CATHOLIC BOOKWORM

GOSPEL: Luke 18:9-14. 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: Igive tithes of all that I possess. And the Publican standing afar off would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other, because everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled , and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

1. The proud Pharisee, boasting of his virtues, might at least have said: I am not as many men are. But what is the meaning of the rest of men? All other men, but himself. Indeed, to say  I am just, does it not mean that all others are sinners? I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers. And, lo, the presence of the Publican gives him an occasion of greater pride: As also this Publican. He was alone, according to his proud thoughts, and the Publican was of the rest of men. My own justice makes the difference between me and the wicked, such as he is. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess. Now it would be in vain to look in his prayer for anything he went to the temple to ask for; you will find nothing. He went up to pray;
but his prayer was not a request for anything from God, it was a glorification of himself. It was but little not to pray to God; but what do you think of his praising himself, and even despising his neighbour who did pray? And the Publican standing afar off was yet praying near to God. Conscious of his own self he kept at a distance, while his piety drew him near to God. Though the
Publican stood afar off, the Lord was at hand to hear him. For the Lord is high and looketh on the low, and the high, as was this Pharisee, He knoweth afar off
(Ps 137: 6). The proud, indeed, God knows afar off, but He does not pardon them. Consider still more the humility of the Publican. It was not only that he stood afar off, but he would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven. He looked not, that he might be looked upon. He dared not to look, forself-knowledge kept him down, but hope raised him up. Consider again how he struck his breast. He punished himself; therefore God had compassion on his confession of guilt. He struck his breast, saying: God be merciful to me a sinner. Behold him that is praying. And what are you wondering at? The sinner remembers, and God forgets!

2. After seeing the difference between the Pharisee and the Publican, let us now examine how they are judged by God Himself. The first praises himself,
thinking himself better than the rest of men; the other, in his humility, accuses himself of his sins. And what is the Judge s sentence? Amen, I say to you: this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, the Pharisee. O Lord, I ask Thee for the cause of this difference; why
did the Publican and not the Pharisee go down to his house justified? Thy answer will be: Because everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Have you heard the sentence? Then take care lest your pride be the cause of your condemnation.

3. Those who rely on their own power and make use of the language of infidels, let them consider that, when saying: God gave me my nature, but I made myself just, they are worse than this Pharisee. For, after all, this Pharisee, though praising himself,was grateful to God, since he added: God, I give Thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men. He is blamed, not for giving thanks to God, but because by his words, boasting of not being as the rest of men, he expressed the pride of his heart. Indeed, he seemed to say in as many words, that nothing could be added to his merits, and that he was asking for nothing. I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers. Does he not seem to say that he alone was just, that he was in need of nothing from God, since in his conceit he was already overwhelmed with merits and virtues? Therefore, boasting in this way he imagines himself not to be in need of God s help, and gives the lie to the Truth, saying: The life of man upon earth is a warfare (Job 7:1). O proud Pharisee, thou seemest to
say to thyself that it would be useless to ask God to forgive thy sins, for thou thinkest thyself just! Now that this man is justly condemned for thanking God in a proud manner, what shall we think of those who wickedly attack the grace of God?

4. After the justification of the Publican and the condemnation of the Pharisee, children are presented, and our Lord is asked to receive and even to touch them. Did it not become Jesus Christ, the great Physician, to touch them so as to cure them? Do not object and say that these children were not afflicted with any corporal disease; for my answer will be, that these children were in need of a Saviour, and that they were received by the Saviour who had said: The Son of Man is come to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). But how were they lost, and in what consisted their sins, since they
were innocent children? What was their sin? Listen to the Apostle saying: By one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death, and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned (Rom 5:12). Let, then, the children come; let them come and hear the Lord : Suffer children to come to Me. Let them come to the heavenly Physician, that He may touch them; let them come to the Saviour and be saved by Him. They have not sinned; yet they are
like the branches of a tree the roots of which are infected with disease. May the Lord bless the little ones and the big ones, and touch them both to cure them. We beseech you, who are grown up, to take care of the little ones ; to speak for those who are still mute; to pray for those who have but tears. Consider that, at an age when work is your duty, you must be the protectors of the little ones, and defend their cause. We were lost like them, so let us be united with them in Jesus Christ. They are less guilty than we are, but the grace of Jesus is given to all. The children have but the sin of their origin that is, the original sin; why then should those, who to this first sin have added many other sins, place obstacles to the salvation of the little ones? Is it not true that the more we advance in years the more we increase in wickedness?
However, the grace of God blots out both the sin brought with us into this world and all sin added to it; for where sin abounded, grace did more abound (Rom 5:20).

This sermon is based on Matthew 5:20-24, the Gospel reading for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost in the Extraordinary Form of the Rite.

THE QUALITIES OF TRUE CHRISTIAN RECONCILIATION.
“Leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matt. 5 : 24.

Who has given us this commandment, my beloved brethren? It is
neither Moses, nor Elias, nor any earthly law-giver or potentate who lays
down for us this doctrine ; but Jesus Christ, whom our sins have nailed to
the cross, that sovereign Judge, to whom all judgment has been given by
the Father, that Lord of lords and King of kings, who shall decide, at
last, whether we merit endless misery or perpetual happiness. It is Jesus
Christ who speaks, and he never spoke with greater authority, he never
declared his will more emphatically than in this instance, since he knew
that none but himself could oblige us to forgive and love our enemies.
When he opened his lips for his first public discourse, he gave voice to
that excellent and truly divine Sermon on the Mount, which contains the
whole summary of evangelical perfection, the law of peace and good-will
which should characterize his followers, and unite them in the golden
bonds of true fraternal charity.  “You have heard that it was said to them
of old : Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill, shall be guilty of
the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother,
shall be guilty of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother
Raca, shall be guilty of the council. And whosoever shall say : Thou fool,
shall be guilty of hell-fire. Therefore, if thou oiferest thy gift at the altar,
and there shalt remember that thy brother hath anything against thee ;
leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be reconciled to thy
brother; and then come and offer thy gift.” (Matt. 5 : 21-25.) Again he
says: “You have heard that it hath been said: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you: Love your enemies:
do good to them that hate you: pray for them that persecute and calum
niate you ; that you may be the children of your Father, who is in heaven.
. . . . For if you love those that love you, what reward shall you have?
do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren
only, what do you more ? Do not, also, the heathens the same?”
(Matt 5:43-48.) The law is plain, the commandment most express; thus
speaks Jesus to his followers : "I, your Lord and your God, the ruler of
all hearts, the supreme Law-giver of the universe, having, in my infinite
love and mercy created you and redeemed you by my precious blood, I
command you: Love your enemies,  forgive them, if they have offended you, if you wish to be my disciples ; for by this all men shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.  If you do not love your enemies, if, on the contrary, you hate them, and seek revenge upon them, you are not my disciples. If your hearts are hard, resentful, and unforgiving, it is useless for you to approach my altar, or offer to me any gift, no matter how precious. I reject your sacrifice ; your prayer is an abomination to me; my ears are shut against it. I have no blessing, no grace for the man who hates his neighbor.

Hearken, my beloved, to the commandment of our God ! It is general, and suffers no exception whatsoever. Many, however, deceive themselves in its practice; they imagine themselves reconciled to their enemies, yet, all the while, they bear about with them the poisoned arrow of resentment which rankles in the heart, and makes it continually bleed afresh. Whence comes this, my brethren ? Ah ! that is the very question I am about to solve to-day, confining myself strictly, to the interpretation of my text. If we would be truly reconciled to our enemies, what qualities must our reconciliation possess, in order to correspond with the spirit of peace and Christian love? The answer is contained in the explicit words of Christ: “Leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be reconciled to thy brother ; and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5 : 24.)

