human race, which was in open violation of this law of love. It was in answer to the hostile reception given by the then world to the new progeny, that is, to the Christians, that St. John thus speaks, in the Epistle of this Sunday: Wonder not, dearly beloved, if the world hate you. We, yes WE, know, that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death. The union of the members with each other, through their divine Head, is the condition on which the existence of the Christian religion is based. The Eucharist is the vigorous nourishment of this union; it is the strong bond of Christ's mystical body, which, thereby, maketh increase in charity. Charity, therefore, and peace, and concord, are, together with the love of God himself, the best proof that our reception of holy Communion is not turning to our condemnation, and the most needful of all preparations for our participation in the sacred Mysteries. It is the meaning of that injunction of our Lord: If thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thine offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming, thou shalt offer thy gift.3 The Gradual, which is taken from the Psalms, gives thanks to God for the protection he has accorded us in the past; and prays for its continuation, seeing that our enemies are as unrelenting as ever. . O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust: save me from those that persecute me, and rescue me. Alleluia. y. Domine Deus meus, in te speravi: salvum me fac ex omnibus persequentibus me, et libera me. Alleluia. GOSPEL. Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Luke. Ch. XIV. At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to the Pharisees: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And he sent his servant, at the hour of supper, to say to them that were invited, that they should come, for now all things are ready. And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said unto him: I have bought a farm, and must needs go out and see it: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them: I pray thee, hold me excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. And the servant returning, told these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said unto his servant: go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city; and bring in hither the poor, and the feeble, and the blind, and the lame. And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant: Go Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam. Cap. XIV. In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus Pharisæis parabolam hanc: Homo quidam fecit cœnam magnam, et vocavit multos. Et misit servum suum hora cœnæ dicere invitatis ut venirent, quia jam parata sunt omnia. Et cœperunt simul omnes excusare. Primus dixit ei: Villam emi, et necesse habeo exire, et videre illam : rogo te, habe me excusatum. Et alter dixit: Juga boum emi quinque, et eo probare illa: rogo te, habe me excusatum. Et alius dixit: Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire. Et reversus servus nuntiavit hæc domino suo. Tunc iratus paterfamilias, dixit servo suo: Exi cito in plateas, et vicos civitatis: et pauperes, ac debiles, et cæcos, et claudos introduc huc. Et ait servus: Domine, factum est ut imperasti, et adhuc locus est. Et ait dominus servo: Exi in vias et sepes: et compelle intrare, ut impleatur domus mea. Dico autem vobis, quod nemo virorum illorum, qui vocati sunt, gustabit out into the highways, and cœnam meam. hedges; and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. But I say unto you, that none of those men that were invited, shall taste of my supper. The Gospel just read was appointed for this Sunday long before the institution of the Corpus Christi feast, as we learn from the Capitulary of Gospels, published by Blessed Thomasi, upon manuscripts much earlier than the 13th Century.1 The Holy Spirit, who guides the Church in her arrangement of the Liturgy, was thus anticipating and completing the instructions suited for the future grand Solemnity. 3 The parable here spoken by Jesus at the table of one of the leading Pharisees,' was again used by him, when he spoke so strongly in the Temple, a few days previous to his Passion and Death. And what is this Supper, to which many are invited,-what is this Marriage-Feast,-but that which eternal Wisdom has been getting ready, from the very beginning of the world? Nothing could exceed the magnificence of these preparations; there was a splendid banquethall, built on the top of a mountain, and supported by seven pillars of mysterious beauty; there were the choicest meats,-purest bread, and wine the most delicious,―served up to the King's table. It was with his own hands, that the Wisdom of the Father pressed the rich cluster of Cyprus grape into the cup ;* it was He ground down the wheat, that had sprung up, without having been sown, from a soil holy beyond description; it was He that immolated the Victim." Israel, the Father's chosen people,' was the fortunate 4 1 Opp. t. v. p. 429. 3 Is. ii. 2. 5 Cant. i. 13. 7 Ecclus. xxiv. 13. guest invited by the loving kindness of the Master, that is, Wisdom, that is, the Son of the Father; he had sent messengers without end to the children of Jacob. As we read in the Gospel: The Wisdom of God said: "I will send unto them prophets and apostles." But this favoured people, this loved one, as the Book of Deuteronomy says, grew fat, and kicked, that is, it abused the gifts bestowed on it; it seemed to study how to provoke the anger of God its Saviour, by despising his invitations, and going their ways.2 This daughter of Sion, in her adulterous pride, preferred the bill of divorce to the Marriage-feast; Jerusalem rejected the heavenly messengers, and killed the prophets, and crucified the Spouse himself. 3 But, even so, eternal Wisdom still offers the first place at the Supper to the ungrateful children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; he does so, because of those saintly fathers of theirs. Yes, it is to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that are first sent the Apostles.5 “What delicate attention !" may we justly exclaim with St. John Chrysostom. "Before his "Crucifixion, Christ calls the Jews; he does the same “after it, he goes on inviting them. Instead of "crushing them with a terrible chastisement, as it "seemed most just he should do, he invites them to "a Marriage; he loads them with honours. But they that have slain his prophets, and murdered "even Him,-these same, invited so pressingly by "such a Spouse, urged so lovingly to go to the Wedding, and that by the very Victim of their own "making, these same, I say, pay no regard to the "invitation, and give, as an excuse, their yoke of "oxen, and their wives, and their estates!" Soon, 66 1 St. Luke, xi. 49. 2 Deut. xxxii. 15. 4 St. Matth. xxiii. 34-37. 6 Freely from Hom. 69, in Matth. these Priests, these Scribes, these hypocrite Pharisees, will persecute and slay the Apostles also; and the Servant of our parable will find none in Jerusalem, whom he can induce to come to the Master's Supper, except the poor, and little, and sickly ones, of the roads and by-lanes, with whom there is no ambition, or avarice, or pleasure, to keep them from the divine banquet. Then will be realised the vocation of the Gentiles, that great mystery of a new people being substituted for the former one, in the covenant with Jehovah. "The Marriage of my Son is, indeed, "ready," will God the Father say to his servants; "but they that were invited, were not worthy. Go ye, "therefore: abandon the wicked city that hath not "known her time, and my visit! go ye into the high66 ways, and hedges, and countries of the Gentiles; and, "as many as ye shall find, call ye to the Marriage!"i O ye Gentiles! praise the Lord for his mercy!2 You have been invited, without any merits of your own, to a feast that was prepared for another people; take heed, lest you incur the reproach given to the intended guests, who were excluded from the promises made to their fathers. O thou lame one, and blind, that hast been called from the by-path of thy sin and misery, hasten to the holy table! But, then, take care, out of respect to Him who calls thee, to put off the rags of thy former life; and quickly put on the wedding-garment! The invitation given thee has made a queen of thy soul; "give her, then, the pur 66 ple robe and diadem, and set her on a throne! "Think of the Marriage thou art invited to attend,"the Marriage of God! Oh! the soul that goes to "it, should be clad and decked with a garment richer "than all the garments of earth!" 3 1 St. Matth. xxii. 8-14; St. Luke, xix. 44. 3 From St. John Chrys. ubi supra. |