CHRIST, THE GOOD TREE.

"Let my Beloved come into His garden and eat of the fruit of His apple-trees." (Cant. 5:1)

I.

It is recorded in the Gospel of today that "every good tree yieldeth good fruit." (Matt. 7:17) Christ above all others is the Good Tree, and is often compared in the Scripture to several kinds of trees. We read in the Canticles: "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is My Beloved among the sons.'' (Cant. 2:3) Other men are trees of the wood, and produce no other than wild and sour fruit — to wit, sin. Christ alone, in the sense of the Canticles, is the apple tree which brings forth delicious fruit; and as the apple by its juice gives both food and liquid, so Christ by giving us His precious body and blood in the Eucharist is both the meat and drink of our souls.

II.

Your soul is a garden planted by God's own hands, according to the Prophet: "Their soul shall be as a watered garden." (Jer. 31:12) In this garden will be planted today that heavenly Tree, the Tree of Life. This Tree yields twelve fruits, which are, according to the Apostle, "charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity." (Gal. 5:23) Oh, how you ought to long for the hour when "your Beloved will come into His garden and eat the fruit of His apple trees — that is, of good works — which He will cooperate with you in producing in your soul!

III.

If you wish to enjoy the advantages of this fruit, you must seat yourself under the shadow of the tree, by attentively contemplating its good qualities and excellence. Thus did the spouse in the Canticles: "I sat down under his shadow, whom I desired, and his fruit was sweet to my palate." (Cant. 2:3) Prepare yourself, therefore, by holy desires, and you will be permitted "to taste and see, that the Lord is sweet." (Ps. 33:9)

THE MARRIAGE FEAST AT CANA. I.

I.

"And there was a marriage in Cana of Gallilee, and the Mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus also was invited and His disciples to the marriage." (John 2:1) Our kind Lord did not refuse to be present at the marriage feast, because He wished to do good to many, and besides to confirm His Disciples in their faith. Observe with what gravity and modesty He behaves Himself on the occasion, and learn moderation in days of mirth and festivity. "Let the just feast" and rejoice, says the Psalmist, but it must be "before God." (Ps 67:4)

II.

The wine began to fail, and the Blessed Virgin, of her own accord without being asked, is anxious to relieve their necessity, in requital for their kind invitation, and therefore she tells her Son: "They have no wine." How much more anxious is this Holy Virgin in regard to the spiritual necessities of those who are devoted to her. "By how much she is more holy than the other saints," says St. Augustine, "by so much is she more anxious for our good." Beseech her to intercede with her Blessed Son in your behalf, for you stand much in need of the wine of charity and devotion.

III.

Christ replies to her, with seeming harshness: "Woman, what is that to Me and to thee." (John 2:4) By this answer, He teaches His followers not to appoint God a time in which He must help us, as those did, who were reprehended by Judith: "You have set a time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed Him a day, according to your pleasure." (Jdt. 8:13) He wishes to teach us also that, in the service of God, we must divest ourselves of all carnal affections. In order to inculcate this lesson more deeply, Christ is never heard to address the Blessed Virgin by the tender name of Mother, not even when He was hanging on the cross. Hence, Moses, speaking of the Levites, says: "He who hath said to his father and mother, I do not know you, and to his brethren, I know you not. These have kept Thy word and observed Thy covenant." (Deut. 33:9)

THE MARRIAGE FEAST AT CANA. II.

I.

"His mother saith to the waiters, whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5) Admire the confidence which the Blessed Virgin reposed in her Divine Son, notwithstanding the apparent asperity of His answer. She speaks to the servants as if she were certain that her request had been granted. Observe that the confidence of obtaining what was asked was grounded on an exact compliance with what our Lord should enjoin. "If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done to you." (John 15:7) Be careful, therefore, to fulfill whatever God commands you, either by Himself, or by your superiors and directors.

II.

Consider the injunction of Christ: "Fill the water pots with water." (John 2:7) It was wine that was wanted, and He bids them to fill the vessels with water. He could as easily have created wine in them, as have changed the water into wine. But God frequently commands things which seem to have little connection with the desired effect in order to try our obedience. Besides, He wishes that we should concur with Him in the work of our salvation. "He who created you," says St. Augustine, "without your own exertions, will not save you without them."

III.

Consider the perfect example of obedience given by the servants. They make no reply; they inquire for no reason for the command, but instantly fill the vessels completely. Thus ought we to fulfill the commands of God, and the injunctions of His vicegerents, readily, entirely and fully. Almighty God will have nothing maimed or imperfect offered to Him in sacrifice. Take care that your works are full and perfect, lest you hear the complaint of God: "I find not thy works full before my God." (Apoc. 3:2)

THE MARRIAGE FEAST AT CANA. III.

I.

Consider the greatness of the miracle; the creature obeyed the will of Christ, and the water was immediately changed into wine. Imagine the joy which the Virgin experienced on this occasion; how the Apostles were strengthened in their faith, and how all the guests were astonished. Mark the efficacy of the Holy Virgin's intercession; by her means He wrought His precursor's sanctification and performed His first miracle. Learn hence that all blessings, spiritual and temporal, are derived through her.

II.