1.  Our reconciliation will cost us some trouble : LEAVE THY GIFT,… AND GO.
2.  Our reconciliation must be prompt: “FIRST GO.”  And
3.  Our reconciliation must be sincere and universal: “BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER.”

1.  A reconciliation, my dear brethren, is always a painful task ; but, though it may be repugnant to flesh and blood, though it may cost a great deal of self-denial, though our pride and our self-love be bitterly opposed to it, it must be done, for Christ says: “Go!”  Many may contend, in reply: “But, Father, to pardon injuries, to forgive offences, to be reconciled to one’s enemies, to love them that hate us, is very hard nay, it is an impossibility.”   I do not deny, my beloved children, that the practice of Christian forgiveness is difficult, and, in fact, harder than anything else.  I remember what a certain holy martyr said, when his executioners demanded of him a miracle: “I love you, my murderers, as my brothers.  Do you require a greater miracle of me than this?”  The pardon of injuries and offences, the love of enemies, is a virtue which, although rare among Christians, is absolutely necessary for salvation. You may repeat, again and again: “It is impossible to human nature to love those that hate us.”  If it were impossible, Christ would not have commanded it; since the Council of Trent says, that God does not command impossibilities, and the Sacred Scriptures repeatedly exhort us to keep the commandments; therefore, with God s grace, we can keep them, because we
can do all things in him that strengthens us. Christ inculcated the love of enemies on every occasion, not only by his word, but, also, by his own divine example, his whole life being a continual exercise of fraternal charity.  It was his love for his enemies that brought him down from heaven, and led him to endure the greatest hardships, humiliations, and sufferings. All the base treatment he received from the Jews, could not hinder him from spending three whole years among them, in continual endeavors to convert them, and procure their everlasting happiness. He healed their sick, he cleansed their lepers, he cast out their devils, and performed, in short, all kinds of miracles, during that time, for the sake of a people, the most ungrateful that ever trod the face of the earth, a people who, he foresaw, would repay all his loving bounty and benefits by putting him, in the end, to a most ignominous death. And, O my brethren, at his Last Supper, when the hour of his cruel Passion was at hand, did he not prostrate himself before Judas, the infamous traitor, and there, with the most amazing humility and meekness, wash and wipe his vile feet as lovingly and tenderly as though he were one of his best and truest friends?  If we follow him, in spirit, to Mount Calvary, and behold him barbarously nailed to the Cross, we shall find him, in the very freshness of his bleeding wounds and painful agony, forgetful of himself, and, with his first words upon the cruel Tree, imploring mercy and pardon for his murderers: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23 : 34.)

Will you, then, say, my brethren, that it is impossible for you to love your enemies? Did Christ promise heaven to cowards? Does not the kingdom of heaven suffer violence, and do not the violent that is, the brave, bear it away? If it is painful to flesh and blood to love our enemies, why do we not do violence to flesh and blood ? Is it not the narrow way that leads to life? It is difficult to love an enemy, you say. But why? Because you have been offended? If, on the other hand, you were the offender, would you not speak otherwise? Would you not praise the wisdom of the Law-giver who has commanded the pardon of injuries? You still persist in saying: “It is hard; nature revolts against it.” That is very true; corrupt nature is opposed to it; but, blessed be God ! his grace can do what nature cannot; his grace can achieve the noblest of ail victories.  “Love,”  says A Kempis, “performs and effects many things, where he that loves not, faints, and lies down.”  (Lib. 3 : cap. 5.) The Lord has promised us his help; the Lord will grant it; he commands no impossibility. After this, will you again say, my dear Christians, that it is too hard nay, that it is impossible to pardon injuries? Say, rather, that it is too hard nay, that it is impossible to obtain the pardon of your sins from God. For, under such circumstances, when you recite the Lord’s Prayer, you cry out, virtually, to God instead of: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us.”  “O Lord, do not forgive me my sins, for I can never bring myself to forgive those who sin against me!”

We must reconcile ourselves to our brethren before offering our gifts at
the altar, not only interiorly, but, also, exteriorly, for our Blessed Lord
says: “Leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be reconciled
to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Go, leave the sanctuary,
seek thy brother, give him the kiss of peace, before you come to my ban
quet; let your tongue pronounce the words of reconciliation, before it
becomes the resting-place of my Body, before it imbrues itself with my
precious Blood.”

Now, if God required only the forgiveness of the heart that is, interior
forgiveness, you might forgive your enemy without actually seeking his presence. But, no, says the Lord, that is not enough ; your enemy must know
that you have forgiven him that you are reconciled to him ; you must, therefore, first go to him, and give him external tokens of your friendship.
On this account, as I have said, my dear brethren, a reconciliation, between enemies, is always a difficult and painful piece of work.

2.  Our reconciliation must be prompt. If you be already at the altar, and about to lay your gift upon it, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, what does the Lord say you are to do?  “First go to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”  Obedience is better than sacrifice; obedience to the command of God is of more worth to him than any other gift you could offer. The first and most acceptable sacrifice, in the eyes of God, is a reconciliation with your enemy, without which you cannot hope for any blessing or grace. If we should have all faith, so that we could move mountains, if we should distribute all our goods to feed the poor, and if we should chastise our bodies seven times a day, and deliver them to be burned, if our virtues should be a continual source of edification to our neighbors, and if, as missionaries to the ends of the earth, we should have made known the name of God to all mankind, and converted millions of souls, if, with all this, we deliberately entertain hatred in our own hearts against any one of our fellowmen, and refuse to be reconciled to him, the whole of our good works, our prayers, fasts, and alms-deeds, will be rejected by God, and avail us naught to salvation. He exclaims to us, as it were, from his throne upon our altars: “First go to be reconciled, go without delay, make peace with your brother, and then come and offer thy gift. And, unless you do so at once, the prayer out of your mouth, the gift out of your hand, will not please me, and you cannot hope, O sinner ! for mercy or pardon from me!”

If any of you, my brethren, have, at present, the misfortune to live in enmity with one of your fellow-men, the affair of reconciliation must be your first, and most important, business. The sun must not go down upon your anger. But, alas! what do people generally say when they have been offended?  “I will forgive, but not at present; I cannot do it just now; the offence is too great, the wound too recent, the heart still bleeds under the blow!”   Ah! who can hear such language without shuddering! How will it be possible to forgive, after time has deepened and aggravated the wound? You will consent to live on in the displeasure of God, and thus wilfully expose yourself to the danger of being eternally lost?  Who has assured you that the time which you propose to yourself will ever be granted to you?  “He who has promised pardon to the penitent, has not promised a to-morrow to the sinner,” says the great St. Augustine.  What ifyou should be suddenly snatched away? If death should cut short the thread of your life before the work of reconciliation is accomplished, what would be the result? You will forgive after a while? Why not now? Your heart becomes harder, the wound deeper, and the reconciliation more difficult, every day. Or will you say, it is good to make my enemy feel his fault, before I forgive him ? Does God deal with you in this manner? He forgives you as soon as you prostrate yourself before him, and
ask his pardon; and yet, you, a poor worm of the earth, postpone reconciliation from day to day, in order to make your enemy sensible of his
fault! God forgives you innumerable sins of malice, and you refuse to pardon an offence from your brother, arising very often from frailty or thoughtlessness, rather, than from any deliberate intention to offend. Oh,
enter into yourself, poor, deluded sinner, I implore you, that you may discover the dangers and risks to which your eternal salvation is exposed, that you may see clearly the gross inconsistency and injustice of your conduct! Make haste to be reconciled to your brother.

