Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/21

 - "Now it is high time to awaken out of sleep;" and, therefore, by hastening from the sleep of sin, to arise to the fulfilling of justice; and the reason is given why a man should do this: " For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed;" to which salvation may we be led by Jesus Christ Our Lord.

THIS is a prophecy of the Advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ, about which there are three signs. First, the dignity of Him Who is coming; secondly, the utility of His Advent; thirdly, the manner in which He came. Of the first sign we read in the Gospel, " Thy King cometh;" a merciful King; a just King; a wise King; a terrible King; an omnipotent King; an eternal King. A merciful King in sparing; a just in judging; a good in rewarding; a wise in governing; an omnipotent King in defending the good; a terrible King in punishing the evil; an eternal King in ruling eternally, and in bestowing immortality. Of the first, Isa. xvi. 5, "And in mercy shall the throne be established." Of the second, Isa. xxxiv., "And behold, a King shall reign in justice;" Isa. xvi. 5, "And He shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David." Of the third, Ps. lxxiii. 1, " Truly God, is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Of the fourth, Jer. xxiii. 5, "I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute justice and judgment in the earth." Of the fifth,Esth. xiii. 9, " Lord, Lord, the King Almighty, for the whole world is in Thy power." Of the sixth, Wis. xi. 10, "As a severe King, Thou didst condemn and punish." Of the seventh, Jer. x. 10, " But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God and an everlasting King;" S. Luke i. 33 , "And of His Kingdom there shall be no end." Of the seven, collectively, 2 Mac. i. 24, " O Lord, Lord, God, Creator of all things, Who art fearful, and strong, and