2nd Principle, Christ is the Stone, The Rock of our faith

St. Matthew Chapter 21

 

Christ rides into Jerusalem upon an ass. He casts the buyers and sellers out of the temple, curses the fig tree and puts to silence the priests and scribes.

1 And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me. 3 And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go. 4 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.

6 And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. 7 And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: 9 And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this?

11 And the people said: This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the chairs of them that sold doves: 13 And he saith to them: It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves. 14 And there came to him the blind and the lame in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And the chief priests and scribes, seeing the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying: Hosanna to the son of David; were moved with indignation.

16 And said to him: Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city into Bethania, and remained there. 18 And in the morning, returning into the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a certain fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only, and he saith to it: May no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 And the disciples seeing it wondered, saying: How is it presently withered away?

21 And Jesus answering, said to them: Amen, I say to you, if you shall have faith, and stagger not, not only this of the fig tree shall you do, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Take up and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done. 22 And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. 23 And when he was come into the temple, there came to him, as he was teaching, the chief priests and ancients of the people, saying: By what authority dost thou these things? and who hath given thee this authority? 24 Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you one word, which if you shall tell me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? But they thought within themselves, saying:

26 If we shall say, from heaven, he will say to us: Why then did you not believe him? But if we shall say, from men, we are afraid of the multitude: for all held John as a prophet. 27 And answering Jesus, they said: We know not. He also said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. 28 But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and coming to the first, he said: Son, go work today in my vineyard. 29 And he answering, said: I will not. But afterwards, being moved with repentance, he went. 30 And coming to the other, he said in like manner. And he answering, said: I go, Sir; and he went not.

31 Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him: The first. Jesus saith to them: Amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him: but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him. 33 Hear ye another parable. There was a man an householder, whoplanted a vineyard, and made a hedge round about it, and dug in it a press, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen; and went into a strange country. 34 And when the time of the fruits drew nigh, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits thereof. 35 And the husbandmen laying hands on his servants, beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again he sent other servants more than the former; and they did to them in like manner. 37 And last of all he sent to them his son, saying: They will reverence my son. 38 But the husbandmen seeing the son, said among themselves: This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance. 39 And taking him, they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do to those husbandmen?

41 They say to him: He will bring those evil men to an evil end; and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, that shall render him the fruit in due season. 42 Jesus saith to them: Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head ofthe corner? By the Lord this has been done; and it is wonderful in our eyes. 43 Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.

46 And seeking to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes: because they held him as a prophet.

 

1st Principle, Christ is the Sovereign Lord

Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Chapter 12

 

Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees, and confutes their attributing his miracles to Satan.

1 At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat. 2 And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days. 3 But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him: 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

4 "The loaves of proposition"... So were called the twelve loaves which were placed before the sanctuary in the temple of God.

6 But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. 7 And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath. 9 And when he has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues. 10 And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up? 12 How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days. 13 Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other. 14 And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him. 15 But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.

16 And he charged them that they should not make him known. 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying: 18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name the Gentiles shall hope. 22 Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David? 24 But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. 29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house. 30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. 33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known. 34 O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of theabundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

31 "The blasphemy of the Spirit"... The sin here spoken of is that blasphemy, by which the Pharisees attributed the miracles of Christ, wrought by the Spirit of God, to Beelzebub the prince of devils. Now this kind of sin is usually accompanied with so much obstinacy, and such wilful opposing the Spirit of God, and the known truth, that men who are guilty of it, are seldom or never converted: and therefore are never forgiven, because they will not repent. Otherwise there is no sin, which God cannot or will not forgive to such as sincerely repent, and have recourse to the keys of the church.

32 "Nor in the world to come"... From these words St. Augustine (De Civ. Dei, lib. 21, c. 13) and St. Gregory (Dialog., 4, c. 39) gather, that some sins may be remitted in the world to come; and, consequently, that there is a purgatory or a middle place.

36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee. Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

36 "Every idle word"... This shews there must be a place of temporal punishment hereafter where these slighter faults shall be punished.

38 "A sign"... That is, a miracle from heaven. St. Luke 11. 16.

40 "Three days"... Not complete days and nights; but part of three days, and three nights taken according to the way that the Hebrews counted their days and nights, viz., from evening to evening.

