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JOHN M. KELLY LIBRARY
Donated by
The Redemptorists of
the Toronto Province
from the Library Collection of
Holy Redeemer College, Windsor
University of
St. Michael s College, Toronto
JESUS OF NAZARETH
HOLY REDEEMER LIBRARY,
THE CHRIST CHILD.
My delights were to be w.th the children of men." Prov. 8. 31.
JESUS OF NAZARETH
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE
SIMPLY TOLD
..BY..
MOTHER MARY LOYOLA,
Of the Bar Convent, York
EDITED BY
FATHER THURSTON, S. J.
51ST THOUSAND
FOR SALE BY
ALL BOOK DEALERS
1915
REMIGIUS LAFORT, S.T.L.,
Censor.
Imprimatur.
*JOHN M. FARLEY,
Archbishop of New York.
NEW YOBK, June 24th, 1906.
Copyright, 1906, by the Congregation of the Mission
of St. Vincent de Paul
in Springfield, Mass.
Co
THE CHILDREN OF AMERICA
THIS STORY OF HlM
WHO LOVES THEM
AND DIED FOR THEM
AND INVITES THEM
TO SPEND WITH HlM
A HAPPY ETERNITY
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
PREFATORY NOTE.
The pressure of an earnest invitation sent me from
America must be my excuse for venturing to add
another Life of Christ for the Young to the excellent
ones already existing.
The aim proposed is to strengthen faith in our Lord s
Divinity, and to draw the hearts of children to Him by
a personal love. To do this within the limits assigned,
it has seemed better to omit a certain amount of matter
rather than sacrifice detailed descriptions of leading
facts, which by impressing the imagination leave a
vivid picture in the mind.
Where different views, as to chronology, etc., pre
vail, I have adopted the one supported by the greater
number of Catholic authors. To the following books
of reference in particular I desire to acknowledge my
indebtedness :
La Sarnie Bible, by M. T Abbe L. C. Fillion.
The Christ the Son of God, by the Abbe Fouard.
Jesus Christ, by Pere Didon, O. P.
Life of Jesus Christ, by Fr. Maas, S. J.
Life of Our Life, by Fr. Coleridge, S. J.
The Passion, by Pere Ollivier, O. P.
ix
X PREFATORY NOTE.
Dictionaire de la S. Bible, by the Abbe F. Vigouroux
Cambridge Companion to the Bible.
Helps to the Study of the Bible.
St. Luke, by the Right Eev. Mgr. Ward.
Jesus the Messiah, by Dr. Edersheim.
Sketches of Jewish Social Life, by Dr. Edersheim.
The Resurrection of Christ, by G. W. B. Marsh, B. A.
Holy Gospel According to St. John, by the Very
Rev. J. Maclntyre.
Should this little book help even a few children of
the great Catholic Church of America, so free, vigorous,
and expanding, to withstand the infidelity of the day,
and lead them to a tender, personal love of Jesus
Christ, it will have happily attained its end.
M. LOYOLA.
FOREWORD
FEOM
CARDINAL GIBBONS.
We all realize that the children form the most pre
cious portion of the flock committed to our care. The
little ones were very dear to the heart of our Blessed
Lord : " Suffer the little children to come unto me, and
forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God."
(Mark 10. 14). Hence we are all willing with St.
Paul " to spend ourselves, and be spent" in a special
manner for the sake of the dear children. In their
turn the children are destined to be the people ; and we
know that impressions are the more abiding when made
in the time of youth : "A young man according to his
way, even when he is old he will not depart from it."
(Prov. 22. 6). Whoever contributes toward implant
ing the seeds of piety and virtue in the minds of chil
dren, has a special claim to the promise of the Holy
Ghost : " They that instruct many to justice, shall
shine as stars for all eternity." ("Dan. 12. 3). The
most efficient way of forming the youthful heart to vir
tue and piety is to cause the love of God to predominate
over the fear of God : " Be ye followers of God, as
most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also
hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us, an ob
lation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of sweetness."
(Eph. 5. 1.) Again the Beloved Disciple tells us:
xi
Xll FOREWORD.
" Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth
God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God
is charity. Fear is not in charity; but perfect charity
casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that
feareth is not perfected in charity. Let us therefore
love God, because God first hath loved us." (I. John 4).
The beautiful life-story of Our Blessed Lord, when
well told, is a most powerful means of inflaming the
hearts of youth with love for God. This love, in turn,
will help the children to keep God s commandments:
"And this is charity, that we walk according to His
commandments." (II. John. 1. 6.)
My heart was delighted on reading the proof-sheets
of " Jesus of Nazareth: The Story of His Life, Written
for Children/ by Mother Mary Loyola. The book is
eminently practical, simple, unctuous, and interesting.
It will make a powerful impression on the minds of
the children. In fact no one can read it without loving
God more, and therefore becoming better. The Author
evidently realizes the wants of the child-mind, and, at
the same time, comforts every soul in its longing for
something higher and better.
This gifted Religious has contributed much toward
the salvation of souls in the many beautiful and useful
works that she has written. These books are silently,
yet surely, doing their work in the family circle, in the
schools, and in the work shops. The remarkable suc
cess of the Author of these works is evidently to be at
tributed to her genuine piety, her life of prayer and
union with God, and her knowledge of the Sacred Scrip
tures and the Fathers. The learned Father Thurston,
S. J., carefully supervises her works. Her attractive
suggestions, and her enlightening doctrines are put so
simply, and applied so well, that a person would almost
FOEEWOB1>. Xlli
wonder why he did not think of expressing his thoughts
in that way himself.
Parents, teachers and instructors will find Mother
Loyola s works very useful in the difficult task of form
ing the minds of children to a life of virtue. We would
be glad to see a copy of " Jesus of Nazareth, Written
for Children," in every household in the land. We
wish it God-speed in going out on its great mission.
J. CARD. GIBBONS
Baltimore, March 25, 1906.
CONTENTS.
PAGH.
Prefatory Note . . 9
I. "Who art Thou, Lord?" . 17
II. On Trial 22
III. The Promised One 29
THE CHILDHOOD AND HIDDEN LIFE.
IV. A Joyful Surprise 43
V. Holy Mary , .46
VI. Holy Mother of God . . 53
VII. Mary s Song 56
VIII. The First Christmas Night .... 61
IX. In the Temple 71
X. The Star in the East . .... 79
XI. Jesus of Nazareth 85
XII. In the Temple Again 91
XIII. The Hidden Life . . .
THE PUBLIC LIFE.
XIV. Palestine and its People 109
XV. The Banks of Jordan . . . . . . 117
XVI. In the Desert 120
XVII. The First Disciples 132
XVIII. Galilee ......... 138
XIX. The Court of the Gentiles ... 144
XX. At Jacob s Well 153
XXT. A Sabbath at Nazareth 162
XXTI. "His Own City" 170
XXIII. "We have seen wonderful things to-day. " . 178
XXIV. The Twelve 187
XXV. The Sermon on the Mount 200
XXVI. " Who went about doing good " . . . .209
XXVII. " Never man spake like this man" . . .218
XXVIII. "TalithaCuni!" . . . . . .223
XV
XVI
CONTENTS.
PAOK.
XXIX. A Holiday 237
XXX. " Will you also go away 2" 244
XXXI. "Lord, help me!" ...... 251
XXXII. At Caesarea Philippi 256
XXXIII. With the Children ...... 267
XXXIV. With the Twelve 273
XXXV. With His Friends ....... 287
XXXVI. The Beginning of the End 298
XXXVII. "Jerusalem! Jerusalem!" ... .307
XXXVIII. The Kight in which He was Betrayed. . 322
XXXIX. " It is Finished M 343
THE RISEN LIFE.
XL. "Jesus Christ yesterday, to-day, and the same
for ever " 373
XLI. "This Jesus shall so come as you have seen
Him going into Heaven " . , 397
" WHO ART THOU, LORD ? " *
NINETEEN hundred years ago there came into this
world a Man whose Life of thirty-three years is the
chief event in the world s history, and whether we
think of it or not the chief event in the history here
and hereafter of every one of us.
He was promised four thousand years before He
came. The race, the tribe, the family, the time of His
coming, the chief events of His Life were known. So
that in the reign of the Roman Emperor, Augustus
Caesar, when the time foretold by the prophets had
come, there was a widespread expectation of a great
Deliverer, and many eyes were turned to the little
country of Palestine where He was to appear. And
there, in Bethlehem, in a stable, on a winter s night, He
came. Angels sang in the heavens and sent shepherds
to His crib. A star shining out in the eastern sky
brought wise men to His feet. Then the marvels
around Him ceased, and whilst men were still expecting,
and wondering why the promised One delayed so long,
He was growing up from youth to manhood, and work
ing at a carpenter s trade in the despised village of
Nazareth.
At the age of thirty He left His cottage home and
began to show Himself to men. The majesty and grace
of His Person, His winning ways, the power and the
sweetness of His words, and His marvellous works,
* Acts ix. 5.
18 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
soon carried His fame far beyond the limits of His own
land. His feet trod the stormy waves. His voice
stilled the tempests, cast out devils, and brought peace
to the souls of men. The touch of His hand gave sight
to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb,
life to the dead.
Multitudes followed wherever He went, through the
crowded streets, up the hillsides, into the desert. When
He preached on the seashore, the people so thronged
Him that He had to step into a boat and push off from
the land, His eager hearers pressing down to the water s
edge to catch His every word. ~No man had ever spoken
like this Man. His words not only fell upon their ears,
but sank into their souls, stirring them to higher
thoughts and desires, to a sorrow for their sins which
brought them peace, to a love of Him which drew them
near to God. Wounds of body and of soul too sore for
other handling His light touch healed. The poor, the
ignorant, those of whom the world makes little account,
went after Him in thousands, heedless of food and shel
ter, of everything save the Face and the Voice of
Jesus of Nazareth.
Multitudes flocked after Him. But there was no
multitude to Him. Each soul stood out before Him
clear and distinct, with its needs, its troubles, its sins,
its desires for better things. The little child, the
widow, the eager youth, the trembling sinner, felt that
He read them through and through, understood them,
loved them, cared for their love, wanted to help them,
to make them happy and could do it.
Gradually there gathered round Him a band of dis
ciples. From among these He chose twelve men to be
His intimate companions and friends. He kept them
constantly with Him, He carefully taught and trained
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 19
them, He let them into His secrets, He shared with
them His miraculous powers, so that like Him they
cast out devils, and cured the sick. He called them
Apostles, that is, messengers sent, because they were to
take His place and carry on His work when He should
leave the earth. They were fishermen, most of them,
rough and ignorant, but with simple, devoted hearts.
Father, mother, home, everything they had in this
world, they left for their Master s sake, ready to follow
Him everywhere, even to prison and to death.
For not all men revered Him for His holiness and
wonderful works, and loved Him for His goodness. He
had fierce enemies, men who were jealous of Him and
hated Him for His teaching, His warnings, His mira
cles. During three years they slandered and perse
cuted Him. And at last they laid hands on Him >
scourged Him as a slave, crowned Him with thorns as
a mock king, nailed Him to a cross between thieves, and
watched Him die in lingering agony. He was buried.
His grave was sealed, and guards were set to watch.
Then His enemies thought the world was rid of Him,
and that they would hear His Name no more. But
three days after His Crucifixion He rose from the tomb
as He had foretold, and showed Himself to His friends.
For forty days He w r ent in and out among them, eat
ing with them, letting them touch His wounded hands
and feet, giving them His last instructions. On the
fortieth day after His Resurrection, He led His disci
ples to the top of Mount Olivet, and having blessed
them, slowly rose above their heads into the heavens
till a cloud received Him out of their sight. As they
remained looking up into the sky, two Angels in white
garments stood by them and said : " Ye men of Gali
lee, why stand you looking up to Heaven ? This Jesus
20 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
who is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come as
you have seen Him going into Heaven."
" This Jesus." Who was this wonderful Man ? Was
He a true Man, and if so, was He more than Man?
Pilate, the Koman Governor who condemned Him to
death, was so struck by His calm majesty, His silence,
and His patience in the midst of cruel injustice and
pain, that he asked Him : " Whence art Thou ? " He
wanted to know if He was a mere man, or if there was
any truth in the belief of many, that He was more than
Man, that He was the Son of God.
Pilate s Prisoner made him no answer, because none
was needed. He had been three and thirty years in
the world, and the question : " Whence art Thou ? "
had been answered so plainly by the wonderful works
He had done, that those only who were wilfully blind
could help knowing who He was and whence He came.
About five years after the Ascension of Christ into
Heaven, a young man was hastening to Damascus to
seize and punish all he could find, men and women who
believed in Jesus of Nazareth. Suddenly, a light
from Heaven shone round about him, and, falling on
the ground, he heard a Voice saying to him : " Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou Me ? " And he said : " Who
art Thou, Lord ? " And the Voice made answer : " I
am Jesus whom thou persecutest. "*
That question and its answer changed the persecu
tor Saul into the great St. Paul. He came to know
and love our Blessed Lord so well, that neither tribula
tion, nor danger, nor the sword, nor death, nor any
creature, he said, could separate him from Him.
Now the question of Pilate and of Saul was of im-
*Actsix. 5.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 21
mense importance, not to themselves alone, but to every
one of us. A more important question has never been
asked; for, to know the truth about Jesus Christ, and
to guide our lives by what we know, is the end for which
we were sent into this world.
We did not see what the people of His own land saw
every day; but we have the story of His Life written
by those who knew Him intimately, and it ought to be
familiar to us all. Every man and woman, every boy
and girl should know it well. It is of more importance
to us by far than anything else we have to learn. It
was written, not for mankind in general, but for each
of us, one by one, that we might study it and copy its
lessons into our own lives.
These are days in which our belief in Jesus Christ
must be firmly rooted if it is to be unshaken by the un
belief and indifference around us. We should try,
then, to bring home to ourselves in every possible way
the truth about Him Who He is ; what He came into
this world to do; what we must do that He may not
have come for us in vain. Let us ask, then, humbly
and earnestly with St. Paul:
"Who art Thou, Lord?"
II.
ON TRIAL.
To find the answer to this question, we must go back
a long way before that time, nearly six thousand
years ago, when human history began right back to
the Eternal Years.
From all eternity God had lived alone; alone, but
not lonely; One God in Three Persons, Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost. No sound broke the stillness of His
Life; no events came, and went, and brought a change.
He was infinitely happy; for in Himself He had all
things. If there was to be life, beauty, joy, outside of
Him, from Him it must come.
And God willed these things should be. He would
not keep always to Himself the happiness He could
share with others, but would pour it out upon creatures
able to know and love and enjoy Him.
He created the Angels, noble and beautiful spirits,
not made to be united to bodies.
He created man, a being in some respects more won
derful than the Angels, because of the union of an im
mortal spirit with a body formed of the dust of the
earth. And because God saw it was not good for man
to be alone, He gave him a companion worthy of him.
We are now so spoilt by sin that we can form no idea of
those beautiful creatures of God in their state of inno
cence. We have never seen anything so noble and so
lovely as Adam and Eve ; and what was hidden within
was nobler and lovelier still. There was no darkness,
nor ignorance, nor weakness. They understood the
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 23
laws by which this world is governed, the secrets of
Nature which men are puzzling out now bit by bit.
They had no evil passions, no liking for what is wrong.
Their hearts were pure and loving; their wills were
strong and right.
They were perfect, then, in their human nature; but
God was not yet satisfied. He loved them so much
that He enriched them with a gift altogether above their
nature, with a supernatural gift called sanctifying
grace, which made their souls beautiful in another and
far higher way, and gave them a right to see Him face
to face one day. They were to pass from a fair home
on earth to the one prepared for them in Heaven, not
by sickness and through the gate of death, but gently
and painlessly as a child is carried in its father s arms
from one room to another.
Meantime He placed them in " the paradise of
pleasure, 7 a garden stored with everything that could
serve them for use or enjoyment. No plants or flowers,
no birds or beasts that we have ever seen can compare
with those of that garden of theirs. The animals
great and small reverenced and obeyed them, came at
their call, gambolled about them, ate from their hand.
All was in order there. The irrational creatures were
subject to Adam and Eve, and they themselves were
subject with joy and gratitude to the God who had
given them all.
Here, then, in " the paradise of pleasure," the father
and mother of us all were placed on trial.
Yes, on trial. For it was the Will of God that both
Angels and men should have the happiness which was
prepared for them increased by meriting or deserving
it. Therefore He gave them free will, or the power
24 JESUS OF NAZAUETH.
to choose good or evil. He loves a cheerful, loving
service, and He determined that by an act of obedience
His reasonable creatures should win their everlasting
reward. What the trial of the Angels was we do not
know. All we know is that one-third of them were
unfaithful to God, and, with full knowledge of the
wickedness of their act, rebelled against Him and were
lost forever.
Like Adam and Eve, the Angels were created in a
state of sanctifying grace. They were very dear and
precious in the sight of God. But sin is so hateful to
Him, that for that one deliberate act of rebellion
against Him He took from them that priceless gift of
grace, and drove them from the brightness of His
Presence into everlasting darkness.
But He did not take from them their natural gifts,
their clear intellect, their strong will. And these they
now determined to use against Him by leading into
their own rebellion those favoured children of His in
Paradise. Thus it was more hatred of God than envy
of these heirs of Heaven that led Satan to plan the
destruction of Adam and Eve. It would never do to
tempt them openly, for sin had made him so ugly that
they would have been frightened of him. So he dis
guised himself, and fitly took the form of a serpent.
See Eve in her beauty and innocence walking alone
through the garden. She is supremely happy. She is
the dear child of God ; she has all she can desire. Sud
denly she comes upon the serpent coiled round the foot
of a tree, " the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
It is a mysterious name and reminds the owners of this
fair garden that God who has given it to them is Master
still. For He has said:
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 25
" Of every tree of Paradise thou shalt eat. But of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
eat. For in what day soever thou shalt eat of it,
thou shalt die the death."
A simple command, but a very solemn one. Diso
bedience to it would make them lose the grace and
favour of God, and deserve His most dreadful punish
ments in this world and in the next. They know, then,
all that depends on that tree, and never pass it without
a feeling of awe.
Eve is surprised to see the serpent there and stops to
look at him. The serpent begins to talk and she listens :
" Why do you not eat of the fruit of this tree ? " he
Notice how he begins his first temptation as he has
begun so many since, by trying to make God appear
hard.
A little Spanish girl who heard this story for the
first time said : " Eve should not have listened ; she
should have made the sign of the Cross and gone down
another walk." But Eve did listen. She looked up
shyly and wistfully at the tree and said:
" God hath commanded us that we should not eat,
lest perhaps we die."
" Die ! " answered the tempter, " no, you shall not
die."
And then he makes a show of trusting her with a
secret. There is ahvays something fascinating about a
secret. Eve is curious and draws nearer.
" God doth know," he goes on, " that in what day
soever you shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened
and you shall be as Gods."
This was what enticed her. It was not gluttony,
but curiosity and ambition that were her ruin. To
26 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
see what would happen; to be as Gods, this was what
she wanted; as to the punishment she would risk it.
She stretched out her hand, plucked the fruit, and ate
it. Oh, what a change came over her in that moment !
When Adam saw her a minute later, the blush of guilt
was on her face, her peace and happiness were gone.
She told him what she had done, and at first he was
shocked and terrified. At first and then came his
temptation, but in a different form from hers. She
was his tempter. She used her influence with him,
and his love for her to make him fall. She tempted
him even with the appearance of good. " God has
given us to each other ; we have been so happy together ;
we must go together now. We must perish if it is a
case of perishing together."
And she gave him the fruit, and he ate it. In tha
instant Adam fell from grace and the whole human race
fell with him. Had he remained faithful, we should
all have come into the world with souls beautiful and
pleasing in the sight of God. We should have had our
trial, but had we fallen no one would have been ruined
but ourselves. Had Eve alone fallen, her sin would
not have harmed us. It is because Adam is the father
and the origin or head of the race that his fall has
hurt us, that we are all born into this world without
grace, in disgrace until by Baptism this original sin is
taken away.
This is soon said, but it would need Adam and Eve
themselves to tell us what it means, to make us under
stand how miserably unhappy they were after their
sin. God used to come and walk with them in Para
dise in the cool afternoon air, and they rushed forward
to meet Him. Now they trembled when they heard
His voice calling them. When people agree together
JESUS OF NAZAUETH. 27
to do wrong, they turn upon one another when the
wrong is found out and they are called to account.
Adam laid the blame upon Eve, Eve upon the serpent.
/Then came God s terrible words of punishment:
" In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till
thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken:
for dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return."
Innocence, happiness, freedom from pain and death,
the possession of the paradise of pleasure all lost and
lost forever: suffering and death, and all the evils of
this life let in upon the earth through them; the gates
of Heaven closed, and those of Hell opened by their
hands this was what came of that one sin. For the
punishment they deserved was not only the death of
the body but the everlasting death of the soul. They
had shared the rebellion of the bad angels; it was just
they should share their condemnation.
But God had pity on them and on us. Their sin,
though great and inexcusable, was less than that of the
angels. They had indeed risen up in rebellion against
the Infinite God, yet not with such clear knowledge ; and
they had been tempted. Moreover, each of the fallen
angels had himself done the evil for which he was
justly punished. But Adam s unhappy children had
lost all by an act that was not their own.
Perhaps it was for these reasons that God determined
to save the race of man. He could have done this by
granting a free pardon to us. But to show the hate-
fulness of sin, and still more His exceeding love for us,
He willed that we should be redeemed; that is, bought
back; and that our Redeemer should be no other than
His own Eternal Son, the Second Person of the Holy
Trinity, equal to the Father in all things. It was de-
28 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
creed by the Three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, that a full and perfect satisfaction or com
pensation for the evil done should be offered to God.
Now, for this two things were necessary. He who was
to make the satisfaction must be equal to God, or it
would not be infinite and enough; and He must be
man, too, because man who had sinned must satisfy for
sin.
No Angel, however high, nor all Angels and men to
gether, could make this sufficient atonement. God him
self must do it if it was to be done. And God was
ready. Not counting the cost, thinking only of our
misery and of His own love, the Second Person offered
Himself to satisfy fully for our sins for the first or
original sin, which was not our own act, but his who
was the origin and father of us all, and for those sins,
too, which are our own free act.
All this load of sin which men have heaped up from
the beginning against the Majesty of God, which we
have each of us helped to increase, the Son of God took
upon Himself, to suffer for in our stead, and thus re
open for us the gates of Heaven, which otherwise would
have been closed against us forever. In place of Adam
who had ruined us, another Head was given us in our
dear Lord Jesus Christ. He was to put all right. He
was to come and live amongst us a hard, suffering Life,
and then to die upon the Cross for each of us one by
one. Well may the Church cry out:
" O happy fault that has had such a Redeemer ! "
IIL
THE PROMISED ONE.
SOME people ask : " Why did God put our first
parents to this trial when He knew they would fall
under it, and knew the terrible consequence to them
selves and to all their children \ "
The first and chief reason is because He is Lord and
Master. He can do what He wills, and all that He does
is not only right and good, but the best, as we shall see
some day.
Another reason is this: Though God can never will
what is evil, He can and does continually bring good
out of evil. The fall of Adam and Eve, and with them
of the whole human family, was a frightful evil, but
out of this harm God has brought the greatest good.
By coming amongst us and becoming one of us, in
order to put right again what was so wrong, He has
done more than put all right. He has given us much
more than we had lost. And His best gift to us is
Himself. Since the Incarnation we no longer think
of Him as far away in Heaven, where we can scarcely
reach Him even by thought, but as one of ourselves
a Man who could be seen, and heard, and handled, a
Man with a country and a family, with ancestors good
and bad, with a Mother and a home; a Man with
friends and enemies; a Man with a certain character
and ways, with His likes and dislikes, with His sor
rows and His joys. This Man is our God, the God
whom we have to adore and love. Can we not do this
easily now, when He has come so near to us that we may
study Him and know Him almost as we know a neigh-
29
30 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
bour of next door? Truly God knows how to draw
good out of evil !
We must notice, for they are very important, the
words in which the Redeemer was promised by God
Himself.
As soon as Adam and Eve had sinned, they, for the
first time, were afraid of God. "And when they heard
the voice of the Lord God walking in Paradise at the
afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves amidst
the trees of Paradise.
And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him:
Where art thou ?
And he said: I heard Thy voice, and I was afraid,
and I hid myself.
And He said to him: Thou hast eaten of the tree
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat.
And Adam said : The woman whom Thou gavest me
to be my companion gave me of the tree and I did eat.
And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast
thou done this?
And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I
did eat.
And the Lord God said to the serpent : Because thou
hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all beasts
of the earth. I will put enmities between thee and the
woman, and thy seed and her seed : she shall crush thy
head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel."
Thus from the beginning, and in the words of God
Himself, are the Redeemer and His Mother placed to
gether, just as we see them in our pictures and statues.
There is to be enmity, that is, hatred and warfare, be
tween her and her Divine Child on one side, and all
the brood of the serpent, the wicked angels, on the
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 31
other. She through her Son is to crush the serpent s
head, and the serpent in revenge will lie in wait for her
other children, all those of whom her Son has made
Himself the Brother.
As the Redeemer has His types or figures all through
the long years when the world was waiting for Him, so
has His Mother hers. And when at last He came, the
word of God again places together the Mother and her
Child. Those who seek Him find " the Child with
Mary His Mother." In sorrow and in joy they are
side by side. " Take the Child and His Mother," is
the order when the Babe has to fly for His life. At a
marriage feast " the Mother of Jesus was there, and
Jesus also was invited." She followed Him about dur
ing His preaching. And when at last He redeemed the
world with His Blood, " there stood by the Cross of
Jesus His Mother." We must never separate what
God Himself has thus joined together.
How hard the life of Adam and Eve must have been
during their nine hundred years of penance ! Could
those who had known the paradise of pleasure ever get
used to the world outside ! " Cursed is the earth in
thy work," God had said to Adam ; " with labour and
toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee. In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return
to the earth out of which thou wast taken: for dust
thou art and into dust thou shalt return."
But hard labour was only a small part of their pen
ance. What must it have been to see on every side, as
time went on, the evil fruits of their sin ; not only dis
ease and death, but death in its most frightful form to
see their first child a murderer, and the murderer of his
32 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
brother! We can picture them sitting sadly hand in
hand after Abel s death, recalling the time when wicked
ness and pain and sorrow were things unknown.
One comfort alone was left to them the Promise,
that Promise which had brightened their last moments
in Paradise, and now shed its cheering light on the
dark world outside. How far they understood what it
meant, we cannot tell. But they built all their hopes
on it, and handed it on to their children and children s
children to be guarded as their most precious bequest.
And when at last they left this world and went to that
place of rest called Limbo, where the souls of the just
were detained till the gates of Heaven should be re
opened, it was to wait with eager expectation for His
Coming who was to undo and more than undo all the
harm their sin had done.
Century after century went by, and still He did not
come. But the Promise became fuller and clearer, as
a river, small at its source, broadens by the streams that
flow into it. The race, the tribe, the family, and at
last the time of His Coming, were made known. The
kind of man He would be, His work, His sufferings,
His death, were foretold vaguely indeed, here and there,
yet with sufficient clearness to enable man to recognize
Him when He came. The life of other men is written
after their death. But God, who knows all things and
who had arranged even the smallest circumstances of
the Life of His Divine Son, would have the main events
of His history written long before His Birth.
He was to save men not only after His Coming but
before. His Precious Blood flows backward as well
as forward, and by It, all those who will ever reach Hea
ven, from Adam and Eve downwards, will enter there.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
Therefore, even before He came, God would have
men know something of Him to whom the whole human
family owes all the happiness it has in this life as well
as all it hopes for in the next. They could not know
Him as fully as we do who have the story of His Life
in our hands and can study it every day if we will.
But it is wonderful how much God did tell men by
means of His prophets. These were holy men to whom
He showed now this event, now that in the Life of Him
who was to come. Were we to put together all that the
prophets told of Him, we should find His Life was
written hundreds of years before He came.
Men knew He was to be of the race of Abraham,
therefore a Jew, of the Tribe of Judah, of the family of
David.
His Mother was to be a Virgin : " Behold a virgin
shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be
called . Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is God with
us." *
He was to be born in Bethlehem : "And thou, Bethle
hem, art a little one among the thousands of Juda ; out
of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be the
Ruler in Israel." t
He would be meek and humble of Heart, compassion
ate and forgiving. " I will seek that which was lost
and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will
strengthen that which was weak." \
He would go about doing good : " Then shall the
eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf
unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart,
and the tongue of the dumb shall be free."
In spite of His wonderful works and His miracles of
Isaiaa vii., Matth. i. f Micheas v. J Ezechiel xxxiv. $ Isaias xxxv,
3
34 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
mercy, He would be hated and rejected by His own
people : " Despised and the most abject of men, a
man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity. 75 *
One of His chosen friends would sell Him to His
enemies: "And they weighed for My wages thirty
pieces of silver. " f
He would be scourged and spit upon, and buffeted,
and crucified : " I have given my body to the strikers
and my cheeks to them that plucked them; I have not
turned away my face from them that rebuked me and
spat upon me. 77 t " They have dug my hands and
feet. They have numbered all my bones. They have
parted my garments among them, and upon my ves
ture they cast lots."
After death He was to rise again: " For Thou wilt
not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer Thy Holy One to
see corruption." ||
These prophecies belonged to God s chosen people the
Jews, who guarded them jealously, and studied them
with diligence and delight, those especially that told
of the Messiah s greatness and power : "I will make
Him higher than the kings of the earth. 7 1 " Sit thou
at My right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot
stool." *"* They took these words to mean that He
was to be a great king of this world who would make
their nation the grandest of the earth, and give them
in abundance honours, riches and all the pleasant things
of this life. But other prophecies quite as clear which
described Him as " a Man of sorrows, a Leper, One
struck by God and afflicted," they passed by unnoticed.
And when He came poor and lowly, a King indeed
* leaias liii. t Isaias i. |] Pa. xvi. ** Ps. ex.
f Zachary xi. | Ps. xxi. f Ps. Ixxxix.
JESUS OF NAZARET1I. 35
not of this world, they would not own Him for the
Messiah of the prophets, but persecuted Him and put
Him to death.
There was another way by which the world was pre
pared for the coming Redeemer. As He was foretold
in prophecy, so He was foreshadowed in types or fig
ures, by which we mean certain persons or things in
the Old Law representing persons or things in the New.
We all know that there is nothing like a picture for
giving right notions and correcting wrong ones. A
teacher who has anything difficult to explain the
structure of a flower, the plan of a battle, the family of
a king turns at once to the blackboard, and with a
few strokes of chalk shows easily what many words
would never have made clear.
God taught His people by examples as well as by
words. In a number of types He sketched before their
eyes the character of the Messiah and the main lines of
the work He was to do. The likeness fell far short oi ?
the perfect beauty of our Lord s character, but it wap
a likeness still.
Innocent Abel, slain through jealousy by his brother,
was a figure of Christ put to death through the hatred
and envy of His brethren, the Jews:
Noe who built an ark, one only, to save all who
entered therein, prefigured our Lord, the Founder of
one Church for the salvation of men:
Isaac, the beloved son of his father, willingly sub
mitting to death, and carrying the wood on which Ke
was to be sacrified, represented the well beloved Son of
God led without resistance to the slaughter, and beariiig
His own cross on the way to Calvary.
36 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
We san all see how the following were types of our
Lord:
Joseph sold for twenty pieces of silver, thrown into
prison with two criminals, then raised to honour and
becoming the saviour of his people:
Moses, saved from death in his infancy ; sent by God
to deliver his people from a cruel bondage, and lead
them safely through the desert to the land of promise;
fasting forty days; giving the Law to the people of
God; feeding them with bread from Heaven; deliver
ing them from their enemies; working miracles for
them again and again, yet saddened by their murmur
ing and ingratitude:
David, born in Bethlehem; rebelled against by his
subjects; insulted in his affliction; followed by a faith
ful few; gentle, merciful, and patient.
These in their character reflect our Lord s beautiful
virtues.
Others, such as Josue, Samson, Jonas, Solomon, in
their actions foreshadow His. In many of their acts
we may see but little resemblance to our Lord s, and in
some what is very unlike. But this does not prevent
their being types of Him. All such types, and others,
such as the Paschal Lamb, the Brazen Serpent, the
Manna, are like little bits of mosaic that have to be
pieced together to make up a beautiful and perfect
picture. The Son of God was not coming on earth in
blinding light and majesty, as men might have im
agined, but in poverty, and humility. It was to help
them to recognize Him as God without the glory of
God about Him that such an abundance of type and
prophecy was provided.
Time went on. Nearly four thousand years had
JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-
lived upon the land." Ex. 20. 12.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 39
passed since the Great Promise was macje in Paradise.
One Empire had followed another, conquering and
conquered in its turn. And now the whole world was
in peace, for mighty Ivoine had crushed every rival.
But peace did not mean that men were happy. Never
had they been more miserable. The worship of false
gods had brought them so low, that animals, trees,
stones, wicked things even theft, rebellion against
parents, cruelty, murder, bad passions of every kind
- nay, the very devils themselves, were adored as gods.
The strong cruelly oppressed the weak. Men and
women were so given up to the pleasure of soft, self-
indulgent lives, that their hearts were hardened against
the sight of pain and misery. The weak and the help
less children, slaves, the poor, the old, the sick, were
treated with a barbarity that only the most frightful
selfishness can explain.
Truly the world needed its Saviour !
The Jewish prophecies were known far and wide,
and all over the East there was the expectation of a
Deliverer who was to appear in Judea. No man knew
exactly what He was to do, but He would reform the
world in some way, set right all that was wrong, and
bring a golden age to the earth.
Among the Jews themselves there was naturally a
more eager waiting and watching. They knew the
prophecies by heart. They could tell better than the
heathen what the work of the Messiah was to be. And
now that the time was at hand, the best among them
were earnestly praying for the speedy coming of those
Promised Ones, the Woman who was to be the serpent s
enemy, and her Child who was to redeem the world.
THE CHILDHOOD
AND
THE HIDDEN LIFE
41
IV.
A JOYFUL SURPRISE.
BEFORE our Lord came, the holiest place in the world
was the Temple of Jerusalem. Only there would God
allow sacrifice to be offered, and there twice a day it was
offered a little lamb was slain, and the smoke of sweet-
smelling incense rose from the golden altar in the Holy
Place. At the hour of incense the people assembled in
their part of the Temple, the open Courts, and prayed
silently, in union with the priest who was within.
One day there was a great stir among them. A priest
whose name was Zachary had been a long time in the
Holy Place, and when he came out he was trembling
and dumb. What had happened ? They crowded round
him to ask, but he made signs to show he could not
speak. The news spread fast that Zachary had seen
something wonderful, and that he looked as if he had
heard good news.
Good news! Indeed he had; he was dumb because
he had thought it too good to be true. For many years
he and his wife Elizabeth had longed to have a child, in
the hope that the Messiah, now so near, might be of
their family. But God had not seen good to hear
their prayer, and when all expectation was gone, they
had made His Will their own, and encouraged one
another to bear their disappointment bravely.
Now, on this day, just as Zachary was going to pour
the incense upon the flame, he saw a glorious ~:ision
an Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the
altar. And seeing him he was troubled, and fear fell
upon him. But the Angel said to him :
43
44 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
" Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard."
Then he went on to tell him that Elizabeth should
have a son who should bring gladness to many. Even
as a little child he would be great before God, and when
he was grown up he would convert many of his people
and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.
Bewildered by such a joyful surprise, Zachary asked
how he should know all this was true.
" I am Gabriel, who stand before God," was the
answer, " and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee
these good tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb,
and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein
these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not
believed my words which shall be fulfilled in their
time." So Zachary had the sign he asked, though it
was a punishment too because of his unbelief.
Good news, as well as bad, travels fast, and when a
week later he returned to his home at Ain-Karim, in
the hill country of Judea, he found that Elizabeth had
heard all that people knew about the vision in the
Temple. She came out to meet him, anxious, yet, some
how, full of joyful expectation. He laid his finger on
his lips, sent for his writing tablets, and, with a tremb
ling hand, wrote down all that had passed. Then they
rejoiced together, and thanked God for His goodness to
them, and waited in quiet happiness for the fulfilment
of His promise.
Weeks passed by, and months. Priest after priest
went by turn into the Holy Place to offer incense, and
Zachary s vision came to be forgotten. But not by all.
~Not by those who noted every sign of the Messiah being
at hand. There was an old man in Jerusalem who had a
promise from God that he should not die till he had seen
the Christ of the Lord. There was an aged woman whc
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 4:5
departed not from the Temple, serving night and day
lest she should miss the Lord at His Coming. Such as
these did not forget. And all over the world , wherever
Jews were to be found, were eager hearts praying Him
to come quickly.
Where was the most eager? Was it in Jerusalem
among the doctors of the Law, whose life was spent in
the study of the prophecies ? Was it the High Priest s,
or that holy old man s, or the aged woman s, or Zach-
ary s, or Elizabeth s ?
No. Not in Jerusalem, nor among the learned, nor
those who had grown old in the service of God. Where
then?
V.
HOLY MARY.
HAVE you ever watched the clouds on a wild day hid
ing the sun ? They move along, a dark, heavy mass, as
if determined to keep his light from the waiting world.
At times, through the rifts, you catch a glimpse of him ;
or there is a golden border which shows he is somewhere
near. You think he must be coming soon. But no, it
is all too dark for him yet. Suddenly, in the midst of
the gloom appears a little white cloud. It grows bright,
brighter and brighter as he fills it with his glory. Yes,
surely he is there ; only his splendour could make it
shine like that. A few moments at most and he must
show himself; a few moments and he will scatter the
darkness and flood the earth with light.
Hidden among the mountains of Galilee, amid a pro
fusion of wild flowers, lies the village of Nazareth, the
houses, small, low, with flat roofs, looking like little
white boxes set on the slope of the hill. That one, half
cottage, half rock, the lowest in the steep street, is the
home of Joseph, the carpenter of the place. All things
are in quiet silence. Night is in the midst of her
course. No light anywhere, except the stars overhead,
and they shine out brightly in the clear, frosty air, for
it is the month of March. Yes ! a lamp is burning in
that last house. Who can be the watcher there when
all the village is asleep? Let us go in noiselessly and
see.
Alone in her little room kneels a girl of fourteen.
What a wonderful face! so grave and yet so sweet, so
46
THE ANNUNCIATION.
And the Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of
grace, the Lord is with thee." Luke i. 28.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 49
childlike and innocent, and still so full of dignity. She
must be very near to God. A great reverence comes
over us as we gaze upon her, and we fall on our knees.
This can be no ordinary child. Let us go back four
teen years and learn what we can about her.
Her name is Miriam, or Mary, which means " Lady/
and also " Star of the Sea." Her holy parents, Joa
chim and Anne, had prayed long and earnestly for a
child to gladden their old age before this blessed child
was given them. Who shall ever tell what she was to
them ! They were never tired of watching her at
prayer or play, and when she thought herself alone;
and they soon found out that she knew more about God
and holy things than they could tell her. It seemed to
them that God Himself was her Teacher, and they
reverenced her as one very precious in His sight.
What would have been their awe and their joy had they
known that she was to be the Mother of His only Son !
Yes, she was to be the woman promised long ago in
Paradise who was to crush the serpent s head, the
Mother of Him who was to redeem the world, the Mo
ther of God. And God was getting her ready for this.
Think what a preparation it must have been.
Solomon s Temple was many years building because
everything in it had to be of such costly material-
marbles, and sweet-scented, incorruptible cedar, and
precious stones, all " artfully wrought and carved. The
floor of the house was overlaid with gold within and
without, and there was nothing in the Temple that was
not gold or covered with gold the altar of gold, and
the table of gold, and the golden candlesticks of pure
gold, and flowers like lilies, and the lamps over them
of gold, and golden snuffers, and censers of most pure
gold, and the hinges for the doors of the inner house
60 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
of the Holy of Holies* gold, pure gold, most pure gold."
Why? Because everything about this house of God
must be as far as possible worthy of Him. Yet the
Temple of Jerusalem, with its Holy of Holies, its Ark
of the Covenant, and its Tables of the Law, what was it
compared with that Blessed One whom He had chosen
to be His Mother? What must He do to make her
worthy, as far as she could be worthy, to have God for
her Son?
First of all there must be no sin. When we are going
to embroider richly on white satin, we take care to see
that it is spotless. It would be wasting our silk and
our gold thread to lay them on what is soiled, or ever
has been soiled. God prizes spotlessness more than we
do. He was going to enrich His Mother with His best
gifts, and the first must be a perfect purity. K"o stain
of sin must so much as come near her. She must be
more dazzling in her whiteness than the Angels who
come nearest His throne.
But what about original sin? was not Mary a child
of Adam ? Yes ; and she would have been stained with
Adam s sin had not God kept her free because of her
nearness to Himself. She was not cleansed from origi
nal sin as babies are when they have been baptized, for
no sin of any kind ever touched her.
Some people cannot understand why Mary should
have had this perfect freedom from sin which we call
the Immaculate Conception. It would be clear as day
to them if they would think who Mary is. A Protes
tant lady, who had this difficulty, was asked :
" Do you believe that Jesus Christ the Son of Mary
is truly God?"
" I do," she answered reverently.
* III Kings vi., vii.
JESTTS OP NAZARETH. 51
"And is there anything God could do for His Mother
that He would not for His own sake be bound to do ?"
She was silent for a moment, and then said : " I do
not think there is."
It was the Precious Blood that even before our Lord
came saved Mary so grandly, and preserved her from
the sin that has spoilt everyone else : " My spirit hath
rejoiced in God iny Saviour/ she says. " For He that
is mighty hath done great things to me."
Imagine a burning mountain throwing up flames and
volumes of smoke; the burning lava pouring down the
sides, destroying fields, vineyards, cottages, cattle.
Down it rushes, leaving everything a black ruin behind
it. Down, down, till it is suddenly checked before a
fair garden that lies in its way; checked and turned
aside, so that no harm is done, and the trees and flowers
and fruit look all the more lovely for the desolation
around.
So was the torrent of original sin stayed when it
came to Mary.
When the little Mary was three years old, she was
carried by her parents to the Temple to be solemnly
offered to God. She understood quite well what she
was going to do. She knew that God had done great
things for her, and she wanted to give herself entirely
to Him, that He might do just as He liked with her
always, whether it was what she liked or not. With her
hands joined, her face bright with holy joy, she went up
alone the fifteen steps, her parents looking on with ad
miration and gladness. And with sorrow, too. For
they were going to leave her in the Temple to be brought
up with other Jewish girls, and they thought how sad
and lonely they would be without her.
52 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
As she grew older Mary spent her time in prayer, ir
working for the Temple, and in studying the holy
Scriptures. The parts she liked best were the prophe
cies which told of the promised Redeemer. She knew
His time was come. Perhaps He was even now upon
earth. Perhaps His Mother might be in want of a
little servant. Oh, how happy she would be to wait
upon them both !
When she was about fourteen years old, she left her
home in the Temple to be espoused to Joseph, a car
penter, and to take care of a little home of her own at
Nazareth. Her life was different now. No more glori
ous services morning and evening, but a life of work,
and of very humble work. But she was content, more
than content ; she was quite happy, and she made Joseph
happy by her brightness, her tenderness, her sweet, un
selfish ways. As he came to know her more and more,
he was filled with the deepest reverence for her, child
though she was. And he was worthy of her, for he
came next to her in holiness and nearness to God. He
was trusted with the greatest treasure God had on earth,
and he was about to be trusted with One more precious
Still.
VI.
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD.
LET us go back now to that night in March and see
Mary kneeling in her little room in prayer. Her
heart is full, fuller to-night than ever with the thought
that fills it always. When, when will He come ? Why
does He delay so long? Oh, that He would rend the
heavens and come down!
Her lamp burns low as she prays on. How reverent
she is, how still. Her strong prayer is moving God
Himself.
See ! See ! in the midst of a dazzling light, not of this
world, an Angel stands before her. He comes near,
and, kneeling, salutes her :
" Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou amongst women ! "
What glorious praise, and from one so high and
koly! For this is Gabriel, one of the seven who stand
before God. How will she answer him ?
There is no answer. A blush, a troubled look is on
her beautiful face as she thinks within herself what
manner of salutation this may be. She knows we can
not always trust those who speak to us in words of
praise, and surely such words as these are not for her.
Is this a messenger from God ? She will be silent till
he speaks again.
The Angel sees her trouble and says :
"Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
Behold, thou shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt
call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be
4 53
54 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God
shall give unto Him the throne of David His father,
and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and
of His kingdom there shall be no end."
See her listening, coming to understand that she, the
little handmaid of the Lord, is to be the Mother of the
Messiah. Does she break forth into words of thanks
giving and praise ? ~No, she has a question to ask, for
she is not sure yet what God wants. Long ago she
promised to belong only to Him, to be His little hand
maid or servant all her life. She does not know if she
can do this and be the Mother of the Messiah as well,
and she will not break her promise to God for anything.
She is quite calm and mistress of herself. Gabriel has
told her that her Son shall be the Son of the Most
High, that of His Kingdom there shall be no end and
she is not excited or overjoyed. She knows from the
prophecies that the Messiah is to be a Man of Sorrows,
and that His Mother will have to share His pains and
she is not frightened. All she wants is to know the
Will of God.
The great Archangel beholds her with profoundest
admiration. There is no holiness in heaven to equal
this. He thought he knew how far the love of God
and forgetfulness of self can go, but the little Maiden
of Nazareth has taken him by surprise. He under
stands now the full meaning of those reverent words
which God Himself put upon his lips : " Hail, full
of grace ! " He bows lower before her see how low !
This is he who in words of majesty rebuked the aged
priest of the Temple. But in Mary s presence, what a
difference ! He speaks to her as to one far above him ;
he waits while she ponders what he has said; he solves
her doubts; he waits for her reply.
JESTJS OF NAZABETH. 55
When at length she is satisfied that it is God s Will
she should be the Mother of the Messiah, and that He
wants her consent, thinking neither of the dignity nor of
the pain this will bring upon her, she bows her head
and says :
" Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto
me according to thy word."
And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us.
And the Angel returned to God who sent him ; and all
Heaven was made glad that night.
VII.
MARY S SONG.
GOD often tells His secrets to His friends. He bade
Gabriel tell Mary of the happiness his good news had
brought to Zachary and Elizabeth, and now He Him
self tells Elizabeth of the dignity that had come to Mary.
The two were cousins, and Mary thought it would be
kind to go to Ain-Karim to visit her relatives and make
herself useful in the house. She would much rather
have stayed at home just now, but she did not listen to
likes and dislikes; when God put a good thought into
her mind, or wanted a service of her, she obeyed at
once. And so, without considering it beneath her to
serve others, or lay her hands to household work, she
set off in haste on her long journey.
No one, not even Joseph whom she loved so tenderly,
had been told of Gabriel s visit, for Mary disliked notice
as much as some young girls seek it, and she was afraid
of honour and praise. One of the prophets had said:
" My secret to myself, my secret to myself. 77 This was
Mary s rule all her life through.
We are not told whether she went alone, but it is
most unlikely. If Joseph did not go with her, she
probably joined some of her relatives who were on their
way to the Holy City. At last she came upon the rising
ground of J^udea, and, climbing the rugged side of a
mountain, found herself at the door of Zachary 7 s home.
Elizabeth was standing on the threshold as if expect
ing someone. Mary hastened towards her, and saluted
her with loving words. But what was her surprise
when the aged woman, instead of returning her embrace,
sank on her knees and cried out :
56
THE HOLY NIGHT.
"This day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
in the city of David." Luke 2. II.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 59
" Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the
fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the
Mother of my Lord should come to me ? "
Her secret, then, was known. God, Himself, must
have told Elizabeth. Mary s heart was full, full to
overflowing. She could not keep back its burst of joy
and praise :
" My soul doth magnify the Lord/ 7 she said, " and
my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because
He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for
behold from henceforth all generations shall call me
blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great
things to me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is
from generation unto generations to them that fear Him.
He hath shewed might in His arm; He hath scattered
the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put
down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the
humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath re
ceived Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his
seed for ever."
Elizabeth listened in silence and in awe. She knew
by heart the triumphant hymns of God s servants in the
past, but there was not one like this. Mary s song was
the sweetest earth had ever heard. It sank into the
heart of the aged saint. It sounds through the Church
for ever. Every day it is on the lips of thousands of
her children. It teaches us many lessons, and among
them this that it is not proud and wrong to know that
we have gifts of God entrusted to us, gifts of fortune,
gifts of body or of mind. There is no harm in knowing;
we are well off, or good-looking, or clever, or kind-
hearted. Harm comes in when we forget that whatever
60 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
good we have is the gift of God and that we shall have
to account to Him for it, and that in the meantime we
have to use it in His service who gave it.
Mary understood as no other will ever do what "great
things " God had done for her, things so great that all
generations should call her blessed. But all the glory
was His. Of herself she was nothing, and had nothing.
She rejoiced in God her Saviour as we do, only more,
because He had done more for her. She magnified the
Lord as we should do, because He had looked down on
the humility, that is, the littleness of His handmaid.
It is no humility, then, to pretend not to know what
God has done for us. The really humble, like the grate
ful poor, are quick to acknowledge kindness and to show
themselves thankful. Gratitude and humility go hand
in hand. There is no better shield against vanity and
self-conceit than Mary s words : " He who is mighty
hath done great things for me ; " and when our hearts
are stirred to praise God for His goodness to us, we shall
find none more fitting than those of her beautiful Mag
nificat.
For three months Mary stayed with her cousin, and
all that time God s richest blessings were poured out
upon the family of Zachary, because of her presence
there. At the first sound of her voice the Holy Ghost
had so inspired Elizabeth that she reechoed Gabriel s
words : " Blessed art thou among women," adding to
them the praise of Mary s Son : " Blessed is the fruit
of thy womb." When we repeat these words in the
Hail Mary, it will help us to remember the reverence
with which they were said by an Archangel and a saint
at the feet of her whom Elizabeth called " the Mother
of my Lord."
VIII.
THE FIEST CHEISTMAS NIGHT.
AT last the time came when Joseph too was to know
what the Angel of the Lord had declared unto Mary.
An Angel, perhaps Gabriel again, came to tell him who
she was that swept and washed and cooked in his little
cottage, and went about her daily work as the simplest
and lowliest of the women around. He told him, too,
that her Child was to be called JESUS, because He
would save His people from their sins.
Think with what new veneration Joseph looked upon
Mary now, and what quiet, deep talks they had together.
They pondered the words of holy Scripture; they
studied the types; they put prophecy by the side of
prophecy. Because their hearts were so pure, they saw
better than the learned doctors of the Law the meaning
of these types and prophecies, and they wondered more
and more that they should have been chosen to be so
near to Jesus when He came. That blessed Name at
which St. Paul says every knee should bow, each had
first heard from an Angel s lips. How reverently they
pronounced it. To the world outside, the Promised
One all were expecting was " the Messiah/ or " the
Christ;" to Mary and Joseph alone He was " JESUS."
