Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/23

 the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," etc. He hath " anointed Me to preach good tidings." Behold, the illumination of the world, for by preaching He hath enlightened the world for us; " to bind up the broken-hearted," in destroying sin; and sin being destroyed, makes the broken heart to be healed. " To proclaim liberty to the captives:" behold the spoliation of Hades, for by spoiling Hades He led captivity captive. "The opening of the prison:" behold the restoration of Heaven, which is the opening of Heaven. "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord:" behold the reconciliation of man with God. " The day of vengeance of our God" is the day of the destruction of the devil: for so He visited with vengeance for all the injuries which the devil had done to the saints. " To comfort all that mourn:" behold the beatification of men. In this verse is noted the manner of His coming. "Meek:" in meekness Our Lord Jesus Christ wished to come; and He wished to come meekly for four reasons. In the first place, that He might the more easily correct the wicked: Psalm lxxxix. 10 (Vulgate reading), " For mildness is come upon us; and we shall be corrected." In the second place, that He might show to all His lowliness: Eccles. iii. 19, "My Son, do Thy work in meekness, and Thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men." In the third place, that He might draw the sheep to Himself, and that He might multiply to Himself a people: 2 Sam. xxii. 36, "And Thy gentleness hath made me great." S. Bernard says, " We wholly run after Thee, O good Jesus, on account of Thy meekness." In the fourth place, that He might teach meekness: S. Matt. xi. 29, "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." There are four things which ought especially to commend meekness to us: the first, because it delivers us from evil; the second, because it perfects grace; the third, because it preserves the soul; and the fourth, because it deserves the land of the living. Of the first: It delivers from evil, because judicious meekness belongs to him who feels with no bitterness of mind. Of the second, Prov. iii. 34, "He giveth grace unto the lowly." Of the third,Ecclesus. x. 31, "Keep Thy soul in meekness." Of the fourth, S. Matt. v. 5, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Let us, therefore, ask that this Lord and King may come to us.