41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here. 43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. 47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee. 48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? 49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren. 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

48 "Who is my mother?"... This was not spoken by way of slighting his mother, but to shew that we are never to suffer ourselves to be taken from the service of God, by any inordinate affection to our earthly parents: and that which our Lord chiefly regarded in his mother, was her doing the will of his Father in heaven. It may also further allude to the reprobation of the Jews, his carnal kindred, and the election of the Gentiles.

 

3 God the Son Christ Jesus gave Moses the prophecy of repentance from blasphemy

THE SECOND ODE

 

Canticle of Moses

Deut. 32, 1-43

HEAR, O ye heavens, the things I speak, let the earth give ear to the words of my mouth.

Let my doctrine gather as the rain, let my speech distil as the dew.

As a shower upon the herb, and as drops upon the grass.

Because I will invoke the name of the Lord:

Give ye magnificence to our God. The works of God are perfect, and all his ways are judgments:

God is faithful and without any iniquity, he is just and right. They have sinned against him, and are none of his children in their filth:

They are a wicked and perverse generation. Is this the return thou makest to the Lord, O foolish and senseless people?

Is not he thy father, that hath possessed thee, and made thee, and created thee?

Remember the days of old, think upon every generation:

Ask thy father, and he will declare to thee: thy elders and they will tell thee.

When the Most High divided the nations: when he separated the sons of Adam,

He appointed the bounds of people according to the number of the children of Israel.

But the Lord’s portion is his people: Jacob the lot of his inheritance.

He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, and of vast wilderness:

He led him about, and taught him: and he kept him as the apple of his eye.

As the eagle enticing her young to fly, and hovering over them,

He spread his wings, and hath taken him and carried him on his shoulders.

The Lord alone was his leader: and there was no strange god with him.

He set him upon high land: that he might eat the fruits of the fields,

That he might suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the hardest stone,

Butter of the herd, and milk of the sheep with the fat of lambs, and of the rams of the breed of Basan:

And goats with the marrow of wheat, and might drink the purest blood of the grape.

The beloved grew fat, and kicked: he grew fat, and thick and gross,

He forsook God who made him, and departed from God his saviour.

They provoked him by strange gods, and stirred him up to anger, with their abominations.

They sacrificed to devils and not to God: to gods whom they knew not:

That were newly come up, whom their fathers worshipped not.

Thou hast forsaken the God that begot thee, and hast forgotten the Lord that created thee.

The Lord saw, and was moved to wrath: because his own sons and daughters provoked him.

And he said: I will hide my face from them, and will consider what their last end shall be:

For it is a perverse generation, and unfaithful children.

They have provoked me with that which was no god, and have angered me with their vanities:

And I will provoke them with that which is no people, and will vex them with a foolish nation.

A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell:

And shall devour the earth with her increase, and shall burn the foundations of the mountains.

I will heap evils upon them, and will spend my arrows among them.

They shall be consumed with famine, and birds shall devour them with a most bitter bite:

I will send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the fury of creatures that trail upon the ground, and of serpents.

Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and terror within, both the young man and the virgin, the sucking child with the man in years.

I said: Where are they? I will make the memory of them to cease from among men.

But for the wrath of the enemies I have deferred it: lest perhaps their enemies might be proud,

And should say: Our mighty hand, and not the Lord, hath done all these things.

They are a nation without counsel, and without wisdom. O that they would be wise and would understand, and would provide for their last end.

How should one pursue after a thousand, and two chase then thousand?

Was it not, because their God had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?

For our God is not as their gods: our enemies themselves are judges.

Their vines are of the vineyard of Sodom, and of the suburbs of Gomorrha:

Their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters most bitter.

Their wine is the gall of dragons, and the venom of asps, which is incurable.

Are not these things stored up with me, and sealed up in my treasures?

Revenge is mine, and I will repay them in due time, that their foot may slide:

The day of destruction is at hand, and the time makes haste to come.

The Lord will judge his people, and will have mercy on his servants:

He shall see that their hand is weakened, and that they who were shut up have also failed, and they that remained are consumed.

And he shall say: Where are their gods, in whom they trusted?

