Category: Lent

Holy Saturday

4/19/2014

The Lesson is taken from the Treatise on the Psalms by St. Augustine the Bishop

They imagine wickedness, and practise it; that they keep secret among themselves, every man in the deep of his heart. And they say that no man shall see them. Now one known as Man came up against these communings, and in the form of Man he did suffer himself to be laid hold upon. For they could not have laid hold upon him, had he not been Man; neither could he have been seen, had he not been Man; nor been scourged, had he not been Man; nor been crucified, nor died, had he not been Man. As Man, therefore, he came to endure all those sufferings which could have had none effect upon him had he not been Man. And further, had he not been Man, in no wise could man have been redeemed. So it was, as the Psalmist saith, that he came, as Man, unto a deep heart; that is, something that passeth human understanding. For he shewed his Manhood to the eyes of men, but kept his Godhead hidden deep within: thus concealing the form of God, wherein he is equal to the Father; but exhibiting the form of a servant, wherein he is inferior to the Father.

How far did they encourage themselves in those diligent searchings, wherein they failed so greatly? So far that even when the Lord was dead and buried, they set a watch over the sepulchre. For they said of Christ to Pilate: That deceiver. By this name the Lord Jesus Christ was named, to the comfort of his servants, when they be called deceivers. That deceiver (say they to Pilate) said while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again: command, therefore, that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them: Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and settling a watch.

They placed a watch of soldiers over the sepulchre. The earth quaked! The Lord rose again! Such were the miracles wrought round about the sepulchre, that the very soldiers who kept watch might have become witnesses, if they had been willing to declare the truth. But that covetousness which possessed the disciple and companion of Christ, possessed also the soldiers who guarded his tomb. We will give you money (say they), and say ye that his disciples came and stole him away while ye slept. Truly, they failed in their snare and communings. What is this thou saidst, O wretched cunning? Dost thou so far forsake the light of prudence and duty, and plunge thyself so deep in craftiness, as to speak thus: Say ye that his disciples came and stole him away while ye slept? Thou producest sleeping witnesses! Surely thou wast thyself asleep, who didst thus snare thyself in such a snare.

Good Friday

4/18/2014

The Lesson is taken from the Treatise on the Psalms by St. Augustine the Bishop

Hide me from the gathering together of the froward, and from the insurrection of wicked doers. In our consideration of this Psalm, let us contemplate our Head himself. Many Martyrs have suffered such things as the Psalmist prayeth against; but no Martyr shineth with such glory as the Head of the Martyrs. In him we best perceive what they endured. He particularly was hidden from the insurrection of wicked doers, to wit, in the sense that God the Son, who was made man, hid himself under the veil of his own flesh. For he is both Son of Man and Son of God: yea, he was the Son of God (for he was in the form of God), and as such became in the flesh the Son of Man, in the form of a servant; whereby he had power to lay down his life, and power to take it again. What could his enemies do unto him? They could only kill the body: the soul they could not kill. Give heed: it were little for the Lord to exhort the Martyrs by word, did he not confirm them by this his example.

We know what was the gathering together of the froward amongst Jewry, and what was the insurrection of wicked doers. How were they wicked doers? In that they desired to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. Many good works (saith he) have I shewed you: for which of these works do ye desire to kill me? He bore all their infirmities. He healed all their sick. He preached the kingdom of heaven. He held not his peace at their iniquities, so that they might rather hate the same, than the Physician who would heal them. Yet being ungrateful for all these his remedies, like men raging in high fever, they did rage against the Physician who had come to heal them, and took counsel for his destruction. It was as though they would put it to the proof, whether he were man that could die, or whether he were something more than man that would not suffer himself to die. In Chapter 2 of the Book of Wisdom we have, as it were, their very words: Let us examine him with despitefulness: let us condemn him with a shameful death: for he shall be visited according to his words: for if the just man be the Son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of the enemies.

They have whet their tongue like a sword. Let not Jewry say: We did not kill Christ. For they delivered him up to Pilate's tribunal in order that they should themselves seem innocent of his death. Thus when Pilate said to them: Take ye him, and crucify him: they answered: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. So it was that they sought to cast the guilt of their crime upon a human judge: but by this could they deceive God the Judge? What Pilate did, made him perforce in some sort partaker of their crime. But in comparison with them, he was less guilty. For he did what he could to rescue him out of their hands, and therefore ordered him to be scourged and brought before them. That is to say, not by way of persecution did he scourge the Lord, but as wishing to satisfy their rage, that when they saw him scourged, they might relent, and cease to desire his death. Nevertheless he did do it. But if we hold him to be guilty who did it against his will, shall they be innocent who did force him to do it? By no means. Pilate did pronounce sentence on him, and commanded him to be crucified, and so in some wise it might be said that he did kill him. But O ye, his own Jewish people, ye in full truth did kill him. And how did ye kill him? With the sword of the tongue. For like a sword ye whet your tongue. And when did ye strike the blow, but when ye cried out: Crucify him, crucify him?