3.  Our reconciliation must be sincere and universal.

(a).  Sincere, without any mental reservation; without dissembling; it must be manifested, not by words alone, but, also, by exterior tokens and signs. We must give our offending brother the kiss of peace, but, look well to it, dear Christians, that it be not the kiss of Judas. We must wish him no evil, but, on the contrary, render to him good for evil. This is the kind of reconciliation our Lord requires of us, when he says: “First go to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”  Does he not thereby give us to understand that our heart must be free from every kind of dissembling, and must bear testimony to itself that Christian love and peace are once more restored between us and our brother, and that he no longer cherishes any grudge or resentment against us; that we love each other, in fine, as if nothing had ever happened to disturb the harmony of our friendship. Now, let us look at the conduct of the generality of Christians, and see how they act in this matter. They will tell you, perhaps, that they are reconciled to their enemies, that they have pardoned all the injuries received, but if such a one has forgiven his brother from his heart, why does he experience the keenest pain when he hears him praised? Why does he expose his faults? Why rejoice when a misfortune or evil befalls him? Why, (I ask that false friend,) why do you
complain of your former enemy, on the slightest pretext, and make little of
him in your circle of acquaintances, though you declare, at the same time,
that you have forgiven him? Can we call such conduct as this, sincere
forgiveness ? You say, I will forgive him the injury he has done me, but I cannot forget it. This, also, is not sincere forgiveness. You say, I forgive, yet the gall of hatred and aversion still remains in your heart, and you become
angry as soon as you see him; what sort of forgiveness is this? You say, we are friends again, I have sworn him eternalfriendship, ah! rather say, eternal hatred. Your dark scowl, your lowering countenance, your ill-concealed aversion and repugnance to his society, all are sufficient to convince the most casual observer that you are not sincerely reconciled to your enemy, that the fire is still lurking under the ashes, ready to flash forth in full blaze upon the first occasion.

(b).  Lastly, my dear brethren, our reconciliation must be universal; that is to say, we must become reconciled to every one who has offended us, no matter who he may be; and, for this reason, Jesus calls such a one, our brother.  “If thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there shalt remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”  As if our blessed Lord would say: “If it is hard to flesh and blood to forgive one’s enemy, do not regard your offender as art enemy, but as your brother; he, like you, is a child of your heavenly Father, a disciple of mine, redeemed (as you were) by my own most precious Blood, and destined (as you are) to inherit the same divine, everlasting Kingdom, in short, he is your brother. Need I say more, in order to move you to mercy and forgiveness? Have you living hearts of flesh, or hearts of senseless stone? Joseph, the son of Jacob, hearing, in his Egyptian exile, the mere mention of the name of brother, bursts into tears, and bids the trembling brothers, who had so deeply wronged him in the past, arise from their knees. Kissing them fondly, he says, in kindest tones: “Fear not. I shall think no more of the injury you have done
me. You are my brothers, that is enough; all shall be forgiven and for
gotten in that one sweet name!”

O my dear Christians, considering this beautiful example of fraternal charity, will you not now understand more clearly the significance of those words of Christ: “First go to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift”?   That you may the better comprehend the importance of this commandment, and how strictly the Church, at all times, has obliged her children to its performance, I will remind you of the practice of the primitive Christians. In the early ages of the Church, when the congregation was assembled at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, when the divine Lamb had been offered to the Eternal Father, and the banquet of the holy Communion was about to be given to the faithful, a Deacon addressed the assembly, crying in a loud voice: “Whosoever has anything against his brother any ill feeling, anger, or hatred let him first go to be reconciled, before he approaches the holy Table. No angry, revengeful man can be permitted to taste the Supper in which the God of peace, love, and meekness gives himself to be our food!” After this, my beloved brethren, will you continue to entertain hatred in your hearts against any of your neighbors? Will you put off your reconciliation with him from day to day ? Will you not heed the Voice issuing from this sacred Tabernacle and saying to each one of you: “First go, to be
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer the gift of thy heart”?
Remember the words: “He that hateth his brother is a murderer,” and judgment without mercy upon him who showeth no mercy. Hence, I say to
you with St. Paul: “Put ye on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But, above all things, have charity, which is the bond of perfection.”  (Col. 3 : 12-14.)  “For the rest, brethren, rejoice; be perfect; take exhortation; be of one mind; have peace: and the God of peace and of love will be with you.” (2 Cor. 13 : n.) Amen.

The following is taken from St Ambrose’s famous Treatise De Spiritu Sancto, Book 3, Chapters 9 & 10.

Chapter IX

The Holy Spirit is rightly called the ointment of Christ, and the oil of gladness; and why. Christ Himself is not the ointment, since He was anointed with the Holy Spirit. It is not strange that the Spirit should be called Ointment, since the Father and the Son are also called Spirit. And there is no confusion between them, since Christ alone suffered death, Whose saving cross is then spoken of.

100. Now many have thought that the Holy Spirit is the ointment of Christ, And well it is said ointment, because He is called the oil of gladness, the joining together of many graces giving a sweet fragrance. But God the Almighty Father anointed Him the Prince of priests, Who was, not like others anointed in a type under the Law, but was both according to the Law anointed in the body, and in truth was full with the virtue of the Holy Spirit from the Father above the Law.

101. This is the oil of gladness, of which the prophet says: “God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.”133 Lastly, Peter says that Jesus was anointed with the Spirit, as you read: “Ye know that word which went through all Judea beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit.”134 The Holy Spirit is, then, the oil of gladness.

102. And well did he say oil of gladness, lest you should think Him a creature; for it is the nature of this sort of oil that it will by no means mingle with moisture of another kind. Gladness, too, does not anoint the body, but brightens the inmost heart, as the prophet said: “Thou hast put gladness in my heart.”135 So as he loses his pains who wishes to mix oil with moister matter, because since the nature of oil is lighter than others, when the others settle, it rises and is separated. How do those wretched pedlars think that the oil of gladness can by their tricks be mingled with other creatures, since of a truth corporeal things cannot be mingled with in corporeal, nor things created with uncreated?

102. And well is that called oil of gladness wherewith Christ was anointed; for neither was usual nor common oil to be sought for Him, wherewith either wounds are dressed or heat assuaged; since the salvation of the world did not seek alleviation for His wounds, nor the eternal might of His wearied Body demand refreshment.

103. Nor is it wonderful if He have the oil of gladness, Who made those about to die rejoice, put off sadness from the world, destroyed the odour of sorrowful death. And so the Apostle says: “For we are the good odour of Christ to God;”136 certainly showing that he is speaking of spiritual things. But when the Son of God Himself says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me,”137 He points out the ointment of the Spirit. Therefore the Spirit is the ointment of Christ.

104. Or since the Name of Jesus is as ointment poured out, if they wish to understand Christ Himself, and not the Spirit of Christ to be expressed under the name of ointment, certainly when the Apostle Peter says that the Lord Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, it is without doubt plain that the Spirit also is called ointment.

105. But what wonder, since both the Father and the Son are said to be Spirit. Of which we shall speak more fully when we begin to speak of the Unity of the Name. Yet since most suitable place occurs here, that we may not seem to have passed on without a conclusion, let them read that both the Father is called Spirit, as the Lord said in the Gospel, “for God is Spirit;”138 and Christ is called Spirit, for Jeremiah said: “The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord.”139

106. So, then, both the Father is Spirit and Christ is Spirit, for that which is not a created body is spirit, but the Holy Spirit is not commingled with the Father and the Son, but is distinct from the Father and from the Son. For the Holy Spirit did not die, Who could not die because He had not taken flesh upon Him, and the eternal Godhead was incapable of dying, but Christ died according to the flesh.

