofttimes the devil hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him; and I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him." And when Jesus had commanded the sick child to be brought, while he was yet coming, the evil spirit threw him down and tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and charged him to come out of him, and to enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent 1 Matt. xvi. 13-28; Mark viii. 27-38; Luke ix. 18-27. |