WOE is a word which signifies the greatest misfortune. It literally means eternal damnation if the fault against which it is pronounced be persevered in. The eight woes denounced here against the Pharisees are, by all, considered to affect also those who follow their evil example. There is no doubt that many clergymen fall under some of these maledictions. If they do, it is not the business of a moralist to shield them; but, on the contrary, to send the woe home.

We see tyrannical clergymen every day who keep people out of the Church, and have no Church for them. Who say long prayers to comfort widows and devour their substance. We see people going to India and Connemara to make proselytes who turn out worse than themselves. The Pharisees seem to have had a wonderful prolific progeny.

You shut the kingdom of heaven.-They prevented the people from believing in Our Lord and would not believe themselves. Other interpreters say they would not explain the passages of the Scripture bearing on Our Lord which the prophet said was-taking away the key of knowledge.

2Devour the houses.-This verse is not found in many old copies of S. Matthew's Gospel, but it is found in Mark and Luke.

3You shall receive the greater judgment; because making prayers in order to get money.

Make proselytes.-The Jews were very active in proselytism at that time. They are not now.

"A child of hell.-One Father says that the Pharisees taught the proselyte how to practise usury, etc. Others say that a proselyte became so disgusted with their sham religion as to fall back again.

Wilfully leading people astray

is:

Ist. Great cruelty.
2nd. Great injustice.
3rd. A perverse use of power.

Those who see the truth and yet hide it because of selfinterest.

Ist. From their children. 2nd. From their flocks. 3rd. From themselves, by a perverted sense of honour.

Trafficking on holy things has always been condemned. Protestants say priests do this. We say, if they do, may the curse fall upon them. Our Lord does not exempt priests.

To make a proselyte and teach him sin is:

Ist. Taking away his pagan goodness.

2nd. Spoiling his honesty. 3rd. Making holiness detestable.

16. "Væ vobis, duces cæci, 16. Wo to you, blind guides, who say: Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor.

qui dicitis:-Quicumque juraverit per templum, nihil est; qui autem juraverit in auro templi, debet.

17. "Stulti et cæci! quid enim majus est, aurum an templum quod sanctificat aurum?

18. "Et:-Quicumque jura. verit in altari, nihil est; quicumque autem juraverit in dono quod est super illud, debet.

19. "Cæci! quid enim majus est, donum an altare quod sanctificat donum?

20. "Qui ergò jurat in altari, jurat in eo et in omnibus quæ super illud sunt;

21. "Et quicumque juraverit in templo, jurat in illo et in eo qui habitat in ipso;

22. Et qui jurat in cœlo, jurat in throno DEI et in eo qui sedet super eum.

17. Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18. And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing: but whosoever shall swear by 'the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor.

19. Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20. Whosoever, therefore, sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by "all things that are upon it:

21. And whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it.

22. And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Our Lord strikes here at the root of a superstition which is not yet eradicated. There are many who consider an oath binding in conscience because they kissed the testament while taking it, and not so binding by virtue of the words they used-" So help me God."

Another point of denunciation against the Pharisees here, was that they taught these preposterous things (it does not appear that they were taught ex cathedra Moysis) in order to enrich themselves. The gifts thus sworn by were forfeited to the Temple for the use of those who served therein. An oath calls God to witness, and whatsoever contains His name is sacred.

'The temple. This was the grandest building then in existence, and the Lord dwelt in it in a special manner.

2Gold. This is not the gilding, but the money that was used for offerings. 3Temple that sanctifieth.—The gold is an indifferent thing, and only its presence in the temple gives it any kind of holiness.

The gift. He becomes in debt to the priests and has to redeem it. The altar.-As was said of the temple.

All things. People swearing, use the words "by the contents of," acting on this principle.

"Throne.-The Ark of the Covenant in the Old Law was sometimes so designated.

Profane swearing can never

be excused.

Ist. What does it profit?

A habit of swearing is no

excuse.

Ist. It required a good many oaths to contract it.

2nd. You know it is evil, and

2nd. It profanes sacred things. why not correct it?

3rd. It shocks hearers.

3rd. You cannot !

try?

Did you

To correct a habit of this kind one ought:

Ist. To pay some penalty for each oath.

2nd. To have some one to remind you.

3rd. To confess them and be penanced again.

23. Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; who pay tithe of 'mint and anise, and cummin, and have let alone the weightier things of the law, judgment and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those others undone.

24. "Duces cæci, excolantes culicem, camelum autem glutientes.

25. "Væ vobis, scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia mundatis quod deforìs est calicis et paropsidis; intùs autem pleni estis rapinâ et immunditià.

26. "Pharisæe cæce, munda priùs quod intùs est calicis et paropsidis, ut fiat id quod deforis est mundum.

27. "Væ vobis, scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia simìles estis sepulchris dealbatis, quæ à foris parent hominibus speciosa, intùs verò plena sunt ossibus mortuorum et omni spurcitiâ :

28. "Sic et vos à foris quidem paretis hominibus justi intùs autem pleni estis hypocrisi et iniquitate.

29. " Væ vobis, scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, qui ædificatis sepulchra prophetarum et ornatis monumenta justorum.

30. "Et dicitis:-Si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum non essemus socii eorum in sanguine prophetarum.

24. Blind guides, who 'strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.

25. Wo to you, Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but within you are full of extortion and uncleanness.

26. Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup, and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.

27. Wo to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to 'whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness:

28. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just: but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29. Wo to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; who "build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just.

30. And say: 'If we had been in the day of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

The real pharisaical faults come in for their denunciation now. They were extremely particular about small things. They paid their tithes especially on flavouring herbs (on which tithes were barely due), and omitted most important social obligations. The Pharisee who despised the publican boasted to the Lord "I pay tithes of all I possess." In like manner were they most proper and

precise in all the outward observances and trivial ceremonies, which came either by the traditions or customs; whereas they were unjust judges, cruel extortioners, rapacious governors, unclean, immoral and intemperate. This was swallowing camels with a vengeance. Observe punctilios before men, laugh at them in private whilst thou breakest God's commandments. This is what Our Divine Lord denounced in such scathing language.

1Mint and anise.-These were herbs used for condiments and flavouring dishes. The tithes upon these would be very small, and hence the care the Pharisees took in paying them.

2Judgment, and mercy, and faith.-They were as magistrates guilty of taking bribes and favouring their friends. They exacted the last farthing from the poor and helpless under plea of justice, when they should have mercy. They did not keep their word when they could shirk it.

3Strain at.-Strain out is better. They strained their wine for fear of swallowing any unclean thing, and they afterwards ate and drank to

excess.

Outside of the cup.-They washed the body and left the soul unclean. Some say they ate and drank the profits of rapine and uncleanness out of fair clean vessels.

Whited sepulchres.-This differs from the last; they were everything before men and in public, but in private they were debauchees and scoffed at goodness.

"Build the sepulchres.-This was for show and to pretend a reverence for their memories.

"If we had. And they are slaying them and going to put the chief and greatest of them to death.

"These things you ought to have done and not to leave those others undone."

Ist. Small things ought to be done he who despiseth.

2nd. Great things must not be omitted.

3rd. The other way of proceeding is the ordinary one.

Exterior goodness is affected: Ist. By Puritans who make money.

2nd. By Sabbatarians who get drunk.

3rd. By teetotallers who commit adultery.

The building of sepulchres is a common fault.

Ist. Geniuses die of starvation and we build them monuments.