Ninety-nine Homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas Upon the Epistles and Gospels for Forty-nine Sundays of the Christian Year/The Advent Homilies
THE
ADVENT HOMILIES
OF
S. THOMAS AQUINAS
TRANSLATED BY
JOHN M. ASHLEY, B.C.L.,
AUTHOR OF “THE RELATIONS OF SCIENCE,” THE “VICTORY OF SPIRIT,” ETC.
LONDON:
CHURCH PRESS COMPANY (LIMITED),
13. BURLEIGH STREET, STRAND, W.C.
MDCCCLXVII.
NOTICE.
The Homilies of the great “Angelical Doctor” are but outlines, the filling in of which are left to the preacher’s own judgment and taste. It is because these outline Homilies are so very full of suggestive hints, and display such a very wonderful knowledge of Holy Scripture, that the experiment is made of presenting the Advent series to the reader in an English dress. The skeleton character of the original is preserved in the translation. If the present publication should meet with a fair amount of success, the remaining Homilies for the entire Christian year will be published in the same form.
Homily I
The Four-Fold Day
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE EPISTLE.)
"The day is at hand." Rom. xiii. 12 .
THIS word Day is to be taken in a four-fold sense - " The Day is at hand;" the day of mercy, the day of grace, the day of justice, and the day of glory. That Sun makes this a four-fold day, whose advent holy Church now celebrates. The day of mercy is the birth-day of the Lord, in which the Sun of Righteousness arises upon us; or more truly, He Who made that day so glorious. The day of grace is the time of grace; the day of justice is the day of judgment; the day of glory is the day of eternity. Joel speaks of the first - (iii. 18) - "In that day the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk." Concerning the second, 2 Cor. vi. 2 , " Behold, now is the day of salvation." Of the third, Wis. i., " The day of wrath, that day the day of tribulation." Concerning the fourth,Zach. xiv. 7, " But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord - not day, nor night; but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light." Psalm cxxxiv. 10 , " One day in Thy Courts is better than a thousand." The birth-day of the Lord draws near, that devoutly the day of mercy may be celebrated and honoured; the day of grace that it may be received; the day of judgment that it may be feared; the day of glory that it may be attained. The Church celebrates the first, Phil. iv. 5 , " For the Lord is at hand." Isa. lvi. 1 , "For My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness is near to be revealed." On account of the second, 2 Cor. vi. 2 , "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." On account of the third, James v. 9 , " Behold the Judge standeth before the door." On account of the fourth, Rev. xxii. 12 , "Behold I come quickly, and My reward is with Me to give to every man according as his work shall be."
We ought to celebrate the birth-day of the Lord, the day of mercy, with mercy and truth. Christ came to us in these two ways, and so we ought to go to Him. Ps. xxv. 10 , "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth." To celebrate the day of grace with purity and humility, for these two graces make acceptable grace. Of the first, Prov. xxii. 11 , "He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the King shall be his friend." Of the second, James iv. 6 , " God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." The Church celebrates the day of judgment with meditation and fear. As S. Jerome says, "Whether I eat or drink, that voice seems ever to resound in my ears, 'Rise up, ye dead, and come to judgment.' "On the contrary, it is said of the wicked, Prov. xxviii. 5 , "Evil men understand not judgment." We ought to hasten to run to meet the day of glory with righteousness. Heb. iv. 11 , "Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest." To four Christian virtues the Apostle exhorts us in this epistle. To mercy and truth in the words, "Let us put on the armour of light." For the arms of light are mercy and truth; for mercy is the shield by which we are defended from the enemy, and truth is the power by which we overcome all things. Of the first, Eccl. xxix. 12, 13, "Shut up alms in thy store-houses, and it shall deliver thee from all affliction. It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and a strong spear." Of courage, Eccles. iii. 4 , " Truth is great, and will prevail; it is great, and stronger than all things; the whole earth invokes truth, and it blesses heaven itself; it moves all work, and they tremble because of it, and there is no iniquity in it. A wicked banquet, a wicked king, wicked women, all wicked sons of men, and all their wicked works, and truth is not in them, and they shall perish in their iniquity, and truth shall remain." The epistle further exhorts us impurity and humility, " Not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying" (v. 13). Chambering and wantonness are acts of riot which make impurity. Strife and envying proceed from pride. In prohibiting immodesty it exhorts to purity; in prohibiting pride it exhorts to humility. In the words, " Let us walk honestly, as in the day," it awakens us to reflection upon and to fear of the judgment; that is, that we should so live as it is meet to live in the day of judgment. A man is in the judgment by thinking upon the judgment; he lives honestly by fearing the judgment. It exhorts us to justice and despatch - "Now it is high time to awaken out of sleep;" and, therefore, by hastening from the sleep of sin, to arise to the fulfilling of justice; and the reason is given why a man should do this: " For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed;" to which salvation may we be led by Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Homily II
The Coming Of The King.