107. For of a truth He died in that which He took of the Virgin, not in that which He had of the Father, for Christ died in that nature in which He was crucified. But the Holy Spirit could not be crucified, Who had not flesh and bones, but the Son of God was crucified, Who took flesh and bones, that on that cross the temptations of our flesh might die. For He took on Him that which He was not that He might hide that which He was; He hid that which He was that He might be tempted in it, and that which He was not might be redeemed, in order that He might call us by means of that which He was not to that which He was.

108. O the divine mystery of that cross, on which weakness hangs, might is free, vices are nailed, and triumphal trophies raised. So that a certain saint said: “Pierce my flesh with nails for fear of Thee;”140 he says not with nails of iron, but of fear and faith. For the bonds of virtue are stronger than those of punishment. Lastly, his faith bound Peter, when he had followed the Lord as far as the hall of the high priest, whom no one had bound, and punishment loosened not him, whom faith bound. Again, when he was bound by the Jews, prayer loosed him, punishment did not hold him, because he had not gone back from Christ.

109. Therefore do you also crucify sin, that you may die to sin; he who dies to sin lives to God; do you live to Him Who spared not His own Son, that in His body He might crucify our passions. For Christ died for us, that we might live in His revived Body. Therefore not our life but our guilt died in Him, “Who,” it is said, “bare our sins in His own Body on the tree; that being set free from our sins we might live in righteousness, by the wound of Whose stripes we are healed.”141

110. That wood of the cross is, then, as it were a kind of ship of our salvation, our passage, not a punishment, for there is no other salvation but the passage of eternal salvation. Whilst expecting death I do not feel it; whilst thinking little of punishment I do not suffer; whilst careless of fear I know it not.

111. Who, then, is He by the wound of Whose stripes we are healed but Christ the Lord? of Whom the same Isaiah prophesied His stripes were our healing,142 of Whom Paul the Apostle wrote in his epistle: “Who knew no sin, but was made sin for us.”143 This. indeed, was divine in Him, that His Flesh did no sin, nor did the creature of the body take in Him sin. For what wonder would it be if the Godhead alone sinned not, seeing It had no incentives to sin? But if God alone is free from sin, certainly every creature by its own nature can be, as we have said, liable to sin.

Chapter X.
That the Spirit forgives sin is common to Him with the Father and the Son, but not with the Angels.

112. Tell me, then, whoever you are who deny the Godhead of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit could not be liable to sin, Who rather forgives sin. Does an Angel forgive? Does an Archangel? Certainly not, but the Father alone, the Son alone, and the Holy Spirit alone. Now no one is unable to avoid that which he has power to forgive.

113. But perhaps some one will say that the Seraph said to Isaiah: “Behold, this hath touched thy lips, and shall take away thine iniquities, and purge away thy sins.”144 Shall take away, he says, and shall purge, not I will take away, but that fire from the altar of God, that is, the grace of the Spirit. For what else can we piously understand to be on the altar of God but the grace of the Spirit? Certainly not the wood of the forests, nor the soot and coals. Or what is so in accordance with piety as to understand according to the mystery that it was revealed by the mouth of Isaiah that all men should be cleansed by the passion of Christ, Who as a coal according to the flesh burnt up our sins, as you read in Zechariah: “Is not this a brand cast forth from the fire? And that was Joshua clothed in filthy garments.”145

114. Lastly, that we may know that this mystery of the common redemption was most clearly revealed by the prophets, you have also in this place: “Lo, it hath taken away thy sins;”146 not that Christ put aside His sins Who did no sin, but that in the flesh of Christ the whole human race should be loosed from their sins.

115. But even if the Seraph had taken away sin, it would have been as one of the ministers of God appointed to this mystery. For thus said Isaiah: “For one of the Seraphim was sent to me.”147

This was originally published on my primary blog.

Over the next several days I will be posting a series of exegetical homilies from St Cyril of Alexandria on the Passion according to Luke.  This first post contains two of those homilies.  Although the title of this first post identifies the homilies as being on 22:1-16, the fact is that the first homily begins at 21:37.  The reason for this is that just as in Mark and Matthew, so too in Luke, there is a connection between Jesus’ eschatological (end time) discourse and themes in the Passion, most notably the need for vigilance and prayer; a fact clearly not lost on St Cyril.

More resources for this Palm Sunday Mass can be found here.

This Exposition is fit to be read on the Thursday of the Mystery. ⁴

21:37-22:6. And by day He was teaching in the temple, and at night He went out and abode in the mount called of Olives: and all the people came early to Him in the temple to hear Him. And the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover, and the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Him: for they feared the people. But Satan entered into Judah, surnamed Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve, and He went and spoke to the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver Him to them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money: and he promised, and sought a fitting season when he could deliver Him to them without the multitude.

THE throng of the Jews, together with their ruler, stood up against the glory of Christ, and contended with the Lord of all. But any one may perceive that it was against their own souls that they prepared their snare, for they dug for themselves pitfalls of destruction, and, as the Psalmist says, “The heathen are taken in the snare which they have made: in the trap which they have laid is their foot taken.’” For the Saviour and Lord of all, though His right hand is almighty, and His power overthrows both corruption and death, yet submitted Himself of His own accord by becoming flesh to the tasting of death for the life of all, in order that He might make corruption cease, and do away with the sin of the world, and deliver those that were under the hand of the enemy from his unendurable tyranny. But that rebellious serpent perhaps imagined that He had prevailed even over Him, in that He suffered, as I said, death in the flesh for our sakes, as the dispensation required: but the wretched being was disappointed of his expectation. |656

Let us then see how he missed his game, and shot wide of his mark, when he made Christ his prey, and delivered Him into the hands of those murderers. It says then, that “by day He taught in the temple, but lodged during the nights in the mount called of olives.” Now plainly what He taught were things which surpass the legal service: for the time had come when the shadow must be changed into the reality. And they heard Him gladly; for oftentimes they had wondered at Him, “because His word was with power.” For He did not, like one of the holy prophets, or as the hierophant Moses, call out to men, “These things says the Lord:” but as Himself being He Who of old spoke by Moses and the prophets, and the Lord of all, He transferred with godlike authority to a spiritual worship what had been prefigured in types, and the weakness of the letter: “for the law made nothing perfect.”

And He lodged during the nights, as I said, in the Mount of Olives, avoiding the uproars there were in the city, that He might in this also be a pattern to us. For it is the duty of those who would lead a life quiet and calm, and, so to speak, full of rest, to avoid as far as possible the crowd and tumult.

