Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/150

 beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two-pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee.” Thirdly, the rule which is given to us for imitation: “ Go, and do thou likewise.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that men incur a fourfold misery when they sin. (1) They are deprived of heavenly glory: “went down from Jerusalem,” &c., Gloss. That man by the falling away of trifling, to miseries, and to the infirmity of this sad and changeable life, descends from the heavenly Jerusalem. The wicked shall hide themselves, “ for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty,” Isai. ii. 19. (2) The wicked are subjected under wicked spirits : “ and fell among thieves,” Gloss. In the power of the evil spirits: “ and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will,” 2 S. Tim. ii. 26 (3) They are despoiled of their good possessions : “ which stripped him of his raiment,” Gloss. It refers to the garments of spiritual grace : “ into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin,” Wisdom i. 4. (4) They are wounded in their natural good things: “ and wounded him;” bring wounds upon him, that is, sins, by which the integrity of human nature is violated. “If there were not natural good things vices could not harm them; but now what they do is to take away integrity, beauty, virtue, and salvation” (S. Augustine).

II. On the second head it is to be noted, four kinds of compassion are expressed which Christ manifested towards sinners. (1) Was the taking of human nature: “A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where.he was; and when He saw him he had compassion on him,” Gloss. The Samaritan is Christ, who was made man for our sakes, that He might deliver us from this present life. (2) Was the institution of the Sacraments for the salvation of sinners: “ and bound up his wounds,” Gloss. In baptism: “ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds,” Psalm cxlvii. 3. (3) Was the infusion of the grace of the Holy Spirit: “ pouring in oil,” Gloss. The charisma of the Holy Spirit: “ but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you