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE GOSPEL.)
"Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek," etc. S. Matt. xxi. 5.
THIS is a prophecy of the Advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ, about which there are three signs. First, the dignity of Him Who is coming; secondly, the utility of His Advent; thirdly, the manner in which He came. Of the first sign we read in the Gospel, " Thy King cometh;" a merciful King; a just King; a wise King; a terrible King; an omnipotent King; an eternal King. A merciful King in sparing; a just in judging; a good in rewarding; a wise in governing; an omnipotent King in defending the good; a terrible King in punishing the evil; an eternal King in ruling eternally, and in bestowing immortality. Of the first, Isa. xvi. 5 , "And in mercy shall the throne be established." Of the second, Isa. xxxiv., "And behold, a King shall reign in justice;" Isa. xvi. 5 , "And He shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David." Of the third, Ps. lxxiii. 1 , " Truly God, is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Of the fourth, Jer. xxiii. 5 , "I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute justice and judgment in the earth." Of the fifth,Esth. xiii. 9, " Lord, Lord, the King Almighty, for the whole world is in Thy power." Of the sixth, Wis. xi. 10 , "As a severe King, Thou didst condemn and punish." Of the seventh, Jer. x. 10 , " But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God and an everlasting King;" S. Luke i. 33 , "And of His Kingdom there shall be no end." Of the seven, collectively, 2 Mac. i. 24 , " O Lord, Lord, God, Creator of all things, Who art fearful, and strong, and righteous, and merciful, and the only gracious King." Wisdom in the Creator, mercy in the pitiful, goodness in the good, justice in the just, severity in the terrible, power in the powerful, eternity in the eternal. This is the King Who cometh to thee for thy profit. Here the use of the Advent is noted, for it was seven-fold as applied to the present time: First, for the illumination of the world; second, for the spoliation of Hades; third, for the reparation of Heaven; fourth, for the destruction of sin; fifth, for the vanquishment of the devil; sixth, for the reconciliation of man with God; seventh, for the beatification of man. Of the first, S. John viii. 12 , "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life;" S. John i. 9 , " That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Of the second, Hos. xiii. 14 , " O death, I will be thy plague; grave, I will be thy destruction;" Zech. ix. 11 , "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." Of the third, Eph. i. 10 , "That in the dispensations of the fulness of times might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth, even in Him." Of the fourth, Heb. ii. 14 , 15, "That He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Of the fifth, Rom. vi. 6 , " Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Of the sixth, Rom. v. 10 , "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Of the seventh, S. John iii. 16 , "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It was because the holy Fathers saw the good things which were about to happen at His Advent that they were calling with so great desire, " O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down." Concerning these seven things the Prophet spake, Isa. lxi. 1 , "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," etc. He hath " anointed Me to preach good tidings." Behold, the illumination of the world, for by preaching He hath enlightened the world for us; " to bind up the broken-hearted," in destroying sin; and sin being destroyed, makes the broken heart to be healed. " To proclaim liberty to the captives:" behold the spoliation of Hades, for by spoiling Hades He led captivity captive. "The opening of the prison:" behold the restoration of Heaven, which is the opening of Heaven. "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord:" behold the reconciliation of man with God. " The day of vengeance of our God" is the day of the destruction of the devil: for so He visited with vengeance for all the injuries which the devil had done to the saints. " To comfort all that mourn:" behold the beatification of men. In this verse is noted the manner of His coming. "Meek:" in meekness Our Lord Jesus Christ wished to come; and He wished to come meekly for four reasons. In the first place, that He might the more easily correct the wicked: Psalm lxxxix. 10 (Vulgate reading), " For mildness is come upon us; and we shall be corrected." In the second place, that He might show to all His lowliness: Eccles. iii. 19 , "My Son, do Thy work in meekness, and Thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men." In the third place, that He might draw the sheep to Himself, and that He might multiply to Himself a people: 2 Sam. xxii. 36 , "And Thy gentleness hath made me great." S. Bernard says, " We wholly run after Thee, O good Jesus, on account of Thy meekness." In the fourth place, that He might teach meekness: S. Matt. xi. 29 , "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." There are four things which ought especially to commend meekness to us: the first, because it delivers us from evil; the second, because it perfects grace; the third, because it preserves the soul; and the fourth, because it deserves the land of the living. Of the first: It delivers from evil, because judicious meekness belongs to him who feels with no bitterness of mind. Of the second, Prov. iii. 34 , "He giveth grace unto the lowly." Of the third,Ecclesus. x. 31, "Keep Thy soul in meekness." Of the fourth, S. Matt. v. 5 , "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Let us, therefore, ask that this Lord and King may come to us.
