Page:Completecatechis00deharich.djvu/37

 one had ever witnessed before: He made the blind to see and the lame to walk; He restored the sick to health, and raised the dead to life; in a word, He relieved every kind of suffering and misery. Nevertheless, He had many enemies, especially among the Scribes and Pharisees, who hated Him because He reprimanded them for their sins and vices, and also because He would not establish a temporal kingdom and elevate them to high dignities. They watched all His words and actions; but they could not convict Him of any sin. In the third year of His public teaching, and shortly before the Pasch or Easter, Jesus raised Lazarus to life after he had lain four days in the grave. The people, hearing of this miracle, greatly rejoiced; and when Jesus went to Jerusalem, they came forth in crowds to meet Him, with branches of palms and olives in their hands, spread their garments in the way, and cried, saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest' (Matt. xxi. 9). This triumphant entry of Jesus exasperated his enemies still more, and from that day they sought to put Him to death.

24. Jesus knew that the time of His bitter Passion was at hand. Resigned to the will of His Heavenly Father, He prepared to pass out of this world. Whilst, in conformity with the Jewish law. He was eating the Paschal Lamb with His Apostles, He took bread into His holy and venerable hands, lifted up His eyes toward Heaven, to God His Almighty Father, gave thanks, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, say-