CHRIST, THE FRIEND OF YOUR SOUL.

"Eat, O friends, and drink and be inebriated, my beloved." (Cant. 5:1)

I.

In the Gospel of today, we read the following expression: "Friend, how comest thou in hither, not having on a wedding garment?" (Matt. 22:12) Christ, in the most merciful manner, invites all mankind to become His friends; and, inasmuch as depends on Him, wishes to be our Universal Friend. He endeavored to bring even Judas back to a sense of his duty whilst he was practicing treason against Him. "Friend," He asked him, " whereunto art thou come?" (Matt. 26:50) Ponder the greatness of the honor which He does us. "We are not worthy to be servants," writes St. Gregory, "and we are styled friends." What an honor is it for miserable wretches formed of the dust of the earth to be the friends of the Ruler of the universe!

II.

This Friend of yours will visit you today in the Eucharist, to instruct you with His divine wisdom, to enrich you with His treasures, to defend you by His power, and to inflame you with His love. Among friends, all things are in common. It is recorded of the friendship which existed between David and Jonathan: "The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David." (1 Kings 18:1) The friendship of Christ, however, in our regard, proceeds much farther. He gives Himself to us for our meat and drink. Under these appearances, He enters into your breast in order, as St. Cyril remarks, that "He may be joined in flesh and blood with you." (Cant. iv)

III.

The best preparation to receive your Savior is to return love for love. This your loving Friend requires from every one, and He has instituted this banquet for such only as return love for love. "Eat, O friends," he says, "and drink and be inebriated, my beloved." (Cant. 5:1) In the Gospel of today, He condemns to perpetual darkness the man who presented himself without the "nuptial garment" of charity. Love, therefore, this kind Friend of yours, and do whatever He inspires you to do, remembering His expression, recorded in the Gospel of St. John: "You are My friends, if you do the things that I command you." (John 15:14)

THE WOMAN CURED OF THE ISSUE OF BLOOD.

I.

"And behold a woman, who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, who had bestowed all her substance on physicians, and could not be healed by any, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment." (Luke 9:43) Admire the humility of this woman, who did not presume to ask Christ to cure her, nor to appear before Him, but privately touched His garment. Her confidence was equally great: "She said within herself, if I shall but touch His garment, I shall be healed." Those Christians, in a spiritual sense, labor under the disease of this woman, who spend their time in pursuing the vain and perishable things of this earth, and direct all their actions to them: they spend their substance in vain on physicians, who cannot cure them; for the deceitful pleasures and idle enjoyments of the world can never cure the ailments of an immortal soul, whose capacity nothing but God can fill.

II.

When the woman had touched Christ's garment, she received perfect health as a reward for her faith. With how much more reason may those expect to receive perfect spiritual health who touch not only the garment of Christ, but receive in the Eucharist His own all-healing Body and Blood. Remark how this touch of the woman did not escape Christ's knowledge; and learn, hence, that no action of yours, however secret, can be concealed from God, "whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the children of Adam." (Jer. 32:19)

III.

Although the multitude pressed on Christ, He asked: "Who is it that touched me?" The others touched Him corporeally; but this woman touched Him spiritually, and therefore she was cured. Thus, many touch Christ, particularly in the Eucharist; but do it without spiritual feeling. Of such as these the Prophet speaks when he says: "Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips glorify Me, but their hearts are far from Me." (Isa. 29:13) Avoid being classed with that kind of false Christians.

RAISING OF THE RULER'S DAUGHTER.

I.

"Behold, there came a man (whose name was Jairus), and he was a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at the feet of Jesus." (Luke 8:41) Observe how misfortunes humble even rulers, and force them to have recourse to God. Hence, King David says: "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me" (Ps. 118:71); and again: "I am turned in my anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened." (Ps. 31:4) This ruler prays for his only daughter, who was at the point of death. Examine whether your soul be not at the point of death in consequence of your carelessness in resisting some grievous temptation, or of your not avoiding venial sins.

II.

Consider Christ's goodness in going immediately to the ruler's house, although He might have cured her whilst He was at a distance. Besides, to teach us humility, He endeavors as much as He can to conceal the miracle by taking only three of His disciples with Him and by driving the musicians and the multitude out of the house. Learn to sequester yourself from the noise and rabble of worldly thoughts if you desire to live for Christ. "Wisdom, says the sea, is not in me." (Job 28:14) By "the sea," says St. Gregory, interpreting this passage, "is meant the world."

III.

"Christ, taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: Maid, arise." (Luke 8:54) Thus He raises up sinners from their sins, holds them by the hand, and directs them to good works. "And He bade them to give her to eat," to show you that those who rise from a state of sin must receive the spiritual food of the Eucharist, to prevent them from relapsing. Take care, then, that you receive this food often, and in a proper manner, that you may live forever.

RAISING OF THE WIDOW'S SON. I.

I.

"Jesus went into a city called Naim, and, behold, a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother." (Luke 7:11) This was a young man in the flower of youth; learn, hence, that no age is secure against the shafts of death. Imagine that this young man addresses you in the language of Ecclesiasticus: "Remember my judgment, for thine also shall be so; yesterday for me, and today for thee." (Ecclus. 38:22) Examine what would become of you, were you to die this very day. This young man died to God in a spiritual sense sooner than others who are older; for, as St. Jerome says: "Youth has many conflicts of the body to undergo."