Mary and Joseph knew from the prophecy of Micheas
that Bethlehem, six miles south of Jerusalem, was to
be the birthplace of the Messiah. This was four or
five days journey from Nazareth. When were they to
go? And what reason could they give to their neigh
bours for suddenly quitting their home? And were
they to quit it for good ? The answer to these questions
61
62 JESUS OF NAZAHETH.
was: "Let us leave all to God; He is watching and
guiding everything; He has come to our help always in
the past." And so they waited in peaceful trust for a
sign of His Will.
One day there was great excitement in the market
place of Nazareth. A decree had gone out from Rome
for the whole world to be enrolled. Augustus Caesar,
the Roman Emperor, who ruled over the greater part of
the known world, wanted to find out how many people
he governed that he might know the extent of his power,
and how much he could tax his subjects. The Jews,
who were subject to him, were to go to the city or town
which was the home of their ancestors, and there give in
their names and take an oath of fidelity to Caesar.
Now the townsfolk of Nazareth were a rough, quar
relsome set of people, easily moved to deeds of violence.
They had such a bad name among their countrymen that
it was an insult to call anyone a Nazarene. This de
cree of Csesar filled them with indignation. " Why
should all men be disturbed and set on foot for his
foolish whim ?" they cried. a O, that the Messiah would
come quickly to free His people from the yoke of the
wicked empire, and make all His enemies His foot
stool as David said ! "
However, they had to make the best of a command
which they dared not disobey. A Roman official went
the round of the town, came to the little house at the
bottom of the street, found that Joseph was one of the
family of David, and ordered him off to Bethlehem,
David s city.
Here was the sign for which Mary and Joseph were
waiting. What matter if the order were roughly given,
if in going to Bethlehem they seemed to be doing
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 63
Caesar s bidding only; God was arranging all things
for them. Their preparations were soon made ; the few
things absolutely necessary put together; Mary seated
on the ass ; the door of the little house fastened behind
them ; and then Joseph took the bridle in one hand and
his staff in the other, and they set out.
It was the worst season of the year, the road was bad,
the weather cold, and they had no conveniences for the
journey. Again and again Joseph led the ass into the
ruts by the wayside to make room for some of David s
wealthier descendants, well clad and well mounted, and,
like their poor relations, bound for Bethlehem. Not
many words were spoken. There was much for both
to ponder, and there was much to suffer. Each day s
halt brought fresh anxiety to Joseph, for there were no
inns on the road, and the caravansaries, or khans, were
devoid of every comfort. They were merely enclosed
spaces surrounded by sheds; four bare walls and a mat
were all the accommodation provided ; food, cooking
utensils, bedding, travellers had to bring with them, or
do without.
The two journeyed slowly, and the evening of the
fifth day was closing in, when, grey and dim on the hill
side, the walls of Bethhlehem came in sight. Party
after party overtook them on the road, all hastening
forward to reach shelter before nightfall. Joseph
looked at Mary and urged on the tired beast. What
could he do if the place should be full? At last they
reached the khan, situated on the hill, a little way below
the town. A glance round showed them they were too
late. Every place was taken. Beasts and baggage
crowded up the central square. On every side was
shouting, disputing, the bustle and confusion of a crowd
of travellers who had everything to do for themselves.
64 JESUS OF NAZABETH.
No one had time to attend to any business but his own,
and Joseph s questions were roughly answered. He
went back to Mary, whom he had left outside, and taking
the bridle turned towards the city.
Night was falling as they passed within the walls,
but there was light enough to see that it was full, full
to overflowing. The better sort had long ago secured all
that was to be had in the way of lodging. Poor people
like themselves had little chance. Joseph searched dili
gently everywhere, but to no purpose. Wherever he
saw a door open he hastened towards it; he pointed to
Mary and held out his hand with the few coins he had
left. But all in vain; everywhere the same answer:
" No room."
Up and down the streets they wandered that bitter
night. No one would take her in. Joseph s tearful
eyes looked up into her face. She was utterly worn
out, but the smile on her lips told of a peace within that
no trouble of this world could disturb. What was he
to do ? It was no use trying any more. He brushed
his sleeve across his eyes and led the ass carefully down
the hill again.
It was quite dark now, and he had to hold his lantern
low to keep a safe footing. A little way out of Beth
lehem a cave in a chalk hill opened upon the road. He
said to Mary : " Let us go in here." The cave nar
rowed into an inner and smaller one, which seemed
to be used as a stable, for an ox was there standing
over a manger. They went in. Mary dismounted
and knelt down in a corner to pray. Joseph hung
up his lantern on the damp wall. Its flickering light
showed the moisture trickling down on every side, and
all the foulness of a neglected Eastern stable. This
was the place which from all eternity God had chosen
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 65
for the birthplace of His only Son. And here at mid
night the Son of God was born; the Word was made
Flesh and dwelt amongst us.
Mary bowed herself down to adore. Here was the
Messiah she had so longed to see. Here was Jesus who
by bitter pain was to save His people from their sins.
Oh, how soon He had begun His work, she thought, as
she looked upon the tiny limbs that lay trembling on the
straw. Yes, this was He who, Gabriel said, should be
great and should be called the Son of the Most High.
A Roman judge, struck by His meek majesty, will say
to Him one day : " Whence art Thou ? " All through
the first Christmas night His Mother is asking Him
this question, not because she does not know, but be
cause she cannot get used to the wonderfulness of the
answer. She knows He has come from the highest
heaven, from the right hand of the Father to whom He
is equal in all things. And still He is her very own
Babe, crying for her, nestling to her like any other help
less child.
She adores Him as her God. And then she takes
Him up in her arms, wraps Him up in swathing bands,
and lays Him in the manger on a handful of straw, the
best that Joseph can find about. "She is grateful to the
two animals which share it with Him and stand over
Him warming Him a little with their breath. The
words of Isaias come to her mind : " The ox knoweth
his owner and the ass his master s crib, but Israel hath
not known Me, and My people hath not understood."" 3
No one ever understood and pondered the Scriptures
as she did, and the words of prophecy come to her
one by one as she worships there. This tiny Child
is the Leader of God s people whom Micheaa said
* Isaias i.
66 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
was to come out of Bethlehem ; whom Isaias called " the
Hidden God/ of whom David said : " God shall come
manifestly, our God shall come."* She and Joseph
kneel beside Him, and look, and look, and wonder at
the great God become so small, and at the love that has
brought Him to this.
About a mile from Bethlehem and lying at the foot
of the hill on which the little city stands is a field into
which the shepherds of the neighbourhood led their
flocks at evening. All day the sheep roamed in safety
on the hills, but as night drew on, when wild beasts
prowled about, they were brought down here. Eastern
shepherds belong to the very lowest and poorest class of
the people; their lives are hard, for they must guard
their flocks all day and in all weathers, and lie out with
them on the wet grass in the bleak nights of winter.
A company of shepherds was watching in this field
when Mary and Joseph took refuge in the cave. And at
midnight " behold an Angel of the Lord stood by them,
and the brightness of God shone round about them,
and they feared with a great fear. And the Angel said
to them :
" Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of
great joy that shall be to all the people. For this day
is born to you a Saviour who is Christ the Lord in the
city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you.
You shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and laid in a manger.
"And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude
of the heavenly army praising God and saying:
" Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to
men of good will.
"And it came to pass after the Angels departed from
* PS. xiix.
APPARITION TO THE SHEPHERDS.
Glory to God in the highest ; and on earth peace to men of
good will." Luke 2. 14.
OF NAZARETH. 69
them into heaven, the shepherds said one to an
other :
" Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word
that is come to pass which the Lord hath showed to us.
"And they came with haste ; and they found Mary
and Joseph and the Infant lying in the manger. And
all that heard wondered, and at those things that were
told them by the shepherds."" 3
Why were these men called before all others to wor
ship the new-born Child ? Because they were simple
and docile, and patient under the many hardships of
their rough lives. And because the Holy Child would
teach us from the first this important lesson that pov
erty is not a thing to be despised or to be ashamed of.
It is a very painful thing, because it puts out of our
reach the comforts, conveniences and amusements which
make life pleasant. We care far too much for these
things. An apple was too great a temptation for Adam
and Eve, and nice things in the shape of food, dress,
scents, bodily enjoyment of every kind, are often and
often too much for us, their children. Not that pleasant
things always lead us into sin. But a life of ease and
self-indulgence, in which such things abound, is always
a dangerous life, because the body never says : "It is
enough." It is always ready to indulge itself at the
expense of the soul, and to get what it wants it will not
stop at sin., We have to distrust it and to be on the
watch always. This is why the poor are safer by far
than the rich if only they bear their privations pa
tiently.
Our Lord came on earth to show us the safest way to
heaven, and to show us in the best of ways, by example.
It cost Him a great deal to teach us in this way aU His
* Luke ii.
70 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
life, but He never thought of cost when He could help
us by it. And so He began at once, the very night He
was born, to teach us the value of poverty, and to com
fort the poor. How easily, after that midnight visit to
the cave, the shepherds would bear cold, hunger, weari
ness, the want of nice, pretty, comfortable things such as
the rich can get. " The little Babe Messiah had noth
ing of this kind," they would say to one another;
" surely, then, we can do without."
And we who have comfortable homes, and pleasures
in plenty, what lesson has the poor Babe of Bethlehem
for us ? This at least, that we must learn to honour the
poor, who are most like Him, and to deny ourselves at
times that we may have something to give to them in
their need. We ought to be glad to serve them and
work for them with our own hands, because they repre
sent our Blessed Lord who will take as done to Himself
whatever kindness or unkindness we show them.
See now why the shepherds were called first to the
cave on the first Christmas night.
IX.
IN THE TEMPLE.
EIGHT days after His birth the Holy Child shed His
Blood for the first time, and received at His Circum
cision the Name of JESUS, that Name which St. Ber
nard says is " honey in the mouth, music in the ear, joy
in the heart ; " so sweet to us, but costing Him so dear
who took it for our sakes. Other children do not know
what name is given them or why it is given. He knew
perfectly all that He took upon Himself to do and to
suffer that He might be our Jesus, our Saviour. He
was afraid, for He was a true child, and shrank like
every child from all that hurts. But He loved us so
dearly that He offered Himself bravely for us in spite
of the pain.
A month passed away, and then Mary and Joseph
prepared to go up to Jerusalem for the double cere
mony of Purification and Presentation required by the
Jewish Law. Our Lord was Himself the Lawgiver,
and, therefore, not bound by the Law ; but He wanted to
be like us as far as possible that He might help us more
and be our Model in all things. He came to teach us all,
and to teach Mary first, who was to profit most by His
lessons. No one has ever imitated Him as she did, be
cause no one has ever studied Him so closely. From
the first, we are told that she pondered in her heart all
that happened to Him and all that He said and did.
And then she tried to copy Him. When she saw Him
submitting to laws to which He was not obliged, she
joyfully did the same, and on the day of her Purifica
tion went up to the Temple to offer a sin-offering for
71
72 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
herself and her Divine Child. The sacrifice of the
rich was a lamb and a turtle-dove or young pigeon.
Those who could not afford a lamb took two doves.
Mary was poor and made the offering of the poor. But
she made a rich Offering too, richer than that gorgeous
Temple had ever seen.
The Law required the eldest son of each Jewish
family to be presented to God and consecrated to Him.
The babe was put into the arms of the priest and
solemnly lifted up towards Heaven. Then it was
bought back by the parents for five silver shekels, about
four dollars in our money.
On the fortieth day, then, after His birth, Mary
took the Holy Child in her arms, and folding her veil
closely round herself and Him, set out for Jerusalem.
Joseph carried the doves in a wicker basket, and the
silver shekels.
Solomon s Temple was the most glorious building the
world has ever seen. It was destroyed when the Jews
were taken into captivity by Nabuchodonosor the Great.
The Second Temple was built on their return from cap
tivity, and, at the time of our Lord, it had been restored
by the Herod whom history calls " the Great." He
was a selfish, wicked man, whose one thought was to
keep the throne of Judea which the Romans had given
him, and to put to death anyone and everyone who might
be a possible rival. His people feared and hated him,
and it was to turn away their attention from his cruelty
that he restored the Second Temple on so magnificent a
scale, that in some respects at least it equalled or even
surpassed the First.
Four Courts, open to the sky, rose one above the other
on Mount Moriah. The lowest and largest was called
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 73
the Court of the Gentiles, because it was open even to
pagans. But no Gentile, under pain of death, might
pass beyond ; the rest of the Temple was reserved for the
people of God. Fourteen steps led to the Court of the
Women, so called because women might not go further
except when they went with an offering for sacrifice
into the Court of Israel. Highest of all was the Court
of the Priests. In this enclosure stood the altar of
holocausts, the brazen laver, and a building of snowy
marble roofed with gold. It consisted of two rooms;
one called the Holy Place contained the altar of shew-
bread, the altar of incense and the seven-branched can
dlestick.
Beyond this room, and separated from it by a rich
curtain, was the chamber called the Holy of Holies.
In Solomon s Temple this sanctuary held the Ark of the
Covenant, containing the two Tables of the Law,
Aaron s rod which had blossomed, and a pot of manna.
After the destruction of the First Temple the Ark of
the Covenant was lost, and in the Second Temple only a
black stone marked its place within the Holy of Holies.
Into this sacred spot none but the High Priest entered,
and he but once a year on the Day of Atonement, when,
after filling it with the smoke of incense, he went in with
the blood of victims to pray God to forgive the sins of
the people.
No place was so dear to a true Israelite as this
Temple of the Lord. David cried out : " How lovely
are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, my soul longeth
and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord." To pray
within these sacred Courts was their greatest happiness,
and every Jewish boy looked forward with eagerness to
his twelfth birthday, because thenceforth he would be
bound to go up three time? a year at the great feasts
5
74 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
to worship there. When, after days of weary march,
pilgrims climbed Mount Olivet, and from its summit
caught sight of Mount Moriah and the golden roof of
the Holy Place glittering in the sunshine, they forgot
all the fatigues of the journey and broke out into loud
songs of joy and praise.
Herod s Temple, it is true, lacked that which had
made Solomon s so glorious. The Ark of the Covenant
was gone, and the bright cloud above it which showed
the Presence of God in the Holy of Holies. But had
not Aggeus comforted his people by telling them that
this Second Temple would be more hallowed than the
First, because the Lord of the Temple would Himself
visit and sanctify it ? " Great shall be the glory of this
last house more than of the first. The Desired of all
nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory,
saith the Lord of Hosts."
These words of the prophet must have been in the
thoughts of Joseph and Mary when, with the Infant
Jesus, they presented themselves at the foot of the
steps which led to the highest of the Temple Courts. A
priest came down to receive their offering. They gave
him the shekels, and then Mary laid her Child in his
arms to be offered to God. This was no mere ceremony.
The Divine Infant begged to suffer in our stead the
punishment our sins deserved, and His offering was ac
cepted. He was indeed given back to Mary, but as a
little lamb to be kept for sacrifice later.
Having done all things according to the Law, Mary
and Joseph were turning to leave the Temple when a
venerable old man came forward, took the Holy Child
into his arms, and, smiling upon Him, gazed long and
earnestly upon the little face, whilst tears of joy
trickled down his cheeks. Mary watched and wondered.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 75
Here, then, was another that knew her secret, and had
come forward to worship the Hidden God. Such a
smile of welcome, such a loving embrace ! the old man
might have known the Child and been expecting Him.
And so in truth he had. For this was the aged Simeon
who had been promised that he should not die until he
had seen the Christ of the Lord. God always gives
more than He promises. Simeon was to see the Child,
and here he is, not seeing only, but holding and fondling
Him, and knowing what is to befall Him.
But God expects us to trust Him ; He often keeps us
waiting for a long time. Day after day Simeon had
come into the Temple praying and hoping; day after
day he had gone away disappointed and a little weary of
waiting. This day, just at the right time, the Holy
Spirit put it into his mind to go there, just at the right
moment made him lift his eyes and fix them on that
Child in the young mother s arms. There was noth
ing about the Holy Family to attract notice a poor
couple presenting their first-born, bystanders would have
said. But the aged priest saw by faith what others
could not see, and in a transport of joy blessed God and
said :
" Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, ac
cording to Thy word in peace. Because my eyes have
seen Thy salv .tion, which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all peoples : a light to the revelation of the Gen*
tiles, and the glory o : Thy people Israel."
Then, turning to Mary, he went on in tones of sorrow
ful compassion : " Behold this Child is set for the fall
and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a
sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul
a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts
may be revealed."
76 JESUS OF NAZAEETH.
Joy and sorrow come together all through Mary s life.
She has just had the happiness of presenting to God an
offering worthy of Him. She has seen her Child wel
comed as the Messiah. And now, suddenly and un
expectedly, all is changed. The day that began so
brightly is dark with coming woe. He whom she loves
more than her life is to be contradicted, and so cruelly
used, that her soul will be pierced with sorrow. But
because this terrible future is God s Will for her Son
and for herself, she bows her head and says once more:
" Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me
according to His Will."
There is still another meeting to-day. Whether
Anna, the aged prophetess, knew of the promise to
Simeon and kept near him, hoping to have a share in
his joy, we are not told, but we know that " she departed
not from the Temple, by fasting and prayers serving
night and day." And thus it happened that when he
went forward and took the Child Jesus into his arms,
she followed and joined the group, and not only adored
in silence, but spoke of the Child to all around who were
expecting the Redeemer. The only persons that ^ we
know of who preached and praised Him in that glorious
Temple of His were this aged woman, at the beginning
of His life, and the fearless children with their Hosar*
nas six days before the end.
THE HOLY KINGS.
" We have seen His star in the east, and are come to adore
Him." Matt. 2. 2.
THE STAB IN THE EAST.
ONE day a party of strangers on richly trapped camels
passed through the streets of Jerusalem causing great
excitement. Their riders, noble looking men, wore the
high head-dress and mantle thrown back over the should
ers, which marked them as Persians.
They told a strange story. Months ago, whilst study
ing the midnight heavens, as was their wont, a star of
extraordinary brightness had suddenly shone forth.
They felt that it was sent to announce some great event.
They knew that the whole world was expecting a De
liverer, and that the holy books of the Jews said a star
should arise out of Jacob. . This must be the star of
the great King, sent to call them to His feet. They
must go at once with the costliest gifts they could pro
vide and offer Him their homage. Their people had
mocked them; their families had tried to keep them
back ; but they were resolved to seek and find the Mes
siah at any cost. And so they had set out, three of
them, towards Jerusalem, where they supposed He
would be found.
" Where, then," they asked, " is He that is born King
of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East
and are come to adore Him ? "
Those who heard all this shook their heads and mut
tered as they turned away that it was a pity these travel
lers did not know what kind of a ruler Herod was, and
that no man who valued his life would dream of speak
ing in Jerusalem of another king.
The news of thtir arrival and of their errand soon
79
80 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
reached the palace, and Herod in great alarm summoned
all the chief priests and the scribes to enquire of them
where Christ should be born. They answered as with
one voice : " In Bethlehem of Juda, for so it is writ
ten by the prophet : And thou, Bethlehem, the land of
Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda, for
out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule
My people Israel."
The strangers now receive a courteous invitation to
visit the king, with the assurance that he will do all in
his power to aid them in their search. Simple and un
suspecting, they present themselves before him as he
lies, splendidly robed, on his magnificent couch. He
makes careful inquiries as to the star: " What was it
like? When and where had they first seen it? How
long had they been on their journey ? " They are de
lighted to find him so interested and tell him the whole
story. He shows himself very gracious and says he is
pleased to be able to give them the information they re
quire. Bethlehem, six miles south of Jerusalem, is to
be the birthplace of the Messiah. It is a little place,
they cannot fail to find Him there:
" Go," he says, " and diligently inquire after the
Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word
again that I also may come and adore Him."
The Magi thank him and set off without delay.
~No one cares to go with them; the priests and scribes
who have told them where to find Christ do not trouble
to seek Him themselves. " Herod was troubled and
all Jerusalem with him." Thus did His own people
receive the good news the strangers brought.
Surprised, but not disheartened, the Magi pursue
their way, when, suddenly, the star they had seen in the
East appears again and goes before them until it comes
JESUS OF NAZABETH. 81
and stands over the place where the Child is. And,
seeing the star, they rejoice with exceeding great joy.
And entering into, the house they find the Child with
Mary His Mother, and, falling down, they adore Him.
They expected to see the King of kings in a splendid
palace surrounded by courtiers. Instead of this they
find in a poor cottage a child without attendants or com
forts of any kind. Only a youthful mother and a
humble tradesman keep watch beside Him. Can this
be really a king? Can this be the great Deliverer the
world is awaiting ? Yes, such is their faith they believe
Him to be both. They spread a carpet at His feet in
Eastern fashion, humbly kneel down before Him, and,
opening their treasures offer Him gifts gold, frank
incense and myrrh. In the East no king is ever ap
proached without gifts. The Magi have brought the
most precious their country produces, and very suitable
gifts they are, for gold is a fit tribute to a king, incense
is offered to God, and myrrh, the herb used for pre
serving bodies from corruption, shows that our Lord,
though truly God, is man as one of us.
We are specially told that they found the Child
" with Mary His Mother." It was by Mary that our
Blessed Lord came to us: in the Holy Bible the Son
and the Mother appear side by side, and in the Catholic
Church they are never separatee!. His Mother was the
dearest treasure our Lord had in this world, and, poor
as He was. He had this treasure to the end. How glad
we ought to be that when He came to this cold and sin
ful world, where there was no room for Him, He had
her arms to fold Him, and her immaculate heart on
which to rest His head !
He did not speak as TTo lav in her lap. Was He then
like any other child ? " Whence art Thou ?" we can
82 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
imagine the Magi asking as they knelt before Him.
Mary answered for Him. She told them that He who
had sent His star to fetch them was a real, little human
child, but He was also the God of Heaven and earth, and
they must worship Him. He had two natures, the hu
man nature which they could see, the Divine Nature
which they could not see, but He had only one Per
son, which was the Person of God the Son. They lis
tened humbly, and bowed down, and kissed the little
feet, and adored Him. And Mary gave them His lit
tle hand to kiss and blessed them with it.
At last they had to go. They were so happy, so glad
that they had come. They would go back now to their
own land and tell their people all they had seen and
heard. And as long as they lived they would remem
ber their visit to Bethlehem, and keep in their hearts the
memory of the Mother and the Son. They had ar
ranged to return by way of Jerusalem, but, being told
by God not to go back to Herod, they went to their own
country another way.
Meanwhile the king was waiting and wondering.
Why did not the Magi come back? Could they have
found him out and have tricked him who thought him
self so clever in tricking others? How foolish he had
been not to have them followed and watched by some
of his own people. Finding at last that he had been out
witted by these simple-looking men, he was furious,
and, sending his soldiers, killed all the male children
that were in Bethlehem and in all the country round
from two years old and under. In vain did the poor
mothers try to hide or to defend their little ones. At
their play, in their cradles, in the very arms of their
mothers, these innocents were seized and slain, while
shrieks and piteous cries were heard on every side.
JESUS OF NAZAEETH. 83
And where was He whose life the cruel king was
seeking ?
The night after the departure of the Magi, as Joseph
slept, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him :
"Arise," he said, " and take the Child and His Mo
ther, and fly into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell
thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the
Child to destroy Him."
Without asking a single question, Joseph arose, went
to Mary and told her of the order. Like him, asking
no questions, she rose quickly, put together some provis
ions, took her little Babe and wrapped Him up in the
few garments she had, whilst Joseph collected his tools
and went out to saddle the ass. Then he helped Mary
to mount, laid the Holy Child in her arms, closed the
door of the cottage and went out into the night.
Days and weeks they journeyed on, first through
wild and hilly country, then across the trackless desert.
There was no shelter for them when the rays of the sun
beat fiercely down by day and the chilly dews fell
at night. Day after day that dreary waste of sand
stretched out before them. Springs of water were rare,
and they suffered terribly from thirst. As they plodded
on under the white light of the moon, or lay down to
rest, they heard the bark of the jackal and the roar of
the distant lion. The burning breath of the sirocco,
with its whirling sand, might overtake them, robbers
might swoop down upon them. But they were not
afraid, for they knew that the little Child they had
with them was God.
At last the yellow wilderness is broken up by patches
of refreshing green ; further on they come upon fertile
fields and the dwellings of men, and Joseph begins to
look about for a place where they can settle down. But
#4 JESUS OP NAZARETH.
the idolaters view with suspicion these Jewish stran
gers; no one knows them, and they are homeless wan
derers till Joseph is able to hire a little house. Then
it is hard to get work, and though he and Mary stint
themselves for the sake of the Child, they are so poor
that many a time when He asks for bread they have none
to give Him.
It seems to have been soon after the slaughter of the
Innocents that Herod died and went to Judgment.
What an awful account he had to give! To keep a
throne of which death must soon deprive him, he had
murdered his nearest and dearest, the priests of the
Temple, and at last a whole troop of little children,
among whom he hoped was the Saviour of the world.
There was nothing now to keep the Holy Family
in exile, and the Angel who had ordered the Flight into
Egypt appeared in sleep to Joseph saying:
" Arise, and take the Child and His Mother and go
into the land of Israel, for they are dead that sought
the life of the Child."
And he arose and took the Child and His Mother
and came into the land of Israel. But hearing that
Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his
father, he was afraid to go thither. He therefore de
termined to return to Nazareth in Galilee and settle
there.
XI.
JESTJS OF NAZAKETH.
IF their home at Nazareth was dear to Mary and Jo
seph before they left for Bethlehem, what was it now
when the sound of little feet was heard upon its floor,
and a childish voice called for " Father " or for " Mo
ther!" Joseph s trade, that kept him away all the
morning and afternoon, seemed harder than ever, but
he consoled himself by thinking that his loss was Mary s
gain.
Yes, she had the Child all to herself during those
early years. He sat at her feet as she spun, or stood
by as she did the kneading, or the baking, or the wash
ing of the little house. When she dropped anything,
He was quick to pick it up. He noticed what she
wanted before she knew herself, and ran to fetch it;
and as soon as He was able He helped in the household
work. Neighbours would stand at their doors to watch
the young mother and her beautiful Boy as they went
together to the fountain. They were all in all to each
other, it was plain, and His manner towards her, So
reverent and so tender, was delightful to see.
How happy were Mary and Joseph, when, sitting
down to their simple meal, they had the little Jesus
between them; when, morning and evening, they knelt
beside Him, knowing that He whose prayer went up
with theirs was Himself the God to whom they prayed.
See them how reverent they are, how still, how atten
tive. Was there ever a scene on earth more beautiful
than morning and night prayers at Nazareth!
In the synagogue they heard the Prophecies read
85
86 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
which told of the coming Messiah ... " Despised
and the most abject of men,> a man of sorrows . . .
I have not turned away my face from them that spat
upon me." What did Mary feel as she watched the
calm, grave face of her Boy and thought of the dishon
our that was to come !
On Sabbath evenings they walked together through
the flowery fields or up the grassy slopes of Nazareth,
drinking in every word, as the Child spoke to them of
the God who had made all these things for our use and
enjoyment, who so loved the world as to give His only
Son to save it.
As Jesus grew older, He swept the house, washed the
dishes, ground the corn, and at last went with Joseph
to the workshop to learn such rough carpentry as His
Foster-father could teach Him. No work was too
lowly or too commonplace for Him who had made all
things out of nothing. Mary and Joseph were never
tired of watching Him and admiring the care with
which all was done and finished; not once or twice, or
when the work was interesting or new to Him, but day
after day, year after year when it was dull and tiresome.
They never forgot who He was; never got used to the
thought that He who came at their call, and went
errands, and brought home the modest pay for Joseph s
work, was the Lord of Angels and of men. " Whence
art Thou ?" their hearts would cry, as they sa T the read
iness with which He obeyed their slightest wish, the
cheerfulness and grace with which He served them.
It must have been from Mary s lips that St. Luke
gathered all we know of those long years at Nazareth
which we call the Hidden Life. Twice in the same
chapter he speaks of her habit of pondering the words
and actions of her Divine Son, and all that befell Him.
THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.
Arise, and take the child and his mother, and Hy mto
Egypt." Matt. 2. 13.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 89
And he tells us what about Him was most marvellous
to that pondering heart of hers : " He was subject to
them." He to them!
Indeed, He was the Hidden God of Nazareth. His
cousins, James and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude, little
thought that He who played with them, or with sweet
words settled their childish disputes, was the Desired of
all nations, the long-promised Messiah whom the whole
world was expecting. And their elders, who, as we are
told, would say in their troubles : " Let us go and have
a talk with the Son of Mary," did not know that He
was able to dry their tears and refresh the heavy-laden
because He was God.
We wonder, perhaps, why He gave so much time
twenty years and more to this Hidden Life, or why
He remained hidden at all. He was to be on earth only
three and thirty years. There was so much to teach
and to do, and He could have begun at once. But do
we not all know that the best teaching is by example?
Whether the lesson is needlework, or swimming, or
painting, or drill, what we want is, not merely to be
taught by words, but to be shown by our teacher what
we have to do.
We may be sure our Blessed Lord did not want to lose
time, for no one knew as He did how much had to be
done. He had us all to teach men, women, and chil
dren and to teach in the best way, by example. There
fore He would begin at once, as soon as He came into
the world. And He would begin with the children.
They are His first class. He calls them all round Him,
the children of America, and Europe, and Africa, and
Asia, and says to them:
" Look at Me in My home. It might have been a
rich home, provided with all kinds of comforts and
90 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
conveniences. But because most of My followers
would be poor and unable to have these things, and all
of them would be inclined to care far too much for
the pleasant things of this life, I chose to be poor. We
had nothing unnecessary at Nazareth, nothing pretty or
curious a table, a few stools and mats, a meal-tub, a
chest for clothes. My Foster-father had to rise early
to go to his work. My Mother mended and washed
for us and cooked our homely meals ; we had no servant.
For all of us it was hard labour, early and late.
" Will not those who are poor among you be com
forted by seeing Me poor? Will not those who are
better off deny themselves something for My sake, and
give to those who are poor like Me ? And will not all
children try to give up their own way, to obey cheer-
fiilly, to reverence father and mother as well as love
them when they see how for long years I did all these
things in My little home at Nazareth ? "
XII.
\
IN THE TEMPLE AGAIN.
A boy s twelfth birthday was a great event in a
Jewish family. Up to this age he was called " little,"
afterwards he was called " grown up " and became a
" Son of the Law." He must put away now the things
of a child and behave and be treated as a man. The
same strict subjection to his parents as before was not
expected of him. He was consulted as to the trade or
profession he wished to follow. In the synagogue he
wore the phylacteries, narrow bands of parchment in
scribed with sacred texts. And he was bound to go up
to the Temple at the three great yearly festivals.
The first of these was the Pasch. It commemorated
the preservation of the first-born of the Jews on the night
when all the first-born of the Egyptians were killed. It
lasted seven days. The first-fruits of the barley har
vest were offered to God on this Feast. Seven weeks,
or fifty days later, came the Feast of Pentecost, com
memorating the giving of the Law to the Israelites on
Mount Sinai. On this Feast the first-fruits of the
wheat harvest were offered.
Lastly, in the autumn, when the fruits of the vine
yards and the cornfields had been fully gathered, came
the Feast of Tabernacles in memory of that time in
the desert when the people lived in tents. This was a
festival of thanksgiving for the blessings of the year.
Every Jew who had come of age was bound to be present
in Jerusalem at each of these Feasts. So great were
the numbers congregated together at these times that
they often exceeded two millions.
91
92 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
When Jesus, therefore, was twelve years old, He ac
companied His parents to Jerusalem for the Feast of
the Pasch, joining the caravan which was going up
from Galilee.
For greater safety against robbers many thousands
travelled together, the men and the women in separate
companies, the children with either father or mother.
As they neared Jerusalem and fell in with other cara
vans, the concourse of pilgrims grew more and more
dense, and in the neighbourhood of the Holy City hus
bands and wives reunited and finished the journey to
gether.
See Mary and Joseph walking with Jesus between
them. There is bustle and noise all around, but they
are not distracted; their eyes are ever turned towards
Him; their ears catch each sound of His voice. We
are told of Him at this age that He advanced in wis
dom and grace before God and men ; that is, He showed
more and more of the wisdom and grace which were per
fect in Him from the first. If ordinary neighbours
perceived this, how much more Mary and Joseph.
Each day He was more beautiful and more winning,
more lovable and more loving. The Temple to which
they were journeying held nothing so holy as this Child
of theirs, this little Pilgrim of twelve, and when from the
summit of Mount Olivet the dazzling roof of the Holy
Place appeared to view, and a shout of joy broke from
every heart, they turned to the Boy between them and
worshipped Him with profoundest adoration.
Yet they were glad to go to the Temple, and, during
the seven days the Feast lasted, the blessed Three were
seen continually at the various services.
The Paschal lamb had to be without blemish; to be
slain in the evening and carefully prepared for the sup-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 93
per, for not a bone must be broken. It was eaten with
unleavened bread and wild lettuce. The youngest
present had to ask his father the meaning of these sacred
rites, and the father was to tell him it was to remind
God s people how on the night their fathers were de
livered from the slavery of Egypt, a lamb was slain and
its blood sprinkled on the doorpost of their houses that
the destroying Angel who was to pass in the night and
slay the firstborn throughout the land, might spare the
dwellings marked by that sign. God had commanded
that every year they were to keep the anniversary of that
night by eating the Paschal lamb till He should come
whom the lambs of the Passover had represented.
So when the Holy Family meets for the supper, Jesus
asks the meaning of the ceremonies, and St. Joseph tells
the story whilst Jesus and Mary listen. See Mary look
ing with tenderness and pain on the Boy by her side.
His eyes are fixed, now on the lamb before Him, now on
the unleavened bread ; His thoughts seem far away.
When the Feast is over, the caravan from Galilee re
turns home. Joseph travels with the men, Mary with
the women as before, both generously rejoicing in the
happiness of the other. Jesus had gone, of course, with
His Mother, Joseph thinks. He is with His father,
Mary says to herself again and again through the long
desolate day ; what joy it will be to see Him when even
ing comes.
At last a halt is called. The vast multitude stops its
march and prepares to encamp for the night. Such a
scene of confusion as it is. Such unlading of asses,
and setting up of tents, and preparation for supper;
husbands coming in search of their wives, children run
ning about, delighting in the hubbub and the prospect
of camping out. Joseph and Mary meet. Each is
6
94 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
alone. Their troubled look says plainer than words:
" Where is Jesus \ " Neither has seen Him since they
started. They make inquiries but can hear nothing
of Him.
They go here and there, threading their way among
the various parties settling down for the night. No one
has time to listen to them, rough or careless words are
the only replies they receive. Darkness falls and with
it a stillness. Perhaps now He will come to them. They
sit by the roadside and wait and pray. The hours go
by. They cannot disturb the sleeping camp, and surely
He would have come to them before now had He been
anywhere there. He must have remained behind in
Jerusalem. Joseph looks at Mary, tired out with her
day s march and weary search, but she smiles through
her tears and tries to cheer him. " Yes, surely, Jesus
will be in the Temple/ 7 she says, " let us go to Him."
And they set out.
She is quite spent by the time they reach Jerusalem.
But there can be no rest for her till Jesus is found.
They go to the Temple ; they search the Courts and the
colonnades ; they question the talkers ; they look among
the worshippers. No, He is not here. They go out
and wander up and down the still thronged streets of
the Holy City, feeling for each other at every new dis
appointment, trying to keep up each other s hope.
Three days they search; the market, the bazaars or
shops, the synagogues all are visited, the Temple
again and again. Joseph wonders how Mary keeps up.
The anguish of her heart can be seen on her face, but
there is never a complaint, never anything in the tone
of her voice to tell of aught but patient suffering and
resignation to God s Will.
On the third day, as they are passing a group of
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 95
rabbis or doctors, met, as was their wont, in one of the
porticos of the Temple to discuss difficult questions of
the Law, Mary is startled by the sound of a Voice com
ing from the midst of that attentive throng. There is no
other voice like that. She lays her hand on Joseph s
arm and they stand and listen. Now they can see
within the circle.
There He sits, the carpenter s Son, the centre of that
learned gathering. Every eye is fixed on Him in won
der and admiration. He has put questions to which
none can reply; simple questions they seemed and in
keeping with His years, and asked with the reverence
with which a child should address his elders, yet He
waits in vain for an answer. Old men are there whose
lives have been spent in the study and explanation of
the Law. But they have found their Master to-day and
are forced to keep silence before Him.
Who is this Child ? Does anyone know anything
of Him ?" they ask each other.
Mary and Joseph wait. They must not interrupt
Him. He has a work to do here. They wait patiently
and delightedly as He answers His own questions and
explains hard passages of the Scripture and clears away
difficulties from the minds of these men. He shows
them that the time of the Messiah as foretold by the
prophets is come and that they must be ready for Him.
There is no disputing what He says, for He speaks with
authority and such wisdom that all are astonished. Si
lent and thoughtful, one after another leaves the group.
Now the Child Teacher is alone, and Mary and Jo
seph come up to Him.
" Son, why hast Thou done so to us ? Behold Thy
father and I have sought Thee sorrowing."
At last her full heart finds vent. There has been no
96 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
word of complaint to Joseph, but to Him who knows
her pain and her submission to His Will in all things,
to Him who cannot misunderstand, she may say in lov
ing complaint : " Why hast Thou done so to us ?" He
looks up into her tear-stained face and says tenderly :
" How is it that you sought Me ; did you not know
that I must be about My Father s business?"
Mary understood Him and His words and ways bet
ter than any other has ever done. But He was God, and
what He did and said was not always plain even to her.
We are told she did not understand Him here.
It was to give her an opportunity of practising many
virtues that He did not tell her He was staying behind
in Jerusalem. And He had another reason. He
wanted her to know by experience the misery and the
pain of separation from Him, that she might be able to
feel for those who lose Him by sin, and to pray for them
that they may find Him again.
He wished also to give an example to those many
followers of His who would have to go through the
agony of leaving father and mother in order to do their
Father s business by working for the salvation of souls.
He would comfort them by bearing this trial first Him
self. For His was the teiiderest of hearts, and it cost
Him very much to grieve those who were dearer to Him
than all .the world beside, and who were so worthy of
His love.
God s way is to try His servants for a little while
and then to reward them. He filled with overflowing
joy the hearts of Mary and Joseph as, with the Holy
Child between them, they set out on their way home.
How sadly they had trod that road three days before !
But what a difference the presence of Jesus makes now !
They held Him fast, one by eaok hand. They had
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 97
Him all to themselves, for the caravan was far ahead.
And He was making up to them in all manner of sweet
ways for the pain they had had.
When they got home they wondered if He would be
any different; if the time was come for Him to be less
subject to them; if He was going to continue the work
of teaching He had begun in the Temple. No, He was
just the same as before ; the twelfth birthday had made
no change. There was the same ready obedience, the
same eagerness to find out their wishes, to spare them
trouble, to make the little home happy for them.
XIII.
THE HIDDEN LIFE.
time the doctors of the Temple met they won
dered if that marvellous Child would come again and
teach them. They went over together all He had said,
and when they got puzzled afresh they wished they had
asked Him who He was and where He lived. He was
very young to be a prophet, but surely none of the pro
phets had spoken as He had done; those who called
themselves masters in Israel were no more than chil
dren beside Him. He knew the hidden meanings of
the Scripture, and, as some of them had found out, He
could read their most secret thoughts. They made in
quiries and talked about Him for a time, and then, as
they could learn nothing, the memory of Him faded
from their memory, and most of them forgot Him.
And what is He doing who made such a stir among
these learned men? Standing by Joseph s side in the
workshop to see how yokes and ploughs are made; how
the hammer and the saw and the chisel are used ; guid
ing the tools with weak, unsteady hand ; learning to be
a carpenter. Later on He works under Joseph s direc
tion, and during the hot hours of the morning and af
ternoon the two in ay be seen day after day at their
heavy toil. Then our Lord sweeps up the shavings,
tidies the shop, and takes the finished work to the little
homes around. He waits to see if it gives satisfaction,
and holds out His hand for the pay.
Then comes the meeting at the evening meal that
makes up for the hard work of the day. The joys and
sorrows of these blessed Three are the same, and their
98
JESUS OP NAZARETH. 99
hearts are so united that nothing ever happens to dis
turb their peace. Troubles there are every now and
then, and hardships always, for they are poor people.
But Jesus makes up to Mary and Joseph for all beside.
No mother ever had such joy as Mary, because none
ever had a son so perfect and so loving. But she had
sorrows too that were hers alone. Some of us find it
hard to keep a secret. God s greatest secret was trusted
to Mary, and at times she found it hard to keep. Let
us see why.
We know how reverently the Church treats the
Blessed Sacrament. Her priests alone may touch it.
Their hands must be clean; the corporal on which It
rests spotless. A veil must hang before the tabernacle
door where It is reserved, a lamp must burn day and
night before it. Flowers are to be set around the little
throne where It is exposed for Benediction, sweet in
cense must rise up before It, and hymns be sung in Its
praise. And when It is waved above their heads, the
faithful bow down in adoration. All we can do must
be done to honour the Hidden God who makes Himself
so little for love of us.
Now Mary knew as no one else has ever known who
He was that went out to work each morning and came
home tired at night, who took orders from the villagers,
and helped to earn the daily bread. We get used to the
miracle of the Blessed Sacrament, as our genuflections
before the tabernacle show. But the Real Presence at
Nazareth was always as wonderful to Mary as It had
been at the first. Her love and her worship, so far
from growing less, grew more intense as time went on.
And when she spoke to her Son with the authority of
a mother, she never forgot that she was His creature
and little handmaid. She knew that whilst He slept on
100 JESUS OF NAZASETH.
His hard mat at night, or worked in the shop by day,
legions of Angels were prostrate in adoration before
Him.
It was the keenest pain to her to see Him treated with
any want of reverence. When neighbours came into
her little home in Egypt, and, meaning to be kind, took
up her Babe and dandled and played with Him as if He
had been an ordinary child, still more when the towns
folk of Nazareth spoke to Him roughly, found fault
with His work, ordered Him here and there, it was
hard to look on and say nothing. But she had God s
secret to keep, and until the hour had come for her Son
to show Himself to the world she must be content to
adore in silence and try to make up to Him by her lov
ing reverence for the neglect of those who knew Him
not.
Time went on, went quickly in the Holy House, for
they were all so happy. Our Lord was quite grown up
now, and did all the hard work at the shop. For Jo
seph s strength was failing. Still he liked to go to the
little timber yard, for Jesus was there, and He could sit
and watch Him even if he could not help. And there
he did sit hour after hour, his eyes fixed on his Foster-
Son, watching and wondering why he should have been
chosen to be His guardian, why people were allowed to
call that Holy One " the Son of Joseph."
At last he could no longer get to his place in the
yard. Then, a little later, the end came. There was
no illness; the old man simply seemed to fade away.
Our Lord prepared him for death, making with him the
acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity which get us ready
to die. Joseph had always willed just what God willed.
It was this habit that made his face so peaceful that
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 101
his neighbours used to wonder if he had any troubles.
Yet sometimes the Will of God was hard. It was hard
now.
When other saints die they are glad because they are
going to .God whom they love, going to be with Jesus
and Mary for ever. But Joseph had lived with Jesus
and Mary almost all his life. He had toiled for them,
provided their daily bread, gone and come with them
wherever they went. To look upon the face of Jesus,
to be trusted and loved by Mary this had made the
happiness of his life.
And now he must leave them and go down to Limbo,
the dark, dreary place of waiting. Our Lord knew it
was hard. But He comforted him by telling him that
the separation would not be for long, and gave him sweet
messages to take to the waiting souls. Only three years
more and the world would be redeemed, and as soon as
the price was paid on Calvary He would come to them
and turn Limbo into Paradise.
The end of Joseph s wonderful life was come. His
head lay on the breast of Jesus, his hand was clasped in
the hands of Mary and so he died. How they had
loved him and how they missed him now ! By the
parting at that holy deathbed, and by the vacant place
in the little home, Jesus and Mary learned to weep with
those that weep, and to feel for hearts torn and bleeding
by the breaking of the ties that God Himself has made.
It is because of the happiness of St. Joseph s death,
with Jesus and Mary by to help and comfort, that we
beg this blessed Saint to be with us with Jesus and Mary
when we come to die, and get us the faith, hope, and
charity, the contrition, and resignation to God s Will
which we shall need in that most dreadful hour :
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
102 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my
soul with you in peace.
Our Lord now became the carpenter at Nazareth.
Morning and afternoon the sound of the hammer was
heard in His shop. Passers by looked in now and then
looked carelessly, their attention attracted by the
noise. ISTo one stopped to watch reverently, no one so
much as dreamed that this was God !
He was expected to make and mend all the simple
village furniture, to be grateful for orders, and to do
His work cheaply and well. He must be at every one s
beck and call, work after hours, leave what He was
about, to do something wanted at once ; this table must be
altered, that plough was too dear. He listens patiently ;
He undoes His work and does it again. He tries to
please His humble customers; He treats them with re
spect and obeys them cheerfully.
And this day after day, all through the Hidden Life !
There need not have been all those years of heavy toil.
Our Lord might have had a comfortable and a beautiful
home. He might have taught in the synagogue, or
written books, or trained disciples. Or, if He chose
to work with His hands, His tasks might have been
easier and more interesting. Had He thought of Him
self things would have been different. But we are told
that " He pleased not Himself." He knew that most of
His followers would spend their lives in hard, distaste
ful labour nothing to look forward to when they get
up in.ihe morning, always the same dreary round of lit
tle duties. The thought of Nazareth and of the Son
of God earning His bread by the sweat of His brow
would comfort and cheer these heavy-burdened ones.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 103
This is why He spent almost His whole life in a cottage
and a workshop. And there was another reason.
What a prince touches, or does, or likes, receives a
value which it had not before. When the Son of God
came into the world, He found labour despised and
shunned. So He consecrated it by the touch of His
divine hands, and now it has become honourable and
dear to those who love Him. We should esteem it as all
the saints have done. How much better is a life of
labour than one of ease and luxury ! Let us thank God
if we have to work hard with our heads or our hands.
This will save us from the dangers that idleness brings ;
and if like our Lord we do our work for the love of God,
it will be very pleasing in His sight and deserve a great
reward.
When evening came our Lord and His Blessed Mother
took their simple meal and said their night prayers
together. He would speak to her of the time fast ap
proaching when He must leave her to go out into the
world and save the souls of men. She would see Him
now and then during the time of His preaching, but His
Father s business would fill His days, and prayer His
nights. She must be content to follow Him with the
holy women who would minister to Him, and mix in the
crowd and see and hear Him from afar.
In His tender, loving talks during those last days at
Nazareth, He would tell her many things about that
Kingdom of His, the Church, which He was going to
found, many secrets which because of her holiness she
was fit to hear. When our Lord came to mix with men,
we find Him sighing again and again at their want of
faith, at the dullness of their understanding, at the
slowness of their hearts. What a joy it must have been
to Him to have such a one as Mary to teach, and how
104 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
freely He must have spoken to her during those years
of the Hidden Life when she was His one companion.
At last the day of parting came, and as they stood to
gether at the door she bade Him farewell. He was
leaving the little home in which God had had such per
fect service, and going out into a world in which God
was little known and loved. He left behind the one
heart that understood His own, the Mother to whom He
had trusted His joys, His sorrows, His plans for the
souls of men. As time went on He would find many
followers and a few devoted friends, but none like those
who had made Nazareth a little Heaven upon earth.
Mary s heart was breaking when she saw Him go.
No one has ever known Jesus as she knew Him, and
therefore no one can have any idea of the love with
which she cherished and clung to Him. She alone
among mothers was allowed, nay, was bound to worship
her Son. For thirty years He had been the Life of her
life. To part with Him was worse than death. Yet she
would not have kept Him a day from the work to which
He was going. She was the first and most faithful of
His disciples, and she had learned from Him the worth
of souls. She knew how dearly He loved them, how
He was longing to give His blood to save them from
sin and hell, and she was willing and eager to see them
saved even at this tremendous price. He was going to
torments and to death ; the sword of sorrow must pierce
her soul ; but she bowed her head and said : " Behold the
handmaid of the Lord, be it done according to His
Will."
HIS BOYHOOD AT NAZARETH.
And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and
the grace of God was in Him." Luke 2. 40.
THE PUBLIC LIFE
XIV.
PALESTINE AND ITS PEOPLE.
" Too long hast Thou been silent, O Lord Jesus, and
very much too long; begin now at last to speak," says
St. Bernard in one of his sermons.
We can scarcely imagine a greater contrast than the
thirty years of our Lord s Life now past, and the three
that are to come. Hitherto He has been hidden away
as the carpenter of an obscure village, unknown except
to His humble relations, and very imperfectly known
even to them. Now, with a band of devoted disciples,
He is to come and go along the highways of the land,
to be a familiar Figure in the Temple at the time of the
great yearly Feasts, a Teacher in the synagogues up
and down the country, the Guest of Pharisees of dis
tinction. He will be followed from city to city, and
across the wilderness and up the mountain slopes by
multitudes of every age and class and calling. He will
be found amidst friends and enemies, at festive gather
ings, at the bedside of the sick and lonely poor.
To know Him better we will try to get some idea of
the land to which He is coming as Teacher of its people.
If we take a map of the world we shall find that the
little country of Palestine lies just in the heart of the
Eastern hemisphere. It forms part of Asia, it adjoins
Africa, and the same sea that bathes its shore washes
all those of southern Europe ; as if to show by its very
situation that the Land from which salvation flowed to
all lands should be the centre to which the men of every
109
JESUS OF NAZARETH.
age and race and clime should turn with love and thank
fulness.
It seems to belong to all lands in another way by
sharing what is special to each. Nowhere out of Pal
estine are to be found natural features so opposite, and
the animal and vegetable life of such different parts of
the globe.
In a country about the size of Switzerland are
snow-capped mountains, parched deserts, beautiful
lakes; plains scarlet with poppies, and desolate stony
wastes; groves of feathery palms, and oaks, chestnuts,
pines, and firs ; vines, melons, pomegranates, the sugar
cane; and apples, nuts, and fields of waving corn.
The lion, rhinoceros, wild bull, and bison, are no
longer found, but there are camels and bears, wolves and
hyenas, jackals and apes, with the horses, asses, sheep,
and goats, hares and foxes of our own land.
Palestine has our birds, too, all the warblers of our
woods and hedges, the blackbird, thrush, and cuckoo,
with sparrows, rooks, and jackdaws. The robin spends
his winter there; all about Bethlehem the goldfinch is
common, wild ducks abound in the Jordan valley, whilst
soaring above most rocky ravines are the vulture and the
eagle. Might we not think that the various creatures
familiar to us in different parts of the world are gath
ered together in the Holy Land to be blessed for every
land?
To bring home to ourselves the Life of our Blessed
Lord on this earth of ours, it helps us to know the kind
of country and scenery that lay around Him, the ani
mals and birds and flowers He would see ; to be able to
picture to ourselves the little white houses with their low
roofs and blinking windows that would come within
sight when He neared a village ; the sort of people with
JESUS OF NAZARETH. Ill
whom He would have to mix, their manners and customs
and dress. We must not, then, think it dull and unin
teresting to learn something of the state of the country
when He came. Trouble is well bestowed if it helps
us to know Him better, to feel as well as to know what
His life on earth must have been, and what He went
through, not uncomplainingly only, but willingly and
brightly for the love of us. A word, then, about the
government of the country.
When Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was
led thither out of Mesopotamia, he found there the
fierce and wicked race of Canaan, from whom it takes
the first name by which we know it. God promised
it to Abraham and his children, who called it the Land
of Promise. They did not, however, get possession
of it till more than five hundred years after Abraham.
Then Jewish kings reigned there for five hundred
years, till the Jews were taken into captivity by the
Assyrians, and again for another hundred years before
they came under Roman rule. It was because two
royal brothers quarrelled about the crown that the Ro
mans were called in. They soon settled the dispute
by making the country a Roman province, obliging the
Jews to pay a yearly tribute to Rome, and setting over
them as king a foreigner, Herod the Great, in whose
reign our Lord was born.
The Jews hated everything that reminded them of
their subjection to Rome, the sight of the Roman eagles
set up in public places, of Roman soldiers stationed here
and there to keep them in order, of the Roman coins
with which they had to pay the tribute ; they even hated
and despised their fellow-countrymen, the publicans,
who collected the taxes for the Romans. They were
7
112 JESTIS OF NAZARETH.
always ready for revolt, always prepared to follow any
of the imposters who at this time of universal expecta
tion pretended to be the long-looked-for Deliverer of
the people. It was as a deliverer from the Roman
yoke, a king who would shower upon them honours and
riches, and make them the first nation of the earth,
rather than as One coming to free them from sin and
teach them the way to Heaven, that they regarded and
ardently desired the Messiah. We have to bear this
in mind in order to understand how the whole people
could turn against Him and deliver Him up to the Ro
mans and to death.
He came at a time when things were at their worst,
not only in the great pagan world that lay outside His
own Land, but in that favoured Land itself. The
priests, even the High Priests, were men of evil life and
a scandal to the nation. It was they who became the
bitterest enemies of our Blessed Lord and stirred up
the masses against Him.
The people, instead of being united in fervent pre
paration for the coming Redeemer, were divided into
sects and parties, bitterly opposed to one another.
There were the Pharisees who made pretence of being
better than the rest of men, " whited sepulchres," our
Lord called them, fair without, loathsome within. There
were the wealthy, luxurious Sadducees who denied the
existence.of spirits and the resurrection of the dead, men
determined to enjoy this world as they did not believe
in another, wanting no Messiah who would disturb a
state of things with which they were quite satisfied.
And there were the Herodians, who flattered those in
power in order to gain their own ends and have a com
fortable, easy life.
The Pharisees appear so often in the Gospel story that
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 113
\ve must try to have a clear idea of them. Their name
describes them well, for it means" the Separated," the
holy ones set apart from the multitude. They looked
down upon the poor and the ignorant who had not
studied the Law of Moses, and called them " accursed."
They prided themselves on their knowledge of the Law
and their exact observance of all it required as to fast
ing, purification, the paying of tithes and particularly
as to the keeping of the Sabbath. According to them
it was unlawful to make a knot, to kill a stinging insect,
to clap one s hands on the Sabbath day. They were
most strict about the washing of hands, and cups, and
dishes. But the holiness of the soul they did not trouble
themselves about. The greatest saint was not he who
most loved God and his neighbour, but he whose phy
lactery was the broadest and tassels longest, and face
the gloomiest on fasting days. These men had great in
fluence with the people, who looked up to them with awe,
called them " Eabbi ; " that is " Master," and showed
their veneration by touching respectfully the tassels of
their mantles.
Our Lord showed Himself condescending but firm
with the Pharisees. He meekly bore their rudeness and
even their blasphemy. He went to their houses, though
He knew He was invited only that they might watch
and inform against Him. But, when at the end of His
ministry He saw that they remained obstinate, hindered
His work, and turned the simple folk against Him, He
spoke to them with terrible severity, and boldly reproved
them for their pride and deceit. He called them hypo
crites who might indeed deceive men with their show
of goodness, but could not escape the Allseeing eye of
God. His fearless exposure of their wickedness en
raged them, and the people s admiration for Him filled
114 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
them with envy and hatred. For they wanted to be the
leaders of the nation, and could not bear to be put into
the shade by this carpenter of Galilee. The divine
beauty of our Lord s character and teaching and works
they did not wish to see. To them He was only a rival
who must be got rid of. And because they feared as
well as hated Him they leagued with their enemies the
Sadducees to bring about His destruction.
Such were the masters to whom the people looked for
guidance and example. It was amongst such as these
that our Lord found Himself when He left the wilder
ness and began His work of teaching.
Palestine was at this time divided into six districts.
West of the Jordan were Galilee in the north, Samaria
in the centre, Judea in the south. East of the river
were Ituria, Trachonitis and Perea.
Herod the Great had ruled as a vassal king under the
Romans over all Palestine. On his death his kingdom
was divided among his three sons, Archelaus, Herod An-
tipas, and Herod Philip, who governed their territories
with the title of tetrarchs. Archelaus ruled over Judea
and Samaria, but after ten years of a cruel reign he was
deposed and banished and his tetrarchate was made into
a Roman province under a procurator or governor.
Herod Antipas governed Galilee and Perea with the
title of king, though he was only a tetrarch. He was
still reigning at the time our Lord began His public
ministry. Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea and
Samaria. Tiberias Caesar was Emperor of Rome.
The scenes of our Blessed Lord s Life lay occasionally
in Samaria, oftener in the towns and highways of Judea,
oftenest in Galilee, among the towns and villages dotted
along the western shore of its beautiful lake, and up the
grassy slopes to the east.
THE HOLY FAMILY.
He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was
subject to them." Luke 2. 51.
XV.
THE BANKS OF JORDAN.
LEAVING Nazareth behind Him, our Lord made His
way to the banks of the Jordan, and following the
river southward through Galilee, Samaria and Judea,
arrived at a ford near Jericho. On His road He had
fallen in with troops of people of all classes going in
the same direction, and here assembled at the ford was
a vast multitude covering both banks. On one point all
eyes were fixed. Standing on the river bank was a
man of rough and uncouth appearance. His face,
from constant exposure to sun and wind, was of the
colour of brown parchment; his eye was bright and
piercing; his frame lean with fasting, and freely over
his shoulders fell his long hair, for his locks had never
been shorn. He wore a garment of coarse earners
hair gathered in at the waist by a leathern girdle.
Who was this extraordinary man? People said he
was the son of the priest Zachary, who, thirty years ago,
whilst offering incense in the Temple had seen an Angel
and been struck dumb by the vision. His name was
John. He had spent his life from childhood in the
desert, where his food was locusts and wild honey. And
now he had suddenly appeared on the borders of his
desert and was telling the crowds who went out to see
him that they must repent of their sins and prepare for
the Messiah, for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.
" The Kingdom, the Messiah s Kingdom at hand !"
A cry of rapture rang through the land. He was near,
then, who should free them from bondage and raise the
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118 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
fallen fortunes of Israel; who should march at their
head against the heathen Gentiles, bring the whole earth
under His rule, and begin a thousand years reign of
prosperity and glory for the people of God! Men,
women and children from Jerusalem and all the country
about the Jordan, nay, from distant towns and villages,
flocked in thousands to the wilderness Pharisees and
Sadducees, priests, publicans, soldiers, forgetting in the
common joy and expectancy their mutual jealousy and
hate.
But John s speech to them was not of coming pomp
and pleasure, but of penance. He flattered none; he
told all to confess their sins and be baptized. In stern
and fearless words he rebuked the proud, the self-indul
gent, the unrepenting sinner. Seeing among the crowd
some Pharisees and Sadducees, he cried out:
" Ye offspring of vipers, who hath shewed you to
flee from the wrath to come ? "
But he spoke gently to the humble and the poor.
Standing one day on a hillock, his voice thundered
over the wilderness :
" Now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every
tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall
be cut down and cast into the fire."
The people terrified cried out : " What, then, shall
we do?"
And he said : " He that hath two coats, let him give
to him that hath none, and he that hath meat let him do
in like manner."
And the publicans who came to be baptized said to
him : " Master, what shall we do ? "
And he said to them : " Do nothing more than that
which is appointed you." For as collectors of taxes
they were accustomed to cheat.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 119
And the soldiers also asked him saying: "And what
shall we do ? "
And he said to them : " Do violence to no man,
neither accuse any falsely/ and be content with your
pay."
He did not tell men to lead a hard life like his own,
but to keep the Commandments of God and be faithful
to the duties of their state of life. In this way they
would be getting ready for the Messiah.
The rugged appearance and stern speech of the young
preacher, so far from scaring the people away, drew
them to him. His words that the Messiah was about to
appear caused the greatest excitement throughout the
country ; thousands were baptized by him in the Jordan
confessing their sins, and disciples began to gather round
him. And as people were thinking that perhaps John
might be the Christ, he said to them :
" I indeed baptize you with water, but there shall
come One mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I
am not worthy to loose. He shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost and with fire."
The Coming of Christ this was always the subject
of his instructions. It was this that made his dark
eye kindle and his countenance glow. Men who knew
how stern his speech could be marvelled at the burn
ing love that from his heart overflowed upon his lips
when he spoke of Him whose messenger and forerunner
he was.
Day by day his words of prophecy grew clearer, and
the expectation of his hearers more intense. The Mes
siah was close at hand. John had said it, and all men
held John to be a prophet. He was at hand ; when and
where would He show Himself?
120 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
One day John was preaching as usual and as usual the
stillness of the vast audience showed that his words
were reaching every heart. Suddenly he broke off and
fixed his gaze with a look of reverent wonder on some
thing or someone at a distance. All eyes followed his.
From the midst of the throng a Man was quietly ad
vancing towards the little height on which the Baptist
stood. His garments were poor, yet there was an in
describable majesty about Him joined to an innocence,
simplicity and gentleness capable of winning every
heart. He was a stranger, unknown to all but one.
John saw Him., knew Him, and his heart leapt forth
to welcome Him.
Painters have loved to show us the little Baptist
standing with the Child Jesus at Mary s knee. The
two were cousins, but we are not told that they had
ever seen each other before this meeting by the Jordan.
How, then, did John know our Blessed Lord ? He him
self tells us : "I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove
from Heaven upon Him."
The Precursor thought his work was now done; the
Master had come, it was the place of the servant to
retire. What, then, was his amazement and awe when
our Lord, mingling with the sinners who were coming
down to the water, and waiting His turn, stood at length
before Him and humbly asked for baptism.
" I ought to be baptized by Thee," he said trembling,
" and comest Thou to me ? "
" Suffer it to be so now," replied Jesus in a low tone,
" for so it becometh us to fulfil all justice."
Then John with reverent hand poured the water on
that sacred head, and that which was one day to make
us children of God and heirs of Heaven was consecrated
by the Baptism of Christ. As He came out of the
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 12 .(
water there was a glorious sight: the heavens opened,
and in the midst of dazzling light the form of a Dove
with outstretched wings was seen to overshadow Him,
whilst a Voice like soft thunder was heard:
"Thou art My Beloved Son, in Thee I am well
pleased."
This is the first time the Holy Trinity, One God in
Three Persons, showed Itself to men the Father in
the Voice from Heaven, the Son in the Sacred Human
Nature, the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove.
The Hidden Life was over, our Lord s Public Life
had begun, and it began with an act of deep humility.
But He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. So it
has ever been; so it was by the Jordan now. Christ,
the All-Holy, had humbled Himself, appearing among
sinners as a sinner. And His Father had glorified Him
by declaring before that vast multitude that He was no
sinner but His own well Beloved Son.
We might have thought that at last His time for
preaching had come. He was thirty years of age; the
people prepared by John were in eager expectation.
They had heard Him proclaimed from Heaven to be
the Son of God. How they would flock to Him and
welcome Him if He were to come among them and
teach them now !
But God s ways are not like ours. Our Lord was
indeed going to teach, not, however, the people of His
own land, but His followers in every land and through
out all time, to teach us all one of the most important
lessons we have to learn in this world. And He was
going to a battlefield to meet a cruel and powerful ad
versary. What was this lesson? where was this battle
field? Let us follow Him and see.
XVI.
IN THE DESERT.
WHEN the people on the river banks looked around
for the wonderful Stranger they could find Him no
where. He had quietly left the place where He had
been glorified, and, climbing the steep side of a moun
tain, had entered a lonely country full of barren rocks
and gloomy caves, a region rugged and dreary beyond
description. There He spent forty days and forty
nights, neither eating nor drinking. The wild crea
tures of the wilderness were His only companions. The
tortoise came out of its rocky hole, the lizard darted
across His path as He walked. When evening fell He
heard far off on the mountain side the jackal s mourn
ful cry. Lions and leopards passed Him on their way
to a stream, or came up and fixed their great, wondering
eyes on Him as He knelt in prayer. He was their
Lord and Master, and He was sinless they did not
harm Him.
After He had fasted forty days and forty nights the
devil, who had been watching and suspecting, came to
Him. He wanted to find out who this extraordinary
man was. He knew that the time was at hand for
His Coming who was to redeem the world and save us
from sin and hell. Was this holy One the Redeemer,
or only another of the prophets? If he was no more
than man, He could be tempted and fall into sin like
other men.
There are three desires which, unless resolutely
checked lead people into sin the desire of pleasure,
such as the enjoyment of the body in eating and drink-
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JESUS OF NAZARETH. 123
ing; the desire of notice and admiration; the desire of
riches, and of the comforts, power and importance that
riches bring.
We must bear in mind, however, that these three
p s pleasure, plenty and praise are things not bad
in themselves, nor is the moderate desire of them wrong.
What is bad is the immoderate desire, the reckless use
of them simply because they are nice. The devil knows
that we are inclined to rush after enjoyment for enjoy
ment s sake, so he uses these things as baits to catch and
ruin us. Men, women, children, all are tempted, some
by one bait, some by another, but no one escapes, the
Saints least of all. They do not go to Heaven alone,
but take many with them, hence the enemy of souls
hates and fears them more than others. With what
hate, then, did he look upon this Holy One who might
be not a Saint only but the Saint of Saints and the Re
deemer of men.
The forty days were over, and Jesus, who had been
six weeks without food, was sitting worn and weak on a
rock in the midst of the desolate country. Scattered
around were great stones something in the shape of
loaves. And the tempter coming said to Him:
" If Thou be the Son of God, command that these
stones be made bread."
By these cunning words he meant to find out what
he wanted so much to know, for God alone could change
a stone into bread. But we wonder, perhaps, where the
temptation was. Our Lord was very hungry and He was
asked to change a stone, not into anything dainty but
into bread. It was temptation because He was urged
to satisfy His hunger before the time appointed by His
Father, and to do this by & miracle. He had come into
the world to suffer, not to use His divine power to escape
124 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
suffering. His miracles were to be for others, not for
Himself. And He had something far more impor
tant to do at that time than to provide for His bodily
need. And so the answer came promptly :
" It is written ; Man liveth not by bread alone but by
every word of God."
He would suffer as long as His Father willed, and
wait patiently till His Father should send relief. The
devil had found out nothing and his temptation had
been treated with contempt. But he had two more
in reserve.
He took our Lord into his loathsome grasp and bore
Him away to the holy city, Jerusalem. There he set
Him on one of the lofty pinnacles that overlooked the
Temple Courts and said to Him:
" If Thou be the Son of God cast Thyself down, for
it is written: that He hath given His Angels charge
over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up
lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone."
As if he would say: "At the sight of Angels flock
ing round Thee to guard Thy sacred feet, the worship
pers in the Courts below will fall prostrate before Thee
and adore Thee as the Son of God." See how deter
mined he is to get our Lord s secret from Him, how cun
ningly his tricks are devised, and how he can turn
even holy words to his own purposes. Jesus answered
calmly :
" It is written again : Thou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God."
Did He mean that He Himself was the Lord God ?
The crafty spirit could not tell; he was foiled again.
But there was a third trial, he might succeed yet. The
man, if he was only man, was very weary, very suffer
ing, he might yield just to purchase peace.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 127
Again the devil took Him up into a very high moun
tain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and
the glory of them and said to Him :
"All these will I give Thee if falling down Thou wilt
adore me."
" Begone, Satan ! for it is written : The Lord thy
God shalt thou adore and Him only shalt thou serve."
Like a thunderclap from a cloudless sky came those
tremendous words. Jesus was weary even to exhaus
tion. But when His Father s honour was assailed He
spoke in words of power which terrified the coward
that thought to take advantage of His weakness.
" Begone !" The Evil One quailed before Him and
fled. And behold Angels came and ministered to Him.
They had been hovering near all through this marvel
lous scene, wondering and worshipping. And now in
joyful throngs they offered Him their service, who,
though so spent and suffering, they knew to be very God
of very God. They brought Him refreshment in His
hunger and thirst, and by their bright, beautiful forms
gladdened His sight.
You will ask, perhaps, how our Lord could see from
one mountain all the kingdoms of the world ? Or how
it was that Satan, who is so clever and watchful, did
not know from all that had gone before who He was ?
Many people are asking nowadays how certain things
we read in Holy Scriptures are possible, how they -an
be explained. These are two distinct questions, :iot
two forms of the same. How things that we cannot
understand are possible, should be no difficulty to us in
these days of marvellous discoveries and inventions. A
hundred years ago, wireless telegraphy, the X-rays, the
cutting off of a man s leg without hurting him, would
128 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
have been pronounced impossibilities had anyone pre
dicted them, and any genius who should have made them
facts would in the Middle Ages have run the danger of
being treated as a wizard for his pains.
Wise folks are becoming very wary of declaring any
thing impossible. It is a thought to make us humble
that we are perhaps only beginning in this twentieth
century to find out the possibilities of this wonderful
kingdom of Nature which is beneath us. It ought to
make us ready to believe that in the spiritual world
which is above us, there are multitudes of things which
we cannot understand. We know from the testimony of
our senses that the gramophone and chloroform are facts.
But very few of us could give a satisfactory explanation
of these marvels ; knowledge and terms would alike fail
us were we to try. Nay, for the same reasons we should
hardly understand the explanation of an expert, even
were he to do his best to be simple and clear by the use
of our own familiar words.
What wonder, then, that we cannot comprehend those
spiritual things which we can neither see, nor hear, nor
touch, nor reach by any of our bodily senses! Even
God Himself cannot make these things perfectly clear
to us now; we are too ignorant, and the words of our
poor human speech are too weak to express the wonders
that Angels understand perfectly, and that we shall
understand some day. When God speaks to us in the
Holy Scriptures He has to use our imperfect words to
express His divine thought. He is like a father whq
in answer to his children s questions tries to put some
grand astronomical fact into their childish language.
We are all children now, and even the most learned
must be content to say when it comes to the mysteries of
faith : "I know it is so, because God has said it. I
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 129
do not know how it is, because of my ignorance. God
cannot at present explain it to me. But I shall know
some day, and meantime I can wait."
But there are plenty of things which with a little
thought we can understand quite well in Holy Scrip
ture, and God means us to learn from the Life of our
Blessed Lord all we can. This wonderful fact of His
conflict with the devil was for our sakes, to teach us
how to meet temptation. Our enemy is stronger than
we are, but he has been completely conquered by our
Leader, and this gives us an immense advantage over
him. For a foe that has been beaten again and again
comes on to the field in a very different spirit from one
who has never known defeat. We have to fight the
same enemy who fled in terror at our Lord s word
" Begone ! " And our Lord stands beside us always.
He encourages us to use His own word : " Begone,
Satan! " and promises us victory if we only ask Him
for it and do our best. He has taught us by His own
example that temptations are not sins; that we are not
to be surprised or frightened when temptation comes;
and even if it comes again and again and in different
shapes we are to meet it calmly and patiently, trusting
in His strength whose soldiers we are.
XVII.
THE FIRST DISCIPLES.
WE must go back to our Lord whom we left in the
desert surrounded by Angels.
Coming down the mountain side He made His way
again to the bank of the Jordan where John was still
preaching and baptising. The crowds were greater than
ever and more enthusiastic. John, they said, was
either Christ or Elias who was to announce His Coming.
At last the great Council of the nation, called the San-
hedrin, determined to find out the truth. They there
fore sent messengers to the Baptist to ask him:
"Who art thou?"
" I am not the Christ," he said.
"What, then; art thou Elias?"
" I am not," he replied.
"Art thou the Prophet?"
He answered : " No."
" Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them
that sent us ? "
" I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness :
Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaias
said."
And they asked him : " Why then dost thou baptize
if thou be not Christ nor Elias nor the Prophet ?"
John answered them saying: "I baptize in water,
but there hath stood One in the midst of you whom you
know not. The same is He that shall come after Me,
who is preferred before Me, the latchet of whose shoe
I am not worthy to loose."
If we want to see a perfect servant of God, we have
130
JESUS OP NAZARETH. 131
only to look at St. John. For months the stream of
people, rich and poor, learned and simple, had been com
ing and going; his name was in every mouth, everyone
wanted to see him, hear him, show him reverence. But
he cared nothing for all this homage. His one thought
was his Master, to turn the minds of the people from
himself and fix them upon Him, to hand over his own
disciples to Him at the first opportunity. This came
at last.
One day he saw Jesus coming towards him. Turning
to those who stood about, he said:
" Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh
away the sin of the world, this is the Son of God."
The next day he was standing with two of his disci
ples when Jesus passed by:
" Behold the Lamb of God," he said again, as he
pointed Him out to them.
Everyone is attracted by a lamb. St. John wanted
to draw the hearts of his disciples to Jesus, so he called
Him by this name. Yet not " Lamb " only, but " Lamb
of God," for they must know who He was, and wor
ship as well as love Him.
" Behold the Lamb of God ! " The priest says these
words to us just before Holy Communion, that we may
not be frightened of Him who comes to us, and on the
other hand that he may not thoughtlessly forget how
great and holy He is. In every Mass, at the end of
every litany, the Church calls upon our Lord by this
beautiful name of His, " the Lamb of God." He has
many names, and among them some are His favourites
the Holy Name, " JESUS," that is Saviour, " Jesus
of Nazareth," " Son of David," " the Lamb." It is
by this last name that St. John the Evangelist calls
8
132 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Him when he sees Him in His glory. He tells us that
he saw " a great multitude whom no man could number,
of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, stand
ing before the Throne of God and in sight of the Lamb,"
to show us what a happiness it is to be where we can
see face to face and to our heart s content our dear and
gentle Lord. Among these blessed ones he saw some
specially favoured " who follow the Lamb whithersoever
He goeth."
It was these words : " Behold the Lamb of God,"
that won the hearts of the disciples. They looked
earnestly, and drawn they knew not how, followed
Him. He turned and, seeing them following, said
graciously :
" What seek you ? "
" Rabbi, where dwellest Thou ? " they answered tim-
idly, not knowing what else to say.
" Come and see," He replied.
They followed Him joyfully now, and He took them
to a little hut or shelter He had on the river bank. It
was about four in the afternoon, " and they stayed with
Him that day," says one of them who has left us the
account. This one was John the Evangelist, called
later " the Disciple whom Jesus loved." The other
was Andrew, a fisherman who lived on the shore of the
Lake of Genesareth.
It seems that they stayed with our Lord not only the
rest of that day but the following night, What they
said to Him and He to them we are not told, but when
day was come and they took their leave, our Lord had
gained His first two disciples, the oldest and the young
est of the Twelve Apostles. From what they had seen
and heard they were quite sure that this was He who
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 133
was come, and they went off at once to tell their brothers.
Andrew found his first:
" We have found the Messiah ! " he exclaimed joy
fully. And he brought him to Jesus.
St. John seems to have been present at the interview,
for he tells us very carefully what happened. Jesus,
looking upon the newcomer, said :
" Thou art Simon, the son of Jona, thou shalt be
called Cephas" (which is, interpreted, Peter).
Well might our Lord look earnestly upon that
weather-beaten, eager face, all aglow with expectation.
Here was His first Vicar upon earth, the Rock on which
He was to build His Church. He looked, and thought
of all He was to be to Peter and Peter to Him, of the
long line of successors this Galilean fisherman was to
have, of all they would gather into their net and land
safely on the eternal Shore.
Those who heard these words of our Lord must have
been startled. A Jewish name was not given lightly
as ours often are, for the sake of the sound, or because
one of the family has borne it before. It was intended
to show the character or the calling of the person who
bore it. To change a name was to show a change of
position or of office. It was an important act, and al
lowed only to the rulers among the Jews.
Now here was One who, on seeing this fisherman for
the first time, not only told him his name and his
father s, but changed his name from Simon, which
means " Son of a dove," to Peter, which means " a
Rock." Andrew and John looked at one another in
astonishment. What such a change meant they could
not tell, but they did not forget it. New disciples as
they came in were told about it, and Peter at once
came to be looked upon as the first and chief among
134 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
them. The Evangelists, who have written the Gospel
story, all name him first in their lists of the Apostles.
He was not the oldest, not the first called, but he was
" the Kock."
Simon, Andrew and John had like so many others
left their homes in Galilee to come down to Judea that
they might hear the preaching of John the Baptist. The
fourth disciple, Philip of Bethsaida, was another Gali
lean fisherman. He came from the village of Simon
and Andrew on the shore of the Lake.
The day after His words to Peter our Lord was re
turning with His little company to Galilee when " He
found Philip/ 7 says St. John. To the disciples this
meeting first with one then with another of them might
seem to be chance. But there is no chance with God.
Each of this chosen band was sought out by the Master,
and at the right moment found.
Looking on Philip He said to him:
" Follow Me."
Two words, but enough. Philip followed, and was
so happy in the company of his new Master that he
could not rest till he had made Him known to a friend
of his named Nathaniel. Nathaniel was sitting alone
under a fig tree when Philip broke in upon his solitude
exclaiming joyfully:
" We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law
and the prophets did speak, Jesus of Nazareth."
" Of Nazareth." His little speech could scarcely
have had a more unfortunate ending, the effect of the
good news was spoilt completely.
" Can anything good come from Nazareth ? " Na
thaniel replied coldly.
" Come and see," was the answer. It took some per
suasion, but at length the two were on their way to our
THE TEMPTATION.
Begone, Satan; for it is written: The Lord thy God shalt
thou adore, and Him only shalt thou serve" Matt. 4. 10.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 137
Lord. When they had come up to Him He said in the
hearing of Nathaniel:
" Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no
guile."
Nathaniel in amazement replied : " Whence knowest
Thou me?"
Jesus looking upon him said : " Before that Philip
called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw
thee."
The fig-tree was a long way off, and what had hap
pened there we do not know. Perhaps Nathaniel had
been praying to see the Messiah before he died, and be
numbered amongst His followers. Any way there had
been some act or thought which God alone could know.
Who was this Stranger that in that secret place had seen
him and read his heart? Nathaniel was a man with
out guile, that is without cunning or deceit. He only
wanted to know what was right, and seeing what a mis
take he had made he owned it at once. :
" Rabbi," he exclaimed, " Thou art the Son of God,
Thou art the King of Israel."
Jesus answered : " Because I said unto Thee : I saw
thee under the fig-tree thou believest? greater things
than these shalt thou see."
Many believed Nathaniel to be the same as St. Bar
tholomew the Apostle. " Bar " means " Son," " Bar-
Tolmai " means " Son of Tolmai." The full name may
have been Nathaniel Bar-Tolmai, just as we have Simon
Bar-Jona. One reason for this belief is that in the
lists of the Twelve Apostles Philip and Bartholomew
are always put together.
XVIII.
GALILEE.
Clear silver water in a cup of gold,
Under the sunlit steeps of Gadara,
It shines His Lake the Sea of Chinnereth-
The waves He loved, the waves that kissed His feet
So many blessed days. Oh, happy waves !
Oh, little silver, happy Sea, far-famed,
Under the sunlit steeps of Gadara ! *
AND now they were in Galilee, our Lord and His
five disciples, six if we count Nathaniel.
Let us try to see the place where the greater part of
the Public Life was spent, which was the home of those
who after Peter were to be the foundation stones of
the Church. It must be dear to us for their sake, and
much more for His who is our Master as well as theirs.
The Sea of Galilee, or of Tiberias, or the Lake of
Gennesareth, is a pear-shaped sheet of water, fourteen
miles long and six broad in its widest part. In our
Lord s time it was a scene of wonderful beauty. Eta
deep blue waters were crossed and recrossed by boats of
many shapes and sizes. There were heavily laden
barges bearing the costly merchandise of the East to the
custom-house on the shore ; there were pleasure skiffs
darting here and there with gay parties bound for one
or other of the handsome Koman villas by the Lakeside ;
and there were fishing smacks in hundreds, some with
nets lowered for a draught, others bringing home the
fruits of the night s haul. The white beach showed
boats being unladen, children looking on as the silvery
* The Light of the World. Sir Edwin Arnold.
I
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 139
load was landed and sorted, men and boys mending
their nets on the strand or stretching them out to dry.
Dotted all about were the cottages of the fishermen,
and, coming down almost to the water s edge, glowed
rich, waving cornfields and flowers of every hue. In the
Jordan valley, where, sheltered from the winds, the
vegetation was tropical, the sugarcane flourished, and
palm trees with their feathery foliage. Higher up grew
figs, almonds, olives. Higher still, walnut, oaks, apple
trees, each of these needing its own kind of soil and
temperature, yet all at home here. Here, too, were the
richest and busiest cities of Galilee Tiberias, Mag-
dala, Bethsaida, Capharnaurn, Chorazin. Behind them
soared the solemn mountains framing the beautiful
picture.
Very different was the country to the east of the Lake.
The mountains rise steeply from the shore, and it was
difficult to land except in a few places. Owing to the
winds that rush between them from the colder heights
beyond, the Lake was subject to sudden and dangerous
storms. All around lay a wild and desolate region,
desert or grassy plain, or rocky highland, with none of
the life and stir and busy population of the district to
the west.
Dear Sea of Galilee ! We love it for His sake who
crossed it in Peter s boat, and spoke to its angry waves,
and walked upon them to come to the help < : His disci
ples. Here He sat with them on the shingly beach ; here
He taught and healed and comforted all who came to
Him. Up yonder are the bleak mountains to the east
which He so often climbed with weary feet, there to
spend the night alone in prayer.
How glad Mary must have been to welcome her
Divine Son back to Galilee ! She was waiting for Him
140 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
at Cana, a little town five miles north-east of Nazareth,
for there was to be a marriage there and they were both
invited. It seems likely that the bridegroom and the
bride were her relations and that she had something to
do with the arrangements for the feast.
Jewish weddings took place in the evening, and it
was often dark when the bridal procession, the grandest
part of the ceremony, started. Attired in a white and
gold-embroidered robe, veiled from head to foot, and
with a crown of myrtle on her head, the bride awaited
at the door of her father s house the coming of the
bridegroom. Waiting and watching with her were
ten virgins, her companions carrying lamps. At last
a cry was heard : " Behold the bridegroom cometh ! "
He came with ten youths, his friends, and taking his
bride by the hand led her forth. The whole family
then formed in procession, and by the light of the
torches, with the music of flute and tambourine, and
with joyous shouts and song, the bridal pair were es
corted to their home, where a great feast was prepared
These two at Cana were of humble rank and poor.
And our Lord had brought His disciples with Him.
Perhaps this was the reason why the wine ran short.
Mary s quick eye saw the mishap at once, and her
motherly heart felt for the confusion of the young
couple. Accustomed to take every trouble to her Son,
and to be granted all she asked, she went to Him and
whispered :
" They have no wine."
" Woman," He answered, " what is it to Me and to
thee? My hour is not yet come."
To our ears these words sound strange, but to Eastern
ears they would not. " W T oman " was a title of rever
ence, and " what is it to Me and to thee ? " meant : " It
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 141
is no concern of ours that the wine has failed ; the time
for Me to work miracles has not yet come."
There are some who think that our Lord was dis
pleased with His Blessed Mother for telling Him of
the need. They do not consider what Jesus and Mary
were to each other ; how for thirty years they had lived
together under the same roof, she using her authority
over Him as His Mother, though always with the pro-
foundest reverence, He showing her the honour and giv
ing her the obedience of a Son. Did she not know Him
better than any other has ever done, and know what
pleased and what displeased Him? And who under
stand best the meaning of words ? Is it not those who
saw the speaker, heard the tones, noticed the actions?
Nothing that Jesus said or did was lost on Mary. Did
she think He was displeased? On the contrary, as if
He had told her beforehand what she was to do, she
turned to the waiters and said :
" Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye."
Now there were set there six water-pots of stone, ac
cording to the manner of the purifying of the Jews.
They were very particular to wash their hands before
and after eating, and wherever a meal was provided
there was always plenty of water for washing. The
water-pots contained two or three measures, or about
seven and a half gallons apiece. Jesus said to the
waiters :
" Fill the water-pots with water."
And they filled them to the brim. Then He said:
" Draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the
feast."
This was usually a friend of the bridegroom s ap
pointed to preside and give directions to the servants.
He had to taste the wine before it was served to the
142 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
guests. The waiters said nothing to the steward, but
watched him as he raised the cup to his lips. When
he had tasted he put the cup down, and, surprised that
poor people could afford to have such wine, and that
they should have kept it to the end of the feast, he
called the bridegroom and said playfully : " Every man
at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well
drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept
the good wine till now."
But the faces of the servants showed that something
extraordinary had taken place. They were questioned
and told their tale again and again, and what had hap
pened under that humble roof was soon spread far and
wide.
About a hundred and twenty gallons of water had
been changed into the purest wine. Why? Because
Mary had asked? ISTo, she had asked nothing. And
the time for working signs and miracles had not yet
come. Our Lord expressly said so. Why then did He
work this wonderful miracle? Because He wanted us
to know that whatever His Mother desires He will
grant, and that for her dear sake He is ready to hasten
His hours of mercy to us. He knew the wine had failed.
He meant to give more, but He waited for her to speak
that the gift might be hers as well as His.
He wanted to teach us also by His Blessed Mother s
example not to be discouraged if He seems to be dis
pleased with us, and to show us that our little troubles
are no concern of His. It is only seeming. Every
thing that touches us interests Him and His holy
Mother. They think for us before we think for our
selves. They feel for us, not in big troubles only, but
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 143
in the least little annoyances and inconveniences. And
they are always ready to help.
Our Lord went to this feast, then, on purpose to show
honour to His Mother. He went also to bless that mar
riage union which He was soon to raise to the dignity
of a Sacrament, and to bless all innocent joy and merry
making. He was pleased to see the brightness all round
Him at Cana, and He likes to see us, too, happy and
gay-
There was still another reason for the miracle. St.
John, who was present and gives us the account, says:
" This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Gali
lee, and He manifested His glory, and His disciples be
lieved in Him/ Day by day the disciples were grow
ing in the knowledge of their Divine Master. From
His words to Peter and to Nathaniel they had seen that
He could read the future and the secrets of hearts. This
-splendid miracle at Cana showed that He had power
over Nature. Their reverence as well as their love was
deepening continually. St. John speaks particularly of
the way in which this miracle increased their faith as
well it might. The other Evangelists tell us later of
another and still greater miracle than this of Cana, a
more stupendous change, and one that was to be wrought
not once only, but thousands of times daily, all the
world over, wherever Holy Mass is said by a Catholic
priest.
The thought of Cana helped the disciples when our
Lord first spoke to them at Capharnaum of the Mystery
of the Holy Eucharist, and when at the Last Supper
He changed the bread and wine into His most sacred
Body and Blood. And it helps us too who live so long
after Him, but believe in Him as firmly as did His
first disciples, and cry out to Him with Nathaniel:
" Eabbi, Thou art the Son of God! "
XIX.
THE COUKT OF THE GENTILES.
IMMEDIATELY after the miracle at Cana, our Lord
went with His Mother, His brethren, and His disciples
to Capharnaum, a prosperous commercial town on the
north-west coast of the Sea of Galilee.
These brethren of Jesus, so called by Jewish cus
tom, were His near relations, the children of Mary,
wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, and sister or cousin of
the Blessed Virgin. They were James, Simon, Jude
and Joseph. James and Jude (also called Thaddeus),
and perhaps Simon, became Apostles.
They remained at Capharnaum not many days, for
the Pasch was at hand, and the caravan from Galilee
was starting for Jerusalem. Our Lord joined it, and
on His arrival in the Holy City went to the Temple.
It must always have been painful to Him to go there
at this time and see what went on within those sacred
walls. The lowest and largest quadrangle, the Court
of the Gentiles, was like the rest of the Temple, a place
for prayer, but at the time of the Pasch it looked like a
market. The beautiful cloister and colonnades that
ran along the inner side of the Court were filled with
oxen, sheep and lambs innumerable. The tables of
the money changers, piles upon piles of caged doves,
stalls stocked with oil and incense, and whatever was
needed for the various sacrifices, blocked up the space
in every direction. As Roman subjects the Jews used
Roman coins, but when they had to buy anything needed
for the service of God, these had to be changed for
sacred money. The wrangling that went on over this
144
TRAFFIC IN THE TEMPLE.
"My house is the house of prayer; but you have made it ?
den of thieves." Luke 10. 46.
JESUS OP NAZARETH.
exchange, the lowing of the cattle, the bleating of the
sheep, the shouting as the animals Avere driven here and
there, all the uproar of a huge market in which the pur
chasers numbered many thousands, was a daily profana
tion of this sacred Court, the only place open to the
Gentiles when they came to the Temple for prayer.
Time after time our Lord had seen this desecration
of His Father s House when He came up to worship.
He came now, not as a worshipper only but as an
Avenger of His Father s glory.
For a moment He looked around. Then, picking up
from the pavement some bits of cord lying about, He
twisted them into a scourge, and with uplifted arm
came suddenly upon the traders and their merchandise,
and drove them all out of the Temple, the sheep also
and the oxen, and the money of the changers He poured
out, and the tables He overthrew. And to them that
sold doves He said:
" Take these things hence and make not the House of
My Father a house of traffic."
Imagine the scene the flight of the dealers and the
changers; the terror of the beasts which broke loose
and rushed right and left; the panic and cries of the
crowd; on every side silver shekels rolling and lying,
no one daring to pick them up, as men, women and chil
dren fled before Him. No need for Him to use the
scourge. It was the Divine indignation of His eye that
drove them forward. His disciples remembered that it
was written : " The zeal of Thy House hath eaten Me
up." Yet, even in His zeal He was kind. Whilst
scourge in hand He drove the beasts, He stayed His
hand before the caged doves. The timid, gentle things
He would not frighten. He only said to those who
sold them: " Take these things hence."
148 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
At length He stopped and again looked round. The
vast enclosure was deserted, but what a scene it pre
sented ! tables, stalls, benches, overturned and, lying all
about, the silver coins that will be picked up quickly
when the crowd recovers itself and returns. Already a
party of Jews are advancing to call the ISTazarene to
account for causing this disturbance. They keep close
together, and the spokesman, trying to show a bold
front, asks:
" What sign dost Thou show unto us, seeing Thou
dost these things ? "
" Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will build
it up," Jesus replies.
They are indignant and say: " Six and forty years
was this Temple in building, and wilt Thou raise it up
in three days ? "
But He spoke of the Temple of His body.
The people of the East express themselves constantly
in figurative language. They explain things difficult
to understand by likening them to things which are
well known, which can be seen or heard or felt. And
they are quick to perceive the hidden meaning intended.
By David s words : " The Lord is my rock," they un
derstand that God is strong and will support and shelter
us. From those other words : " The Lord is my Shep
herd," they see that He is tender to us and takes care
of us. A temple is built for the service of God and
contains what is holy. The sacred body of our Lord
was a beautiful shrine for the Divinity which dwelt
within. Thus, when our JLord spoke of a Temple that
was to be destroyed and raised up in three days, it was
not difficult for them to know that He was speaking of
His body. That they did understand this we know
from the fact that when they had destroyed this Temple
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 149
by putting Him to death, they went to Pilate and asked
for soldiers to guard the sepulchre where He was buried
until the third day, because He had said He would rise
again. Of His disciples too we are told that "when
He was risen again from the dead they remembered that
He had said this, and they believed the word that Jesus
had said. 77 It was our Lord 7 s custom to teach by means
of figures and parables, because He knew that we all
like a story, and that lessons in this form are more easily
and pleasantly learned.
The purifying of the Temple Court was not the only
proof of His Divine Power which our Blessed Lord
gave at this Pasch, " for many believed in Him seeing
the signs which He did. 7
A sign is something we see which makes known to us
something we do not see. A high temperature is a
sign of fever ; smoke, of a fire. We might have thought
that the wonderful deed of power in clearing the Temple
would have been taken by the Jews as a sign that our
Lord was some holy one of God, perhaps the Holy One
whom all men were expecting. John the Baptist had
told them that He was in the midst of them, and had
pointed out our Blessed Lord as the Lamb of God. A
Voice from Heaven at His Baptism had declared Him
to be the Son of God. We should have thought that
when a Man appeared showing " signs " there would
have been rejoicing from one end of the land to the
other, and that all men would be saying :
" Here, perhaps, is the Messiah ! 7
Some did believe in Him " seeing the signs which He
did. 7 But others, as we have seen, came round Him
asking in a carping spirit : " What sign dost Thou
show unto us ? 77 They were always asking for signs
and always shutting their eyes to those which God gave
150 JESUS OF NAZARETH,
them. At this first Pasch began the series of splendid
miracles which for three years were to make Palestine a
Land of wonders, miracles wrought with generous hand
to supply every need, to cure every disease and every in
firmity. And the reward of Him who thus went about
doing good would be to see His enemies multiplied and
to hear them saying with evergrowing blindness and
obstinacy : " By what authority dost Thou do these
things ? and who hath given Thee this authority ? "
The cleansing of the Temple was an act of authority
which the Jewish leaders never forgave. From this
time we find priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians,
usually so opposed to each other, united by a common
hatred of Christ. They laid snares for Him to catch
Him in His speech, they were always trying to set the
people against Him, they said His wonderful works
were done by the power of the devil, they charged Him
continually with breaking the Sabbath and blaspheming
against God.
Yet not all were so preverse. Some among them
were simple and upright souls, ready to see what God
was showing them. One of these was a Pharisee named
Nicodemus, a rich man and a ruler of the Jews, that is
the president of a synagogue. This man came to Jesus
by night and said to Him :
" Rabbi, we know Thou art come a Teacher from
God, for no man can do these signs which Thou dost
unless God be with him."
He came by night, for, although he half believed in
our Lord and wanted to be taught by Him, he was
afraid of what men might say. It would never do to
have it noised abroad that a member of the Sanhedrin.
" a master in Israel, "was going for instructions to this
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 151
new Teacher, the Son of a carpenter. Mcodemus did
not want to be the talk of the city, and so he went by
night. We can see him making his way through the
deserted streets, and guided by the lamp burning in
the guest-chainber on the roof, reaching it by the outside
stair. Our Lord did not reproach him or think it waste
of time to instruct so timid a disciple. But He received
him kindly and was patient with him, and answered all
his difficulties. It was to Mcodemus He taught the
necessity of Baptism for salvation in the words we
have in our Catechism : " Unless a man be born again
of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." *
It was to him He first spoke of His coming death on
the Cross: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up." And it
was to this earnest but timorous soul that He spoke of
the incomprehensible love of God to us in giving us
His Son : " For God so loved the world as to give His
Only-Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him
may not perish, but may have Life Everlasting."
The graces of that night so enlightened Nicodemus
that he became our Lord s faithful disciple. But it
was still in secret. We do not find him mingling in the
crowd. Once only, overcoming his timidity, he de
fended his Master before the Sanhedrin. And that
good Master had patience with him as He had patience
with us all. He thinks, not so much of what we are as
of what we desire to be, of what we shall be some day.
And so He waits for us.
A day came when, hanging on the cross of shame, lay
the lifeless body of Jesus of Nazareth. His own peo
ple had delivered Him up to death. He had been be-
9 * John iii. 6.
152 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
trayed by one apostle, denied by another, forsaken by
all. His Mother stood beside the dead body of her Son.
She had no friend to take Him down from the cross, to
give Him a grave, to help her to bury Him. She looked
around. Two men of noble bearing were coming
towards her, two who had been disciples of Jesus, but
secretly for fear of the Jews. The Jews were trium
phant now. They had tortured Him to death, they had
called down His blood upon themselves and upon their
children, they hated His Name and all that were His.
The two men drew near. They brought myrrh and
aloes and linen cloths. And, whilst His Apostles were
hiding and His enemies were rejoicing, they reverently
took down the sacred body from the cross and bound it
in linen cloths with spices, and laid it in a new sepulchre
in a garden. And one of them was JSTicodemus.
XX.
AT JACOB S WELL.
WHEN the Pasch was over, our Lord went up and
down the country of Judea preaching and baptizing by
the hands of His disciples. Some take this baptism
to have been, like that of the Precursor, merely a sign
of repentance and of a desire to be cleansed from sin.
Others believe it to have been the Sacrament instituted
by Jesus Christ. The sweetness and attractiveness of
our Blessed Lord drew to Him all hearts that evil pas
sions had not spoiled, and it seemed as if His Ministry
were beginning happily, when opposition arose from
an unexpected quarter.
St. John the Baptist still continued to preach and
baptize, but his work was nearly done, and every day
some of his followers left him to become our Lord s
disciples, to the great displeasure of those who remained
with him. These said to him one day and we can
almost hear the peevish tones of their complaint:
" Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond the Jordan,
to whom thou gavest testimony, behold He baptizeth,
and all men come to Him."
Did they not know their master better than this ? Did
they think he would be jealous of Him who was to
come, when his one thought and desire was to prepare
hearts for Him ? He had called our Lord " the Lmb
of God." He gave Him now another beautiful name,
and tried to show the troubled disciples that souls were
right to go after Him to whom all souls belong as the
bride belongs to the bridegroom. " He thwt hath the
bride," he said, " is the Bridegroom, but t^e friend of
153
154 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
the Bridegroom/ meaning himself, " is not jealous, but
rejoiceth with joy because of the Bridegroom s voice.
He must increase, but I must decrease."
Yes, the end of that noble, unselfish life was nearly
come. Soon after this St. John fearlessly rebuked
Herod Antipas for wanting to marry Herodias, the wife
of his brother Philip. Herod, stirred up by the wicked
Herodias, was provoked, and taking John cast him into
a strong and gloomy prison.
"And when Jesus had heard that John was delivered ,
up, He retired into Galilee. And He was of necessity
to pass through Samaria. 77
Have you ever noticed dove-tailed into a piece of
wood a small bit of wood of another kind ? The dif
ference of colour and of grain strikes the eye at once,
and shows the intruder to be no part of the natural
growth, but a chip thrust in later from without.
Something like this was the province of Samaria be
tween Galilee and Judea. Its inhabitants were a mixed
race, partly Jews, partly Gentiles. When Salmanaser,
king of Assyria, took the Ten Tribes into captivity, he
sent some of his own subjects from Assyria to repeople
the land of Samaria. They were idolaters, and con
tinued their heathen practices till, terrified by a plague
of lions sent by God, they begged for one of the captive
priests to teach them how to worship the God of the
country.
The priest was sent, but they would not give up their
idols altogether, and worshipped them as well as the
true God. For this reason the Jews of the Two Tribes,
on their return from captivity, would have nothing to
do with their idolatrous neighbours. In vain did the
Samaritans beg to be allowed to help in rebuilding the
CONSOLING THE AFFLICTED.
Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I
will refresh vou." Matt. II. 28.
JESUS OF NAZABETH. 157
Temple: their aid was harshly refused. This was the
beginning of the hatred between the two nations, dis
played in the haughty contempt of the Jews and in con
tinual annoyance on the part of the Samaritans. A
Jew would draw his garments closely round him lest a
Samaritan passing by should brush against them and
defile him. He would consider himself grossly in
sulted to be called a Samaritan. Hence the contemptu
ous words to our Lord : " Thou art a Samaritan and
hast a devil."
The Samaritans on their side lost no opportunity of
insulting and troubling the Jews. They would not go
up to the Temple of Jerusalem, and set up a rival tem
ple of their own on Mount Gerazim. When the Jews
lit beacon fires upon the hills to guide the caravans from
Galilee to the Holy City at the time of the yearly
Feasts, the Samaritans lit false beacons to mislead
them. They illtreated travellers going up to Jerusa
lem, and often refused them a passage through their
country, so that pilgrims had to go down the eastern
bank of the Jordan and cross the river twice.
Yet our Lord was not angry with these poor people,
nor did He despise them as idolaters and outcasts. He
is the Good Shepherd and all are His sheep, loved and
cared for one by one. He guards those that are in the
fold, and follows the wanderers when they stray. He
was following a wanderer now as He toiled over the hilly
country of Judea and entered one of Samaria s beauti
ful valleys. His Divinity did not save Him from
fatigue and pain, for He was truly man, like us in all
things excepting sin. And so He was footsore, weary
and thirsty when about noon He neared the little town
of Sichem.
There was a well by the roadside, a very old one, that
158 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
had been dug by Jacob and given by him to his son
Joseph. It was much prized by the people of the
country, both for its own sake, because water is precious
in the East, and for the sake of the patriarchs to whom
it had belonged. A welcome sight to the traveller in
this sultry land was that well of Jacob with its shelter
ing archway and stone margin on which he might sit
and rest.
When our Lord, with His little party of five, reached
the well He was too faint and spent with His journey
to go further. Seeing this, the disciples begged Him to
sit and rest whilst they Avent on to the town to buy
food.
Presently a woman of Samaria came to draw water.
She had filled her pitcher and was going to poise it on
her head, when Jesus said to her:
" Give Me to drink."
Surprised at such a request, for a glance had shown
her the Stranger seated there was a Jew, she replied :
" How dost Thou, who art a Jew, ask of me to drink
who am a Samaritan woman ? "
Jesus answered : "If thou didst know the gift of
God and who He is that saith to thee : Give Me to drink,
thou perhaps would st have asked of Him and He would
have given thee living water."
What _was this gift of God ? That of which He had
spoken to Nicodemus when He said : " God so loved
the world as to give His only-Begotten Son." Had she
known that the Son of God was there before her, that
she had all to herself Him whom the world was expect
ing, how T eager she would have been to do Him this little
service, and in exchange for a drink from her pitcher
ask for that living water of grace which would cleanse
her sinful soul, refresh its thirst, and preserve it for
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 159
eternal Life! But she did not know the Gift of God,
nor did she understand what the Stranger said. Still
the words " living water " sounded delightful in her ear,
and in a puzzled, wistful way she said :
" Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst nor
come hither to draw."
It is God s way to move us to ask for a grace which
He means to grant. The poor woman had asked as
well as she knew how. Now, then, He would give.
The first thing He gives is sorrow for sin. To bring
her to this He let her see that He knew all her past
life. Overwhelmed with astonishment she exclaimed:
" Sir, I perceive that Thou art a Prophet." Then,
thinking this a good opportunity of putting such a
question, she asked if God was not as much pleased with
their worship on Mount Gerazim as with that of the
Temple in Jerusalem. She did not understand our
Lord s answer and said :
" I know that the Messiah cometh who will tell us
all things."
She wanted to be taught, she longed for her Ke-
deemer. Jesus could hide Himself no longer.