But let us see the course of the devil’s malice, and what was the result of his crafty designs against Him. He had then implanted in the chiefs of the synagogue of the Jews envy against Christ, which proceeded even to murder. For always, so to speak, this malady tends to the guilt of murder. Such, at least, is the natural course of this vice: so it was with Cain and Abel; so plainly it was in the case of Joseph and his brethren; and therefore the divine Paul also very clearly makes these sins neighbours, so to speak, of one another, and akin: for he spoke of some as “full of envy, murder.” They sought therefore to slay Jesus, at the instigation of Satan, who had implanted this wickedness in them, and who also was their captain in their wicked enterprises. For he is himself the inventor of murder, and the root of sin, and the fountain of all wickedness. And what was the contrivance of this many-headed serpent? “He entered, it says, into Judah Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.” Why not rather into the blessed Peter, or into James, or John, or some other of the rest of the apostles, but into Judah Iscariot? What place did Satan find in him? Of all whom we have here mentioned he could approach |657 none, because their heart was steadfast, and their love to Christ immoveable; but there was a place for him in the traitor. For the bitter malady of covetousness, which the blessed Paul says is “the root of all evil,” had overpowered him. For once also when a woman had poured ointment upon the Saviour, he alone of all rebuked her, saying, “To what purpose is this waste? For it could have been sold for much, and given to the poor.” But the wise Evangelist rose, so to speak, against his feigned words: for immediately he adds: “But this he spoke, not because he had forethought for the poor, but because he was a thief, and carried the purse, and whatever fell therein, he was the bearer of.” And Satan, being crafty in working evil, whenever he would gain possession of any man’s soul, does not attack him by means of vice generally, but searches out rather that particular passion which has power over him, and by its means makes him his prey. As he knew therefore that he was covetous, he leads him to the Pharisees and captains; and to them he promised that he would betray his teacher. And they purchase the treachery, or rather their own destruction, with sacred money. Oh! what tears could suffice, either for him who betrayed Jesus for hire, or for those who hired him, and purchased with consecrated money a guilty murder! What darkness had come upon the soul of him who received the bribe! For a little silver, he lost heaven; he missed the crown of immortality, and the desirable honour of the apostleship, and to be numbered among the twelve, to whom Christ somewhere said, “You are the light of the world.” He cared not to be a light of the world: he forgot Christ, Who says, “You who have followed Me in My temptations, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” But he wanted not to reign with Christ. What a confusion too of error blinded the mind of that covetous man! He delivered to death Him Who is greater than death. Did you not know that Lazarus was raised on the fourth day from the grave, and that at His nod the widow’s son also revived, and the daughter of the chief of the synagogue? Did you not hear Him say to the Jews concerning His body, “Destroy this temple: and in three days I will raise it up again?” Did you forget His words, “I am |658 the resurrection and the life?” What therefore was the cause of such utter frenzy? The Evangelist tells us, where he says, “Satan entered into him,” having obtained as his pathway and door the passion of avarice. And yet “the fear of God with a sufficiency is great gain:” and, as the sacred Scripture says, “We neither brought anything into the world, nor can we carry [anything] out.” And “those who seek to be rich, fall into numerous and unprofitable lusts, which sink men in pitfalls and destruction.” And of this the disciple who became a traitor is a manifest proof: for he perished for the sake of a few wretched shekels.

And what shall one say of those who hired him? That they fell into the very same pitfalls with him. Plainly they were the victims of a like intoxication, even though they had the reputation of being well acquainted with the law and the words of the holy prophets. It was their duty to have known the meaning of what had been spoken of old, as being before decreed by God concerning them. For among others are words like these, “My wrath is kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit the lambs.” For the wicked shepherds perished miserably: while the calling of those who were obedient to salvation was a kind of visitation; for a remnant of Israel was saved. And, as if already, so to speak, they had fallen into ruin and destruction, and were wailing and weeping on this account, the prophet hoard, he says, “the voice of shepherds wailing, because their might was brought low: the voice of lions roaring, because the pride of Jordan was spoiled.” He calls the lions the pride of Jordan, by whom wore figured the chiefs of the Jewish synagogue: who, in just requital of their wickedness against Christ, wailed with their fathers and children, being consumed as with fire and sword, while the temple at Jerusalem was also burnt, and the cities throughout all Judaea abandoned to utter desolation.

Such then was their fate: but Christ saves us by His merciful will; by Whom and with Whom, to God the Father, be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. |659

SERMON CXLI.

This Exposition is fit to be read on Thursday in the week of the Mystery.

22:7-16. Then came the day of unleavened bread, on which it was fitting for the passover to be sacrificed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare for us the passover, that we may eat. And they said to Him, Where will You that we prepare? And He said to them, Behold, when you have entered into the city, there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him to the house into which he enters. And say to the master of the house, The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest-chamber, where I may eat the passover with My disciples? And he will show you a large upper room, provided with couches; there make ready. And they went, and found as He said to them; and they made ready the passover. And when the time was come, He lay down to meat, and the twelve apostles with Him. And He said to them, I have desired a desire to eat this passover with you before I suffer: for 1 say to you, that henceforth I twill not eat of it, until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

THE law by its shadows prefigured from of old the mystery of Christ: and of this He is Himself the witness where He said to the Jews, “If you had believed Moses, you would have believed also Me: for he wrote concerning Me.” For everywhere He is set forth, by means of shadows and types, both as slain for us, as the Lamb without blame and true; and as sanctifying us by His life-giving blood. And we further find the words of the holy prophets in complete accordance with those of most wise Moses. But when “the fulness of time was come,” as Paul says, in which the Only-begotten Word of God was about to submit to the emptying of Himself, and to endure the birth in the flesh of a woman, and subjection also to the law, according to the measure that was fitting for human |660 nature, then He was also sacrificed for us, as the lamb without blame and true, on the fourteenth day of the first month. And this feast-time was called Phasek, a word belonging to the Hebrew language, and signifying the passing over: for so they explain it, and say that this is its meaning.

We must explain then what it is from which we pass over, and on our journey to what country, and in what manner we effect it.

As then Israel was delivered from the tyranny of the Egyptians, and having loosed its neck from the yoke of bondage, was now free; and fleeing from the violence of the tyrant passed with dry foot in a manner wonderful and beyond the power of language to describe through the midst of the sea, and journeyed onwards to the promised land: so must we too, who have accepted the salvation that is in Christ, be willing no longer to abide in our former faults, nor continue in our evil ways, but manfully cross over the sea, as it were, of the vain trouble of this world, and the tempest of affairs that is therein. We pass over therefore from the love of the flesh to temperance; from our former ignorance to the true knowledge of God; from wickedness to virtue: and in hope at least, from the blame of sin to the glories of righteousness, and from death to incorruption. The name therefore of the feast on which Emmanuel bore for us the saving cross, was the Passover.

But let us behold Him Who is the Truth still honouring the types, and Him Who was represented therein still permitting the shadows to hold good. “For when the day, it says, had come, on which it was fitting for the passover to be sacrificed, He sent to the city two men chosen from the holy apostles, Peter namely and John, saying, that there shall |661 meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him to the house into which he enters; and say to the master of the house, The Teacher says to you, where is the guest-chamber, where I may eat the passover with My disciples?” ‘But why, some one perchance may say, did He not plainly mention the man to those whom He sent? For He did not say, Having gone to such and such a person, whoever it might be, there prepare for us at his house the passover: but simply gave them a sign,—-a man bearing a pitcher of water.’ To this then what do we reply? That lo! already Judas the traitor had promised the Jews to deliver Him to them, and was continuing in His company watching for an opportunity; and while still making profession of the love that was the duty of a disciple, he had admitted Satan into his heart, and was travailing with the crime of murder against our common Saviour Christ. He gives a sign therefore, to prevent him from learning who the man was, and running to tell those who had hired him. “For there shall meet you, He says, a man carrying a pitcher of water.”

Or even perchance He so speaks signifying something mystical and necessary thereby. For whither the waters enter, even those of holy baptism, there lodges Christ. How, or in what manner? In that they free us from all impurity, and we are washed by them from the stains of sin, that we may also become a holy temple of God, and partakers of His divine nature, by participation of the Holy Spirit. In order therefore that Christ may rest and lodge in us, let us receive the saving waters, confessing moreover the faith that justifies the wicked, and raises us aloft so as for us to be accounted “an upper room.” For those in whom Christ dwells by faith have a mind raised aloft, unwilling to creep upon the dust, and refusing, so to speak, to be set upon the earth, and everywhere seeking that which is exalted in virtue. For it is written, that “the mighty ones of God are raised high above the earth.” “For here they have no abiding city, but seek that which is to come:” and while walking upon earth, their thoughts are set upon those things which are above, and “their dwelling is in heaven.” |662

We may also notice something true, but wonderful, that happens, so to speak, constantly among us: namely that those who prize their carnal life are often puffed up, and have their heart full of pride accursed and hated of God; but yet perhaps they are brought to humiliation even upon earth: while those who are poor in spirit obtain exaltation by the honour and glory which comes from God. For as the disciple of Christ writes, “Let the humble brother glory in his exaltation, but “the rich in suffering humiliation: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.” He therefore would not miss the truth, who should say that the soul of every saint is “an upper room.”