II.

Our Lord met the corpse, not by chance, but by design, and offered, of His own accord, to raise the dead man. Oh, how frequently has He offered His assistance to raise you from the death of sin, and you have refused. Beware lest you willfully resist and contemn the grace which He offers you, for fear He may utter the dreadful sentence against you: "I will laugh in your destruction." (Prov. 1:24)

III.

Christ, moved with compassion for the forlorn widow, said to her: "Weep not," for you shall soon be comforted. In the same manner, do not you weep or be overcome with temporal losses which will soon be remedied; but rather reserve your tears for the everlasting evils that are the results of your own and others' sins. Of such as these it is said: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:5)

RAISING OF THE WIDOW'S SON. II.

I.

"And He came near and touched the bier, (and they that carried it stood still,) and He said, Young man, I say to thee arise." (Luke 7:14) He speaks in the most imperious manner, to show that He is the Lord of all things, "that hath power of life and death, and leadeth down to the gates of death, and bringeth back again." (Wis. 16:13) Sin is the death of the soul, and hell its grave: "For the rich man died, and he was buried in hell." (Luke 16:22) The bier on which the sinful soul is conducted to hell is the body, and the bearers are our vicious habits; and as the bier of a dead man is often ornamented with silk and gold whilst the corpse which it carries is corruption itself, so is the body often adorned and covered with the richest clothes, whilst the soul which it contains is abominable in the sight of God.

II.

"And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak, and He delivered him to his mother." What joy must have flowed into this widow's heart! How the company must have been astonished! Thus a sinner who returns to the life of grace and is restored to his spiritual Mother, the Church, begins to speak of such things as belong to God, confesses his sins, asks pardon, and glorifies God.

III.

"And there came a fear on them all, and they glorified Him." From the astonishing miracle which they had witnessed, there arose in the bystanders a fear of offending a God of such infinite power, a God "that killeth and maketh alive again; He bringeth down to hell, and bringeth back again." (1 Kings 2:6) Reflect how necessary it is for you to possess this holy fear. For "the fear of the Lord hateth evil." (Prov. 8:13) And "they that fear the Lord will seek after the things that are well pleasing to Him." (Ecclus. 2:19)

THE RESUSCITATION OF LAZARUS. I.

I.

"There was a certain man sick, named Lazarus, in Bethania." (John 11:1) The death of Lazarus proceeded from a languishing disease. So, also, does the death of the soul ensue from tepidity and decay of spirit, if they be not cured in time. "When concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, but sin, when it is completed, begetteth death." (James 1:15) The infirmity of our nature is an incentive to sin, but injures no one but those who willingly yield to it. In regard to those who resist and fight manfully, this infirmity will increase their merit. "Gladly, therefore," writes St. Paul, "will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Cor. 12:9)

II.

"His sisters, therefore, sent to Him, saying, Lord, behold he whom Thou lovest is sick." (John 11:3) They do not prescribe to Him what they wish Him to do; to a loving friend, it is sufficient to intimate our necessities. Such ought to be the nature of our prayers, particularly in regard to health and other temporal blessings, for we do not know in such cases what is expedient for our salvation. Christ did not immediately go, but delayed two whole days, to exercise their faith and patience, and to render the miracle more notable. So He often acts with you. "The labor of the combat," says St. Gregory, "is prolonged, in order that the crown may be greater."

III.

Some attempted to dissuade Christ from returning into Judea to cure Lazarus, because the Jews had sought for him to stone him to death. "Then, Thomas said to his fellow Disciples, let us also go, that we may die with him." Such ought to be the zeal and courage of apostolic men: they ought to contemn every danger, and even life itself, when the good of souls and the glory of God are in question. You ought often to make such fervent acts as these, in order that, if persecution rise against you, you may be able "to stand in the day of battle" (Ps. 132:9), and to say with St. Paul: "Neither do I count my life more precious than myself." (Acts 20:24)

THE RESUSCITATION OF LAZARUS. II.

I.

When Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, "He groaned in the spirit, and humbled Himself, and He wept." (John 11:33) He acted in this manner from a principle of charity, "to weep with those that weep," (Rom. 12:15), and to convince us that "we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities. (Heb. 4:5) Then He said to them: "Take away the stone;" and lifting up His eyes, He addressed a prayer to His eternal Father, to teach us that we ought to take away every impediment to our salvation, and always to implore the divine assistance when we undertake any serious work, particularly the conversion of sinners.

II.

When the tombstone was removed, Jesus "cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth." Ponder the power and efficiency of that word, which even the dead obey. For "presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands, with winding bands, and his face was bound about with a napkin." This man that lay four days in his grave is a perfect emblem of an inveterate sinner, bound and fettered with evil habits, as so many winding bands, pressed and kept down by the custom of sinning, as if he were in his grave, and finally shut up and enclosed by hardness of heart, as with a tombstone. Such sinners are almost incorrigible; hence Christ "cried out with a loud voice." He daily cries out to such, and is not heard. Fear the habit of sinning, for, as St. Augustine says: "He scarcely can rise who is borne down by sin."

III.

The Pharisees, having heard of this miraculous resuscitation, "from that day they devised to put Him to death." Learn from this, that there is no action, however holy or virtuous, which is not a subject of envy or calumny with disaffected persons. Let us not be impatient with perverse people, nor disturbed at their opposition to what is good; but pray for them.