Homily III
The Teaching Of Holy Scripture. No. I.
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE EPISTLE.)
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." - Rom. xv. 4.
THE Apostle has taught us on the preceding Sunday to arise from the dead; on this day he teaches us towards what we ought to arise, for the Scripture, which our heavenly Master has given for us, is to be studied and read. And the Lord as a good Master was the more solicitous to provide us with the best writings, that He might make us perfectly instructed. "Whatever things," He said, "were written, were written for our learning." But these writings are comprised in two books that is to say, in the Book of Creation, and in the Book of Scripture. The first book has so many creations: it has just so many most perfect writings, which teach the truth without a lie; hence, when Aristotle was asked whence he had learnt so many and so great things, answered, " From the things themselves, which know not how to deceive." But they teach two things to be learned; and of the things which may be known four things are to be taught. First, that there is a God; secondly, that this God is one; thirdly, that this God is triune; and, fourthly, that He is the highest good. For the world teaches by itself that it is His work. Wis. xiii. 5 , "For by the greatness of the beauty, and of the creature, the Creator of them may be seen, to be known thereby." Because they are one, and are preserved, in the same manner, they teach the unity of God; for, if there were many Gods, the world would have already been destroyed, since division is the cause of destruction." S. Matt. xii. 25 , "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." For all things exist by number, weight, and measure; or, according to S. Augustine, " On the Trinity by mode, by species, and by order; so that they teach a three-fold Godhead." Wis. xi. 21 , " Thou hast ordered all things in measure, number, and weight." Because all things are good, they teach that He is the highest goodness through Whom so many good things proceed. According to S. Augustine it is a great token of goodness that every creature conceives itself to be good; therefore, because God is good, so are we. About the actions to be done, in like manner, we are taught a four-fold lesson. God is to be obeyed, loved, feared, and praised. Of the first, we ought to obey God, for all things serve Him. Ps. cxlviii. 6 , " He hath made a decree which shall not pass." Nothing among God's creatures does the Creator find to be disobedient, save the sinner and the devil. God teaches us to love Him by His benefits and gifts, which He shows to us daily. S. Augustine says that heaven and earth, and all things which are in them, on every side, say to me that I should love Thee; neither do they cease to say this by all things, that I may be inexcusable if I love Thee not. By pains and punishments they teach us to fear God. We see that all things are prepared to punish those that rebel against their Creator. Wis. xvi. 24 , " For the creature serving Thee, the Creator, is made fierce against the unjust for their punishment: and abateth its strength for the benefit of them that trust in Thee." They teach us to praise God; for all things praise Him and invite us to His praising. S. Augustine says that it is wonderful that man does not always praise God, since every creature invites to the praising of Him; and this so plainly that all His creatures become as so many Scriptures of God, teaching us that there are four things to be known, as well as four commands to be performed.
Homily IV
The Teaching Of Holy Scripture. No. II.
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE EPISTLE.)
"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." - Rom. xv. 4.
