Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/53

 II. On the second head it is to be noted that the Name of Ood is to be used in five ways. (1) It is to be retained in the heart, and so become a cause of joy—Is. xxvi. 8, “ The desire of our soul is to Thy Name.” (2) It is to be heard by the ear, and so cause delight—Job xxix. 11, “When the ear heard me, then it blessed me.” (3) It is to be carried in the hand, and so be a lever of strength—Prov. xviii. 10, “ The Name of the Lord is a strong tower.” (4) It is to be written on the forehead, as a mark of honour; it will make a man (Isa. lviii. 13) “ holy of the Lord, honourable.”

III. On the third head it is to be noted that the manifold virtue of this Name is expressed in eight particulars in the text—(1) In It were all things created. (2) By It are the demons put to flight. (3) By It were all infirmities healed. (4) Through It were sinners justified. (5) By It are the sad made joyful. (6) By It are the tempted helped. (7) Through It are the just increased in grace. (8) All who call upon It are saved. Note, that this Name enlightens the reason; soothes anger; delights the desire. The inhabitants of the world unseen, fear It; of the earth, adore It; of Heaven, praise It. It spoils Hades; It liberates the earthly; It exalts the heavenly.

In these words five things are noted—Firstly, the sin of the wicked, “ tares.” Secondly, their punishment, “ bind them in bundles to burn them.” Thirdly, the goodness of the righteous, “the wheat.” Fourthly, their glory, “gather into My barn.” Fifthly, the abundance of God’s “barn.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted that the tares are of three kinds, corresponding to three sins—(1) They are darnel, which signifies luxury. Darnel perverts the state of the reason just as luxury does—Ezek. xxiii. 9, “ Upon whom she doted;” Hos. iv. 11, “Whoredom and wine and new