When then the disciples had prepared the passover, Christ ate it with them, being long-suffering towards the traitor, and deigning to admit him to the table from His infinite loving-kindness: for he was already a traitor, because Satan was lodging within him. And what did Christ also say to the holy apostles? “I have desired a desire to eat this passover with you.” Let us examine the deep purport of this expression: let us search out the meaning concealed therein, and what it is which the Saviour intends.

As then I have already said that covetous disciple was seeking an opportunity to betray Him: and, that he might not deliver Him to His murderers before the feast of the passover, the Saviour did not declare either the house or the person with whom He would celebrate the feast. To explain therefore to them the cause of His unwillingness openly to tell them with whom He would lodge, He says, “I have desired a desire to eat with you this passover:” apparently meaning, I have used all diligence to enable me to escape the wickedness of the traitor, that I might not endure My passion before the time.

“But I will not eat of this passover until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And in this again Christ utters a profound and mysterious truth, of which He Himself, however, reveals to us the meaning. For it is His custom to give the name of “the kingdom of heaven” to justification by faith, to the cleansing that is by holy baptism and the participation of the Holy Spirit, and to the offering of spiritual service, now rendered possible by the entering in of the gospel laws. But these things are the means of our being made partakers of the |663 promises, and of our reigning together with Christ: and therefore He says, “I will no more draw near to such a passover as this,” one namely that consisted in the typical eating,—-for a lamb of the flock was slain to be the type of the true Lamb,—-”until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God:” that is, until the time has appeared in which the kingdom of heaven is preached. For this is fulfilled in us, who honour the worship that is superior to the law, even the true passover; nor is it a lamb of the flock which sanctifies those who are in Christ, but Himself rather, being made a holy sacrifice for us, by the offering of bloodless oblations, and the mystical giving of thanks, in which we are blessed and quickened with life. For He became for us “the living bread that came down from heaven, and gives life to the world:” by Whom and with Whom to God the Father be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. |664

AS THE SPIRIT THAT GOVERNS US, SO OUR LIFE.
"Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" Act.s 19 : 2. 

By his glorious Resurrection, my beloved brethren, Jesus Christ was
given back to his disciples, whom his death on the Cross had filled with
sorrow and anguish. But he remained only for a short time visibly among
them, for, forty days after his Resurrection, when his Apostles and disciples
were assembled on Mount Olivet, he was elevated in the sight of all, and
carried up into heaven. The day of his Ascension was to them a day of
twofold and intense emotion; it was a day of joy as well as a day of sadness:
a day of joy, since on it, their Lord and Master was glorified in their sight,
and his heavenly commission confirmed in an extraordinary manner; but
it was also a day of sorrow, because in the course of it they were called to
part again so soon with him, who had been the only object of their joy and
love, of their confidence and salvation. Christ, however, had foreseen their
bitter affliction; he had foretold to them that he must leave them to return
to his Father, but he had promised them at the same time, that he would
send another Comforter, who would abide with them forever. This
promise, my dear brethren, was no less fulfilled in its turn, than were the
predictions of his Life, Death, and Resurrection; ten days after his Ascen
sion, and fifty days after his Resurrection, the promised Paraclete, the
Holy Ghost, with the fulness of all his graces, came upon the Apostles
who were awaiting him in prayer, assembled with the Blessed Mother in
the Cenacle. "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 cloven tongues, as it were of fire, and it sat upon
each of them; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost; and they began to
speak with diverse tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to
speak." (Acts 2 : 2-5.) They began to preach with such power and unction,
my brethren, that after St. Peter s first sermon, three thousand souls were
converted; and these neophytes, like the Apostles themselves, were totally
changed and reborn of the Holy Ghost, so that stripped of every attacn-
ment to the goods of this world, they belonged, with all they possessed and
were, to the Lord, and became in him, as it were, but one heart and one
soul. By the descent of the Holy Ghost upon men, the kingdom of heaven
was transplanted to the earth; and the only infallible mark by which to
determine the citizens of that kingdom was not merely some certain external
action or exercise, not merely an oral profession of faith, but solely the
Spirit whom they had received. "You believe, but have you also received
the Holy Ghost?" This was the principal question addressed to all, and
in its answer was involved the whole distinction between the Christian and
the unbeliever. 

Have you received the Holy Ghost? This is a question, my brethren,
which each one of us should frequently put to himself, especially on this
day, when we solemnly commemorate the first miraculous effusion of the
Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, and the foundation of the kingdom of God
upon earth. The consideration of this subject shall, then, appropriately
furnish the subject of our meditation, to-day. Hence, my beloved brethren,
I shall proceed to ask: What is the spirit that governs us? Is it 

I. The spirit of the world, or
II. The Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the; Son? 

I. That which enlivens the whole man, determines his actions, and is the
cause and motive of his undertakings, is what is called the spirit of man.
all depends on the character of this spirit. Where the good Spirit pre
dominates, man is good; but where the bad spirit, on the other hand, rules
and reigns, man is correspondingly bad. Hence, the spirit that governs
an immortal soul, may be either the spirit of the worldy or the Spirit of
God. The Sacred Scriptures in fact, draw a clear distinction between the
children of the world and the children of God, declaring on the authority
of the Eternal Truth, that no man can be a child of the world and a child
of God at one and the same time: "You cannot serve God: and Mammon."
"Whosoever becometh a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of Christ;"
the spirit of the world expels the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God
banishes the spirit of the world; there can be no peace, or truce, there
can be nothing in common, between them. "There are two laws in
us," says the Apostle, "the law of the spirit and the law of the members;"
and we must confess with him, my dear brethren, that these two laws are
continually waging an intestine war against each other. The flesh is fight
ing against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. Our goodness or
wickedness, dear Christians, depends on the supremacy of one or other of
these laws, so that we may justly say: "Man is such as the law is by which
he is governed." This is a very vital point; you cannot but agree with
me, that a man can ask himself no more important question than this: "By
what spirit am I governed, by the spirit of the world, or by the Spirit of
God?" Each of these spirits produces its own effects; each has certain
marks, by which it may be unerringly recognized. 

Of the spirit of the world, St. John says: "All that is in the world is the
concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of
life." According to these words, the spirit of the world manifests itself in
the individual as well as in the mass, by a triple concupiscence. This three
fold passion takes possession of all his powers and faculties, and governs
him entirely; now, by the inordinate desire of temporal goods; again, by the
lust of sensual gratifications; and still again, by the unlawful and excessive
craving and seeking for human glory. There are people, my brethren, and
alas! their name is legion, who are so mastered by the passion for tem
poral goods, that nothing can arouse them to action, or command their
persevering efforts, save the prospect of making money or accumulating
real estate. Such men do everything through a motive of self-interest.
Wealth and luxury are the treasures of their hearts, on which their affec
tions are unalterably fixed; and to these idols (which alone they adore) they
sacrifice the eternal interests of both soul and body. Men of this descrip
tion are governed by the spirit of the world; and not only have not as yet
received the Holy Ghost, but what is more, they never can receive him, so
long as they remain in this miserable state. The words of our Blessed
Lord, himself: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into heaven," are specially applicable in this
case, since those who desire to become rich, fall into temptation, and into
the snares of the devil. It is only by constant vigilance, and a spirit of
earnest detachment, that those who live in the possession of wealth can
hope to save their souls; and for this reason, St. Paul wrote of old to Tim
othy: "Charge the rich of this world not to be high-minded, nor to hope
in uncertain riches, but in the living God (who giveth us abundantly all
things to enjoy); and to do good; to be rich in good works; to -distribute
readily; to communicate to others. To lay up in store for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain true life."
(i. Tim. 6:17-20.) 