As we have treated of above, there are two books which are written for our learning, the book of the Creation, which formed the subject of the former homily; and the book of Scripture, of which we have now to speak. This book teaches us two things, things good and things evil: the good, that we should perform them; the evil, that we should avoid them. There are three attributes which are taught us about the Good, precepts, counsels, and promises; for the Good is threefold, and it is both honest, and pleasant, and profitable. The precepts teach us honest good, because they teach the worship of the One God, and fairness of manners and of virtues which make the honest man. In counsels there is the useful good. S. Matt. xix. 21, “ If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” The delightful or joyous good flows from promises. S. John xvi. 22, “ I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice.” Deut. iv. 1, “ Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and the judgments which I teach you that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.” Likewise, concerning the evil things there are three points to be noticed — prohibitions, dissuasions, and comminations, and they agree with the threefold nature of evil. There is the evil of deadly sin, of venial sin, and of the sin of eternal punishment. The prohibitions refer to the evil of deadly sin, “Neither shalt thou commit fornication,” &c., and so with regard to the other prohibitions. The dissuasions refer to venial sins, Eccles. xix. 1, “ He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little. Thou hast avoided grand things, be careful lest thou art overwhelmed in the sand.” Comminations have respect to the evil of eternal punishment—Isa. lxvi. 24, “For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched.” Lightly, therefore, does the Apostle say that whatever things were written in the book of Scripture were written for our instruction.
Homily V
The Advent Of Justice.
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE GOSPEL.)
" And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars." — S. Luke xv. 25 .
WE spoke in the Gospel of the preceding Sunday of the mercy of Our Lord's second coming; we will now treat of the justness of His Advent. It appertains to justice to punish the evil, and to reward the good; and therefore both these acts are treated of in this Gospel. The former in the words of the text, " And there shall be signs;" and the latter in the second part of this Gospel, " Look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” About the punishment of the wicked, the Gospel shows that the Creator and the creature unite for their punishment. This creature, which meets together for the punishment of the wicked, is three-fold—spiritual, corporeal, and composite. The spiritual creature is an angel; the composite creature is a man; the corporeal creature is two-fold, superior and inferior—the former being the heavenly bodies, the latter being the elements. Therefore the Lord points out in this Gospel that the wicked receive punishment from Him, by angels, by heavenly bodies, and from themselves. Firstly, they shall see the Son of Man; secondly, the powers of heaven shall be shaken; thirdly, there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; fourthly, the sea and waves roaring; fifthly, men’s hearts failing them for fear. Of the first, it is known that in a three-fold manner God will afflict the wicked: firstly, in awarding; secondly, in convicting; thirdly, in condemning. Of the first, “ I have been naked;" of the second, “ Since ye have not done it unto Me,” &c.; of the least of these, &c.; of the third, “Depart from Me, ye wicked.” As in a three-fold manner the Son of Man afflicts the wicked, so do the angels also. In the first place by drawing the wicked to judgment; in the second place by separating them from the good; in the third place by consigning them to eternal fire. S. Matt, (xiii.41,42) speaks of this three-fold office of the angels, “The Son of Man shall send forth His angels,” &c. “ They shall gather out of His kingdom,” and so draw the wicked to judgment, since with their heavy bodies they cannot move so quickly as the angels. “All things that offend and them which do iniquity, and so they will separate the evil from the midst of the just.” “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire.” So fulfilling the third office. The celestial body shall in the same way—in a three-fold manner—afflict the wicked. In the first place, by frightening them with signs; in the second place, by afflicting them with darkness; in the third place, by discovering their wickedness. Of the first, there shall be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, Joel ii. 30, 31, “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke;” of the second, S. Matt. xxiv. 29, “The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light;” of the third, Job xx. 27, “The heavens shall reveal his iniquity.”
Homily VI
The True Ministry Of Christ.
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE EPISTLE.)
"Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ." - 1 Cor. iv. 1.
