themselves Christians were more imbued with the spirit of Christianity. Moreover, unbelievers and heretics would have perforce to respect and honour the Catholic religion, if all Catholics would live up to their faith.
Application. Are you of one heart and one soul with your brothers, sisters and comrades? Or do you live at enmity with them and quarrel with them? If so, you have not the spirit of Christianity. You ought to observe the commandment to love your neighbour, especially your brothers, sisters and companions.
You can see by the punishment of Ananias and his wife how very much God hates lies and hypocrisy; and yet you make so little account of telling lies! It is especially sinful to tell lies to your parents, or others set in authority over you, for by so doing you show contempt for them. Have you ever acted thus? “Put away lying”, says St. Paul, “speak ye the truth every man with his neighbour” (Eph. 4, 25).
It is a terrible sin to tell a lie or to conceal a sin in confession. St. Peter’s words: “You have not lied to men, but to God”, apply to such a one; for a priest, in the holy Sacrament of Penance, is the representative of God. To conceal a mortal sin in confession is a hateful act of hypocrisy, and a sign of great hardness of heart, and he who does so makes a useless, and, still worse, a sacrilegious confession, receives no absolution of his sins, and commits a fresh and most grievous sin. If any of you have been so blind as to make a bad confession, make a good confession as soon as possible, or else you cannot be a child of God nor have any peace of conscience.
Chapter LXXXVII.
THE TWELVE APOSTLES IN PRISON.— GAMALIEL’S COUNSEL.
[Acts 5, 12 — 42.]
THE apostles wrought many signs and wonders among the people. The sick were brought out into the streets on beds and couches, so that at least the shadow [1] of Peter might fall upon them, and they might be cured. By the daily repetition of these prodigies, the number of believers was wonderfully increased. “Then the High Priest[2] rising up and all they that