" I am He who am speaking with thee," He said.
This is the first time He had declared plainly who
He was.
During the three years of His Public Life His
" signs/ that is His wonderful miracles, showed plainly
that He was God. Only a few times did He say dis
tinctly that He was the long-expected Messiah, the Son
of God. And the first time was to this poor Samaritan
woman.
How we should like to know her answer! But at
that moment the disciples came up, and she, eager now
for all her friends and all the townsfolk to come and
ICO JESUS OF NAZARETH.
know our Lord, hastened into Sichem saying to all she
met:
" Come and see a Man who has told me all things
whatsoever I have done. Is not He the Christ ? "
Her earnestness impressed those who heard her. She
had evidently seen and heard something wonderful.
And was there not a rumour that Christ had appeared
in Galilee and Judea and was doing marvels? But
could He have come to them Samaritans ? Oh, if
He had, how welcome they would make Him! Yield
ing to the woman s entreaty, the simple people flocked
out in crowds to Jacob s well, asking her questions all
the way.
In the meantime the disciples gathered round their
Master and pressed Him affectionately to take the food
they had brought, saying:
" Kabbi, eat."
But He said to them : " I have meat to eat which
you know not."
They looked at one another astonished and said:
" Hath any man brought Him to eat ? "
Jesus said to them : " My meat is to do the Will
of Him that sent Me."
He meant that as men long for the food of the body
to satisfy their hunger and thirst, so did He long to see
His Father s Will done, and the souls of men redeemed
and saved. Pointing to the cornfields, which in Pales
tine are silvery not golden at harvest time, as with us,
He said :
" Do you not say there are yet four months and then
the harvest cometh ? Behold I say to you, lift up your
eyes and see the countries, for they are white already
to harvest."
He was thinking of the Samaritans now hastening to
JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Him, and was rejoicing in the thought of the faith
already springing up in their hearts, that faith which
at the preaching of His Apostles was to ripen and bring
forth all manner of beautiful virtues.
Many of the Samaritans believed in Him on the word
of the woman " He told me all things whatsoever I*
have done." And when they had themselves seen and
heard Him, they were so charmed that they desired Him
to tarry with them, says St. John. And He abode
there two days. And many more believed in Him, be
cause of His own word. And they said to the woman:
" We now believe, not for thy saying, for we our
selves have heard Him and know that this is indeed
the Saviour of the world."
What wonder that later on when the Jews obstinately
refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, our Blessed
Lord should have thought of those happy days at Sichem,
and that when He wanted to teach a lesson of gratitude
or of kindness to strangers, He spoke of the Samaritans !
As He watched the woman hastening with her joy
ful message to her fellow-citizens, He must have thought
of a day to come, the brightest earth has ever seen, when
another woman would hasten from an empty Sepulchre
to tell His friends : " I have seen the Lord ! "
And both these chosen messengers of His had been
sinners !
XXI.
A SABBATH AT NAZARETH.
OUR Lord was now on His way to Galilee. His
fame was spreading far and wide, and His fellowtowns-
men of Nazareth and other Galileans, many of whom
had gone up to Jerusalem with Him year after year
at the time of the great Feasts, were curious to see
again and consider more attentively this Man of whom
they had thought so little in the past. He came among
them as before, simple and gentle, but with that charm
of manner, that power of attracting hearts which has
had nothing like it before or since.
What we would give to have a true picture of Him as
men saw Him when He went to and fro among the
people of His day! If only we knew what it was that
made the crowds flock after Him, forgetting food,
sleep, business, weariness, anything and everything so
they might be with Jesus of ISTazareth, so they might
look upon His Face, and hear the tones of His Voice,
and drink in His beauty as the thirsty ground drinks
in the summer rain!
But we have no such picture. In one of the Roman
catacombs is a very old painting of Him. There we
see an oval face, the beard not long and ending in a
double point, the eye dark and penetrating, the ex
pression of the countenance grave and sad, yet full of
sweetness, the long hair parted on the forehead and
flowing over the shoulders. He wore a long tunic
gathered in at the waist with a leathern belt, over this
a kind of mantle or cloak, a veil bound round the head
to protect the forehead and neck from the sun, and
162
, JESUS OF NAZABETH. 163
sandals on His feet. His garments seem to have been
white and of the same kind and shape that may be
seen in the East to-day.
So we may picture Him to ourselves. But the charm
that hung about Him, this we cannot picture, this we
must have felt to understand. There was something
about; Him that made men feel He was above them;
His presence and manner awed as well as attracted
them. They knew that He read the secrets of hearts.
Yet the love that beamed in His glance, the SAveetnesss
of His smile, the grace of His every movement, won love
no less than admiration and reverence. What man no
ticed in Him chiefly was the gentleness, the simplicity,
the guilelessness of the lamb. This is what drew all
hearts to Him.
The Galileans had heard of the " signs " in Judea
and they had not forgotten the miracle at Cana. There
was the greatest excitement and enthusiasm then when
the news got abroad that the great Wonderworker was
coming.
A certain ruler living at Capharnaum had a son who
was dangerously 111 of a fever. Hearing that Jesus
was at Cana, he hastened to Him and begged Him to
come down and heal the boy, for he was at the point of
death.
Jesus said to him : " Unless you see signs and won
ders you believe not."
" Lord, come down before that my son die," was the
answer.
Every moment was precious. What if the Master
should be too late! The ruler s faith, we see, was far
from perfect, for he thought our Lord must be on the
spot to cure.
Jesus said to him : " Go thy way, thy son liveth. w
164 JESUS OF NAZAKETB.
The man believed the word which Jesus said to him
and went his way. And as he was going down his
servants met him, and they brought word that his son
lived. He asked, therefore, the hour wherein he grew
better. And they said to him: " Yesterday at the
seventh hour the fever left him." The father there
fore knew that it was at the same hour that Jesus said
to him : " Thy son liveth," and himself believed and
his whole house.
The people of Nazareth, as was natural, were im
patiently awaiting our Lord s coming amongst them.
They were getting proud of Him. They liked to hear
Him called " Jesus of Nazareth." They hoped He
would preach in their synagogue as He had been preach
ing in the other synagogues of Galilee. At last He
came, and they looked forward eagerly to the next Sab
bath. Let us try to see the synagogue on that day.
A long hall, divided by a balustrade into two parts,
the men on one side, the women on the other. Facing
them in a kind of sanctuary, a wooden ark or chest
covered with a veil and enclosing the rolls of parch
ment on which the Law of Moses was written. Before
this ark a lamp that burns day and night. Pharisees
coming in with heads erect, marching to the top seats,
all respectfully saluting and making way for them.
Husbands and wives separating at the door and taking
their places, children going with father or mother.
They have come for prayer and instruction, not for
sacrifice, which may be offered only in the Temple of
Jerusalem. They have come also to see Jesus of Naz
areth and to hear Him, for any Rabbi or distinguished
stranger may be asked to read and explain the passage
from the Prophets appointed for the day. They hope,
THE DEAD MAN OF NAIM.
And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And He
gave him to his mother." Luke 7. 15.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 167
too, to see some miracle, and are full of eager curi
osity.
He comes in, puts on the scarf of white wool with
blue stripes and fringes worn by every Jew on entering
the synagogue for worship, goes to His place, not up
there with the honoured, but with the poor, and kneels
down to pray. All heads are turned towards Him, all
faces glow with admiration as they watch Him.
The service begins with the usual prayers, and then
the minister takes a scroll from the ark and looks around
to see if anyone will offer to read and explain. See the
delight on every face as Jesus rises and holds out His
hand for the scroll. He mounts the raised platform in
the centre of the building from which the Rabbis
speak to the people, unrolls the book and reads :
" The spirit of the Lord is upon Me, wherefore He
hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor, to
heal the contrite of heart, to preach deliverance to the
captive, and sight to the blind, to preach the acceptable
day of the Lord and the day of reward." He folds
the book, returns it to the minister and sits down. The
eyes of all in the synagogue are fixed upon Him, not a
sound is to be heard.
He tells the people that these words refer to Him
and to the work He is come to do. He is sent to
preach good tidings to them, to heal their sick souls, to
free them from their sins. His grave and beautiful
face beams with loving interest as He looks round upon
them. They are those among whom He has lived
nearly all His Life. Hitherto He has had to be silent,
but now He may speak and help. He teaches them in
words so full of grace and power that His hearers are
filled with wonder. And yet you remember the kind
of people these Nazarenes are they seem to take it
168 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
amiss that their village carpenter, who has been at their
beck and call all His life, who has never studied, and
understands nothing but His tools, should now be their
teacher, and even make Himself out to be the Messiah.
" Is not this the son of Joseph ? " they whisper to one
another. " He has said nothing about the glorious
Kingdom of the Messiah, nor of what He is going to do
for us. And there have been no signs in Nazareth as in
the places round about. Surely the place where He
was brought up and His fellow-citizens should be more
to Him than a young couple at Cana and a sick lad at
Capharnaum ?" Notice the Pharisees scowling their
disapproval, the restlessness beginning to show itself all
round. Hear the discontented words.
Now, have they any right to behave like this ? Is it
reverent so to treat One whose words and works show
plainly that He comes from God, if indeed He is not
Himself God ? " No man can do these signs unless
God be with Him," said Nicodemus. So should these
Nazarenes be saying.
Look at our Blessed Lord, calm amid the growing ex
citement. He hears the whispering, He sees into every
heart. Now He is speaking :
" Doubtless you will say to Me : Physician, heal Thy
self, as great things as we have heard done in Caphar
naum, do also here in Thy own country. But I say
to you no prophet is accepted in his own country.
There were many widows and lepers in Israel in the
days of Elias and Eliseus, yet not to them but to
Naaman the Syrian and to a widow of Sarepta were the
Prophets sent. 7
This is too much. What ! does He mean to say that
strangers and Gentiles are to be preferred to them, the
children of Abraham ! In a frenzy of rage they rush
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 169
upon Him, drag Him out of the synagogue up the steep
street and on to the brow of the hill whereon their city
is built, that they may cast Him down headlong. He is
on the edge of the rock, they are going to hurl Him
down, and passing through the midst of them He goes
His way.
This, then, is the end of that Sabbath day s welcome.
The men of Nazareth, like those of Jerusalem later,
reject Him and drag Him up a hill to make away with
Him. Between these two murderous scenes how much
ill usage and ingratitude He will have to bear from
those whom He wants to help ! There will be no resis
tance, no complaint but oh! what pain in that af
fectionate sensitive Heart of His !
XXII.
HIS OWN CITY.
UP to this time our Lord s disciples have not been
always with Him. Now they are to be called by Him
in a solemn manner to be His constant companions.
On leaving Nazareth, He went to Capharnaum, which
you will remember was on the shore of the Sea of Gali
lee. Walking one day along the beach, He saw Peter
and Andrew casting a net into the sea. And He said
to them:
" Come after Me and I will make you to be fishers
of men."
And immediately leaving their nets they followed
Him. And going a little farther He saw James, the
son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, in a ship with
Zebedee their father mending their nets, and He called
them. And they immediately, leaving their nets and
their father, followed Him. All they had father,
mother, the fishing by which they earned their living,
all their little possessions they left for His sake, not
willingly only but joyfully. They did not care where
He took them, or what He did with them, or how much
they might suffer in His company. To be with Him,
to belong to Him, this was enough.
You notice, that we have now a sixth disciple, James,
the brother of John, and like him a fisherman. Most of
those who were to be after our Lord the founders of
the Church were fishermen, about the last class of men
we should have thought suitable for such a work. Go
down to any seaside place and watch the fishermen put
ting out to sea or tugging in their nets. Do they look
170
JESUS OF NAZAKETIt.
fit to be the teachers of the world? They know the
ways of fish, and something about the weather, and how
to manage their craft and that is about all. The
fishermen of Galilee were much the same as those you
have seen, rough, simple, ignorant. And out of them
our Lord made the Princes of His Church. He would
not have it said that the world was converted by the
learning of the teachers He sent to preach the Gospel,
but He would force men to own that if such preachers
could convince the wise and the great of the truth of
the religion which they taught, it must be because God
was with them, and therefore this religion must be
divine.
Our Lord was so much at Capharnaum and so many
of His miracles were worked there, that it came to be
called " His own city." It was a busy place. Roman
soldiers with their centurion passed to and fro, for
it was a garrison town. Pharisees and Doctors of the
Law, courtiers of Herod, custom-house officers, fisher
men, thronged its streets; and in its market place and
bazaars the traders of many nations were found.
Let us follow our Blessed Lord through one of His
days in Capharnaum, a Sabbath day, of which three
out of the four Evangelists have left us an account.
At the hour of prayer He was iii the synagogue, a
handsome structure built for the Jews by the Roman
centurion of the place, who, though a Gentile, was kind
to the conquered people, and reverenced their God. Our
Lord, according to His custom, was speaking to the
congregation, when, suddenly, a shriek was heard, so
piercing, so unearthly, that it was hard to believe it was
the cry of a human being- Yet this it was, though not
of a human being only.
10
172 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Before the coining of Jesus Christ, evil spirits had
much more power than they have had since. They
used this power to torment cruelly those who were " pos
sessed " by them, throwing them into the fire and into
the water, and making them say and do things which
of themselves they would never have done. One of
these poor creatures had got into the synagogue, and
in the midst of our Lord s discourse cried out say
ing:
" What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth !
Art Thou come to destroy us ? I know Thee who Thou
art, the Holy One of God. 7
Dismal and fearful cry ! The evil spirits knew that
Jesus had not come for them. They had nothing to do
with Him. They hated Him and all that were His.
How glad and grateful we must be that He has come
for us, that we have everything to do with Him, that we
belong to Him and He to us, that He has saved us from
sin and hell.
Jesus rebuked the Evil One saying: "Hold thy
peace and go out of him."
And the devil, when he had thrown him in the midst,
tearing him and crying out with a loud voice, went out
of him.
What a fearful scene! At the cry of the possessed
man the people had sprung to their feet in terror.
Then, curiosity overcoming fear, they came and stood
round him as he lay on the ground, freed at last from
his enemy, and looking up with tears of gratitude into
the face of his Deliverer. But when he rose and went
quietly away admiration broke forth in words of wonder
and praise:
:( Who is this that with power commands even the
wicked spirits and they obey Him ? "
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 173
Soon all Capharnaum knew what had happened in
the synagogue, and on and on from town to town the
news flew till all Judea had heard.
Encouraged, no doubt, by what they had seen, the
disciples tell the Master that Simon s wife s mother is
lying sick of a great fever, and they ask Him to go to
her. He goes at once with James and John, making
His way with difficulty through the crowds who are
discussing the event of the morning.
Standing over the sick woman, He commands the
fever and it leaves her. And He lifts her up, taking her
by the hand. The Evangelists notice that when our
Lord and His disciples sat down afterwards to their
humble meal, it was the invalid of an hour ago that
served them. St. Luke, who was a doctor, notes par
ticularly that it was " a great fever," and that " im
mediately rising she ministered to them." Our Lord s
cures left no weakness after them.
The tidings of the cure at Simon s house soon spread
and increased the enthusiasm caused by the event in the
synagogue. If Jesus of Nazareth could cure the pos
sessed and the fever-stricken, why should not all the
sick in Caphamaum be healed ? The excitement was
intense. The diseased and afflicted of every kind, even
those blind, deaf or dumb from birth, must all be
brought to Him ; there was hope for all.
As soon as the sun was down and the Sabbath over, a
sad procession was on its way to Peter s house. But
was it sad ? Oh, no : the lame were hastening along on
their crutches, the quiet faces of the blind beamed with
hope, even the deaf and dumb had somehow come to
understand what was in store for them. Of course
there was trouble in getting the possessed to go forward,
and there was risk in bringing out the dying. But what
174 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
were risk and trouble provided every one of them could
get to Him in the end !
"And all the city was gathered together at the door,"
says St. Mark; the sick in their beds filling the street,
the other afflicted ones massed together, pressing against
the door; whilst choking up all the narrow thorough
fares an immense throng moved slowly forward, " all
the city " coming to see what would happen. Could
those who saw that sight ever forget it, ever forget the
faces of that multitude when the door opened and Jesus
of Nazareth stood on the threshold ?
He came out, and, going up and down among the
rows of sick and dying, laid His hands tenderly on all
and healed them by that touch. We are expressly told
that not one was sent away disappointed. " He, laying
His hands on every one of them, healed them. And
devils went out of many crying and saying: Thou art
the Son of God. 77
Think of the streets of Capharnaum that evening : the
cured being surrounded, questioned, congratulated on
all sides ; the wonder, the thanksgiving, the delirium of
joy everywhere. Was there any going to bed that
night ?
And where was He who had made them all so happy ?
Tired in body and sad at heart, He lay down for a little
rest when at last all had gone home satisfied. But,
rising very early in the morning, He went out into a des
ert place and there He prayed. The crowds, however,
came in search of Him. And Simon followed after
Him and said to Him :
"All men seek for Thee."
And He said : " Let us go into the neighbouring
towns and cities that I may preach there also, for there
fore am I sent."
THE PENITENT SINNER.
" Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much.
Luke 7. 47-
JJB5US OF NAZARETH. 177
Well might He be tired in body after such a day, but
why was He sad at heart? Because He was God as
well as man, and therefore suffered as no mere man
could do. He saw into every heart, He knew what
was to come. He -knew that His own city after all
these miracles would refuse to believe in Him and
would have to be punished. One day, when His time
of preaching was drawing to a close, He began to up
braid the cities wherein were done the most of His
miracles, for that they had not done penance :
"Wo to thee, Corozain ! W to thee, Bethsaida ! And
thou, Capharnaum, thou shalt go down even unto hell.
For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that
have been wrought in thee, perhaps it had remained
unto this day. But I say unto thee that it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment
than for thee."
XXIII.
" WE HAVE SEEN WONDERFUL THINGS TO-DAY."
ONE day the multitudes pressed so eagerly upon Him
as He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, that our Lord
got into a boat, which was Simon Peter s, and told
him to push off a little from the land. Then, sitting
down in the boat, He taught the people who came crowd
ing down right to the water s edge. When He had
finished speaking He said to Simon:
" Launch out into the deep and let down your nets
if or a draught."
Now, Simon and his partners had been out all night
casting their nets first on one side then on the other,
and all to no purpose. " What was the use," a fisher
man might have said, " of trying any more at present ?"
But Simon had seen enough by this time to make him
obey without a word.
" Master, 7 he said, " we have laboured all night and
have taken nothing, but at Thy word I will let down
the net,"
And when they had done this they enclosed a very
great multitude of fishes and their net broke. And
they beckoned to their partners that were in the other
ship that they should come and help them. And they
came and filled both the ships so that they were almost
sinking. Lower and lower sank the boats till the water
was almost level with the edge. It was scarcely safe
to move. Peter was overpowered with the greatness
of the miracle. How n^ar God was ! How unfit was
he to be in His Presence ! Trembling, he cast himself
at the feet of Christ, crying out:
178
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 179
" Depart from me^ for I am a sinful man, O Lord ! "
For he was wholly astonished and all that were with
him at the draught of fishes which they had taken.
And so were also James and John, who were Simon s
partners.
And Jesus said to Simon : " Fear not, from hence
forth thou shalt catch men."
And, having brought their ships to land, leaving all
things they followed Him. Simon must have followed,
wondering what those words could mean : " Henceforth
thou shalt catch men."
As our Lord was walking one day through a certain
city, whose name we are not told, a miserable object
that had managed to escape notice darted from out a
hiding place and flung itself on His path. It was a
man, but in so frightful and loathsome a state as to
appear scarcely human. Coarse white hair half cover
ing what remained of a face, eyes glassy and staring,
eyelids and lips gone, cheeks eaten away by disease, neck
and hands covered with white scales he is described by
St. Luke the physician in three words.: " a man full of
leprosy."
He had no business in the city, for lepers were for
bidden to approach their fellow-men. They carried
about with them the corruption of the grave, their
presence polluted the air ; they were counted as already
dead, whose place was among the tombs, not in the
homes of the living. Their nearest and dearest fled
from them, they were driven out into the wilderness
with the beasts. Without shelter, or food, or medi
cine, or covering for their misery, they wandered about,
objects of fear and horror to all. If any came near
them, they were bound to cry out their dismal warning
180 JESUS OP NAZARETH.
" Unclean ! Unclean ! " From a distance they
begged of passers by a morsel of bread, an old rag to
cover their sores. Men shouted after them, threw
stones at them and reviled them, not because they were
wicked but because they were so sorely afflicted, because
they were lepers.
This poor leper knew that by coming into the city he
was breaking the Law. But he had heard that Jesus
of Nazareth healed every disease and every infirmity,
perhaps He would have pity on Him. There he lay, his
mouth in the dust of our Lord s feet, hiding his disfig
ured face. But as he fell down there a cry had gone up :
" Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean."
And Jesus having compassion on him stretched forth
His hand and touched him and said :
" I will; be thou made clean."
A word would have been enough, but He touched him.
He did not shrink from those loathsome sores. He be
held them with divine compassion, and perhaps be
cause the leper is the image of the sinner He touched
them with infinite gentleness. And instantly the leper
was cleansed. There was no time for the indignant
crowd to revile him, to catch up stones and cast at him,
for before the sound of his prayer had died away he
was a leper no more. " Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst
make me clean." " I will ; be thou made clean." The
words came back like the echo of his own.
Oh, words and touch of Christ ! All he had lost they
restored. He felt the life blood coursing freely through
his veins. The pain, the unsightliness, the misery of
mind and body all with those hideous scales had fallen
from him. He was a free man once more, free to stand
up erect among his fellow-men, to go back to the old
home and to all he loved.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 181
Our Lord looked down kindly on the radiant face
lifted to His and said:
" See thou tell no one v but go, show thyself to the
priest."
Willingly would he present himself to the priest to
have his cure attested. But keep silence when his
heart was bursting with joy and praise, how could he ?
Surely, he thought, this command did not bind him,
and going away he began to blaze abroad what Jesus of
Nazareth had done for him.
A vast crowd gathered one morning round a house
in Capharnaum. Within the Master sat teaching.
There was no room; no, not even at the door, for the
cure of the leper had made a great sensation throughout
the country, and " Pharisees and doctors of the Law
from every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem,"
were there. It was not with any hope of gaining ad
mittance that the patient crowd waited, but to catch
a glimpse of the great Teacher, perhaps to hear the
tones of His voice as He came out.
Presently four men appeared carrying on his mat
tress bed a man sick of the palsy. Round and round
the throng they went, and at last succeeded in making
their way through and reaching the door. But no
persuasion could win them entrance, and they were
told angrily to go away and not make a disturbance.
They seemed to yield, but after a while were seen haul
ing their helpless burden up the narrow outside stair
case that led to the roof. Then they began to lift up
the tiles of the roof, not without much noise and grave
displeasure of the audience within. At last a hole
large enough to admit the bed was made, and the sick
man was let down into the midst before Jesus.
182 JESUS OF NAZABETH.
And when Jesus had seen their faith, He said to the
sick of the palsy:
" Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee."
Our Lord saw the state of the soul as distinctly as
that of the body, and because He knew the much greater
value of the soul, He thought of its health first. The
poor man held up his trembling hands and looked wist
fully at the great Physician, thinking only of the heal
ing of the body, or afraid, perhaps, that his sins would
render him unworthy of cure. In reward of his faith
our Lord gave him true sorrow for his sins, without
which there can be no forgiveness, and then He forgave
them.
Now notice carefully what happened, for this scene,
like another at Capharnaum later, is one of the most
important in our Lord s Life. Remember who sat
there, quite an unusual gathering, Pharisees and doc
tors of the Law from every town of Galilee and Judea.
These men began to think in their hearts :
" Why doth this Man speak thus ? " He blasphemeth.
Who can forgive sins but God only ?
And Jesus seeing their thoughts said to them : "Why
think you evil in your hearts ? Which is easier to say :
Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say : Arise and walk ?
But that you may know that the Son of Man hath power
on earth to forgive sins" He said to the sick of the
palsy :
" I say to thee, arise, take up thy bed and go into thy
house."
And immediately, rising before them, he took up his
bed on which he lay and went his way in the sight of
all, glorifying God. And all were astonished and
glorified God saying:
" We have seen wonderful things to-day."
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 183
Notice in how many ways our Lord here shows Him
self to be God. He sees the faith of the poor paralytic
and his friends ; He sees the evil thoughts of the Phari
sees ; He sees the sin on the soul ; He forgives it, and
works a miracle on the body to prove His power over
the soul.
St. Matthew says " they glorified God who gave such
power to men." That is, they glorified God, not only
for the cure of this poor man, but because the miracle
had proved in the sight of such a multitude that it was
possible to give to men the power of forgiving sin.
If people laugh at us for going to confession, and say
they tell their sins to God and not to man " who can
forgive sins but God alone ? " Let us think of this
scene at Capharnaum and of another in Jerusalem on
Easter Day, when our Blessed Lord, appearing to the
Apostles, passed on to them His own power, saying:
" Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven."
And let us with the simple grateful people of Caphar
naum glorify God who has given such power to men.
Followed as usual by the crowd, our Blessed Lord
took the road from Capharnaum to the Sea of Galilee.
Vessels were coming up to the little quay and discharg
ing their cargoes, which were then carried up to the
toll-booth of Matthew the publican, whose duty it was
to tax them. He was sitting in the midst of bales of
goods and piles of money, when, suddenly, amidst the
noise and confusion of men coming and going, a Voice
from without was heard :
" Follow Me."
Matthew turned round, met the glance of Jesus of
Nazareth, who was passing by, rose up immediately,
and went out. He had probably seen our Lord before
184 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
this and heard Him preach. But to be noticed "by Him,
to be called to be His disciple this was an honour he
had never dreamed of. Not another thought for the
business he was leaving, for the money just taken, for
what people would say. The great Prophet and Won
derworker had called him him a publican ! His heart
leaped with joyful surprise: It seemed too good to be
true.
Publicans were looked upon as traitors to their
country and to their God, because they collected the
taxes for the Romans, and as enormous sinners be
cause of the injustice of which many among them were
guilty. Every Jew, even the poorest, shunned and de
spised them. The righteous Pharisees drew away then
garments lest those of a publican should touch and de
file them. It must have astonished the disciples them
selves to find a publican admitted into their little band
As for Matthew, he was obliged to find an outlet for his
i ov ty giving a feast at which many publicans and sin
ners sat down with Jesus and His disciples. How de
lightful it is to think of our Blessed Lord making Him
self at home in such company !
But some Pharisees came in at the open door to look
on, as was usual in the East, and to find fault and
disturb the happy gathering, which was not usual.
:e Why doth your Master eat and drink with publi
cans and sinners ? " they asked tho disciples.
Jesus hearing it said to them : " They that are well
need not the physician, but they that are sick. I came
not to call the just but sinners."
Perhaps these just ones went away ashamed. Any
way we hear of no further objections at that time.
THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS.
" Lord, my daughter is even now dead ; but come, lay thy
hand upon her, and she shall live." Matt. 9. 18.
XXIV.
THE TWELVE.
AND now the second Pasch of our Lord s Public Life
had come. The country from one end to the other was
ringing with the sound of His Name. In the crowded
cities, in lonely hamlets, in the synagogues, the bazaars,
the streets, the Temple itself, Jesus of Nazareth and
His marvellous works were the talk of high and low.
Herod Antipas in Galilee, Pontius Pilate in Judea,
came to hear of Him, and in their own households He
had found adherents. Joanna, the wife of Herod s
steward, Claudia Procula, the Governor s wife, and
many others of rank and influence, either followed Him
openly with the crowd or believed in secret. The news
of fresh cures sped like wildfire through the land, and
kept up an enthusiasm which grew daily. For the
miracles of which we are told in the holy Gospels are
samples only of the immense numbers wrought. Day
after day, in all sorts of places, and at all hours He was
amongst the sick and suffering. He " went about doing
good," this was the business of His Life.
It was blazed abroad how on one Sabbath He had
healed a man whom all Jerusalem knew, the paralytic
at the Probatica pond, who for nearly forty years had
lain there looking wistfully at the water that would have
cured him could he have found a friend to help him
into it when it was troubled. Jesus of Nazareth had
seen him, and, unasked, had cured him, bidding him
take up his bed and go into his house. The people did
shout when he swung his bed over his shoulder and
walked away. But he had not gone far when some
187
188 JESTJS OF NAZARETH.
Pharisees came and stopped him, telling him lie was
breaking the Sabbath by carrying his bed.
On another Sabbath He was teaching in a full syna
gogue. There was a man before Him whose hand was
withered. Everyone was crowding up to the top seats
where the Pharisees were and to the raised desk at
which Jesus sat, Of course the man would be healed,
and of course the Pharisees would be scandalized and
shake their heads, and the people wanted to see and
enjoy it all.
And so it happened. The Scribes and Pharisees
watched Him to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
And Jesus looked steadily at them, and there was no
fear on His face. Then He looked at the man and
said to him:
"Arise, and stand forth in the midst."
And rising, he stood forth. Then Jesus said to
them :
" I ask you if it be lawful to do good on the Sab
bath day?"
But they held their peace. And He said :
What man among you whose sheep hath fallen into
a pit on the Sabbath day will not take hold on it and lift
it up ? How much better is a man than a sheep.
Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the Sab
bath." And He looked round about on them with
anger, and His countenance was terrible to see. And
He said to the man :
" Stretch forth thy hand."
And he stretched it forth sound and strong like the
other.
It was always the same thing, said the crowd. If
the Pharisees would not believe in Him, they might at
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 189
least let Him alone. But no, they must follow Him
everywhere with their " Why { " and " It is not law
ful."
He was walking through the cornfields on another
Sabbath, and His disciples who were hungry began to
pluck the ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands.
At once the Pharisees were down upon them:
" Why do you that," they said " which is not lawful
on the Sabbath day ? "
The Pharisees and the priests never joined in the
people s shouts of praise. A r ot they; it would have
been beneath them. Instead of being glad when the
sick and the demoniacs came from Him cured and
happy, they rebuked them sharply and told them it was
wrong to have anything to do with Jesus of Nazareth,
because it was only with the help of the prince of devils
that He cast out devils and wrought these cures.
After this fashion the people talked about Him and
about their rulers, whose jealousy and hatred were plain
to all.
Our Lord began the second year of His Ministry by
an act of the greatest importance, an act which con
cerns the eternal welfare of every one of us. He
founded the Apostolic College, and thus laid the founda
tion of His Church which was to carry on to the end of
time His work for the souls of men.
The world was dark and the way to Heaven difficult
to find before He came. How dark it would be again
when He was gone ! So those thought who loved Him
and followed Him. Well might they cry out : " Stay
with us, O Lord ! " He was everything to them. They
had no need to seek for the truth, but only to believe
Him and do as He bade them. If their enemies were
190 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
cunning and strong, He was at hand, always ready to
help. If trouble came they could cling to Him, and
He would take care of them. But what would become
of His followers when He had gone away?
Our Lord, too, asked Himself this question. To
understand His own answer to it we must bear in
mind His tender love, not for those only who flocked
to Him during His Life on earth, but for every soul
redeemed with His Precious Blood; that is, for every
one of us. However unimportant in the eyes of men,
however sinful we may be, we have each of us a place
in the Heart of Christ; each one may say with St.
Paul: " He loved me and delivered Himself for me."
Because He loves us He had to find a way by which
the Gospel or good tidings He has brought to the world
might reach us, by which we who have never seen His
face or heard the sound of His voice may know what we
must do to save our souls. Like those who crowded
about Him in the villages of Judea and the towns of
Galilee, we should want to be taught and comforted, we
should have sins to be forgiven. And because we are
most of us poor and simple and have to work hard for
our daily bread, we should need a plain and simple way
to Heaven. We have no time, even were we clever
enough, to think out hard questions.
Our dear Lord knew all about us, and this is what
He did. From among those who believed in Him and
listened with docility to His teaching, He chose twelve
whom He called Apostles, or messengers " sent," be
cause they were commissioned by Him to carry on His
work among men and teach what they had themselves
been taught. These Twelve He kept constantly with
Him. He instructed them very carefully in all they
would have to know. He answered their difficulties.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 191
He told them secrets not made known to the crowd.
What He taught to others in parables He explained to
them apart.
Our Blessed Lord made a very solemn preparation
for this choice of His Apostles. The evening before,
says St. Luke, " He went out into a mountain to pray,
and He passed the whole night in the prayer of God,"
not because He needed prayer, but for our example, who
need it very much when we have any important work to
do or decision to take.
"And when day was come He called unto Him His
disciples, whom He would Himself. And He made
that twelve should be with Him that He might send
them to preach:" He gave them His own power to
heal the sick, to cast out devils, to raise the dead, to
forgive sins. When He was leaving the earth He bade
them go into the whole world and preach the Gospel
to every creature. He promised to send down upon
them His Holy Spirit, who should abide with them
for ever and lead them into all truth, and to be with
them Himself even to the end of the world.
Because they were to teach His truth, and with His
authority, men were to listen to them as to Him. " He
that heareth you heareth Me," He said, " and he that
despiseth you despiseth Me." By " you " our Lord
must have meant, not the Apostles only but their succes
sors. For these twelve men were to die, but their work
was not to stop with their death. They were to pass it
on to their successors, and with these as with the first
Twelve Christ promised to remain till the end of time.
Those who heard the Apostles and believed what
they taught were to form a society or Church whose
members would be, some in Heaven, some in Purgatory
and some on earth. Those who have reached Heaven
11
192 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
are the Church Triumphant, those in Purgatory are the
Church Suffering, those on earth are the Church Mili
tant or Fighting. The Church Militant consists of two
classes, the teachers and the taught. For Christ did
not say to all His followers but only to the Twelve and
their successors : " He that heareth you heareth Me."
The Apostles, then, and their successors, the Bishops,
are the Church Teaching, the laity are the Church
Taught.
The first Christians knew their place as learners.
They did not argue with the Apostles, or pick and
choose among the doctrines taught them. So earnestly
did their teachers impress upon them the necessity of
holding fast what they had been taught, that St. Paul
said to his converts : " If an angel from Heaven preach
a gospel to you besides that we have preached let him be
anathema ;"* that is, accursed.
Why such tremendous words? Because St. Paul
knew that what he and his fellow-Apostles taught was
not their own doctrine, but the teaching of their Divine
Master, which was to be passed on unchanged till He
should come again.
Our Lord prayed that His followers might be one,
all believing the same truths, all uniting in the same
worship, all using the same means of salvation which
He had provided for them, all obeying the ruler He
had set over them. To keep them one, He put them all
into Peter s charge, as we shall see later, and by His
prayer for Peter and promises to Peter He secured him
and his successors against the possibility of leading the
Church astray.
We must learn something about these Twelve whom
* Galat. i.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 193
Christ our Lord chose out of all men to carry on His
work, to preach the Gospel and to plant the Church.
Peter. In the four lists drawn up by the Evange
lists, St. Peter is always named the first. St. Matthew
says : " The names of the twelve Apostles are these
the first Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John his
brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Mat
thew the publican; James, the son of Alpheus and
Thaddeus ; Simon the Canaanean, and Judas Iscariot,
who also betrayed Him. 7
" The first Simon." Our Lord had made him first,
and they all acknowledged him as such. When a ques
tion was asked they let Peter answer for them. They
noticed that their Master taught from Peter s boat, that
He treated him differently from the rest, expected more
of him, reproved and warned him specially, promised
him favours that were for himself alone, and gave him
charge of the rest. Peter s was an ardent, impetuous
nature. His heart was full of deep, devoted love of
his Master. But he trusted too much in himself. In
the hour of trial his courage failed him, and he thrice
denied Him for whom he had left all things and thought
he was ready to lay down his life. But if he fell griev
ously he rose quickly and grandly. His was the kind
of repentance our Lord loves. He wept bitterly, and
all his life, his cheeks were furrowed with his tears.
But there was no gloom, no mistrust, no damping of the
courage which had made him do and dare great things.
Peter s faith in our Lord s Divinity made him
shudder with horror when he heard of the mocking and
the scourging and the spitting that were to come. a Far
be it from Thee, O Lord," he cried, " this shall not be
to Thee." And at the Last Supper he would not suffer
194 JESTTS OF NAEARETH.
our Lord to wash his feet : " Thou shalt never wasK
my feet," he said. But when Jesus threatened to have
nothing more to do with him, he went to the other ex
treme and offered his hands and his head. When the
hour came for Peter to lay down his life for Christ in
the persecution of Nero, he showed his humility by beg
ging to be crucified with his head downwards, deeming
himself unworthy to suffer in the same posture as his
Lord.
Andrew, his brother, the u Bringer to Christ," has
the glory of being the first called of the Apostles, and of
having brought Peter to Jesus. He seems to have been
the oldest of the Twelve, and when we hear of him he
is generally presenting some one to our Lord.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee and Salome,
were called by our Lord " Boanerges," or the " Sons
of Thunder." They had much to learn before they be
came like their Master, meek and humble of heart
All who would not welcome Him they would have
liked to see destroyed by fire from Heaven. And they
were ambitious, too, asking to sit on His right hand
and on His left in the Kingdom they thought He was
going to set up on earth. Think of rough, ignorant
fishermen applying for the chief places at Court, to be
royal ministers in the new Kingdom!
Yet with all their faults, their love for their Master
was deep and generous, and they were His special fa
vourites. He took them, with Peter, to places where
the other Apostles were not admitted. They were at
the Transfiguration, at the Agony in the Garden, and
at the raising to life of Jairus little daughter. And
He gave them something better than the first places
they wanted. James was the first among the Apostles
to give his life for his Master, and John was first in hie
Q .
H s
3 &
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JESUS F NAZARETH. 197
Master s love, and suffered for Him more than martyr
dom at the foot of the Cross. He was the youngest of
the Apostles, and calls himself " the disciple whom
Jesus loved/ 7 because of the special affection our Lord
showed him.
Thomas was a practical man. He had no idea of a
service of Christ that costs nothing. It was all very
well to go out preaching and to return to their Master
saying joyfully they had been working miracles and cast
ing out devils in His Name; but if they were really
His followers they must be ready to follow Him always
and everywhere, not only when the multitude cried out
in admiration, " We never saw the like," but when
the Samaritans refused Him a passage through their
country and when the rulers persecuted Him. And so
when the other Apostles tried to dissuade their Mas
ter from going into Judea where danger threateneo^
Thomas said boldly : " Let us also go that we may die
with Him."
His courage, like Peter s, failed him at the last, but
his idea of what our Lord had a right to expect of His
disciples never changed. It accounts in part for his
obstinate refusal to believe in the Resurrection. All
the others, Peter included, told him they had seen their
risen Lord. He would not believe. He knew better.
What ! that Christ should raise Himself to life when He
had been dead three days, and come back to them with
the old love when they had all failed Him in His hour of
need it was impossible. Our Lord had to show Him
self to Thomas before he would believe that His rising
again and coming to comfort His poor, weak disciples
was not too good to be true.
Matthew. After his call to the Apostleship we hear
no more of Matthew in tke Gospels. He wrote the first
198 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
and longest of the Gospels, in which his chief object is
to show how our Lord fulfilled all that was foretold of
Him by the Prophets, and that He is therefore the long-
promised Messiah and Son of God.
Philip,, Bartholomew, Simon and Jude. Of the
friends Philip and Bartholomew, or Nathaniel, we have
seen something. Of Simon, the Canaanite, and Jude
we know little beyond their names. Jude wrote an
Epistle in which he earnestly exhorts the first faithful
to stand fast in the faith first delivered to the Saints
and taught by the Apostles.
James, the son of Alphaeus, called " the Less," to
distinguish him from St. James the Great, the son of
Zebedee, was brother to St. Jude and cousin of our
Blessed Lord. We hear little of him in the Gospels.
He was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and /or his holi
ness was revered even by the Jews.
Judas Iscariol comes last in all the lists. Some of
the Evangelists add to his name " who also betrayed
Him," terrible words that pass down for the detestation
of all ages the crime of the miserable disciple who thus
repaid the love and preference of His Master. Out of
all men our Lord had chosen Judas to be one of His
best loved and trusted companions. He had a most
real and tender love for him. He chose him because
He loved him. He gave him special graces, and with
the rest the gift of preaching, of healing the sick, of
casting out devils. He gave him warning after warn
ing. But all in vain. A fault which he might easily
have conquered in the beginning grew and grew till he
became its slave. He did not ask the help he needed,
and when strong temptation came he fell never to rise
again.
JESUS OF NAZABETH. 199
This was the little company gathered round our
Blessed Lord poor, uneducated men, more used to
employing their hands than their minds, looking like
the rest of the nation for a golden age of temporal
prosperity, for the people of God to come with the Mes
siah. They lived with their Divine Master as His inti
mate friends. They took their simple meals with Him,
they prayed and slept at His side. After Mary and
Joseph none knew Him like the Twelve.
Because they were to help Him in the great work
of saving souls which brought Him down from Hea
ven, and because He saw beneath their rough exte
rior grand qualities to be developed, He loved them
dearly and trained them carefully and patiently. In
character they were very different, but in their love
of Him, and in the readiness with which they left all
they had for His sake, they were alike. When they
were chosen by Him they were dull and ignorant, un
able to take in the sublime thoughts of their Divine
Teacher. But little by little His instructions, His ex
ample, His gentle influence began to tell, and when
the Holy Ghost came down upon them at Pentecost they
were fit for the great work that lay before them to
preach the Gospel and to plant the Church.
XXV.
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
ONE day a vast multitude follows our Blessed Lord
up a mountain side. They come trooping after Him,
men, women and children; their homes, their business,
all the cares of this life by common consent left be
hind; no one to blame them, for all are under the
same spell, all attracted by that Form in white moving
before them and rising higher and higher up the grassy
slope. Now He has stopped and turned round facing
them. He waits long and patiently as they come toil
ing up, guiding them with His hand to go here and
there where they may hear Him best.
It is His first great Sermon that He is going to
preach, this Sermon on the Mount, and it is not only
for the numbers beyond all reckoning gathered to
gether here, but for all that shall come into this world
and have to be taught what they must do to save their
souls. Therefore He would speak so solemnly and from
such a lofty place. He sits down, and the Twelve come
and stand around Him, or sit on the ground at His feet.
The people press round as close as they can, and when
all are seated and quiet He begins to speak.
A preacher chooses a text, some sentence which in a
few words sums up all he has to say. What will the
text of this great Preacher be? What is the thought
uppermost in His mind and heart? This to teach
us what we must do to be happy. He knows that we
are made for happiness, and that we long to be happy.
But He knows, too, that very many try to find happi-
200
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 201
ness in things that will not satisfy them, in the riches,
pleasures, and honours of this world which can never
content our hearts, because we are made for something
much greater and better for God Himself. And so
He tells us in the beginning of His Sermon on the
Mount who are really blessed or happy.
" Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of Heaven.
" Blessed are the meek/ for they shall possess the
land.
" Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com
forted.
" Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after jus
tice, for they shall have their fill.
" Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy.
" Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see
God.
" Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
the children of God.
" Blessed are they that suffer persecution for jus
tice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
Blessed the sufferers for whom Heaven is waiting!
this is the text of the Sermon on the Mount.
The poor in spirit are those who, having little of the
good things of this life, are content with what God has
given them, bear patiently the want of many things
they would like to have, and do not envy those who are
better off. Those, too, who having a sufficiency or an
abundance of the pleasant things of this world, do
not let their hearts get too fond of them, are ready to
give them up if God should take them away, and are
generous in sharing them with those in need. To poor,
202 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
such as these, our Lord promises all the riches of
Heaven by and by.
The meek are those who have gained a mastery over
anger and revengeful thoughts. They possess as con
querors three lands the land of their own soul, which
they control as lords and masters, the Land of Heaven,
where nothing will trouble them any more, and, strange
to say, that very land in which they seemed to be over
come. For in the little difficulties and differences of
daily life, it is those that yield who are really victors.
How many conquests has meekness made ! " I can con
vince the Calvinists," said a learned man, " but to con
vert them I must send them to Francis de Sales," that
gentle saint who, by the constant study of the Lamb of
God, had so conquered a passionate nature as to be
come a perfect likeness of Jesus, " meek and humble of
heart."
The mourners are those, who all their lives long have
a quiet, loving sorrow for their sins not as though they
were unforgiven, but just because they are forgiven, be
cause they have offended Him who forgives so readily
and so often. Those, too, are blessed mourners who
remember when sorrow comes that He who loves them
only permits it for their good, and that in a very little
while He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and
they shall be comforted, " nor mourning, nor crying,
nor sorrow shall be any more."
Who hunger and thirst after justice. The soul, like
the body, has its hunger and thirst. Our Lord says
those are blessed who take care to feed it with those
things which keep it alive in the grace of God, with
prayer, and instruction, and the Sacraments. Blessed
are those who hunger after this spiritual food, who are
always trying to get more and more of God s grace,
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 203
who go hungry to prayer, hungry to Confession and
Communion. Almighty God says : " Open thy mouth
and I will fill it. 7 And our Blessed Lady sings in her
canticle : " He hath fed the hungry with good things."
It was because all the saints hungered like this that so
much was given them.
The merciful. There is nothing our Lord tells us
so often and so plainly as this that to obtain mercy
from God we must ourselves be merciful. If we wish
Him to judge us kindly and to forgive our many faults,
we must be forgiving and kind. " Be merciful/ He
says, " as your Heavenly Father is merciful." He tells
us that at the Last Day He will say " Come " to those
who have been merciful to others for His sake, and
" Depart from Me " to those who have been unmerciful
to the poor and needy, and therefore to Him. For
what we do to His least brethren He counts as done
to Himself. If, then, w r e want to hear His sweet
invitation on that dreadful Day, we know how to secure
it " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy."
The clean of heart. The reward and the joy of the
next life is to see God. There are many joys in Heaven
freedom from pain and care, the delights of the glori
fied body, the society of the Angels and Saints, reunion
with those we loved on earth. But all these are as
nothing compared with the Vision of God. It is this
that makes Heaven what it is. Without this all the
rest would not satisfy us. But to see the All Holy God
we must be holy. In Heaven all are clothed with white
robes, and the nearer the approach to the Great White
Throne, the more dazzlingly white is the raiment. We
must be getting ready to join that spotless throng.
How? By taking as much pains to keep our soul free
204 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
from stain as we do to prevent soiling our dress when
we go along a miry road; by shunning with care all
mortal sin and deliberate venial sin; by being careful
in our examination of conscience, and often cleansing
our soul in the Sacrament of Penance, and by frequent
acts of contrition. If we do this we shall be among the
clean of heart, and one day we shall see God.
The peacemakers. " Some there are who are neither
at peace with themselves nor suffer others to be at peace.
And some there are who keep themselves in peace and
study to restore peace to others." 1 Gladness goes with
these peacemakers; they turn aside little words and
jokes that would give pain, and come among us like our
Blessed Lord whose favourite word of greeting was:
" Peace be to you." They are so like their Father
who is in Heaven that they deserve to be called in a
special way His children.
The persecuted. If our Lord had not told us these
are blessed, should we ever have guessed it? To be
persecuted seems such a terrible thing, and so indeed it
is unless we can bring ourselves to think more of Him
for whose sake we suffer than of the suffering itself.
Perhaps we may have known the quiet happiness of
being by the side of one \ve loved who was in pain. The
thought that our presence and our sympathy soothed
that dear one was greater joy than any pleasure to be
found elsewhere. Something like this is the gladness
those have even now who for our Lord s sake are hated
and persecuted. They know that the thought of their
companionship was a consolation to Him when He was
on earth, and they know, too, that if they are like Him
in His suffering they will be like Him one day in His
glory. Are they not blessed then ?
* Imit. Christ ii. 3.
WALKING ON THE WATER.
O thou of little faith, why didst them doubt? " Matt. 14. 31
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 207
And now let us stop awhile to look at our dear Mas
ter and His hearers. The Twelve are listening with
reverent and fixed attention, their eyes riveted on His
blessed face. They are so proud of Him, so proud to
be His, so anxious that all should come to know and love
Him. The people gaze at Him in amazement and de
light. It is all so new, so comforting, so different from
the teaching of the rabbis, the scribes and doctors of
the Law. They have been taught to hate their enemies,
to seek revenge, to think that poverty and suffering are
the signs of God s anger, that an abundance of corn and
wine and cattle are the rewards for which a good man
must hope.
Their beatitudes would have been: "Blessed are
the rich and the successful, those that laugh and are
held in honour by men." How unlike these to the
blessed ones of Jesus of Nazareth! His way to hap
piness was a hard way, but they knew as they looked up
into His face that it was the right way, that He could
not deceive them. And they felt .that He could not only
teach but help them. Had they known the story of His
Life as we do they would have seen that He had first
practised all He taught. He was so poor that He had
not where to lay His head. He was meek and humble
of heart, the Man of sorrows, the great Peacemaker, the
Holy One who was to be persecuted even unto death.
After the Sermon our Lord comes down from the
Mount, conversing familiarly with His disciples, His
simple congregation flocking after Him, trying to get
near Him, all so refreshed by His company and His
words. Hear them talking of Him among themselves,
saying : " We never heard the like."
Oh, if we had seen our Blessed Lord as these happy
people saw Him, if we had followed Him about with the
208 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
crowd, had sat at His feet as He taught, and watched
Him as He laid His hands on the eyes of the blind and
the sores of the poor lepers how we should have loved
Him ! He knew that we should want to hear all about
Him, and it was to satisfy us that He would have the
story of His Life written in the holy Gospels. We
must try as we read His Life to bring the scenes before
us, to make/ them real to ourselves, as if it was all going
on before our very eyes, as if it was all done for us, as
indeed it was, that we may come to know Him better
and love Him more.
XXVI.
" WHO WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD."
THE Roman centurion of Capharnaum was in sore
trouble. A servant very dear to him lay at the point
of death, every effort to save him had proved unavailing,
and now his master, as tender by the sickbed as he was
brave in battle, watched beside him and waited for the
end. Suddenly it was told in the house that Jesus
of Nazareth was entering the city. The centurion had
heard of His deeds of mercy, and hope sprang up in his
heart. Thinking himself unworthy as a Gentile to ap
proach the great Prophet, he sent to Him the ancients of
the Jews. And when they had come to Jesus they be
sought Him earnestly, saying:
" He is worthy that Thou shouldst do this for him,
for he loveth our nation and he hath built us a syna
gogue."
And Jesus went with them. And when He was near
the house the centurion met Him, and, falling on his
knees before Him, said :
" Lord, trouble not Thyself, for I am not 1 worthy that
Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but say the word
and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man
subject to authority having under me soldiers; and I
say to this one: Go, and he goeth, and to another:
Come, and he cometh, and to my servant : Do this, and
he doth it."
As though he had said : " If the word of one who is
himself a subject meets with prompt obedience, how
much more will the word of Him who is Almighty be
809
210 JESTJS OF NAZARETH,
obeyed." And Jesus hearing, marvelled, and, turning
to them that followed Him, said:
"Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great faith
in Israel."
The faith and frankness of this Koman soldier de
lighted Him :
" Go/ He said, " and as thou hast believed, so be it
done to thee."
And the servant was healed at the same hour.
