brethren of Jesus said to him: Pass from hence and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works which thou dost; for there is no man that doth any thing secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, manifest thyself to the world."

It is not surprising that the relatives of Jesus should desire him to show himself in the capital. The glory which he might there acquire must have reflected back on them. It was natural that they should not be insensible to this at a time when we see that the apostles themselves were not altogether exempt from ambition. But that which does appear surprising is, that they should have had the boldness to reproach the Saviour with the alleged inconsistency of his conduct, and the presumption to think that he could be in want. of their advice. The evangelist explains the reason of this. "For neither did his brethren believe in him:" not that they did not believe him to have the power of working miracles-what they have just said evidently supposes that they had this faith; but they doubted, at least, whether he was the Messiah, and that the Messiah should be the only Son of the living God-God himself, the uncreated and incarnate wisdom. He who did not usurp equality with the Most High, but who possesses it in right of his eternal generation, did not disdain to give them a reason for his conduct; and instead of reproaching them with their indiscreet temerity, “He said to them [with his usual moderation]: My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world [with whom you have no cause of quarrel] cannot hate you. But me it hateth: because I give testimony of it that the works thereof are evil;" and its hatred obliges me to take precautions which are not necessary for those who have nothing to fear. "Go [therefore] you up to this festival day. But I go not up to this festival day (11), because my time is

which removes all difficulty in recAmong the old Greek manuscripts,

(11) We have, in the Greek: I do not go, as yet; onciling the conduct of Jesus Christ with his words. some have: I do not go there, as yet; in the others, we read simply, as in the Vulgate: I go not up. The Fathers and the ancient interpreters have read the text, some in one way, some in another. What follows these expressions seemed to me sufficient to fix the sense of I do not go, to that of I do not go as yet, as shall be seen in the continuation of

our text.

not accomplished." It was not long before it was accomplished, for the delay alluded to here was only of very few days' duration; "and after his brethren were gone up, Jesus also went up to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret."

Throughout all this there is neither that levity of conduct nor want of sincerity in words, wherewith the enemies of Christianity in early times have reproached him. If he says that he will not go up to the festival, he immediately adds that the reason is because his time is not yet come; which implies that when his time shall be come he can go there, and that in going there he shall neither act against his word nor against his first resolution. It appears certain that his enemies had formed a plot to make an attempt on his life during this festival, calculating to a certainty that he would be present. We shall shortly read that "the Jews sought him on the festival day;" and we shall see the surprise of those who, aware of the plot without participating therein, said: "Is not this he whom they seek to kill? Behold, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing to him." But should not the cause which hindered him from being found there on the first days, hinder him also from showing himself there on the following days? Yes, had he been an ordinary man, because then he would not have known what day the plot was to be put in execution; and this ignorance would have obliged him to keep from Jerusalem, or at least to remain concealed there during the entire festival. But, as he was ignorant of nothing, he knew that the plot must have succeeded, if at all, during the first days, and that after the lapse of some days it must fail. This statement alone would suffice to explain all, if it were not that a further question may be started, viz., Was it not easy for the Saviour to render useless, by a miracle, all the efforts of his enemies? Who can doubt it? But he did not wish to employ miracles until human means were insufficient. To act otherwise is tempting God, as he himself said to Satan. True, he was incapable of this, not only because he was impeccable, but also because it cannot be said that God could be tempted by him who, being God himself, has all nature at his supreme disposal. But he wished to instruct his disciples, and to teach them, by his example, that it is only when all natural means fail, that rational confidence can rely on miracles.

(a) “Jesus [therefore] would not walk [publicly] in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him." Not so in the province where he usually resided. Although there he had to encounter opposition, yet hatred and fury did not go to the extent of wishing to attempt his life. Wherefore, reserving precautions for the moment when he should enter Judea, in (b) “going to Jerusalem, he passed [publicly] through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off," to obey the law, which interdicted them from all commerce with men. Obliged to raise their voice, so as to make themselves heard, "they lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Whom when [this good Master] saw, Go, said he, show yourselves to the priests." This implied a promise that they should be cured before they arrived there, since this ceremony was merely the judi cial verification of their cure. They believed him, and set off at once. Their faith, joined with this prompt obedience, soon produced its effect. "As they went they were made clean. One of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God (12); and he fell on his face before Jesus' feet, giv (a) St. John, vii. 1.

(b) St. Luke, xvii. 11-19.