IN the preceding Epistle the Apostle has taught us that Christ was a Minister for us. " But I say that Christ was the Minister of the Circumcision," so, therefore, in this Epistle he teaches us that we ought to be the ministers of Christ, and six matters are treated of concerning this ministry. First, that we ought to make ministers of Christ; second, that we ought to avoid a thoughtless choice; third, to despise human discernment; fourth, not to trust to individual conscience; fifth, to submit all choice to Christ as the Judge; sixth, to seek praises from God alone. Of the first, " Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ;" of the second, "to judge nothing before the time;" of the third, that "it is a very small thing to me that I should be judged of you;" of the fourth, " I know nothing by myself;" of the fifth, " until the Lord come;" of the sixth, " then shall every man have praise of God." It ought to be known about the first point that there are three chief reasons why we ought to be ministers of Christ and to serve Him - (1) Because whatever we are able to do He gave us the power to do when He created us; (2) because He served us by redeeming us; (3) because He will further preserve us to glory. Of the first, S. Bernard, "Who ought we more rightly to serve than Him Who need not have created us unless He willed." "It is He that hath made us" ( Ps. xcv. 7 ). Of the second, S. Luke xxii. 27 , "I am among you as He that serveth," for He temporally served them by washing their feet, in cleansing by His own blood the wounds of sinners, and in ministering to His own flesh - (1) S. John xiii. 5 , " And began to wash the disciples' feet." (2) Rev. i. 5 , " Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." Isa. xliii. 24 , " Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins." (3) S. Matt. xxvi. 26, "Jesus took bread and brake and gave it to His disciples." S. Bernard, "The good Minister Who gave His Flesh for food, His Blood for drink, and His Soul for a ransom, He will likewise serve in glory." S. Mark xii. 57, " That He will gird Himself and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth to serve them." Rightly, therefore, we are said to be His ministers. But there are these things which He chiefly hates in His ministers want of compassion, disobedience, and uselessness. Of the first, S. Matt, xviii. 32, 33, " O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow- servant, even as I had pity on thee?" S. Matt. xxiv. 48, 49, " But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Of the second, S. Luke xii. 47, " And that servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." Of the third, S. Matt. xxv. 30, "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." There are three things which the Lord requires in His servants the first, that they should be cleansed from every defilement of sin; the second, that they should be ornamented with every virtue; the third, that they should be decorated with honesty of manners. Of the first, Ps. ci. 6, " He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve Me." 1 Tim. iii. 10 (Vulg.), " Let them minister having no crime." Of the second, 2 Cor. vi. 4, " In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God." Of the third, 1 Peter ii. 12, " Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles." Of these three things, Exo. xl. 12, 13, " And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water;" (v. 15), "and thou shalt anoint them as thou didst anoint their father," etc. 2 Cor. ii. 15, " We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ." But the Lord requires that we should serve Him in three ways first, by imitating Him; second, by delighting in His service; thirdly, by fearing Him.
Of the first, S. John xii. 26, "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me." Of the second, Ps.c. 2, " Serve the Lord with gladness." Of the third, Ps. ii. 11, "Serve the Lord with fear." The first makes the service acceptable to the Lord; the second makes us ready in serving; the third preserves us in His service. But the Lord promises three rewards to His servants, viz., happiness, dignity, and eternity. Of the first reward, 1 Tim. iii. 13, "For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree." Of the second reward, S. Matt. xxv. 23, " Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things," etc. Of the third reward, Rev. vii. 15, " And serve Him day and night in His Temple;" and afterwards He " shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." Eternity is a fountain of life. As Dionysius says, " Eternity is endless, and at the same time the whole and perfect possession of life." Of these three attributes, S. John vii. 26, " Where I am, there also shall My servant be." Where Christ is, there is joyful exultation and eternal delightfulness, to which for His sake may the Lord God bring us.
HOMILY VII.
THE ADVENT OF GRACE.
Third Sunday in Advent.—(From the Gospel.)
“Now, when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ,” &c.— S. Matt. xi. 2-4.