Consider the words of the chief steward: "Every man at first setteth forth good wine, then that which is worse." (John 2:10) Thus the world ever acts with its votaries; at first it presents them the cup of joy, allurements and pleasures. "Let us crown ourselves with roses," it says, "before they be withered. Let no meadow escape our riot. Let none of us go without his part in luxury. Let us everywhere leave tokens of joy." (Wis. 2:8) But afterwards it plunges the poor soul into vexation, and trouble, and distress. Its happiness "goeth in pleasantly: but in the end it will bite like a snake, and will spread abroad poison like a basilisk." (Prov. 23:31) "Their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters most bitter." (Deut. 32:32)

III.

The conduct of God is perfectly opposite to this. He keeps his good wine for the last. He first afflicts and tries his friends, and then comforts and crowns them. "Thou hast shown Thy people hard things, Thou hast made us drink the wine of sorrow." (Ps. 49:5) But afterwards, "they shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house, and Thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of pleasure." (Ps. 35:9) Christ did not change the water into wine, until that of His entertainer had failed, for spiritual comfort is not found until sensual pleasures are abandoned and contemned. Thus the manna did not fall from Heaven until the food which the Israelites had brought from Egypt had failed, and afterwards again, "manna ceased after they ate of the corn of the land." (Josh. 5:12)

CHRIST DRIVES OUT THE BUYERS AND SELLERS. I.

I.

Jesus entering the temple "found in it those that sold oxen, and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting." (John 2:14) These were sold and bought for the sacrifices, yet our Divine Master was displeased that traffic should be carried on in the house of God. Learn from this to respect the sacredness of churches, and to be present in them with external modesty and silence accompanied by internal devotion and humility. If David could say of the ancient temple, "Holiness becomes Thy house, O Lord, unto the length of days" (Ps. 92:5), with how much more propriety may it be said of Christian churches?

II.

Christ, inflamed with zeal, and anxious "to do away with this pollution" of His Father's house, "when He had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, He drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and He poured out the changers' money, and the tables He overthrew." (John 2:15) He repeated the same action a little before His passion. This meek and humble lamb, when His Father's honor was concerned, assumed the character of a lion, fulfilling the expression of the Prophet: "The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up." (Ps. 68:10) With such zeal ought all those to be inflamed whose duty it is to prevent the sins of their neighbors.

III.

This zeal for His glory is most pleasing to God: He reproaches some of His Prophets: "You have not gone up to the race of the enemy, nor have you set up a wall for the house of Israel." (Ezek. 13:5) Hence, St. Gregory writes: "There is no sacrifice more pleasing to God, than the zeal of souls." True zeal consists in this, that you endeavor to correct everything you see wrong in others, by proper means; and if you cannot succeed, to bear it with patience, and pray for them. Observe how cold you are on this subject, as if like another Cain, you were not your brother's keeper.

CHRIST DRIVES OUT THE BUYERS AND SELLERS. II.

I.

Imagine you hear the words of Christ, "Make not the house of My Father a house of traffic" (John 2:16), and at another time, a little before His Passion, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." (Matt. 21:13) Hence, we are taught to exercise due reverence, both external and internal, in God's church. Examine whether you make it a house of prayer, or do not rather think there of your temporal affairs.

II.

According to the Apostle, your soul is a temple of God: "Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16) Hence, the terrible sentence which follows: "But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy." Examine, therefore, whether your soul be a house of prayer, that is, whether your mind be frequently raised to God, or whether it be not rather devoted to worldly concerns and earthly things. If this be unfortunately the case, drive thence all these undue affections and attachments; offer violence to yourself, for "the kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." (Matt. 11:12)

III.

Christ did not bring the scourge into the temple, but made it of the cords which He found there. Thus our Lord does not carry with Him a scourge against us, but makes one of our sins. Sin is its own worst punishment, for what can be equal in torture to the reproaches of a lacerated conscience, or, if the sinner's state be yet more deplorable, what can be a greater curse than the silence of an obdurate heart? Divest yourself, then, of all sin, and God can find no instrument of punishment against you. You cart find no real gratification in sin, and by seeking for it there, you only increase your misery.

CHRIST'S DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS.

I.

Nicodemus, being a man of high character among his fellow citizens, and afraid of the censures of the world, came during the night for instructions to Christ. He came in this private manner, "for fear of the Jews," for his mind probably revolted at the idea of appearing among the unlettered and poor Disciples of the Man-God. How many thousands have lost their immortal souls by indulging this feeling! How many at this moment indulge it! Do not imitate their example, but say with St Paul: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel." (Rom. 1:16) Confess God both confidently, and openly, for Christ says: "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His majesty." (Luke 9:26)

II.

As an affectionate master, Christ accommodated Himself to the weakness of His Disciple, and instructed him in many important points. He informed him of the necessity of baptism; of the causes of His coming into the world; of His Passion that was to ensue; and of the necessity of faith for salvation. Give God thanks for this information, which is equally communicated to you, and ponder in a particular manner the benefit of spiritual regeneration. "You must be born again." (John 3:7) Consider, also, the greatness of God's love for the world: "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."

III.

"The light is come into the world, and men loved darkness, rather than the light." O, shameful neglect, examine yourself whether in your actions you love darkness, rather than light, "for every one that doeth evil hateth the light." Do you do nothing in private, which you would be ashamed of in public? Beware of this, "for there is nothing hid, that shall not be revealed, nor secret, that shall not be known." (Matt. 10:26)