Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/194

 Jesus looked upon Peter (and he wept bitterly), whom He had delivered from the sin of denying Him, and did not permit him to fall from the elevation of the Apostolate: “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, Who said unto Him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly,” S. Matt. xxvi. 75. For the Lord is as the sun, which shining makes the crops to live and to be fruitful. " Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me,” Ps. xxv. 16. (3) That salvation comes from repentance: "And the woman was made whole.” "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth,” Isa. xlv. 22.

The Advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ is predicted in these words, about which three things are to be noted. Firstly, the congruity of Him coming: "Behold, the day is come for it was congruous that many days should precede the Advent of the Lord, during which men might prepare themselves for His reception. Secondly, the dignity of Him coming: “I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King,” &c. Thirdly, the utility of His Advent: " And shall execute justice and judgment in the earth.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that five spiritual days preceded the Advent of Christ. (1) Was the day of the eternal preordination of the Father: "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting,” Micah v. 2. (2) Was the day of the promise made to the Fathers: " The oath which He sware to our Father Abraham, that He would grant unto us,” S. Luke i. 73, 74. (3) Was the day in which this day was prefigured in the Law: " Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and