His walking upon the water was to show: Ist. That He was master of that element. 2nd. That it obeyed Him as easily as the earth or the wind. 3rd. The gifts of His sacred body. 31. Et continuò JESUS, extendens manum, apprehendit eum, et ait illi: "Modicæ fidei, quarè, dubitâsti? 32. Et cùm ascendissent in naviculam, cessavit ventus. 33. Qui autem in naviculâ erant venerunt et adoraverunt eum, dicentes: "Verè Filius DEI es." 34. Et cùm transfretâssent, venerunt in terram Genesar. 35. Et cùm cognovissent eum viri loci illius, miserunt in universam regionem illam, et obtulerunt ei omnes malè habentes; 36. Et rogabant eum ut vel fimbriam vestimenti ejus tangerent. Et quicumque tetigerunt salvi facti sunt. Our Lord in humouring Peter showed the others: Ist. The reality of His own self. 2nd. The greatness of the miracle. 3rd. That they could do by Him, what He did Himself if they had faith. 31. And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand, took hold of him, and said to him: 1O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? 32. And when they were come up into the ship, the wind ceased. 33. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying: "Thou art truly the Son of God. 34. And when they were gone over, they came into the country of Genesar. 35. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country, and brought to him all that were diseased. 36. And they besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment. And as many as "touched were made whole. When Peter was sinking Our Lord took him by the hand. They both seemed to have walked together, as they had some furlongs to travel yet, and our Lord would confirm the faith of Peter and the rest. They may have stepped into the ship whilst walking beside it, or they may have been invited in as said by another Evangelist. At all events, they reached land as soon as all had seen enough of the wonder to induce them to fall down and worship Him. He is thus gradually revealing His Divinity. Cornelius A Lapide says that this was the last miracle before the third Passover since He began His public ministry. There remains but one year now until His Passion and Death. 10 thou of little faith.-Peter had a good deal of faith when he ventured upon the water, but he never should have doubted. He had seen so much of Our Lord's miracles, that it is a wonder he did. Peter is not a Saint yet. *Thou art truly the Son of God.-Some raise questions as to whether these people believed in His Divinity. It is clear enough that they adored Him with supreme worship, and this they could not have done if they did not believe in His Divinity. The Trinity was not fully revealed according to some. That is not so clear. Genesar. This was on the west side of the lake, and near Capharnaum, where Our Lord (John vi.) soon foretold the Blessed Eucharist. *Sent out into.-This shows how prevalent was the belief in His healing powers. When He came to where He was known, they sent messengers for all the sick. Touched.-Miracles are performed by relics again. Walking with God ought to be the life of a Christian; then : Ist. We are safe amid the billows. 2nd. When weary or sinking let us call upon Him. 3rd. He will come to our aid. Blessed are they who have believed without all these proofs. Whence comes disbelief? Ist. From abuse of grace. 2nd. From continued sin. 3rd. From pride and obstinacy. We ought to trust in God when we undertake arduous things. Ist. Either for His sake. 2nd. Or for the sake of our neighbour. 3rd. Or at His bidding. If touching the hem of His garment cured all, how much more ought the touch of His sacred body in the Eucharist? It would cure had we Ist. Faith without doubting. 2nd. Earnest petitions. 3rd. Kept in His company by prayer. N CHAPTER XV. Christ reproves the Scribes. He cures the daughter of the woman of Chanaan, and many others; and feeds four thousand with seven loaves. 1. Tunc accesserunt ad eum ab Jerosolymis scribæ et pharisæi, dicentes: 2. "Quarè discipuli tui transgrediuntur traditionem seniorum? Non enim lavant manus suas cùm panem manducant." 3. Ipse autem, respondens, ait illis: "Quarè et vos transgredimini mandatum DEI propter traditionem vestram ? Nàm DEUS dixit: 4."Honora patrem et matrem; et: Qui maledixerit patri vel matri morte moriatur. 