We should like to know what became of one whose
faith won the admiration of the Son of God. This at
least we know, that the Church sets him before us as a
model. In the solemn moment when we are receiving
Jesus Christ into our hearts, she puts upon our lips as
our most fitting preparation the Domine, non sum
dignus of the centurion.
One evening our Lord, attended by the Twelve and
by the vast crowd that always followed Him now, be
gan to climb the hill on which stood the little city of
Nain. As He neared the gate a sad procession streamed
out first, women weeping and wailing and beating
their breasts; then, flute players with their mournful
music ; then, a bier on which lay the body of a young
man wound round and round with linen cloths. A
great throng of people, followed, not only because the
Jews held it to be a religious duty to accompany the
dead to the grave, but also because this was " the only
son of his mother, and she was a widow." Our Lord
saw her among the hired mourners, and His heart was
filled with pity. Making His way through the crowd,
He came to her and said :
" Weep not."
She looked up bewildered, and her red eyes met the
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 211
divine compassion of His. Then He led her to the bier
and touched it. The bearers stood still and laid their
burden on the ground. There was a thrill of expecta
tion all around. The procession broke up, the crowds
mingled, and a breathless multitude closed round Him.
For a moment He stood there looking down on the
boyish face. Then in a tone of authority that none who
heard it could ever forget, He said :
" Young man, I say to thee, arise ! "
Instantly the eyes opened, the marble cheek flushed,
and he that was dead sat up and began to speak. His
mother fell on her knees, and, with tears of joy stream
ing down her face, stretched out her arms to her boy.
A great awe fell upon the people, and for some momenta
there was silence. " There came a great fear on them
all," says St. Luke, " and they glorified God." This
was always the effect of our Lord s wonderful works on
the simple folk that followed Him fear because God
was so near, thanksgiving and praise because God was
o pitying and so good.
We notice that it is chiefly the poor who form the
audience of our Blessed Lord when He preaches. They
are attracted to Him. He is one of themselves, they
feel at home with Him.
But one day there appears in their midst a listener
whose attire and bearing show nothing of the sim
plicity and bashfulness of the poor. Her dress is of
the richest, her veil thrown back displays the costly
gems that hang from her ears and gleam on her fore
head and in her hair. What can she, with her per
fumes and long braided tresses and embroidered sandals,
be doing here ? Has she come, like a Pharisee, to scoff
at the Master? Her humble neighbours eye her with
12
212 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
curiosity and no little indignation. For this is Mary
Magdalen, whom all the city knows, and who all the
city would say is here strangely out of place.. Yet here
she stands, her gaze riveted on the Speaker yonder.
An hour ago she was passing this way, and, attracted
by the crowd, drew near to see Him who had just raised
to life the widow s son. And now she stands, swaying
with the throng, heeding nothing but Him, impatient
only when some movement in front hides Him from
her sight.
His sermon ended, He goes away, and the crowd
breaks up. Yet, still, she stands there, gazing after
Him. She had darted forward as if to follow Him,
but looking down upon her dress came back with a sigh.
She watches now till He is out of sight, then, drawing
her veil over her face, hastens home.
Some hours later Simon, the Pharisee, is dining with
a party of friends in a room that opens into a court
yard. Handsome lamps, couches with rich cushions
for the head and arms, tables laden with choice wines,
figs, grapes, pomegranates all show a wealthy home.
Near the tables, which form three sides of a square, are
placed the low couches on which the guests recline, their
feet stretching back from the tables.
Among those present is Jesus of Nazareth, whose
Name since the miracle of Nain is in every mouth.
Simon has invited Him, but has not thought it neces
sary to show Him any further courtesy. He is only
a carpenter and will not expect it. So no water was
offered Him for His feet when He came in. There
was no kiss of welcome from His host, and He took
His place, not on the couches reserved for " the worth
iest/ but with the less distinguished guests.
The meal is nearly over when one of the rabbis pres-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 213
ent points with a contemptuous expression of surprise
to the couch on which Jesus reclines. A woman is
kneeling there at His feet. Her dress is coarse, her
long hair streams loosely over her shoulders and face,
and on the floor beside her stands an alabaster box of
precious ointment. Her tears are falling fast upon
His feet, and as they fall she wipes them away with
her hair. Again and again she stoops and kisses His
feet. And then she takes the box and breaks it over
them, and the fragrance of the perfume fills the house.
Simon is indignant. How dares Mary Magdalen
enter his house ! And how is it Jesus of Nazareth does
not drive her away? If He were a prophet He would
surely know that she is a sinner.
[From His lowly place Jesus looks at Simon and
nays:
u - Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee."
And he says : " Master, say it."
"A certain creditor had two debtors, the one owed
five hundred pence and the other fifty. And as they
had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both.
Which, therefore, of the two loveth him most ? "
Simon answers in a surly tone : " I suppose he to
whom he forgave most."
And Jesus says to him : "Thou hast judged rightly."
Then, turning to the woman, He says to Simon:
" Seest thou this woman ? I entered into thy house,
thou gavest Me no water for My feet, but she with tears
hath washed My feet, and with her hair hath wiped
them. Thou gavest Me no kiss, but she since she came
in hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil
thou didst not anoint, but she with ointment hath
anointed My feet. Wherefore I say to thee many sins
are forgiven her because she hath loved much. But to
214 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
whom less is forgiven, he loveth less." And He says
to her:
" Thy sins are forgiven thee."
At once all the company begin to think : " Who is
this that forgiveth sins also ? " Jesus takes no notice
of them, but says to the woman :
" Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace."
Not one word had Magdalen spoken, either of sor
row for her sins or in self-defence. She let her Lord
speak for her, she trusted herself to Him. Not by
words but by her tears, and kiss, and costly gift she
showed Him her contrition. And she knew from His
own words that not one of her loving acts had escaped
Him. He had accepted all. And now she goes away,
her heart full of peace and joy, teaching us all by her
example not to be afraid of our merciful Lord when we
have sinned, but to go to Him like her with our sorrow
and our love, and like her we shall be forgiven.
Magdalen never forgot that much had been forgiven
her. To try to repay her Lord with loving service
this was her one aim now. With other holy women
who had become His disciples, Joanna, wife of Herod s
steward, Mary of Salome, Mary of Cleophas, and many
others, she followed Him about and provided for His
wants. For we must remember that from the time
He left Nazareth He had no home, and with His twelve
Apostles depended on the charity of those who believed
in Him and loved Him. " The foxes have holes and
the birds of the air nests," He said, " but the Son of
Man hath not where to lay His head." These holy
women were devoted to Him, faithful and brave when
even Apostles wavered, but bravest and most faithful
of all was Mary Magdalen.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 2 IT
Where His Blessed Mother lived during the three
years of the Public Life we are not told; some think
she remained at Nazareth, others that she settled with
her relatives at Capharnaum. Twice we find her
mentioned in the Gospel. Jesus was speaking one day
to the multitude when a man in the crowd said to Him:
" Behold Thy Mother and Thy brethren stand with
out seeking to speak to Thee."
Our Lord would not interrupt His teaching, and
again taught the lesson given long years ago in the
Temple, that before any call of affection, however holy,
however tender, must come His Father s business. An
swering him that told Him, He said :
" Who is My Mother and who are My brethren ? "
And stretching forth His hand towards His disciples
He said :
" Behold My Mother and My brethren. For whoso
ever shall do the Will of My Father that is in Heaven,
the same is My brother and sister and Mother. *
Again, when a woman in the crowd, filled with ad
miration for the Son, had broken out into words of
blessing on the Mother, Jesus said :
" Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word
of God and keep it."
He did not mean that as Mother of God Mary is not
blessed among women, but that she is more blessed for
hearing His words and doing His will, for that habit of
pondering in her heart of which St. Luke tells us twice
in the same chapter.
" Hail, full of grace ! " said Gabriel first. And then
<k Blessed art thou among women."
XXVII.
" NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN."
PREACHING was the chief occupation of our Blessed
Lord during His Public Life. He was always teach
ing, now on the seashore, now from a boat on the lake,
on country roads, in houses, in the synagogues. And
everywhere He was surrounded by huge crowds of men
and women, boys and girls, fathers holding their chil
dren high to see and hear, mothers with their little
brown babies in their arms, old folk bent and tottering,
scarce able to keep their footing amidst the thousands
that stood about Him, crowding and crushing " so that
they trod upon one another, 7 says St. Luke.
St. Mark tells us that " they ran flocking to Him
from all the cities. And Jesus going out saw a great
multitude, and He had compassion on them because
they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and He began
to teach them many things." The teaching and the
Teacher were so delightful that the hearers never tired ;
fathers of families who had the daily bread to earn,
mothers with their household cares upon them, little
restless children, stood or sat about Him, silent, spell
bound. There was a majesty and a grace in His look,
and words, and gestures that held them captive.
He taught as a Master, with an authority none could
gainsay, and when He prefaced His words with that
solemn: "Amen, amen, I say unto you," there was
not a wandering eye nor an inattentive ear in the crowd.
All could understand Him. He did not preach dry
sermons like the Scribes and Pharisees, who made the
Law harder by explaining it. He taught by parables,
218
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 219
stories with a hidden meaning that the people were to
find out. By the things they saw around them every
day He explained truths which they could not see.
" Be not solicitous," that is, over anxious, " what you
shall eat or what you shall put on," He said to them
one day. " Consider the ravens, for they sow not,
neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor
barn, and God feedeth them. How much more valuable
a re you than they." And pointing to the lilies be
spangling the fields all round, He went on : " Con
sider the lilies how they grow ; they labour not, neither
do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in
all his glory was clothed like one of these."
The sparrows, innumerable in Palestine, were hop
ping about in His path.
"Are not five sparrows," He said, " sold for two
farthings ? and not one of them is forgotten before God.
Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows."
Then, looking round on the fathers who with their little
ones were standing by, He said :
" What father is there here who when his child asks
for bread will give him a stone, or for a fish will give
him a serpent? If you then being evil know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father from Heaven give good things to them that
ask Him."
When He spoke of a net filled with all kinds of fish
and of the sorting on the seashore, the rough men of
the Lake gave an approving nod, and understood that
while the world lasts, good and bad men will be together,
and that at the end of the world there will be a great
separation, the good will be taken to Heaven and the
bad cast away.
He said that a woman who has lost a little coin lights
220 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
a candle and sweeps the house and seeks diligently till
she finds it. The wives and mothers looked at one an
other and smiled, and understood what He wanted to
show them the value of the soul, stamped with the
image of the King of kings, who has taken such pains to
find it when it was lost.
The farmers and the labourers liked the parables
which told of men being hired to work all day and being
paid when evening comes; and about the seed that was
sown on different kinds of soil, and was wasted in one
place whilst in another it sprang up and yielded good
fruit ; about the fig-tree, too, which its master had taken
every care to cultivate and which never made him any
return, so that at last he ordered it to be cut down and
destroyed. And all, even the little children, understood
the parable of the cruel rich man who when his life
of feasting and pleasure was over was punished in ter
rible torments, whilst Lazarus, the patient beggar at his
gate, who had been refused even the crumbs that fell
from his table, was comforted.
Jewish children, like all others, loved to play at being-
grown up, and to have weddings and funerals. Our
Lord had Himself played at these things with His little
companions at Nazareth. When He spoke about their
games in His preaching, the children in the crowd were
delighted to see He knew all about them and could make
parables of them.
One day He told the people a parable to show them
how foolish it is to think only of this life which is going
so fast, and not to be getting ready for that life which
is to last for ever.
There was a certain rich man who had so much corn
that his barns were full to overflowing. " What shall I
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 221
do ? " he said to himself, " for I have no more room to
store my corn. This will I do. I will pull down my
barns and build greater, and I will gather therein all
that I have. And I will say to my soul : Soul, thou hast
much goods laid up for many years ; take thy rest, eat,
drink, make good cheer." But God said to him:
" Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee,
and whose shall those things be which thou hast pro
vided ? "
The little ones in the crowd were listening attentively,
and could see quite well why this man was called a
fool. For who but a fool would speak to his soul like
that, or think that barns full of corn could satisfy the
soul that is made for God and for Heaven ! What use
were the man s riches to him when he came to die, and
" what would it profit a man," as our Lord asked, " if
he were to gain the whole world and lose his own soul ? "
Those words, " lose his soul," are very terrible.
Sometimes our Blessed Lord spoke to the people about
terrifying things, as a father or mother will frighten a
child of the fire lest it should go too near and fall in.
He told even His dear disciples to fear that fire which is
never put out, which will burn body and soul for ever.
He spoke in terrible words of that " place of torments "
to make us all fear sin, which alone can take us there.
He said that as we part with eye, or hand, or foot to
preserve our life, so must we give up anything, however
useful or pleasant, rather than let it lead us into sin.
And, as He spoke, the crowd could see by His face and
by the tone of His voice that He knew all about that
dreadful place and wanted to save them from going
there.
He told them they must be like servants in charge of
222 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
a house who have to be watching, ready to open to
their lord whenever he knocks, either at midnight, or at
cockcrowing, or in the morning. They knew what He
meant. The house which belongs to the lord is our
soul. And we are in charge. He calls us to Him by
death when we least expect it. We must keep our soul
always in the state of grace and ready for Him. This
is to be found watching. The people delighted in find
ing out our Lord s meaning as He went on, and some
times their admiration broke out in joyous exclama
tions :
" This is the Prophet indeed ! This is the Christ ! "
Because their hearts were simple and upright they
understood the Divine Teacher better by far than the
Scribes and Pharisees who were eaten up by pride and
envy. Some of these were generally found among
His hearers, not to learn of Him they would have
scorned to do that but " to lie in wait for Him," says
St. Luke, " seeking to catch something from His mouth
that they might accuse Him."
One day they sent officers to seize Him. Provided
with cords to bind Him and lead Him away prisoner,
these men joined the listening crowd. But when they
beheld the majesty of His countenance and heard His
wondrous words, they stood as if transfixed, not daring
so much as to think of laying a finger on Him. Until
He ceased to speak they stood there with the crowd,
still, reverent, charmed. Then they returned to give
an account of themselves.
" Why have you not brought Him ? " said their angry
masters.
" Never man spake like this Man," was the answer.
XXVIII.
" TALITHA CUMI ! "
WHEN we try to picture to ourselves our Blessed
Lord in tlie midst of the poor of Palestine, we must
bear in mind xhat a crowd of poor, such as we are ac
customed to, is respectable compared with an Eastern
crowd. Dirty, ragged, and afflicted beyond anything
we can imagine, were those among whom His days were
spent. They " thronged Him, pressing upon Him to
touch Him as many as were diseased. They stayed
Him that He should not depart from them." They
poured into the house where He was, " so that He
eould not so much as eat bread," says St. Mark. Think
what this means.
Everything in our Lord was most delicate and re
fined. He was more sensitive than any of us to what
is unsightly and unpleasant. Yet He never com
plained, or seemed to notice what must have distressed
Him sorely. He bore with these poor people. He let
them press upon Him and touch Him. How often He
was weary of standing and speaking, of going here and
there as He was wanted, of satisfying the endless needs
of such a multitude! For they could never have
enough of Him. Used to seeing themselves objects of
contempt and disgust to the Pharisees, they beheld with
wonder and delight the gentleness and tender compas
sion of their new Eabbi, and in His company forgot
everything else, even consideration for Him.
It was not often that He sought to escape from the
223
224: JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
people. But one evening as they showed no signs of re
turning home for the night, He said in a low voice to
His disciples : " Let us go over to the other side of the
Lake."
They were only too glad to obey, for He was quite
spent, and this was the only way to get Him a little
rest. So a few of them hurried Him down to the
beach, and when the others who had stopped behind to
dismiss the crowd joined them, they all got into the
boat and pushed off. He seated Himself in the stern,
resting His head on a rough pillow there, the steers
man s cushion, and very soon was asleep. The dis
ciples watched Him in silence or talked quietly among
themselves about the parables which, in the intervals of
that long day s preaching, He had explained to them
apart. They did not like to come out with their diffi
culties before the people, but when alone with their
Master they put their questions to Him, and He waa
so careful to explain all, that He used to ask them:
" Have you understood all these things 1 "
He was asleep, and, as the boat glided smoothly over
the still, moon-lit waters, they sat around Him, speak
ing little, content to gaze upon that calm, beautiful face,
so tired and yet so restful. They were half way across
the Lake, some dozing, some talking round the pilot,
when a shriek of the night wind made them all start.
In a few minutes a furious tempest was upon them.
Down between the mountains swept the hurricane, lash
ing the water into wild, crested billows. Helpless on
the heaving sea, the boat rose and fell, now sinking into
the hollow, now mounting a monstrous wave, now plung
ing again into the depths. The water poured in, it was
filling fast and still He slept. For a while the dis
ciples dared not wake Him, but fear overcoming at
BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN.
" Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them
not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Mark 10. 14.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 227
length every other feeling they crowded round Him cry
ing:
" Lord, save us, we perish ! "
He woke, and looked calmly into those terrified faces.
" Why are you fearful," He said, " O ye of little
faith!"
And rising up He rebuked the wind, and said to the
sea:
" Peace, be still!"
And the wind ceased, and there was made a great
calm. And they feared exceedingly. They did not
fall at their Master s feet pouring out their thanks in
eager words. But they crouched before Him, whisper
ing in trembling tones to one another :
" Who is this, that He commands the wind and the
sea and they obey Him ? "
To these men of the Lake the first feeling brought by
this sudden stilling of the storm was one of overpower
ing fear. Who was it they had amongst them, that
treated them as familiar friends, that ate, and drank,
and slept in their midst ? Who was it ? God, the Lord
of the wind and sea. Jesus their Master, their Friend,
was very God and they feared exceedingly.
Smoothly over the placid waters the boat made the
rest of its way. It was early morning when they ran
it into a little bay on the eastern shore of the Lake, the
land of Gadara, or Gergesa. The disciples were step
ping on shore, scarcely recovered from the terrors of the
night, when a new fear seized them.
Bounding down from one of the caves hollowed in
the cliff came a wild creature, more like a beast than a
man. His eyes glared in a frightful manner. He had
long since torn to shreds the clothing that hung about
228 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
him. He lived in the gloomy caverns in the rocks
that were used as graves, and " he was exceeding fierce.
so that no man could pass that way." No man could
tame him; iron chains he snapped like flax. Day and
night he roamed about the mountains, crying and cut
ting himself with stones. He was a demoniac.
Seeing Jesus afar off, he ran to Him, and, falling
down, adored Him. And, crying out with a loud voice,
he said:
" What have I to do with Thee, Jesus Son of the
most High God ? I beseech Thee do not torment me."
And Jesus asked him : " What is thy name ? "
"And he said, " Legion."
" For many devils were entered into him," says St.
Luke. And the spirits besought Him that He would
not command them to go into the abyss. And there
was there near the mountain a great herd of swine
feeding, in number about two thousand. And the
devils said:
" If Thou cast us out, send us into the swine."
And He said to them: " Go! "
And they going out went into the swine, and the
whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea
and were stifled in the waters. And the men in charge
of them fled into the city and told the news how the
fierce demoniac, the terror of the country, had been
healed, and how the swine had perished. Strange to
say, it was the last event that seemed to make the most
impression on the townsfolk, for instead of rejoicing
at the cure of the poor man,. " they were taken with
great fear. And the whole city went out to see what
was done. And they came to Jesus, and saw him that
had been troubled with the devils sitting at His feet,
clothed and well in his wits."
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 229
And poor, foolish people all the multitude being
seized with terror, besought Jesus to depart from them.
And He went up again into the ship. The man who
had been troubled with the devils begged earnestly that
he might be with Him. It seemed to him that only in
our Lord s presence could he be safe and happy. But
Jesus told him that he had a work for him to do among
his countrymen:
" Return to thy house," He said, " and tell how great
things God hath done to thee."
And he went through the whole city publishing the
great things Jesus had done for him.
On reaching the western side of the Lake, they saw
the shore thronged with people. Here at least our Lord
was welcome. " The multitude received Him gladly,
for they were all waiting for Him." He came among
them and was surrounded at once by petitioners of
every kind.
Presently the crowd made way with pitying words for
a man whose face was sad and troubled. He was
Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. He had a little
daughter, his only one, about twelve years old, and she
was dying, and he had come to see if our Lord would go
home with him and cure her.
The poor father fell down at the feet of Jesus, and
his voice was broken by sobs :
" My daughter is at the point of death, but come, lay
Thy hand upon her that she may be safe and may live."
Our Lord went with him, accompanied by the multi
tude, curious to see what would happen. They went
fast, for the father knew every moment was precious.
But as they neared the house one of the servants came
up to Jairus and his face told his tale:
230 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
" Thy daughter is dead/ 7 he whispered, " trouble
not the Master farther."
But Jesus hearing said kindly : " Fear not, believe
only and she shall be safe."
It was a dismal scene around the house. The rela
tives, musicians and hired mourners had already ar
rived in preparation for the burial that would take place
before night. From the room where the child lay came
sounds of wailing mingled with the doleful music of the
flute. Our Lord went in, and, finding the minstrels
and the mourners making a rout, He said :
" Give place, for the girl is not dead but sleepeth."
And they laughed Him to scorn, "knowing that
she was dead," says St. Luke. He put all out of the
room except Peter, James and John and the father and
mother of the child. There, on a low pallet, she lay,
white and still, her little hands joined upon her breast,
fragrant spices strewed about her. Jesus took one of
the small, chill hands in His, and in tones low and
tender as her mother s, when she waked her from
sleep, said:
" Talitha cumi! " Little maid, arise.
And her eyes opened, and, when she saw Him she
smiled. And she rose up and began to walk about be
fore them all; father and mother, beside themselves
with joy, watching her in silence. Then our Lord
told them to give her something to eat, And, leaving
the happy three together, He went out with His disci
ples.
Think how miracles, following fast upon one another
like this, must have strengthened the faith of the
Twelve. Within a few hours they had seen the wind
and the sea, the devils, and death itself obey Him whom
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 231
they called "Master." And along with their faith
grew their admiration and veneration, their love and
their trust. For He whose word nothing could resist
lived among them as one of themselves. When they
journeyed together, exposed to cold, rain, and sun, when
they stopped by the wayside to take their scanty meal.
He fared no better than the rest, Humble and kind,
ready to answer all their difficulties and to defend them
against their enemies, patient with their slowness and
their mistakes, watchful to see that nothing should hurt
them, and to provide for all their wants such was the
Master to whom they had given themselves.
He did not spoil them. He corrected their faults
and let them share the hardships of His Life, for they
were to carry on His work amidst all kinds of suffer
ings when He was gone, and they had to be trained for
this. But He would not let things be too hard for
them. St. Peter, it is said, used to tell how, when they
spent the night with Him on the mountain side, sleep
ing aroiind Him whilst He prayed, He would rise from
His prayer and go amongst them, and if the night was
chill and He found any of them slightly covered, He
would wrap them up better against the cold.
Is it wonderful that these poor, rough men loved Him
as they did ?
When He told them one day that He was going to
send them out to preach, they were not frightened, for
they knew that with His help they could do all things.
They were to spread the good tidings that the Kingdom
of Heaven was at hand. They were to go without
money or provision for their journey, but with the
wonderful powers He would give them :
" Heal the sick," He said, " raise the dead, cleanse
13
232 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
the lepers, cast out devils: freely have you received,
freely give."
And they went tAvo and two through the towns,
preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
It was at this time that St. John the Baptist s won
derful life came to a close. For twelve months he had
been imprisoned in the gloomy fortress of Machaerus
for declaring the king s marriage with Herodias, his
brother s wife, to be unlawful. It was a terrible place
that underground dungeon for one who had lived all
his life in the free air of heaven. And there was other
pain as well.
His life had been spent in making ready the road for
our Blessed Lord. And now he was left alone in his
prison, seemingly abandoned. Our Lord did not go to
see him and did nothing for him. But he never com
plained, his patience was not exhausted, his faith re
mained unshaken. He did not want to be released,
but only to do God s Will, and to carry on as long as he
could the work for which he was sent. Even in prison
he went on preparing his Master s way. For, finding
that some of his disciples who were allowed to visit
him did not yet believe in Jesus, he sent them to Him
with this question:
"Art Thou He that art to come or look we for
another ? "
He knew quite well that Jesus w.as the Messiah, but
he wanted his disciples to know and follow Him. He
must have been aware that his own death could not be
far off. Herodias would never rest till she had got
rid of him, and he wanted his faithful followers to be
safe among our Lord s disciples before the end came.
Jesus, who knew St. John s motives in asking this ques-
JESUS OF NAZARETHc 233
tion, answered, not by words but by deeds. As the
messengers stood around Him, He cured many sick, and
to many that were blind He gave sight :
" Go," He said, " and relate to John what you have
heard and seen."
And they went away believing in Him.
Meanwhile the wicked Herodias, who could not feel
safe so long as John lived, was casting about for some
means of bringing about his death. Herod s birthday
brought her chance. The king kept the day with the
utmost magnificence, and in the evening made a great
supper for the chief men of his kingdom. The castle
palace of Machaerus was brilliantly lighted up, and the
sound of music mingled with the shouts of the revellers
penetrated even into the dungeon where the holy Bap
tist lay.
When the merriment in the banqueting hall was at
its height, Salome, the daughter of Herodias, came in
to amuse the guests. She danced before them and was
loudly applauded by all who sat at table. Then Herod,
half intoxicated, and scarcely knowing what he was say->
ing, swore to her:
" Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though
it be the half of my kingdom."
The girl, delighted, slipped oat of the hall and said
to her mother :
" What shall I ask ? "
" The head of John the Baptist/ was the answer.
Salome returned with haste to the king:
" I will," she said, " that thou forthwith give me in
a dish the head of John the Baptist."
What a demand from the lips of one little more than
a child! All who heard it shuddered. But what
234 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
would the king do? Every eye was turned upon him.
Every eye saw upon his face the signs of the struggle
going on within. He was struck sad, for he reverenced
John and had often heard him gladly. Yet because of
his oath an oath wicked to make, more wicked still to
keep and to appear honourable in the sight of those
who sat at table with him, he granted the horrid petition.
One of his bodyguard was standing behind him with a
naked sword in his hand. He was despatched to the
prison with orders to bring the head into the hall.
There was silence now in that scene of revelry, and
suspense, horrible but short. Presently the door re
opened, and the gory head was brought in upon a dish.
Then, in the sight of all, the king gave it to the un
flinching girl, w T ho bore it off in triumph to her mother.
When the disciples of John heard what had befallen
their beloved master, they took the body and buried it,
" and came and told Jesus," says St. Matthew.
The royal murdeier never had another peaceful hour.
That ghastly sight in the banqueting hall was constantly
before his mind. When he heard of the wonderful
works of Jesus, he cried out : " John the Baptist is
risen from the dead," and he wanted to see our Lord.
He did see Him one day, and on that day the measure
of his wickedness was filled up.
XXIX.
A HOLIDAY.
ON their return from their little mission, the Twelve
told our Lord all things that they had done and taught.
" Come aside into a desert place and rest a little," He
said, for they were tired.
It was a welcome invitation. The Lake, which they
must cross to reach, the desert place, was about the only
spot where they could have Him all to themselves, and
they had much to tell Him. So they were soon on their
way. Look at them all in the boat with Him, bending
forward on their oars to catch all He says ; speaking to
Him, first one, then another ; telling Him of their suc
cess or failure. See how kindly He looks at them as
they speak, how interested He is in all they say.
But look ! One of them points to the shore. A great
crowd is moving slowly round the head of the Lake.
The people see the boat is steering for Bethsaida Julius
on the eastern side, and are following it on foot along
the beach. They will be there first, many of them, for
it is only a couple of hours walk from Capharnaum.
The Apostles grumble. The multitude never leaves Him
alone, and they had come out for rest. But their Master
tells them His disciples must not be selfish. These poor
people need Him badly; the sick are being carried all
that way, and there are many sad hearts in the crowd.
They are ashamed of themselves now as they look at
Him, more tired a great deal than they are, yet so kind,
so thoughtful for others, so self -forgetting. There is no
more murmuring. The boat is run into a little creek,
237
238 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
and they get out and follow Him up a mountain side.
He sits down, and they seat themselves in a circle on
the ground at His feet and listen to Him.
They will not have Him long to themselves, the
people are coming up in thousands men, women and
children " flocking after Him from all the cities." He
watches them from this height and has compassion on
them, for they are like sheep without a shepherd. Now
He goes doAvn to them and is surrounded at once.
All day He is among them, teaching, healing, com
forting. See Him going in and out of the crowd, asking
for the sick, laying His hands on them, seeking out
those in sorrow and getting them to tell Him their
troubles. He has such a tender way of listening. His
kind eyes look so interested as the poor and the sick tell
their sad tales. And they know by His questions that
He really cares to hear and wants to help.
What a happy multitude it is around Him all day!
The newly cured exulting in the use of eyes and ears
and healthy limbs; their friends taking them about,
showing them off before the astonished neighbours who
had helped to bring them in the morning; the children
following our Lord about like a bodyguard, crowding
round to watch Him as He heals, so eager, so intent,
especially when the blind and the maimed are brought
to Him. They love to see the dull, vacant eyes fill
with brightness and fix themselves with adoring love
and thankfulness on Him who gives them light and
sight, and the crippled and the palsied come from under
those mighty hands straight and strong. They are His
heralds, as well as His guards, these joyous children,
for at every fresh cure their shouts and their cheering
go out over the crowd and tell where He is. Yes, it
has been a happy time; how many hearts have beao
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 239
lightened to-day for having poured their heaviness into
His!
But evening is drawing on- and the Apostles think
it is time to see about food and rest. The crowds have
lost count of time, of distance from home, of every
thing but Jesus. But they cannot stay here for ever.
They have had nothing to eat and will have a good
two hours walk before they can find shelter for the
night. So the Twelve come to Jesus and say:
" This is a desert place and the hour is now past.
Send them away, that going into the next villages and
tow T ns they may buy themselves meat to eat."
Jesus says to them : " They have no need to go, give
you them to eat."
It was like Him to say that, but how can they provide
for such a multitude ?
" Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence,"
they say, " and we will give them to eat."
" How many loaves have you ? He asks. " Go and
see."
Andrew says to Him : " There is a boy here who has
five barley loaves and two fishes, but what are these
among so many ? "
Jesus answers : " Bring them hither to Me."
See the boy being led by St. Andrew to our Lord ;
the pride and pleasure of the little fellow as he gives
Him his loaves and his fishes; our Lord thanking him
for them.
A great miracle is going to be wrought, the type of
another still greater. It is a solemn moment, and our
Lord will have all in order.
" Make the men sit down," He says to the Twelve.
They sit down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties,
looking in their bright, many-coloured garments on the
240 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
green grass like flowerbeds on the turf. And the eyes
of all are on the hillock where Jesus stands, the twelve
Apostles round Him.
He takes the loaves, and, looking up to Heaven, with
indescribable majesty, blesses and breaks them, and
gives them to the Apostles to be set before the people.
And the two fishes He divides among them all. Up
and down among the ranks go the Twelve, giving into
the eager hands on every side, hearing such cries of
wonderment, getting such grateful thanks. Our Lord
watches all from His little height, directing the distri
bution with His hand an old couple here have been
missed ; those children over there are ready for more.
When all have had enough, He says to the Apostles:
" Gather up the fragments that remain lest they be
lost."
And they fill twelve baskets with what is left after
that multitude is satisfied five thousand hungry men,
besides women and children. Our Lord and the dis
ciples take some of the fragments for their own meal.
Whilst they are eating, a great cry is heard and taken
up by the whole multitude:
" This is the Christ ! This is of a truth the Prophet
that is to come into the world! Hosanna to the King
of Israel ! "
The Apostles are delighted. The long-expected
Kingdom is coming at last! And they join in the
joyful shout. But their rejoicing is short. Their Mas
ter tells them to go home now across the Lake whilst He
stays behind to dismiss the crowd. What a woeful dis
appointment! Their faces show their dismay. It is
such a pity to go just now when the people are in such
good dispositions. May not some of them stay Peter
and James and John to help Him with the crowd?
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 241
No, they must all go. Very reluctantly they obey, all
the more so as there is a storm-cloud gathering and the
wind is rising. They have not forgotten that storm
when they came from Gadara. However, there is no
help for it, so they get into the boat and push off.
Waving their arms and shouting, the people come
round our Lord. He must be their King, and they will
fight for Him and die for Him if need be. But He tells
them He does not want to be an earthly King, and they
must be quiet and go back to their homes and think of
all He has taught them. There is no resisting the
gentle gravity and authority with which He speaks ; the
cries die down, and before long they are all on their
way home, a joyful, peaceful army, but the King and
Leader left behind.
Where ?
When the crowds have all gone, He goes with weary
feet up the mountain side again to pray. Before
choosing His Apostles He spent the night in prayer.
And now, on this night, before the great Promise He
is to make on the morrow, He prays. This is His cus
tom always. He teaches, heals, comforts, makes Him
self all to all. And then He seeks a quiet time and
place for prayer, to teach us that however busy our lives
may be, however full of work for others, we must keep
time for being alone with God in prayer. We notice
when and where He prays, and find another lesson for
ourselves. We cannot indeed pray at night under the
quiet stars on a still mountain side ; but as far as possi
ble w r e should choose an hour and a spot where we shall
not be distracted, and where we shall not distract our
selves.
As He prayed the wind rose higher and higher, and
at length the storm broke in all its fury upon the Lake.
242 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Woe to the fishing craft out that night ! Peter s boat in
the midst of the sea was tossed about and could not
make head against the violence of the wind and waves.
In vain did its crew furl the sail and bale out the water
and row their best. It was plain to them that they
would never see land. Oh, why had the Master sent
them away from Him ! It was foolish to be frightened
the other day with Him in the boat, but now they were
alone and He had forgotten them. St. John, who was
there, wrote long after of that dreadful night : " It
was now dark and Jesus was not come unto them."
They were clinging to the sides of the boat as the sea
rose and fell, when, suddenly a Form was seen in the
distance, a human Form, and It was coming towards
them. Seamen are very superstitious, easily frightened
by what they take to be spectres, or evil omens. But
here was no imagination. It was plainly a Man and
He was walking on the sea.
" It is an apparition ! " they said, and they cried out
for fear. For they all saw Him and were troubled.
And immediately IJ^ spoke with them across the waves,
saying:
" Be of good heart; it is I, fear ye not."
Oh, what a change, what joy and peace and comfort
came to them with those words : " It is I ! " A few
moments and He would be with them. But Peter could
not wait. His Master was there ; he must go to Him at
once.
" Lord," he cried, " if it be Thou, bid me come to
Thee upon the waters."
And Jesus said : " Come ! "
In an instant Peter s foot was over the side of the
boat and down on the waves that grew firm beneath his
tread. Up and down he walked on the heaving sea
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 243
his eyes fixed on Jesus, the Eleven leaning over the
side of the boat watching him in breathless silence.
He is only a few steps from our Lord when a tremen
dous wave almost overthrows him. He looks round,
loses sight of Jesus, gets afraid and begins to sink.
" Lord, save me ! " he cries, and flings out his arms
towards his Master.
And Jesus immediately stretching out His hand takes
hold of him and says :
" O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt ? "
And Peter, clinging to Jesus, comes safe to the boat,
and as soon as they are inside the wind ceases. The
disciples come up and fall at our Lord s feet and adore
Him, saying:
" Indeed, Thou art the Son of God ! "
And He works yet another miracle, " for presently
the ship was at the land to which they were going."
XXX.
" WILL YOU ALSO GO AWAY ? "
THAT land was Capharnaum.
We can scarcely picture to ourselves the excitement
and enthusiasm which greeted our Lord when His boat
drew up on the strand. Whilst the Apostles had been
battling with the storm on the Lake, the people had gone
round along the beach and got home before nightfall.
The wonderful news they had brought of their day in
the desert the teaching and the healing and the even
ing feast was now the talk of the city. Everyone
wanted to see the mighty Wonderworker, and the crowd
on the shore was so great that our Lord and His dis
ciples with difficulty made a passage through. He did
not stop to speak there, but led the way to the syna-
gogue of the good centurion. His words on this day
were to be more solemn than any He had yet spoken,
and the synagogue was the fittest place wherein to speak.
The ruler Jairus would be there, so pleased to receive
Him and show Him honour, and no doubt the little
daughter, too, and her mother.
The lintel above the door of the synagogue which
has been found lying among the ruins had carved on it
a pot of manna with vine leaves and clusters of grapes.
As He passed beneath, our Lord will have looked up
and thought how fitly it was there that day. For He
was going to speak for the first time of that Gift of gifts
to us, His own Real Presence in the Blessed Sacra
ment under the appearances of bread and wine.
The Church calls this Sacrament an abridgment 6f
all God s wonderful works. Everything about it is
244
SEEKING OUR HEARTS.
Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock." Rev. 3. 20.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 247
BO marvellous that men had to be prepared for it by
other marvels and by types. There was the manna in
the wilderness, the food of their fathers on their way
to the Promised Land. There was Melchisedech s sac
rifice of bread and wine. There was the food of
Elias given to strengthen him in his flight from his
enemies. There was the changing of water into wine
at the marriage feast of Cana. And there was that
miraculous multiplication of bread in the desert the
day before, of which all minds were full.
The congregation crowded into the synagogue till it
was a closely packed mass of heads. The Twelve took
up their position near their Master. Our Lord
mounted the platform, or l>ima, and sat down. All
eyes were fixed upon Him. Looking around with Hia
heart-searching gaze, He said :
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek Me because you
did eat of the loaves. Labour not for the meat whicJ*
perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life ever
lasting, which the Son of Man will give you."
Some from the crowd called out:
" What sign dost Thou show that we may see and
may believe ? What dost Thou work ? "
And this after the miracle of yesterday !
" Our fathers did eat manna in the desert," they
went on, " as it is written : He gave them bread from
Heaven to eat.
Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you:
Moses gave you not bread from Heaven, but My Father
giveth you the true Bread from Heaven. For the bread
of God is that which cometh down from Heaven and
giveth life to the world."
They said to Him : " Lord, give us always this
bread."
248 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Jesus said to them : " I am the Bread of life ; he
that cometh to Me shall not hunger, and he that be
lie veth in Me shall never thirst."
Wayward and fretful, they murmured at Him now
because He said : " I am the Living Bread which
came down from Heaven." And they said to one
another :
" Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father
and mother we know ? How then saith He : ( I came
down from Heaven ?
Jesus answered and said to them : " Murmur not
among yourselves. . . I am the Bread of Life. If
any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever, and
the Bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the
world."
The discontent and murmuring increased. It was a
repetition of the scene in the synagogue at Nazareth,
the same enthusiastic reception of our Lord, the same
eager listening at the beginning of His discourse, the
same indignation and rejection before the end.
" How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? " they
asked.
Tens of thousands have asked this question since that
day : " How can Christ be present whole and entire
in the Host ? " The answer is that we do not know
how. Our Lord did not tell the Jews to understand
the mystery, but to believe it, to believe Him who for
years had been working among them the signs for
which they asked, signs such as no other man had ever
wrought. They ought to have believed His word and
waited humbly to see how He would accomplish it. But
instead of this many even of His disciples among the
crowd said:
" This saying is hard, who can hear it ? "
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 249
And they went back and walked no more with Him.
Let us stop a moment to ask what this wonderful
Promise really meant, and why so precious a Gift was
left us.
When our Divine Lord took a body and soul like ours
and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us,
He did not mean this dwelling in our midst to be
merely for the time of His mortal life, and for the
few who were able to approach Him then. It was to
be for all time and for all mankind. His blessed body,
whose touch gave life and healing to the sick of Gali
lee and Judea, was to be our life and healing, too. Kay,
we were to be allowed a closer union with Him than
were those whose sores He touched and healed. He
promised a Divine Bread that should give life to the
world. This Bread was to be His Flesh and the food
of all who should believe in Him :
" My Flesh is meat indeed and My Blood is drink
indeed," are His solemn, earnest words.
When our Lord spoke in parables, He explained
their meaning clearly, at least to the Apostles. Bui
there was no parable here. He meant just what He
said, and when some of His hearers, refusing to be
lieve, went away, He let them go. He would have let
the Twelve go had they refused to take His words as
He meant them, in their simple, literal meaning. The
way in which He was going to make this Gift to men
and the manner in which His Body and Blood were
to be received, He did not at this time explain.
He watched the disciples going away, and, turning
to the Twelve, said sadly:
" Will you also go away ? "
250 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Simon Peter, his face aglow with love and loyalty,
replied for all:
" Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words
of eternal life. And we have believed and have known
that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God."
Our Lord accepted from their spokesman, Peter, this
solemn confession of faith from eleven among the
Apostles. But not from the twelfth. For He saw
among His Twelve one who for some time past had
followed Him in body only, whose heart was far away.
Judas was now full of anger and vexation because his
Master had refused the earthly kingdom which the peo
ple had pressed upon Him. He did not care to be His
disciple any longer, and He was annoyed at His teach
ing and at the marks of reverence shown Him.
The heart of Christ our Lord, then, was full of sad
ness this day at Capharnaum. Though nothing dis
turbed His peace or tried His patience, unkindness,
distrust and ingratitude wounded Him sensibly. He
felt keenly the rejection of His best Gift, the desertion
of His disciples, the gradual hardening of heart and
falling away of one of the Twelve. For of all hearts
His was the most faithful, the most tender and affec
tionate.
XXXI.
" LORD, HELP ME ! "
WE are drawing near to the end.
Not Judas alone but all those who looked for a Mes
siah who should be the temporal Ruler and Liberator of
His people, were grievously disappointed when our
Lord declared that He had not come to be a king of the
world. It was an earthly kingdom that they wanted,
not the Kingdom of Heaven of which He spoke.
According to the rabbis, the Messiah was to march
at the head of His people against all heathen nations,
to make them subject to the Jews, and to rule from
Jerusalem over the whole earth. There was to be a
reign of a thousand years, a reign of prosperity, glory
and pleasure for the people of God. The fruit trees
and the harvest fields were to yield their produce con
tinually, and every product of every clime was to be
found in Palestine in an abundance such as the wildest
imagination only could conceive. Jewish children were
brought up from their earliest years with these expecta
tions, and even our Lord s disciples were full of such
earthly hopes. So that when, about this time, their
Master began to break gently to them that He was going
to redeem the world, not by fighting against the
Romans, but by shedding His Blood, they could not un
derstand what He meant.
His enemies the priests, the Pharisees, the Saddu-
cees and the Herodians were glad to see the people dis
appointed, and their enthusiasm for Jesus of Nazareth
cooling. They told them that a poor, unlearned man,
the son of a carpenter, could never be the glorious Me*
14 251
252 JESUS OF NAZABETH.
siah of whom Moses and the Prophets had spoken.
They reproved the poor sick people who came to Him
on the Sabbath to be cured. They followed Him about,
watching Him, laughing at Him, putting difficult ques
tions to Him in the hope of puzzling Him.
For a long time our Lord bore meekly with the Phari
sees, who were among the most violent of His enemies.
He answered their questions, though He knew they
were only asked to entrap Him, and gently pointed out
to them the sins which made them displeasing to God.
But when He saw that they continued to shut their eyes
to the light, and that they were leading the people away
from Him, He fearlessly and publicly rebuked them
for their hypocrisy and pride, and warned them of
the terrible punishment they were preparing for them
selves. One day He told the people this parable:
" Two men went up into the Temple to pray, the one
a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee,
standing, prayed thus with himself : O God, I give
Thee thanks that I am not like the rest of men, extor
tioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I
fast twice in a week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 7
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 to his house justified ;
that is, pleasing to God/ rather than the other, be
cause everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled,
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
How the pride of the Pharisees must have been stung
by this parable! To think of anyone daring to com
pare a Pharisee with a publican, and preferring the
publican ! From this time their rage against our Lord
JESUS OF NAZARF.TH. 253
knew no bounds, and they leagued with their enemies,
the Sadducees and the Herodians, to bring about His
destruction.
He knew all their plots, but went calmly on His way,
teaching and healing, casting out devils, and training
His Apostles, knowing that His enemies could do noth
ing against Him until His hour should come. On a
certain day, when He had been telling the people that in
the Kingdom of God the last should be first and the first
last a prospect very unwelcome to the Pharisees
some of these came and said to Him :
" Get Thee hence, for Herod hath a mind to kill
Thee."
He answered : " Go and tell that fox : Behold, I
cast out devils and do cures to-day and to-morrow, and
the third day I am consummated." " No man," He
said another day, " taketh My life away from Me, but
I lay it down of Myself, and I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it up again."
One day our Lord crossed the northern border of
Palestine and came into the heathen land of Phoenicia.
" He would that no man should know it," says St. Mark,
" but He could not be hid." His fame had gone beyond
the limits of His own little country, and a poor pagan
^voman came to Him in her distress. Her daughter
was possessed by an evil spirit, and the mother, who had
heard of the cures in Palestine, hoped that Jesus of
Nazareth would have pity on her child. So she came
after Him crying out :
" Have mercy on me, Lord, Thou Son of David,
my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil."
But He answered her not a word. " What an un-
heard of thing is this ! " says St. John Chrysostom,
254 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
u He helped those who were undeserving ; He would
not send away those who came to tempt and hurt Him,
but for one who ran after Him and humbly implored
His aid He had not a word."
The disciples, annoyed at the disturbance she was
making, came to Him, saying:
" Send her away, for she crieth after us."
But she would not be sent away, and, paying no heed
to them, she besought Him that He would cast forth the
devil out of her daughter.
And He, answering, said : "I was not sent but to
the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel."
What a disappointment ! And she had been told He
was so kind to those in trouble. Anyone but a mother
would have lost heart and gone away disconsolate; but
she did not give in, she was not discouraged. She came
and fell down at His feet and adored Him, saying:
"Lord, help me!"
And He said : " It is not good to take the bread of
the children and to cast it to the dogs."
To this poor woman these words sounded harsher
than they do to us, for the dogs of the East are not
the companions and pets we make them, but starving,
wretched creatures for which nobody cares. It is not
fit, our Lord meant, that the favours granted to the
children of God, that is, to the Jews, should be given
to pagans like her.
Will she go away now, hurt or brokenhearted?
No, she is too humble to be hurt, too resolute to be
brokenhearted. She will turn His words against Him
and make them plead her cause,
" Yes, Lord," she says eagerly, " for the whelps also
eat under the table of the crumbs of the children. What
Thou sayest is true. It is not fit to take the children s
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 255
bread for the dogs, but it is fit to give just the crumbs
to the little dogs waiting under the table for them.
This will not hurt the children. I am only a dog, but
a little one to whom some broken bits might perhaps
out of kindness be given."
How could our Lord hold out any longer! He had
determined to set this poor heathen before His followers
to the end of time as a model of the humble, persever
ing prayer that wins reward at last. Therefore He was
obliged to try her by seeming hard. It was all seem
ing. From the first He was full of compassion for her
and her unhappy child. He longed to help her, and had
to hold back the tender, pitying words His heart was
prompting Him to say. They came at last as an out
burst of admiration that He could no longer restrain :
" O woman, great is thy faith, be it done unto thee
as thou wilt ! "
He who rebuked His disciples for their little faith
was delighted with what He found in this Canaanite.
He liked, too, the way in which she turned Plis words
about the dogs against Him. St. Mark says it was this
sharpness of hers that in the end gained her cause.
And Jesus said :
" For this saying, go thy way, the devil is gone out
of thy daughter."
And, when she was come into her house, she found
the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone
out. Was it worth while to have waited patiently and
humbly, and to have persisted in spite of weariness and
delay?
XXXii.
AT C^SAKEA PHILIPPI.
IN the north of Palestine at the foot of snowy Her-
mon stood the magnificent city of Casarea Philippi.
Philip, the tetrarch, had enlarged and beautified it
and called it Casarea, in honour of Tiberias Ca3sar.
Philippi, from Philip, was added to distinguish it
from another Csesarea on the coast. The city is inter
esting to us, not for its heathen memories, but for the
presence of Christ our Lord in its neighbourhood, and
for the events that took place there one memorable day.
It was now about ten months before the Passion, and
the Apostles had been in the company of our Blessed
Lord for nearly three years. During those years their
knowledge of Him had been gradually growing. At
the time of their call it was very imperfect indeed, and
even later, when, from His teaching and wonderful
works, they had come to acknowledge Him as the Mes
siah, their belief as to who He was remained very
vague. Like the rest of their nation they knew that
the Messiah was to be a great Deliverer ; they did not
clearly understand that He would be God. And by
minding only the glorious things foretold of Him by
the Prophets, they had lost sight of the prophecy that
He would.be a Man of Sorrows.
It was time for our Lord to test the faith of the
Twelve, to prepare them for His coming Passion and
Death, and to lay the foundations of that Church by
which men were to be brought to the knowledge of Him
and of what they must do to save their souls.
All this was to be done at Csesarea Philippi. What
256
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 257
wonder that on the morning of the eventful day of
which we are speaking He was found alone in prayer !
When He rose from His prayer He said to the
Twelve :
" Who do men say that I am ? "
And they said : " Some, John the Baptist, and other
some, Elias, and others Jeremias or one of the
Prophets."
Jesus said to them : " But who do you say that I
am?"
Peter, foremost as usual, answered : " Thou art
Christ, the Son of the Living God."
Here was a glorious profession of faith, proclaiming
Christ to be true God, equal to the Father in all things.
Jesus said to him : " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-
Jona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to
thee, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I say to
thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build
My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the
Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind
upon earth it shall be bound also in Heaven, and what
soever thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also
in Heaven."
Thus, in reward for his grand confession, was Peter
made the Vicar of Christ on earth. The other Apos
tles understood now why, on seeing him for the first
time, their Master had called him a rock. As a rock
keeps the house firm that is built upon it, so was Peter
to keep steady and united the Church founded by
Christ on him.
And the gates of hell the power of the devil shall
not prevail against it. Because by the gift of inf alii-
258 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
bility, Peter and his successors, when they speak to the
whole Church on matters of faith or morals, will be pre
served from teaching what is false.
But Peter is to be not the foundation only, but the
Governor and Head of the Church. Therefore, as the
governor of a city has the keys put into his hands, so
has Peter received full power over the Church to give
orders and make laws as he shall see fit. And Christ,
the invisible Head of the Church, promises to con
firm in Heaven the acts of His Vicar on earth.
Moreover, as the Church is not to pass away with
Peter, but to last as long as the world, what is promised
to Peter is promised to his successors to the end of time.
Now that through their spokesman the Apostles had
confessed their faith in our Lord s Divinity, He be
gan to show them that sin requires expiation, and that
this can be made only by suffering. Gently and gradu
ally He broke it to them that He would have to redeem
the world by bitter pains and a cruel death, but that He
would rise again the third day. "And He began to
teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many
things, and be rejected by the ancients and by the high
priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three
days rise again."
They were horrified. It was so different from what
they had expected. Why, it was only the other day
that He was nearly being made King ! To be the Mes
siah and to suffer! To be the Son of the Living God
and to be killed ! It was more than Peter, with his
faith in our Lord s Divinity, his reverence, his intense
affection for Him, could bear. And oh, what bold
ness! he took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
JESUS OF NAZAEETH. 259
"Lord, be it far from Thee, this shall not be unto
Thee."