IN the preceding Gospel the Advent of Justice was treated of: in this Gospel the Advent of Grace is considered. Mention is here made of S. John Baptist, whose name is interpreted the grace of God; or, as he in whom the grace of God was. Four things are here spoken about S. John—(1) his imprisonment; (2) the question about the Advent of Christ by the disciples whom He sent; (3) the answer of the Lord ; (4) the manifold commendation of John. He was praised chiefly on four accounts - (1) for the strength of his constancy; (2) for the rigour of his clothing; (3) for the dignity of his office; (4) for the holiness of his life. Firstly, when John had heard; secondly, " Who art thou;" thirdly, " Go and shew John again," etc.; fourthly, " He began to say unto the multitudes concerning John." And, again (1) of the commendation, " What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?" (2) "A man clothed in soft raiment." (3) "Yea I say unto you, and more than a prophet." (4) " This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face," etc. But afterwards it ought to be known concerning the bonds that three kinds of people are said to be in bonds. The godly are placed in the bonds of precepts; the impious, in the bonds of sinners; the condemned, in the bonds of the tormentors. Of the first, Ezekiel iv. 8 , " Behold, I will lay bands upon thee." Hos. xi. 4 , " I drew them with the cords of a man; with bands of love." Of the second, Prov. v. 22 , " He shall be holden with the cords of his sins." Isa. x. 4 (Vulgate), " That you be not bound down under the bond." Of the third, Wisdom xvii. 2 , " Fettered with the bonds of darkness." S. Matt. xxii. 13 , "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away and cast him into outer darkness." The first bonds are to be sought for; the second bonds to be dissolved; and the third to be avoided. For three reasons the bonds of the teachers are to be embraced (1) because by them safety is obtained against all evil; (2) because he who is bound by them is protected by the wisdom of God; (3) because from them he goes forth to government. Of the first reason, Eccles. vi. 30 , " Then shall her fetters be a strong defence." Of the second reason, Wisdom x. 14 , "And left him not in bonds." Of the third reason, Eccles. iv. 14 , " Because out of prison and chains sometimes a man cometh forth to a kingdom." There are not only the bonds of preceptors to be embraced, but the bonds of sinners to be dissolved. For the sinner is bound with the chains of pride, of avarice, of luxury, and of an evil tongue. Of the first chain, Job xxxix. 5 , " Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?" By the wild ass pride is understood. Job xi. 12 , " For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt;" whence the bands of the wild ass are the bands of pride. Of the second chain, Isa. v. 18 , " Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity." Riches are vanity. Of the third thing, Prov. viii. 22 , " Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds," (Vul.), for the hands of a woman are the bonds that draw. Ecc. vii. 27 , " And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands." These are the bonds that are to be dissolved.
These bonds are loosened in four ways (1) by the grace of justification; (2) by the grace of contrition; (3) by the modesty of confession; (4) by the penance of satisfaction. Of the first way, Ps. cxvi. 16 , "Thou hast loosed my bonds," that is to say, the Lord has done this by infusing grace. Of the second way, Dan. iii. 25 , " Lo, I see four men loose;" where it is said the fire consumed the chains of the children. By the fire contrition is understood. Psalm xxxix. 3 , "While I was musing the fire burned." Of the third way, Hos. v. 13 (Vulg.), "And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his band." Judah is interpreted as confessing. So that he saw his band when being penitent; he saw himself bound by the band of sinners; he declares himself in confession, that he maybe loosed. Of the fourth way, Nah. i. 12 , 13, " I have afflicted thee. And will burst thy bonds in sunder." So are loosed the bands of sinners; but the bands of the tormentors are to be avoided for three reasons (1) because they are dark; (2) because they are cruel; (3) because they are eternal. Of the first reason, Wisdom xvii., "Fettered with bonds of darkness." Of the second reason, Eccles. xiii. 15 , " He will not spare to do thee hurt, and to cast thee into prison." Of these bands, Isa. xxviii. 22 , " Lest by chance he should be bound with our fetters." Of the third reason, S. Jude 6, " He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness." He speaks of demons. From these chains may God deliver us, to Whom, etc.
Homily VIII
The True Joy.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE EPISTLE.)
" Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men." Philip, iv. 4, 5.
