Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/34

 their debts by justifying them; and Who will crown them with an eternal kingdom by preserving them."

Of the first, Isa. xxxiii. 22, "The Lord is our King; He will save us." S. Matt. i. 21, "He shall save His people from their sins." Of the second, Rom. v. 1, " Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God." Of the third, Apoc. ii. 10, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Of these three, Isa. lxi.' 10, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." To which joy may we be led through Jesus Christ our Lord.

IN the former Gospel it was seen how Christ manifoldly praised John; in the present Gospel it is noted how John humbled himself. Morally, this world is understood by the text, Deut, viii. 15, " Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought." The scorpion represents luxury, and the drought is avarice. In this desert the creature proclaims Christ, the Just One and the Preacher. The creature cries three things firstly, that we should know God; secondly, that we should love Him; thirdly, that we should give Him the praise that is due to Him. Of the first, S. Augustine said, "All things cry, God made me." Of the second, he says again, " Heaven and earth, and all things which are in them on all sides, tell me that I ought to love Thee; neither do