Of whose victims they ate the fat, and drank the wine of their drink offerings:

Let them arise and help you, and protect you in your distress.

See ye that I alone am, and there is no other God besides me:

I will kill and I will make to live: I will strike, and I will heal, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

I will lift up my hand to heaven, and I will say: I live for ever.

If I shall whet my sword as the lightning, and my hand take hold on judgment:

I will render vengeance to my enemies, and repay them that hate me.

I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh,

Of the blood of the slain and of the captivity, of the bare head of the enemies.

Praise his people, ye nations, for he will revenge the blood of his servants:

And will render vengeance to their enemies, and he will be merciful to the land of his people.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Ant. The Lord will have mercy on his servants: and he will be merciful to the land of his people.

Ant. 5 Praise ye.

 

 

8th Day, The General Resurrection

THE SIXTH ODE

 

 

A prayer of Jonas the prophet

 

Jon. 2: 3-10

 

As Thou didst save the prophet Jonas, save us also. O Lord.

From out of the sea monster Jonas cried aloud and said,

I cried unto the Lord in mine affliction, and He hearkened

unto me; Thou heardest my cry and my voice out of the belly of

hell.

Thou didst cast me away into the depths of the heart of the

sea, and the waves compassed me about.

All Thy waves and billows have passed over me.

And I said, I am cast out from the sight of Thine eyes; shall I

indeed I look again unto Thy holy temple?

Water is poured about me, even to my soul; the uttermost

deep hath compassed me about; my head went down into the

clefts of the mountains; I went down into the earth, whose bars are

everlasting barriers.

But let my soul come up from corruption, unto Thee, O Lord

my God.

When my soul was failing within me, I remembered the Lord;

yea, let my prayer come unto Thee, unto Thy holy temple.

Those who observe vanities and false things have forsaken

their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice to Thee with the voice of praise and

thanksgiving; whatsoever I have vowed for my salvation, I will pay

unto Thee, O Lord.

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

 

 

5th age of the world, the proclamation of the Gospel’s truth unto the Second Coming of Christ

Gospel According to Saint Mark

Chapter 12

 

The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. Caesar's right to tribute. The Sadducees are confuted. The first commandment. The widow's mite.

1 And he began to speak to them in parables: A certain man planted a vineyard and made a hedge about it, and dug a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen; and went into a far country. 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant to receive of the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 Who having laid hands on him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 4 And again he sent to them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and used him reproachfully. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed: and many others, of whom some they beat, and others they killed.

6Therefore having yet one son, most dear to him; he also sent him unto them last of all, saying: They will reverence my son. 7 But the husbandmen said one to another: This is the heir; come let us kill him; and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And laying hold on him, they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those husbandmen; and will give the vineyard to others. 10 And have you not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:

11 By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes. 12 And they sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way. 13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians; that they should catch him in his words. 14 Who coming, say to him: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and carest not for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar; or shall we not give it? 15 Who knowing their wiliness, saith to them: Why tempt you me? bring me a penny that I may see it.

16 And they brought it him. And he saith to them: Whose is this image and inscription? They say to him, Caesar's. 17 And Jesus answering, said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. 18 And there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying: 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 20 Now there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no issue.

21 And the second took her, and died: and neither did he leave any issue. And the third in like manner. 22 And the seven all took her in like manner; and did not leave issue. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. 24 And Jesus answering, saith to them: Do ye not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise again from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be married, but are as the angels in heaven.

26 And as concerning the dead that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You therefore do greatly err. 28 And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all. 29 And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God. 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said to him: Well, Master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him. 33 And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength;and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices. 34 And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 35 And Jesus answering, said, teaching in the temple: How do the scribes say, that Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself saith by the Holy Ghost: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord, and whence is he then his son? And a great multitude heard him gladly. 38 And he said to them in his doctrine: Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes, and to be saluted in the marketplace, 39 And to sit in the first chairs, in the synagogues, and to have the highest places at suppers: 40 Who devour the houses of widows under the pretence of long prayer: these shall receive greater judgment.

41 And Jesus sitting over against the treasury, beheld how the people cast money into the treasury, and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she castin two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And calling his disciples together, he saith to them: Amen I say to you, this poor widow hath cast in more than all they who have cast into the treasury. 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all she had, even her whole living.