5. "Vos autem dicitis: Quicumque dixerit patri vel matri: Munus quodcumque est ex me tibi proderit ; 6. "Et non honorificabit patrem suum aut matrem suam. Et irritum fecistis mandatum DEI propter traditionem ves tram. 7. "Hypocritæ, benè prophetavit de vobis Isaias dicens: 1. Then came to him 'from Jerusalem Scribes and Pharisees, saying: 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. But he, answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said: 4. Honour thy father and thy mother: and he that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death. 5. But you say: Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, "The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me shall profit thee. 6. And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition. 7. Ye "hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, say ing: 8. "Populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longè est à me; 9. me, docentes doctrinas et mandata hominum.” "Sine causâ autem colunt 8. "This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. 9. And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men. It is supposed that Our Lord did not go to Jerusalem for this Passover; or that, if He did, He remained there a very short time. The Sanhedrim evidently wanted to put a stop to His teaching. He differed from them on a great many points, and had crowds of followers. They send a deputation of Scribes and Pharisees to watch Him and try to entrap Him. These find nothing except a tendency on His part to do away with the Ceremonial Law, which was afterwards abolished. Traditions and laws, which were not made by lawful authority, whether ecclesiastical or civil, He shows to have no binding force. He puts before them, as He often did before, the distinction between mere exterior righteousness, and that which is both exterior and interior. From Jerusalem, or of Jerusalem; inasmuch as these were supposed to be the most astute and best read in the Cabala and books containing the customs. Wash not. The disciples very likely did wash their hands when they wanted washing; but they did not consider it an indispensable ceremony. Honour.-This includes all the duties we owe our parents. *The gift. This passage is rather obscure to us as we do not well know what the custom was to which Our Lord alludes. It suffices for us to know that it was contrary to one of the commandments of God. Some say it was offering to the temple what should go to relieve parents in their necessity, and thereby enriching the priests. "Hypocrites. This scathing title is given them both by Our Lord and the Baptist. "This people. This quotation is made in the usual way. Traditions are to be respected. 1st. When they honour God. 2nd. When against no commandment. Traditions are baneful when : Ist. They impose loads we cannot easily carry. 2nd. When they are simply superstitions. 3rd. When they are against 3rd. When they help to keep the commandments of God, the commandments, the Church, or human law. 10. Et convocatis ad se turbis, dixit eis: "Audite et intelligite: 11. "Non quod intrat in os coinquinat hominem, sed quod procedit ex ore, hoc coinquinat hominem." 12. Tunc accedentes discipuli ejus, dixerunt ei: "Scis quia pharisæi, audito verbo hoc, scandalizati sunt ?" 13. At ille respondens ait: "Omnis plantatio quam non plantavit Pater meus cœlestis eradicabitur. 14. "Sinite illos: cæci sunt et duces cæcorum: cæcus autem si cæco ducatum præstet, ambo in foveam cadunt." 15. Respondens autem Petrus, dixit ei: "Edissere nobis parabolam istam." 16. At ille dixit: "Adhùc et vos sine intellectu estis? 17. "Non intelligitis quia omne quod in os intrat in ventrem vadit, et in secessum emittitur ? 18. "Quæ autem procedunt de ore de corde exeunt, et ea coinquinant hominem: 19. "De corde enim exeunt cogitationes malæ, homicidia, adulteria, fornicationes, furta, falsa testimonia, blasphemiæ: 20. "Hæc sunt quæ coinquinant hominem. Non lotis autem manibus manducare non coinquinant hominem." 10. And having called together the'multitudes unto him, he said to them: Hear ye, and understand. II. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12. Then came his disciples,and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized? 13. But he, answering, said: Every 'plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14. Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit. 15. And Peter, answering, said to him: "Explain to us this parable. 16. But he said: Are you also yet without understanding? 17. Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy? 18. But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart: and those things defile a man. 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. 20. These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man. |