(12) Leprosy is the figure of sin; and what passes here is the natural image of penance, which is the remedy of sin. The man infected with this spiritual leprosy keeps himself, out of respect, at a distance from Jesus Christ. His humility does not in anywise lessen his confidence. From the bottom of his heart he cries aloud to the supreme physician, which obliges the God of mercy to cast upon him a glance of compassion. Jesus Christ, who can cure him in an instant, and by himself alone, sends him to the priests, whose rights he wishes to be recognized, and their ministry honored. The dispositions are sometimes so perfect, that the sinner is justified before he presents himself before the minister. Still he must observe the law; but he must be exceedingly cautious not to forget his benefactor, and the sinner, when truly and profoundly contrite, doth not forget him. The more bitter the grief he has felt for his sin, the more lively is his gratitude for the grace he has received. He cannot be silent on the mercies of the Lord; he publishes them aloud; he recounts them to the universe. Come, saith he with the prophet, come and see the great things which the Lord hath done to my soul. He then ventures to approach the Saviour, and thereupon he only becomes the more humble. He casts himself at his feet, the ordinary asylum of all true penitents-the asylum of Magdalen, whom we always find there after her conversion. Let those who imitate her tell us the sweets which he makes them relish when embracing his sacred feet; let them tell us whether all the joys of the world are worth one of the tears with which they water those sacred feet.

ing thanks. This was a Samaritan. Then Jesus, answering, said: Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God but this stranger. Afterwards he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole." This should be understood to mean the salvation of the soul; for the faith of the others had procured for them also the cure of the body. But the faith of this latter being more lively, more durable, and, above all, more grateful, merited for him this second favor, infinitely more precious than the first, which is little more than the shade and figure thereof.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

JESUS SHOWS HIMSELF AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.-HE PREACHES IN THE TEMPLE.-DIVERS JUDGMENTS CONCERNING HIM.-ARCHERS SENT TO APPREHEND

HIM.

In the mean time, Jesus continued his journey, and arrived at Jerusalem. But whether it be that he was not to be found at the commencement of the solemnity of the tabernacles, or perhaps that at the outset he kept himself concealed there, which was not difficult amongst so prodigious a multitude; (a)" the Jews [of Jerusalem, who expected to see him there] sought him on the festival-day, and said: Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him; for some said, He is a good man; others said, No, but he seduceth the people (1). Yet no man [of those who (a) St. John, vii. 11-30.

If

(1) It is thus, remarks Saint Augustine, that we speak every day of his servants. any one appear gifted with some extraordinary grace, or if he make considerable progress in virtue, some say he is a worthy man; others allege that he is a deceiver. But, adds this Father, those who praise him, do so in a subdued tone; and those who blame him vociferate aloud. There are several reasons for this difference. Firstly, esteem and affection make, naturally, less noise than hatred; and criticism is always more boisterous than approbation. Moreover, when the wicked rise up against those to whom men of

had espoused his side] spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews. Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught." Wisdom and science flowed like a mighty stream from his divine lips. The admiration with which he was heard suspended for a time all other sentiments. "The Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having never learned?" Jesus explains this mystery, by informing. them from whom this knowledge came which surprised them so highly. highly. "My doctrine," he answered them, "is not mine, but his that sent me," that is to say, it is from God. The Jews believed not, because they did not see; and they saw not, because they did not wish to be enlightened. Their incredulity was the natural effect of their blindness, and it in turn proceeded from the evil dispositions of their hearts. That saying of the Psalmist, which we every day see accomplished before our eyes, was then verified in them: He would not understand, that he might do well.— (Psalm 35.) "For," adds the Saviour, "if any man will do the will of him, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

He has just discovered to them the source of their incredulity. What follows gives them, if not an infallible proof, at least a reasonable presumption, of the truth of his doctrine, and of the divinity of his mission: "He [saith he] that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory; but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true, and there is no injustice in him." Jesus Christ cannot, therefore, be suspected of fraud and of lying, which are here expressed by the term injustice, because it is evident to any one who pays attention to the fact, that, in all his words and in all his ac

worth are attached, they know that there is nothing to apprehend from the latter whereas good men, on the contrary, have every thing to apprehend from the wicked, if they venture at all to declare in favor of those whom the wicked persecute. We may also add, that good men are silent from delicacy towards the just man who is persecuted. The hatred entertained towards the just is irritated by contradiction; and the greater number of partisans in favor of the just, the more rampant is the fury of the wicked against them. Hatred, therefore, alone speaks out: at all events, it alone makes itself heard. This should be carefully noticed; for those who merely listen, imagine that the hatred is universal, because they hear nothing but the yell of hatred: they are deceived. ple of worth, who love the virtuous, and who honor them even to veneration, but who do not make themselves heard, are sometimes a hundred to one.

The peo