THE Apostle exhorted us in the end of the preceding Epistle that we should reserve all things to Christ, the true Judge; but, lest we should be overcome by the long delay, he said that He was about to come in a very little while. " The Lord," he said, "is at hand." But the Apostle in the words of the text teaches three things - (1) he exhorts to inward holiness; (2) to honest conversation; (3) he subjoins the reason. I. Inward holiness consists in two things firstly, that evil affections should be renovated; and, secondly, that good affections should be obtained. S. Bernard said that holy affection makes the saint, whilst evil affection is to rejoice in the world. II. But there is an evil joy of the world, as in evil things, in vanities, in base pleasures. The joy in evil things is to rejoice in wickedness; the joy of vanities is to rejoice in riches, which are vain; and the joy in base pleasures is to rejoice in wantonness. Of the first, Prov. ii. 14 , " Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked." Of the second, Ps. xlix. 6 , "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches." Of the third, Job xxi. 12 , " And rejoice at the sound of the organ." S. James v. 5 , "Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton." S. Augustine says of these three kinds of joy - " What is the joy of the world? Wantonness is the impurity of the wickedness of the world; to toy with the games, to be luxurious, to be allured, to be swallowed up, and to offend by baseness. To rejoice in the Lord is that joy which tends to salvation; for the loving-kindness of the Lord leads to justification, for He is most bountiful by way of remuneration. For a very small servitude He gives eternal life and the heavenly kingdom, and such a Lord is without doubt to be rejoiced in; Who saves His servants by redeeming them; Who dismisses all their debts by justifying them; and Who will crown them with an eternal kingdom by preserving them."
Of the first, Isa. xxxiii. 22 , "The Lord is our King; He will save us." S. Matt. i. 21 , "He shall save His people from their sins." Of the second, Rom. v. 1 , " Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God." Of the third, Apoc. ii. 10 , "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Of these three, Isa. lxi.' 10, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." To which joy may we be led through Jesus Christ our Lord.
HOMILY IX
THE CRY TO GOD.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. (FROM THE GOSPEL.)
"I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." - S. John i. 23.
IN the former Gospel it was seen how Christ manifoldly praised John; in the present Gospel it is noted how John humbled himself. Morally, this world is understood by the text, Deut, viii. 15, " Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought." The scorpion represents luxury, and the drought is avarice. In this desert the creature proclaims Christ, the Just One and the Preacher. The creature cries three things firstly, that we should know God; secondly, that we should love Him; thirdly, that we should give Him the praise that is due to Him. Of the first, S. Augustine said, "All things cry, God made me." Of the second, he says again, " Heaven and earth, and all things which are in them on all sides, tell me that I ought to love Thee; neither do they cease to say this to all things, that they may be inexcusable if they love Thee not." Of the third, he says, "It is wonderful that man rests from the praise of God when all creation invites us to praise Him." In like manner Christ cries threefoldly firstly, in doing miracles; secondly, by preaching things useful and profitable; thirdly, in dying for us. Of the first, S. John xi. 43 , " He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth." Of the second, S. John vii. 37 , "Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." Of the third, S. Matt. xxvi. 5 , 6, " Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." In the first cry His power appeared; in the second, His wisdom; in the third, His ineffable goodness and love. These three cries were necessary for our redemption that He might be able to redeem; that He might know how to redeem; and that He might be willing to redeem us. Of these three reasons, 1 Cor. i. 30 , " Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification;" also verse 24, " Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God." Christ is the anointed One, and therefore He is good; He is Power, and therefore He is powerful; He is Wisdom, and therefore He is wise. In like manner the just cry manifoldly firstly, in praying; secondly, in confessing; thirdly, in praising. Of the first way, Ps. lxxvi. 1 , "I cried unto God with my voice; even unto God with my voice, and He gave ear unto me." Of the second way, Ps. xxxii. 5 , " I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." Of the third way, Ps. lvii. 2 , " I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me," for we ought to give Him thanks for His mercy. The Preacher likewise ought to cry three things firstly, the wickedness of men; secondly, the misery of human weakness; thirdly, that the way of the Lord should be prepared. Of the first, Isa. lviii. 1 , " Cry aloud, spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression." Of the second, Isa. xl. 6 , " The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass." Of the third, Isa. xl. 3, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord," etc. Purity, humility, and justice prepare the way of the Lord. Of the first and second, Isa. lxii. 10 , "Prepare ye the way;" and he adds the mode of preparing it " Cast up the high way," by removing the loftiness of pride, that the way may be made by humility; " Gather out the stones," by the removing of the other sins, which preparation is the office of purity. Of the third, S. John i. 23 , " Make straight the way of the Lord," and by purity make the rough ways plain. Humility orders us in relation to God; Justice regulates us in regard to our neighbours; and Purity with regard to ourselves. May we so govern ourselves that we may be worthy to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.