Maundy Thursday

4/17/2014

The Lesson is taken from the Treatise on the Psalms by St. Augustine the Bishop

Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my petition: take heed unto me, and hear me: how I mourn in my trial, and am vexed; because of the crying of the enemy, and of the tribulation which cometh from the ungodly. These are the words of one who is disquieted, beset by trouble and anxiety. He prayeth as one under much suffering, desiring deliverance from evil. Let us see from what evil he doth suffer: and as we hear what that evil is, let us recognize that we also suffer from the same thing; so that as we share his tribulation, we may also join in his prayer. I mourn in my trial (saith he) and am vexed. When doth he mourn? When is he vexed? In my trial, saith he. He hath in mind the ungodly that cause him tribulation, which same he calleth his trial. Therefore, think not that the wicked can serve no good purpose in this world, and that God is unable to accomplish good by means of them. Every wicked person is permitted to live in order that he may be made righteous, or else that the righteous may be tried by him.

I would to God that the ungodly who now try us were converted, and so were on trial with us. Yet, though they continue to try us, let us not hate them: for we know not whether any of them will continue to the end in his evil ways. And mostly, when thou thinkest thyself to be hating thine enemy, thou hatest thy brother, and knowest it not. Only the devil and his angels are shewn to us in Scripture as doomed to eternal fire: their amendment alone is hopeless, against whom we wage a hidden strife. For which strife the Apostle would arm us, saying: We wrestle not against flesh and blood (that is, not against men, whom we see) but against principálities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Mark that he saith not: The rulers of this world: lest perchance thou shouldst think that devils are rulers of heaven and earth; but rather, he saith: The rulers of the darkness of this world. When he speaketh thus of the world, he would have us understand the lovers of the world whereof the Gospel saith: And the world knew him not.

For I have spied unrighteousness and strife in the city. Give heed now to the glory of the Cross itself. On the brow of kings is now placed that Cross, which once enemies did deride. Effect hath proven strength. He hath subdued the world, not with a sword, but with Wood. The Wood of the Cross seemed a worthy object of scorn to his enemies; and standing before that very Wood, they wagged their heads, saying, If thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross! Thus did he stretch forth his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people. If he is just who doth live by faith, then is he unrighteous who hath not faith. Wherefore, when he saith: Unrighteousness: understand that it is the disobedience of unbelief. The Lord then saw unrighteousness and strife in the city, and stretched out his hands unto an unbelieving and gainsaying people. And yet, looking upon the very same, he saith: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

The Lesson is taken from the Former Epistle of blessed Paul to the Corinthians

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divísions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

The Gradual for Mass

Christ was made for us obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.

Sung during the Washing of the feet

Where charity and love abide, there is God.

V. The love of Christ joined us in one.
V. Let us rejoice and be glad in him.
V. Let us fear and love the living God.
V. And love one another in sincerity of heart.
Where charity and love abide, there is God.

V. When, therefore, we are joined together.
V. Let us see that we be not divided in spirit.
V. Let all malicious wranglings and contentions cease.
V. And let Christ our God be in the midst of us.
Where charity and love abide, there is God.

V. So may we with the blessed see.
V. In glory thy countenance, O Christ our God.
V. Joy that is infinite and undefiled.
V. Sæcula per infiníta sæculórum. Amen.
V. For ever and for evermore. Amen.

Where charity and love abide, there is God.

Wednesday in Holy week - Spy Wednesday

4/16/2014

Why is it called Spy Wednesday?

In the Old Testament Joseph, who prefigured Christ, was betrayed by his older brother, Judah -- the father of the tribe whence came King David and through which the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled -- when Judah sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt for so many shekels of silver (see Genesis 37-38, and also Psalm 68:2-29 and Acts 1:13-20).