Others, caring little about riches, are bent on the gratifications of the
flesh; and imagine that they were created for no other purpose than the
enjoyment of sensual pleasure. Such unhappy creatures grovel in the
mire of impure passions, wallow, like swine, in the filth of their foul, crim
inal disorders. They forget the words and warning of the Inspired Writer
that no unclean person "hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ,
and of God, " (Ephes.5:5); and so they walk deliberately into the fire and
brimstone of eternal damnation, with that other vast throng of drunkards
and gluttons, of whom St. Paul says: "There are some whose God-is their
belly, and whose end is destruction." People of this description are ruled
by the spirit of the world. They have no spiritual discernment for higher
or holier things, and hence, the Apostle says: "The Spirit of God does not
dwell in them, because they have become flesh; and flesh has no part in
the kingdom of God." 

The third class, my dear brethren, comprises those whose whole satisfac
tion is in the good opinion of others; who, in short, "love the glory of
men more than the glory of God." (John 12:43.) Extremely delighted
with the (oftentimes false) homage of their fellow-creatures, their every
action and aim being directed towards calling forth fresh commendations,
praises and flatteries, these, my brethren, are the proud, vain, presumpt
uous, and arrogant people of whom it is written, that God resists their
prayer, while he gives grace to the humble. 

All these are ruled by the spirit of the world, and have nothing in
common with the Spirit of God. Reason, alone, should tell them, that
they are led astray by that false and sensual spirit; for, as the tree is known
by its fruits, so the spirit which rules man is clearly known by the manifest
fruits of his works. The votaries of the world are never satisfied with their
lot; on the contrary, the spirit which animates them, makes them every
day more uneasy and unhappy. "The eye is not satisfied with seeing,"
says the Wise Man, "nor is the ear filled with hearing," (Eccles. 1:8);
and the passions of these unhappy worldlings are as insatiable as they are
vile and powerful. He that has much, wishes to have more; and he that
is high, endeavors to climb still higher; and thus, those who are governed
by the spirit of the world are never happy. They seek happiness every
where except where it is alone to be found in God; and being constantly
and bitterly disappointed in their quest, they -frequently become weary of
life, and put a period to their own existence, appearing, unsummoned,
before the dread tribunal of their Judge. 

For this reason, at all times, my brethren, but particularly on this day,
there is no question more natural or more important than this: "Have I
received the Holy Ghost, or does the unholy spirit of the world rule me?"
Let us answer this question conscientiously by considering the fruits and
effects of the Holy Ghost. 

II. As the tree, so the fruit; as the spirit of man, so his works. 

Where the Holy Ghost is, there is love for divine truth; for that heavenly
Spirit elevates the mind of man, and opens the eyes of his soul to the pure
light from above. He awakens, in fine, a love for everything that God
has revealed. Where there is indifference in hearing the word of God,
carelessness and lukewarmness in observing it, and in the keeping of the
divine commandments; where another word is heard and listened to with
greater satisfaction, where the word of God has not yet become the treasure
of the heart, there, the Holy Ghost does not dwell. Such a criminal
indifference and coldness is a sure sign, that, even though a man belong
exteriorly to the number of the faithful, and share diligently in all their
external exercises, he is no true Christian at heart; he is, in effect, nothing
more or less than a hypocrite, since the very essence and soul of Chris
tianity, namely the Holy Ghost, is wanting to him. 

Where the Holy Ghost is, there is true charity. St. Paul says: "The
charity of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is
given to us. " (Rom. 5:5.) This festival, my dear brethren, proves the truth
of these words. The last vestige of selfishness and self-interest with which
the disciples of Jesus were infected to a greater or less degree, totally disap
peared the moment they received the Holy Ghost. None of them, thence
forth, thought of himself or of his own private advantage, but each, in his
turn, laid what he possessed at the feet of the Apostles. They were all ready
from that hour of Pentecostal grace to make a sacrifice, not only of their
goods but also of themselves, for the love of Jesus; to live no more to them
selves, because they lived and loved for God s sake alone. Where such
charity as this is found, there, my brethren, the Holy Ghost infallibly dwells.
But where there is no genuine charity, no pleasure in divine truths, there,
notwithstanding a multitude of external devotions and apparent virtues, the
soul possesses no true Christianity, since it is destitute of the Holy Ghost. 

Understand me well, my dear brethren, and know that when I speak of
the love which the Holy Ghost pours out into the hearts of the faithful, I
mean quite a different sort of love from that which the children of this world
have continually in their mouths and hearts. It is a love, which is not
based upon flesh and blood, but upon faith and hope; a love which resists
the desires of sensuality and subjects them to the commandments of God;
a love which constrains man cheerfully to fulfill the will of God and submit
to his ordinances: "He that loveth me," says Christ, "will keep my com
mandments," (John 14:23); and this, (he further gives us to understand,)
will cause his faithful follower neither trouble nor pain, for to such a one,
(he says with consoling tenderness,) "My yoke is sweet, and my burden is
light." (Matt, 11:30.) 

Where the Holy Ghost is, there is intrepid heroism and unwavering firm
ness in the cause of right. How timid and hesitating, how faint-hearted
and cowardly, were the Apostles before the coming of the Holy Ghost!
But after his descent upon them, on that first feast of Pentecost, their
timidity and faint-heartedness vanished; they gave testimony of, and for
Christ in the presence of the great and mighty of this world; they did not
shrink from tortures and death in defence of his name. They manifested,
in fine, the greatest intrepidity; no power upon earth being able to intim
idate them, or separate them from the love of Jesus. Such an unflinching
adherence to Christ and his Church, such a readiness to sacrifice everything
for the excellent love of Jesus, is the surest sign of the Holy Ghost s being
with us. Ask yourselves, then, my brethren, whether you have such a
readiness to sacrifice everything for the love of Jesus. Your habitual disposi
tions on this point will soon make known to you with certainty, whether you
have or have not received the Holy Ghost. Where that divine Spirit is,
dear Christians, there is true comfort and consolation in difficulties; true
light in doubtful affairs; for he is the inexhaustible fountain of comfort,
nay, the Comforter himself, as well as "the true Light which enlight-
eneth every man that cometh into this world." (John 1:9.) Before that
glorious feast of Pentecost, how often were the Apostles sad and dejected;
but how full of joy after they had received the Holy Ghost! They rejoiced
to suffer reproach and ignominy for the name of Jesus; or as the Apostle
says, "In all things we suffer tribulations, but are not distressed: we are
straitened, but are not destitute; we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken;
we are cast down, but perish not." (2. Cor 4:8, 9.) 

Where the Holy Ghost is, there is true peace. Jesus said to his Apostles
at the Last Supper: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not
as the world giveth, do I give to you." (John 14 :27.) The Holy Ghost
brings a three-fold peace into the heart of the faithful Christian; peace with
himself, peace with his neighbor, and peace with his God. Peace with
himself. Where the spirit of the world rules, one passion wages intestine
war against the other, and man is, and remains, divided in himself. But
where the Spirit of God dwells, there are calmness and sweet tranquillity; all
passions are subdued and subjected to the law of God; the flesh obeys the
Spirit, and the Christian enjoys a holy peace even in the midst of trials and
tribulations, which is a foretaste of the eternal peace to come. "There
remaineth a rest to the people of God." 