" Go behind Me, Satan ! because thou savourest not
the things that are of God but tb.e things that are of
men."
What tremendous words ! and from the lips that had
just said : " Blessed art thou." Poor Peter fell back,
dismayed, among his fellow- Apostles. It was a severe
reproof, and showed the Twelve that no one must ven
ture to dissuade the Master from going through the
terrible sufferings that lay before Him. His Heart
was full of His coming Passion. From this time He
spoke of it often, and each time with greater fulness :
" The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands
of men, and they shall mock Him, and kill Him, and
the third day He shall rise again." Always at the end
those comforting words. He never separated the Pas
sion from the Kesurrection, that the thought of our
resurrection and of the joys of Heaven may support us
in the troubles of this short life.
But the poor disciples could not take in either the
trouble or the comfort that He foretold : and " they were
afraid to ask Him," says St. Luke, so they used " to
question among themselves what these things might
mean."
And there was more yet. Not only did our Lord
foretell His own sufferings, but He now made it clear
that the disciples must be like their Master and that
through labours and trials of every kind they must fol
low Him into the Kingdom of Heaven they and all
who professed themselves His disciples. He was so
resolved that there should be no mistake on this point
that He called the multitudes together with His dis
ciples and said to all:
260 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
" If any man will come after Me, let him deny him
self and take up his cross and follow Me."
These words sorely distressed the Twelve. To think
of all their expectations coming to this a suffering
Messiah, and no end of troubles for all who followed
Him! Their Master had pity on them, and to
strengthen their faith and courage He gave them a
proof of His Divinity and a foretaste of the reward
prepared for them in Heaven when their trials here
were over. It happened in this way:
One evening, a week after Peter s confession at
Csesarea Philippi, He took Peter and James and John
and went up into a mountain to pray. He loved the
mountains. They lifted Him for a little while above
this sad earth. He loved the majesty of their solitude,
their stillness, their strength. He loved the tranquil
glory of the midnight skies into which they rose. He
was the Creator of the starry heavens above Him. He
knew and controlled all that they contain. If one of
His Saints exclaimed : " How dull does earth appear
when I look up to Heaven," how did His glorious Soul
pour Itself forth in admiration and praise as He knelt
there amid the wonders of His own creation through
those eastern nights !
And so this evening He went up the mountain, prob
ably Thabor or Hermon, with His chosen three. It
was getting dark when they reached the top and knelt
down to pray. His companions watched with Him
awhile, then, wearied with the labours of the day -and
the steep ascent, and drowsy in the strong mountain air.
they fell asleep.
A dazzling light falling on their faces roused them.
They woke and looked around. The Mount, the sur-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 261
rounding heavens, the earth beneath wore lit up by a
supernatural splendour. And there in the midst the
Source from which all that glory streamed was their
Master, so transfigured that His face shone as the sun,
and His glittering garments were white as no fuller on
earth can make white. The glory of the Divinity
within poured Itself out upon His Face and Form with
a brilliancy so intense as to transfigure even His rai
ment. He had laid aside the form of a servant and
taken to Himself the majesty and splendour that be
came the Son of God. The Sacred Humanity was like
a lantern enclosing a light too brilliant to be seen with
out a shade. In the Transfiguration the shade was
withdrawn, and, for an instant, the Light of Light in
its transplendent beauty was seen by men.
And, behold ! two men, Moses and Elias, appeared in
majesty, and they were talking with Jesus of His de
cease which He should accomplish in Jerusalem. Here
was a new wonder, Moses, the Lawgiver of the Jews,
and Elias, the most marvellous Prophet of the Old
Law, coming to pay homage to the Founder of the New
Law, and speaking to Him, even in this scene of glory,
of His coming sufferings and death. One of the ac
cusations of our Lord s enemies was that He did not
respect the Law of Moses. What would His accusers
have said had they seen Moses on this night humbly
waiting on Jesus of Nazareth as a servant on his lord !
The glorious scene before them so captivated the
Apostles that they could only enjoy it in silent awe and
intense delight. They listened to Moses and Elias
speaking in admiration and gratitude to our Lord of
His coming Passion. They heard His tender words in
reply. How long this lasted we do not know, but when
262 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
the Saints seemed to be going Peter, in his vehement
desire to keep them, cried out :
" Lord, it is good for us to be here, if Thou wilt let
us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, one for
Moses, and one for Elias ! " " not knowing what he
said," adds St. Luke. Truly, not knowing what he
said. It was a simple thought at which he must have
wondered afterwards, that those three, resplendent with
heavenly glory, could need a dwelling made with hands !
And as he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them, and lo ! a Voice out of the cloud
saying :
" This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well
pleased: hear ye Him."
And the disciples, hearing, fell upon their faces and
were very much afraid. Overwhelmed by the awful-
ness of so much glory, they did not dare to look up till
Jesus came and touched them and said to them:
"Arise, and fear not ! "
And they, lifting up their eyes and looking about,
saw no one but only Jesus. The bright cloud had dis
appeared. The sky was dark as before, lit only by the
distant stars. Moses and Elias were gone, and Jesus,
gentle and lowly as usual, was bending over them and
telling them not to be afraid. And, as they came down
from the mountain, He charged them saying:
1 Tell the vision to no man till the Son of Man be
risen from the dead."
St. Mark adds: "And they kept the word to them
selves, questioning together what that should mean
< when He shall be risen from the dead.
Poor Apostles ! not their Master only, but now Moses
and Elias had spoken of the Death that was at hand.
And still they could not understand. Peter had wished
MARTHA AND MARY.
"Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken
away from her." Luke 10. 42
JESUS OF NAZABETH.
265
that night of glory to last for ever. It was good for
them to be there on the Mount of Transfiguration, he
said. He did not know that this glimpse of Heaven was
to prepare them to tread the Way of the Cross, and he
little dreamed of another hill, a hill of shame, on which
one of the three was to stand beside his Master before
many months were passed.
The memory of that glorious night was graven deep
in the minds of the Apostles. St. Peter, writing to
the faithful thirty-five years later, speaks of what he
had heard " when we were with Him in the holy
Mount." And in the Last Gospel we hear St. John
saying: "And we saw His glory, the glory as it were
of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth."
His glory was shown to them that their faith might
not falter at the sight of His shame, and that all who
believe in Him may know that the Way of the Cross
is the Way to Heaven, and that the sufferings of this
short life are not worthy to be compared with the glory
that is to come.
Coming down from the mountain next morning our
Lord found the nine Apostles who had been left be
hind, surrounded by a great crowd, and in a difficulty.
A poor, possessed boy had been brought to them for
cure, and they could not cast out the devil. How glad
they were to see their Master coming to their help.
And there was another glad, too. The father of the
boy came running to Jesus, and, falling at His feet,
cried out:
" Lord, have pity on my son, because he is my only
one. And, lo! a spirit seizeth him and he suddenly
crieth out, and he throweth him down and teareth him,
266 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
so that he foameth, and bruising him he hardly de-
parteth from him. And I desired Thy disciples to east
him out and they could not."
And Jesus said : u O unbelieving and perverse gen
eration, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I
suffer you? Bring him hither to Me."
And as he was coming to Him the spirit troubled
him, and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled
about foaming.
And Jesus asked his father : " How long is it since
this hath happened unto him ? "
But he said : " From his infancy. And oftentimes
hath he cast him into the fire and often into waters to
destroy him. But if Thou canst do anything, help us
having compassion on us."
And Jesus said to him : " If thou canst believe, all
things are possible to him that believeth."
And immediately the father of the boy, crying out
with tears, said :
" I do believe, Lord, help my unbelief."
And Jesus said : " Deaf and dumb spirit, I com
mand thee, go out of him and enter not any more into
him."
And, crying out and greatly tearing him, he went out
of him, and he became as dead, so that many said:
" He is dead." But Jesus taking him by the hand
lifted him up; and he arose and was cured from that
hour.
And when He was come into the house, His disciples
secretly asked Him : " Why could not we cast him
out ? " And He said to them : " This kind can go
out by nothing but by prayer and fasting."
xxxm.
WITH THE CHILDREN.
Iir spite of all our Lord could do and say, the minds
of the Apostles were still full of the coming Kingdom
and of the first places there. Whether it was the
favour shown to the three who had been taken into
the room of Jairus little daughter when the rest were
left outside, and had been with the Master on the Mount,
where it was plain they had seen something wonderful
and heard some secret which they would not tell the
nine; or whether the great promise made to Peter after
his confession at Caesarea Philippi had aroused jealousy
among the others, there was a dispute among the Twelve
at this time as to which of them was the greatest.
Andrew was the first called; James and John were
cousins, or, in Jewish language, " brothers " of the
Lord ; and John was plainly His best beloved. On the
other hand, Peter was the most noticed by the Master
and was the Rock; Judas came from the south, and
spoke the best, and was better off than the rest. Which
of them, then, was the greatest ? This was the kind of
talk among them as they walked one day behind our
Lord on the way to Capharnaum. When they came
to the house He said quietly:
" What did you treat of in the way ? "
" But they held their peace," says St. Mark, " for
in the way they had disputed among themselves which
of them should be the greatest."
At length one bolder than the rest answered the Mas
ter s question after a fashion by putting another:
267
268 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
" Who, thinkest Thou, is the greater in the King-
dom of Heaven ? "
It shows their confidence in our Blessed Lord, and
their habit of taking all difficulties to Him, that
ashamed as they were of being caught in this dispute,
they yet appealed to Him to settle it and to satisfy their
curiosity.
Our Lord sat down and made them all come round
Him. A little child happened to be near. Jesus called
him, and, when He had embraced him, He set him in
the midst. See the Twelve looking at the child, won
dering what was coming and why he was put there.
See the child looking round innocently at them all,
standing there at our Lord s knee because he was bid,
asking no questions.
And Jesus said to them : "Amen, I say to you unless
you be converted and become as little children you
shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. "Whoso
ever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
he is the greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. 77
What a surprise! They had been disputing about
the first place, and He threatens them with not getting
in at all unless they change.
Our Blessed Lord goes on to speak of the precious-
ness of these little ones in the sight of God, of the
reward those will have who do them good, and of the
terrible punishment those deserve who teach them what
is wrong, or neglect or harm them in any way:
" He that shall receive one such little child in My
Name receiveth Me. But he that shall scandalise one
of these little ones that believe in Me, it were better
for him that a millstone should be hanged about his
neck and that he should be drowned in the depth of the
sea. See that you despise not one of these little ones
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 271
for I say to you that their Angels in Heaven always
see the face of My Father who is in Heaven."
We must not think that these solemn promises and
threats are for grown up people only. They are for
children too. Children help or harm one another very
much. Wherever they meet in the playground, in
the street, in church, at school, at home, they are doing
good or doing mischief, pleasing or displeasing the
Good Angels of their brothers, or sisters, or companions.
The Holy Angels watch with the greatest care over the
little ones entrusted to them. Happy those who make
friends of these blessed spirits by helping their little
charges. But woe to any who by word or example
harm a little child. Its powerful friend and pro
tector who stands always in the Presence of God will
accuse them there.
Children are very dear to our Blessed Lord, and
He loves to see them near Him. He was resting one
day when some Jewish mothers, who had watched their
opportunity, brought a whole flock of little ones, in
fants in arms many of them, that He might touch them
and lay His hands on them and pray.
The Apostles were not at all kind to the visitors
and went about rebuking both mothers and children:
" Get away, children," they said, " the Master is tired
and cannot do with you." They had soon forgotten
the lesson He had given them at Capharnaum and the
small teacher He had set over them there. They
thought, no doubt, that to be worthy of their Master s
attention, all should be important people like them
selves. He had to teach them for the second time that
they must become like children if they were to be near
and dear to Him. A child is or ought to be simple
15
272 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
and innocent, content to be little, to depend on others,
to obey. This is why he is great in God s sight and
worthy to be set as an example even to Apostles.
Jesus, seeing the children being driven away, was
much displeased and said to the Twelve:
" Suffer the little children to come unto Me and for
bid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God."
From these words we see that the children were
eager to come to Him, and were not simply brought by
others. How gentle and inviting must have been His
look, that encouraged the little troop to make their way
up to Him in spite of the rough ways and words of the
Twelve! They clustered round His knees. They
held out their arms to be taken into His. They cried
out " me ! me ! " as they saw first one and then another
folded in His embrace. They prattled round Him.
They nestled on His breast. They took His hand and
held it fast. Happy little children, who shall tell
the graces that came to them that day from their
Saviour s blessing and caress !
XXXIV.
WITH THE TWELVE.
"No one must keep the children from Him, and no
one must hinder His coming Passion. Only when the
disciples did these things was their Master angry with
them. He was patient with their dulness and, oh!
they were dull and with their many faults.
He had taught them to be kind and forgiving. But
when a Samaritan city refused Him a passage through,
because He was going to Jerusalem, James and John,
filled with indignation, said : " Lord, wilt Thou that
we command fire from Heaven to come down and con
sume them ? " " You know not of what spirit you are/
He answered quietly ; " the Son of Man came not to
destroy souls but to save."
People who did not do as they did were sure to be
in the wrong. " Master/ 7 said John to Him, " we saw
one casting out devils in Thy Name who followeth not
us, and we forbade him." " Do not forbid him," Jesus
answered ; " he that is not against you is for you."
He had been telling the Twelve to try to gain by
gentleness a brother who might have offended them.
" How often shall my brother offend against me and I
forgive him ? till seven times ? " said Peter, thinking
this a great stretch of generosity. " I say not to thee
till seven times," Jesus answered, " but till seventy
times seven times."
One day a young man came running up to Jesus, and,
kneeling before Him, said:
".Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive
life everlasting ? "
273
274 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Our Lord told him that he must keep the Command
ments.
"All these have I kept from my youth: what is yet
wanting to me ? " he said, and looked up with inno
cent eyes into the face of Jesus.
He spoke truly, his soul was beautiful in the sight
of God. And Jesus looking on Him loved him and
said to him:
" One thing is wanting to thee ; if thou wilt be per
fect, go sell all whatsoever thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven, and
come, follow Me."
When the young man heard this he went away sad,
for he had great possessions. And Jesus, seeing him
become sad, looking round about, said to His disciples:
"Children, how hard it is for them that trust in
riches to enter into the Kingdom of God. It is easier
for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."
Then Peter answering, said to Him : " Behold, we
have left all things and have followed Thee : what there
fore shall we have ?"
Instead of reproving this fisherman for talking about
leaving all things, Jesus said to him:
"Amen, I say to you, that you who have followed
Me, when the Son of Man shall sit on the seat of His
majesty, you also shall sit on twelve thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel."
Perhaps it was this promise of thrones that made
James and John ask a little later for the first place in
the Kingdom that was coming. Our Lord was not
angry with them, but wonderfully indulgent and pa
tient. He saw that the faults of His Apostles were on
the surface only, so much on the surface, indeed, that
g
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JESUS OF NAZARETH. 277
they were very visible. But their hearts were right.
They were simple and straightforward, having no se
crets from Him, coming out with all that they felt with
out caring whether it might meet with a reproof. And
when He did reprove, they were docile and saw their
fault, and were sorry and began to try again. There
was no sulking, no keeping away from Him after a
rebuke. And often there was something good and
generous even in their failures. If James and John
were hard upon the Samaritan city, it was because they
could not bear to see their Master treated with dis
respect. If they asked for the first places in His King
dom, it was that they might be near Him. And if
Peter inquired whether he should forgive seven times,
it was from the fear that such generosity might per
haps be excessive. They spoke of having left all for
Christ because they had left willingly the little they
had, and would have left palaces and all the wealth of
this world had it been theirs.
Dear Apostles of our Lord ! with all their short
comings, how delightful they are, how charming in
their simplicity and in the devotedness of their rough,
tender hearts. We could not spare one single word
they say, one act of loving ambition, or faulty zeal.
But for them we should never have known our Blessed
Saviour as we do. It is encouraging to find that in
spite of His teaching and blessed example always be
fore their eyes, they remained for a long time so im
perfect. It helps us to see them struggling with the
same passions we have to fight, and falling again and
again into the same faults.
One, one only among His Twelve disappointed the
Master and lay like a dead weight on His Heart, that
278 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
one on whom all His teaching and deeds of mercy and
of power were thrown away, who hardened himself more
and more now that the prospects of an earthly king
dom seemed to be vanishing. Judas remained indeed
in the little company and followed his Master still, but
in body only. He had long since ceased to care for
Him who had called him. His life was all pretence;
his prayers with the others, his teaching of the people,
his conversations with our Lord when he was obliged to
speak all this was acting. We never find him asking
questions like the rest when their Master was instruct
ing them. He did not care to learn, for he did not
mean to improve. There was only one thing he really
cared for now, and that was money. Little by little
he had let this love of money take possession of him,
till at last all his thought was to get it, no matter how.
He had charge of the purse which contained the alms
given for the support of our Lord and the Apostles, and
the poor. He began to steal from this purse. The
first time his conscience reproached "him terribly and
made him very unhappy. He was afraid, too, that
our Lord, w T ho of course knew of his theft, might re
prove him for it before his fellow-Apostles. But as
time went on and his Master said nothing, at least in
public, he grew bolder and took more and more.
Jesus loved him tenderly still. He had called him
to be an Apostle because He loved him and saw in his
soul what pleased Him, and He warned him again and
again to beware of the covetousness which like poison
was killing all the good that was there. He kept him
in His company, He treated him like the rest, sent him
out to preach, gave him power to cast out devils and to
cure, spoke to him kindly, tried to win him but all
in vain. The agony He felt at the gradual falling away
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 270
of Hk poor, miserable Apostle comes out when He
speaks of His coming Passion. He mentions a few
only of the sufferings that were in store for Him, the
sharpest, and chiefly the pains of the soul mocking,
spitting, betrayal. This last was he worst. He could
bear insult and cruelty from the Gentiles who knew
Him not, but betrayal from one of His own! Oh, the
anguish there is in those words at the Last Supper:
"Amen, I say to you, one of you shall betray Me ! "
Our Lord was praying one day whilst His disciples
stood at a little distance watching Him. They never
tired of seeing Him at prayer. His stillness, His pro
found reverence, the fervour of soul that appeared on
His countenance filled them with admiration and the
desire to pray like Him. This day one of them said
when His prayer was finished :
" Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his
disciples."
The Prophets had taught them ; the ral^bis had taught
them. Their prayers began with one or other of the
Names by which God was known to the Jews: "the
Strong One," " the Adorable," " the great Lord," " the
God of Hosts," " the Most High," " the Almighty."
One Name out of reverence they might never pro-
nounce-^- Jehovah, " He who is and will be." How
will their Master have them speak to God ? by what
dread Name must they call Him? See them gather
round Him, eager, reverent. Watch their faces as He
makes answer:
" When you pray say : Father, hallowed be Thy
Name ; Thy Kingdom come ; give us this day our daily
bread ; and forgive us our sins as we also forgive our
debtors ; and lead us not into temptation."
280 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
What a surprise, what a relief! No terrible Name,
but " Father." They may speak to the God who made
them as children to the most loving of fathers, and ask,
not for great things only, but for little things, for the
least things, for everything. They remember how long
ago He said to them : " Thus, therefore shall you
pray: Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be
Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy Will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven. 77 It was a little shorter
now, but the same prayer. " Father, Our Father "
the prayer for all. He makes no exception ; the poorest,
then, the most ignorant, the most guilty have a right
to look up and say : " Our Father who art in Heaven. 77
Yes, there is nothing our Lord has more at heart
than this to see us go to our Heavenly Father with
great confidence and ask again and again for all we
want, persisting if we do not obtain at once. To show
how we should persist, He told the people a parable of
a man who goes at midnight to his friend and says to
him : " Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of
mine has come off his journey and I have nothing to
set before him. 77 He from within answers : " Trouble
me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with
me in bed, I cannot rise and give thee. 77 " Yet, 77 our
Lord goes on, " if he shall continue knocking, I say
unto you, although he will not rise and give him, be
cause he is his friend, yet because of his importunity
IB will rise, and give him as many as he needeth. And
j. say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and
you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 77
We are to knock again and again, and louder and
louder by persevering prayer till at last the door is
opened. Any other friend would be annoyed at such
persistence, but God loves it and delights to reward it,
JESUS OF NAZABETH. 281
as He rewarded the perseverance of the Canaanite.
And here we may notice in passing what beautiful
prayers, prayers we can all feel and say, prayers of sin
ners and needy ones like ourselves, the Gospel gives
us:
" Lord, help me ! " " Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst
make me clean." "Lord, save me, I perish!" "0
God, be merciful to me, a sinner !"
It was about this time that our Lord chose seventy-
two of His disciples and sent them two and two to
preach. It was now, too, that He spoke that most
beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son, to encourage
all who have wandered from their Father s Home to
return to the open arms and the welcome that await
them there.
A certain man had two sons, and the younger of
them said to his father : " Give me the portion of
substance that falleth to me." He had all he needed to
make him happy in that home of his all but the spirit
of contentment and gratitude. But, wanting these,
he wanted everything. He was restless and dissatisfied.
He thought he would be happier away from his father s
eye, in some far off country where he would be his own
master and could do just as he liked no rules, no
duties, no reminders, nothing but pleasure all day and
all night, a good time always.
His share of his father s wealth would have come to
him on the old man s death, but he could not wait. So
he went to his father and said : " Give :ne now what
I shall have when you die." There was no reproach at
the heartless words; the father divided all he had be
tween his sons ; and, not many days after, the younger,
282 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
gathering all together, left home and set out for the
far country. Many places that he passed on his way
looked bright and tempting, but they were too near
home; his father might come to hear of him and try to
get him back. At last he was far enough. From the
gay city here no news of him would ever reach his
home. So he settled down and soon found himself
surrounded by a number of young fellows, only too glad
to make friends with a rich stranger, and be treated at
his expense.
All went merrily for a while as long as the money
lasted. Then came a change. One by one his new
friends left him, famine brought distress upon the
country, and he began to be in want the spoilt child of
that wealthy home, in want ! He hired himself to a
man who sent him into his farm to feed swine. There,
day after day he sat among them, cold, hungry, friend-
Jess, coveting the husks they ate. Then in the misery
of his need came the memory of his home and of the
plenty there:
" How many servants in my father s house abound
with bread/ he said to himself, " and I here perish
with hunger."
He thought of his wilfulness and ingratitude, and
oh, well for him that it was so! of the goodness of
his father s heart.
" I will arise," he said, " and will go to my father
and say to him: Father, I have sinned against Hea
ven and before thee ; I am not now worthy to be called
thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants." To be
back again under the old roof and earn his bread there
as a hired servant was more than he deserved, but he
would ask it of his father s charity.
And he arose and set out on his way home. There
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 283
was weariness to be faced, for the way was long. There
was shame, too, as he drew near the old, familiar
places. But no one knew him. No one recognized
in the ragged, miserable boy, starved and ill, the
sprightly young fellow who had turned his back on
home and gone far away and been lost sight of.
No one ? Yes, there was one who knew him, one
who had never lost sight of him, who had watched for
him daily, who was watching now. When he was yet
a great way off his father saw him and was moved with
compassion, and, running to him, fell upon his neck
and kissed him. The poor boy fell on his knees, and,
covering his face with his hands, sobbed out:
" Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before
thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son."
No more; for his father s kiss had sealed his lips,
and his father s arms were round him. And the ser
vants were bidden to make haste lest any should see him
in his disgrace make haste to clothe him once more
as a son, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his
poor, blistered feet, and prepare a feast with music and
dancing that they might make merry and be glad be
cause he had been dead and was come to life again, he
had been lost and was found.
Perhaps we think God Himself could hardly be
kinder than the father of the prodigal ? Our Lord did
not thin!: j >; He knew He is much kinder, for after
all the father did not go out into the far country to
look for his son and bring him back. Yet this is what
God has done for us. He has come all the way from
Heaven into this world to seek us, and, when we are
sorry iTor our sins and want to be better, it is the voice
of God our Father calling us back to Him.
284 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
So our Lord made another parable of a good shep
herd who left his ninety-nine obedient sheep to go after
one that had strayed away from the fold and got lost in
the mountains, where wild beasts live and prowl about
at night in search of such foolish wanderers. The good
shepherd goes after his sheep in the cold wind and the
darkness and the rain, not minding his bleeding feet,
cut by the sharp stones of the way. He gets upon a
little height, and stands, and listens! And, when at
last he hears its far off bleating cry, he hastens to where,
over the side of the precipice, it stands on a narrow
ledge, ready to fall into the depths below and be dashed
to pieces. At the risk of his life he leans over and
lifts it up and sets it in safety by his side. He does
not beat, or scold it, or drive it back to the fold, but
speaks to it tenderly, and strokes it, and lifts it on his
shoulder rejoicing, and so carries it home, and, when he
gets back to the fold, calls together his friends and
neighbours, saying:
" Eejoice with me because I have found my sheep
that was lost."
" I am the Good Shepherd," said our Lord, " and I
lay down My life for My sheep." When He told this
story the day was drawing near when He was going
to give His life for His sheep. He was always think
ing of that day and longing for it, because by His cruel
death we, whom He loved so dearly, were to be saved.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
* I am the Good Shepherd; and I know mine, and mine
know me." John 10. 14.
XXXV.
WITH HIS FRIENDS.
THE hatred of our Lord s enemies was growing in
intensity day by day. They were now fully resolved
upon His death, but they feared the people. And well
they might. He had been amongst them now nearly
three years, a curing every disease and every infirmity."
Thousands of poor sufferers demoniacs, lepers, the
blind, the paralyzed, the deaf, the dumb, had been made
happy by His kind word or His gentle touch. Would
the people suffer harm to come near Him? This was
the question the rulers asked somewhat anxiously when
they met together, priests and scribes, Pharisees, Sad-
ducees, Herodians, all united for once by their common
hatred of Him " who went about doing good." How
was His death to be brought about ? How, without
danger to themselves, could they get Him into their
power? Alas! there was one at hand ready to help
them.
Meantime our Lord, who knew every word spoken in
their secret councils, was on His way to Jerusalem.
His hour was now nearly come, and He went forth
bravely to meet it. St. Mark tells us that He walked
so fast, on this His last journey to the Holy City, that
the Twelve " were astonished and following Him were
afraid." Some vague apprehension of coming trouble
frightened them, though they did not understand that
the redemption of the world was to be wrought by
means of the sufferings and death of which their Mas
ter had now so frequently spoken. The Kingdom ! the
Kingdom ! this was the cry of their hearts stilL
287
288 JESUS OF NAZAKETH.
The hatred of the rulers was too plainly expressed to
be any secret to the people, and many who would have
liked to show our Lord gratitude and hospitality were
hindered from doing so by their fear of those in power.
No one wanted to get into trouble with the Saiihedrin,
that formidable council which could pass and carry
out any sentence excepting only that of death.
There was one house, however, where our Lord was
always welcome, one family that counted the happiness
of having Him under its roof to be worth any risk and
any penalty. Let us make the acquaintance of this
blessed family.
To the south-east of Jerusalem, separated from the
City by the brook Kedron, lay the Mount of Olives, so
called from the number of olive trees with which it
was covered. On its eastern side the Mount sloped
down to a village about a mile and a half from Jeru
salem, named Bethany. Here the sisters Martha and
Mary lived with their brother Lazarus, a quiet, happy
little household, united by the closest affection, and
having as their intimate Friend and frequent Guest
the Son of God Himself.
In character the sisters were very different, and each
had her own way of entertaining our Blessed Lord.
Martha, the mistress of the house, was a practical
woman, full of activity and energy. She went here
and there seeing herself to all the preparations. No
trouble must be spared to make the house look nice;
the setting out of the table, the flowers and brightness
everywhere, must testify to the heartiness of her wel
come and her sense of the honour done to her by His
visit.
Of Mary we know something already, for, though it
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 289
is not certain that she is the same as Mary Magdalen,
this is the common opinion. We are not surprised,
therefore, to find her sitting at the feet of Jesus, so
absorbed by His Presence and conversation as to be
unmindful of all beside.
What joy there was in this little home when He was
expected ! As evening fell the three would go up to
the flat roof of the house to watch for the white Figure
coming slowly over the brow of the hill, sometimes
with the Twelve, sometimes alone. Then they would
go out on to the road to meet Him and reverently bring
Him within and give Him of their best. Martha never
thought she had done enough by way of preparation,
and so it was with dismay she found one day that He
had come without warning and lovingly taken them by
surprise. Things were not ready, and there was no
time to provide. However, she set to work with hearty
good will, hurrying here and there, and beholding, not
without displeasure, Mary seated as usual silent and
still at the Master s feet. Could she not see how much
there was to do? It was selfish of her to sit there
thinking of her own satisfaction only. So thought poor
Martha as she passed and repassed the two sitting
apart, and heard the low tones of the Master s voice,
and saw Mary s rapt and reverent face. At last she
turned round and spoke :
" Master, hast Thou no care that my sister hath left
me alone to serve? Speak to her, therefore, that she
help me."
Our Lord looked up:
" Martha, Martha," He said, " thou art careful and
art troubled about many things. But one thing is
necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall
not be taken away from her."
290 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
He was not displeased ; how should He be ? He who
had noticed the want of hospitality in the house of
Simon the Pharisee, could He blame His eager hostess
here ? He had watched her loading the table with
meats, and fruit, and flowers, and had accepted the
love and generosity of her heart. But there was a
little too much fret and fuss, and this He gently cor
rected. She need not have been put out because her
sister s way of entertaining the Master was different
from her own, and it was almost like blaming His in
dulgence with Mary to have found fault with her in
His Presence. " Martha, Martha ! " He repeated her
name twice, a mark of great affection, and there was
more of love than of rebuke in His tone. Both the
sisters were very dear to Him. Martha was something
like Peter, an ardent, eager soul, and, as we shall sec
presently, she has the glory of making her profession of
faith in the same words as those at Csesarea, which
won for Peter the Headship of the Church.
Now it happened that Lazarus fell ill, and, of course,
the first thought of his sisters was to send word to Jesus.
" Lord, behold he whom Thou lovest is sick ! "
This was the message. ~No mention that the danger
was great, no prayer that He would come quickly.
What need for this ? He who hastened when a stranger
called Him, what would He not do for them! The
sick man grew worse and they saw the end must come
even before their messenger could reach the Master
who was across the Jordan in Peroa. But Avhat of
that ! He knew it all before, and no doubt was even
now on His way to them. So, whilst one sat by the
deathbed, the other from the roof watched the road for
the first sign of His approach.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 291
But He did not come, and Lazarus died. Up to the
last moment they had hoped, and each time the door
opened they had turned to welcome their Lord. Now
all was over, and, when that same day, having left
their dearly loved brother in his cave sepulchre, they
returned to the desolate home, who shall tell the an
guish of their hearts!
During the days of mourning they sat upon the
ground, their heads veiled, their feet bare, silent and
lonely amid the lamentations of the hired mourners
and the noise of friends and comforters coming and
going. If Jesus is not our Comforter in trouble we are
exceedingly sad and desolate as were these poor sis
ters. People meaning to be kind expressed surprise
at His absence, thought He was such a Friend of theirs
who would have been the first to hasten to them in their
distress, but., of course, He did not know how ill Laza
rus w r as. Every word was agony to the mourners.
And they could say nothing in reply. It was indeed
strange. But they struggled bravely with temptation
and would not let His absence or His silence shake their
trust in Him. Then their messenger returned, saying
that on hearing of their trouble the Master had merely
said the sickness was not unto death, and had turned
again to His teaching. They heard and bore their
anguish in silence, and trusted still.
Now, why did our Lord try them so sorely? The
words of St. John sound strange to us : " Now Jesus
loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. When
He had heard, therefore, that he was sick, He still re
mained in the same place two days." God s ways are
not like ours. But His wajps *^re always best, as we
shall see clearly some day.
16
292 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
After two days our Lord said to His disciples : " Let
us go into Judea again. 7
The disciples said to Him : " Kabbi, the Jews but
now sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither
again ? "
Jesus said to them: "Lazarus, our friend, sleepeth,
but I go that I may awake him out of sleep."
His disciples said : " Lord, if he sleep he shall do
well."
But Jesus spoke of his death, and they thought He
spoke of the repose of sleep.
Then Jesus said to them plainly : " Lazarus is
dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not
there, that you may believe. But let us go to him."
Thomas said to his fellow-disciples : " Let us also
go that we may die with Him."
Jesus, therefore, came and found that he had been
four days already in the grave. And many of the Jews
were come to Martha and Mary to comfort them con
cerning their brother. Martha, therefore, as soon as
she heard that Jesus was come, went to meet Him, but
Mary sat at home.
Martha, therefore, said to Jesus : " Lord, if Thou
hadst been here, my brother had not died."
It was not lament, still less complaint, only that
plaintive word that the sisters had said again and
again to one another during those days of watching and
waiting.
She went on : " But now also I know that what
soever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee."
She asks nothing, but holds up her faith and her
trust to Him, a silent prayer, to be heard as He shall
see best.
Jesus saith to her : " Thy brother shall rise again."
JESUS OP TTAZARETH. 293
Martha saith to Him: "I know that he shall rise
again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus said to her: "I am the resurrection and the
life ; he that believeth in Me, although he be dead, shall
live Believest thou this ?"
She saith to Him: "Yea, Lord, I have believed
that Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who
art come into this world."
The grand confession of Cffisarea Philippi over
again !
And, when she had said these things, she went and
called her sister Mary secretly, saying: "The Mas
ter is come and calleth for thee."
She, as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly and
cometh to Him. The Jews, therefore, who were with
her in the house and comforted her, when they saw
Mary that she rose up speedily and went out, followed
her, saying: " She goeth to the grave to weep there."
When Mary, therefore, was come where Jesus was,
seeing Him, she fell down at His feet and saith to Him:
" Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not
died."
Jesus, therefore, when He saw her weeping, and the
Jews that were come with her weeping, groaned in the
spirit, and troubled Himself, and said : " Where have
you laid him ? "
They say to Him : " Lord, come and see."
And Jesus wept.
The Jews, therefore, said : " Behold how He loved
him."
But some of them said : " Could not He that opened
the eyes of the man born blind have caused that this
man should not die ? "
Jesus, therefore, again groaning in Himself, cometb
294 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
to the sepulchre. Now it was a cave, and a stone was
laid over it.
Jesus saith : " Take away the stone."
Martha saith to Him : " Lord, by this time he
stinketh, for he is now of four days."
Jesus saith to her : " Did not I say to thee that if
thou believe thou shalt see the glory of God ? "
They took, therefore, the stone away.
And Jesus, lifting up His eyes, said : " Father, I
give Thee thanks that Thou hast heard Me. And I
know that Thou heareth Me always, but because of the
people that stand about have I said it, that they may
believe that Thou hast sent Me."
When He had said these things, He cried with a loud
voice : " Lazarus, come forth."
And, presently, he that had been dead came forth,
bound feet and hands with winding-bands, and his face
was bound about with a napkin.
Jesus said to them : " Loose him and let him go."
Many, therefore, of the Jews who were come to Mary
and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, be
lieved in Him.
We have had the account of this wondrous scene in
the words of St. John who saw it. He does not go on
to tell us what followed of the trembling hands that
unloosed the graveclothes, of the awe and the thankful
ness with which the sisters and their brother fell at the
feet of Jesus. But he says that some who witnessed
that stupendous miracle went to the Pharisees and told
them the things that Jesus had done, and that the chief
priests and the Pharisees gathered a council of the San-
hedrists and said:
" What do we, for this Man doth many miracles ?
THE PRAYER IN THE GARDEN.
" Not my will, but thine be done." Luke 22. 42.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 297
If we let Him alone so all men will believe in Him,
and the Romans will come and take away our place and
nation."
But Caiaphas, being the High Priest of that year,
said to them : " You know nothing, neither do you
consider that it is expedient for you that one man
should die for the people, and that the whole nation
perish not."
From that day, therefore, they devised to put Him
to death. Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly
among the Jews, but went to a city called Ephrem,
and there abode with His disciples till the time came
for His final journey to Jerusalem.
He can do no more. He has filled the land with
the " signs " demanded of Him. He has fulfilled the
prophecies and proved Himself the Promised One who
was to be sent. It only remains for Him to show Him
self the Man of Sorrows, foretold by the prophets, and,
as the High Priest had prophesied to die for the
people.
XXXVI.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
AT last His hour was come. It was time to go up
to Jerusalem for the offering of the Great Sacrifice.
Before setting out, He took the disciples apart and
said to them:
"Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of
Man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the
scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and
shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and
scourged, and crucified, and the third day He shall
rise again."
St. Luke tells us that "they understood none of
these things." Accustomed to see Him followed by ad
miring crowds, untouched by the hands raised to stone
Him, and by the officers sent to make Him prisoner,
they would not believe that harm could come to Him.
On the contrary, they thought He was going up to Jeru
salem to take possession of His throne and begin His
glorious reign as the Messiah-King. He had promised
them that they too should sit on thrones. It was time
to remind Him of this and to secure the first places in
the new Kingdom. So at least thought James and
John. They slipped away from the rest and returned
presently with their mother, who came with them to
our Lord, adoring and asking something of Him:
" Master," they said, " we desire that whatsoever we
shall ask Thou wouldst do it for us."
" What would you that I should do for you ?" He re
plied.
298
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 209
" Grant to us that we may sit, the one on Thy right
hand and the other on Thy left in Thy glory."
What a time for such, a petition! When He had
scarcely finished speaking of His bitter sufferings that
were at hand then to come begging for honours ! Yet
their gentle Master did not reproach them.
" You know not what you ask," He said. " Can
you drink of the chalice that I drink of ? "
They said to Him: " We can."
He said to them : " Of My chalice indeed you shall
drink, but to sit on My right hand or on My left is
not Mine to give to you, but for them for whom it is
prepared by My Father."
And the ten hearing it began to be much displeased
with James and John. Jesus called them all round
Him and told them that in His Kingdom those who
want to be first must make themselves the servants of
the rest. This settled the dispute for the time. He
knew the day would come when, by the grace of His
Holy Spirit, these jealousies, quarrels and desires of
earthly greatness would cease and He waited.
On His way to Jerusalem our Lord was accompanied
by a multitude of pilgrims going up for the Pasch, and
as they approached Jericho the crowd around Him be
came enormous. Past the gardens of roses, for which
the city was famous, past the orchards of figs and dates,
it moved slowly along till He suddenly stopped beneath
a sycamore tree growing by the wayside, and looked
up. The crowd came to a standstill. Zaccheus, the
chief of the tax gatherers, had climbed up there be
cause he wanted to see Jesus, who, he had been told,
was the Friend of publicans and sinners. He was
too short to see over the shoulders of others, and no one
300 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
would make way for him. He Lad made himself rich
at the expense of his fellow-countrymen and in the
service of the Romans, and, therefore, was hated and
despised by all. But he was determined to see Jesus,
and, without minding the laughter of the passers by, had
climbed up into the tree beneath which the Lord must
pass. What was his astonishment to see Him stop, look
up, and call him by his name :
" Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for this day
I must abide in thy house."
His house ! the house of a publican ! He of all that
crowd to have the honour of entertaining the Master!
" He made haste and came down," says St. Luke, " and
received Him with joy. And, when all saw it, they
murmured, saying that He was gone to be a guest with
a man that was a sinner." Zaccheus took the harsh
judgment humbly; his heart was too full of gladness
to mind it, and he was ready to pay any price for the
favour shown him. He came and stood before our
Lord to make his confession and purpose of amendment
and satisfaction:
" Behold, Lord," he said, " the half of my goods I
give to the poor, and if I have wronged any man of
anything, I restore him fourfold."
Jesus said to him : " This day is salvation come to
this house. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to
save that which was lost."
Here was the absolution.
Next morning our Lord set out again on His way,
" a very great multitude " going before, following,
thronging Him as before.
Blind Bartimeus, the beggar, sat by the wayside, and.
hearing the tramping past of many feet, he asked what
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 301
it meant, and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was pass
ing by. An intense desire to recover his sight sprang
up within him:
" Jesus, Son of David," he cried, " have mercy on
me!"
And many rebuked him that he might hold his peace,
but he cried a great deal more : " Son of David, have
mercy on me ! "
And Jesus standing still commanded him to be called.
The people were kinder then : " Be of better comfort,"
they said, " arise, He calleth thee."
He leaped up, cast aside his outer garment that
he might move the faster, flung out his arms for
some one to^ lead him. And, trembling with hope,
came and fell down at our Lord s feet, his hands
clasped, his sightless eyes lifted to the face of Jesus.
" What wilt thou that I do for thee ? " Jesus asked.
" Rabboni, that I may see ! "
" Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole."
And immediately he saw and followed Him in the
way glorifying God. And all the people, when they
saw it, gave praise to Ged.
Accompanied by the crowd, our Lord went on to
Bethany, where He arrived on Friday, " six days be
fore the Passover," says St. John, for Thursday, when
the Paschal lamb was slain, was regarded as the first
day of the Festival. With the Twelve He went to the
house of His friends, leaving the multitude to go on
to Jerusalem. The excitement there was intense, both
among rulers and people, for the chief priests had now
given commandment that if anyone knew where Jesus
of Nazareth was he was to tell them, that they might
apprehend Him. On every side inquiries were being
302 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
made for Him. Standing in the Temple men said to
one another:
" What think you that He has not come to the fes
tival day ? "
Presently word was brought by the crowds from
Jericho that He was at Bethany. At once a great
multitude flocked out there, not for Jesus sake only,
but that they might see Lazarus whom He had raised
from the dead. Numbers came back believing in Him.
Enraged beyond measure at the enthusiasm spread
ing on every side, the chief priests thought of killing
Lazarus also. From this time forward it is these
priests who take the lead in all the plots for bringing
our Lord to death. The people, in Galilee especially,
believed in Him, but the rulers the Scribes and Phari-
sess, the ancients, the wealthy Sadducees, the Hero-
dians, the Sanhedrin, and the priests, who had been
against Him from the first, were only hardened by His
miracles. The resurrection of Lazarus at the very
gates of Jerusalem brought their fury to a climax. But
nothing could be done as long as He had these huge
crowds as a bodyguard. His reputation, then, must be
destroyed and the people turned against Him.
In and out, then, among the crowds went the rulers
stirring the people up against Jesus of Nazareth, de
claring in words of fierce indignation that He was a
blasphemer, who gave Himself out to be the Son of
God, a friend of publicans and sinners, an impostor
who pretended to be the Messiah, and would get them
all into dreadful trouble with the Eomans, as other im
postors had done, a dealer with the Evil One, by whose
help He cast out devils. The people were puzzled ;
they saw that all the respectable part of the nation was
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 303
against Him; they were terrified of the Eoraans, and
they began to waver.
This was the state of things in Jerusalem.
On Friday and Saturday our Lord remained quietly
with His friends at Bethany. They were always glad
to have Him under their roof, and now more than
ever when others whom He had loved and comforted
were afraid to harbour Him or show Him gratitude.
On Saturday evening He was at the house of Simon
the Leper, in the same place, and St. John says they
made Him a supper there. It was a wealthy home,
and everything provided was of the best. Our Lord
was in the place of honour, and, as the guests reclined
round the tables, every eye turned in wonder and ad
miration to the calm face of Him who lay there upon
His couch, so grave yet so attractive, the Man whom the
rulers were hunting to His death. Beside Him was
His friend Lazarus, whom He had raised from the
dead. The presence of those two made the supper a
time of solemn thought ; the guests spoke quietly, noise
and merriment were felt to be out of place.
Martha did the honours and served, more quietly
than once before, but eager still, delighted to be near
our Lord, to show reverence to Him and His, waiting
on the disciples herself that their awkward ways might
pass unnoticed, and by her kindness and heartiness
making them feel at home.
During the supper Mary came in carrying in an
alabaster box a pound of ointment of right spikenard.
She anointed the feet of Jesus as before and wiped
them with her hair, and, breaking the box, poured
it out upon His head, and the house was filled with
the fragrance of the ointment. At this Judas, usually
304 JESTJS OF NAZARETH.
so cautious and silent, could not conceal his vexation,
and, unmindful both of the reverence due to his Mas
ter and of what was becoming in a guest, called out :
" Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred
pence and given to the poor ? "
" Now he said this," says St. John, " not because
he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and,
having the purse, carried the things that were put
therein." The other disciples, some of them at least,
followed his example, and, filled with indignation,
said:
" To what purpose is this waste ? "
" Let her alone, why do you molest her ? " said our
Lord. " She hath wrought a good work upon Me.
For the poor you have always with you, and whenso*
ever you will you may do them good, but Me you have
not always. What she had she hath done; she is come
beforehand to anoint My body for the 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."
THE CROWN OF THORNS.
" And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His
head." Matt. 27. 29.
XXXVII.
" JERUSALEM ! JERUSALEM ! "
WE have come to the last week of our Lord s Life.
The Evangelists could not set down all the wonders of
that Life, for St. John tells us every day was filled with
marvels. But when they come to this last week they
follow their Lord, as it were, with slower and more
reverent step, giving a fuller and more minute ac
count of His actions day by day.
There are many reasons for this. It is not only
that in this week He accomplished the great work He
came to do; redeemed us from sin and hell; recon
ciled us with His Father; opened the gates of Heaven
to us, and set up the New Law, the New Sacraments,
the New Priesthood in place of the Old; but it is
because in this week the tenderness of His love comes
out more wonderfully than ever. His words and acts
and prayers are so brimming over with love and sweet
ness that the Evangelists could not bear to pass them
over in silence. We owe these blessed writers more
for their account of this week than for all beside. And
we should come to the history of these last days of our
dear Lord s Life on earth with hearts more reverent,
more full of love and gratitude than hitherto, that we
may believe and understand and feel about them as is
pleasing to Him and helpful to our own souls.
The day after the supper in Simon s house was
chosen by Christ for His solemn entry into the City
in which such great things were to be done. Accom
panied by the Twelve and by a crowd going up for the
307
308 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Feast, He left Bethany. When they had reached
Bethphage, a village on the eastern slope of Olivet,
He sent two of His disciples, saying to them :
" Go ye into the village that is over against you,
and immediately you shall find an ass tied and a colt
with her, on which no man hath ever sitten; loose
them and bring them to Me. And if any man shall
say anything to you, say ye that the Lord hath need of
them, and forthwith he will let them go."
" Now all this was done," says St. Matthew, " that
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet
saying : " Tell ye the daughter of Sion : Behold, thy
King cometh to thee meek, and sitting on an asa, and
a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke." Every
prophecy concerning Him was clearly before the mind
of our Blessed Saviour, and, at the proper time, He
fulfilled each even to its smallest circumstances. This
exact fulfilment of prophecy was one of the marks by
which the Jews ought to have known Him to be the
Messiah, but they would not notice what they did not
want to see.
The disciples found the colt and its mother tied to
the gate just as Jesus had said, and they began to loose
them.
" What are you doing loosing the colt ? " cried out
the owners.
They answered as Jesus had told them, and the
owners let the animals go.
The disciples brought them to Jesus and laid their
long cloaks upon the colt by way of trappings, and He
sat upon it. The procession formed about Him and
began its march, the solemn entry of the Messiah-King
into His capital, solemn and yet so humble, the King
riding on a little creature not yet broken in, and fol-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 309
lowed, not by the royal guards, but by a joyous throng,
men, women, and children, chiefly the poor, who
crowded round Him and filled the air with their shouts
of gladness. "A very great multitude," we are told,
" spread their garments in the way, and others cut
boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way."
When, following the steep footpath up the Mount,
they had reached the summit, they halted, for another
multitude from Jerusalem was making its way up the
western slope. News had spread through the City that
Jesus of Nazareth, who had raised Lazarus to life, was
on His way thither, and the people were pouring out
to meet Him and take Him back in triumph. The two
multitudes met and mingled at that point of the road
from which the City first bursts full on the view. Jeru
salem in all its majesty appeared beneath, and at the
sight the whole concourse of His disciples, they that
went before and they that followed, began with joy to
praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works
they had seen, saying:
" Blessed be the King who cometh in the name of
the Lord, peace in Heaven and glory on high! Ho-
sanna to the Son of David ! Blessed be the Kingdom of
our father David that cometh, Hosanna in the highest ! ?
There were some Pharisees in the vast procession,
and at their old occupation of faultfinding. Having
tried in vain to stop the shouts of joy, they made their
way up to our Lord and said to Him :
" Master, rebuke Thy disciples."
He said to them : " I say to you that if these shall
hold their peace, the stones will cry out."
The disciples were beside themselves with delight.
" It has come at last ! " they said to one another as
they walked proudly by their Master s side. And right
310 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
heartily did they wave their palms and join in the
cry:
" Blessed be the Kingdom of our father David that
cometh, Hosanna in the highest ! "
There, on the summit of Olivet, stood the procession
facing the City. Palaces, towers, battlements, gardens,
lay bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun; and,
towering above all, appeared the snowy marble and
glittering gold of the gorgeous Temple, the pride and
the joy of every child of Israel. The people were
bringing her King, her long-expected Messiah, to Jeru
salem, and at the sight of the City rising there in all
her glory, their joyous shouts broke out afresh.
And the King Himself how did He look upon
Jerusalem ?
St. Luke tells us: "And when He drew near the
City He wept over it, saying:
" If thou also hadst known and that in this thy day
the things that are to thy peace! but now they are
hidden from thy eyes. For the days shall come upon
thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee,
and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every
side, and beat thee flat to the ground and thy children
who are in thee; and they shall not leave in thee a
stone upon a stone, because thou hast not known the
time of thy visitation. "
He knew what was coming that in five days He
would be hanging in agony on a cross outside the walls,
forsaken by all. But it was not this that brought the
tears to His eyes. It was the misery of the guilty
City that was about to reject Him and pray that His
Blood might be upon her and upon her children. He
looked forward forty years and thought of the horrors
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 311
of that awful siege when, at just such a Pasch as this,
the Roman army would close round the walls and the
starving millions within; when the Temple would be
burnt to the ground; when there would not be wood
enough for the numbers to be crucified, nor purchasers
for the thousands sold into slavery. Ho knew what was
coming upon poor Jerusalem, and His tears were for her.
Amid cries of joy and waving 01 branches, the chil
dren running on before shouting " Hosanna, blessed
be He that cometh in the na...e of the Lord!" He
entered Jerusalem. And the whole City was moved.
Men, women and children swarmed on to the roofs and
out into the streets to ask :
" Who is this?"
Those who were bringing in our Lord answered tri
umphantly :
" This is Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth."
Under their breath the Pharisees muttered to one
another : " Do you see that we prevail nothing ? be
hold the whole world has gone after Him."
The crowds dispersed, our Lord dismounted, and
followed by the Twelve entered the Temple. Let us
see Him going in at the Beautiful Gate.
His form is slender and delicate. His hair falls
over His shoulders beneath the handkerchief that binds
His brow and covers the "Sack of His neck. Over the
tunic, a long robe girt . i at the waist, is a wide cloak,
or abba, blue bordered and tasselled at the corners. It
falls over one should 3r, reaching nearly to the bottom of
the tunic. The sandals, much worn, are merely soles
strapped to the feet. Everything is simple, poor,
travel-stained. Yet He is truly kingly as He moves
forward among the throng. In His look, Hir> bearing,
His gestures, there is a marvellous mingling of majosty
17
312 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
and humility. The charm of His Person, the gracious-
ness of His ways, captivates the people and attracts
even the little children, who crowd about Him. Yet
those who love Him most worship Him with deepest
awe. Never have men felt as ,hey feel in the Presence
of this Man. And no wonder, for He is not only
truly Man He is God!