From that tribe of Judah came Our Lord, Who was betrayed by another Judah, a man who is more commonly known as Judas Iscariot ("Iscariot" refers to Kerioth, a town in Judea). This Judas handled the money for the Apostles and became offended by the extravagance of Mary Magdalen's gesture of love toward Jesus:

John 12:1-8 1
Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he that was about to betray him, said: Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the purse, carried the things that were put therein.

Jesus therefore said: Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial. For the poor you have always with you; but me you have not always. Immediately after this, Judas met with the chief priests to betray Our Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

Here is St. Matthew's version of History:

Matthew 26:6-15
And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, There came to Him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on His head as He was at table.

And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. For she in pouring this ointment upon my body, hath done it for my burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memory of her.

Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.

Thus today the Spy is Judas also today and during the Sacred Triduum, the Matins and Lauds of the Divine Office are often sung in a haunting service known as the Tenebrae service ("tenebrae" meaning "shadows"), which is basically a funeral service for Jesus.

During the Matins on Good Friday, one by one, the candles are extinguished in the Church, leaving the congregation in total darkness, and in a silence that is punctuated by the strepitus meant to evoke the convulsion of nature at the death of Christ. It has also been described as the sound of the tomb door closing. During the Triduum, the Matins and Lauds readings come from the following day's readings each night because the hours of Matins and Lauds were pushed back so that the public might better participate during these special three days (i.e., the Matins and Lauds readings heard at Spy Wednesday's tenebrae service are those for Maundy Thursday, the readings for Maundy Thursday's tenebrae service are from Good Friday, and Good Friday's readings are from Holy Saturday's Divine Office).

Legend says that the tree upon which Judas hanged himself was the Cercis siliquastrum -- a tree that is now known as the "Judas Tree." It is a beautiful tree, native to the Mediterranean region, with brilliant deep pink flowers in the spring -- flowers that are said to have blushed in shame after Judas's suicide.

Tuesday of Holy Week

4/15/2014

Hymn for Laudes
Thirty years among us dwelling,
His appointed time fulfilled,
Born for this, he meets his Passion,
For that this he freely willed:
On the Cross the Lamb is lifted,
Where his life-Blood shall be spilled.

He endured the nails, the spitting,
Vinegar, and spear, and reed:
From that holy Body broken
Blood and Water forth proceed:
Earth, and stars, and sky, and ocean,
By that flood from stain are freed.

Faithful Cross! above all other,
One and only noble Tree;
None in foliage, none in blossom,
None in fruit thy peer may be:
Sweetest wood, and sweetest iron,
Sweetest weight is hung on thee.

Bend thy boughs, O Tree of glory,
Thy relaxing sinews bend:
For awhile the ancient rigour
That thy birth bestowed, suspend:
And the King of heavenly beauty
On thy bosom gently tend.

Thou alone wast counted worthy
This world's ransom to sustain,
That a shipwrecked race for ever
Might a port of refuge gain:
With the sacred Blood anointed
Of the Lamb for sinners slain.

To the Trinity be glory
Everlasting, as is meet:
Equal to the Father, equal
To the Son, and Paraclete:
Trinal Unity, whose praises
All created things repeat. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God: grant that we may so celebrate the mysteries of the Passion of our Saviour; that we may be worthy to obtain thy pardon. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

Station at St. Prisca

Monday of Holy Week

4/14/2014

Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom Jesus raised from the dead.

Sermon by by St. Augustine the Bishop

Lest men should deem that it was but by an ocular delusion that they had seen him arise from the dead, Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table. He lived therefore, spake, and ate; to the manifestation of the truth, and the confusion of the unbelieving Jews. Jesus, then, sat down to meat with Lazarus and others, and Martha, being one of Lazarus' sisters, served. But Mary, Lazarus' other sister, took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. We have now heard that which was done; let us search out the mystic meaning thereof.

Whosoever thou art that wilt be a faithful soul, seek with Mary to anoint the feet of the Lord with costly ointment. This ointment was a figure of justice, and therefore is said to have been a pound thereof. The word Pistikes used by the Evangelist as the name of this ointment, we must believe to be that of some place, from which this costly perfume was imported. Neither is this name meaningless for us, but agreeth well with our mystic interpretation, since Pístis is the Greek word which signifieth Faith, and whosoever will do justice must know that the just shall live by faith. Anoint therefore, the feet of Jesus by thy good life, following in the marks which those feet of the Lord have traced. Wipe his feet likewise with thy hair; that is, if thou have aught which is not needful to thee, give it to the poor; and then thou hast wiped the feet of Jesus with thy hair, that is, with that which thou needest not, and which is therefore to thee as is hair, being a needless out-growth to the body. Here thou hast what to do with that which thou needest not. To thee it is needless, but the Lord's feet have need of it; yea, the feet which the Lord hath on earth are sorely needy.