 

7 Good or evil, no mixture

Gospel According to Saint Luke
Chapter 11

 

Christ teaches his disciples to pray. He casts out a dumb devil, confutes the Pharisees, and pronounces woes against them for their hypocrisy.

1 And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 3 Give us this day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. 5 And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves,

6 Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and Ihave not what to set before him. 7 And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

11 And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him? 14 And he was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb: and when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it: 15 But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.

16And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. 18 And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. 19 Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. 22 But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. 23 He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. 25 And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26 Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. 27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. 29 And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation.

31 The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here. 32 The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here. 33 No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel; but upon a candlestick, that they that come in, may see the light. 34 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. 35 Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee, be not darkness.

36 If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness; the whole shall be lightsome; and as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee. 37 And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee prayed him, that he would dine with him. And he going in, sat down to eat. 38 And the Pharisee began to say, thinking within himself, why he was not washed before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inside is full of rapine and iniquity. 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make also that which is within?

41 But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold, all things are clean unto you. 42 But woe to you, Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb; and pass over judgment, and the charity of God. Now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe to you, Pharisees, because you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the marketplace. 44 Woe to you, because you are as sepulchres that appear not, and men that walk over are not aware. 45 And one of the lawyers answering, saith to him: Master, in saying these things, thou reproachest us also.

46 But he said: Woe to you lawyers also, because you load men with burdens which they cannot bear, and you yourselves touch not the packs with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you who build the monuments of the prophets: and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly you bear witness that you consent to the doings of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchres. 49 For this cause also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute. 50 That the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,

46 "Woe to you lawyers"... He speaks of the doctors of the law of Moses, commonly called the scribes.

47 "Woe to you who build"... Not that the building of the monuments of the prophets was in itself blameworthy, but only the intention of these unhappy men, who made use of this outward shew of religion and piety, as a means to carry on their wicked designs against the prince of prophets.

51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who was slain between the alter and the temple: Yea I say to you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in, you have hindered. 53 And as he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the lawyers began violently to urge him, and to oppress his mouth about many things, 54 Lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch something from his mouth, that they might accuse him.

 

9 Judgement

Gospel According to Saint Luke

Chapter 13

 

The necessity of penance. The barren fig tree. The cure of the infirm woman. The journey to Jerusalem.

1 And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things? 3 No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

6 He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. 7 And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground? 8 But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it. 9 And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. 10 And he was teaching in their synagogue on their sabbath.

11 And behold there was a woman, who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years: and she was bowed together, neither could she look upwards at all. 12 Whom when Jesus saw, he called her unto him, and said to her: Woman, thou art delivered from thy infirmity. 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue (being angry that Jesus had healed on the sabbath) answering, said to the multitude: Six days there are wherein you ought to work. In them therefore come, and be healed; and not on the sabbath day. 15 And the Lord answering him, said: Ye hypocrites, doth not every one of you, on the sabbath day, loose his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead them to water?

16 And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 17 And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the things that were gloriously done by him. 18 He said therefore: To what is the kingdom of God like, and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew and became a great tree, and the birds of the air lodged in the branches thereof. 20 And again he said: Whereunto shall I esteem the kingdom of God to be like?

21 It is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 22 And he went through the cities and towns teaching, and making his journey to Jerusalem. 23 And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them: 24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able. 25 But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut the door, you shall begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying: Lord, open to us. And he answering, shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are.

24 "Shall seek"... Shall desire to be saved; but for want of taking sufficient pains, and being thoroughly in earnest, shall not attain to it.

26 Then you shall begin to say: We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 And he shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And there shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, they are last that shall be first; and they are first that shall be last.

31 The same day, there came some of the Pharisees, saying to him: Depart, and get thee hence, for Herod hath a mind to kill thee. 32 And he said to them: Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast outdevils, and do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am consummated. Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow, and the day following, because it cannot be that a prophet perish, out of Jerusalem. 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children as the bird doth her brood under her wings, and thou wouldest not? 35 Behold your house shall be left to you desolate. And I say to you, that you shall not see me till the time come, when you shall say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.