Still singing " Hosanna ! " which means " Save
now ! " the children followed Him into the Temple.
They called upon the Levite children of the Temple
choir to join them, and presently there rose up from
the marble Court into the blue sky overhead the ex
quisite voices of the little choristers, welcoming our
Blessed Lord in the Hallel, or hymn of praise they
had ready for the Messiah s coming. The priests and
the rulers disowned Him, but the children received Him
with songs of gladness. Sweeter far and more pleas
ing to God than all the solemn chants of the Temple s
magnificent worship, was that afternoon s Benediction
service of the little children.
He needed their comfort, for His Heart was sad
dened by the same sights and sounds that had dis
honoured His Father s House three years before. Up
from the Court of the Gentiles came the cries of
traders, the bleating of sheep, the wrangling of the
money-changers all the noise of a market, and a
greater uproar than usual, for on this day the Paschal
lamb was chosen, to be kept apart till the hour of sac
rifice.
Our Lord said nothing. He had come to the Temple
to offer Himself as the Lamb chosen from all eternity
for sacrifice, and He would spend these last peaceful
hours in the Temple Courts quietly with the children.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 313
The blind and the lame came to Him and He healed
them as the children stood around. Then, as evening
fell, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The
short triumph was over. Not one out of those multi
tudes who had hailed Him as Messiah in the morning
had offered Him a shelter for the night. He climbed
the path down which the procession had passed a few
hours before, and came to the house at Bethany and was
welcomed there.
Early next morning, Monday, on His way to Jeru
salem, He saw a fig-tree in the distance. He went up
to it, for He was hungry. And finding nothing on it
but leaves, He said to it : " May no fruit grow on
thee any more for ever." Coming into the Temple,
He found in the Court of the Gentiles the same dis*
graceful scene as before oxen, sheep and lambs
huddled together by thousands, or being dragged hither
and thither, traders shouting to one another, pilgrims
from distant countries disputing in many languages
with the money-changers.
Suddenly, above the confusion and the din, was
heard a loud, clear Voice:
" My House shall be called the House of prayer, but
you have made it a den of thieves."
Every head was turned to the Speaker. He stood
upon a step looking down upon the scene. There was
no scourge in His hand now; the Divine majesty that
shone in His human face this did the work of cleans
ing. The birdsellers caught up their cages as best
they might; the money-changers, the traders of every
kinu, fled before Him, content to drop c*id lose their
wares rather than meet the indignation u that glance.
Not ?, word hac the priests to say in self-defence.
314 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
It was they who allowed this unholy trading, it was to
them the profits went. They were stung to the quick
by being thus disgraced, and consulted together how
they might destroy Jesus. If only He in His turn
could be put to shame before the people, their credit
might be restored. And at last they hit on a plan for
bringing this about.
Everyone knew that the scribes, whose task it was to
interpret the Law, were only ordained after long study,
and empowered to teach by the delivery of a tablet and
a key. Now, \\here had this carpenter of Nazareth
studied? Let Him answer that and show His tablet
and key before the people. If He should avoid this
trap, they had another ready from which it would be
impossible to escape. Some of the Herodians should
go up to Him when He was teaching and pretend to
have a difficulty of conscience about the tribute which
every Jew had to pay to Caesar. Was it lawful to
pay it or not? If He said it was not lawful, they
would at once give Him over to Pontius Pilate and to
the vengeance of Rome. If He should say it was law
ful, the people would turn upon Him as a traitor to
His country. Now, then, they had Him safe. They
were so delighted with their scheme that they were im
patient for His hour of teaching on the morrow.
As our Lord with the Twelve came over Olivet on
Tuesday morning they passed the fig-tree, or rather
the place where it had stood, for it was withered away
to the very roots. "And the disciples seeing it won
dered," says St. Matthew. Our Lord entered the Tem
ple and made His way through the crowd already
waiting for Him to the Court of the Women, the com
mon meeting place of worshippers. He was walking
ECCE HOMO.
Behold the man." John 19. 5.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 317
in one of the Porches there when a number of chief
priests, scribes and ancients were seen advancing.
They were Sanhedrists, and the people respectfully
made way before them. Coming up to Jesus, they ad
dressed Him in a lofty tone :
Tell us by what authority Thou dost these things,
and who hath given Thee this authority."
Jesus answering said to them : " I also will ask
you one word, which, if you shall tell Me, I will also
tell you by what authority I do these things. " Was
John the Baptist a prophet sent from God or not?"
They were silent and thought within themselves : If
we say he was a prophet from God He will ask : Why,
then, did you not believe in Him ? If we say he was
no prophet we are afraid of the people. And they
said:
" We know not."
He said to them : " Neither do I tell you by what
authority I do these things."
He went on to tell them a parable of a householder
who sent servant after servant to the husbandmen in
charge of his vineyard to receive the fruits from them.
And the husbandmen beat, and wounded, and killed
them. Having yet one son most dear to him, He also
sent him unto them last of all, saying: "I will send
my beloved son ; it may be when they see him they will
reverence him." And the husbandmen said: "This
is the heir, let us kill him and we shall have his in
heritance." And, taking him, they cast him forth out
of the vineyard and killed him.
After this our Lord told the parable of a king who
made a marriage for his son, and those who were in
vited would not come. So the king gave their places
to others. His enemies knew that in these parables
318 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
He spoke of them, and they were filled with rage; but
the people were there and they could do nothing.
A party of the Herodians now came up, and one of
them, bowing low before Him, said :
" Master, we know that Thou art a true speaker and
teachest the way of God in truth. Tell us, therefore,
is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not ? "
But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said : " Why
do ye tempt Me, ye hyprocrites? Show Me the coin
of the tribute."
And they offered Him a penny.
Jesus said to them : " Whose image and superscrip
tion is this ?"
They say to Him: " Cesar s."
He said to them : " Render therefore to Caesar the
things that are Caesar s and to God the things that are
God s."
What could they say ? By their own law he was the
owner of a country whose image and inscription were
found on its coins. They were so filled with wonder
at His answer, that they could neither reply nor hide
their confusion. The best thing to do was to get away
as fast as possible. And this they did.
Thus did His enemies come up one after another, to
have their plots overthrown as easily as a child s house
of cards. The people watched Him with admiration.
They saw Him interrupted continually in His teaching
by His malignant foes, yet bearing Himself with a royal
dignity and calmness that neither insult nor cowardly
cunning could disturb.
Will the people keep faithful to Him when the hour
of trial comes ? We shall see.
Our Lord had borne long and patiently with the
Pharisees. But, seeing that they were hardening their
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 319
hearts more and more and doing grievous harm to
others, He at length pronounced against them those ter
rible condemnations which make us tremble as we hear
them. Again and again came the fearful words :
" Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees, hyproerites ! "
He rebuked their pride, their avarice, their cunning.
He would still send His servants to teach them and
warn them of the judgments that were at hand, but they
would persecute and scourge and crucify them.
" Jerusalem ! Jerusalem !" He cried, " thou that kill-
est the prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee,
how often would I have gathered together thy children
as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings and
thou wouldst not. Behold, your house shall be left to
you desolate. For I say to you you shall not see Me
henceforth till you say : Blessed is He that cometh
in the name of the Lord. 7
Leaving the rulers, He went and sat down near the
Treasury and watched the people dropping their offer
ings into the trumpet-shaped chests that stood there.
Many that were rich cast in much. And there came a
certain poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which
make a farthing. And, calling His disciples together,
He said to them :
"Amen, I say to you this poor widow hath cast in
more than all. For all they did cast in of their abun
dance, but she of her want hath cast in all she had,
even her whole living."
He took His final leave of the Temple that Tuesday.
The disciples, struck by His sadness, followed Him in
silence down into the valley and across the brook Ced-
ron and up the slope of Olivet. But He could not leave
the city without another farewell glance. He loved
Jerusalem, and His heart was breaking at the thought
320 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
of what it was, what it might have been, what in a
years it was to come to.
Arrived at the summit of the Mount, He turned and
faced the City. So beautiful it looked in the quiet
glow of evening, its massive walls, palaces, terraces,
the snowy colonnades and golden roofing of the Temple,
all lit up by the setting sun, that one of the disciples
said to Him :
" Master, behold what manner of stones and what
buildings are here."
And Jesus answering said to him : " Seest thou all
these great buildings ? There shall not be left a stone
upon a stone that shall not be thrown down."
He seated Himself on a ledge of rock facing the
Temple, and seemed lost in thought. Peter, Andrew,
James, and John came and asked Him apart :
" Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall
be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the
world?"
Then He told them what would happen before the
destruction of Jerusalem and before the Last Day.
The way to Heaven for His followers would be through
troubles of every kind. " But he that shall persevere
to the end," said Jesus, " he shall be saved."
As the awful Day of Judgment draws near, there
will be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the
stars, earthquakes and pestilence and famine, and roar
ing of the sea and of the waves, men withering away
for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the
whole world.
And yet, in spite of these signs and terrors, the Great
Day will come suddenly at last and find men in the
midst of their enjoyments and sins. Like a flash of
lightning, seen by all, startling all so will He come
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 321
His servants must be always ready, not so much for the
Last Day of the world as for the day of their death,
which will be the Last Day for each one of us. He told
them the parable of the Ten Virgins who had to meet
the Bridegroom with lighted lamps. And five were
foolish and took no oil with them. And when at mid
night came the sudden cry: "Behold, the Bridegroom
cometh, go ye forth to meet Him !" they were not ready
and were shut out.
" Watch ye, therefore," He said, " for you know not
when the lord of the house cometh. And what I say
to you I say to all : Watch ! "
He went on to tell them what will happen at the end
of the world when He comes to judge all men:
" They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds
of Heaven with much power and majesty. And He
shall send His Angels with a trumpet and a great voice ;
and they shall gather together His elect from the four
winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the ut
most bounds of them. And all nations shall be gath
ered together before Him, and He shall separate them
one from another as the shepherd separateth the sheep
from the goats, and He shall set the sheep on His right
hand, but the goats on His left.
Then shall the King say to them that shall be on His
right hand :
Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess you the
Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world.
Then He shall say to them also that shall be on His
left hand :
Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire
which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
And these shall go into everlasting punishment, but
the just into life everlasting."
XXXVIII.
THE NIGHT IN, WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED.
OUE Lord had foretold His Passion again and again,
but vaguely, naming no time. Now, on the Wednesday
of this week, He said to the Twelve :
" You know that after two days shall be the Pasch,
and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be cruci
fied."
His enemies, too, were preparing for the end. On
Wednesday the Sanhedrists met at the house of Caia-
phas to make their final plans. They dared not take
Jesus by force nor in the Temple; for this would pro
voke the people and draw down their anger upon them
selves. If only they could seize Him secretly and get
the Romans to make away with Him !
Whilst they were considering how this could be
brought about, they were told that a man, one of the
common sort, craved admittance. He entered with
signs of profound reverence, having come, he said, in
obedience to their command that whoever should know
where Jesus of Nazareth was should declare it to them.
" What will you give me," he asked, " and I will
deliver Him unto you ? " He told them that as one of
His disciples he was constantly with Him, knew His
secrets, and would be able to do the business for them
quietly and securely.
Bad as these men were, and delighted at this unex
pected succour, they could scarcely disguise their con
tempt for the traitor. They accepted his services, how
ever, and for thirty pieces of silver, about $19.50 of
our money, he agreed to deliver his Master into their
322
JESUS OF NAZABETH. 323
hands as soon as he should find a convenient opportu
nity when there was no one about to help Him. Thus
were the words of the prophet Zacharias fulfilled : "And
they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver, a
handsome price that I was prized at by them."
How had Judas come to this ?
Because of that one evil passion which he did not try
to conquer. His fall was not sudden. At the time of
his call he would have been horrified at the thought of
such a crime. But his heart had hardened gradually,
and at last, when temptation came, he betrayed and sold
for a few pieces of silver the Master for whom he had
left all things.
Whilst Judas in Jerusalem was plotting with the
Sanhedrists, our Lord in the quiet home of Bethany
was preparing His disciples for His coming Passion
and Death. Probably His Blessed Mother was there,
too. He had told her what was to happen to Him, and
though her heart was breaking, she did not try like
Peter to save Him from suffering and a cruel death, but
bravely and generously accepted the Will of God.
On Thursday morning the disciples came to Jesus,
saying:
" Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat
the Pasch ?"
Judas quietly drew near to hear the answer.
Jesus said: "Go ye into the city, and there shall
meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow
him into the house where he entereth in. And you
shall say to the good man of the house: The Master
saith to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where I may
eat the Pasch with My disciples? And he will show
you a large dining-room furnished, and there prepare."
324 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Judas was baffled, but, as keeper of the purse, he
would probably be sent, and he stood forward ready.
No, Peter and John were to go, and he was foiled
again. That Supper Room was to be the scene of ho
liest mysteries ; our Lord was not going to have them
disturbed nor the house of His entertainer invaded by
Judas armed band. At His own time and in another
place He would suffer Himself to be taken, and in the
meantime the traitor was kept in the dark.
Entering the City, Peter and John see the man with
the pitcher on his head, and follow him, not without
difficulty, through the narrow, thronged streets. Jews
out of every nation under heaven, nearly three millions
of them, are here too many by far to be housed within
the walls, though every house is taxed to its utmost. Late
comers are camping out on Olivet and all the country
round as far as Bethany.
What variety of costume, and what a Babel of
tongues ! Here, in bright armour, come a body of Ro
man soldiers, for the Governor has come from Csesarea
as usual and taken up his quarters in the Prsetorium.
And in the fortress of Aritonia, overlooking the Temple
Courts, is a strong garrison of troops ready to swoop
down upon the people at the least sign of disturbance,-
the Pasch is wont to be a troublesome time. There go
some courtly Herodians and wealthy Sadducees and
despised publicans. Over there, above the heads of
the crowd, appear the high turbans of rabbis. Priests,
traders, Gentile strangers, slaves through what a
motley throng the two Apostles made their way!
They have come to a house on Mount Sion in the
south-western quarter of the City. Here their guide
stops, and they go in and give their message. The
owner s face brightens at the first words : " The Master
o
a r
3 W
Q >
8.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 327
saith," and whilst Peter goes off to buy the lamb, he
helps John to make everything ready in the upper
chamber which he puts at our Lord s disposal. The
Apostles wonder why he is so willing he is a secret
disciple, perhaps.
Peter buys the victim, a lamb without blemish of a
year old, and takes it to the Temple, where it is killed.
In preparing it for cooking the greatest care must be
taken that no bone shall be broken. This lamb is a
type of Him of whom the prophet had said : " They
shall not break a bone of Him." Before being roasted
it is fastened to two pieces of wood, the front feet being
stretched out in the form of a cross.
When Peter returns he finds all ready on the tables
the thin cakes of unleavened bread, the bitter herbs,
the wine mixed with water, and a red sauce called
charoseth. Round the low tables, forming a semi-cir
cle, John had so arranged the couches that he would
be on one side of his Master and Judas on the other,
at one end of the tables, Peter opposite at the other
end, the rest in pairs around, as he knew they would
like. Pitchers of \vater and basins for washing hands
were about the room, and the whole was lit up by fes
tive lamps.
As evening drew on Jesus came with the other Apos
tles. When they had taken their places He said to
them :
" With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with
you before I suffer. 7
Then John, as the youngest present, asked the mean
ing of this night s solemn service, and our Lord told
the story of the deliverance from Egypt, of the sprink
ling of the blood of the Paschal Lamb, of the Manna
in the desert, and of the lifting up of the Brazen Ser-
328 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
pent, by which their fathers of old were saved from
death. As He looked upon the lamb stretched cross
wise before Him, He thought of the morrow, when,
after fifteen hundred years of types, the fulfilment
would come, and the Lamb of God by His Death would
take away the sins of the world.
During the Paschal Supper Jesus rose from the table,
laid aside His upper garment, and, having taken a
towel, girded Himself. Then, pouring water into a
basin, He came and knelt before Peter to wash his
feet. Peter, all amazement, drew them up, exclaiming :
" Lord, dost Thou wash my feet ?"
Jesus said to him : " What I do thou knowest not
now, but thou shalt know hereafter."
Peter said to Him : " Thou shalt never wash my
feet."
Jesus answered him : " If I wash thee not thou shalt
have no part with Me."
Peter said to Him : " Lord, not only my feet but also
my hands and my head."
Jesus said to him : " He that is washed needeth not
but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are
clean, but not all."
Then after He had washed their feet and taken His
garments, being sat down again, He said to them :
" Know you what I have done to you ? You call Me
Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If
then I, being your Lord and Master, have washed your
feet, you also ought to wash one another s feet. For I
have given you an example that as I have done to you,
so you do also."
Then He said to them sorrowfully:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you shall betray
Me."
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 329
The disciples in consternation looked upon one an
other, " doubting of whom He spoke," says St. John.
And being very much troubled they began to say to Him
one by one :
" Is it I, Lord ? "
And He answering said : " One of the Twelve
whose hand is with Me on the table, he shall betray
Me. The Son of Man indeed goeth as it is written of
Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man
shall be betrayed; it were better for him if that man
had not been born."
Terrified at these awful words, the disciples were
silent. But presently Judas, afraid of being noticed
if he did not ask with the rest, said :
" Is it I, Eabbi ? "
Jesus answered him in a whisper : " Thou hast
said it."
How careful our Lord must have been of the good
name of Judas, that not one of his fellow-disciples
thought of suspecting him. Even now the miserable
man was not afraid of his Master betraying him, or
he would never have dared to put that question. What
would have happened if Peter or the sons of Zebedee
had heard those words : " Thou hast said it ? "
The Heart of Jesus was wrung with anguish at the
thought of the misery to which one of His chosen
Twelve was rushing. Again and again during the
supper He speaks of the betrayal, now in tender, now
in terrible words, striving by fear when love had failed
to save him before it is too late.
But now for a brief space the heavy cloud that over
shadowed them all seemed lifted. For, as they looked
upon the Master, they saw His countenance glow with
330 JESUS OF NAZAEETH.
a iove and fervour so intense as to appear transfigured.
He had cleared a little space in front of Him and taken
into His holy and venerable hands one of the loaves
of unleavened bread. And, whilst they looked on in
wonder, He lifted up His eyes to Heaven, and, giving
thanks, blessed, and broke, and gave to them, saying :
" Take ye and eat, this is My Body which is given
for you. Do this for a commemoration of Me. 7
And they received from His hand what He gave -
His true Body under the appearance of bread. Here,
then, was the meaning of those mysterious words at
Capharnaum : " The bread that I will give is My
flesh for the life of the world." They did not under
stand even now, but He had the words of eternal life;
they believed, and adored.
During the Paschal supper three cups of wine mixed
with water were passed round from one guest to
another. Standing before Jesus was the third cup,
" the chalice of benediction/ which had to be taken
before the last hymns were sung. Jesus took it into
His hands, and, giving thanks, blessed it and passed it
to them, saying:
" Drink ye all of this. For this is My Blood of
the New Testament which shall be shed for many unto
the remission of sins. 7
And again they received what He gave them His
true Blood under the appearance of wine. They re
ceived not more than before, not more than we receive in
Holy Communion, but under another appearance. And
because it was Himself whole and entire, together with
His Body and Blood were His Soul and Divinity, all
xhat He has and is. Truly might the Beloved Disci
ple say of Jesiis, instituting this Sacrament of Love,
that " having loved His own, who were in the world,
JESUS OP NAZARETH. 331
He loved them unto the end." Love, even such as His,
can go no further. It is because it has gone so far
that men refuse to believe.
The first Mass had been said; the first Consecration
wrought ; the first Communicants fed in the greatest of
the Sacraments with the true Bread from Heaven; the
first priests ordained. For Christ, as David had fore
told, was to be a Priest, not once only, on Calvary, but
" for ever," a Priest like Melchisedech, whose offering
was bread and wine. The New Sacrifice was to be
the Sacrifice of the Gentiles, as the prophet Malachy
had foretold, offered in every land, at every hour, from
the rising to the setting of the sun, not lessening but
magnifying the first and bloody Sacrifice from which
its virtue flows. Where but in the Sacrifice of the
Mass shall we find these prophecies fulfilled? To
carry on His office when He was gone, the great High-
Priest had to ordain other priests, and this He did in
these words: " Do this in commemoration of Me."
With bowed heads the first Communicants made
their thanksgiving. When they looked again into their
Master s face, the glow of exultation with which He had
made us the greatest of His gifts had passed away, and
once more there had settled on His brow the anguish of
a friend betrayed. Peter could bear the dreadful sus
pense no longer. Being directly opposite to John, he
beckoned to him and said :
" Who is it of whom He speaketh ? "
John, leaning back on his couch, was resting his
head on his Master s breast. He looked up into His
face and said:
"Lord, who is it?"
Jesus answered : " He it is to whom I shall reach
bread dipped."
18
332 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
And when He had moistened the bread, He gave it
to Judas Iscariot. Then, seeing every warning lost on
the traitor, He said to him:
" What thou doest do quickly."
No one at the table, St. John tells us, knew why
this was said. They thought our Lord had sent Judas
to buy something, or to give an alms to the poor.
Judas at once rose and went out. And it was night.
The white light of the Paschal moon shone into the
room and fell full on the Master s face. It was pale
and troubled. And its trouble was reflected on all the
faces round. The disciples were so accustomed to lean
on Him, to cast all their care on Him, that they could
only see with blank dismay the cloud upon that brow
hitherto serene in every storm. A dim apprehension
of coming sorrow, of parting from Him who was all in
all to them, weighed heavily on them, and they looked
at Him helplessly for comfort.
He did not disappoint them. Never before had His
words been so tender :
"Little children," He said, looking round upon
them, " yet a little while I am with you. You shall
seek Me, but whither I go you cannot come."
Peter said to Him : " Lord, whither goest Thou ? "
Jesus answered : " Whither I go thou canst not
follow Me now, but thou shalt follow hereafter."
Peter said to Him : " Why cannot I follow Thee
now? I will lay down my life for Thee."
Jesus answered him : " Wilt thou lay down thy
life for Me ? Amen, amen, I say to thee, the cock shall
not crow till thou deny Me thrice."
Peter deny his Master! The disciples were as
tonished. Of all the surprises to-night this was the
greatest But, if Peter is to fall away, some one
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 33-.
else must be first. Who will it be? And at once they
begin the old dispute which of them is the greatest.
But Peter, in spite of his fall, was not to lose the placo
to which his Master had raised him.
Our Lord went on: " Simon, Simon, behold Satan
hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat ;
but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not, and
thou being once converted confirm thy brethren."
Peter said to Him : " Lord, I am ready to go with
Thee both to prison and to death."
And He said : " I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall
not crow this day till thou thrice deniest that thou
knowest Me."
Every act, every word of our Blessed Lord s at the
Last Supper speaks of love. He is taking leave of His
dearly beloved disciples. He is giving them His fare
well instructions. And now He gives them that Com
mandment which, because it is so dear to His Heart,
He calls His own.
"A new commandment I give you that you love one
another. This is My commandment that you love one
another as I have loved you. By this shall all men
know that you are My disciples, if you have love one
for another. Let not your heart be troubled. I go
to prepare a place for you. And I will come again and
will take you to Myself, that where I am you also may
be. And I will ask the Father to give you another
Comforter. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give
unto you. You now indeed have sorrow, but I will
see you again and your heart shall rejoice, and your
joy no man shall take from you."
Then, lifting up His eyes to Heaven, He prayed for
them to His Father that they might be kept safe amid
the dangers of the world, and that where He was going
334 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
they too might come and be with Him. After this
they said a hymn and went out. It was late, but the
moon was flooding the City with light. The Temple
roof was one sheet of silver. They crossed the brook
Cedron, and began to go up the Mount of Olives.
And Jesus said to them: " You will all be scan
dalized in Me this night, for it is written : I will
strike the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. 1
But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you
into Galilee."
Peter said to Him: " Although all shall be scan
dalized in Thee, yet not I."
Jesus said to him: "Amen, amen, I say to thee,
to-day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice,
thou shalt deny Me thrice."
But he spoke the more vehemently: "Although I
should die together with Thee, I will not deny Thee."
And in like manner also said they all."
A few paces above the brook was a garden called
Gethsemane. It was a quiet place, and our Lord often
went there to pray: sometimes He spent the whole
night in prayer beneath the olive trees. On this night
He left eight of the Apostles at the gate, and took
inside only Peter, James and John.
" My soul is sorrowful even unto death," He said
to these three, and He begged them like good and faith
ful friends not to leave Him alone in His trouble, but
to watch and pray with Him.
Bright moonlight lit up the Garden, but beneath the
trees all was dark and gloomy. Out Lord went for
ward alone and knelt down. Presently He fell on His
face and prayed in an agony of terror that He might
be spared the awful sufferings that were at hand.
THE CRUCIFIXION.
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying
this, He gave up the ghost." Luke 23. 46.
JESUS OF NAZAKETH. 337
"Abba, Father," He said, " all things are possible
to Thee; remove this chalice from Me; but not what
I will, but what Thou wilt."
He had offered Himself to take away the sins of the
world, and now they all came distinctly before Him,
every sin and every sinner. And He was to be pun
ished as if He had done all those wicked things. He
saw the punishment the spitting, the scourging, the
nailing to the cross, the hanging there for three long
hours. He saw, too, that all He was going to suffer
would be of no use to many souls that He loved.
The pain of all this was so dreadful that He went to
His three disciples to get a little comfort from them.
But they were asleep! Gently waking them, He said
to Peter :
" What ! Could you not watch one hour with Me ?
Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation."
Again He went and prayed saying the same words!
His trouble of mind became so awful that it was like the
agony of a dying man. He was bathed in a sweat of
blood, which, after soaking His garments, trickled
down upon the ground. Then an Angel came from
Heaven to comfort Him by showing Him the good that
from His bitter pains would come to us. And He
said:
" O My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away un
less I drink it, Thy Will be done."
He did not give up prayer on this dreadful night,
but taught us by His example to pray more earnestly
when we are in trouble ; for " being in an agony He
prayed the longer."
About midnight lights appeared behind the trees,
and our Lord went to rouse His disciples, who had
fallen asleep again.
338 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
" Else," He said, " behold, lie that will betray Me is
at hand."
A band of soldiers and servants from the chief
priests, with lanterns, torches and weapons, were com
ing stealthily into the Garden, led by a man who looked
about here and there as if in search of someone. He
had given the party a sign, saying: " Whomsoever I
shall kiss, that is He ; lay hold on Him and lead Him
away carefully." And, going up to Jesus, he said:
" Hail, Eabbi !" and kissed Him.
Jesus said to him: "Friend, whereto art thou
come? Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with
a kiss ? "
It was the last warning a tender word, and a sol
emn one and both thrown away.
Then, knowing all things that were to come upon
Him, He went forward and said to the soldiers :
" Whom seek ye ? "
They answered : " Jesus of Nazareth."
Jesus answered : "I am He."
As soon as He had said this they went backward
Judas, the soldiers, the priests and fell on their faces
before Him. He let them rise, and asked again:
" Whom seek ye ? "
They answered : " Jesus of Nazareth."
Jesus answered : " I have told you that I am He ;
if, therefore, you seek Me, let these go their way."
He pointed to His disciples, and forbade the soldiers
to touch them. Then His enemies came up and bound
Him fast.
" Lord, shall we strike with the sword ? " cried Peter.
And without waiting for an answer, he drew a
sword he had with him, and striking one of the ser
vants of the High-Priest, cut off his right ear.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 339
But Jesus said : " Put up thy sword into its place.
The chalice which My Father hath given Me, shall
I not drink it ? "
And bending forward, He touched the servant s ear
and healed him.
Then the disciples all leaving Him fled away. But
Peter and John, ashamed of their cowardice, soon ru-
turned and followed their Master as He was led to the
palace of the High-priest. This was Caiaphas, though
many of the Jews who would not acknowledge a man
appointed by the Eomans regarded Annas, his father-
in-law, as the High-priest. The palaces of the two
were separated by a courtyard only. All was astir
there when the soldiers arrived with the Prisoner.
Annas, a cruel and wicked old man, the chief contriver
of the plots against our Lord, had sent for Him that he
might enjoy the sight of his enemy now helpless and
humbled; and at the house of Caiaphas the members
of the Sanhedrin were arriving for the trial that was
to be held there immediately.
Annas questioned our Blessed Lord about His doc
trines and His disciples, in the hope of getting Him to
say something that could be turned against Him. Our
Lord who saw into his heart bade him ask those who
had heard His teaching. On this, a servant of Annas,
thinking to please his Master, struck Jesus a heavy blow
on the face, saying:
"Answerest Thou the High-priest so?"
Jesus said gently: " If I have spoken evil, give tes
timony of the evil, but if well, why strikest thoti Me ? "
The Sanhedrists were now assembled at the house
of Oaiaphas, and seated in a semi-circle on cushions,
Caiaphas, as president, on a platform. Our Lord was
brought in by His guards and placed standing before
340 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
His judges for trial. It was a strange trial, for the
death of the Prisoner was already decreed, and all that
was wanted was some evidence against Him to give an
appearance of justice to the sentence. But His life
had been so holy that there was no hope of finding any
thing amiss in it ; false witnesses were therefore brought
in, but their testimony did not agree.
Jesus heard all and was silent. The prophet Isaias
had said of Him : " He shall be dumb as a lamb be
fore His shearer, and He shall not open His mouth.
At length Caiaphas, flushed with anger, rose up and
exclaimed :
"Answerest Thou nothing to the things that are laid
to Thy charge by these men ? "
But He answered nothing.
What was to be done? How could He be made to
speak ? The crafty president sees a way. He will put
a question to which the Accused will be bound to
answer, and on that answer He can be condemned.
See them standing there face to face the High-
priest in his robes of office, the Son of God with His
hands bound behind His back.
" I adjure Thee by the Living God," said Caiaphas,
" that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ, the Son of
God."
Jesus said to him : " Thou hast said it. And, here
after, you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right
hand of the power of God and coming in the clouds of
Heaven."
This was all they wanted. Transported, as it were,
with holy indignation, the High-priest seized His gar
ment and tore it from the neck down.
"He hath blasphemed!" he cried; "behold, you
have heard the blasphemy j what think you ? "
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 341
And they answering said : " He is guilty of death. "
A disgraceful scene of insult and cruelty followed,
in which the priests themselves seem to have set the
example. " The men that held Him mocked Him and
struck Him. And they did spit on His face and buf
feted Him. And they blindfolded Him and smote
His face with the palms of their hands, saying:
Prophesy unto us, O Christ! who is he that struck
Thee?"
While all this was going on before Annas and Caia-
phas, another scene was taking place in the courtyard
below where the servants were waiting to hear the re
sult of the trial. The night was cold and they had
made a fire and were standing round it warming them
selves. Peter, who had come into the court, was warm
ing himself with the rest. The light was full upon
his face, and the portress, who had let him in, after
looking at him attentively, said :
" Thou also wast with Jesus of Xazareth."
Peter was frightened and denied before them all:
" Woman, I know Him not."
And the cock crew.
A little later another maid saw him and said to the
standers by:
" This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."
Again he denied and with an oath : " I know not
the Man."
An oath this time, and his Master is " the Man."
About an hour after, when it had got about among
the servants that one of the disciples of the Galilean
had dared to come in amongst them, they came about
Peter and said:
342 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
" Surely thou art one of them, for even thy speech
doth betray thee."
Even the commoner sort in Jerusalem made fun of
the pronunciation and talk of the north country folk,
and Peter had only to open his mouth to prove that
he was unmistakably from Galilee. Poor Peter, he had
been getting more and more frightened. Thoroughly
terrified now, he began to curse and to swear, saying:
" I know not this Man of whom you speak."
The cock crew again, and at the same moment our
Lord passed through the court. He was suffering
cruelly from the hands of His tormentors, but more
cruelly from the lips of His chosen disciple who had
denied Him. Yet there was no indignation in His
Heart. Bather was It full of pity for one who after
all had followed Him into danger out of love.
And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter
remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him:
" Before the cock crow twice thou shalt thrice deny
Me." And, going forth, he wept bitterly.
XXXIX.
IT was early morning, about four o clock. Already
the Sanhedrists were hastening to a second meeting to
confirm the condemnation passed during the night,
and to discuss the best means of extorting from the
Koman Governor the sentence of death which they
were not allowed to carry out themselves. Being a
Gentile, Pilate would not take much notice of the
charge of blasphemy, but his well-known dread of fall
ing into disgrace with Casar could be turned to account.
By this time it had spread all over the City that
Jesus of Nazareth had been taken and found guilty of
death. Everyone was talking of Him. Some were
surprised that a man who had spent his days in doing
good should be so persecuted. Others said it had been
found out that his wonderful works were done by the
power of the devil. The priests had declared and
surely they should know best that he was a dangerous
man, who must be got out of the way, or he would bring
ruin on the nation.
And what were his feelings who had betrayed Him ?
Perhaps Judas had persuaded himself that our Lord
would escape unharmed from His enemies as He had
often done before. At all events, the tidings that He
had been condemned to death, and was being taken to
Pilate that the sentence might be confirmed, filled him
with unspeakable horror. What could he do to still
the remorse of conscience that was torturing him?
People said the priests were even now entering the
Temple on their way to the Pratorium. He would
343
344 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
hasten thither and give them back the hateful pieces
of silver which had brought him to this.
A few minutes ]ater the worshippers in the Temple
were startled by seeing a wretched-looking man rush
past them after the priests, who with their Prisoner
were passing through the Courts.
" I have sinned/ he cried, " in betraying innocent
blood," and he held out both hands to them with the
money.
They looked at him with contempt. " What is that
to us ?" they said ; " look them to it."
The cruel words filled up the measure of his misery.
He might have been saved yet had he thrown himself
at the feet of Jesus, or gone away and wept like Peter.
But though his heart was full of a fierce hatred of him
self, there was no true contrition for his sin, no hope of
forgiveness. He gave himself up to despair, and, cast
ing down the money in the Temple, went into a lonely
place near the Garden where he had betrayed his Mas
ter, and hanged himself.
The Governor had been told that the chief priests,
followed by an immense crowd, were bringing Jesus
of Nazareth to the Prsetorium for judgment, and he
prepared for one of his stormy interviews with the
rulers of the people. Pilate disliked and despised the
Jews, and was severe, often cruel in his dealing with
them. But he had no prejudice against our Blessed
Lord, of whom he had heard, not from public report
alone, but from Claudia Procula, his wife. How she
had come to hear of the young Teacher from Galilee,
we are not told, but His gracious words and ways, the
hatred of the rulers, the dangers that hedged Him
round, had come to her knowledge, and her heart was
CL H
IS
3 >
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 347
drawn to Him. Whilst He was suffering in the
Garden, Procula, too, was suffering in a dream on His
account. Terrified now lest her husband should do
anything against Him, she determined to follow the
proceedings as far as possible from one of her apart
ments where she could see without being seen. Here,
at the window, she stood watching with alarm the
masses of excited people now approaching the Pra>
torium.
Knowing that the chief priests were delivering up
Jesus of Nazareth out of envy, Pilate was resolved to
hear the cause himself and give the Prisoner a fair
chance. He therefore gave orders that the priests
should present themselves before his tribunal. But
they would not defile themselves at this holy Paschal
time by crossing the threshold of a Gentile, and the
Governor had to go out and meet them in the great
square in front of the Prtrtorium, called Lithostrotos,
or the Pavement, from the coloured stones with which
it was laid.
What accusation do you bring against this Man ? v
he asked.
They answered haughtily : " If He were not a male
factor we would not have delivered Him up to thee."
And in loud, angry voices they began to accuse Him,
saying :
" We have found this man perverting our nation,
and forbidding to give tribute to Ca?sar, and saying
that He is Christ the King. 7
It was something new to Pilate to find this sudden
zeal for Caesar, and he could not repress a sneering
smile. But he was not going to condemn a man on no
better evidence than their word, as they seemed to ex-
348 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
pect. Serious charges had been brought against Him,
and Roman justice required that they should be
seriously examined. He would see the Accused in
private, and two of his guards were sent out to bring
our Lord into the hall.
"Art Thou a King ?" inquired the Governor.
Jesus answered : " Thou sayest that I am a King.
For this was I born and for this came I into the
world . . but My Kingdom is not of this world."
It was as Pilate had been informed. The Man was
no danger to Rome. He had always spoken peace
fully to peaceful crowds. If His enemies had any
thing against Him, it was on account of some Jewish
superstition that was beneath his notice. Satisfied,
therefore, as to His innocence, Pilate brought Him out
to the people and said:
" I find no cause in Him."
The chief priests began to cry out, and to bring
charge upon charge against Him.
The Governor waited for His reply. But He
answered nothing. Pilate was struck by this silence
and looked well at the Man before him. Never had
he had to do with so noble a prisoner; never had he
seen such majesty and serenity, and such contempt of
death. Wondering exceedingly he said again:
" I find no cause in this Man."
But the priests only exclaimed more vehemently:
" He stirreth up all the people, beginning from Galilee
to this place."
Pilate was naturally just. He saw through the ac
cusations of the Jews. He knew that our Lord was
innocent of all these crimes, and that He ought to be
released at once. But Pilate was weak. He was
afraid that the Jews might report him to the cruel
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 349
Emperor Tiberias, and that disgrace, or something
worse, might befall him if he declared himself openly
in favour of One who claimed to be a King. He tried
therefore to strike a middle course, and began the
wretched shuffling, which was the cause of so much
shame and agony to our Lord and of such perplexity to
himself.
The name Galilee brought up by the priests seemed
to show a way out of the difficulty. Galilee belonged
to Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Pasch. Jesus
of Nazareth as his subject should be tried by him.
Greatly relieved at having thus shifted the responsi
bility on to another, Pilate sent our Lord to Herod,
and congratulated himself on having brought to a suc
cessful conclusion an important and awkward case.
Herod was as much pleased to see our Lord as Pilate
was to get rid of Him. For a long time he had wanted
to get a sight of this extraordinary Man, and to see some
of the marvels of which he had heard. His oppor
tunity had come, for the Prisoner would surely be only
too glad to gratify him and win his favour. On His
appearance, therefore, before the courtiers assembled
as for an entertainment, Herod treated Him with
respect, showed an interest in His case, and asked Him
many questions. But He who had answered Pilate
would not deign to speak to this vicious prince, the
murderer of St. John the Baptist, the man whom for
his cunning He had called a " fox."
Herod s conscience told him the reason of this silence,
and, provoked at being thus put to shame before his
court, he took his revenge by mocking his Prisoner.
He had Him dressed up in a white grament as a fool,
and in this guise sent Him back to Pilate.
Now, at last, the persistent efforts of the priests to
350 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
dishonour Christ before the people were rewarded. The
crowds that had flocked to Him in the Temple and
poured out of Jerusalem six days ago to bring Him
in triumph into the City, the crowds that He had loved
and taught and healed, turned against Him. As He
came out of Herod s palace in the fool s garment, He
was received with hisses, jeers, and all the wonted in
sults of an Eastern mob.
It was an hour or two after Pilate had sent our Lord
to Herod that He was told the soldiers were bringing
Him back. The weak, cowardly judge was terribly
perplexed. He knew what he ought to do, but he was
afraid. He could not in justice condemn Jesus ; he
dared not release Him. A sudden thought struck him :
the people might come to his help. There was a cus
tom by which they were allowed at the time of the
Pasch to have any prisoner they should choose released
to them. They were beginning now to cry out for the
grant of their annual privilege. Pilate saw his chance.
He had then in prison a bandit and murderer called
Barabbas. The people should choose between this man
and Jesus the people, not the envious priests, the peo
ple who would be terrified to see Barabbas let loose
again.
He mounted the platform in the Lithostrotos and
seated himself in his chair of gold and ivory. His
soldiers and servants took up their position behind him
and the Prisoner was again summoned. All around
was the multitude thronging every part of the en
closure.
" Whom will you that I release to you," cried the
Governor, " Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ ? "
At this moment he turned aside to hear a message
from his wife:
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 351
" Have thou nothing to do with that just Man, for
I have suffered many things this day in a dream be
cause of Him."
His Apostles were hiding; His friends in the San-
hedrin, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea, were
afraid to plead His cause ; His priests were clamouring
for His death. One alone in the holy City was found
to speak for Him the Gentile woman, who, from her
splendid apartment, was looking down upon Him with
reverence and with pity, Claudia Procula, Pilate s
wife.
Her words agitated her husband greatly, and con
firmed him in his resolution of saving this Just One
from the fury of His enemies. But what might have
been done with ease two hours ago was a difficult matter
now. The chief priests were steadily making way,
even the few minutes interruption caused by Procula s
message had not been lost by them; and when the
Governor put his question a second time, the people,
whom they had worked up to a state of frenzy, were
ready with their reply.
" Whom will you that I release to you," he cried,
* Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ ? "
A shout as of one voice went up : "Away with this
Man and release unto us Barabbas."
Astounded and disgusted, Pilate called out : " What
will you, then, that I do to the King of the Jews ?"
They cried out : " Crucify Him ! Crucify Him !"
" Why, what evil hath He done ? " demanded the
Governor. " I find no cause in Him. I will chastise
Him, therefore, and let Him go."
But again rose up that howl : " Crucify Him !
Crucify Him!"
Weary of the struggle, Pilate called for water and
352 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
washed his hands before the people, saying: "I am
innocent of the blood of this Just Man, look you to
it."
Oh, the awful shout that went up from the whole
multitude there :
" His blood be upon us and upon our children ! "
In vain did the cowardly judge wash his hands, the
guilt was upon his soul. On him depended the life or
the death of Jesus Christ. Therefore will all Chris
tians to the end of time say in their Creed : " suffered
under Pontius Pilate."
The rage of the people was becoming more and more
ungovernable ; they were thirsting like wolves for the
blood of this innocent Lamb, and now nothing less
would satisfy them. Again Pilate yielded, and, to
appease them and save Christ without harming him
self, he had recourse to the shameful expedient of
ordering Him to be scourged.
Scourging was a punishment so cruel and so degrad
ing that it was reserved for slaves. The poor victim
often died under it, and, in itself, it was far worse
than death. Trembling with fear, for He was truly
man, our Lord was fastened by His wrists to a low
pillar. Then the executioners, standing on a step to
deal their blows more surely, struck Him unmercifully
with their horrible iron-spiked lashes, which tore the
flesh to the very bones. His sacred body was soon one
wound ; " from the sole of the foot to the top of the
head there was no soundness therein, wounds and
bruises and swelling sores," as the prophet had said.
And not a friendly face anywhere, none of all He
had healed and comforted to help Him now! Gasping
for breath, He sank at last to the ground, but only to
be dragged off to a fresh torment.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 353
He had wanted, it was said, to be a King; well, the
soldiers would have the coronation in their barrack
room. They tore off His garments, which they had
put on roughly after the scourging and which clung to
His wounded body; threw over His shoulders an old,
scarlet cloak, and put a reed into His hand for a sceptre.
Then they plaited a crown of hard, sharp thorns, and
beat it down with sticks upon His head and forehead,
so that streams of blood trickled through His hair and
ran down His face. Then they got into line and
marched before Him, kneeling as they passed, and
with shouts of laughter and cries of " Hail, King of
the Jews ! " came up to Him, some spitting on Him,
some striking Him on the head, all trying who could
illtreat Him most.
Our Lord was a king, and He felt, as only a king
could feel, the shame as well as the pain He had to
endure. But He sat there bearing all meekly as the
prophet had foretold : " I have given my body to the
strikers, I have not turned away my face from them
that spit upon me."
Accustomed as he was to cruel sights, Pilate was
struck with horrror and compassion when our Lord ap
peared again before him. The face so beautiful an
hour ago was quite disfigured, swollen, bruised, be-
fneared with blood. His limbs trembled, He could
scarcely stand. The half closed eyes were dim with
tears and blood. The scourging must have been hor
rible, thought the Governor, but at least it has saved
His life ; a sight so piteous would melt hearts of stono.
There was a balcony built over the archway that over
looked the thronged entrance to the Prsetorium. Here,
where He could be seen by all below, Pilate placed our
Lord, still clothed with the old, red cloak, thrown over
354 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
His bleeding shoulders, His eyes half blind with
pain.
" Behold the Man ! " he cried. " I bring Him forth
to you that you may know I find no cause in Him. 7
" Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! " they shouted.
" He ought to die because He made Himself the Son
of God."
" Son of God ! " Pilate was filled with a new and
terrible fear. Innocent this Man certainly was. But
what if He were something more, what if He were a
God! Never, surely, had man borne himself like this
Man, with such calm dignity, such invincible patience
in the midst of torments and shame. He dared not
leave this awful question unsolved. He must see Him
again in private.
" Whence art Thou ? " he asked, when they were
again alone. But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate,
offended, said to Him:
" Speakest Thou not to Me \ Knowest Thou not
that I have power to crucify Thee and I have power to
release Thee ? "
Jesus answered : " Thou shouldst not have any
power against Me unless it were given thee from
above."
It was between ten and eleven o clock when the poor,
irresolute judge again appeared with his Prisoner in
the Lithostrotos. He was greeted with the shout :
" If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar s
friend."
" Behold your King," was his reply.
"Away with Him ! away with Him !" they shouted.
" We have no king but Csesar."
Pilate s courage gave way. He had to choose be-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 357
tween Caesar and Christ, and to keep Caesar s favour
" he released unto them him who for murder and sedi
tion had been cast into prison, whom they had desired/
says St. Luke, "but Jesus he delivered up to their
will."
All over the City was heard the howl of triumph with
which the sentence was received. No time was lost in
carrying it out, lest Pilate should repent and recall it.
The cross, already prepared, was brought out, and the
title Pilate had ordered to be fixed to it : " JESUS OF
NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS."
The procession formed and set out in all haste. First
came on horseback the centurion, whose duty it was to
preside at the execution and to maintain order in the
crowd; next a herald bearing the title of the cross and
proclaiming the crimes of the condemned. Then two
thieves to be crucified. Last of all, our Lord, weak
and tottering, yet laden with His heavy cross. On
each side of Him the soldiers who were to fasten Him
to the cross and guard Him till death. Running on
in front, shouting and laughing, children who had sung
" Hosanna !" six days before. All around and behind,
an immense multitude hooting and jeering, those near
est throwing mud and stones at Him after the fashion
of an Eastern crowd.
What a spectacle was Jerusalem that Friday morn
ing nineteen hundred years ago! a mass of men, wo
men, and children choking up every thoroughfare, pour
ing along under the arches that cross the narrow road
ways ? climbing and descending in endless procession
the steep streets of the hill-built City ; all going the same
way, all talking excitedly, rejoicing that justice had at
length overtaken " the seducer " and " blasphemer. "
Roofs, windows, doorways, filled with eager sightseers;
358 JESUS OF NAZAKETil.
rabbis and priests hurrying about among the people,
in a fever of anxiety lest anything should happen to
prevent the execution.
The way to Calvary was long and painful, now up
hill, now down, sometimes a series of steps. Our Lord
struggled on slowly; three times His little remaining
strength gave way, and, gasping for breath, He sank
beneath His load. Fearing He would die before He
could reach Calvary, the soldiers forced a countryman^
Simon of Gyrene, to carry His cross.
At a street corner was a little group waiting to see
Him pass His Blessed Mother with the Beloved Dis
ciple, Magdalen, Mary of Cleophas, and Salome. The
Mother s face would have moved a heart of stone; but
hearts in Jerusalem were harder than stone that day,
and there was no more pity for the Mother than for
the Son. She saw the ladders, the ropes, the cross.
And then, staggering along, she saw Him coming.
Their eyes met, and He looked pityingly at her. They
did not speak, but He strengthened her breaking heart,
that she might be able to endure to the end. There
were many hard things to bear on the road to Calvary,
but to the tender Heart of Jesus the hardest of all was
the sight of His Mother s face.
A little further on He stopped to speak to the weeping
women of Jerusalem. All through His life of hard
ship and persecution women were faithful to Him and
showed Him reverence. A woman s voice from the
crowd had been raised to bless Him as He preached;
women ministered to His wants, received Him into
their houses when all other doors were closed against
Him, lavished upon Him costly gifts which even His
own disciples grudged Him. In His hour of need a
woman s voice alone was raised in His defence. And
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 359
now, heedless of the rough soldiers and the hooting rab
ble, a crowd of women pressed round Him and filled
the air with their lamentations. What wonder that
He could not leave them without a parting word!
But it was a word of solemn warning, for He knew what
was corning upon them and upon the little ones they car
ried in their arms.
" Daughters of Jerusalem," He said, " weep not for
Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."
About twelve o clock Calvary was reached. It was a
mound outside the walls, the place of public executions
a place of horrors. Our Lord was quite spent, The
priests who crowded round Him could see He was dy
ing. " Quick, quick," they cried, " or it will be too
late!" And whilst the soldiers kept the ground clear,
He was thrown down upon the cross and ordered to
stretch out His arms. His terror was indescribable,
for He was truly man. Yet He obeyed without a
word. One strong blow, and a long nail was driven
through the right hand into the wood. The left arm had
to be drawn with ropes to the hole drilled for it in the
cross. Then it too was nailed fast. They dragged
the feet till the sinews broke and the bones were out of
joint. The torture was beyond what we can even think.
Yet it was not able to turn His thoughts from us and
our needs. He must make haste to appease His Fa
ther s anger, aroused by this awful crime, to pray for
His executioners and for all who have crucified or will
crucify Him again by sin.
ee Father, forgive them/ He said, ee for ihey know
not what they do/
St. John, who was there, tells us that " when they
had crucified Him. the soldiers took His garments and
360 JESUS OF NAZABETH.
made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His
coat. Now, the coat was without seam, woven from
the top throughout. They said then one to another:
Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it whose it
shall be/ that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying:
They have parted My garments among them, and upon
My vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers in
deed did these things."
Meantime the thieves, shrieking and blaspheming,
had been crucified, and the three crosses raised into po
sition and firmly fixed with wedges driven in all round.
Then at last the enemies of Jesus were satisfied. The
priests came up and stood before His cross and cried :
"Vah! Thou that destroyest the Temple of God
and in three days dost rebuild it, save Thy ownself.
If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross
and we will believe. 7
The people came and stared, blaspheming like their
rulers. One of the thieves cried out :
" If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us."
But the other rebuked him and said : " We, indeed,
receive the due reward of our deeds, but this Man hath
done no evil."
And he said to Jesus:
" Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into
Thy Kingdom."
And Jesus said to him:
"Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me
in Paradise/
Our Lord had always loved sinners. And now He
gave these poor men grace to know that He who shared
their disgrace and was put between them as the most
guilty was the long-expected Messiah, the King of
JESUS OF NAZAEETH. 361
Heaven and earth. One of them, alas ! only one,
opened his heart to grace, was sorry for his sins, took
his punishment humbly, and, for the simple remem
brance which he asked, received the forgiveness of his
sins and the promise of Heaven in the company of his
Saviour before the sun had set.