For of whom save of his members, will he say at the latter day: Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. That is, ye have spent nothing save that which ye needed not, but ye have ministered unto my feet. And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. That is, the fragrance of your good example filleth the world; for this odour is a figure of reputation. They which are called Christians, and yet live bad lives, cast a slur on Christ: and it is even such as they unto whom it is said: The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. But if, through such, the Name of God be blasphemed, through the godly is praise ascribed to the Same his Holy Name, as the Apostle doth likewise say: In every place we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ.

Palm Sunday

4/12/2014

At that time: When they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them.

Sermon by St. Ambrose the Bishop

The Lord went up to the temple, and left the Jews behind. And this was fitting, for he was about to take up his abode in the hearts of the Gentiles. The true temple of God, wherein he worshipped, not in the deadness of the letter, but in spirit and in truth, is that temple whereof the foundations are laid, not in courses of stone, but in acts of faith. He leaveth behind him such as hate him, and getteth him to such as will love him. And so he cometh unto the Mount of Olives, that he may plant upon the heights of virtue those young olive-branches, whose mother is the Jerusalem which is above. Upon this mountain standeth he, the heavenly husbandman, that all they which be planted in the house of the Lord may be able each one to say: As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God.

But we may even think of this mountain as being Christ himself. For what other beareth such plants as he doth, not weighted down with an abundance of earthly fruit, but spiritually fruitful with the fulness of the Gentiles? He also it is by whom we go up, and unto whom we go up. He is the Door. He is the Way. For he is the one which is opened and which openeth. Unto him, whosoever entereth in, knocketh. Unto him also, having entered, to obtain their reward, they do offer their worship. A figure also was it that the disciples went into a village, and that there they found an ass tied and a colt with her; neither could they be loosed, save at the hand of his Apostles which loosed them. He whose work and life are like theirs will have such grace as was theirs. Be thou also such as they, if thou wouldest loose them that are bound.

Now consider how those two who were convicted of transgression, and banished from the freedom of the Paradise of Eden, were made to be dwellers in towns, bound over as it were, into a village; and in this observe how Life called back again them whom death had cast out. For this reason, we read in Matthew that there were tied both an ass and her colt. Both male and female were banished from Eden. The she-ass and the male-colt doth put us in mind of the return to Paradise. The she-ass mindeth us of our sinful Mother Eve, and the colt of the multitude of the Gentiles. Upon the colt Christ took his seat. And thus it is well written of the colt, that thereon never yet had man sat, for no man before Christ ever called the Gentiles into the Church, which statement thou hast in Mark who saith: Whereon never man sat.

Thoughts for Palm Sunday

4/12/2014

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt., 21:9)

Today we begin Holy Week, the week in which we centre our thoughts and affections on the final hours of the mortal life of Jesus Christ, the hours of His Passion and Death. The first part of the week leads up to Good Friday, the day on which we commemorate the sorrowful death of Our Saviour on Mount Calvary. There are two days on which a note of joy and triumph is found in the Church's liturgy--Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday. Today we remember the dramatic entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, while the people stewed branches of palms before Him, and in spirit we repeat their exultant cries: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Many of those who welcomed Him with these words recognised Him only as a great prophet, but we know that He is the true Son of God as well as the Son of David, and our act of homage is an acknowledgement of His divinity.

Holy Thursday, too, brings the joyful remembrance of the miracle of divine power and love whereby Our Lord gave us His own body and blood in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. On that day the priest celebrates Mass in the white vestments of joy and gladness, and after Mass the Blessed Sacrament is placed in the repository, so that the faithful may visit Our Divine Saviour to thank Him for the great gift of the Holy Eucharist and to ask Him for the favours and graces they need both for body and for souls.

However, the predominant sentiment of the Church in Holy Week is sadness and sympathy for Our Blessed Lord in His sufferings. Uppermost in our minds should be the doctrine of Our faith that the purpose of Christ in submitting to the pain and the ignominy of His Passion was to make satisfaction to His Father for the sins of mankind. We should relate this thought to our own individual lives and realise that every sin we ever committed, whether mortal or venial, had its particular share in inflicting suffering on the Son of God. While this thought should be in our minds especially on Good Friday, it should be frequently recalled during the entire week.

