By these last words the Saviour entered into mysteries which were as yet beyond the reach of the disciples. This it is which makes him then say to them: "I have yet many things to say to you (28), but you cannot bear them now. But," he adds, in order to increase in them the desire of the coming of the Holy Ghost, by inspiring them with the desire of being thoroughly instructed in all which it behooved them to know-"but when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear he shall speak (29), and the things that are to come he shall show you (30). He shall glorify me, because he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you (31)."

It is true that all which he has comes from the Father; but "all things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore I said that he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you."

These words are easily understood, if the Son be the principle of the Holy Ghost; but if he were not, they would be unintelligible. The procession of the divine persons is, therefore, clearly known, and we may say that the Saviour here completes the revelation thereof.

(28) See note 13, page 480, Part II.

(29) The Holy Ghost spoke only what he heard from the Son, as the Son only does what he sees the Father do: figures of speech which signify that the Holy Ghost receives knowledge from the Son as the Son receives power from the Father.

(30) The gift of prophecy is promised by these words. The apostles had it, and they were not the only individuals who had it, since Saint Paul distinguishes different classes of apostles, of prophets, of doctors, &c. The apostles combined within themselves all these qualities which are found divided amongst others.

(31) The Holy Ghost received from the Son all divine knowledge with the divine essence. But he has not communicated it all to the apostles, human nature being incapable of receiving such a communication; and it is with reference to the portion which he communicates to them that the Saviour said: He shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you, which is tantamount to this: He shall receive from me what he shall announce to you.

CHAPTER LXII.

THE END OF THE DISCOURSE.-JOY PROMISED AFTER SORROW.-JESUS PRAYS FOR HIMSELF AND FOR HIS DISCIPLES.

CONSOLED in their sufferings by the visit and by the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the disciples shall also be finally consoled by their reunion with their beloved Master. The expectation thereof was not to be of very long duration; it was only to last during this life, so short in itself, and which is merely a moment, if we compare it with eternity. It is apparently in this sense that Jesus further said to them: (a) "A little while, and now you shall not see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me; because I go to the Father."

The first of these two periods is that which was to elapse before his ascension. The second period was from the ascension of the Saviour till the death of the apostles-that day when he was to receive them with open arms, and carry up unto his very throne their souls, then victorious over hell and the world. What he adds concerning his return to the Father refers to two things. Inasmuch as he was soon to ascend thither, his disciples must then lose sight of him; but inasmuch as he went thither for the purpose of preparing a place for them, his departure was to them a guarantee for his return, and the cause of their affliction became the foundation of their hope. All this had been announced, but not developed; and if it had for the disciples the certainty of oracles, it had also their obscurity, at least for the majority amongst them. "Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this that he saith to us? A little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while and you shall see me; and because I go to the Father. They said, therefore: What is this that he saith? We know not what he speaketh."

"Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask him, and he said to

(a) St. John, xvi. 16–33.

them: Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: A little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while and you shall see me. Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy."

Without fixing the duration of these two periods, Jesus makes them understand that the time of his absence shall be one of affliction to them, which affliction shall be followed by joy at his return. Their condition in this respect is very different from that of the lovers of the world, who commence with joy and end with sorrow. Let the Saviour's disciples, therefore, leave the lovers of the world to revel in their short and frivolous joys; and, instead of regarding them with envy, let them consider that the evils of the present life are like unto the labor by which they bring forth a second life, which is to be one of infinite joy and endless happiness, as the Saviour makes manifest by this comparison, which should serve as a consolation to all just souls laboring under sorrow or affliction: "A woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So also 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. And in that day you shall not ask me any thing (1).”

