Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/43

 of sin 1 Esd. vi. 21, "All that had separated themselves from the filthiness of the nations of the earth to seek the Lord the God of Israel." (2) With simplicity of intention Wisd. i. 1, " Seek Him in simplicity of heart." (3) From the whole heart, that we may think only upon Him; (4) from our whole will, that we may only desire Him of these two, 2 Chron. xv. 15, "They had sworn with all their heart, and sought Him with their whole desire; and He was found of them." (5) Quickly, ere the time in which He can be found pass away Isaiah lv. 6, " Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." (6) Perseveringly, without cessation Ps. cv. 4, " Seek His face evermore." (7) With sorrow for sin Micah iv. 10, "Be in pain and labour to bring forth the daughter of Zion the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies." "I and My Father," etc.

III. On the third head it is to be noted that we ought to seek God, " have sought Thee;" and to do this for four reasons because (1) He is just, (2) merciful, (3) good, (4) Life. God is just, since no one who seeks as he ought to do shall fail to find Him; merciful, since He so graciously receives those seeking Him of these two, Zeph. ii. 3, "Seek ye the Lord seek righteousness, seek meekness." He is good, that He may magnify and reward those seeking Him Lam. iii. 25, "The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him." He is Life, since He gives eternal life to those who are seeking Him Ps. lxix. 32, " Your heart shall live that seek God." To which life may we be brought, etc.

{{c|{{larger|Homily III}}

{{c|{{uc|The Law Of Hospitality.}}

{{sc|Second Sunday after the Epiphany.—(From the Epistle.)}}

{{sm|"Given to hospitality." - Rom. xii. 13.}}}}

{{sc|In}} this Epistle, which is altogether full of moral precepts, we are exhorted to great hospitality, to which four motives ought chiefly to move us. Firstly, the command of the