Practical Application

One of the most important acts of every good Catholic in the course of Holy Week is to make a good confession, in a spirit of deep repentance for his sins that have caused the death of Jesus Christ. If possible, receive Holy Communion on Holy Thursday, but above all, prepare for a fervent Holy Communion on Easter Sunday, that you may thus share in Our Lord's joy and glory.

Thoughts for Passion Sunday

4/6/2014

Patience in Suffering

“They took up stones to cast at Him” (John, 8:59)

Today we begin the solemn period of the Church year known as Passiontide, which will last until the glorious feast of Our Lord's Resurrection on Easter. The violet drapes that cover the crucifix and the statues in the church are indicative of the spirit of penance for sin, that should be in the heart of every practical Catholic as he recalls the account of the final days of Christ's mortal life, filled with suffering and pain, portrayed so vividly in the scriptural account of the Passion.

Today's Gospel relates an incident that occurred shortly before Our Saviour's death. He was reproving a group of the Jewish people for not accepting His teachings, even though they were confirmed by miracles. Angered by His words, his hearers began to insult Him, and some even took up stones to cast at Him. It must have been a source of keen suffering to the gent]e Heart of Christ to be treated with such ingratitude, after all He had done for His people. Yet, as always, He bore this sorrow patiently. He could have used His divine power to punish these malicious persons; but instead He left the temple and hid Himself for a time until the anger of His enemies had somewhat subsided.

This same spirit of patience continued to be manifested by Our Divine Redeemer throughout the remaining days of His mortal life. He was called on to endure every form of suffering both in soul and in body. Yet, He never complained, but rather expressed His willingness to suffer whatever might be inflicted on Him, since such was the will of His Father. He could have destroyed those who stood around the cross and taunted Him: “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross,” but instead He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

From Our Blessed Lord we should learn to be patient in trials and sufferings, especially when we have to suffer insult or injustice from others. This is particularly painful when those who treat us harshly are persons whom we have befriended. One who is sensitive feels such treatment much more keenly than he would physical pain. But we should strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ who was so patient in suffering, even to the death on the cross.

Practical Application

In the course of the next two week let your thoughts turn frequently to the sufferings of Our Divine Lord. Promise Him to endure with patience whatever pains of body or soul God may will to send you.

Passion Sunday

4/6/2014

At that time: Jesus said unto the multitude of the Jews: Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Sermon by St. Gregory the Pope

Dearly beloved brethren, consider the gentleness of God. He came to take away sin, and he saith: Which of you convinceth me of sin? He, who in virtue of his Godhead was able to justify sinners, did not disdain to shew by an appeal to reason that he was not himself a sinner. But verily the words which he addeth are exceeding awesome: He that is of God heareth God's words, and if one who is not of God, is not able to hear God's words, let each one ask himself: Do I, in the ear of my heart, hear God's words, and understand whose words they are? The Truth commandeth us to long for a fatherland in heaven, to bridle the lusts of the flesh, to turn away from the glory of the world, to covet no man's goods, and to bestow freely of our own.

Let each of you, therefore, think within himself if this voice of God soundeth loud in the ear of his heart; for thereby will he know whether he be of God. Some there be, whom it pleaseth not to hear the commandments of God, even with their bodily ears. And some there be, who receive the same with their bodily ears, but whose heart is far from them. And some also there be, who hear the words of God with joy, so that they are moved thereby even to tears. But when their fit of weeping is past they turn again to iniquity. They who despise to do the words of God certainly cannot be said to hear them. Wherefore, dearly beloved brethren, call up your own life before your mind's eye, and then ponder with trembling those awful words which the mouth of the Truth spake: Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

The Truth speaketh these words concerning the reprobate. But the reprobate make manifest the same thing concerning themselves, by their evil deeds. Thus immediately followeth: Then answered the Jews, and said unto him: Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Hear now what the Lord saith to so great an insult: I have not a devil, but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. The Lord said: I have not a devil. But he did not say: I am not a Samaritan. For in a sense a Samaritan he was indeed, since the word Samaritan is by interpretation a Watcher, and the Lord is that Watcher, of whom the Psalmist saith, that except he keep the city, any other watchman waketh but in vain. He also is that Watchman unto whom crieth Isaiah: Watchman, what of the night, Watchman, what of the night? Wherefore the Lord did not say: I am not a Samaritan. But: I have not a devil. Two charges were brought against him. One he denied. To the other his silence gave assent.

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