Sinners first, sinners even before His Mother. But
His next thought was for her. She was losing all in
losing Him ; He must provide her with a home.. Brave
and patient she was standing beside His cross, and,
except for her companions and the centurion and his
men, almost alone. A strange darkness creeping over
the heavens had frightened away the crowds ; there was
room now by the cross; John had brought her up to
it, and she had taken her stand there beside her Son
to stay with Him until the end. His eyes were dim
ming fast. He could scarcely see. But He turned
them painfully to her and then to John, and said to
her:
" Woman, behold thy son."
After that He said to John: " Behold thy Mother."
And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.
She was given to the Beloved Disciple, and in him to
all disciples. Mary, the Mother of God, became the
Mother of us all that day.
And now there was darkness over the whole earth,
not that of a dark day, but the darkness of night. Our
Lord had hung in silence a long time, when, suddenly,
a loud cry broke from His lips:
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
How hard it is to understand that cry ! We should
have thought His Heavenly Father would have leaned
362 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
in tenderest pity over that cruel cross and have filled
with consolation the soul of His dying Son. It was to
win back for His Father our perishing souls that He
had come down from Heaven; all His life through He
had sought, not His own glory but his Father s; He
had done everything His Father asked of Him why
was He forsaken ? Because He was being treated as a
sinner. Sinners deserve to be forsaken by God in this
world and in the next. He would take their place,
and suffer this most dreadful pain and punishment in
our stead, that we may know we are never, never for
saken by God in this life, no matter how lonely or how
sinful we may be.
Of all the pains of crucifixion, the most terrible is
thirst. It is so awful that the crucified seem to forget
every other, and, as if there were nothing more to ask,
beg only of the passers by a drink of water in their in
tolerable pain. It is loss of blood that brings this
thirst. What must His thirst have been after the
sweat of blood in the Garden, after the scourging, and
now the draining of His sacred body on the cross ? But
it was not to get relief that Jesus cried :
" I thirst" but that David s prophecy of Him might
be fulfilled : " In My thirst they gave Me vinegar to
drink." On hearing His cry, a soldier ran, and filled
a sponge with vinegar from a vessel that stood by, and,
fixing it on a reed, put it to His mouth.
And now at last, after three hours of agony, the
end was come.
When He had taken the vinegar Jesus said:
" It is finished."
All He had come to do was done the world re-
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 363
deemed; a perfect example set us in each stage of His
blessed Life; every prophecy concerning Him accom
plished; His Church founded, by which His followers
in every age were to be taught what He had done for
them, and how they must save their souls. He had
spared Himself in nothing; He had sacrificed for our
sakes, all He could give up home, friends, reputa
tion He ha.d loved us to the end all was finished.
And again, crying with a loud Voice, He said :
" Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit/
The eyes closed ; the head fell forward on the breast ;
the body sank low on the nails He was dead.
And the veil of the Temple that hid the Holy of
Holies from the sight of men was rent from top to
bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were
rent, and the graves were opened, and many of the
bodies of the saints that had slept arose, and, coming
out of the tombs after His Resurrection, came into the
holy City and appeared to many. And the centurion
and they that were with him watching Jesus, having
seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were
sore afraid, saying:
" Indeed this was the Son of God."
And all the multitude of them that were come
together to that sight and saw the things that were done
returned striking their breasts.
In vain did the priests try to quiet the people, Jeru
salem was beside itself with terror; the rocking earth,
the opening graves, the midnight darkness at midday-
all this spoke plainly for Him whose lifeless body hung
upon the cross.
There was no question of Feast or holiday. What
364 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
they had done to Jesus of Nazareth was the one ab
sorbing thought. All His goodness and gentleness and
compassion, His teaching and His healing, came back
to them ; their cry of long ago : " He hath done all
things well; 77 their cry six days ago: " Hosanna to
the Son of David ! 77 their cry of this day : " Crucify
Him ! Crucify Him ! His blood be upon us and upon
our children ! 77 They felt that an awful crime had
been committed, and a dreadful sense of the anger of
God enkindled against them weighed upon every heart.
Meantime evening was drawing on, and the Mother
on Calvary had seen the last outrage to her Son. Sol
diers had broken the legs of the thieves and taken the
dead bodies away that they might not hang there to
cast a gloom over the rejoicings of the morrow. When
they saw that Jesus was already dead they did not
break His legs, but one of them with a spear opened
His side and so fulfilled the prophecy of Zacharias:
" They shall look on Him whom they pierced. 77
She had no grave wherein to lay Him, but God, she
knew, would provide. And, presently, there came up
to the cross two men who up to this time had been dis
ciples in secret for fear of the Jews. But now, when
all Jerusalem was in fear, their hearts were filled with
a new courage, and they had come to give honourable
burial to their Master. Joseph of Arimathea had been
boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus, which
he was going to lay in his own monument in the garden
close by. Nicodemus came with him, and they brought
fine linen and spices, for the burial according to the
custom of the Jews. Helped by their servants, they
* Zach. 12.
THE RESURRECTION.
" Go to my brethren, and say to them : I ascend to
my Father and to your Father, to my God and your
God." John jo. 17.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 367
gently took down the sacred Body from the cross and
laid it on the ground, the head on the Mother s knee.
The Soul was not there but in Limbo, rejoicing all the
holy ones from Adam to the good thief, and turning
that place of w r eary waiting into a very Heaven. The
Divinity was with the Soul and with the lifeless Body
too, and both were to be worshipped with the honour
due to God.
The preparations for burial had to be hastened, bo-
cause of the Sabbath rest, which would begin when the
first stars came out. With the help of Magdalen and
John, Mary swathed Him in the long linen bands, and
covered the white, disfigured face. Then they formed
in sad procession and bore Him through the garden
into the rocky tomb. There they left Him, and, roll
ing the great stone to the entrance, went their way.
As darkness fell for the second time that awful day,
the disciples left their hiding places and crept back
one by one to the Upper Chamber on Mount Sion,
which now became their ordinary place of meeting.
There they gathered round John to hear all that had
befallen the Master since they had left Him in the
Garden. They listened in trouble and in shame, poor
Peter s tears running fast down his rugged face, all
sorrowing over their cowardly desertion of their Mas
ter, all envying John who had stood by Him to the last.
Then they talked of the past, of the happy days in
Galilee, of their nights with Him on the mountain side,
of His gentle, patient teaching, of His tenderness to
them at the Supper in this very room. And now all
was over, and had ended in this! There was nothing
more to live for. They remembered how clearly He
had foretold to them all that had come to pass the
368 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
betrayal, the scourging, the crucifixion ; but not one
of them called to mind that last word with which He
always ended: the third day He shall rise again."
Far into the night they talked; then, weary and com
fortless, broke up the meeting and went back to their
homes. On the festival day they were together again
in the same place, going over all anew. Others came
in, but there was 110 comfort from any. All was over,
they said again and again to one another as they
mourned and wept.
His friends, then, were weighed down by hopeless
sorrow. But what about His enemies ? They were
rejoicing surely? The priests had promised them
selves a quiet evening after their anxious day. All
had gone better than they had dared to hope. Through
the cowardice of Pilate, insult and torment beyond
what they could have desired had been heaped upon
" the seducer/ and now He was safely in His grave,
and all was over.
But was it ? This, in their hour of triumph, was the
question they kept asking themselves. The darkness,
and the earthquake, and the rent veil in the Holy Place,
were being taken as signs of His innocence and of the
wrath of God upon His enemies; and not by the com
mon people only but by men of note and their fellow-
councillors in the Sanhedrin. Word had been brought
to them how the centurion and his soldiers had pro
claimed the Crucified to be the Son of God, and how
Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had ^iven Him
honourable burial.
Of course they themselves had no further fears. He
was certainly dead, and His disciples were far too
timid to give cause lor alarm. And yet there was that
word of His about rebuilding the Temple in three
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 3(59
days. What if there should be anything in it! What
if anything should happen on the third day ! It would
be well to guard against such a calamity. No precau
tions could be too great to prevent a reappearance which
would at once mark all His words and works as divino,
and prove Him to be in very deed what He had given
Himself out to be. They would make all safe by ap
plying to Pilate for a guard until the third day.
It was the afternoon of the Sabbath when the Gov
ernor was told that a party of priests craved an au
dience. Tortured by his conscience, and terrified by
all that had followed upon the Crucifixion, Pilate was
in no mood to receive visitors, and least of all these
hateful men who had forced on him the deed of yester
day. Very unwillingly he gave orders for their ad
mission.
" Sir," they said, bowing low before him, " we have
remembered that that seducer said while he was yei
alive: i After three days I will rise again/ Com
mand, therefore, the sepulchre to be guarded until the
third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal
him away, and say to the people that he is risen from
the dead, and the last error shall be worse than the
first."
" You have a guard, go guard it as you know," was
the curt reply. And they, delighted to have gained
their point so easily, departed and made all secure by
sealing the stone of the Sepulchre and setting four
Roman soldiers to guard it.
THE RISEN LIFE
XL.
" JESUS CHRIST, YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND THE SAME
FOR EVER."
THE darkness of that Sabbath night was just giving
place to day. It was beginning to dawn towards the
first day of the week. Within the sealed sepulchre all
was stillness and gloom, The mangled Body in its
wrappings lay motionless, stiff and cold.
Suddenly a blaze of glory tilled the rocky chamber,
and in the midst was Jesus, Jesus risen from the dead
to die no more ! The Soul had returned from Limbo
and re-entered the Body, and He rose, Body and Soul
reunited for ever, in a majesty and beauty befitting the
Son of God.
He was the very same, but oh ! how changed ; all the
marks of His suffering and humiliation gone, only in
hands and feet and side five Wounds, not disfiguring,
but glorifying Him by their dazzling beauty. As He
rose by His own power, so by His own power He left
the tomb ; no angel rolled back the stone to let Him pass,
but, with the subtility that belongs to a glorified body,
He passed through, leaving the guards still sleeping
and the seal untouched. But the next instant Jerusa
lem was shaken to its foundations by a great earth
quake, for an Angel of the Lord descended from Hea
ven, and, coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon
it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his
raiment as snow. And for fear of him the guards were
struck with terror and became as dead men.
One, one only of those who believed in Him was
373
374 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
preparing to welcome Him back from the grave. She
who kept all His words, pondering them in her heart,
held fast the promise : " and the third day He shall
rise again." She knew He would return to her. She
was counting the hours all that sad Saturday, and,
when night fell, she was keeping watch and turning
continually to the East for the first streaks of the com
ing day. We wonder, perhaps, that with hope such
as hers sorrow could have been so crushing. But,
whilst her Son was absent and the memory of His suf
ferings was allowed to overwhelm her, there could be
no consolation for that stricken Mother. She could
only make her acts of faith and hope, and wait pa
tiently till He should come.
And He came! More swiftly than the lightning
flashing from East to West, He passed from His rocky
tomb to her chamber on Mount Sion, and as swiftly
came the change in that desolate heart from midnight
darkness to midday brightness and joy. The dawn was
only breaking, the third day scarcely come, when He
returned from the grave, eager to comfort those who
mourned for Him, and His Mother first of all. The
Scripture, indeed, does not mention His visit to her,
but can we think that the best of sons would refuse
this honour and consolation to His Mother? St. Ig
natius of Loyola says that anyone who could doubt
that Christ s first visit was to her, would deserve to
hear His own word of reproach: "Are you also with
out understanding ? "
The meeting between the Mother and the Son was
for themselves alone. It will be one of the joys of
Heaven to know what passed between them in those
first moments of His Kisen Life. All we know now is
that Mary could say with greater truth than David:
ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to
enter into His glory?" Luke 24. 26.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 377
"According to the multitude of my sorrows in my
heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul." *
Both were eager for the glad surprises of this blessed
day to begin soon. He must hasten to comfort those
who on His account were in such bitter trouble. And
so He left her to go on His errands of love, to do that
work of comforting which is always the delight of His
Sacred Heart.
Who could come next but Magdalen? After His
Blessed Mother s, no heart was so desolate as hers.
She had stayed by Him to the end, had helped to lay
Him in His grave, had sat at the door weeping when
all had gone away. As long as there was anything she
could do for Him, even after death, her love was rest
less, and so she set out very early on the first day of the
week, with the holy women her companions, to finish
the embalming of the sacred Body. On the way to
the Sepulchre they remembered the huge stone at the
entrance and wondered how they would get in. But
the difficulty did not stop them, and on their arrival
they found the stone rolled away and the entrance to
the tomb wide open.
Without waiting to see anything further, Magdalen
in dismay ran off to Peter and John and said to them :
:i They have taken away the Lord out of the Sepul
chre, and we know not where they have laid Him."
Tn the meantime the other women went into the
Sepulchre and saw a young man sitting at the right
side clothed with a white robe, and they were astonished.
And he said to them :
" Fear not you, for I know that you seek Jesus who
was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen as He
* Ps. 93.
378 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
said. Come and see the place where the Lord was
laid. And going quickly tell His disciples and Peter
that He is risen, and, behold, He will go before you.
into Galilee, there you shall see Him as He told you."
And they going out fled from the Sepulchre, for a
trembling and fear had seized them. And they went
quickly with fear and great joy, running to tell His
disciples.
What running there was that morning! for Peter
and John, on hearing Magdalen s tale, both ran to
gether to the Sepulchre. They saw the stone rolled
back, and the linen cloths in which our Lord had been
swathed folded together, but there was no angel there
now to explain what it all meant. Full of wonder and
perplexity they had gone home again, when Magdalen,
who had followed them, arrived and went in. There
she stood before the empty tomb weeping.
Now, as she was weeping, she stooped down and
looked into the Sepulchre: and she saw two Angels in
white, sitting one at the head and one at the feet where
the Body of Jesus had been laid.
They said to her : " Woman, why weepest thou ? "
She said to them : " Because they have taken away
my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him."
W T hen she had said this she turned herself back, and
saw Jesus standing ; and she knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her : " Woman, why weepest thou ?
whom seekest thou ? "
She, thinking that it was the gardener, said to Him :
" Sir, if thou hast taken Him hence, tell me where thou
hast laid Him, and I will take Him away."
Jesus said to her: "Mary."
She, turning, said to Him: " Kabboni," which is to
say: Master.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 379
Jesus said to her : " Do not touch Me, for I am not
yet ascended to My Father ; but go to My brethren and
say to them : I ascend to My Father and to your Father,
to My God and to your God."
Mary Magdalen went and told the disciples, who were
mourning and weeping:
" I have seen the Lord and these things He said to
me."
And they, hearing that He was alive and had been
seen by her, did not believe.
Her two companions were on their way to Jerusa
lem to deliver the Angel s message, when Jesus met
them, saying:
"All hail!"
And they came up and took hold of His feet and
adored Him.
And Jesus said to them : " Fear not, go tell My
brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see
Me."
But Magdalen s radiant face and joyful words : " I
have seen the Lord," and the assurances of her com
panions that they had kissed His feet, failed to cheer
the disciples. Only the women had seen Him, they
said, and who could believe such idle tales as theirs!
Two of them were so weighed down with sorrow that
they left Jerusalem in the afternoon to go to a little
village called Emmaus. As they went they talked over
all that had happened since Friday, but stopped short
on finding that a stranger had suddenly joined them.
He saw they were in trouble and said kindly :
" What are these discourses that you hold one with
another as you walk, and are sad ? "
One of them, whose name was Cleophas, answered:
380 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
"Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not
known the things that have been done there in these
days ? "
To whom He said : " What things ? "
And they said : * Concerning Jesus of Nazareth,
who was a Prophet mighty in work and word before
God and all the people; and how our chief priests and
princes delivered Him to be condemned to death and
crucified Him. But we hoped that it was He that
should have redeemed Israel; and now, besides all this,
to-day is the third day since these things were done.
Yea, and certain women also of our company affrighted
us, who before it was light were at the Sepulchre, and,
not finding His Body, came saying that they had also
seen a vision of Angels who say that He is alive. And
some of our people went to the Sepulchre and found it
so as the women had said, but Him they found not."
The Stranger listened quietly to the end of their
story. Then He said:
" O foolish and slow of heart to believe in all things
which the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to
have suffered these things, and so to enter into His
glory?"
And beginning at Moses He showed them from all
the prophets that He who was to come was to be a
suffering Messiah, not the founder of an earthly king
dom as the Jews expected. So far, then, from being
cast down by what had befallen their Master, they
ought to take comfort from it, seeing how exactly all
the prophecies had been fulfilled in Him. Moreover,
if suffering was the way by which the Messiah was to
redeem the world, it was not to last for ever. For
Him and for all His followers the cross was to lead to
the crown.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 381
The disciples listened with rapt attention. Here wag
a new light thrown upon that shameful death of their
dear Master which had seemed to be the end of all
their hopes. The cloud upon their hearts began to
lift. A strange peace and joy seemed to flow to them,
not from the words alone, but from the very Presence
of the Stranger. They could not bear to part from
Him; He had made all the difference in their lives.
They drew nigh to the town whither they were going,
and He made as though He would have gone farther,
but they constrained Him, saying:
" Stay with us, because it is towards evening and
the day is now far spent."
And He went in with them.
And while He was at table with them, He took
bread, and blessed, and broke and gave to them. And
their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He
vanished out of their sight.
Here, then, was the explanation of that happy after
noon. And they said one to the other:
" Was not our heart burning within us whilst lie
spoke in the way and opened to us the Scriptures ? "
And rising up the same hour, they went back to
Jerusalem, and they found the Eleven gathered to
gether, and those that were with them. Before they
could speak they were welcomed with the glad cry :
"The Lord is risen, indeed, and hath appeared to
Simon ! "
They looked around. How different the state of
things in the Upper Chamber from what they had left
a few hours ago ! Joy on every face. Peter s a sight
never to be forgotten ; such peace there, such deep con
tent. No word of what had passed between him and his
Master escaping him, as if his secret were too sweet to
382 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
be broken by a word, but the certainty of the Kesurrec-
tion so strong within him that on his simple assurance
the rest believed : " The Lord has risen indeed, and
has appeared to Simon." He is confirming his brethren
according to our Lord s words at the Supper.
At last Cleophas and his companion get a hearing
and tell their story of the wondrous walk that after
noon, and Who went with them, and how they did not
know Him till the breaking of bread. Those who had
not yet seen our Lord listened with beating hearts ; they
believed, but oh, that they too might see Him!
A stir; a startled cry! For there He stood in their
midst Himself, the very same; the face, the look, the
smile they knew so well.
"Peace be to you; it is I, fear not," He said.
But they being troubled and affrighted supposed
that they saw a spirit.
And He said to them : " Why are you troubled, and
why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See My hands
and feet, that it is I Myself; handle and see, for a
spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see Me to have."
And, when He had said this, He showed them His
hands and His feet. The disciples, therefore, were
glad when they saw the Lord. But while they yet be
lieved not and wondered for joy, He said :
" Have you here anything ..to eat ? "
And they offered Him a piece of broiled fish and a
honeycomb. And when He had eaten before them,
taking the remains, He gave to them.
Then He said to them again : " Peace be to you.
As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you."
When He had said this He breathed on them, and
He said to them : " Eeceive ye the Holy Ghost ; whose
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 383
sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and
whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
The third Sacrament instituted in the Upper Cham
ber. The Thursday before, the Blessed Sacrament
had been instituted there ; the Apostles had been made
priests, and received the awful power to consecrate.
And now, reserved for the evening of this glad Eastei
Day, when His word again and again is " Peace," He
institutes and leaves in His Church for ever the blessed
Sacrament of forgiveness, the Sacrament of Peace.
How grand is our Lord s generosity in this first meet
ing with His poor disciples! How completely He
sweeps away all fear that their desertion of Him is to
make any difference in His feeling towards them!
Even if the women s tale were true and the Lord was
risen indeed, He would look out now for followers more
worthy of Him. So they must have thought. He
knew this and set Himself to reassure and comfort
them in every way that loving Heart of His could de
vise. Before His Passion it was their suffering, rather
than His own, that troubled Him. In His Kisen Life,
what is due to Himself seems forgotten in His concern
for them. One would think He had to make amends
to them for what they had borne for His sake. And
so He hastens here and there, from one group to an
other, bringing brightness and happiness to all. Be
fore His Passion they were " friends," now they are
" brethren." His one thought this Easter Day is to
bring joy to all who love Him. ]sTot so much as a hint
at any need of forgiveness.
Oh, what a beautiful character is our dearest Lord s !
At the Last Supper it seemed as if self-forgetting love
could go no further. But when He comes back from
JESUS OF NAZARETH.
the grave, and the weight that all His life long had
pressed upon His Sacred Heart is gone, there is a
gladness, almost playfulness, about Him as He appears
and disappears and hides, that takes us by surprise, and
discloses depths of tenderness we had not known before.
One alone of the Eleven, Thomas, was still in trouble
because in unbelief. He was not with them when
Jesus came. On his return the rest exclaimed joy-
fully:
" We have seen the Lord ! "
But he said to them : " Except I shall see in Hi{
hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into
the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side,
I will not believe."
Poor St. Thomas ! few among the Apostles loved the
Master better than he. It was the very depth of his
affection that made him hesitate to believe what seemed
too good to be true. Perhaps, too, he was a little jeal
ous of the others. Why had he missed what had made
them so joyful! His mind worked slowly. He did
not jump at conclusions. The impulsiveness of Peter,
James, and John was something of a trial to him. He
rather prided himself on the prudence of his resolve
not to believe like them till he had seen like them. And
so lie remained aloof, wretched and miserable, a trial
to them all. But they saw how he was suffering, and
they were patient with him and kind. And their
charity was rewarded. He had no right, it is true,
to lay down the conditions on which he would believe,
and to get himself into such a state that nothing but a
miracle could bring him round. But if faith and hope
had gone, love remained, and our Lord had pity on him
and humoured him and gave him the proofs he re
quired.
THE ASCENSION.
54 This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come, as you have seen Him going into
heaven." Acts I. n.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 38?
After eight days again the disciples were within,
and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst and said :
" Peace be to you."
^Then He said to Thomas: "Put in thy finger
hither, and see My hands, and bring hither thy hand
and put it into My side, and be not faithless, but be
lieving."
Thomas answered and said to Him : " My Lord
and my God!"
Jesus said to him: "Because thou hast seen Me,
Thomas, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have
not seen and have believed."
Our Lord s Appearances after His Resurrection were
for His friends alone. His enemies had abundant
proof that He was risen, but they did not see Him
again. They had had their day of grace, and His
visible presence on earth was no longer for them. He
had told them shortly before His Passion that if they
believed not Moses and the Prophets, neither would
they believe if one should rise from the dead. These
words were fulfilled now, for the awful " signs " of
Friday afternoon and Sunday morning left them
hardened as before.
When the guards at the Sepulchre, who, at the pres
ence of the Angel, were struck with terror and became
as dead men, had come to themselves, they went into
the City and told the chief priests all things that had
been done. And they being assembled together, taking
counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers,
saying. " Say you : l His disciples came by night and
stole Him away when we were asleep. And if the
Governor shall hear of this, we will persuade him and
388 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
secure you." So they, taking the money, did as they
were taught. "And this word was spread abroad
among the Jews even unto this day/ 7 says St. Matthew.
" Spread abroad," it might be, but not believed. That
the disciples of Jesus, simple, timid men, who had all
taken flight when He was seized in the Garden, and had
not dared to show themselves since, could have attempted
such a thing, or that Roman soldiers, trained up under
strict military discipline, and placed there only the
evening before, should be all asleep at the same time,
and should sleep so soundly and so long as not to be
awakened either by the rolling away of the stone or
the carrying off of the body this was a story too ridicu
lous to deceive any. But the soldiers, who had nothing
to lose and much to gain by spreading it abroad, did-
as they were told. It was no concern of theirs that
people asked : if they were asleep how could they see
the theft of the body ? If they did not see it how were
they witnesses?
" He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh at them,"
says Holy Scripture, speaking of the plots of the
wicked. These words come to mind as we see the
priests carefully sealing the stone and setting their
guards on that Sabbath afternoon. These guards were
the first witnesses to the Resurrection, and that seal
was its surest sign. God allowed it so to be for the
confirmation of our faith. He knew that everything
about our Divine Lord would be attacked by unbe
lievers, that the day would come when the Mystery
which is the very foundation of our faith in Him would
be assailed.
That day has come. Because they cannot under
stand how Christ rose again, men are saying that the
Resurrection is an impossibility, and this they try to
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 389
prove in books and papers that are read by men, women
and children of every class, in every country, of every
shade of religious belief.
As children of the Catholic Church, we must be on
our guard against the unbelief of the day in every
shape. But most of all must we fear and fly from
anything that would shake our faith in the Resurrec
tion of Jesus Christ. If that goes, all must go. If
that goes, we are no longer Christians, for it is our
faith in the Resurrection that makes us followers of
Christ. We are not disciples of a dead but of a living
Man, the God Man Jesus Christ, yesterday, to-day, and
for ever.
We believe in this wonderful Mystery because tlie
Holy Scripture, which is the word of God, affirms it,
and because the Church of God has taught it from
the beginning. But we may strengthen our faith and
meet the objections of those who try to shake it by con
sidering two points about the Resurrection:
Men are to be found now who say that our Lord was
not really dead upon the cross, and, therefore, could
not rise again.
Now, both pagan and Jewish writers declare that
Jesus Christ was put to death by Pontius Pilate in the
reign of Tiberias Csesar. The piercing of the sacred
Side proves His death; so do the words of the cen
turion to Pilate, and Pilate s gift of the body to
Joseph of Arimathea, whilst the precautions of the
priests make both His Death and Resurrection as clear
as day to all but such as will not see.
Again, the wonderful change in the Apostles proves
the truth of the Resurrection. They never so much
as dreamed of their Master rising again. After His
death they were utterly disconsolate and hopeless, hid
390 JESUS OF ]S T AZAKETII.
ing away within barred doors, afraid to show them
selves abroad. A few weeks later these cowardly men
were proclaiming the Resurrection boldly. No fear of
their rulers nor of torments nor of death could silence
them:
" Jesus of Nazareth, whom you by the hands of
wicked men have crucified and slain this Jesus hath
God raised again, whereof all we are witnesses," said
Peter in his first sermon to the Jews.
Standing a little later before Annas and Caiaphas
to answer for his boldness in healing a cripple in the
Name of Jesus, he said :
" Ye princes of the people and ancients, hear. Be
it known to you all and to all the people of Israel, that
by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth
whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the
dead, even by Him, this man standeth before you
whole."
Think of Peter, poor, trembling Peter, who at the
first word of a servant girl had denied his Master,
speaking in this strain before the dreaded Sanhedrin!
How he insists. How little he cares what they do to
him. And when he and John are forbidden to teach
any more in the Name of Jesus, their only answer to
the Council is:
" If it be just to hear you rather than God, judge
ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard." *
To witness to this truth, and preach to all men
Jesus crucified and risen agpin, the Apostles gave up
friends and country, embraced a life of hardship and
suffering, and at length joyfully laid down their lives.
*Acts 4.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 391
Would they have done this had the Resurrection been
a fable ?
Our faith is built upon the Resurrection; that is, it
rests upon this great truth as a house on its founda
tion. Take away the foundation and the building falls
to the ground. Give up faith in the Resurrection and
belief in all other articles of the Creed breaks down.
We believe them on the word of Jesus, and we believe
in Jesus because of the Resurrection. The Gospel is
sometimes called " the preaching of the Resurrection
of Jesus Christ. 77 This was the proof He gave to
friends and enemies that He was God. It was this
wonderful fact that made the first Christians by bring
ing such multitudes into the Church at Pentecost. It
was to commemorate Christ s rising from the dead that
the first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord s Day,
was appointed by the Apostles to take the place of
the Jewish Sabbath.
Many men have worked miracles in His Name and
have even raised the dead to life. But no mere man
has ever raised himself to life. This God alone could
do. Jesus Christ alone could say : " I have power to
lay down My life, and I have power to take it up
again." His Resurrection, then, proves Him to be
God. If He is God, then all He has taught is true.
We must believe in Him and we must do all He has
commanded us.
There is no article of our Creed that we should say
with more triumph and joy than this : " The third
day He rose again from the dead." And with more
hope. For it is because of the Resurrection of our
Head that we, the members, look for our own and say:
" I believe in the Resurrection of the body and life
everlasting. Amen."
21
392 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
But we must go back to the Appearances of our Lord
to His disciples, by which He confirmed their faith in
this astounding Mystery. When during forty days
they saw Him, touched Him, heard Him, ate with Him,
they could no longer doubt the reality of the Resurrec
tion. He was as real a person to them as Peter or
John; He might be looked for at any moment; they
could put their questions and difficulties to Him as
before.
About a week after the Resurrection the Eleven left
Judea for Galilee. They were glad to go north. Je
rusalem had few happy memories for them. There
the Lord had suffered and died. His enemies were
there and more infuriated than ever since His Resur
rection from the dead. It was by the simple folk of
Galilee that He had been most followed and loved.
Everything there the mountains, the fields, the high
ways spoke to them of Him. And above all, the
Lake. On its beach they had received their call to fol
low Him and become fishers of men. There He had
spoken the first parables and worked many of His deeds
of mercy. He had stilled its storms and come to them
across its waters. Yv 7 hat wonder that they were glad to
find themselves once more on the shores of that dear
Lake!
It was strange to go back to nets and fishing after
that marvellous Pasch; but they were poor men, and
had to live by their labour. And so when Peter said
one evening:
" I go a-fishing," six of them answered :
" We also come with thee."
One of them was Thomas. He had learned his les
son ; he was not going to lose a chance again by separat
ing himself from the rest.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 393
They put to sea and laboured all night, but caught
nothing. The sun was rising next morning when,
through the light mist, they saw a Figure standing on
the shore, and heard a Voice calling:
" Children, have you any meat ?"
The weary men answered : " No."
" Cast the net on the right side of the ship," said the
Voice, " and you shall find."
They obeyed, suspecting nothing. But when the
net sank heavily, and they were scarcely able to draw
it for the multitude of fishes, John said to Peter :
" It is the Lord ! "
In an instant Peter was over the side of the boat and
making for land with all his might. The six came up
presently in the boat dragging the net with fishes.
As soon as they came to land, they saw hot coals
lying, and a fish laid thereon, and bread.
Jesus said to them : " Bring hither of the fishes which
you have now caught."
Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land
full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty-three; and,
although there were so many, the net was not broken.
Jesus said to them: " Come and dine."
Tired and hungry, they stretched themselves on the
beach. And He went in and out among them giving
them fish and bread. They looked at Him in silent
wonder; looked at the Wounds in His feet and hands.
They listened to Him, took food from His hands,
touched Him as He went past. And when He came
and sat down amongst them as in the old days, and the
fresh morning breeze stirred His hair, and there were
the sweet words and ways that belonged to Him alone,
revealing Him every moment what more could they
want to convince them of the truth of His own word?
394 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
on the Day of the Insurrection : " It is I Myself ?"
St. John, who was there, tells us that " none of them
who were at meat durst ask Him : Who art Thou V
knowing that it was the Lord. He goes on to tell us
what happened after that early dinner.
When they had dined Jesus said to Simon Peter :
" Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me more than
these?"
He said to Him : " Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I
love Thee."
He said to him : " Feed My lambs."
He said to him again : " Simon, son of John, lovest
thou Me I"
He said to Him : " Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that
I love Thee."
He said to him : " Feed My lambs."
He said to him the third time : " Simon, son of
John, lovest thou Me?"
Peter was grieved because He had said to him the
third time : " Lovest thou Me \ " and he said to Him :
" Lord, Thou knowest all things ; Thou knowest that I
love Thee."
He said to him : " Feed My sheep."
Our Lord would give Peter the opportunity of mak
ing reparation by three professions of love for his three
denials. And He asked him for a greater love than the
rest, because of the greater trust that was to be com
mitted to him the charge of the whole flock.
The Church, as you will remember, consists of two
classes, the Teaching and the taught. The taught are
the simple faithful, whom our Lord calls the lambs ; the
sheep who look after the lambs are the bishops; they
make up the Church teaching. Over all Peter is set
as Shepherd. Teachers as well as taught, bishops and
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 395
priests as well as the simple laity, are to look for guid
ance to Peter and his successors. As in the East a
flock is kept together by following the shepherd, who
walks on in front and leads it, so the flock of Christ is
to be kept united by obeying its chief Shepherd the
Pope ; who is the succesor of Peter and the Vicar of
Christ.
" Go, tell His disciples and Peter," the Angel said
to the women at the Sepulchre. Why " and Peter?"
Was he not one of the disciples? Yes, but the first
among them, who had charge of the rest and had to con
firm them. This he did on the very Day of the Resur
rection. And with wonderful success. What was an
" idle tale," when told by the women, was the truth
indeed when it came from Peter : " The Lord is risen in
deed and hath appeared to Simon."
We must not think that the Gospels eive us all the
Appearances of our Lord to the Apostles after His Res
urrection. St. John tells us expressly:
" Many other signs did Jesus in the sight of His dis
ciples which are not written in this book. But these
are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ the Son of God, and that believing you may have
life in His Name." St. Luke says: " He showed Him
self alive after His Passion by many proofs, for forty
days appearing to His disciples and speaking to them
of the Kingdom of God," that is, the Church, which
our Lord often called by this name.
In one of these Appearances He was seen by more
than five hundred disciples at once. This Appearance
on the mountain was the only one of which the time
and place were known beforehand. Here our Lord
was to meet His own by appointment, From all parts
396 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee they flocked to the spot,
full of joyful expectation. And there, in presence
of this large number of believers, He gave to the Apos
tles the solemn commission to teach the whole world.
And Jesus coming spoke to them, saying:
"All power is given to Me in Heaven and in earth.
Going, therefore, teach ye all nations, baptising them
in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you, and behold I am
with you all days even to the consummation of the
world."
XLI.
"THIS JESUS SHALL so COME AS rou HAVE SEEN HIM
GOING INTO HEAVEN/
AND now His work on earth was done ; the day was
come for Him to return to the Father.
The Eleven were again in Jerusalem, in the Upper
Chamber sanctified by so many mysteries. St. Luke
tells us that He appeared to them as they were at table.
And eating together with them, He commanded them
that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should
wait for the promise of the Father, which " you have
heard/ saith He, " by My mouth ; for John indeed bap :
tised with water, but you shall be baptised with the
Holy Ghost not many days hence."
And He led them out as far as Bethania.
How they must have thought as they followed Him
up the slope of Olivet, of that night six weeks ago when
He had led them from the Supper Koom through the
streets of Jerusalem to the scene of His lonely Agony,
the beginning of His Passion. Xow His sufferings are
over, and He is going up Olivet to mount thence to His
Throne.
They pass Gethsemane. The glory of the noonday
sun is on the olive trees beneath whose shade He prayed
that awful night. Here is the path down which they
came on the day of palms when He wept over poor
Jerusalem. Higher and higher they go, and now they
stand on the summit.
He looks around. To the north is Galilee and Naz
areth and the Lake. Six miles to the south, Bethlehem
and the Cave. At His feet Jerusalem ; and over there,
397
398 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
Calvary and the Sepulchre. He thinks of all the
glory to His Father, all the treasure for us, the three
and thirty years of His Life on earth have won, . and
His Heart is full of joy. " It is finished," was His
last thought on Calvary; it is His last on Olivet.
The time is come for Him to leave the earth, but He
is long in bidding it farewell. His Mother is close
to Him, and, pressing round, are His dear disciples,
glad now, because they love Him, that He is going to
the Father. For each He has a last word, the word
He knows will reach the heart and meet the needs of
each, and keep up faith and hope and love unto the
end.
And He said to them:
" Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gos
pel to every creature. He that believeth and is bap
tised shall be saved, but He that believeth not shall be
condemned. And these signs shall follow them that
believe: In My Name they shall cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up ser
pents ; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover." *
And after He had spoken to them, lifting up His
hands, He blessed them. And, whilst He blessed
them, He was raised up, and a cloud received Him
out of their sight. And, while they were beholding
Him, going up to Heaven, two men stood by them in
white garments who said:
" Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to
Heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into
Heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into
Heaven."
* Mark 16.
JESUS OF NAZARETH. 390
" And they adoring went back into Jerusalem with
great joy." "And going forth they preached every
where, the Lord working withal, and confirming the
word with signs that followed." f
We began this story of Jesus of Nazareth with
the question of the persecutor Saul : " Who art Thou,
Lord ? " We end it with the cry of the heathen cen
turion, as, sore afraid, he stood in the noonday dark
ness beside the Cross:
"Indeed this Man was the Son of God!"
This is the testimony borne by Heaven and earth
and Hell itself to Jesus Christ. By the Angels singing
in the midnight sky over Bethlehem. By the star that
led wise men to His feet. By the Voice at His Ban-
tism. By the winds and the waves of the stormy sea.
By the earth that gave up its dead at His word and
shuddered beneath His Cross. It is the testimony of
type and of prophecy, of His teaching, of His miracles,
of His Resurrection and Ascension, of His divinely
beautiful Character. It is the testimony of those who
hated Him unto death and of the very devils themselves,
as well as of those who in every age have loved Him
and laid down their lives for Him with joy. It is the
testimony of His Church to the end of time, of all
who have eyes to see and ears to hear:
"Indeed this Man was the Son of God!"
Writing to his converts at Ephesus, St. Paul bnde
them hold fast the faith they had received, and beware
of the false teachers who were come among them. As
the soldiers of his time warded off an enemy s arrows
* Luke 24. f Mark Ifi.
400 JESUS OF NAZARETH.
by a shield that covered them from head to foot, so
were these new Christians to " take the shield of faith
wherewith to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most
wicked one." *
To you, the children of this twentieth century, the
great Apostle would give the same solemn charge.
There are men in these days who are trying to undo
all that Jesus Christ has done, who deny whatever in
His Life they cannot understand, and teach children
that such facts as His Resurrection and Ascension
could not have happened because they do not see how
they happened. It is very wrong and very cruel thus
to rob the little ones of their faith in Him who died
to save them from sin and hell.
Do not listen to such teaching. When men or
women, companions, books or newspapers, would shake
your faith in Jesus Christ up, then, with the shield
of faith : "I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ
His only Son, our Lord."
Cling to Jesus Christ. Let no one, let no thing
separate you from Him. He alone, by His Precious
Blood, can wash away your sins. He alone can com
fort you when you are poor, or sick, or desolate. He
alone can give you courage in the hour of trial, vic
tory in temptation, and help in the awful hour of death.
When all desert you then, He will stand by you and
keep you from harm if you have clung to Him all
your life through as your Saviour and your Friend.
Cover yourselves, then, with the shield of faith when
danger threatens. Be glad that as children of the Holy
Catholic Church you are preserved from the ignorance
* Ephes. 6.
JESUS OF NAZAEETH. 401
and the disbelief which is taking Jesus Christ out of
the hearts and the lives of so many who are outside.
S*y to Him joyfully with Peter and with Martha:
Thou art Christ the Son of the living God."
And be not afraid to profess your faith boldly:
Jesus is God ! if on the earth
This blessed faith decays,
More tender must our love become,
More plentiful our praise.*
By your reverence in His Presence, by the frequency
and the fervour of your Communions, by the observance
of His Commandments and of the precepts of His
Church, profess your faith in Him.
And if at times it costs, as it most certainly will, to
show yourselves the followers of Jesus Christ, look
forward to that Day when He in His turn will confess
you before the whole world. Remember that this
Jesus, who has been taken up from us into Heaven, is
to come again. Look forward to meeting Him with
joy at His Second Coming, to being owned by Him
then for one of His, according to His promise : " He
that shall confess Me before men, I will also confess
him before My Father who is in Heaven and before
the Angels of God." f
i
* Faber. f Matth. 10 ; Luke 12.
WELCOME.^
\
Holy Communion: Before
and After.
In his Preface to this admirable book, Father Thurston says:
" Our moods are very various. Our thoughts about God and our
own souls are often more entangled than our ideas about any
thing in the world. The spiritual guide who helps us most is
he who can interpret ourselves to ourselves; and to nobody do
we feel a deeper gratitude than to one who can put into simple
words the vague longings after good which we know not how
to utter in any form that satisfies us. ... Those who use
this little book will find it both immediately and permanently
helpful as an aid to their devotion in Holy Communion."
A reader of Mother Loyola s works says : Welcome has done
me more good than any book that I have ever read."
A Spiriual Director says: "I find Welcome most useful for
my^lf and for the direction of others. It is a most timely book,
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quent and daily Communion."
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Thoughts for All Times
BY MONSIGNOR VAUGHAN.
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A few extracts from the work itself will make this clear.
From the chapter on Infinite Love we take the following:
" What the sun is in the material order, that love
is in the social and moral order."
" We all turn as naturally and as eagerly towards
a devoted friend as the sunflower is said to turn
towards the sun."
" Of all topics that can engross the mind, the only one of
which men never seem to tire or weary is love. . . . Under
its influence the weak become strong, the despondent hopeful,
and the niggardly generous. It changes, transforms and ame
liorates whatever it touches, and infuses a nobler and higher
impulse wherever its influence penetrates.
" This would prove a sad and dreary world but for the
bright, warm sunshine shed by loving hearts. For love illu
minates our darkness; it causes the desert itself to blossom as
a garden, weaves a thread of golden splendor into the dull
texture of a cheerless life, and creates a veritable paradise
even on the confines of hell. It is sweet to be loved even
by the dumb, unconscious beast."
" Yes, even human love is full of beauty and of gladness.
And why? Simply and solely (as it seems to me) because it
is a shadow, indeed, but yet a real shadow of one of the most
tremendous and sublime realities, viz.: God s overpowering
love of us."
"If the love that, is born of creatures be so welcome, so cheer
ing, so gladdening and so soul-inspiring, what are we to say,
what, indeed, can we say of the love of Him who is not a crea
ture at all, however perfect and however exquisite, but the Infi
nite and the Uncreated? What is all earthly affection compared
with the fierce, consuming fire of divine love burning in the
sacred heart of the world s Redeemer? ... In fact, but for
this love we never could have been. It was His love, and His
love only, and not the thought of any interest or advantage that
He could expect to derive from our existence, that determined
Him to call us from the hollow womb of nothingness into a state
of actual being. Behold, I have loved thee with an everlast
ing love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee
(Jeremias xxxi. 3).
" To any one who at all realizes the majesty and unapproach
able glory of God, on the one hand, and the ineffable tenderness
and depth of His love on the other, there is something positively
intoxicating in the thought. Who would ever fear, or doubt,
or hesitate, or despair, if he were really and indeed intimately
conscious to himself that the loving arms of Omnipotence are
wound about him nil the day long, and that nothing in heaven
or on earth can possibly approach to injure or molest him with
out permission from that divine Lover whose love is infinite,
and whose power is commensurate with His love? To be fully
sensible of all this is to be calm and happy, and to share in some
measure ;n the felicity of the saints.
"There are two wondrous faculties in the love God bears
towards men which can never be sufficiently realized, and which
we should, therefore, frequently call to mind and ponder over.
First, its intensity, and secondly, its essentially personal char
acter. Like a true, warm-hearted lover He is never weary of
expressing His love, and, as it were, whispering into our ears
fresh assurances of His enduring attachment. At one time in the
most explicit terms, and at others by figures and symbols. He
seeks to enforce the same sweet truth upon us, and to persuade
us more and more fully of the depths of that charity which the
apostle tells us surpasseth all understanding (Eph. iii. 19).
Fear not, He exclaims, for I have redeemed thee and called
thee by thy name; thou art mine (Is. xliii. i). I have loved
thee with an everlasting love (Is. xxxi. 3). And in what mea?
ure and with what strength? He answers the query Himself
As the Father loved Me, so I have loved you."
Questions On Vocations
MATRIMONY, VIRGINITY, THE RELIGIOUS
STATE, THE PRIESTHOOD
By a Priest of the Congregation of the Mission
(Founded by St. Vincent de Paul}
Foreword of Cardinal Gibbons and Pope Leo Kill
BALTIMORE, MD., OCT. 14, 1911
No better preface could be written to this excellent little
book than the words of Our Holy Father, Leo XIII., ad
dressed to me on the 22d day of January, 1899, concerning
the religious life. J. CARD. GIBBONS.
Apostolic Letter of Our Most Holy Father, Leo XIII.,
to James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore.
(Letter follows in the book.}
Contents
Every Person has some Special Vocation Necessity of Fol-
loiving a Vocation Matrimony; Is it a Vocation?
Mixed Marriages: Appalling Results and Figures Vir
ginity The Three Evangelical Counsels The Religious
State Marks of a Vocation to the Religious State
Doubts about a Vocation to the Religious State Induc
ing Others to enter the Religious State Means of Pre
serving a Vocation to the Religious State; Some
Obstacles Children and the Religious State: Example
The Soldier of Christ
OR
TALKS BEFORE CONFIRMATION
Although the author has not aimed at supplying a full course
of dogmatic instruction about the Sacrament of Confirmation, it
is hoped that the book will be useful in inspiring a love of certain
military virtues specially desirable in those who are to be made
* soldiers of Christ."
"The central idea of Mother Loyola s volume is conveyed in its
alternative title: Talks Before Confirmation, It does not aim
at imparting dogmatic knowledge, but at awakening a sense of
earnestness and responsibility. It contains little to be learnt,
but much to be practised." Weekly Register.
OR
WHAT COMES OF OUR BAPTISM
The Dublin Review says:
" The success of Mother Loyola s charming book is not at all
limited to the need of children. Once it falls into mature or aged
hands it is sure to do its work, for matter, reason, and fact, with
their strong logic, are there, and it is an easy inference that where
one child takes to thinking over what she says, ten, if not a hun
dred, adults will do the same, and, we hesitate not to say, with
more abundant advantage."
The Church Gazette says :
" Mother Mary Loyola has certainly written an attractive and
readable book for children, carried out in lively conversational
and even entertaining style."
The American Ecclesiastical Review says:
"Apart from the attractiveness with which Mother Loyola
knows how to invest her subject, by pretty stories and catching
illustrations, for the children who are being instructed, our
teachers might learn from the method which she suggests a good
lesson for the way in which the child s intelligence and conscience
are best reached. These two faculties are, as Father Thurst.
points out in his Preface, the last of all to quicken into li
keenest little brains have often no conception how to think, o
how to think about themselves.
LIKE OF
St. Vincent de Paul
By REV. CHARLES MALOY, C.M.
Paper Edition . . Retail, $0.20; net, $0.16
doth . . Retail, $0.35 ; net, $0.28
In the opinion of the best critics this is the most popular, the
most unctuous, and the most readable life of St. Vincent that
has yet appeared. After years spent in the careful study oi
fourteen histories of St. Vincent, Father Maloy has become a
fit instrument for placing before the public a much-needed and
greatly appreciated work namely, a concise and practical ac
count of the life, labors, and virtues of the great apostle of
charity.
A prominent member of the Conference of St. Vincent de
Paul said: "This book is precisely what we want in order to
make the works of the Conference better known and to create
more interest in them."
"Just what we need to increase the number of vocations in
our community. Sisters of Providence.
Cardinal Vaughan highly praises the larger Life of St. Vin
cent, by Bishop Bougaud, from which much of the matter of
this book has been taken.
The Cardinal says: "This Life of St. Vincent de Paul wil
be of value to bishops, superiors and ecclesiastical students, be
cause it contains so much that directly concerns the training and
mission of the priesthood. Tt will be of use also to trie devout
laity if it incite them also to address frequent and fervent prayer
to God for the sanctification of the clergy. Sicut populus sic
Sacerdos. If the fathers and mothers of families form a high
ideal of the priesthood, if they inspire it into their children, i:
they foster it during the years of the education of their sons,
they will render incalculable service to the Church. . . Now.
from no biography will they better learn what the priesthood
ought to be than from the Life of St. Vincent de Paul."-H"
bert Cardinal Vaughan.
Duty of Parents Regarding the Religious Vocation of
their Children Vocations to the Priesthood Do Vo
cations to the Priesthood come directly from God?-
Fostering Vocations to the Priesthood Is it Sinful to
Neglect a Vocation to the Priesthood? Preventing
Vocations to the Priesthood Means of Knowing One s
Vocation.
APPROBATIONS
we
"I recommend it especially to young men among whom
expect to discover recruits for the Priesthood." J. Can/.
Gibbons.
"I think your work will be of great utility and help to
young people." Most Rev. Sebastian Martinelli, Di D.,
Apostolic Delegate.
"I cordially approve the little Manual entitled: QUESTIONS
ON VOCATIONS. The brief but practical manner in which the
important subject of Vocations is herein treated can not
fail to be of great advantage to many. I especially recoi
mend that part of the Work treating of Vocations to t
Priesthood, in which attention is very appropriately (
to the teachings of the Fathers of the Second, as well as
Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, on the manner and 1
importance of fostering vocations." S. V. Ryan, BL
Buffalo.
"I like the little book very much. It will lead young men
to reflect seriously on a matter which is of vital importance
to their temporal and enternal welfare. It will, I am sure
be received with gratitude by the heads of our Catholi
leges."/. L. Spalding, Bishop of Peona.
"I am very glad you have published a work on a subject
so "rave as Vocations. Your work is very opportune."
Most Rev. Wm. H. Gross, D. D., Archbishop of Oregon.
"In the hands of our young it is certainly apt to do a great
deal of good."-Most Rev. Fr. X. Katzer, Archbishop of
Milwaukee.
"If it were introduced into the Catholic schools, I
fident that it would do much good among the chik
Right Rev. IV. M. Wigger, D. D., Bishop of Newarl
"What is said about Mixed Marriages is most timely."
Right Rev. Ignatius N. Horstmann, D. D., Bishop of Cleve
land.
"Excellent Excellent." Right Rev. L. De Goesbriand,
D. D., Bishop of Burlington.
"You have written a most useful book. It will be of great
use in all our schools; for a clear, accurate statement about
Vocations is very much needed." Right Rev. James Mc-
Golrick, D. D. } Bishop of Duluth.
"A valuable and timely treatise, calculated to do much
good." Right Rev. James Ryan, D. D., Bishop of Alton.
"I have read the little volume with great pleasure and
interest, and I must add that I have received therefrom no
small amount of instruction. I consider it a very useful and
instructive book for all." Right Rev. L. S canton, D. D.,
Bishop of Salt Lake.
"I consider it very good and very useful in guiding the
teachers of the young in this delicate matter. I shall recom
mend its use to the Sisters who have charge of the schools
in this diocese." Right Rev. John Moore, D. D., Bishop of
St. Augustine.
"I am confident that it will be a faithful guide to every one
who is anxious to find his true place in the divine plan of
redemption." Right Rev. James A. McFaul, D. D., Bishop
of Trenton.
PRICES
Flexible Cover, 9 cents a copy. 100 copies, $4.90. 50 copies,
$3.00. 25 copies, $1.75. 10 copies, $0.80.
IF SENT BY MAIL, 2 CENTS PER COPY EXTRA.
Address (Rev.) D. J. DOWNING, C. M., St. Vincent s
Mission House, SPRINGFIELD, HASS.
For Sale by all Catliolic Booksellers.
BT 301.2 .M3 1915 SMC
Mary Loyola,
Jesus of Nazareth 47230776