But when once they are separated from a master so beneficent and so powerful, to whom shall they have recourse in their necessities? The Saviour is about to relieve them from this last anxiety. There is a means of obtaining more favors in his absence than they did obtain during the time that he dwelt amongst them. This means, hitherto unknown, was at last to be manifested to the world. Jesus, who had already indicated it, makes it thoroughly known by these words: "Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father any

(1) If we refer this expression to what has been previously said, it will signify, you shall ask me no further questions. If we connect it with what immediately follows, it will mean, you shall make no further prayer to me. The majority of interpreters follow the first of these explanations. Those who see God face to face, no longer desire any information. It is true that they have no longer any wants to expose; but if they can no longer pray for themselves, they may still pray, and do incessantly pray, for us.

thing in my name, he will give it to you." Accustomed to address your prayers to me alone, "hitherto you have not asked any thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full," by the entire accomplishment of your desires.

Jesus at last terminates this long instruction with the renewed promise of a clearer manifestation of the divine secrets: "These things, said he, I have spoken to you in proverbs: the hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, but will show you plainly of the Father," either by myself or by the Spirit whom I shall send to you. "In that day you shall ask in my name; and I say not to you that I will ask the Father for you (2);" even were it possible that I did not do so, you would still be heard; "for the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me (3), and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and I go to the Father (4)."

The Saviour had often before spoken as clearly as he has just done, and, notwithstanding, he had not been understood. But whether the repetition of the same things had rendered them more intelligible, or whether he had accompanied his last words with an extraordinary light, which supplied the defect of capacity in his hearers, "His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plain

(2) Jesus Christ, in heaven, is always living to make intercession for us (Heb. vii.). However, the Church never says to him, as to the saints, pray for us, but have mercy on us. The reason is, says the Abbé Rupert, because the intercession of Jesus Christ is not like that of the saints, an humble and suppliant prayer, but a representation of our wants and of his rights made by Him who, although he made himself like to us, is not the less equal to God.

(3) The love which God has for us necessarily precedes that which we have for God. We never could love him if he did not first love us. But our love makes him love us still more. Perhaps it might be more desirable to say that the first love which God entertained towards us was merely beneficence, and that our love causes the love of complacency to succeed to this beneficence, in the heart of God; and it is with reference to this second love that it is said: My Father loveth you because you have loved me.

(4) The Word was in the world before he left the bosom of the Father; and he did not quit his Father's bosom when he appeared to leave it, in order to come into the world. Always and everywhere present by his immensity, he merely manifested himself where he had not been visible. The Man-God has not quitted the world, though he left it to return to his Father; always present upon earth under the eucharistic species, he merely ceased to be visible where he had before been visible.

ly, and speakest no proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou comest forth from God. Jesus answered them: Do you now believe?" I know that you do; but such is still the feebleness of your faith, that "behold the hour cometh, and it is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." And, in order to keep before their eyes the principal object of his discourse, he closed with these words: "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace," from the certainty that nothing shall occur, either to you or to me, which shall not eventually turn out to my advantage and to yours. "In the world you shall have distress; but have confidence, I have overcome the world (5)."

(a) "These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said: Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee, as (6) thou hast given him power over all flesh (7),

(a) St. John, xvii. 1-26.

(5) The world was not entirely disarmed by the victory which Jesus Christ achieved over it; but it is so weakened thereby, that it can conquer those only who do not choose to defend themselves.

What strength the world still retains has been left to it only in order to signalize the courage of its conquerors, and its weakness is the reproach of those who become its slaves.

(6) As relates to this expression, Glorify thy Son; it expresses the measure of the glory for which Jesus Christ asks. This glory must be proportioned to the power which Now this power being extended over all flesh,

his Father has communicated to him. that is to say, unlimited, it is fitting that the glory which accompanies it should also be unlimited, because Christ Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even unto the death of the Cross; God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father (Philip. ii.).

(7) We find in the text, all flesh, an expression by which interpreters have always understood, all men. It is subsequently said, that he may give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. He gives, therefore, eternal life to all flesh-that is to say, to all men, which shows that he does not here speak of eternal life consummated, but only of eternal life commenced, or as Saint Cyril explains it, of the root and origin of eternal life, viz., the knowledge of one true God, and of Jesus Christ in the quality of Messiah, as the Saviour himself is about to inform us. Such is the eternal life which he has given