Secondly, he who possesses the Spirit of God lives at peace with others.
As the spirit of the world is the author and disseminator of discord and
disunion, and as it arms every man against his brother, (each selfishly seek
ing his own interest,) so it is proper to the Spirit of God to yield and give
to every one his own. Where the Holy Ghost is, there, my dear brethren,
is good will; and there the angels witness the verification of their words on
the birthnight of the Prince of Peace, "Peace on earth to men of good
will." 

Lastly, what is most essential and important of all, the Holy Ghost pro
duces in man that peace with God which passeth all understanding. He,
the Paraclete, he, the source and fountain of eternal Love, pours out true
charity into the hearts of the faithful, and with charity, reconciliation and
union with God. Witness the Apostle who says: "He that abidelh in charity
 abideth in God and God in him" (i. John 4: 16); and again: "You have
not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the
spirit of adoption of sons whereby we cry: Abba, Father." The children
of this world frequently extend to each other greetings of peace; and they
praise peace as the most precious of all treasures; but, governed as they
are by the unholy spirit of the world, they know not what it is to enjoy
true peace, since, there is no peace for the wicked, saith the Lord. Where
discord, hatred, enmity, envy, and the like, have their abode, there the
Holy Ghost cannot and does not dwell, for the fruits of that divine Spirit
are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness,
faith, modesty, continency, and chastity. 

Now, in conclusion, my beloved brethren, ask yourselves, each one of
you, the same question with which we began our meditation: "Have you
received the Holy Ghost?" and pondering upon the matter I have proposed
for your consideration, answer it for yourselves sincerely and conscien
tiously. Blessed are you, if you can respond: "Yes, I have received the
Holy Spirit of God; I feel within me his love of divine truth, his charity,
his heroic courage and self-sacrifice, his consolation, his light, his three
fold peace!"  But if you have not yet received that holy Spirit of God,
(and this, my brethren, you will soon be able to determine by the presence
or absence of his celestial fruits,) let me assure you, that there is nothing
more necessary for you than to remove every obstacle to his approach, and
to fit yourselves for the reception of the good Spirit which our Lord has
promised to give to all that ask him. The Scriptures tell us that after the
Ascension of Christ into heaven, the Apostles, in company with our
Blessed Lady, persevered with one mind in prayer; and thereby, made
themselves worthy of receiving the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Imitate that
beautiful example, my dear brethren; take the advice of Jesus, pray with
out ceasing and unite your prayer to the pure prayers of the holy Mother
of God; and, while the Holy Ghost descends upon you with all his gifts
and graces, God will give you a store of healing unction here below, and
life everlasting hereafter in heaven. Amen.

First, some preliminaries. 1. Due to problems with my server I have not yet listed the following links on the pages indicated, but I hope to do so soon.  2. Since the demise of Microsoft Live Books many of the links on the various pages no longer work, though I have managed to find new links to quite a number of the effected publications. If you find a broken link I suggest going to Internet Archive and searching for the title there.  If you find what you’re looking for please send me a link in the combox of this post.  3. All the works linked to in this current post are in pdf format.

On the Philosophy Page one can find a link to THE CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY by Boethius.

On the Theology Page I’ve added a link to Boethius’ Treaty THE TRINITY. Likewise you can find a link to his Theological Tracts. I’ve also linked to two works by St Anselm on this page: CUR DEUS HOMO and PROSLOGIUM MONOLOGIUM (I’m uncertain if these two works should be on this page or, more properly, on the Philosophy Page. If anyone knows, please let me know).

For a long list of Catholic books available online in pdf format go HERE.

As I noted in previous posts, the demise of the Microsoft Live Book Service greatly effected many of the resources listed on the pages of this blog.  Some time back I was able to update most of the links on my Philosophy Page and, today, I have updated most of the effected links on my Biblical Studies page.

You can once again access online these books by Catholic scholars: F.X Durrwell’s seminal work THE RESURRECTION: A BIBLICAL STUDY; Yves Congar’s THE MYSTERY OF THE TEMPLE; Leopold Fonck’s THE PARABLES OF THE GOSPEL; and these works by Protestant authors: Bernhard Anderson’s UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT; and Wright and Fuller’s THE ACTS OF GOD.

Soon I will update both the Theology Page and the Church Fathers Page.

Due to the collapse of Microsoft Live Books I have been forced to find alternate sources to many of the books I link to on this site.  Today I have updated most of the effected links on the Bible Commentaries Page.  I have also added some commentaries on the Gospels written by Bishop john MacEvilly.

Microsoft’s live book search is now defunct, and users of the site were given barely a weeks notice. This means that many of the online books which I spent hours upon hours searching for in order to link to on this site are no longer available. I will try to find new links to these books but, obviously, this is going to take a lot of time. I don’t know which books listed on this site are from this Microsoft source, which means I will have to go through all the books listed to find them. Should a user click on a book which takes him/her to the Microsoft live search site, please tell me the title of the book in the comment box as this will aid me in my efforts.

I will continue to update my progress.

Update 1 05/26/08:  I have gone through the philosophy page and was able to find alternate sources for almost all of the effected books.  I was not as fortunate on the “Lives of Saints and Holy People page.”  Sometime soon I will begin working on the Theology page.

God’s mercy towards the penitent

“The heralds of the truth and ministers of divine grace, who have explained to us from the beginning right down to our own time each in his own day the saving will of God, say that nothing is so dear and loved by him as when men turn to him with true repentance.

Wishing to show that this is by far the most holy thing of all, the Divine Word of God the Father (the supreme and only revelation of infinite goodness) deigned to dwell with us in the flesh, humbling himself in a way no words can explain. He said, he did, and he suffered those things which were necessary to reconcile us, while we were yet enemies, with God the Father, and to call us back again to the life of blessedness from which we had been alienated. Not only did he heal our diseases with his miracles, and take away our infirmities by his sufferings, and, though sinless, pay our debt for us by his death like a guilty man. It was also his desire that we should aim to become like himself in love of men and in perfect mutual charity, and he taught us this in many ways.

He taught it when he proclaimed, ‘I came not to call the righteous but sinners, to repentance.’ And again, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’ He also said that he had come to seek and to save the lost sheep; and on another occasion, that he had been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In the same way, in the parable of the lost coin, he referred in a symbolic way to the fact that he had come to restore in men the royal likeness which had been lost by the evil-smelling filthiness of passions. Likewise, he said: ‘Just so, I tell you, there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.’

He taught it when he brought relief, with oil, wine and bandages, to the man who had fallen among thieves and had been stripped of all his clothing and left half-dead from his injuries. Having placed him on his own beast, he entrusted him to the innkeeper; after paying what was needed for his care, he promised that when he came back he would repay whatever more was spent.

He taught it when ‘he said that the prodigal son’s all-loving father took pity on him and kissing him as he came running back repentant, clothed him once more with the beauty of his glory, and did not reproach him in any way for what he had done.

He taught it when he found the sheep which had strayed from the divine flock of a hundred, wandering over hills and mountains. He did not drive it or beat it but brought it back to the fold. In his mercy, placing it on his shoulders, he restored it, with compassion, unharmed to the rest of the flock.

He taught it when he cried, ‘Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest’, and ‘Take my yoke upon you.’ By ‘yoke’ of course he meant ‘commandments’ or a life lived according to the principles of the gospel; by ‘burden’ he meant the labour which repentance seems to involve. ‘For my yoke,’ he says, ‘is easy and my burden light.’

Again teaching divine righteousness and goodness he commanded, ‘Be holy, be perfect, be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful’, and, ‘Forgive and it shall be forgiven you’’ and ‘whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them’.“  Source